Playdate http://www.playdate.com Parenting tips and advice from our panel of experts, find things to do and get great playdate ideas Thu, 20 Aug 2020 16:00:00 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=4.7.4 High Viral Loads Make Kids ‘Silent Spreaders’ of COVID-19 http://www.playdate.com/high-viral-loads-make-kids-silent-spreaders-of-covid-19/ http://www.playdate.com/high-viral-loads-make-kids-silent-spreaders-of-covid-19/#respond Thu, 20 Aug 2020 16:00:00 +0000 http://www.playdate.com/high-viral-loads-make-kids-silent-spreaders-of-covid-19/ read more]]> THURSDAY, Aug. 20, 2020 (HealthDay News) — The largest study of its kind finds that children can carry exceedingly high amounts of the new coronavirus, even in the absence of symptoms.

Researchers say that could make them ideal “silent spreaders” of COVID-19, throwing the safety of reopening schools into question.

“If schools were to reopen fully without necessary precautions, it is likely that children will play a larger role in this pandemic,” said study senior author Dr. Alessio Fasano. He directs the Mucosal Immunology and Biology Research Center at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.

The study of 192 children and young adults — newborns to 22-year-olds — found that 49 tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 and another 18 showed symptoms of COVID-19 illness.

What’s more, infected children harbored very high levels of virus within their airways — viral loads exceeding those of very sick adult patients cared for in intensive care units.

That’s important, because the ability of an infected person to transmit SARS-CoV-2 rises with the amount of virus in their system.

“I was surprised by the high levels of virus we found in children of all ages, especially in the first two days of infection,” said study lead author Dr. Lael Yonker, director of the MGH Cystic Fibrosis Center.

“I was not expecting the viral load to be so high. You think of a hospital, and of all of the precautions taken to treat severely ill adults, but the viral loads of these hospitalized patients are significantly lower than a ‘healthy child’ who is walking around with a high SARS-CoV-2 viral load,” she said in a hospital news release.

Fasano believes the role of kids in spreading COVID-19 may have been underestimated.

“During this COVID-19 pandemic, we have mainly screened symptomatic subjects, so we have reached the erroneous conclusion that the vast majority of people infected are adults,” he said in the release. “However, our results show that kids are not protected against this virus. We should not discount children as potential spreaders for this virus.”

The Boston team agreed that in the vast majority of cases, children infected with the new coronavirus will not come down with severe illness. The real danger lies in their mingling with more vulnerable adults.

In the new study, more than half of infected children came from low-income communities, where homes often include multiple generations — including grandparents highly vulnerable to COVID-19.

The new findings come as many schools reopen for the fall. But the researchers believe in-person learning should only occur under the strictest guidelines.

Because so many kids with high viral loads show no symptoms, relying on body temperature checks or symptom monitoring won’t be enough to keep teachers and other staff safe, Fasano and Yonker said.

Instead, random testing of students and a host of safety measures — mask wearing when feasible, social distancing, hand-washing, and a combo of remote and in-person learning — could help suppress the spread of COVID-19 within schools.

“This study provides much-needed facts for policymakers to make the best decisions possible for schools, day care centers and other institutions that serve children,” Fasano said. “Kids are a possible source of spreading this virus, and this should be taken into account in the planning stages for reopening schools.”

Two infectious disease experts who weren’t connected to the study said it provides valuable insight.

Dr. Amesh Adalja, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security in Baltimore, said the findings run counter to other reports that have suggested kids aren’t big spreaders of the virus.

“The study adds to the mystery of children and their role in transmission,” Adalja said. “The fact that they have such high viral loads and yet haven’t driven outbreaks remains puzzling as day care centers have been open throughout the pandemic and not linked to outbreaks.”

Dr. Dolly Sharma directs pediatric infectious diseases at Staten Island University Hospital in New York City. She agreed that “silent, asymptomatic carriage and transmission of SARS-CoV-2 by children remains a significant concern in relation to reopening of schools, day care centers and universities.

“Aside from potential risk of transmission throughout households, the finding of high viral loads being carried by children raises similar concerns for teachers, staff and other educational employees who may also be considered high-risk and, if infected, have potential to carry the virus home to other at-risk individuals,” Sharma said.

The study was published Aug. 20 in The Journal of Pediatrics.

More information

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more on the new coronavirus.

]]>
http://www.playdate.com/high-viral-loads-make-kids-silent-spreaders-of-covid-19/feed/ 0
Clotting Tied to COVID-19 May Harm the Placenta http://www.playdate.com/clotting-tied-to-covid-19-may-harm-the-placenta/ http://www.playdate.com/clotting-tied-to-covid-19-may-harm-the-placenta/#respond Wed, 27 May 2020 16:00:00 +0000 http://www.playdate.com/clotting-tied-to-covid-19-may-harm-the-placenta/ read more]]> WEDNESDAY, May 27, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Women who had COVID-19 while pregnant showed evidence of placental injury, suggesting a new complication of the illness, researchers say.

The good news from the small study of 16 women is that “most of these babies were delivered full-term after otherwise normal pregnancies,” said study senior author Dr. Jeffrey Goldstein. He’s assistant professor of pathology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago.

However, signs of reduced blood flow in the placentas of women infected with the new coronavirus does have doctors concerned.

Right now, COVID-19 injury to the placenta “doesn’t appear to be inducing negative outcomes in live-born infants, based on our limited data, but it does validate the idea that women with COVID should be monitored more closely,” Goldstein said in a university news release.

The placenta provides the fetus with nutrients and oxygen from the mother, while at the same time removing waste.

In the research, the Chicago team examined the placentas of the women immediately after they gave birth. The researchers found signs of abnormal blood flow between the mothers and their babies.

All of the women had tested positive for COVID-19, but their symptoms varied. Five never developed any symptoms of coronavirus infection at all, the researchers noted. Four had flu-like symptoms three or four weeks prior to delivering their babies, while others showed symptoms at the time of delivery.

Only one baby was born prematurely; 14 others had normal delivery times and weights. One woman suffered a miscarriage in her second trimester.

Most “were healthy, full-term, beautifully normal babies, but our findings indicate a lot of the blood flow was blocked off and many of the placentas were smaller than they should have been,” said study co-author Dr. Emily Miller, assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Feinberg.

She explained that nature has equipped placentas to supply adequate nutrients to the fetus, even when placed under great strain.

“Even with only half of it working, babies are often completely fine,” Miller said in the release. “Still, while most babies will be fine, there’s a risk that some pregnancies could be compromised.”

According to the research team, two abnormalities were noted in the placentas studied: abnormal blood vessels involved in the transmission of blood from the mom to the fetus (a condition called maternal vascular malperfusion), and blood clots within the placenta, called intervillous thrombi.

Blood pressure was not an issue. Even though some women develop spikes in blood pressure during pregnancy (preeclampsia), the issue did not appear to affect the women in this study.

Still, “there is an emerging consensus that there are problems with coagulation and blood vessel injury in COVID-19 patients,” Goldstein said. “Our findings support that there might be something clot-forming about coronavirus, and it’s happening in the placenta.”

The findings, published May 22 in the American Journal of Clinical Pathology, suggest that doctors should closely monitor pregnant women during the coronavirus pandemic, according to the authors.

Closer monitoring might include non-stress tests, which assess how well the placenta is delivering oxygen, or growth ultrasounds, which measure if the baby is growing at a healthy rate, Miller said.

“Not to paint a scary picture, but these findings worry me,” Miller said. “I don’t want to draw sweeping conclusions from a small study, but this preliminary glimpse into how COVID-19 might cause changes in the placenta carries some pretty significant implications for the health of a pregnancy. We must discuss whether we should change how we monitor pregnant women right now.”

As to the one miscarriage noted in the report, “that patient was asymptomatic [for COVID-19], so we don’t know whether the virus caused the miscarriage or it was unrelated,” Goldstein said.

Two obstetricians who read over the new report agreed that the findings are cause for concern.

“This article has some very interesting yet disturbing findings,” said Dr. Mitchell Kramer, who directs obstetrics and gynecology at Huntington Hospital in Huntington, N.Y. “There was damage noted in the placentas that is suggestive of changes caused by coronavirus infection, including inflammation and clot formation — basically, vascular damage.”

Still, moms-to-be shouldn’t be unduly alarmed, he said. “Much more study is needed and these findings may just be the tip of the iceberg, but so far the babies of pregnancies infected with COVID-19 do not appear to be adversely affected,” Kramer said.

Dr. Adi Davidov is associate chair of gynecology at Staten Island University Hospital in New York City. He agreed that “as we learn more about COVID-19, we have realized that there is an increasing risk of clotting and it is not surprising that examination of the placenta reveals vascular malperfusion.”

More information

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has COVID-19 advice for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.

]]>
http://www.playdate.com/clotting-tied-to-covid-19-may-harm-the-placenta/feed/ 0
‘Kangaroo Care’ Has Big Health Benefits For Preemies http://www.playdate.com/kangaroo-care-has-big-health-benefits-for-preemies/ http://www.playdate.com/kangaroo-care-has-big-health-benefits-for-preemies/#respond Mon, 25 May 2020 16:00:00 +0000 http://www.playdate.com/kangaroo-care-has-big-health-benefits-for-preemies/ read more]]> MONDAY, May 25, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Skin-to-skin contact between parents and babies — often called “kangaroo care” — provides major benefits to preemies’ hearts and brains, Australian researchers say.

They assessed 40 babies born about 10 weeks early with an average weight of 2.9 pounds. Normal birth weight is 6.6 pounds.

One hour a day of kangaroo care significantly improved blood flow to the newborns’ brains and hearts, compared to when they were in an incubator, the study found.

Improving blood supply is important because it carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain and other organs, and promotes neurodevelopment, according to the researchers at Monash University in Melbourne.

They said their study, published recently in the Journal of Pediatrics, provides scientific evidence of kangaroo care’s benefit for babies.

“This is a low-cost intervention, easily applicable to infants in neonatal units across the world, and helps the most vulnerable of the populations we care for,” said study leader Arvind Sehgal, head of Neonatal Cardiovascular Research at Monash Children’s Hospital.

While skin-to-skin contact is a common practice worldwide, concerns that may prevent its use include fear of infants getting cold or that small babies are unstable and might not tolerate this handling.

But infants in this study maintained their temperature one hour after skin-to-skin contact (SSC), according to the researchers.

They noted that previous studies have found numerous benefits with kangaroo care, including reduced infant stress and crying; increased parent-infant bonding; and lower stress and increased breast milk supply in mothers.

“SSC is perhaps the normal physiological state, while the stress response of being separated from parents is the status of the pre-term infants the vast majority of the time,” Sehgal said.

“We hope this study encourages neonatal units around the world to promote kangaroo care, as well as reassure places where this is already being practiced that the effort and commitment from staff and parents is worthwhile,” he added.

More information

The March of Dimes has more on premature babies.

]]>
http://www.playdate.com/kangaroo-care-has-big-health-benefits-for-preemies/feed/ 0
Babies Are Spared Severe COVID-19 Symptoms http://www.playdate.com/babies-are-spared-severe-covid-19-symptoms/ http://www.playdate.com/babies-are-spared-severe-covid-19-symptoms/#respond Mon, 16 Mar 2020 16:00:00 +0000 http://www.playdate.com/babies-are-spared-severe-covid-19-symptoms/ read more]]> MONDAY, March 16, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Infants can become infected with the new coronavirus, but their bouts with COVID-19 appear to be milder than those of older folks and people with chronic health problems, experts say.

Doctors in China tracked nine babies infected with coronavirus that they apparently picked up from a sick family member, and none of the infants fell deathly ill, according to a report published online recently in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

None of the sick babies required intensive care, had any severe complications or needed to be put on a respirator, the researchers said.

The new report is “proof of principle that shows infants can be infected,” adding to earlier reports of infants contracting COVID-19, said Dr. David Kimberlin, a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Committee on Infectious Diseases.

The study also jibes with other preliminary reports that “when the very youngest of children get infected, it appears to be a milder disease than at least what is being seen in the most severe cases in older adults,” Kimberlin said.

Only 2.4% of reported cases in China have occurred in children, and only 0.2% of cases involve critical illness in kids, according to the World Health Organization. There have been no reports of any pediatric deaths related to COVID-19.

“Old people, their bodies have just taken more bruising over the years of living on this planet. Their lungs might be less flexible than a child’s lungs. They just get more sick from various pulmonary illnesses,” Kimberlin explained.

“My guess is that children are infected with this virus and they just handle it better because their bodies are more resilient,” he continued. “But I am guessing on that.”

Of the nine infants in the report, only four suffered from a fever. Another two had a cough and either a runny nose or mucous.

Dr. Rahul Gupta, chief medical officer of the March of Dimes, said he’s more concerned about the potential harm to newborns from a pregnant woman contracting the coronavirus.

Earlier coronavirus outbreaks of SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) and MERS (Middle East respiratory syndrome) were associated with preterm delivery and low birth weight newborns, and limited case reports show this might be a similar concern with COVID-19, Gupta said.

The good news is that a couple of studies out of China have reported that the coronavirus does not appear to be transmitted from pregnant mothers to newborns. These studies tracked 13 newborns in total, and did not find any evidence of babies born with COVID-19, according to a report published March 16 in the journal Frontiers in Pediatrics.

However, infants born prematurely or with low birth weight often face serious health problems immediately after delivery that can require intensive care, the March of Dimes says.

Preemies also are at higher risk for developing cognitive or behavioral problems later in life, while low birth weight babies are at increased risk of adult chronic health problems including diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and obesity, according to the March of Dimes.

Part of the concern is that COVID-19 appears to hit adults with chronic disease harder, Gupta said.

“We know more pregnant women today have more chronic medical diseases while they are pregnant,” including high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity, he said. Women are also getting pregnant later in life.

Pregnant women should make sure their vaccinations are up to date, wash their hands frequently, stay away from people who are coughing, and protect their health in other common-sense ways, Gupta said.

If an expecting mom falls ill, “it’s very important to contact immediately your provider over the phone and make them aware of your symptoms and help them manage your condition,” he added.

Parents who want to protect their infant or child from COVID-19 can follow similar guidelines, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

They also can prevent spread of the virus by cleaning and disinfecting surfaces that are regularly touched in household common areas, and regularly laundering clothes, bedding and items like plush toys, the CDC says. If possible, use the warmest appropriate water setting and then dry the items completely.

More information

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more about protecting yourself against coronavirus.

]]>
http://www.playdate.com/babies-are-spared-severe-covid-19-symptoms/feed/ 0
Sleepless Babies May Face Emotional Troubles as Kids http://www.playdate.com/sleepless-babies-may-face-emotional-troubles-as-kids/ http://www.playdate.com/sleepless-babies-may-face-emotional-troubles-as-kids/#respond Tue, 10 Mar 2020 16:00:00 +0000 http://www.playdate.com/sleepless-babies-may-face-emotional-troubles-as-kids/ read more]]> TUESDAY, March 10, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Infants with chronic serious sleep problems may be at increased risk for anxiety and emotional disorders later in childhood, according to a new study from Australia.

“Persistent disturbed sleep during infancy may be an early indicator of a child’s heightened susceptibility to later mental health difficulties — in particular, anxiety problems,” said researcher Fallon Cook and colleagues. Cook is with the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute in Melbourne.

Sleep problems such as frequent waking at night and/or trouble falling asleep without help from a parent affect about 19% of infants under 1 year.

Previous research has linked infant sleep problems with poorer mental health in early childhood. But it’s less certain whether this risk continued into older childhood.

In this study, the researchers looked at 1,460 mother-infant pairs in Australia. The mothers provided information about their infants’ sleep patterns at ages 3, 6, 9 and 12 months, and about their children’s mental health at ages 4 and 10 years.

About 1 in 4 infants had stable sleep patterns, 56% had some sleep problems, and roughly 20% had chronic severe sleep problems.

Compared to infants with stable sleep patterns, those with persistent severe sleep problems were nearly three times more likely to have emotional problem symptoms when they were 4 years old. They were more than twice as likely to have an emotional disorder by age 10.

Emotional disorders included: separation anxiety; social phobia; agoraphobia; obsessive compulsive disorder; certain phobias; panic disorder; post-traumatic stress disorder; generalized anxiety; depression, and bipolar disorder.

Infants with ongoing serious sleep problems were also more than twice as likely to have separation anxiety, fear of getting hurt physically, and to be more anxious generally by the age of 10, according to the study. But it only revealed associations and not a cause-and-effect link.

The results were published online recently in the journal Archives of Disease in Childhood.

“Infants with persistent severe sleep problems should be monitored for emerging mental health difficulties during childhood,” the authors said in a journal news release.

More information

The National Sleep Foundation has more on babies and sleep.

]]>
http://www.playdate.com/sleepless-babies-may-face-emotional-troubles-as-kids/feed/ 0
Secrets to Soothing a Cranky Baby Safely http://www.playdate.com/secrets-to-soothing-a-cranky-baby-safely/ http://www.playdate.com/secrets-to-soothing-a-cranky-baby-safely/#respond Thu, 05 Sep 2019 16:00:00 +0000 http://www.playdate.com/secrets-to-soothing-a-cranky-baby-safely/ read more]]> THURSDAY, Sept. 5, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Trying to calm a cranky baby can be stressful for parents, but the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has an important caution about what not to do.

Don’t place baby in a so-called “sleep positioner,” “nest” or “anti-roll” device, because of the suffocation risk. Babies have died after rolling from side to tummy and being unable to breathe. While some of these devices had been cleared for use in preventing reflux in infants, the FDA now advises parents not to use any of them for any reason.

The American Academy of Pediatrics has safe suggestions you can try instead.

When you hold babies, position them so that they are on the left side, which is helpful if they’re having any digestion issues.

Don’t overfeed your baby. The Academy suggests waiting at least 2 to 2.5 hours from the beginning of one feeding to the next.

Try to re-create the comfort baby felt in the womb. Rock baby gently and play soothing sounds. The snugness of being in a baby carrier against your body may help, too.

Moms and dads don’t always agree on when or how to tend to a crying baby, especially in the middle of the night, and that can cause friction between spouses. In a quiet moment, new parents should have a calm discussion if their approaches to soothing baby differ. Talk openly about the stress you might be feeling and how to form a unified front.

And remember, when it’s time for the crib, always position babies on their backs in a completely empty crib — no blanket, pillows or toys.

More information

Get more baby-soothing tips from the American Academy of Pediatrics.

]]>
http://www.playdate.com/secrets-to-soothing-a-cranky-baby-safely/feed/ 0
How to Protect Your Baby Against Eczema http://www.playdate.com/how-to-protect-your-baby-against-eczema/ http://www.playdate.com/how-to-protect-your-baby-against-eczema/#respond Thu, 22 Aug 2019 16:00:00 +0000 http://www.playdate.com/how-to-protect-your-baby-against-eczema/ read more]]> THURSDAY, Aug. 22, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Using a rich moisturizer, even an inexpensive one like petroleum jelly, is one part of keeping eczema under control. Now researchers have found that this skin care step can keep many newborns at risk for the condition from developing it.

Eczema, or atopic dermatitis, is the most common inflammatory skin condition among children. With eczema, the skin’s natural barrier isn’t working correctly, leaving skin red, dry and itchy. It typically runs in families with a history of asthma and allergies, and affects up to one in five infants. The most common areas of the body affected are the face, neck and head. Note that eczema in children is more likely to appear in the bends of elbows and knees.

Eczema Symptoms

  • Itchy skin
  • Redness
  • Dry, scaly skin
  • Skin that has become leathery
  • Tiny blisters that may ooze

Studies have found that moisturizing for six to eight months, starting within baby’s first few weeks, can reduce their eczema risk. What moisturizer should you use? Researchers from Northwestern Health recently looked at seven over-the-counter moisturizers, including several popular drugstore brands, as well as plain petroleum jelly.

The investigators found that petroleum jelly was the most cost-effective, but that even the most expensive product was a fraction of what the cost of eczema care would be. What’s more, this has the potential to save baby from great discomfort and quality-of-life consequences. These include a higher risk of infection, sleep problems and, when eczema follows baby into childhood, even missed time from school.

More research is underway to see if moisturizing for 12 months is even more effective.

More information

The American Academy of Pediatrics has more on eczema in children.

]]>
http://www.playdate.com/how-to-protect-your-baby-against-eczema/feed/ 0
How to Protect Your Baby From Unsafe Products http://www.playdate.com/how-to-protect-your-baby-from-unsafe-products/ http://www.playdate.com/how-to-protect-your-baby-from-unsafe-products/#respond Wed, 24 Jul 2019 16:00:00 +0000 http://www.playdate.com/how-to-protect-your-baby-from-unsafe-products/ read more]]> WEDNESDAY, July 24, 2019 (HealthDay News) — In an average year, close to 70,000 children under age 5 go to the emergency department because of injuries from common nursery items, according to the journal Pediatrics. About 90% of these injuries happen at home, so prevention starts there.

One reason young children are more prone to injury is that they have disproportionately large heads, which raises their center of gravity. They tend to lead with their head when they fall and are unable to break their fall with their arms because of lack of coordination and strength.

Perilous Products

  • Walkers
  • Baby carriers
  • Cribs
  • Strollers and carriages

Safety concerns have made baby walkers less popular items, but they still account for 36% of injuries among babies 6 to 11 months old.

Baby carriers are linked to more than half the injuries among babies under 6 months old and often occur when the caregiver carrying a baby falls. Help prevent these mishaps by making sure your home is free of tripping hazards like toys and cords in hallways and near stairs. Avoid using a carrier on stairs altogether. When you must, hold onto the handrail. And always make sure the carrier is appropriate for baby’s size and weight.

In addition to reducing infant deaths by eliminating all objects from the crib — including bumper pads, mattress toppers, blankets, pillows and toys — only use a firm, snug-fitting mattress designed for your baby’s specific crib model.

Stroller and carriage injuries often stem from tip-overs and falls. Avoid hanging objects on the handles and don’t allow siblings to hang on them. Always set the brake when you’re not moving to keep it from rolling away from you.

Finally, pay attention to recalls — nursery products are often the leading children’s category recalled in the United States, yet up to 80% of such products remain in households after a recall due to a lack of awareness.

More information

Sign up to get emails about product recalls on the website of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

]]>
http://www.playdate.com/how-to-protect-your-baby-from-unsafe-products/feed/ 0
How to Soothe Baby’s Teething Pain Safely http://www.playdate.com/how-to-soothe-babys-teething-pain-safely/ http://www.playdate.com/how-to-soothe-babys-teething-pain-safely/#respond Thu, 09 May 2019 16:00:00 +0000 http://www.playdate.com/how-to-soothe-babys-teething-pain-safely/ read more]]> THURSDAY, May 9, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Few things are as distressing as baby’s cries when his or her first teeth are coming in, but it’s important to know what not to use to soothe that pain.

Over the years, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued warnings about many teething products, starting with over-the-counter gels and liquids containing benzocaine, which acts as a numbing agent. Benzocaine is linked to a rare but potentially deadly reaction that lowers the amount of oxygen in the bloodstream. This side effect happened mostly in children age 2 and under and after just one use. The FDA recommends not using these products in this age group.

More recently, the FDA has issued numerous warnings against various homeopathic teething tablets and gels because of reports that they’ve caused seizures and other problems, from difficulty breathing and muscle weakness to excessive sleepiness or agitation.

Tests found that the problem ingredient is belladonna, a toxic substance with unpredictable effects. Manufacturers have recalled some products, but others might still be on store shelves and should be avoided.

There are also concerns about so-called teething jewelry, such as beads, bracelets and other items made from materials including amber, wood, marble and silicone. These pose various hazards such as choking, strangulation, injury to the mouth and infection, especially if the jewelry irritates or pierces the gums.

Instead, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends giving baby a teething ring chilled in the fridge or gently massaging his or her gums with a clean finger to ease teething pain.

More information

The FDA has more on how to soothe teething pain safely.

]]>
http://www.playdate.com/how-to-soothe-babys-teething-pain-safely/feed/ 0
How to Protect Your Child From Choking http://www.playdate.com/how-to-protect-your-child-from-choking/ http://www.playdate.com/how-to-protect-your-child-from-choking/#respond Mon, 06 May 2019 16:00:00 +0000 http://www.playdate.com/how-to-protect-your-child-from-choking/ read more]]> MONDAY, May 6, 2019 (HealthDay News) — Eating solid foods is a milestone in your child’s life. With the right precautions to reduce the risk of choking, you can make this a safe transition.

Teach children to sit up straight from the earliest age. Always supervise mealtime. A choking child may not make any noise to alert you from another room. Don’t rush kids, or let them put more than one piece of food in their mouth at a time. Take away food if they look drowsy or start to fall asleep.

Cook foods, especially hard fruits and vegetables like carrot sticks and apple slices, until very soft and easy to chew and swallow. Scrambled egg yolks and well-cooked whole-grain pasta pieces, peas and beans are good choices as are small tofu and very ripe pear and avocado cubes. Cut meat and poultry across the grain into tiny matchstick shapes.

Foods that are firm and round are choking hazards because they can block a child’s airway, the American Academy of Pediatrics warns. So skip hot dogs (even if cut up), nuts, large meat or cheese chunks, whole grapes, raw carrots and other hard raw fruit or vegetable pieces, hard or sticky candy like marshmallows, and popcorn until at least age 4.

Avoid giving young children stringy foods, such as celery, and packaged white bread products because these foods can glob up in baby’s mouth.

Keep in mind that much of this advice holds true until a child reaches age 7. Also, to be better prepared to handle a choking situation, consider learning basic first aid and CPR. These are good skills for everyone to know and for a variety of emergencies.

More information

The C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital in Michigan has more on how to prevent choking in young children.

]]>
http://www.playdate.com/how-to-protect-your-child-from-choking/feed/ 0