Many people use the word depressed very casually. Never assume that your child is depressed if you haven’t got your child assessed by a clinical psychologist or a psychiatrist. If your child is functioning fine but remains upset or irritated, this might be some stress. You can talk to your child and understand the reason behind it. If your child, along with being sad or irritated, does not eat and sleep well, (s)he needs evaluation done by a clinical psychologist or a psychiatrist. Depression in children is different from their developing emotions. Sadness does not equal depression. If your child’s sadness becomes constant and interferes with his/her daily tasks and routine, family life, schoolwork, or friendship, it may indicate that your child needs professional help. Symptoms:<ul><li>Irritability or anger</li><li>Continuous feelings of sadness and hopelessness</li><li>Social withdrawal</li><li>Increased sensitivity to rejection</li><li>Changes in appetite – increased or decreased</li><li>Changes in sleep – reduced or excessive</li><li>Vocal outbursts or crying</li><li>Difficulty concentrating</li><li>Fatigue and low energy</li><li>Physical complaints (such as stomach aches, headaches) that don't respond to treatment</li><li>Reduced ability to function during events and activities at home or with friends, in school, extracurricular activities, and in other hobbies or interests</li><li>Feelings of worthlessness or guilt</li><li>Thoughts of death or suicide</li></ul>Not every child has the same symptoms. Most children display different symptoms at different times and in different settings. Risk factors:Children with a family history of violence, alcohol abuse, or physical or sexual abuse are at greater risk of experiencing depression. Causes:<ul><li>Physical health issues</li><li>Life events</li><li>Family history of depression</li><li>Family conflicts</li><li>Genetic vulnerability</li><li>Substance abuse</li></ul> Diagnosis:<ul><li>A doctor’s visit needs to be scheduled for your child if the symptoms of depression have lasted for at least two weeks. Remember that a visit to a mental healthcare professional – either a psychiatrist or a psychologist – is needed to have a plan of action for your child properly.</li><li>A mental health evaluation usually includes interviews with you (the parent or primary caregiver) and your child. Information from teachers, friends and classmates can help show that these symptoms are consistent during your child's various activities and are different from previous behaviour.</li><li>There are no specific tests that can clearly show depression. Still, tools such as questionnaires (for both the child and parents) combined with personal information can be very useful in helping diagnose depression in children.</li></ul> Treatment:<ul><li>Treatment includes psychotherapy (counselling) and medication. Your child's doctor may suggest psychotherapy first and consider antidepressant medicine an additional option if there is no significant improvement.</li><li>It is difficult for parents to accept the fact that their child might be depressed. Some parents tend to deny this fact and avoid taking help from a mental healthcare professional. Parents need to understand depression and realise the importance of treatment to grow physically and emotionally in a healthy way.</li></ul> Prevention:Most of the time, it is difficult for parents to prevent depression in children, mainly because depression is a type of mental illness and is invisible. Hence most parents don't see it coming. Many have a great deal in accepting that their child might be depressed. But you can always choose an emotionally healthy lifestyle to reduce your child's chances of going under depression. ﻿Following are a few things to keep in mind:Establish a routine in your child's life. Avoid unnecessary moving of houses and schools. Stick to a schedule.Encourage open and honest communication.Keep a check on your behaviour. Do not constantly nag your child or always telling them what not to do. Opt for constructive feedback and try and understand their perspective towards things.Keep arguments among family and arguments between husband and wife away from children.Support your child's self-esteem.

Here are Depression Symptoms, Causes, Risk factors, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention for children.

All about Childhood Depression

No human can stay hungry for long. Hunger is an integral part of survival. Every child has his/her own set of likes and dislikes when it comes to food. So the problem should not be that a child does not eat, rather the problem is that the child does not always eat what his/her parent wants them to eat. Every child likes something or the other. Identify that and feed them that. Introduce new foods along with their favourite foods.A few things which you can keep in mind:<ul><li>Avoid introducing junk foods with high taste levels at a young age: For example, if you introduce chocolate too soon, your child will be habituated to an intense sugary taste. Also, chocolates, biscuits, wafers have more calories. So if children eat 4-5 chocolates or biscuits, their calorie count is fulfilled and they will not require any more food for the whole day. These foods are highly rich in calories but do not provide other quality nutrition. Eating excess junk food will result in nutrient deficiency when they grow old.</li><li>Stop giving any junk food altogether: If you totally stop giving chocolates or biscuits, the child will gradually divert towards healthy nutritious food because no one can survive without food. You will have to work hard to develop a new habit of eating healthy and this can be time consuming and can demand a lot of patience.&nbsp;</li><li>Work as a team: When you know some things are not right for your child’s health, sit with the entire family and convince everyone to not give junk food every time a child demands. By being stricter, gradually your child will develop healthy eating habits.</li><li>Be a role model: If you want your child to follow your instructions, you too will have to say goodbye to your junk food habits. A child learns the most from his parents. Eat healthy and so will your children.</li><li>A frequent intake of sugar and sugary foods and drinks between meals causes tooth decay. Snacks and drinks taken between meals should be sugar-free.</li><li>Do not add more salt in the food either while cooking or at the table, as babies’ kidneys are not fully developed.</li><li>Every day, children need three meals plus snacks. Provide nutritious meals and snacks.</li><li>Young children are very active and have high energy (calorie) and nutrient needs in proportion to their small body size.</li></ul>

Children learn from your behaviour. Changing your eating habits will help them develop healthy eating habits as well.

Developing healthy food habits

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

Thrush is a fungal infection that causes severe pain in both nipples and breasts after feeds. If the pain lasts even up to an hour after every feed, it is the sign of thrush. If not taken care of, your baby can also develop this infection in the mouth. This infection is caused when you have cracked nipples that give the fungus an entry into your nipples. If you are on antibiotics for some reason, do not stop taking them fearing the thrush infection. Always do as advised by your doctor. Because your baby breastfeeds, (s)he has chances of developing this infection. Check if your baby has white spots or patches in tongue, gums, roof of the mouth or inside the cheeks. Try wiping them gently and if it does not go away, it indicates thrush. Other indicators of thrush include baby’s unrest when feeding, nappy rash, a white film on lips. It is important to maintain hygiene as the infection can spread to others in the family as well. Properly wash your hands carefully after nappy changes and use separate towels to prevent spreading of infection. You need to also wash and sterilise the toys your baby puts in mouth. Wash your bras at high temperature. Pain in the breast and thrush are two different things. Always seek medical help for the right diagnosis.In case you or your baby both have thrush, both of you will be treated simultaneously. Your doctor will usually prescribe a topical cream for you and an antifungal gel or liquid for your baby. Thrush can be treated, and you will be back to your days of breezy breastfeeding experience.

Thrush is a fungal infection that causes severe pain in both nipples and breasts after feeds.

Thrush infection in breastfeeding mothers

Jaundice is a liver-related condition that causes a yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes. Jaundice is the result of the build-up of a substance called bilirubin in the bloodstream. It’s an orange-yellow substance that usually passes through the liver and is excreted from the body.When there are abnormally high levels of bilirubin in the blood, jaundice develops, and colour of the skin and eye change. Types of jaundice:In newborns, jaundice usually occurs because an infant’s liver isn’t fully developed enough to properly break down and excrete bilirubin.<ul><li>Obstructive jaundice: this results from blockage in the bile duct between the pancreas and the liver.</li><li>Hepatocellular jaundice: this results when there is a liver disease or damage.</li><li>Hemolytic jaundice: this develops when there is an abnormal breakdown of red blood cells, leading to excessive levels of bilirubin in the blood.</li></ul> Symptoms:FeverAbdominal painNauseaFatigue Causes in Newborns:<ul><li>Physiological hyperbilirubinemia</li><li>ABO incompatibility</li><li>Rh incompatibility</li><li>Haemorrhage</li><li>Intrauterine infections</li><li>Metabolic causes</li><li>Breast milk jaundice</li><li>If your baby is born premature, jaundice is common. This is because the liver is still developing and the bilirubin isn’t flushed out of their system. This should correct itself in a few weeks.</li></ul> Causes in Children:<ul><li>Malaria</li><li>Sickle cell crisis</li><li>Thalassemia</li><li>Drugs or other toxins</li><li>Autoimmune disorders</li></ul> Diagnosis:Usually, a doctor can tell whether your baby has jaundice or not just by looking at your child. To further confirm about the jaundice, your child’s doctor may ask for a blood test or a urine sample. Treatment:In many cases, jaundice goes away on its own in 1 to 2 weeks. Your doctor will decide whether your baby should wait it out or start treatments like:<ul><li>Extra feedings: Taking in more breast milk or formula milk will help your baby poop more often, which can help clear out bilirubin from the body.&nbsp;</li><li>Photo-therapy: In this treatment, the baby is put under blue-green lights. This helps in elimination of bilirubin from the body via urine. Your baby will be made to wear eye patches to protect his eyes.</li><li>Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg): If your baby's jaundice happens because he has a different blood type from yours, your doctor may need to give a blood protein through an IV that helps stop the breakdown of red blood cells in your child.</li><li>Exchange transfusion: If your baby has severe jaundice that isn't getting better with other treatments, (s)he may need a blood transfusion called an exchange transfusion. In this process, your doctor draws small amounts of your baby's blood and replaces it with blood from a donor. It's rare for babies to need this level of treatment for jaundice.</li></ul> Prevention:Typical newborn jaundice cannot be prevented usually but you can feed your baby well to make sure your child recovers soon. If you're breastfeeding, aim for 8-12 feedings a day in the first days of your baby's life. For older kids, following tips will help prevent jaundice:<ul><li>Make sure your kids stay hygienic.</li><li>Ensure your kids drink mineral or bottled water or boil the water before drinking it.</li><li>Eat fresh food, and have a balanced diet.</li><li>Ensure your kids get their vaccines on time.</li></ul>

Here are Jaundice Types, Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention.

All about Jaundice

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

Relactation is when you resume breastfeeding after you have stopped it either due to medical reasons or due to separation from your baby.&nbsp;Relactation is the process of building up the milk supply after it has stopped. The younger your baby, the better are your chances of succeeding at relactation. If the baby is under 3 months old you have the best chance of succeeding. Also, if you have previously breastfed your baby, your baby will be more willing to resume the breastfeeding. The key here is to focus on your emotions of satiation and keep a positive attitude rather than worrying about not being able to build up enough milk supply. Relactation can produce enough milk to cater to your baby’s need if you are determined about it. Relactation could produce enough breastmilk to supply all of your baby's needs. In some cases, supplements may be needed. Start by putting your baby to your breast; the skin to skin contact suckling action would stimulate your hormones to produce milk. Try this skin to skin contact for at least 12 times a day with each session lasting up to 20 minutes. As your milk builds up, you still to supplement your baby with formula milk or solid foods depending on the age of your baby. If your baby is not willing to suckle an empty breast, try tube feeding with a tube attached to your nipple. You can try breast pumps too as they stimulate your body. Your doctor may prescribe medications in cases when enough milk is not being built up. Do not be discouraged if you relactation procedure was not successful. Remember, it is not your fault. You can still bond well with your baby and your baby is going to be fit and healthy.

Relactation is when you resume breastfeeding after you have stopped it because of any unavoidable reasons.

Relactation

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

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.

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