Yahoo Lifestyle Unusual Baby Conditions
The last thing you want to hear when you're a parent is that there's something wrong with your child, and it doesn't help the situation when the medical condition has a strange or scary name. Tongue-tie? Doesn't sound too appetising. Third nipple? No thanks. But delve a little deeper and you'll see that there's more to them than at first glance. Here's your guide to those conditions that sport unusual names.
GLUE EAR
Glue ear is a build-up of fluid in the middle ear. "It's called 'glue' because it's often thick, like honey or treacle," explains Dr Con A. James, a consultant paediatrician at Sydney Children's Hospital.
"You can have glue ear and be perfectly fine otherwise, with hearing that is so close to normal, and no ear pain or infections. But while surgical intervention probably isn't required here, it's still a good idea to have the child's hearing monitored," Dr James says.
"The management of glue ear depends on the degree [of it]. Many cases will clear up by themselves. The indication to operate is hearing impairment, recurrent ear pain to the extent a child can't sleep at night, and recurrent middle ear infections," he says.
In this case, an ear, nose and throat specialist will make a small cut in your littlie's eardrum and insert grommets, which act as tiny ventilation tubes and will eventually pop out by themselves down the track.
FLAT-HEAD SYNDROME
Also known as plagiocephaly, this is where the back or side of bub's head becomes flat or misshaped. "This is usually due to prolonged pressure on the skull from flat surfaces like cot mattresses," explains Dr James. "We're now told to lay babies on their backs, but some babies develop a tendency to look one way, sometimes causing the head to flatten on that side," he says. "There are also babies who look straight ahead who can get a symmetrical flattening at the back of their heads."
The good news? Flat-head syndrome is easily treatable. "You can fix it by moving your baby's head in the opposite direction when lying her down. If you notice some flattening on the left, for example, tilt her at a slight angle to the right – but not completely to one side, as this can increase the risk of SIDS – making it uncomfortable for her to keep looking to her left," suggests Dr James. You can also try putting her down at different ends of the cot to switch up the direction she is fond of looking in.
As babies get older, they’ll spend less time sleeping and learn to sit up – both of which will contribute to the improvement of the condition.
TONGUE-TIE
Present at birth, tongue-tie occurs when the lingual frenulum – the little bit of tissue under bub's tongue – is too short, restricting movement of the tongue.
"Early on, tongue-tie can interfere with breastfeeding, which a lactation consultant may be able to help with, and later it can sometimes lead to articulation difficulties with some sounds and require a speech therapist," explains Dr Edwina Montgomery, a paediatrician at The Cradle obstetrics practice and St John of God Hospital in Melbourne.
"In more serious cases, there may be a need for the tongue-tie to be snipped, but "overall, if the baby is thriving, this is not clinically important early on," she says.
HAND, FOOT & MOUTH
This disease gets its name from the little sores that develop on the hands, feet and in the mouth. It’s most common among toddlers.
"Hand, foot and mouth is a contagious disease that can easily be passed on from person to person," says Dr James. "And unlike other viruses, such as measles, mumps and rubella, where you get them once and then have lifelong immunity, hand, foot and mouth is a condition you can get again."
The condition improves on its own, he says, but to prevent it from spreading, good hygiene is essential. "Regularly washing hands with soap and water is important." And if your tot is able to, washing the mouth out with saltwater or an antiseptic mouthwash can help with the mouth ulcers, he adds.
CLEFT PALATE
"Cleft palates are congenital defects in either the soft or hard palate [the roof of the mouth] and they can also be associated with cleft lips," says Dr Montgomery. They occur when the mouth parts do not join up correctly during bub's early development in the womb and are obvious at birth (although many cases are now being diagnosed before, through scans).
"Cleft palates are important to recognise in the newborn as they can lead to difficulty with feeding and require surgical consultation for repair," Dr Montgomery says. They can also lead to speech problems if left untreated. Cleft palates are generally corrected before the child turns one, and "most large hospitals will have a dedicated cleft-palate clinic to help manage these children in a multidisciplinary setting," she adds.
CLUBFOOT
Also known as talipes equinovarus, clubfoot refers to a developmental deformity in which one, or in up to half of all cases, both, feet
are excessively turned in, Dr Montgomery explains. Clubfoot is evident at birth, and sometimes can even be picked up during pregnancy ultrasounds.
"There are two types. Club foot can be positional, which is usually due to in-utero position and doesn’t require treatment as it typically corrects itself within six to 12 months. The other type, however, involves the bones and ligaments and will require orthopaedic
treatment, from massage to plasters [and boots]. Babies should be examined by a paediatrician to confirm whether clubfoot is positional
or requires orthopaedic management," she says.
THIRD NIPPLE
Having a third (or fourth!)nipple is actually not uncommon and sometimes runs in the family. Extra nipples are also known as supernumerary or accessory nipples and are "a developmental anomaly – a bit of nipple, or areola, tissue that's in the wrong spot," explains Dr James.
This spot is usually about two centimetres below the 'real' nipple. The important thing to remember? "They don't develop into breasts, they don't cause any problems, and they don't require surgery."
CLICKY HIPS
All newborns have their hips examined to check for problems requiring treatment. During the course of these examinations, clicking may be heard or felt. This on it's own is not serious; it may simply be due to stretched ligaments and only require monitoring.
But clicky hips coupled with a limited range of movement can indicate developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH), meaning that "the hip joint is dislocated or prone to dislocation," says the Victorian Government’s Better Health Channel. "The hip is a ball and socket joint… [and] in a baby with DDH, the socket is abnormally shallow, which prevents a stable fit. Slack ligaments may also allow the [bones] to slip out of joint," its fact sheet on the condition explains.
DDH tends to be more common in girls and breech bubs, and can involve one or both hips. Scans are used to reveal the severity, and treatment involves the use of a special harness or splint. If DDH is not picked up until a child is older, surgery may also be required.
STICKY EYE
"Sticky eye is the result of a blocked tear duct and is very common in newborns," explains Dr James. Babies can have a clear (or occasionally a white or yellow) 'sticky' discharge at the inner corners of their eyes, making them appear weepy or puffy, and sometimes causing the eyelids to stick together.
"Most cases are not serious and can be treated at home. Use a cotton ball dampened in saline solution to wash the eye – you can make this yourself with one-quarter of a teaspoon of salt in one cup of previously boiled [and then cooled] water – and massage over the tear duct to help tears drain away," Dr James says. "Use a new cotton ball for each wipe. Do three to four times a day."
Most cases will clear up over a few weeks. Occasionally babies can develop a bacterial conjunctivitis, which will require topical antibiotic drops or ointment. See your GP to confirm whether the eye is infected.
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