21 April 1997
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 physician who knows you and cares about you.
Dr. Warren
Signed-
Frustrated Parent
Dear Frustrated Parent: Some learning disabilities do have a component of short-term memory problems. It is true that these disabilities are life long. But it is not reasonable to say that these children can't be helped. The school may not have the resources necessary for your daughter or the knowledge of what to do, but they are abrogating their responsibility to your daughter by simply saying there is nothing more they can do. Given their position on your daughter's education they should not be the final word regarding your daughter. She should be evaluated by a Child Development Specialist and/or Pediatric Neurologist who should give you an accurate diagnosis, recommendations for medication (if any), and recommendations for her educational program. After completion of her evaluation you should request a meeting with your school's committee on the handicapped or committee on special education, or whatever they call it in your school district. You should bring the reports of her evaluation with you and work out an educational program with them for your daughter. It is her right!
Sincerely,
Dr. Warren
It's about my three-months old baby. Ever since she was born, she has never slept on her own. I have to hold her during the day in order for her to nap, and she has been sleeping on my chest during the night too. If I put her down, she immediately wakes up and starts screaming. Or she would sleep on her own for only five minutes.....
I am so exhausted!!
Please give me some suggestions.
By the way, I did not have this problem with my older child.
-MI
Dear MI: Children are born with different personalities. Some are easily stimulated and overly reactive. Without even thinking about it, parents respond to the needs of such "difficult" children by finding ways to calm them, get them to sleep, get them to eat, etc. Unfortunately, many of the solutions parents find for dealing with these children are only acceptable short term. I'm sure the first time you put your daughter to sleep on your chest you never considered the possibility that you would still be doing it in 3 months. But now your daughter is dependent on the warmth of your body and the beating of your heart for comfort. She has essentially come as close as possible to the conditions she lived with for nine months in the womb.It will be difficult to change what your daughter has gotten used to and come to depend on. There is no question that she will spend many hours screaming, because that's how you got into this situation in the first place. Sleep is a necessity, but how we sleep is a learned behavior. It is time for your daughter to learn to sleep in a crib. It will not get easier as she gets older and starts to develop separation anxiety.
At first you will probably want to put your daughter into her crib asleep, but eventually you should put her in awake. If she wakes, you should avoid taking her out of the crib. Try to comfort her in the crib by talking to her and gently stroking her. Consider putting a ticking clock in her room to simulate the rhythmic sound of your heart beat. You might add some white noise to her room to block out other stimulation. White noise can be as simple as a radio tuned to no station so there is only static. Or you can get a white noise generator that provides a variety of soothing sounds.
There is also a device known as the "Sleep Tight" device which can help babies sleep by simulating the movement and sound of a car. (Website no longer available.)
Sincerely,
Dr. Warren
-BL
Dear BL: Children may experience vomiting as part of a reaction to any vaccine, but this reaction would only occur just after the immunization if the child isn't feeling well. Long term vomiting is NOT a reaction to a vaccine. Since your child is growing well and seems healthy perhaps he is spitting up rather than vomiting. Spitting may increase during the first few months of life as the volume of an infant's feedings increases.
Sincerely,
Dr. Warren
Thank you
-KP (father)
Dear KP: What you are describing still sounds like a night terror. While seizures may involve flailing, screaming, and automatic movements, the movements are more repetitive than purposeful. However, should there be any other reason to consider a seizure disorder you might discuss this with a Pediatric Neurologist.Night terrors are difficult to deal with because even though the child may appear awake they occur while the child is asleep, therefore the child does not respond appropriately as an awake child. You should read the excellent article on night terrors by KidsHealth.org at http://kidshealth.org/parent/behavior/nghtter.html.
Sincerely,
Dr. Warren
-AB
Dear AB: Ringworm generally looks like a circular or oval rash with a red scaly edge and a clear center. Since ringworm is a living fungus it grows causing the area to gradually enlarge. Eczema may look similar to ringworm but usually doesn't have the characteristic clear center for which ringworm got its name.A ringworm which doesn't respond to treatment with Tinactin may respond to Micatin or Lotrimin. If you are not sure whether the rash is ringworm you should see your doctor again or see a dermatologist.
Sincerely,
Dr. Warren
-KY
Dear KY: Some babies find rhythmic head banging soothing. As long as he isn't hurting himself it is perfectly okay.Sincerely,
Dr. Warren
Thanks
-KP
Dear KP: As long as nobody is forcing your son to use one hand or the other for an activity he will naturally choose whichever hand he is most comfortable with. He may be ambidextrous (equally comfortable with right or left) or have a mixed dominance where he is more comfortable with right for some things and left for others. If you think the glove is interfering with his choosing a particular hand for throwing, play ball with him with out a glove. Encourage him to try both hands for throwing and see which he prefers.Sincerely,
Dr. Warren
My co-worker has a 4-month-old son. She's been taking him to day-care since he was six weeks old. Anyway, she recently noticed one of the infant caregivers picking children up by their arms... as in, the caregiver is standing straight up and is simply reaching down, grabbing the child by one arm, and lifting the child to her. The question is this: can the child suffer "nursemaid's elbow" if lifted in such a manner? My co-worker would like to confront the caregiver but hoped to obtain some medical information about the dislocation before doing so.
Any help you may give is greatly appreciated.
Thank you
-RB
Dear RB: If a child is yanked by the hand it can result in a "Nursemaid's Elbow" which is a dislocation of the radial head. Some children get this dislocation by themselves by falling when they play and grabbing onto something on the way down. The saddest stories come from the fathers who do this to their children while playing with them.If a child is picked up by one arm there is little risk if it is done gently rather than suddenly. If the child is picked up by the upper arm it can't cause a nursemaid's elbow. If he is lifted by the forearm there is little risk. The greatest risk comes in pulling a child by the hand or wrist.
Sincerely,
Dr. Warren
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