Dealing woth children demanding attention
Dear Dr. Donya,
I have a two-and-a-half-year-old son, who lately, after every afternoon nap, wakes up crying and throwing a tantrum, without any provocation whatsoever.
I initially thought he'd been having bad dreams but it happens almost every day now. I've tried consoling him but he rejects me, kicking and crying even louder. When I decide to give him a time- out by himself, he gets up crying but signaling for me not to go.
He also doesn't show much interest in playing with toys or reading books, mostly insisting on watching one of the several Disney animated films that we have on DVD.
I gave birth recently to our second child, a two-month-old baby girl, and my son doesn't seem to show any jealousy, in fact wanting to kiss her most of the time, so I'm really stumped as to what could be the problem. I would appreciate any advice you can give.
-- Roni
Dear Roni,
Your son seems to be asking for your attention; you said he wants to kiss his sister, do you allow him to? Some parents say no out of fear of dirt or germs and this is a reason that can cause jealousy in an elder child.
Does he only throw a tantrum after the afternoon nap? What about the rest of the day? Does he have a normal routine for napping? For example, you might previously have been close to him when he woke up but now you are out of sight as you have the new baby to look after. He may need to play. You or your husband can take him out to play, which is a lot better than putting him in front of the TV. Animated, nonviolent programs should not be a problem.
Please help me with my question and we may find out what is causing his problem.
-- Dr. Donya
Dear Dr. Donya,
I read all your articles and Q&As with lots of interest. It's really great that you're always there to help people solve their problems.
I am a 29-year-old female. I have had acne for two-and-a-half years and consulted a dermatologist. The treatment given by the dermatologist helped me a lot, and my face cleared up quite a bit.
For the past few months I have used this special medicine, applying it to my face every two days. However, it makes my skin dry. Then, my acne seems to get worse, and I know that when I apply the medicine, it makes my skin so dry and it looks really bad. The reason is, maybe, because I take a break of a few days before restarting the medication, but I really don't know.
When I took oral antibiotics for two weeks last month it helped, but then again I was back to square one.
My question is, after using the same medication for some time can my skin become immune to it?
-- Reader
Dear reader,
First of all, there is no facial resistance to medicine. Acne is a hormonal problem and genetic. The habit of touching one's face is also a factor.
Most lotions or topical creams for acne, such as Retin A or 5 percent benzoyl peroxide have a comedolytic effect and the side effect is a dry face. What you can do is to use moisturizer with a noncomedogenic effect (look at the label) when you use anti- acne cream. Antibiotics should be used for eight to 12 weeks; severe case require you to use isotretin (orally) for four months but this should be under the supervision of a dermatologist.
-- Dr. Donya