Suitable Clothing For Toddlers And Older Children

By Owen Jones


The bodies of toddlers and older children are beginning to take on the characteristics of an adult, but they still bear some characteristics of babies, in that their body temperature is rising but is still not up to maximum. It is important to keep toddlers warm, but not to let them overheat. Therefore, you have to get hold of suitable clothing for toddlers and older children.

The fabric used in the garments is more important now because toddlers are active and some materials may cause friction, static and skin irritations. Other textiles may retain perspiration which is another cause of possible irritation.

It cannot be stressed too much that cold can cause disease in children. You should aspire to keep your toddler's body temperature constant. Any sudden drop in temperature can make your child vulnerable to illness, while overheating can also have the same consequence. The areas most at risk are the air passages and the lungs.

No matter what type of clothing you decide to dress your toddler in, you ought to regulate its temperature according to the ambient temperature of the time of year and whether you are in or out of doors in the same way as you would do for yourself: that is by putting on and taking off layers of clothing. Be wary of under dressing in Spring and Autumn, because errors then can lead to congestion and inflammation.

Flannel is a good textile for toddlers to wear because it is warm but it also absorbs perspiration. Some infants find flannel a little too rough on their skin, so you will have to look out for abrasions, but in general, the coarseness of flannel has a beneficial, stimulating effect on the skin of toddlers, particularly when they are playing out of doors.

If you do notice redness caused by rough flannel, you could swap for cotton garments when they come in or go to take a nap. Creams might be the only answer you require as the skin becomes tough enough to tolerate the flannel.

Infants grow so quickly that you always have to be conscious of clothing becoming restrictive. At this stage in a young child's life, you should pay particular attention to the torso or boys and girls. The chest muscles must be allowed to expand as they will become be the source of strength in later life.

Likewise, the waist and groin, particularly in boys, must be free from encumbrance. Overly tight nappies or underpants on a boy can have serious consequences for his later life.

Girls fare better at this early stage in their development in that their sexual organs are internal, but as girls emerge from this period, some cultures compel girls to adopt restrictive practices which can have adverse effects on their health way into later life.

Excessively tight clothing around the midriff is harmful to the development of the internal organs. Corsets or girdles should certainly be ruled out. The peer pressure to wear make up on such young skin can also cause problems like rashes and even acne and so ought to be resisted at all cost.




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