When I was 12years old my little brother (2yrs old) woke up from his nap with a fever. It was a very hot and humid afternoon, a thunderstorm was brewing. He was sitting on my mom’s lap, eating a snack when he suddenly started convulsing. He had a febrile seizure that stopped within a few … Continue reading Febrile Seizures
I am sure you know the feeling of standing in the aisle in Dischem, looking at all the bottles and gummies and syrups that say: “Multivitamins for Children”… It can be very confusing to decide what your child needs. But do children even need supplements? When and how much? Let us look at some facts: … Continue reading To Supplement or Not to Supplement?
I have heard about a few outbreaks of Hand foot and mouth disease in our area in the last few weeks. Read on to learn more about this miserable illness: Hand, foot and mouth disease is caused by a very contagious VIRUS that leads to a wide range of symptoms in young children (usually under … Continue reading Hand foot and mouth disease explained
When our son turned 1 year old we moved to Belgium. That December we experienced our first European winter, and for about 6 weeks our son had a cold with a runny nose almost weekly! In that time he was cutting 8 teeth, meeting new friends and going from a heated (dry) indoor environment to … Continue reading Treatment of Runny Noses (colds & flu)
Sniffles, Nunus, Snotties, Snottebellen… whatever you call it, we all know that when this fluid starts to run out of your child’s nose, or causes a complete blockage of their nostrils, we are in for a week or more of misery. I always say that if someone can find a use for this fluid, we … Continue reading Runny nose troubles
Summer is a time for lots of outside play, hiking, swimming and staying outside when the heat starts to fade in the evenings. Unfortunately these are all prime spots for bugs to spoil your fun! So how do you prevent insect bites? And if you are too late to prevent them, how do you treat … Continue reading Bug and Bites safety
After surviving two loooong, wet winters in Belgium, and one lock-down winter in SA, we are so happy to see and enjoy the sun in South Africa for this year! We are so lucky with the beautiful warm, long days, our stunning beaches (when we can go to them) and even our yards with private … Continue reading Summer+Sun Safety
My dear little blue-eyed girl… (a letter to our lockdown baby who is nine months old) What a precious milestone this is! After almost nine months in my tummy, you have been entrusted to us for a whole nine months and we cannot imagine life without you! I would like to look back and tell … Continue reading Nine months in… Nine months out during a PANDEMIC
Help! My baby has a nappy rash, I have tried all the bum creams and it just does not get any better! It looks so sore!” Does that sound familiar? Nappy rash, also called “Diaper Dermatitis” or “Irritant contact dermatitis” is one of the most common issues in infancy affecting one in 3 or even … Continue reading Nappy rash Basics
“MOMMIEEEEE!” Your heart sinks when your little one calls you because he wet his bed AGAIN. The endless changing of sheets in the dark, piles of washing. Buying ANOTHER pack of pull-ups for your five-year-old. When will this all end? Take a deep breath, make a cup of tea and read on. You are not … Continue reading Bed-wetting Basics
Pediatrics and Playdough 