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Children & Infant Health Topics
Newborn Facts
Congratulations! on your new baby! When your baby if first born, the doctors/nurses first perform the APGAR test to test the healthiness of the infant. This test is done at the 1st and 5th minutes after birth. The baby's heart rate, respiratory rate, muscle tone, reflexes, and the skin color are checked. At the 1st minute the score should be "7" and at minute five, the score should be "8" or more. A score of "3" at the 1st minute and "5" or less at the 5th minute needs help very quickly to survive.
The growth process of the baby is broken down into developmental milestones.
- Neonate: birth-30 days
- Infancy: 30 days-2 years
- Pre-school: 2-5 years
- School age: 5-10 years
- Adolescence: 11-17 years
During the neonatal period, the weight of the baby will triple in weight. In the first year, the baby's brain will grow up to 65% of its total size. Imprinting has the greatest effect in the first 24 hours of the baby's birth. Imprinting is when the baby learns the characteristics and the "feel" of its parents and loved ones.
Necessity for Mother's Milk
At the time of birth, the baby has no immune system. About the 4th week the baby begins to slowly make its own globulins, and has the ability to fight infections. But the 1st few weeks the baby is vulnerable and therefore breast milk from the mother is very important. The mother transfers her immuno-gamma-globulins to her baby and the baby has a somewhat functioning immune system until their system grows and functions. The breast milk is approximately 87% water and has 20 calories per each ounce. The baby needs 2.5 ounces/pound/day and 50 calories/pound/day.
Children's Health Topics
Chickenpox
Chickenpox is the common name for the Varicella-zoster virus. The child has mild symptoms of moderate fever and is quieter in nature and not as active. The fever and inactivity shows up 1-2 days before the first rash appears. Once the rash first appears and until the 6th day, the chickenpox is very contagious. But once the rash lesions crust over, the chickenpox is not transmittable. The rash is very itchy and most commonly found on the body trunk. Chickenpox, for the most part, is not serious in children, but the itching from the rash is the most common complaint. But it is very important to keep the child from scratching the rash, because the fluid in the rash vesicles is what causes the spread of the rash. Within 20 days the rash should all have crusted and starting to disappear.
Chickenpox in adults is called Shingles and is more serious in nature.
Whooping Cough
More and more cases of Whooping Cough are being found throughout the United States. Whooping Cough is also known as Pertussis and is a bacterial infectious disease. The multiple and rapid coughs has an inspiratory whoop at the end, and the basis for the common name of the disease. Whooping cough is very contagious because it's airborne throughout the air for 7-14 days. The mucus in the nose and throat and very thin and first but then gets thicker. Gagging, vomiting and choking on the mucus while coughing is common for the child. After 4 weeks the coughing starts to disappear and the child starts to feel better. For the most part, rest, quiet and hydration is all that's needed for the child to get over this disease, but occasionally hospitalization if needed for the very ill child.
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