Does my baby get enough food?
Dear Dr. Donya,
My daughter is now 5 months and she has been taking supplement food. I'd like to ask the following:
1. She has three meals a day: cereal in the morning and evening and three rusk biscuits in the afternoon; as well as juice at 3.00 pm. Is it enough?
2. After taking supplement food, she has stopped drinking milk and will only breastfeed from me in the morning before I go to work and from 7.00 p.m. through the whole night. I am worried that it's not enough, please advise me.
3. What is and isn't allowed if we use air-conditioning with a baby?
Thank you.
-- Popon Nedi
Dear reader,
Whether it is enough or not for your baby has to be looked at in an overall context. If she gains weight and is happy, active, has clear urine and normal stool, that means her body is functioning well.
Amount is not the issue; general condition is better. I think your baby has enough and do not worry.
You can use air-conditioning as long as you give her warm clothes. The recommended temperature is 25 degrees Celsius.
-- Dr. Donya
Dear Dr. Donya,
My pediatrician told me that my seven-month-old baby should be vaccinated against meningitis next week.
Is it really necessary for a child of that age? What is it for? Does it have side effects? Can you please explain?
Thanks.
-- Sierra
Dear Sierra,
Meningitis vaccine for babies is for a bacteria called "Haemophilus influenzae type b". It is an important vaccine. In infants and young children, it is a major cause of meningitis, otitis media (middle ear infection), sinusitis, epiglottitis, septic arthritis, occult febrile bacteremia, cellulitis, pneumonia and occasionally it causes neonatal meningitis and sepsis.
Invasive diseases in infants and children are nearly always caused by type b. The source of organism is the upper respiratory tract of humans, transmission is presumably person to person, direct contact or through inhalation of droplets of respiratory tract secretions containing the organism.
Many diseases can occur and infants are easily infected. I recommend you get your daughter vaccinated as it is worth.
Starting at seven months old, she will need three shots. One side effect is pain at the injected area, other than that it is very mild, with no evidence of severe reaction reported.
-- Dr. Donya