Parents often pay attention to the weight of their 5-year-old children to assess their development. Weight is considered one of the indicators to evaluate both physical and intellectual growth. If this indicator does not meet the standard, parents can recognize it and find ways to improve their child's condition.
1. Development process of a 5-year-old child
The physical development of a 5-year-old child is demonstrated through their ability to walk, run, and move quickly, coordinating many flexible and difficult movements. At this stage, children who are active often develop well.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO) statistics on weight standards for children of different ages, the weight of a 5-year-old girl is 18.2 kg, and the weight of a 5-year-old boy is 18.3 kg. During the early years of a child's life, height and weight develop very quickly because this is the time when children need a continuous source of nutrients. However, by the time a child is 5 years old, their development begins to slow down, with an average annual height increase of 6-7 cm and an average weight increase of 2-3 kg.
During this period, children's fine and gross motor skills gradually improve. Therefore, children need to meet the criteria for optimal physical development. In addition to physical development, 5-year-old children also develop emotionally and socially. They begin to learn how to control and regulate their emotions effectively. They are also very enthusiastic about social activities, such as making friends with peers or receiving positive feedback from adults. Although children at this age no longer experience the crises of the "terrible twos," they may still have occasional outbursts of negative emotions when they are dissatisfied. At these times, children can be easily offended or feel sad. Parents should pay attention to their children's emotions to guide them and help them feel satisfied with their desires.
Furthermore, this age is also considered a time when children begin to express their own emotions and opinions. If children want to share their thoughts, parents should encourage and accompany them to help them feel cared for.
Five-year-old children also start to distinguish between right and wrong, understanding basic principles and wanting to follow them to please their parents. Additionally, 5-year-old children have many questions and curiosities about the world around them. They may be eager to explore and learn new things. Therefore, parents will see their children always ready to take apart everything, including toys, to understand how they work. At this stage of development, children also know how to express their needs and desires through words. Their language gradually becomes more understandable.
2. Some ways to help children gain weight and develop comprehensively
How much should a 5-year-old weigh? The answer to this question requires a combination of many activities to help children achieve the standard weight. However, to achieve this, parents need to follow these methods:
- Proper nutrition care: Achieve the goals recommended by the World Health Organization. To do this, parents must know how to stimulate their child's taste buds to make eating more enjoyable. This includes supplementing with essential nutrients, zinc, B vitamins, iron, or lysine to enhance the child's appetite and help them eat more. Nutrient-rich foods include beef, seafood, chicken, green beans, dark leafy vegetables, brown rice, fresh milk, egg yolks, and seafish.
- Divide meals into smaller portions: This helps children absorb nutrients better. Additionally, to help children gain weight, parents should provide plenty of vitamins from fruits and vegetables. Besides ensuring three main meals with sufficient food, parents should divide the meals into nutrient groups. Moreover, parents should prepare 2 to 3 snacks daily with yogurt, fruits, and fresh milk to ensure children receive enough nutrients for development.
- Include milk and dairy products: To help children gain weight, parents should add milk and dairy products such as cheese, yogurt, and powdered milk to their diet. Milk is not only nutritious but also easy to digest and suitable for children due to its balanced and reasonable nutritional composition. Milk provides a rich source of protein and a large amount of calcium to help develop strong bones and teeth.
- Ensure adequate water intake: Water plays an important role in the body's metabolism. When children meet their water needs, it enhances metabolism and helps prevent constipation or improve slow eating and weight gain issues.
- Encourage physical activity: Create conditions for children to engage in sufficient physical activity to enhance metabolism and build a strong musculoskeletal system. Parents should encourage children to participate in sports such as swimming, cycling, and walking. The duration of these activities should be 30 to 45 minutes daily to help children burn energy and actively replenish it.
- Regular deworming: Parents should deworm their children regularly to ensure the digestive system functions well and is balanced, helping absorb nutrients to meet the child's development needs. According to the Ministry of Health, children, including 5-year-olds, should be dewormed every 6 months.
In summary, to ensure the development of 5-year-old children within the standard range and help them develop well, parents should provide a scientific nutritional regimen. When planning meals for children, parents should pay attention to the number of meals per day and the nutritional content of the food to balance it appropriately.
Parents should supplement their children with support products containing lysine, essential minerals, and vitamins such as zinc, chromium, selenium, and B vitamins to meet the child's nutritional needs. These essential vitamins also support digestion, enhance nutrient absorption, improve appetite, and help children eat well and develop comprehensively.
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