Author: Splash Creative

About 11-13% of pregnancies in the US result in premature birth and about 60% of twins and triplets are born prematurely. If your baby was born early, you might have questions and concerns about their development and health. Caring for a premature baby will depend on the degree of prematurity. Late preterm occurs between 34-36 weeks of completed pregnancy. Moderately preterm occurs between 32-34 weeks. A very preterm birth occurs between 26-31 weeks and extremely preterm occurs at or before 25 weeks. 

The more premature the baby is, the more likely they are to have health issues and disabilities. For babies born too early, a neonatologist (a pediatrician who specializes in the care of premature babies) may be called in to determine if any special treatment is needed. To learn about some of the common medical conditions that can affect premature infants and the way they’re treated, check out this resource here. Most premature babies are born in the late stage and will grow up to be healthy kids thanks to medical advancement.

Premature babies will be smaller than babies born at full term and their heads will seem larger in relation to the rest of their bodies. Their skin will also be thinner and they will have less fat, so they will get cold even in room temperature. That is why when babies are born early, they are placed into incubators to warm them. Some preemies can have trouble breathing because their respiratory system is not yet fully developed. If this happens, your baby will need to be under close observation by doctors and may be given a ventilator or a breathing assistance equipment for support. Premature babies may have to spend more time in the NICU so that they receive the best care they need. 

You might notice that your premature baby doesn’t sleep through the night. This is common for the first 6 to 8 months. To help your baby, maintain a quiet, calm, and relaxing environment during night feedings and use minimal or soft lighting. During the daytime when your baby is awake, interact and play with them. Over time, this will teach your child the difference between day and night. 

When it comes to growth and development, preemies will need to have their age calculated and adjusted during the first two years so that you know what developmental milestones to expect. To calculate the corrected age, take your baby’s actual age in weeks and subtract it from the number of weeks they were preterm. For example, if your baby was born 6 weeks ago and they were born 2 weeks earlier than their due date, the corrected age is 4 weeks. The developmental milestones expected for 4-weeks-olds is what you can expect for your 6-weeks-old preemie. 

If there are any developmental delays, it’s important that they get addressed early for early intervention so that you can get your baby on track. To learn about the developmental milestones for premature babies, check out this guide to save.

Just like with any baby, your infant should have regular well checkups. It’s not necessary for all premature babies to have more well visits than babies born at full term. However, if your baby has health issues, they may need more checkups for us to monitor their conditions and provide special care.  

For questions or concerns about your preemie’s health and development or to schedule your baby’s well checkup, call our office. 

 

It’s back-to-school season and we got some tips and things to add to your checklist to ensure a healthy, safe, and productive year for your kids!

Firstly, we suggest preparing for the first day in advance, whether your child is starting school for the first time or entering a new grade. Many kids feel anxious about changes, like being in a new classroom and having a different teacher. Talk to them beforehand and share some of the positive aspects of school, such as making friends or learning their favorite subject. It’s also helpful to rehearse the first day or take your child to visit the school before they start so that they have an idea of what to expect and become more familiar with the environment.

If your child is going to a new school, see if there’s an orientation available that both you and them can attend. They can tour the school and meet their teachers prior to their first day. There are also many books available about starting school to read with them. Many of these share what to expect and feature characters who overcome their fears. It’s always best to prepare as much as possible for the first day, including reviewing your child’s schedule with them, knowing where their classroom is and what supplies they’ll need, and reading through the school’s guidelines. 

Before your child begins their first day, help them get back into their sleep routine for school. If your child developed a different sleep pattern during the summer holidays, they might have become used to going to bed later and waking up later. We recommend making the sleep transition prior to the start of the year so that they have the right routine once they’re back in school. Getting adequate sleep is not only important for your child’s physical and mental health, but important for their academic performance. Sleep deprivation can make it difficult for children to focus in school and can negatively affect their memory skills. 

As a reminder, grade-school children need 9-12 hours of sleep per night and teenagers need 8-10 hours. It’s best to maintain a regular sleep routine where children go to bed and wake up at the same times each day. Consistency will help your child sleep well through the night. We also recommend turning off screen devices at least one hour before your child goes to bed. The light from screen devices can cause sleep disruption or make it difficult for your child to fall asleep. 

In addition to making sure that your child is well rested, it’s also essential to start your child’s day with a healthy and nutritious breakfast. A well-balanced meal in the morning will give them the energy they need for school. 

If your kids will be taking the bus, review safety precautions with them like looking both ways on the street for any vehicles before crossing. They should also wait to board the bus until it completely stops and puts out the stop sign. 

A new school year might mean a new backpack for your child. You’ll always want to avoid a poorly fitted one as it can be unsafe for your child’s back and posture. Instead, find a backpack that has wide and padded shoulder straps and make sure to adjust them so that the bottom sits at your child’s waist. Kids should always wear both straps together to prevent muscle strain and backpacks should never weigh more than 10-20% of your child’s weight. 

Lastly, an important thing to remember for back-to-school season is keeping up with your child’s well checkups. We’ll make sure that their immunizations are up-to-date and can provide all of the necessary medical forms they’ll need for school and sports. Contact our office if you have any questions or to make an appointment.

Mosquitoes, biting flies, and ticks can make kids (and adults) miserable! Insect bites happen

more commonly during the summer, especially from mosquitoes. They can cause a great deal of discomfort, irritation, and even pain. In a few cases, they can also cause serious illness, like

Lyme disease which is transmitted from ticks. We know bug bites are annoying! So we have

some tips for you to follow to ensure a comfortable and safe summer for you and your kids. 

One of the best ways to protect your children is to use an insect repellent that has been registered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). We recommend checking out this search tool to find the right one for your family. Note that the most effective repellents contain DEET. The higher the concentration of DEET is, the longer protection it will provide. 10% DEET provides about 2 hours of protection and 30% provides about 5 hours of protection. Choose the lowest concentration that will be effective based on the amount of time your child will be outside. If you know you will be out for an hour, for an example, choose a product with 10% DEET. Increase the DEET percentage if spending a longer time outside. 

Bug sprays that have more than 30% DEET do not provide longer protection, however, and greater than 30% DEET is not recommended to be used on children. It is also helpful to use sprays that contain picaridin which is particularly effective for repelling mosquitoes. Using a concentration of 20% can protect your family for 8 to 12 hours. Premethrin-containing products are most effective against ticks. But, it’s important to know that they should NOT be applied to skin directly but to clothing instead.

Insect repellents only protect against biting insects and not stinging ones such as bees, wasps and hornets. They should be applied only on exposed skin (not under clothing) and to the outside of your child’s clothing. Using more of the product does not make the repellent more

effective. Another thing to be aware of when it comes to insect repellents is to avoid products

that are combined with sunscreen. These products can overexpose your child to DEET as

sunscreen needs to be reapplied every 2 hours.

We always advise following the directions carefully on the repellent products and read any warnings. Never apply insect repellent to a child younger than 2 months of age. Be extra cautious and conservative with the amount you use for children under 2 years old. It is best to apply the repellent on young children until they’re old enough to do it on their own. And even for older children, it is recommended that they are supervised. 

When applying the repellent to your child’s face, do not spray directly as it can get into their eyes or mouth. Instead, spray it on your hand and then rub the product on their face. Make sure to avoid the eyes and mouth, as well as any cuts or wounds since the spray can cause them to sting. Wash your child’s skin with soap and water to remove any repellent

when they return indoors, and clean their clothes before they wear them again. If your child

develops any negative reaction to the spray, discontinue use immediately and wash their skin

with soap and water. Call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222 for assistance if and when needed.

Aside from repellents, dressing your children in lightweight clothes that cover most of the skin

and hats can also keep them safe from insects. To protect babies, consider

putting a mosquito net over their stroller whenever you are in areas where there are a lot of

mosquitoes. Encourage your children to stay away from garbage cans, stagnant pools of water,

or flower beds as insects often congregate there. You’ll also want to keep the door and window screens in good repair and avoid the use of scented perfumes, lotions, etc. on your child as these can attract insects.

If your child gets a bite from a tick and the tick stays attached to the skin, it is important to

remove the tick immediately. You can do so with a pair of tweezers. Hold the tweezers sideways to the skin and grasp the tick to pull it upwards. After the tick is removed, wash the wound with soap and water. You can then apply an over-the-counter antibiotic ointment. Check your child’s skin at the end of each day if you live in an area where ticks are present and your child has been playing outdoors. If your child experiences a rash or fever from a tick bite or any other insect bite, call our office right away.

MYTHS!

The following types of products are not effective for repelling insects: wristbands soaked in chemical repellents, garlic or Vitamin B taken by mouth, ultrasonic devices that give off sounds waves and designed to keep insects away, bird or bat houses, and backyard bug zappers (insects may actually be attracted to your yard!).