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I am sorry to hear that your granddaughter is battling with a rash. Hand-foot-and-mouth disease is caused by a virus called coxsackie virus, and although most books you will read describe the rash only on the hands and feet with ulcers in the mouth, I have certainly seen cases where the rash has been more widespread on other parts of their body. Since coxsackie virus and most other viral rashes aren't dangerous, and since there is no treatment available, the best approach is to wait it out. Most viral rashes resolve within a few days without any intervention. Hope that helps!View Thread

1. Was there any use of instrumentation during the delivery (vacuum, forceps, etc)
2. Did your son have lopsided swelling to his head after he was born (referred to as a cephalohematoma)?
Both of these things can lead to calcification in the area, but neither situation is worrisome and most resolve over time. Since I haven't examined your son directly, I can't say for sure, but I agree that it needs to be monitored for change. Since you feel like it is getting bigger, the best approach would be to take him back in to your son's regular doctor to have the area re-examined. Hope that helps!View Thread

I can imagine how frightened you feel right now. Familial macrocephaly (big heads that run in families) is a common cause for "off the charts" head circumference in children. Knowing that your husband has a large head and that your son is completely developmentally normal, this is certainly a possibility, which is likely why your doctor told you that he's sure everything is fine. The reality, however, is that this age is such a critical time for development, and we are obligated to explore it further when a child's head circumference is that far off the mark. Like your doctor said, it is a precaution, and many times reveals no underlying abnormality, but in my opinion, it is a test that is well-worth having done, to make sure that it truly is familial macrocephaly and nothing more. Keep us updated after the CT scan next week.View Thread

Your question is a common one, so thank you for sharing it. There is a very wide range in norms for first tooth eruption in babies, from 3-4 months of age to 12-14 months of age. Based on that range, it is certainly not unusual for your son not to have any teeth yet. Keep in mind, that even without teeth, it's still fine to begin introducing developmentally-approrpiate texture/solids into their diet, including finger foods. Even once the first baby teeth have erupted, those front teeth are only used for biting, not chewing, so absence of teeth should not hold you back from introducing finger foods. Parents should watch that their babies make a chewing motion with their gums, and introduce only soft, easily dissolvable foods at first. Hope that helps!View Thread

Congratulations on the upcoming birth of your second child! What an exciting time! I thought I would chime in as one of the experts on the panel. I have this same question come up quite a bit with expectant parents that I care for, and generally what I recommend, is to tailor the experience to the child. If she has expressed an interest to be present during much of the labor, I think that can be a very bonding time. I would simply caution you about having her present during the delivery itself. In theory, it seems like a reasonable thing, to include an older sibiling for the entire process, but in reality, it would be impossible for a 5 year old to completely understand the birth process. In the absence of total understanding, you leave the door open for a potentially frightening, misunderstood experience for her. I tend to agree with the feedback above about having her present at the hospital, but casually having her take a detour to another part of the hospital with grandma during the delivery itself. Participating in the first bath, the first diaper change, the first dressing of the baby -- those are all wonderful, age-appropriate ways to make your daughter delight in the joy of a new sibling! Congratulations on such an exciting time, and thank you for posting such a worthwhile question!View Thread

I am so sorry to hear that you've had such a rough month and a half with your son! It's tough enough to deal with an ear infection that isn't getting better, let alone with several weeks of diarrhea. I have certainly seen children who have prolonged antibiotic-associated diarrhea, especially in situations like you are describing, where there are multiple courses of back-to-back antibiotics; however, I would agree that since it has gone on for so long, it would be a good idea to schedule an appointment with your pediatrician to have him evaluated. One of the other parents mentioned c.diff, which is certainly something to consider. I am glad to hear that your little guy is well-hydrated and seems to be comfortable, but nonetheless, it sounds like it's time to have him seen again. Hope that helps!View Thread


Thank you so much for posting your question about your son. I agree with your concerned friends, that this symptom definitely warrants a trip to the pediatrician's office. Since I haven't examined him, it's impossible for me to diagnose the problem, but gasping for air and having shortness of breath with feedings could possibly indicate an underlying heart problem. It could also be an airway problem, gastroesophageal reflux, and a number of other conditions that would benefit from a doctor's evaluation and treatment. Please take your little guy in to your pediatrician's office to have this evaluated and keep us updated!View Thread


Great questions! In your particular situation, it sounds like your a reasonable option to offer her pacifier to her (better than offering a feeding) if you're concerned about her crying waking up your older child. I will say, however, that speaking from experience, I had to let all three of my children cry it out at some point in their babyhood, and my children are spaced exactly 2 years apart, with bedrooms side by side. Neither of the older siblings woke up with the baby's crying, and I suspect that if they had, it wouldn't have been a long, drawn-out issue. Most of the time, babies only have to "cry it out" for 3 or 4 nights tops, before they're back in their all-night sleeping rhythm. In my opinion, risking waking the older sibling for a couple of nights is well worth the payoff of having a well-rested baby who sleeps through the night. I've never heard of any family, who followed that advice, only to have their older child develop sleep problems as a result. Hope that helps!View Thread
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