Do you have a question about children’s health? Ask Dr. Pixie McKenna here and you could win a £150 Love2Shop voucher! ANSWERS NOW BACK

[AnnMumsnet]

Dr. Pixie McKenna is here to answer any questions you may have on children's health, specifically cold and flu, fever, teething and earache. As a mum of one to daughter Darcey, Pixie is more than a medical expert – she's a parent who's had first-hand experience looking after her own child and is here to share her top tips and advice.

Here’s a little bit more about Dr. Pixie:

Dr. Pixie has strong family background of medicine (she is the third generation of doctors in her family!) and has a lifetime of knowledge with over 13 years medical experience since qualifying. She's currently a practising GP at London’s Harley Street.

Post your questions to Dr. Pixie by the 1 February 2016 and we will pick 20 for her to respond to. Everyone who posts a question will be entered into a prize draw where one lucky Mumsnetter will win a £150 Love2Shop voucher. A link to her responses will be posted by 29th February 2016.

Please note, Dr. Pixie is here to give advice but cannot mention, discuss or endorse any brands or products.

This Q&A is sponsored by Nurofen for Children.

Thanks,

MNHQ.

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[Realitea]

Hi Dr McKenna! My daughter has just turned 5 and she still wakes up in the night. She's had an overnight assessment which returned no results and it was put down to behaviour rather than anything medical.
I'm just wondering..how much sleep does someone this age need? She functions fine but looks very tired!
Thanks

[Chrisx2]

Hello Dr Pixie, please can you tell me if growing pains are actually real ? My granddaughter seems to grow an inch a week, well, slight exaggeration , but suffers with painful legs from time to time.

[GloGirl]

I keep hearing conflicting reports about which is better for pain in babies, ibuprofen or paracetamol. Which one is your first 'go to' with a poorly baby?

[shona40]

my daughter who is 6 at 2 years old developed benign Paroxysmal vertigo of childhood with migraine and every 6 to 8 weeks has severe vertigo with a migraine for 7 to 10 days hate seeing her so bad as cant even put hand under head before she is sick with movement do you know anything about condition as any meds been given to try do nothing had beta blockers and did not work seen neurologists in Aberdeen and Glasgow could the crystilasation in ear be getting worse to make it so bad as had mri and lumber pumture thanks

[WheresLarry]

Hi Dr McKenna, in your opinion, what is the best way to take a baby/toddlers temperature when suspecting a fever? Do the ways vary the older they get? Thank you.

[WannaBeAMummy16]

Hi Dr Pixie!

Can you offer advice please on how to get a 2 year old to take liquid medication (calpol/nurofen) or what alternatives there are? Thank you.

[CMOTDibbler]

Is there anything that actually helps molloscum go faster?

[Haribomachtkinderfroh]

Hi Dr Pixie,

From which age can a child safely take paracetamol/ibuprofen in tablet form?

[StDogolphin]

Hello Dr Pixie, my son is 8 and has lost his bottom two teeth without any problems but one of his top two teeth is very large and seems to be two teeth stuck together. It caused him a lot more pain than the bottom two when it came through. He had his six month check up but the dentist couldn't tell us much as it was only just emerging. Since then more is through and its massive compared to the other one. Is this very unusual? I am concerned about his self esteem as I think it might really effect him. Do you have any advice?

[VaseandCandle]

Do you recommend getting the meningitis B vaccine privately for children who were born before July 2015?

[Fairylea]

Do you think long term nightly use of melatonin is safe ? My son aged 3.7 has autism and hardly sleeps at all and we find the melatonin helps him to get off to sleep more quickly (he still wakes up in the early hours!) but I do wonder if it's safe to use every night as we do. Different people say different things! Thanks.

[LobsterQuadrille]

Hi Dr Pixie.
My daughter is generally very healthy and has only ever needed to see our GP with ear infections and resulting earache/ ringing/slight deafness in her ear(s). Her first ear infection was as a baby and later as a four year old when her ears were syringed and this appeared to clear the problem up for quite a while (at the time I was working overseas). She's suffered from subsequent ear infections for the last few years and has been prescribed one ear spray after another - and antibiotics. She's had difficulty at school because when it's bad, she cannot hear the teachers - but the UK doctors seem dead set against syringing. Is there a reason for this and is there any really good alternative? I cannot face any more warmed olive oil .... Any advice gratefully received!

[Kraggle]

Hi Dr Pixie, my nearly 3 year old is starting nursery soon. It will be the first time she has been in childcare.

Is there anything we can do to limit the apparent onslaught of bugs that I have been told are coming our way? I'm worried she's going to start nursery and catch every illness going when she has been very robust up to now!

[LadyGardener2]

My 7.5 year old has developed breast buds. I read up on precocious puberty and took her to the doctors who did a blood test which came back as "normal" with no other info. Does this mean it is not puberty, or that it is puberty, just not precocious? Isn't 7.5 too young for it? And is there any drawbacks to starting so early?
Thanks.

[wannabestressfree]

Hi :) I have bad crohns and short bowel and all three of my son's have stomach issues. Although crohns is not heridatary I know it can run in families. Is it worth pushing for a diagnosis? It took a long time for me and as a result I have a colostomy bag. I am keen to spare them this trauma!
Thanks for your time....

[ButterflyOfFreedom]

Hi Dr Pixie

Just a quick question about dry skin - my DS (3) often gets patches of dry skin of his back & legs. They seem to come and go, though there seems
no pattern as to when & why they appear.
It doesn't seem to bother him and I usually just put a bit of E45 cream on to help sooth it.
Any idea what it is, why it appears, and how best to treat it?

[kissmelittleass]

Hello Dr.Pixie,
My daughter has a goitre discovered at 2 years of age. She is now 7 and has not had a blood test or scan since as the doctors think it's fine. I worry about her obviously being so young as I haven't read of anyone as young with this. Should I see the doctor again about getting her a scan? Thank you!

[RaisedByWolves]

Dr Pixie,

I'm in my third trimester and got the 'flu, even though i've had the jab in November. I'm worried that this is bad news. Can you explain How (if at all) will this affect my baby and me post partum?

Many thanks,

Raisedbywolves

[CopperPan]

Hello Dr Pixie

My DS is 12 and still bedwetting. He is prescribed desmopressin which we give him a break from every now and then, but it doesn't seem to be improving. Is it worth trying to train him at his age or is it true that he just needs to develop the antidiuretic hormone which will come in time? Is it going to cause long term damage to keep him on it, he gets quite upset when we trial him off. Thank you for any advice!

[Cocacolaandchocolate]

My 11 year old has been diagnosed with hasimotos thyroid disorder. How will this affect puberty for him?

[Cocacolaandchocolate]

My dd was diagnosed with a missing/low range immuglobin.

What does this mean? (The explanation we had told us that sh will be more sucptible to ear infections.)

Could this be the cause of her loose offensive nappys?

[Shirkingfromhome]

Can you tell me more about the reasons behind giving under 5's vitamin D supplements, please? I live in the northwest and the HV said it can be caused by lack of sunlight. I didn't think it was that bad here!

Thank you

[MakeTeaNotWar]

Hi Dr Pixie - what are your thoughts on having the chickenpox vaccine privately done? At age 3 and 5, neither of my DCs have had the dreaded pox yet. Thanks!

[WannaBurger2016]

Hi Dr. Pixie,

What advice would you give for a cold-filled; bunged up baby? Any tips to help her recover quickly?