Abdominal Colic
Due to accumulation of wind (gas) the child cries, does not let his abdomen touch by anyone, face becomes red, pulls up his legs. As soon as wind is passed out, he gets some relief. Pain in abdomen could also be due to constipation when food putrefies in the intestines and continues to decay there, causing abdominal distress. Such type of pain ameliorates when stools are passed. While passing stools, there is often expulsion of foul smelling gas which relieves and comforts the child.
First put the child on tummy and pat the back. Mothers who take wind creating food items pass on ill-effects to their children. If there is no relief from all the above indicated steps, give 5-10 drops of Spasmindon (Paed. Drops) in water (lukewarm or cold) which may be repeated even after 15-30 minutes but must not be persisted with after the child shows signs of relief. If stools are too hard to be expelled, insert a suppository of glycerine (meant for children) but it should not form the basis of habit formation. In some cases application of Asafoetida (liquefied) may be applied over the navel which also may prove effective.
Woodword’s Gripe Water, if given 2-3 times in 24 hours, preferably after feed, will not let the wind stick in. It will also be effective in gripes, belching, etc.
Jaundice
The malady occurs within 24-48 hours of infant’s birth. Blood test will reveal the actual position. An infant’s eye/cord may be found to be yellow. Generally no medicine is given. Appropriate treatment can be in a hospital only where the child is kept under tubclights – at least one meter away – and eyes are bandaged so as to rule out any possibility of damage to the retina.
Another condition of jaundice may occur when haemoglobin falls below normal, in which case a booster dose of blood (freshly donated by an uninfected person) is normally given. Breast-milk jaundice persists for a few weeks when breast-milk feeding should be sopped temporarily. The best course is to first express the milk, heaten the same and then feed the baby.
It is advised that before leaving a nursing home or hospital, the baby’s all organs are checked thoroughly so as to detect anomalies, if any, with regard to length, weight, abdominal masses, hernia, hydrocele, size of head, circumference of chest etc; and also whether the child is suffering from AIDS, T.B, Flepatitis-B or diarrhoea. In Hepatitis-B first injection is given generally in first 72 hours.