Caring for Infants (0-1 yrs) Tips

Club foot is a deformity in infants. It is a general term to refer to some unusual positions of the foot and ankle. It is known as talipes equinovarus. The foot of the child is twisted out of shape and is rotated inwards and downwards at the ankle in this condition. The affected parts such as the foot, calf and leg appear to be smaller. It can be mild to quite severe. If not treated, it makes walking difficult as people with this condition have to walk on the sides of their feet.

Types:...more

Umbilical Hernia is a common condition in infants in which the intestine protrudes or pokes out through the abdominal muscles in the navel area, where generally the Umbilical cord is located. Umbilical Hernia is generally harmless if not sore and is evident when the bellybutton protrudes. During childhood, Umbilical Hernia closes on its own, but sometimes when it does not, it might require a surgical correction during adulthood. This condition is commonly seen in premature babies and can be diag...more

No matter how much time you spend researching on how to take care of your newborn, once your child is delivered, the first few weeks will leave you frantic and overwhelmed. However, there are a few tips which new parents must keep in mind.

Handling a Newborn:

1. Since babies have a weak immune system and are susceptible to infections, it is of paramount importance that anyone who handles your child has clean and sanitized hands.
2. You also need to be careful about alway...more

When you have a newborn bundle of joy, no parent would be ready for constant crying bouts from the infant. However, for various reasons, even healthy, well-fed infants can be colicky.

What is it: Although a mystery, a baby is said to be colicky if it cries for more than 3 hours a day for more than 3 days a week for more than 3 weeks at a stretch. The baby is completely healthy, and the symptoms start about 2 to 3 weeks of life in both breastfed and bottle-fed babies. The baby usually ha...more

While every parent wants their children to be born healthy, some infants have a range of disorders present at the time of birth.
Patent Ductus Arteriosus or PDA is one such condition that manifests in children when they are born.

Here is all you need to know about Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA).

What is PDA?
PDA is the opening between the two major blood vessels leaving from the human heart. The ductus arteriosus is an essential part of a child s circulatory system befo...more

Biliary Atresia is a rare gastrointestinal disorder which affects one in about twenty thousand infants due to scarred or blocked or damaged bile duct. This condition prevents the flow of bile juice from the gall bladder into the intestine, leading to its accumulation. Thus, as a result, the liver might be scarred leading to a decreased function or totally damaged, requiring a transplant. Bile juice is required for emulsification of fat to break its complex component into simpler components for d...more

Child nutrition from age 6 months to 5 years Growth and development of a child depends on the nourishment received by the child right from birth. A healthy diet and proper eating habits are essential to be inculcated in a child as early as possible. A balanced diet given to the child at the earliest provides all nutrients required for adequate growth and development. Nutritional value of every food item introduced in the child s diet should be gauged prior and then given to the child.

N...more

Swarna Prashana and Swarna Bindu Prashana, an ancient ayurvedic recipe also a known tonic for kids. Which helps in enhancing the immunity and improves intelligence in children. It acts on mind, brain, immune system, skin and promotes growth and development, maintains health, builds resistance to infections by developing non-specific immunity. It is also known to improve complexion.

Like modern vaccination, suvarna-prashan also helps in preventing diseases by building immunity against ba...more

It is often stated by doctors that a child's brain and body develop through good nutrition, and this starts even before they have been conceived. If you are planning for a baby, then it is a must to tune your body for infant nutrition, as healthy growth of the brain in a child begins much before conception. An example to support this is that folic acid intake should be started 14 weeks before conception. Folic acid is considered to be helpful in the early functioning of the brain.

By th...more

The role of parents in language development of children is a primary one. Basically, it will be a one way communication as babies will not respond but that should not deter you from speaking to them. It has been shown that talking to children early on helps them to talk faster and learn more words. The number of words a child hears is directly proportional to the amount of vocabulary he/she will be able to master.

6 ways to help your baby learn speaking:

1. Let them listen a lo...more