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Toddlers Turning Switches On and Off
It’s common to see toddlers turn switches on and off in the house. They're at an exploratory stage and want to check out everything. However, this can turn out to be hazardous. There's a need to childproof your home, including switches and electrical controls.
Your child is growing up every day and is eager to explore the world out of his cot and playpen. But he has no sense of danger, so he will try out everything that is in his line of sight and hands. Since most people use electrical appliances and gadgets, power outlets and extension cords are part and parcel of most houses. Unfortunately, they’re not really designed keeping your baby’s safety in mind. He will try to put his little fingers in sockets, turn switches on and off, and pull at wires. It’s, therefore, important to childproof your home so that he can explore it without getting hurt.
Numerous Ways to Toddler-proof Switches and Gadgets
Identify Electrical Hazards around the House
There are various appliances, gadgets and wires that can prove to be hazardous for a toddler. You need to identify them and then think about childproofing them. Common hazards are:
Electrical outlets with open sockets and switches
Extension cords
Hanging and looping cords
Plugged in appliances like toaster, mixer, TV, DVD player and computers.
Make it Unreachable
Once you know what needs to be childproofed, start with making them unreachable for your child. This can prove to be a bit difficult but it does provide a temporary solution to the problem. Place furniture or heavy items in front of the switchboard to keep your toddler from touching switches. You may find it tricky to get to the switchboard but you can rearrange the furniture once your little one gets over this on-and-off game.
Cover Them
The next solution is to get socket covers or caps to conceal socket holes. If you want a cheaper solution, you can even use masking tape or sticky tape. While it may not last as long as a proper switch cover, it’s a temporary solution to preventing your 23-month-old from turning switches on and off.
Explain the Danger
Another way how you can stop your toddler from turning switches on and off is to make him aware of the hazards of playing with them. It will take him time to understand, of course, but repeated warnings and an occasional time-out will eventually work.
Make Him Feel Responsible
Turning switches on and off is like play for children. They find it intriguing to see what happens when they press a switch. When teaching your tot not to play with them, do so by giving him responsibilities. For e.g. while going into a room, ask him to turn on the lights. Ask him to turn them off when you leave the room as well. This way, he’ll know that he’s fulfilled an important task that’s not a playful activity.
Living with a toddler is like dealing with a single-man army! But there are ways in which you can make yours and your toddler’s life safer. Try out these tips and let us know how things go.
If you have any other suggestions, do share them as well!
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Anorexia in Children - Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment
As a parent, the diet of your child is one of the most important things that you should keep an eye on. Your child should eat healthy food from an early age. If you feed your child well from the start, not only will she grow up to a healthy person, but she will even maintain her dietary habits throughout her life.
What is Anorexia Nervosa?
When a child refuses to eat well so as to reduce weight and improve her body shape, she is said to be anorexic. This condition is common during teenage since children get conscious about their looks at this age. Physical attractiveness is given more importance rather than health, and consequently, your child starves himself to death slowly.
What Are Its Types?
Anorexia nervosa can be broadly classified into two types which affect children:
1. Restrictor
In this type, the child consciously avoids consuming calories in order to reduce her weight. She is more focused on looking attractive, so she cuts down on eating carbohydrates and fats greatly.
2. Bulimia
This type of anorexia is in direct contrast with the restrictor type, although the result is the same. The child eats more than she can manage, which is termed as ‘binge-eating’. She then purges out all the food either by vomiting or using laxatives, or sometimes by both. This results in the clearing of the intestinal tract and the stomach and leads to severe malnutrition in the child.
Which Children Are Most at the Risk of Getting Anorexia Nervosa?
In most of the cases, a girl child is more prone to get affected by this condition at a young age. However, this condition is now increasing even in boys. Anorexia is something that affects children of all socioeconomic, racial, and ethnic groups without much difference between individual groups.
What Are the Causes of Anorexia in Kids?
There are many reasons as to why your child may be anorexic:
1. Psychological Factors
In most cases, anorexic children have been found to develop a different mentality and psychological traits compared to normal children at that age. They are mostly depressed, as a result of how ‘out of shape’ they look compared to their peers. They are always under pressure to not gain weight, which negatively affects their eating habits and results in the child being unable to eat or handle the food she has eaten.
2. Environmental Factors
Puberty triggers the release of hormones into a child’s body, which can cause a jumble of mixed emotions at this age. Consequently, the child may get too self-conscious or even depressed about her weight. In some cases, peer pressure and bullying at school can also result in the child being anorexic from a young age. If the child is an active participant in strenuous exercises or weight bearing games, it can make her anorexic too. Other common causes observed include the loss of a loved one, divorce of the parents, and even physical or sexual abuse at young ages, as they harm the psyche of the child in a great manner.
3. Genetic Factors
It has also been concluded after extensive research that children can have a genetic predisposition towards becoming anorexic. Children with a family history of colitis, arthritis, cirrhosis, and kidney failure are at a greater risk of being anorexic, compared to their healthier counterparts.
Signs of Anorexia in a Child
As a parent, you will definitely notice when your child is starting to become anorexic. Some of the symptoms she will exhibit are mentioned here, categorised into three types:
1. Physical Signs
Fatigue
Constipation
Insomnia
Dehydration
Osteoporosis
Dry skin
Low blood pressure
Abnormal blood counts
Lack of energy
Tooth decay
Dizziness
2. Behavioural and Emotional Symptoms
Social withdrawal
Depression
Denial of hunger
Excessive exercising
Fear of gaining weight
Irritability
3. Habits of Your Anorexic Child to Lose Weight
Frequently skipping meals
Not eating in public
Following a rigid meal plan
Checking body weight repeatedly
Eating only low-calorie or low-fat food
Complaining constantly about gaining weight
How is Childhood Anorexia Diagnosed?
Although children may try to keep their efforts extremely private, parent or teachers will definitely see the symptoms of anorexia if they observe the child well. Otherwise, a child psychiatrist or a mental health expert will be able to diagnose what the child is going through, with your input as parents and by talking to the child privately.
Treatments for Anorexia Nervosa in Children
Since anorexia is more of a psychological disorder than a physical one, the treatment methods can vary greatly from child to child. The treatment also depends on the type of anorexia that has affected the child and has multiple stages to get through. The doctor may try to help the child gain necessary weight at first, especially if the child is suffering from severe malnutrition. The behavioural problems are then treated using psychotherapy and counselling, and the child is made to understand that body weight should not be given too much importance at any time. After that, healthy food habits are taught to the child, and the parents are expected to support their child through thick and thins to overcome the depression and stress that she might be feeling.
What Are the Complications of Anorexia?
The risks of anorexia in children include many disorders, like:
1. Heart Problems
Malnutrition and repeated vomiting can cause low heart rates in children and a lot of other cardiac conditions.
2. Arrhythmias
The heart rate of the child is irregular—either too fast or too slow.
3. Hypotension
It can also lead to low blood pressure in children.
4. Electrolyte balance
If the child uses laxatives or diuretics, it can result in the body losing its electrolyte balance and lead to fatal conditions like brain swelling.
5. Blood
At least one-third of anorexic children have a low count of RBCs in their body.
6. Stomach
The intestinal motility is severely affected when a child does not eat properly.
7. Kidney
Anorexic children may either drink too much fluid, or too less, both the conditions are extremely harmful and result in electrolyte abnormalities or kidney stones respectively.
8. Endocrine
Growth hormone levels also reduce with anorexia, and affected children might stop menstruating because of this condition.
9. Skeletal
Bone density decreases with anorexia, and the child is at a higher risk of fractures compared to her counterparts.
How Can Anorexia Be Prevented?
There are no concrete methods for preventing anorexia in children, but early intervention can work wonders in terms of improving the health condition of your child. You need to look for symptoms of anorexia in young children and get the help of medical professionals if you have the slightest doubts.
Anorexia is a psychological disorder that can affect the health of your child. You can talk to your child about eating disorders, but you have to get the help of qualified professionals if there is no improvement.
Also Read: Aggression in Children - Reasons and Tips to Handle It Read more
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The Simplest Ways to Declutter Your Home
Are you looking to create more space in your home for the children, while purging what you don't need? There are a few decluttering ideas to achieve this goal. However, be prepared to get rid of things that you may have steadfastly held on to for a long time.
There are various ways to figure out how to declutter your home to create a spacious place you will be proud to own and your children will delight in. Purging your house means keeping the useful and getting rid of the not-so-useful. It could be anything from an old bed cover to a flower vase set you haven't ever used. The trick is to know what must go. How do you do that, you ask? Here are some decluttering tips to get you started.
Shun The Clutter - Tricks and Ideas
1. Make a List
The best way to start with the decluttering process is to make a list of places in your home that need intervention. Don't expect your home to feel like how it was before the kids came along. Be realistic. You could start with your living room, and work your way to the kid's room and your bedroom. Make a list of things you can remove from each room. It could be an old drawing board in your little one's room that he never looks at, or you could dispose of the rocking chair that's taking up a lot of space in your bedroom. You will be quite surprised and proud with the load you eventually manage to clear.
2. Put Things Together
The best place to start the decluttering process is your child's room. Bringing order to this room is akin to expecting the sand castle to stay intact forever. Therefore, don't put a display unit for his toys, a stationery drawer, or a shoe rack. You'll go crazy putting everything in its rightful place and order every other hour. Instead, place three hand-painted tin boxes in your child's room. Put all the toys in one box, all the stationery in the other, and keep the third one for dumping sneakers and shoes. This exercise will save you a ton of effort and, in time, you'll also be able to spot and throw away the useless items lying about in those boxes. It will, thus, be comparatively easy for you to keep the room organised.
3. Donate
One of the best decluttering ideas for a home is to donate things that your family either doesn't need or has grown bored of. It could be that stack of shoes your child never got around to wearing or the pile of sweaters you've become too big for. Donating serves two purposes: first, your endeavour helps someone in need and second, it saves you space. Survey each room, including all the drawers and the garage, for a few days. Take out the things you don't need. It could be anything from your child's old school books or his toys to that grey velvet sofa set that has no business lying in the garage. Involve your child by asking him to spot things he'd like to give to help someone.
4. The Four Box Rule
Get four boxes and name them: "trash", "keep", "give away", or "relocate." Start with the store room, and then go all over the house. When you start segregating items, you will be able to gauge what you really need. This process might take upto a month. Use each week to clear out different rooms in your home. Ask your family to pitch in and help you in this exercise. After the task, you will know exactly what to do with the things. For all the stuff that you don’t need, try giving them away to a local NGO or anyone in need. This is an effective way to declutter a home.
5. Storage
The best way to declutter is to have hidden storage units such as a bed loft, a nightstand, or a small closet. Storage units help you store items that you might not necessarily need sprawled across the house. Think: off season clothing, stationery, and even bed sheets and quilts. In this way, you can use the cleared space for something more productive – a playpen for your little one can finally be installed.
These tips on how to declutter your home will make your house look neat, light, and organised, while also creating ample space for your little one to play about in. Don't forget to celebrate with your family when you finally complete decluttering your home. You all deserve a pat on the back! Read more
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The Best Valentine's Day Gifts For Your Kids
Valentine's Day, or the day to celebrate love, is typically associated with romantic love. While you have probably already planned your gifts for your husband, don't forget to also shop for your little darlings!
February 14 is almost here and we can already see hearts! Don't restrict the day to celebrating only with your husband. Involving your kids will add a whole new flavour to the day - one you will totally love. And what better way to do this than give them gifts they will be delighted about?
We bring you Valentines that are cute, eternal and perfect to gift to your little boys and girls. Hop onto the Valentine's Express and lets go gifting!
Classic Valentine's Day Presents For Kids
1. Big, Cuddly Teddy Bear
Bears are full of love (never mind how violent they look on all those GK shows) and your child will love having them by the bedside. A classic but eternal Valentine that never fails!
2. A Set of Heart-Shaped Pillows
If you have organised children who keep their room clean (wow!), give them these pillows to prop up their bed with. They add so much colour and so much beauty even to the dullest of rooms. And oh, if your kids are naughtier than you admit, you can gift them these nevertheless, with the warning that any tear will have to be paid for with homework!
3. Red and Pink Heart-Shaped Candies
It's the season of love and your children are the ones you love the most! These delicious heart-shaped candies/cakes can double up both as gifts and as dinner-time treats on February 14.
4. Colour Pencils in a Pink Case
Why not get your little artists a colour set on Valentine's? Make sure the set is well stocked and of the kind your children are comfortable using. If you are not too fond of overusing pink, you can look for a variation in shade for the case. Ask your kids to use the colours and draw you a painting as a return gift. After all, a Valentine's gift for son needs to contribute to curbing tantrums and chaos as well!
5. Exotic Chocolates With Interspersed Hearts
There's no missing out on this. Valentine's Day is likely to be bland without chocolates! Get a pack that has red hearts hidden among the other chocolates. Make sure you give all the kids an independent one unless you want catfights!
6. Finger Puppets Of the Zoo
Guess who your child's Valentine may be? Animals! Kids love animals a lot and anything to do with them is very fascinating. These finger puppets make for ideal Valentine's Day gifts as the whole family can then try them on and have a gala time with pretend play. This is one of the most creative and long lasting Valentine gifts for toddlers.
7. A Huge Box of Fairy Tales
A love for books is probably among the foremost loves you want to inculcate in your child. Unlike popular belief, fairy tales can actually be very useful in stirring creatvity, visual skills and general inclination towards reading. Pick popular children's classics such as Thumbelina or Puss in Boots. These are the Valentine gifts for preschoolers that will also help them with cognitive and linguistic development. If you have older children, you can opt for series books such as school stories, or general awareness books like encyclopaedias.
8. Bejewelled Jewellery Boxes
Valentine's Day is always associated with trinkets to represent love. Your little girl will love getting a jewellery box of her own to store her precious possessions. Make it really colourful and sparkly. You can also make one at home using cardboard, artificial pearls and sparkle colours – one of the even better Valentine gift ideas for daughter!
9. Chocolate Cupcakes With Candy Hearts
Bakery products always work on festive occasions. If you are a baker mom, you can try out some delicious edible Valentines like heart-shaped stained glass cookies. You can also get store-bought ones. Make sure they have candy hearts.
10. Heart Shaped Earrings
This is one gift your daughter will always treasure. You can also gift her a set of heart-shaped jewellery such as a charms bracelet with hearts in different colours, anklets and a neck-piece. The two of you can share the jewellery when you venture out at night. Papa is going to be pleased!
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6 Ways To Be Absolutely Sure Your Baby Is Safe At Home
Your baby is so little you are afraid something will hurt him. His tiny hands and feet are delicate to touch, and the sight of him sleeping is the best thing you have ever seen in life! As new moms, you constantly find yourself worrying about your baby’s well-being. Yes, he is at home, but is he safe?
We have brought you some excellent ways to ensure your little darling is perfectly safe and happy. This will automatically translate into peace of mind for you and the entire household!
Babyproof everything in this list
Furniture, drawers, door, bed/crib, kitchen, bathroom and staircase – these feature in your list of things that absolutely must be babyproofed. Kids are energetic and curious right from the outset and will touch and play with everything they shouldn’t! Find here* tips from real mommies on how they babyproofed their house.
Keep a close watch when you are away from home
When Mamma is away, the baby is cranky! He is also doubly more likely to wreak havoc at home! But how can you keep a watch on him when you are away? Easy peasy – all you need is a baby monitor. Get one by Motorola that also allows you to talk and sing to your baby and also notifies you on your smartphone if anything seems off.
Wash, scrub and clean all these items with extra care
Your little one is at a vulnerable time in his life. He is much more prone to infections, seasonal illness and germs than you are. This makes it important for you to heed these items more carefully – bed linen, milk bottles and cups, upholstery and baby clothes. However, make sure you don’t go overboard either as too much sanitisation inhibits your baby’s immune system.
Make sure your older kids and pets are not up to this
An elder sibling makes a great babysitter – but also one you need to be careful about! Little children are very excited about the baby in the house, and in your absence, can indulge in, err, energetic play. If you also have pets at home, the need for monitoring only goes up. Your best bet is to install a home monitoring system; Motorola, for example, video records all the activities at home and lets you stream it real time. This way, you’re constantly in tune with what’s happening in and around home.
Make sure the room temperature and conditions are comfortable
Babies are very susceptible to environmental changes. A sudden rise or dip in temperature, air pressure and humidity can make them fussy, or worse, unwell. Endeavour to keep the baby’s surroundings comfortable, fresh and clean. Your safest bet is to use a device that lets you constantly monitor and, if need be, fix this. Some baby monitors now have the feature of tracking room conditions as well. This, and these other 9 unbelievable things, are now possible for you and your baby!
Protect your baby from these common household hazards
We are talking about burns/scalds, suffocation and fire. Since our households have several causative agents of these, namely plastic bags and gas burners, we need to be very careful. Keep all possible agents that can cause choking, suffocation or burns away from the baby. This includes small toys, furs, nut-bolts, matchboxes, etc. Also make it a point to get your home’s wiring and electrical system checked from time to time.
Nothing is more important for you than the safety of your baby. Don’t worry, Moms. Adhering to these home safety tips will keep your baby fit, smiling and growing up fast! Read more
shahin has added a new answer
Expecting Mom due in 2 months
5 hours ago
Q. is that positive result??? my Due date is tommoro I am having vomitting and nausea and back pain etc please reply asap
shahin
Mom of a 6 m old boy
4 hours ago
A. yes
Dr Laxmi Chavan-Sawant has added a new answer
Guardian of 0 children
4 hours ago
Q. Hi I'm in 23weeks pregnancy
my afi is 26 I have no diabetes or any other issues
is that risky ? what to do for making normal delivery possible
Dr Laxmi Chavan-Sawant
Ayurvedic Gynaecologist
4 hours ago
A. yes AFI level is very high and yes you need to be very careful to have regular follow up with your doctor take the precautions advised by your doctor and regularly keep a watch on baby movements
Dr Laxmi Chavan-Sawant has added a new answer
Guardian of 0 children
4 hours ago
Q. nasal congestion during 9th week pregnancy is normal or something serious?
Dr Laxmi Chavan-Sawant
Ayurvedic Gynaecologist
4 hours ago
A. it's ok . take steam twice daily or you can use nasal drops
You should have proper consultation with your treating doctor , as some examination or investigations may be needful, so that proper medications can be given And the treatment can be done very properly.
Rashmi has added a new answer
Expecting Mom due in 5 months
3 hours ago
Q. Is there any issue with this test
Rashmi
Mom of a 9 yr 7 m old girl
3 hours ago
A. You have not given any details about us to what test are you talking about or anything associated with that for that matter can you please repost your question with all the necessary details required to understand your question as accordingly I can assist you on that
Dr Vandan H Kumar has added a new answer
Guardian of 0 children
52 mins ago
Q. my baby is 8years old and she wets bed can anyone suggest me what to do??
Dr Vandan H Kumar
Paediatrician
52 mins ago
A. normally bedwetting is very common during the night time and the child is able to tell you regarding urination during the daytime.
usually this problems improves with increasing age of the child and usually no medicines are given until and unless recommended by the doctor( you can easily wait for ten years of age of the child)
usually treatment of medicines (if started) gives only symptomatic relief and the problem goes away only with increasing age with the strengthening of the muscles of the bladder which control the urination.
steps
decrease the amount of water intake just before going to bed and make the child pass urinex before going to sleep.
also you can wake up the child at around 2 o'clock 3 o'clock and make the child pass urine.
never criticizex the child for this act because this will again aggravate the problem due to stress.
meet your doctor who will tell you more regarding this .
Sunita Mahato has added a new answer
Trying To Conceive
10 mins ago
Q. sir job vacancy are avalable
Sunita Mahato
Mom of 3 children
5 mins ago
A. not the platform fr this question
take care...
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This is the pic of my 2nd baby who turned 4 months old on 18 April.
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