For many parents, their child’s bedtime is a dreaded event, complete with tears, yelling, and resistance.  It doesn’t have to be this way!  Too often, we give in because we think that by accomodating our children, we are improving the situation.  When it comes to forming good bedtime habits, it is important to be firm and consistent.

Now, there are really two separate camps in the bedtime arena: those who believe in letting your child cry themselves to sleep, and those who think that is cruel and unusual punishment.

I don’t personally agree with either approach.  I think that finding the best bedtime routine for you and your child really depends on the child.  It takes a lot of hard work and self examination to discover which of your techniques are working and which are counterproductive.  But a one-size-fits-all approach to children’s bedtime habits just doesn’t seem to make sense.

Use these tips as a guideline, but be flexible and work with your child to find a routine that works for both of you. 

• Set a regular bedtime and show your child how to tell it’s bedtime on the clock.
• Remind your child 30 minutes before bedtime that it’s time to start winding down.
• Provide your child with a nightlight if they request one.
• Remove all distractions from the room, ie: televisions, radios, video games.
• Form a routine that you will perform with your child each night: help them into their pyjamas, take them to brush their teeth, and tuck them in to bed.
• If your child gets out of bed, do not talk to them.  Getting upset at them is giving them attention, which may be enough of a reward to them to encourage the behavior.  Instead, return them to their bed immediately.
• Praise your child in the morning for staying in bed!

Losing someone close to them can leave your child feeling overwhelmed with confusion, fear, and mixed emotions.  Helping your child through this time can be difficult, especially if you are uncomfortable or unfamiliar with the grieving process yourself.

Children may have a lot of tough questions for you.  The most important thing to remember is to try to answer their questions as completely and honestly as you can.  You may not feel like talking about it yourself, but it will be beneficial to both of you to have a frank discussion about why the death happened and what might have happened to the person. 

Most of us will pass on the lessons that we believe in to our children.  A good approach is to try to explain a few different possibilities.  For example, you could tell your child that some people believe grandma is still with us, while others think she might be watching down from Heaven.  This gives your child a few options; something to think about.  This approach also teaches your child to be open minded and tolerant of other people’s beliefs, regardless of what they themselves choose to believe.

If you or your child are struggling with the grieving process, speak with your doctor about grief counselling agencies in your community.  Support and a fresh perspective could be just what you need to help you and your child get back on your feet after suffering the loss of a loved one.

As a new parent, I often find myself having to make a conscious effort to break my old, bad habits.  Now that Jack is crawling and scooting faster than I can keep up, I have realized just how important it is to have our house baby-proofed.

I mean, I thought I had done a good job of it before… but each new step he takes; every surface he is now able to hold onto; reminds me that baby-proofing isn’t a one time job.  It is an ongoing process.

One of the biggest dangers in any given household is the storage of medications.  Some of us store them in the kitchen, where they’re easy to grab when we make a meal.  Others forget to put them away now and again, and accidentally leave them on the counter.

As parents, we must be vigilant.  Even a seemingly harmless medication (to you) could be extremely dangerous for your child.  Each time you take your medications, or administer some to your child, make sure that you replace them in a high cupboard with a child safety lock.

Medicines should never be stored under the sink, on the countertop, or in your purse.  It only takes a split second for your child to find it and decide to play the in-the-mouth game with it.

If you suspect that your child has taken any type of medication without your knowledge, or if you fear they have overdosed, call the poison control center immediately.

Learning how to differentiate between the signs of appendicitis and those of a regular stomachache is very important!

Doctors really don’t know what causes appendicitis to flare up in some people, while others never have a problem.  For this reason, there is no known way to prevent it.  But when it happens, your child needs to get medical attention immediately.

They may complain of a general feeling of unwell, or an all-over stomachache.  This usually progresses quickly to feelings of nausea and vomiting, accompanied by sharp pains near the belly button.  Your child may develop a fever.  As the infection worsens, the pain will become more localized in the lower right abdomen. 

The sooner appendicitis is caught, the easier it is to treat.  Because we can live normal lives without it, doctors usually choose to remove the infected organ immediately.  If an inflamed appendix ruptures, infection and toxins will spread throughout the abdomen.  The appendix will usually burst within 24 to 72 hours of the onset of your child’s symptoms, so it really is not a situation to be taken lightly.

If your child has any symptoms that could indicate appendicitis, take them to the local emergency room immediately.

Lyme disease is an infection caused by the bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi.  The bacteria is spread by black-legged, weatern black-legged, or deer ticks.

Ticks acquire the bacteria from mice before passing it to humans by biting.  The bacteria enters the human bloodstream and causes the infection.  These ticks can be hard to detect; immature ticks are about the size of a poppy seed, while adults may be as large as a sesame seed.

Children who spend a lot of time outdoors or in wooded areas are most susceptible to developing Lyme disease.  Ticks hide in shrubs, long grass, and forested areas. 

Lyme disease is curable when caught early.  Most infected people will develop what is known as “the bullseye rash”; a distinct, circular rash that allows doctors to diagnose Lyme disease on sight.  Occasionally, a person will not develop the rash; in that case, bloodwork will be used to diagnose the illness.

Lyme disease occurs in three stages.  Ideally, diagnosis and treatment should occur in the first stage for it to be most effective.  It may take a week to a month for your child to develop some or all of these symptoms after being bitten by an infected tick:

• swelling of the lymph glands near the bite
• fatigue
• headache
• joint pain
• an overall achy feeling
• chills

Once Lyme disease progresses to the second stage, it can cause some alarming symptoms, such as:

• two or more areas of rash not at the site of the bite
• severe headache
• tingling or numbness in the extremities
• enlarged lymph nodes (glands)
• joint stiffness, especially in the neck
• severe fatigue
• sensitivity to light
• facial paralysis (Bell’s palsy)
• irregular heart rhythm
• fever of 100 to 102 degrees Fahrenheit (37.78 to 38.89 degrees Celsius)
• meningitis

At this point, the illness is quite severe.  If your child is experiencing any of the symptoms mentioned above, they need to be seen by a doctor right away.

Lyme disease that goes undiagnosed can lead to arthritis and cognitive deterioration.

If you suspect that your child has been bitten by a tick, take them to the doctor for bloodwork.  Not everyone shows symptoms.

Oral thrush refers to an overgrowth of yeast in the mouth.  This is especially common amongst newborns, though it can also occur in older children and adults with weakened immune systems.

Candida albican is a naturally occuring yeast present in most people’s mouths.  Because baby’s immune system isn’t mature, it is sometimes unable to prevent an overgrowth of yeast.  Oral thrush usually appears as whitish or yellowish spots on the cheeks, tongues, or gums; and possibly as dry, cracked skin around the mouth.

Oral thrush usually clears itself up within 2 weeks, though your doctor may occasionally prescribe an antifungal agent to help speed up the process. 

Oral thrush is easier to prevent than to treat.  Always wash bottles, nipples and rings carefully, to remove any traces of yeast.  Older babies can eat yogurt to help maintain a proper pH blance in their mouth and body.  If you are breastfeeding and find that your nipples are red and sore, you could have yeast on your breasts that is being passed back and forth with your baby’s mouth.  Your doctor may prescribe a topical antifungal cream to help rid you of the yeast.

Always mention oral thrush to your child’s physician, especially if it is persistent or recurring.

 

Swimmer’s ear is a common childhood ailment.  Especially in warmer climates, children may spend a fair bit of time in the water, increasing the likelihood that they could develop this infection of the ear canal.

Water in the ear canal works to weaken and break down the delicate skin tissue in the ear.  This can allow fungi and bacteria a warm, moist environment in which to flourish.  The resulting infection is called otitis externa, or more commonly, swimmer’s ear.

But little swimmers aren’t the only ones afflicted by this condition.  A number of different factors could be responsible for the damage to the ear canal that allowed the bacteria to breed, such as:

• inserting foreign objects such as safety or bobby pins into the ear
• eczema
• insertion of a cotton swab into the ear canal
• allowing the head to rest underwater while bathing

Otitis usually appears in the form of a red, painful outer ear and earlobe.  It may hurt to tug on the earlobe, or even to chew.  Your child may complain that they feel like there is water trapped in their ear.  You may also notice the lymph nodes around the ear swelling.  Your child may have a clear to yellowish, pusy discharge from the ear canal.

It is important to take your child to the doctor immediately if you suspect that they may have swimmer’s ear.  Untreated, the infection will spread and worsen.  In some cases, the doctor must drain pus or debris from the ear in order for the ear drops to reach the infection and treat it properly.

If your child seems prone to otitis externa, have them shower instead of bathing, to prevent soaking their head and ears in water.  Teach them to wash their ears properly, and to pat them dry after each shower.  After swimming, they should tilt their head to each side to release any water trapped in the ear canal.

With all of the hype in the media, you may be feeling helpless and unable to protect your children against Avian Flu.  It is important to keep in mind that although some predict it could become a pandemic, it is not yet even able to spread from human to human.

Since the onset of Avian Flu 8 years ago, 160 people have died worldwide.  All of these people had come in direct contact with infected birds and contracted the virus themselves. 

There are many different strains of the Avian Flu affecting poultry and game birds around the world.  The strain that experts believe has the potential to become a pandemic virus is called H5N1.  It is spread from bird to bird through saliva, feces, and blood. 

In its current form, Avian Flu can only be spread to humans by handling infected birds or ingesting their meat.  Experts fear that the virus could mutate and become contagious from human to human.  If this were to happen, a vaccine would have to be created.  But until an actual genetic mutation occurs, any vaccine developed now would be useless in fighting off the new strain.

This creates a dilemma for parents.  How can you protect your child from an illness that could be lethal, when no one knows if or when it will strike?

As with other viruses, good hygiene and handwashing are essential in protecting yourself and your children from infection.  It’s never too soon to teach your children the importance of washing their hands after touching another child’s toys; before eating; after using the restroom; and after touching common areas such as stair railings, playground equipment, or chairs in restaurants.

The mutation and spread of H5N1 should concern us, but not to the point that we become obsessed with it.  Teaching your children good hygiene and good judgment (not putting toys in their mouth; avoiding people who are ill) goes a long way towards ensuring their safety in the event of a pandemic.