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What Parents Need to Know about their Children

Recommendations for the parents to deal with newborns - 2 months

Newborns till 2 months are vulnerable to many risk factors that affect their health and disturb their wellbeing. Parents, especially new ones, need to take some precautions to protect their new baby. Here are some important recommendations to take into consideration after delivery:

The room temperature of the baby should be between 19 and 21 degrees Celsius, should always be ventilated and without humidity.

To shower the baby, the water temperature should be 37 degrees Celsius and the caregiver should not leave the baby alone in water

Taking care of the navel is important because it is vulnerable to infections during the first days; it should be cleaned and dried well

During the first weeks, the baby sleeps for 17 to 18 hours per day and he cannot differentiate between the day and the night. The

baby wakes up to eat every 3 hours approximately during the first month. It is important to let him sleep in a quiet room, alone and on his back. It is not recommended for the baby to sleep on his side or on his belly.

In case of colic, the baby can be carried and calmed down while massaging his belly
In case of jaundice for more than two weeks, or a dark yellow skin or colorless feces, the caregiver should consult the physician
It is important to wash the hands regularly before touching the baby. Also, it is not recommended to kiss the baby on his mouth or his fingers, even by his mother, and on his face, especially by an ill person to prevent any contamination. Lastly, it is better to prevent visiting crowded places such as malls, public transportation and others because the baby is vulnerable to get infected.

Breastfeeding is always recommended because it has many benefits for the baby and the mother. In case of using bottles, they should always be sterilized. Baby formula should not be used before 6 months

The car seat should fit the baby’s size and should be placed in the backseat.

In case of reflux, the baby should not be fed in bed, while asleep or should be carried directly after eating to help him belch. Also, rice in the milk or prescribed medication can be added to prevent it. Lastly, the reflux is likely to stop after 6 months

It is recommended to give the baby vitamin D everyday (The dose is to be prescribed by the physician)

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) might happen in the first few months, usually in the morning without any previous symptoms. Some of the risk factors are: Smoking during pregnancy, drinking alcohol or drugs, lack of appropriate prenatal care, premature or underweight baby, young mother, inappropriate sleeping or temperature

Recommendations for the parents to deal with babies from 2 months-1 year

What is right	What is common and wrong
Start feeding the baby solids at 6 months (with physician’s consultation)	Stop breastfeeding before the age of 6 months
Use a baby walker (youpala) without tires starting from 7 months	Use baby walker earlier
The mother should not breastfeed the baby during the night after 9 months, rather breast milk should be replaced by water. This maintains regular sleep and good teeth	Feed the baby during the night
It is recommended that the parents calm their crying baby, during the night, without carrying him and walking (after 5 months)	Carry the crying baby to make him stop during the night
Baby sleeping in his bed alone	Baby sleeping with his parents
The mother’s milk contains high amount of lactose, therefore the baby teeth should be cleaned	Breast milk does not cause tooth decay
Iron is important for the baby. As for the color of the teeth, it is likely to disappear with appropriate care	Not giving iron to the baby because it colors the teeth
If the baby still suck his thumb at the age of 4-5 years, then it should be treated	Cover the finger of the baby to prevent the thumb-sucking habit
This act leads to infections and can cause tooth decay.	Think that the mother can clean the baby’s pacifier or spoon with her mouth or that she can blow on the food to cool it down
Each child is different than the other and should be treated in a certain way	Compare the child to other children
Ensure a safe environment for the baby free of smoking, fights and noise	Smoking, being noisy and yelling in home while thinking that the baby is not affected

Recommendations for the parents to deal with babies from 1-3 years

In this age, the baby is trying to discover the world around him; therefore, the parents should protect him from any domestic injury.

Type of domestic injury	Reasons	Prevention
Falling	From stairs, windows, balcony, youpala or the bed Slipping on the ground	Bed with high sides Closed joints of the bed Do not place tables and chairs next to windows or handrails Lock the doors and the windows in the house Clear any liquid on the ground Keep observing children in high places
Burns	Sun Fire Hot liquid or body Chemical spills	Keep away any type of hot or flammable material Use the backward eye of the oven/ put the cooking receptacles towards the back Do not shower with the baby with a very hot water Put sunscreen Put a barrier in front of the ovenMake sure to have a fire extinguisher at home
Choking and Drowning	Swallowing small pieces Putting a bag or pillow on the head Drowning Gas leakage	Games that are suitable for the baby (no small pieces) East mashed food Do not leave the child alone near a pool or a bath Baby sleeping on his back Do not use heavy covers for the bed do not let him sleep while the bottle is still in his mouth
Electrical Chocks	Electrical equipment Electrical circuit	Plug and cover all electrical outlets Keep the electrical equipment away from the child Turn off the devices/ equipments and detach them from electricity if not used
Poisoning	Excessive intake of drugs/ pesticides/ cleaning agents.	Put all these agents in places that the child cannot reach Do not convince the child to take medications by comparing them to sweets Avoid helping the child to vomit in case of poisening
Injuries	Falling Using unsafe equipments	Do not place any dangerous material /equipments/ fans/ glass near the child Be aware of not closing the door on the child’s fingers Do not let him run while holding something that may cause harm
Other accidents	Pets in home Easy to open boxes or closets	Vaccinated pets Baby not left alone with pets Be aware of boxes or closets that might cause any harm

It is recommended to keep these numbers in mind and call them in case of any type of injury:

Organization	Number
Fire Brigade	125
Lebanese Red Cross	140
Blood Bank-Lebanese Red Cross	04/ 972211
Ministry of Public Health- Hot line	1214
Ministry of Social Affairs- Hot line	1714

Do not ignore these tips and say this will not happen to us.. Simple precautions can save your baby’s life!

Recommendations for the parents to deal with children from 3-9 years

What is right	What is wrong
Be close to the child and encourage him to talk about private issues such as early puberty	Tell the relatives and the friends about private issues related to the child
Communication is critical to build a strong personality	Criticize the child and say bad things to him
Listen to his ideas and give him explanations in case of rejection	Reject his ideas before even listening
Read stories always	Not reading stories because he cannot focus
Take care of the teeth	Ignore cleaning the teeth
Make sure that the child eats healthy food, is active and has a proper weight	Give sweets always to the child and let him play indoor for hours (TV, I-pad..)

Recommendations for the parents to deal with adolescents from 9-18 years

Make sure that the adolescent does not:	Make sure that the adolescent does:
Have teeth problem	Maintain a good hygiene
Get too tired after being active	Sleep regularly and is always active (hobbies, special activities..)
Stay passive all the day	Eat healthy food/ have a proper weight
Smoke/ drink alcohol/ addicted to drugs	Have a good relation with his family/ friends
Have bad grades	Have a good attitude, even in school
Is too moody/ stay alone	Have a strong personality/ have a social life
Stay afraid or stressed or complain always	Explain to him about his/ her body and sexual issues