Palak Vyas

Infectious diseases that spread from person to person are said to be contagious. Contagious diseases can spread through insect bites or by ingesting contaminated food or water. Contagious or communicable diseases include: Flu, Common cold, Hepatitis A and B, Measles, Cholera, Rubella, Lice, Mumps, Chicken pox, Cough, Meningitis, Strep throat, Conjunctivitis. To avoid communicable diseases:<ul><li>Ask your children to wash their hands often with soap to reduce the risk of catching any infection. Specially before and after taking food and after using toilets. You too should maintain proper hygiene while preparing food. Tell them not to keep touching their eyes, nose or mouth with their hands.</li><li>Get your child vaccinated for rubella, measles, diphtheria, typhoid on due time.</li><li>Keep your child at home when he or she is ill. If they have any of the symptoms like fever, diarrhoea, or vomiting, don’t send them to school. Sending them to school can worsen their own health plus they may cause infection to other&nbsp;healthy children.</li><li>While you prepare food, use disinfectant and cleaners to clean kitchen surfaces.</li><li>Make sure they don't share their personal items like a toothbrush and comb either with friends or siblings. Avoid sharing drinking glasses and dining utensils too.</li><li>If you are travelling out of the country, go see a doctor first. Ask your doctor about any special vaccination such as yellow fever, cholera, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B etc.</li></ul>

It is very important to take proper precautions to stay away from communicable diseases. Children catch diseases faster than adults as their immune system is weaker than adults.

Precautions for contagious disease

Dr Ajab Primuswala

The most important thing is to make sure that your child is diagnosed of autism by a psychiatrist or psychologist. You should not confuse autism with social anxiety or social awkwardness. As a parent you have to be extra loving and caring. Be very specific in what words you use with your child. This makes the child comfortable with you and develops a rapport which helps them in expressing themselves in front of you. Things to be taken care of:<ul><li>As a parent, we tend to get aggressive easily when we feel the child is not understanding or obeying us. But leave your aggression aside and be friendlier with your child. The first rule to deal with a child with autism is, be friendly and loving.</li></ul> <ul><li>Second most important thing is to know that a child with autism doesn’t understand eye movements or non verbal communication like signs and gestures. They always need verbal communication for better understanding.</li></ul> <ul><li>For example: If you want your child to sit down, rolling your eyes down won’t make any sense to him/her. It is better to tell him precisely, “Please sit down”. Or you can tell him/her that you would appreciate it if (s)he would sit down.</li></ul> <ul><li>Once you have child has been diagnosed with autism, start working with them as per your psychiatrist/psychologist’s guidance. Your child will develop a lot of coping skills if given regular therapy and constant words of encouragement from you. So when your doctor suggests therapy, go ahead with it and be regular in that.</li></ul> <ul><li>Don’t treat them as different children or disabled children. They are quite normal. It is just that their way of understanding; their way of perception is different than ours.</li></ul> <ul><li>For them, the world is what they perceive, not what we want them to perceive.&nbsp;Be very open in sharing how you are feeling. If you do not like their certain behaviour, you can verbalise and tell them , “I don’t like your behaviour and I would appreciate if you do not repeat it again.” Scolding them for everything they do, is not going to work in a progressive manner.</li></ul> <ul><li>As a parent you can tell people in your surroundings that you can be verbal and caring towards these children. Just don’t treat them differently. Don't be aggressive to them. Be loving and gentle. Convey this to you family, relatives, near and dear ones, so everyone treats him/her in a similar manner as they treat other children.</li></ul>

Children with autism, sure need extra care but they should never be treated as "misfit" children.

Raising a Child with Autism

Samiksha Choithani

Cleft is a split in the lip that can be immediately identified during the birth of a baby. A cleft lip is a split in the lip. Cleft lip and cleft palate can affect one or both sides of the mouth. Cleft lip and cleft palate can occur independently of each other or can occur together. A cleft lip is caused due to many reasons - it can be hereditary, exposure to substances like cigarettes, alcohol or medications, diabetes or obesity during pregnancy. Babies having cleft lip can breastfeed comfortably, however babies with a cleft palate may have difficulty in sucking.&nbsp;Consider this while feeding a baby with cleft lip (Without cleft palate):<ul><li>The baby may find it difficult to seal nipple with the mouth. If there is a hissing sound, it indicates that air is entering in the mouth.</li><li>Try to reposition the breast and baby’s mouth to form a vacuum.</li><li>The nipple should be behind the tongue; this will help the baby to hold the nipple in its mouth.</li><li>You can adjust and change positions to identify the one that works the best for your baby</li></ul> A cleft palate is a split or opening in the roof of the mouth. A cleft palate can involve the hard palate (the bony front portion of the roof of the mouth), and/or the soft palate. Consider this while breastfeeding a baby with cleft palate:<ul><li>Hold your breast in such a way that baby can get a good grip and latch properly.</li><li>The cleft can be repaired with surgery after 6-12 months but before that do not stop breastfeeding your child.</li><li>Breast milk is very helpful as it does not cause irritation on delicate tissues of the nose and throat and can help to reduce ear problems. Try to avoid formula milk.</li><li>Take help from nurses or specialists to feed the baby with a cleft palate. There are alternate methods like bowl and spoon-feeding, use a breast pump to get the milk in a bowl and feed the child with a spoon.</li></ul>

A cleft occurs because the tissues of the baby’s face and mouth don’t fuse (link) properly.

Breastfeeding a child with cleft lip/palate

Try the following and see which one works out the best for you and your child: Laid back breastfeeding: Laid back breastfeeding is also known as biological nurturing which means that your baby's natural instincts will guide your position.You just need to make yourself comfortable, support your back, shoulder, neck and arms with pillows and bring your baby close to your skin. Rub your nipple on your baby's lips and your baby will open its mouth widely and start to latch. This is a natural instinctive way of nursing and you will be able to do it with ease. ﻿Cradle hold: Hold your baby in one of your arms wherein his/her head rests in the crook of your elbow and support rest of his/her body with the same arm. Cup your breast with your other hand and using your thumb and index finger, place your nipples along with areola into your baby’s mouth and ensure that the baby latches properly. To be specific, position your thumb on top and fingers below the nipple. The entire areola (dark circle around the nipple) should be in the child’s mouth. Football hold (Clutch or underarm hold): This position is especially useful if you have had a C-section, large breasts, premature baby or twins. This is a position where you hold the baby on the same side as the breast you are nursing from, tucking your baby’s legs under your arm just like a football. Hold your baby’s head in your palms and support his/her body with your arm. Cup your breast and latch your baby the same way you would do for the cradle hold. Sleeping or side-lying: Lying position is comfortable for mothers who have had C-section. Use your arm to comfortably position the baby’s head and hold the baby’s buttocks in the palm. Use the other hand to your breast. Use a blanket to cover the little one and your breast to help the child feel warm and safe.

For starters, most mothers find it difficult to stick to one position for breastfeeding. But with time, it gets better.

Breastfeeding positions

Eating excess junk food like pizza and pasta can cause constipation as they are made of refined flour. The child, who is already suffering from constipation avoids going to the toilet because it is painful. Because of this, the stool stays in the stomach and gets harder and it gets more painful when the child goes to the toilet next time. This cycle continues. Make sure the child eats enough fibrous foods like fruits and vegetables so the stool gets softer and passes out easily. . For 0-1 year:Constipation among infants is not a serious problem. The child is constipated when (s)he misses passing the stool for less than thrice a week or when they pass thick/hard stool. Babies who are exclusively breastfed may not pass bowel movements every day. So, do not worry much. If your child is happy, does not cry much and does not have a gas problem, be rest assured about constipation. If you feel that your child's belly is very firm than usual, it could be a sign of constipation. In that case, you can try the following:<ul><li>Adjust your diet so that the baby gets healthier breast milk.</li><li>If your baby is below 6 months, gently massage the his/her stomach and gently move his/her legs in the bicycle movement.</li><li>If your baby is older than 6 months, you can try giving him/her semi-solid foods and fruit juices to improve bowel movements.</li></ul> Also, do not worry about the variance in the colour of the potty. The colour of the potty changes during the first year due to diet and the introduction of new foods to babies. The colours of potty may vary from black, mustard yellow, green, orange. If the colour is white or grey or chalky, it indicates the baby is suffering from liver problems and in this case, you should consult a paediatrician. For 2-6 years:If you are a parent of a toddler, keep a check on potty routine. At times children skip potty as they are more interested in playing or watching their favourite cartoon and hence avoid going for potty. Even change in routine makes them uncomfortable about going to potty. If constipation persists, you can try the following:<ul><li>Give them a glass of warm water once or twice a day if they regularly skip potty.</li><li>Give them carrot and green leafy vegetable soup.</li></ul>Also, give your child proper potty training. Set a fixed time of the day when they are supposed to go for potty. This will help maintain a regular bowel cycle. If constipation persists for more than a week, it is better to consult your child's paediatrician.

The problem of constipation in children worries a lot of parents. There are a few ways in which you can address this problem.

Constipation among infants and toddlers

Unlike dengue or other viral fever, malaria has specific medication. If your child has been diagnosed with malaria then you should consult a doctor. Malarial germs do not die on their own. Our body can’t fight these germs so it is mandatory to give medication as soon as malaria is diagnosed. Symptoms:<ul><li>Drowsiness</li><li>Poor appetite</li><li>Trouble in sleeping</li><li>Chills</li><li>Fever (it might reach up to 105˚ F)</li><li>Fast breathing</li><li>Headache</li><li>Nausea</li><li>Body ache</li><li>Seizures in case the infection reaches the brain</li></ul> Causes:Malaria is caused by parasites carried by female mosquitoes. Congenital malaria is the infection of malaria to a child in the womb from mother. Malaria also spreads through blood transfusion, organ donation, or shared needles. Diagnosis: Diagnosis is based on physical symptoms and blood tests. Treatment:<ul><li>Take prescribed anti-malarial drugs by the doctor.</li><li>Take proper care and see that the child rests well.</li><li>Give sufficient fluids so there is no dehydration.</li><li>In case if the child is young enough and can’t take oral medication there are injections available too.</li><li>If the child doesn’t eat or drink or have any other complications after taking the medication, the child should be hospitalised.</li></ul> Preventive measures:<ul><li>Use screens (mosquito nets) on doors and windows, and promptly repair broken or damaged screens. Keep doors and windows shut.</li><li>Have kids wear long-sleeved shirts, long pants, shoes, and socks when they go outside.</li><li>Use insect repellent as directed on kids.</li><li>Limit the amount of time kids spend outside during the day, especially in the hours around dawn and dusk, when mosquitoes are most active.</li><li>Keep surroundings clean. Mosquitoes breed easily when there is water around. They lay their eggs in water, so get rid of unclean water around you.</li></ul>

Here are Malaria Symptoms, Causes, Treatment, Prevention, and Diagnosis.

All about malaria

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

Potty training can usually start between 18 to 24 months of age. But, do not take stress if the child doesn’t learn, it may take time and there is no perfect age to start potty training. Just mark these indications that shows your child is ready for potty training:<ul><li>Child is asking questions about toilet</li><li>Child talking about potty seats</li><li>The child may be talking about underwear</li></ul>Ask these questions to yourself before you start potty training:<ul><li>Can my child sit on a potty seat and get back up without my help?</li><li>Can my child follow basic instructions?</li><li>Can my child tell me when it's time to go for potty?</li><li>Can my child pull down diapers or underwear without my help?</li><li>Is the diaper dry for at least 2 hours?</li></ul>If the answer to the above questions is yes, then your child is ready for potty training.These suggestions may help to identify when the child indicates to go to the washroom:<ul><li>Start noticing the face when the child wants to pee or poop, check the red face and grunting sounds or if the child indicated by touching their pants.</li><li>Notice the time when the child goes for potty and pee. This will help to establish routine for potty.</li><li>Praise your child when they indicate it correctly and do not wet the pants.</li><li>Potty time should be want-to instead of have-to, do not push your child even when they do not feel the urge of going to the washroom.</li></ul>

Potty training can usually start between 18 to 24 months of age. Look for the indications which your child gives, it will help you identify when the child is ready for potty training.

Potty training a child

Babies sometimes have their favourite side, and only prefer to take feed from one breast. At times it is because that particular side produces more milk or sometimes it is the side that produces less. The baby might avoid the most productive side as (s)he may not want the milk to gush out quickly that forces them to gulp fast.<ul><li>You can try offering one breast first, and then the second. Pump on the side that is not preferred by the baby as the baby might get frustrated if you forcefully offer both sides.</li><li>Keep a track of urine, stool and weight of the baby, if that is on track, let the baby feed on his/her preferred side and you can pump the other side.</li><li>If the baby isn’t gaining weight, try to feed the pumped milk from the other breast or try new positions to make the baby feel comfortable on both sides.</li><li>If the problem is with nipples, the baby may prefer to latch the one that is fully engorged. Try to talk to your gynaec, they will help you to pull the nipple on the other side (it is little painful) but once done, baby and mommy will be comfortable throughout the breastfeeding journey.</li></ul>

Many babies have a favourite side to feed on. However, if you are experiencing a problem with that, the situation can always be improved.

breastfeeding health concern

Following article(s) will help solve your concern.