You may be a new parent or a parent of five kids, but when your baby is crying nonstop you will worry and take him immediately to the doctor many times simply to find out your baby has colic and there is nothing the doctor can do. Most doctors will simply tell you to wait it out and around three months of age your baby’s colic should take care of itself. This can be a long time to wait when your baby is miserable and crying incessantly. So, if you aren’t the sit around and wait type then you might consider some home remedies for your baby. Remember, however, that the following home remedies will not work for all babies and you may need to try several before finding the best one for your baby.

A great and simple home remedy that just might soothe the colic in your baby is a massage. There are many massage techniques that help reduce discomfort and aid in the passing of gas which you can learn online, from books, or even a massage therapist. Most of these techniques are easy and do not require any experience in massage at all. Generally massage is a positive way to treat your child’s colic because it is believe to treat the cause of colic rather than the symptoms resulting in a happier and healthier baby, not to mention parents. Different babies respond to massage in different ways, some very successfully and others not at all. However, it is certainly worth a try because if it works massage is an easy way to help your baby pass gas and avoid the pains of colic. Give massage a try and see if it helps your baby. (more…)

What is ADHD [attention deficit hyperactivity disorder]?

This disorder generally provides the sufferer [child, teen or adult] who has it with a lack of:

* the ability to pay attention
* trouble focusing on any specific task
* difficulty in remaining still

Other symptoms linked with ADHD are impulsiveness, negativity, moodiness, anxiousness, depression and insomnia [having trouble sleeping]. (more…)

Otitis Media, or earaches, are a common occurrence in children. You don’t have to travel far to run into a parent who is contending with a child who is in great pain with this ailment. As a parent, what can you do about it?

Earaches are essentially a blockage in the eustachian tube, which connects the middle ear with the nose. Due to allergens or pathogens of some kind, the eustachian tube becomes blocked and is unable to drain fluids from the ear (a normal process). This blockage creates a lot of pressure and pain for the child, as any parent could attest.

There are many symptoms for earaches. Though, usually the child may have a fever, can be restless and irritable, can cry and scratch at their ears, may have difficulty hearing, may not have an appetite nor be sleepy. Acute earaches can last 1-2 weeks if not treated, and can also become more chronic (long-standing) and create other problems like hearing loss if not dealt with appropriately. (more…)

As a doctor who treats Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, and as the mother of a son with ADHD, one of my research and personal interests is holistic treatment for ADHD. Many ADHD sufferers and parents of children with ADHD are increasingly investigating natural remedies that are effective and do not have the side effects that are associated with commonly prescribed ADHD medications such as Ritalin and its derivatives. These medications are often made from amphetamine salts, and common side effects of these stimulants can include decreased appetite, headaches, upset stomach, the jitters, insomnia, among others.

As a result, many patients are increasingly looking into the supplements and medications listed below which are more mild and do not result in addiction or withdrawal.

Nutritional Supplements

- Vitamin B-6. Vitamin B boosts the central nervous system. Vitamin B6 is known as an anti-stress vitamin because it is believed to enhance the activity of the immune system and improve the body’s ability to manage tension, stress, and anxiety. In general, it is essential for nervous system functioning and brain development which makes it popular among natural remedies for ADD. (more…)

Below are 10 ways you can help your child communicate at home, school, and in the community. Whether your child is verbal or non-verbal, three years old or twelve years old, you have many opportunities throughout your day to promote communication.

1. Use visual strategies and visual tools to help your child understand her environment. Visual strategies and visual tools are anything your child can see that assists her with understanding your requests and making sense of the world around her. Visuals can include symbols, and/or words, schedules that show your child what to expect throughout her day, rules that explain expectations for different situations, and task strips that break down tasks into individual steps using photos. Picture stories can also be used to help your child understand different scenarios in her life and assist in preparing her for new events or activities. (more…)

Are you looking for a way to cure infant asthma? Does your baby show the worrying signs and symptoms of asthma such as grunting and wheezing at night? Asthma can only officially be diagnosed at the age of 2 years however, this does not mean it does not exist in the young baby. If you have a family history of hay fever, food intolerance, asthma or eczema that your baby may be predisposed to developing asthma.

Infant asthma does not have the same causative factors as childhood or adult asthma. Most of the time, allergies do not play a huge role in infant asthma. In babies, the developing immune system and respiratory system can cause them to be more susceptible to respiratory infections such as bronchitis. The symptoms however are similar as those of an asthmatic child. (more…)

It’s hard enough to be a good parent on the good days, but when something is ailing baby it’s even more of a challenge. Babies can’t tell us what is wrong, so it can be difficult to ascertain what the problem is. When baby is constipated, however, there are signs to look for. Is your baby:

• Crying?
• Straining?
• Turning red in the face?

Has the baby not had a dirty diaper recently, or had one full of hard, pebble-like stools?

If you answered “yes” to these questions, your baby is very likely constipated. You’re going to need to educate yourself on some baby constipation cures to get your bundle of joy back to her smiling, cooing self as soon as possible. (more…)

Even if you take all the preventive measures, there will be times when your child will acquire the flu infection. As a parent, you need to know how to take care of your child when they come down with the flu bug.

In general, child care would involve managing the various symptoms of the flu, including fever and chills, dry coughs, dehydration and body aches. Because there is no drug that can kill the flu virus, managing all of these symptoms may seem like a daunting task for moms and dads. However, there are ways by which you can make caring for your kids with the flu less stressful and hasten their recovery. (more…)