Preparing for Accidents

When my first son, was born, I stocked up on safety items like outlet covers, gates, corner guards for the coffee table, and cabinet locks. You name it, I bought it. Imagine my surprise and delight when this calm little baby eased into toddlerhood with hardly a bump or bruise.

 

Then came Second, a fearless explorer, who at 18 months jumps on the couch, climbs to heart-stopping heights, turns faucets on and off, and puts everything in his mouth.

 

The first time my tiny adventurer fell and really hit his head, I panicked. Should I call a doctor? Could he have a concussion? As second wailed in the background, I phoned his pediatrician for advice.

 

As it turned out, second was fine, just bruised. Within 15 minutes, he was back to his daredevil ways. But the experience made me realize how little I knew about basic first aid. Every year, nearly a quarter of all children suffer an injury that’s severe enough to require medical attention and even bed rest. Worse, accidents are the leading cause of death in children ages 1 to 21.

 

Accidents invariably happen, no matter how careful you try to be, so it pays to be prepared. Here’s a primer on treating baby’s boo-boos — big and small.

 

Cuts and Scrapes

Beginning walkers take a lot of tumbles and get cuts and scrapes. Fortunately, most are minor and can be treated at home.

 

Home Care

Wash your own hands with soap and water first. Use lukewarm water to wash away any blood and grime on the surface of the wound. Clean the cut with mild soap and water, too. Then gently pat the area with a sterile gauze pad to dry. If bleeding hasn’t stopped, apply firm pressure for up to five minutes.

 

Apply antibacterial ointment, such as Neosporin or Bacitracin, to prevent infection, and then cover the wound with a bandage until it heals, says Loraine Stern, MD, a clinical professor of pediatrics at the University of California at Los Angeles. Keeping the wound covered, rather than allowing a hard scab to form, keeps the area moist, which helps the cut heal faster and with less scarring. Replace the bandage daily and look for signs of infection such as redness or pus.

 

Call the Doctor If…

The cut is ragged, deep, or longer than an inch; embedded with gravel or dirt; or caused by a puncture wound, rusty object, or animal or human bite. Also call if heavy bleeding continues after at least five minutes of direct pressure.

 

Tip

Apply sunscreen of at least SPF 30 daily to a healed wound. The new skin that forms over a cut is more sensitive to sunlight and should be protected.

 

Burns and Scalds

A hot iron, a steaming cup of coffee — these are among the many things you never used to worry about in your life B.C. (before child). But now that you’ve got a curious crawler or new walker in the house, you need to prepare for a potential burn emergency.

 

Home Care

Only first-degree burns should be treated at home, says Jessica Cooper Foltin, MD, director of the Pediatric Emergency and Transport Program at NYU Medical Center. A first-degree burn affects the outer layer of skin, causing redness but no blistering.

 

To treat, run cool water over the area for several minutes, which will lower the skin temperature. Avoid icy-cold water, which will feel uncomfortable and may even decrease the flow of blood to the skin, says Dr. Foltin. Apply an aloe vera cream to ease pain, and cover the area with a damp gauze pad. Don’t apply ice, butter, or other home remedies, which can actually increase the size of the burn.

 

Call the Doctor If…

Your child has blistering burns (they’re second-degree burns, which affect the outer and underlying layer of skin); the burn covers a large area but is not blistered; or the burn is on the face, hands, feet, or genitals. Your child is not breathing, has suffered a serious burn such as an electrical burn, has a blistering burn over a large area, or needs immediate medical attention.

 

Tip

Never place hot food or drinks near the edge of a counter or table or on a tablecloth because kids can yank on it. Keep your water heater set at or below 120 degrees F. to prevent scalding. Don’t leave hot irons or hair appliances unattended or within reach of little hands.

 

Insect Bites

Mosquitoes, bees, and other insects seem to love young skin. While annoying and sometimes painful, most bites are harmless, Still, you need to be on the alert for allergic reactions and infection.

 

Home Care

If your child is scratching her mosquito bite, try applying a cool compress or rubbing an ice cube on the bite for several seconds. You can also alleviate itching with calamine lotion or a paste made of three teaspoons baking soda and one teaspoon water. For persistent or severe itching, ask your pediatrician if it’s okay to use a topical anesthetic cream such as Itch-X or a 1-percent hydrocortisone cream. Also, cut or file down your child’s fingernails so that any scratching will be less likely to break the skin and cause an infection.

 

A bee leaves behind a nasty calling card — a stinger attached to a venom sac. Don’t try to pull it out with your fingers or the stinger will release more poison. Use a clean fingernail, credit card, or the edge of a very dull knife to scrape the stinger out. Wash the area with soap and water and apply a wet washcloth or cold pack for several minutes. Then apply a paste of baking soda and water. To relieve the pain and itching from a sting, can ask your doctor about using an over-the-counter antihistamine such as liquid Benadryl. One caution: To avoid an overdose, never give your child an oral antihistamine at the same time as a topical one.

 

The bite of an infected tick can cause Lyme disease, a bacterial infection that usually first appears as a red bull’s-eye rash and triggers fatigue, aching joints, and other symptoms if left untreated. If you live in a rural or forested area or take a family camping trip, you’ll need to inspect everyone from head to toe for ticks when you come indoors. Be sure to wash all clothes too.

 

To remove a tick, use tweezers and grab it as close to the skin as possible. Pull back slowly, being careful not to squeeze, which may cause you to lose some of the tick in the skin. If you live in an area where tick diseases are common, save the tick in a small bottle of rubbing alcohol and call your doctor for advice.

 

Call the Doctor If…

An insect bite gets unusually large, becomes very painful, or appears to be infected. If Your child has an allergic reaction. In rare cases, anaphylaxis can occur, a potentially life-threatening condition with symptoms that affect more than one part of the body, such as throat swelling and hives.

Remember when a mosquito bite was just an itchy annoyance? Nowadays parents in many parts of the country worry about West Nile virus, which is transmitted by infected mosquitoes. Less than 1 percent of people who become infected with West Nile get seriously ill. But that’s little comfort for parents when mosquito bites start popping up like chickenpox in summer months.

 

To minimize bites: Keep children indoors at dawn and dusk; dress them in long-sleeve shirts and pants (weather permitting); and for kids 1 year and older, use an insect repellent with 10 percent or less DEET. Spray on clothing only, not on skin.

 

Head Bumps

You may never forget the first time your child falls and bumps his head. But be brave: There may be many "goose eggs" in your child’s future. The trick is learning which ones merit hugs and kisses and which call for professional help.

 

Home Care

If your toddler falls and hits his head, examine him for other injuries, says Dr. Yacoob, and watch for changes in behavior. If he cries but stays alert, he’s probably okay. Apply a cold compress to minimize swelling.

 

Call the Doctor If…

Your child vomits; loses consciousness briefly; doesn’t want to play; seems more tired, irritable, or quiet than usual; suffers headaches; or seems generally "out of it," Dr. Yacoob says. He may have a concussion. If there’s a divot in the skin of his skull, your child could have a fracture. Also call the doctor if your baby falls from a height of three feet or more — such as off a changing table; or if your child falls while being propelled, such as off a moving swing.

 

Splinters

Removing a splinter from a squirming baby or toddler can challenge even the most seasoned parent. It helps to have two adults for the job — one to remove the splinter and the other to distract an unhappy child.

 

Home Care

Wash the skin around the splinter with soapy water. Clean a pair of fine-tipped tweezers with rubbing alcohol, then slowly pull the splinter out. Apply an antibacterial ointment and cover the area with a bandage if it’s likely to get dirty. If the splinter isn’t easy to remove, leave it alone for a couple of hours and see if it works its way toward the surface. Never dig at the skin or you risk causing an infection.

 

Call the Doctor If…

You can’t remove a splinter safely.

 

Tip

For really soft splinters, like the ones from certain prickly plants, try using adhesive or duct tape to pull them out.

 

Choking

Babies are always putting things in their mouth. While mouthing is a natural part of learning and exploring, it puts them at serious risk of choking. Hard or gummy round foods are also dangerous.

 

Home Care

If your child appears to be choking but has a strong cry or a forceful cough (signs of little or no blockage), encourage him to cough, which may dislodge the object. Otherwise, begin first aid if your child can’t breathe, cough, or cry; makes high-pitched noises while breathing in; is blue in the face; or loses consciousness. Follow these steps for babies 12 months and younger. (For older children the technique is different. Call Doctor for instructions.)

 

1.    Lay the baby facedown along your forearm, with her head lower than her chest. Support the head with your hand around the jaw and under the chest, using your thigh for support. Give up to five quick back blows between the infant’s shoulder blades, using the heel of your free hand.

 

2.    If the child is still choking, turn her faceup. Use your thigh or lap for support. Support her head, which should be lower than her chest. Place two fingers on the middle of her sternum (breastbone) just below the nipples and give five quick downward thrusts. If the baby is still choking, repeat back blows and chest thrusts. Have someone call Doctor.

 

3.    If the baby loses consciousness, give infant CPR for a minute (call Doctor for instructions). If you can see the object blocking the airway, try to remove it.

 

Tip

Any adult or teenager caring for children should take a basic course in first aid and CPR, says Ellen Kempf, MD, a medical director at Akron Children’s Hospital in Ohio. To find a class, contact your local chapter of the American Red Cross or American Heart Association.

 

Accidental Poisoning

Little ones tend to think everything is ingestible. It’s up to you to keep potential poisons out of reach.

 

The Well-Stocked First-Aid Kit

Prepare first-aid kits for your home and car. Keep them out of reach of curious young hands. Include emergency phone numbers and any medications you may need, along with the following items:

 

1. Antibacterial ointment

2. Hydrocortisone cream (1 percent)

3. Alcohol wipes

4. Bandages Band-Aid Hurt-Free bandages promise painless removal, while the 100% Waterproof variety, both in drugstores) stay on even in the pool.

5. Gauze pads and roller gauze

6. Adhesive tape

7. Hand sanitizer

8. Cold pack

9. Scissors

10. Tweezers Tick Tweezer from Tweezerman does the job right.

11. Thermometer

12. Acetaminophen and ibuprofen

13. Itch-relief cream Aveeno Anti prevent bites with a swipe.

14. Activated charcoal

15. Aloe vera gel

The Truth About Babies

Teensy, miniature, fragile. The pure smallness of my first baby is what I remember being most unprepared for. I was shocked by how tiny he was, even at 8 pounds, 11 ounces. (The “-3 month” baby garments I’d brought to the hospital were useless.) For most first-time parents, that tiny new baby is a fascinating mystery, from the way he stares into your face to the softness of his skin. And while each infant is different, there are some universals, which can help you unravel why your baby does the things he does.

They lose and gain weight

Your baby will likely lose between 5 percent and 10 percent of his weight in the first week, even if he’s eating around the clock. The weight loss is due to loss of fluid and meconium. By the second week of life, however, most babies have regained the lost weight or even surpassed their birth weight.

 

They don’t need daily baths

A newborn only needs a complete bath two or three times a week; any more than that can dry out sensitive new skin. He does, however, need a daily cleansing of the diaper area with a mild baby soap and plenty of clean water (not wipes).

Until the umbilical cord stump falls off (sometime during the first two weeks), sponge baths are fine. And speaking of the bellybutton-to-be, it should be cleaned with rubbing alcohol at every diaper change until it’s completely healed.

 

Baby-soft skin may take a while

Some parents may be concerned about the tiny white spots, called milia, that often appear on a newborn baby’s face. More than half of all babies are born with them on the nose or cheeks, but this harmless condition usually disappears in the first weeks of life.

Other common skin conditions include cradle cap, a crusty scalp condition that usually can be alleviated by using a mild baby shampoo or, if necessary, a medicated lotion; peeling, dry skin on the hands and feet (try fragrance-free baby lotion); and, of course, diaper rash.

Besides the usual ointments, one way to discourage irritation on little bottoms is to forgo packaged wipes, which contain chemicals that can worsen a rash. The best way to clean a tender tushie? Plain old water on cotton balls or a washcloth that’s been double-rinsed to remove detergent.

 

It’s ok to cry

Crying is normal and healthy most of the time and helps babies communicate hunger, pain or the need for a new diaper.

But what of those times when an infant simply breaks out in cries for no apparent reason? It may be that he needs to be held and touched. “Barring all the usual causes, it is something I call baby boredom,” says Christine Wood., M.D., a pediatrician in Encinitas, Calif. “Once you pick them up and walk around, they’re fine for a few minutes, but the minute you stop, they start again. They seem to be looking for another type of stimulation.”

Many babies tend to cry in the evening. While doctors don’t know exactly what causes this pattern, proven soothing techniques include rocking, nursing, singing, swaddling, laying baby on his tummy over your knees, or even riding with him in the car.

 

They’ll squeak, rattle and hiccup

Even without speaking, a baby can make his presence known with his sneezes, hiccups, gurgles and rattly breathing. All these noises, no matter how strange, are completely normal. “The gurgling and rattles tend to peak at age 2 to 3 months,” says pediatrician William Sears, M.D., author of The Baby Book (Little Brown & Co., 1993) and The Family Nutrition Book (Little Brown & Co., 1999). One culprit, he says, is all the Extra saliva babies begin to produce in preparation for teething, which can lead to noisy bubble-making in an infant’s mouth and throat. Doctors don’t know why hiccups, which aren’t harmful, often occur.

 

Sneezing and snorting usually are attributed to dust irritating tiny nasal passages that haven’t yet grown the hairs to help filter out such particles.

 They’ll sleep a lot, but not at night

While newborns experience obvious active periods, they mostly sleep. “During the first weeks of life, babies will sleep 18 to 22 hours a day,” says William A. Engle, professor of pediatrics at the Indiana School of Medicine in Indianapolis.

The trick is in trying to make sure that the longer chunks of sleep occur at night. Not knowing that I could encourage my newborn son to stay awake a little longer during daylight hours, I was one of those parents who often found him wide awake and playful at 3 a.m., since he had taken deep “power naps” right after dinner.

It is possible to gently tamper with the sleep cycle by keeping baby awake (with play or baths, for example) for longer periods during early evening. Establishing separate day and night environments in the household (keeping lights low, avoiding play and minimizing stimulation in the evening) may also help baby sleep longer at night.

But even with a little prodding toward nighttime hours, parents of infants should understand that more than a few sleep-deprived nights lie in store. “They should expect two to three months of night wakings for feedings, diaper changes and development of self-comforting abilities,” says Engle. Some parents find that keeping their babies in bed with them helps everyone sleep better.

They can see what they need to see: you

Scientists have determined that newborns can focus their eyes on objects that are only about 18 inches or less away. Conveniently, that works out to roughly the length from the crook of your arm to your face, a baby’s favorite object to study.

Faces, especially familiar ones, fascinate infants for the first several weeks as they fine-tune their vision. They are able to recognize caregivers by face (if close enough) and voice. Tests have shown that even babies a few weeks old will turn their heads toward a parent instead of a stranger.

Studies have shown that while they are able to see some colors, newborns respond best to black and white (after about four months, bright colors) and that visual stimulation is vital as the eye-brain connection improves. Mobiles, toys and even ceiling fans will keep a newborn fascinated as he exercises his eyes and forms needed connections in the brain.

 They will eat. And Eat. And Eat.

 “A newborn’s stomach is about the size of a walnut,” says Carol Huotari, manager of the Center for Breastfeeding Information at La Leche League International. This is partly why newborns nurse around the clock. Another factor in the nearly constant feeding pattern of a newborn is that breast milk is easily digested; it is emptied from an infant’s stomach quickly, often in less than 30 minutes. Babies who formula-feed, on the other hand, may have slower emptying of their stomachs than breastfed babies. Still, they need to, and should, eat often. “In general, newborn babies will eat every two to four hours during the first weeks of life,” says pediatrics professor Engle. “We recommend feeding on demand rather than a schedule and eating until apparently full.”

Demand equals crying, and by responding quickly, you can avoid having the baby work himself into a full-blown fuss, which can make feeding difficult. And how can you tell if he’s full? Most infants will stop sucking or turn away from the nipple or bottle. Another way to tell if your baby is getting enough to eat is to keep track of dirty diapers. Breastfed infants, says pediatrician Wood, may have as many as eight to 10 stools a day (formula-fed babies may have fewer).

They need your touch

Babies thrive on touch, so hold yours as often as you can. “Touch and all kinds of interaction — [infants] need all the stimulation that comes naturally to parents,” says Wood. In addition to babies’ other senses, touch may be particularly critical, as evidenced by the fact that it is present at birth. “We believe the sequence [in which newborns develop their senses] is touch and sense of placement, then taste, smell, hearing and vision,” says Ann Critz, M.D., an associate professor of pediatrics at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta.

 

To get in as much touch time as possible, carry your baby with you in a sling or front carrier as you do chores, take naps together, and get in some extra strokes during feedings.

 

Flu Facts and Treatment An article from BabyZone.com By Dr. Karen Sadler, MD

What is the Flu?

The flu is a highly contagious viral infection of the upper respiratory system caused by the influenza virus. Found all over the world, the influenza virus causes yearly epidemics. Two types, A and B, are responsible for human infections—and within each type, there are different strains. This virus is so effective at causing illness because it has the capacity to mutate its genetic material often, so strains are different from season to season and worldwide. Immunity to one strain isn’t perfect against another, and immunity to type A doesn’t protect against type B, and vice versa.

 

When is Flu Season?

The flu season is generally from October to April, the cold weather season for most of the United States. Cases usually peak in mid-winter over two to three weeks, then trail off over the next six weeks or so. A highly infectious virus, the flu is transmitted from person to person either through direct contact or through contact with the small droplets of a cough or a sneeze.

 

One to three days after transmission, symptoms rear their ugly heads. Yet the flu is a sneaky sickness; children and adults are infectious a day or so before symptoms develop, meaning we spread this illness to others even before we know we have it! In general, children remain infectious longer than adults. Each year, between 10 and 20 percent of American adults and up to 30 percent of kids are infected. The degree of illness is variable from year to year: some years the flu is a mild variant, some years it is awful.

 

Complications
Most flu suffers recover without incident, especially the young and healthy, but when complications occur, they can be serious. Among them are dehydration, pneumonia, and inflammation of the muscles, heart, or even brain. Young children can also end up with a viral ear infection, and the particularly devastating Reye’s syndrome can occur when aspirin is given to children with the flu (which is why aspirin is rarely used for children anymore). Because of this, it’s crucial that parents recognize the symptoms of flu and know how to treat it and when to get medical help.

 

Flu Symptoms

Though millions of us are exposed to the flu each year, for some the illness is very mild, no more bothersome than a cold. Others have no symptoms at all, while some unfortunate people are completely miserable. Typically, a case of the flu starts abruptly with a fever and that achy, "I’m coming down with something" feeling. The fever is usually higher than that of other respiratory viruses, up to 104° or 105° F. Quickly following are achiness, fatigue, chills, cough, sore throat, runny nose, glassy eyes, and loss of appetite. A headache, conjunctivitis, stomach pain, nausea and vomiting and a croupy cough may also be present.

 

It isn’t always possible to tell the flu from a bad cold, but, in general, flu sufferers are more miserable—and since the flu occurs in epidemics, many others in the community are often affected at the same time. Basically, if it looks, feels, and acts like the flu during flu season, it probably is. After about three to six days, symptoms get better, though the cough and fatigue can drag on for weeks.

 

When to Seek Urgent Medical Attention

• High or prolonged fever

• Fast breathing or trouble breathing

• Bluish skin color

• Not drinking enough fluids

• Changes in mental status, such as not waking up or not interacting; being so irritable that the child does not want to be held; or seizures

• Flu-like symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough

• Worsening of underlying chronic medical conditions (for example, heart or lung disease, diabetes)

 

Treatment
Like most viruses, there isn’t a medicine that provides a cure. The best flu treatment is supportive. For muscle aches and fever, give your child a pain reliever such as children’s acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Good, old-fashioned bed rest is also recommended (though who feels like getting out of bed anyway?). Also fluids are extremely important, especially for small children who dehydrate quickly. During the worst of the illness, getting fluids into a child is more important than pushing food. Try frozen fruit bars as a way of encouraging him to get extra liquids along with soup or broth, which may ease congestion as well.

 

• Plenty of rest

• Lots of liquids

• Give appropriate dosage of acetaminophen or ibuprofen to relieve the symptoms of flu.

• Keep children home from school and daycare when they are sick. They will rest better and you will help prevent others from catching their illness.

• If she’s old enough, show your child to cover her mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. It may prevent those around her from getting sick.

 

When To Call the Doctor

For very small children (preschool age and younger), call your pediatrician with any high-grade fever (over 102.5° F). Call also if you are concerned about dehydration (a decrease in urine, lethargy, a sticky mouth, no tears when crying are some of the signs) or if your child is having trouble breathing or looks seriously ill. If you are worried, an earlier call to your doctor will at least put him/her on notice about what is going on and to the fact that you may need to come in.

 

Prevention through Vaccination

Vaccination is the most often the best way to prevent influenza. An appropriately vaccinated community suffers much less during flu season. Our national vaccination campaign targets those at high risk of either doing poorly with the flu, getting the flu or spreading the flu. Individuals over 50, those with underlying chronic illnesses, and women pregnant during the flu season are urged to get a flu vaccine. In the pediatric world, the following groups are targeted for immunization:

 

1. Children between six months and 23 months

2. Children over six months with underlying heart or lung disease, including asthma

3. Children with metabolic, kidney, and certain blood diseases and the immunosuppressed

4. Any child on chronic aspirin therapy

 

Others who should optimally receive the vaccine include household contacts of high-risk individuals, day care and medical personnel, and those working or living in long-term care residential facilities. For children older than five, a second, newer vaccine option is available via a nasal spray. No influenza vaccine is currently available for infants under six months.

 

Flu Prevention Basics

Just like the old saying goes, "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure." If the flu vaccine is not recommended for your child or if you are not in favor of vaccinating for some other reason, there are still some fundamental precautions you can take to help prevent the spread of flu in your household.

 

ü  Teach children to not cough or sneeze without using a tissue.

ü  Teach children the importance of washing their hands often and wash your hands frequently.

ü  Use disposable paper cups in the bathroom and kitchen.

ü  Avoid direct contact with family members or friends who are infected with the flu virus.

ü  Regularly wash and disinfect toys that have been sneezed on or placed in your child’s mouth.

ü  See that your family eats a well-balanced diet and drinks plenty of fluids.

 

About the Author

Dr. Sadler is a board-certified pediatrician who has been working in the Boston area for 13 years. She completed her medical studies at Harvard Medical School in 1988 and went on to her residency at Children’s Hospital Medical Center in Boston. The mother of three, Dr. Sadler is committed to healthcare for the underprivileged, as well as medical education. She is an associate instructor of pediatrics at Boston University School of Medicine and sits on numerous committees including the Massachusetts State Women Infant Child Program. As a member of our expert panel, Dr. Sadler can be contacted regarding pediatric care questions on her BabyZone expert page.

 

Late Walkers An article from iParenting Media

Although sitting up, crawling and talking are fun milestones, nothing brings your baby more freedom than walking. All parents look forward to that day when their little one takes his first steps toward toddlerhood. But when those steps don’t come around 12 months of age, many parents start to worry.

 

"Walking is a common concern for young parents because they feel walking is related to intelligence," says Brenda Nixon, parenting expert and author of The Birth to Five Book (Revell, 2009). "It’s the old, ‘My baby is smarter because he walked at 10 months,’ thinking. Walking is related to a tot’s temperament and opportunity, not intelligence."

 

Late Walkers

Most parents expect their child to start walking around her first birthday, but the normal age range actually varies from as young as 9 months up to 18 months. Within this normal range, a child may be closer to the 18-month end for a couple of reasons – mainly lack of opportunity, genetics and temperament. "Often parents tell me their 13-month-old isn’t walking, and my question is, ‘Do you give her the opportunity?’" Nixon says. "I advise parents not to whisk up their tot and walk out the door; rather, hold her hand and let her walk herself. Also, I encourage parents to hold their child’s hand and slowly walk through the house, outdoors and to the car, or allow their tot to hold the side of a grocery cart and toddle along with them in the store. This is the opportunity and practice tots need."

 

"When my daughter was 19 months old, she would walk if someone held her hand, but not by herself," says Nichols, who was a late walker herself. "Then after two or three weeks of that, she just got up on her feet and walked as if she’d been doing it for months. I think she just didn’t want to fall. Or she was concentrating on learning how to talk and didn’t see much point in walking."

 

When Should You Be Concerned?

While most late walkers are fine, healthy children, there are developmental reasons for missing this milestone.

 

"Some children with neuromuscular, genetic or metabolic disorders may walk late due to an underlying medical condition," says Dr. Daniel Brennan, a pediatrician at the Sansum Clinic and Cottage Children’s Hospital in Santa Barbara, Calif. "Other children may walk late due to an underlying orthopedic problem, such as hip dysplasia. These children can be evaluated by their pediatrician and a pediatric orthopedist."

 

Kelly Garrow, a mom from Wauseon, Ohio, was concerned when her daughter didn’t walk until 17 months, but she was not overly worried because many family members were also late walkers. "However, as it turns out, our daughter’s late walking was a sign of some mild developmental disabilities," Garrow says. "Her speech did not develop normally, she has ADHD and learning disabilities and she is, overall, quite uncoordinated."

 

Both of Kristin Mikarts’ children were late walkers because of low muscle tone. Her oldest son didn’t walk until 22 months and her second walked at 3 years old. In both children, their pediatrician noticed a problem with low muscle tone when they were less than 6 months old.

 

"Through all of this, here is my advice to other parents: If you think something is wrong, seek help," says Mikarts, a mom from Venice, Fla. "But it’s not the end of the world! If they recommend giving it some time, then work with your child – but don’t get stressed about it. Someone has to be at the ‘bottom’ for there to be an average! Sometimes the child is just a bit big or small. Sometimes they are just super laid back and don’t need to move. Sometimes we do everything for them and they don’t have to walk or talk!"

 

What’s important to realize is that motor development progresses throughout infancy, and children with gross motor development issues will start exhibiting these delays immediately.

 

"Usually if a child is a late walker, then he was a late sitter," says Dr. Peter Greenspan, the associate chief and medical director for MassGeneral Hospital for Children in Boston. Major gross motor development milestones include head control at 4 months and sitting at 6 to 8 months. "A child who doesn’t sit at 10 or 11 months will probably be a late walker," Dr. Greenspan says. "But gross motor delays don’t just come out of the blue."

 

When little ones fall behind their peers, parents can’t help worrying. But in most cases, late walking is no reason for concern. "Children focus on different skills at different times, so there is a wide range of normal," says Helen Neville, a nurse specialist and author of Is This a Phase? Child Development and Parenting Strategies, Birth to 6 Years (Parenting Press, 2007). "When a child is late with a particular milestone, there may or may not be specific things the parents should do to help. Sometimes just waiting is exactly the right thing, and sometimes early help is very important. That’s why an evaluation of your individual child with a knowledgeable professional is so important."

 

A baby is God’s opinion that the world should go on.

 

The Little One >> at Five your Master, at Ten your Servant, at Fifteen your Double, and after that, your Friend or Foe, depending on his bringing up.

 

A woman went to the beach with her children. Her 4-year-old son ran up to her, grabbed her hand, and led her to the shore where a dead seagull lay in the sand. "Mommy, what happened to him?" the little boy asked. "He died and went to heaven," she replied. The child thought for a moment and said, "And God threw him back down?"

Reference: Anonymous

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