Palak Vyas

<ul><li>Yes! There is a difference in potty training boys and girls. Most parents start potty training their child when they are between 2-3 years old. Usually, a girl child is ready to start potty training when she is 18 months old or it can vary up to 4 years in some cases.</li><li>Girls tend to get started with potty training about 3 months earlier than boys. Boys take more time to get ready; at around 2 years they start and can be fully potty trained between 4 to 6 years of age. So they start later and take longer to train.</li><li>Boys have to learn two different ways and they easily accept this. To start with, teach them to use the potty while sitting and gradually they learn to use the toilet in standing position for peeing and in sitting position for potty.</li><li>Girls mature faster both physiologically and intellectually. They are quick with the concepts of language and understand better so their potty training is faster. They learn how to dress and undress and they have better control than boys.</li><li>Every child is unique. Regardless of gender, potty training will be different for everyone. Each child will be potty trained in his/her own time and in his/her own way.</li><li>It is important to reward your child for achieving this milestone of being potty trained.</li></ul>

You might have to adapt different approaches to potty train your girl child and boy child.

Difference in potty training for boys and girls

<ul><li>When a grownup child of 4 or 5 years does not eat food on their own, it is a matter of concern. Actually, the training of a child eating on their own should begin in early years. When a child in of 6th or 7th month, (s)he tries to put everything in the mouth and that is the age when the child is eager to eat on his/her own.</li><li>At this time, the parent doesn’t allow thinking that the child is too young to eat on his/her own and will create mess like making their clothes dirty or floor and because the child will take longer time. So the child is being spoon fed and later when they get habituated to be fed by the parent, the parent starts complaining.</li><li>So the whole approach towards feeding needs to be changed. Child should be allowed to eat on his/her own even when (s)he creates mess or takes time.</li><li>Finger food which can be put on their fingers like fryums, cucumber or toast sticks, fruits are the kinds of food children like to eat on their own. Make food interesting for them and gradually they will develop the habit.</li><li>Of course developing a new habit is going to take time and you will need to be patient with your child.</li></ul>

When a child is ready to eat food on its own, (s)he will give you signals. Look for the signals and you will know how to help your baby.

Helping Children eat food on their own

Ravina Sewani

Infants and toddlers tend to get a heart attack but in very rare cases. Some children are also born with congenital heart defect, which means that a child is born with a heart structural problem. Congenital heart defects can be simple or complex and may or may not need treatment or surgery. There are about more than 25 different types of congenital heart defects and only a professional expert can decide whether a child needs surgery or not. Congenital heart defects are the cause of heart attacks in babies and children. Symptoms of congenital heart defect:<ul><li>Pale grey or blue skin colour</li><li>Rapid breathing</li><li>Swelling in the legs, abdomen or areas around the eyes</li><li>Shortness of breath during feedings, leading to poor weight gain</li><li>Easily becoming short of breath during exercise or activity</li><li>Fainting during exercise or activity</li><li>Swelling in the hands, ankles or feet</li></ul> Diagnosis:Serious congenital heart defects are often diagnosed before or soon after your child’s birth. If you notice that your baby has any of the signs or symptoms above, call your child's doctor. CausesResearchers aren't sure exactly what causes most of these defects, but they think genetics, certain medical conditions, some medications and environmental factors, such as smoking, may play a role. Types of heart defects:<ul><li>Holes in the heart: Holes can form in the walls between heart chambers or between major blood vessels leaving the heart.</li><li>Obstructed blood flow: When blood vessels or heart valves are narrow because of a heart defect, the heart must work harder to pump blood through them.</li><li>Abnormal blood vessels: Several congenital heart defects happen when blood vessels going to and from the heart don't form correctly, or they're not positioned the way they're supposed to be.</li><li>Heart valve abnormalities: If the heart valves can't open and close correctly, blood can't flow smoothly.</li><li>An underdeveloped heart: Sometimes, a major portion of the heart fails to develop properly.</li><li>A combination of defects: Some infants are born with several heart defects.</li></ul> Risk factors:<ul><li>Pregnant mother with Rubella</li><li>Diabetic mother</li><li>Certain medications; it’s better to give a list of medications a mother takes to her doctor before she tries to get pregnant.</li><li>Drinking alcohol during pregnancy</li><li>Smoking</li><li>Heredity: Genetic testing can detect such disorders during fetal development.</li></ul> Complications:<ul><li>Heart failure: This serious complication may develop in babies who have a significant heart defect.</li><li>Slower growth and development: Children with more-serious congenital heart defects often develop and grow more slowly than do children who don't have heart defects.</li><li>Heart rhythm problems</li><li>Cyanosis: If because of your child's heart defect, oxygen-poor blood mixes with oxygen-rich blood in his or her heart, your child may develop a grayish-blue skin colour, a condition called cyanosis.</li><li>Stroke: Although uncommon, some children with congenital heart defects are at increased risk of stroke.</li><li>Emotional issues: Some children with congenital heart defects may feel insecure or develop emotional problems because of their size, activity restrictions or learning difficulties.</li></ul> Prevention:It may not be possible to prevent congenital heart defects as the exact causes are not known. But here are a few things to do to reduce the risks of such defects:<ul><li>Get a rubella vaccine</li><li>Control chronic medical conditions like diabetes</li><li>Avoid drinking and smoking</li><li>Take a multivitamins with folic acid</li></ul> Heart Attacks or Heart Failure in children: Causes:<ul><li>Over-circulation failure: When blood mixes inside the heart due to a congenital heart defect.</li><li>Pump failure: When the heart muscle becomes damaged and no longer contracts normally. This can be due to a viral infection as well apart from the problems with the heart muscles and arteries. Children with muscular dystrophy may eventually also develop problems with their heart muscle.</li><li>Low blood (anaemia) can also result in heart failure.</li></ul> Symptoms:<ul><li>Trouble breathing</li><li>Poor feeding or growth</li><li>Excessive sweating</li><li>Low blood pressure</li></ul> Diagnosis:If your physician suspects that your child may be experiencing heart failure symptoms, a chest X-ray may help determine if the heart is enlarged. You also may be referred to a paediatric heart specialist.&nbsp;Additional tests can include an electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG) to evaluate the heart rhythm or an ultrasound of the heart (echocardiogram) to evaluate heart structure and function. Treatment:<ul><li>If heart failure is caused by over-circulation due to a congenital heart defect, surgery is often necessary to repair the defect. Often, your physician may initially treat your child with medications, which sometimes requires hospitalisation. Other dietary changes such as low-salt and low-fat diets may be discussed. Following appropriate treatment, your child’s condition and symptoms may improve. This is called compensated heart failure. Then your child can get a surgery done as and when the doctor guides.</li><li>If the heart failure is caused by pump failure, your child may require a pacemaker. A pacemaker reminds the heart to maintain a normal heart rate. The small, battery-operated devices are like tiny computers and are implanted under your child’s skin with a small wire connected to the heart. This requires a surgical procedure. In other cases of pump failure, different kind of surgeries might be needed.</li></ul>

Here are Heart Defects Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Types, Risk factors, Complications, Prevention, and Treatment.

Heart Defects and Heart Failure in Children

In younger infants, there can be multiple reasons for reflux:<ul><li>Overfeeding</li><li>Weak abdomen muscles</li><li>Immature esophageal sphincter muscles</li><li>Slow digestive system</li><li>GERD - a digestive disease where the fluids and foods from the stomach come back up to the oesophagus</li></ul> Sleep solutions:<ul><li>Do not put your infant to bed immediately after feeding.</li><li>Make them burp.</li><li>Wait for 30 minutes before lying down your baby on bed for a nap or night sleep.</li><li>While you wait for 30 minutes, be sure to hold him/her upright.</li><li>Keep rocking your baby in standing position till (s)he sleeps naturally.</li><li>To avoid acid reflux, give your baby small but frequent feedings.</li><li>In case you are feeding with a bottle, take a closer look at the nipple size. It should not be too small or too big. If the hole is too small, the child keeps sucking hard and instead of milk (s)he sucks in air. If the hole is too big, (s)he won’t be able to take that much amount at a stroke.</li></ul>

Many children have a problem of reflux (spitting/vomiting out the food) when they go to sleep. Certain sleep positions will help with this problem.

Sleep solutions for babies with reflux or GERD

Eczema is a non-contagious chronic skin condition wherein the child suffers from severe itching, redness, scaly rashes on arms, legs, hands or face. Eczema is also known as atopic dermatitis. Family history of allergic diseases like asthma and hay fever increases the chance of eczema in children. Causes:It is not known that what exactly causes eczema. It might be due to the difference between how each individual's body reacts to things. Symptoms of Eczema:<ul><li>Rashes on the body or in just a few areas. They may be oozing or dry.</li><li>In babies, rashes are found usually on the face and scalp.</li><li>In young children, rashes are found in the folds of elbows and knees.</li><li>Children tend to rub their skin against the bedding to relieve itching.</li></ul> Prevention:<ol><li>Use fragrance-free moisturiser. Do not let the child’s skin dry out. Apply moisturiser as often as needed. Once the child takes a bath, pat dry the child and apply the moisturiser on damp skin.</li><li>Avoid irritants. Use chemical-free detergents and soaps for your child’s clothes and bathing respectively.</li><li>Prefer 100% soft cotton fabric for the child.</li><li>Short baths at room temperature are advisable compared to long hot-water baths.</li><li>Do not use dyes or perfumes.</li><li>Avoid using fabric softener on a child’s clothes.</li><li>Look for any food/pet/pollen/dust allergies. These too can trigger eczema.</li><li>Overheating temperature, sweating and stress can also worsen the situation.</li></ol>&nbsp;Diagnosis:There are no specific tests to confirm eczema. Doctors usually examine rashes, rule out skin allergies, ask for child's and family's medical histories to conclude eczema. Treatment:Doctors can prescribe two types of medication:<ol><li>Topical: cream and ointment</li><li>Oral: pills in liquid medicine</li></ol>

Here are Eczema causes, symptoms, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.

All about Eczema

Often, hair loss in children is caused by an infection or other problems with the scalp. Here are some of the most common causes:<ul><li>Ringworm of the scalp: This scalp infection spreads when kids share personal items such as combs and hats.It is caused by a fungus. Kids with this condition develop patches of hair loss with black dots where the hair is broken off. Their skin may turn red, scaly, and bumpy.</li><li>Hair loss can also result due to an autoimmune disease (Alopecia areata). The immune system attacks the follicles from which hair grows. There’s no cure for alopecia areata, but some treatments can help regrow hair. With the right treatment, most kids with alopecia areata will regrow hair within one year. Full regrowth can take six months to a year.</li><li>Nutritional deficiency: Good nutrition is essential for a healthy body. When kids don’t get enough vitamins, minerals, and protein, their hair can fall out.</li></ul> A lack of the following nutrients can contribute to hair loss:<ul><li>iron</li><li>zinc</li><li>niacin</li><li>biotin</li><li>protein and amino acids</li><li>Too much vitamin A can also lead to hair loss.</li><li>Your child’s paediatrician can suggest a healthy eating plan or prescribe a supplement to make up for the nutritional shortfall.</li></ul> Non Medical hair loss causes:<ul><li>Newborn hair loss: During their first six months of life, most babies will lose the hair they were born with. The newborn hair falls out to make way for mature hair. This type of hair loss is perfectly normal and nothing to worry about.</li><li>Friction hair loss: Some babies lose hair in the back of their scalp because they rub their head repeatedly against the crib mattress, floor, or something else. Once they stop rubbing their hair should grow back.</li><li>Hair ties: Pulling your child’s hair back into a tight ponytail, braid, or bun causes trauma to the hair follicles. Hair can also fall out if your child brushes or combs it too hard. Be gentle when combing and styling your child’s hair and keep ponytails and braids loose to prevent hair loss.</li></ul>

Hair-fall can be irritating. Understanding the right cause is important so that right remedy can be applied.

Treating hair loss

Reduced milk production can be due to pain through breast pump, infection, or poor latching, any breast surgeries you’ve had, stress, high blood pressure, insulin dependent diabetes, obesity, or thyroid. If your baby was born prematurely, it might be a while before your little one gets the knack of proper feeding. And because your baby takes a while to adjust to breastfeeding it too impacts your milk supply. Do not feel guilty about low milk supply as most of the factors are out of your control. Following are the ways which will help you to increase your breast milk production: <ul><li>Evaluate Your Baby’s Latch: Make sure the baby is latching on your breasts correctly.</li><li>Continue to Breastfeed: Your body works on the principle of demand and supply. As you keep feeding, it will produce enough milk. If your milk supply is low, try to express at least 8 times in 24 hours and at least once overnight. Milk producing hormones are secreted the highest at night, so do not skip the night-time expressing.</li><li>Stimulate Your Breasts: Use a breast pump or a hand expression technique to stimulate your breasts after you finish breastfeeding your baby. The extra stimulation will tell your body that you need more breast milk.</li><li>Use a formula supplement: When the milk flow is low or slow, the child may refuse to suck so you can use a formula supplement.</li><li>Make Healthy Lifestyle Changes: Smoking, taking a combination of birth pills, stress and fatigue can also adversely affect milk production.</li><li>Breastfeed Longer at Each Feeding: Your newborn should be breastfeeding for at least 10 minutes on each side. If (s)he falls asleep, try to wake him/her up gently to continue nursing. The more time your baby spends at the breast, the more stimulation you're getting.</li><li>Breastfeed From Both Breasts at Each Feeding: During the first few weeks, breastfeeding from both sides during each feeding will help to build up a stronger supply of breast milk.</li><li>Try to Keep Your Baby Awake During Feedings: Yes! When you are feeding your baby try to keep your child awake and actively sucking so that there is stimulation which helps in milk production.</li><li>Spend Some Time in Direct Skin-to-Skin Contact: The&nbsp;kangaroo care technique that is skin to skin connection between the newborn and mother stimulates their bodies and has a very positive impact on the baby and the mother.</li><li>Eat Well: Eat some milk boosting food such as oatmeal (porridge or upma), spinach, fenugreek, garlic, apricot.</li><li>Drink Plenty of Fluids: Breast milk is made up of about 90 percent water. Drinking about 6 to 8 glasses of water or other healthy liquids such as milk, juice, or tea proves beneficial.</li><li>Try to Get Some Rest: Exhaustion and stress can have a negative effect on your milk supply. Try to take a nap when the baby is sleeping, and know that it's OK to ask for help.</li></ul>

It is very rare that mothers have to deal with less breastmilk production. Nevertheless, there are always ways to deal with it.

Low Breastmilk Supply

<ul><li>Massage helps your baby to develop mentally, socially and physically.</li><li>The baby stays relaxed and does not get upset. He/she cries less and sleeps better.</li><li>You may find that giving your baby a massage lifts your mood and helps you to feel more empowered as a parent. As you massage your baby, it comes naturally to chat with him/her and have plenty of eye contact. It strengthens your bonding with your baby. This is one reason why massage can help mums with postnatal depression, or who are at risk of depression.</li><li>Even the father can give massage to their babies so as he can bond well and feels better about parenting.</li></ul> Massage may be particularly good for premature babies resulting in:<ul><li>Improved weight gain, particularly if oils are used. Massage can improve digestion and bowel movement, helping your baby to gain weight.</li><li>A more stable heart rate. Massage improves the parts of the nervous system that regulate our organs. So massage can help to keep your premature baby's heart rate steady.</li><li>The baby shows calmer response to stress and pain.</li><li>There is more stable brain activity. Premature babies who are massaged tend to have brain activity that develops at a normal level.</li></ul>

Body massage helps in keeping your baby healthy and happy.

Baby Massage benefits

<ul><li>Moulds are small fungi and its spores float in the air and can thrive in moist environments - indoor or outdoor. It has a strong odour and develops a spongy layer on the surface which makes it easy to identify moulds.</li><li>Allergic reactions to mould are similar to hay fever symptoms so it is important to get the allergy diagnosed by a healthcare expert. The spores of mould may also cause symptoms of asthma in very sensitive children.</li><li>To prevent mould allergy in children, keep your surroundings clean. Treat the dampness or leaks at home if any, as this will reduce the humidity and hence prevent the formation of moulds in the house.</li><li>If your child is allergic to moulds, it is advisable to wear a mask at places where mould formation is known to take place or at places where humidity is high.</li><li>Treatment includes using antihistamine or medications for nasal problems.</li></ul> Symptoms:<ul><li>Itching</li><li>Rashes</li><li>Vomiting</li><li>Diarrhoea</li><li>Swelling of the lips or tongue or face</li><li>Throat constriction</li><li>Difficulty in breathing</li><li>Allergies may sometimes also cause a life-threatening reaction called anaphylaxis which constricts the airway passage and requires immediate medical attention.</li></ul> Diagnosis:<ul><li>Always get your child diagnosed by a healthcare expert and never on your own. Never self-assume that your child has peanut allergy. Commercial home test kits for self-diagnosis are not recommended as they may not be of the required standards.</li><li>Your child’s paediatrician may recommend that your child undertake tests like skin prick test, blood test or food/drug challenge. It is important that these tests are performed under medical supervision as these tests might trigger an allergic reaction. Along with these tests, your child’s paediatrician will also examine your child's medical/family history, existing conditions like asthma and eczema.</li></ul>

Allergy triggers to moulds in your child can be prevented by maintaining the hygiene around you.

bathing health concerns

Following article(s) will help solve your concern.