Your Newborn’s Health

One of the most stressful things about being a parent is worrying about your baby’s health and safety. It’s a full-time job! Thankfully, there are a lot of helpful resources and information to help guide you, especially your pediatrician, who should be your partner in raising healthy, safe, happy, successful children.

Safety

Injuries are one of the leading causes of death in young children, and most are preventable.

General guidelines

• Never leave a baby unattended or alone with siblings or pets. Don’t let pets into the area when your baby is sleeping.
• Never shake a baby.
• Never put a necklace, pacifier, or toy around the baby’s neck. Teething necklaces are not safe.
• Be sure toys are approved for your baby’s age. If you buy or receive used or hand-me-down toys, cribs, high chairs, or car seats, then check to be sure they have not been recalled. You can check the manufacturer’s website or recalls.gov.
• Never smoke in house or car with a baby.
• Never shake a baby. Get help if frustrated with crying or fussiness.
• Don’t microwave breast milk or formula.
• Don’t carry baby and hot liquids/foods.
• Never leave alone in a bathtub or water.
• Consider taking an infant CPR class.
• Be sure to take your baby to all well-child checkups.

Car Seat

• Your baby should ride in a car seat every time she is in the car.
• Your baby must always be in the back seat.
• Your baby should be rear-facing until 2 years old.
• Be sure the seat is approved for your baby’s age..
• Installing car seats is complicated to do correctly. Studies show many are not installed correctly. Read your instructions carefully about both installation and use. There are places that will check to be sure it is installed correctly.
• Be sure the buckle at the top is pulled up over your child’s upper chest, not her stomach.
• If the car seat has been used, check the manufacturer’s website or recalls.gov to be sure it has not been recalled, and make sure it has never been in an accident and is from a trustworthy source.

For help with care seats:

• safercar.gov/parents
• safekids.org
• safekidsgeorgia.org
• seatcheck.org
• toll free auto safety hotline 888-327-4236

Household safety

• Make sure smoke detectors are installed and functioning. Test them once a month.
• Set hot water heater no higher than 120° F.
• Keep crib away from blind strings or cords.
• Make sure cribs meet new safety standards, including no drop-side and slats no more than 2 3/8 inches apart. Many cribs have been recalled in recent years; if it is used, check to be sure it has not been recalled

Well-Child Visits

Well-child visits, also known as physicals or check-ups, are an essential part of keeping your child healthy and safe. Children are not little adults; their brains and bodies are growing, changing, and developing rapidly. It is critical to make sure that your child is developing properly both physically and mentally; if something does not grow or develop properly, it can have lifelong consequences.

At well visits, pediatricians check your child’s growth and development, do a complete examination, and give you information on keeping your child safe and healthy including nutrition information. We answer questions and discuss what to expect next on your parenting adventure. There are a number of screening tests done to make sure your child’s health and development are normal.

Well-child visits are not just for vaccines; there are regularly scheduled well visits where no vaccines are given. They are important and necessary as well. A complete schedule for the first year is below.

Vaccines

Vaccines are also an essential part of keeping your child healthy. They prevent serious and deadly diseases which are still a threat to your baby. They are safe and have no known serious side effects. There is no evidence that they cause autism or any other health problem, and they have been extensively researched. More information about each vaccine and the diseases they prevent is available on our website and resources are listed in the Resource section at the end of this handbook.

Looking ahead: First year well visit schedule

The schedule may differ slightly in the first month from office to office; the 3-4 day visit and 2 months and up are standard. Every visit includes a complete physical exam, measuring growth and developmental milestones, feeding, and so much more.

Medical supplies

In addition to lots of diapers (babies use 6 or more diapers a day), wipes, cloths, and onesies, what do you need medically? Not very much:

• A rectal thermometer. Yes, a rectal one. This is the only reliable way to take a baby’s temperature. It can be traditional or digital; either one works fine. Digital is recommended.
• Cotton swabs, and/or cotton balls, needed for cleaning ears, belly buttons, and 100 other uses.
• Petroleum jelly (Vaseline®, Aquaphor®) is used for a variety of things, very handy for lubricating thermometers, treating dry or irritated skin, lips, preventing diaper rashes, circumcision.
• Diaper rash ointment and/or cream. A&D ®ointment and Vaseline® are good for general use and prevention. Most rashes need a thick, white cream with zinc oxide in order to heal. Desitin®, Butt Paste®, and Triple Paste® are common brands. Many stores also carry their own brand, which is fine. Zinc oxide is the ingredient you want to look for.
• Nasal bulb syringe The hospital may give you one to use when you leave the hospital. If not, you can purchase one at a drug store or online. Use it to suction out your baby’s nose (or mouth occasionally) when necessary.
• Saline nasal drops. You will need these for your baby’s first cold, and sometimes for routine suctioning.
• Infant nail clippers. These are much easier and safer to use on babies than the adult ones.
• Infant or child acetaminophen (Tylenol® liquid. It comes in drops and liquid but it is the same concentration and liquid is much cheaper. Do not give acetaminophen to an infant less than 2 months old for fever unless told to by your baby’s doctor. Do not give it before shots either, and do not give after shots unless your baby is uncomfortable or fussy. Do not use ibuprofen (Motrin®/Advil®) before 6 months of age.

If your baby gets sick

There are many normal things that babies do, but you also need to be aware of the signs and symptoms of serious illness and know when to seek medical care.

Fever

A normal body temperature is between 97 to 100.3 F; 98.6 is only an average. Fever is a body temperature 100.4°F or above. In infants, the temperature must be taken rectally. Fever itself will not harm your child, but the cause of the fever may.

Any fever in a baby less than two months old is considered extremely urgent and must be evaluated by a doctor right away. It may indicate a very serious and life threatening infection. Do NOT give your baby fever medication if less than 2 months old unless a doctor tells you to.

Fever and pain medication

Acetaminophen (Tylenol) can be used in infants. However, you should not use any fever or pain medicine in babies less than 2 months old without first talking to your baby’s doctor. It can mask other symptoms or the presence of fever.

Taking your baby’s temperature

Rectal temperatures are the only reliable method in infants. You can use a traditional or digital rectal thermometer. Place a small amount of petroleum jelly on the tip and insert the thermometer into the rectum just until the metal tip disappears. Wait 2-3 minutes or until the digital thermometer signals that it is finished. A normal temperature is between 97 and 100.3°F.

How to tell if your baby is sick

In general, sick babies really look and act ill, and well children do not. If your baby is alert, responsive, drinking well, and not extremely fussy or irritable, then she is probably not seriously ill. If you have any doubt, seek medical attention.

Your baby should be seen immediately if she:

• Is irritable and cries whenever you touch her or pick her up.
• Is inconsolable for a lengthy period of time
• Looks distant, sick, or poorly responds
• Has labored breathing, difficulty breathing or grunts repeatedly, or periods where she stops breathing
• Has coughing or choking spells, and/or turns blue
• Has to stop feeding to catch her breath
• Is pale and has a cold sweat
• Has a fever (rectal temperature 100.4 F or higher) and is less than 2 months old, or is older than 2 months and has a fever with a rash
• Has repeated jerking motions, strange posture, odd eye movements or has a seizure
• Vomits green material

Should be seen as soon as possible if she has:

• A rectal temperature 100.4 or higher and is older than 2 months old
• Persistent vomiting and/or diarrhea
• Blood in the stool
• Refusing to eat
• No wet diapers for 6-8 hours
• Coughing
• Runny nose more than 10 days
• A diaper rash that is not improving after a few days of treatment, or has a rash with pimples or pustules or that is weeping

Safe medication use in infants & young children

General guidelines

• Don’t give acetaminophen (Tylenol®) to a baby less than 2 months old unless your doctor tells you to
• Don’t give ibuprofen (Motrin®/Advil®) to babies less than 6 months old (unless a doctor tells you to)
• Don’t give cough and cold medicines to babies or children less than 6 years old. Don’t give cough medicines, decongestants, expectorants, or allergy/antihistamines unless told to by a doctor. They are not effective and they are not safe in children less than 6 years old.
• You may give agave nectar cough/cold medicines to infants and honey cough/cold medicines to children 12 months and up, which may help with a cough. Zarbee’s is a well known brand. Never give a baby less than a year old real honey.
• You may use saline drops/spray for congestion.
• Always use the syringe or dropper that came with the medicine.
• NEVER use household spoons to measure medication.
• NEVER give a child someone else’s medication unless told to do so by a doctor.
• NEVER restart leftover medicine for your child to your child again.
• NEVER give antibiotics that you have around to your child.