Tips to Help Pets and Toddlers Get Along with Each Other

There is one thing in common between pets and toddlers in your household – both of them crave your love and attention, and both of them require your utmost care. If a pet has been staying in the household much before an toddler has come to stay there, the pet may feel threatened and even jealous of the attention given to the new toddler. It may tend to attack the toddler when unattended.

In another case, household pets may mistake a toddler for a game or an intruder and attack them accidentally. Sometimes, household pets are unable to gauge the strength and limits of a toddler and may unknowingly hurt the toddler while playing with it.

Here are some tips to ensure your toddler and your household pet live in harmony:

• Do not neglect your pet – pay the pet as much (or almost) attention as you did before the toddler arrived


• Let the pet know that the toddler is its friend and not a rival – you may introduce the pet to the toddler and familiarize them in a friendly way


• Train the pet to get accustomed to the toddler’s ways by playing tapes of toddlers crying and other means so that the pet is not frightened when the toddler cries in reality


• Do not leave your toddler unattended with a pet around – the pet may unknowingly (or knowingly, if not properly trained) hurt the toddler or indulge in things that may not be good for the toddlers welfare


• Keep the pet hygienically clean so that the chances of the toddler contracting diseases from it remain minimal

Accurately calculate medicine dosages

Most parents face the ongoing problem of accurately calculating toddler medicine dosages and fear the risk of giving their toddlers the wrong dosage. While giving infant medication, the dosage specifications marked on the label are in ml’s (milliliters) or cc’s (cubic centimeters). A doctor’s prescription may define toddler medicine dosages in teaspoon measures. If you didn’t follow the metric system in high school, you have some learning to do.

Administrating the exact dosage of medicine to your toddlers is very important. Giving less than required will not benefit the toddler and delivering an extra dosage of medicine can be detrimental to his health. Various devices are available in the market to help measure toddler medicine dosages accurately.

For kids less than 2 years old, always check with your doctor. You’ll notice that all over the counter medicines do NOT give dosages for this age group, specifically because the children vary widely in size and weight, and are not all ready for the medications.

Here is a list of what is available in the market:

• The Spoon Dropper: This is a plastic dropper that has easy to read calibrations of half teaspoon, one-fourth teaspoon and so on and also in milliliters to help ensure an accurate dosage of medicine to toddlers every time. They come with a tiny cleaner brush to clean the dropper.


• Tablet Crusher: This helps crush the tablet into powder and has a built in storage container to avoid spilling and wastage.


• Tablet Cutters: This device cuts the pill uniformly with a stainless steel blade and has a two-compartment pill storage area. It also has a ‘locking bar’ to provide safety.


• Syringe Dropper: It looks like a syringe, and has markings in ml (milliliters) for easy and accurate dispensing. It’s easy to fit into a baby or toddler mouth and squeeze out the right dosage of medicine for the toddler without spilling. On the plus side, some kids think it’s fun.

Points to remember:

• Doctors generally prescribe medications after taking the child’s age and weight into consideration.


• Dosages will change as the kid grows.


• Reading labels and following prescriptions accurately will go a long way in ensuring good health for your toddler.

Thumb sucking in babies

Most babies and young children tend to suck their thumbs. While you may be concerned about your child’s habit, it is actually quite harmless.

Here are a few facts about thumb sucking:

• Babies are born with the urge to suck their thumbs.


• It is a natural reflex on their part.


• It helps them relieve stress and remain calm.


• It leads to the release of endorphins, which cause the baby to experience feelings of pleasure.


• Thumb sucking does not really lead to prominent teeth, except in children who are growing permanent teeth.


• Thumb sucking does not cause improper growth of the thumb.


• Thumb sucking children are not mentally deficient, emotionally insecure, or maladjusted.


• Generally, children give up sucking their thumbs by about 2–3 years of age. A few children, however, do continue to do so beyond the age of four years.

Many parents opt for a pacifier early on, which takes the place of the thumb. While less immediately practical (you have to buy, wash, find and replace them), they do have the advantage of making it easier to break the sucking habit at the appropriate time (either at 3-4 months or at 18 months) by just taking the pacifier away. Thumbsuckers sometimes do not break the habit until they are three, four, or even five years old.

While encouraging older children to give up sucking their thumbs, remember to:

• Provide your child with an alternative means of coping with stress.


• Avoid pulling the thumb out of your child’s mouth.


• Avoid criticizing the child about thumb sucking.


• Identify events that prompt your child to indulge in thumb sucking and deal with them appropriately.

Trimming your baby’s nails

Even when babies are young, their nails are quite sharp. This can easily lead to babies injuring either themselves or adults who are handling them. To avoid this, it is essential that you start trimming children’s nails from the time they are still young.

Do not attempt to cut your baby’s nails with scissors or anything else that is likely to cause injury. Instead, use clippers and scissors that are especially designed for children. They have rounded tips and prevent accidental injury from taking place.

Here are a few things to remember about trimming your baby’s nails:

• The ideal time to trim young children’s nails is right after a bath when their nails are softer.


• If your baby is fidgety and refuses to sit quietly, you may need someone to distract your baby’s attention. Another option is to encourage your baby to fall asleep.


• Hold your baby’s finger (or toe) firmly in your hand and push down on the part that is under the nail, to prevent accidentally cutting it.


• Take care to avoid cutting too deep.


• Trim the nail by following the natural curve on the fingertip. (While trimming the nails on your baby’s toes you may cut them in a straight line.)


• Gently smoothen any rough or sharp edges by using emery board.


• Avoid biting your baby’s nails in an attempt to trim them. This not only prevents a clean and even cut, but may also lead to your baby contracting an infection through your saliva.

If you find that you have either injured the skin or cut too deep, so that there is bleeding, hold a sterile cotton wad or gauze over the wound and press gently. Ensure that the bleeding has stopped, before you release the pressure. Do not wrap a bandage around the wound as it may present a risk of choking.

Teach by Setting Examples

If you are looking for a great way to make sure your children are off to a healthy start, don't overlook the importance of a nutritious breakfast.

According to the American Dietetic Association (ADA), when children are consistent about eating breakfast each day, they tend to consume more calories than those that don't, but they are less likely to be overweight. Furthermore, not eating breakfast may predispose them to diets that fall short of providing enough calcium and fiber.

Another key component for fathers is what behaviors they are modeling. Children are quick to learn by watching others, so it's important that fathers consider what type of example they are setting through their own eating and activity level.

According to the ADA, research shows that when mothers pressure their young daughters to eat more healthy foods, the children tend to do the opposite. They report that the most effective way to get them to eat more fruits and vegetables is to lead by example.

Children who see their parents frequently eat healthy food are more likely to do so themselves. Being overweight can cause a host of problems, creating difficulties in every area, from finding clothing that fits well to avoiding the school playground.

For young children, it's especially troubling because they don't yet have the ability to prepare their own foods or be much of an active participant in deciding what they will eat and how active their family will be.

Parents shouldn't make their child's weight a constant worry, but they should take it into consideration and check up on it with their family doctor.


Read more about Fatherhood

10 Ways to tell if your baby has allergies, and not just a cold

Many of the symptoms of nasal allergies (also known as allergic rhinitis) are similar to those of cold symptoms—runny nose, watery eyes, cough, nasal congestion, sneezing. Many times parents are confused on whether their child has a long-term cold or allergies.

Allergies are different though. Here are ten things to look for:

• Is your baby sneezing a lot?


• Does he have a dry cough, not coughing anything up?


• Are his eyes, red, watery, and itchy?


• Is his skin breaking out, irritated, or have an itchy red rash?


• Is your baby's nose always stuffy or running?


• Does it seem like your baby always has a cold? (Colds usually wind themselves down in a week to ten days; allergies don't.)


• Does your baby breathe through his mouth?


• Is your baby constantly rubbing, or touching her nose?


• Does your baby have thin and clear mucous draining from her nose (or is it think and yellow or green?)?


• Does it look like he or she has a black eye (“allergic shiner”) where the skin is dark or purple under her eyes.

If your baby has more than one of these symptoms, there is fairly good chance your baby is allergic to something in his or her environment. The most common culprit is dust mites, but there are many other allergies. Since common allergies are linked to ear infections and possibly asthma, it’s a good idea to discuss these symptoms with your doctor and eventually with an allergist who can easily test for more specific allergens.

Sunlight: How Can You Protect Your Baby Against its Ill Effects?

Even though babies are supposed to stay indoors, warmly cuddled in their mother’s bosoms, they may need to be taken out for regular check-ups to the doctor and other outdoor baby adventures.

Even though sunlight contains vitamin D which is essential to your child’s health, prolonged exposure to sunlight is harmful for your baby. This is mainly because sunlight contains ultraviolet light. UV light, as it is commonly called, is liable to cause damage to the baby’s health both in the short and longer run—such as increasing the risk of skin cancer. If your baby is pale skinned, the risks are even higher.

Even if you or spouse “tan easily” and have never had problems in the sun, do not risk sunburn with your baby whose skin is more delicate than yours.

There are two forms of common sun protection available for babies:

1. Sun creams to protect your baby’s exposed skin


2. Protective accessories and clothing to shield your baby

Sun Creams

There are special sun creams formulated especially for young healthy baby skin. Using an adult skin cream can result in irritation for your baby.

• Read the label to check if the cream offers maximum protection from UVA and UVB rays.


• No cream offers 100 percent protection for your baby’s skin, so it makes sense to keep them in the shade whenever possible.

Sun Dresses and Parasols

• T-shirts with long sleeves are easiest to dress your baby with and provide the best protection under the sun.


• Cover as much of your baby’s skin with comfortable-fitting clothes. Make sure the clothes you buy are made from closely-woven fabrics.


• Choose a nice colorful hat that covers your baby’s face, neck, and ears. Babies are most vulnerable and exposed in these parts.


• Window shades or tinting on the car’s windshield provides the extra protection babies need when traveling.


• There are also parasols and meshes available to protect babies in prams and buggies. The latter can also serve as cover from rain.

Childhood Diseases - Chickenpox Symptoms and Surviving the Pox

Chickenpox is the common name for Varicella simplex, a disease that mainly affects children. Until recently, chickenpox manifested itself so frequently as a disease, that it came to be recognized almost as a rite of passage for childhood.



Parents knew the first symptom: the red itchy rashes that would spread across the back, the chest, and the scalp; the smaller signs of sickness: the fever, the loss of appetites and finally the scars it would leave behind. Most parents raised their children, accepting chickenpox as a fact of life.



The year 1995 saw the development of a chickenpox vaccine, which turned out to be a safe, effective way to prevent chickenpox and its possible complications. Even in cases where the vaccine does not stop the disease’s progress completely, the surviving infections are known to be much milder than those of the past.



Chickenpox is believed to have been named after chick peas. The specks that appear after the contagion make the skin look as though chickens have pecked it.



There is usually a 10-14 day incubation period before symptoms can be noticed. The disease is highly contagious and spreads by air.



Chickenpox starts off with a few red spots or bumps (often mistaken for insect bites). The appearance of fever is common. The signs then proceed from bumps to blisters and on day 4 the original blisters will start to crust over. By the end of the week, most or all of the blisters will be crusted over. The fever is known to last for 5 days.



Doctors are known to prescribe an antihistamine to relieve itching but other than that, chickenpox requires no medical treatment in healthy children and should simply be allowed to run its course. Parents should be wary of any treatments involving aspirin, due to the risk of developing Reye's syndrome.



In case of complications (such as pneumonia and encephalitis) or exacerbation of symptoms, parents are advised to seek their doctor's attention. However, serious illnesses are more common in older children and adults.

Related Article: Children Pinworms

Tips for Dealing with Bad Breath in Toddlers

Bad breath (halitosis) in toddlers tends to surprise parents as it is generally thought to occur only in grown-ups. Leftover food particles could cause breath odor in a healthy child. Food particles can be stuck between the teeth, at the gum line, on the tongue, or on the surface of the tonsils. The resulting bacterial build-up will react with saliva and cause bad breath.

Here are some causes of bad breath in toddlers:

• Tartar build-up


• Tooth infections


• Pacifier use


• Dehydration


• Pharyngitis (inflammation of the pharynx)


• Tonsillitis (inflammation of tonsils)

There is no need for parents to worry of course! Regular dental hygiene can easily take care of the problem.Here are some common solutions to help you deal with your toddlers’ bad breath:

• Make sure your toddlers are getting adequate fluid intake. This will take care of dehydration, if any exists.


• Make sure your toddlers are brushing correctly. If not, teach them the correct techniques.


• Use a timer for brushing time to make sure your toddlers brush for the correct length of time.


• Talk with your dentist and get your toddlers a routine check up.


• Make sure the pacifiers that your toddlers may be using are regularly sterilized.

Of course, bad breath in some instances can simply be caused by recently consumed foods or beverages such as garlic or onions or spicy foods like pepperoni.

There are other serious cases, however, where your children’s breath may smell toxic. In these circumstances, immediately check if your toddlers have consumed any chemical or medicine accidentally kept within reach.

Helping Your Kids and Family to Cut Down on Sugar and Sweets

Face it: the United States runs on sugar. This is not a good thing. A recent study in the International journal of Pediatric Obesity says that nearly half of American kids will be overweight by 2010. The current number is one-third. Here are some tips for cutting down on the sugar in your house.

1. Eliminate sodas. This means you too! This one change is like moving from a Hummer to a Prius, and will save you both calories and dollars. There really is very little good for you in a soda, and despite the “thirst-quenching” advertising message, sodas do a poor job of hydrating little active bodies.


2. Don’t be an all or nothing dictator. Kids need to learn that all things, including maybe even soda once in a blue moon, are okay in moderation. Completely eliminating everything “bad” might have the effect of making your kids lust after them even more.


3. Avoid processed foods and watch ingredients. The more you make on your own, or sweeten on your own terms, the better off you’ll be. Pre-sweetened anything isn’t really a time-saver anyway since adding sugar takes only a second. Also, check labels for sugar in places you don’t think it would be like. E.g. pizzas, bagels, and especially low-fat products which use sweetness to cover for the low fat content.


4. Allow your kids to make choices. Kids are amazingly wise if you let them decide between two things rather than giving in to both. They also understand that some things are better for them.


5. Big bowls mean big servings. Try serving ice cream in a little cup next time.


6. Look carefully into marketing messages. Not everything you read tells the true story. “Light” might be just in relationship to the “ultra-heavy” option.


7. Watch out for the “naturally sweet”. This is just sugar by another name.