Image description: Should you put sunscreen on infants? Not usually. The best approach is to keep infants under 6 months out of the sun, especially between 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM.
But when you are outside together, here are some of the most important ways to protect your infant from the harmful rays of the sun: an umbrella and brimmed hat for shade, a cooler for liquids, a bottle for hydration, and clothing for covering the skin.
Learn more about keeping babies safe in the sun.
Graphic by Michael J. Ermarth, Food and Drug Administration
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From the National Zoo:
The Smithsonian’s National Zoo recently oversaw the births of two fishing cats, one of Asia’s most elusive species. The kittens were born between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. May 18 in an off-exhibit den. Their birth marks an important milestone: this is the first time fishing cats have successfully bred and produced young at the National Zoo.
Learn more about the birth of the fishing cats.
Picture from the National Zoo.
Parents sometimes use products with benzocaine as pain relievers for teething babies. However, the use of benzocaine, a local anesthetic found in some over-the-counter products, including Anbesol, Hurricaine, Orajel, Baby Orajel, and Orabase, can lead to a rare but potentially fatal condition called methemoglobinemia.
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), children under 2 years of age are at especially high risk. Adults with heart disease or breathing problems and smokers are also at increased risk.
Review FDA’s warning, Benzocaine and Babies: Not a Good Mix, for a list of symptoms of methemoglobinemia and see suggested alternatives for soothing teething babies.
Text4Baby is a proven way to keep expectant mothers informed about staying healthy. The service sends free text message tips about pregnancy and taking care of a baby.
Newborn screening identifies conditions that can affect a child’s long-term health or survival. Early detection, diagnosis, and intervention can prevent death or disability and enable children to reach their full potential. Each year, millions of babies in the U.S. are routinely screened, using a few drops of blood from the newborn’s heel, for certain genetic, endocrine, and metabolic disorders, and are also tested for hearing loss prior to discharge from a hospital or birthing center.
Learn more about Newborn Screening from the Centers for Disease Control.
