2 January 2006
Dear Readers: Sincerely,
Dr. Warren hopes to help all who ask his advice and to enlighten all who read Ask Dr. Warren. For your own well being please keep in mind that
advice you read here may not apply exactly to your own situation, and that if you are sick, no information on the web can take the place of a hands on examination by your physican who knows you and cares about you.
Dr. Warren
Can you offer any suggestions or shed light whether or not this is a serious matter as to why we cant get him to sleep the night still?
Thanks.
We'll look for your reply.
-JS
Dear JS: If your son is acting fine all day and is ready to play when he wakes up at night, there is nothing wrong with him. He simply hasn't learned good sleep habits. Sleep is a necessity, but how we sleep is a learned behavior. Please read my article, Helping Your Child to Sleep Through the Night. I am not really an advocate of making children "cry it out" but at 8 months your baby is a prime candidate for separation anxiety. He's going to object to being left in his crib, and that's bound to result in crying. The idea is not for him to cry it out, but for you to progressively decrease your intervention with an eventual decrease in his crying. If he spends significant time out of his crib when he awakens during the night, he will not learn that you expect him to stay in it.
Sincerely,
Dr. Warren
Thank you.
-JM
Dear JM: If your baby has thrush, it would most likely not stay confined to the tongue. You would expect to find white, cottage cheesy patches inside the cheeks and lips. If there is a question about thrush, a swab can be sent to the lab for culture. If it is not thrush, you are most likely seeing the natural color of the tongue or milk residue on the tongue.
All babies spit, some more than others. Whether or not to pursue the matter depends on whether the baby is happy, healthy, and gaining weight well. If the baby is irritable or gaining poorly, formula intolerance may play a role, in which case, trying a hypoallergenic formula such as Nutramigen or Alimentum may be better than trying a soy. If it is not due to formula intolerance, the baby may have gastroesophageal reflux. Since there are medications which can help, an evaluation by a pediatric gastroenterologist would be in order if the baby is not gaining well and happy.
Sincerely,
Dr. Warren
-RH
Dear RH: A 2 year old who is always coughing could have asthma even if there are no other symptoms. For a detailed explanation, please read my article, What is Asthma?.
Sincerely,
Dr. Warren
-Concerned Parent
Dear Concerned Parent: As long as your baby is healthy and can be cared for during travel, it is safe to travel with a newborn. The main reason to avoid travel is exposure to infectious disease. Care must be taken to keep admirers at a distance.
Sincerely,
Dr. Warren
Thank you very much for taking time to read this.
-Rob
Dear Rob: You may be developing a rash from sweating or irritation, especially if it is mostly in the area where the hat band goes around the head. A persistent rash could be many things including a fungus infection (ringworm). You could try going without the hat for a few weeks to see if your rash resolves, or you could consult a dermatologist.
Sincerely,
Dr. Warren
I appreciate your time and anxiously await your response.
-NM
Dear NM: Babies' eyelids may be swollen after birth due to being squeezed through the birth canal and as a result of eye drops put in the newborn's eyes; however by 9 weeks this should be fully resolved. There is no developmental process which causes the eyes to be asymmetrical or appear swollen. Not all features are completely symmetrical. Since I haven't seen your infant, I cannot tell if you are describing a variant of normal. You could be describing a swollen (blocked) tear duct, or some other condition of the soft tissue surrounding the eye. If there is any doubt about the normalcy of what you are seeing, then you should consult a pediatric ophthalmologist.
Sincerely,
Dr. Warren
-CB
Dear CB: Many boys develop some breast swelling as part of early to mid puberty. This often first appears as a tender lump below the nipple and is most likely what your son has. It is called adolescent male gynecomastia. There are several letters about this on Ask Dr. Warren.
At your son's age, he should be having regular checkups. The lump is unlikely to be anything other than gynecomastia, but it should be brought to your pediatrician's attention.
Sincerely,
Dr. Warren
-WG
P.S. - The only medication he has been on is Claritin, which he has been on for over a year, but I did stop giving him that in case it was causing the dreams.Dear WG: Some children are simply very fearful. You may be doing all that can be done by providing comfort and reassurance until your son gets old enough to handle his fears. If he is equally fearful during the day, you might want to consult a child psychologist to see if there is an underlying cause for these fears and develop a strategy for dealing with fears.
The sudden onset 3 weeks ago certainly suggests a precipitating event. A complete physical by your son's pediatrician can help rule out any physical cause. If your son does not spend every minute with you retracing his steps or exploring with a counselor may help find a precipitating event.
Sincerely,
Dr. Warren
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