Tips For Dealing With Common Childhood Ailments

Sunday, October 21, 2018
Infant's feet being held by a woman's hand with painted and manicured hands resting on a gray blanket
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As a parent, seeing your child in pain will be one of the worst things you can be put through. Their    discomfort becomes your discomfort, especially when there isn’t much that can be done about it. Thankfully, nowadays, it’s rare that you’ll find a medical condition without some sort of solution. 

Throat Infections
Some people are a lot more prone to issues like throat infections than others. Often caused when a regular sore throat simply gets worse, it can be very hard to spot this sort of condition when a baby is suffering with it. It’s helpful to learn how to spot an infection early, giving yourself the chance to find ways to fight it before it becomes very uncomfortable. You can see an infection like this quite easily, with white flecks appearing on the little one’s tonsils. You will need to a see a doctor to treat something like this, as the infection will most likely need to be treated with antibiotics.

Abdominal Distention
Much of a baby’s body is soft, and it will stay this way until they have grown a little. Coupled with their inability to pass gases on their own, you will quickly notice your baby’s belly start to stretch if you don’t help them release the gas. After meals, it’s normal for a little one’s tummy to get a little rounder, but it should remain soft when this is the case. If it is hard, it probably means that they have some burps causing them pain, and a doctor will be the best place to go to get some help. This sort of issue can lead to more serious issues if it is left untreated.

Colic
It’s very normal for a young child to spend a lot of their time crying. When they are suffering with colic, though, they won’t be able to stop making noise, and this is a clear sign that they are in discomfort. This will usually stop by itself before the baby is six months old, but will be hard to deal with, especially if the child is your first one. Colic is often caused by similar issues to abdominal distention, with gases being the major contributor to the pain your little one is feeling. Burping after meals, before they sleep, and at other times throughout the day can be one of the best ways to work towards preventing this issue.

Nausea
It’s very natural for babies to vomit quite a bit, especially as they are getting used to eating foods with more substance to them than milk. They can find it hard to keep their food down for a number of reasons, ranging from not being burped properly to having an actual illness. It should be easy to tell whether or not your child is going through discomfort when they are throwing up, giving you the chance to take action if you need to. Like colic, this sort of issue will often resolve itself before the little one is a year old, making it a simple matter of getting through it with them.

Anemia
Anemia is a condition which is common among both adults and children. When the blood doesn’t have the right amount of hemoglobin, it will struggle to get oxygen around the body fast enough, making it hard to avoid becoming short of breath during normal activities. This is much more risky for a little one, and kids will always end up anemic if their mother has the condition during pregnancy. This makes it worth getting yourself checked when you first become pregnant, while also working to keep an eye on your child’s behavior to make sure that they aren’t suffering without you realizing.

Ear Infections
Like a throat infection, it can often be hard to prevent infections in the ears. This will be almost impossible to spot, though, making it important to keep an eye out for behavior which is new to your child. When they are crying a lot, seem to struggle to hear you, tug or pull on their ears, or they react negatively to sounds, they could be suffering with an infection. Ear wax is a very common cause of this sort of condition, but there are loads of different ways it can form. This makes it essential that you visit the doctor when you think your little one is suffering with an ear infection, as this sort of illness can impact their hearing going into the future.

Diarrhea
As any veteran parent will tell you, babies are great at making bad smells, and changing a diaper is often an operation which you will live to dread. This will only be worse when a child has diarrhea. Food, living conditions, and other diseases can be common causes of diarrhea in a little one, giving you a lot to change in their life when they are producing abnormal waste. It’s not worth giving your little one any off the shelf medication for this. These chemicals are often far too strong for a baby, and this could make the issue a lot worse, causing a lot more pain in the process.

Diaper Rash
Wearing a diaper all day and night lends itself to developing a rash. Diaper rash is very uncomfortable, with skin becoming very dry and sore, while making it hard for them to wear diapers. Diaper rash is generally easy to spot, giving you the chance to seek treatment right away. Creams, powders, and different diapers can all be used as a way to make this better for your baby. If the issue persists, though, it could be worth talking to a doctor, as these sorts of sores can quickly become infections when they are left alone.

Eczema
While eczema can often look very similar to a diaper rash, these conditions share little in common with one another aside from their physical appearance. Eczema is a permanent condition that can be treated but not cured. You can learn more about it and get information on treatment options on sites like https://www.mustelausa.com/will-baby-eczema-improve. Having dry, sore, and flakey skin will never be a comfortable experience for a baby, and they can often make it worse for themselves by itching too hard. Cotton gloves can help with this, along with creams which are designed to avoid infections.

Breathing Distress
For the first few hours of a baby’s life, they won’t have very much control over their little body. This can cause some worry symptoms, like heavy and erratic breathing, which simply aren’t anything to worry about. If these issues continue for days after you take them home, though, it will probably be worth taking them to a see a professional. Breathing issues can be caused by a host of different conditions and other health problems. They will only get more serious as time goes on, making it very important that they are solved as soon as possible, even if it means bugging to doctor to have a look at them for you.

Going To The Doctor
When your baby is suffering with something which you don’t understand or are struggling to control, the best course of action will always be to see a doctor to make sure that they will be alright. A website like https://www.ratemds.com/ can help you to look through different ratings for medical professionals. This will give you an idea of how good they are at doing their job, while also making it much easier to trust them with your baby. Of course, though, it will always be worth going with someone you already know if you have a regular doctor already.

While your child may be suffering with pain or discomfort, the issues they face will often be easy to resolve. By taking the right action as early as possible, you can often prevent these issues from getting worse, lessening their suffering by a huge degree.

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