No matter how good you are at parenting, you’re bound to run into some issues with your newborn at some point. Whether it’s reflux, colic, jaundice, or something else, it can be hard to tell what’s normal and what requires attention from your pediatrician. With the right tools and information, though, you can be prepared for almost anything that comes your way as a parent of an infant. Read on to learn how to spot common health issues in infants and respond accordingly to make sure your baby stays healthy and happy throughout her first year of life.
Soft Spot (fontanel)
The soft spot, or fontanel, is a hole located on top of your baby’s head. Newborn babies are born with a soft spot because their skulls aren’t completely closed, allowing their brains room to grow. The soft spot will begin closing sometime between two and six months old; however, it won’t completely close until your child reaches two years old.
Head, Eyes, Ears
Babies’ heads are proportionally larger than adults’ heads, which makes it more difficult for a newbo+rn to pass through a birth canal. As a result, babies often have their heads turned during labor, and their shoulders can become stuck. If you suspect your baby is stuck, pull gently but firmly down on his or her head; if that doesn’t work, try delivering him or her with forceps. This maneuver can cause permanent physical damage so only try it as a last resort.
Mouth and Nose
Teething can be a particularly painful experience for an infant. If your Nannusays is teething, look out for trouble sleeping and irritability which may mean that you need to give your little one something cool to suck on. And remember, it’s perfectly safe for babies and toddlers to put toys or other objects into their mouths; if you’re worry about how long a specific toy has around, just replace it with a new one.
Nosebleeds
A nosebleed isn’t a cause for concern, but you should watch your baby carefully and make sure he or she doesn’t put anything in his or her mouth (your nannu says may tempt to stick an object up his or her nose after a bleeding episode). To help stop bleeding, pinch your child’s nostrils closed with two fingers. If bleeding persists for more than 20 minutes, contact your pediatrician.
Jaundice
According to MedlinePlus, when a baby is first born, he or she will likely have some excess yellow pigment called bilirubin in his or her blood. Jaundice occurs when more bilirubin accumulates than can process by your baby’s liver. Causes of jaundice vary from prematurity and high birth weight through breastfeeding complications and breastfeeding that continues beyond four months of age.
Dark Circles Under Eyes
Almost every parent of a newborn worry about dark circles under their baby’s eyes. While it’s normal for babies to have dark patches under their eyes, if they persist or are worrisome, check with your pediatrician. Babies sometimes get jaundice, which is a yellowing of their skin and whites of their eyes from excess bilirubin, caused by an immature liver. For more information on jaundice, click here.
Mottling on Hands and Feet
Mottling is a term use to describe when there are dark spots or blotches on your baby’s hands and feet. This can cause by having cold hands and feet, low blood oxygen levels, an underdeveloped organ system or heart, not enough amniotic fluid surrounding the baby, lung disease and more.
Abdominal Masses
It’s true that they’re going through a lot as they grow, and your pediatrician will let you know if there are any health issues to watch out for. But some babies take longer than others on certain milestones, like rolling over or sitting up. Just because your baby is a bit delayed doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong there may just be a delay.
Newborns Are Often Late On Milestones
Newborns are growing, learning and developing at a rapid pace. With all of these things happening so quickly it can be difficult for parents to know if something is normal or not. What’s more, sometimes these developmental delays (whether they be physical or cognitive) are indicators of a larger issue like health problems or intellectual disabilities. In order to spot common health issues in infants parents need to understand what is normal and when something might be cause for concern…
Tongue-Tie (Ankyloglossia)
In newborns, your child’s tongue should be pink and pointy. If it has a flat tip, is jagged on one side, or appears at all blue or black, that’s a sign of ankyloglossia. It’s usually caught within 24 hours after birth and can treat with simple surgery once it’s diagnose. Your doctor will clip your baby’s frenulum, the tissue that connects their tongue to the bottom of their mouth—to release pressure on their tongue.
Physical Activity
A sedentary lifestyle is more dangerous for babies than it is for adults. It is important that babies allow time each day to be physically active. As a rule of thumb, infants should have at least 30 minutes of activity per day. This could include walking, crawling or even being carry around by an adult. If you have time, consider giving your infant a bath after each feeding. This allows her to burn extra calories and helps her stay alert as she grows tired from eating so often throughout the day.