Air Quality in Cars: Ventilate your Car – Roll down the Windows!

Love the smell of a new car?  Before you take another deep breath, before you buckle in your newborn baby, or before you tell your kids to get in the car, think about the chemicals they will be breathing in and absorbing into their bodies.  The air quality in a car that has been “baking” in the sun (especially during the hot summer) will always be far worse than the air you breathe outside.

Babies and Infection – Why does my baby keep getting sick?

Why does my baby keep getting sick!

Is there something wrong with my baby?  Should I be concerned?  Are there any ways to prevent this?  These are just a few of the many questions this article will attempt to explain.

Let us start with a little background on the immune system.

Simply speaking, the immune system is your body’s defense mechanism against foreign and infectious agents.  The immune system comprises of two main components – innate and adaptive.  Innate immunity can be thought of typically as your first line of defense, like the skin, mucous membranes and specific cells of the body such as neutrophils and macrophages.  Adaptive immunity can be compared to an elite group of special forces – lymphocytes (B and T cells), plasma cells and antigen presenting cells.  Plasma cells and B cells create antibodies for the immune system.  Innate and adaptive immunity together work hand in hand to protect the body from foreign and infectious agents.

The Best Nasal Aspirator for your Baby

This article will discuss the pros and cons of various types of nasal aspirators and ultimately lead you to choose the best nasal aspirator for your baby.

Parents are in distress when they see their child struggling to breathe especially when they are congested because of a cold or infection. In average, babies less than 2 years old do not know how to blow their noses. It is a learned behavior and there is a wide degree in ages to when babies can perform this action. In the meantime there are quite a few nasal aspirators in the market. Aspirators basically can be grouped into three categories.

Babies and Breathing – Cry It Out Method and Waterboarding (Part 2)

Part one of the series talked about four important changes that happens in respiration.  Part two will continue to scientifically build upon the consequences for using the “cry-it-out” method.

An important concept to once again remember is that anatomical development precedes  functional development.  Babies are not fully functional at birth.  They all have their eyes, ears, hands and feet, heart thumping, etc.  however they are still growing – not in the mother’s womb but out in the real world as “immature” human beings.  People tend to associate the word “immature” with psychological aspects but in this case this applies to anatomic, physical immaturity.  Not being mature is not good or bad but frankly this just tells us that the child is not ready for certain tasks.  For example, a baby sits before he/she can crawl.  This is due to continued  development of bodily coordination which matures throughout life.

Babies and Breathing – Cry It Out Method and Waterboarding (Part 1)

Cry-it-out method and waterboarding.

Many parents have read about the controversy on the Ferber method, more famously known as the  “cry-it-out” method.  The goal of this method essentially claims to help the baby soothe him/herself to sleep.  This article will not try to attempt to explain the pros and cons for using this method for sleep training.  Rather it will scientifically focus on the implications of using such a method.  This article is a two-part series which will first focus on the anatomic and physiological changes in respiration.   Part two will focus on the importance of maintaining an unrestricted airway and why prolonged crying is not recommended especially during the first six months after birth.