FEBRUARY 2025
AMERICAN BABY HEART HEALTH MONTH (February 2025)
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Checking your baby’s health, particularly their heart health, is essential for early detection of any potential issues. Here are some important tips for parents to monitor their baby's well-being and ensure heart health:
1. Look for Signs of Congenital Heart Defects (CHD)
CHDs are structural issues in the heart that are present at birth. While many are detected during routine prenatal ultrasounds or shortly after birth, some may not be immediately apparent. Watch for these signs in your baby:
Rapid breathing: If your baby is breathing much faster than normal, especially during feeding or while sleeping, it may indicate a heart issue.
Poor feeding or difficulty feeding: Babies with CHDs may tire easily and struggle to feed.
Blue or pale skin (cyanosis): Bluish tint around the lips, fingers, or toes can indicate low oxygen levels due to heart problems.
Poor weight gain: If your baby is not gaining weight or growing as expected, it could be linked to heart-related energy expenditure.
Sweating: Excessive sweating, especially during feeding or sleeping, can sometimes indicate heart issues.
2. Track Breathing Patterns
Healthy babies typically breathe between 30-60 breaths per minute. If you notice any of the following irregularities, it could indicate a problem:
Very rapid or labored breathing.
Grunting noises when your baby breathes out.
Nostrils flaring with each breath.
3. Check Baby’s Skin Color
A baby’s skin should be pink, indicating good oxygen circulation. Pale, blue, or grayish skin, particularly around the lips or extremities, could signal a heart or lung issue that’s preventing adequate oxygenation.
4. Monitor Weight Gain and Growth
Babies with heart conditions often have trouble gaining weight or growing at the expected rate because they may burn more calories due to the heart's inefficiency. Keep an eye on your baby’s weight gain during regular pediatric check-ups.
5. Monitor Energy Levels and Activity
A baby with heart issues may appear lethargic, sleep more than usual, or have low energy, especially during feeding or playtime. If your baby tires very easily during feeding or seems to lack normal energy levels, it could be a sign to consult a pediatrician.
6. Check for Heart Murmurs
Many heart defects are identified by abnormal heart sounds called murmurs. Some heart murmurs are harmless, but others can indicate congenital heart defects. Doctors typically check for murmurs during newborn exams, but if you notice any unusual symptoms (like those listed above), it's worth requesting a detailed heart check.
7. Pay Attention to Your Baby’s Cry
Although crying is normal, a baby with heart issues may cry weakly or for long periods, and they may have trouble calming down. Notice if your baby’s cry seems different or if they seem distressed without obvious causes.
8. Routine Pediatric Check-ups
Regular doctor visits are crucial for monitoring your baby's overall health and development. Pediatricians will check your baby’s heart rate, breathing, and weight during each visit. Be sure to discuss any concerns you have, even if they seem minor.
9. Screening with Pulse Oximetry
Many hospitals screen newborns for congenital heart defects using a non-invasive test called pulse oximetry, which measures the oxygen levels in the blood. If your baby wasn’t screened at birth, you can request the test during a pediatric check-up.
10. Know Your Family History
Some congenital heart defects can be inherited. If you or close family members were born with heart issues, make sure to inform your baby’s pediatrician. They may recommend extra monitoring or screenings.
11. Understand Newborn Reflexes and Movements
Healthy newborns display certain reflexes, like the startle reflex, rooting reflex (when the baby turns their head to look for food), and the grasping reflex. Observing these can help you gauge your baby’s neurological and muscle function, which indirectly affects overall health, including heart function.
12. Monitor Urine and Bowel Movements
Decreased urine output or constipation can be a sign of dehydration or a less effective circulatory system. Make sure your baby is feeding well and passing urine and stools regularly.
13. Follow Newborn Screenings for CHDs
Some hospitals perform routine screenings for congenital heart defects before your baby is discharged. The pulse oximetry test is often performed to check oxygen levels in the blood. Ask your doctor whether your baby has been screened for CHDs and discuss the results if necessary.
When to See a Doctor
While it’s normal for babies to experience some variations in their energy levels, breathing, and feeding habits, it’s important to seek medical attention if you notice persistent or severe symptoms. Call your pediatrician immediately if your baby:
Is persistently breathing rapidly or seems to be struggling to breathe.
Has a blue tinge around the lips or skin.
Is feeding poorly or failing to gain weight.
Seems unusually sleepy, irritable, or lethargic.
Shows any unusual or concerning signs that don’t go away.
Being vigilant about these signs can help ensure that any heart-related concerns are caught early and addressed by your healthcare provider. Regular check-ups and screenings are crucial in catching potential issues early and supporting your baby’s heart health.
For more information about their work or how to get involved, you can visit the Childrens Heart Foundation website at www.childrensheartfoundation.org.
JANUARY 2025
NATIONAL FOLIC ACID AWARENESS WEEK (5-11 January 2025)
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National Folic Acid Awareness Week: Why Folic Acid is Essential for Expectant Mothers and Babies
For more information: https://nbdpn.org/
Each year, during the second week of January, National Folic Acid Awareness Week highlights the importance of folic acid for women, especially those who are pregnant or planning to become pregnant. Folic acid, a form of the B-vitamin folate, plays a critical role in the development of a healthy baby. It helps prevent major birth defects of the baby’s brain and spine, known as neural tube defects.
What is Folic Acid?
Folic acid is the synthetic form of folate, a vitamin that helps the body create and repair DNA and produce healthy cells. It’s essential for everyone, but it’s particularly crucial for women of childbearing age because it helps prevent neural tube defects, such as spina bifida and anencephaly. These defects occur in the very early stages of pregnancy, often before a woman even knows she’s expecting.
The neural tube, which eventually forms the baby’s brain and spine, typically closes within the first four weeks of pregnancy. If this process doesn’t happen correctly, it can lead to serious health issues for the baby, such as partial or complete paralysis, learning disabilities, or even death. Folic acid helps ensure the neural tube closes properly, greatly reducing the risk of these complications.
Why is Folic Acid Important Before and During Pregnancy?
Many women don’t realize they are pregnant until several weeks after conception. By the time a pregnancy is confirmed, the baby’s neural tube has already started to form. This is why it’s so important for women who are planning to become pregnant—or who could become pregnant, even if they’re not actively trying—to take folic acid regularly.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that all women of childbearing age take 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid daily, even if they’re not planning to get pregnant. This simple step can reduce the risk of neural tube defects by up to 70%.
How to Get Enough Folic Acid
There are several ways to ensure you’re getting enough folic acid:
Take a daily multivitamin: Most over-the-counter multivitamins contain the recommended 400 mcg of folic acid. If you’re pregnant, your doctor may recommend a prenatal vitamin that has a higher dose of folic acid, typically 600-800 mcg.
Eat folate-rich foods: Naturally occurring folate is found in foods like leafy green vegetables (such as spinach and kale), citrus fruits (like oranges), beans, lentils, and avocados. Eating a diet rich in these foods can help you meet your folate needs.
Choose fortified foods: In many countries, certain foods like breakfast cereals, bread, and pasta are fortified with folic acid. Checking food labels can help you identify products that are fortified.
The Importance of Awareness
National Folic Acid Awareness Week is an opportunity to raise awareness about this essential vitamin and encourage women to make folic acid a part of their daily routine. Whether you’re already pregnant or planning to be, taking folic acid is one of the simplest and most effective ways to ensure a healthy start for your baby.
Talk to your healthcare provider about folic acid, and make sure you’re doing everything you can to protect your baby’s health from the very beginning.
