You can begin with following the tips suggested by the health care experts. Let’s begin by knowing what exactly is a diaper rash?

Diaper Rash

It normally happens during the first 15 months and is a common skin reaction. When there is a diaper rash, the skin in the diaper area becomes red and tender. There are many causes that result in diaper rash. These are:

• Dirty and wet diapers
• It happens if the diaper rubs against the skin
• Diet change, like when the baby is switched to solid foods
• Yeast infection -  this happens when the breastfeeding mother or the child has antibiotics
• Irritation from products like soap, wipes or lotion

Diaper rash is a cause of discomfort but it is short – lived.

Prevention of Diaper Rash

The ways how you can prevent diaper rash is -

• Do not delay in changing the soiled or wet diapers, it is important to change it promptly
• When changing diapers make sure that you use the water gently to clean the diaper area
• Do not rub the skin to make it dry, pat the skin and dry it gently
• Dry the diaper area completely before putting on the new diaper
• Do not keep the baby in diaper night and day. Let the child be without diapers for some time to allow fresh air to the skin
• Get into a habit of washing your hand properly before changing the babies diapers. This will protect you and your baby from germs and bacteria.

Cloth Diapers vs Disposable Diapers

There could be many reasons for people preferring to use cloth diapers and  not the disposable ones. Same goes for the people who prefer to use disposable diapers rather then the cloth ones. Even the health care experts are not in a position to recommend one over the other. Irrespective of what you choose, one thing that can help you to prevent diaper rash is to ensure that you keep the diaper area dry. You can choose to use whichever you want, but make sure you take care of the following points:

• If using cloth diapers, and it being laundered at home, ensure that it is double rinsed every time. Avoid using dryer sheets or fabric softener.
• If you are using disposable diapers, then do not use the one which comes with added fragrance. In order to allow air flow, do not fasten the diapers too tight.

Very often diaper rash is a result of allergic reactions. In such situations it is advisable not to change the diaper brand as it may result in alleviating the problem.

Diaper Rash – Treatment

Many times the diaper rash can be treated within a day or two by changing the diapers frequently. In such situations avoid using the rubber diaper covers as it can worsen the symptoms by trapping the moisture in. Also try not to use products containing perfumes or alcohol  and baby wipes as it further alleviates the problem.

To treat the problem you can use the ointments and creams that consists of petroleum or zinc oxide. This helps to calm the skin and protect it.

However, if the situation aggravates, then you can consult your health care provider. You can consult the doctor in following situations:

• If the rash is not healed in three days and continues to trouble the baby
• If you see sores or blisters appearing
• If you notice discharge or some oozing pus
• If you find the symptoms worsening
• If while the rash prevails, the baby also suffers from fever

There are many reasons for diaper rashes, it can either be bacteria or yeast. If any other treatment is required can be advised to you accordingly by your health care expert.

Source:tenderbabycare.com

It is the only task for which you not find any volunteers. Since the infant cannot do it for itself, you will have to do it for your child. So what is the first step to start with diaper change. To begin with, keep all the essential items fr diaper change within your reach. It is not wise to leave your baby while you go looking for the diaper and the other items. There have been many instances of babies being injured this way.

Now when you are taking the diaper off the baby,ensure that you do not whip it off instantly. The sudden cool air on your child may cause it to urinate. Instead, after opening the diaper, wait for a few seconds. If you see that nothing has happened, then take off the used and dirty diaper. Next, lift the baby up gently and place the new diaper underneath.

Especially when using disposable diapers ensure that you place the tape under the baby. In case, the tape is on top of the baby, then the diaper will not be fasten to the baby correctly. Now, fasten the diaper accordingly to the baby.

Next you need to apply the lotion, ointments and powders. Apply what is required or has been advised by the child care expert. Now, Pulling the diapers front part over the baby’s private area, seal the remaining tapes. Take care that there is no gap between the baby’s skin and the diaper but at the same time you also have to take care that it should not be so tight that there are wrinkles formed on the babies skin.

Once this is done, take your baby to a safe place. Now wash your hands properly as when changing diapers you may come in contact with germs which is not safe for the baby.

You are now a pro in changing diapers. Though for new parents it can be an overwhelming experience but after doing it twice or thrice, you will become a pro in the job and begin to enjoy these experiences with your baby.

Source:tenderbabycare.com

There are many reasons for baby’s crying. It is when they need something or they feel some kind of discomfort that is when they cry. You can connect and bond with your baby by trying different techniques that will help you communicate with your child.

Soothing Techniques for Your Baby

• Motion – Infants can be comforted by some movement. You can either use a swing to comfort the baby or you can hold the baby and sway it from one side to another. This movement is comforting for the baby and helps the child to relax when crying
• Mouth Soothers – You may come across conflicting opinions when it comes to using soothers. There is no doubt that using soothers is the most preferred method to stop the baby from crying. Most of the baby’s use sucking as a method for soothing. It could either be a pacifier or the mothers pinky.
• Sound -  The “white sounds” seems to comfort them. It is believed that when the child is in the uterus they get used to the sound of the mothers heart beat and various other internal sounds.
• Environment Assessment – There are many baby’s who can easily get stimulated while there are others who take time for it. Notice your child to know and understand what your baby prefers. There are baby’s who like to be in quiet and dark rooms while there are others who like to be surrounded by people and want to be outdoors.
• Touch – Holding is definitely a way to soothe your baby. It should in fact be your first option when trying to soothe the child. Being the parent the power of your touch should never be underestimated.

Different Soothing Ways

• Bouncing on the exercise ball
• Turn on a radio station that is static or noise machine
• Take the child for a walk
• Sing to your baby
• Warm Bath
• Go outside
• Comfort the baby on a baby swing
• Take the child for a car ride
• Use a baby sling
• Nurse the child
• Help them with your clean pinky finger for them to suck
• Sound a “swooshing” noise to their ear
• Use a rocking chair or glider to rock them
• Swaddling

Remember that in order to soothe your baby it is important that you are relaxed. It will help you to soothe the child and the child will not sense fear. If at anytime you feeling the crying is uncontrollable, you can seek professional help.

Source:tenderbabycare.com

The experience can go on to be overwhelming if you do not really know what the child wants. However, after some time and experience you will better understand what the baby wants.

Given below are some of the common reasons why babies cry:

• Hunger – When the child is hungry, it tends to cry. It needs immediate gratification and as a mother you need to make sure that you do not overfeed the child. Overfeeding the child leads to discomfort for the child and this could again result in its crying. So if you have just feeded the baby and the baby cries again, there could be other reasons for it.
• Ready for bed – When they feel sleepy, they will cry again. They will either resort to a scream or it could be a cute and adorable whimper. Many times they could either be overstimulated and thus need to relax at some quiet place, just before falling asleep
• Bring me closer – They often want to feel your touch. Need for love and affection could be another reason for them crying. Since they are used to the warmth of the mothers womb, so being close to the mother or father helps to relax and experience the warmth. The bet way you can provide the warmth to your baby is by using the sling. It is also one of the best ways to bond with your baby.
• Heat – Change in body temperature is another reason for the inconvenience of the baby. You can bundle the baby in order to help it to regulate the temperature. If it is cool then it is best to layer the baby with clothes.
• Feeding off your Energy – Your baby is very receptive to your emotion and your mental state of being. If you are stressed then the vibe gets passed on and affects your babies mood also. It will help if you are able to maintain a healthy and peaceful environment in and around the baby.
• Bored – The common belief is that babies only like to eat and sleep. Though it is true to a certain extent, it is also true that even babies need some kind of stimulation. Some movement outdoors, music,and other such activities that even the babies enjoy. It also helps them in their overall development.
• Formation of Gas – Constipation could be another obvious reason for the babies discomfort.
• Quiet Environment – If the baby has been in a crowded environment then it may cry as it could be yearning for some quiet and peaceful surrounding. They might feel overwhelmed by the strangers around them and being alone can help them to soothe and relax.
• Irritation in the Skin – Rashes and irritation in the skin can be one of the most obvious reason for their discomfort. You can heal the rashes in the skin with the help Shea butter, lanolin and oatmeal baths.

These are some of the common reasons that result in the babies crying. The best way you can help them is by bonding with them and observing them and this will help you to understand them better.

Source:tenderbabycare.com

Causes of Colic

This problem normally occurs towards the end of the day. Just when you feel overwhelmed by lack of sleep and the long day sets in that is when it usually strikes. All of a sudden, as evenings set in you no longer find your baby to be the same miracle baby who used to be quiet and peaceful. Every evening your baby starts crying and screaming. This no doubt leads the parents to become depressed, discouraged and frustrated.

Baby’s who suffer from colic are found to be sensitive to stimulation. Again there are many babies who develop a feeling of discomfort due to intestinal gas. There are others who cry due to overfeeding or hunger. Again in certain cases where the baby is being breastfed the food in the mothers diet seems to affect the child. Again if the baby’s are bottle fed then they seem to be uncomfortable to the proteins in the milk formula.

All baby’s cry, but if you look at the degree of crying then there are around 20% baby’s who cry so much that it can be a case of colic. Though the timing may vary yet this problem is found in baby’s who are week old and goes up to babies who are between 4-6 weeks of age. Colic for sure does last for ever. After around 6 weeks, you will notice the improvement. Though the improvement process is slow but it is for sure and most probably gone by 12 weeks.

Symptoms

The most obvious symptom of colic is that it starts around the similar time everyday. Most of the infants develop fussiness towards the evening and it becomes more intense towards this time of the day. It all begins suddenly and you may notice the belly of the baby being distended and the legs drawn up. You will also find their hands being clenched. There is no definite time period for it and it may last either for a few minutes or for an hour. It finally subsides when the infant is exhausted or after either stool or gas is passed. The colicky baby experiences abdominal pain but it is often healthy and eats well.

Treatment

Treatment of a child suffering from colic generally depends on observation and experimentation. The best way to treat colic is by identifying and eliminating the trigger. But if you are not able to identify it then you can opt for the following measures:

Possible Triggers

• Foods – If your baby is being breast fed then it is important for you to avoid any form of chocolate or caffeine. Its good to avoid the nuts and other dairy products for some time.
• Formula – Though advised in certain cases, switching formulas is not good for all baby’s.
• Medicine – It is possible that the medicines taken by the mother is affecting the baby.
• Feeding -  If the baby is being bottle fed and then the time taken for it should by no means be less then 20 minutes. It means that the hole in the nipple is big and the baby is being overfed.

There are other ways to console the baby like holding the baby, singing lullaby’s to the baby is in fact one of the most effective measures. You can take turn to console your baby.

Source:tenderbabycare.com

Roundworms are appeared on poor areas which are affected by hygienic diseases. It can cause abdominal pain, vomiting and loss body weight. Worms’s eggs can be entered by eating dirty fruits and vegetables, uncooked vegetables and playing in dirty soil.

Therefore, parents should be taught the children about eat well- washed and cooked vegetables and fruits. Parents must offer boiled water to the babies.

• Pinworms are affected intestines in children. There size is smaller than roundworms. Severe itching can be developed due to the disease. Eggs of pinworms may enter the baby by clothes and scratching the anus. It can be transmitted to other family members easily. In case of severe itching in the anus, parents should go to the health care providers as soon as possible.

• Hookworms are found in adults and teenagers. It can be associated severe anemia, nausea, excessive fatigue, and aches. It can transmit through walk in the contaminated soil. Parents should be taught the children that use clean toilets, do not playing in the dirty soil.

Signs and symptoms:

• Restless sleep
• Loss of appetite
• Severe itching around the anus
• Abdominal pain
• Dry cough
• Decrease body weight
• Nocturnal teeth
• Diarrhea

Treatment

Non-prescription anti-worm medications are very helpful to treat the disease in babies. If baby develops the signs and symptoms of any kinds of worms, consult the child’s specialist immediately.

Source:tenderbabycare.com

Causes of vomiting

When the baby has eaten something which he/she never likes, vomiting will be happen. Vomiting can be a sign of infection. It may develop from viral infection of the gastrointestinal tract. It can also cause by food poisonings, pyloric sternosis and intestinal obstruction. Sometimes vomiting is caused by other health diseases such as strep throat, migraine headaches, meningitis and brain tumors.

Signs and symptoms of vomiting

The vomiting may be accompanied by muscle pain, flu, high fever, diarrhea and stomach pain. The infants and babies have lose lots of water and become dehydrated in case of continues vomiting. Vomiting can be a serious health problem.

Treatment for vomiting

People can take medicine for vomiting. It can be taken in advance or before going outside on a car. It may help to reduce motion sickness from riding in the car. Take OTC medicines which are prescribed by the doctor to reduce the vomiting.

Vomiting in infants can be controlled by the following ways:

• Avoid overfeeding
• Milk with a small quantity of baby cereal
• Burp the baby frequently.

When to call the health care providers

When vomiting is not better after one day, call the doctor immediately.

When baby is vomiting and has signs and symptoms of dehydration such as thirst, less urination, dry mouth, fussiness, problems in sleeping and confusion; call the health care providers immediately.

Call the health care providers in following cases:

• The baby refuses to take fluids after vomiting
• Infants or child associates diarrhea along with vomiting.
• Continuously vomiting more than one or two days.

Important tips

• Patients should take more and more rest.
• Parents must give sips of liquid to their child every 15 minutes.
• Do not give solid foods or milk after the vomiting.
• Other fluids like rice kanji, butter milk, coconut water, and dal may be given to child.
• Child must take rest after vomiting, until he/she experiences better.

Parents should give the following liquids to their child:

• Gelatin water
• Crushed ice
• Fruits juices
• Chicken broth
• Sports beverages

Source:tenderbabycare.com

CAUSES OF TYPHOID IN BABIES

Typhoid is caused by the bacteria Salmonella Typhi. The contaminated food and water enters the intestine to the intestinal lymph nodes, then to liver and spleen and finally to the blood, then the bacteria spread and multiply and cause infection to the babies. The bacteria firstly infect the gallbladder and then it is spread to other parts of the body through the blood.

SYMPTOMS OF TYPHOID IN BABIES

There are various symptoms of typhoid and they are:-

• Fever
• Weakness
• Chills
• Rash appearing on the lower chest and abdomen
• Constipation
• Loss of appetite
• Diarrhea

WHEN TO CALL A DOCTOR

In case if the mother is in an endemic area and she found the symptoms of typhoid then she should immediately call a doctor. She should also call a doctor if the typhoid relapses or any other symptoms develop.

DIAGNOSIS OF TYPHOID

After the symptoms of typhoid have been identified in the baby, the doctor performs the following tests:-

• A stool culture
• A fluorescent antibody study
• White blood cell count in blood
• A blood test
• An Elisa test

By performing these tests, doctors can confirm that the baby is having typhoid or not.

TREATMENT OF TYPHOID

Typhoid is treated in babies by giving antibiotics to them so that the bacteria Salmonella are killed by it. After using antibiotics, the fatality rate for typhoid in babies was 10 percent.

But now, the mortality rate has been decreased to 1 to 2 percent by using the antibiotics. Chloramphenicol was the drug used to treat typhoid but it has too many side effects. So antibiotics are given to treat the babies. The mother should only give that medicine to the baby which is prescribed by the doctor.

Some other medicine containing vitamins are also given to the babies to increase their strength. Some electrolytes and intravenous fluids can also be given to babies. After giving treatment also the illness lasts for about two to four weeks.

In case if treatment is not done properly it can cause serious problems and even can cause death or complications can also develop such as kidney failure, intestinal hemorrhage etc.

PREVENTION OF TYPHOID

Sometimes immunization is not very effective, so certain vaccines are recommended by the doctor to prevent the babies from typhoid.

To prevent them from this disease, boiled water and well cooked food should be given to the babies. ORS should be given to them in case of serious condition. So, some measures should be kept in mind by the mother to prevent the babies from typhoid such as:-

• Water should be boiled so that water can be free from bacteria.
• Food supply whichever the mother is giving should not contain any bacteria.

Source:tenderbabycare.com

Causes

It is mainly caused by infection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria. Lungs are affected by this disease after two to eight weeks. White blood cells start to surround and wall off the disease in lungs. One can not spread the disease to others, if they have not the symptoms such as fever.

Risk factors

Weak immune system: Babies, who have weak immune system, at higher risk of getting the disease.

Nationality: Babies from regions such as Asia, Africa and America are more likely to associate tuberculosis.

Malnutrition: Babies, who not take proper diet or have low calories at high risk of tuberculosis.

Lack of medical care: Children who are live in remote area and have a lack of medical care, at greater risk of tuberculosis.

Signs and symptoms

• Fever
• Excessive fatigue
• Chills
• Pleurisy
• Body weight loss
• Loss of appetite
• Problems in breathing
• Poor feeding
• Swollen liver

Diagnosis

It is difficult to diagnose tuberculosis in babies than in adults. Various tests are performed by the health care provider to help the determine the cause of the disease. Tuberculin skin test will be recommended by the health care providers to test for tuberculosis in babies. In some cases, chest X-ray is preferred by the doctor to detect the tuberculosis disease. Babies, who have problems in immune system, are at high risk of getting this disease.

Treatment

The types of treatment depend on signs and symptoms of the disease. The treatment of tuberculosis for babies is similar to treatment for adults. Rifampin and isoniazid are very effective to reduce the symptoms of tuberculosis in babies and adolescents.

The treatment of tuberculosis must start in babies when the diagnosis is suspected. Most common drugs such as pyrazinamide, streptomycin, ethambutol are very effective to treat the tuberculosis. Consult the health care providers immediately, if babies may experience jaundice, blood in urine, vomiting, colorblindness and loss of appetite.

Prevention

• Parents should go for test the disease regularly.
• Use therapy which is suggested by the doctor to prevent the disease.
• Patient should finish the full course of medication.
• Avoid alcohol during treatment of the disease.

Source:tenderbabycare.com

Candida Albicans is natural yeast which occurs in any parts of the body. Bacteria lactobacillus Acidophilus may help to control the balanced yeast. Unbalance yeast can be overpopulated and develop Candida yeast infection. Thrush become dangerous, no treatment will be taken to reduce yeast infection.

Causes

It is caused by infection of yeast known as candida albicans. It is found in the vagina and mouth. Changes in hormone may produce the yeast grow and develop signs and symptoms of infection. It can appear at any age of childhood.

Signs and symptoms of thrush

Swelling, sensation of food in throat and fever are also symptoms of Candida. Newborns babies with thrush can transmit the infection to their mothers by breast-feeding. Thrush develops creamy lesions in white color inside of gums, mouth, tonsils and on the tongue. When scrap the lesions, they may bleed and painful. Signs and symptoms of thrush produce suddenly and persist for a long term.

How to diagnose thrush in children?

See your health care providers immediately; in case of mother and baby both have harmful lesions inside the gums or on the tongue. Doctor may diagnose thrush by appearance of white lesions, but sometimes he will take a sample of lesions and examine it under the microscope. Physical examination and blood tests will be also prescribed by the doctor to determine the symptoms of thrush.

How to treat thrush in children?

No treatment will be needed in case of mild oral thrush. If a patient who is infected by antibiotics, unsweetened yogurt is good to reduce the thrush. In case of persistent thrush antifungal medication may effective to treat this disease.

Prevention

• Do not east yeast containing foods such as bread.
• Use unsweetened yogurt or acidophilus.
• Try to eat less quantity of sugar.
• Go to the health care providers every six months for check up.

Source:tenderbabycare.com