Usually, your child will give up sucking on a thumb with time. But if the practice seems to go on too long, you can take steps to encourage your child to stop thumb-sucking.
The American Academy of Pediatrics offers these suggestions:
- Don't tease, punish or speak harshly to your child for sucking the thumb.
- When your child isn't sucking the thumb, offer words of praise and rewards.
- Find ways to entertain and distract your child if thumb sucking is a way to battle boredom.
- Speak with your child's pediatrician or dentist about using a device in the mouth to make thumb sucking uncomfortable.
Eating a well-balanced vegetarian diet
Eating a well-balanced diet is important for everyone, and vegetarians are no exception. Some nutrients may be more difficult to come by without meat in the diet, requiring some advanced planning.
The U.S. National Library of Medicine says vitamins D and B12, as well as proteins, zinc, iron and riboflavin may be lacking in a vegetarian diet.
Fish, soy, milk or eggs are good sources of protein for vegetarians who choose to eat them. Combining foods such as fortified cereals, rice and beans, breads or peanut butter also can provide sufficient proteins, the agency says.
Understanding Torticollis
Torticollis is a congenital condition that is generally noticed within the first six to eight weeks after a baby is born, says the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.
The primary symptom is the head tilting to one side, and problems turning the head to the other side.
Torticollis tends to be more common in first-born children, the academy says. There isn't a known way to prevent it.
Torticollis generally can be treated with exercises that stretch the neck and turn the head to the opposite side, the group says. Placing toys where a child has to turn to the opposite side may also help. In about 10 percent of cases, surgery may be needed.
Coping with chronic fatigue syndrome
Chronic fatigue syndrome is characterized by extreme fatigue that makes it difficult to complete life's daily tasks.
It has no known cause or cure, but the US National Women's Health Information Center says you can take steps to help manage its symptoms:
- Keep an activities journal, particularly on days that you feel especially tired.
- Look for patterns in your symptoms and eliminate or reduce activities that seem to trigger them.
- Work with an occupational therapist to help you conserve energy and feel better.
- At the end of the day, evaluate how much energy you had, compared to how much energy you needed to use. Doing so may help you better manage your energy.
(HealthDay News)
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