Q: My 13-month-old son tends to put everything in his mouth. Earlier we thought he was teething but he cannot be teething all the time. Even when we are out shopping, he wants some thing or other to chew. It is quite embarassing. I am a housewife and stay with him all through the day. I think that maybe I am wrong somewhere due to which he seems to put everything into his mouth. I am concerned since this is also dangerous due to different kinds of germs. Will this go away with time or do we need to do something that will make him give up the habit?

A:It is perfectly normal for a 13 month old child who is probably crawling, standing and even walking to actively explore all objects that are of interest in the environment. This is known to be the oral stage of development. Do ensure that your child is adequately breast-fed. If you want to discourage any unwanted behaviours, you can divert attention, but do not make the child over-conscious of his acts.