Pediatric hospitals in Arizona have been treating an influx of babies suffering from a potentially life threatining virus that attacks the respiratory tract.
In one 24 hour period alone, Phoenix Children’s Hospital admitted 38 babies suffering from the virus known as respiratory syncytial virus or RSV. While Arizona’s Children’s Hospital says that 60% of its beds are taken up with young children and babies battling RSV. Cardon Children’s Medical Center in Mesa currently has 50% of its beds given over to RSV patients.
RSV is not particularly threatening to adults or older children, who may just appear to be suffering from cold symptoms, but it can lead to respiratory complications amongst the very young. RSV is a common cause of pneumonia and bronchiolitis among children under one year. RSV cannot be treated with anti-biotics and treatment centers around diminishing symptoms and ensuring patients get enough fluids and food through tubes and IV if necessary.
It is the annual season for RSV, but Doctors in Arizona fear that this year the virus is particularly severe, spreading easily and causing greater distress.
The virus is spread through contact with an infected person or contact with droplets in the air from sneezing and coughing. Please people! Cover your mouths and use tissues! RSV can survive for several hours on inert surfaces such as bannisters and door handles.
Lucy’s Tips for RSV prevention:
- Please cover your mouth and preferably use tissues if you cough or sneeze. Dispose of used tissues immediately.
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Wash hands frequently and particularly before handling young babies.
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Clean hard surfaces such as cribs, highchairs etc. on a frequent basis and before babies are likely to use them.
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Keep young children and toddlers away from school/daycare if they have cold symptoms. If you work with young children also stay off work if you have cold symptoms
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Do not share cups and utensils during the RSV season. (December – March)
Wow! Today a well-respected English newspaper introduced Xavier King to the world – a baby who could walk a least six feet without any support or aid.
Mary and David King of Cambridge in the UK knew that their son Xavier was a fast learner, nevertheless, they were astonished when their infant at barely six months began to walk. He could sit, unsupported at the age of three months when most babies are still figuring out how to roll over.
While delighted with their son’s extraordinary progress it doesn’t come without some problems as the couple have had to start baby-proofing the house much earlier than anticipated.
Consultant pediatrician Dr Martin Ward Platt said that while this was extremely uncommon it is statistically likely to happen from time to time. A more realistic guide to the walking milestone can be found here at the Baby Center.
I thought Holly was quick off the mark walking at ten months. Will, ever the laid back one, took his time and didn’t really take off properly until about fourteen months. What did your babies do? Do we imbue these milestones with too much significance ? After all by the time they’re twenty it won’t seem such a big deal will it?
As a family we’ve been making fledgling efforts to live a greener lifestyle. We’re pretty hot on the composting and recycling but aside from that I don’t think we’re going to win any eco awards. I came across these yesterday and I think they’re adorable – and while they might just look like any other cute cuddlies believe me these little guys are green to the core.
Apple Park cuddlies have plush fur made from 100% organic cotton. They are stuffed with sustainable corn fibers and recycled non-toxic plastic pellets. The eyes also are made from recycled toxic-free plastics while details such as noses and beaks are made from a blend of natural silk and hemp. The delightful packaging also comes from recycled paper products and is printed with organic soy ink. I guess that means that one day they can be disposed of in the compost but I think they are way too nice not to keep. You can view the a range of Apple Park products at Inhabitots.
Have you been making any efforts to green up your lives? Perhaps you have some green baby tips you’d like to share?
New technology has allowed First Response to come up with the earliest possible pregnancy detector so far. The test is sensitive enough to detect pregnancy six days before a period is due – a day before any other test on the market.
Pregnancy tests work by detecting the prescence of the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin or hCG. HCG is first produced from around 8-10 days after fertilization. Thereafter it doubles every 36 to 48 hours as the pregnancy progresses. The new technology known as polymeric amplification technology (PAT) is still pending patent. It detects hCG at much lower levels than other pregnancy tests and is unrivalled in its accuracy. Church & Dwight Co Inc, the makers of First Response products announced yesterday that their new product had been given clearance from the FDA.
Physicians, obstetricians and advocates of healthy pregnancy have welcomed the new test. Women wishing to conceive are advised to consult their physicians on healthy preconception lifestyles. In a perfect world all women hoping to become pregnant would be doing this. Not everything in life, however, goes to plan and the sooner a pregnancy is detected the sooner an expectant mother can embark upon a healthy prenatal regime.
After thinking I’d cracked the whole sleep thing and all four of us were managing to get at least six to seven uninterrupted hours of sleep, Will has decided to start waking up again in the night. It seems I’m not alone in this and I have been told there is such a thing as ‘eighteen month regression’. I learnt this at my latest favourite forum The Bump, here’s the thread!
Seeing as there’s no chance of resting on my laurels anyway I’ve also been doing quite a bit of baby sleep research. Lots of moms I’ve spoken to recommend ‘white noise’ machines – these generally produce gentle rhythmic noises such as surf, rainwater or the sound of a heart beat in the womb. They are not that cheap of course. Then I came across an article from a local news site in the UK.
I’ll briefly tell you about it. Dr Elizabeth Scott was a general practitioner and was often confronted by parents wanting her to prescribe medication to help their otherwise healthy infants to go to sleep. She was reluctant to prescribes meds to totally well babies. She referred to such babies as ‘healthy howlers’ the type the just cry when you put them down. It was only when one of her grandchildren turned out to be a ‘healthy howler’ and after an exhausting night of baby sitting she turned her attention to what might help.
She tried all sorts of tactics with her grandson and one was to play classical music. Some music had an effect, some music made absolutely no difference at all. She began to research the connection between the tempo of music and the brainwave rates of babies drifting into sleep.
Her conclusion? That certain types of classical music mimicked the brainwave rate of a baby approaching sleep at about 8Hz. Music which then slows to 4Hz slowly lulls the child to sleep. So there you have it, getting some decent Zs is all about the Hz. I’ve teased you slightly. What will we be streaming into the nursery tonight? Vivaldi’s Winter apparently. That should fit in nicely for all of you up to your knees in snow!
(Source: Kidderminster News)
Heidi Klum’s new maternity ranges are to benefit New York based charity Baby Buggy. Between February 12th and February 18th, ten percent of the profits arising from sales nationwide will be donated to Baby Buggy, the charity which donates essential baby equipment to families in need in New York.
The fifteen-piece ’Lavish by Heidi Klum’ range can be purchased at all A Pea in the Pod stores and also at www.apeinthepod.com. Prices are from $68 to £128.
‘Loved by Heidi Klum’ a fourteen-piece range is available from Motherhood Maternity stores and at www.motherhood.com. Prices range from $12.98 to $39.98.
Both ranges are available at Destination Maternity stores and also at www.destinationmaternity.com.
Baby Buggy was founded in 2001. It is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing needy families in New York with essential equipment, products and clothing for babies and young children. Baby Buggy has donated over 4 million items to many thousands of children. To find our more go to www.babybuggy.org.
