Symptoms of Food Allergies In Children

A food allergy is a very scary allergic reaction to a particular item of food. Food allergies are usually not diagnosed until a child has been exposed to the allergen and experienced an adverse reaction. Parents of children who have a food allergy know how scary and unpredictable the problem can be. Often our children are exposed to food items that have ingredients they are not completely aware of, thus exposing them to the food they are allergic to.

Food allergies, as opposed to food sensitivities, occur in the immune system. A true allergy to a food results in a violent, life-threatening reaction caused by the immune system attacking the offending protein as it enters the body and bloodstream. The immune system produces an antibody called IgE, which seeks out and bonds with the protein of the food that the child is allergic to. The build up of IgE proteins in the blood stream releases a torrent of chemicals that can cause itching, swelling, vomiting, fever, difficulty breathing, and many other symptoms, and can eventually lead to the systems of the body shutting down.

Most food allergies appear before a child reaches three years of life. If, however, a child is never exposed to a certain food that they have an allergy to in the toddler years, they might show an allergic reaction later in life. The most common allergens are wheat, milk, nuts, soy, and eggs. In fact, those foods incorporate over ninety percent of the allergies children face.

Allergies and sensitivities to foods are two different ideas. Sensitivities to foods are far less severe. The reactions of it do not occur at once that is why it is harder to detect sensitivities to foods because if your child eats an entire meal, it will not always be apparent as to what food caused the reaction. As for allergies, it is different. Allergies reaction takes place every time within seconds of ingesting the food allergen.

Although some food allergies cause problems for a lifetime, many of them can be outgrown. If you are concerned that your child may have a food allergy, it is crucial to have them screened through the use of an allergy skin test. This will eliminate any doubt in your mind about whether or not there is allergy present. Once diagnosed, inform all caretakers, family, and friends about the allergy, and teach your child to ask what is in the foods that they are offered. The best way to deal with allergies in children is to completely avoid the foods that cause the reaction.

It is not practical or realistic to try to shield a child from harmful foods all the time. At time in your least unexpected, thing can happen. You might be able to give your child only those foods that they are not allergic to, but then there is always the potential that your child will eat an offending product when you are not around. So safety in mind come first. Always be certain that you and your child’s caregivers have access to medicine that will neutralize their allergic reaction. In most cases, this will be a special medical tool that administers epinephrine, otherwise known as adrenaline. This medical is best to you get it from your doctor. Remember after it been use, make sure you bring your child to receive quick medical attention. So parents, you will not know your child has food allergies until your child has been exposed to the allergen and experienced an adverse reaction.

Children | Signs Of Childhood Depression

Sadness in small children is not an unheard of emotion. Small children often get sad, but when that sadness is a constant emotion, it is a sign of depression. Even though many children have happy and normal childhoods, many of them still have a proclivity to being depressed. The general feeling that children cannot be depressed consequently leads to many children not receiving professional help for their chronic depression.

In order to understand childhood depression you must have a definition of depression in mind. Many people say, “I am so depressed” when they have a particularly disappointing or sad day, but there is a major distinction between these momentary, fleeting feelings of sadness and genuine clinical depression. Clinical depression is a continual, pervasive sense of sadness, dread, and anxiety. When left untreated, depression can lead to serious health issues and even thoughts of suicide.

Many adults assume that children have no reason to be depressed, provided they are in a stable home, well fed and cared for properly. But the truth is, childhood is not entirely the carefree frolic we wish it to be. Many children feel extreme pressure from their peers and society to be something they are not in order to fit in. Still others feel that they must reach a level of perfection in order to please the important adults in their lives. Children have little to no control over their lives, and this can be very frightening for them in a way that they have a hard time understanding. These situations lead many children to depression.

Depression, while exhibited as an emotional response, has a chemical cause that can and should be treated. While scientists have very limited understanding about the function of the brain, they do realize that certain chemicals can become imbalanced in the brain, leading to depression. The treatment for depression often involves medications and relaxation techniques that balance out these chemicals.

The most important thing a parent can do to help their child battle depression is to be aware of the risk their child faces and knowledgeable about the symptoms they might see in their children. Children who are depressed will have persistent feelings of sadness or be constantly irritable. They will often express or exhibit a low self-image. This is often exhibited in statements such as “I’m so dumb” that seem to come out of nowhere.

Children who are depressed will find it difficult to concentrate on their schoolwork or other responsibilities. They may loose sleep, or begin to sleep too much. Their appetite will either increase or decrease dramatically. The same occurs in their level of activity.

Depressed children often exhibit physical symptoms, such as a persistent stomachache or headache that seems to have no trigger. Other changes in the child’s normal routine or behavior can be signs of depression. While the depression may be triggered by an obvious event, such as the death of a relative or sudden move, if the symptoms persist for an extended period of time, it becomes dangerous.

If your child shows signs of depression, the best thing to do is to call a professional immediately. This professional can either be your family doctor or even a school counselor. If these people do not have experience working with depressed children, then they can recommend another professional who does have experience. Medications and aggressive therapy may be suggested treatments for your depressed child, but it will be worth it in the long run. Getting involved in your child’s life is the best thing a parent can do in order to contribute to a happy childhood.

Breastfeeding Videos | 20 Breastfeeding Tips

First time mothers who has or going to give birth to your new born are always thinking about breastfeeding. While there are many questions on breastfeeding from curious mothers like, Should I breastfeed my baby? When should I start breastfeeding my baby… Listen to Rebecca Charlton on breastfeeding tips and answers most of the common questions on breastfeeding. Rebecca Charlton is a lactation educator and specialty lies with feeding infants and young children.

The breastfeeding videos touches on the common breastfeeding questions and tips ask by first time mothers.

• What is “lactation”?
• What’s in breast milk?
• Should I breastfeed my baby?
• When should I start breastfeeding my baby?
• Does breastfeeding hurt?
• What is a lactation educator?
• How can a lactation educator help new mothers?
• How can I find a qualified lactation educator near me?
• What nursing supplies does a new mother need?
• How do I breastfeed my baby correctly?
• My baby has teeth. Can I still breastfeed?
• How do I know if my baby is breastfeeding properly?
• How often should I breast feed my baby?
• How long should a breast feeding session last?
• At what age should I stop breastfeeding a child?
• Is it risky to have someone else breastfeed my baby?
• What is “donor milk”?
• When would my baby need donor milk?
• How do I purchase donor milk?
• How can I include Dad during my baby’s breastfeeding stage?

The transcript of the videos

What is “lactation”?

Lactation is the process of making milk in a woman’s breasts and then feeding that to your baby. You can feed your baby either through pumping and providing it in a bottle or through breastfeeding.

What’s in breast milk?

Breast milk is made of hundreds of different elements. It’s have all the nutrition for your baby needs, its contain living growth factors as well as vitamins, minerals and proteins. In fact breast milk can grow tissue on its own and it can attacks bacteria. Milk for the mothers a remarkable fluid that help the baby grow.

Should I breastfeed my baby?

Every woman should provide breast milk to her baby throughout the first year as much as she can. We’ve discovered with breast milk teaches the gut how to grow and mature. There are other options like formula milk but indeed there’s nothing in this world that can replace breast milk for your baby.

When should I start breastfeeding my baby?

As soon as you deliver your baby, you should ask to have your baby placed on your stomach. Eventually the baby will begin a process of moving towards the breast. You may help to guide your baby so that the baby can have its first breastfeeding within the first five to thirty minutes of life. It’s important for both mother and baby that that breastfeeding gets started. It’s also important for letting your baby know it’s safe and secure. Breast milk provide colostrum which is a protective ingredient in breast milk that will help your baby to avoid illness in the first year.

Does breastfeeding hurt?

Pain is really subjective it really depend on individual mothers, so it’s hard to answer this question in a straightforward way. Actually breastfeeding should never be painful that you recoil from it - the immediate reaction people have to pain. However, a little tenderness is normal as it’s a very sensitive part of your body. If the baby doesn’t latch on correctly, it’s probably going to be like having someone flick your hand. However if it hurts more than that you can take, you may have a problem on breastfeeding your baby the right way. You need to go talk to somebody.

What is a lactation educator?

A lactation educator is someone that just gives information about breastfeeding. They’re not the clinicians. I frequently call them the nurses to the doctors of the clinical consultants for breastfeeding. Actual problems would have to be solved by the “doctors” of breastfeeding who would be the consultants. So lactation educators are there to make sure that people understand what breastfeeding is about and how it gets done in general unless there’s a problem.

How can a lactation educator help new mothers?

A lactation educator could help a new mother by giving her the information she needs before the baby is born. It’s very natural to be stressed and concerned, and thinking that there are a lot of problems that maybe not even exist at that point. So, by having the information beforehand, having talked to a lactation educator, a mother can feel much more confident in initiating and maintaining breastfeeding. If a problem arises after the baby is at the breast or just in the whole process of starting the breastfeeding, then a lactation educator could help a mother find the resources that she needs in the community to solve that problem.

How can I find a qualified lactation educator near me?

Most lactation educators are employed in hospitals or by certain government programs. But more importantly for new mothers would be to find a lactation consultant who can actually help you on your problem. Those people would best be found through your birthing hospital. You’ll probably meet with one soon after the baby is born, or you can call the breastfeeding task force in your area and they would know who all of the educators and consultants are.

What nursing supplies does a new mother need?

The great part about breastfeeding is that evolution has ensured that all the supplies you need are you, your baby and something to put a foot on, whether that be a rock, a cushion, a stool or whatever makes you comfortable. However, we do live in a society where we like lots of material goods and sometimes we feel more comfortable if we feel like we have supplies. The most important things to have on hand are a couple of really good reference books, one of which would be “Medications and Mothers’ Milk (Medications and Mother’s Milk)” so that you know if what you’re taking is safe for your baby and another would be “The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding” which is written by the La Leche League and can answer pretty much any question that you have come up. There’s a whole lot of other supplies you’ll find out there - everything from pillows to nursing bras to nursing shirts and different creams. I do recommend you have Lansinoh Cream, which is non-toxic. It can help you with any pain you might experience and also help the baby to latch. Other than that, try the products, go and experiment with them, find what works for you and makes you feel most comfortable with the process.

How do I breastfeed my baby correctly?

There really is no correct way to breastfeed a baby. There are as many different breastfeeding positions as there are wiggles that a baby can do. Your body and the baby’s body will figure out a way to work together. However, if you’re a brand new mother and you have no idea how to go about the process, the very best thing to do is to sit in a chair and get comfortable. Get one leg higher than the other one. Take your baby, just so that you’re planning, and you’re supporting its head and its back, and put it in the cradle hold, which is just a very natural way to hold babies when breastfeeding. If your leg is crossed or up on a stool, the baby’s head is at the perfect level so that it will just naturally find the nipple and latch on. If you’re large breasted, you’re going to have to support yourself a little bit. If you’re small breasted, you may have to guide the baby a little bit. For the most part, once your knee is higher than your navel and the baby’s in a cradle hold, you and the baby are going to be in the proper position for latch and a successful breastfeeding session.

My baby has teeth. Can I still breastfeed?

Of course you definitely can. Babies don’t chew when they breastfeed therefore your baby teeth don’t get involved in breastfeeding at all. The baby’s teeth are far behind where your breast is, as it uses it’s lips to compress and get the milk out. So even once a baby has teeth it’ll curve it’s lips over the actual teeth and not injure the mother at all. If the baby’s biting, it’s because the baby has a shallow latch and you need to pull the baby off with a good firm no, and then let it reattach and it will curl it’s lips under and avoid biting its mother.

How do I know if my baby is breastfeeding properly?

This is probably the most common question that mothers ask. They get so concerned about the fact that they can’t see the transfer of milk from their breast to the baby. The best way to know if your baby is breastfeeding properly is to answer, “Is your baby growing?” If your baby is growing and developing every day then you’re breastfeeding correctly, and there’s no reason to be concerned. However; if you need a little more evidence, the best things to think about would be: “Can you hear the milk transferring through the baby’s throat?”; meaning “Can you hear it swallow?” Babies are not known for being quiet. So, you should be able to hear them make gulping noises as they’re breastfeeding. If you can’t hear that you can look for the little jaw. Babies jaws do a sliding motion back and forth. If their little jaw is making a sliding motion on the underside of your breast; the baby’s getting milk. The next important thing to look at would be: “How many diapers are they making in a day?” If they’re making fewer than six diapers you might want to call your doctor and see if your baby has a fever. Otherwise, if it’s more than six wet diapers and at least a couple of stools; you have a baby who is breastfeeding just fine.

How often should I breast feed my baby?

You should breast feed your baby as often as your baby gets hungry. In the beginning, babies have very, very small stomachs. It’s going to breast feed very often in the beginning, so you want to make sure that you’re providing milk every time that little, tiny stomach gets empty. Most babies have pretty clear signals when they’re hungry. They’re going to bring their little fists up to their face and start licking them, moving their nose, sniffing, looking around pretty intently for their mother. If your baby’s doing that, and you bring it to your chest, and all of a sudden it starts looking for the inside of your shirt, you know your baby’s hungry. As your baby grows, its stomach will grow about in line with the size of its fist. After about six weeks, it’s about this size, so babies will have longer sessions, and less often, because they have more space to fill, and around six months, your baby’s stomach will be up to a bigger size. At that point, you’ll have what’s considered a normal breast feeding session, which is every three to four hours, and the baby will stay on for about thirty minutes.

How long should a breast feeding session last?

A breast feeding session can last anywhere from five minutes to an hour depending on the age and the size of your baby, and at what period in the baby’s life it currently is. It’s development changes very quickly, as you’ll notice. In the beginning, babies are developing a mother’s milk supply, so they tend to stay attached for a very long time. It’s not unusual for a newborn baby to nurse for forty minutes every hour. That’s very frustrating for mothers in the beginning, but it’s nature’s way of making you stop, relax, and watch your baby. As the baby ages, it’ll want to play more than it wants to eat, so breast feeding sessions will become shorter, and have a little space in between them, but it’s really dependent on the baby. You want to leave the baby at the breast as long as you see its little jaw sliding back and forth and it’s telling you that it’s enjoying breast feeding. When the baby comes off, you may want to burp it, let it have a little break, and then offer the other side. If it goes to the other side and kind of wrinkles its nose and pulls off, it’s not hungry anymore. If it attaches and drinks for longer, then it wanted that side. The baby will let its mother know how much it wants to eat.

At what age should I stop breastfeeding a child?

You should continue to breastfeed your child until you and your baby have made a decision to stop breastfeeding. There’s no set age limit. It is recommend and requests that you breastfeed your baby up to at least one year. However at any point during that time it will be between you and your baby if breastfeeding continues to be an important part of the mother-baby dynamic. Breastfeeding is about you and your baby being in synergy and understanding one another. When it comes to a point that it’s no longer the right choice, both you and your baby will know it. If that’s at nine months and you’re ready to transition, or if it’s at 19 months, that’s between mother and baby.

Is it risky to have someone else breastfeed my baby?

In many cultures, it’s common to have more than one person breastfeed a single baby. Historically, this has even been a normal job for women - a career in breastfeeding other people’s babies. As you decide if you are going to let a neighbor breastfeed your baby or if you would like someone else to do it altogether or to hire out, bare in mind that such thinking is not common in our culture and there may even be some ramifications that your doctor might have ideas about. Be aware of the following risks involved in letting someone else breastfeed your baby. Some diseases do pass from breastmilk. You should know for certain that this person does not have Hepatitis B or HIV before you allow them to breastfeed your child. In the same vein, you can request donor milk. This is very expensive. However, donor milk has been pasteurized, purified, and tested for all diseases that could possibly be passed along from breast milk.

What is “donor milk”?

Donor milk is breast milk that has been pumped by another mother and sent to a facility for pasteurization and purification. Donor milk can be purchased and given to another baby, mainly risk-free, and is done in many hospitals, especially among premature infants, who benefit greatly from the use of breast milk.

When would my baby need donor milk?

Donor milk is available for any baby of any mother who wishes to purchase it. However, it’s extremely expensive. The only time you would likely see donor milk used on your baby would be with your permission in a NICU or neonatal facility. The purpose is that donor’s milk allows the baby’s gut to develop more rapidly and can save them from certain infections. Babies who are given donor milk generally do better in a NICU environment as they handle ventilation better and they tend to go home sooner.

How do I purchase donor milk?

If you wanted to purchase donor milk for your baby, you could go to your local birthing hospital and get information about how to go about obtaining breast milk. At this point, there are only a few centers around the country who are collecting donor breast milk. If you happen to be a lactating mother who would like to donate, I guarantee they would like to hear from you if you are willing to give them your breast milk.

How can I include Dad during my baby’s breastfeeding stage?

Dad’s are very important to infant development, but they have a very different role to mothers. Dad shouldn’t feel left out when mom is breastfeeding. Breastfeeding is mom’s role, however dads are very important. In the research, it shows that dads play with babies almost fifty percent more than moms do. Dads are involved in teaching babies facial expressions and laughter. Dads should be allowed free reign with the babies when the mother is not playing with or breast feeding them. The reason for this is that dads have a different approach and different strengths. Let dad have lots of time with the baby when it’s off the breast, and use breastfeeding time as special mother and baby time.

Pregnancy Videos | Baby Second Latch

Follow up pregnancy videos series on ‘First Latch’, this pregnancy video ‘Second Latch’ is showing excellent practice in lactation support. Mother and baby are both comfortable, Dr Jack Newman is quiet and respectful of them both. No coercion is happening at all, no hands are on the back of baby’s head, trying to force matters. Notice that when the mother trails her nipple across the baby’s top lip, and the baby opens its mouth really wide in response, that the mother and Dr Jack move the baby forward ever so slightly from the supportive position of holding the baby’s shoulders and the base of the neck. Nothing is pushing this baby out of alignment, just the whole body moving forward a quarter inch so that ‘gape’ now has a lot of breast in it.

If you think about it, and put your own hand on the back of your head now and push… what happens? Your head moves down, your mouth closes and your throat is constricted. This is not gong to help you open your mouth really wide and swallow well. Baby’s head actually needs to move back and up, not forward and down. The positioning of the baby (presenting the baby to the breast) and the calm and confident way the mother is holding and supporting the baby along her body and on the shoulders and base of the neck, is allowing this baby to ‘gape’ without any stress. 

Pregnancy Video - Second Latch

Dr Jack discusses this so clearly in this video, that the conversation is just as valuable as seeing that powerful little mouth work that breast tissue and get load of milk!

What he’s saying, and showing, makes good sense. Mothers need to be confident and supported and relaxed, and babies need to be with their mothers. A good milk supply comes from letting the baby have as much access to the breast as possible in the vital first few weeks. Taking baby off the breast, sticking a dummy or pacifier in its mouth when it cries, scheduling feeds for set times and for set amounts of time, having one bottle of top up formula to keep Grandmother happy… all these things can compromise your milk supply in the first few weeks. So be aware of the effect of such interventions, and use them wisely.

By BreastfeedingBabies

Pregnancy Videos | Baby First Latch On

Pregnancy Videos on how your child able to get a proper latch to prevent sore nipples and overfull breasts (engorgement). Step on making milk flow properly, stimulate a good milk supply that satisfy your baby’s appetite.

Pregnancy Video - First Latch

Summary of the pregnancy videos

This is pregnancy video First Latch by the wonderful Dr Jack Newman, showing a classic cross-cradle hold, and a baby latching well. Notice how gentle and respectful of the baby Dr Newman, and the mother, are. Only two interventions happen - one to pull the baby’s hand gently out of the camera view - so you can see what’s happening, and one very gentle encouraging finger to the chin after latch has happened.

This baby is small and quite young. Notice how easily the mother is supporting the baby’s shoulders and neck, and managing to keep the length of the baby’s body snug and secure across her body. This can be an excellent hold for new mothers, but all that’s important is that you and baby are comfortable, and the breastfeeding is working well. As baby gets older, and heavier, Mum and Baby will find different holds that keep them both feeling supported and happy.

The important part of this video is what’s happening at the mouth/nipple exchange. You hear Dr Newman say to wait for the ‘gape’ and then you let baby attach. The point is that quite a lot of breast needs to go into the mouth, for milk to transfer.

Baby having too shallow a latch is a classic way to have sore nipples. If it’s painful - something is wrong!

Incidentally that jaw action you see is one reason breastfeeding contributes so much to the overall development of the baby - that jaw action is working on moving the plates in the baby’s head back into place from the birth canal squish, and is building excellent muscle tone in the jaw and face, helping build up to good chewing and speaking skills.

By BreastfeedingBabies

Next Page »