Baby Foot Problems

Baby Leg Cramps
A muscle cramp is when a muscle within the body tenses or stiffens up.  Babies can suffer from baby leg cramps, which are often painful and can occur at any time. The cramps are sharp, sudden, and involuntary and may last for a few minutes, after which they will gradually subside.  They can have an effect on any muscle, however, the most common areas are in the calves and feet.

Most baby leg cramps are not an emergency and if you feel your baby is suffering, basic stretching and massaging can assist.

During a discomfort episode, you may want to try these tips to help resolve the muscle spasm.
 

• Massaging the legs.
• Stretching out the leg muscles. This may be tricky for younger children.
• Placing a warm cloth or heating pad on the sore leg. Be careful not to burn the skin and do not use during sleep.

If the discomfort does not seem to improve, ask your health care provider if it is OK to give your baby an over-the-counter pain medicine, for example acetaminophen or ibuprofen  (never administer anything without checking first). Ask about the appropriate dose for your baby. Under no circumstances give aspirin to a baby. Aspirin use in youngsters has been linked to a life-threatening condition known as Reye's syndrome.

Baby Foot Problems
Baby's feet usually appear flat due to the fact that they enter this world with an additional fat pad inside the arch area.  This is because their muscles are not developed enough to support the arches when they first begin to stand. In actual fact, the arch does not generally become apparent until they are about 2 1/2 years of age.

At the time your baby is born, your ob-gyn, and after that, your pediatrician, will look for noticeable baby foot problems or abnormalities in your baby's feet and legs. They will check their hips to make certain they are not dislocated, tickle the bottom of their foot to check for the correct neurological response (the toes should fan out), and will actually count to make certain there are ten toes.

One of the most common deformities are baby foot problems. Foot deformities have been found in nearly 5% of all newborns. Most of these foot deformities are treated with nonsurgical treatments, and in numerous cases can simply be observed. Nevertheless, it is important to understand the deformity to make sure proper treatment is being made available and avoid any baby foot pain.

Below are some common baby foot problems:

1. Metatarsus Adductus
This is a common foot problem found in newborn babies and affects approximately 1% of children.  The appearance of the sole of the foot is described as 'bean shape' and the toes point inward.
 

2. Clubfoot Clubfoot is really a birth defect that causes a newborn baby's feet to point down and inward. Whilst clubfoot isn't going to lead to discomfort, it may result in long-term problems, affecting the child's ability to walk. However, if clubfoot is properly treated, the deformity can generally be corrected in early childhood.

3. Congenital Vertical Talus
Congenital vertical talus is an uncommon cause of a flatfoot in newborns. It is often related with other chromosomal or congenital conditions.  It is recognized by the child having a flat foot with a 'rocker-bottom' sole.

4. Polydactyly
This term indicates extra limbs and can be hereditary; however, it is known to occur without previous family history of the condition. The usual treatment of polydactyly of the foot would be to surgically remove the extra toe. The timing of surgery is delayed until the baby is about one year but before they begin to walk.

5. Congenital Curly Toes
This condition arises when one of the toes is rotated or bent. The treatment of a curly toe deformity would be to cut the tendon around the bottom of the toe to relieve the pressure causing the bend.
 

 6. Overlapping Toes
An overlapping toe is usually a condition of the 5th digit (the baby toe), when it crosses over the top of the 4th toe. This condition happens in varying degrees, and in some children, it isn't a problem. In others, an overlapping toe can create issues with footwear, and may well require a surgical procedure to correct the deformity.

Your Baby's First Steps

Most babies can pull themselves up to stand and begin to take their very first steps somewhere in between the ages of 8 months and 12 months. Near their first birthday, they can generally stand and take a few steps holding onto furniture.  Only if your baby shows signs of delayed walking or you notice your baby has bow legs or is walking on tiptoes, should you be concerned.

All babies' first steps are awkward and appear much more like lurching than walking. As their leg muscles develop, they go  from crawling, babies, pulling themselves up, to standing on their own. 

There is a wide variation from one particular baby to another in learning to walk. One content baby may not walk until 3 or 4 months after another. That does not necessarily signal baby leg problems or delayed walking. Both babies will most likely be equally healthy and in a position to run and play as they get older.

Child Leg Pain
Lots of youngsters suffer from child leg pain and this pain usually occurs at night and effects children between the ages of 4 and 12.  Although the pain is distressing, it is harmless and is a phase that will pass.

Growing pains are not related to growth spurts and therefore, some physicians prefer to call it recurrent nocturnal limb discomfort.

Children who are more active and have flexible joints are more likely to suffer with growing pains than less active children.  The condition also appears to be hereditary.

What to do
Should your child be suffering, you may administer ibuprofen or paracetamol to alleviate the pains.  Providing your child with this medication at bedtime, following an active day can help them from being bothered with the pain during the night.  Always check with your physician or pharmacist regarding the correct dosage.

If your child is under 16, do not give them asprin unless specifically told to do so by your physician.

Massaging your child's leg can also help with the pain.

Supportive footwear, for example trainers, may help with the symptoms of child leg pain.

Other related posts:

http://yourchildsfoot.blogspot.co.uk/
http://motheringtimes.blogspot.co.uk/2011/07/growing-pains-in-children.html

Baby Pain Reliever
It is hoped that when a parent is contemplating giving pain medication to a baby younger than 6 months, they would consult their physician first.  That said, it doesn't mean you must run to your physician every time they develop a slight fever or a slight bump to the head.  It is good practice though to phone your physician to discuss your concerns. It is particularly dangerous to give pain medication to a child younger than 3 months without checking with your doctor.

Baby pain relievers can mask fever along with other symptoms of infection or disease, making it much more difficult for physicians to diagnose threatening illnesses quickly. Doctors also warn against giving ibuprofen to little ones younger than 6 months simply because it hasn't been studied or approved in infants this age.

Calculating the appropriate dose of pain reliever for little ones 6 months to 2 years is often difficult. The labels on most children's brands of medication, for example acetaminophen and ibuprofen, say "check with a physician" for children within the given age range.  It is recommended that you consult your doctor for the correct dosage for your child, simply because infants develop so quickly, the dose may possibly alter with every single well-baby appointment.

Teething
The vast majority of babies develop their very first teeth when they are between 4 and 7 months of age. An early developer may well get their first white cap as early as 3 months, whilst a late bloomer may have to wait until they are a year old or more. (It is not uncommon for a baby's first tooth to already be visible at birth.)

Babies and children can differ significantly with the symptoms they can have when they are teething. For a lot of babies, teething results in mild symptoms that just last a few days. In contrast, for others, teething is painful and can last a whole lot longer.

Home remedies for teething babies

• Cold Fruit or Vegetables
• Cold celery sticks- Celery is actually a natural pain killer  and it truly is in fact a all-natural remedy, and has been used as a pain killer since 30 AD
• Frozen bananas or other frozen fruit added to a fine mesh feeder are an excellent way to help sooth your baby's gums.
• Your finger rubbed firmly on baby's gums can provide exactly the same soothing counterpressure, your baby may object simply because it appears to hurt initially, however the counterpressure quickly brings relief.
• Amber teething jewelry - these necklaces provide an all-natural, drug free alternative to soothing teething tots.  In addition to that, they are beautiful, lightweight, and have a lot of other homeopathic advantages.
• Hyland's Teething Tablets are amongst our favorite home remedies for teething babies.  They are manufactured from all-natural ingredients and promptly dissolve as soon as they hit the baby's tongue.

Teething biscuits
Babies all mature at different rates. This is true even for the ability to chew and swallow. For some 6 month olds, a properly selected teething biscuit would be perfectly safe, having said that for others, especially those who have not yet begun to eat solids, it would not. You will have to make your own judgement on whether or not to make use of them.

Judicious selection of an appropriate teething biscuit should incorporate testing in order to be certain that chunks which could bring about choking don't readily break off as your baby attempts to teeth on it. Mimic a baby gummy scraping it with their few teeth. In the event the biscuit stays intact whilst dissolving away as your baby gnaws on it, then it would make a superb teething tool.

Fever in Babies
A fever in babies can be one of the scariest symptoms for parents, particularly when that fever is high or the baby is only a couple of weeks old.

A fever is not an illness,  it is a symptom of one. Generally if your baby has a fever, it indicates they have picked up a cold or other viral infection. Significantly less common in infants, a fever is a sign of a bacterial infection, for example a urinary tract infection or perhaps a much more severe infection for example meningitis.

For related posts, please click on the following links:

http://ashleysgreenlife.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/my-green-medicine-cabinet-baby-teething.html
http://smartmomscorinncrossmd.blogspot.co.uk/2008/11/fever-in-newborn.html

Preparing Your Child for A New Arrival 

Understanding What Impact This Will Have On Your Older Child

At one time, they were the center of your universe, however, you're explaining to them that things are going to change and that some of your attention will now be aimed at a new addition to the family!  At one time, they were allowed to shout and play to their hearts content, now they will be expected to keep the noise down and it will all be because of this new bundle, who does nothing but scream!

You can probably understand why this situation is fairly traumatic for your older child and therefore it is imperative that you try to quash their fears and doubts.  Try your best not to let your child feel insecure.

When is the Right Time To Tell Your Child About the New Arrival?

When you find out that you are pregnant and the doctor has confirmed this, you should tell your other child. The sooner, the better as it will give them adequate time to accept the news.  Think about it from their perspective, it will turn their world upside down.

What Can You Do As Parents to Help Your Child During Pregnancy?

Explain to them about the baby which is growing inside of mom.

Include them in anything to do with the new arrival.  Let them come to the doctors with you, take them shopping when you're buying items for the new baby, let them help you choose some clothes.  Suggest they buy the new baby a soft toy, which they can give them when their brother or sister arrives.

Explain to them that their will be occasions where mom won't be able to play like she used to, as she will be tired, hot and uncomfortable.  Reiterate to them that this is only temporary and that once their baby brother or sister arrives, mom will be back to normal!  Keep their fears at bay by telling your older child how lucky the baby will be to have such a great brother or sister to look after them.

Get a chart from your clinic or a book store, which demonstrates the developmental stages of pregnancy and talk this through with your child.

The main key here is to involve your child and be honest and open about what is happening.

It is natural for children to ask 'why and how' questions but how much detail should we give when they begin asking questions like "where do babies come from"?

No doubt this is a parents worst nightmare!  However, it does not mean that your child is referring to sex..they have no idea that the two are connected and won't even know what sex is  Therefore before you jump into answering their question, try and get on the same page as them.  Ask them further questions to enable you to fully understand what it is they're asking.  Explaining too much, too young is probably not a wise move.

Try testing their question by asking, "where do you think babies come from?".

Then correct the answer.

For example they might answer, "Mommy goes to the doctor and her bellybutton opens up and he takes the baby out through the belly button." So what your child actually needs an answer to is where do babies grow and how do they get from in there to out here.

Then you can explain where exactly a baby grows - don't say the tummy! That confuses them a lot! Here your values play a huge role. If you believe in God, as I do, you can explain that God creates mommies very special. Mommies have a special little place between their hips, safe and warm, where a baby can grow; that is not the tummy and only mommies have this special place. It is called a womb.

And the baby gets her food through an umbilical cord that goes into her tummy. Your bellybutton is where your umbilical cord went into your tummy when you were inside mommy's womb."

As you can see, this answer doesn't even touch on sex and it would be more than enough to satisfy a young curious mind. This will allow you time to calm down, get on the same page with your spouse on how you would like to handle these types of questions and to go and arm yourself with some helpful books that would be available at any good bookstore.

Click here to watch the latest viral video to hit the web that documents the nine months of a couples pregnancy, which may just help you out!

Don't lie to your child or say they don't need to know.  It is very important to answer their questions to establish a bond of trust between you; and also they need YOU to answer these questions - otherwise they will be getting their information from unwanted sources.

Just as important is your reaction to these questions, as this will determine whether or not they will feel comfortable talking with you about issues like sex. The more comfortable you make them feel discussing these things, the more likely they will discuss them with you in the future in an open manner.

Should the child resist - what do I do as a parent?

Usually children do act out a little in the beginning - remember this is new, strange and not at all pleasant - all your attention and focus is on the new baby, everyone "ooh" and "aah" when they come to visit, so give your child time. However, try and be mindful of how they may be feeling.  If you feel it's not working, bring your child to a play therapy session to help ease the transition.

Should Your Child Be Involved in the Birth?

Personally; no I wouldn't. The reason for this is that nothing in life is certain and it could be a very long and traumatic day for everyone involved. Some moms go into labor and baby is born in the car on the way to hospital, other moms are in labor for HOURS, so you wouldn't want to add more pressure on you as parents by having a little one around. Also, they might be quite worried about mommy and might resent baby for hurting mommy or making mom cry and so forth. So no, I would rather say good bye smiling and come back smiling.

Any tips for when the baby is born?

Remember that being a parent is the most difficult thing ever! So be patient with yourself. You probably will feel, at one point or another, that you are lousy at it; but remember that you are more than good enough! Again - involve your older child as much as possible. Ask him to help, by bringing you a nappy, or getting a blanket because baby is cold. Also positive reinforcement is important - acknowledge every nice gesture that your older child does - say things like "you are such a good helper, thank you for being such an awesome big brother/sister". Try and give undivided attention as and when possible and, most importantly, don't be too hard on yourself !!