susyp

interested in this thread given that my daughter has been consistently ill since the weather turned.... what do we give our children to boost their immunity?! agree - saffron?! susypx

Yes thank you everyone this is so unbelievably useful, thank you all so much. His mother speaks mandarin to him and his father english so my husband reckons this is an issue - but i can't believe that ! They do talk to him all the time he does get a lot of attention. But I definitely find the lack of babbling and pointing an issue. Will think about some of the points raised everytime I see him and see if I can get a chance to talk to my brother about it. it's a bit difficult as I have recently diagnosed my mother and cured her of a life threatening illness (she basically had scurvy and none of the doctors we saw would believe me - I found a tablet she could take and hey presto she is better having been bed bound !!) - anyway - my parents have been singing my praises like mad to my siblings and if I come out with a new medical opinion on my nephew I think my family will think I am getting a bit ahead of myself!! comes with the territory of being paranoid / neurotic though! susypx

I think she'll see right through me if I try that so I am going to put my husband on to it on the days he has to get her dressed! susypx

Oh god I am controlled by a 4 year old! Susypx

that sounds like a brilliant idea! I use that for eating - sounds terrible but if I get her to race eating with her dad (another very slow eater) then we can be done within an hour.... They are so competitive at this age! She sounds very like my daughter . Good luck and post about how you get on! susypx

no tips - my daughter is 4 1/2 and exactly the same. They make her put on her own tights after pe at school so I know she can do it. She won't even put on her own pants and i end up doing it as too tired in mornings to have the fight. I am not finding reward charts any use any more either. They are having to get changed fully for pe from next term so I am hoping that will help ! I am hoping it is just an age thing. i help out in her class and virtually all the boys just hold out their arms to have their coats put on at playtime - my daughter is one of less than half the class to put their own coats on! (not that she will do it at home). I am not sure if this is a reception reaction - ie they are suddenly having to be so independent at school that it makes them regress at bit home??? As she is certainly a lot more "attached" to me since starting school. Honestly I turn around in the kitchen and she's right there behind me. Not independent in the least at home. And yet I know a lot of her friends get themselves dressed. susypx ps morning would be lovely if she would sort herself out!! I feel that we are improving since nursery when I used to have to chase her around the house to get dressed. She is at least willing now. To be dressed if not to dress herself. !

just woken up so may not have read properly but I agree that the napping at lunch may be the problem - how annoying of the nursery! I dropped my daughter's at 2 for this very reason - then she would go to bed at 6pm (bliss!). Initially begged to go to bed from about 4pm so I had to jsut use tv to keep her up but pretty soon was used to it. Even now, 2 year later, she begs to go up to bed at 630 if I have lost track of time ! susypx

no he is not pointing or speaking (apart from imitating my daughter's cough - which was very loud so I am interested in the idea of a hearing test). thank you so much for all the responses. I am taking them all on board and having a bit of a mull .. susypx

thanks for all the suggestions - it has now morphed into a full blown cold + temperature so I think it may just be that she is continously fighting the same virus. She had such a high temperature last night that she actually slept all night - mroe or less passed out - of course I didn't as checked on her a lot! Will definitely put some of those ideas into play - I have a feeling this cough may last the winter! We've had some antibiotics - it still came back. everyone seems to be ill at the moment don't they?susypx

saw him and he is moving (crawling now), and quite responsive. The only issue now really is the lack of noise! no babbling which is so sad as I love baby babbling. my sil is v competitive though and spent a long time showing me how clever he is with his blocks etc so it's going to be tricky. I wonder if 18 months is too young to refer though for speech therapy - at least he is doing other things now. thanks so much for all advice. i am being a complete worrier this christmas. need a spa break!!! susypx

hi all, sorry to post yet more about my daughter's cough! just in case anyone had see and conquered the post nasal drip?! this is definitely what is causing my daughter's chronic cough (8 weeks now on and off - chronic at night ie only a few hours sleep). I can hear it in her throat. Doc says her chest is completely clear. We were prescribed steriods for dust mite allergy but I read the info leaflet with the steriods after 2 doses (to see if calpol allowed) and read that they can cause severe complications if the child gets chicken pox - now chicken pox is in her class, i don;t plan to cancel our christmas playdates, she definitely has a risk of getting it. doctor didn;t warn me. 2 doses has made no difference anyway so i am taking her off them. we had 2 hours sleep christmas eve - she was slightly better last night. Is snotty but not coughing much in the day and then horrendous at night. am kind of at wits end now! susypx

Doctor now says thinks its a dust mite allergy brought on by a cold. So out goes humidifer onto anti histamine and steriods. It completely makes sense actually. Just putting this on in case it's relevant to anyone else. susypx

Just wanted to bump in case anyone has a problem with recurrent cough - my daughter's chronic cough returned today for third time (each time 5 days of health - then it;s back!) - on her first really bad day she always vomits loads of mucus - well she did this today just as my entire family arrived for lunch. Nice! I had bought the vicks warm mist humidifier on recommendation of people on forum. However v nervous to use it cos we have just had her room decorated . But I decided tonight - we can repaint the room - we can't take any more sleepless nights. So on it goes. 2 HOURS not one cough. I mean that's an eternity for her even during her "well" periods! my only problem is that I don't think I filled it enough so will be getting up at 3am to shut it off! But it definitely seems to be working. will see in the morning how the paint's looking!! susypx

I've also had flu and it is absolutely awfu. and my daughter had it at 18 months and was hospitalised so don't underestimate how serious it can be in children - ie your unborn baby. susypx

Hi all My nephew has been very late to do everything - which is obviously fine. However at nearly 19 months he still doesn't crawl much (he can, but he doesn't), he doesn't walk or pull up (he does have strength in legs as he can walk if you hold him but is not v interested in doing so), and he has never made any baby noises. I have always assumed he is just very different to my daughter and not thought about it too much (my daughter was a crazy baby!) but I was describing him to a friend last night and I realised how it was sounding. He doesn't even point to things etc. What I have noticed he has been far ahead of my daughter on is anything kind of technical - eg building blocks, shape sorters etc. He is very good at these and my daughter could never do them - by the time she could she was running around so didn't bother. So I have always assumed he was clever but not bothered about physical stuff. But now even this seems to be a bit of a red flag? So last night I had a little google - and although my search reassured me that he doesn't have many of the autistic symptoms (ie he does (sometimes) smile and laugh and will respond to his name, respond to his parents etc), I also read that it was crucial with anything like this to recognise it early ie around 18 months. He certainly has some sort of development delay doesn't he? And what do I do - I don't want to be really upsetting to my brother and sister in law. But my Mum did mention to me the other day that they were concerned about him not reaching his talking milestones for 18 months - he still doesn't babble or even say dada. Question is - do i say something - ie it might be worth getting him checked out to see if he can have a bit of help with his speech? After Christmas of course. Had always assumed this would be too interfering but now I've read how important early intervention is I feel that I should raise it. Or does this sound quite normal - I've been around babies at playgroups etc but apart from my daughter have no real experience of babies - are some babies like this and am I worrying over nothing? any advice , this is not an area I have a clue about. Susypx also to say obv I will see him over christmas so is there anything I should be looking out for to assess whether I should say anythihng? my friend mentioned the pointing thing and I hadn't thought about it but then I remembered how much my daughter did it pre speech and how he never does it. I just can't remember the things she used to do that are "normal" baby behaviour.

yes i have heard of vicks thing - it makes sense in a reflexology sense but didn;t work for us. just wanted to say as I posted a similar thread recently - thank god after 4 horrendous weeks my daughter now only has a slight cough - wakes her up at 6am but at least we get to there ok - the end is in sight even if you think you are drowning! coughs are so awful! susypx

Ah thank you for the back up. It's fine really just a few mums. Luckily I was part of a lovely nursery class so I know it's not me. It's the PTA reps really and I think that happens. I went today and as I didn't go yesterday quite a few individual mums were extra friendly so it's just a case of ignoring the clique! Also I help in her class library day so am the only mum to know all the children individually and get on v well with her teachers so really need to think about that and ignore the silliness. Why people feel the need to be so unfriendly is beyond me! Susypx

yes totally. Just had to vent. It's really so unimportant in the general scheme of things. But - twice a day can get to you! Hubbie going tomorrow! susypx

Finding it v tough at school gates for my daughters class this year. Anyone else had this experience? In my case a small group of mums being cliquey and bitchy. I know I shouldn't care but ... Sigh Susypx

Saffron what you raise is v interesting. I agree to a point, eg I help at a children's cancer charity and my daughter who is 4 knows what it is and why I help. I don't shield her or myself from the harsh reality about it. However that aha article did make me think about how I always pour over the details of any tragedy involving children and it def makes me an - even more - neurotic parent. So I am taking its advice and not reading any more. It is a random occurance and it is unlikely I can do anything to help. I thinking about the parents but I don't need full details to do that? Susypx

I'd also reiterate holding off unless you really have to explain it. I was a bit over enthusiastic in explaining stranger danger to my daughter after the april jones murder and it meant she wouldn't have her school photograph taken as the man was a stranger. She still tells me off whenever I talk to anyone she doesn't know - as they are strangers. Hard being a parent isn't it! Susypx

Yes she is up to date. There's definitely not a whoop. And I don't think it's croup either. She seems to have an intolerance to mucus. We are thinking of trying antihistamine later tonight when the cough med wears off. I saw her teacher today who said she had a similar thing and hence missed lots of school until she went to secondary school - she ended up with lung infections etc so warned me to be v careful with my daughter. So it would be nice to find something to help otherwise I think we are virtually home schooling her over the winters! School were great and agreed I could take her in for xmas party next week but then take her off for the rest of the week to keep her healthy for christmas. Luckily her main interest is art and I have plenty of stuff for her to do. The other thing is that a couple of times last week her feet got soaked in the playground and stayed that way all day - can;t be good for her - I am thinking of sending her in in wellies - she can always just have tights on in the classroom. I can't see her changing out of her shoes each break time so easier just to welly her up on wet or frosty days. susypx

yes i might invest in a vapouriser. I am bit worried a) that she might burn herself on it and b) hubby is worried paint will peel? susypx

Jo Brand does a hilarious anecdote about getting a diapraghm which was so close to my experience it was untrue! She got there in the end though - I didn't as I got terrified when I couldn't get it out! , good luck! susypx

I wondered if anyone had every been prescribed anything helpful for a cough? My 4 year daughter had a terrible cough the week before last that made her vomit, cough uncontrollably, not sleep etc. Eventually we got antibiotics and she did get better slowly. We've had a week and now it's back - it's such a bad cough and she just choked on her food and coulnd't breathe for a few seconds - was terrifying. I can't see her going back to school before CHristmas. We're all knackered too. Any advice from anyone who has experienced this? thank you Susypx