Live Q&A with the MyHealthcare Clinic medical experts - Thursday 3rd July 9.30-10.30

[LocalEditorWandsworth]

We get a lot of questions on our talk boards about medical issues: everything from suspicious rashes, childhood eczema, allergies, reflux, colic and vaccinations through to contraceptive implants, coils and thrush remedies! Then there are all the pregnancy related questions...

With that in mind, we've invited a panel of GPs, dentists and nurses from MyHealthcare Clinic Wandsworth along for a live Q&A this Thursday 3rd July between 9.30am and 10.30am.

The experts joining us will be: GPs Dr Roseanne Whitfield and Dr Victoria Froome, dentist Dr Wendy Sandeman, dental hygienist Samantha Hogg and registered nurse Anne Metzger. Between them they should be able to answer pretty much any medical or dental question you can think of!

If you can't make it online for the live chat, don't worry. Just post your question on this thread in advance and they'll answer on Thursday.

About MyHealthcare Clinic Wandsworth

MyHealthcare Clinic is a brand new approach to integrated medical and dental healthcare. Their dentists, GPs, therapists and consultants work together in an ultra-modern clinic at Battersea Reach with state-of-the-art equipment, where they can take complete care of all your healthcare needs. You can book consecutive appointments with your dentist and GP, have a 4D pregnancy scan or dental CT scan, and get blood test results the same day – all in the convenience of one modern clinic. There is also excellent paediatric support as well as prenatal and postnatal packages. MyHealthcare Clinic services are available through affordable monthly membership plans and on a pay-as-you-go basis.

Dear Tiredofwetsheets,
It can be tiring for children and parents on long-haul flights but good preparation will help. Take spare clothes in case they are sick, and a supply of food they can eat as the aeroplane meals may not be to their taste or arrive at the right time. Some toys and books will help the time go more quickly.
In terms of medication, Joyrides is an anti-sickness medicine that could help with any air-sickness and it does have a sedating side effect. Most children though still sleep at their usual times without being medicated, and sometimes these drugs can have the opposite effect and make children hyperactive.
I have found that children often cope better than expected on long-haul flights if kept occupied and fed regularly.
Happy travels!

This ones both medical and dental.

At what age should I start giving my toddler vitamins?

Also, I remember being given fluoride drops as a child - is this something I should be giving her too?

Hi honeywellhopeful
From what you describe the mark sounds like a haemangioma. They can be superficial which look red and can be raised (also known as strawberry naevi) or they can look blue if they are deeper.
It is a type of birthmark and they tend to get bigger in the first few months of life and then gradually shrink.
But if you are worried, I would ask a GP to have a look to check it out.
Best wishes

I can't really comment on other practices, but you are very welcome to call our clinic and arrange to come in and see me for a free initial chat

Hi SirWingeAlot,

When you first start using a new oral hygiene product, it is normal to experience a little discomfort, especially if you have only just started to clean in between your teeth. The duration of how long it lasts can depend on how frequently you are using the WaterPik. How often are you using it at the moment?

Ideally, the WaterPik should be used daily in combination with either interdental brushes or floss.

We naturally have a white, soft, sticky film of bacteria in our mouths all the time called plaque and we brush and floss to remove this film. A toothbrush cannot access the areas in between our teeth, so if left on the tooth surface, plaque can irritate the gum tissue and cause mild inflammation. Inflammed gum tissue can sometimes feel a little sore but persistence will disrupt the bacteria, allow the inflammation to settle and the discomfort will ease over time, however you need to disrupt the bacteria frequently enough for this to happen.

Persistent soreness lasting for more than a couple of weeks when you are using the Waterpik daily could be a sign of incorrect technique or also gum disease and you should get this checked by a dentist.

Hope this helps :)

Hi julieh1
It is recommended that children have multivitamins containing vitamins A, C and D from 6 months until they are 5 years old.
There are lots of brands available so you should be able to find one your little one likes.
The NHS choices website has lots of useful information about this if you want more information.

Hello, my 6 month olds belly button has 'popped out'. It was an 'inny' until a few weeks ago and has sort of bulged forwards. It doesn't seem to hurt him at all and he seems fine otherwise.

Is this normal or something we need to go to the Drs about? We've been so often since having him that I try to only go for serious things now as I'm sure my dr thinks I'm neurotic.

Hi,

I have another question Re my new baby. She is breast fed and sometimes brings up milk. Sometimes it looks a little like yoghurt and her tongue is white. I get worried if it is thrush or not? How do I know? If it is? Or is it normal with breast fed babies?

Thanks.

I have a quick dental question of my own. Almost all of my 6.5yr old's friends have lost some of their baby teeth by now but his aren't showing even the faintest sign of wobbling.

What's the normal age range for children to start losing their milk teeth?

He's desperate to start getting pennies from the tooth fairy!

Hi Julieh1
Fluoride supplementation depends on several factors
-whether fluoride is added to the water by the local authority
-whether the child is showing any signs of dental decay
-the age of the child

We find that most children do not need supplementation, providing they are using a fluoride containing toothpaste, have a reasonable diet and cleaning routine. However, your dentist or hygienist would be able to provide you with advice specifically for your child.

Dear newmom1,
Belly buttons are often funny shapes and sizes, however if it has recently bulged forwards this could be due to an umbilical hernia. This occurs when a small piece of fatty tissue or bowel pokes through the weak muscles in the abdominal wall and is common in children under 1 year old, usually settling with no treatment required. It is more common in premature babies.
I suggest that any new lump is checked out by a doctor and, since your little one is otherwise well, to make a non-urgent appointment with your GP.

Hi LocalEditorWandsworth

It can be very frustrating for children when all their friends teeth are providing additional pocket money and theirs are not even wobbling. However, they will start soon!
We usually say that the teeth start to wobble between 5 and 7 years. We would not be worried about development until at least 7.5 years, so tell him not to worry, the tooth fairy will be along soon.

Hi JonquilleTW
It is quite normal for milk to appear curdled like yoghurt when babies are sick after feeds, as the enzymes in the stomach start to digest the milk, so I wouldn't worry about that.
Some whiteness of the tongue can be normal, and is due to milk residue. However thrush can also cause whiteness of the tongue and white spots in the mouth which persist between feeds. So if it is persistent your GP could have a look to check for thrush.
Best wishes

Thanks Wendy that's good to know

AnneMetzger thanks for the info. He is fully breastfed so that shouldn't be a problem. Would she be ok to take him in the swimming pool with her or is it best to wait until after the vaccinations?

HI SW12,

The Department of Health recommends that you can take your baby swimming from a very young age. There is no need to wait until they have been vaccinated. However I would be very careful and assess the pool and consider the hygiene level of each pool you potentially using.

Anne

As we've reached 10.30 that's the end of the live webchat

A huge thank you to the experts from MyHealthCare for taking the time out to chat to us - it was great to have such a range of expertise - and to you lovely MNetters for your questions!

Lots of the replies are really helpful so I'll leave the thread up for information but questions posted from now on won't be answered

Right, I'm off for a cup of