For you, all breastfeeding mothers, please read this news for your baby’s shake. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is doubling the amount of vitamin D, from 200 IU per day to 400 IU per day, beginning in the first two months of lice. This recommendation also extends to all other babies, children, and adolescents. “We are doubling the recommended amount of vitamin D children need each day because evidence has shown this could have life-long health benefits,” Dr. Frank Greer, chairman of the AAP Committee on Nutrition, said.

This doubling recommendation is especially important for breastfed baby according to Dr. Carol Wagner, member of the AAP Section on Breastfeeding Executive Committee and who co-authored the report with Geer. “Because of vitamin D deficiencies in maternal diet, which affect the vitamin D in a mother’s milk, it is important that breastfed infants receive supplements of vitamin D,” she explained.

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Who says that essential oil is only for adults? Children can also get the benefits from essential oil, including for relieving fever safely. The differences are only on the dosages and dilutions that are generally significantly lower for your little one, comparing to those used with adults. Dilutions for caring touch massage, for example, can start as low as 1 drop per ounce of carrier for newborns. The child’s weight and overall condition also must be considered. A child that is big for their age could use slightly higher amounts of essential oil, comparing to a child that is weak from illness.

So, what about using essential oil for relieving your kid’s fever? Here are the tips for you: Read the rest of this entry »

Here are the things that you should and shouldn’t do when your kid gets cold and cough:

* DON’T use cough and cold drugs if your kid is under 4 years old!

About 7,000 children under 11 go to emergency rooms each year after taking cough and cold medicines, according to the CDC. Roughly two-thirds of those occurred after children drank medication while unsupervised, according to the CDC. Currently, leading makers of over-the-counter pediatric cough and cold drugs has changed their label on the product. According Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA) the label will say: DON’T GIVE OVER-THE-COUNTER PEDIATRIC COUGH AND COLD MEDICINE TO CHILDREN YOUNGER THAN 4. The new labels will start showing up on store shelves this year. But, the CHPA says there are no plans to take products with the old labels off the shelves since the FDA hasn’t indicated a need to do so.

* DON’T you ever give multiple products at the same time

Believe me! You must follow this advice, because these words are not from me but from Janet Woodcock, MD, director of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. She also said that parents should follow, very carefully, the directions on the package.

* DON’T use drugs to make your kid sleepy

Don’t use over-the-counter pediatric cough and cold drugs containing antihistamines to sedate or make your kid sleepy. So, please do read the contents of the drug, will you?

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