Child health

Car Seats

Infants • Birth to 9 kg (20 lb.) • Rear-facing seat • Use away from an active airbag Toddlers • 9 to 18 kg (20-40 lb.) • Forward-facing seat • Use with a tether strap Pre-school to 8 years old • Between 18 and 36 kg (40—80…

Vaccination

What is a vaccine? A vaccine is a medicine that’s given to help prevent a disease. Vaccines help the body produce antibodies. These antibodies protect against the disease. Vaccines are given by injection (a “shot”) or by mouth. Each province…

Shaken Baby Syndrome

When a baby or early kid is severely shaken, it can result in Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS), a type of child abuse that permanently harms the brain and body. Extreme agitation, convulsions, vomiting, and blood spots in the eyes are all symptoms of SBS. It’s essential to never shake a child and to learn alternate techniques for settling a crying newborn if you want to avoid SBS. Seek quick medical assistance if you think you may have SBS.

Rubella

Rubella is a highly contagious viral disease causing slight fever, mild rash, and swollen glands. Contracting rubella in early pregnancy can result in birth defects and fetal death. Rubella vaccine is recommended to prevent the spread of the disease, especially in women of childbearing age. Symptoms of rubella include rash, fever, joint aches, and runny nose, but as many as half of all cases occur without a rash. There is no specific treatment for rubella, but immunity after contracting the disease is usually permanent. The MMR vaccine, which includes rubella, is given to children and those without laboratory evidence of immunity. Preventing the spread of rubella is crucial to control congenital rubella syndrome (CRS), which can cause deafness, blindness, heart defects, and mental retardation in infants.

Reflux in Children

Gastroesophageal reflux (GER) occurs when stomach contents reflux into the esophagus during or after a meal. This condition is common in healthy infants, with more than half experiencing reflux in the first 3 months of life. The symptoms include spitting up, vomiting, irritability, and poor feeding. The treatment for reflux depends on the symptoms and age of the infant, and can range from feeding changes to medication. Infants with GER should be burped after feedings and held upright for 30 minutes. The condition often resolves by itself and infants usually outgrow reflux by 1 or 2 years of age.

Potty training

Potty training is a crucial milestone in your child’s development, but the age is not always the most important factor. The readiness of your child and yourself are the keys to starting potty training. Choose a time when you’re not stressed and explain the process to your child. Take your child to the toilet at regular intervals, encourage and praise them for every success, and be patient as it may take several months.