Your Baby Food Might Have Lead In It—Here's What You Need To Know

According to the Daily Mail, food jars and powdered milk contain less than one-fifth of the recommended daily dose of calcium, magnesium, zinc, iron, and other minerals. These nutrients are crucial to the growth and development of children.

Scientists have found that meat preparations contain only three percent of the recommended daily calcium dose, and those produced from vegetables have 7% zinc and 6% iron.

Experts say baby food makers are not subject to rules as stringent as those imposed on companies that make adult foods.

All foods for infants and young children analyzed by public health directorates contain nitrates, lead, cadmium, tin, but in concentrations below the maximum allowable limit, according to a recent study.

Foods for infants and young children also contain aluminum, nitrites, mercury, substances that can be added in any quantity, in the absence of legal regulations setting maximum admissible limits for their presence in these products.

It remains to be determined in time if these contaminants in baby food and children, although conforming, can become health-enhancing, draw the attention of the authors of the study.

The National Institute of Public Health recently published the results of the national study entitled 'Evaluation of the Chemical and Bacteriological Risk of Foods with Special Nutrition Purpose'.

For the purpose of this study, 41 public health departments in the country sent data from each county for the determination of nitrates, nitrites, heavy metals, pesticide residues in infant formulas (milk, infant formulas and follow-on formulas, baby food and children food, and processed cereal-based foods).

Here's what doctors found in baby food and kids food.

Determination of aluminum from products specially formulated for food with special nutrition (powdered milk, starter formulas and follow-on formulas, processed cereal-based foods, and infant and young-age foods ) indicates an average of 0, 1523 mg/kg and maximum values of 0.98 mg/kg.

All foods for special nutrition intended for infants and young children analyzed contain contaminants:

l  nitrates

l  lead

l  cadmium

l  mercury

l  tin

With the exception of mercury, the remainder of the heavy metals listed above are in concentrations below the maximum allowable limit.

The mercury level in the special nutrition food analyzed is below the detection limit (0.0005 mg / kg) in all analyzed samples. There are no legal regulations setting maximum allowable limits for the mercury concentration in foods for babies and young children, say the authors of the study.

The analysis of trends in nitrate concentrations determined from special nutritional foods between 2013 and 2015 shows that the highest average nitrate levels were recorded in products taken and analyzed in 2015, with the statement that all samples were in compliance, say the authors of the study.

Data analysis shows that in 2015 there have been found the highest average of nitrate, lead, cadmium, and tin in baby food and young children food, since 2013, as well as a decrease in the average mercury content in food for babies and children, analyzed by the Public Health Directorates.

It remains to be established over time if these concentrations of contaminants, although conforming, can become detrimental to health, draw attention the authors of the study.

The nitrite concentrations in the analyzed foods were on average of 2.21 mg nitrite per kg with values ranging from 0 to 21 mg/kg of nitrite. Physicians who conducted the study warn that there are no regulations on the maximum permitted nitrite limit in foods for babies and young children.

The nitrate concentration of foods for infants and young children analyzed is below the maximum admissible limit of 200 mg nitrates/kg. On average, the analyzed foods have 18.78 mg/kg of nitrates.

Your Baby Food Might Have Lead In It—Here's What You Need To Know

An international study has shown that 20% of the baby food contain lead traces - a higher amount than found in all other foods, Time.com reports.

The US Environmental Defense Fund have analyzed for more than 10 years, since 2003, the data from the Food and Drug Administration as part of the Total Diet Study.

The study identified traces of lead in 14% of all baby food samples.

'While we evaluated all types of food collected by the FDA, we focused on food types for babies and children because infants are the most vulnerable,' the report said.

Experts found that at least one sample of the 52 types of baby food had detectable levels of lead. Baby foods containing apple, grape, or carrots, or juices, had more detectable levels of lead than regular food, according to the report.

Lead in grape juice is most often found, with 89% of the samples showing detectable levels.

Other fruit juices and foods containing root vegetables come second, with 86% of lead-containing baby food samples.

Exposure to very small amounts of lead is harmless, but if the baby often comes in contact with this metal, regardless of its origin (water contaminated with lead, toys made of lead, baby food that might have lead, pencils, and so forth), then he may develop lead poisoning, and his life can be in danger!

The symptom of lead intoxication depends on the extent to which the child has been exposed to it. There are some mild manifestations of moderate lead exposure:

l  lack of appetite

l  abdominal pain

l  constipation

l  anemia

l  fatigue

l  sleep problems

l  irritability

l  headaches

The side effects of exposure to large amounts of lead may occur in babies and children through severe symptoms of:

l  vomiting

l  diarrhea

l  coma

l  convulsions

l  learning and behavioral problems

l  damage to the nervous system and brain

l  slower growth

l  hearing problems

l  increased aggression

A very high exposure to lead can produce, in very rare cases though, death!

In conclusion, a smart thing to do when having a baby is to take care of his health. Therefore, you should only fed him with food that you prepare, no matter how tired you are or how time-pressed you are.

Yeast Infection (Candidiasis): Causes, Symptoms & Treatment

Yeast infection, or Candidiasis, is produced by a fungus called Candida. Yeast infection can occur in the vaginal area, being the first thing women think about when they hear about the term 'vaginitis'. Candida naturally inhabits the vagina but also the oral cavity and the digestive tract in both women and men.

In the case of a healthy body, microorganisms with protective role in the vaginal, oral, or digestive flora maintain an acidic environment that stops the development of pathogenic bacteria and fungus.

Yeast Infection (Candidiasis): Causes.

The culprit for yeast infection is a fungus named Candida.

Normally, Candida exists on the skin and mucous of the body. Yeast infection (Candidiasis) occurs when the immune system is unbalanced (diminished). The candida saprophytic flora (which is naturally found in the body) turns into a pathogenic flora.

Yeast Infection (Candidiasis): Symptoms

In women, Candida infection is manifested by:

l  Pronounced pruritus (itching)

l  Burns during urination

l  Pain during sexual intercourse

l  Creamy-whitish leakage

l  Redness and swelling of small labia

These symptoms intensify before menstruation.

In men, fungal infection with Candida is manifested by:

l  Pronounced pruritus (itching)

l  Redness and inflammation

l  Whitish and branched deposits on the gland

l  Small red blisters on the gland (irritation)

Whitish secretion can extend to the perineum, in the inguinal envelope, where the tissues may become inflamed.

Often, yeast infection causes cystitis, pellets, or urethritis.

Candida can be transmitted during sex. Even if the partner does not show symptoms, treatment should be followed because there is a risk of reinfection. Sexual contact (even protected) should be avoided during treatment.

Yeast Infection (Candidiasis): Risk factors

Risk factors can be:

l  A recent antibiotic treatment - For example, during an antibiotic treatment for an infection, the saprophytic flora that keeps the candida balance in the body is destroyed. Thus, it develops too much and causes an infection to occur.

l  Uncontrolled diabetes due to the persistence of high blood glucose levels in the blood and urine is favoring this condition.

l  Pregnancy with changes in hormone levels.

Other factors involved are:

l  Oral contraceptives

l  Immune system disorders

l  Endocrine or thyroid disorders

l  Costicosteroid therapy

Yeast Infection (Candidiasis): Treatment

Vaginal Yeast Infection or Vaginal Candidiasis is usually treated by intra-vaginal administration of various medicine. It can be in the form of a cream or a so-called ovule.

In many cases oral administration of antimycotic drugs is also required.

Drugs will be used in local applications. The following drugs are effective in the treatment of candidal vaginitis:

Clotrimazole, which can be given as a cream (one application per day for 7 days, extending up to 14 days in cases of refractory treatment) or vaginal ovules (one ovule per day for 7 days or 2 ovules per day for 3 days)

Miconazole, which may be given as a cream (an intra-vaginal daily application for 7 days) or ovules (1 egg per day for 5-7 days)

Ketoconazole, given either orally (1 capsule per day for 5 days - the benefit of oral treatment is to eradicate the candida reservoir from the gastrointestinal tract) or in the form of an ovule (one intra-vaginal ovule per day for 5 days)

Nistatin, which can be given as an ovule (one ovule per day for 7-14 days) or orally.

Generally, vulva's yeast infection responds to cream administration, while for vaginitis (vagina's infection with Candida) intra-vaginal rinsing and so-called ovules treatment are preferred.

Recurrent vulva-vaginitis patients are difficult to treat. Recurrent infections are the result:

l  Decreased immunity

l  Reinfection

There is no fixed therapeutic regimen for recurrent infections. Some studies have suggested the need for oral treatment to destroy candida from the digestive tract, thus reducing the incidence of recurrences.

In principle, in recurrent candidal vulvo-vaginitis is recommended:

l  Local therapy immediately before menstruation, for two successive menstrual cycles

l  Oral Nistatin or oral Ketoconazole

l  Local therapy with one of these preparations for 7-14 days

l  Increasing an acid environment in the vagina to kill the fungus

l  Treating your partner with local creams 1-2 times a day because Candida is transmitted

Treatment is done concurrently with both sex partners. Antimycotic treatment should also be supported by good local hygiene by daily washing (even several times a day) with soaps that are neutral or basic, soaking the affecting area with sodium bicarbonate, and by applying antiseptic solutions for vaginal washings.

Yeast Infection (Candidiasis) - Prevention

l  Wear light clothes made of natural materials (cotton, wool, silk) and avoid moisture in the genital area

l  Avoid wearing too tight pants

l  Do not use the vaginal irrigator (it destroys the bacterial saprophytic flora)

l  Limits the use of feminine deodorants

l  Limits the use of tampon only to menstrual periods when they are strictly necessary

l  Change your wet clothes (especially your bathing suit) as often as possible

l  Avoid baths with hot water

l  Follow a well-balanced diet

l  Consume yogurt and avoid bread and bakery products

l  If you suffer from diabetes, keep your blood sugar as close to normal as possible.

If you notice the occurrence of repeated candida infections, consult your doctor. Tests are required to exclude certain conditions.

Yeast Infection (Candidiasis) – Yeast infection in babies.

The oral or oropharyngeal Candidiasis is a common infection in babies and young kids caused by the Candida Albicans fungus.

It is manifested by the appearance of whitish lesions located on the tongue, mucosa of the cheeks and in the pharyngeal-amygdalian area.

The Yeast infection in babies is uncomfortable and make the baby become irritable, because the lesions are painful.

Mycotic infections often occur in people who have a weakened immune system. Newborns and young kids have incomplete immunity, which makes them vulnerable to the development of infection.

In the first three months of life, the baby is exposed to germs and viruses by the antibodies received from the mother. It is only after this period that the body begins to produce antibodies and fight more effectively against infections.

The baby can be infected with Candida Albicans fungus from anywhere. Natural births favor transmission of the disease to newborns if the mother is a carrier of the fungus because the vagina is a contaminated environment with Candida Albicans.

But it is not the only source of contamination.

Babies can also contract the fungus from the pacifiers or baby bottles that are inappropriately sterilized and even from the mother's breasts during breastfeeding.

Attention, the infection can also be transmitted from the baby to the mother during breastfeeding, so it is important to protect yourself during that period and to take therapeutic measures if necessary.

Among the most important symptoms are:

l  Whitish lesions on the tongue and deposits of the same color of bransionary texture.

l  Pain and discomfort that may cause other symptoms such as inattentiveness and inability to swallow food.

l  Bleeding lesions.

l  Sense of altered taste.

l  Irritability.

If you notice the presence of oral yeast infection symptoms at your baby, go to the doctor for a correct diagnosis.

The treatment can only be prescribed by the doctor and often consists of antifungal medicines administration, but also in the use of ointments with local action, to relieve the symptoms present at the mouth's level.

If you breastfeed the baby, it is recommended to apply antifungal ointments to the nipples as well.

It is important that the condition is treated in parallel, both in mother and in the baby, if both are diagnosed with this fungus, in order to avoid reinfection or recurrence of the disease to one of them.

What does you baby try to tell you when crying? Small guide of interpreting your baby's cry

At first, it is difficult for parents to distinguish between one type of crying and another. Which of the roar is an emergency? Which can wait? This article will be a small guide of interpreting your baby's cry and will talk about what does your baby try to tell you when crying.

Listening carefully, with time and experience, you will learn to interpret the message of crying. Of course, sometimes the reason is obvious. When the baby cries after the first pediatric vaccine, you realize that the crying means it hurts, and the midnight whispers cry indicate he is hungry.

Small guide of interpreting your baby's cry.

Strong, long and sharp groan or screaming it means 'Something hurts me!'.

What to do? Go quickly to the baby's room and look for an explanation. Something has fallen into the crib, or he hurt himself playing, or maybe he has fever.

Go to the pediatrician as soon as possible if fever is present and if it persists!

The whip crying occurs when the baby wants to say he's hungry. In this case, nurse him or give him the baby bottle. If he is not hungry, then he may have gas.

Raise him in your arms, hold it on the shoulder, and make it rasp.

The thin cry accompanied by agitation and rubbing the eyes with his hands, shows that his baby is sleepy and you have to take him to his crib.

Continuous sighing during play it means your baby's tired of playing so much and just wants to be left alone.

Then there are situations in which babies cry constantly, gather their fists, and keep their eyes closed tightly, and whatever the mother does it does not seem to have any effect. The safest answer to this situation is the occurrence of colic, which occurs as a result of abdominal pain or it can be a reaction to the tension and agitation in the house.

To the great relief of the parents, colic occurs only in the first three months of life.

Crying in form of a weak nasal crying, with a low tone, and a possible reddening of the face, shows that the baby is not feeling well, and you have to check on him. If he hold his hands on the stomach or simply taps his stomach with his hands, could be a sign of abdominal pain caused by a possible infection, or maybe he has diarrhea.

If you notice such a thing, keep your baby in your arms and talk to him until they calm down and make a appointment to your pediatrician the next day.

The strident, penetrating scream crying signals that the baby was scared of something.

You will have to look for the source of the scare and eliminate it, then take the baby in your arms and calm down the little one.

In other cases, the scream can be caused by the lack of his mother because the connection between the baby and his mother is very strong, therefore, when the mother is leaving the room letting the baby alone, in the mind of the baby there pops up the fear that he has been abandoned.

The maddening of the feet, as if the baby is trying to find its position, is a signal that you have to change his diaper or that there is an irritation, or an itching that makes the baby feel uncomfortable.

There are also situations when the baby cries immediately after being breastfed, and the most likely cause is the mother's spicy food, which gets into milk, causing gas or other minor intestinal problems to the baby. So, cut off the spicy meals, at least until the breastfeeding period ends!

Letting babies to cry or not?

When a child cries, the first reaction is to try to stop him crying as soon as possible. Research, however, supports a new theory that crying helps us feel happier and healthier, being part of the body's natural process of restoring itself as a result of stress and annoyance.

Biochemist William Frey studied the chemical composition of tears and discovered that tears spilled for emotional reasons contain cortisone, the stress hormone. This means that when we cry for emotional reasons, we release the stress from the body, and crying is an important part of the relaxation process.

The cerebral limbic system, responsible for emotions, is formed entirely before birth, while the prefrontal cortex responsible for language is not fully developed until maturity.

Sometimes what does your baby try to tell you when crying is that he is releasing the negative emotions.

The release of the first emotions is part of the process of understanding the things that surround the baby.

When you are relaxed and affectionate, the child releases from all negative emotions and then takes on your state of calm, restoring his own emotional balance. When children are left alone to cry, the result is the increase in stress hormones, caused by the feeling of abandonment and immediate danger.

Wendy Middlemiss, a researcher at the University of North Texas, showed that babies who were left alone to cry had a high level of cortisone even a few hours later. But if we stay close to our children and listen to their dissatisfaction, they can release the stress hormones caused by the unpleasant experiences of the past.

To remember! Crying and getting angry are not bad habits, but a form of expression of feelings and it is important for your child's self-esteem to feel that you still think about him that he is a good person, even when he has emotional arouses.

The calming that you have in the presence of your child will help him feel the same, and when they are scared or angry then they will fell that they are safe and can let the negative feelings go.

The gift of obedience is the most important thing you can give to your child. Crying is not a negative reflection of the education you gave your child, but a positive sign that your child feels safe to tell you about what he feels.

So, with some limits, it is OK to let your baby cry as long as you are next to him, talking with him, or asking him to 'tell' you the reasons why he is crying.

Hopefully, this small guide of interpreting your baby's cry is useful for you and in the future, when your baby will cry again you'll know what does your baby try to tell when crying.

West Nile: Symptoms, Treatment & Prevention

West Nile is a type of mosquito spread virus. Often, people live with the infection, but they do not know they have it. In rare cases, the West Nile virus leads to a severe disease affecting the brain or spinal cord.

People over 50 years of age pose the greatest risk. Most people recover completely after the disease but some, especially those who have had a severe infection, can remain with permanent problems such as seizures, memory loss, or brain damage. Very few people died of this virus.

West Nile: Virus Transmission

Sometimes, mosquitoes transmit the virus to other animals, such as horses or birds, but you can not get the virus from an infected animal or if you come in contact with a person who has acquired the disease.

West Nile virus can only be transmitted through mosquito bite, organ transplant, or blood transfusion.

Some evidence suggests that West Nile can be transmitted from a mother to her baby during pregnancy, birth, or breastfeeding.

West Nile: Symptoms of the viral infection

In general, 80 people out of 100 who have West Nile have no symptoms. These may begin in the first 15 days after being stung by a mosquito which carries the virus.

The mild symptoms may include:

l  fever

l  headache

l  tiredness and weakness

l  lack of appetite

l  pain in the whole body

l  rash, usually on the chest

l  swelling of the lymph nodes

People who have mild illness caused by West Nile virus have fever for 5 days, struggle with headache for about 10 days, and experience a permanent tiredness of more than a month.

Generally, a 50-year-old can experience a serious form of the disease. This can lead to swelling of the brain (encephalitis), spinal cord (myelitis), or swelling of the tissues around the brain and spinal cord (meningitis).

The serious manifestation of West Nile virus is manifested by:

l  severe headache

l  high fever

l  confusion

l  convulsions

l  muscle weakness

l  paralysis and coma

If you experience such symptoms, you should immediately get to a doctor and perform blood tests. Antibodies can show if you were infected with West Nile. Otherwise, you can perform other tests, such as:

Lumbar puncture to look for antibodies or other signs of the virus in the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord.

An MRI (brain imaging) Scan. This is done to find out if you have encephalitis.

West Nile: Treatment and how to deal with the virus.

Unfortunately, there is no West Nile treatment. That's why the body has to fight this infection on its own.

If you have a mild form of illness, you can recover at home. Make sure you drink enough fluids and get enough rest. But the diagnosis and help of the doctor should not be ignored.

If you present a severe form of West Nile, symptoms can last for weeks or months, especially if the infection has spread to the brain, and admission to a hospital is absolutely necessary.

There you can get help in preventing other complications of the viral infection, such as pneumonia, because you will be given infusions and you will be connected at support and monitoring devices.

West Nile: Prevention of West Nile infestation

l  Use a spray that can protect you from insects when you are outdoors at the end of spring, summer, and early autumn.

l  Wear long-sleeved shirts and trousers if you know you will be in areas full of mosquitoes or in places where you know the West Nile virus has been found.

l  Do not leave water receptacles open.

l  If you are in an area where mosquitoes make their presence felt, stay in the house at dawn and in the evening when the insects are active.

West Nile: Viral infection during pregnancy

The fact is that pregnant women are more exposed to this virus and that only because they attract mosquitoes more than ever.

Explanations given by specialists in this regard aim at the higher temperature of the body in this state as being responsible for attracting them. It seems that the pregnant woman emanates more volatile substances from the skin, which are very easily detected by mosquitoes.

There is new evidence suggesting that infestation with West Nile virus in the first two trimesters of pregnancy may have serious side effects on fetal development.

Once the mother has been infected, the virus can reach the baby through trans-placental transmission.

Following the investigation of cases of West Nile infection during pregnancy, the following congenital maladies were found in the newborn:

l  The palatine wave cleft

l  Down syndrome

l  Small head at birth

l  Extra fingers

It seems that the effects on fetal development depend on the pregnancy stage in which the woman was infected. If the infection occurred during the first trimester of pregnancy, the effects appear to be minimal.

West Nile: Viral infection in children.

According to statistics, there are very few chances that babies under one year of age to be infected with West Nile virus.

Cases were extremely rare, or even unique in specific areas.

It is believed that there is a greater predisposition to contact the virus when the children are active and always in the continuous exploration of the environment, venturing through areas where there are many mosquitoes.

Also, following a 20-year analysis of the evolution of West Nile virus in children, it has been shown that they are not at higher risk of infection and there have been no deaths in children caused by this virus.

For example, in just one year, only 3% of the West Nile viral infection cases were registered in children.

However, doctors caution that any child who has a low immune system is prone to the West Nile virus contamination. But this applies to all people.

They argue that both children and adults can manifest the disease, and there is no other form of presentation. Cases in children are rarer also because children are generally stronger and healthy and have an immune system that can cope with this virus.