August 15th, 2009
“Yesterday, Adrian took 3 slices of pizza with a glass of fresh milk for lunch, he took a large serving of tuna sandwich for dinner, followed by half an apple. However, today, he had sudden loss of appetite and took only 2 plain crackers and keep telling me he is full. He didn’t eat much for dinner too. He is 4.5 years old and I think he has an erratic appetite. This is not the first time, it happened before too. Could he be having some pathology in his guts?” Ben, 36 years old
Dr. Stork says: Your child may sometimes have a tremendous appetite but, at other times, he may not want to eat very much at all. Such variations in appetite are normal; they occur in children just as in adults. Nevertheless, it helps to check if your child likes the way certain foods are served or whether he is ill.
Eager to know more about cultivating good eating habits? Please visit also:
Healthy Eating Habits for Children Nutritional Health
Tags: appetite, changing appetite, loss of appetite
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August 12th, 2009
“I seriously need help here doctor. Sonia is 2 years old. Since two weeks ago, I notice that she seems to be more interested in things other than food. I’ve tried various ways to distract her and get her to eat her food but to no avail. She used to love her food a lot.” Jenny, 22 years old
Dr. Stork says: Your child is at an age when she is very interested in playing and satisfying her curiosity about her surroundings. This could lead to a temporary loss of interest in food. This should not cause concern but, if this problem occurs frequently, discuss the matter with a nutritionist, dietitian or a doctor.
Need more Tips on Feeding Young Children ?
Visit also:
Child Health and Well-Being
Tags: dietitian, love for food, nutritionist
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August 9th, 2009
“Beth cries about the average, I don’t always feed her when she cries as I can’t tell if she is hungry. She shouldn’t, as I make sure I feed her every two hours strictly. Recently, she has been crying more and I find it hard to pacify her, what could be wrong with her?” Joanne, 21 years; Beth, 6 weeks
Dr Stork says: During the first couple of months, most of your baby’s crying is probably due to hunger. You need to feed your baby whenever she’s hungry. This is called “feeding on demand”. That means you DO NOT schedule her feeding by the clock. Offer her your breast or a bottle when she cries, this may be every hour at first, especially if you are breastfeeding. I know this may be taxing for the mother but you will be able to reduce the frequency of the feed pretty soon as she grows. However, if she rejects the feed and continues to cry, you don’t force her either; look for other reasons for her crying, for example wet or dirty diaper.
Learn more at Feeding Baby
Tags: baby crying, Breastfeeding, dirty diaper, feeding, hungry
Posted in Crying, Feeding Problems and Eating Habits | Comments Off
August 6th, 2009
“Peter is 3.5 years old, my worry is he eats too little and his growth will be retarded. His elder sister eats much more than he is eating now when she was 3.5 years old. I’ve checked with my friends and all their children at around the same age eat a larger amount than Peter.” Margaret, 35 years old
Dr. Stork says: You may notice that your child eats very little, when compared with his peers. There is no cause for concern if this occurs occasionally and he is growing well. However, if poor eating persists and your child exhibits poor weight gain, medical assessment will be required.
To know more about growth and nutrition, please visit:
Child Development and Food Nutrition
More related sites:
Tips on Promoting Healthy Eating Habits in Children
Tags: Growth, weight gain
Posted in Growth | Comments Off
August 4th, 2009
Dear doctor, this morning when little Angela (14 months old now) was making her big poop, I saw some carrots in her stool, does that mean that she has malabsorption? Will this affect her growth? I am worried and scared. Samantha, 20 years old
Dr. Stork says: Some children who take excessive amounts of vegetables may pass out intact pieces of the food in their stools, a condition called ‘toddler’s diarrhea’. You don’t have to worry about this normal phenomenon. Just offer a little less vegetable next time.
For more information on growth and nutrition, please visit:
Child Development and Food Nutrition
Tags: malabsorption, toddler diarrhea
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August 1st, 2009
“Tony is 2 and a half years now, both John and I are getting very worried as he will cry at the slightest scratch or bruise he gets while playing. We are not able to console him and the crying usually gets worse and ended up causing distress to all three of us. Shouldn’t a boy toddler like him be brave?” Jessie, 24 years
Dr. Stork says: Toddlers tend to cry at even the most minor injury such as a small scratch, an abrasion, or a tiny bruise.
In our house, I always had “the magic cream” (a mild antiseptic cream) on hand, and my children responded almost immediately to attention, reassurance, and a thin smear of the magic cream.
Sometimes I had to sit down with them, hold them close, give them a big cuddle, and make very sympathetic sounds to show them that I knew how much it was hurting or how frightened they were and many young children are terrified by the sight of blood. Comfort and the magic cream nearly always had a calming effect.
Whenever your crying toddler comes to you in distress crying over a small injury, be sympathetic. Say you know how much it’s hurting and don’t try to make him be brave. In a few moments he’ll skip off your knee and return to his play after a kiss to make it better, a cuddle, and a favorite drink or snack.
If necessary, put some interesting idea into your child’s mind to distract him from the injury, such as a special treat for tea, a special game with dad, a picnic, or an outing to a favorite place.
You may also want to visit:
Cultivate Positive Behavior in Your Child
Tips on Raising a Confident and Well-Adjusted Child
Tags: boy, crying toddlers
Posted in Crying | Comments Off
July 29th, 2009
“Sam is 26 months old now, he wants to eat only one type of food. I’ve tried giving him different types of food and snacks but he just refused.” Amy, 28 years old
Dr. Stork says: Some children may have ‘food jags’, a term commonly referred to the stubborn insistence on eating only a certain type of food. In fact, ‘food jags’ is common in many young children and there is no need to be alarmed. Try coaxing or persuading your child to eat something from each of the major food groups as depicted in the Pyramid Food Guide. Also, remember that teasing has been found to be an ineffective way to succeed.
More related sites:
Child Health and Well-Being
Healthy Recipes for Children
Tags: food, food jags, pyramid food guide, snacks
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June 14th, 2009
What’s wrong with Jeremy? He is 3 weeks old but he keeps crying. I gave him his bottle, I changed him but my baby won’t stop crying. I wanted to sleep but he just wouldn’t sleep. When he cries, I’d get nervous and I’ll start crying too. Having a baby is all new to me, I am getting impatient and I can’t cope with my crying baby. Adriana, 22 years; Jeremy 3 weeks
Dr. Stork says: When you come home from the hospital, you will probably be tired, and your baby’s demands won’t give you much time to rest. Most parents experience this overwhelming tiredness. However, most parents too experience the joy of early parenting. Holding your tiny helpless baby is a special and usually wonderful feeling for both mum and dad.
You must understand why babies cry, a baby may cry for many reasons other than colic. Most often, he may simply be hungry. The solution hence is simple, feed him. Some babies may need to be burped several times during a feeding while some maybe unhappy if you interrupt his meal to burp him. Have patience with him and you’ll soon get the hang of his likes and dislikes.
Some babies cry because of a wet or messy nappy. Again, the solution is simple, change him.
Other babies can’t seem to fall asleep without fussing a lot. If you are sure your baby isn’t hungry, too cold or too warm, and doesn’t need his nappy changed, and he still cries, he may need to be held for a while. Some baby may like to be held on your shoulder and pat or rub his back until he falls asleep. A ride in the car or swinging movement may calm him. Perhaps he would like some soothing music beside his crib.
Newborn baby crying may be frustrating but please remember that you baby is NOT crying to make you upset. He cries because it is the only way he has to tell you he needs you. If you are there when he needs you, you are helping him learn to trust his world and he is likely to cry less in the future if his needs are met now.
Find out more tips on Helping Your Newborn Sleep Better
Tags: babies cry, baby won’t stop crying, colic, crying baby, newborn baby crying, newborn crying, why babies cry
Posted in Crying | Comments Off
June 10th, 2009
“Fiona is 4 years old now, she is healthy and well grown but she refuses to eat vegetables.” John & Susan, both 32 years old
Dr Stork says: Your child should have been properly introduced to vegetables during the complementary feeding (weaning) stage. If you had not done so, you can expect difficulties in making her like vegetables after she has passed her first birthday. But it is still not too late; make the effort to serve different kinds of vegetables that are cooked/prepared in different ways. Making feeding fun and imaginative may enable you to hold her attention sufficiently to taste the vegetables.
If you have younger baby, you may like to know more about How to Wean a Baby
More related sites:
Child Health and Well-Being
Healthy Recipes for Children
Tags: vegetables, weaning
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June 6th, 2009
“My due date is just a couple of weeks away. Some of my girl friends have been telling me how difficult it was for an elder child to accept the new sibling. I am worried. Sameul is now 4 years old, he has been a dear darling to us all these while, how can I prepare him to love his new sister?” Jane, 32 years
Dr. Stork says: Your child is bound to feel pretty distressed and jealous at the thought of a new baby brother or sister and the “dethronement” that he thinks will follow. This is one form of sibling rivalry. Take all the precautions you can to make him feel good about the baby. Refer to the baby as his new sister or brother and let him feel your tummy as the baby grows and kicks. Show him where the baby is going to sleep, and teach him all kinds of helpful things he can do to look after her. If you are having the baby in hospital, make sure your child is at ease with the person who is going to look after him while you’re there. When you come home, have someone else carry the baby; you should have your arms free to scoop your child up and give him a big cuddle. Don’t turn to the new baby until he asks to see her. Make sure that you bring home a present from the baby for him. If you have to stay in hospital, let him visit you as often as you like, and when he does, make sure that the baby is not in your arms, but is lying in a cot at your side so you’re free to hold your child. All these measures will help to reduce sibling jealousy towards the new baby.
Please also read Preparation Before the Baby Arrives - Miscellaneous
Tags: dethronement, sibling jealousy, Sibling Rivalry
Posted in Sibling Rivalry | Comments Off