Here - Health Promotion Agency

Illness and accidents
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If your child is having foods
with a lot of fibre, or
wholemeal foods, reduce these.
Give white bread, pasta and white
rice instead of wholemeal varieties.
• Some doctors prefer to treat ear
infections with antibiotics, others
feel the infection will clear up
with paracetamol and
decongestant nose drops.
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OLDER CHILDREN
Contact your GP if your child is
vomiting at the same time, or if the
diarrhoea is particularly watery, has
blood in it or goes on for longer than
two or three days or your child has
severe or continuous tummy ache.
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Otherwise diarrhoea isn’t usually
worrying – just give your child
plenty of clear drinks to replace
the fluid that’s been lost, but only
give food if it’s wanted. Do not
give anti-diarrhoeal drugs unless
prescribed by your GP.
Help to prevent any infection
spreading by using separate towels
for your child and by reminding
everyone in the family to wash
their hands after using the toilet
and before eating.
EAR INFECTIONS
Ear infections are common in
babies and small children. They
often follow a cold and sometimes
cause a bit of a temperature.
Your child may pull or rub at an ear,
but babies can’t always tell where pain
is coming from and may just cry and
seem unwell and uncomfortable.
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If your child has earache but is
otherwise well, paracetamol
can be given for 12–24 hours.
A covered hot-water bottle can
also be placed under your child’s
ear for warmth.
Do not put any oil or eardrops
into your child’s ear unless
advised to do so by the GP.
After an ear infection your child
may have a hearing problem for
two to six weeks. If the problem
persists after this time you should
see your GP for further advice.
REPEATED EAR INFECTIONS
Repeated bouts of middle ear
infections (called otitis media)
may lead to ‘glue ear’ (otitis media
with effusion). Here sticky fluid builds
up and can affect your child’s hearing.
Your child may also have behaviour
problems. If you smoke, your child is
more likely to develop glue ear and
will not get better so quickly. Never
bottle feed your baby if he or she is
lying down nor let your child drink
milk lying down if he or she has
repeated ear infections. The milk may
go into the short tube between the
ear and throat (Eustachian tube) and
cause irritation. It is also better if your
baby can be weaned from a bottle on
to a cup. Your GP will give you further
advice about the treatment for glue ear.
ECZEMA
Atopic eczema (which occurs mainly
where there is a family history of
eczema, asthma or hayfever) is thought
to affect one in eight children. It often
starts between the ages of two and
four months with patches of red, dry
and irritable skin on the face or
behind the ears, and in the creases of
the neck, knees and elbows. It can
be very itchy. This can lead to your
baby scratching and the eczema may
sometimes become infected. If you
think your child has eczema, speak
to your GP or health visitor.