Signs of Infant Acid Reflux

• Spitting up
• Irritability during or after feedings
• Poor feedings

Although infant acid reflux is most likely after a feeding, it can happen anytime your baby coughs, cries or strains. And it's probably tougher on you than on your baby. Even when soaked in spit up, most babies who have infant acid reflux are healthy and content.

Infant acid reflux typically resolves on its own by ages 12 to 18 months. In the meantime, changes in feeding technique — such as smaller, more frequent feedings, changing position or interrupting feedings to burp — can help keep reflux under control.

When to see a doctor
Normal infant acid reflux doesn't interfere with a baby's growth or well-being. Contact your baby's doctor if your baby:

• Isn't gaining weight
• Spits up forcefully, causing stomach contents to shoot out of his or her mouth
• Spits up more than a tablespoon or two at a time
• Spits up green or brown fluid
• Resists feedings
• Is irritable after feedings but improves when held upright
• Has fewer wet diapers than normal or appears lethargic
• Has other signs of illness, such as fever, diarrhea or difficulty breathing

Some of these signs may indicate more serious conditions, such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or pyloric stenosis. GERD is a severe version of reflux that can cause pain, vomiting and poor weight gain. Pyloric stenosis is a rare condition in which a narrowed valve between the stomach and the small intestine prevents stomach contents from emptying into the small intestine.

Teething: Signs & Soothing

Classic signs and symptoms of teething often include:

• Drooling, which may begin about two months before the first tooth appears
• Irritability or crankiness
• Swollen gums
• Chewing on solid objects

Soothe Sore Gums

• Rub your baby's gums. Use a clean finger, moistened gauze pad or damp washcloth to massage your baby's gums. The pressure can ease your baby's discomfort.
• Offer a teething ring. Try one made of firm rubber. The liquid-filled variety may break under the pressure of your baby's chewing. If a bottle seems to do the trick, fill it with water. Prolonged contact with sugar from formula, milk or juice may cause tooth decay.
• Keep it cool. A cold washcloth or chilled teething ring can be soothing. Don't give your baby a frozen teething ring, however. Contact with extreme cold may hurt, doing your baby more harm than good. If your baby's eating solid foods, offer cold items such as applesauce or yogurt.
• Dry the drool. Excessive drooling is part of the teething process. To prevent skin irritation, keep a clean cloth handy to dry your baby's chin. You might also make sure your baby sleeps on an absorbent sheet.
• Try an over-the-counter remedy. If your baby is especially cranky, acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others) may help. Don't give your baby products that contain aspirin, however, and be cautious about teething medications that can be rubbed directly on a baby's gums. The medication may be washed away by your baby's saliva before it has the chance to do any good — and too much of the medication may numb your baby's throat, which may interfere with his or her normal gag reflex.

Ear Infection Symptoms

Ear infections in children can be hard to detect, especially if your child is too young to say, "My ear hurts." Knowing what to look for can help. Children with ear infections may:

• Complain of pain in their ears
• Tug or pull at their ears
• Cry more than usual
• Have trouble sleeping
• Fail to respond to sounds
• Be unusually irritable
• Develop a fever of 100 F (38 C) or higher
• Develop a clear fluid that drains from the ears
• Have headaches

Major risk factors for middle ear infections in children include:

• Age. Children between ages 6 and 18 months are the most susceptible to ear infections, although ear infections are common from ages 4 months to 4 years.
• Group child care. Children cared for in group settings are more likely to get colds and ear infections than are children who stay home, because they're exposed to more viruses causing colds, which may then cause or complicate an ear infection.
• Feeding position. Babies who drink from a bottle while lying down tend to have more ear infections than do babies who are held upright during feedings.

Symptoms of Colic

It is not uncommon for newborn babies to go through periods when they appear abnormally irritable or seemingly cry for no reason. However, if you suspect your baby is suffering from colic, you may look for the following symptoms:

• cries vigorously for long periods, despite efforts to console
• symptoms occur around the same time each day or night, often after meal times, and usually ending as abruptly as they began
• shows signs of gas discomfort and abdominal bloating
• has a hard, distended stomach, with knees pulled to the chest, clenched fists, flailing arms and legs, and an arched back
• experiences frequent sleeplessness, irritability and fussiness  

In most cases, colic is the worst pain a baby has thus experienced. It is usually manifested as an acute abdominal pain with intense spasmodic cramping, but since colicky babies cannot describe exactly what distresses them, it is hard for parents to know the precise cause of their distress. Infantile colic is most common in the first few weeks to four months of an infant's life; rarely does it endure past six months of age.

Signs of Diaper Rash

• Skin symptoms. Diaper rash is marked by red, puffy and tender skin in the diaper region — buttocks, thighs and genitals.
• Changes in your baby's disposition. You may notice your baby seems more uncomfortable than usual, especially during diaper changes. A baby with a diaper rash often fusses or cries when the diaper area is washed or touched.

Diaper rashes can occur intermittently, anytime while your child wears diapers, but they're more common in babies during their first 15 months, especially between 8 and 10 months of age.

Causes of diaper rash can be traced to a number of sources, including:

• Irritation from stool and urine. Prolonged exposure to urine or feces can irritate a baby's sensitive skin. Your baby may be more prone to diaper rash if he or she is experiencing frequent bowel movements, because feces are more irritating than urine is.
• Introduction of new foods. As babies start to eat solid foods, generally when they're between 4 and 12 months old, the content of their stool changes, increasing the likelihood of diaper rash. Changes in your baby's diet can also increase the frequency of stools, which can lead to diaper rash. If you're breast-feeding, your baby may develop diaper rash in response to something you've eaten, such as tomato-based foods.
• Irritation from a new product. Disposable wipes, a new brand of disposable diaper, or a detergent, bleach or fabric softener used to launder cloth diapers can all irritate your baby's delicate bottom. Other substances that can add to the problem include ingredients found in some baby lotions, powders and oils.
• Bacterial or yeast (fungal) infection. What begins as a simple skin infection may spread to the surrounding region. The area covered by a diaper — buttocks, thighs and genitals — is especially vulnerable because it's warm and moist, making a perfect breeding ground for bacteria and yeast. These rashes generally start within the creases of the skin, and there may be red dots scattered around the creases.
• Sensitive skin. Babies with skin conditions, such as atopic dermatitis or eczema, may be more likely to develop diaper rashes. However, the irritated skin of atopic dermatitis and eczema primarily affects areas other than the diaper area.
• Chafing or rubbing. Tightfitting diapers or clothing that rubs against the skin can lead to a rash.
• Use of antibiotics. Antibiotics kill bacteria — both bad and good. Without the right balance of good bacteria, however, yeast infections can occur. This can happen when babies take antibiotics or when mothers who are breast-feeding their infants are taking antibiotics.