Choking

Infants put anything and everything into their mouth. Parents should keep all small objects or items that have tiny detachable parts out of a baby’s reach as they can pose a choking hazard.

Safety Measures

• Buy toys that are appropriate for your child’s age. Check the labels if you’re unsure.
• Encourage your older kids to keep their toys (that can be potentially dangerous) away from their baby brother or sister.
• Check toys frequently for loose or broken parts that could cause choking.
• Make sure that baby’s toys like rattles and teethers are large enough so that they cannot become lodged in an infants throat.
• Regularly check floors for small objects like coins, paper clips, hair pins, etc.
• If your child is under four, do not give him hard candies, popcorn, nuts, raisins or grapes.

Drowning

A baby can drown in just one inch of water in a matter of seconds.

Safety Measures

• Never leave your baby or toddler unattended in the bath while you answer the phone or the door.
• If you live in a house with a private swimming pool, install a four sided fence around it so your baby or toddler will not risk falling into the pool.

Poisoning

In an annual report by the American Association of Poison Control Centers Toxic Exposure Surveillance System, over 415,000 kids one year and below were exposed to poison in 1993.

Safety Measures

• Keep all potentially harmful products out of reach of your child. These may include medicines, pesticides or household detergents. never refer to ‘medicine’ as ‘candy’ to your child.
• Keep perfumes, cosmetics and mouthwash on high shelves.
• If you keep plants at home, make sure they are not poisonous or pose a potential threat to your child.

Burns

Babies and children have thinner skin than adults and are therefore more susceptible to burns at lower temperatures within a shorter period of time. Hot tap water, heated beverages and foods are potential causes of burns in young children.

Safety Measures

• Always test the water temperature before putting your baby in the bathtub.
• Do not warm the milk bottle in the microwave oven. Heat it with warm water instead.
• Do not hold your child and a cup of hot beverage at the same time.
• Keep hot foods and water away from the table edge.
• Never carry your child when you are cooking. He could reach out and touch the hot pan or worse, get scalded by heated oil.
• Do not let your child come near you when you are ironing. He may accidentally pull at the iron cord when you are not looking and get scalded.
• Always keep matches and lighters safe in a high cabinet. It may be a little inconvenient for you but at least it will give you peace of mind.

Suffocation and Strangulation

Young children, especially babies fall easy prey to these hazards, most often than not, due to the parent’s negligence.

Safety Measures

• Make sure the baby’s cot mattress is firm and fits the cot perfectly.
• Check that the gap between the cot railings are not wide enough for the baby to get his head stuck.
• Do not put pillows or thick comforters in the baby’s cot.
• Keep all plastic bags away from your child.
• Never tie a pacifier or anything around your child’s neck.

In The Living Room

• Make sure the floor is not wet, especially tiled or polished floors, which can be very slippery for toddlers. If you have carpets at home, check them regularly for holes or loose edges that might trip your child.
• If your child can reach the door handle, fix a bolt further up the door to keep it from your child’s reach.
• If you’re living in a home with stairs, fix stairgates at the top and bottom of the staircase. The rails of the stairgate should not be more than 10cm apart. If the gap is too wide, the child could get his head stuck or get through the gap and fall down the stairs. Also make sure the gate is not high enough for the child to climd over.
• If you have a balcony, fix it with railings to prevent your child from climbing over.
• Avoid glass-topped tables and furniture that have sharp corners.
• Do not leave breakable objects, lighted cigarettes or lighters on low tables or within reach of your child.
• Curtain ties and blinds cords should be wound up and kept out of reach as a child could be accidently strangled by a dangled cord.
• Keep railing wires out of sight and reach of your child so that he won’t trip over, pull, or worse, chew at the wires.
• Cover unused plu sockets with safety socket covers to prevent your child from experimenting with them.

In The Kitchen

The kitchen, with its various cooking activities and household utensils, makes it a potentially dangerous place for kids. Heres how you could minimise the risks to your child:

• Turn pan handles or boiling kettles away from the cooker’s edge, so that your child will not reach it and get herself burnt. Teach your child what ‘hot’ means so that she understands a warning.
• Keep all knives, cutlery, heavy pots and pans, medicines, cleaning solutions, matches or stove lighters safe in the drawers and cupboards, away from your child’s sight and reach.
• Never allow your child to touch the microwave oven.
• Keep chairs and stools away from work tops to prevent your child from climbing onto them.
• Unplug electrical appliances when they are not in use.
• Avoid using a tablecloth, even if it looks nice on the table. A walking toddler may pull at the tablecloth, thus bringing everything on the table down on himself.
• Keep your kitchen floor clean and dry, and wipe up any spills immediately to prevent your child from slipping.
• Make sure your kitchen windows are fixed with drills to prevent your child from climbing over.

In The Bedroom

• Do not use cribs or Moses baskets once your baby is about 3 months old as they are not stable enough and may tip over if your baby moves too vigorously.
• Your baby’s cot should be deep enough – at least 50cm from the mattress to the top of the rail to prevent him from climbing out.
• The gap between the cot bars should be between 2.5cm and 6cm wide to avoid your baby getting his head stuck between the bars.
• Do not use a pillow for a baby under 12 months as it could suffocate him. Put a pillow under the mattress instead if you need to raise his head.
• Use a thin sheet or cellular blankets until your baby is at least 12 months old. A quilt may be too thick and your baby may risk pulling it over his face and getting suffocated.
• Always put baby to sleep on his back or side, never on his front, to reduce the risk of cot death.
• Once your child is old enough to climd out of his cot, transfer him to a bed.
• Teach your child to tidy up his toys on the floor each time after he has played to prevent him from tripping over.
• Make sure the bedroom windows are also fixed with grills.

In The Bathroom

• Remember to turn off the heater each time after you have used it. This prevents your child from turning on the water and getting scalded.
• Use non-slip mats on the floor of the bathroom.
• Never leave your baby or toddler unattended in the bathroom. babies or children getting drowned in the bathtub or a pail of water is not uncommon.
• Keep all toilet cleaners and bleach on a high shelf or cupboard, away from your child’s reach.
• Other potential hazards such as mouthwash, make-up lotions, razors and aftershave should also be kept safely locked in a cabinet.
• Keep the toilet bowl lid down after each use.
• Do not mix toilet cleaners with bleach as the mixture can give off toxic fumes.

0-6 Months

A newborn has at least 20 invisible teeth developing in his jaws. between birth and six months, 10-12 permanent teeth will develop. In some cases, a child may be born with a tooth and its very loose.

6-24 Months

The lower central incisors will erupt first followed by the lower lateral incisors. By 12 months, four lower and upper incisors will develop and within the next year, the rest of the primary or ‘milk’ teeth will erupt.

2-3 Years

All of your baby’s milk teeth will have formed and up to 28 permanent teeth are developing within the jaws. Fever may develop while your child is teething. Don’t worry if your child is a late teether. As long as your doctor is satisfied with his condition, lateness is not something out of the ordinary.

Teething

There are several remedies to relieve your baby’s discomfort while he’s teething:

• Something to Chew. Some teethers are filled with water while others are filled with gel-like liquid. These types can be kept in the fridge to cool. Chewing on icy objects will provide baby relief from sore gums. but let the teethers stand a while after retrieving it from the fridge as extremely cold teethers have been known to burn baby’s lips. With teethers, watch out also for any sharp edges and make sure that the liquid filling is non-toxic and the teether is unbreakable. Alternatively, you could give him a carrot stick with the thin end sliced off.
• Something to Rub Against. Rubbing your fingers firmly on the gums will bring relief though your baby may not appreciate the intrusion at first.
• Something Cold To Drink. Give your baby some icy cold water to drink. This will also help in increasing baby’s fluid intake that he might have lost through drooling.
• Something Cold To Eat. Chilled yoghurt for example may be more appealing than warm food.
• Medication. If nothing else works, Paracetamol may be the answer but check with your doctor for the right dosage. There are also products containing benzocaine, a local anaesthetic, which when rubbed on the gums helps relieve irritation.

Brushing Baby’s Teeth

Start brushing your baby’s teeth the day the first one appears. There are gum brushes available to help you clean baby’s gums. Alternatively, you can apply a bit of children’s toothpaste on your finger and rub it on your baby’s gums. You could also use moist lint, a clean face cloth or a cotton-tipped swab.

You can also buy a small baby sized toothbrush with multi-tufted nylon nylon bristles. Never buy a hard brush as it can damage enamel and gums. Clean with a gentle scrubbing action and don’t forget to include the gums where particles of food collect.

Introducing Your Child To The Dentist

At the age of 2, you can introduce your child to a dentist. It’s imperative that you find one who takes the preventive approach and the time to teach your child proper oral hygiene and the importance of such practices. Visit the dentist every six months unless he has problems in between so that any problems can be detected before they develop into serious ones.

Paediatric Sinusitis

Sinusitis arises when the mucous membranes which line the sinus cavities are inflammed. This swelling causes the mucous glands in the sinuses to secrete excess fluid and obstruct the tiny holes which allow for drainage. Acute sinusitis is most commonly the result of a bacterial infection where the buildup of fluid in the sinuses are less ‘classical’. They seldom complain of headache, facial pain or toothache. In most children, purulent nasal and eye discharge may be the only signs of sinus disease. Those with chronic sinusitis usually have nasal congestion, persistent cough and sore throat. Halitosis or bad breath may also be present. Only careful examination of the upper airway will reveal infection in the nasal drainage.

The Triggers

The vast majority of sinusitis sufferers have high levels of allergies, and about 70% of those with chronic sinusitis have asthma as well. Sufferers are usually allergic to dust mites, and only very rarely is food allergy the cause, although spicy food may aggravate the situation. Other triggers include cold weather, and strong smells. To control sinusitis, it is critical that parents check their environment.

Dust Mites

The most common inhalent allergen is the house dust mite. These are mites that live on human skin and are present in the dust of your home. What is harmful abou these bugs are the highly allergenic faeces. Despite what people think, allergies are not always aggravated by poor air quality, and the problem may actually be found in your carpets, furniture, draperies, stuffed toys, and bedding where dust mites thrive.

Although it is impossible to eradicate house dust, simple measures can reduce the dust level in the home, with special attention to your child’s bedroom. Experts recommend thorough cleaning of the room at least one a week, and minimising the use of objects that collect dust such as soft toys, soft furnishing, and carpets. If possible, buy pillows and mattresses only made of synthetic material. All blankets, bedsheets, and pillows should be washed in hot water once a month, as the heat will kill the mites.

Mysterious Moulds

Next to dust mites, moulds may be the second most common culprit. In places where there is increasing humidity, homes that have carpets laid on a concrete slab tend to harbor tons of mould growth. There are 100,000 types of moulds (which usually thrive in basements and bathrooms) with toxic agents such as bleach will keep them at bay. Some moulds however, may be hard to reach as they grow in out-of-the-way places.

Pets

Most pets like cats, dogs, hamsters, mice, and rabbits release proteins that may lead to allergic reactions. If possible, keep them outdoors and bathe them at least once a week.

Clearing Out The Sinus

Occasionally, sinus infections clear up on their own. But the best treatment for your child would be a good course of antibiotics. While nasal decongestants help unblock the openings of the sinuses, antihistamines in either tablet or syrup help reduce mucus production. These medications are easily available over-the-counter but you should always consult your family doctor first.

In adults, doctors may recommend surgical drainage when congestion does not respond to medication. However, this is highly unlikely in young children as doctors have found a marked reduction in frequency of sinus disease from childhood to adolescence, suggesting a ‘healing’ effect from growth. Still, predicting which child’s condition will improve remains an open question.

Vitamin deficiencies like the lack of vitamin A in infancy and early birth can cause severe, probably irreversible brain growth retardation. What is noteworthy is that the body’s supply of vitamin A is destroyed during infections. But it’s misleading to think that an oversupply of vitamin A will produce a larger brain or over-intelligence. In certain cases, oversupply of certain vitamins or minerals are actually harmful for the body.

B Vitamins

The role of B vitamins has also been highlighted in animal studies pertaining to brain development. Research reveals that deficiency of almost any B vitamins can cause some brain abnormalities.

Vitamin C

It was found in studies on vitamin C that children with normal or above normal levels of vitamin C also have higher IQs than children with below normal levels.

Vitamin E – The Indirect Link

There is some evidence to suggest that an undersupply of vitamin E does place a child at risk of suffering from brain damage. However the association is indirect and only applicable to certain circumstances. For example, oxygen deprivation can cause brain damage. During difficult labor, an infant’s oxygen supply could also be threatened. A serious vitamin E deficiency increases the need for oxygen supply, so if the mother is vitamin E deficient, her child is also at greater risk.

Mineral Shortages

Mineral deficiencies before and during pregnancy can retard a child’s brain development. Some of the essential minerals include, iodine, calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, and others which contribute to the brain’s growth.

In analysing the diet-intelligence link, there is a salient issue which begs much scrutiny in all societies. Maternal health is an all important factor in producing a healthy and normal child. Thus it’s only advisable to improve the nutritional status of mothers who are at “risk” of producing a child with birth defects due to their own diet deficiencies.

The other factor to bear in mind, is the need to monitor the crucial years till the age of four when the brain develops to its fullest. Parents don’t have to be overzealous thus making food a taboo word at home. But instead they should concentrate on giving their children a balanced diet rich in proteins, carbohydrates, fats, fiber as well as vitamins and minerals by encouraging their consumption through creative recipes and presentation.

Critics have pointed out that the so-called balanced diet could however lack certain essential vitamins and minerals required for health. The argument is substantiated by studies that point to the fact that many birth defects, behavioural problems and childhood intellectual handicaps can be caused by a deficient maternal diet before birth or poor eating habits in kids after birth.

The Influence on a Child’s Development

A good diet can influence intellectual and physical development. but there are other factors to bear in mind. These include heridity and certain environmental factors. What’s even more important is the maternal diet before conception, throughout pregnancy and during the early months and years of a child’s life especially if the mother breastfeeds her infant.

Maternal Health

The human brain develops throughout pregnancy but it reaches its peak growth during the last trimester and first 4 years of life. Thus dietary deficiencies are most harmful in this vital stage where the brain undergoes the greatest growth. Approximately 90% of the brain growth is achieved by this stage. If brain growth is not achieved by this age, it may never be achieved at all.

Research shows that the earlier a deficiency the more damage it does. However, when the brain is fully developed it is also able to withstand more damage.

In the Womb

When the foetus in the womb or infant is significantly malnourished, its head circumference remains markedly smaller than normal. This points to a decreased brain size. In a small skull there is no room for a well developed brain. They also have far more fluid than those of normal children. Several studies also indicate that the smaller the brain size, the lower the intelligence level.

Brain Foods

Numerous studies undertaken by researchers on the development of the brain reveal that developing brains require calories and proteins. children with serious deficiencies before the age of 3 or 4 tend to have lower scores in psychological tests, including those measuring IQs. The number of brain cells can be reduced by even a small protein deficiency. If brain cells are absent then proper brain functioning cannot happen either. Although it’s important that the mother has sufficient supply of protein for the baby’s brain development, it does not necessarily mean that she will produce an absolute genius with an oversupply of proteins.

Envelope Shoulder Onesie

For the uninitiated, this is an essential bodysuit that snaps conveniently in the diaper zone. Snaps also prevent it from riding up like a T-shirt. Overlapping shoulder slits (called envelopes) add s-t-r-e-t-c-h for a quick and gentle ride over delicate heads. Parents rave about the classic component of every newborn’s wardrobe.

Playsuit

A onesie with legs and more snaps, down to the ankles. Look for a playsuit that opens up completely so new moms can dress baby gently.

Two-Sided Receiving Blanket

A cute and practical leak barrier for all occasions, not just for receiving guests. Never-miss softness for calming swaddling. Two layers of fabric support baby’s body better than lightweight blankets, helping new mums and dads feel more confident. The hood keeps baby warm and protected.

Reversible Cardigan

No matter what the climate, newborns need this layering piece. A hood with gentle elastic plays double-duty indoors and out. The straight bottom won’t ride up on active infants. It is reversible, so it can be worn as a stripe or a solid, adding wardrobe versatility.

Gussetted Pants

With extra room for bulky diapers, the gusset adds comfort and style to pants.

Kimono Shirt

Originally designed with fabric ties, parents unanimously called for snaps for easier and quicker dressing of squirming infants.

Sweat Pants

Let your child tumble around in comfy sweat pants. Thanks to a covered elastic waist-band that’s stitched-down, twisting won’t happen again in the wash. Plus side pockets to hold all sorts of treasures.

Super-T Playsuits

Every parent strives for as carefree a clothing as possible for their little ones. the Super-T Playsuit fits the bill. Not only is it easy to wear and put on, its sturdy construction and 100% cotton jersey also make it easier to care for. Even stripes are yarn-dyed to stay as bright as a spring day, despite trips through the wash. And whether your child prefers bugs or baseball, there’s sure to be a screen print that strikes a chord with your little one.

Layette

Not just a blanket (a common misconception), rather a complete outfit for a newborn child as defined by Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary.

Cloth Diapers

Traditional cloth diapers are environmentally friendly and easier on your pocket. These are what you’ll need if you use cloth diapers:

• 24 squares of cloth diapers (they come in standard size of 30cm x 30cm).
• 2 large plastic pails with lids for collecting soiled diapers.
• 3 to 4 pairs of waterproof pants to prevent your baby’s clothes and bedding from getting stained.
• Diaper liner (disposable or washable). This prevents moisture from seeping back onto the baby’s skin.
• Diaper pins / safety clamps. If you use pins, choose stainless steel ones with safety locks. An alternative to pins are safety clamps that hook onto the diaper’s three flaps to hold the diaper together.

Although there are specially shaped cloth diapers (they look neater and are easier to put on) available in the market, these take longer to dry than the ordinary square ones. Fine muslin diapers can be used for tiny babies or as diaper liner. Special, thick cloth diapers will come in handy if baby needs extra protection at night.

Diapering Needs

Besides diapers, you will also need the following items regardless of whether using cloth or disposable diapers:

• Tissue Paper
• Cotton Balls
• Warm water, baby lotion or baby wipes. baby wipes are particularly convenient when travelling. Most baby wipes have lanolin or aloe vera to soothe and moistirize baby’s bottom
• Baby cream. Use zinc ointment or other barrier cream
• Changing mat/table. Some tables come with detachable mats; these can be carried with you and used on outings when a baby changing room is not available
• Diaper trash bin

Cost Saving

Some parents like the convenience of disposables but find them too expensive. To save cost, alternate between cloth and disposable diapers in the day and substitute them with disposables at night, for outings and holidays.

All disposable diapers have a plastic outer layer to prevent staining, sticky tape fasteners and elasticated leg openings. You’ll find disposable diapers convenient because:

• There is no need for washing and drying
• Most disposables come with “breathing” systems which keep moisture away from baby’s skin more effectively
• Indicators on the diaper band alert you when baby has soiled himself

Ease Baby Rash

Here are some tips to ease baby rash :

• Use a protective barrier cream such as zinc and castor oil ointment if baby is particularly susceptible to diaper rash
• Reach for baby wipes which are gentler on sore bottoms because of their moist properties. save the cotton balls for days when baby’s bottom is not so irritated
• Change your baby’s diapers twice as often if he has diaper rash
• Leave out the waterproof pants from time to time; better still, leave him on the changing mat without a diaper for a while to let air get to his skin
• Make sure baby’s cloth diapers are rinsed carefully and thoroughly to eliminate all traces of detergent that can irritate baby’s bottom
• Seek advice from a paediatrician