Caring for Your Child's eyes!

Caring for your child's eyes!

 

Like many parts of the body, it is easy to forget about taking care of the eyes—unless something goes wrong. Unfortunately, when something actually goes wrong, it can be too late.

Consider these five ways that you can help protect your child’s eyes:

1. Schedule Regular Eye Exams 

 – If your child does not wear glasses, you may forget to schedule an appointment to check their eyes. However, even those children who have never needed eye care in the past may need it in the future. For children who do not wear glasses, going for an exam once a year is recommended. Those who have eye problems may need more frequent exams.

2. Have Your Child Wear His or Her Glasses

  – If your child has been prescribed glasses or contacts, it is important that he or she wears them every day. You will find that when your child wears his glasses, he performs better at school and in extracurricular activities. Talk to your child’s eye doctor about when he or she should be wearing glasses and follow this advice.

 

3. Sun Protection – When your child is playing or working outdoors, you should encourage him or her to wear sunglasses. Additionally, teach your child not to look directly into the sun. Taking care around the sun can help your child have healthier eyes well into the future.

 

4. Rest the Eyes – With today’s tech-savvy world, it can be easy for your child to spend many hours a day in front of the television or computer screen. Encourage him or her to spend plenty of time each day on “non-screen” activities to give the eyes a break from this harsh lighting.

 

5. Wear Safety Equipment – When your child is playing sports, or engaging in risky activities, make certain he or she wears the appropriate safety gear. This could include goggles while swimming, protective helmets for contact sports and even lab goggles when working on science or art projects that involve harsh chemicals. This equipment can help to prevent tragic eye accidents.

Caring for Your Child's Teeth!

Caring for Your Child's Teeth!

How can I best care for my child's teeth?

In fact, good dental hygiene habits should begin before your child's first tooth comes in. Wiping your baby's gums with a soft damp cloth after feedings helps to prevent the buildup of bacteria. When teeth appear, start using a soft children's toothbrush twice a day.

Once your child is preschool-age, start using fluoride toothpaste. Don't cover the brush with toothpaste; a pea-sized amount is just right. Young children tend to swallow most of the toothpaste, and swallowing too much fluoride toothpaste can cause permanent stains on their teeth.

What about using fluoride tablets?

Fluoride helps make teeth strong by hardening the tooth enamel. Many cities are required to add fluoride to tap water. If you live in an area where the tap water doesn't contain fluoride, your doctor may prescribe daily fluoride tablets when your child is about 6 months old.

 Fluoride is an important part of your child's dental health, but don't give him or her more than the directions call for. If you miss a dose, don't give your child extra fluoride to make up. Just as with swallowed toothpaste, too much oral fluoride can cause stains on your child's teeth.

What are cavities?

Cavities are holes that are formed when bacteria (germs) in your mouth use the sugar in food to make acid. This acid eats away at the teeth. Cavities are common in children. Good tooth care can keep cavities from happening in your child

 

Is my child at risk for cavities?

Your child might be at risk for cavities if he or she eats a lot of sugary foods (such as raisins, cookies and candy) and drinks a lot of sweet liquids (such as fruit juice and punch, soda and sweetened drinks). Your child also might be at risk if he or she has any of the following risk factors:

• Was born early (prematurely) or weighed very little at birth (low birth weight)
• Has ongoing special health care needs
• Has white spots or brown areas on any teeth
• Does not go to the dentist very often

 

How can I help stop cavities?

Everyone in your family should take good care of their teeth. Family members with lots of cavities can pass the cavity-causing bacteria to babies and children.

Teeth should be brushed at least twice a day and adults should floss once a day. Everyone should see the dentist twice a year. Have your doctor or dentist show you the right way to brush your child's teeth.

 

Does diet affect my child's teeth?

Yes. Avoiding sweets, sticky foods and between-meal snacks is good advice. To avoid cavities, limit sweet snacks and drinks between meals. Have meals and snacks at regular times. Teeth-friendly snacks include fresh fruits and vegetables, and cheese and crackers.

Baby bottles can create additional problems with your child's dental health. When liquid from a bottle--like milk and juice--stays in contact with the teeth for a long time, the sugars cause tooth decay. This can create a condition called bottle mouth. Your baby's teeth can develop cavities and become pitted or discolored. Never put a baby to bed with a bottle. Don't let your child walk around during the day with a bottle, and teach your child to use a drinking cup around his or her first birthday.

 

Is thumb-sucking bad for my child?

It's normal for children to suck their thumbs, their fingers or a pacifier. Most children give up this habit on their own by age 4, with no harm done to their teeth. If your child still has a sucking habit after age 4, tell your dentist. Your dentist can watch carefully for any problems as the teeth develop. In most children there is no reason to worry about a sucking habit until around age 6, when the permanent front teeth come in.

When should I start taking my child to the dentist?

The American Dental Association recommends that parents take their child to a dentist no later than his or her first birthday. This gives the dentist a chance to look for early problems with your child's teeth. Pediatric dentists specialize in treating children's dental health. 

You and your child's dentist should review important information about diet, bottles, tooth brushing and fluoride use. Visiting the dentist from a young age will help your child become comfortable with his or her dentist. It also establishes the good habit of regular dental check-ups.

How to care for your child if in fever?!

How to care for your child if in fever?!

What is The normal body temperature?

Normal body temperature is around 37° C (98.6° F). Body temperature varies during the day. The lowest body temperature occurs in the early morning hours (2 a.m. to 4 a.m.) and the highest temperature occurs in the late afternoon. Body temperature may also increase as a result of overdressing or strenuous exercise, especially in hot weather.

What is a fever?

A fever is when the body temperature is 38° C (100° F) or higher. Fever means that the body temperature is higher than normal. Fever often means your child has an infection, but other conditions can also cause fever without any infection.

Fever is not caused by teething. Infants with serious infections might have below normal temperatures rather than a fever. If a child has a fever over 38° C (100° F) it usually means he has an infection. Fever may help your child fight an illness. Fever may occur after an infant or child has an immunization.

In general, the child’s behaviour tells more about the severity of the illness than the degree of the fever. If a child feels warm or feverish, it is more important to observe the behaviour of the child than to take the child’s temperature.

How do you know if a young child has a fever?

1.      Observe the child.

A young child with a fever will often appear ill. The child may:

• Look flushed or pale.

• Feel hot or cool to the touch.

• Be fussy or groggy.

• Have “goose bumps,” shivers or tremors.

• Sweat and/or.

• Be thirsty.

2.      Take the child’s temperature.

You can tell if your child has a fever by taking the child’s temperature with a thermometer.

What is the best way to take a temperature?

The safest way to take a temperature is in the centre of the armpit or axilla, with a digital thermometer. This is an easy way to take an infant or a child’s temperature. If the child is over two years of age, an ear thermometer can be used.

The Canadian Pediatric Society does not recommend using mercury thermometers. Accidental exposure to this toxic substance can occur if the thermometer breaks.

Taking the temperature in the mouth (oral) is unsafe because a young child can bite and break the thermometer, especially a glass thermometer. Also, the reading can be wrong because it is hard to keep a thermometer under the child’s tongue.

Do not take the temperature in the rectum (bum). This can be dangerous and upsetting to the child.

Fever strips and pacifier thermometers are not recommended because they do not give accurate temperature readings.

IMPORTANT!

If your baby is under six months old, call Health Links-Info Santé (Winnipeg 788-8200, toll-free 1-888-315-9257), your public health nurse or your doctor/midwife as soon as you realize that your baby has a fever of 38° C (100° F) or higher. If your child is over six months old, call Health Links-Info Santé (Winnipeg 788-8200, toll-free 1-888-315-9257), your public health nurse or your doctor if your child:

• Has a fever higher than 39° C (102° F).

• Is excessively cranky, fussy or irritable.

• Is excessively sleepy, lethargic or unresponsive.

• Is persistently wheezing or coughing.

• Is vomiting or has diarrhea.

• Has a rash, stiff neck, earache, headache, sore throat, or any other signs of illness that worry you.

• Seems otherwise well, is drinking enough fluids but the fever lasts more than 48 hours.

How do you take a temperature in the armpit?

This method is usually used to check for a fever in newborns and young children.

• Use a digital thermometer.

• Clean the thermometer with cool, soapy water and rinse.

• Place the tip of the thermometer in the centre of the armpit.

• Make sure your child’s arm is tucked snugly against his/her body.

• Leave the thermometer in place for about a minute, or as long as the package directions state for underarm temperatures.

• Remove the digital thermometer and read the temperature.

• Clean the thermometer.

For a young child or infant, it is easier to take the child’s temperature if you hold him/her in a cradle hold. If your child is older, the child can sit on your lap, with one arm behind your back. A quiet activity such as breastfeeding, or singing or telling a story to your child may help keep the child stil.

How do you take a temperature in the ear?

Follow the manufacturer’s instructions carefully.

• Use a clean probe tip each time.

• Gently tug on the ear, pulling it back. This will help straighten the ear canal, and make a clear path inside the ear to the ear drum.

• Gently insert the thermometer until the ear canal is fully sealed off.

• Squeeze and hold down the button for one second.

• Remove the digital thermometer and read the temperature.

What should you do if your child has a fever?

When your child has a fever, medication is not always needed to reduce the temperature. In fact, the best reason for giving your child medication is not to reduce fever but to relieve the associated aches and pains.

• If your child has a fever, make sure he/she is comfortable.

• Offer plenty of fluids to drink such as water, watered-down apple juice, “flat” soft drinks or Popsicle. If your child is breastfeeding, offer more frequent breastfeeding opportunities.

• Remove extra blankets and clothing so heat can leave your child’s body. This helps lower the body temperature. Cover only with a sheet.

• Do not take off all your child’s clothes because your child may become too cold and start to shiver. Shivering produces more body heat, causing the temperature to rise again. Keep your child in light clothing: diapers or panties and a light shirt. This allows the extra heat to escape from your child’s body.

• Wash or bathe your child with tepid (lukewarm) water to help reduce the fever. Check your child’s temperature 30 minutes afterwards.

• If your child starts to shiver, stop the washing or bathing, dry and dress your child, and cover with a dry sheet.

• NEVER use alcohol or cold water to sponge or bathe your child. Alcohol is a poison and can be absorbed through your child’s skin.

• Feed your child if he/she is hungry. Many children with a fever will not feel hungry.

Medication:

Acetaminophen is the best drug for lowering fever in children and teenagers.

There are many brands of acetaminophen that come in different forms such as drops, liquid, syrup, elixir, tablets and capsules.

The form of medication and dosage depends on your child’s weight and age. Read product labels carefully for ingredients, dosage and frequency.

For advice, contact Health Links-Info Santé (Winnipeg 788-8200, toll-free 1-888-315-9257), your pharmacist, your public health nurse or your physician/midwife.

The fever temperature usually comes down in one-and-a-half to two hours after taking acetaminophen. Often it rises again and then the medication may have to be repeated. It is important not to exceed the recommended doses in 24 hours.

Acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) is not recommended because it has been associated with a rare and often fatal disease called Reye’s Syndrome