FAQs

Should his tonsils be removed?

After endless throat infections and antibiotics, my GP is recommending that my 2-year-old has his tonsils removed. I am loath to put my baby under anaesthetic. I also feel that tonsils are there for a reason and have heard that there are certain conditions that are more common in children without tonsils. Will he grow out of this problem or should I let him have the op? Paula, Westville

FAQs

Q&A: Low muscle tone

My 6yr old boy has been diagnosed with low muscle tone. What is it exactly and how can I best help him? Is it curable?

FAQs

Q&A: Alone time for parents...

My husband and I would love to spend more ‘alone time’ together, but we feel so guilty leaving our twelve month daughter at home, in the care of a babysitter. I also worry the whole time we’re out, wondering if she’s okay. Is it normal to feel this way?

FAQs

Q&A: Childcare

I worry that my child will love her nanny more than me. How can I prevent this or deal with my fear?

FAQs

Separation anxiety when starting school

"My child expresses difficulty separating from us, specifically me, now that he's entering school. What is the cause of this?" Gael Beckett offers some insight.

FAQs

"My lonely only struggles to make friends"

Is your child having problems fitting in at school or making friends? Dereck Jackson answers a concerned parent's question

FAQs

"I don't want to leave my baby for a minute"

My beautiful daughter is 8-and-a-half months old, and I love her with all of my heart. My problem is “letting her go a bit”. I am a stay-at-home mom because I physically cannot let anyone look after her except me or my mom, who is too old to watch her for longer than about 2 hours. When I return from leaving my daughter alone she is crying and upset until she sees me. My mom is excellent with babies and she says my daughter is now old enough to be left for a while, but I don’t even want to leave her with my mom! She sleeps in her cot next to my bed still and she sleeps through most nights, occasionally waking for a dummy or a sip of water. I don’t want her to go to her own room, I want to be able to see her and hear her all the time. This has led to a sleeping problem where I lie awake or just cannot sleep because I don’t want her to have to cry to get a response from me in case I don’t wake up. How am I going to send her to a playgroup or go out with my husband and leave her with my mom or sisters? How do other moms let go a bit so that their baby or child does not feel insecure? Samantha Prentis

FAQs

Fear and anxiety

Dereck Jackson answers a question from a concerned parent

FAQs

"Is watching TV bad for my daughter?"

My little girl is 3 years old and does not watch much television in our home. However, she does enjoy watching Dr 90210 with me, and I have noticed that it is all she really cares to watch these days. I am a little worried that the operations may be too gruesome for her, even though I explain everything to her in detail. Could watching such programs have an emotional effect on her psyche?

FAQs

Q&A: Struggling to concentrate

My 8 year old son struggle to concentrate. This was picked up by his Gr1 teacher, he is now in Gr3 and the teacher has said the same. He struggles to start and complete a task. He went through a very traumatic period, as my husband and I got divorced in Nov 2007. But I am concerned that his problems to concentrate started before that (Gr1). It has been recommended that he be examined by a Neurologist and an EEG is done. I am also concerned that medication could do him harm?

FAQs

How will I know if my child has low muscle tone?

My friend mentioned to me the other day that her daughter has low muscle tone. I'm worried that my son might have it too as they are quite similar in build- he is quite slight and not very strong in his arms or legs. How will I know if my son has low muscle tone and what can I do to strengthen it? 

FAQs

Q&A: Dangers of sugar for children

Here are some of the frequently asked questions regarding the dangers of sugar in children's diets which were answered by Discovery Vitality  Head of Wellness, Dr Craig Nossel. Read more in the July/August issue of Your Baby magazine. 

FAQs

Q&A: Meddling grandmother

My mom-in-law must be the world’s best parenting expert – or that’s what you’d believe when you hear her speak. She interferes with the way my hubby and I parent our six-month-old constantly – we don’t dress him properly, I don’t breastfeed right, we pick him up too much, the list goes on. The worst is that when she’s around my hubby agrees with her wholeheartedly, but when we’re alone he complains about her meddling. How can I get him to be on my side when she starts meddling? After all, we’re his priority now, right? And I fear this problem will only get worse if we don’t address it straight away, so how do I go about it?

FAQs

Q&A: Divorce aggression

My husband and I are currently going through a divorce. We're quite friendly with each other, and there haven't been any ugly issues cropping up during the process. However, my son (who is 2-and-a-half) has started acting up. He has gone from being an angelic and friendly little boy to one who bites his friends at school and refuses food, his bath or anything that I give him or want to do with him. He's also become aggressive with my ex, the pets and myself- hitting, kicking, spitting. What can I do to stop this?