92 yourfamily.co.zaKIDS’ HEALTH
WHAT’S NEW, COOL AND GOOD TO KNOW
It’s terrifying to see your child experiencing an
allergic reaction to something they’re eating. The
reaction can be extremely quick and in certain
instances you might only have moments to get to
the hospital, or to administer medication. Foods
that have been identified as the most harmful are
eggs, milk, peanuts, tree nuts, soy, wheat, fish,
and shellfish such as shrimp, crab and lobster.
Allergies to any of these can result in skin rashes,
swelling, trouble breathing, dizziness, tummy pain
and, interestingly, a feeling as though something
bad is about to happen – like a premonition. If you
or your partner has a history of food allergies, it’s
a good idea to have your children tested as soon
as they’re old enough. Doctors don’t recommend
testing for allergies when your child is younger
than 18 months.Let’s be honest. Visits to the dentist are
not high on anyone’s list of favourites,
and hearing the news that your child
needs braces makes them even less so.
Braces and retainers are expensive and
many medical aids don’t provide full cover
for orthodontic work. To be a little more
prepared for the next dentist’s visit, here
are a few things you can look out for in
your child’s mouth.1
Difficulty chewing/biting. This is often caused by teeth not meeting correctly,
causing a crooked bite or awkward chewing. It could also be caused by teeth
that haven’t aligned well in the gums.2
Speech impediments and the inability to pronounce words correctly can be
caused by poor tooth formation and gaps. When this happens, your child
learns naturally how to compensate when talking, which can result in
poorly formed speech.3
Jaw growth, overbite and underbite problems. Often the development of your
child’s teeth and jaw is out of proportion to the rest of their head. This can then
result in an overbite or underbite.4
Large gaps between the teeth. The ideal is to have your child’s teeth
develop well, with no gaps, but unfortunately this doesn’t always happen.
Developmental factors such as jaw size can affect the way your child’s teeth
develop and may result in large gaps between their teeth that will need to
be fixed. Crooked teeth, teeth that jut out and crowded teeth in certain areas
of the mouth could also be a result of jaw development, and they might
experience uncomfortable jaw movements when opening and closing
their mouth.Protect those
pearly whites
FAREWELL TO
FUNGAL INFECTIONS
Fungal infections are common in kids because
of the amount of time they spend together.
The only way to really know if your child has
one is to see a doctor. Have them checked if
they show any of the following symptoms:
RINGWORM on your child’s arms, legs and
chest will show as small red spots that develop
into larger rings. If they get it on their head, it’ll
start as a patch that looks like dandruff, but
as it grows it’ll cause hair to become brittle or
break off. One of the most common places to
contract ringworm is in a communal sandpit.
The sand should be washed regularly and
replaced every six months.
ATHLETE'S FOOT usually presents with dry,
cracked, and itchy skin between the toes, or
red and scaly bumps filled with pus on the
bottom and sides of the feet. Encourage your
children to wear sandals or flip flops in public
bathrooms to avoid it.WHEN THEIR BODIES SAY ‘NO’
One in 13
children
has a food
allergy.