5 NATURAL SOLUTIONS FOR A TEETHING BABY

Now that baby Vienna is almost six months old I’ve had a few months of trying different teething remedies. She started with symptoms around 2.5 months and her first bottom tooth poked through about a week ago. We were pretty excited!! It’s a sharp tooth though — ouch. No more munching on mommy’s finger. Thankfully we’ve had no breastfeeding mishaps.

As a natural mama and holistic nutritionist it is always my goal to seek out natural remedies first. From red cheeks, irritability to drooling to restlessness, pain and even fever — these are all common symptoms that can happen from teething. These are symptoms that can be addressed naturally and effectively. In fact, Vienna felt like she was burning up one night so before I took her to the walk-in-clinic I called “Telehealth” and a nurse rest assured me it will pass and just to keep a close watch on her for any changes. Now of course, you must always be careful with fevers which is why I wasn’t trying to treat it naturally until I had confidence from a nurse that it was not high enough to warrant medication.

After doing extensive research and testing out different options, these are the 5 best natural solutions for lessening the symptoms associated with teething in this video (links all the products below). I have personally found them to be very effective with my babe.

Chew Bead Necklace: The necklace I’m wearing is awesome because Vienna LOVES chewing on it and the counter-pressure on her gums relieves pain. It’s made of silicone, not plastic. I also find it handy because when she’s nursing, instead of pulling on my hair she grabs the necklace — it’s a good distraction!

Amber Necklace: This has helped to lessen the drooling. These necklaces have some controversy because some people worry they are a choking hazard. However, you take it off at night and don’t leave it on your baby unattended. The length is perfectly thought out because it can’t get tangled on anything as it is pretty short.

Mesh Ice Teething Feeder: If your baby isn’t on solids yet, just pop in some ice. The cold will feel good on her gums and relieve pain. Once your babe is old enough and has tried out different foods you can add frozen fruit.

Camilia: This is an effective homeopathic medicine. It helps with irritability and restlessness. When Vienna’s cheeks get super red and I can tell she’s restless this really helps. I have been using it as a preventative as well.

LOVE! This needs no explanation. Love is a proven endorphin producer which is the best natural pain reliever in the world. When Vienna is a cranky-pants because she is suffering (those cheeks give it away!) I just give her extra hugs and kisses.

I hope you find these tips useful mamas. Please do let me know what you’ve found to be helpful.

Wishing you joyous health!

Author,

JOY MCCARTHY

MELANOMA RATES DROPPING AMONG CHILDREN AND TEENS

Melanoma, characterized by mole-like cancerous growths, is on the rise in the U.S. The most serious form of skin cancer, it’s particularly rising among women and seniors. But what about kids?

While melanoma is significantly less common among children, five to six kids in every million develop melanoma in their youth. It takes just a few blistering sunburns to double the chance a child will develop skin cancer in her lifetime.

But while studies in years past suggested the rate of melanoma in children was also rising, the newest research says the opposite. Last summer, researchers at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland and its affiliated medical center reported in the Journal of Pediatrics that the rate of melanoma diagnoses in children and adolescents is actually declining.

Researchers analyzed data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results registry of the National Cancer Institute on more than 1,100 people under 20 years old who were diagnosed with melanoma between 2000 and 2010. Melanoma rates dropped by nearly 12 percent from 2004 to 2010, with the largest decline among teens and boys.

The researchers can’t pinpoint one particular cause of this trend, but growing awareness about sun safety may be responsible. Research indicates that teenagers are taking more steps, such as applying sunscreen, to protect themselves from damaging sun exposure. The authors also suggest that parents are becoming more proactive in safeguarding their young children.

They speculate that a negative trend may contribute to the decline as well: children, particularly boys, are spending more time playing video games and watching TV. That’s nothing to celebrate, as playing indoors may mean less harmful sun exposure, but also less exercise and other physical activity.

Whatever the cause, we hope the rates of pediatric melanoma keep dropping. The National Cancer Institute estimates more than 75,000 cases of adult melanoma in the U.S. this year. A lower risk of pediatric melanoma could mean fewer diagnoses when these children reach adulthood.

We encourage parents to continue to take healthy steps to protect their children from harmful sun exposure. Here are some helpful tips for the whole family:

Cover up

Wear protective clothing such as hats, visors, dark sunglasses, long sleeves and pants to block harmful UV rays.

Stay in the shade

While outdoors, seek shelter under overhangs, canopies, trees and awnings. Stroller hoods and umbrellas offer extra protection for little ones. Keep infants under six months out of direct sun.

Wear sunscreen

Look for sunscreen lotions – not spray or sticks – with zinc or titanium as the active ingredients (avoid oxybenzone or retinyl A). Apply liberally and reapply frequently, especially when swimming, sweating or playing in water.

Watch the clock

Harmful UV rays peak midday, so schedule errands and playtime during morning or late afternoon.

Be safe on the go

Pack diaper bags, purses and backpacks with sun safety essentials such as hats and sunscreen. Keep extra at your school, office or in the car.