Prachi Shah

Children tend to get fussy while eating food because either they are not hungry or because they are irritated with something else. Follow these to keep your cool and to prevent this from becoming a habit: <ul><li>Remove the food without making or passing a judgement. Do not scold your child. Offer the same food at the next meal or snack time.&nbsp;</li><li>Keep your attitude friendly and relaxed. This will help your child to understand that eating is a pleasurable way to satisfy hunger rather than a battleground.</li><li>Small helpings of food may be better accepted by your child. Second helpings can then be offered if appropriate.</li><li>Do not try to bribe children to eat food they do not want with the reward of a pudding or sweet snack.&nbsp;This will only make matters worse.</li><li>It may be useful to adopt the approach that a food refused is ‘not liked today’. If a food is refused, try it again a few days later. Changing the way a food is given, may make it more acceptable.</li><li>Consider possible reasons for the food refusal, such as drinking continually throughout the day, or frequent large snacks between meals, as both of these can reduce the appetite for main meals.</li><li>Never force a child to eat. Your child will gradually learn to eat.</li><li>Make sure the child eats with the entire family.</li></ul>

You can gradually make your fussy eater child accustomed with all kinds of food.

Fussy eaters and giving food to them

Ravina Sewani

Peanut allergy triggers an immune response towards the proteins present in peanuts. It is one of the most common food allergies.Peanuts grow underground and are different from tree nuts.Please note that having a peanut allergy does not mean being allergic towards all nuts.Peanut allergy is usually developed in early childhood but can develop later in life as well. Diagnosis:Never self-assume that your child has peanut allergy. Always get your child diagnosed by a healthcare expert. The doctor may recommend that your child undertake tests like skin prick test, blood test or food challenge. It is important that these tests are performed under medical supervision as these tests might trigger an allergic reaction. Who is at risk?<ul><li>Family history: Your child has a higher risk of developing peanut allergy if it runs in your family.</li><li>Existing allergy: Having one food allergy may sometimes lead to some other food allergy to develop.</li></ul> Symptoms of peanut allergy:<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>Peanut allergy may sometimes also cause a life-threatening reaction called anaphylaxis which constricts the airway passage and requires immediate medical attention.</li></ul> Myths about peanut allergy:1. Myth: Peanut allergy is more common than other food allergies in children.Fact: No, Peanut allergy is not 'the' most common food allergy. Egg and milk are more common food allergies. 2. Myth: Peanut allergy is only developed in childhood and then stays on for life.Fact: Even though it is common in childhood, peanut allergy can develop at any age. A small percentage of children tend to outgrow peanut allergy but in most cases, it is permanent. 3. Myth: The allergic reaction develops immediately and of same intensity every time.Fact: In most cases, the reactions begin within minutes but in some cases, the allergic reaction might take a few hours as well. Also, the intensity of the allergic reaction is also not the same every time. 4. Myth: I can diagnose my child’s food allergies myself.Fact: While you can gauge your child’s allergic symptoms, they should always be diagnosed by healthcare expert. Commercial home test kits for self-diagnosis are not recommended as they may not be of the required standards. 5. Myth: If a dish or a food product does not list peanut, then it is safe.Fact: No, you must clarify and always pay close attention to the ingredients in a food product or a dish which is served to your child. Teach your child to develop the same practice as well. 6. Myth: Peanut allergy can be cured permanently.Fact: Researches are going on but there are no permanent cures for peanut allergy as of now. 7. Myth: Consumption of trace amounts of peanut-based food won't cause any problem.Fact: No, even a trace amount of peanut-based food can cause a severe reaction. Prevention:<ul><li>Studies suggest that if infants are introduced to peanut-based food then the chances of developing the allergy later are less. But such steps should always be taken under proper guidance of your child’s paediatrician.</li><li>Introducing peanuts in your baby’s diet:</li><li>If your child has any other food allergy already, it is better to first consult your child’s paediatrician and then introduce peanuts under doctor’s guidance.</li><li>You can introduce peanuts in your baby’s diet when your child starts eating solid food. Introduce peanuts in the form of a puree and not as whole. Observe for 10 to 30 minutes after feeding for any allergic reactions. If you find something wrong, consult your child’s paediatrician soon.</li></ul> Steps to take after reaction against peanuts get triggered:<ul><li>If your child has mistakenly consumed a food containing peanuts, the immune reaction gets triggered a few minutes to an hour.</li><li>The immune reaction varies every time and varies from child to child.</li><li>These immune reactions range from mild (itching or rashes) to severe life-threatening ones (breathing trouble or 'Anaphylaxis').</li><li>When your child shows mild reaction: Give your child doctor recommended medicines and take him/her to the doctor once your child starts feeling better.</li><li>When the reaction is severe: Give the medications recommended for such a condition as soon as possible and seek medical attention immediately.</li><li>Always keeps medications of allergies handy for your child.</li></ul> Therapies or treatments commonly used to treat peanut allergies:<ul><li>Antihistamine medicines for mild allergic reactions</li><li>Use Adrenaline auto-injectors (AAI) for severe allergic reaction like anaphylaxis. It is an injector pen that releases a prescribed dosage of adrenaline into the blood.</li><li>Always keep AAI handy because only AAIs can be used in treating severe cases of allergy reaction. Learn how to properly use an AAI on your child. These injector pens are usually used on the outer mid-thigh muscle.</li></ul> Following few alternative therapies are being tried as a long-term cure:<ul><li>Skin patch: It is a small adhesive patch which can be used topically on skin. It releases peanut proteins in small amounts into the blood. These are used to protect against accidental cases of exposure or consumption of peanuts.</li><li>Oral Immunotherapy (OIT): In this therapy, peanut protein based foods are given in small amounts to children known to have peanut allergy. Gradually the amount of such foods is progressively increased to develop tolerance against peanut proteins. Note: Do not go for this therapy without consulting your child’s paediatrician as this method can have serious consequences.</li></ul> Outgrowing peanut allergy:<ul><li>It is very rare that children would outgrow their peanut allergies as peanut allergies tend to stay on for life.</li><li>Peanut and other nut allergies:</li><li>Peanuts are legumes so it is rare that children with peanut allergy would develop allergies to tree nuts (eg. walnuts, almonds).</li><li>Sometimes, children with peanut allergies might develop allergies to other legumes like lupin or sesame.</li></ul> Foods to avoid or things to take care of if the child has peanut allergy:<ul><li>Develop a habit of reading the food labels for ingredients and allergy information.</li><li>Teach your child to mention about the allergy whenever he/she goes to visit someone.</li><li>Be careful about the possibility of cross-contact; especially when visiting a restaurant.</li></ul> Check the labels/ingredients of:<ul><li>Ice creams, candy, nougat, pancakes, egg rolls, and salad dressing</li><li>Sauces such as pesto, gravy, chilli / hot sauce, and enchilada sauce</li><li>If there is equipment sharing between peanuts and other nuts, be careful about the same.</li><li>Food or drinks such as hot chocolate, cookies, pudding, pies or other baked foods</li><li>Vegetarian food labelled as meat substitutes</li><li>Pet food (cross-contact risk) or compost used as fertiliser may also contain peanut shells (cross-contact risk).</li></ul>

Peanut allergies tend to stay on for life so it is very important to stay conscious and aware all the time.

Peanut allergy

<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

In an egg allergy, the body mistakes the egg proteins as a threat which triggers the immune system to produce an allergic reaction to those proteins. An allergic reaction to the proteins in egg white or yolk or both is possible.Studies have shown that 2 out of 100 children are allergic to egg but around 70% of them outgrow the allergy by the time they reach adulthood.Egg proteins are found in raw, boiled/parboiled, poached, baked, or powdered form of eggs.It is advisable to avoid egg-based foods as it is difficult to completely separate the white from the yolk. Traces of yolk might be present in a few commercially available 'egg-white products'.Children with egg allergy can be safely vaccinated for MMR and Flu vaccine.Eggs can be introduced into your child’s diet by a scientific approach called “egg ladder”. Egg Ladder is a specific scientific food chart designed for the easy reintroduction of eggs in the diet and to induce egg tolerance to combat egg allergy. Symptoms:<ul><li>Nasal congestion, runny nose, sneezing or dry cough</li><li>Eczema (a dry, itchy rash) or hives (reddish, swollen, itchy areas on the skin)</li><li>Redness of the skin around the mouth or eyes</li><li>Itchy mouth, ear canal or lip swelling, odd taste in the mouth</li><li>Nausea or vomiting, diarrhoea or stomach pain</li><li>Severe reactions include loss of consciousness, chest pain, turning pale, shortness of breath, trouble swallowing, or anaphylaxis.</li></ul> Diagnosis:<ul><li>The first thing is to not self-diagnose and assume your child to be allergic to eggs. Always rely on a healthcare expert's opinion before avoiding egg-based products.</li><li>A healthcare expert will examine your child's symptoms, his/her health history, and conduct other tests if required, to confirm whether your child has an egg allergy or not.</li><li>Egg allergy has very mild symptoms and is not known to cause severe reactions.</li></ul> Foods to avoid:<ul><li>In breastfed infants, the egg proteins from mother’s diet may transmit to the baby via breast milk and cause an egg allergy to develop an egg allergy.</li><li>Eggs from birds like quails, duck, geese, turkey as well if your child has an egg allergy need to be avoided.</li></ul> Other foods to avoid:<ul><li>Mayo or mayonnaise</li><li>Nougat</li><li>Marshmallows</li><li>Ice cream</li><li>Parents are usually also concerned about giving baked foods to children who have milk or egg allergies. Research indicates that 70%of children allergic to milk or egg can tolerate baked food as high temperature baking can destroy the allergens in milk and egg. Introduction of baked food is known to increase the tolerance to whole forms of milk/egg.</li><li>Always consult your child’s paediatrician to look for alternate sources of nutrition as avoiding milk and egg based foods may develop nutritional deficiency.</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> Precautions:<ul><li>Develop a habit of reading the food labels for ingredients and allergy information.</li><li>Teach your child to mention about the allergy whenever (s)he goes to visit someone.</li><li>Inform your child’s school about your child’s allergy. You can also give the medicines prescribed by your child’s doctor to the school which they can use in case of sudden allergic reactions.</li><li>Be careful about the possibility of cross-contact; especially when visiting a restaurant.</li><li>Always keep the allergy medication handy for your child.</li></ul> Egg allergy and vaccines:There are several contradictions revolving around developing egg allergies due to a few vaccines like the MMR vaccine, influenza vaccine and yellow fever vaccine. If your child is diagnosed with egg allergy, it is best to consult your child’s paediatrician and then get your child vaccinated.

Egg allergy is one of the most common allergies among all.

Egg Allergy

<ul><li>If the child gets sick again and again, the parent considers it as weak immunity but this is not true because every time a child falls sick, (s)he gets back to normal on their own so the immunity is fine. The immunity is weak when the child doesn’t heal and stays sick for long extended periods.</li><li>As a child grows, (s)he does not stay at one place or with just one person. This leads to a child getting exposed to outside environment and a lot of new people. Due to this, the chances of catching infections again and again are very high. And so the child falls sick frequently.</li><li>This does not mean that the immunity is less. In fact, the child should not be given medication again and again. The infection will be cured within a week as a child’s body learns to fight against outside germs. Fighting against germs will only make your child’s immunity stronger.</li><li>A child’s immunity completely develops by 5 to 7 years.</li></ul> To increase your child's immunity:<ul><li>Breastfeed your baby.</li><li>Encourage exercise:&nbsp;It enhances immune system through stress-reduction. Thus encouraging your kids to opt for age-appropriate exercise regularly, will&nbsp;make them physically fit and support their immunity. Regular moderate intensity exercise increases child’s immunity.</li><li>Give them nutritious diet: Deficiencies of Vitamins A, C, E, B6 and Folate, are also associated with reduced immunity. Micro-nutrients such as Zinc, Selenium, Iron and Copper are also important in developing a healthy immune system. Thus, a properly balanced diet with all required nutrients is extremely important, especially in the growing years when the immune system is still maturing.</li><li>Inculcate healthy sleep habits: Sleep is a restorative process that plays a critical role in the proper functioning of the immune system. It is important to develop and follow a healthy and optimum sleep pattern for your children.</li><li>Serve more fruits and vegetables.</li><li>Develop a good habit of washing hands: You should pay particular attention to their hygiene before and after each meal and after playing outside, handling pets, blowing their nose, using the bathroom, and arriving home from daycare. When you're out, carry disposable wipes with you for quick cleanups. To help kids get into the hand-washing habit at home, let them pick out their own brightly coloured hand towels and soap in fun shapes, colours, and scents.</li><li>Keep your babies away from second hand smoke: If you or your spouse smokes, quit. Cigarette smoke contains more than 4,000 toxins, most of which can irritate or kill cells in the body.</li></ul>

Your child getting sick again and again does not mean that (s)he has a weaker immunity.

Increasing child’s immunity

Samiksha Choithani

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.

When baby prefers one breast!

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

The first yellow milk (fluid) produced in the breasts is called colostrum. It is the first stage of breast milk production. Colostrum is thicker than your usual breast milk. Colostrum/yellow milk lasts until the transitional phase or mature milk is produced i.e. till the second or fifth day after the birth. Colostrum is like a child’s first immunisation, it is full of antibodies, white blood cells and other immune properties. Benefits of Colostrum for the baby are:Builds a strong immune system.Creates a tough layer on baby’s stomach and intestines to fight with germs that cause illness.It serves as a laxative that helps your baby pass the first dark stool/poop.Prevents jaundice.It is a perfect blend of nutrients to make the child’s brain, eyes and heart strong.Prevents low blood sugar in newborns. A baby should take 1-4 tablespoons of colostrum per day. Note: Do not give honey or any other food substance during birth, the first yellow milk is a great source of nutrition.

Colostrum has multiple benefits for a baby's health and should be the first food give to a baby after birth.

Colostrum and its benefits for Babies

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.

one breast feeding health concerns

Following article(s) will help solve your concern.