Pacifier and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome

Pacifier and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome

by | Apr 1, 2016 | news

Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is the sudden death of a healthy baby younger than 1 year of age after being put to sleep and its cause is unknown. These deaths have decreased significantly since mothers and fathers are recommended to sleep children on their backs, on a firm surface, and offer exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months. Another recommendation currently provided by the American Pediatric Association based on several studies is the use of the pacifier in breastfed (older than one month) and non-breastfed (before one month) babies. The benefits underpinning this recommendation are as follows:

1. The pacifier prevents the baby from turning on its stomach while sleeping and thus prevents suffocation.

2. The baby still doesn't fully control his breathing so if his pacifier falls it's easier for him to wake up and remember to breathe.

3. The pacifier keeps the airway free and modifies the position of the tongue.

As I mentioned in a previous article, the pacifier is perfectly recommended for children under one year of age and for its safe use several recommendations must be taken into account:

Offer it during sleep periods and don't force the baby if he doesn't like it.

Do not put the pacifier into the mouth when the baby is asleep.

Don't put anything sweet on the pacifier.

To offer the pacifier to the breastfed babies until after the first month that is when the lactation is well established.

For formula-fed babies, the recommendation is important before one month because they have other characteristics that may increase the risk of SIDS.

In order to avoid the negative effects of the use of the pacifier it is recommended to limit its use until the year of life.

Be careful with the pacifiers you buy. Not all of them are safe for your baby, for example the one-piece ones are the safest but if necessary consult your pediatrician for advice on the right size (about 4cm) and the best brand for your baby.

The pacifier also has an analgesic effect and stimulates non-nutritive sucking.

In the end, how important it is for parents to know both the risks and benefits of pacifier use and to make an informed decision.

How to stimulate your child

How to stimulate your child's language at home

by | Jan 28, 2014 | news

Children must be stimulated in all areas of development, a fundamental area is language. I share some examples of activities you can do at home to encourage proper development and enhance your child's communication skills:

1. Talk to him or her, looking him or her in the eye, and reinforce emotions to encourage the expression of feelings.
2. Encourage a positive communicative environment. A place where turn taking is spoken correctly, clearly and respected. Call things by name, describe their appearance and functionality.
3. When they come out, describe the activities they do. For example, if you go shopping tell your child what you are going to buy, if you go by car describe the landscape, if you are cooking ask your child for help.
4. Encourage the child to communicate even if not verbally. It is important to develop your communicative intention.
5. Tell him stories. If possible with large drawings, plates, sounds, 3D.
6. Encourage symbolic play. With objects that provide opportunities for creativity such as legos, blocks.
7. Encourage role-playing: puppets, casitas, professions, trades. 8. Encourage the use of onomatopoeia games through concrete objects.
9. Listen to songs and repeat them. The children enjoy music very much.
10. Try not to encode or "guess" what the child is trying to communicate with gestures, instead construct the correct statement and try to get the child to reproduce it but without creating pressure.
11. Try not to correct the child when he or she makes a mistake, but instead repeat the phrase in the correct way.
12. Do not try to correct errors in the different sounds of language because each sound is acquired at different ages.
Remember that if you notice a delay in language development contact a specialist, do not try to correct the errors yourself. the earlier the intervention starts the better the prognosis of recovery.