March 2011
Our pregnancy; our baby is born! The trouble with teething... Kerry McGregor – Supermodel mom
ChanĂŠll Minnie is our March CoverKid We're going to the dentist!
support us in raising awareness for autism spectrum disorders when: where: time: who: cost:
bring: fun dress code:
26th march 2011 zoo lake, johannesburg 09h00—13h00 everyone! persons with autism free R 50.00 to walk for autism R 50.00 per t-shirt banners, colour hairspray, face paints lime green, black or white
food and drinks vendors and autism related service providers will be there to join us on the 26th march 2011 please contact 011 484 9909 or email info@autismsouthafrica.org
www.autismsouthafrica.org
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE REGISTRATION FORM
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Publisher TLG Publishing (Pty) Ltd. Managing Editor Tracey Garde editor@raising-kids.co.za 082 460 6007 Advertising sales@raising-kids.co.za Copy Editor Sharon de Beer info@raising-kids.co.za 012 667 3935 Art Director Heidi Amrouni eye2design@iafrica.com General enquiries info@raising-kids.co.za Photographer Wayne Potgieter 082 853 6873 wayne@digisky.co.za Visit our website for advertising deadlines, technical specifications and advertising rates www.raising-kids.co.za General competition rules: Winners will be notified telphonically or by email. Prizes are not transferable nor may they be exchanged for cash. The judges’ decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.
editorial comment Click, click... and we have a CoverKid! To say that Sharon, Heidi and I are having loads of fun with our newly found digital freedom would be an understatement. When we decided to open up our Facebook Group page (RaisingKids SA) to readers and members in order that they may enter their children in our monthly search for a CoverKid, we were thrilled at the response. What we didn’t reckon upon, was how tough choosing a winner would be! The sad fact of the matter is that there can only ever be one winner (a concept I have been trying to explain to my soon-to-be eight-year-old since her hockey team lost their first match) and so, after much agonising and deliberation, we chose Chanéll Minnie as our March 2011 CoverKid. The good news is that next month’s issue also needs a cover, so there will be ample opportunity for your child to grace a cover in the future! And whether you entered this month or next, we will reconsider each entry every month. So, make sure you keep uploading your cute, cuddly, eat-them-up photos on our Facebook wall. In this month’s issue we meet baby Lillee Evans (page 12) who arrived a little earlier than expected! Colleen has been very kind to share her journey with us and it has not been an easy one, albeit well worth it now that baby is here, happy, healthy and thriving. Colleen’s perseverance with breastfeeding is to be commended given the odds she was up against. It is a gentle reminder to us all that anything is possible with perseverance (and a little help from modern technology on occasion!). Supermodel Kerry McGregor, now a mother of two (and wow, still stunning) tells us what it took for her to regain her acclaimed figure as she re-enters the modelling arena after having started a family. Kerry is currently supporting Disney Channel’s ‘Shake it Up’, a programme aimed at inspiring tweens to follow their dreams and believe in themselves, something Kerry fully relates to. (See page 10). Teeth and teething are ongoing issues with kids – whether you have a baby cutting them, a toddler losing them, a tween not brushing them or a teen with braces. While Dr Catherine Knight sheds some light on the teething process (page 16), I decided not to put it off any longer myself by taking Kendra (my five-year-old) off to the dentist for her first check up. Make sure you view our embedded video of the occasion (page 20) – the fear on her face is quite something to behold... fortunately, as the article advises, we tempered the experience with humour and survived! As we head towards the first set of school holidays for this year (gosh, already!), let’s hope the rest of the year doesn’t fly by as quickly as the past two months have. Happy parenting...
Postal Address PO Box 67269, Highveld, 0169 South Africa Tel: 012 667 3935 Fax: 086 515 5487 ISSN 2070-6219
All work published in RaisingKids DigiMag is protected by copyright. Only with written permission from the publisher may any part of this digimag be reproduced or adapted in any form. We welcome contributions to RaisingKids DigiMag, but the publisher of this digimag retains unrestricted rights to edit submitted material. We do not accept responsibility for material submitted and can not guarantee the return of any original material. The publisher’s opinion is not necessarily that published in RaisingKids DigiMag and the publisher does not accept any liability of any nature that may arise from the contents of this digimag.
RaisingKids - March 2011
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Join the Raisingkids family by clicking here
... and stand a chance to win fabulous prizes! Or sms your name and email address to 34509 now! Please note that all sms entries are charged at R2 each.
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contents Editor’s Comment
3
Click, click... and we have a CoverKid!
News and reviews
6-7
Find us on Facebook and perhaps your child will be the next RaisingKids CoverKid.
Letterbox with Huggies
9
Huggies will send you R500 worth of nappies if your letter is chosen as the winning letter. Supermodel mom, Kerry McGregor
10
Supermodel mom, Kerry McGregor, is ‘shaking things up’ with Disney!
10
Kerry believes that all kids should be inspired to have and follow their dreams.
Our pregnancy
12
Our baby is born!
The trouble with teething...
16
Dr Knight wonders whether we're doomed to 18 months of hell on earth... Lillee Evans is born.
12
We're going to the dentist!
20
Don’t wait until it’s too late… your child’s first experience at the dentist should not be for an extraction or filling.
MySchool funds are making a difference
22
Vote for your favourite charity that cares for our children and animals.
We're going to the dentist!
20
RaisingKids - March 2011
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news&reviews
Mosquitoes hate it too!
Controlice Hair Hygiene Lotion is not only despised by head lice but by mosquitoes too! The pleasant liquorice smelling spray, combining Ylang-Ylang and Aniseed oils, can be applied to the body to deter annoying mosquitoes that increase in numbers with the summer season. This
The Annual Rotary River Festival is here again – it’s fun for the whole family; miss it and you’ll miss out!
is also the time of the year when head lice increase as children are sharing swimming towels and playing outside together. Controlice Hair Hygiene Lotion is a natural and clinically tested formula to combat head lice infestations. As it contains no chemicals or poison, it is safe to use regularly on the head and body by adults and children. Its formula has insecticidal, antiseptic, parasiticidal and anti-fungal properties and it is available from selected pharmacies for R89.95. The specially designed comb retails at R69.95.
Giveaway! Nativa is giving away 3 Controlice hampers valued at R204.95 each. A hamper contains Controlice Lotion, a triple lice comb with magnifiying glass and a backpack. To enter this competition click here. For more information contact Nativa on 012 664 7110 or health@ nativa.co.za or visit www.nativa.co.za
Could your child be the next RaisingKids
CoverKid?
http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.p hp?gid=118257481557724&amp;amp ;ref=ts <http://www.facebook.com/#!/ group.php?gid=118257481557724&am p;amp;amp;ref=ts>
for more details and to enter! 6
RaisingKids - March 2011
Set in the beautiful gardens of Stonehaven on Vaal (only 45 minutes away from Jo’burg) on the banks of the Vaal River, the Annual Rotary Festival will offer prime entertainment provided by the band Watershed and musicians Robbie Wessels and Ray Dylan. Other entertainment on offer includes river cruises, raft and rowing races; robotic cars, planes and boats; scale electric car racing; a Lego building competition with prizes; fashion design competition; hip hop dancing; loads of free children’s entertainment including water-tainment – so remember to take swimming cosies and towels along! Reasonably priced food will be on offer at various food stalls and a beer tent will be available for thirsty dads. Tickets are available at Computicket or on the day at a cost of R100 p/p and R20 for children aged 12 to 5 years (no charge for children under 5). All proceeds collected on the day will go to local charities financially supported by The Rotary Club of Vanderbijlpark. Contact 016 982 2951/2 or email info@ stonehaven.co.za for more information.
news&reviews
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Mending the broken bond Friday 11 March 2011 Midrand Conference Centre
This seminar addresses attachment disorders in South African children (prenatal to 18 years). Leading professionals will be presenting the latest research combined with their practical experience to people in all helping professions, parents, teachers and concerned adults through the course of the day. Issues addressed will include: • The fundamentals of bonding: the parent-child relationship, normal and secure attachment. Dr Sonja Vermaak. • Disrupted and disorganised attachment: diagnosing attachment disorders and co-morbid conditions. Dr Lynda Albertyn. • The influence of prenatal stress and maternal post-partum depression on childhood attachment. Dr Wendy Duncan. • Assessing attachment disorders and parental child bonding through interactional analysis. Dr Irma Schutte. • The neuro-biology of attachment disorders: the problem and the therapeutic solution. Dr Ian Opperman. • The premature baby: difficulties in bonding between mother and child. Mrs Maryna Rosenstrauch. Cost of the seminar is R940 and includes teas and lunch. For more information or to book call 082 332 4629 or 072 189 0621. This seminar is presented by Liesl van der Sandt and Marié Otto - Play Therapists.
Pampers® and UNICEF call on moms to embrace the spirit of Ubuntu and help raise 5 million life-saving vaccines Pampers® and UNICEF are urging moms to support this year’s '1 pack = 1life-saving vaccine' campaign, which provides urgently needed maternal and newborn tetanus (MNT) vaccinations to vulnerable mothers and infants. In the developing world, 170 million women and their babies are currently at risk from the disease in 40 countries, and every nine minutes one infant needlessly dies from this silent killer. The project seeks to put an end to these startling statistics and will see Pampers® donate to UNICEF the cost of one tetanus vaccine for every specially marked nappy and wipes pack purchased during the months of April and May 2011. For further information about the campaign please visit: www.pampers.com or www.unicef.org. For information about UNICEF’s work in South Africa, or to make a donation visit: www.unicef.org/southafrica. RaisingKids - March 2011
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www.ultrasoundscan.co.za
info@4dvividview.co.za www.4dvividview.co.za
PARENTING WORKSHOPS FOR 2011 Love and Learn - Parent guidance • 5 March 10.00 – 13.00: Changing unacceptable behaviour into acceptable behaviour & avoiding power struggles. • 2 1 May 10.00 – 13.00: Which is the right time/age to start nursery school?
How do I juggle a full-time job and
effective parenting?
• 1 7 September 10.00 - 13.00: My teenager is driving me dilly! Presenter: Rykie Morey (qualified teacher, Psychology student and involved in parent guidance for the last 5 years). Venue: 1 Middlehill Str. Cornwall Hill Cost: R 150 p/p or R200 per couple (notes + coffee, tea included)
Please call to book at 082 770 8943 or mail to rykiemore@gmail.com
www.supacakes.co.za
Letterbox Heading
LetterB
x
www.huggies.co.za
Our winning letter I get by with a little help from my friends (and family)...
Hi Catherine
As a first time mom I envisioned my little family as being perfect when my baby arrived. Daddy working hard each day to support us, Mommy keeping things together at home doing all the domestic stuff and raising the much anticipated new baby. However, once Hannah arrived, fairytale land went out the door and reality checked in!
Wow, in an instant you made me remember why I embarked on this ride – it can be easy to forget in the hurly burly of the days that one’s family is one’s anchor. So often we do forget to say THANK YOU to the ones we love and who care for us. How marvellous that you have not ‘lost the plot’ (as many of us do on occasion) especially as the early days of parenthood can be a trial! I wish I could say ‘it gets easier’ but in actual fact what that really means is ‘it gets more organised’. Every age and stage comes with its trials and tribulations as well as its joys (in my experience). You just get better dealing with it!
Little did I know that life as I knew it and envisioned it to be would be far from what actually happened. Needless to say, I have been blessed with family and friends who seem to know most of the answers to my endless questions about raising Hannah. To my closest friends who are always there when I call in the middle of night to ask their advice on a raised temperature, a distressing cough or just to moan about all the night feeds – THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart. To my family who are always ready to baby sit, offer a shoulder to cry (or sleep) on and who take my parenting preferences into consideration when looking after our little angel – I feel BLESSED to call you my loved ones.
So hang in there, keep striving for happiness and not perfection; there is no handbook for each child born and no perfect parent! Good luck on your journey, Tracey
To my husband who goes off to work dutifully every day to provide for us (I also believe he does this to keep his sanity intact!) – I LOVE YOU with all my heart. And to little Hannah who hasn’t even realised yet what her arrival has done to our household, how her birth brought her Daddy and me so much joy, brought us closer together and made us appreciate the real meaning of life – we ADORE you more than words could ever say. To all the new (and old) parents out there – we are forever grateful that we have been afforded the opportunity to join your elite club and we now have an appreciation for temper tantrums!
www.huggies.co.za
Parenting is a joyride. P.S. Thank you for the great magazine – I enjoy ‘clicking on’ everything and just loved the 4D scan experience in the last issue. Catherine Thorpe
Letterbox: The author of the winning letter will receive a Huggies® hamper to the value of R500. Simply send us your ‘Letter to the Editor’ to editor@raising-kids.co.za.
RaisingKids - March 2011
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Supermodel mom, Kerry McGregor, is ‘shaking things up’ with Disney!
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RaisingKids - March 2011
Feature
Homegrown beauty, Kerry McGregor, has graced many
hands-on and I can leave the kiddies with him and not have to
magazine covers both in South Africa and abroad. Many of us
write out a full schedule for him to follow – he already knows
will remember this supermodel for the Wonderbra ad campaign
what, when and how! He’s an amazing husband and father.”
that had men enthralled and sent women hurriedly scurrying off
Kerry’s children have yet to grasp that their parents are famous:
to purchase the famous brassiere, as it became known as every
“When Luke sees Neil on TV he yells “My daddy on TV!” over and
woman’s ‘breast’ friend.
over again – it’s very cute, but I don’t think he has any idea that
Kerry made headline news again when she married South
this is in any way unusual!” she says.
African cricketer Neil McKenzie in 2008 and shortly thereafter
Kerry started modeling again this season and says that it is tough
Kerry swopped her Wonderbra for a feeding bra when she gave
balancing and managing the family as well as both her and Neil’s
birth, first to son Luke (now 3 years old) and then daughter Riley
careers: “We take it one week at a time! I decided I wanted to
(now 14 months old). When asked if daunted by the prospect of
get back to doing something for me that stimulates me… it was
pregnancy, Kerry responds: “I was a little afraid of not regaining
a decision Neil and I came to together (most of them are) and
my figure, to be honest! The bottom line is that your body
he’s fully supportive.” This doesn’t mean that they don’t intend
changes and there is nothing you can do about it – so it’s easier
to add to the family later on though says Kerry: “If we decide to
to just embrace the change than to agonise over it.” Kerry does
have a third child it will be much later down the line when we are
however admit that, like any new mom, she too experienced that
settled and aren’t needing to do the same kind of travelling!” she
post-partum moment that many moms who have been ravaged
exclaims.
by childbirth can relate to… you know that moment when you
Kerry is currently designing a hand bag (Clutch) and maternity
look in the mirror and wonder “Ouch! What happened?”. “Getting
range (Kerry McGregor Maternity) and is very excited to be
back into shape was far harder after Riley was born,” she adds, but
supporting the new series ‘Shake It Up’ on Disney Channel:
recommends that new moms shouldn’t put themselves under
“I think the story of these two girls, their friendship and how
too much pressure to lose the weight too quickly. She maintains
they follow their dreams to become dancers is a great lesson
that she only started exercising about five months after Riley
for kids and teenagers to learn. I believe that all kids should be
was born and then for only two or three times a week. After nine
encouraged to have a dream and enjoy the support of someone
months, Kerry got fully back into exercising, enlisting the services
that will help them fulfill it – whether friend or family. However,
of a personal trainer and adding a cardio workout to her regime
she stipulates that she would not force either of her children
twice weekly. Every alternate week she tries to fit in a yoga class
to follow in her or Neil’s footsteps. “If Riley were to come to me
too. “It’s hard work and takes some time before you start seeing
before she’s 16 and ask to start modelling, I’d tell her to wait until
results, but eventually it all starts coming together!” she laughs.
she’s the appropriate age. If at 16 she still wants to pursue this
It’s clear that when it comes to parenting, Kerry and Neil prefer
interest, then I will help and guide her through it as best I can. My
a ‘hands on’ approach. “I am very spoilt by my hubby! He travels
own mother was there with me all the way, right from the start,
around a lot so it’s tough for all of us especially Luke who misses
so I would do the same for Riley.”
him terribly when he’s away, but when he gets home he is very
Disney Channel’s new hit show ‘Shake it Up’ centres around the adventures of 14-year-old best friends, CeCe Jones and Raquel ‘Rocky’ Blue, after they land their dream roles as backing dancers on the teen dance show, ‘Shake it Up, Chicago’. New episodes of ‘Shake it Up’ air every Saturday at 11H15 with regular repeats throughout the week on Disney Channel 303.
RaisingKids - March 2011
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Our pregnancy diary;
our baby is born! Colleen and Rick's pregnancy; weeks 34 to birth at 36 weeks
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RaisingKids - March 2011
Pregnancy Heading
She says… We ended off 2010 with my slip in the bathroom and although initially reassured that all was okay, the next day I still did not feel well and by the 2nd of January 2011 I started experiencing a lot of what I thought were just Braxton Hicks contractions, although they were close together. A friend of ours, who herself had gone into labour at 7 months, encouraged me to go for a foetal non-stress test (NST) if for no other reason than to put my mind at ease. So we called the hospital and the Obstetrician on call was concerned enough to advise me to “bring your bag” – words I did not really want to hear, but I was relieved that I had it packed at 32 weeks as advised at Antenatal class. An NST was duly performed and I was examined internally as well. It was discovered that I was indeed in labour as the contractions where still close together and regular, and this could be slowed down with medication. The more serious issue was that my cervix had shortened, which meant no swinging from the chandeliers for me! I was admitted into the labour ward immediately and spent ten days in hospital on medication to slow down and try and stop the contractions, but every time the medication was decreased or halted, the contractions started again. Our Obstetrician therefore felt that it would be better to deliver baby before my waters broke naturally as this might have sent baby into distress. I was also administered steroids in order to mature baby’s lungs. Unfortunately, either the meds or something I ate upset my stomach, so just to top everything off, I began throwing up blood. By this stage a c-section delivery had been scheduled for the 12th of January 2011, so it was decided to schedule me for a gastro scope under general anaesthetic directly after baby’s birth. The whole experience was quite scary, but not entirely negative. For one thing I learned a lot first-hand about birth and labour, having shared a ward with about eleven pregnant women over a period of ten days who all delivered before I did. The labour and maternity ward nursing staff at Sandton Medi Clinic were supportive and concerned at all times, as was Rick, my family and friends. I can now appreciate that it can be just as challenging to support someone who is ill in hospital sometimes, as it is to be the patient. It was a very emotional time and the medication to halt the contractions (I call it ‘menopause in a bag’ because it is administered via a drip) caused mood swings, hot flashes and tears at least once a day. I was so relieved and excited once the birth was scheduled! Even though it was four and a half weeks early, I was really looking forward to meeting our little girl. I slept soundly the night before the birth and I awoke relaxed and organised – I even blow-dried my hair and put on a little makeup! The birth itself was an incredible experience and I would urge other couples to video it, if possible, as it is over so quickly. The most painful part of the whole procedure was the small prick from the spinal block (epidural) on entry. Our Obstetrician was reassuring throughout and we had chosen to utilise the services of a Doula (midwife) to ensure that we would be able to enjoy skin-onskin contact with our baby as soon after birth as possible. That was
of my life. I couldn’t take my eyes off our little Lillee Palesa, born at 08H48 on the 12th of January 2011, weighing 2,58 kgs. My one regret though, is leaving some things too late to organise properly. Luckily Rick managed to catch up with the nursery etc., but we had for example, planned to have baby’s stem cells harvested from the cord… we left it too late and then just ran out of time! One thing I don’t regret is having a medical aid; with everything going awry, this birth would have cost us dearly. Lillee was allowed to room-in with me for a day, but unfortunately her blood sugar levels dropped and so she was admitted back into NICU for monitoring for a few days. It was tough having to leave hospital four days later without my baby, but fortunately we stay close by so I could pop in easily to breastfeed her and leave expressed milk for the night feeds. It was such a special day when she was finally allowed home two days after I was discharged. I was so concerned that I would not be able to breastfeed having heard so many tales of caesarean babies being unable to suckle or latch properly. Since I had to undergo a second procedure after the birth, Lillee’s first feed was a bottle feed, which I worried would cause ‘nipple confusion’. Added to this, was the concern that the general anaesthetic might affect my milk production. To top it off, Lillee had to be bottle fed at least twice a day in order for the paediatrician to monitor how much food she was actually getting – difficult to determine when breastfeeding (hmm, a minor flaw in the general design!). I worried in vain though; we battled initially as her mouth was so small, but I used plastic nipple shields which were excellent in assisting her to latch on. I used the hospital breast pump to establish my milk supply and this expressed milk was used for two bottle feeds a day so that her food intake could be monitored by the paediatrician. Expressing can be tiring, but it is worth it and I still use my breast pump at home so that Rick is able to feed Lillee on occasion and I can get some sleep. I find that freezing breastmilk in special freezer bags is quite helpful too, as it liberates you from constantly having to be available. I did experience engorgement which was uncomfortable and again, the nipple shields really helped as nipples tend to pull flat and can crack, which is hellish painful and that is when a good nipple cream can really save the day! Was the effort worth it? Definitely! I think too many new moms give up too soon and I can understand first-hand the reasons why now, but there is no better way to bond with your baby and I am so glad I didn’t give up as it definitely gets easier and I am loving it.
Lillee is 5 weeks old now and other than a few restless nights, we are doing quite beautifully. I hope that sharing ‘Our Pregnancy’ experience with RaisingKids readers has been of use to other expectant parents. I have enjoyed ‘diarising’ the journey and recommend you do the same – that way the sheer wonder of it all will never be forgotten. Au revoir!
a very special moment and probably the most amazing experience
RaisingKids - March 2011
13
Pregnancy
reason though: baby was early, Coll had to have a second procedure after the birth and good grief, I was going to be a dad in a only a couple of hours! The birth went really well; Coll (who couldn’t see what was going on of course) kept asking me to tell her what was happening, but in all honesty, I was trying to keep my head down to make sure I didn’t see more than I could handle! At one stage I did have a small ‘pep talk’ with myself about ‘real’ men not being permitted to faint! We all got through the procedure fine though and I don’t
He says... I thought I still had time left to get things done before baby
think I will ever forget the moment baby made her first appearance. She was very small
was due to arrive, but so much for that! After telling Coll that I was
because of being early, but other than her size she was just fine,
sure she was fine after her fall on New Year’s Eve, she promptly went
gave us a little cry and I was even allowed to cut the cord, which
into premature labour and ended up being admitted into hospital
we weren’t sure would be possible before we went in. The whole
two days later! And so began the insanity: I wasn’t ready to stop
procedure was over in the blink of an eye, but our Doula did a great
working, the baby’s room wasn’t ready, half the baby paraphernalia
job of taking control of the camera and getting some wonderful
we needed wasn’t bought and I definitely didn’t have my head in the
pictures of the occasion which allowed me to just enjoy the moment.
right place to become a ‘dad’ yet. Thankfully the doctors managed to stop the labour and buy me ten more days to get ready. I stopped working right away because I just couldn’t concentrate
I was afforded the opportunity of spending 30 minutes alone with baby in ICU after her initial check up while Coll underwent her second procedure.
on anything: I worried about Coll and the baby and stressed about us not having anything ready. This was a good move, as it enabled me to spend half my time at the hospital keeping Coll company and the rest of my time frantically preparing for Coll and the baby coming home. I found myself unable to sleep – especially between 03H00 and 04H00, so I used this time to think about what was happening and get my head around the overwhelming thought that I was going to be responsible for another person very, very soon. The ten days proved time enough to get everything done and, to be honest, I was thrilled when our Obstetrician decided it was time for baby to be born. A c-section was scheduled for the 12th of January 2011 – four-and-a-half weeks earlier than her expected due date! The morning of the birth is a bit of a blur to me; I think I was more stressed than I ever remember being in my life, for good
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RaisingKids - March 2011
Sitting there with her holding my finger was the most special 30 minutes of my life and took me from being a ‘dad-to-be’ to being a DAD. It is hard to articulate the change that happened during that time, but I definitely left the ICU a different person and I would recommend to all dads to try and find some time in the first couple of hours to sit and bond with their baby. And so ends the first part of our adventure... and the new adventure of raising Lillee Palesa, as we have named our beautiful daughter, begins.
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RaisingKids - March 2011
Your baby
The trouble with teething... By Dr Catherine Knight
One of my first questions to the Big Guy upstairs when He and I eventually meet, is to ask why it had to be so damn hard to get teeth? Just as our little Angels are settling into this world, we are finally getting used to the routine and the nights have taken an exciting turn for the better, that first tooth starts emerging along with a whole lot of trouble! Babies get 20 teeth in total... now that's a lot of misery! There are many symptoms associated with the process: whingey, whiny moods, pain and irritation, swollen gums, red cheeks, loads of drooling, a lack of appetite and commonly a diarrhoetic stool (or at least the ‘spinach green’ stuff ), as well as a quick fever. Many medical professionals will dispute the latter, but in my professional and maternal opinion, teething is almost always accompanied by fever . So are we doomed to 18 months of hell on earth? Well, let's first understand what's actually happening in the gums so that we can possibly learn how to help things along, because short of a miraculous breakthrough in modern dentistry, every baby is destined to go through the process and every mother destined to endure it! Baby’s tooth is getting wider in its little socket and starts pressing on the walls surrounding it causing the nerves in the gums to be stimulated and the tissue surrounding it to be reabsorbed in the gum. This process of resorption is what causes all the drooling. It was previously thought that the teeth actually 'cut' through the gums (which was 'helped' along by lancing in days gone by!), but this is not entirely true. Enzymes within the saliva in conjunction with tiny immune cells (the pacman variety that ‘eat’ other cells) are stimulated to literally eat away the cells that are in the tooth's way, making a channel that the tooth then moves through. This process causes some necessary inflammation of the gums
(necessary because more blood needs to be transported to that area where it is needed) causing redness, swelling and irritation. Drooling causes a number of other common symptoms, such as a slight rash on the chin (as the saliva is acidic and obviously keeps the skin wet all the time) and some loose stools. Full, explosive diarrhoea is not really a symptom of teething and must not be presumed as such (it can be dangerous to ignore a tummy bug), but a loose stool, one that is greenish, similar in appearance to chopped spinach, is a very common teething symptom. This is due to the inordinate amount of saliva that is swallowed and its effects on the contents of the bowel. Babies may tend to lose interest in solid foods, but will increase their liquid intake at this time, as they are soothed by sucking and irritated by eating. This can exacerbate the situation. A cough may also accompany teething due to the increase of saliva. Sometimes there is a slight increase in nasal mucous as well, which can irritate the back of the throat causing the cough. The rule of thumb however, is that no symptom should just be put down to teething if it persists for more than two days and the child is ill. Cheek rubbing and ear pulling are common actions of teething babies, as the gum irritation is soothed by touch. This is also why babies tend to bite down on anything hard. External pressure on the gums helps to soothe the irritation and helps stimulate the resorption process as well. Why ear pulling? It is difficult for the baby to localise exactly where the irritation is coming from, and there is often referred pain/ discomfort in the ear or behind the ear as branches of the same facial nerves supply the entire area, therefore creating a wider area of sensation. Once again, if any other symptoms RaisingKids - March 2011
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Your baby
are worrying you, consult a practitioner as ear pulling may also be a sign of a middle ear infection. Should baby exhibit a fever (a good sign which means that immune cells are fighting well), it could be a sign of a more sinister illness. It is quite common for a low grade fever to last a few hours to a day with the actual emergence of a tooth. In my professional opinion, I understand the fever here to be of benefit to the process, as the increase in temperature stimulates the immune cells (our germ-fighting ‘soldiers’) to increase their speed and efficiency in ’eating’ away the extra gum cells so that the tooth can pop through. My advice is to not medicate the fever as its effects will assist the whole process to an end much quicker. If you wish to relieve your child's pain, rather administer pain medication when there is no fever. Is there any relief to be offered? Pain medication and anaesthetic teething gels will relieve things in the short term, but be careful about adding chemicals into a little body. Homeopathic remedies help the entire physical process by assisting with the inflammation, fever and other symptoms so that the body can use them efficiently and get the teeth through quickly. My experience with my many patients as well as with my own three children (the third having just recently cut three teeth in one week) is that emergent teeth are stimulated by homeopathic medication to push through within quick succession of one another. So, although there may be a few sleepless nights and a fever or two, teeth seem to come through together – which in my opinion, is much better than them coming through one at a time. There are some wonderful over-the-counter homeopathic preparations to aid the teething process, but while you're waiting for them to take effect, you can relieve the painful, irritated gums with a home remedy of a few drops of Clove bud essential oil diluted in about a teaspoon of Olive/Grapeseed oil or glycerine. Rub this onto the gums with your finger and baby will experience almost immediate relief.
Taking good care of your tiny tots’ teeth… •
uild a good dental routine at an early age - as B soon as the first milk teeth appear. This may be a struggle initially, but make it fun by doing it together when your tot is old enough and making a game of it so that it is an experience looked forward to rather than one which is dreaded. Whatever you do, do not reward tooth brushing with a sweetie!
•
revention is better than cure; you can prevent P tooth decay, gum illness (gingivitis) and abscesses by brushing children’s teeth regularly and after meals. No matter how tired you are and how irate tots are, don’t miss a brushing… beside the painful implications for baby or tot if teeth or gums go bad, the cost implications can be huge and even speech development can be impaired later on.
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alcium is really important - ensure that your baby C drinks enough milk and starts eating calcium-rich foods when he or she is old enough to do so. This ensures strong tooth development and will help maintain good dental health as well.
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S ay no to sugar! Steer away from sugar-rich foods and drinks wherever possible and that includes sugar-laden medications too. A spoonful of sugar may ‘make the medicine go down’, but that is not all it will do!
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I f you have to, offer sweet foods only during mealtimes and brush straight afterwards. Sweet treats that spend a lot of time in the mouth such as lollies and toffees are a no-no!
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on’t add sugar to drinks in baby’s bottle; bottle D teats coated in sugar which linger against gums and teeth will cause cavities – rather encourage your baby to drink from a cup when offering your baby juices and dilute it with water if it is fruit juice. Avoid fizzy sugary drinks right from the start – what your child doesn’t know, won’t be grieved for.
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S elect healthy foods rather than sugary treats such as cheese or fruit as snacks between meals.
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on’t be a sucker; sucking thumbs or fingers D should be discouraged, although this is usually easier said than done, as it can affect the development of your baby’s teeth. Try and avoid using dummies (again, easier said than done) as these can also effect tooth development. If you just can’t do without the dreaded dummy, then don’t dip it in honey or sugar!
Good luck mom... this too shall pass!
Dr Catherine Knight Dr Catherine Knight is a qualified Homoeopath and Acupuncturist practising in Durban. She has three children of her own and takes a special interest in female and child health. She is passionate about educating people in natural medicine and its many uses in managing day-to-day health, naturally.
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RaisingKids - March 2011
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We’re going to the dentist!
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RaisingKids - March 2011
CLICK HERE TO VIEW KENDRA'S FIRST VISIT TO THE DENTIST!
Your child
It’s the dreaded ‘D’ word, especially if you’ve put off your child’s first visit until there is a reason for it…
Prevention is better than cure… take your child with to the dentist when you go, that way when ‘the big day’ arrives for her first check-up she won’t be perturbed as she will already be familiar with the surroundings.
Practise what you preach… make teeth brushing a regular and fun occurrence (at least twice daily) at home.
An apple a day… encourage healthy eating including dairy (calcium makes strong bones and teeth) in the diet. Avoid over-doing the sugary treats – the sugar in fizzy cold drinks and sweets causes tooth decay.
Motivate don’t threaten… find other ways to encourage your child to brush teeth other than stories of the pain your child will suffer at this much-maligned practitioner’s hands if she doesn’t brush properly or regularly. Dentaphobia is a very real fear of dentists that needs no encouragement on your part!
Thinking ahead… from the age of three years and up, your child should be visiting the dentist every six months. Schedule and diarise the next appointment at each visit and don’t skip them, even if there’s nothing obviously wrong.
Take time to explain… even young children want to understand what’s going on so take time to explain and describe the tools that will be used and what will happen in an age appropriate, matter-of-fact way. Don’t lie– you lose credibility at your own peril!
Dr Frankenstein at your service… find a dentist that has a good rapport with kids – some do and some definitely don’t! Ask other moms who have run the gauntlet as they’ll know who to recommend.
Don’t wait until it’s too late…
your child’s first experience at the dentist should not be for an extraction or filling!
r Laughte is the best medicine while you What did the dentist see when he went to the North Pole?
wait to see the dentist…
A molar bear! What has teeth but no mouth?
A comb! What do you get when you cross teeth with candy floss?
Dental floss! Why did the king go to the dentist?
To get his teeth crowned! What time is the worst time to visit the dentist?
Tooth-hurty! RaisingKids - March 2011
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