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Following are some common ailments that may develop with your baby.
Because an office visit with your Physician is often the most appropriate way to evaluate and treat your baby (and since children always seem to get sick evenings and weekends!) we keep evening and weekend office hours for situations and concerns as these. Don't hesitate to contact our office with any concerns you may have about your baby.
SAMA - The Right Choice in HealthCare
Colds
The common cold may be caused by many different viruses. Antibiotics do NOT work on colds and may lead to dangerous antibiotic resistance. Your child may have a stuffy, congested nose but generally will not run a high fever.
If your child is less than 4 months of age, it is generally better to contact our office if you suspect they have a cold. However, if your child is over 4 months of age, often an over-the-counter cough and congestion medication may be given. Our nursing staff will be glad to discuss this with you.
Colic
Colic is the term given when a baby seems happy and fine all day but cries inconsolably for 3 or more hours at night. Usually the baby draws up its legs, may turn red, and passes gas. Although the exact cause is unknown, there is no evidence it is harmful to your baby, although it can become uncomfortable for the rest of the family.
Colic normally starts arount 2-3 weeks of age, peaks at 8-12 weeks, then gradually subsides thereafter. It is highly variable and not all babies will develop colic.
If your child seems to be having an unusually difficult time with colic, contact our office or make an appointment to see the Physician.
Constipation
If your baby's bowel movement is soft and seems normal in volume, even if the baby is having only 1-2 stools each week, this may not be considered constipation.
If your baby is passing pellet size, very hard stools, this is likely a symptom of constipation. Constipation is more common in bottle fed babies than in breast fed babies. Give your baby 4-6 oz of water 2-3 times a day to help with this problem. If this does not solve the problem, call our office.
Cradle Cap
Cradle cap is a scaly accumulation of flaking scalp skin and secretions. Use the pads of your fingertips to gently loosen the flakes and shampoo your baby's hair normally. Typically, shampooing your baby's hair 1-3 times a week will take care of cradle cap.
Diarrhea
As already noted above, the consistency, frequency, and volume of a baby's bowel movement is highly variable.
It is common for a breast fed baby to have as many as 10-12 soft runny stools daily. If your baby is having more stools than this, or if blood or pus is being passed, or if their temperature gets above 100.5 F, contact our office for an appointment to see the Physician.
Fever
Fever or body temperature in excess of 100.5 F taken rectally in a child under 6 weeks of age is not normal. In that instance, contact our office or our answering service if after our normal business hours. Temperatures less than 104 F are not necessarily dangerous, but often indicate the baby is fighting an infection.
If your child seems uncomfortable, you may give them acetaminophen or ibuprofen based on your child's weight, not age. Again, if you have any questions about what or how much to give, our nurses will be happy to help you.
If your baby's fever exceeds 36 hours in duration or you detect any other unusual symptoms, your child should be seen by our Physicians. An office visit is always the best way for your child to be evaluated and treated. Evening and weekend office hours are designed for exactly this kind of medical problem.
Jaundice
Prior to birth, your baby had "baby blood" because the blood got oxygen through the mother's blood. Following childbirth, the baby must breakdown this "baby blood" and begin making "regular" blood. As the baby's liver begins the process of breaking down this blood, the baby may turn "yellowish" or jaundiced.
A full term healthy baby will not be harmed and, if you breast feed, you may continue feeding your baby. If your baby is less than 4 lbs, is sick, or turns as yellow as "an orange", then call for an appointment to be seen and evaluated with a blood test and Physician's examination.
Spitting Up
To one extent or another, all babies spit up ... and sometimes it seems like a lot. Be patient. It may take 4-6 months for the muscle at the end of the esophagus to strengthen enough to keep food in the baby's stomach.
If your baby is losing weight, vomiting blood, or has a fever over 100.5 F, the baby will need to be seen by your Physician.
Thrush
Thrush is caused by a mild, local yeast infection in the baby's mouth. It will appear as white patches on the baby's gums, inside the cheeks, and on the tongue. It does not hurt or harm the baby and can be easily treated during an office visit.
SAMA - The Right Choice in HealthCare
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