Today I was able to spend some time socially with 2 different almost 2 yr old?toddlers who I have never met. The first child was very oddly shaped-long slender limbs but a large head and protruding belly-17 lbs at 23 months. Her body shape is what I noticed first about her. She had surgery 2 days ago to correct her crossed eyes. She had a ingrown fingernail-looked badly infected, and I learned she has been in the hospital several times for respiratory illnesses and tubes in her ears. Her mother has gone out of town for the weekend?and left her with a babysitter. For breakfast she had a soft drink, grapes, and ?candy. She had a terribe running nose and cough. The baby sitter was asking for cough medication and said the mother said she gives it to her all the time. I tried to gently do some education about the dangers of cough meds for?children, ?but the babysitter countered me that the mom gives it to her with no problem. The babysitter had forgotten her eyedrops in another location so the child was off the schedule of meds for her eye surgery. I never heard her babble or say any words. She didn't have any water, juice or food for the 3 hours I spent with her. The sitter said she only would eat grapes, and junk food. She only took a few steps at a time and spent most of her time just sitting in a stroller.
The second baby? was very rollypolly- 23 lbs at 23 months. She was solid,?with?peachy creamy skin. She was smiling and laughing but always with her eyes toward mom. She would walk away a few feet and turn and laugh at mom. mom alternated her between a sling and letting her explore the floor. She is mostly breastfed with some fruits and white meats. She was a chatterbug with not many clearly understood words, but the inflection was understood as to what she was saying.
These two babies both get services at public health centers. One has a IBCLC on staff, the other has no breastfeeding services. It wasn't a scientific study, but the differences were so huge. My heart just broke seeing the differences in parenting styles and how it impacts the health of the child. Both dads are in the military, and both moms are stay at home moms. 
Just my observations today.

Barbara Whitehead, BS, IBCLC
eastern NC

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