Creditdc.com provides information about a wide variety of credit card categories, including low interest credit cards, airline, balance transfer, cash back, student, business, reward and instant approval credit cards. The information provided about each card category is tremendously useful in helping our users determine which type of card is best suited for their needs.

Every day Twin Aventures helps thousands of travelers find great accommodations, plan relaxing vacations and pursue exciting adventures. From romantic bed & breakfasts to luxury vacation rentals, from bungee jumping to safaris, and from Alaska to Zimbabwe, Twin Adventures is a comprehensive resource for travelers around the world.

We are not travel agents or tour operators and we do not book any trips, make reservations or lead tours. We help travel companies market their products and services on-line to a very large and diverse audience of travelers, vacationers and adventure seekers.

A cold is a mild illness caused by one of over 200 different viruses. The virus spreads as your child breathes in airborne droplets produced when people infected with a cold virus cough, sneeze or talk, and by contact with infected surfaces (e.g. on hands, used tissues etc).

In the UK, colds are more common during the winter and adults generally catch up to 4 colds a year. However, because infants have little resistance to infections, they can be unfortunate enough to have as many as 12 colds a year.

How will I know if my child has a cold?

What else might it be?

Influenza viruses may also produce similar but more severe symptoms. Flu is often associated with a fever, shivering, headaches, aching muscles, discomfort and loss of appetite. Infants may be lethargic and not feeding well. Any infant with these symptoms who is not feeding well will need to see a doctor, as there is a possibility of a more serious illness.

If your child’s nose is only running from one nostril, the discharge is smelly or contains blood, there may be an object stuck in the infant’s nose.

Hay fever (Allergic Rhinitis) causes a more watery discharge from the nose, but this is usually accompanied by an itchy nose and sneezing. The eyes may be watery and itchy too (see Conjunctivitis).

What to expect:

Colds usually last about a week and get better of their own accord. However, you may find your child has difficulty feeding with a blocked or runny nose and if this is the case then they may become dehydrated. Children are also more susceptible to secondary infections such as conjunctivitis, bronchitis, pneumonia and ear infections.

Prevention

How to Treat:

We all feel miserable when we have a cold and your child is no different. There is no cure for the common cold, and antibiotics are not suitable because colds are caused by a virus and antibiotics don’t work against viruses. However you can help relieve some of your child’s symptoms using a variety of medicines.

Oral Ibuprofen (suitable for children from 3 months, over 5kg) is available from your pharmacist or supermarket, and can provide effective relief. Nurofen for Children is a pleasant tasting (orange or strawberry flavour) ibuprofen suspension available in either single use sachets or a bottle which comes with an easy dosing syringe: and both are colour and sugar free.

Oral Paracetamol can provide effective relief from aches, pains, sore throat and fever and most children are able to take it with few or no problems. Disprol Paracetamol Suspension is suitable for children from 3 months and is sugar and colour free.

Decongestants can be helpful for providing relief for babies as well as children. When babies get a cold it can be particularly hard for the parents and the child as they breathe through their noses not their mouth. This means a blocked nose can disrupt both eating and sleeping routines. Karvol has been specifically formulated to help children breathe more easily and therefore help them sleep more soundly. It contains a unique combination of aromatic oils including pine, cinnamon and menthol and it is these natural vapours that, once released, ease congestion and aid easy breathing. Karvol is available in a number of different formats.

Karvol Decongestant Capsules are an easy to use format offering a measured dose, providing you with the added reassurance that they are giving the right amount. At night the contents of the capsules can be placed onto bedding or a hankerchief nearby, but avoiding direct skin contact. It is suitable for use from 3 months, always read the label.

Karvol Vaporiser is a unique plug-in that releases Karvol vapours to help promote clear and easy breathing. It is also safe for use with children due to its unique & patented childproof locking system. Refils are also available.

Karvol Decongestant Drops provide a convenient dropper bottle format for the more experienced parents. For babies over 3 months, squeeze the capsule contents onto a handkerchief secured nearby, but out of reach of the child. For older children and adults, place up to six drops onto bedding or a handkerchief nearby, or put into a pint of hot water and inhale the vapours with care.

Karvol Vapour Rub can be rubbed onto the chest of children over 6 months, gently helping clear, easy breathing. It is ideal for use during the day and can be re-applied before bedtime as necessary.

For older children, sore throats can be soothed by giving them a lozenge to suck. Some lozenges just soothe the throat, but others (such as Strepsils Honey & Lemon) also contains antiseptics to help fight the bacteria which can cause sore throats. (Suitable from use from 6 years onwards, always read the label). If you are a smoker, avoid smoking in the same room as your child.

Other tips:

The main problem with colic is the stress and anxiety it causes. Parents and other family members often find it difficult to cope with the constant crying.

How will I know if my baby has colic?

What else might it be?

Other common causes of excessive crying include:

• Poor feeding technique – don’t be afraid to speak to your midwife or health visitor if you need advice.
• Hunger
• Cold
• An itch
• Parental problems (e.g. excessive anxiety or depression).

A variety of illnesses (e.g. gastrointestinal disease, infection) can also result in excessive crying, so you must take care to explore all the infant’s symptoms. Colic does not cause a fever, diarrhoea or vomiting.

What causes colic?

How to treat?

Many parents learn by trial and error how to soothe their baby’s crying, and how to recognise what it is their baby wants. Try to avoid over-stimulating your baby and remember to take ‘time out’ to relax yourself. If you are tired and stressed, you may find it harder to cope with the situation.

There is no treatment to prevent colic, but there are things you can do to reduce the distress to your baby that is caused by colic. The following measures may help to soothe a crying baby:

• Ensure you keep your baby upright whilst feeding to prevent them from swallowing air. Always burp your baby after a feed. Sit your baby upright or hold it up against your shoulder to do this. Gently rub their back and tummy until they burp – sometimes they may vomit a small amount of milk when you do this, this is normal.
• If you breastfeed, try reducing the amount of tea, coffee, and other caffeine containing drinks you have. Some women also find that spicy food and alcohol in their diet can aggravate colic.
• You could also try cutting down on vegetables which can encourage wind production (such as cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower).
• If you are bottle feeding your baby check the holes in the teat are large enough. Small teats may increase the amount of air swallowed along with the milk. ‘Fast-flow’ teats are available and may be a good alternative.
• Babies like gentle movement, so pushing them around in their pram or pushchair, or going for a drive can be comforting.
• Some babies find a low level background noise soothing and preferable to silence. Try the sound of a washing machine or vacuum cleaner but not too loud!

If you do feel your baby needs something more your pharmacist can advise you on the options available, such as lactase drops or gripe water to release trapped wind, or low lactose/hypoallergenic formula milks. However there is little compelling evidence that any of the available treatments are effective.

Sequential one-week trials of removing lactose and then cow’s milk protein from the infant’s diet may be worthwhile, just in case the symptoms are due to an intolerance. To remove lactose from the diet, lactase (an enzyme that breaks down lactose) may be added to the infant’s usual milk, or a low-lactose milk formula may be tried. To remove cow’s milk from a breast-fed infant’s diet, the mother has to stop consuming dairy produce. For bottle-fed infants, the usual formula milk can be replaced by hypoallergenic milk. Remember to speak to a healthcare professional such as your midwife before making significant changes to your baby’s diet.

How will I know if my child has infective conjunctivitis?

What else might it be?

Sometimes newborn babies develop conjunctivitis due to an infection (gonorrhoea or chlamydia) obtained from the mother during birth (neonatal conjunctivitis). You should notice this as a discharge of pus from the eye about one week after birth. If your baby is under 2 months old and you suspect they have conjunctivitis, you should contact your doctor.

Allergic conjunctivitis or irritation of the eye can have different causes, including pollen (hay fever), animal hair, dust, preservatives used in eye drops, and chemicals such as paint and solvents. These usually affect both eyes at the same time, causing red runny eyes, itching of the eyes and nose, a nasal discharge and sneezing.

An object stuck in the eye may produce similar symptoms to conjunctivitis. If you suspect there may be something stuck in your child’s eye, a doctor will need to stain the eye with fluorescein dye so that they can see the object and carefully remove it.

One type of conjunctivitis (infectious keratitis) can cause a sensation of having something in the eye that is so severe and painful it is difficult to open the eyes. If left untreated, permanent damage to the vision may occur. If your baby is in pain then you need to seek medical help.

What to expect:

Infectious conjunctivitis usually resolves itself and does not cause any serious harm. Symptoms should generally improve within 2 to 3 days; however, viral conjunctivitis may last for 2 to 3 weeks.

Prevention:

How to treat:

Often conjunctivitis will resolve spontaneously within 2 to 3 days. However, carefully cleansing the eyes may be soothing and will remove any sticky discharge. If the conjunctivitis is severe, persists for more than 3 days, or your child is very young you should consult a doctor. If the doctor suspects the conjunctivitis is due to a viral infection, treatment may not be necessary. If a bacterial infection is suspected your GP or pharmacist may recommend antibacterial eye drops or ointment, such as Optrex Infected Eyes Eye Drops. These are eye drops which contain an antibiotic called chloramphenicol, and are suitable for children over 2 years.

What is constipation?

Constipation is a commonly encountered problem in children. It can be due to the same reasons as in adults – poor diet, low fluid intake, illness or medication. But in children there can also be some emotional triggers, for example starting potty training or starting school for the first time. The main thing is not to worry and sort the problem out as quickly as possible.

How will I know if my child has constipation?

How to treat constipation:

Constipation remedies should not be used on very young babies, unless in extreme cases and only if prescribed by a doctor. Remember that constipation can be caused by dehydration.

Older babies can be helped by laying them on their back and moving their legs in a cycling motion which gently puts pressure on the intestine and can stimulate bowel movement. Massaging the baby’s tummy can also help. Rub a little baby oil or cream in clockwise circular motions from the navel outwards. This can also make the baby relax, which helps towards relieving constipation. Similarly, a warm bath can also help to put the baby at ease and relieve some of the tension in the bowels.

Older children pick up parents’ anxiety, so it is important not to appear worried. If your child is affected, try to make the same lifestyle changes as you would for yourself by getting him/her to:

• eat more fibre – every parent knows how picky children can be about what they eat, so sneaking high fibre foods into their diet requires some ingenuity. That said, you should try not to make a behavioural issue out of eating – food should remain a pleasure

Click here for useful tips on a high fibre diet, high fibre recipes and a 7 day diet planner

• drink more water
• take more exercise
• cut down on high fat and high sugar content foods
• encourage regular bowel habit setting aside a specific time of day to go to the toilet, such as after breakfast or the evening meal, will teach your child not to put off bowel movements and may help to establish regular habits. A footstool can put the toilet at a comfortable height, while putting out storybooks or comics may help them relax and take their time.

Children’s Constipation Remedies

It’s hard to sit by while your child is suffering, so if necessary a gentle constipation remedy can be given to older children. Fruit-flavoured syrups make it easy for a child to take a remedy – just one 5ml spoonful of Senokot syrup in the morning, can bring effective relief to children aged 6-12 (Consult your doctor for children under 6, always read the label). For children aged 12 or over, Senokot tablets taken at night can bring overnight relief

It can be difficult to get a child to eat enough fibre to relieve constipation. Fybogel Hi-Fibre is a good way to help maintain a child’s regularity, but a doctor should be consulted if a bowel movement has not occurred within three days

Children 6-12 : ½ to 1 level 5ml spoonful, morning and evening, depending on age and size.
Adults and children over 12 : one sachet morning and evening.

What is earache?

The most common cause of earache is an infection in the middle ear – the space between the eardrum and the inner ear – leading to inflammation. This is known as otitis media. A cold or sore throat can make the tubes between the ear and the throat swell and make catarrh. A blockage can form causing fluid to build up in the middle ear. This ‘stagnant’ fluid is vulnerable to infection by bacteria and viruses, causing fever, swelling and pain.

Children are more vulnerable to ear infections because their ‘eustachian tubes’ (the tubes connecting the ear and the throat, which ‘pop’ when you go up in an aeroplane) are smaller and lay flatter than in adults. This means that infection can spread up to the middle ear from the throat more easily and it’s also more difficult for fluid to drain away. The tube grows and develops so that by five or six years, ear infections become less common.

How will I know if my child has earache?

An older child will let you know exactly where their pain is coming from but in babies it can be difficult to read the signs-but there may be a few clues to help you:

• Typically ear infections come on three to four days after a cold or sore throat.
• Your baby may be crying and tugging her ear.
• The ear may appear red.
• There may be yellowish fluid leaking out if the eardrum has burst; this will bring a welcome drop in pain.
• The infected fluid may affect his hearing; so get a check up if he asks you to repeat things or stares at your mouth while you’re talking. But often he won’t localise the pain and all you’ll see is a feverish, miserable child who can’t be comforted.

If you’re worried see your GP who can look at the eardrum and make the diagnosis.

How do I treat earache?

You should always have your child’s ears checked by a doctor if he develops severe earache. This can often wait until the daylight hours, although you should treat the pain and fever straight away:

• If your doctor has diagnosed an infection, it’s worth making an appointment for ten to fourteen days later to check that the fluid has cleared and any holes in the eardrum have healed.
• Green or yellow fluid coming out of the ear suggests that the eardrum has burst. Your doctor may want to prescribe antibiotic medication (either by mouth or as drops) and take a swab of the fluid.
• If you’re worried: Complications are much less common since antibiotics became widely available but rarely the infection can spread to the mastoid bone behind the ear. It can also inflame a nerve in the area leading to temporary numbing of the face and in very rare cases severe infections can spread leading to meningitis.
• If the hearing is affected: If your child is trying to read your lips or mishearing you, it’s vital to get a check up.
• Prop your baby up during a breast or bottle-feed; lying flat increases the risk of ear infections.

It’s also important not to smoke at home, it doesn’t just affect children’s breathing it can also make them more likely to get middle ear infections.

A fever can occur at any age. However, it is quite common during the early years of your child’s life. Often, an infection such as a cold is the cause (see Colds). A fever may also occur following your child’s immunisations because vaccines contain small amounts of the agent they are designed to protect from. This is perfectly normal and should not last longer than a couple of days; however a feverish infant may be uncomfortable and irritable.

How will I know if my child has a fever?

Although feeling their forehead can give an idea of your child’s temperature, a digital thermometer or heat sensitive strip thermometer is required to measure their temperature accurately. Recording a body temperature of at least 37.2°C on 2 occasions at least 2 hours apart, is a reliable indication of a fever. As well as a high temperature, an infant with a fever may also have:

• a flushed appearance
• irritability and crying
• clammy skin or sweating
• tiredness
• a headache or other aches and pains.

What else might it be?

If your child is crying in pain and tugging at their ears they may have an ear infection causing earache, which can also raise the temperature.

Throat infections can also cause a fever and inflamed tonsils are common in children. If your child is keeping her mouth tightly closed and won’t let you look at her throat then feel for enlarged glands in the neck. These often go hand in hand with a throat infection. In children over 6 years sore and painful throats can be soothed with a sore throat lozenge such as Strepsils Honey & Lemon (Always read the label)

Is your child coughing? Chest infections can also cause a fever and may require antibiotics.

The word meningitis strikes fear into parents, but the truth is that meningitis is an uncommon illness and unlikely to be the cause of a fever. However, although meningitis is rare, you should be aware of the symptoms. Fever is one of the signs of meningitis, but there are others to look out for in infants including:

• vomiting/refusing to feed
• sometimes diarrhoea
• cold hands and feet
• extreme shivering
• tense or bulging fontanelle (soft spot on head)
• very sleepy/staring expression/unable to wake
• fast or difficult breathing
• irritable when picked up with a high pitched or moaning cry
• a stiff body with jerky movements, or floppy and lifeless
• blotchy skin, turning paler or blue
• pin prick rash/marks or purple bruising anywhere on the body which does not disappear when a glass tumbler is pressed firmly against it (the tumbler test).

An infant with meningitis requires urgent medical attention, acting quickly and being careful can save a child’s life. You should make sure you are fully aware of the symptoms. Further information is available from The Meningitis Research Foundation at www.meningitis.org.

What to expect:

A fever will usually settle within a day. A rapidly rising temperature may cause chills (shivering) and, in some infants, a high fever (over 39°C) can lead to seizures, known as febrile convulsions. During a febrile convulsion, the body may shake and twitch and the eyes may roll back, as the high temperature affects the electrical activity in the brain. This usually lasts less than 5 minutes and although very frightening for you, is thought to be harmless. This said you should always seek medical advice if it happens. Up to 4% of children under 5 years have febrile convulsions at some point and your child will be totally unaware that it has happened. Just be sure to keep them safe, lay them on their side on the floor and remove any dangerous objects they could harm themselves on. It’s also important you don’t try to restrain your child as you could hurt them.

How to treat a fever:

The good news is that there’s plenty you can do to help reduce your child’s fever and make them more comfortable. Children’s ibuprofen suspensions (Such as Nurofen for Children) are clinically proven to effectively reduce fever, and Paracetamol suspensions (such as Disprol Paracetamol Suspension) can also help lower your child’s temperature. Always read the product label.

Paracetamol is gentle on the stomach and Disprol is available as a paracetamol suspension or soluble tablets for infants as young as 3 months. Younger infants may also be able to take Disprol, following advice from a doctor.

Ibuprofen is a fast acting medicine and Nurofen for Children is an effective way to help make your child feel better, fast. Nurofen for Children was the first Ibuprofen suspension suitable to give your baby from just 3 months (weighing over 5kg). It starts working to reduce fever in just 15 minutes, and lasts longer than Paracetamol based medicines (up to 8 hours) – just enough to get a good nights’ sleep! In fact – nothing reduces fever faster or lasts for longer than Nurofen for Children!

It is useful to take an infant’s temperature before giving any fever-reducing medication, so that you can monitor your child’s progress.

You can also help reduce your child’s discomfort by keeping them cool. You can do this by:

• Removing excess clothing
• Keeping the room cool (approximately 20°C)
• Using a light sheet in the cot rather than blankets or duvets
• Give babies smaller and more frequent feeds to help keep them hydrated

Physical methods of cooling an infant such as fanning, cold bathing and tepid sponging are controversial. They can cause discomfort and probably have little effect.

If you are unable to control your child’s fever or it persists for more than 24 hours always seek medical advice.

How to Treat Minor Wounds

Always wash your hands before and after administering first aid. For minor wounds-such as insect bites, cuts and abrasions-you can reduce the risk of infection by cleaning the wound, treating it with an antiseptic such as Dettol antiseptic cream, and covering with a clean dressing. The antiseptic will help reduce the number of germs present, while the dressing prevents more germs from entering the wound.

Tips for treating minor wounds:

• Be sympathetic – now is not the time to nag your child for running too fast or climbing too high. Save the lectures for later.
• Wash and dry your hands thoroughly.
• Stop any bleeding by pressing against it firmly with a clean, preferably, sterile, pad. (If you’re desperate a clean sanitary towel is perfect!)
• Clean the wound by rinsing under running water or bathing with an antiseptic wash.
• Gently dry the wound.
• If the surrounding skin is dirty, temporarily cover the wound with a sterile gauze. Then clean the surrounding skin with soap and water, taking care to keep dirt away from the wound.
• Pat the skin dry, treat the wound with an antiseptic cream and then cover with a plaster.
• Check when your child last had a tetanus injection – they may need a booster.

If the wound is deep deal with the bleeding while you are waiting for expert medical help. Stay with your child as the sight of blood may be frightening for her. Use gravity to slow bleeding by raising the cut above the level of the heart and press firmly with a pad. If the cut is deep and the edges can’t be pulled together your child may need stitches.

What should I have in my first aid kit?

• Plasters (cartoon character ones tend to go down well!)
• Antiseptic Cream
• Antiseptic wash
• Cotton Wool
• Gauze dressing & tape
• A children’s painkiller
• Crepe bandage
• Scissors

It is estimated that about one in five children have head lice at any given time so rest assured, if you think your offspring are infested, you are certainly not alone.

What are head lice?

Head lice are about 2-3 mm in length and have three pairs of pincer-like legs which they use to grip the hair shaft tightly. This of course means that they camouflage well. As the most common of all human parasites, head lice can affect anyone regardless of social group, age, sex or level of cleanliness – in fact there is little head lice like more than a lovely head of clean hair!

How do you catch head lice?

Contrary to popular belief, head lice cannot fly or jump, they can only walk from one head to another across a bridge of hair, surrounded by warm air. This is why they are so prevalent among school children. The close proximity of say 30 or so children in a classroom, with no fear of personal boundaries, can mean parasitic infestations are a real, and recurring, problem for some.

How can I tell if head lice are lurking?

Itching and scratching of the scalp is one of the most obvious signs that your child has head lice, but not everyone has symptoms so it is worth checking the hair regularly, particularly if you know of friends or relatives who have infestations.

The best way to catch an infestation early is to check your child’s hair on a weekly basis. In an ideal world the hair should be checked with a plastic detection comb while wet or damp, allowing a good 20 minutes to do a thorough look through. To facilitate this procedure, which let’s face it, is unpleasant for all, you could add a dash of vinegar, lemon juice or lavender oil to the water beforehand. This really helps head lice to lose their grip. If you lean the child over a light coloured cloth and comb their hair in small sections from root to tip you’ll soon see any live lice and eggs drop off.

Top tip:

If you find your child has an infestation, all members of the household should be checked for lice too. The best way to avoid a cycle of re-infestation is to check and treat everyone at the same time.

How do you treat head lice?

There are numerous treatments available in your local pharmacy. These range from insecticidal treatments (generally containing one of three active ingredients – malathion, permethrin and phenothrin) to electric combs, herbal shampoos, conditioners and non-insecticidal treatments such as neem oil.

There are pros and cons to each so it is worth talking to your local pharmacist – for example, there is a theory that head lice can become immune to certain ingredients so try to establish what has been working for other people in your area at the time of this particular infestation.

And finally…. Department of Health guidelines advise that there is no need to keep your children home from school during an infestation.

Did you know?

In the 1940s, the treatment of head lice involved compulsory de-lousing and a shaven head.

Here is a table of all the immunisations your child will need and at what age he’ll need to have them.

What if my child develops a fever after vaccination?

When your child is immunised he’s injected with a tiny amount of the bacteria or virus that causes the disease. Even though this isn’t enough to give him the disease itself, the body can sometimes start battling the bugs. Which means your child’s temperature might go up.

To help with a fever, many health care professionals suggest ibuprofen – the active ingredient in Nurofen for Children – because it can help reduce fever for up to 8 hours. Here are some other things you can do to bring your child’s temperature down:

• Keep him in a room that is warm
• Check his temperature regularly to make sure he’s not getting too cold
• Give infant ibuprofen suspension, like Nurofen for Children
• Offer drinks and food, even though you might be turned down
• If you’re worried for any reason, please speak to your doctor

For more information on fever in your baby click here.