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Nappy Rash

Nappy rash is a common problem that all babies have at some point in their early life. The baby’s buttocks become red and sore. Baby rash is a result of:

The bacteria in the baby’s stools reacting with the substances in his urine. This causes irritation and redness. Change the baby’s nappy as soon as he wets or soils it. Use a nappy rash cream that has zinc oxide as a component.
The baby’s skin being damp. As you change his nappy dry his bottom with a soft cotton washcloth. Allow your baby to stay without a nappy for a few hours everyday.
The baby’s skin reacting to the soap or the wipes you use. It is better to use lukewarm water and cotton wool to clean your baby’s bottom.
Using strong detergents to wash cloth nappies. Use detergents that are gentle and rinse off a number of times.
Thrush
Nappy rash that doesn’t go away inspite of all the precautions it may well be thrush. If so then you need to consult your doctor immediately. Infection caused by the fungus candia albicans in thrush. This fungus thrives in areas of the body where there is a lot of moisture like the mouth or groin area.

Thrush in the mouth appears as little white spots inside the cheeks and on the tongue of the baby. If you try to clean these while spots they will appear red in color. Thrush makes the mouth very sensitive and it is difficult for the baby to feed. Oral thrush can be treated with a suspension or a gel to be applied locally. If you notice that your baby has a recurrent case of thrush when you are bottle-feeding him, sterilize the bottles and teats you use thoroughly. Steam sterilization is the best method to use.

While the baby is in the womb it is dependent on the mother for food and oxygen. Both these reach the baby through the umbilical cord that connects him to his mother. The baby’s blood has additional red blood cells to help in the distribution of oxygen through out his body. After birth the baby begins to breathe through his lungs and hence does not need the additional red blood cells. His body will start disposing off the extra cells. These red blood cells are destroyed in spleen and a major by-product thus produced is bilirubin.The liver removes the bilirubin from the bloodstream and passes it on to the intestines. As the baby’s liver is still developing, it is unable to manage, the sudden increase in bilirubin during the first few days. The large amounts of bilirubin in the blood will make the baby’s skin appear yellow. Immediately after birth it is normal for babies to have a small amount of jaundice. But if the concentration of bilirubin in the blood is high it could damage the baby’s brain. You should ask your doctor to monitor your baby constantly if he has jaundice. Things that you can do:
Breast-feed your baby as often as he is willing to feed. This will aid is reducing the bilirubin in the blood.
Breast milk is sufficient to remove the extra bilirubin you do not need to give him any other fluids.
If the amount of jaundice your baby has is high, your doctor will treat him using phototherapy. They will place the baby under a light, naked expect for an eye patch for a few hours, for a few days. This light will not harm your baby in any way. He can be treated in a mobile unit in your room.

Immunization is important to protect your baby from those diseases that can be fatal for him. It is important to follow the immunization schedule accurately. If you miss an immunization date then consult your doctor immediately and he will give you a new date. If the baby is very ill when immunization is due then you consult your doctor and reschedule immunization. But if your baby has a slight cold or cough then you can go ahead with immunization. If your baby has had an acute reaction to a dose of immunization consult your doctor before you give him the booster dose.After an immunization shot the baby is likely to have slight fever, give him the recommended dose of paracetamol and that should help him. If the injection sight is swollen do not worry, as this is normal. Consult your doctor about the reactions that various injections will have on your baby. If your baby has any of the following conditions then he is ill:

* Is not feeding normally for over 24 hours.
* Vomiting continuously.
* If is suddenly beings to breathe noisily and rapidly.
* Has wet only 4 nappies or less in the past 24 hours.
* Presence of blood in stools or urine.
* Cries continuously and it sounds different from the normal way he cries.
* Lacks energy and is not alert.
* Has a skin rash.

Consult your doctor if you are concerned about the way the baby is behaving.

Given below is the ideal immunization schedule for babies:

* At 11/2 months:

1. B.C.G (injection) If not given at birth to the baby.
2. D.P.T. - 1 (injection)
3. O.P.V. - 1 (dose)

* At 21/2 months:

1. D.P.T. - 2 (injection)
2. O.P.V. - 2 (dose)
3. At 31/2 months:
4. D.P.T. - 3 (injection)
5. O.P.V. - 3 (dose)

* At 9 months:

1. Measles (injection)

* 16 to 24 months:

1. D.P.T. Booster (injection)
2. O.P.V. Booster (dose)

Another illness that is a cause of great concern among parents is meningitis. When this affects infants and small children, it can be fatal if not treated promptly. Meningitis is the inflammation of the meninges, the membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord. Inflammation can be caused either by bacteria or viruses. Meningitis caused by bacterial infection is more fatal than the one caused by viral infection. Meningitis is contagious as it is airborne. It spreads when an infected person sneezes, coughs, laughs or talks and tiny droplets of fluid from his throat and nose become air borne. Infants are more susceptible to meningitis as their immune system is still developing. The number of cases of meningitis among infants has dropped greatly every since the Hib vaccine was introduced. A Hib vaccine safeguards the child against the attack of meningitis. But vaccines have not been developed for all the strains of meningitis. Hence parents continue to be worried about meningitis. Some symptoms of meningitis are:

* Stiffness in the neck.
* Swollen fontanel - swelling of the soft spot on the baby’s head.
* The baby is listless and is not his usual energetic self.
* The baby looks very pale.
* The baby is not alert.
* The baby has a purple rash.
* The baby cries in a high-pitched voice and seems to me moaning.
* The baby has very high temperature.
* The baby has suddenly become sensitive to light.

Though meningitis seems like a deadly disease, it can be cured, if diagnosed at the right time and treated promptly

We need a certain amount of sugar, in the form of glucose, for normal functioning of the body. When the level of glucose in the blood decreases if affects the functioning of our brain. While in the womb the baby feeds through the umbilical cord and the blood glucose levels are more or less constant. After childbirth the umbilical cord is cut and the baby has to adjust to the resultant fall in blood glucose levels. Immediately after birth it is normal for the glucose levels in the blood to drop for a day or two. The baby’s brain will get the energy it requires from the glycogen that is stored in the liver and is a substitute for glucose. The baby may not feed well for the first few days. As long as he is healthy and normal there is no cause to worry. If the baby is breast-feeding, there is no need to give him sugar water to increase his glucose level. Some babies may have a problem with this fall blood sugar level. They are:

Sick babies
Premature babies.
Those babies who have not developed well in the womb.
Babies whose mothers are diabetic.
Doctors and nurses monitor babies in the above categories closely. They monitor:
Baby’s body temperature.
Baby’s respiratory function.
Baby’s skin color.
Watch whether the baby is restless.
If the blood sugar levels are very low the baby may be administered glucose drips intravenously. Though the best way of ensuring that the baby gets the right amount of glucose in breast-feeding him.

Colic
The word ‘colic’ is used to describe a specific crying pattern. The baby seems to be terribly upset by the pain it is undergoing and cries continuously. If the baby draws his knees to his stomach, clenches his fists and makes a disgusting face while crying then he has colic. Colic usually begins when the baby is three or four weeks old and is at its worst when the baby is about eight weeks old. Babies with colic cry for long spells, which can last a few hours, usually in the evening or night. Though the child can be consoled for sometime, he begins to cry again for no apparent reason. Normally babies with colic are happy, in good health and well developed. It is in very rare cases that colic lasts beyond three months. Some babies may show signs of colic till they are about five months old. Colic is a result of:
An upset stomach
Under developed nervous system
Fluid that flows back into the esophagus from the stomach.
Air trapped in the stomach forming gas.
When the see their baby suffer so much as a result of colic parents often blame themselves. They think it is a result of something they are doing or not doing. But this is not the case. No matter what causes colic there is little the parents can do to make their baby feel better. Here are a few tips to help the baby:
Bath the baby in lukewarm water.
Wrap them in cotton covering so that they feel safe.
Give their feet a massage.
Give them a dummy to suck on.
Give them gripe water or colic drops.
Dissolve three teaspoons of sugar in a cup of boiling water, cool it and then slowly give it to the baby using a teaspoon.
You can consult your doctor for more advice. Ask family members to help out in taking care of the baby if colic is a regular feature. Colic has no lasting effect on the baby.

Babies need to be comfortable at all times they should not be too hot or too cold. Their clothing should suit the weather and the heating within the house should suit the children and adults alike. If the house in centrally heated then your baby will be comfortable in just a vest and a stretch suit when he is indoors. When they leave the house they may need more clothing depending on what the temperature outside is. At bedtime, cover them with as many blankets as you would use, if you were sleeping in that room. Each folded blanket is equivalent to two blankets. You don’t have to keep the central heating on through the night.
To sleep well, the baby doesn’t need a specially heated room. Studies have found that a cool room allows both adults and babies to sleep well. The ideal temperature is around 18 degrees centigrade (65 degrees Fahrenheit). Babies like adults will need less clothing in summer. So make sure you clothe your baby lightly especially while he is sleeping to ensure there is no overheating. If it is cold outside you can wrap your baby with an extra blanket when to step outside the house. But once in your vehicle make sure you remove the extra layers of clothing to ensure that he doesn’t get too hot. People often tell you that you can find out whether your baby is hot or cold by feeling their palms and the sole of their feet. But these are not indicators of baby’s body temperature. To find out the ‘core temperature’ place your hand flat against the skin of their back or chest.

If they feel pleasantly warm not too hot or cold then they are fine. If they are very hot they will feel sweaty, may have a heat rash around the neck and their face maybe flushed. Reducing the number of clothes that they are wearing or the layers covering them will make them feel better. If the baby is feeling very cold he will cry and even shiver. Sometimes when they feel extremely cold, they will become motionless, as they want to safe energy to keep themselves warm. Adding clothing or covering will make them warm. You could hold them close to your body so that they get warm as a result of your body heat. New parents often worry that they will not be able to tell when their baby is unwell. Once you get accustomed to the routine of your baby, you will be able to notice any change in behavior or routine. Sometimes you may not realize that your baby is ill. Here are a few signs that will help you detect that the baby is ill:
Lack of energy.
Doesn’t pass urine for over eight hours.
Stools are yellow-green in color.
Not feeding normally.
Cries and is irritated when carried.
Is vomiting.
Feels hot and sweaty or hot and dry.
Using an ear thermometer is the most accurate way of finding out the baby’s temperature. You can find out the ‘core temperature’ by placing your hand flat against the skin of his chest or back. If he feels hot then he has a fever. Speak to your doctor before you administer paracetamol. Follow the instructions given on the bottle accurately. Put the baby in a cool room and dress him lightly. Sponging the baby with lukewarm water will reduce his temperature. Remove all his clothes except his nappy, dip the sponge in lukewarm water and gently rub all over his body. Allow this water to evaporate from the skin thus lowering the temperature. When the baby has very high temperature he may have febrile convulsions or fits. This happens when the baby’s temperature rises suddenly. Some children have this before they are one year old. It is not a pleasant sight to watch. Give the baby paracetamol, sponge him with lukewarm water, keep him in a cool room and remove extra layers of clothing and you can prevent this from happening again.

Parents often worry that they will not be able to tell when their baby is unwell. After a few weeks, once you get to know your baby and his routine of feeding, sleeping and waking, you will be able to tell if the baby is behaving differently. If you feel that the baby is not his normal self consult your doctor immediately. Either take the baby to the doctor or speak to him over the phone. If you are calling him, write down all the things that you want to ask about. Make a note of all the important phone numbers like your doctor’s, health clinic, hospital, a good taxi service and numbers of friends who would be willing to look after older children in an emergency. If you are asked to bring your baby to the hospital at night do so, as it is better to take the baby there than, treating him at home.
Whenever they are taken outdoors babies and small children need special care. Their skin is so delicate that the sun and wind can burn them easily. If there is any tanning on your babies skin it means that there is some skin damage. Special care must be taken of babies when they are taken abroad where the weather is different from that of his home country. The mildest of sunburns is very painful for the baby and studies have shown that skin cancer is related to sunburn in childhood. Here are some tips to protect the baby from the sun:
Dress your baby up in long-sleeved T-shirts and trousers made of cotton. This will be cool and protect the skin from the sun.
Do not let your baby out in the sun especially at noon, as the sun is the strongest at this time.
Use a sun block every time you take the baby out. The sun protection factor should be at least 25. Apply this cream every two hours. Studies have show that people should be using thrice as much cream as they are using now.
Use a broad rimmed straw hat when you take the baby out in the pram. If the canopy of the pram is small, attach sunshades to protect the baby from the sun.
If your baby does get sun burnt give him a cool bath and apply calamine lotion. It is always safer to consult your doctor first.
Ensure that your baby is drinking a lot of fluids. Whether it is breast milk or water especially if it is very hot so that he doesn’t get dehydrated.
Sometimes babies can have a heat stroke due to over exposure to the sun. The common symptoms are vomiting, listlessness, headaches and drowsiness. Give your baby plenty of fluids and consult your doctor immediately.
Protect your babies from the wind as harsh wind can damage their delicate skin as well. Keep you baby well covered while taking them out. Source:iloveindia