Page 79 - Mother & Baby - UK (March 2020)

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HEALTH

HowwillIbeabletotellifmybaby

hasanearinfection?

Hannah Garland, Sleaford

Ifyoususpectyourlittleonehasanear Iftheonlysymptomsarethatheisshaking
infection,checkwhetherhehasaraised hishead,pullinghisearsandisgenerally
bodytemperatureanddischargefromhis grumpy,itmightnotbeanearinfection,
ear.Ishefeelingmiserableandcrying?Is asallthesecanalsobesignsofteething.
heoffhisfood,milkfeedsandfluids? An Watchoutforariseintemperature.Ifhis
earinfectionisverypainful,soallthese temperaturegoesabove38°Corhisear
symptomsmayindicatethatyourbaby startstoproducedischarge,orthereis
hasone,andyou’llneedtoseeyourGP anythingelsethatconcernsyou,goto
tohavehimcheckedout. seeyourdoctorfortreatment.SB

Q Mythree-

month-old’s
handsarealways
freezingcold.How

canIcheckshe’s
warmenough?

Magdalena
Cudnowska, Crewe

Babiesoftenhavecold
handsandfeet,butthey
aren’tareliableindicator
ofhowwarmsheis.Her
circulatorysystemisstill
developing,andbloodis
channelledtovitalorgans
first,whereitisneeded
most,withhandsandfeet
thelastbodyparttogeta
goodsupply. Checkhow
warmyourdaughterfeels Mytwo-year-oldissmallforhisageandwearsclothesin
onhertummy,herback Q size12-18months.ShouldIbeconcerned?
andthenapeoftheneck.
Keeptheroomwhere Leah Shaw, Gloucester
yourbabysleepsat
18°Candusearoom Notallbabiesfitintoretailers’clothessizes; Askyourmumorafamilymemberwho
thermometertocheck agerangesareonlyaroughguide.Ifyour rememberswhenyouwerelittlewhether
itdoesn’tgettoocold. littleoneisonthesmallside,checkwhether youoranysiblingswereonthesmallside.
Ifshefeelscoldtothe heisfollowingthepercentilechartsinhis Youcouldcompareyoursandyourlittle
touchelsewhereon RedBook.Thesegraphsshowyourchild’s boy’sbabyphotostogiveyouacluewhether
herbodyandyou’re progressinheight,weightandsometimes thisisafamilytrait.
concernedaboutit, headcircumference.Ifheisfollowinghis Ifyouarestillconcerned,askyourhealth
makeanappointment predictedgrowthrateandhasagood visitororGPtosupportyoutomonitorhis
withyourGPtogether appetite,activitylevels,sleepswellandis progress.Theycanofferadvice,andrefer
checkedover.SB happymostofthetime,thisisreassuring. youtoapaediatricspecialistifneeded.SB

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