Foods to Avoid When You Suspect Your Child has an Allergy

My little Keona has had bouts of cough and colds and sometimes, she has some rashes on her skin. When we had her checked by her pediatrician, he told us that the rashes on her skin is an allergy and her intermittent colds can be an allergy as well because it comes and go and comes again.

So if you suspect your child has an allergy, here are some foods to avoid:

• Nuts- all kinds of nuts - peanuts, cashew nuts, etc.
• Seafoods like shrimp, crabs, squid
• Coca cola soft drink (it has a nut, according to the doctor, I only knew it now)
• Chocolate (it belongs to the family of nuts, cacao)
• Chicken and other poultry products like eggs
  

Aside from the foods that you have to avoid, environment and the stuff that your baby use can be a contributing factor for your baby's allergy as well. When your baby is suffering from an allergy, you have to roll out all possible causes that potentially the culprit of the allergy. Here are some additional tips that worthy to be observed if your child has an allergy...

• Change bedding and mattress that your baby use as often as possible to avoid dust from accumulating.
• Always clean your room especially where your baby is staying, including windows and every nook that may be collecting dusts.
• Use a mild soap for your baby. Babies who are very prone to allergy can have it even when using baby soaps and shampoos that are hypoallergenic and claims to be very mild. My little girl's pediatrician recommends using Cetaphil gentle cleanse because it is non-soap base and non-comedogenic.
• use the mildest soap possible when doing the laundry of your child's clothes, nappies and every cloth he/she uses including bed sheets. Our pediatrician recommends us to using Perla white soap.
• Stuffed toys of your child may be cuddly but they can also be the home of so many dust so it's better to entirely get rid of them.
• If you have pets like cats and dogs, their fur can be a trigger for your kid's allergy, so avoid having your pets in contact with your child.
  

That's all for now folks, have a great day.

Keona Stays in Hubby's Office

Keona had her check-up with her pediatrician the other day. She has a cough and I am self-medicating her with the prescription of her doctor the other month, when she had also a cough. After several days of medication, her cough is not gone so we had her checked by her pediatrician.

The doctor said it's only upper respiratory infection and so there is no need for her to take antibiotic. I am glad because she has had antibiotics the other month due to pneumonia aside from the fact that it is also costly.

After the check-up, we asked Keona if she wanted to go home with grandma and grandpa or stay with her papa in the office. Keona is very outgoing and she right away said she wants to go with her papa. It is good that papa is not so much busy in the office because there's an activity going on in his company. Keona spent her after noon in hubby's office watching her favorite cartoon movies.

When I got out to work, I fetched them and we went to Jollibee for her dinner. When we reached home, she is already very sleepy since that was already around 6:30 in the evening.

How to Collect Urine Sample for Urine C and S test

Urine check is a way of determining so many diseases. When I was pregnant, I have a urine check every now and then to determine if I have diabetes and monitor for a urinary tract infection.

When my little Keona was 4 months old, she was having UTI. It is becoming recurrent that her pediatrician suspected there might be physiological problems in her urinary tract and not just mere hygienic reason that she often has UTI. She referred us to a Nephrologist- a doctor specialist of kidney diseases. We had her undergo ultrasound which reveals that she is having ureteral reflux. Then she had to undergo VCUG- vesico-urethrogram to determine the grade level of her reflux.

The result of VCUG revealed a grade 3 reflux which does not necessitate surgical intervention and just a regular antibiotic which acts as a prophylaxis to keep the bacteria in a lower level so as not to have an infection which can result to damage kidneys. In spite of her prophylaxis, she had outbreaks and she keeps on getting an infection that we finally decided to have her undergo surgical operation.

After the operation, we have to monitor Keona's urine through Urine C and S test or urine culture and sensibility. It a test wherein we have to submit a urine sample to the laboratory and they will incubate it for 48 hours to see if there will be bacteria that will grow. If there's bacteria, there are corrsponding list of antibiotics that the laboratory people will determine if the bacteria growth will be susceptible or resistant. It means that those antibiotics that the bacteria is susceptible can cure the said bacteria while the resistant one's cannot cure it.

Lately, we have urine cs test and we are very sad because there's a bacteria growth on Keona's urine C and S test. Our doctor said that there might be a problem with the collection of the urine sample that we have submitted to the laboratory and he wanted us to have repeat urine culture and sensibility test. Indeed, the second urine cs test has no bacteria. The pediatrician is indeed right, it was the way we collected the urine sample.

To avoid getting trapped with the same problem and to avoid unnecessary expense on urine c and s, here are my tips on the proper collection of urine sample especially for baby girls like our little Keona.

1. Clean the vagina of the baby properly. Wash it with water.
2. Include the labia in cleaning your baby.
3. Use the cellophane urine collector if the baby is still infant or cannot manage to sit down yet when urinating. If possible, use a newly purchased baby urine collector and not an old stock one.
4. You can may use the plastic sterile urine collector if the baby can be instructed to sit down and collect urine properly.
5. Bring it or submit it right away to the laboratory, not later than 1 hour after collection.

That's all for now folks. Have a great day. Stay blissful, blessed and healthy everyone:).

Keona has Fever

When hubby and I arrived from work yesterday. Keona was still asleep in MIL's room. When she woke up, she looks tired and cried. MIL told us that she thinks Keona is having a fever because her body temperature is unusually high. I put my hand on her forehead and neck and I feel she's having a fever so we got the thermometer and it's 37.8 degree celcius. She's having a fever indeed.

I was wondering how much is the dosage for her paracetamol syrup so I called up Doctor Mike, her pediatrician. It's 5ml every 4 hours for the tempra paracetamol for she's turning 3 years old already on the 29th. I bet she's having fever because she slept very late the other night, 2:00 o'clock in the morning and she doesn't eat much. So her immune system must be very weak. Last night she requested for her favorite french fries and hamburger so hubby bought for her.

I'm glad she's not having fever now and hope it will continue to be gone...

On another note, I am glad I don't have to report for work today because I'm supposed to go to school but since it's already semestral break, I'll just stay home. It's very timely because I can take care Keona.

That's all for now folks, have a nice day.

Hair Follicle Infection

Last night, while putting Keona to sleep, I run my fingers through her hair. That's what I usually do to help her sleep right away. But I noticed something on her head. There's something protruding so I turned on the light and checked it. Looks like a boil. So we brought her to the pediatrician today.

It turned out, it was an infection of the hair follicle. We also showed her burn from the iron on her arm. Doc Mike prescribed us with Fuskina ointment to be applied on affected area 2-3 times a day and an antibacterial medicine to prevent the infection from spreading. I just hope the infection will get away soon.

Happy weekend friends.

Fever and Cough

We were very happy playing with the shower last Saturday night. Keona was full of vigor playing with the water. When we were already settled and were about to sleep, I noticed that Keona's body temperature is unusually high. I got the thermometer and checked her body temp and indeed, I was right with my suspicion. She's having a mild fever, 37.5 degree celscius.

She was having cough as well which I suspect could be the cause of her mild fever. We brought her to Doctor Mike's clinic yesterday and she was in the mood. She said 'hi" to Doc Mike and she's very well behaved when her doctor checked her physically. She even played the toys in doc Mike's clinic.

Doc Mike prescribed her an antibiotic because she's having a lot of phlegm. I bought (Amoclav)-Co-amoxiclav and has to be taken 2x/day with a dosage of 3.5 ml. We have to let her take also Bricanyl expectorant with the dosage 3.5 ml, 3x a day. If there's fever, we just let her take Tempra paracetamol drops, 1.5 ml, every four hours.

I think the erratic weather and her being a late sleeper are the cause of these. I myself is having cough but not that really severe. I'm just taking Ascof (Lagundi) medicine so that I'll be cured. I hope everything will turn back to normal soon and my little girl will recover from her cough because she's having a hard time sleeping during the night.

That's all for now. Have a great day friends:).

Still Sleepy

Keona has been very active lately that she wanted us to dance with her while her videos are playing on DVD. She also sleep very late at night that I sleep late as well. The result? I'm still very sleepy and feeling dizzy. I'm not yet revitalized from few hours of sleep.

The weather adds to my sleepiness as well. It's cold and there's a hint that's gonna rain. This kind of weather really makes me lazy. Nevertheless, I have to go on with life and work. Have a great day friends:).

Hubby is having an Allergy

When we had a check-up yesterday with hubby's eyes, it was found out that he's not having sore eyes but an allergy.  There's a component of the medicine he took yesterday that made his eyes red, itchy and bulging. So he'll just take antihistamine tablet.

My OB-gyne's clinic is located in the same hospital and when I saw my doctor, she made a big smile, I just said Hi and Hello and told her I will have a pap smear next time. But she said we'll do the test and I just agreed.  Anyways, I have long been planning to undergo such test. The result will be on Friday. So, I'll just wait for it.

Check up for Hubby's eyes

My hubby's eyes has been itchy and its red.  So we are gonna go to an E-N-T doctor to have it checked.  We don't know if it's sore eyes or just an allergic reaction to a medicine he took for muscle pain because he's having a stiff neck.  Hope everything will just be okay.

Playing and Running

That's what Keona keeps on doing when we are at home. She's so full of energy that she keeps on running a lot. Whenever we are at home, we have to play with her as well because she wants us to.

Play is very important especially with her age now. Through play, she'll learn a lot of things. I have read also in a newspaper article that playing increases a child's IQ.

No Work Again

There's no official memo yet but a personnel from the Human Resource Department mentioned there's no work this coming Wednesday in connection with the local celebration in our place. I'm very happy because this can be a time for me to bring Keona to her surgeon for a check-up.

I still have to call Dr. Aquino's clicnic if he's available by Wednesday. It's been a long time already that we have not strolled out with Keona so we might also bring her to play area in the mall.

Too Yummy to Resist

When Keona saw the house helper opening the fridge yesterday, she right away ran towards her and looked what was inside. When she saw the box containing the chocolate rebel bars she right away got one sliced and popped it on her mouth.

I was not able to do anything to protest her but just looked the way how she ate the chocolate with gusto. The result? She's scratching here and there because her allergy is back. At least, I now know that it's really an allergy so it will not be mistaken as skin disease like what I used to think it is.

Keona's Fever Goes Back

I got a call from Mom today that Keona's fever is back. It shoot up top 39.1 degree celsius. I called her pediatrician and he advised me to have her take antibiotic. Cefaclor 250 mg / 5 ml and a dosage of 2.5 , 3x/day.

I hope her fever will be gone soon. I can't be out from work because we are expecting a visitor and I'm expecting to be interviewed. I wish I can just stay home and take good care of her.

Pediatrician Visit due to Rashes

We visited doc Mike yesterday because Keona has rashes. It's been about 2 weeks already that she has it and I have been putting self medication on it. I have observed it does not improve and instead spread on her body so before we'll gonna go back to work, we decided to have her checked by her pediatrician.

My instinct were indeed true. She is indeed a food allergy like me. So Doc Mike prohibited her from eating chicken, egg, chocolate, shrimp, crab,and all kinds of nuts. We eat a lot of this especially during the Christmas season. We have a stock of chocolates also as well as peanuts and now I'm keeping all of them so she'll not eat them.

Doctor Mike prescribed antihistamine medicines- allerkid, one times a day before bedtime-2.5 ml. and iterax 3x/day 2.5 ml.


After the check up and shedding so many tears (she cries a lot every time we go to Doc Mike's clinic), we brought her to children's play area in the mall. There were very few people so we like it very much. Not much crowd and we can just hop from one ride to another anytime we want.

Visit to the Pediatrician

We don't have work today. It was declared holiday by the president of the organization where I work. It is very timely since Keona needs to be brought to her pediatrician nephrologist as well as to her surgeon for a check-up. We'll be bringing with us the result of her renal scan which we will get yet at the nuclear medicine department.

After the check-up, we promised Keona to go shopping so we'll be strolling to the mall again. Have a great day friends!

Scheduled for Renal Scan

I went to the nuclear medicine department this afternoon and the personnel told me I need to coordinate with Dr. King Palabyab, the pediatric anesthesiologist because Keona will be sedated during the renal scan. There's a need for her to stay put without moving for 30 minutes to get the proper imaging of the renal scan and since she's just 2 years old, she'll be sedated.

I went to Dr. King Palabyab clinic and found out from her secretary that he is always on call. We were able to talk via phone and told me that he's available tomorrow afternoon so that's the schedule of Keona's renal scan.

I called him up this evening for instructions regarding Keona's fasting and he gave me instructions. He made a follow up of his instructions via text message which says" schedule 1pm renal scan. Awaken pt 4 milk feeding until 7 am only then offer juice, gatorade, c2,water + sugar only from 7am until 9am only then strictly npo thereafter."

I asked hubby the meaning of npo because he used to study nursing but he wanted to be sure what it's meaning is so we researched the medical abbreviation npo and we found the answer. It stands for nothing per orem which means nothing by mouth, an order given by doctors when they do not want their patient to take in any type of food or liquid by mouth.

So Keona will have no intake from 9am until 1 pm, her renal scan schedule. I'm asking for your prayers friends for the success of Keona's renal scan. I hope the result will be all right.

Happy Birthday to my Mom

I'd like to greet my mom Alice a very happy, happy birthday. I have always admired the courage of my Mom. She withered a lot of storms that come her way in spite of being alone, a single mother. Since my father passed away, 4 years ago, my Mom remained strong and steadfast.

She's soft-hearted and yet, she also has a strong spirit, bringing up her kids alone, working overtime to meet both ends meet. I love you very much Mom and have a blessed birthday. I hope and pray for your good health always, more birthdays to celebrate and a peaceful life forever. Happy birthday Mom and we, your children love you very much.

Getting Ready with Keona's Renal Scan

This month is scheduled for Keona's renal scan. We would have wanted to do it last week but there were inevitable circumstances that hinder us from doing it. We might be doing it in the weekend or next week. Hopefully, there will be no more interruptions and we can go on with our plan.

We want her undergo it before December comes so she can join with us with some planned party. She has been wanting to go to the beach since she heard us, hubby talking about going to the beach with some office mates. Need to go to bed now. Goodnight friends!

Keona Fell on the Floor

Yesterday afternoon, when Keona was asleep, I left her on bed while I had my afternoon snack in the living room watching TV at the same time. I heard a bang on the floor and I hurriedly went to our room. Keona crying so loud on the floor. She fell on the floor! I did not expect her to fall because we usually leave her alone in the bed.

When she calmed down after crying so hard, we ask her if she's feeling something painful in her body. She said none. We presume that she's just okay. But I really felt guilty. I should have taken my afternoon snacks in our room!

Late Sleeper

Lil Keona has been sleeping late at night because she sleeps in the afternoon. She is also very energetic and full of enthusiasm early in the evening, playing, singing, dancing and watching her favorite kiddie shows and VCDs.

She's also a big Mama's baby. She always want me to be with her all the time when I'm home. But I understand it because I'm away during the day for I'm at work. But I always suffer sleepiness during the day as a result of her being a late sleep as well. I hope, her sleeping routine will change soon. Have a great day friends!