Autism refers to a group of neurological disorders that unfortunately—and for unconfirmed and unknown reasons—are affecting more and more children. It has received a lot of publicity in the last several years resulting in a lot of confusing and conflicting information being circulated. What are the facts?
When a sore throat becomes more than just a little scratchy… ie. there is substantial pain… it is time to worry about a bacterial infection in the throat (“Strep throat”).
Immunizations have revolutionized pediatric health and play a major role in helping protect your child
Babies’ skin is very sensitive to the sun’s harmful rays. Babies should NOT be in direct sunlight, particularly before the age of six months. Little ones need extra care in the heat to ensure that they do not become dehydrated. Feed babies frequently with breast milk or formula. Use a wide brimmed hat, light and long clothing and a canopy as much as possible. Stay in the shade, particularly between 10am and 4pm when the sun is at its strongest.
If you are someone who is used to being self-sufficient, get prepared to receive help.If you have friends and family who want to be there for you, make a list of things that you need and see if they are prepared to help you do these things for a short while whilst you get used to your new role as parents.
There are lots of products available but here are a few of the critical things you’ll probably need for baby’s carewhen you come home:
acetaminophen suspension for infants – for fevers or if needed after vaccinations
antibiotic ointment – for control of wound infections
batteries – for all of the baby equipment!
calamine lotion – for heat rash or sunburn
diapers/diaper wipes
gentle baby wash/shampoo
gripe water – good for fussy babies who need to get a burp up
hand sanitizer – it’s good to have one by each sink for visitors to use
hydrogen peroxide – helps keep the umbilical stump clean
silicone skin cream – good for preventing diaper rash
vaseline – keeps moisture in and soothes skin
vitamin D drops dietary supplement – breastfed babies require daily 400 IU for one year
You may consider creating an emergency contact list to have handy in the event of an emergency.
Each year many young children are diagnosed with middle ear infections – or otitis media. Typical symptoms that occur with otits media include fever, ear ache and irritability. Many times these infections become recurrent and parents are forced to make several trips to the child’s physician to get treatment. Parents often want to decrease their child’s suffering and may be quick to administer antibiotics to do so. Although the use of antibiotics is warranted in some situations, they often do not address the root cause of the problem. The use of antibiotics can leave the child more susceptible to other types of infections as bacteria become resistant to drugs. Side effects of antibiotics can include digestive upset leading to diarrhea, gas and tummy ache. In many instances, the ear infection is not due to bacteria, but due to a virus, which antibiotics will not be useful in eliminating.