Family Tips

According to all available information from the American pediatrists, only the following facts have been experimentally proved:

1. Breast feeding of the child with hereditary susceptibility to an allergy even for four months reduces risk of cow’s milk protein allergy and diathesis.

2. Breast feeding for three months reduces risk of a false croup, but whether it reduces risk of an asthma in more elder age – is not clear for the present time.

3. Soy-based breast milk substitutes do not reduce risk of an allergy. Hypo-allergenic milk formulas have some efficiency in this respect, but only “moderate” one.

4. Up to 4 - 6 months children do not need the solid food, but absence of eggs, fish and other potentially “allergenic” food in a diet of more senior children does not reduce risk of allergic reactions.

5. The women who have excluded from the diet some products for the time of pregnancy and breast feeding, cannot save children from an allergy - at least, researches do not confirm efficiency of such measures.

The American Academy of Pediatrics has adopted new recommendations on breast feeding and prophylaxis of an allergy at babies, informs Associated Press. The old recommendations, which imposed a set of restrictions on nursing mothers and pregnant women, are cancelled: the researches carried out for the last seven years, have not confirmed, that these restrictions can actually save children from allergic reactions, including asthma.

From all former recommendations only one has been confirmed and proved by researches: children should be breast-fed in the first months of a life, and it really reduces risk of children’s allergies. As to restrictions on the use of any products by pregnant or nursing mothers, none of the researches confirmed, that these measures can lower risk of an allergy.

According to previous recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics, adapted in August, 2000, nursing mothers whose children have hereditary susceptibility to an allergy were recommended not to use for food cow milk, eggs, fish, peanuts and other nuts. For seven years doctors have not manage to confirm, that food restrictions can prevent allergies.

32 % of the Spanish schoolboys in the age from 8 to 11 years have never tasted spinach, 23 % do not know taste of tomatoes, and 15 % have never eaten oranges, informed fund Dieta Mediterranea, supporting creation of culinary workshops at schools.

These are only some of survey results. Having developed simple dishes for the school based on the samples of nutritional researches, pupils have filled the questionnaires specifying what products they have never tasted earlier. So, 31,9 % have declared, that they never tasted spinach, 22,93 % tomatoes and 22,75 % do not know taste of asparagus.

Among other, seldom eaten products, were named onions (16,33 %), oranges (14,77 %), olives (21,43 %), carrots (15,87 %), pine nuts (26,58 %) and tinned tuna (22,66 %). Two years ago for propagation of a healthy diet the fund has developed the program of culinary workshops at schools to introduce the major products for children.

The research carried out by British scientists from University of Sheffield has shown that children from 4 till 16 years old do not like and fear clowns, informs Reuters.

A survey has been carried out among 250 children-patients of a hospital. The purpose of the research had no direct relation to clowns. Scientists were going to find out how to improve decoration of children’s wards to make them more attractive for children.

Absolutely all respondents have definitely reasoned against images of clowns. Even elder children have found them unclear and frightening. Respondents have preferred walls of bright colors, without figures, informs The Press Association.

Avoid long standing in lines.

Traveling by car, stop more often to have some rest is to pass and lie down for a while.

Put on loose-fitting and convenient clothes. Don’t be lazy to take a small pillow under a back.

In Europe pregnancy and a birth of the child are not occasions to limit a woman in pleasures to travel or go somewhere. Unfortunately, not everywhere transport is that comfortable, so a pregnant woman would better avoid travel by train or a bus in summer because of absence of qualitatively working conditioner. Besides travel by bus has some more disadvantages: shortage of seats, irregularity of sanitary stops.

So in brief, well planned travel, with accent on comfort, instead of the cost, will afford you great pleasure. And pleasures, as it is known, are very useful for a pregnant woman.

At what age to accustom the child to a chamber-pot? Till now the psychologists have not a common opinion in this respect. It is considered, that it is time to accustom the child to cleanliness, when he or she is physiologically and psychologically matured for this. But the age of this maturity in various cultures and time was determined in different ways.

At the beginning of the twentieth century the West-European pediatricians considered, that the appropriate time for this is already in the first months of the child’s life, later «the age of neatness» was put off further and further.

The modern European and American mums are advised to start this process from 15-20 months, or even to wait up to two years. Otherwise, consider French and American psychologists, in future the child can face various troubles from a neurosis up to an enuresis.

Traveling for the pregnant woman is quite safe, provided absence of complications. In any case before planning a trip, it would better to consult with the doctor. Here some advice which will help to choose a transport and will make travel more comfortable.

The best time for airfare is a second trimester, when nausea does not disturb any more and the woman does not feel tired.

The majority of airlines don’t allow pregnant women after 36 weeks to flight, therefore you, for certain, will need a medical certificate. Cruise ships lay down their own demands concerning the term when pregnant women can travel.

As to the travel by car, everything depends on you, but you should remember, that long distance travels are not that comfortable. The railway has no limits.

After one year children begin to notice a difference between words and pictures, and to be vividly interested in letters. Interest is the best incentive in education of the child. Support it in every possible ways. It is a high time to present the kid the small alphabet which he or she will study with the great pleasure. Illustrations should be not only bright, but also large, single and have precise contours.

So, very soon you will notice that, having woken up early in the morning, your kid hastens not to a box with toys, and to the favorite book. The kid does not read yet, but only looks at a picture and enjoys new impressions. In some time your kid will be an inveterate bibliophile. Therefore, in the future you won’t face problem «how to force the child to read». It is proved, that enthusiastic readers are the best pupils at school. And, on the contrary, illiteracy, a poor vocabulary, a narrow circle of interests of the child – are consequences of insufficient reading.

And the main thing - let reading be your small family tradition. Having seen you with the book, your kid will succeed you.

In the first reading …
Don’t be upset, if at first your kid will use the personal library not as you would have imagined it. Certainly, it is important to convince your kid at once that the book should be treated carefully. But nevertheless be ready that the most favorite of them “will be read” literally up to holes. Torn literature is an evidence of growing interest and creative potential of your child. If you refuse to understand it, then do not give books at all. But, I hope, you are modern parents and know about this important stage of development. Therefore be patient.

Birth of the interest
Closer to one year the child will start to point the image so that the mum or the daddy names it. However, if your kid is not interested in books yet, don’t hurry and postpone it for some time.

When the kid learns to answer a question “Where?”, ask him to show this or that image.
Give more attention to details. For example, ask the child to show a tail or hoofs, flowers, small insects, etc.

Reading is one of few pleasant, fascinating and developing activities.

Recently on sale have appeared special books for infants. Some of them are made of a waterproof material and will please your baby in a bath. With others – plush books - it is pleasant to play and fall asleep. Scientists are convinced that is a true way to inculcate in kids a love for books. Unfortunately, there are no so many such books. Most of the production is intended for children from one year and elder. But don’t think that three-four monthly kid does not need a “printed word�. Try to read your kid rhythmical verses, the classical literature. What to choose and what language – is your choice. The main thing is that the selected verses have filled the world of the child with harmony and melodious sounds.

Age features
Certainly, at this age children are interested neither in a plot, nor in illustrations.
At the age of six - seven months children, as a rule, have the first library consisting of small sized books. There are a lot of bright pictures, but only a few sentences. Books are printed on a dense cardboard and consist of the several pages. Cognitive books will help your child to fill up vocabulary and to “liberalize�.
Remember, that acquaintance with «a source of knowledge» should be gradual.