family

Quick ! You have 25 days to get the kids in shape to make a good presentation at Christmas dinner. Like a lot of stuff in parenting, consistency and patience are by-words and yes, you can teach a toddler few new tricks. Here are the basic etiquette skills little ones should have:

• “Please,” “Thank you” and “You’re welcome” are not optional. Repeat them over, invite your kids to correct you, and you’ll find by Christmas a pleasant and polite Pavlovian response.

If you are looking for a great way to make sure your children are off to a healthy start, don't overlook the importance of a nutritious breakfast.

According to the American Dietetic Association (ADA), when children are consistent about eating breakfast each day, they tend to consume more calories than those that don't, but they are less likely to be overweight. Furthermore, not eating breakfast may predispose them to diets that fall short of providing enough calcium and fiber.

A few viruses are known to pass through breast milk. HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, is one of them. If the mother is HIV positive, she should not breastfeed. If she has HIV and wants to breastfeed, you can get breast milk for your baby from a milk bank. Sometimes babies can be born with a condition called galactosemia, in which they can't tolerate breast milk. This is because their bodies can't break down the sugar galactose.

Many of the symptoms of nasal allergies (also known as allergic rhinitis) are similar to those of cold symptoms—runny nose, watery eyes, cough, nasal congestion, sneezing. Many times parents are confused on whether their child has a long-term cold or allergies.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (USDHHS), the baby blues can happen in the days right after childbirth and normally go away within a few days to a week.

Adenoviruses are viruses affecting both humans and animals and were initially isolated in human adenoids ( tonsils ) — hence the name. The infections caused by these viruses tend to cause illnesses mainly in your toddlers’ respiratory system. Children between the ages of 6 months and 2 years are most commonly susceptible to these infections.

The common cold is the most typical example of an upper respiratory tract infection. A pharyngoconjunctival fever involves sore throat, red eyes with fever. This is another commonly occurring adenoviral infection.

Babies usually make their first visit to the hospital by the age of two months. Even if your baby appears healthy, it is important for you to make an appointment for a routine checkup. Visits to the doctor are also necessary to protect the babies from several infectious diseases by using vaccine suitable for their age.