Archives for Day: July 28, 2009
How to Prevent Choking and Perform the Heimlich Maneuver
The mechanism for chewing and swallowing is underdeveloped in this age group and so they are more likely to inhale food or an object into their trachea. In addition the trachea itself is quite narrow at this age which exacerbates the possibility of choking on food or small objects. Foods that are round or hard are the most common sources of choking and include: grapes, hot dog, olives, apple, carrot, popcorn, Bisli, raisins and candy. These foods are very easily inhaled into the lungs during eating. In addition there is choking danger in many small toys but especially: marbles, Lego, metal cubes, and toys that can be disassembled to small pieces.
Understanding Breastfeeding
Everyone knows that the natural way to nourish an infant is to breastfeed. The English word nursing is from the same source as nourishing. It seems like it should be as natural as pregnancy, labor and delivery. The problem is, breastfeeding doesn’t always work out well for the mother and the baby. There are many factors involved which can influence the success or failure of nursing. Here is an overview of the subject.
Constipation in Children
The miserable symptoms of constipation can occur at any age. The problem is defined as difficulty passing bowel movements. Constipation can also cause poor appetite, irritability, abdominal pain, rectal pain and bleeding. Here is a basic overview on this common problem.
Preventing SIDS
Since 1994 the American Academy of Pediatrics has advocated that infants should sleep on their backs to prevent “crib death.” The campaign, called “Back to Sleep,” was undertaken in response to research published first in New Zealand, then Australia, England, and many other countries, which showed that infants who sleep on their tummies had a statistically significant greater risk of crib death than infants who sleep on their backs. It has been speculated that the reason for this is that infants, who cannot roll over, will sometimes breathe in their own exhaled carbon dioxide when they are sleeping on their faces. This causes a deeper sleep, in which their muscle tone becomes so relaxed that they allow themselves to smother.
Chicken Pox Symptoms
Varicella is one of the most common contagious diseases in children. It is caused by the virus varicella-zoster.
The symptoms of varicella include: fever, weakness, and after a few days-rash.