Children are much more susceptible to tooth decay and gum disorders than grown-ups. This is because the gum and teeth in toddlers are very delicate. Moreover, children are more attracted to sweets and other food items, which cause damage to the teeth.
Here are several ways to protect the teeth of your little one:
1. Have a dental checkup: you should take your child to a dentist on his first birthday. Early prevention is important as any kind of problem in the teeth will be detected and this will save you from a lot of trouble in the future.
2. Teaching healthy habits: brushing is very important and you should teach your child to brush regularly, more than once a day. Before the development of teeth in your baby, you should brush his gums gently by using water on a soft baby toothbrush or with a clean and soft cloth. After developing teeth, brushing must be practiced with delicate toothbrushes and fluoridated toothpaste. If several teeth touch against each other, you should use flossing. Brushing is essential before going to bed, and no food should be taken after brushing.
3. Prevent" baby bottle decay: you should not let your child go to sleep with a bottle of juice or milk. The sugar contained in these liquids sticks to the child's teeth, which activates bacteria and may lead to tooth decay.
4. Avoid giving juice to your child: juice may be healthy for the body, but it leads to tooth decay in little kids. The amount of regular juice intake should never be above four ounces.
5. Avoid excess use of a sippy cup: sippy cups enable children to shift from bottles to a glass. However, all day long usage of sippy cups should be restricted as it may cause decay on the front and back portions of teeth, when the drinks are rich in sugar.
6. Be careful about sweet medicines: many medicines meant for children are sugary and stick to the teeth, increasing the chance of cavities. Several antibiotics cause overgrowth of candida or yeast and cause an oral disease known as oral thrush. This disease causes creamy patches on the tongue. In case your child needs sweet medicines, brushing should be increased.
7. Stop using a pacifier by the age of 2 or 3: pacifiers are good for children, but using pacifiers for a long period of time affects the lining of teeth. The shape of the mouth may also change. Hence, do not let your child use pacifiers after 2 or 3 years of age.
Children are quite prone to teeth disorders and decay in the teeth. Hence, measures must be taken to protect the teeth of children from any kind of disorder.

Ways to Protect the Teeth of Your Little One

Breastfeeding is best for the baby and its benefits extend well beyond the paradigm of basic nutrition. Breast milk contains all the vital vitamins and nutrients, which a baby needs in the first six months of life. It is fully loaded with disease fighting substances, which protect baby from illness. Many international paediatric organisation recommend exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months and recent research reports have proven that breastfeeding is good for both mother and the baby.

Breastfeeding protects the baby from a long list of illnesses, such as ear infections, lower respiratory illnesses, stomach disorder and meningitis and are less severe when they do happen. Breast milk adapts as the baby grows to meet the changing needs. Breastfeeding builds a strong emotional bond between the mother and the baby and it has long term benefits lasting right into adulthood.

The first milk of the mother contains high concentrations of secretory immunoglobulin A (IgA), which guards against invading germs by forming a protective layer on the mucous membranes in baby's intestines, nose, and throat. Mother's body responds to pathogens (virus and bacteria) that are in her body and makes secretory IgA, which is specific to those pathogens, creating protection for the baby based on to whatever mother is exposed. 

The antibodies in breast milk gives a baby's immune system a boost and also helps children avoid type 1 and type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol and inflammatory bowel disease that strike later in life. Babies who were not breastfed run the risk of developing Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.

Breastfeeding boosts child's intelligence. Surveys have shown that premature infants with extremely low birth weight who receive breast milk shortly after birth improved their scores of mental development at eighteen months when compared with premature infants who weren't given breast milk. The emotional bonding happening during breastfeeding contributes to some of the brainpower benefits. Breastfeeding lowers the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). It reduces a child's risk of becoming obese as a teen or adult as the breast milk contains less insulin, which stimulates creation of fat. The high content of leptin in the milk regulates appetite and fat.

Breastfeeding triggers the release of the hormone oxytocin that promotes relaxation and nurturing. Oxytocin released while nursing also helps your uterus contract after birth, resulting in less postpartum bleeding. It reduces stress level and the risk of postpartum depression. Research studies show that breastfeeding results in changes in breast tissue and lactation reduces the production of oestrogen, which reduces the risk of breast and ovarian cancer. It also reduces the risk of osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease.

Benefits of Breastfeeding for Baby & Mother

Health benefits of papaya for babies

When babies graduate from liquids to semi-solids, their diet needs to be tasty as well as healthy. This is the time where immunities are built and how well they eat now will largely decide how fit they will be in the years to come. Selecting their diet is crucial. Papaya is one item which is highly recommended in a baby's diet. Here are the reasons why:

1)Eyesight - Papayas are good for eyesight as they have vitamin A. At a stage when your baby is developing his eyesight, a little help from what he eats will do wonders.
2)Blood Generation - Papayas are known to increase blood count.
3)Digestion - Papayas improve digestion. Since babies are mostly in sedentary position, digestion needs assistance. Mashed papayas are a good idea for this.
4)Skin Problems - Papayas control skin ulcers.
5)Brain - Papayas facilitate brain development which is very important for babies.
6)Bones - Papayas are good for bones. Apart from the oil massages and milk intake, this would also add to the benefit.
7)Muscles - Papayas strengthen the muscles as well.
8)Immunity Building - Papayas are a good source of vitamin C and folate. It strengthens your child’s immune system.
9)Intestinal Worms - Infants at times suffer with the problem of parasitic worms in their intestines. Small amounts of dried papaya seeds with honey can be useful in controlling these intestinal worms.

If you would like to consult with me privately, please click on 'Consult'.

From Lybrate: If you found this tip useful, please thank the doctor by clicking on the heart icon below. Also, spread good health by sharing this tip with your loved ones over WhatsApp, Facebook and other media.

Why Your Baby's Diet Must Not Miss Papaya

The early childhood period is considered to be the most important developmental phase throughout the lifespan.  This period focuses on the physical, social/emotional and language/cognitive domains of development of a child, which have direct effects on their overall development as an adult in the future.
Physical Development
Physical developments of a child are associated with the motor skills and physical growth of the child. As a child grows and his or her nervous system become more mature, the child becomes more capable of performing increasingly complex actions such as walking, running, balance, and coordination which involve the larger muscles like arms and legs, as well as, some more intricate skills such as drawing, writing, grasping objects, throwing, waving, and catching, involving the smaller muscles in the fingers, toes, eyes, and other areas. Physical growth follows a directional pattern, such as the body's core, legs and arms develop before the small muscles in the fingers and hands.  The muscles in the center of the body become stronger and develop before those in the feet and hands. Development goes from the head to the toes. 
Cognitive Development
Cognitive abilities are associated with memory, reasoning, problem-solving and thinking that continue to emerge throughout childhood. There are four Stages of Cognitive Development:
Stage
Age Period Between
Milestones
Sensorimotor Stage
Birth to age 2
Respond to sensory stimuli by simple motor skills.
Preoperational Stage
Age 2 to 6
Learn to use language, but do not understand logic or mentally manipulate information and understand others' point of view.
Concrete Operational Stage
Age 7 to 11
Begin to think logically about concrete events, but have difficulty understanding abstract or hypothetical concepts.
Formal Operational Stage
Age 12 to adulthood
Able to think about abstract concepts and develop skills such as logical thought, deductive reasoning, and systematic planning.
 
Language Development
It is the most remarkable development in children. According to several researches, it is found that language development begins at fetal level, as the fetus is able to identify the speech and sound patterns of the mother's voice and by the age of four months, a child can distinguish between sounds and read lips. Infants are able to differentiate between speech sounds from all languages; however, around the age of 10 months they lose this ability and begin to recognize their native language only.

What Is Early Childhood Development?

The most advanced and effective communication device in this century is mobile phone. Mobile phone is not only being used by the corporate or highly qualified professional. People from all type of social group have mobile phone in their hands now. Usage of the mobile phone is not increased only with all social groups but also with people of all age groups. Children are the more noticeable group as they are using cell phones of all types. A recent research study shows that children are really capable of using any advanced type of mobile phones even without any proper guidance. Though mobile phones are the effective mode of communication, it is a well known fact that it also has adverse side effects if being over used. The mobile phones emit shockwave radioactive radiations that affect the body in various manners.

Adverse effects of mobile phone usage:

Today's children are growing up in a radio-frequency environment that never existed in human history before. The radiation emitted by mobile phones and mobile phone masts can have adverse effects on children. Some include:

Affects your Immunity Status: cell phones after a full day usage contains many germs on their display which are highly numbered than your toilet seats. These germs are easily transferred to your body as you touch frequently or use close to your face for talking. This increases the risk of exposure to the germs and reduces your immune strength as immune status are not fully developed for children.

Increase Risk of Chronic Pains: prolonged use of mobile phones for playing games or texting requires continuous movement for your hands which may develop chronic pain in joints of your hands and shoulders.

Vision Problem: children when concentrate much on playing games in mobile phone they even fail to blink frequently with the increased interest and attraction towards the game. This causes the dryness of the conjunctiva and also increases the ocular tension.

Affects your emotions negatively and increases the stress level

Mobile Phone Safety For Kids:

As a parent, you must take preventive measures to minimize your child's exposure to the harmful effects of mobile phones. These include:

Do not give cell phone if your child is under 16 years. A child's brain is too sensitive to withstand the effects of mobile radiation.

Do not let your child hold a mobile phone directly up to his head. Use an air-tube headset instead.

Do not let your child make calls in buses, trains, cars, and elevators. The mobile phone works harder to get the signal out through the metal, which increases the power level.

Do not let your child use cell phone when the signal is weak. It will increase the power to the maximum, as the phone attempts to connect to a new relay antenna.

Limit the use of cell phone around children.

Make sure that there is no mobile phone mast or network tower near your home or your kid's school.

Do not let children take mobile phones to school.

Do not leave mobile phones in your children's bedroom at night.

Effect of Excessive Use of Mobile Phones on Children Health

Sometimes children suffer from conditions where their feet may not be in proper shape or size, something that can affect their posture. Most of the times the disorders get corrected themselves as children grow up, but there can be situations where medical attention is required. These conditions can be normal variations in the anatomy as well which don't essentially require treatment. Some of the common orthopedic disorders found in children include:

1. Flatfeet

While most babies are born with flat feet which develop arches as they grow, in some case the arches remain underdeveloped even after they grow older. Their feet may turn inwards while they walk due to their flat nature. There is no inherent problem in this condition unless it becomes painful. Doctors may recommend special footwear with arches inserted for support to reduce the pain.

2. Toe Walking

Toe walking is not a disorder while your child is just learning to walk. Toddlers who continue to walk on their toes after the age of 3 may require medical attention. Toe walking on one leg or persistent toe walking can be due to other medical conditions like muscle weakness, cerebral palsy or autism. It is advisable to take your child to a therapist for casting the foot and ankle which can help stretch the muscles.

3. Pigeon Toes

In toeing or pigeon toeing is common among babies when they are first learning to walk. Sometimes children above 3 years walk with their toes inwards which can be due to femoral anteversion. This happens when upper part of the leg bends more than it naturally should, causing inward rotation of the feet. Specially designed shoes and braces can help to correct this condition. Usually, the condition corrects on its own with age and does not interfere with sport activities which involve running.

4. Knock-Knees

It is a common tendency among children aged between 3 and 6 to develop knock-knees (genu valgum), since their bodies go through natural shift in alignment. Usually, treatment is not required as the legs straighten out eventually. Knock knees on one side or persistent knock knees may require medical attention. Children with this disorder may suffer from pain hence in some cases surgery is recommended after the age of 10.


Common Orthopedic Disorders In Children

Don't wait any longer, manage your Child Abuse Specialist online with a Lybrate doctor today

Consult for Child Abuse Specialist - Online and Easy!

FilterClear All

COMMON SPECIALITIES

COMMON ISSUES