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To ensure you are getting enough dietary iron eat the wide variety of foods that are naturally high in iron.  Iron from raw food is absorbed better by the body and therefore cause less constipation. 

Here is a list of foods that are rich in iron:

Food	Iron Content (mg)	grams
Cereals, grains and nuts Rice, brown Pasta, wholemeal Bread, wholemeal Wheatgerm Wheatbran Branflakes Cornflakes Soya bean curd, tau hoo Cashew nut Pistachio Walnut Lotus seed Almond Sunflower seed Watermelon seed Soya bean, white lentil Gram, green Gram, red Humus Tahina	1 bowl  200g 1 portion  100g 1 slice   30g 1 teaspoon  15g 1 tablespoon  15g 3/4 cup  30g 1 cup  30g 1 small square  85g 1/2 cup  65g 1/2 cup  65g 1/2 cup  50g 1/2 cup  15g 2 tablespoons  30g 1/2 cup  70g 1/2 cup  50g 1/2 cup  50g 1 cup  180g 1 cup  250g 1 cup  250g 3 tablespoons  50g 2 teaspoons  25g	1.0 1.8 1.0 1.1 1.8 5.0 3.6 1.9 5.0 2.5 1.5 0.6 1.2 3.2 3.1 3.0 14.4 13.8 10.5  2.6 9.0
Fruits Apricot, semi-dried Dates, black, dried Dates, red, dried Raisins Longan, dried Fig, dried Prunes, semi-dried Peach, fresh	10 halves  35g 10  90g 10  90g 1 packet  42g 1/2 cup  65g 10  85g 10  85g One  155g	1.2 3.3 3.0 1.5 3.5 3.6 2.2 1.6
Vegetables Kale, Chinese (kai lan) Spinach (bayam pasir) Kang kong Chinese cabbage (bok choy) Mustard leaves, chye sim Seaweed, dried (hai tai) Sea moss (fa chai)	1 cup  65g 1 cup 30g 1 cup  30g 1 cup  170g 1 cup  55g 1 sheet  15g 1 pinch  10g	1.3 1.5 1.6 1.6 0.7 3.3 9.9
Meat, Poultry and Fish Beef, lean Pork, lean Pork liver Pig kidney Mutton, lean Turkey meat cooked Chicken, skinless Chicken liver Egg yolk Egg, whole Fish Ikan bilis  (white bait) Prawns, dried Oyster, fresh Sardine, canned	1 palm-sized piece  90g 1 palm-sized piece  90g 2 slices  30g One  230g 1 palm-sized piece  90g 1 palm-size piece  20g 1 palm-sized piece  90g One  50g One  17g One  50g 1 fillet  90g 2 tablespoons  15g 1 teaspoon  5g 12  60g 1 fish  40g	2.8 1.2 3.1 13.8 2.1 4.8 0.8 5.1 0.8 0.9 1.2 0.6 0.7 3.7 1.8

If you would like more information on similar topics our E-books are packed full of practical parenting tips.  Down load an E-Book specifically related to your child's age group through Publications at Our Shop.

Also see: Food intolerances' and Allergies in Children

More Articles on Health

Some babies are born with flat spots on their heads. This is often due to the position they were in while in the uterus, other times it may be cause during the birth procedure or as in many cases it is the result of regularly sleeping with the head in the same position.

All babies are born with soft mouldable heads to allow for their passage through the birth canal.   These soft malleable bones of the skull are not fused and often slide across one another, overlapping a little during birth.  Once born, a newborn has very little head control causing the head to be floppy and roll to one side or the other.  If your baby favours one position in particular, this may become a problem. After as little as four hours of sleeping there will be a tendency for the under side of the head to be a little flatter than the upper side.   You may have see babies who have very round moon-shaped faces. These tend to be babies who have slept on their backs looking straight up.  They often have quite obvious flat spots on the back of their heads.
 
There is no doubt that the incidence of SIDS has been lowered significantly since the introduction of Safe Sleeping Education.  But evidence also suggests that we should make sure that the baby lies with his head turned to alternate sides during each sleep session.  This practice should be started from birth.

As the baby develops and become more aware of his surroundings he may tend to turn his head to see bright objects, light, or the approach of his parents of a carer.  Positioning the cot to make use of this voluntary turning of the head is a very good practice.  Some people find it easier to sleep the baby at alternate ends of the cot.

Placing the baby on his tummy and alternating lying on his right and left sides when awake and supervised is also important.  This practice should be started from birth otherwise baby may dislike being on his tummy for extended periods.  This is often the case with babies 2 months or older.  To help baby enjoy tummy time begin with short periods and keep extending the time until they are able to play happily for up to 60% of their wake time on their tummy.  Baby massage, laying beside them on the play mat, lying while on your chest or across your knees, or after the bath on the change table, can be soothing for a baby and teach him that tummy time is pleasant and fun.  Tummy time is also important for his brain development.

Mild flattening of the head often resolves itself once the baby is sitting up independently.  Don’t be alarmed if you do not see results instantly, as the skull continues to grow and change shape until the age of 18 years.  Aside from introducing good positioning techniques and plenty of tummy time, no intervention is required unless your baby has a severe misshapen head or you notice asymmetry in the face.  This may include forehead bossing and/or ears or eyes not level with each other.  In the more severe cases, a custom moulded helmet is designed to encourage the skull to grow in a more symmetrical manner.  This form of intervention is effective on babies aged between 5 months and 18 months, the most common time to treat is between 6 and 12 months.  The helmet is generally worn 23 hr/day for about 3 months.
  
If you have any doubt about the shape of your baby’s head, you can contact a paediatric physiotherapist and you can get further advice about handling and encouraging good development in your baby.  There is also a brochure outlining the techniques to help in maintaining good head shape of your baby, available from your APA paediatric physiotherapist or through the National Office of the Australian Physiotherapy Association.

Alti Vogel, an Orthotist, has helped put this article together; she works at the Children’s Hospital assisting in the design and manufacture of helmets for babies with misshapen heads.  (Information was also adapted from the Physiotherapy Association of Australia).

• Statistics from National Health & Medical Research Council show that 25% of adults are overweight or obese and 1 in 5 children are also overweight or obese. Both these figures are on the rise.
• Obesity in childhood constitutes a risk factor for a range of health problems:
  • Diabetes
  • sleep apnoea
  • liver disease
  • psychological problems especially in girls
• Health experts recommend children consume nutritious foods for proper growth and development.
• Set up healthy habits from the start
• Parents should offer fresh foods with fewer preservatives and low in additives and refined sugars. It is also important to watch the fat levels.
• READ FOOD LABELS!!: Aim for Fat 10g/100grams, sugars 15g/100grams, high fibre, low salt (sodium)

It is important to find the balance of healthy eating and physical activity.

Some tips for mums and dads:

1. Enjoy a wide variety of foods – 5 serves vegetables, 2 serves fruit try and choose different colours for different vitamins & minerals
2. Never skip breakfast! Its true that children perform better at school if they have started the day with a healthy, high fibre breakfast such as weetbix, low fat milk, fruit and wholemeal or multi grain toast
3. Watch portion sizes – very important to serve food in the recommended quantities: ½ plate vegetables, ¼ plate Meat/Chicken/Fish, ¼ plate rice, pasta or potato. Choose smaller plates, bowls
4. Get children involved in healthy meal preparations and planning meals and healthy desserts. Get them to plan a ‘menu for the day’. They will love the challenge
5. Have set meal times and only allow healthy snacks such as fruits and vegetables
6. Try not to purchase unnecessary snacks bars, including nut bars and dried fruit/muesli bars, these often contain too many calories.
7. Limit snack foods, especially biscuits, chips, chocolates, lollies. Include fresh fruits and vegetables. Try making fruit kebabs, vegetables boats and healthy dips such as yoghurt, light cream cheese spread (philli light)
8. No juice, even freshly squeezed or “no added sugar” varieties should be offered. These contain a lot of natural sugars which can contribute to weight gain.  Soft drinks are also considered a big “no, no” should not be offered unless on a special occasion. Low fat milk and water should be the only drinks offered.      
9. Limit take-away to once/month. If you are a family relying on take away, choose healthy sandwich wraps, small kebabs (no hommus or cheese please!), have water as part of the meal deal and choose salad instead of fries. Avoid anything deep fried. Have fruit or yoghurt as your dessert.
10. Eat slowly; allow your hunger signal to turn off before too much food is consumed. Never force children to finish their meals if they are full. Kids will never starve themselves!
11. Dessert is not a mandatory part of the menu
12. Exercise; be actively involved in sports, swimming, tennis, soccer, football or dancing. Join a gym if you’re 13 years or older.                                                                     

Kids lunchboxes

Recess:

• 2 pieces of fruit tip: fresh = better than tinned or dried fruit
• e.g. 15 grapes and 2 plums or 1 apple and 1 nectarine
• Rice crackers – limit to 6 or Sakata biscuits (packet) this is better than chips
• Raisin toast – 1 slice
• Mini fruit homemade muffin
• Frozen low fat yoghurt

Lunch:

• 1 x Sandwich with wholemeal or wholegrain bread/wrap
• With salad m/c/f or vegemite or light cream cheeselight sliced cheese/tomato/lettuce or light jam/margarine/labni (homemade with skim milk)
• Add a favorite vegetable e.g carrot/cucumber/tomato/celery
• Water or diet cordial
• Try to avoid left overs and limit canteen treats to once/week or even once/fortnight. Don’t allow your children to purchase canteen food or to assume its a normal thing.
• Ice blocks have 1 tablespoon of sugar per serve which would take 30 minutes of money to burn off, soft drinks and juices also have a significant amount of sugar
• If you are frustrated the fruit and veg comes home, just offer it for afternoon tea instead of cake or biscuits.

This information has been brought to you by Hanan Saleh (APD,AN) Accredited Practising Dietitian Consultant Paediatric/Adult specialist in weight management
As seen on SBS TV series “Food Investigators”
Her website: www.thefooddoctor.com.au
Email: nutrition@thefooddoctor.com.au

Slip on a t-shirt, slop on some sunscreen and slap on a hat! We’re all urged to keep those sunlight rays away from our skin, but in our eagerness to prevent every possibility of skin cancer are we exposing our children to the other very harmful possibility of Vitamin D deficiency?

Vitamin D is a vitamin most well known for its major action of enhancing the body’s ability to absorb calcium from the diet. Vitamin D also has some other very important actions such as enhancing phosphorus absorption and playing a vital role in the immune system. Perhaps the importance of Vitamin D is best demonstrated by looking at the effects of Vitamin D deficiency. Without enough Vitamin D children are prone to develop rickets, a disease where young developing bones become soft and bendy, giving a bowed-leg, knocked-knee look and increasing the risk of fractures and breaks. Other serious symptoms of deficiency are grand mal seizures, fever, cough and vomiting then cardio-respiratory arrest.

During pregnancy Vitamin D is essential for foetal growth and bone mineralisation, and Vitamin D is stored up in the body to be used by the newborn after birth to protect against tetany, convulsions and heart failure. Because of this it is important for pregnant mothers to be aware of their own Vitamin D levels particularly in the last trimester of pregnancy when foetal bone growth is the greatest. After birth, a newborn’s stores of Vitamin D are used up in approximately the first 8 weeks of life. Newborns then obtain their Vitamin D from breast milk, although this too can be almost non-existent depending on mother’s own Vitamin D levels. Adding Cod Liver Oil to breast milk or a Vitamin D fortified formula is very important if this is the case.

The main source of Vitamin D is from sunlight. Sunlight levels vary greatly between different times of the day, seasons of the year, even between continents, and so it is hard to measure exactly how much sunlight exposure is needed. A good guide is at least ½ an hour of unhindered sunlight per day (no sunscreen!) to face, neck, shoulders and arms. In winter this will not be enough and so it is important to combine this with good dietary sources of Vitamin D. Those most at risk of developing Vitamin D deficiencies are dark-skinned people, vegetarians and vegans, veiled women, and breastfed infants of these groups of people.

Breastfeeding mothers should obtain 4000IU per day. In addition to enough sunlight (at least half an hour a day) good dietary sources of Vitamin D are egg yolks, butter from grass-fed cows, cheese, fermented foods, bone broths, fatty fish like salmon, mackerel and herring, and organ meats like liver. Vitamin D is much higher in animal products where the animal is grass-fed as opposed to grain-fed for the very obvious reason that sunlight is needed for the grass to grow!

Vitamin D also raises the need for Vitamins A and K, two other important fat-soluble vitamins for the immune system and nervous system development. If you are concerned about your own or your children’s Vitamin D levels it would be worth your while to go see a trusted medical practitioner or nutritionist.

By Jodie Sirone BHSc(CompMed)
Live Life Natural Therapies  jodie.livelife@gmail.com  02 9602 3377  www.handykidsot.com.au

A Concerned Mum's Experience

Our little boy is nearly three years old and is only just sleeping through all night.  It has been a long arduous journey in which we have tried and tested absolutely every technique known to mankind to make sleep possible.  In October 2008, he was diagnosed with Restless Leg Syndrome finally, after about 18 months of long term sleep deprivation for our entire family.  

My understanding of Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) is that it generally runs in families and is exacerbated by low iron stores in the body.  My boy had a long history of barely eating and eventually became iron deficient.  This affected his behaviour, his sleep patterns and also his bowel movements.  The gastroenterologist eventually diagnosed this condition of whom I will be forever grateful to.

In 2007 we spent four days at Tresillian to assist with his night time awakenings.  This helped initially, however after a few months, he started waking again.  I went to our local GP and then paediatrician to seek help.  I was advised that I had a challenging child and that his sleep disturbances were entirely behavourial.  With three hundred dollars less in my pocket, and no further tests taken, I went home with absolutely no idea of what to do next.   

So I began sleeping with my child so that he would wake, see me, feel comforted and go back to sleep again.  He didn’t or couldn’t.  He would wriggle and toss and turn for three hours every night and then finally go back to sleep.  It was like he’d had a strong cup of coffee – he just could not stop moving every part of his body!  No behavioural strategies had worked after twelve months of trying so I began looking for alternative methods.  

In addition to this, I also had a newborn baby at the time and my husband and I would regularly be living on 1-2 hours of broken sleep/night.  I met a lady at playgroup who suggested I try an elimination diet – determined not to do this without the support of a good doctor, I drove well over an hour to Hornsby to see an allergy specialist, who was so overbooked she was unable to see me (despite having an appointment).  I began the diet anyway and noticed some improvement in his behaviour, particularly after we replaced his milk with rice milk.  After six weeks I went to my GP concerned his bowels were chronically loose.  At this stage I realized there was a connection between him having diarrhea and his sleep troubles.  A blood test revealed he had very low iron levels.  
After what seemed an eternity and several visits to our local baby health clinic, Tresillian, two GP’s, a paediatrician, a kinaestheologist and one attempt with an allergy specialist, we finally could pinpoint the problem.  It seemed that when the condition got so bad that physical changes were apparent, it prompted GP’s into action.  

My little boy was also slow to speak and within a few weeks of iron therapy he was communicating by words in leaps and bounds.  His eating improved and after five months of taking iron everyday, his sleep started to improve and waking in the night became more habitual than anything else.  This was easily fixed with the help of Sally Hall.  

I am writing this as I am concerned there are several parents who are repeatedly told by health professionals that their child’s night awakenings is behavioural – yet if behavioral strategies don’t work the first time, please suggest to your local GP for him/her to have a blood test.  I recently informed a paediatric nurse at our local child health clinic about RLS and she had never heard of it.  I found this disturbing.  

I am not a medical expert but a desperate mother who on several occasions left the family home in the depths of the night to avoid hurting my precious son.  Sleep deprivation is extremely dangerous for families and when parents think it is serious enough to visit doctors after trying several behavioural techniques; it really does warrant further medical investigation.     

A good website to visit for further information is: www.rls.org.au/pdf/ChildrenRLS2005.pdf

An article written by Lisa Collins June 2009

It is unusual for a very young child to be given a diagnosis of Asperger’s Disorder. More often, a child will be of primary school age before such a diagnosis is made.

The signs of Asperger’s Disorder are characteristics exhibited by many young children and it is the level of intensity, and the combination of characteristics and the persistence of characteristics over time that may eventually lead to a conclusion that a child has this Disorder. So even if your toddler exhibits many of the following signs, one cannot presume that the child has Asperger’s Disorder. The young child may instead have an anxious temperament, or simply be struggling with normal developmental milestones or external stressors.

Children with Asperger’s Disorder show difficulty with social interactions. They may be less expressive and engaging with their face and gestures when communicating. They may be less likely to point out an item that interests them, not thinking to share their interest with others. They may demonstrate less empathy and reciprocity of emotions. As they grow, they tend to miss social cues and misinterpret other’s reactions.

Children with Asperger’s Disorder show restricted or repetitive play, interests or movements. For example, the child might engage in hand flapping, or have an interest in parts of toys more than the whole toy, or be intensely preoccupied with the detail on a particular topic.  

Children with Asperger’s Disorder typically do better with a strict routine, and struggle with any changes to it. They can have very rigid expectations in each situation. They can be hypersensitive to stimuli, fussy eaters and temperamental sleepers. Unanticipated or unfamiliar situations with additional stimuli and/or social demands can cause them intense frustration, distress and anxiety. Angry outbursts, with seemingly little thought of consequences, can result.

Understanding that their child’s mind works differently to others can help parents respond in meaningful and constructive ways. Calmly taking the child with Asperger’s Disorder to a familiar “time out” space can be the most productive behaviour management technique for these angry outbursts, thus providing the child with the opportunity to re-group.

Asperger’s Disorder is considered to be related to autism, although milder in impact. A key identifiable difference between Asperger’s Disorder and autism is that of acquisition and use of speech. Speech development is usually within the normal range for the child with Asperger’s Disorder, whereas the child with autism would typically have delayed or unusual speech development.

Parents can find a diagnosis helpful in understanding their child, or in accessing help. But whether a particular label is appropriate or not, and forthcoming sooner or later, doesn’t alter the fact that some children require a greater level of management than other children.

All children are different, and place different demands on us, and offer us different rewards and joys. As parents, the challenge is to learn to understand our child, learn to meet our child’s particular needs most of the time and learn to recognise the rewards and joys that only this child can bring.

When you have a child whose behaviour regularly deviates from the average, other parents and grandparents will inevitably offer unwanted and unhelpful advice and comments. Sometimes this fuels your own self-doubts about your parenting strategy or skills. Sometimes you are able to let the comment pass, knowing that it comes from a place of ignorance about your child. Other times, you are required to advocate on behalf of your child, educate others who have narrow views of expected behaviours, and translate your child’s world to others so that with greater understanding they might be able to make room in the their hearts for you and your child.

If you want to find out more about Asperger’s Disorder, here are two good starting points. Tony Attwood is an internationally recognised authority on Asperger’s Disorder. His website is www.tonyattwood.com.au. Also Autism Spectrum Australia (or Aspect for short) provides advice, education and services for individuals, families and the community. Their website is www.autismspectrum.org.au and their advice line number is 1800 069 978.

Sharon Murphy
Counsellor
Providing the option of consultations in your home
0425 244 492

60 minutes, Channel 9 produced and interesting story on Autism which you can view here  '"Pet Theory"

Tongue Tie

Having recently seen a few babies with tongue tie or Ankyloglossia I asked Dr Laurie Kobler if I could use his article to inform parents of this sometimes debilitating condition.   These days many doctors either neglect to inform parents or believe it is unnecessary to treat a baby with ankyloglossia this can lead to several problems including poor attachment causing damage to the nipple and even poor feeding.  

Take a look inside your baby’s mouth.  If you notice a shortened frenum which you feel may be contributing to your baby’s poor attachment I suggest you seek medical advice.  If you are in NSW give Dr Kobler a call. 

Neo-natal Ankyloglossia Release

By Dr Laurie Kobler B.D.S. 

Ankyloglossia – A condition in which the sublingual frenum is shortened, tight or otherwise restrictive, resulting in reduced mobility of the tongue.

Consequences

1. Infant.  Interference with feeding, most especially causing maternal breast/nipple pain, significant air intake and extended feeding time.  This can express itself in poor weight gain.
2. Toddler.  Commonly causes difficulty with speech, as well as ongoing eating issues associated with the condition.  Often unable to phoeneticise correctly and rapid speech can be difficult to understand.
3. Unseen effects on personality development and self-esteem associated with poor communication skills are possible.
4. Inability to circumlocute is messy.  Occasionally excessive saliva flow is also evident.
5. Older child/adult.  Poor oral hygiene.  Reduced tongue mobility impacting intimacy issues

Treatment options

1. Non-treatment with associated symptoms as described
2. Conventional surgery often performed at 6 months age under G.A. using scalpel, scissors & sutures.  Breast feeding opportunity has passed with associated nutritional compromise.  This is significantly more invasive, costly and painful with longer healing time & often increased costs.
3. Laser correction can be performed as young as possible, is quick, minimal pain and rapid healing, allowing breast feeding to continue or re-commence if possible.  Minimally invasive and less cost as well as less time commitment to procedure.  No requirement for hospitalisation or overnight stay.

Procedure

1. Pre-operative photographic record
2. Topical anaesthetic application
3. (Local anaesthetic is rarely needed)
4. Tension frenum (DeLorenz Retractor)
5. Release ankyloglossia
6. post-operative photographic record

Take a look inside your baby’s mouth.  If you notice a shortened frenum which you feel may be contributing to your baby’s poor attachment I suggest you seek medical advice.  If you are in NSW give Dr Kobler a call at Intergrity Dental Clinic 02 96514488

If you would like more information on other topics our E-books are packed full of practical parenting tips.  Down load an E-Book specifically related to your child's age group through Publications at Our Shop.

Irritable babies

As a mothercraft nurse I visit many homes with unsettled babies.  Parents pacing the floor, pulling their hair out having tired every remedy and potions family and friends have suggested with little or no improvement.  The nightmare some families go through with their babies often results in shattered confidence, mental and physical exhaustion which can lead to postnatal depression, family feuds and marital breakdowns.

So why are these babies so unsettled?  

There may be several reasons why a baby is unsettled one of which may be what is commonly called 'colic'.  So what is 'colic' any way?  Good question.  The pharmacies shelves have been filled with remedies for colic, special bottles and teats and liquids.  So is it colic or something else that is causing so many babies to be unsettled?  And if it is colic why aren't these remedies working as well as they should?  Someone said it may be reflux but my baby doesn't vomit. 

What is the difference between colic and reflux?

'Colic' is an unsettled baby with lots of wind.  Reflux babies also have a lot of abdominal wind.  If you look at the symptoms of colic they are similar if not the same as those of a baby with reflux.  So what is the difference between reflux and 'colic'?   I, and many health professionals will agree with me, believe that colic as it was commonly known is today known as 'silent reflux'. 

What is reflux?

Reflux occurs when the acid content of the stomach rises into the oesophagus causing discomfort and burning. This understandably causes a baby to be very irritable.  To raise their legs or back arch and to cry inconsolably.  Gastro-oesophageal reflux (GOR) is common in babies but often goes undiagnosed as many think it is colic.  If untreated reflux can cause complications such as increased risk of SIDS, ear and respiratory infections, ulcerated oesophagus.

There are two types of reflux -

1. Frank reflux  - where a baby will regurgitate frequently sometimes in large amounts.
2. Silent reflux - when a baby rarely regurgitates but is very unsettled. This type of reflux is rarely picked up and often goes undiagnosed.  It may start from birth or it may develop later from three weeks or three months. 

What to look for:

When visiting a family I look for four things to determine whether a baby has a sleeping, feeding or a physical problem. 

1. Does your baby snack feed? (often falling asleep at a feed or have frequent short feeds)
2. Is your baby able to self settle not just cat nap for 45 mins or less?
3. Are you over handling your baby? How long are they awake and how long do they sleep according to their age appropriate needs?
4. Does your baby have an infection - urinary, ear or chest infection?

Depending on your answers you may have a baby who suffers from reflux, hunger or one who just need to be taught how to sleep and how to self settle.  Many babies have a degree of reflux.  Not all babies suffer from acid reflux, some vomit frequently but are not bothered by it other babies don't vomit at all but are in terrible pain. 

An irritable, unsettled baby if encouraged to sleep well between feeds and not cat nap may quickly become a more settled baby but if their irritable periods continue and they refuse to sleep they may be suffering from acid reflux.  If you suspect your baby has reflux take a look at questions listed below. 

How does one detect reflux

1. Firstly I take a look at the family tree.  Ask your parents if you or any of your siblings has 'colic' or were very unsettled or vomity babies.  If so it is more likely that your child may also have reflux.
2. Is your baby very unsettled at a certain time of the day more than any other? Often in the 'witching' or 'arsenic' hour between 2 pm and 9 pm. Take into consideration whether they are over tired, over handled or possibly just hungry. 
3. Is your baby often unsettled from one feed to the next? Dozing between bouts of uncontrollable crying? 
4. Does you baby prefer sleeping in a rocker, over your shoulder,in a pouch or in an upright position?
5. When asleep are their periods where he/she wakes suddenly and cries out seemingly in distress? or is grunting in squirming in their sleep?
6. Does you baby back arch, pull their legs up, fight their wrap and generally look uncomfortable?
7. Do you use a dummy to help pacify your baby during these unsettled periods?

If you have a family history of unsettled babies and you answered yes to most of the above then read on to see if your baby has any other symptoms of reflux.

Some symptoms that can indicate reflux including silent reflux are:

• irritability and pain
• poor sleep habits typically with frequent waking
• grunting, squirming and wriggling during sleep
• arching their necks and back during or after eating or at sleep time
• gulping, coughing or re swallowing hours after a feed
• teary eyes when gulping
• mouth filling with saliva, spit, frothing, excessive drooling
• frequent hiccups
• sinus congestion
• rattle wheezy chest
• reoccurring unexplained croup
• food/oral aversions
• constantly needing to suck
• swallowing problems, gagging, choking, coughing
• gagging themselves with their fingers or fist (sign of oesophagus)
• bad or acid breath
• flatulence
• running or blocked nose
• sneezing
• hoarseness
• frequent red, sore throat without infection present
• neck arching (Sandifer's Syndrome)
• vomiting or projectile vomiting (seldom in silent reflux)
• irregular, infrequent, watery or firm stool
• pulling legs up as if in pain

If reflux is untreated it may lead to:

• refusing food or accepting only small amounts despite being hungry or the exact opposite requiring constant small meals or liquid
• poor weight gain, weight loss, failure to thrive
• respiratory problems—pneumonia, bronchitis, wheezing, asthma, night-time cough, aspiration
• anaemia
• frequent ear infection
• chronic hoarse voice
• erosion of dental enamel
• sinus infections
• ulcerated esophagus

Tips: Reflux babies are often happier when held upright and therefore sleep well on your shoulder or in a pouch this is not encouraged as long term sleeping problems usually follow. 

Remember:  Many reflux babies are unsettled only at certain time ‘the arsenic hours’ and sleep well after this time.  

If you would like more information on this and other similar topics our E-books are packed full of practical parenting tips.  Down load an E-Book specifically related to your child's age group through Publications at Our Shop.

How Cradle 2 Kindy Can Help

Cradle 2 Kindy coaches are trained to recognise signs of reflux and have many tips that will help you through this difficult time.  Give us a call now to book a visit so that we can assist you with all your concerns.  

Cradle 2 Kindy 1300 786 101

Also see: What happens at a Coaching session?

More Articles on Health

Constipation can occur at any stage of a child’s life from formula feeds to starting solids.  Babies who are exclusively breastfed are rarely constipated.  Newborns will usually have a soiled nappy at every change.  Some breastfed babies have been known to go 10 days without a bowel movement this may cause discomfort.  Breastfed babies often become constipated when they begin solids. 

All babies should have their bowels open at least once a day.  What goes in must come out!

How do I know my child is constipated?

A normal bowl motion can range from being loose (not watery), crudely, pasty or softy formed the consistency of tooth paste. 

If baby strains when trying to pass a stool even though it may look soft, if it is of the consistency of plasticine or modeling clay, your baby is constipated.  Extreme constipation is when the stool is hard, dry or looks like rabbit droppings.  This should be avoided at all costs.

Constipation often occurs after very hot days, when a foreign substance is included into a child’s diet or when they are needing more fluids.  Some milk formula is more prone to constipate babies than others.  These are often the ‘Gold’ formulas.   Some babies will become constipated due to an intolerance to dairy or soy protine.  This is very common with reflux babies.  In this case it is suggested that a non dairy or soy formula should be offered or if breastfeeding the mother can remove all traces of soy and dairy from her diet to see if this helps.  If this is the case a calcium supplement should be taken.

How can I help my child’s constipation?

Introducing Cooled Boiled water to Babies diet:

Firstly introduce 20-30 mls of cooled boiled water after a feed or just before bed.  Never add extra water to the formula as this dilutes the calories and essential vitamins needed in baby's diet.

Gently massage baby’s tummy clockwise before a feed and raise his legs up pressing them gently into his tummy then using similar pressure with alternative legs as in bicycle riding.  

Nappy free tummy time

If this doesn't help after a few days and your baby is formula fed you may like to try a different formula while keeping up the extra fluids and exercises.   If constipation persists see your doctor. 

If baby is over two months old try diluted prune juice between feeds.

Babies on solids:

You may find that introducing cereal has constipated your baby.  Eliminate cereal till bowels return to normal and include roughage such as fruit, fibrous vegetables, prune pulp.  Increase his water intake.  If baby doesn’t like water try diluted fruit juice 1/3 juice 2/3 water.

Toddlers with constipation:

Increase roughage and fluid intake and decrease carbohydrates and milk. 

Tips:  High fiber fruit and vegetables as between meal snack foods as well as water between feeds will help the body retain water and therefore reduce problems with constipation.  (cooled boiled water for babies under one year old)

Remember: If constipation persist speak to your doctor.  (also take a look at our Shopping Guide suggestions)

If you would like more information on this and other similar topics our E-books are packed full of practical parenting tips.  Down load an E-Book specifically related to your child's age group through Publications at Our Shop.

How Cradle 2 Kindy Can Help

Cradle 2 Kindy can help you with all your newborn to five year old concerns.  See how we can help you.    

Cradle 2 Kindy 1300 786 101

 

Also see: What happens at a Coaching session?

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There has been rising concern for the care of umbilical cords in newborns.   Many parents have informed me they have been told by the hospital staff that cleaning around the umbilical cord is not only unnecessary but should be avoided.  What ever happened to  “Prevention is better than cure”.

On several occasions I have had to instruct parents to clean around their baby’s umbilical cord  because it was inflamed or very smelly due to the lack of care.

Prevention can be taken by keeping an eye on the state of your baby’s cord and cleaning it during the bath.  Do this by gently rubbing your thumb around the exterior.  This gently removes any dry, sloughy dead skin.  Once out of the bath carefully dry where the cord and skin meet with a clean dry cotton bud.  If you baby’s cord is a bit smelly, clean it at every nappy change with a cotton bud dipped in cooled boiled water or saline solution.  Use the dry end of the cotton bud to gently dry it.  If it is looking slightly pink or the skin around cord is inflamed your baby may have an infection.  Apply liquid Betadine and have it checked by your doctor.  

Tips: Check and clean your baby’s umbilical cord daily.

Remember: Any sign of redness or smelly odour coming from the umbilical cord should be attended to.  

If you would like more information on this and other similar topics our E-books are packed full of practical parenting tips.  Down load an E-Book specifically related to your child's age group through Publications at Our Shop.

How Cradle 2 Kindy Can Help

Cradle 2 Kindy can help you with tips on health and safety for your whole family specialising on newborn care.  One of our parenting coaches will come to your home and assist you with what concerns you.  

Call now and book your personal Cradle 2 Kindy coach on 1300 786 101

Also see: What happens at a Coaching session?

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