A child who is between the age of 12 months and 48 months old (1 year and 4 years old)

A truly amazing tiny person who loves to eat <xyz> food one day and then refuses and spits out said <xyz> food the very next day.

One who requires a lot of clean laundry, tidying-up after, and lots of attention, constant amusement and stimulation – afterall toddlers are like sponges during these years and it is important to nourish their minds as well as their bodies!

One who is methodical and focused in his or her attempts at launching a spoonful of mashed potatoes as easily as a robotic arm assembles a car!

One who’s innocence and wonder inspires us to do better with the abundance of love to share with all;

One who is unconditional in giving, and delightful in receiving that love, along with showering hugs, kisses and smiles to those around him or her; a true joy and a true blessing to treasure.

Source: Dr. Sonia

In some children and infants, abdominal pain becomes routine and needs major attention to treat. There could be lot many causes that can create abdominal pain or colic pain in babies.

Causes of Abdominal Pain

There are many causes as said before that can develop abdominal pain. The diagnosis is rarely done as an infant or small child never gives you any sign and symptoms except crying.

There could be infection in the intestines caused by bacterial or any protozoa etc. Almost all infants have underdeveloped digestive system and so the intestines and hence it is quite difficult for them to digest whatever is given to them including mother’s own milk. The colic starts as soon as intestines receive the food material let it be milk only.

Some of the infants then develop diarrhea or watery stools. There could be lactose intolerance in which, the intestines are unable to digest the lactose present in milk. In this case, doctor may advise you to stop the milk and in such case, an alternate to the milk is supplied to the baby or infant.

Other reasons for abdominal pain may include constipation (which is more common in infants and children) are again due to less capacity to digest the food material by baby’s or infant’s intestines. Some infants and babies may produce gas in stomach and so in intestines; that may again lead to develop abdominal colic or pain. In infants, they should not be overfed as it may result in vomiting and gastro-intestinal disturbance.

Less commonly, inguinal hernia, bladder infection, appendicitis and pyloric stenosis may also give raise to abdominal pain.

Symptoms of abdominal pain

Infants do not complain but they just cry and nothing else. It is therefore, quite difficult to diagnose the abdominal pain or colic in infants. Children however can complain about their abdominal disturbance. Many times, abdominal pain or colic is associated either with diarrhea or with constipation and hence, it is assumed in many cases that the baby or infant could be having gastro-intestinal disturbance.

Many times, touching abdomen could be tender and painful so that makes baby cry a lot. Immediately after feeding, the crying of baby may suggest some digestion problem in the form of abdominal pain. All you need to do is to see the doctor if nothing works.

Diagnosing abdominal pain in babies

It is quite difficult to diagnose the abdominal pain in babies as they do not talk and so cannot complain about the pain or colic. Many times, putting hand on abdominal makes them cry a lot indicating that there may be abdominal pain or colic.

In major cases, you cannot diagnose abdominal pain until the baby or infant has diarrhea or constipation. Since antispasmodic drops do not harm in a major manner, they can be given in restricted dosage. But in rare cases, where there are chances of having intestinal obstruction, X-Ray abdomen or scanning and MRI become very helpful tool diagnosing the perfect cause for abdominal pain or colic in infant or in child.

Treatment of abdominal pain in babies

There are some home remedies like giving less than one milliliter of ginger juice and a very little pinch of rock salt. You can also give your baby the holy basil’s juice, which is very effective most of the times. On the other hand, any solid food is to be avoided and in a case, if baby has diarrhea, the extreme care is to be taken that baby does not become dehydrated because this may turn the case serious. In case of constipation, a doctor may put anal-suppository to the child or infant and if this does not work, the glycerin is injected through anus into the intestines that can take out the hardened stools.

Read Full : http://www.babycare.ayurvediccure.com/abdominalpain.htm

The importance of saying ‘Thank You’ and ‘Please’

Teach your little ones the importance of saying ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ at regular intervals. Whether it is a small request like asking to watch TV or play games etc. reinforce in their minds the fact that they would get what they want if they say ‘please’ before asking you something.

Again, when your toddler receives something like a snack or a gift, teach him/her to say ‘thank you’. This practice should be reinforced for others as well.

The Importance of Saying ‘Excuse Me’

Children should know that they need to say ‘Excuse Me’ if they want to interrupt a conversation between adults; need to break away from a gathering, or accidently bump into someone etc. So as soon your toddler starts understanding the terms ‘thank you’ and ‘please’, teach him/her the basics of the term ‘excuse me’ as well.

The Importance of Practicing Good ‘Table Manners’

The reason everyone keeps on pressing you to let your kids join you at the dinner table as soon as they become toddlers is for them to learn the basic table manners early on in their lives. Teach your kids the importance of chewing food with their mouths closed, keeping their elbow away from the table, and not speaking with their mouths full etc. This would ensure that they would not carry along these habits as they grow.

The Importance of Using Proper Language

This particular step requires equal participation from the parents as well. Parents should learn to stop using bad words, phrases or body languages when their little ones are around. A child learns more by what he/she observes on his/her own rather than what he/she is taught. And so, if your child observes you swearing frequently, trust him/her to start swearing soon.

If you find your child using bad words or body language, don’t spank him/her or threaten him/her to stop. Rather, laugh it out (only the first time you hear him/her say it) and gently persuade him/her into thinking that the word is not good to hear and should not be repeated.

Source: Dr. Sonia

Breastfeeding is the finest gift any mother can give her infant.

Benefits of breastfeeding for the infant:

• Breastfed infants develop higher IQ′s, and have improved brain and nervous system development.
• Reduced risk of heart disease later in life.
• Increased bone density.
• Breastfeeding plays an important role in the emotional and spiritual development of babies
• Antibody response to vaccines is higher.
• Decreased risk for vitamin E and Iron deficiency anemia.
• Less risk of childhood obesity.

Benefits of breastfeeding for the mother:

• Reduced risk of anemia.
• Protection against osteoporosis and hip fracture later in life.
• Reduced risk of mortality for women with rheumatoid arthritis which is associated with total time of lactation.
• Helps the mother′s body return to its pre-pregnancy figure faster.
• Helps the uterus contract after birth to control postpartum bleeding.

The first thing to know is that being healthy does not mean simply not being sick, but keep the body strong, healthy and energetic to enjoy life.

To keep children healthy and eager to play and study, you must ensure that they meet the five standards:

1. Eating well: a healthy balanced diet is one with the food nutritious and healthy. A good diet will promote physical and mental development.

2. Maintain good hygiene: Keep their body clean, bathe every day and brush their teeth after every meal that helps keep them healthy.

3. Breathing fresh air: visit outdoor places such as parks and avoid enclosed, poorly ventilated spaces or where smoking will contribute to good health.

4. Practicing physical activity: swimming, walking, cycling… are activities that help the body to function effectively and feel activity rather than fatigue.

5. Visit the doctor regularly: keep track of immunizations, regular visits to the pediatrician, periodic review of the teeth, the eyes and ears help prevent diseases.

You must try to inculcate in children the above, but above all to be healthy you must ensure that smile and live each day with great joy.

Source: Dr. Sonia

• Once baby is enjoying a good range of fruits and vegetables, introduce some fresh beef, lamb, pork or chicken (not pickled, salted or smoked). Combine meat with vegetables or even fruits such as apple or pear.

• Gradually become more adventurous with different foods and textures. When teeth start coming in, try flaky loose fish, mashed legumes and couscous. Include fruits such as berries, citrus and stone fruit that has been deseeded and mashed

Preparing and cooking baby foods:

Nothing is harder to see than your little baby crying in pain with a flaming red bottom. Fortunately, if you eat a healthy diet and use cloth diapers, diaper rash is rare. Here is what we have learned about preventing and treating diaper rash.

Our Top Tips for Preventing Baby Diaper Rash

• Quickly change diapers – Poop against bare skin is likely to cause diaper rash. Watch your baby closely for signs of pooping. Change your baby immediately after a poop and at least every three hours. You want to keep things as dry as possible.
• Use cloth diapers – they breathe much better than paper, reducing bacteria and heat build-up, both of which contribute to diaper rash.
• Cut back on citrus and /or tomato sauce – both are acidic and known to cause diaper rash if left on the skin for even brief periods of time.
• Use a natural diaper cream with Zinc if your baby has been eating foods you know will cause diaper rash as well as at night.
• Eliminate foods your baby is allergic to. If your baby is getting regular diaper rashes despite doing the above, check into possible food allergies and/or try eliminating foods you suspect your child may be allergic to (shows signs of gastric distress after eating, craves abnormally, etc.)
• Don’t change your baby on public changing tables unless you can sanitize it first and use a liner or something to prevent your baby’s skin from coming in contact with the table. Public changing tables are rarely cleaned and you don’t know what might be on them.

If you have the perfect child, you probably won’t need any of the following tips and advice that I’m about to share for raising children as a single mom. Otherwise, keep reading.

* Create traditions with your children and spend time with them.
* Always keep your child’s best interest in mind.
* Trust your instincts. (No one can tell you how to raise your children, but yourself)
* Keep organized.
* Watch your budget, especially when it comes to healthcare, food, and supplies.
* Talk to your children. You don’t want to be a friend and not a mom, but you want to have an open relationship.
* Never badmouth their father (whether the dad is in the child’s life or not).

The most important thing to remember is that you need to trust yourself. You want to remember that these are your kids. Love them. Spend time with them. Raise them to be good people. Single moms can raise children to be healthy, well-rounded adults, just like couples can.

In case you haven’t noticed, most toddlers don’t eat much at one sitting. Not only do their small stomachs have a small capacity, they just don’t have the patience to sit through a whole (wholesome) meal.  Your goal is to make sure that what you serve serves them well. Here are some tips on making that happen.

• Find toddler foods that multitask. If your toddler will eat only one food at a time, opt for items that do double duty in the health department, for instance, string cheese (calcium and protein), peanut butter (protein and fiber), and whole-grain bread (complex carbs and iron)
• Make drinks for toddlers real. Skip those juice “drinks” and go for the real thing instead. Milk is a nutritious choice, too, but can fill a little tummy pretty quickly after one or two cups.  For drinking throughout the day, stick to water — plain or spiked with an ounce or two of juice — which is better at quenching their thirst without filling them up.
• Snack wisely. Snacks are fine — in fact, they’re necessary for toddlers who need to replace the endless energy they burn. But instead of salty chips or sugary cookies, keep a supply of whole-grain crackers or muffins, fruit, or cut-up carrots on hand.  More good choices: low-sugar, whole-grain cereal; rice cakes; applesauce; bananas and peanut butter; a handful of pretzels.
• Go for quality over quantity. When it comes to calories, nutrient-dense foods are the way to go. That means it’s better to serve moderate amounts of nutrient-rich, higher-calorie foods (like peanut butter, avocados, and eggs) than to offer a steady diet of foods that do next to nothing for your tot’s well-being (such as white pasta, white rice, white bread).  And of course, avoid empty-calorie no-no’s (like soda, french fries, and candy).
• Ditch the distractions. For a toddler, television and toys at the table are a lot more interesting than peas and carrots. Minimize the extra noise but do engage your tot in conversation to keep him from hightailing it off the high chair before he’s done eating.
• How often do toddlers need to eat?Toddlers have small stomachs and may not be able to eat much at one time. They usually need two to three snacks during the day, along with their meals. Offer a variety of healthy snacks about mid-way between meals. Feed snacks when your child is hungry or thirsty, not for entertainment. Although milk and juice are good snack choices, don’t over do it. These foods are naturally sweet and should not be served too often throughout the day. If your child drinks too much, they may not want to eat solid foods. Other drinks like fruit crystals, pop, coffee or tea have no nutritional value and should not be given to toddlers.
• A caution about chokingWhen it comes to choking, even everyday foods need to be watched. Foods that are small, round or oval in shape, or hard to chew can choke a baby or small child by lodging in their throat and blocking their airway. Stay with your child while they eat. They should sit, not walk or run, lie down or talk with food in their mouth. It’s a good idea to learn what to do if a child chokes.