Projectile vomiting is when vomit flies out of a baby’s mouth forcefully. It will project like an arc several feet back, and looks quite different from the undramatic dribble of spitting up or possetting. One important cause of projectile vomiting is pyloric stenosis, which affects 2-4 in 1,000 newborn babies. Pyloric stenosis occurs when there is a progressive thickening of the lower aspect of the stomach, causing a tightening or narrowing of the outlet of the stomach where it goes into the small intestine. This tightening means food can’t leave the stomach, causing an obstruction, and it requires immediate medical attention and treatment. The symptoms often occur in the first 5 weeks of life. It is more common in children whose parents had pyloric stenosis as a child, and in first-born males.
Colic - a small word with a big impact! You may be wondering, as you try every technique under the sun to soothe your crying newborn, why you haven’t heard of it before now. And why someone didn’t explain exactly what to do. But you’re here now and are not alone: 1 in 5 babies suffer from colic. Colic is the word used for when babies cry for a consistent period of time without any obvious cause. It’s poorly understood, and there’s no consensus on the cause. One theory is that a baby’s gut is underdeveloped early on, making it harder for them to digest food and causing some temporary distress. Another theory is that it occurs with an overactive letdown of the milk supply when breastfeeding. How long does it last? Colic typically starts in the first six weeks of life. It fits the diagnosis if a baby cries for more than three hours a day, for at least three days a week. Most babies suffer from colic in the evening, but it can happen at any time of the day. Colic usually goes away by itself after three to four months. But, of course, every baby is different: you may feel relieved if it’s short-lived, or you could be unlucky, and it lasts for six months or so.
Colic - a small word with a big impact! You may wonder, as you try every technique under the sun to soothe your crying newborn, why you haven’t heard of this word much before, why someone didn’t explain exactly what to do. But you’re here now and are not alone: 1 in 10 babies suffer from colic. As a doctor and a mother, I’ll talk you through what it is, what you can do about it, and how long it will last.
It’s an endless debate about whether dummies (or pacifiers) are good or bad for your baby. There are a few hard and fast rules, but other than that, it’s up to you. In the first few weeks, there's evidence that dummies can bring breastfeeding to a close early, as the baby is just getting used to the sucking action needed for feeding and the mom’s milk supply. Once breastfeeding is established, the general advice is that dummies can be introduced, as it doesn’t cause the same disruption. Let’s talk you through the pros and cons of dummies.
It's common for children to get minor injuries to the hip, leg, or foot that could cause them to limp – this might be a cut or bruise, a blister on their foot, or a muscle strain or sprain. While limping is not usually anything serious or that needs treatment, it's important to look out for signs that something more serious is causing a limp, and get them to their doctor for a thorough assessment. A good starting point is whether there's an obvious injury – they might remember falling over or playing sports, or you may be able to see the cause. Minor injuries will not cause other symptoms, so look out for any fever, excessive tiredness or inactivity, warmth or redness around a joint, or pain that's not improving after a week or so. Inflammatory conditions, deep infections, broken bones, or developmental problems are serious problems that need specialist input.
All children get sick from time to time, and they may need time off school to recover. For certain illnesses, your child’s school may require them to take a set time period off. This is particularly true if they have something contagious, such as chickenpox, in order to protect other children, as well as letting them rest up and get better. Schools can be strict on absences to avoid disrupting your child’s education. We’ve set out some guidance for instances that are acceptable and appropriate to keep your child away from the classroom, although do bear in mind that every school will lay out their own policy. It’s always important to be aware of the policies at your child's school. As a general rule of thumb, if your child is unwell or feverish for whatever reason, they should stay at home to recover.
Roseola is a very common illness that affects babies and young children. It is caused by two strains of the herpes virus (6 and 7). There is a full range of signs and symptoms affecting children to varying degrees, but for the majority it isn’t usually serious and most people get it only once. Adults can become infected if they have never been exposed to it as a child, but unlike chickenpox, it is usually milder in healthy adults.
Scarlet fever is the name given to a distinctive collection of symptoms caused by the Group A Streptococcus bacteria, often called Strep A. This bacteria is active every year and usually causes fever and a sore throat in children. Strep throat usually requires antibiotics. It mainly affects children aged 4 to 14 and appears in late winter/early spring. In late 2022, an outbreak caused great alarm as cases quickly rose, and with this, a small proportion of children became very unwell or died. The welcome news is that this is not a new strain and should respond to the usual antibiotics. Public health authorities have sought to reassure that most cases are mild and easily treated but warn to be alert to signs that any child may be becoming unwell. Let's talk you through what signs and symptoms to look for and when there is reason to worry.
Most sore throats are caused by viruses, and will not respond to antibiotics. They need good self-care, pain relief, fluids, and time, to get better. Some sore throats are caused by bacteria, and these will tend to need a course of antibiotics to get better. ‘Strep throat’ is a colloquial term used to describe a bacterial throat infection caused by streptococcus bacteria. Group A Streptococcus (Strep A) is one of the causes of bacterial sore throat, and it usually produces more severe symptoms than a viral sore throat. You may have severe pain, fever, swollen lymph nodes in the neck, an absence of other viral symptoms such as cough, and symptoms that last longer than a viral infection would be expected to last. If your doctor suspects a bacterial throat infection, they may take a swab to check the bacteria. Or if they are confident, may start a course of antibiotics immediately.
A sore throat is a pain, scratchiness, or irritation of the throat that often worsens when your child swallows. It may come out of the blue if they’re fighting a viral or bacterial infection, and they may also experience cold symptoms like a runny or blocked nose, sneezing, a fever, coughing, and headache. You might be able to feel that the glands in their neck are enlarged, and they may be quite tender to the touch. If you look in the back of their throat, you might see one or both tonsils are enlarged and red, causing the gap between them to reduce, and you may notice some white spots on the tonsils.
Children catch stomach bugs very easily, and they feel pretty rotten while it lasts. It can be tough to see them unwell, but parents also feel exasperated that it will be a few days before their child or toddler can return to school or nursery. Signs and symptoms of gastroenteritis in children Stomach bugs, also known as gastroenteritis or "stomach flu", mostly cause diarrhea, vomiting, stomach ache, pain or cramps, and sometimes fever. Most tummy bugs are infections caused by a virus and essentially the body just needs time to do the hard work of getting rid of it. Unfortunately, there's nothing doctors can prescribe to chase it away any sooner, it resolves by itself. But there are ways to help them feel more comfortable while they battle on, and there are things you can give them to avoid further illness. What causes stomach bugs? Tummy bugs are most often viral, but they can also be caused by bacteria and parasites. Rotavirus is the most common gastric virus, with nearly every child in the US coming across it by the age of 5 years, and they are given a vaccine in the US childhood immunization program, to protect them. Adenovirus and norovirus can also cause diarrhea and vomiting. Bacterial infection can cause fever and bloody diarrhea, and they may appear more unwell. The most likely bacteria are Campylobacter, E. coli , and Salmonella.
Toddler's diarrhea is a common condition that doesn't usually mean anything serious, so long as your child is growing well, keeping up with their developmental milestones, and doesn't have other symptoms. As the name implies, it affects those aged 1 to 5. Children usually pass loose stool at least twice a day, but sometimes up to 10 times, and it might appear a bit paler and more smelly than usual, possibly with some undigested food. It's thought to be a combination of their developing gut and a less-than-ideal diet. It's more common in boys, although it's not clear why.