Back to Blog

RSV - Respiratory Syncytial Virus

It seems to be the million dollar question right now, so it's time I started up this Blog again.  Parents on all my baby/toddler courses are stressed about RSV. It's in the newspapers, it's on the internet, it's on TV, it's all over the place.  I think the answer is to say forget RSV and just look at the normal things which you should be watching out for, for signs of general illness in infants. Those three key things: colour, breathing, level of activity and alertness. Colour:  I...

Allergies

If your baby is at an age and stage where you’re thinking of starting solids, now might be a good time  -  while we’re in lockdown or semi-lockdown, depending on which part of NZ you live in.  The roads are clearer than usual (I was able to turn right out of our street without having to wait for 50 cars  -  first time in years!) so if you were to need an ambulance for an allergic reaction, their response time is likely to be better than usual.  Signs of an aller...

What to do if a tooth is knocked out

·         DO NOT touch the root of the tooth.  Pick the tooth up by the part which is normally visible when the tooth is stuck in the gum. ·         The tooth should be cleaned in saliva, saline or milk  -  NOT tap water.  Don’t rub or scrub at the tooth; just give it a bit of a rinse. ·         Place the tooth in a jar and keep it moist by covering it ...

Children and driveways

There have been something like three driveway accidents in the past month, where young children have been run over - and killed - on their own driveway.Next time you’re backing your car out of the garage, checking your mirrors and looking through the rear window, what can you see? Can you see the family cat who is lounging in the sun? No? Because the cat is too small. How tall does a child need to be, before you can see him standing behind your car? I’ve just been out and measured our car. ...

It's Asthma season!

It’s COLD!  The cold air really caught in my lungs this morning when I headed outside to the car to take the kids to school.  No one in our house has asthma, but if you have anyone at home with asthma make sure you’re keeping a close eye on things at this time of year.  It’s classic asthma weather right now.  Moving from a warm house to the cold outdoors  -  or just from a warm room to a cold room inside your house  -  is a really common trigger for ...

Should you go Gluten-free?

A couple of weeks ago it was Coeliac Awareness Week.  Coeliac disease is an autoimmune disorder and sufferers need to completely cut gluten from their diet.  It is estimated that under 2% of New Zealanders have coeliac disease.  However it’s also likely that there are a lot of undiagnosed coeliacs out there. If you suspect that your child may have coeliac disease or some form of gluten intolerance, see you doctor before you do anything dramatic such as taking all gluten out of h...

Insect Bites!

Check out the photo below.  This was the result of an insignificant insect bite on my 15-year-old's arm a couple of months ago.  He noticed a tiny bite on his wrist in the morning (he's a fit healthy teenager so no earthly reason to do anything about it  -  we all get the odd insect bite and it's no big deal).  But at 8.30 that night, when he took his jumper off, he noticed a red line running up his arm, almost to his elbow.  It just looked like a scratch.  Hal...

Insect bites

...

Hot water burns!

Running the bath for little kids?  Most people are very careful about staying in the bathroom while the water’s running.  As kids grow older (and safer around water) we relax a little and I certainly remember starting the bath running and then wandering off into another room to sort out some laundry or something similar…   This is fine once all your kids are old enough to be safe around water.    But always always run the cold water first and...

Strangulation hazard - curtain and blind cords

Take a walk through your house and check out all the curtains and blinds.  Curtain and blind cords can present a strangulation hazard to children, as they can become entangled in them while playing.  Even if the cords seem to be quite high up, children can climb onto window sills or furniture and still reach the cords.  Cords can also strangle infants sleeping or playing in cots placed near windows where cords are within reach or hanging into cots.    Make sure all ...

Treating a burn on a child

HOT DRINKS BURN.  A cup of coffee spilt over a baby is the same as tipping a bucket of boiling water over an adult.  More than 5 children are admitted to hospital every week in NZ with severe burns.  And of the 1 -2 year olds admitted to hospital every year with severe burns, over half are burnt by hot drinks and other liquids.  The GOOD news?  It’s preventable!  Save your cuppa for when you’re not holding your baby.  And be really careful in cafés (n...

Are hand sanitisers safe for kids?

Schools and preschools are open again in a limited capacity.  And I gather hand sanitisers are all the rage.  Parents are asking whether hand sanitisers are safe or whether children just need to wash their hands properly.   It's a bit of a toss up.  It's hard going, getting kids to wash their hands well  -  really well, the way we're being told with all the COVID-19 news.  So hand sanitisers seem like a handy option.  And i'm certainly not going to suggest...