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Summer weather invites us to enjoy activities with our children, but we need to be extra careful about keeping them safe. This means never leaving a child in a vehicle – even for a minute – to prevent accidental heat stroke and even death.

Jade Elliott spoke with Jessica Strong, Community Health Manager, Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital, to discuss the dangers of hot cars during this episode of the Baby Your Baby Podcast.

Hot vehicles can kill. About 40 children across the country die each year after being left in a hot vehicle. In Utah, 13 children have died in hot vehicles since 1990, and others have suffered injuries in “close calls.”

These tragedies can happen to anyone, and often occur when caretakers forget a child is in the car. Stress, fatigue, and change of routine can push a person’s brain into autopilot, making it easier to forget.

Summer is a time of heightened risk due to hot weather and changes in routine, including children out of school and families staying up late for activities. Family routine changes that have come with the coronavirus pandemic can add extra stress – and give us even more reason to be vigilant about safety.

To help provide caretakers with visual reminders that a child is in the vehicle, Primary Children’s is offering free Baby Safety Snaps at PrimaryChildrens.org/safety. The Safety Snap is a bright yellow lanyard printed with the words “Baby in Car.” The snap clicks into the car seat buckle where the straps connect in the 5-point harness. When you put your baby in the seat, you remove the lanyard and put it around your neck. When you arrive at your destination, the lanyard helps you remember the baby in the car.

Here are some additional tips to help prevent accidental heatstroke injuries:

– Never leave your child alone in a vehicle – even for a few minutes. A child’s body temperature can increase 3-5 times faster than an adult’s. Cracking a window has very little effect on the temperature inside the car.

– Always check your vehicle before leaving it.

– Keep a visual reminder that a child is with you, like a stuffed animal or diaper bag in the seat next to you, or your cell phone or purse in the backseat.

– If you see a child left alone in a car, contact the police or call 911.

The Baby Your Baby program provides many resources for all pregnant women and new moms in Utah. There is also expert advice from the Utah Department of Health and Intermountain Healthcare that air each week on KUTV 2News.

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There’s nothing like the pure, beautiful, soft skin of a baby! But your baby’s skin is still developing and that makes it very sensitive and prone to some skin conditions.

Jade Elliott sat down with Dylan Alston, a dermatologist with Intermountain Healthcare to help us learn about some common baby skin conditions, and know which of these are normal, and how to treat them and when you should see a dermatologist.

“Baby Acne”

The medical term for “baby acne” or erythema toxicorum neonatalis is a benign acne-like eruption on the central part of the face. It typically starts 1-2 days after delivery. It is thought to be related to the immaturity of the oil glands of the newborn. No treatment is necessary, and the condition improves over the next 7-10 days of life.

There is another condition, neonatal cephalic pustulosis that looks similar to “baby acne.” Eruption occurs a little later, at 2-3 weeks after birth. The baby’s face and scalp can be affected. Neonatal cephalic pustulosis is thought to be related to skin colonization of a common yeast known as malassezia. Again, no treatment is necessary and the condition resolves without intervention.

Cradle cap

Cradle cap for all intents and purposes is baby dandruff. It again is thought to be related to the baby’s immune system reacting towards a common yeast on the skin. If the baby is over three months, using a safe dandruff shampoo would be helpful but not necessary. Under three months of age, just use a regular baby shampoo. Leave it on the head a about 2-3 minutes for best results. This is good advice for adults who have dandruff too.

Eczema

Because the newborn baby’s skin barrier is still developing, they are particularly susceptible to eczema. In infants, eczema often starts on the face, especially the cheeks and over time, moves to more common locations like the arms and legs. It has a red, rashy look. Introducing new foods to the child can make the eczema flare, so introducing one new food at a time and watching for skin rashes afterward can help provide clues to a potential food allergy. Steroid creams can help. Vaseline is a good moisturizer can reduce the risk of eczema later in life.

Diaper rash

The diaper area of a baby is particularly prone to developing rashes and irritation. The key is to change the diaper often enough to keep the baby’s skin from being injured by the alkaline nature of urine by keeping the area clean and dry. Skin protectants such as zinc oxide are great for creating a barrier between the delicate skin and the diaper contents.

Yeast can cause diaper rash. The chubby creases are susceptible to yeast. If the rash is in the crease, it may be caused by yeast. If the rash is not in the crease, then an irritant may be causing it.

Contact dermatitis from wet wipes

Unfortunately, dermatologists are seeing a significant increase in contact dermatitis in babies, or a rash that occurs when the skin is in contact with something irritating. A common ingredient that can cause contact dermatitis in babies is methylchloroisothiazolinone or MCI/MI, an ingredient in many manufactured wet wipes. Wipes should be hypoallergenic and preservative free. Parents with sensitive skin are more likely to have babies with sensitive skin.

Sunscreen sensitivity

Babies under six months have skin that is still developing and is very sensitive. Avoid using sunscreen on your baby until after six months of age. Instead, use hats and clothing. UV protective fabrics are best and should have a UPF (ultra-violet protection factor) rating of 50+. These fabrics have a higher thread count that can better block the sun’s rays than regular clothing.  To learn more about these clothes, click here.

After six months of age, you can use sunscreen on your baby, but a mineral-based sunscreen with zinc or titanium oxide is least likely to cause a skin reaction in your baby. Avoid using chemical-based sunscreens on babies.

If your baby has a skin condition that persists and you have questions or are concerned about, see a board-certified dermatologist, as they are specially trained to diagnose skin conditions.

For more information: https://intermountainhealthcare.org/services/dermatology/

Additional links mentioned during the podcast:

https://www.aap.org/en-us/Pages/Default.aspx

https://www.aad.org/

https://www.instagram.com/igskindoc/

The Baby Your Baby program provides many resources for all pregnant women and new moms in Utah. There is also expert advice from the Utah Department of Health and Intermountain Healthcare that air each week on KUTV 2News.

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After children learn to crawl they start to pull up into standing position. This indicates that they could be getting ready to start walking.

Jade Elliott sat down with Jackie Swan, Early Intervention Program Director, Summit County Health Department, to discuss how parents can help prepare their child to start walking on this episode of the Baby Your Baby Podcast.

Babies pull to stand typically at the couch and learn to cruise by moving side to side against the couch. Placing something they want on the couch helps encourage the child to pull into standing position. Also, taking off the cushions of the couch allows for a lower surface for their height.

After the child is cruising they learn to bridge between two surfaces (couch and small table). Children use push toys for balance and standing by themselves. They will stand at small tables to play with toys. They learn to stand by themselves and stand in the middle of the floor when they learn balance skills. They want to learn to move around their environment.

The Baby Your Baby program provides many resources for all pregnant women and new moms in Utah. There is also expert advice from the Utah Department of Health and Intermountain Healthcare that air each week on KUTV 2News.

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A newborn screening is a mandatory screening for all of our Utah babies. Currently, the Utah Department of Health tests for over 40 different disorders. If these disorders aren’t caught and treated, then they can lead to health issues, brain damage, or possibly death.

Jade Elliott sat down with Kari Weiss from the Utah Department of Health, to discuss newborn screenings, what they test for and how they work.

What if my family’s health history is healthy? The disorders we screen for are called autosomal recessive and do not appear in every generation. Many times these disorders are the first in a family. That is why screening is so important.

When is it collected and by whom? Utah is a two screen state. The first screen is 24-48 hours after birth. This is either done in the hospital or with a midwife. The second one is 7-16 days after birth. The hospital or midwife will give you the 2nd card to take to your baby’s health care provider for collection at the 2 week checkup.

How much does it cost? The kit is $118. This fee funds 100% of our program. We do not receive any general State funds to operate the program. Typically this fee is rolled into the hospital’s laboratory fee. If you are having a home birth, you will need to work with your midwife to purchase a kit.

What if I can’t pay this? Call us and talk with us.

What does the cost cover? This covers all the testing (1st, 2nd and any necessary repeats), confirmatory (diagnostic) testing and follow-up.

How is the test done? Baby will have a simple heel prick where several drops of blood that are placed on the screening card (one drop in each circle).

How do I get my results? They are sent to the baby’s health care provider or midwife.

What if the results come back abnormal? We will contact your doctor’s office or midwife for further testing.

What happens to the card after? The dried blood spot is kept for a minimum of 90 days to ensure all testing is complete and nothing needs repeating. After this the sample may be used for quality assurance/quality control purposed that are related to newborn screening. Space is limited therefore we only have sample that are a few years old.

Can I request to have the blood sample destroyed? Yes, the left over specimen can be destroyed after 90 days and by completing a “Request for Destruction” form.

What if I want to refuse the test? In the interest of your baby’s health, Utah law requires newborn screening. An exception can only be made for a religious objection [Statute 26-10-6 (1)]. Visit the Objections section of our website for more information.

How is this tracked? Each baby is assigned a Kit number. This is like a medical record number. The first, second and any additional samples have the same kit number but a different accession numbers.

What do we do if the collection screen is unsatisfactory or untestable multiple times? We offer on-site training. Call us and we can schedule a time where we will come out and help with trainings.

What can I do as a parent? Ensure your baby’s card is filled out completely and accurately. We need to know the correct health care provider in order to send and communicate your baby’s results. Also, if we cannot reach the provider, we need to know how to contact you if we have urgent information to communicate. Also, make sure two screens have been completed at the right time.

What about adoption or foster care? Fill out the card with the person who will be taking care of baby. We need to know who the guardian is in case we need to contact them with medical instructions.

What if my baby was born out of state? Do not start a Utah screen, contact the state the baby was born in, request the result and inquire if additional follow-up is needed. Some states only have one screen while others, such as Utah, screen twice. If this is not possible, a Utah kit will need to be purchased.

Where can I get more information? newbornscreening.health.utah.gov

The Baby Your Baby program provides many resources for all pregnant women and new moms in Utah. There is also expert advice from the Utah Department of Health and Intermountain Healthcare that air each week on KUTV 2News.