Barb's Daily Dose

Five S Method for Calming Babies

The Five S Method

1. Swaddling
2. Stomach or Side position
3. Shushing Sounds
4. Swinging, and
5. Sucking opportunity.

These methods were tested with babies who had received vaccinations.  There was one group of babies who were calmed with the Five S Method and another group was offered sugar water.  Most babies using the Five S Method were able to become calm within 45 seconds, while the babies who were offered sugar water were still crying, despite their using one of the Five S ingredients, sucking.

Whooping Cough on the Rise

In Washington State, there is currently and epidemic of whooping cough.  There have been 640 case reported there in the first 3 months of the year, compared to only 93 the year before.

Whooping cough is also known as pertussis and can be serious and even life threatening in babies. The reason that there's a new epidemic is that we think that people's immunity to it decreases over time.

Can Autism Be Derailed? Researchers Say Maybe

Featured on AANP SmartBrief, February 21, 2012, Written by Michelle Diament

Signs of autism are evident in children as young as 6 months but take time to unfold, a development researchers said could lead to opportunities to intervene before the disorder makes its full mark.

The finding comes from research on 92 infants considered at high-risk for autism because each had an older sibling with the developmental disorder.

Chicken Pox Vaccination

What many of us forget is that virtually everyone used to get chicken pox. That meant that there were between 3-4 million cases each year.  While the vast majority of people recovered after a few days of  itching and feeling miserable, there were still about 100 people, mostly children who died from chicken pox each year. Now with vaccination rates for chicken pox increasing the numbers of deaths has also decreased dramatically.

A Christmas Miracle

Today's Featured Guest Writer is John Ullom, a neighbor and a friend, who lost his precious daughter Allie at 17 months to Mylodysplastic Syndrome (MDS).

This is a Story of Hope and Inspiration.

This is a true story, it  happened to me and I love to share it every Christmas and I know many others who have shared it as a glimpse of hope for others & please if you feel so inclined share it with others.

It was December 24th 2008 exactly 10 months since our Alexandra ( Alex, Allie, Sweet Pea) was called to serve Jesus. I went to Christmas Eve Mass with my parents & my sister and her family ( unfortunately Kris did not make it as she had to work that day and her commute home was horrible ~ as usual).

Safe Sleep - Fit Pregnancy

Today's Featured Article is from Fit Pregnancy

Safe Sleep - Fit Pregnancy.

Anti-SIDS Products Under Fire

Today's Featured Article is from Fit Pregnancy

Anti-SIDS Products Under Fire - 10.18.11 FDA warns parents that these items are not necessary and can be dangerous. - Fit Pregnancy.

Overtreating for Acid Reflux

Today's Featured Article is from Fit Pregnancy

Overtreating for Acid Reflux - 10.24.11 Hard-to-soothe babies being prescribed acid-suppressing meds for no reason, expert says. - Fit Pregnancy.

Help The Hurt

Article Today is by Mary Ellen Strote - Featured in Fit Pregnancy

Some medical procedures can’t be avoided. Here’s how to make them less painful for your baby—and you.

Help The Hurt - Some medical procedures can’t be avoided. Here’s how to make them less painful for your baby—and you. - Fit Pregnancy.

How to Give Liquid Medication to Babies and Children

Recent research that was presented at the American Academy of Pediatrics found that there's a surprising number of babies and children who aren't getting the right dosages of medication.  It's even more alarming when that medication contains pain relievers, like codeine and hydrocodone. Parents do find it difficult to precisely measure the liquid formulations and may be using things like kitchen spoon to measure instead of the cups or syringes that come with the medication.

No matter how tempting it is to open the kitchen drawer and pull out a spoon to give a child medication, it's not ever a good idea. Always use the device that comes with the medication and if you have questions call your child's health care provider or your pharmacist.