Greetings

Hello everyone, welcome to our October newsletter! As always, we provide an overview of what is happening within our childcare community. This month, we will focus on  Sweet Tooth Syndrome in Young Children.

The trick-or-treating has just finished and with it, kids filled to the brim with sweets and candies. A prelude to the coming holiday season, children will be stuffed with sugary foods and drinks. While Sweet Tooth Syndrome is an informal term to describe a strong preference for sweet foods, usually laced with sugar or artificial sweeteners, it is a reality parents deal with their children. As children’s brains and palates are still developing, it is easy for them to get hooked on sweet food. In this newsletter, we will discuss the consequences of having a sweet tooth, its effects on children’s health, and practical strategies for parents and early childhood educators to help their little ones develop healthier and less sweeter eating habits.

The Sweet Tooth Syndrome

Sweet Tooth Syndrome is not a medically-recognised condition but rather a term that encapsulates the challenges associated with excessive sugar consumption. Research indicates that individuals with a strong preference for sweets may face heightened risks of developing serious health conditions. A recent study found out that those who favour sugary foods are at an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, depression, and cardiovascular diseases.

The Science Behind Sugar Cravings

Sugar stimulates the brain’s reward system by releasing dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure. This reaction can create a cycle where children crave more sugar to achieve the same pleasurable feeling. Over time, this can lead to habitual consumption of sugary foods, making it difficult for children to appreciate healthier and less sweet options.

The Health Risks of Excess Sugar

Excess intake of sugar affects bodies in certain ways such as the following:

1. Obesity

Excessive sugar intake is a significant contributor to childhood obesity. Sugary drinks and snacks provide empty calories that do not satiate hunger effectively, leading to overeating. According to health experts, reducing free sugar intake can help combat this issue and promote healthier weight management.

2. Dental problems

Sugar is a leading cause of dental cavities in children. When sugar interacts with bacteria in the mouth, it produces acid that erodes the tooth enamel. Regularly consuming sugary snacks can significantly increase the risk of tooth decay.

3. Mental Health Issues

Emerging research suggests a link between high sugar intake and mental health problems such as anxiety and depression. Children with a sweet tooth may be more susceptible to mood swings, temper tantrums, and emotional instability due to fluctuating blood sugar levels.

Strategies to Encourage Healthy Eating Habits

Sugar-laden food and drink options are easily accessible. That is why it’s hard to avoid it in the first place. But there are ways parents and educators can help children make the right food choices.

1. Educate on Nutrition

Understanding the role of sugar in one’s diet, its natural food sources, and the amount recommended for daily intake can help convince children to choose better food options. A simple demonstration of how much actual sugar is in their favourite candy, snack or fast food item can help children understand visually what they are actually eating.

2. Gradual reduction of sugary foods

As with all things in life, gradual reduction is the way to quit sugar to avoid extreme withdrawal symptoms. Gradually reducing it helps the child’s body adjust to decreasing amounts of sugar and prevents them from feeling deprived. One can start diluting their fruit juices gradually or replacing it with water occasionally, until their taste buds have adjusted.

3. Healthy substitutes

Introducing natural sweeteners like stevia, monk fruit or honey can also answer children’s lingering need for sugar. These natural sweeteners are easier to digest and prevent overconsumption. You can also provide snacks that are sweet but do not contain excessive sugar such as yoghurt with fresh fruits or homemade fruit smoothies.

4. Model healthy behaviour

Children learn what they see, not what they hear. So if they see parents and teachers eating healthy food, they’ll want to mimic their parents’ eating habits. By seeing their parents eat healthy snacks and demonstrating moderation on their sweet intakes, parents can set a positive example for their children to emulate.

5. Create balanced meals

Having a well-balanced diet with proteins, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates helps children stay and feel full with a relative amount of energy. These balanced meals help regulate their blood sugar levels and reduce their sweet cravings.

Making Changes: Tips for Success

Transitioning away from a sweet tooth diet can be challenging but rewarding. Here are some actionable steps you can take.

• Involve children in meal planning: Let them choose fruits and vegetables at the grocery store. Let them also help in food preparation. This stokes their eagerness to consume their favourite healthy food options. 

• Limit access to sugary snacks: Stocking up on nutritious options helps children pick better and healthier alternatives at home. Keeping sweets out of sight at home helps a lot in making them used to healthier eating habits.

• Encourage mindful eating habits: Teach children to pay attention to their hunger cues and enjoy their food without distractions. This gives them a better relationship with food.

• Celebrate small wins: Acknowledge and celebrate every time your child chooses better and healthier options. Praise them for trying new healthy food options as well.

The Takeaway

Swerving away from Sweet Tooth Syndrome is not just about reducing sugar intake; it’s also about having a healthy relationship with food that will last a lifetime. By educating ourselves and our children about nutrition, making gradual changes, and modelling healthy behaviours, we can significantly impact our children’s health outcomes. 

0-12 month development

When Can Babies Eat Chocolate?

Author: Stephanie Brown

Think your baby might have a sweet tooth? Experts say parents should ensure they aren’t feeding babies and toddlers with food with added sugars. And that includes chocolates with added sugar.

Find out more about when babies can eat chocolate here.

1-2 year development

How To Identify if Your Toddler’s Speech Delay Is a Concern

Author: Maureen Ryan

Children develop at varying paces. And while parents should know their child should run their own race, there are some milestones you can look for as goalposts to see if your child is on track to developing their speech or if any speech delay is happening. 

Find more details about speech milestones you can watch out for here.

2-3 year development

Raising independent and resilient children: Lessons from TVO’s ‘Old Enough!’ and the science of love

Author: Nikki Martyn

Two-years olds are and can be capable of accomplishing short errands completely on their own, just as shown in the hit series, ‘Old Enough!’. Researchers found out giving young children small and short errands they can accomplish without any known parent or caregiver around to rely on helps them come out of their shell and strengthen their independence and resilience.

Read on and find out how Old Enough demonstrates young children’s independent streak here.

3-4 year development

How can you help your child learn to self-regulate

Author: Natalie Day

Self-regulation helps children manage their outbursts when things go wrong. If young children throw tantrums, self-regulation helps lessen episodes of these tantrums. It makes children become better losers while playing a game, push through when homework gets tough or keep on learning even when they find it hard to comprehend. 

Find more reasons why self-regulation is a vital skill for children’s life-long success here.

4-5 year development

Tech can help kids connect with nature and go outdoors – here are tips to make it work

Authors: Kellie Vella and Madeline Dobson

Technology when used in the right way can help kids feel much closer to nature, know the species and environment. Curious children can discover new plants, its features, details and other characteristics using technology. It’ll help children know more and feel closer to nature as they explore and uncover more interesting things about the world around them.

Read on to find out how technology can be harnessed to make kids feel more connected to nature here.

Flying Reindeer

Do your little ones wonder how Santa and his reindeer reach their houses just in time to deliver their Christmas presents? This STEM activity will have kids create their own reindeer and flight path, after which they can apply the scientific method to figure out the reindeer flightpath. 

See the steps to this flying reindeer experiment here.

3D Paper Christmas Tree Paper Craft

Have your little ones make their own 3D paper Christmas tree while practising their fine motor skills using scissors in this STEM activity. All you need is a pattern printed on colourful paper like construction paper.

See the steps in creating a 3D Paper Christmas Tree here.

Red Velvet Donut Bath Bombs with Soap Icing Glaze

Add a twist to Christmas swim by having red velvet donut bath bombs with soap icing glaze! Making this bath bomb, children will be able to practise their maths by making measurements while also flexing their creative muscles come decoration time. Be sure to put it in a marked container as these red velvet bath bombs can look so realistic!

Find out the steps on how to make these red velvet donut bath bombs here.

Ribbon & Bell Chimes STEM Challenge

Ring in the holidays by having children create their own ribbon & bell chimes in the STEM challenge. They’ll have fun engineering their own ribbon & bell chimes, testing how bell chimes work and measuring and counting their bell chimes.

Read on how to make these ribbons and bells chimes STEM activity here.