The following tips will help you manage your twins/triplets efficiently: <ul><li>Stick to a schedule</li></ul>Maintain a common schedule for the children. If one wakes up from a nap, wake up the other. If one is hungry and wants to eat, feed the other child as well. Scheduling both the children together will keep you sane and help you get proper sleep as well. <ul><li>Feed at the same time</li></ul>It is important to learn to breastfeed both babies at the same time. If you are feeding on the bottles, it is easier to have two spots to seat them. Breastfeed or bottle-feed, prepare ahead of the feed (a breastfeeding pillow, bottles, burp cloths, pumped breastmilk or formula and a snack for yourself). After feeding, burp the babies one by one. By the time the second (or third) baby has been fed, burped, and changed, the first one's often hungry - and the cycle begins all over again. In the beginning, breastfeeding two babies at the same time can be difficult. It is best to consult a lactation nurse on the days when you are still in the hospital. A nurse will help you try different breastfeeding positions so by the time you are home with your kids, you can apply the one that suits you and your child the best. When one of the babies wakes up to be fed in the middle of the night, wake up the other one after you're done with the first baby. It's hard to wake a sleeping baby, but if you don't, you will be constantly tending to babies and not getting any sleep. <ul><li>Bath twice</li></ul>Bathe your babies turn by turn. If you have an infant chair, put one of your babies in the chair beside you while you bathe the other child. When you are done with one baby, switch the places. Bath seats are also available in the market; these seats make the bathing process easier. <ul><li>Know who is who</li></ul>In the early days of twin parenting, it is natural to mix up your babies. You can dab a dot of nail polish on one of your baby's toes or fingers to avoid confusion. You can tie a wristband to one of your babies. See what works the best for you. <ul><li>Crying times two</li></ul>More often than not, both of your babies will cry at the same time. It is difficult to find out what soothes your babies. What works for one might not work for the other. Figure out if cuddling, cradling, singing, caressing works for your babies or not. <ul><li>Share the duties</li></ul>Ask for help; it can be difficult but ask away. It will be for your own peace. Delegate your tasks to your spouse or your other family members. You can hire a caretaker as well for some time till you figure out how to go about twin parenting. Delegating your tasks will give you time to bond with your babies. Communication is the key; if you feel one parent is taking up more responsibilities, talk it out. <ul><li>Preparing your house for your babies</li></ul>Baby proof your house in every possible way. Set up a changing station including diapers, wipes, and extra baby clothes. If you have a house with more levels, make sure to arrange changing stations, baby chairs at all levels. That way you can avoid running up and down the stairs every time one of the babies spits up or needs to be changed. <ul><li>Bond with your Babies</li></ul>It might take you more time to bond with your babies compared to parents of singletons. Most of your time will be eaten up in fulfilling your babies' needs. But the more time you spend with your babies, the more you will know them and connect with them. <ul><li>Celebrate their individuality</li></ul>It's important to treat your babies as individuals so that they begin to see themselves that way too. Refer to them by their names rather than as "the twins," and as they get older, make sure they have their own clothes and special toys. <ul><li>Plan quality time individually</li></ul>Plan quality time separately for your babies. Sit and talk to them, read a book, or play a game with your babies. The goal is to give each child life experiences that are fun and appropriate for them. Twins are very dependent upon each other in the early years. Spending some time apart will help them develop separate identities and help them understand their likes and dislikes. <ul><li>Respect your children</li></ul>Every child has different needs hence it is important to cater to their individual needs than being fair when raising twins. It is okay if you don't buy the same gifts or clothes for your twins or treat them in the same manner. Respecting the similarities and differences of each child fosters a real and healthy sense of self. <ul><li>Consider possessions &amp; twin identity</li></ul>Possessions help children form a sense of identity. Some separate clothes, toys, books, blankets, etc. reinforce separateness and ownership. Each child needs some possessions that do not have to be shared. This can be achieved by giving each child a special cupboard or space on a shelf. <ul><li>Be cautious about making comparisons.</li></ul>The comparison comes naturally to parents, knowingly or unknowingly. With twins, it becomes even more tempting to do so. Every child develops at their own pace hence it is best not to compare twins. Comparisons easily discourage a child or create a situation where (s)he feels less smart, capable, attractive or loved. What to invest in and what to save on?Babies Can Share:<ul><li>Changing table</li><li>Playpen or portable crib</li><li>Baby bathtub</li><li>Nursing pillow</li><li>Breast pump</li><li>Baby monitor</li><li>Double or triple stroller</li><li>Stationary activity centre</li><li>Activity mat</li></ul> Separate Baby Needs:<ul><li>Car seat</li><li>Infant seat</li><li>Bassinet</li><li>Crib</li><li>Swing</li><li>Diaper bag</li><li>High chair</li><li>Front carrier</li></ul>

It can be a little tricky to raise twins or triplets. But with time, you sure will figure out everything. The following tips will help you manage your twins efficiently.

Parenting hacks by experts on raising twins

It can be a little tricky to raise twins or triplets. But with time, you sure will figure out everything.

Are we exhibiting what we want our kids to be? Call it a harsh reality but children rarely learn from what we preach, they learn from our actions. Take this for an example, an anonymous user on the internet confessed that her child would hit her younger sibling while playing. Her explanation in defence was, “We are playing ‘mommy”. We all aspire to become perfect parents for our kids because we want to inculcate values in them that would make them better human beings. But the larger and the more significant question is do we exhibit that kind of discipline in our behaviour? We expect our children to use modern-day gadgets judiciously but do we supervise our use of these products? We want our kids to watch their words and actions when angry but do we manage our anger appropriately? We want our kids to show decorum and discipline with their daily routine but are we exhibiting ourselves as an example to do the same? Dr Haim Ginott, a renowned child psychologist, pointed out, “Children are like wet cement. Whatever falls on them makes an impression.” If we give the child an environment of hostility he is more likely to learn to fight. An environment of ridicule and shame can lead to the child resulting being shy and guilty. But similarly, if the child had always lived with tolerance, he learns to become more patient. If he has always received praise, he learns the virtue of appreciation. What is important during the child’s growing years is that we model the kind of behaviour we expect our children to be. It is impossible to not be stressed or angry under circumstances. But when the parents manage their stress and anger appropriately, the message is loud and clear to the kids that it is normal to feel negative at times but it is only the positive attitude towards solving these problems that reap good results. Parents should ‘speak’ and ‘do’ what they expect out of their children. Saying statements like. “I love all kinds of food”, “I love playing outdoors”, “Let’s clean up the mess together”, “Let’s help little brother/sister with eating the food”. These kinds of statements bring about assurance in the kids and before indulging in the wrong they are forced to do what think what they have been taught. The brains of children are like sponges. They absorb everything without discriminating information into right or wrong. Let's set ourselves as better examples for our children. Let's exhibit what we want our children to be.

Are we exhibiting what we want our kids to be? Call it a harsh reality but children rarely learn from what we preach, they learn from our actions.

Children See Children Learn - The pillar of parenting

Being a positive role model for your child can help instil the right attitude and habits from an early age for your child to nurture a healthy lifestyle.

Children See Children Learn ~The pillar of parenting

The nose is an essential part of our body. It filters the air you breathe, removing dust, germs, and irritants. It warms and moistens the air to keep your lungs and tubes that lead to them from drying out. Your nose also contains the nerve cells that help your sense of smell. When there is a problem with your nose, your whole body can suffer. For example, the stuffy nose of the common cold can make it hard for you to breathe, sleep, or get comfortable. Let's be nosy and find out standard childhood nose related issues : Bacterial Nasal Infections - Minor infections at the opening of the nose, may result in pimples at the base of nasal hairs and sometimes crusts around the nostrils. The infection may result from nose picking or excessive nose blowing and causes annoying crusts and bleeding when the crusts slough off.Broken Nose - A broken nose, also called a nasal fracture, is a break or crack in a bone in your nose — often the bone over the bridge of your nose. Common causes of a broken nose include contact sports, physical fights, falls, and motor vehicle accidents that result in facial trauma. A broken nose can cause pain, along with swelling and bruising around your nose and under your eyes. Your nose may look crooked, and you may have trouble breathing. Treatment for a broken nose may include procedures that realign your nose. Surgery usually isn't necessary for a broken nose.Deviated Septum - The bone and cartilage that divides the inside of the nose in half is called the nasal septum. The most common symptom from a badly deviated septum is difficulty breathing through the nose, which is usually worse on one side. In some cases, it may cause sinus drainage or repeated sinus infections.Nosebleeds - A nosebleed is blood loss from the tissue that lines your nose. The most common causes of nosebleeds are dryness (often caused by indoor heat in the winter) and nose picking. These two things work together — nose-picking occurs more often when mucus in the nose is dry and crusty. Colds also can cause nosebleeds.Post-Nasal Drip - Post-nasal drip occurs when your nose and throat produce excess mucus, often causing you to feel it dripping down from your nose into your throat. Symptoms include Feeling of mucus drainage into the throat, Frequent swallowing, Throat clearing, Sore, irritated throat &amp; Feeling a lump in the throat.Rhinitis (Hay Fever) -&nbsp;Allergic rhinitis is the most common childhood ailment caused by allergies. Symptoms include a runny and itchy nose, sneezing, post-nasal drip and nasal congestion (blockage). A child with allergies may also have itchy, watery, red eyes and chronic ear problems.Runny Nose - A stuffy or congested nose occurs when the tissues lining the nose become swollen. The swelling is due to inflamed blood vessels. The problem may also include nasal discharge or "runny nose." If excess mucus runs down the back of your throat, it may cause a cough or sore throat. A runny nose may be annoying and uncomfortable, but it usually clears up on its own. Occasionally, it can be a sign of a more severe problem. A runny nose may be severe in infants. Prevention tipsAlthough it may not be possible to prevent all nosebleeds in children, a person can take steps to help reduce their occurrence. These include:·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Treating allergies to prevent inflammation in the nose·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Using saline (saltwater) nasal sprays to keep the child's nose moist·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Running a humidifier or vaporizer in the child's bedroom to prevent the air from drying out·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Keeping children's nails trimmed to prevent injuries due to nose picking·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Encouraging children to wear appropriate protective equipment during sports or other activities where injury to the nose is possible RememberIf your child has symptoms of any of the above nose related issues/infections, see your paediatrician. Your paediatrician can properly diagnose and treat the infection and recommend ways to help alleviate the discomfort from some of the symptoms.

The nose is an essential part of our body. It filters the air you breathe & removes dust. When there is a problem with your nose, your whole body can suffer. 

Nose related issues in Children

The nose is an essential part of our body. When there is a problem with your nose, your whole body can suffer.

Are there any psychological effects on children watching cartoons on TV or mobile?Cartoons are the most popular entertainment for children. Earlier children would spend time outside playing with their friends, compared to now where they choose to spend time in front of the TV, watching their favourite Cartoons for hours. Ever since the emergence of the cartoon industry, it has been noted that watching cartoons can have both negative as well as positive impacts on a child's psychological growth along with their physical growth. Positive Impacts:<ol><li>Early Education: Preschoolers can get help to learn alphabets, shapes, numbers, and colours while watching TV. Undoubtedly, television can be an excellent educator and entertainer. The moving, talking pictures and colourful visuals make learning interesting and fun for kids.</li><li>Cognitive development:&nbsp;Watching TV and cartoon can help in the development of cognitive skills in kids. Skills such as logic and reasoning ability, visual and auditory processing, and sustained and selective attention of a child are developed and enhanced in kids.</li><li>Linguistic skills:&nbsp;Watching cartoons in different languages can assist children in not just learning different languages but can also help them improve their pronunciation and their manner of talking.</li><li>Creativity:&nbsp;watching cartoons enhances creative thinking in children. They may start thinking of new creative ideas like stories, characters, situations, etc on basis of cartoons they watch.</li><li>Morals and Culture:&nbsp;Mythological cartoons can introduce children to their religion and culture. Many cartoons end with good lessons of morals like kindness, caring and compassion.</li></ol> Negative Impacts:<ol><li>Violent Behavior:&nbsp;Kids who watch violent acts are more likely to show aggressive behaviour and also may fear that the world is scary and that something bad will happen to them. Also Because Cartoon characters display no more than little harm during violent scenes, children may believe that no one gets hurt or feels pain since cartoons escape unscathed after experiencing violence or an accident.</li><li>Less-empathetic behaviour:&nbsp;Few cartoons characters display a lack of empathy and rude/ disobedient behaviour towards others. Kids might mimic this behaviour and challenge their elders when they are disciplined for bad behaviour.</li><li>Rough Language:&nbsp;Few cartoon characters make use of rough language, as a result of which children begin to use foul/ rough language in their day to day life.</li><li>Anti-social behaviour:&nbsp;Several cartoons encourage antisocial behaviour and give wrong messages to kids. Cartoon characters often display risky behaviour, such as smoking and drinking, and may also reinforce gender-role and racial stereotypes. These can affect a kid's behaviour and make them believe it is normal to be aggressive, spoiled, or violent. cartoons may be the reason for many children to even become bullies in schools.</li><li>Health Issues:&nbsp;Children who consistently spend more than 4 hours a day watching TV are more likely to be overweight. They watch cartoons even when they eat because many parents believe it gets easier to feed babies watching television. Health issues arising due to sedentary lifestyle and inactivity for hours include obesity, vision problems, and nutritional deficiencies due to bad food habits.</li><li>Role models:&nbsp;From a very young age children start to mimic their role models. A role model is someone who either inspires and motivates the kids or discourages and admonish them, thereby shaping their character and personality as adults. Children often idolize their favourite cartoon character which could be Often a misleading role model that encourages the wrong habits or displays insensitive behaviour towards others. This kind of impact of cartoons on children’s psychology can often lead to devastating outcomes and result in kids being withdrawn, uncommunicative, antisocial, or unruly.</li></ol> Tips for parents: <ul><li>To make cartoons a healthy entertainment and a good and effective source of learning for kids, parents should pay more attention to providing selected cartoons to their kids that could positively influence them.</li><li>Parents must control the time children spend watching TV. They can choose appropriate cartoons for their kids. It would be better if parents also regularly watch and discuss the characters of cartoons with children. This way they will not only keep their kids away from violence but also direct them to different activities.</li><li>Lastly, it is recommended for parents to avoid placing their kids in front of screens while they’re eating.</li><li>Let's protect kids from the negative impact of Television media! Because healthy kids mean a healthy future!</li></ul>

Watching cartoons programs had a significant effect on the behaviour of children. Cartoons can have both positive and negative effects on cognitive and behavioural development.

Influence of watching cartoons on children

Watching cartoons can both negatively and positively influence children. Along with being the best educator, Watching TV can surely encourage children to become aggressive and violent. Hence, the cartoon industry is believed to influence a child's brain as well as physical development.

Kids tend to avoid healthy food due to the high taste levels of junk food. These activities will be a great help to develop their interest in food:<ul><li>Take them for grocery shopping.</li><li>Cook and Bake with them; there is nothing more exciting than this.</li><li>Teach them gardening - grow foods in your backyard.</li><li>Place the food on the plate in the colours of a rainbow; this way you can include all sorts of food on your child's plate. The easiest way is to prepare a food salad or a vegetable salad.</li><li>Hide vegetables and fruits in an opaque box or carry bag and ask the child to close their eyes. Then ask them to put their hand inside the bag, pick up food, feel it and then try to identify the vegetable/fruit through its texture. You can do this activity separately for vegetables and fruits to make it easier for your child.</li><li>Food obstacle course activity. Design an obstacle course in your house where you place different fruits/vegetables as obstacles. The child will have to eat a small portion of that vegetable or fruit before advancing forward. You can carry out this activity in a group and it will be a lot more fun.</li><li>Weave a story around fruits and vegetables and narrate those during their mealtime; check out food-related stories on our app.</li><li>Sing them songs/rhymes about food; you can a few songs related to food on our app.</li></ul> Keep in mind:<ul><li>Do not give them screens during mealtime; this way they will know what they are eating and will appreciate the food on their plates.</li><li>Let them have their favourite snack or dessert once in a while. But do not use them as treats for eating the food that they like less.</li></ul>

Thinking of interesting ways to present food to your child(ren) will make them eat all types of food.

Activities to encourage and develop child's interest in food

Thinking of interesting ways to present food to your child(ren) will make them eat all types of food.

Activities to develop your child interest in food

Palak Vyas

Keep the following things in mind while inculcating the listening skill in your child: <ul><li>Be a good listener yourself:&nbsp;Avoid interrupting your child when (s)he is talking or saying something.</li><li>Try and give simple and easy instructions.</li><li>Whenever your child listens carefully, always praise them.</li><li>Teach them why it is important to be a good listener.</li><li>Model good communication skills.</li><li>Ask them to repeat what you said after they have heard you completely.</li><li>Read stories to them and let the child predict the ending.</li><li>Listen to audio stories as family time.</li><li>Play games like Simon says, add-on stories (where everybody adds their own sentences and the story moves forward), Copy cat (where you say funny rhyming words which the child has to repeat), and many such.</li><li>Listen patiently whenever they talk to you and teach them the same.</li><li>Help your child build vocabulary so they can convey easily and understand what is being said.</li><li>Always remember that young children have short attention span so never say multiple things at one go.</li></ul>

Children model their parents the most. Develop the listening skill yourself and then help the child to achieve the same.

Teaching child to be a good listener

There is no particular reason behind generalised preferences by children. They are just temporary, and be rest assured this does not have any connection with future relationship/bonding with your child. It may be heart breaking when the child pushes you and chooses one parent over other but, do not let the child know about it and try to be normal. Your anger or frustration out of worry can make things worse. Manage your own feelings.<ul><li>If the father is not around, explain the reasons and tell your child to plan activities and games that (s)he wants to play with daddy.</li><li>As a mother, you may try to always be around but make sure you are spending quality time. Take time to play games, read stories and do homework together.</li><li>Don’t call daddy quite often; try to engage the child in their favourite activities so that (s)he does not miss his/her daddy.</li></ul> At the end of the day, accept that some children prefer father over mother and some prefer mother over father. It is completely okay and normal; this does not mean that your child loves you less. As your child grows, so will your bond with your child.

Children have parent preferences; this is common and temporary so don't you worry.

Baby prefers dad over mom

Many children are particular about not sharing their toys with others. This is because toys are the only things which they feel is their possession. And as they feel it’s their possession, they tend to not share them with people they do not know. They are reluctant to share their toys with unknown people because they are worried if someone might break them. Such a tendency is normal. But you can always teach them that sharing is caring. Help them understand that sharing is the first step towards new friendships. If your child does not share his/her toys even with the ones they know and trust, try to talk to them and understand the reason behind that. Explain to them that it is alright to share personal toys with the people they trust. If they share theirs, their friends will also share toys. This will result in more toys and more enjoyment. Do not force them to share their toys. They will take time and it is okay. Do not negatively inculcate anything in them. For example, never say “if you don’t share your toys, we will not buy more for you”.

Most kids are possessive by nature. Observe carefully where there possession ends.

Child does not share toys

Following measures can be taken to make your travel happy and comfortable: <ul><li>Confirm the train timings: Whether it is going to be late or not. This is to make sure that you won’t have to wait long hours with the baby on the station.</li><li>Carry a fold-able baby cot: Infants usually sleep a lot. So carrying a fold-able baby cot is a wise decision. It occupies less space and you don’t have to carry the child in your lap all through the journey. They too can have a comfortable sleep.</li><li>Carry an extra baby bag: This may seem extra baggage but it’s easy and comfortable to have a separate bag for baby’s belongings. That small bag can include diapers, baby wipes, cream, soft blanket, towels, sanitiser, milk powder, thermos with warm water, hairbrush , a mattress for the cot, feeding bottle, medicines and other such essential things for baby. Don’t forget to put your baby’s favourite toy and a water bottle.</li><li>Medicines: Please carry emergency medicines for fever, colic, stuffy nose, and nausea. Gastric pain is very common in babies so if your baby has been prescribed special medication take it along without fail.</li><li>Comfortable seat: Try and book lower berth so your baby can easily play and there are less chances of falling. Look for any sharp edges or such objects around that can hurt your child while playing.</li><li>Carry your baby’s food: You can prepare his/her favourite food for the journey. Try to keep food light and easy on your child’s stomach.</li><li>Avoid travelling with a baby who is less than 3 months old because they are easily prone to infections.</li></ul>

Travelling by train with a child can be tricky. The key is to be all prepared before boarding the train.

Travelling with a child in train

Juhi Mishra

The school years (most importantly the preschool years) are the most important years in a child’s life. These years lay the foundation of an individual’s personality. The school years affect the learning style of an individual. It is very important for a child to be in school and around teachers who nurture the growth of the child and let the child BE. Following are the points which need to be considered while selecting a school for your child: <ol><li>Distance: The school should be close enough to the house so that the child does not have to spend more than half an hour travelling one way.</li><li>Age: The school should be following the correct age criteria for admission. Especially for preschools, the child should be 2+ for playgroup, 3+ for nursery, 4+ for Jr. KG, 5+ for Sr. KG and accordingly. By the time the child is 6+, s/he is ready to be in grade 1. It is not advisable for the parents to save 1 year while seeking admissions in the school. The child is ready to learn better if the age of the child is appropriate for that grade.</li><li>Child centric curriculum: Look for the curriculum, which should be child centric. The way the curriculum is imparted in the school. The school should be respectful towards the individuality of a child. Also, if the school works closely with the parents for the betterment of the child, it is an added advantage.</li><li>Fee and infrastructure: Though it is suggested to select a school that fits the budget, but it is also advisable to check if the fees being paid is utilised appropriately. It is better to ask these questions beforehand: If the fee is too low, are the teachers appointed not qualified enough? If the fee is too high, how is it being utilised? Is the school just focusing on building fancy infrastructure? Is the school focusing on teacher training and development programs? Is the basic infrastructure in place (toilets, learning resources, etc.)?</li><li>Teachers: The adults who would be in the child’s environment should be qualified enough to impart the knowledge.</li><li>No-judgement environment: It is better to talk with parents who are already sending their children to a particular school. This is to check if the children are judged as per the performance/ behaviour/ background of&nbsp;child. The children in their growing years do not need any kind of labels: brilliant, poor, intelligent, dumb, etc. Any label (good or bad) is not helpful in a child’ early years. One needs to be sure that children are not shouted at or physically assaulted in the school.</li><li>Safety: It is very important that the school takes care of the safety of a child. The staff should be reliable and their background has been checked, is of utmost priority. The place should be such that the opportunities to get hurt are less (though certain incidents are unavoidable). There should be CCTV cameras all around (except the toilet booths). But, it is also very important that parents are not given the access to live streaming of the cameras (as one never knows the intention with which any one may look at any child while going through the live streaming).</li><li>Interview for the child and the parents: If the school interviews the child (especially preschools) to check the level of the child or if the school interviews the parents (to see if they will be able to help the child at home), such a school should be avoided. The school should be confident enough to impart education in a way that all children are happy learning.</li><li>Cleanliness: It is very important that the environment in which the child is going to spend a lot of time is hygienic enough. The school should not be having breeding grounds for insects, dust coated furniture and fixtures, dirty toilets, smelly rooms, damaged doors and windows, etc. Cleanliness is of paramount as the place where the child is going to spend his/ her time should not affect the health of the child.</li></ol>

The school years (most importantly the preschool years) are the most important years in a child’s life. These years lay the foundation of an individual’s personality.

Preschool Selection

Babies putting things in their mouths, otherwise known as mouthing, is not only normal, but also signals a growing interest in the world around them. In the first year, children explore their surroundings through their senses - seeing, touching, hearing, smelling, and tasting. The more they explore, the more they learn. But be careful about the following things:<ul><li>Keep the child away from choking hazardous things/toys. Provide them with bigger toys with smooth edges so that children do not swallow the toys.</li><li>Try and replace the items that are not safe in their hands either with some eatables or any other better option. Distraction is the key.</li><li>Constantly taking away things from their hands will only result into rebellious stubborn behaviour, rather gently distract them by giving suitable things and toys.</li></ul>

Mouthing or putting everything in mouth is very common. It signals growth so do not worry much.

Mouthing

Samiksha Choithani

As your child is experiencing the new journey of walking, climbing and exploring, it is quite normal to fall down often. This may lead to mild bumps, cuts and bruises. You can treat minor injuries at home. Be patient, without playing a blame game just focus on child’s injuries:<ul><li>Dab the injured part of the body with an ice-pack</li><li>Try to distract the child with toys or stories</li><li>Change the environment to comfort the child</li><li>Let the child rest or sleep for a while</li><li>Watch the injury closely for the next 24 hours to ensure there are no unusual symptoms</li></ul> Consult a paediatrician if:<ul><li>The child vomits more than once after falling</li><li>Is not able to walk properly</li><li>Sleeps very often or finds difficulty in waking up</li></ul>

Kids are curious individuals. No matter how much cautious you are, they are bound to fall and get an injury some or the other day. Maintain your cool and do the best that you can to comfort your child.

Emergency situation with children: Falling down

The best guideline is this simple one: Dress your newborn in the same number of layers you’re wearing yourself, plus one. For winters:<ul><li>Think layers. It’s always best to layer baby’s clothing, which traps heat between the layers. Thin cotton clothes work well, maybe a long sleeved shirt and pants or even a snowsuit if your little one is going to be in very cold temps. Cover up. Make sure that your baby is completely covered from head-to-toe. Make sure you have gloves, a woollen cap, thick socks and snow boots handy in times of the need.</li><li>Don’t forget blankets outside. If you’re headed out in the stroller, his plus-one layer can be a blanket and/or his stroller’s rain cover, which will keep out the elements and keep in some heat.</li><li>Beware of overheating. Babies dressed in too many layers (of blankets or clothing) are at greater risk for overheating and SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome). If you’ve been out, remove your baby’s winter clothes as soon as you come inside (yes, even if (s)he is asleep!).</li></ul> For warmer weather dress your baby accordingly:<ul><li>Reduce the number of layers: When the sun is out and temperature is warm, use lighter fabrics that are breathable. Allowing your baby’s body to breathe and not get too hot.</li><li>Choose Quality Fabrics: Focus on purchasing quality fabrics that are less likely to irritate your baby’ skin. Cotton is usually the recommended fabric because it allows the baby’s skin to breathe easily.</li><li>Choose Loose clothing: Always opt for loose fitted clothing that will allow your baby’s skin to breathe. It has been found that tight fitting clothes don’t give ample space for your little ones sensitive skin to breathe. They are more likely to break out in a rash because of overheating.</li><li>When shopping take note of the tags and what the material of your baby’s clothing is made of.</li></ul>

Dress your baby in a way that (s)he remains cheery all the time.

Weather and clothing

Nyctophobia is when a child fears nighttime or darkness, this is one of the common childhood fears that progresses till adolescence. Fear of darkness or sleeping alone at night usually develops between 3 to 6 years (36 to 72 months) of age. At this age some of the common fears are:<ul><li>Monsters</li><li>Ghosts</li><li>Strange noises</li></ul> Causes:<ul><li>Looking at the anxiety or fear of a parent/caregiver could develop a phobia in a child.</li><li>Over protection by parents can also lead to anxiety when left alone or without parents (with other family members).</li><li>Late night negative experience, like an accident while travelling or injury can lead to anxiety and panic during long term.</li></ul> Physical symptoms:<ul><li>Sweating</li><li>Increased rate of heart beat</li><li>Trembling</li><li>Discomfort in speaking</li><li>Tightness in the chest</li><li>Shortness of breath</li><li>Upset stomach</li><li>Numbness</li><li>Feeling dizzy or fainting</li><li>Nausea</li></ul> Psychological symptoms:<ul><li>Feeling out of touch with reality or detached from your body</li><li>Fear of fainting</li><li>Fear of losing control</li><li>Fear of dying</li></ul> Diagnosis:<ul><li>A mental health expert can diagnose phobia; keep a regular track of your child’s behaviour/health in particular situations and with objects.</li><li>Phobia diagnosis is based on diagnostic guidelines and a thorough clinical interview. If you feel that your child has a phobia, take him/her to a healthcare expert. Your child's doctor will either ask you or your child about the symptoms. The doctor might also take a medical, psychiatric, and family history.</li><li>Your child's doctor might also use the diagnostic criteria in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5).</li></ul> Treatment:<ul><li>Exposure therapy: This treatment exposes children to their fears repeatedly until the thing they fear, such as being in the dark, no longer triggers the feelings of anxiety or panic.</li><li>Cognitive Behavioural therapy (CBT): This type of therapy helps children identify their feelings of anxiety and replace them with more positive or realistic thoughts with the help of a therapist. With nyctophobia, your child may be presented with information to show that being in the dark doesn’t necessarily lead to negative consequences.</li><li>Modelling: In this method the child sees other person facing the situation without fear and panic.</li><li>Virtual reality (VR): It's a treatment where your child will be exposed to computer simulations of dark places. Getting the experience of a dark place in the virtual world can help your child get over his/her fear in a setting that feels safe.</li><li>Medicines like tranquillisers and antidepressants (prescribed by a doctor) can be helpful along with the above treatments.</li></ul>

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