There are few ailments more heartbreaking to witness as a parent than a child with an ear infection. You can see the obvious pain, and there seems to be little you can do to soothe your little guy’s discomfort. Ear infections are often one of the first medical conditions you will encounter as a new parent.

According to KidsHealth, most children will experience an ear infection before turning two years old. They can seem incredibly frightening, especially when accompanied by a rising fever. With professional care, these infections are easily fought off. Learn what to expect and how treatment will be administered.

Symptoms
If you notice a combination of these signs on your child, he might have an ear infection. See your doctor for a final diagnosis.

• Pulling at his ear
• Abnormal troubles with sleeping
• Restlessness
• Fever
• Agitation
• Ear drainage
• Runny nose
• Excessive crying, especially when lying down
• Lack of appetite

Treatment
If the ear infection is caused by a virus, your doctor will only be able to help relieve the symptoms while the virus naturally runs its course. Pain relievers or decongestants might be recommended in the meantime, which could indirectly shorten the virus’s lifespan. Pain relievers will help your child sleep, building up his immune system, and decongestants will dry up the mucus that provides a hospitable environment for infection.

Depending on the severity of your child’s condition, doctors might prescribe an antibiotic if they believe the ear infection to be bacterial. Although there is some controversy about the overuse of antibiotics, their use is often recommended for children. Untreated bacterial ear infections could potentially lead to complications such as hearing loss or a growing infection, resulting in mastoiditis (an infection of a bone in the skull).

If you think you child has an ear infection, the team at Plantation General Hospital is here to help. Call our free Consult-A-Nurse® service at 1-866-442-2362 for a physician referral. We are also available 24/7 to answer any healthcare questions you might have. For more information about our pediatric department, visit our website.

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Bringing home your new baby may mark the biggest life transition that you will ever encounter. As you anticipate days of snuggling, cooing, playing, and photographing, you should also begin to prepare yourself for sleep deprivation, diaper changes, and messy rooms. These tips will help keep you sane while adjusting to life with your newborn.

First Week Preparations
Labor and delivery will leave you sore and exhausted. Don’t expect that you can take on everything on your own. If your partner is immediately returning to work, enlist a close family member or friend to stay with you for a few days while you physically recover and adjust to your new role. Stockpiling groceries and premade meals will also make the first weeks smoother, and don’t even worry about cleaning or other usual obligations. Care for your baby when he’s awake, and get some much-needed sleep while he’s napping.

Handling a Newborn
Babies are incredibly fragile in their first few weeks of life. KidsHealth.org offers these tips for handling a newborn safely:

• Wash and sanitize your hands before touching a newborn.
• Always support the baby’s head and neck while holding him.
• Learn how to properly fasten the baby into his car seat or stroller. He should be jiggled as little as possible.
• Never shake your baby.
• Although bouncing an older baby on your knee may be safe, newborns are not ready for this type of play yet.

Breastfeeding Tips
Many women struggle with breastfeeding in the beginning. Don’t be afraid to ask for help from your doctor or a lactation specialist. Warming your breasts with a heating pad or a wash cloth soaked in warm water will help milk flow, and cooling them with an ice pack afterward will relieve tenderness. According to Parents Magazine, it’s best to introduce bottles as soon as possible, if you plan to transition your baby to bottle-feedings after a return to work or other commitments outside the home. You can still use breast milk in a bottle by pumping it and storing it in the freezer.

At Plantation General Hospital, our staff is here to help you every step of the way. We offer a wide range of classes, including breastfeeding, baby care, and sibling classes. Also, our free Consult-A-Nurse® service is available to you 24/7. Don’t hesitate to call us day or night at 1-866-442-2362 if you have any questions about caring for your newborn.

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Do your kids come home every day bouncing off the walls? You might start to wonder exactly how much sugar they are getting each day and where it is coming from. Along with the uncontrollable sugar high, too much sugar in children’s diets can result in health concerns, as well as poor eating habits that they will carry with them into adulthood.

Breakfast Sugars
Some say breakfast is the most important meal, but several breakfast foods – especially the ones marketed for children – come packed with sugar. Many sweet-tasting cereals, pastries, and strudels have so much sugar that they could easily pass as a dessert. If you prepare homemade pancakes, waffles, or French toast for your family, watch your children to see if they are covering those warm breakfasts in syrup or powdered sugar. 

Filling Their Cup
A lot of “hidden” sugars sneak into the drinks your children love. Soda and energy drinks are big sources of sugar, and many kids will enjoy several bottles a day. Trading out Cokes and Gatorade for juice can work, but you need to be careful at the store. Many juices are similarly packed with sugar to sweeten things up. Look for brands that don’t add any sweeteners to their concoctions. 

Sugar at School
School can be a wild card when trying to moderate your children’s sugar intake, especially if you give them cash to purchase their own lunch. Many kids will skip over the official lunch selection, and use their money to buy ice cream sandwiches or sugary snacks. Some teachers will also use candy as a reward system to motivate good behavior or grades from the students.

If you are concerned with how much sugar your children are getting, call our 24/7 Consult-A-Nurse® hotline at 1-866-442-2362 to ask questions or receive a referral for a pediatric doctor. We can help you assess your children’s current diets and determine how much sugar is permissible for them on a daily basis. For more information about our pediatric services, visit our website.

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Trick-or-treating is a memorable tradition to share with your children during Halloween holiday celebrations, but sometimes this classic activity can result in injuries, sickness, or accidents. When it comes to choosing a costume, a trick-or-treat route, and providing supervision when necessary, safety precautions can keep your trick-or-treaters healthy and happy, without detracting from their enjoyment of the night.

Costume Safety

The safest costumes are made with bright colors that will be readily noticed by drivers after the sun sets. Reflective materials attached to the costume or trick-or-treat bag will also protect your children from accidents on the roads. Costume ideas that encourage bright colors and flashy displays include clowns, fairies, race car drivers, or cheerleaders.

Ill-fitting costumes can cause children to stumble and fall while trick-or-treating. Make sure that shoes are the right size and pants or skirts don’t drag along the ground when your child walks.

Some costume accessories can turn dangerous. Be wary of long magical wands or sharp toy swords that your child might fall on if he trips during the night. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission warns against masks that impair vision. Blind spots may cause a child to not notice cars or bikes on the road.

Planning a Safe Route

If you determine that your child is old enough to trick-or-treat without you present, you will need to help him devise a safe route for the evening. Consider these tips while mapping out a journey for your children:

• Stick to well-lit streets
• Choose roads with sidewalks or very light traffic
• Stay within neighborhoods you are familiar with
• Instruct your children to only approach houses with an outside light on
• Supply cell phones and flashlights to improve the safety of even the most well-planned routes

Treats

Even if your trick-or-treater is braving the night without you, it is best to discourage him from enjoying any treats before you can inspect them. Homemade goodies, except from neighbors you know well and trust, should be discarded. Even prepackaged candies should be looked over for signs of tampering before giving them to your child.

Plantation General Hospital can give you more information about protecting your children during the holidays and year-round. Call our free Consult-a-Nurse® service at 1-866-442-2362 today with your questions.

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