During the first 12 months of life, a baby goes through periods of rapid growth. MedlinePlus explains that well-child checkups are most frequent during this first year to monitor a baby's growth to make sure she is on track with standard...
New parents may have a hard time knowing what is normal in terms of their baby's weight gain, and how to know what is normal in terms of bowel movements. There is no special trick to helping your baby gain the weight she needs to develop and grow....
"Preterm birth" baby, or "preemie" describes an infant born prior to 37 weeks of gestation, which occurs in approximately 12 percent of all live births in the U.S. An infant born too early is at risk for cerebral palsy, which is a non-progressive...
All babies develop different skills at slightly different times, but there are developmental milestones which, if not reached by certain ages, could indicate a developmental delay. A developmental delay is an ongoing delay in your child's...
The first year of a baby's life is full of growing and learning. It isn't uncommon for a parent to wonder how her child is developing in relation to other babies of the same age. As such, it is common to hear parents comparing the age at which...
At birth, the doctor clamps and cuts the umbilical cord, leaving behind a small stump that eventually falls off. In most newborns, the belly button heals on its own without any complications. Some discharge during the healing process is normal,...
Tracking an infant's weight can assure parents and health care professionals that a baby is getting the nutrition and stimulation he needs to grow at a steady pace. Doctors use growth charts to make sure that an infant's height, weight and head...
Measuring the infant's height and weight is part of every well baby checkup, and parents are often concerned about their baby's growth. The height and weight of an infant is compared not only against other babies of the same age, but also against...
When you take your baby in for a checkup, the nurse or doctor will weigh her and plot the results on a chart containing average baby weights. Based on this chart, the doctor will be able to tell you whether her weight is normal and healthy based...
Your baby's weight gain is closely monitored during his first months of life. He'll be weighed at every well-baby checkup, his gain since the last visit will be calculated, and his weight will be plotted on a chart to see how he compares to others...
Babies under the age of three years old who suffer from a curved spine are diagnosed with a condition called infantile scoliosis. Most cases of infantile scoliosis involve a curvature of the spine that forms either an S or a C shape, called a...
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), a baby is considered to be premature if he is born before his mother's 37th week of pregnancy. The NIH reports that between 8 and 10 percent of U.S. pregnancies are premature. The development...
Shingles is a viral illness caused by the herpes zoster virus. Herpes zoster is also responsible for causing chicken pox; once a person has had chicken pox, the virus lies dormant in her body. Medical researchers are not quite sure what...
The first year of your infant's life is a time of intense growth, which you will notice at your well-baby checkups. Certain periods of your baby's first year tend to be times of large and rapid growth spurts, including the first 10 days after...
Mumps is a childhood disease that is rarely seen in the twenty-first century. The vaccine for mumps was approved for use in the United States in 1967 and is routinely given as the "MMR" (measles, mumps and rubella) immunization at well-baby...
Fenugreek is an herb--commonly available in seed form--used both for cooking and medicinal purposes. One of the traditional medical uses for the seeds is to stimulate milk production in nursing mothers, according to the National Center for...
Introducing solid foods is an exciting milestone in a baby's life. Adding new foods slowly with several days in between allows you to watch for signs of allergies. Certain foods present a health risk to babies and should be avoided until the child...
A near-term infant, also known as a late-preterm baby, is typically characterized by a 34- to 38-week birth. As the March of Dimes notes, when you're pregnant, every week counts, and when your baby is born earlier, he may have some health problems...
At 4 months, your baby's appetite is growing and she's drinking more than she has in the past. For many children, however, the 4-month mark is when their diets begin to change. Depending on her development and your pediatrician's philosophy, your...
Diarrhea is common in babies and usually resolves itself quickly. Sometimes, however, diarrhea can be a symptom of a serious condition, especially when it lasts for a week or more. Your baby may have parasites or an undiagnosed food allergy. It is...
Bathing, diapering, feeding, doctor appointments and safety precautions constitute a significant amount of time during your baby's first year -- and are all necessary to ensure your baby thrives. Keeping your baby clean reduces the amount of germs...
Your 6-month-old has started to turn into a real person rather than just a sleeping and eating machine. If you're like many new parents, this change comes with a number of questions and concerns about your baby's physical and mental development....
In the first year of life, baby development proceeds at a rapid pace. Each baby goes through development at his own pace, so different infants may reach different milestones at different times. Some babies accomplish the development of physical...
As a new parent, feeding your newborn child can be a stressful activity. Because newborn babies cannot talk or express to you how they are feeling or if they are hungry, you have to judge when and how much they need fed. The amount individual...
The growth and weight of an infant is closely scrutinized by new parents. But physical development indicates only what characteristics may become prominent when your child becomes older. One set of measurements is not enough to provide you with an...
Infants change rapidly, both in their physical and mental development. Many parents spend a great deal of time worrying that their baby is not developing normally. While slow development is a serious concern, you can reduce your stress by...
A child's baby teeth, also called his primary teeth, are just as important as his future adult teeth, according to the American Dental Association, or ADA. Primary teeth will help your child communicate and chew food, and they will hold space in...
When getting pregnant doesn't happen quickly, men and women often look for ways to raise their fertility levels. Optimizing your fertility can be a tricky process. A change in diet, change in lifestyle, education or even medical intervention may...
DHEA is a hormone that occurs naturally in your body. The adrenal gland produces a lesser amount of DHEA as you age. In most people, the production of DHEA gradually declines after the age of 25, leading some people to believe this hormone may...
Neuroblastoma is a rare cancer found most commonly in young children to babies that develops on the nerve cells in certain parts of the body and the sympathetic nervous system. Watch this video for more information on this condition and how to...
