23 May 2019

Are vaccines safe?

What are vaccines?, Vaccines are products that are usually given in childhood to protect against serious, often deadly diseases. By stimulating your body’s natural defenses, they prepare your body to fight the disease faster and more effectively., How do vaccines work?, Vaccines help your immune system fight infections more efficiently by sparking your immune response to specific diseases. Then, if the virus or bacteria ever invades your body in the future, your immune system will already know how to fight it., Are vaccines safe?, Vaccines are very safe. Your child is far more likely to be hurt by a vaccine-preventable disease than by a vaccine. All vaccines go through rigorous safety testing, including clinical trials, before they are approved for the public. Countries will only register and distribute vaccines that meet rigorous quality and safety standards., Why should I vaccinate my child?, Vaccines save lives. Measles vaccines alone are estimated to have prevented over 21 million deaths between 2000 and 2017. Vaccines will help protect your child against diseases that can cause serious harm or death, especially in people with developing immune systems like infants. It’s important to vaccinate your child. If not, highly contagious…, Can my baby handle all of these vaccines?, Yes. Many parents worry that multiple vaccines will overload their child’s immune system. But children are exposed to hundreds of germs every day. In fact, a common cold or sore throat will put a greater burden on your child’s immune system than vaccines., But these diseases are not present in my community. Do I still need to vaccinate my child?, Yes. Although the diseases may be eliminated in your country or region, our increasingly interconnected world means that these diseases could spread from areas where they are still present., What is herd immunity?, If enough people in your community are immunized against a certain disease, you can reach something called herd immunity. When this happens, diseases can’t spread easily from person to person because most people are immune. This provides a layer of protection against the disease even for those who cannot be vaccinated, such as infants. Herd…, Can a vaccine cause my baby to get sick?, Vaccines are extremely safe. Almost all sickness or discomfort after vaccination is minor and temporary, such as a soreness at the injection site or mild fever. These can often be controlled by taking over-the-counter pain medication after vaccination. There is no evidence of a link between vaccines and autism., What diseases do vaccines prevent?, Vaccines protect your child against serious illnesses like polio, which can cause paralysis; measles, which can cause brain swelling and blindness; and tetanus, which can cause painful muscle contractions and difficulty eating and breathing, especially in newborns., Can I delay the vaccine schedule?, One of the best ways you can protect your child is to follow the recommended vaccine schedule in your country. Any time you delay a vaccine, you’re increasing your child’s vulnerability to disease., Can I let my child get the chickenpox instead of getting the vaccine?, Although chickenpox is a mild disease that many parents will remember from childhood (the vaccine was introduced in 1995), some children will develop serious cases with complications that can be fatal or cause permanent disabilities. The vaccine eliminates the risk of complications from the disease, and prevents children from infecting their…, What is the recommended vaccine schedule?, Immunization schedules vary by country depending on which diseases are most prevalent. You can find an overview of the recommended vaccines and approximate dates from your local health centre, doctor or your government’s Ministry of Health.
23 May 2019

Parenting tips for every age

With every hug and every kiss, with every nutritious meal and game you play, you’re helping to build your baby’s brain. Did you know that up to 75 per cent of each meal goes to build your baby's brain? Or that over 80 per cent of your baby’s brain is formed by the age of 3? * *  Sources: Steen, The Evolving Brain: The Known and The Unknown, 2007; …, Here are some tips to help give your child the best start in life:, Parenting tips for newborns, Did you know? Within a few days, babies can start smiling when people smile at them. Provide ways for your baby to see, hear, move freely and touch you. While your baby’s movement will be jerky in the beginning, she/he will eventually learn how to control her/his movements. Look into your baby’s eyes and smile in response to her/his smiles. You…, Parenting tips for babies 1-6 months, Did you know? 1-3-month-old babies see things best when they are between 20-30 centimeters away. By 3 months, babies have a greater range of vision. Provide ways for your child to see, hear, feel, move freely and touch you. Your baby will slowly establish trust with you. Slowly move colorful things for your child to see and reach for. A simple,…, Parenting tips for babies 6-9 months, Up to 75 per cent of each meal goes toward building your baby’s brain. Did you know? At 6 months, your baby can eat anything except honey which should not be given until she/he is a year old. When asking a question, give plenty of time for your baby to answer. Count to 10 in your head. If no answer is given, then answer the question yourself. Try…, Parenting tips for babies 9-12 months, Did you know? To increase infants’ self-esteem and confidence, always take a positive approach to your child’s learning process. Try to say “yes”, “good”, “well done” more often, rather than “no”, “bad”, “not good”. Play hide and seek with your infant and see if he can find the objects you hide. You can hide something under a cloth, and say: “…, Parenting tips for toddlers 1-2 years, Did you know? Toddlers are especially happy when they see that they are making the adults around them happy as well. Give your child things to put into containers and take out. She/he will try to take them out and put them back on their own, which is great for the development of eye-hand coordination skills. Give your toddler things to stack up.…, Parenting tips for toddlers 2+ years, Did you know? Children learn better when they are taught how to behave well instead of being scolded for behaving badly. Ask simple questions and listen to the answers. Encourage your child to talk by asking questions such as: “What is this?”, “Where is the window?”, “Which ball is bigger?”, “Would you like the red cup?”. You should see your child…
23 May 2019

3 ways parents can improve their babies' brain development

Did you know that the most important interaction you can have with your child is through play? Building your baby’s brain sounds daunting, but don’t be intimidated. Parenting is much more of an art than a science.  The experiences young children have and their relationships with key caretakers literally shape the development of their brain. And…, Get to know your baby, The most important thing that any parent can do to support the development, and particularly the brain development of a young child, is to be able to read your child’s cues. Through this, you can engage in what we call “serve and return” interaction, a form of responsive parenting. A baby serves a smile, a coo, a babble, a gesture, and the parent…, Have fun with your baby, Play can occur when you are feeding a child, when you are changing the child’s clothes, when you are bathing a child. These are all opportunities for playful interaction and learning between adults and children. Make the idea of ‘serve and return’ something that is easy, friendly and relaxing, not a chore or something overly technical or rigid.…, Boost your baby’s brains with games, In infancy with very young babies, it’s all about interaction, bringing in visuals, sounds, looking your baby in the eye, making that personal connection, being sensitive to your baby’s feelings. The best games build a sense of emotional safety that allows growth. For example, when you cover your face with a cloth and play peekaboo, saying “Where’…