The Most Effective Method In Relieving Pain For Newborn Children

What is the most effective method in relieving pain for newborn children undergoing phlebotomy or any other medical procedure? That is what we will be talking today. As Medical Technologist, pain management during blood sampling is our major goal during phlebotomy (taking blood sample for laboratory examination/s) especially on newborn children. Some of the physiological effects of pain are changes in blood pressure and temperature, abnormal respiration, tachycardia, hypoxemia, prolonged catabolism and release of hormones such as cortisol, cathecolamines and endorphins.

I appreciate the prospective study reported in Pediatrics on their November issue. Researchers tried to find the most effective way of pain management during blood sampling for newborn screening procedure. And what did they found out? Feeding the child either breast feeding or bottle feeding is the most effective method of relieving pain during phlebotomy. Such idea of relieving pain is not new and is very much practical, right?

It may not possible to totally eradicate pain during blood collection procedure but the goal of reducing the pain to its lower level helps a lot not just to the newborn child but to the phlebotomist and the mother or caretaker of the child too. For some medical procedures that may cause much more pain to the newborn child, some doctors gives pharmacological agents commonly used in the ICN (Intensive Care Nursery) to reduce or prevent pain.

The Importance of Dental Care for Your Newborn Babies

Parents, did you know that the 20 primary teeth you’ll see from your child already exist at his birth? I asked this because lots of people think that newborn baby has no teeth. Yes they have, it’s just that it is still underneath the gums. Therefore parents should not wait until these teeth emerges before they take care their baby’s oral health.

Sleeping with a bottle of milk or letting the baby fall asleep while sucking on his mother’s breast may cause the milk to be converted to acid by the normal bacteria in the mouth. The most important a parent can do for the oral health of the newborn baby is to keep his mouth clean. After every feeding, baby’s mouth should be wiped with gauze pad or a soft damp cloth to remove the possible plaque that may build up on newborn baby’s gum.

Speaking of primary teeth, they are commonly called as baby teeth, that starts to come out at the age of six months. And, by the age of two and a half months it is expected that all 20 primary teeth already emerged.

The Breast Feeding Advantage

breastfeeding

Ever since, I really love to see a mother breast feeding her child. Few days ago while me and my friend, who is a Pediatrician, is watching a television, her phone rung.  Her mom-client is asking if the claim of a certain brand of baby formula milk is really true. That, it can increase child’s IQ up to +7. My friend smiled and I lessen the volume of the television to give way to the mom, on her inquiry.

Breastfeeding is universally endorsed by the World Health Organization (WHO), American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), American Medical Association (AMA), the American Dietetic Association (ADA), and the World Health Organization (WHO) as the best way of feeding infants, that breast milk is the best milk for babies.

Breast feeding is the most ideal way of providing young infants of the nutrients their young body needs for healthy growth and development.  Literally, all mothers has the capacity to breastfeed. They just need accurate information, and support of their family and the health care providers. Colostrum is the yellowish, sticky breast milk produced at the end of pregnancy. It is recommended by WHO as the perfect food for the newborn babies because colustrum does not just contain all the nutrients the baby need but antibodies that can protect their young and fragile body from acute and chronic diseases as well. It is encouraged that feeding should be initiated within the first hour after birth. Exclusive breastfeeding is recommended up to 6 months of age.

Breast feeding is usually advised because breastmilk provides the most suitable food for babies.  Breast milk generally provides the only nourishment needed by an infant for the first six months of life.  Human milk is perfectly designed to help your baby’s body and brain grow and develop. No baby formula milk can be made exactly the same as human milk because no one knows all the ingredients of human milk until now.

Commercial baby formula milks  is doing a good job of trying to duplicate the ingredients in breast milk but have not yet matched their exact combination and composition because some of breast milk’s more complex substances are too difficult to manufacture and some have not yet been identified.

Breast milk is the most complete form of nutrition for infants. It has just the right amount of fat, sugar, water, digestive proteins, minerals, vitamins, and hormones that is needed for a baby’s growth and development. And, most babies find it easier to digest breastmilk than baby formula milk.

Baby formula milk is higher in protein content compared to breastmilk, but the protein found in breast milk has a higher digestibility and assimilation, and therefore less is required. Aside from that, breastmilk has a higher carbohydrate content compared to baby formula milk.

Moms, why waste your money buying the best baby formula milk for your precious child while the the excellent milk is free and easily available – your breast milk. Breastfeeding does not just nourish your child physically but the emotional bond between you and your child develops too.

Dyslexia, what is it?

Dyslexia, what is it? Is it an illness? Let’s explore the world of dyslexics for us to know and understand them better on what they’re going through and for us to know how to encourage and support them. Dyslexia is a common learning disability that can affect speaking, reading, spelling and writing. Dyslexia results from differences in how the brain processes written and spoken language. It simply means that a person’s brain has trouble processing letters and sounds.

Modern neuroimaging techniques such as functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Positron Emission Tomography (PET) have produced clear evidence of the structural differences in the brains of children with reading difficulties. Some research found that people with dyslexia have a deficit in parts of the left hemisphere of the brain involved in reading, which includes the inferior frontal gyrus, inferior parietal lobule, and middle and ventral temporal cortex.

Dyslexics usually have average or superior intelligence but they’re often treated as dull because they don’t learn as fast as normal kids do. Worse, parents and teachers usually tag them as unmotivated or lazy.  A kid who has dyslexia will read slowly and might make a lot of mistakes. Sometimes they will mix up letters in a word. Kids who have dyslexia might get frustrated, angry, or sad because reading and spelling are so hard for them.

Speech delays, stuttering or clattering can be an early warning sign of dyslexia. Many dyslexics may have a problems in managing and interpreting auditory input prior to reproducing their own version of speech. Many dyslexics also can have problems with speaking clearly. They can mix up sounds in multi-syllabic words. They often have “immature” speech. They also can have problems speaking in full sentences.

Dyslexia can produce not just learning difficulties but emotional and psychological problems as well. It often weakens a child self-esteem and confidence that may lead to anti-social behavior and juvenile delinquency. Imagine a 10 year old kid who doesn’t know left from right, has difficulty in in learning the days of the week or the months of the year in order, he or she can be a target of humiliating taunts and classmate jokes.

Discovering a learning disability is the first step toward getting help that will make it easier for the kid to learn. Formal diagnosis of dyslexia is made by a qualified professional, such as a neurologist or an educational psychologist. Kid will be given some tests. But the idea isn’t to get a good grade; it’s to spot problems.

Some shared symptoms of the speech/hearing deficits and dyslexia:

dyslexia

If  it is so hard for the kid to distinguish before from after or right from left, and so on

If it is so hard for the kid to learn the alphabet

If it is so hard for the kid to retrieve a word or name  problems

If it is so difficult for the kid to identify or generate rhyming words, or counting syllables in words (phonological awareness)

If there is a difficulty for the kid on hearing and manipulating sounds in words (phonemic awareness)

If there is a difficulty for the kid on distinguishing different sounds in words (auditory discrimination)

If there is a difficulty for the kid on learning the sounds of letters

If there is a difficulty for the kid on associating individual words with their correct meanings

If there is a difficulty for the kid on time keeping and concept of time

If the kid is confused when it is on combinations of words

Since it is so hard for a kid with dyslexia to do those things, manifestations are:

Persistent baby talk exist. They may still be saying “wed and gween” instead of “red and green” in third grade.

Reversing letters and numbers

Poor in spelling

Difficulty in learning to read

Coordination problems, especially those of small motor coordination (hand manipulation)

Perceptual problems: confusing letters like b and d and reversing saw as was. They can have trouble correctly articulating Rs and Ls as well as Ms and Ns.

Poor retention of material that is learned

Inability to write down even simple thoughts

Short attention span and general restlessness.

Due to fear of speaking incorrectly, some children become withdrawn and shy or become   bullies out of their inability to understand the social cues in their environment

Difficulty in organization skills

dyslexia

Dyslexia has no known cure. The most effective thing to help them is through special education that focuses on training dyslexics to cope his or her problem. And, to uncover child’s skill and build on it and encourage them.

Now that we know some things what dyslexics are going through, all we can do to support them is to boost their self confidence for them to realize their potentials and become successful in the society.

Newborn Do's And Don'ts

All of us are so excited to meet the new member of our family. “I’m so excited to see if to whom does the baby looks like”, my grandma exclaimed. Little boy, my nephew,  was just born yesterday and we are preparing a welcome party for him today.

Not only that, I also made a research on taking care of a newborn because taking care of them involves learning a whole new skill set. Here are few tips I’ve learned that can help first-time parents feel confident about caring there newborn. The things to do and things not to do with your baby:

DO breastfeed your baby exclusively. It is recommended to exclusive breastfeed the baby on his or her first six months of life, and that there is no upper limit to the duration of breastfeeding.

DO select an iron-fortified infant formula if breastfeeding may not be possible.

DON’T feed your baby low iron formulas, homemade formulas, cow or goat milk as a substitute to iron-fortified formula.

DON’T feed your baby juice or even water. If you think that they are thirsty, just feed them with breast milk or iron-fortified infant formula because it provides everything babies need nutritionally until they start eating solid foods.

DON’T heat your baby’s bottles in the microwave. Microwave ovens heat liquids unevenly, and so can leave super heated pockets of formula in your baby’s bottle. Even if you vigorously shake the bottle afterwards, heating bottles in the microwave should be avoided.

DON’T start your baby on solid foods before 4 months of age, especially if allergies fun in the family.

DO remember that a newborn baby needs to be fed every 2 to 3 hours. If you’re breastfeeding, give your baby the chance to nurse about 10–15 minutes at each breast. If you’re formula-feeding, your baby will most likely take about 2–3 ounces (60–90 milliliters) at each feeding. Generally, it’s recommended that babies be fed on demand — whenever they seem hungry. Your baby may cue you by crying, putting fingers in his or her mouth, or making sucking noises. However,

DON’T focus too much on how much, how often and how regularly your baby eats. Instead, look for contentment between feedings, alertness, good skin tone and steady weight gain. Call your baby’s doctor if you need to awaken your newborn frequently or if your baby doesn’t seem interested in eating or sucking.

DO remember that babies often swallow air during feedings, which can make them fussy. You can prevent this by burping your baby frequently. Try burping your baby every 2 to 3 ounces (60–90 milliliters) if you bottle-feed, and each time you switch breasts if you breastfeed. If your baby tends to be gassy, has gastroesophageal reflux, or seems fussy during feeding, try burping your baby every ounce during bottle-feeding or every 5 minutes during breastfeeding.

DON’T shake your baby. Shaking your baby can cause Shaken Baby Syndrome. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, ‘shaken baby syndrome is a severe form of head injury that occurs when a baby is shaken forcibly enough to cause the baby’s brain to rebound (bounce) against his or her skull. This rebounding may cause bruising, swelling, and bleeding (intracerebral hemorrhage) of the brain, which may lead to permanent, severe brain damage or death.

If you need to wake your infant, don’t do it by shaking — instead, tickle your baby’s feet or blow gently on a cheek.

DO respond to your baby when he or she cries. Crying is a baby’s way of communicating one of his or her needs. Crying can be upsetting. You will gradually begin to recognize your baby’s different crying patterns and, as you get to know her better, will be able to anticipate her needs.

DO provide an environment with a lot of social interaction. This includes eye contact, talking, listening and touching. For infants, the attachment contributes to their emotional growth, which also affects their development in other areas, such as physical growth. Physical closeness can also promote an emotional connection.

DON’T allow stuffed animals, soft bedding or improper or extra mattresses in your baby’s crib to ensure that your baby doesn’t get tangled in them or suffocate.

DO put your baby to sleep on his back, this is one of the best ways to prevent the risk of SIDS ( Sudden Infant Death Syndrome). But be sure to alternate the position of your baby’s head from night to night (first right, then left, and so on) and or have a tummy time when your baby is awake to prevent the development of a flat spot on one side of the head.

DON’T expect your newborn baby to sleep through the night. Newborns typically sleep for periods of 2–4 hours. The digestive system of babies is so small that they need nourishment every 2-3 hours. You can expect your baby to sleep for 6-8 hours by the time they are about three months old.

DO support your baby’s head and neck to avoid injuries. A new baby is not strong enough to support her own head, cradle the head when carrying your baby and support the head when carrying the baby upright or when you lay him or her down.

DON’T leave your baby alone on places where he or she could fall like changing table or bed or a couch.. Make sure cribs meet current safety standards.

Emotional Development of Infants

The important figure in the infant’s new world is his mother from whom he or she has just been parted. In some situations her place is shouldered by others other people like the child’s father, relatives or a caretaker. For most babies, however, the emotional character of the outside world is established by the mother.

Infants require love. Before they are one month old, infants cannot see clearly and their only way to be acquainted with their environment is through the sense of touch. Every touch, in whatever way he received it, contributes to his impression of the outer world. As the child’s nervous system develops, these impressions are blended into his personality and they influence the child’s personal views toward other people, things and toward himself.

The immediate people who take care of the baby, especially the mother, should find time to cuddle him closer, talk to the baby, sing some familiar lullaby and stroke the head. Feeding time is the most fulfilling event in the infant’s life, so mothers, especially working mothers who are away from home most of the hours of the day, should carry and cuddle their babies during feeding time for them to feel they are loved.

State or feeling of safety is developed by quick and skillful response to baby’s distress signals, his cries and screams. This principle can be fully explained in the feeding situation. When the baby is need of food and attention are met unfailingly and quickly by another who enjoys giving, baby feels loved and cherished. You should not wait until the baby cries aloud before you pay attention to his needs when you know the baby is hungry or wet. However, do not indulge your baby by holding him whenever he cries. You need to recognize differences between the cry for food, discomfort or pain from the cry for attention. A contented, loved, and comfortable child will just play in the crib even when left alone.