August 26, 2011
Filed under: Baby health — Alan @ 9:17 pm
Candida albicans is a type of yeast fungus that is known to cause oral thrush in newborn babies, this is a common problem for children to have and in this article we are going to examine some of the ways that the condition can be treated.
First we should take a look at some background information on thrush. In the environment and in the human body there are many microorganisms, for the most part these organisms, such as fungi, have a symbiotic relationship with the human body. This means that they are beneficial to our health. Candida albicans, the fungus that causes thrush, does not have this beneficial relationship however. The fungus will usually take hold in the body when the baby is first born as the immune system will be weak.
Oral thrush can come from a mother who has a yeast infection or from a reaction to certain drugs. A baby who is given antibiotic drugs will experience a change in their mouth that will actually encourage a fungus to develop. The yeast infection can also be transferred to the baby when it passes through the birth canal.
Oral thrush presents itself with white lesions that appear inside the mouth of the baby, they may appear on the tongue, inside of the cheeks or on the gums. A doctor will be able to diagnose oral thrush on sight alone, they will also take a culture and conduct a barium swallow that will confirm the diagnosis. Additionally the doctor may take a swab of the babies tongue, this will be sent to a lab to confirm that the thrush is not being complicated by an additional condition.
Treatment for this infection will be conducted for both the mother and child simultaneously. This will ensure that the infection is removed from both parties and help prevent it just be transferred across again.
A mother may experience stinging or itching on the nipples of her breasts; this can indicate a Candida infection. This condition and the yeast infection can be treated with topical or systemic medications. Doctors will often begin with a topical (external) treatment and if this fails to be effective, use a more powerful systemic (internal) medication.
Your paediatrician will provide information on how to use the drugs you are prescribed. Mothers should look out for the symptoms of an oral thrush infection and seek treatment quickly to ensure no further compilations arise from the condition.
August 20, 2011
Filed under: Baby health — Alan @ 11:53 am
As far as your baby is concerned it is really important to have all the health information you can. If you are new at being a parent you will soon realise that there are a number of different tricks and tips that can be learned.
A father of eight and a pediatrician for over 30 years, Dr. William Sears, is constantly advising parents on a daily basis. He says a number of parents try too hard to keep their new baby warm, and a newborn really does not need to be any warmer than the normal room temperature.
If you over bundle and make the baby too warm it can lead to a number of different health problems, such as neurological system disruptions because of overheating. This may cause the baby to slow their breathing or stop breathing altogether causing severe brain damage and possibly worse.
You should try and maintain the baby’s temperature at a constant rate as much as possible. This is because the baby’s brain cannot react to quick and abrupt changes in body temperature.
For example, the baby should be bundled up while inside before going outside in the winter so their body can become accustomed to the warmth and create a barrier from the cold. And that works the same in the summer. Always be careful taking the baby from a cool air conditioned home to the warm of outdoors.
Throughout many cultures different techniques in baby massage have been used for centuries, but today is known of the health benefits but it is particularly useful for bonding. Giving a baby a massage is very simple, just massage and rub your baby very gently with love. A short ten minute massage once or twice a week will help the relationship between the parent and child.
Touch stimulates a child and they need it as much as possible and it helps them to become more comfortable with you and more relaxed. Covering your baby from their head to their toes is referred to as swaddling and has been used in some way or another in just about every culture.
This helps to nurture the relationship between a parent and their child. It also has another benefit as it helps to regulate the internal temperature of the child’s body. It is safe to swaddle your baby until they are four months and if they begin to squirm around then your can free up their arms and that will give them some additional room. Nevertheless the baby usually gets quite used to swaddling and being near you.
August 19, 2011
Filed under: Baby items — Alan @ 4:14 am
HUGGIES® and Disney have teamed up to make sure that the launch of the new Winnie the Pooh DVD in August will be something special by offering three giveaway activities that total up to HUGGIES®3,500 using the HUGGIES® Super-Dry brand.
The first Activity is a Winnie the Pooh Screening that stars on August 8th and runs through the end of the month featuring the chance on the Facebook page for HUGGIES® to win tickets to an exclusive screening for the film. The film will be screened at the London Disney headquarters on September 5th and will also include a feast for an adult and their child.
The second activity is a nursery makeover that will offer parents the chance to win a complete makeover of the nursery worth up to £600 from the HUGGIES® Club website. Runner-ups will also have a shot at winning dozens of other Winnie the Pooh treats if they are able to ‘Hunt the Hunny Pot.’ For a chance to enter the drawing head to www.huggiesclub.co.uk.
The third activity is a nostaligia survery hosted by the HUGGIES® Club to find out why Winnie the Pooh is still popular today among HUGGIES® moms in particular. After filling out the survey participants will be entered into a prize drawing with the chance to win one of five Winnie the Pooh bundles from Tomy each valued at about HUGGIES®125. Included in the bundles are a Grow-With-Me Play Gym and a Winnie the Pooh Dreamtime Lighthouse. To take the survey and toss your hat into the ring visit http://www.huggiesclub.co.uk/bump-on-board/winnie-the-pooh-s….
August 12, 2011
Filed under: IVF — Alan @ 8:56 am
Many studies have been conducted researching the safety of IVF treatment. In 2002, an Australian survey reported birth defects in babies from IVF treatment had a two fold increase. Two years later a different study showed a near 30 per cent increase in such defects. In 2009 a recent study has lead to the UK government issuing a health alert.
The United States Centre for Disease Control and Prevention conducted research which showed that IVF births were two times more likely to have defects and near five times as likely to have digestive disorders. Bowel disorder risk is increased 3.7 times and cleft lip 4 times.
The study, which caused the UK to issue the health alert to be issued, found that IVF babies will have more heart valve problems too. Additionally, but unusually, there is also an increased risk of genetic disorders which may lead to developmental delays or learning difficulties. Even with relatively low risks, those seeking treatment should be informed of the potential problems as when a child has difficulties it is the parents who suffer as well as the child.
Richard Kenney from the British Fertility Society (BFS) has said that, “IVF treatments carry some risks and patients must be informed. The fact that HFEA is renewing its guidelines is a very good thing but we also must remember that while the risks are there they are relatively small, even though patients must still be told about these risks.”
An estimation by the BFS put the figure at 3.5 per cent of IVF babies will suffer a defect, whereas 2.5 per cent is the figure for the general population. The Comment of Reproductive Ethics group has stated that, “IVF is not where people trying and failing to conceive should automatically go, and more money must be put into funding research into the restoration of natural fertility.”
One theory on why there are increased birth defects is that nature prefers healthy people as their children will have the best chance at survival. For those who don’t meet the requirements nature makes it harder for them to conceive, in a pre-historic environment those with birth defects would not survive so nature prevented their birth.
Modern medicine has overcome nature in this regard and children with birth defects do survive with treatment and the use of modern technology. Although IVF has helped thousands to conceive, it still should be considered as a last resort after all other avenues have been explored.
August 7, 2011
Filed under: Baby health — Alan @ 5:59 am
The secret to a good routine for taking care of your teeth starts with the onset of the first milk tooth. A baby that has good dental hygiene has a better chance of avoiding certain dental problems like gum disease, tooth decay and abscesses. Not only are these extremely painful they may require some treatment which is not cheap. Plus facial appearance as well as speech development can be affected.
The teeth in your baby start developing while you are still carrying the baby. When your baby reaches 6 to 10 months the first tooth normally appears. Treat them like gold since they will serve as the foundation for all the rest that follow. Aside from regular dental visits and proper brushing there are a number of things that can be done to ensure your baby’s teeth stay healthy.
The less contact with sugar teeth get the better off the teeth will be. There is nothing good about sugar when it comes to the dental health of your baby. Nevertheless if it is unavoidable try to give your child sugary items only at mealtime. That way the sugary foods will spend less time in the mouth and will reduce the risk of at a later date, having dental problems.
Be consistent and discourage sugary drinks and foods. There are also sugar free medications available for your child and should be used if possible. Sucking of the thumb or any finger should be always discouraged. This could hurt the child’s teeth development over time.
Never put sugar in the baby’s bottle. This is a definite no-no since this will promote tooth decay. When you serve juice to your baby dilute it with water first and then serve it to them in a cup. Get your child to be accustomed to having fruits, cheeses or other healthy options for snacks instead of sweets. These essential vitamins and nutrients are important for the continued dental health of your baby.
The use of dummies or pacifiers should be avoided if at all possible. This can affect the development and alignment of your child’s teeth. And if they are necessary do not dip them in something sweet like fruit juice or honey. Then you are just doubling the damage. Make sure your baby gets lots of calcium. Milk is vitally important as this stage for your baby as well as other rich in calcium foods.
Candida albicans is a type of yeast fungus that is known to cause oral thrush in newborn babies, this is a common problem for children to have and in this article we are going to examine some of the ways that the condition can be treated.
