5 Tips on Dry Skin Care

1. Moisturize the right way …

Dry skin is usually sensitive and, since winter tends to worsen the condition, it requires thorough care. The best approach to managing dry skin is to avoid using commercial creams and lotions that contain mineral oils and other petroleum products.Creams and other skin-care products that are based on natural hypoallergenic ingredients are the best.Every morning after showering, pat your entire body with virgin coconut oil, cocoa butter, or shea butter. They contain naturally occurring nourishing ingredients, such as essential oils, skin-friendly Vitamins A, C, D and E, and protein.

2. Avoid tap water …

If your face skin is dry, try not to wash it with tap water since it often contains chlorine, fluoride, and other undesirable chemicals. Instead, use cold mineral water or ice made with it, or, better, clean your face with an alcohol-free cleaning lotion, toner, or cosmetic milk, made of natural ingredients.They gently refresh dry skin without causing irritation, while respecting its balance of moisture. Toners and milks effectively remove daily impurities and makeup, purify and refine pores, and leave dry skin feeling clean, soft, and hydrated.

3. Use oatmeal soap …

If your skin is dry and irritates easily, try to cut back on the amount of time you bathe or shower – some dermatologists even suggest spending no more than three minutes a day in water! Use the mildest soap available and do not overdo it – use soap every other day only. Scrubbing is usually not recommended for dry skin. Instead, once a week use a mild oatmeal soap, which will gently exfoliate your skin without causing irritation. After bathing or showering, do not rub your skin with a towel, instead, softly pat it dry. Apply a natural oil or butter when the skin is still moist, and pay the most attention to your lower legs where skin tends to be the driest.

4. Include good oils into your diet …

If your skin or scalp develop dry, irritated, itchy spots, do your best to avoid scratching. Apply shea butter or coconut oil several times a day and try to prevent water from splashing on irritated areas. Dry skin is also prone to eczema and other uncomfortable skin conditions. A good preventive measure is to augment your diet with essential oils contained in raw organic butter, cod liver oil, Omega-3 eggs, coconut oil, and fresh cold-water fish.

5. Use a humidifier …

In cold and dry winter months, consider investing in a humidifier and placing it in your bedroom or other apartment area where you spend a significant amount of time. The additional moisture in the air will help your skin condition improve almost immediately.

24 Tips For Premature Baby Parents

Having a premature baby is by no-one’s standards a “normal” thing to do and once you start on this journey you will find it can be extremely emotional. As parents of premature babies ourselves, we felt that there was a lack of support and information available. We decided to do something about it, and hence 24 Weeks Plus was born.

Our aim is to support anyone affected by a premature birth. Although our name suggest we only offer support to parents of babies born at 24 weeks plus, this couldn’t be further from the truth. We offer support to anyone who has experienced a premature birth regardless of gestation. This is in the form of email communications. If you need to type all your fears and feelings out- there will always be someone available to read your emails and write back to you- if indeed that is what you want.

We understand that Doctors and Nurses can sometimes be intimidating because we’ve all “ been there and done that”. We understand that sometimes you just want to let off steam, and that’s what we’re here for.

A Neonatal Unit is such an alien world. Days merge into weeks, and it is something that we are all totally unprepared for. We understand that and that’s why we would like to help to make that world a little less frightening and a little more welcoming.

Here follows our top 24 tips, that we as parents of premature babies ourselves, thought you might find helpful.

1. Wash your hands.

This is the first thing everyone should do on entering any Special Care Baby Unit.

This will stop the spread of germs to all the babies on the Neonatal Unit.

2. Breast feeding/Expressing your milk.

We know that when your premature baby is born the last thing on your mind is expressing your breast milk. However giving your baby expressed milk is essential even if you don’t intend to breast feed. Breast milk is so precious to your baby we would advise you to start expressing your breast milk as soon as possible, even if your baby is extremely premature and is unable to tolerate feeds. When it is decided to start your baby on feeds, breast milk is the best thing in the world for him or her, as a mothers milk will help to protect the baby from infections.

Most Special Care Baby Units have breast pumps on the unit or know of somewhere you can hire one. You can buy electric or hand pumps (which take a little longer but do the job just as well) from shops such as Boots or Mothercare. A company called Medela who make all types of breast pumps will do a next day delivery service.

The milk that you have expressed will be frozen on the unit ready for when your baby needs it. If you do not label your milk with your baby’s name, the time and date it was expressed it will not be used. Your breast milk is so valuable to your baby, so try not to waste any.

Some Neonatal Units will have facilities available for you to remain at your babies incubator while you express your milk. If this is not possible you may find it easier to express by having a photo of your baby with you (the milk may flow through quicker or more easily). Or alternatively you could try holding something that belongs to your baby, which has your baby’s scent on it. This could be something as simple as a toy which has been in your baby’s incubator.

3. The scent of a Mother

A lot of research has been done by various premature baby charities which suggest that a premature baby knows when its Mother is around and can recognise her voice. In the same way they can also recognise the Mothers scent. Some women have found it helps to keep their baby stable if they put something inside the incubator which has their scent on. Ideally you should boil wash something, say a handkerchief and then carry it around maybe tucked into the strap of your bra, for the day. Then place the handkerchief in the incubator where your baby is able to smell it. Obviously you will have to check with your baby’s nurse to see if this is ok, as sometimes there can be a risk of infection.

But if it is allowed it is yet another way of helping a Mother and Baby bond.

Another cautionary note. It is best for the Parents to avoid wearing strong perfumes or aftershaves.

4. Firm touch not feather.

When your baby is born, your first instinct will probably be that you want to touch him or her. This is completely natural. Your instinct may be to gently stroke the baby. Please fight this urge. An extremely premature baby can be sensitive to touch. Well, when you think that they should still be in the womb for another four months it’s hardly surprising. If your baby is laying prone (on their front) then gently and making sure your hands are not cold, place your hand on the baby’s back. As we said before it should be quite a firm touch. If this is not always something that you feel comfortable doing you could always put your finger in your baby’s hand.

5. Cares

Once your baby has stabilized a nurse will ask you if you would like to do “cares” for your baby. Cares is the term used for nappy changing and washing your baby. When a baby is extremely premature this can look like a daunting task but please try to get involved, as it will make you feel happier to know that you are caring for your baby and any contact for the baby with its Mother or Father is always a bonus.

6. “Kangaroo” Care

“Kangaroo” Care has many benefits and it is difficult to do it justice in so few words.

The sort of babies and at what stage a baby is considered suitable varies greatly from one unit to another. So please talk to your baby’s nurse about the benefits you and your baby can get from “Kangaroo” care.

“Kangaroo” care is skin to skin contact with your baby. Your baby is snuggled down on your chest. This is particularly helpful as your own body heat will warm the baby, and it also creates an atmosphere where the baby can hear the heart beat of its Mother or Father, and therefore the baby can be comforted by this.

7. Dry skin

Again this should only be carried out on a baby once he or she is stabilized and you have the permission of a nurse. Premature babies are extremely sensitive to touch and they can suffer from dry skin. The best thing to use on them is oil. You should put a little oil ( check with your unit which oil they recommend) in a container and stand this in warm water, put the oil on to some cotton wool and apply on to your baby, making sure your touch is firm not feathery.

8. Positioning your baby

You will need to be guided by a nurse. They will not mind talking this through with you. Positioning your baby looks a scary thing to learn but it will help you to get close to your baby which in turn can only be a benefit to both of you. With an extremely premature baby this is invaluable. The correct positioning will help your baby to develop good posture and improve muscle control.

9. Nest

Some hospitals actually have a little “Nest” which is a toweling nest with cotton straps. The baby lies in the nest and the cotton straps are pulled across the baby so that they feel safe and secure. If you are in a hospital that doesn’t use toweling nests or do not have them, you can make your own by using sheets- preferably soft ones. If you take these and roll them length ways so that they are tubes, this is ideal. These are then placed round the baby so that he or she has got something secure around them on both sides and under his/her feet. This will not only help them to feel safe but it will also encourage good posture and muscle development.

10. Talk to your baby

Once again research has been carried out by premature baby charities and it has been proven that babies not only recognize their Mothers/Fathers voice but that they also respond to it. This can help to make the baby to feel safe and secure. However if the baby shows signs that all this attention is too much for him/her then you should leave him or her alone for a while and let your baby rest.

11. Your Feelings

During the early days of your baby being on a Special Care Baby Unit. Some Mothers may feel guilty for not having carried their baby to Full Term (for whatever the reason may have been). Feeling extremely stressed out, tired, upset or irritable, are all very normal emotions to be feeling.

12. Too much light

A premature baby really shouldn’t be in the “real world” yet. Try to keep light and sound to a minimum. This in turn will help your baby to feel more secure and settled. If you think there is too much light getting in to your baby’s incubator tell a nurse and they maybe able to adjust the lighting or position your baby away from light.

13. Reducing noise

Try to reducing the number of visitors who visit your baby at any one time. There is evidence that if one person starts talking quietly other people around them will follow and the general noise level will drop.

There are other ways to help reduce the noise level. Like wearing quiet shoes, and having “silencers” on all the metal bins in your Neonatal Unit.

14. Do not use mirrors or visual aids

If a baby is born extremely premature (23 weeks onwards) the chances are that the baby will spend the months until their due date on a Neonatal Unit. Never leave anything in their eye line as this can over stimulate the baby.

15. Do not over stimulate your baby.

Sometimes it’s easy to forget that premature babies shouldn’t actually be around, they should be tucked up snugly in their Mum’s tummy. You have to understand that they are intolerant of being over stimulated. Let your baby have “time out” where you leave them alone so that they can rest and sleep. This may sound like common sense but never wake a sleeping baby. Rest and sleep are the most important things a premature baby needs. So if they are sleeping leave them be.

16. Babies Privacy

Please do not allow any of your visitors to “visit” any other babies on the unit. It is very important to respect the babies and their families’ right to privacy on a Neonatal Unit.

17. Cameras

It is a good idea to keep a camera on the unit so that you can take photos of your baby. You may not want to do this at first and you always think you will never forget how small and vulnerable they are but you do and you will. Having photos is a lovely way of keeping those precious memories. It’s also a good idea to take a photo of your baby with one particular toy every week so that you can see for yourself just how much he/she has grown. Parents who use video cameras, please do not video any other babies on your unit.

18. Familiarise yourself with the machines.

There are plenty of books available which will tell you in detail about the machines but if you don’t want to leave the hospital you can always ask a nurse to tell you what the machines do. On entering a Neonatal Unit the beep and buzzes of the machines are quite unnerving but once you get to know what they mean you will find that you feel calmer and more in control.

19. If you don’t understand.

Please don’t feel silly for asking questions. Doctors and Nurses understand the pressure parents of premature babies are under and have no problem in repeating themselves ten or even twenty times as long as they know you are happy with the knowledge they have just told you.

20. 10 Minute recap

If you are around just before hand-over to the next shift, ask your baby’s nurse for a quick recap. This is where you can be updated about your baby’s progress and where you can feel free to ask about anything that maybe bothering you.

21. You can leave the room

When the Doctors and Nurses are working on your baby you can leave the room. This does not mean you are a bad parent. Nobody wants to see their child suffer and unfortunately on a Neonatal Unit there are certain procedures which are unpleasant but necessary. If you feel you can’t handle it or don’t want to, that’s fine. You have to think of your baby and if you not being there means that your baby doesn’t become more stressed out then that’s a good thing.

22. Communication

It is quite reasonable to expect a Doctor or Nurse to teach you how to interpret your baby’s cues/behavior. This is one of the ways your baby can communicate with us all.

23. Developmental Therapists in NICU

Availability of therapists working in NICU and their role varies greatly from one unit to another. It is worth asking if your unit has an Occupational Therapist or Physiotherapist. If so they can often advise on positioning, developmental care, appropriate levels of stimulation and help monitor your baby’s development. They are also often involved in follow up programmes after discharge. The great benefits of seeing an OT or Physio is that as well as having your baby’s development assessed, they are usually also in a position to offer therapy if it is needed.

Some OT’s are also specialists in irritable babies and “difficult to settle” babies. These babies may have sensory or self-regulation difficulties and sometimes if the causes are identified early on it can have a huge impact on helping the baby to become more settled.

24. Maternity and Paternity Leave

Most women will be entitled to some sort of Maternity pay. If you had your baby at 26 weeks or more you should have already been given a MAT B1 form. If your baby was born before you were 26 weeks. You should go to your midwife or GP and ask for a MAT B1 form. In most cases you will not get any maternity pay without a MAT B1 form.

If you receive benefits you should telephone your local benefits office and ask for a Maternity Allowance Benefit form.

Tips on Caring for a Premature Baby

Babies born before their complete term in their mother's womb are termed premature, and these babies have special requirements in the first two years of their life. Special care for premature babies is all the more essential if their weight at birth was less than three pounds.

Special care has to be put in their food basics, their immunization charts and their overall growth and development.

Growth in a Premature Baby

The foremost important thing is keeping in regular contact with the doctor about the baby's growth. Growth in a premature baby may not take place at the same rate as a normal one in the first two years; premature babies are usually smaller and their growth occurs in bursts. A doctor can use special growth charts to track the baby's growth, along with other details like their state of activeness, their first crawl and situp.

Doctors also help plan a premature baby's feeding chart which would include vitamins, iron and special feeding formula for those being bottle-fed. These babies need extra vitamins for growth and iron as their bodies do not store much iron as the full-term baby.

Feeding Schedule

Feeding requirements for premature babies are different, and most babies require 8-10 feedings in a day, and a gap of no more than 4 hours in between two feeds. This is important as a gap between feeds increases the risk of dehydration. A rough indicator of sufficient fluid intake is a change of six to eight wet diapers in a day. Also, parents would want to make sure their baby is gaining weight over time.

Solid and Liquid Food Diet

It would take longer for premature babies to develop swallowing ability and for this reason doctors advise giving a premature baby solid food only after 4 to 6 months after the baby's original birth date.

Vaccination Schedule

the vaccination schedule for premature babies is same as that fo full term babies; a flu shot will be highy beneficial as premature babies fall victim to flu more often.

Your Baby's Sleep

Premature babies sleep for shorter spans of time, though overall they tend to sleep for longer periods. Also, babies must sleep on their backs, and on a firm pillow. This is the best way prevention technique against sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

Travelling with a Premature Baby

An infant car seat is to be used when travelling with a baby in car. Rolled-up towels and blankets keep a baby's head and body from slumping. Never leave a baby unattended in the car, and it is always a good idea to have a friend or family member riding in the backseat with the baby.

A premature baby's needs are quite simple; all they need is some warmth and nutrition to develop into healthy toddlers. Their nutritional needs are special as they need to grow at a fsater rate to catch up, while at the same time their digestive tracts are not fully developed. With special care and attention a premature baby will grow to become healthy and active kids

What is Epilepsy?

What is Epilepsy?
Epilepsy is a disorder of the brain. Epilepsy can affect anyone regardless of ethnicity and age. Children make up 30% of all new epileptic diagnoses each year, but people over age 65 also are commonly diagnosed. But what happens during an epileptic attack?

During an epileptic attack, the normal transmission of electrical signals sent out from nerve cells (neurons) is disrupted. Disruptions may occur in one part of the brain, or in the entire brain. Disruption of nerve cell transmission in only one part of the brain is called a partial, or focal, seizure. A seizure that occurs in the entire brain is called a generalized seizure.

Partial or focal seizures include:

● Complex partial seizures

● Simple partial seizures

Generalized seizures include:

● Absence seizures (petit mal)

● Atonic seizures

● Myoclonic seizures.

● Tonic-clonic seizures (grand mal)

For most people diagnosed with epilepsy, the exact cause remains unknown. However, scientists have linked epilepsy with injury to the brain (for example, brain trauma from a sport-related accident), illness (brain tumors, lead poisoning, meningitis and encephalitis), abnormal brain development, and family history.

Physical changes may occur during a seizure, or a disruption of neuron transmission in the brain. Some physical symptoms of a seizure include convulsions (an involuntary repetitive contraction of a muscle that lasts for a very short time and results in visible shaking of the body), changes in behaviour, emotions, or sensations. Different seizure occurrences can result in different symptoms, because many symptoms accompany each category of seizure.

Earlier, we discussed different types epileptic seizures. These different types of seizures result in different physical changes in the brain.

Let's take a look at these different types of seizures to understand common symptoms.

Partial or focal seizures

1. Complex partial seizures exhibit the following symptoms:

• • Different facial expressions of emotions that are not triggered by a present or recent event
  • Difference in awareness
  • Moving the arms or rubbing hands without intending to
  • Swallowing without intending to
  • Staring
  • Wandering

2. Simple partial seizures exhibit the following symptoms:

• • Altered emotions
  • Changes in the way things look, smell, feel, taste or sound
  • Dreamy state
  • Involuntary muscle contraction that might imitate normal muscle movement
  • Unprovoked emotion

Focal or partial seizures generally do not result in a loss of consciousness. However, it is important to note that during partial or focal seizures, any specific change in perception greatly differs from one person to the next. That said, specific types of symptoms remain similar from one seizure to the next. For example, a person who experiences arm twitches during one episode is likely to experience twitching during a subsequent episode. It's also important to understand that these types of seizures generally do not result in a loss of consciousness.

Generalized seizures
Each type of generalized seizure is accompanied by a group of symptoms. We'll discuss about each type of generalized seizure, in turn.

1. Absence seizures (petit mal): Children are mostly affected by this type of generalized epilepsy, and often stare while making movements different than what they would normally do. This can include changing the positions of their hands, smacking their lips, and other types of behaviour. Awareness is affected.

2. Atonic seizures: A atonic seizure results in a loss of muscle control, causing the person to fall to the ground which may result in injuring his/her body. No loss of consciousness occurs, bit an atonic seizure generally occurs without notice.

3. Myoclonic seizures: These seizures are characterized a sudden, incontrollable jerking of limbs, the mouth, and other parts of the body. They happen only for a short period of time, but many cause a person to drop something, or to have their arms or legs to move up or down suddenly.

4. Tonic-clonic seizures (grand mal): This type of seizure often comes to mind when people think of seizures. People experiencing grand mal seizures will exhibit sudden, violent movement of the body and limbs, unconsciousness, headaches after the seizure, and loss of bladder control (involuntary urination) and bowel control (involuntary defecation) during or after the seizure.

Epilepsy Treatment

Epilepsy treatment
There a variety of techniques that can be used to control epileptic seizures, but it is important to remember that there is no cure for epilepsy. However, effective treatment can decrease seizure frequency and strength, or may leave you free of seizures. As with any medical decision, your doctor's advice, medical history, and tests are important to determine the best course of treatment.

Avoid triggers
It is very important that epileptic triggers be avoided. Aside from lack of sleep, stress and alcohol consumption, unexpected or repetitive or uncomfortable stimuli might trigger seizures. Repetitive flashing light (stroboscope) or inadequate screen frequency, sudden auditive stimulus (siren, or sudden yelling after silence), inadequate environmental temperature for longer period might trigger seizures are all environmental factors that should be avoided.

Diet
Approximately 66% of children are responsive to a ketogenic diet, which is a high fat and low carbohydrate diet, which may even go as far as preventing seizures. However, because the diet requires strict adherence, it does require a high amount of discipline to maintain.

Lifestyle
Excessive alcohol consumption, stress, and lack of sleep have all been linked to an increase in seizures. Talk with your doctor to determine your susceptibility.

Medications
Pharmaceutical drugs are widely prescribed for epilepsy, and have shown results for most people. In fact, many children and adults can eventually stop taking medications and live a life without seizures. One or more types of drugs may be prescribed, depending on the types of epilepsy diagnosed.

Currently, more than 20 different drugs for epilepsy are now available and prescribed by doctors. Your doctor may prescribe one or several of the drugs listed below, which are grouped together according to need. Newer drugs for epilepsy include:

• Diazepam (used for severe seizures that occur repeatedly)
• Ethosuximide (used for absence seizures)
• Felbamate
• Fosphenytoi (used only in a hospital setting)
• Gabapentin
• Levetiracetam
• Tiagabine
• Topiramate

Unless the type of epilepsy is known and requiring a different type of medication, patients who have recently been diagnosed with epilepsy may take:

• Carbamazepine
• Lamotrigine
• Oxcarbazepine
• Phenytoin
• Valproate

Do not alter your medication without consulting your doctor. Your doctor may start with a low dosage, which is increased until symptoms decrease. Some drugs may have serious side affects for the developing child during pregnancy, so work closely with your doctor if you are pregnant or are intending to become pregnant. If medicines do not work effectively, your doctor may recommend surgery (including implanted devices).

Surgery
If doctors determine that seizures are triggered by a specific part of the brain (diagnosed via SPECT test), surgery is performed to possibly remove that part of the brain. However, this is less likely if doctors cannot determine a specific part of the brain that causes the seizures or if the part of the brain is essential for normal life functions. Even with surgery, medication may be prescribed, though in a lower dosage.

Vagus nerve stimulation
This procedure involves a device, implanted into the chest, with wires that attach to the vagus nerve in the neck. The vagus nerve stimulator sends electrical impulses to the vagus nerve every several minutes, leading to an average reduction in seizures of 20-40%. Medication may still be prescribed, although it may be in lower dosage.