Online chat with Dr Rob Hicks, Friday 7 March 2008 between 1-2pm

[OliviaMumsnet]

Dr Rob Hicks will be here for an online chat with Mumsnetters this Friday 7th March.

Dr Rob is a practising GP, health writer and medical journalist with a specialist interest in family health and child development.

A regular contributor to Prima Baby magazine he is also the Classic FM radio doctor and frequently appears on television in the role of medical expert. He is also dad to a 4 year old daughter.

Dr Rob will be joining us for an hour at 1 o'clock to answer any of your questions about children's health and diet, so get your questions ready, grab a cuppa and join us then.

But if you won't be here during the chat itself, then do please post any advance questions for Dr Rob here.

Thanks, MNHQ

hi dr rob, i have had problems with breastfeeding and as a result have ended up mix feeding my son, he is 18 weeks old and has beeb fed breast and bottle since about 3 weeks old, just wondered if you know if the benefits of breastfeeding you hear of in the first 6 months still apply if baby is mix fed. What i'm trying to say is, will the benefits be reduced because he has not been exclusively breasfed or is it the same as long as he's had some breastmilk for 6 months?

Hi 2sugars

You are in a very difficult situation where clearly there?s an established battle of wills here and you are losing the battle. I?m not a psychologist but in my experience as a GP similar situations have resulted from some life event that set the ball of the establishment of an unacceptable eating pattern in motion, for example, a relationship break-up; inconsistency, for example parents want their children to eat fruit for snacks but eat chocolate or other sweets for snacks themselves; unhappiness such that pleasure is gained through comforting foods.

I?d suggest you approach your GP with your concerns because you are correct in being worried about your daughter becoming overweight/obese. You may also need the help of a nutritionist to establish an eating plan that provides your daughter with sufficient nutrients, or the advice of a psychologist if there is an underlying reason for the eating behaviour.

I think you need to understand that problems such as the one you are facing do not get resolved overnight, but invariably do get solved in time.

Hi Carmenere

Thank you for your question, and welcome to mumsnet!

I know of a number of parents who have found benefit through cranial osteopathy and so I?m very happy for parents to consider this.

As with any therapy it?s important that the practitioner is appropriately qualified, registered, and insured.

All osteopaths have to be registered with the General Osteopathic Council, who are able to advise about suitable practitioners.

www.osteopathy.org.uk

Tel: 0207 357 6655

Hi Dr Rob,
When dd has an ear infection the actual ear goes bright red. Is this normal? Our gp was suprised about it when I told him.
Also dd has an umbilical hernia. Why does it need to be operated on? It doesn't seem to to bother her. It actually looks much less sticky-outy now than before. She's due the opp in July if its not gone by then. Thanks

pmsl at dr rob welcoming carmenere to mumsnet

Hi Flimflammum
He, and you, have a lot going on what with starting nursery (where he?ll come into contact with lots of coughs and colds) and your new arrival. Children get up to 10 colds a year, many of these during the winter. Considering symptoms last around a week, then the cough can last a week or two longer, if he picks up another it can certainly seem like it?s constant.

Keep up the healthy diet (and supplement with vitamin C if you?re concerned he?s not getting enough), make sure he?s always got a drink to hand so he keeps himself hydrated, and with spring arriving get him outdoors to play. There?s some research suggesting that a probiotic each day helps lessen the chance of these viral infections. Encourage washing hands regularly during the day, this helps lessen the risk of him picking up infections. Oh, and of course, keep him away from passive smoke. This way you'll help to keep his immune sytsem fighting fit ready to take on other infections that come his way!

hi dr hicks

is it ok that my daughter who is 2 and a half only eats certain foods for tea mostly has pasta wont eat meat or veg. for lunch has crisps. have tried giving different foods just looks at it and gives back to me

Hi Hermykne

A lot of good questions!

Yes, doctors routinely suggest moisturising because this helps stop the skin becoming dry, itchy and consequently scratched, but it?s not easy ?creaming? children, something I only discovered when becoming a Dad ? forget going out for a run ? I get all the exercise I need chasing my daughter around the house, trying to ?cream? her!! My book, ?Beat your allergies? published by Infinite Ideas covers this and a few tips that I?ve found helps in successfully getting moisturiser into the skin rather than the walls, floor, etc (!). Make it a game for your child, a special game ? handful of cream for mummy/daddy, handful for your daughter, and see who can rub it in the quickest ? basically make up games so it becomes fun rather than a chore. I?ve found that leaving the cream out in a plastic dish so it warms up a little helps as my daughter complained that the cream was cold, I checked, and she was absolutely right!

If she?s flaring up at 11pm, try and pinpoint what might be triggering this. Is she scratching whilst asleep in which case wearing cotton mits at night can help. Wearing cotton pyjamas and having cotton bed linen is gentler on the skin. Could a comfort blanket or cuddly toy that she takes to bed be triggering a reaction? Is she having a specific food a few hours before bed-time that could be responsible, some children with eczema have symptoms triggered by foods.

I suggest to parents keeping a diary of when symptoms occur, and what has happened / been in contact / eaten to identify a specific trigger for the flare-ups ? coughs and colds make eczema flare-ups more likely as do changes in weather, especially cold that dries the skin out. Check to see whether she?s too warm or cold at night. Keeping a diary often means the eczema trigger jumps off the page at you. If despite you using the hydrocortisone as directed by your doctor, and moisturising regularly, these flare-ups still persist, ask your doctor to re-confirm that the problem is still only eczema. Sometimes mild skin infection triggers flare-ups and this needs antibiotic treatment.

Hi Grumpygriselda

I?m going to cheat a little hear and point you to:

www.eatwell.gov.uk/agesandstages/children

I?m a supporter of a balanced diet with lots of variety, especially fruit and vegetables. I also believe that omega-3 is very important and encourage oily fish in the diet, and also think considering a supplement is a good idea. Three portions of dairy a day will provide the recommended daily intake of calcium that?s needed for strong and healthy bones. Most bone strength is achieved by the age of 18 for girls and 20 for boys, and we need to get calcium from our diet so it?s very important that children get enough from early on.

Dr Rob,
When would you recommend professional help to a fussy eater? How long can fussy eating carry on for (mine son's has been going for 13 months). I know he is healthy and growing fine. Do they miraculously start eating other foods? Will telling myself that by the age of 16 he would not be living off toast and cereals suffice?

Hi Dr Rob,
I was wondering about OCD. My family has a bit of a trait and it was only recently that we discovered that my dad, brother and I share the same number fixation. We also have the hoarding, can't throw anything out part as well. I'm really worried that my children will get it too and I've noticed my 9.5 yo son has started to screw his nose up, kind of like a tic. I've asked him about it and he told me his nose felt clogged up, but he seems to do it all the time, even when he hasn't got a blocked, runny or dirty nose. It bugs the hell out of me, but that aside, I'm worried he'll be picked on at school because of it. He's a very sensitive child.
He has also talked about not wanting to grow up-he's scared and wants to die. The thing is, I remember having those feelings myself at about 10 years. I didn't tell anyone though, and managed to get through it. I'm really afraid that he will take it further, but I don't really want to approach my GP.
Any advice please?

I've just looked at your bio Dr Rob, how do you find time to be in a band?

And what are they called?

We've had a couple of questions about iron.

It's important for many reasons and found in many vegetables, pulses, dried fruits, breads and cereals.

Ideally try to give toddlers and children iron-rich foods each day, and some vitamin C at th same time as this helps non-meat iron to be absorbed.

There/s some useful information about iron at:

www.vegsoc.org/info/iron.html

and about iron deficiency at:

www.eatwell.gov.uk/healthissues/irondeficiency

Dr Rob.
Welcome and thank you for taking the time to helps us desparate women.
I would like to know why there seems to be such a huge difference in the maternity care across this country. There seems to be a big gap between the trusts who offer the standard tests/scans andd those which do not.
I am currently expecting my third child following two miscarriages in the past 12 months. There are lots of us here who are at the same stage in our pregnancies but we are all getting completely diffent care. Some women do not get to see a midwife until they are 25 weeks! Is this right and should we be getting a better service from our NHS trusts?

Dr Rob,

I'm going to ask you a question I feel too silly to put to my Gp:

As a mum of 5, I am wondering if you feel that after a certain number of births, eg 5 , would a subsequent pregnancy push a woman's body too far and risk some kind of long term damage? (I'm purely referring to a normal, uncomplicated pregnancy and birth)

Or are womens bodies gererally designed to successfully sustain numerous pregnancies?

Many thanks

Hi all, Dr Rob has to finish promptly at 2pm, so he'll get through as much as he can within the next 5 minutes...

@ "I?m going to cheat a little hear and point you to:"

i did want to hear his views on fruit shoots, i wasn't being cheeky you know [sulk]

Hi Stopfighting

Thank you for asking your question, but please try never to be frightened to ask your doctor anything, he/she probably knows about your health best of all.

Many women successfully have many children. Even though with increasing age and more childen (certainly more than 5 previous deliveries) the risk of problems may increase other factors play a role too, how fit someone is, their age, existing medical conditions etc.

If you're considering having a sixth child have a chat with someone you feel comfortable with - your GP, another doctor in the practice, or a local midwife, for instance. Then with all the information you can weigh up the pros and cons.

he must be a slow typist...

Thanks very much to Dr Rob for his time, and thanks to everyone who posted questions. Lots of valuable information there

Thank you everyone for your questions and interest.

Time has certainly flown!

Glad to have made some of you smile and laugh - it's the best medicine after all, probably ;-))

LOL @ your GP knowing your health better than anyone

Oh Dr Rob, you are a wag

arf indeed ndp... Mine instructed me to walk off my post natal SPD