Common Ailments
There are several common ailments that can affect your baby. While many of them can be scary for the parents they are often not too serious for the baby. Some of the most common health concerns and their symptoms follow.
Rashes and Skin Irritations
These are common problems among very young babies; everything from laundry detergent to your perfume can cause red, flaky, and itchy skin for baby. The most common culprit, however, is spillage of milk into the folds of the neck. Be sure to keep a bib on baby, and wipe the area after feeding time.
Also, use a good baby cream in the affected areas two or three times per day. Eczema, or atopic dermatitis, can occur when infants have rough, red, itchy skin and often improves with moisturizers and a topical steroid cream. Call the doctor if you suspect your baby has eczema.
Keep Skin — and Air — Moisturized
When baby has eczema or other skin conditions, you should use lots of baby cream and keep baby's nails trimmed to avoid excessive scratching. A daily bath can be okay for a baby with eczema, as long as you use a mild soap and apply a moisturizer within a few minutes of getting out of the bath. Use a cool-mist humidifier to keep baby's environment moist.
Avoid overdressing baby, and stay away from scratchy materials. Soft cotton outfits that leave baby's neck open to the air are preferable. Be sure to lay a cotton receiving blanket on play areas. Take note of any foods that seem to trigger a rash, and eliminate them from baby's diet. Call the doctor if the rash seems to be getting worse or if it doesn't seem to go away even after your home treatment.
Fact
For newborns and younger infants, always use a rectal thermometer to get the most accurate temperature. You can still use the digital type for back up. Also, do not use products containing aspirin. They have been associated with Reye's syndrome, a brain disorder.
Fever
The scariest thing a new parent will face is baby's first real fever. (Note: For infants under three months old, a fever is anything above 100.4 degrees.) If baby has a slight temperature, you may be able to bring it down with over-the-counter baby pain reliever. Some fevers are caused by teething pain or perhaps are a reaction to an immunization; these can usually be treated with infant pain reliever as well. However, if the fever is 100.4 degrees or more, you will need to call your doctor immediately. If the fever is accompanied by a rash or if it seems to be hanging on for longer than a few days, call the doctor.
The Common Cold
Particularly if you live in a changeable climate, your baby could be susceptible to colds throughout the fall and winter. Colds are usually passed through airborne particles or through hand-to-hand or hand-to-mouth contact with an infected person. If someone in your family has a cold, ask that person to please keep a distance from baby — and to not kiss or hold the baby until the cold has completely passed.
You should also frequently wash their hands and cover their coughs and sneezes. Babies can develop a fever prior to showing full-fledged cold symptoms, such as a runny or stuffed-up nose, a cough, red, watery eyes, and lack of appetite.
Keep Passages Clear and Open
If you think baby has a cold, you should use a bulb syringe and infant nasal drops to keep nasal passages clear and open. Put a pillow under the baby's mattress to keep his or her head elevated (or use a product called crib shoes to elevate the head of the crib); never place baby's head directly on a pillow, because baby can pull it over and suffocate. If baby becomes fussy, has trouble breathing, is not eating well, or seems otherwise unhealthy, call your doctor for advice.
Ear Infections
Essential
If your pediatrician has recommended a prescription medication, use it exactly as indicated. Most antibiotics (amoxicillin is the most prescribed) need to be taken until completely gone. Also, be sure to take baby back to the doctor for a follow-up exam.
Middle-ear infections occur in nearly all children before they reach their second year and are more common in children who are around other kids on a regular basis (such as at a daycare). You should treat an ear infection as soon as you can, since they can be quite uncomfortable for baby and can cause delays in language development (because of hearing difficulties). Ear infections are more frequent in babies than in adults because a baby's Eustachian tube is smaller than an adult's, allowing bacteria a quicker route to the middle ear.
Common Symptoms
How do you know when baby has an ear infection? Usually a high-pitched cry and tugging of the ear will tell you. The more you try to lay the baby down to rest, the worse the crying becomes. Fever is also common. Finally, baby may eat less because it hurts to swallow. Call your doctor for her advice.
