Prachi Shah

Food in the first 6 months:A baby receives all the nourishment during the first six months from either breast-milk or infant formula milk. Health experts recommend that babies should take solid foods after six months in addition to breast-milk (or the baby’s usual formula milk) to allow them to grow and develop. Foods to avoid in first 9 months: <ol><li>Salt: Do not add any salt in babies' food as their kidneys are not fully developed.</li><li>Sugar: Do not add sugar to foods or drinks you give to your baby. Sugar encourages a sweet tooth in children and leads to tooth decay.</li><li>Honey: Do not give honey to a child under the age of one year, as it may contain a kind of bacteria which can produce toxins in the baby’s intestines and can cause a very serious illness (infant botulism).</li><li>Nuts: It is recommended that nuts and products containing them should not provided to children. This is to protect children who may be at risk of nut allergy. Whole nuts should never be given to children under the age of five because of the risk of choking.</li><li>Foods which contain gluten, e.g. wheat flour, bread, breakfast cereals made from wheat, rusks, spaghetti or other pastas</li><li>Citrus fruits, including citrus fruit juices, e.g. orange juice</li></ol> Food from the 7th month:<ul><li>All family foods can be offered at this stage – remember not to add salt while cooking or at the table.</li><li>Mash food with a fork. This will encourage the baby to learn how to chew.</li><li>By this age the baby should be having three meals a day and eating more at each spoon feed.</li><li>The amount of milk can be gradually reduced as the baby eats more solid food.</li></ul> Food from the 9th month:<ul><li>During this stage babies will move on from mashed to chopped foods.</li><li>Continue to offer all family foods at this stage.</li><li>Continue to give three meals a day plus 1–2 snacks.</li><li>At this stage babies will continue to receive 3–4 breastfeeds each day</li><li>Encourage babies to eat a wide variety of foods</li><li>By this time introduce cups to your baby.</li></ul> By the age of 12 months, the baby should be introduced to all kinds of vegetables and fruits. Dried fruits should be introduced after one year.

Gradual introduction of different foods leads to proper development in children.

Diet for babies from 0 to 12 months

Palak Vyas

<ul><li>Adding certain foods to their diet can promote hair growth — and give children the nourishment their bodies need.</li><li>Peanuts, corn, and spinach contain Vitamin E, which stimulates hair growth.</li><li>Folic acid, found in foods like peas and citrus fruits, will help promote hair growth by strengthening strands so they don’t break off prematurely.</li><li>Drinking water—four to six glasses a day—will keep hair hydrated.</li><li>Vitamin B produces keratin, a protein that strengthens strands. Found in bananas, whole-grain cereals, rice and eggs.</li><li>Dairy products like skim milk and yogurt—as well as broccoli and strawberries–are great sources of calcium, an important mineral for hair growth.</li><li>Trimming hair regularly helps too.</li><li>Washing hair at least twice a week maintains hygiene of the scalp and hair which maintains strength of the hair.</li><li>Massaging hair and scalp with oil is equally necessary.</li></ul>

Children tend to get careless about taking care of their hair. Proper diet and hygiene helps a long way in healthy hair.

Enhancing hair growth

<ul><li>Generally there is a notion that a gluten free diet is healthy but it is not true for everyone. Gluten free diet is for those who have either 1) celiac disease (immune reaction against eating wheat) or 2) non celiac gluten sensitivity. Gluten present in wheat, barley, rye and other products can be troublesome for celiac patients and it can make gluten sensitive people sick.</li><li>So if the kid has any of the above conditions you can go gluten free otherwise it isn’t wise to keep your child’s diet gluten free.</li><li>Gluten free diet generally includes food like vegetables, high quality protein, healthy fats (nuts, seeds, avocado), fruits and grains that do not have gluten.</li></ul> Reasons why you should not have gluten free diet for your child:<ul><li>Whole Grains that contain gluten have lots of crucial nutrients including B vitamins, antioxidants, iron, selenium, magnesium etc. Excluding whole grains will lead to nutrition deficiency in children.</li><li>Whole grains have fibre too which is good for digestion.</li><li>Gluten free diet can be too low in calories for growing children. It is hard to get healthy calories from other sources.</li><li>Gluten free diet can be high in arsenic. Those who do not eat wheat prefer rice as a staple food. Now rice and rice products are rich in arsenic which is not good for the baby’s body.</li></ul>

It is very important to maintain a balanced diet for the proper growth and development of the baby. Going gluten free or not is an individual's choice. It is better to look into the pros and cons before taking the decision.

Gluten free diet for children or not

Following are the guidelines to be followed regarding the milk intake of a child: <ul><li>Ideally the child should be compulsorily breastfed till the age of 1 year.</li><li>In case if the mother’s milk is not enough or if she’s a working mother and is unable to feed the child, external milk can be given.</li><li>As external milk, give formula milk. You can give formula milk based on your budget and child’s nutrition requirements. Formula milk is rich in proteins and DHA which help in brain development. There are several formulas for milk available - STANDARD formula like Lactogen and Dexolac. PREMIUM formula is also available in market which is very similar to the mother’s milk with DHA and ARA like Enfamil and Nan Excella pro.</li></ul> <ul><li>In any case, DO NOT give animal milk to your child before one year. The proteins in animal milk and human milk are completely different which can lead to consequences. A child can be given animal (cow/goat/buffalo) milk after 1 year.</li><li>A child can be given semi-skimmed milk after 2 years of age. However, do not give complete skim milk to a child under 5 years.</li></ul> <ul><li>There is no age limit for breastfeeding. A child can be breastfed till one or two years or even more than that as long as both the mother and child are comfortable. But sometimes it so happens that even after one year, the child considers mother’s milk as the sole source of food and does not intake any external food.</li><li>REMEMBER that after one year, the child’s nutrition need should be fulfilled 70% by outer food and 30% by mother’s milk.</li><li>When the child feeds on mother’s milk for a while, his/her hunger is satisfied but the child does not get enough nutrition. Hence, such a child can stay malnourished and can lose weight. In such cases, doctors can advise the mother to wean off the child at least during the daytime so that the child starts eating properly and gets proper nutrition.</li></ul>

It is important to breastfeed a child till 1 year. It is not advisable to give formula milk before the age of 1 year.

Milk for babies - Mother's milk, Formula milk or Animal milk

Ravina Sewani

Blood pressure is the force of blood as it flows through the body's vessels. The vessels widen and contract as needed to keep blood flowing well. In a child with hypertension (high blood pressure), however, the blood pushes too hard against the blood vessels, which can cause damage to blood vessels, the heart, and other organs. Causes:<ul><li>Kidney problems</li><li>Blood vessel abnormalities</li><li>Heart disease</li><li>Endocrinological disorder</li></ul> Risk Factors:<ul><li>Obesity: Obese children have a higher chance of developing hypertension</li><li>Hypertension history in family</li><li>Sleep disorders</li></ul> Symptoms:<ul><li>Headaches</li><li>Loss of vision</li><li>Double-vision</li><li>Chest pain</li><li>Abdominal pain</li><li>Breathing problems</li></ul> Diagnosis:Your child's doctor will use charts based on your child's sex, height, and blood pressure numbers to determine whether or not your child has high blood pressure. Treatment:If your child's high blood pressure is severe and doesn't respond to lifestyle changes, the doctor may prescribe medication for the same. How High Blood Pressure Affects Children:<ul><li>Heart disease</li><li>Kidney disease</li><li>Stroke</li></ul> Helping child with hypertension:<ul><li>Keep your child away from tobacco smoke.</li><li>Limit the amount of time your child spends playing video games and watching TV.</li><li>Make changes to diet and exercise a family affair.</li><li>Make sure your child has his or her blood pressure checked as often as recommended by your child's doctor.</li></ul>

Here are Hypertension causes, symptoms, risk factors, diagnosis, and treatment.

Hypertension in children

Cholera is an infectious disease that causes severe watery diarrhoea, which can lead to dehydration and even death if untreated. It is caused by eating food or drinking water contaminated with a bacterium called Vibrio cholerae. The disease is most common in places with poor sanitation, crowding, war, and famine. Causes:<ul><li>Common sources of contamination include:</li><li>Municipal water supplies</li><li>Ice made from municipal water</li><li>Foods and drinks sold by street vendors</li><li>Vegetables grown with water containing human wastes</li><li>Raw or under-cooked fish and seafood caught in waters polluted with sewage</li></ul> When a person consumes the contaminated food or water, the bacteria release a toxin in the intestines that produces severe diarrhoea. Symptoms:Symptoms of cholera can begin as soon as a few hours or as long as five days after infection. These include:<ul><li>Rapid heart rate</li><li>Loss of skin elasticity (the ability to return to original position quickly if pinched)</li><li>Dry mucous membranes, including the inside of the mouth, throat, nose, and eyelids</li><li>Low blood pressure</li><li>Vomiting</li><li>Thirst</li><li>Muscle cramps</li><li>If not treated, dehydration can lead to shock and death in a matter of few hours.</li></ul> Diagnosis:Doctors usually take a stool sample or vomit sample to check for signs of the cholera causing bacteria. Treatment:<ul><li>Hydration is the treatment for cholera. Depending on how severe the diarrhoea is, treatment will consist of oral or intravenous solutions to replace lost fluids. Antibiotics, which kill the bacteria, are not used for mild cases. But they can reduce the duration of diarrhoea and also reduce the excretion of the bacteria, thus helping to prevent the spread of the disease.</li><li>Cholera vaccines are also available but whether your child needs one or not will be decided by your child’s doctor.&nbsp;</li></ul> Prevention:Use water that is boiled, chemically disinfected, or bottled water for the following purposes:<ul><li>Drinking</li><li>Preparing food or drinks</li><li>Making ice</li><li>Brushing your teeth</li><li>Washing your face and hands</li><li>Washing dishes and utensils that you use to eat or prepare food</li><li>Washing fruits and vegetables</li></ul> Avoid raw foods like:<ul><li>Unpeeled fruits and vegetables</li><li>Unpasteurised milk and milk products</li><li>Raw or under-cooked meat or shellfish</li><li>Fish caught in tropical reefs, which may be contaminated.</li></ul>

Here are Cholera Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention

All about Cholera

Ali Momin

Physical Deformity in another words are called physical abnormality; Birth Defect; Congenital Abnormality; Congenital Anomaly; Congenital Disorder; Congenital Defect. A congenital deformity or physical abnormality is a change in the normal size or shape of a body part caused by a condition that a baby is born with. Deformities can be:congenital: present at birthdevelopmental: appearing later in childhoodacquired: caused by injuries or illnesses that were not present at birthCommon congenital deformities include cleft lips and palates, clubfeet, spina bifida, and spinal deformities like scoliosis, kyphosis, and hyperlordosis. Most congenital deformities are caused by abnormal genetic coding, but some can be due to infections or environmental factors — such as alcohol abuse — that affect the mother and fetus during pregnancy. Congenital deformities can range from mild to severe. Mild deformities might not be visible or cause any symptoms. In severe cases, deformities can be readily apparent, cause pain, interfere with the movement and functioning of affected body parts, and negatively affect self-image. Treatment depends on the specific deformity and often includes surgery or the use of corrective devices like back braces and leg casts. Keep in MindMany congenital deformities can't be seen, won't cause any problems, and will never need treatment. Others respond very well to treatment, especially if it begins as soon as a doctor thinks a baby is ready for it. Cleft lips and palates, for example, can be corrected through surgery; and spinal deformities and clubfeet often can be successfully realigned through bracing and casting.

A congenital deformity or physical abnormality is a change in the normal size or shape of a body part caused by a condition that a baby is born with.

Physical Deformity in children

Drooling is saliva coming out of baby’s mouth. Generally drooling in the early developmental stages of the child is completely normal. It is a part of physical development. It is common for baby to drool till 2 years. But if the child is drooling even after 4 years, it is not normal. Main causes of drooling:<ul><li>Teething: Drooling is common in babies during their teething periods.</li><li>Open mouth posture: Drooling happens when the baby does not have enough muscle control to contain the saliva that the body produces. The baby still has poor mouth and tongue control resulting in drooling.</li><li>Nasal congestion: When the child breathes through his/her mouth due to nasal congestion, (s)he starts drooling during sleep.</li></ul> Treatment:<ul><li>Usually the baby stops drooling by the time (s)he is 2 years.</li><li>Parents can work on improving child’s posture.</li><li>Try reducing nose blockage.</li><li>Medication can be given to help reduce the amount of saliva produced in case of excessive drooling.</li><li>Doctor can recommend injections or surgery depending upon the severity of the case.</li></ul>

Saliva drooling is very common among children and usually resolves by the age of 2 years.

Saliva drooling in children

Samiksha Choithani

Newborns and infants cannot inform when they are hungry. Some of these signs are subtle hints that will tell you when the child is hungry:<ul><li>The baby is putting fingers in mouth</li><li>Sucking lips or tongue</li><li>Making little crying sounds</li><li>Getting restless</li><li>Avoids other family members and only wants to be with mother</li></ul> Some babies are too sleepy and do not show any signs of hunger, but wake them up and feed the baby at least 8 to 12 times in 24 hours. Babies often get hungrier than usual (every hour) during the growth spurt. Growth spurt is the time when the baby is physically growing; it lasts for 2-3 days. Growth spurts occur periodically, within 7-10 days of birth, 2-3 weeks, 3 months, 4 months, 6 months and 9 months.

Irritability is probably the most common signs among babies that indicates a child is hungry.

bathing health concerns

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