Unlike the belief that teeth should be cared for after the first birthday, dental care for kids begins much before the eruption of first tooth. Wipe babys gums daily gently using a damp clean cloth to keep it clean and germ-free.n Try brushing your kids teeth as they erupt using plain water. For kids about 2 years of age, brush the teeth using very tiny amount of tooth paste. Teach the kid to spit.n Don~t be shocked to learn that babies do develop tooth decay in absence of good feeding habits. Do not put baby to sleep with a bottle. Milk left for prolonged time on teeth eats away the enamel leading to discolouration and pitting of front teeth and even cavities. Some babies have neonatal tooth. Consult the dentist if you see one.
Q
My baby has a white curd-like coating in the mouth. It bleeds when I try to clean it. What could it be? Is it normal?
Hello. The white coating you have described in your babys mouth could be a fungal infection! It is not normal. It could be acquired from the mothers birth canal at the time of birth and called as thrush in medical terms. It looks like elevated white patches of cheese or curd on tongue or cheeks and leaves behid a red bleeding surface when cleaned. Dont worry! It is not dangerous; but, it is surely painful for your baby and interferes with the feeding. In some babies the condition is self limiting and needs no treatment. In others an antifungal gel or medications might be needed.
Q
Do walker and jumper help toddlers to learn walking quicker?
Though walker and baby-buggy are in fashion today, studies say that babies using walker learn to walk late! Walker facilitates babies to move around even before they are ready for it physically. This can lead to unusual patterns of movements and delayed muscle control. Walker and jumper restrict babys movements and do not allow the baby to move around and explore the things surrounding. Baby learns to move quickly when baby is on the floor on his belly, than when he is placed on high chair, walker or baby-buggy.
Q
Why do kids suck thumb? Does it mean that they are hungry?
Babies suck thumb because thumb sucking has a soothing and calming effect on them. No, it does not always suggest that the kid is hungry. Thumb sucking around the feeding time could indicate that the kid is hungry, but not otherwise.n Babies may suck thumb when they are lonely, bored, or sleepy too! This habit usually stops by the age of 3 to 6 years.n Some babies develop habit of thumb sucking right in the womb!
Q
What is an ideal weight for a 3-year-old child?
Ideally, a 3-year-old kid should weigh about 12-14 kg. Do not worry if your kids weight does not increase too much and too quickly after this. After the kid is a year older than this age, the changes in weight can be seen only once a year as growth rate slows down with increasing age.
Q
Is it normal for a 12-year-old boy to play and fondle with his penis?
Its normal for kids of of all age groups to play with genitals out of curiosity about their growing body. This is seen in both boys and girls. Younger kids do it because they feel good about the way it feels. It is not harmful or abnormal in anyway. Do not get angry or reprimand your child. Try and educate them that it might lead to infection sometimes. Some kids even do it to seek attention but this is rare.
Q
A question about heart? If a 17 year old girl have a great pulse 150 hits in a minute means what type of problem she have please answer me
When the heart rate is above 100 per minute when at rest is called as tachycardia. So it is important to know whether the pulse was examined when at rest or after an exertion. If it was measured after an exertion then it should be rechecked when the girl is at rest. However if the resting heart beat per minute is more than 100 than an ECG is required to know the exact cause. However simple causes like fever, diarrhoea, severe infection can also cause tachycardia. Our advice would be that you consult a physician at the earliest.
Q
After what age children can drink coffee?
Children under 12 are generally recommended to avoid caffeine or to limit its intake. Because, Caffeine is absorbed very quickly into the body and then passes into the central nervous system. In low doses caffeine can affect the body causing decreased appetite, increased urination, hyperactive behaviour and difficulty sleeping. The harmful effects may occur when a child consumes more than 4.5 mg of caffeine per pound of body weight.
Q
My 11 year old son is diabetic, what are the symptoms of diabetic in a teen. Or just regular symptoms?
Symptoms of diabetes in children and teens are mostly the same as in adults. They include: thirst, weight loss, fatigue, and frequent urination. Particularly in children, diabetes can also cause behavioral problems, headaches, and stomach aches or pains. To check it for the teenagers unquenchable thirst, going to the bathroom frequently, losing weight, yeast infections, eyesight changes, and increases in appetite. Insulin dependant diabetes usually develops in teenagers.
Q
How does umbilical cord work?
During the prenatal life umbilical cord is the connection between the foetus and placenta. It consist of two umbilical arteries and one umbilical vein. The vein does the function of carrying oxygenated and nutrients rich blood form the placenta to the foetus. The two arteries do the work of carrying deoxygenated and nutrient depleted blood from the foetus back to the placenta.