life of
dr. mom

blog

What is Respiratory Syncytial Virus?

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is the most common cause of lower respiratory tract infections in young children under 1 year old.   What is RSV? Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is a common virus that causes respiratory infections in young children.  In most healthy children, it causes an infection just like the common cold.  Symptoms of the common cold in babies include:

Read More »

Jaundice and Newborns

Some degree of jaundice occurs in a large majority of all newborn infants.  Jaundice is a condition where a newborn baby’s skin turns yellow.  This can happen with any race or colour of the skin.   Why Does Jaundice Occur So Frequently in Newborns? Jaundice occurs when a chemical called bilirubin builds up in a baby’s blood.  Everyone has

Read More »

Safety of Suspended Baby Jumpers

A common question I have been asked is about the safety of suspended baby jumpers like the Jolly Jumper. Personally, both of my kids loved the jolly jumper from the start and would giggle almost the entire time they are in it. Over the years, there have been discussions about the possible dangers of suspended

Read More »

Does Maternal Consumption of Highly Allergenic Foods, Like Peanuts, Reduce the Incidence of Childhood Peanut Allergies?

Peanut allergies are becoming more common among children.  It is estimated that  3.2% of children have peanut allergies.  In an effort to prevent this allergy, the Canadian Paediatric Society has recommended the introduction of peanuts and other allergenic foods around 6 months of age. Research has interestingly shown that what mothers eat during pregnancy may influence their child’s taste preferences later

Read More »

Nightmares in Toddlers

Two years ago for an entire week, Madi has woken up suddenly in the middle of the night from nightmares. She is in tears and terrified of the spooky monsters running around her room.  To calm her down, I would end up cuddling her and sleeping with her in her bed. This left me exhausted as

Read More »

Baby Drool Rash

Drooling can be a sign of teething, but some babies like George drool more than others. The presence of saliva frequently on on a baby’s chin, neck and chest can cause red irritation of the skin and is often called a “drool rash.” George had a drool rash on his chin when he was 2-3 months

Read More »

Hair Tourniquet

I lost so much hair postpartum after Madi and George. With my increased shedding of hair, there were loose strands of hair not only all over the floors of our house, but also on my babes. Loose strands of hair on babies can be dangerous as it can lead to a hair tourniquet. What is

Read More »

Blocked Tear Duct

Blocked tear ducts are a relatively common occurrence in newborn babies.  It is one of the most common reasons for a baby to have persistent tearing and discharge from the eyes.  One study found that up to 20% of babies will have problems with tear drainage in the first year of life.   Causes of Blocked Tear Ducts The most

Read More »

Constipation in Children

I struggled with constipation as a toddler. Constipation is a very common problem in childhood and is a frequent reason children see the doctor. In majority of children with constipation, there is no medical cause identified, and is called functional constipation. Your doctor will diagnose constipation based on the history of symptoms, physical examination of your child

Read More »