Baby Health Tips From Author Stacy DeBroff

By Susie McGee

Stacy DeBroff, author of The Mom Book Goes to School, was kind enough to give LoveToKnowBaby a few tips and some information on babies and toddlers. These tips include ways to ease your babies' pains and other safety issues related to toddlers and infants. Ms. DeBroff, the CEO of Mom Central, Inc. is also considered a National Mom Expert and hosts the popular Website MomCentral.com.

How Should Parents Treat Their Child's Minor Bumps and Bruises?

If your child hurts his mouth, have him suck on a popsicle, frozen banana, or teething ring as long as he's not bleeding (the item might sting or stick to an open cut).
Wet a washcloth, put it in a plastic bag, and store it in the freezer to treat minor burns, scrapes, and bumps.
Use a frozen pack of peas instead of ice for bumps, as it will conform to your child's head or knee. A bag of frozen peas or corn makes a quick, no-drip compress.
Or, keep in the freezer a film canister partially filled with water to use as an instant ice pack

How Can I Relieve My Child's Congestion?

Elevate your baby's head in bed without using pillows or bedding that may cause suffocation. Put a blanket, phone book, or another thick item below the mattress, or let your baby nap in his car seat if he is more than six months of age. Raising your baby's head will make it easier for him to breathe through a stuffy nose.
For times when your child has trouble breathing, get either a humidifier (cold mist) for use during warm weather, or a vaporizer (hot steam) for use during cold weather. Clean vaporizers and humidifiers with vinegar and water each day you use them so they don't become moldy.
Take your stuffy baby into the bathroom with you, turn on the hot water, close the door, and sit in the steamy room for about fifteen minutes. Change your child into dry clothes afterward.
If your baby is too young to blow his nose, clear it with a rubber suction bulb. Clean and disinfect the bulb after every use by boiling it.
Apply over-the-counter saline drops to each nostril fifteen minutes before a feeding to loosen a stuffy nose.
Unscented baby wipes are easier on your child's nose when you must wipe it frequently.

What Is the Best Treatment for Colds and Flu?

For sticky medicines, first run under water whatever device you use to measure out the medicine, to ensure your baby gets the full dosage.
Blow in your baby's face, which causes a natural swallowing reaction.
If your baby resists a medicine dropper, measure the medicine into a clean bottle nipple. Wet the nipple first so not much medicine will stick to it.
Try a pacifier designed to give medicine.
Do not use a regular teaspoon to measure medication, as its size rarely equals one measured teaspoon. Measure your baby's dose with a syringe, oral dropper, round dosing spoon, or plastic medicine cup.
When giving liquid medicine or vitamins to your baby, place him on his back on his changing table and dangle a toy above his head. As he looks back, his mouth will open, and you can squirt the liquid in towards the back of his cheek.
Give liquid medicine to your baby in the baby bath or tub. This allows you to wash away dribbles.
Put drops in the inside corner of your child's eyes while he closes them, and the drops will go in when he opens his eyes.

How Can I Lessen the Chances of My Baby Becoming Sick?

For a baby, wash your hands frequently and insist that anyone else holding your baby have clean hands too.
To prevent re-infection when your child has a cold or virus you should sterilize nipples between uses, and wash your sick child's pillowcases and sheets in very hot water every day.