April 29, 2011
Filed under: New Born — Alan @ 2:08 am
If there newborn does not have the typical smooth, soft skin it is natural that the parents would be alarmed. But there should not be anything to be alarmed about. It is quite common that babies get various rashes.
A bunch of small red bumps and whiteheads that develop on the face characterizes baby acne and it can also appear on both the back and neck. If there are also scaling on the face then have your pediatrician exam the baby to determine it is not eczema.
Acne in babies is quite commonly transferred from the mother’s hormones and passed in the placenta while pregnant but will not appear until about 3 to 4 weeks afterwards. Hormones trigger the glands that produce the baby’s oil that leads to the acne being developed.
Certain medications can also cause the baby to break out with acne. This condition can worsen over a period of a few weeks if it comes in contact with saliva or milk. Also, when there is an increased blood flow usually caused when a baby cries, can also cause irritation to the skin.
The treatment of baby acne is quite simple. Just using a bit of water or a mild baby soap gently wash the babies face once a day will help tremendously. The condition is not caused by dirt so scrubbing will not help it will only cause the irritation to get worse. Cleaning the babies face with towels may not be a good idea since they may have been washed in a very strong detergent.
By washing with warm water it will help to open the pores of the skin and help to clear out oil and sweat that also are contributors to the acne. Oils and lotions are not good due to the grease and could work negatively towards the condition. At that time the pediatrician will most likely prescribe a mild medicine. But once the acne does clear up and go away it will not be back until the baby has become a teenager.
April 25, 2011
Filed under: baby development — Alan @ 10:40 pm
Parents who try to speak clearly and eloquently in front of their children needn’t try so hard according to new research. Stumbling over their words and pausing can actually help their children’s speech development. Apparently, sentences which are peppered with ‘erms’ and ‘ums’ are easier for children to understand than long flowing sentences.
The pauses between words allow the children to absorb the words better, and the ‘um’ or ‘er’ actually signals to them that there is a new word coming that demands attention. The study has been taken by the cognitive scientists’ form the baby lab at the University of Rochester. It strongly suggests that parents stumbling over their speech help toddlers to learn more efficiently.
They cite several examples to reiterate the point. For example, if a parent takes a child to a zoo and points to a Rhinoceros, they will say something like “ look over there at that…erm….Rhinoceros”. The fumbling around as they decide how to describe the animal alerts the toddler that a new word is coming.
Toddlers are bombarded constantly with new words, and while we tend to think they are ignoring us, they are actually suffering from information overload and their brains simply can’t cope. Long and fluent speeches baffle a child, as they can’t digest a word before the next ones are upon them.
The research indicates that slow and deliberate speech with pauses in between words in the best way to teach a child to speak properly. Long and fluent speech will sound like gibberish to your toddler.
April 21, 2011
Filed under: baby development — Alan @ 7:25 am
Certain abilities come with a newborn baby protecting them in their first few weeks. After a few weeks these abilities will disappear and be replaced by voluntary movements from the baby during their development. These abilities are checked by the doctor to make certain the central nervous system is functioning right.
The crawling ability in a baby is when they get into the crawling position by putting their bottom into the air and supporting themselves on their knees with their arms extended and resting on their hands. After about two months the baby changes and can lie flat.
The diving ability in a baby is if they are placed in water his throat will close so that they do not swallow water. This makes sure that the baby will not drown if they are born in water and will make them a natural swimmer. This last for just about two months depending on if you take them swimming.
When you place your finger in the baby’s mouth and they begin to suck, it means they have the sucking ability and will be able to know how to feed themselves. The search ability is discovered when your touch your finger or breast to the baby’s cheek they will automatically turn and open their mouth looking for the food and this stays with them for about three months.
Other inborn abilities include stroking the baby’s foot and his big toe curls up and the others spread out (Babinki’s Ability) and place your finger in their palm and their hand close around it (Grasp Ability).
April 19, 2011
Filed under: Baby health — admin @ 8:56 am
An Advertorial Feature
Do you have an oily skin and often itch near the edge of your forehead, where the hair start. Is your scalp irritated and flaking? Do you have dandruff?
If you have any or a combination of the aforementioned symptoms it is quite possible that you have seborrheic dermatitis, an inflammatory skin condition that causes flaking and can sometimes also be spotted on the nose or behind the ears. Anxiety and stress particularly intensify and exacerbate the symptoms and it is no wonder that it has been statistically noted that symptoms tend to subside during the summer months, when people are more relaxed or on holiday. Research also indicates that swimming and sun have beneficial effects on the skin.
Have you noticed that when you are stressed you itch more at a certain part of your body? Dermatologists insist that itching is a form of bodily expression of anxiety. People with really high levels of stress may even itch until they bleed. In this case, shampoos, sun and sea are not enough and psychological or medical help should be sought.
For children with seborrhoeic dermatitis, the cause can still be stress-related but it is also possible that they are eating too many foods that are a source of vitamin A. Although washing their hair with anti-dandruff and anti-flaking products may help, you should also take a look at their diet. You may need to reduce the amount of butter, spinach, carrot, broccoli and liver that you give them. Read an expert analysis of anti-dandruff shampoo with a Head & Shoulders Review.
Another cause, apart from the psychological ones, can simply be the frequency of your showering. If you don’t wash your hear often because you believe it self-cleanses itself or because you are afraid of hair-loss, it is very likely that all you will achieve is accumulation of grease at the top of your scalp and forehead which will then cause itching. Only people with very dry hair and skin can get away with not washing their hair for days or months.
Finally, have you recently dyed your hair? Then assuming that your itching is also followed by red skin and flaking it is very likely that this is due to some form of dermatitis. Bad dyes can cause from minor flaking to deep burns.
April 15, 2011
Filed under: Baby health — Alan @ 10:05 pm
Baby eczema is a cruel affliction, and if your baby has it you will know all about the dry skin, uncomfortable itching and sore spots. As skin sensitivity tends to go hand-in-hand with baby eczema, finding a suitable treatment can be a real challenge. There are many home made remedies that may well bring relief to your baby from the scourge of baby Eczema.
The first step in treating eczema is to ensure that your baby’s skin is always well moisturised. Several times a day you should apply an Aloe Vera lotion, particularly after bathing. You can reapply this as many times as you like, as the skin shouldn’t be allowed to dry out. Avoid cleanser if you can and make sure your baby drinks plenty of fluids.
If your baby gets a bout of extreme itching, an Oatmeal bath can soothe them and also help to heal the skin. Grind 2 cups of oats until it is fine powder. Add the powder to warm, running water and stir it well. Soak the baby in the bath for 15 mins, then rinse with tepid, clean water and gently pat dry. When the outbreaks of baby eczema are particularly bad, 2 oatmeal baths a day is perfectly safe.
Even skin care designed specifically for babies can be too harsh for eczema sufferers. This home made skin wash is extremely gentle and helps to ease the itching. In a large bowl mix 1tsp Comfrey root, 1tsp White Oak bark, 1tsp Slippery Elm bark and 2 cups of cold water. When mixed, pour into a pan and heat gently until it boils, then simmer for half an hour. Once cool, strain and use the liquid as a skin wash.
When the eczema flare up is a bad one, you must get the skin healed as soon as you can. Healing lotions help shorten the healing period as well as moisturising and protecting the skin. The best lotions for this use are made from Blueberry leaves. They are great at relieving inflammation and lessening the irritation, which accompanies the itching. Zinc is another product which can relieve irritation and itching.
April 9, 2011
Filed under: baby development — Alan @ 6:43 am
The Doctors at the Temple Street Hospital in Dublin have been doing some research into baby walkers, and their findings are pretty disturbing. According to their study, baby walkers actually do more harm than good and rather than help a baby to walk they actually hinder their progress.
They wrote in the ‘Irish Medical journal’ about the long running controversy in the countries where baby walkers are sold. There are apparently various reasons that parents give for putting their child on one; the main ones being that it keeps them quiet and happy and they get exercise while the parents do household tasks or chores.
The main age for children to be in a baby walker is between 5 and 15 months according to the study, and it was a fact that when it came to the locomotive part of the developmental tests, those who hadn’t been in a baby walker scored higher than those who had. Thy also pointed out that from all the serious injuries which had been reported, nearly all the injuries occurring had been to the child’s head.
They then went on to question why they were actually for sale when there was absolutely no tangible evidence that they benefitted children in any way. If the Doctors at Temple Street could have their way, baby walkers would disappear from the UK for good.
April 8, 2011
Filed under: Baby health — Alan @ 12:34 pm
BIRTH MATTERS Ina May Gaskin’s new book
A brand new ‘midwife’s manifesta’ from the author of Spiritual Midwifery.
It’s a shocking fact that more women in the US have a greater chance of dying in childbirth today than their Mother’s did. As one out of three babies are born by caesarean section, there are only 30 countries that have more Neonatal mortalities than the US, and 40 more who have higher rates of maternal mortalities.
Confidence in choices has been lost, and Ina May Gaskin wants to remind everyone that a birthing experience has different implications for each of us. She wants the confidence in giving birth naturally restored and the choices given back to families, and the assumptions taken away.
Ina May Gaskin is famed around the world for her birthing practices, and the low rates of intervention, mortality and morbidity speak for themselves. She has gained her reputation through her respect and faith for the natural birth process. This book is a spirited guide to teach us how to trust women again, and to value families and combine modern life with traditional values.
Endorsements: “Ms. Gaskin is a bright light shining into a dark chasm of forgetting… I believe we should do well to hold Gaskin’s writings up among the great philosophical contributions to our time.” Ani DiFranco, from the foreword
“A wonderful book expressing Ina May’s energy and vision.” Sheila Kitzinger, author of Rediscovering Birth
By (author) Ina May Gaskin
| List Price: |
£9.99 GBP |
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£4.72 In Stock |
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£5.24 In Stock |
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Filed under: IVF — Alan @ 12:53 am
According to a new study for a Bristol hospital, 71% of women would be prepared to donate eggs to help a childless couple to conceive. The survey was held for the Bristol Centre for Reproductive medicine, which is located in the Southmead Hospital.
Yet despite these results, there are still over 50 couples sitting on the waiting list for egg donations, and it can take 2-3 years to reach the top. This centre carries out approximately 24 treatments a year using donor eggs, and has a 50% success rate.
Women need egg donations to conceive for many reasons. Some suffer from an early menopause, while others have had chemo or radiotherapy and their ovaries no longer function. Some have genetic disorders which they don’t want to pass on. Any woman between the ages of 18 and 35 can be an egg donor, but the general consensus is that there isn’t enough information for potential donors.
The process begins with a chat and a health check. If suitable, the woman will be given hormone treatments to stimulate the ovaries and will be booked in as a day case to harvest them. The eggs are then fertilised using the sperm of the future Father. If they take, the embryos are planted into the recipients Uterus. One donation could help up to 3 couples.
April 7, 2011
Filed under: Celebrity babies — Alan @ 9:27 am
For anyone who has never believed in miracles, the story about Anna Marton may give you pause for thought. Just over two years ago Anna, a 36-year-old mother of two, finally went to the local hospital where she lives in Rhu, close to Glasgow. She had been feeling very tired all the time and cuts and bruises kept showing up and then not healing properly.
The day before her 37th birthday in February of 2009, Anna was told that she had a bone marrow disease called myelofibrosis, which inhibits the body’s ability to produce red blood cells, and is almost always fatal. The doctors had to tell her that most likely she had a maximum of five years to live. The only treatment available was steroids to boost her blood count, or a bone marrow transfusion that was unlikely to work even if it were possible.
Two months after the diagnosis, Anna discovered she was pregnant. Doctors warned that giving birth might kill her, but she decided to go ahead with the pregnancy. In November 2009, Anna gave birth to a healthy 6lb 2oz boy, Jason. There were no complications and the fatal bleeding doctors had feared didn’t materialize.
And now the miracle: Anna went back for a checkup one year from the time of diagnosis, and the disease had disappeared. Her bone marrow samples were sent to 25 different labs for confirmation, and they all came back showing no sign of myelofibrosis. Anna just says, “My baby healed me.”
For the record, it is known that the male hormone androgen is produced during pregnancy, and some studies show that it reduces symptoms of bone marrow disease. It has never before been reported to effect a cure.
If there newborn does not have the typical smooth, soft skin it is natural that the parents would be alarmed. But there should not be anything to be alarmed about. It is quite common that babies get various rashes.
