Most Frequent Questions about Children

Q: Is it true that if my child’s nose is clogged that I should cover his fontanel?
A: Completely false. One thing has nothing to do with the other.

Q: At what age should my child start brushing her teeth?
A: The ideal is to use wet gauze to clean the baby’s gums from the moment the first tooth shows up. From the time the baby is seven or eight months you should use a soft baby toothbrush but without toothpaste.

Q: At what age can a child start using sun block?
A: Practically from the first moment you expose the child to the sun for first time. It is not recommended to do this before the child is six months old though, because a baby’s skin is very delicate. Remember that the smaller the child the higher level of sun block the child has to have.

Q: If the baby has gas you can use anis to prepare the baby’s formula?
A: Not necessarily, it is better to give the child some drops of a remedy that the pediatrician suggests.

Q: Is it true that oranges cause the baby to get diarrhea?
A: No. But it can cause some babies to have an allergic reaction, which is why it is not suggested to feed citrics to a baby until they are one year old.

Q: Is it true that carrots are good for a baby’s eyesight?
A: Yes, it’s true. They are rich in carotene, which is a substance that when arriving to the intestines turn into vitamin A. Carrots influence a lot on good vision, especially vision at night and help to restore the organism’s tissue. It is very important to know that boiling carrots or other vegetables too long, can destroy their vitamin content, which is why it is suggested to steam them instead.

Q: Is sugar bad for the baby’s teeth?
A: When the foods that have a great content of sugar, such as chocolate, candies and sweets come into contact for a long time with the teeth, they start to ferment and cavities start to show up. Instead of forbidding a child to eat sugar, it is better to get the child used to brushing their teeth after every meal.

Q: What is better, to eat honey or sugar?
A: Both have a very similar composition. They only differentiate in the amount of water they contain and in that honey has very small amounts of vitamins and minerals. Actually, everything depends on the individual taste.

Q: Is it true that salt is bad for a child’s organism?
A: This is false. The Sodium content in salt is necessary for our organisms. The problem is that many people eat an excess amount of salt and this custom is what increases the risk of suffering of hypertension or other things in people that are genetically predisposed.

Q: Why do children have to drink milk to grow?
A: Because milk is a food that is very rich in proteins and calcium, as well as in amino acids, which are fundamental elements for the physical and intellectual growth of the child. Besides this, it balances an exclusively vegetarian diet and in children that do not get all the nutrients they need. It is important to keep in mind that the combination of milk with cereals complement each other and allow reducing the intake of meat and animal fat.

Q: Can children be fed a “light” diet?
A: If your child is healthy and has a normal weight, he or she should not have to go on a “light” diet. These types of food do not have the fat to decrease the level of calories it has, but also the vitamins and the fatty acids that it would normally have. In other words, they are foods with small amounts of nutrients and vitamins, such as vitamin D, which is essential for a child’s growth.

Q: Does eating yogurt regularly help the intestine?
A: Yes, yogurt is a food the is easy for our organism to digest, which is why it is recommended for children that have diarrhea, are constipated or have a hard time digesting their food. Some specialists say that it may even help to regenerate the intestinal walls.

Q: Is it true that eating plums or prunes causes colic?
A: Not necessarily. Fruit does not cause big intestinal unbalances in comparison to other foods. But since a great part of fruits are rich in vegetable fibers, eating them in abundance will “loosen” the stomach. When a baby is constipated it is suggested to soak around four or five prunes in hot water and give the liquid to the baby the next day first thing in the morning. When children are older, they can also eat the fruit (de pitted).

Q: Is whole wheat bread more wholesome then white bread?
A: Yes. White bread is prepared with refined flour, that in the process losses a lot of minerals and vitamins from the grain. In other words, the whiter the bread is, the fewer amounts of nutrients it has.

Q: Is it better to eat fruit with the skin or without it?
A: It’s better to eat fruit with the skin – except for pineapple, coconut, watermelon or similar fruit – because they contain fiber, vitamins and minerals. Of course first you will need to wash them in order to eliminate the rest of the insecticides and the dirt. However, in the case of very young or small babies it is suggested to peel the fruit because their digestive systems are very delicate.

Q: Is it better to eat margarine or butter?
A: In the case of younger children it is better to feed them margarine. Butter is rich in certain types of vitamins and is very rich in saturated fatty acids, which is why it is not adequate for babies that are under one year of age.

Q: Does eating rice help with cases of diarrhea?
A: A small portion of rice with a little bit of salt and water can contribute to helping when a child has diarrhea, especially when the person does not eat solid foods yet. Boiled rice acts as a regulator of the intestine and does not favor fermentation.

Q: Can eating spinach combat anemia?
A: Yes. Spinach is famous for providing strength. This is because they are one of the vegetables that contain more iron, besides parsley. These are recommended along with liver and garbanzos for cases of anemia or lack of iron in the organism.

Q: Is it true that eating cereals provides additional energy?
A: Yes. Cereal has great calorie content. It is recommended in breakfast, in abundant amounts and in the form of toast, crackers or mashed foods.

Q: When can a child start eating eggs?
A: A child can start eating the egg white when he or she is seven or eight months old, and it can be added in omelets, purees or soufflés. The whole egg can be eaten when the child is one year old.

Q: Should I give my child iron supplements?
A: Only if the pediatrician recommends it. if the child eats well he or she should will not need additional supplements. Citrics contain a great amount of vitamin C, which favors the absorption of iron and sodium and potassium salts. Iron is a very important mineral during the first year of a child’s life because children grow very quickly, which makes them consume their iron reserves. The foods that are rich in iron are red meats, liver, fish, and chicken.

Q: How do I know if my child has a tendency to becoming obese?
A: Make sure that the child’s increase of weight is not above 20% of the ideal weight for his age, height and sex. Obesity really affects the behavior of children and teenagers, and their self esteem is not very high and their personal image shows a great amount of sadness and loneliness. The main causes for this type of problem are fast foods such as French fries, soft drinks, candy, hamburgers, big servings of food, as well as a lack of physical activity (sports and exercise) and because of the time a child might spend in front of the television, computer or video games.

Q: My baby is very dispersed and does not have the same amount of attention that other babies his age do.
A: Try stimulating the baby for less amount of time, but more often through out the day. This will help him to concentrate more.

Q: What should I do if my baby prefers to walk and not crawl?
A: Each baby has their own way of expressing their motor skills. While it is true that most babies follow along with the established landmarks, there is an enormous variation in the way each stage occurs. The important thing is the results.

Q: My baby fell a couple times when trying to walk and doesn’t want to walk now.
A: It is natural that the baby momentarily losses his or her interest in walking. Don’t force the baby; little by little he will feel the need to start walking again. Transmit trust into him by holding him by the arms and walking with him.

Q: My one-year-old son becomes impatient when he cannot put a puzzle together and throws the pieces on the floor and starts crying.
A: It’s possible that this is not the appropriate puzzle for his age. Put it away for a few weeks and then try again. It is not recommended to accentuate the feeling of frustration in a child, suggest an alternative to finding the pieces and participate in a solution with him, but don’t supplant him.