Apgar score for Newborns

 

Health GuideThe Apgar score is an objective method of evaluating a newborn’s overall state of health. A score is given for each sign at one minute and five minutes after the birth. If there are problems with the baby an additional score is given at 10 minutes. A score of 7-10 is considered normal, while 4-7 might require some resuscitative measures, and a baby with Apgars of 3 and below requires immediate resuscitation.

 

Sign

0 Points

1 Point

2 Points

A

Activity (Muscle Tone)

Absent

Arms and Legs Flexed

Active Movement

P

Pulse

Absent

Below 100 bpm

Above 100 bpm

G

Grimace (Reflex Irritability)

No Response

Grimace

Sneeze, cough, pulls away

A

Appearance (Skin Color)

Blue-gray, pale all over

Normal, except for extremities

Normalover entire body

R

Respiration

Absent

Slow, irregular

Good, crying

Teeth Grinding In Children

 

Bruxism (teeth grinding) is very common in children, and often disappears by itself over time, Follow these tips to stop teeth grinding in children.

 

Stop Teeth Grinding in Children

 

 Teeth Grinding in Children• Stay alert. Most kids who grind their teeth do so in their sleep, and therefore don’t even realize they have a problem. If your child complains of a sore jaw in the morning, sucks his thumb, bites on the inside of his cheeks, or makes a harsh noise with his mouth while sleeping, he may have bruxism.

• Discover if there is an issue that’s bothering your child, as teeth grinding is often brought on by stress. Try and resolve the issue, and the grinding may stop.

• Tell your child not to chew on pens, pencils, straws or toothpicks, and avoid giving him chewing gum. These habits are harmful because they allow your child’s jaw muscles to become accustomed to clenching, which will make him more prone to bruxism.

• Place a warm cloth on your child’s cheek, near his ear to relax his jaw muscles before he goes to bed for the night.

• Provide your child with water throughout the day. Teeth grinding often occur when an individual becomes dehydrated.

• Start a soothing bedtime routine with your child, so he is relaxed and comfortable before bed. Start with a small snack with a warm glass of milk, followed by a warm bath and a story to transition him into a restful sleep. Do not give the child chocolate or flavored milk. The caffeine in the chocolate and the sugar in the flavoring can keep him up or make him restless.

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Preventing heat related illness for you Child

 

Prevent your child from experiencing heat illness, here are some ways include:

 

Preventing heat related illness for you Child•     Stay well hydrated –Teach your child to always drink plenty of fluids before and during an activity in hot, sunny weather – even if he or she isn’t thirsty.  Give them a spray bottle to mist themselves Water and sports drinks are the drinks of choice.

 

•     Use water as a primary source of fluids – Alcoholic beverages and sugar laden drinks should be avoided

 

•     Limit outdoor time during mid-day – Make sure your child only participates in heavy activity outdoors before noon and after 6 PM. Teach your child to come indoors immediately whenever he or she feels overheated.

 

•     Dress appropriately –Make sure your child wears light-colored loose clothing. Wear lightweight, light colored, loose fitting clothes. This will provide maximum protection from the sun, and allow air circulation for cooling. Protect your child from the sun by wearing a hat, sunglasses and using an umbrella.

Heat Exhaustion in children

 

Two types of heat exhaustion:

Salt depletion: Signs include nausea and vomiting, frequent muscle cramps, and dizziness.

Water depletion: Signs include excessive thirst, weakness, headache, and even loss of consciousness.

 

Heat Exhaustion Symptoms in children

 

Symptoms of Heat Cramps in children•     muscle cramps

•     pale, moist skin

•     irritability

•     rapid heartbeat

•     vomiting nausea

•     profuse sweating

•     weakness fatigue

•     headache diarrhea

•     usually has a fever over 102º F

•     anxiety, and faint feeling

•     hyperventilation (rapid breathing)

•     dark-colored urine (which indicates dehydration)

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 Heat Cramps in children

 

Muscle spasms are the only sign of heat cramps. Children are particularly susceptible to heat cramps when they haven’t been drinking enough fluids.

 

Symptoms of Heat Cramps in childrenSymptoms of Heat Cramps in children

 

•     painful cramps, especially in the legs

•     mild fever, usually less than 102º F

•     flushed moist skin

 

Treatment of Heat Cramps in children

 

•     Move to a cool place and rest.

•     oral rehydration and electrolyte replacement is usually sufficient to treat heat cramps.

•     Remove excess clothing and place cool cloths on skin; Fan skin.

•     Stretch cramped muscles slowly and gently.

Functions of All of the Vitamins

 

Types of Vitamins

 

Functions of All of the VitaminsFat-soluble vitamins: Vitamins A, D, E and K. They require the presence of fat for their absorption and are stored in the liver.

 

Water-soluble vitamins: vitamin C and the B-complex vitamins. The B vitamins include B6, B12, thiamine, niacin, riboflavin, folate, biotin and pantothenic acid. Water-soluble vitamins are lost through urination and are not stored in the body.

 

Functions of All of the Vitamins

 

Vitamin C plays a role in the synthesis of neurotransmitters important in brain function and collagen, a structural component of the body. It is important for wound healing and acts as an antioxidant.

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Symptoms of Sore Throat in Babies

 

 

•     Pain at the time of swallowing anything, including liquids

•     Red and swollen glands in the neck

•     Swelling in tonsil glands

•     Infection

•     Redness

•     Headache

•     Difficulty swallowing, Loss of appetite

•     Pain in ear at the time of swallowing

•     Fever

•     Body pain and general feeling of illness

Weaning your baby from breastfeeding

 

When you are ready to wean your baby, the best way to start is gradually. During the introduction of new foods breastfeeding should still continue in order to supplement the new diet. The following factors should be considered while feeding, this includes:

 

Factors to Consider When Weaning Your Baby

 

Weaning your baby from breastfeeding1. Feed the baby using a cup and a spoon.

 

2. The first meal should be very soft and continues to be more solid as the baby grows.

 

3.  New foods should be introduced gradually one at a time – this is so as to give the child time to become familiar with one type of food before moving to introduce another type of food.

 

4. Start by giving small amounts of foods with the spoon increasing the portions as the responds to the feeding.

 

5. Once the baby accepts one type of food then give it more frequently so as to make the baby more familiar with it.

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How to Get Kids to Eat Vegetables?

 

Eating vegetables is important, are an important source of vitamins and minerals. But they are not very appetizing and interesting to many especially children.

 

There’s no one way to get your kids to eat more veggies, but here are tips straight from moms.

 

As a stuffing

 

Vegetables could be part of stuffing in casseroles. Vegetables like carrots, tomatoes and peppers could be added to chili, lasagna, or spaghetti sauce.  When the vegetables are mixed with other ingredients they are much more interesting to eat rather than in plain form. Also, the kids may not realize that their presence.

 

Same appearance but different vegetable

 

Parents could try changing the vegetables in the child’s favorite food and make it fun to eat it. Like, French fries could be made of sweet potatoes instead of white potatoes and thereby give more vitamins than calories to the little one.

 

Purees

 

Vegetables can be pureed and added to food. This way the nutrition is passed on to the food but the kids would not have to bite it nor will they know of its existence in the food. Vegetables like squash, carrots and cauliflowers could be pureed and added to soups.

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Egg Allergy in Children

 

Milk and egg allergies are the two most common food allergies in theUnited States, affecting 3 percent and 2 percent of children, respectively. Generally in case of kids, the immune system is not fully developed and is not capable enough to handle egg protein. This allergic reaction goes by the time the child is of 5 years of age.

 

Egg Allergy Symptoms in Children

 

·Some of the symptoms of the egg allergy are rashes on skin, flushing of skin, belly cramps with pain in abdomen accompanied with nausea and vomiting and itching, difficulty in breathing when the respiratory system gets affected

 

·Some kids may have low blood pressure and breathing rate may accelerate.

 

·The allergy can also trigger asthma with coughing and wheezing. Other respiratory symptoms include runny nose and sneezing. The eyes also start itching and watering.

 

·In some severe cases the child may develop anaphylaxis, a strong reaction from egg. This causes swelling in the mouth and in the air pipe making it difficult to breathe.

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