baby health

The APGAR scale, also known as the APGAR index, is a test done on the newborn soon after birth that assesses your overall condition and vitality, helping to identify if any type of extra medical care or treatment is needed after birth . This assessment is done within the first minute of birth and is repeated 5 days after delivery, taking into account baby's characteristics such as activity, heart rate, color, respiration, and natural reflexes

Taking a warm bath in the baby, with a temperature of 36ºC, is a great way to reduce fever naturally, but put a wet hand towel in cold water on the forehead; in the neck; armpits or baby's groin is also an excellent strategy. Fever in the baby, which is when the temperature is above 37.5 ° C, which is not always a sign of illness, as it can also be caused by heat, over-clothes, teeth birth or reaction to the vaccine.

Conjunctivitis in the baby is characterized by inflammation of the conjunctiva, a membrane that lines the eyes and eyelids, leaving the baby's eyes red, watery, with discharge and itching. The treatment of conjunctivitis in the baby should be directed by the ophthalmologist or pediatrician and can be done with antibiotic eye drops or ointments, antihistamine remedies or cleaning the eyes with gels moistened in filtered water or saline, according to the type of conjunctivitis

Breast candidiasis is a fungal infection that generates symptoms such as pain, redness, hard-to-heal wound and pinched sensation in the breast while the baby breast and remain after the baby finishes breastfeeding. The treatment is done with the use of antifungal medicines in the form of ointment or tablet, indicated by the doctor

Constipation is a very common problem in infants because their digestive system is still not well developed. Many mothers complain that their babies have colic, dry and dry stools, intestinal discomfort and difficulty in pooping, which is often a reason to take the child to the doctor. The best option in these cases is to have adequate and high fiber food, give enough water for the baby and if none of these methods is enough to improve the problem, it may be necessary to give medicines for the baby, which should always be recommended by the doctor

The omphalocele corresponds to the malformation of the abdominal wall during the process of fetal development, being noticed the presence of organs, such as intestine, liver and spleen, outside the abdominal cavity. This congenital disease can be diagnosed between the 8th and 12th gestation by means of imaging studies performed during pregnancy and the early diagnosis is efficient regarding the preparation of the medical staff for the childbirth because it is likely that the baby will be submitted to surgery after birth to put the organ in its correct place, avoiding complications

Childhood bruxism can be treated with dentition protectors or bite boards made by the dentist to fit the child's teeth to prevent their wear. These plates should be worn at night, which is when most children grind their teeth. In addition, if bruxism is caused by dental problems, such as using the appliance or misalignment between the top and bottom teeth, for example, it is important to consult your dentist to institute appropriate treatment

Congenital cataract is a malformation of the lens of the eye that develops during gestation, so the baby is born with this change, causing a white film to exist within the eye. This change can affect only one eye or both and usually has healing, through a simple surgery that replaces the lens of the baby's eye

When the baby's eyes are producing too much patch and are tearing too much, this may be a sign of conjunctivitis. Here's how to identify and treat conjunctivitis in the baby. One can suspect this disease especially if the patch is yellowish and thicker than normal, which can leave even the eyes glued

To take care of the baby's rash, called erythema of the diaper, the mother should first identify if the baby is actually with rash. For this, the mother should check if the baby's skin that is in contact with the diaper like the buttocks, genitals, groin, upper thighs or lower abdomen is reddish, hot or with bubbles

Intellectual deficiency corresponds to the delay in the cognitive development of some children that can be perceived by learning difficulty, little interaction with other people and inability to perform simple and adequate activities for their age. Intellectual disability, also called ID, is a developmental disorder that affects about 2 to 3 percent of children and can occur due to a variety of situations, from complications during pregnancy or childbirth to genetic changes such as Down's Syndrome and the X-Fragile Syndrome, for example

The number of hours a baby needs to sleep varies according to his age and growth, and when he is newborn, he usually sleeps about 16 to 20 hours a day, whereas when he is 1 year old age, already sleeps about 10 hours a night and does two naps during the day, from 1 to 2 hours each. Although babies sleep most of the time, up to about 6 months of age, they do not sleep many hours at a time because they wake up or have to be awake to nurse

The cramps in the baby are common but uncomfortable, usually causing a lot of pain, which is indicated by constant crying. Colic can be a sign of various situations, such as ingestion of air at the time of suckling or taking milk in the bottle, consumption of foods that produce many gases or due to intolerance to some food or component, for example

Shaken Baby Syndrome can occur when adults make jerky movements in children under 2 years of age, such as swinging them back and forth with force and without supporting the head or making jokes involving throwing the child up. These sudden movements can cause bleeding and lack of oxygen in the baby's brain, as they still have weak neck muscles, not having the strength to hold their head properly

The baby's teeth begin to be born, more or less, from 6 months of age, however, it is important to start taking care of the baby's mouth soon after birth to avoid baby bottle caries, which is more frequent when baby drinks milk at night and then goes to sleep without washing his mouth, or when parents sweeten the baby's pacifier for him to sleep

Persistent fetal vascularization, known scientifically as hyperplastic persistence of the primitive vitreous, is a rare malformation in the baby's eyes, which causes the appearance of a white membrane within the child's eye. Generally, persistent fetal vascularization is more common in preterm infants and is not related to genetic factors, but rather is a parent to child

The surgery for the tongue caught in the baby is usually only done after 6 months and is only recommended when the baby can not nurse or, later, when the child can not speak properly due to lack of movement of the tongue, for example. Generally, surgery is the only way to cure the tongue trapped in the baby, especially when there is difficulty in sucking or speech delay due to the problem

The total or partial obstruction of the channel that leads to tears is called dacryostenosis. Blockage of the lacrimal canal may be congenital, due to inadequate development of the lacrimonasal system, or acquired, and may result from blows to the nose or facial bones, for example. Obstruction of the canal is not usually severe, however, the doctor should be informed so that treatment can be given if necessary, as there may be inflammation of the obstructed canal, which is known as dacryocystitis

The potassium permanganate bath can be used to help treat itching and heal common skin wounds, and is especially useful in cases of chicken pox, a common childhood disease that is also called chickenpox. This bath serves to eliminate the bacteria and fungi of the skin, because it has antiseptic action, being a good cicatrizante for wounds of burns and chicken pox, for example

Allergy to the skin of the baby is common, as the skin is thinner and more sensitive, thus, being more susceptible to infections, for example. In addition, it can be easily irritated by any factor, be it heat or tissues, leading to the appearance of red spots, itching and change in skin texture. See what are the most common skin problems in babies