Baby Blog Month in Review: June 2008

June was my first official month posting for the Baby Blog. It has been a great experience. I love learning new things about babies and sharing it with friends. Of course, I could use your help. Whether you are a first-time mom or an experienced mom of a large family, I want to hear from you. Please share your advice, your questions and your comments. On which topics would you like to see more blogs? Meanwhile, take a look at all of the articles we had in June. June 2nd Introducing Babies to Birds Perhaps it is the fact that … Continue reading

Baby Blog Week in Review: June 23rd Through June 29th

Having you been following along on the issue of tricking a spouse into parenthood? I’ll reveal what I did in my own situation and how it all turned out. If you missed that article or any other, you should check out this past week’s review. June 23rd Baby Blog Week in Review: June 16th Through June 22nd June 16th was a very special day for me. That is the day that my first baby was born. And while he is now an active seven-year-old with a younger brother and sister, I still remember the days when it was just the … Continue reading

Household Swallowing Hazards

Babies have a tendency to put everything in their mouths. And while we, as parents, are diligent about baby proofing our homes, sometimes things get missed, such as a small toy from an older child, loose change that has fallen out of someone’s pocket, a stray piece of lint that looks particularly interesting, etc. While many of these objects may not be choking hazards, they still aren’t things you want you baby to ingest. Here are the most common household hazards that a baby might swallow and some information on whether or not you should start to panic. Coins There … Continue reading

Choking Hazards

In 2000, 160 children died from choking related episodes and another 17,537 were treated. Of the children treated, 60% choked on a food item. Candy and gum were the cause of 25% of the choking episodes and in children under the age of four coins made up 18% of the choking-related episodes. The rates were highest for children under the age of one and decreased with age up to fourteen. The statistics were compiled by the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System-All Injury Program and analyzed by the CDC. Surprisingly enough many parents and caregivers do not recognize potential choking hazards. … Continue reading

New Website Helps with Summertime Injuries

While summertime may mean warm days and lots of summer fun for you and your kids, hospitals have another name for summer: Trauma Season. Summertime is the prime time for emergency room visits. According to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, one of the nation’s leading children’s hospitals, there is an estimated three million kids under the age of 15 that enter the emergency room in the summer months for unintentional injuries. All of this increased activity in emergency rooms is due to the increased levels of activity in the summertime by kids. The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia released a statement … Continue reading

When Should My Child Have His First Dental Visit?

Yesterday I spent the morning at the park with my youngest kids, another mom and her child. As I was trying to navigate pushing two swings on opposite sides of the swing set and avoid getting hit by all of the swings in the middle, my mom friend asked me a good question. “Do you think he is too young to see a dentist?” Her child was three-years old and hadn’t yet been to the dentist. There was an issue with his teeth that she was concerned about, but she wasn’t sure if he was too young to be seen … Continue reading

When Your Child Swallows a Coin

Well it finally happened in my household. One of my younger children swallowed a coin. I’ve heard many stories from friends swallowing coins, but I have always been pretty diligent (lucky), and it never happened to us. Until yesterday that is. I was in the family room late in the afternoon, putting on lights and thinking I would find some entertainment for the three kids while I attended to dinner. My oldest had just finished his homework, my husband was not yet home, and this is always the “hectic” time in my house. My four-year-old daughter came into the room … Continue reading

The Danger of Manganese

Pediatricians are becoming concerned about children, and in particular those under the age of 12 months, being exposed to high levels of manganese. Here is what you need to know about current studies and the effects of exposure for your child. Manganese exposure has been long known by physicians to be hazardous. It is considered a neurotoxic substance, that is, it negatively affects the nerves and the brain. Too much manganese can cause behavioral changes, memory loss and a neural condition that mimics the symptoms of Parkinson’s Disease. A new study done by Robert Wright, MD of Children’s Hospital Boston … Continue reading

Tummy Time Tips

Proper tummy time is important for your baby’s development. Recent research shows that most babies today are not getting enough tummy time, and as a result are suffering from delayed crawling and head deformities. Two factors contribute to these issues. The first is the fact that parents are encouraged to put their babies to sleep on their backs to reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Since studies have proven the effectiveness of this method, there is really no debate in my mind about following this campaign. The second is the fact that many babies just don’t seem … Continue reading

What Is that Growing Red Spot on My Baby?

If you notice a rapidly growing red spot on your infant, it could be an infantile hemangioma, which is a reddish skin tumor that is usually noticed by one month of age. I’ll discuss what an infantile hemangioma is all about. First let me say that with any information that you find on the Internet, that this post isn’t meant to be used to diagnose any conditions. That is best done by your pediatrician. Having said that, I feel that it is always helpful to be aware of medical conditions that may affect your child. Infantile hemangiomas may start out … Continue reading