By Jamell Andrews
With the hot days of summer fast approaching, it’s time to start thinking about keeping your baby safe and healthy as the temperatures rise. While there is certainly no need to stay inside all summer and miss out on the fun that the season has to offer, there are some precautions you should take to protect your baby.
When the Temperature Rises
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As a new parent, you’re going to see and experience all kinds of things that you never have before, which can be both exciting and a little scary all at once. Chances are you’ll notice every last little thing about your new bundle of joy and some of these things may freak you out, for lack of a better term. While being alert and aware of potential issues is a good thing as a new parent, knowing what not to worry about can help make this special time a little easier.
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By Lisa Pecos
Skin issues are par for the course when a baby is in his or her first year of life. Our skin is a protective barrier meant to keep bacteria out and it gets better at doing this after the first year of life as the pigment increases and the skin gets thicker. Until your baby’s skin adjusts to the environment around it though, it’s more susceptible to irritation.
Knowing which skin issues are common in babies and how to treat them can help prepare you for what’s to come and spare you some of the anxiety and worry that’s natural when your baby’s delicate skin becomes red or flaky.
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If you give birth at a conventional maternity ward, chances are when the baby is born, you will be surrounded by various hospital personnel who will quickly pick up the newborn once the umbilical cord is cut, then transport her a few steps to the small table where she will be cleaned. The baby will then be quickly wrapped, or swaddled, in a small bed sheet or a baby blanket.
The idea with swaddling is that it gives babies comfort by somewhat recreating the “cocooned” feeling the baby had while she was still inside your body. Swaddling also binds baby’s extremities close to the body, so that she won’t startle herself awake when she jerks her little limbs while she sleeps.
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It breaks a parent’s heart to see their infant’s skin go from smooth and petal-soft, to developing patches of reddish or whitish dry, rough, itchy skin. And the constant itching is an affliction to both baby and parent. Yet, eczema, also called atopic dermatitis or simply dermatitis, is relatively common among babies. Ten to fifteen percent of all infants will develop this chronic autoimmune condition; some babies are as young as one or two months when symptoms start, but more often, the condition will develop in the first six months of life. Sixty-five percent of babies who will develop eczema show their first symptoms by the time they turn one year of age. Ninety percent of all children who will have eczema show symptoms within the first five years of life.
The propensity for eczema can be inherited from a close relative, or it can be indicative of allergies to certain foods, pet dander or potentially irritating substances like soaps and fragrances.
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