Settling Techniques (For 12 Months to Toddlers)

Children are very different.
The following settling techniques are a guide only.
A consistent routine is important to help your child recognise and establish good sleep patterns. Developing a bedtime ritual will also help signal to your child that it is time for sleep, this may include saying goodnight to family members, cleaning their teeth, reading a bedtime story and saying goodnight to their soft toys.

When you observe your child's tired signs, prepare your baby for bed e.g
* Check the nappy
* Put your child in their bed/cot
* In order to help your child fall asleep by him/herself, you may find it helpful to understand normal sleep cycles and be able to identify their tired signs.

Tired signs may include :
* Grimacing
* Clenched fists
* Frowning
* Sucking
* Grizzling
* Rigid Limbs
* Yawning
* Staring
* Crying
* Jerky movements or becoming restless
* Minimal movements or activity
* Increased irritability e.g. whilst playing

A normal sleep cycle is approximately 40-60 minutes and some children will stir and re-settle themselves. However, some children who are dependent on their parent to help them fall asleep may have difficulty re-establishing sleep unless the same conditions for re-settling are met. For example, if your child needs the beast, bottle, dummy, cuddles or a complicated ritual to sleep, you may notice after one sleep cycle that he or she wakes and cries until the same conditions that he or she associates with falling asleep are re-established.

It can be difficult for children to learn to sleep by themselves. A consistent bedtime routine is important to help your child establish satisfactory sleep patterns.

When assisting your child develop a sleep pattern it is better to use levels of distress/cry as your guide to the need to comfort your child than adhering to a time schedule.

Day: quiet time (story), bedtime

Spend some quiet time with your child, either reading a story, singing a nursery rhyme or a quiet cuddle

Just prior to the agreed upon bedtime, tell your child that the story will finish soon

Ensure your child is adequately clothed specially for the night e.g. warm pyjamas, enough blankets or a sleeping bag

Having a favourite toy in the cot and a night light can help small children

Say goodnight and kiss your child. If in a cot ensure that the sides are up and securely in place prior to leaving the room.

Give your child an opportunity to settle. Leave the bed room door ajar. Try to leave your child for a short time.

If your child is not calming return to the room and reassure them, then lay him/her down and tuck in the bedclothes.

In a calm voice tell your child its time for sleep.

If the nappy is soiled or your child vomits, change with minimal fuss, then resume the settling technique.

You may have to repeat this for some time

During the day if your child still remains unsettled for the length of the sleep with frequent reassurance then cease settling. Try to avoid "old habits" when settling , like giving a bottle or dummy. Continue with the usual daily routine and settling at the next sleep. At night time continue with settling.

Settling Technique if your child is in a bed
Ensure your baby has a consistent bedtime routine.

Day: quiet time (story), bed

Night : dinner, bath, quiet time (story), bedtime

Place the child into bed - tuck in and say good night

Special toy may help your child settle

Tell the child what will happen if they get out of bed. Decide on this with your partner and be consistent.

If she/he gets out, put her/him back immediately with minimal fuss. Remain calm, but firm. If you get annoyed or angry they will become anxious, as they will think you are unhappy with them and not want to separate from you.

If the nappy is soiled or your child vomits, change with minimal fuss, then resume the settling technique

If your child wakes again, either the same night or the next night, go in again and resettle

You may have to repeat the above, often, for your child to settle

For all young children
If you wish to safely maintain physical closeness with your child while they are asleep, place their bed or a mattress on the floor beside your bed.

If your child continues to remain unsettled, consider other management techniques. For example, cuddle; rhythmical movement (walk or rock); baby massage; relaxation techniques; musics, or ofter a drink of water. Choose whichever technique suits you and your child best.

With consistency these routines may take up to two weeks to show progress.

Time given are a guide only

Source : Tresillian NSW

Power of the Sense

It has often been said that if someone could bottle the smell of a new born baby they would make a fortune. There are few people who can resist that new born scent. But have you ever wondered why? In fact, your child's unique scrummy aroma is probably as much down to human evolution as it is to your choice of baby cream.

As world famous zoologist Desmond Morris put it : "Evolution has armed the infant with an irresistible appeal that ensures his parents care for him, feed him and keep him clean and warm.

From smell to sight, sound and touch, there are a number of ways in which your new arrival is said to be 'hard-wired' to ensure that all important bonding process, which is so vital to his sense of security and development.

Of course, there are many other ways in which you can encourage bonding. Babies welcome the sight and sound of their parents from a very early age, having quickly learnt that they are a source of food, warmth and loving care. Singing, speaking and reading aloud to your baby are all ways in which you can reinforce that familiarity, and you will usually be reward with a beautiful gummy smile.

Moreover, numerous studies have shown that touch is of vital importance to a newborn's well-being. Babies who have a lot of skin-to-skin contact appear to thrive better and cry less.

It is important, though, to remember that bonding is an ongoing process that allow you as a parent to nurture your baby's sense of self and relationships over time.

Did you know ....
Mothers and babies can identify each other by their unique smell soon after birth. In fact, this smell is what enables a newborn baby to locate and attach to his mother's breast so quickly after birth.

Mothers (even those awakened from a deep sleep) can identify the sound of their baby's cry. In those first few sleep-deprived days, many first-time mothers are amazed at their ability to distinguish their baby's cries from those of other babies in the maternity ward.

A baby's umbilical cord (about 50cm) is just the right length to allow a newborn baby to be held by his mother while still attached to the placenta.

In response to a forefinger pressed into the palm of his hand, a baby's natural reflex is to curl his fingers to tightly around that finger that the grasp could support his entire weight.

Scientists have recently discovered that activity within a particular part of the brain soars within one-seventh of a second after seeing the face of an infant. This almost instantaneously positive reaction does not occur in response to the face of an adult.

Source: Dodds, C (2009), Coles Baby : Winter 2009, Coles Supermarket Australia Pty Ltd

Problem Child

Ask an average groups of parents if they have concerns about their toddler's behaviour and 60% are likely to answer yes.

For the overwhelming majority, however, their anxieties would cover a broad range of 'issue' considered typical for the under-twos. Exaggerated, unpredictable and inexplicable behaviour in children in this age group is most often associated with normal developmental stages, explains Associate Professor Jill Sewell, deputy director of the Centre for Community Child Health at Melbourne's Royal Children's Hospital.

By about 12 months of age, for example, your toddler may become upset - or even hysterical - every time you're out of his sight. Known as 'separation anxiety', this behavioural phenomenon appears when your children begin developing a concept of memory. For most it's a transitory phase generally lasting several weeks or no longer than a few months. But some will experience persistent or particularly strong separation anxiety for which parents may need professional help.

Into your child's second year he'll also begin to exert his own authority and realise he has some autonomy. Couple this perception with the ability to say the word 'no' and understand its meaning, and by the time he's turned two you're likely to have experienced his first temper tantrum.

Parents should neither overreact nor give in to this behaviour, because there's a risk that it can later transform into attention seeking. Or it can escalate into a problem and control between parents and children. So, remain first but fair and be reassured that the tantrum phase is usually short-lived and rarely extends beyond the third birthday.

The time to get worried about any of these routine behavioural 'milestones' is when they occur outside the normal development phase you'd expect to see them.

For example, they start much earlier, or are much stronger, or persist for very much longer than we'd normally expect, explain Prof Sewell.

She stressed, however, that parents with concerns about their children's behaviour should have them checked out. It would be usual to start with a GP so that any health issues could first be ruled out. Pain form ear infection or constipation, for example, can cause unpredictable behaviour.

And while persistent irritability may be a normal part of some children's temperaments, it can also be a sign of food intolerance. This is different from a food allergy, which normally produces very clear symptoms. Food intolerance is more difficult to diagnose and not particularly common, but it can be responsible for a child being relentlessly grumpy.

Occasionally, children have serious behavioural problems that can be ultimately traced to conditions such as autism or ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder).

Medical professionals will not attempt to diagnose ADHD in the under-twos, although there can be signs from this age- including consistently higher than average activity levels- that it may be a condition worth watching out for in later childhood.

Prof Sewell says, "You can't expect young children to have a long concentration span, but if they really can't stay focused on anything, you do wonder about how are going to be later on."

Professionals will certainly attempt to diagnose autism - now recognised as a "spectrum" it's much harder and often those children aren't diagnosed until four years later," says Prof Sewell.

In the under-twos, autism might be suggested in children who tend to require a rigid routine and become upset if that is broken. Other warning signs in toddlers can include a lack of affection or the development of rigid, repetitive play patterns.

Professionals also talk about problems with "shared attention', a capability that normally begins to develop during babyhood. From early in their second year, most children will look to where a parent is pointing and understand that they are being shown something. Children on the autism spectrum are particularly slow to develop this capacity for shared attention. Slow development, or inappropriate use, of language are also worth investigating during the second year because these too can be early indicators of autism.

Prof Sewell says that less than 10% of young children have major behavioural anomalies that will need professional attention. "But if parents are concerned about their child at any stage it's much better to talk (to a health profession) about it than to worry, even if it turns out to be part of a normal developmental process," she stresses. "If you're worried all the time, it is harder to parent naturally."

Source :McGhee (2009) Problem Child?, Coles Baby : Winter 2009, Coles Supermarkets Australia Pty Ltd

Image adapted from Problem Child Movie poster

First Aid

Curiosity in children is beautiful to watch, but in an unguarded moment it can also land your cherub in serious trouble. If any emergency does arise, every second counts and knowing how to administer infant first aid until further help arrives gives your child the best chance of recovery.

What to do if your child ...
Has been burnt or scalded
Remove the child's clothing (only if it's not stuck to the skin). Cool the burnt area with running cold tap water. Cover with loose, non-sticky dressing such as plastic wrap.

Has swallowed poison
Take the container of whatever the child has swallowed and call the National Poisons Information Centre for advice.

Is choking
If the child is breathing, check the mouth for any object and remove it. If the child is not breathing call 000 then check the mouth for objects and give five back blows. If breathing doesn't commence, start CPR.

Prevention and Preparation
The best way of preventing an accident is to be aware of the common dangers children might encounter and be vigilant. Simple preventative measures include :
* Never leaving a child unsupervised around water.
* Fencing the pool
* Storing medications and household chemicals out of children's reach.
* Installing child-resistant locks on cupboards.
* Placing guards and screens in front of heaters and and open fires.

Further every house should have a well stocked first aid kit kept in a safe place.

Source : Burke (2009), Safety First, Coles Baby: winter 2009, James Newsman Australia
picture image adapted from metropolismon

Eczema and Cradle Cap

What is Eczema?
A skin irritation that appears as patches of dry, red, scaly skin which may become moist. It usually appears on baby's face, behind the ears, around their neck, behind their knees and on the inside of elbows.

What causes or aggravates eczema?
* It can run in families
* Certain foods may provoke attacks in infants.
* Rough, scratchy tight clothes, woollens and synthetics.
* Frequent use of strong soap for bathing or washing clothes.
* Perfumed creams and lotions.
* Dust
* Overheating

What to do about it
Dress baby in light, soft, loose, smooth cotton clothes - don't overdress.

Use lukewarm water in the bath.

Avoid soaps and cleansing lotions - use sorbolene and glycerine cream for soap at bath time and change time.

Put mittens or socks on baby's hands to stop them scratching.

Wash baby's clothes in pure soap - don't use fabric softeners or wool mix.

When putting baby on the floor to play, place on a cotton sheet, not the carpet.

Regularly vacuum the house.

Avoid dairy foods, eggs, fish, wheat, peanuts and citrus fruit.

What is Cradle Cap?
A build up of natural oils and dry scaly skin, which can form a yellow/brown crust on baby's head, eyebrows or behind the ears.

What to do?
To remove the crusts, massage sorbolene and glycerine cream into the affected area 2-3 times a day. Leave on overnight, and wash off at bath time the next day, using a face washer - or gently brush to stimulate the scalp, and lift off the softened crusts (don't pick off with your nails). Do this every day until it clears.

How to prevent it
Every day, wash and massage baby's scalp and gently brush their head, even if they don't have much hair.

Source : Children's panadol

Skin Care and Nappy Rash

Baby skin is very sensitive. It is not necessary to use shampoos, powders, oils, baby solutions, baby soaps or baby wipes. Some products may contain perfumes and other ingredients that may irritate your baby's skin.

Simple is best. All you need is:
* water
* sorbolene and glycerine cream
* zinc and castor oil cream (choose a brand which is thick and gooey)

Handy Hint - buy a small plastic squeeze bottle with flip top or nozzle from the supermarket. Mix up a solution of water water and two teaspoons of sorbolene and glycerine cream. Use this tissues to clean baby's bottom. Do not store - it needs to be made daily.

Preventing / managing nappy rash
Change baby's nappy at least after each feed.

Wash baby's bottom with the sorbolene solution every time you change the nappy, several times a day. (but don't leave baby unattended on the change table).

Apple a thick layer of zinc and castor oil cream a few times a day, especially before long sleeps - or
at every nappy change if baby's bottom is slightly red. (if this doesn't improve then see your Child Health Nurse)

When using cloth nappies. Soak nappy in nappy cleansing solutions, tip off the excess solution and put them in the washing machine on a long cycle. (hot if possible). Do not add any soap powder or softener.

When using disposable nappies: use good quality nappies - cheaper ones may irritate the skin.

Skin care tip
Use sorbolene and glycerube for bathing, instead of soap: wet baby's skin with warm water, take a dollop of cream on your hands, and gently massage over baby's body. Rinse off in the bath and pat dry.

Source : Children's Panadol

Banana Custard

Ingredients :
1/2 cup breast milk / formula
1 small ripe banana, mashed
a few drop of lemon juice
a few drops of vanilla essence
2 tsp custard powder

Method:
Mix breast milk/formula, custard powder, water and vanilla together in a microwave-proof bowl.

Place in microwave, cook on high power for 2 minutes stirring halfway.

Cool custard.

Mash banana with a little lemon juice.

Stir through custard and serve immediately.

Source : Toomey, S (2009), 26 Weeks and Beyond: The yummy scrummy in your tummy cookbook, Wyeth Nutrition