Palak Vyas

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

Ravina Sewani

Breastfeeding after having a C-section delivery can be difficult due to the painful wound. Your healthcare provider will guide you about the positions that are most comfortable for you. Breastfeeding positions which you can try are the under-arm hold where your baby lies on your side under your arm. In this position, support your back and the side with cushions. Another position which you can try is side-lying hold, where you lie on one side, support your head and back with pillows with your baby closely tucked to you and facing you. You can read about these positions in detail in our Breastfeeding positions article. While breastfeeding, use a pillow over the wound to protect it and then ask someone to pass the baby to you. Make the best use of your hospital stay to get the needed guidance to breastfeed your baby effectively.

Breastfeeding after having a C-section delivery can be difficult due to the painful wound.

Breastfeeding after a C-section

<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

Tearing is a normal function of the eye. But when tear ducts get blocked due to infection and inflammation, tears well up in the eye and fall excessively; this is called "eye watering". In newborns, the condition usually resolves itself within a few weeks. Common causes of watery eyes:<ul><li>Allergies</li><li>Blocked tear duct</li><li>Common cold</li><li>Dry eyes</li><li>Ingrown hair lashes</li><li>Pink eye (Conjunctivitis)</li><li>Stye (a red, painful lump near the edge of the child’s eyelid)</li><li>Tear duct infection</li><li>Eye injury</li><li>Chemical splash in the eye</li></ul> Symptoms associated with watery eyes:<ul><li>Eye pain</li><li>Eye infection</li><li>Runny nose</li><li>Vision impairment</li><li>Sneezing</li><li>Swelling in the eyes</li><li>Redness in the eyes</li></ul> Treating eye watering:<ul><li>Sometimes a sticky liquid may form around the baby's eye or eyes. You can use a piece of cotton wool that has been soaked in sterile water to clean the eyes. Make sure to boil the water to make it sterile and then cool enough before dabbing it on the child’s eyes with cotton wool.</li><li>Sometimes tears can be relieved by gently massaging the tear ducts. Apply light pressure with the finger and thumb to the outside of the nose.</li><li>If the situation persists for more than a day, consult a doctor.</li></ul>

The problem of constant tears usually resolves within a few weeks in a newborn. If eye watering is accompanied with other problems, you might want to consult a eye specialist for your child.

Treating eye watering

Perfume allergy or alternatively known as fragrance allergy is the body's allergic reaction towards fragrances used in perfumes, deodorants, detergents, cosmetic products, soaps, shampoos, and cleaning products. The allergy is towards the ingredient of the fragrance rather than the fragrance itself. Because fragrance is found everywhere, it is quite difficult to keep your child away and protected from fragrance at all times. Fragrance allergy is one of the main causes of allergic contact dermatitis (ACD). Allergic contact dermatitis causes eczema and blistered skin at the contact points. After the acute phase, the skin turns scaly and takes some weeks to be repaired. Some children are sensitive to fragrances while some are allergic to them. Both are different from each other. Fragrance/Perfume Sensitivity:Perfume sensitivity, is a reaction to something that irritates your body. Sensitivity doesn’t necessarily trigger an immune system response. There might be a rash on your baby's skin which goes away after a few hours. The body usually gets rid of the irritant via sneezing so your child might sneeze a bit. A few mild symptoms of a perfume sensitivity can include:<ul><li>sneezing if the perfume is sprayed near the face and airways (nose, mouth, and throat)</li><li>itching, running, or stuffiness of nose</li><li>nasal mucus dripping down the back of the throat</li><li>persistent cough</li><li>headaches</li><li>nausea</li></ul> Fragrance/Perfume Allergy:An allergy towards a fragrance/perfume means that your body identifies the ingredient in the perfume as a foreign substance. The body then releases an inflammatory reaction to help fight off the substance as if it’s a bacterial or viral invader. This immune system response develops itchiness or a rash. Symptoms of Fragrance Allergy:<ul><li>mild to severe headache</li><li>burning sensation on skin</li><li>skin irritation, itching, and rashes</li><li>sneezing, coughing and runny nose</li><li>breathing difficulties, dizziness, and fatigue</li><li>muscle aches</li><li>watery, red, and itchy eyes</li><li>wheezing</li><li>inability to concentrate</li><li>swelling</li><li>nausea and vomiting</li></ul> Fragrance allergy also triggers migraine attacks in children suffering from migraines. Here are some severe, emergency symptoms to watch out for:Swelling in mouth, lips, or tongueAnaphylaxis Prevention:<ul><li>Try your best to keep your child away from the sources of fragrance.</li><li>Use fragrance less products for your kids.</li></ul> Diagnosis:A patch test is the best way to confirm an allergic reaction towards fragrance, and it is commonly performed in a dermatologist’s office. Patch testing helps to identify which substances may be causing an allergic reaction in a patient. Treatment:<ul><li>Medications</li><li>Topical creams</li><li>Light therapy: Blue or red light can help eliminate any bacteria irritating your child's skin or to reduce the immune system response.</li><li>Moisturising lotion or cream</li></ul>

Allergic reactions to fragrance/perfume are common than we know. Proper precautions will make your child's life easier.

Perfume allergy

Rashes are common among infants. Rashes can occur because:<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">If the diaper is wet for too long</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Allergic reaction</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Bacterial Infection</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Milk drops falling around baby’s neck</li></ul> Take these measures to cure/avoid rashes:<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Wash your hands before and after changing a diaper</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Keep a periodic check on baby’s diaper</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Use medicated cotton and plain water to poop off your baby’s skin</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Use a mild cleanser</li><li class="ql-align-justify">If you use wipes, choose mild ones or without fragrance and alcohol</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Make sure that the area is completely clean and dry before using another diaper</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Let the baby go diaper free if the rashes are extreme</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Clean the neck after every feed</li></ul> If your child has rashes solely due to diapers, then:<ul><li>First of all, you can change the brand, as the allergy can be due to a child's sensitive skin. Different babies have different types of skin sensitivities.</li><li>Apply good moisturiser on the skin before using diapers.</li><li>With every diaper change, clean the area properly.</li><li>You can also use specially designed creams for diaper rashes.</li><li>Even then if the rashes continue, limit the use of diaper to minimum.</li><li>Use cotton underwear instead.</li><li>Rash associated with diarrhoea, needs treatment for diarrhoea.</li><li>Severe cases may need mild steroid based cream under doctor’s supervision.</li></ul> Follow the above measures for mild rashes. In case, the rashes do not improve overtime, contact your paediatrician for appropriate anti-bacterial or skincare ointments and medicines.

Dealing with rashes properly helps soothe a child.

Treating baby rashes

Some children may develop allergic reactions against the chemicals present in the household products like – shampoos, detergents, soaps, talc, or lotions. 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> Treating allergies:<ul><li>The best way to prevent allergies of any sort in children is to avoid the source of the allergen.</li><li>In allergies, paediatricians usually prescribe antihistamine medicines for mild allergic reactions. Whereas for severe allergic reactions like anaphylaxis, your child’s paediatrician will prescribe an adrenaline auto-injector (AAI).</li></ul> The most common chemicals triggering these reactions are:<ul><li>Triclosan in soaps, deodorants, body washes</li></ul> A few tips to manage these allergies:<ul><li>Avoid your child's exposure to chemical products after diagnosis.</li><li>Replace chemical products with organic or natural cleaning products and avoid aerosol sprays.</li><li>If your child comes in contact with any of these allergens, wash the skin with water immediately and seek expert help from your child’s paediatrician.</li><li>Keep your indoors clean and hygienic if your child has allergies from household products.</li><li>Your doctor may recommend a calamine lotion or an antihistamine for mild reactions. Always keep it handy to treat skin inflammations arising due to chemicals in the products.</li></ul>

Children may sometimes develop allergy to indoor allergens as well. Hence it is important to maintain the hygiene of your house.

Cosmetic product allergy

The most common side effects of antibiotics are:<ul><li>Vomiting</li><li>Nausea</li><li>Bloating and indigestion</li><li>Severe watery diarrhoea and abdominal cramps</li><li>Allergic reactions like shortness of breath, swelling of lips/face/tongue</li><li>Loss of appetite</li><li>Rashes</li></ul> Initial symptoms of anaphylaxis are often the same as a mild allergic reaction. They include:<ul><li>Feeling lightheaded or faint</li><li>Breathing difficulties – such as fast, shallow breathing</li><li>Whistling sound while breathing</li><li>A fast heartbeat</li><li>Sticky skin</li><li>Confusion and anxiety</li><li>Collapsing or losing consciousness</li><li>In rare cases, an antibiotic can cause a severe and potentially life-threatening allergic reaction known as anaphylaxis.</li></ul> Reducing side effects of antibiotics:Take Antibiotics as directed by your paediatrician: Some antibiotics should be taken only with water. But many others need to be taken with food, which can relieve stomach ache — a common side effect of antibiotics. Complete the course of medication: Give your child the entire prescribed course of antibiotics, even if the symptoms clear up. If you stop giving the medication mid-course, the infection could linger and the bacteria may become resistant, setting you up for more problem. Take a Probiotic: Many antibiotics can cause soft stools or diarrhoea. That’s because they may kill some “good” bugs along with the bad, throwing off the delicate balance of bacteria in your intestine. You can give your child probiotic buttermilk. Talk to Your Doctor: Contact your physician if your child develops more serious side effects of antibiotics, including:<ul><li>Severe watery diarrhoea</li><li>Vomiting</li><li>White patches on your tongue</li><li>Vaginal itching or discharge</li><li>Allergic reactions, such as a rash, shortness of breath, and swelling of the lips or tongue</li></ul>

Usually children are prescribed antibiotics which will not have any side-effects. But sometimes, a child may develop a few side-effects because of them. It is better to understand them and treat it at the right time.

Side effects of antibiotics

Samiksha Choithani

Are root canals good for a 5 year old?Root canals can be safe for 5 year old child if performed properly by an expert. The procedure and materials used for performing root canal is safe and suitable for child and does not cause any harm. Do Pediatric dentists do root canals?Yes, Pediatric dentists do root canal for babies. Your family dentist may address the problem but a child’s specific dental needs can be treated by a pediatric dentist. Hence, it is good to visit a pediatric dentist to do the procedure of root canal How long does it take to do a baby root canal?Root Canal treatment for babies usually takes around 30 mins to an hour, however you might have to spend around 90 mins at the dental clinic for a complete entire treatment.

hair lice health concerns

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