2011 July/ August INTRODUCTION ...... 1

HOW TO USE CONCE-

TRATED MEAT JARS .. 2

L-ALLERGIJA GHALL–

IKEL ............................ 3

Let’s Talk About Babies E-newsletter

L ET ’T AL K BABI ES — SO CI AL I S I NG & EDU C AT ION A L

PO INT FOR PAR ENT & C H I LD .

Dear Parents, Hope this newsletter finds everyone

well. Finally this month’s newsletter

is released. I’m currently writing this

small blog while the sun is rising, I

can also hear roosters waking up :) It

took me all night to get this together

but it’s totally worth it because it’s

filled with informative articles that

every parent can refer to.

We’re in the middle of Summer. As

most of you might already know I do

not organise seminars during the

months of July and August because of

the hot temperatures and because like

you I enjoy going to the beach as

well. I would like to take this

opportunity to really thank all the

parents that attend on a monthly basis

to my seminars, without you the

seminars cannot be possible. I

apologise for the limited seating but if

the seminars were bigger and more

people were to attend, it will lose it’s

comfort to feel free and ask and tackle

a problem. This way speakers can

answer and relate their talk according

to the parent’s needs.

I will be informing you with my

upcoming seminar in the coming

weeks to be held in September.

Until then..

Best Regards

Veronica

LET’S TALK ABOUT BABIES.com Let’s Talk About Babies combines education and socialising. Seminars for parents are held once a

month where various speakers are invited to talk about three subjects that are of the same age group.

The seminars are all about socialising with other parents and learning new concepts about parenting.

I believe that knowledge can make us better parents because it gives us the ability of understanding

our children better! Along with seminars we also organise Shake It Fitness Classes for women along

with monthly Ever After Story Telling sessions for mother and child.

SPECIFIC PROBITIC

FOR CHILDREN’S DIGES-

TIVE SYSTEM. ............. 4

GOING POTTY! ....... 5

MIO Concentrated Meat Jars

The Mio concentrated

meat jars are very

convenient in today’s

hectic lifestyle as they

allow you to mix the

nutritionally balanced

content of the meat jar

with your homemade

food such as boiled or

chopped vegetables,

broth or baby soup.

Therefore, you can

gradually start introducing

your homemade food with

the Mio concentrated meat

jars while ensuring that

your baby is getting the

necessary nutritional

requirements. The benefits

of Mio Concentrated meat

jars are:

1. No added salts –

introducing the taste of

meat to your baby and

limiting the consumption

of salt before the weaning

time finishes, according to

the latest nutritional

recommendations.

2. Prepared with meat

already in measured

proportions.

3. Without preservatives,

colourings and flavourings.

4. Gluten Free - Do not

contain any wheat.

How to prepare in 3 easy

steps:

1. Warm the content of the

jar in a steam bath.

2. Mix the concentrated

meat with your

home-made food eg:

boiled vegetables, broth

or baby soup.

3. The MIO meal is ready!

Do not reheat. Discard any

left over. Simply warm the

amount of food you want

to feed your baby.

Refrigerate any unused

content of the jar

Need to lose

weight?

You want more energy?

Lose kilos and inches

right away with

FREE follow up visits

during weight loss

programmes.

Call Now on 99832923 to set up your

appointment and ask

for your complimentary

Body Scan.

L-Allergija ghall-Ikel

L-allerġija għall-ikel hi reażżjoni qawwija u immedjata għal ċertu ikel. L-allerġija għall-ikel mhix tant komuni. Madwar 6% ta’ tfal taħt l-erba’ snin ibgħatu minn din il-kundizzjoni, u b’xorti tajba, ħafna minnhom joħorġu minnha meta jikbru. Infatti madwar 2% biss ta’ tfal akbar u adulti jibqgħu isofru minnha. Kull tip ta’ ikel jista’ jikkawża

allerġija, imma fit-tfal, l-aktar

komuni huma l-ħalib, il-bajd u l

-karawett. Fl-adulti, l-aktar ikel

komuni huma l-karawett, lewż, ħut

u frott tal-baħar. Ma nafux eżatt

minfejn tiġi din il– kundizzjoni,

imma nafu li hi aktar komuni jekk

l-individwu jew xi ħadd fil-familja

tiegħu jbati minn xi tip ta’

allerġija, bħal ażma, hayfever jew

ekżema.

Is-sintomi jistgħu ikun tnemnim,

nefħa u ħakk fix-xoftejn u l-ilsien,

għajnejn idemmgħu, raxx fil-ġilda

u dardir. L-anaphylaxis hi

allerġija qawwija ħafna u tinvolvi

nefħa fil-passaġġ ta’ l-arja, qtugħ

ta’ nifs, raxx qawwi, għejja,

stordament, paniku, polz

jgħaġġel, pressjoni baxxa, u

saħansitra tista’ tintilef minn

sensik. Din il-forma ta’ allerġija hi

perikoluza, u tista’ tkun fatali u

għalhekk huwa imporanti li xi

ħadd iċempel għall-ambulanza

immedjatament.

Allerġija jew intolleranza?

Hu importanti li nagħmlu distinzzjoni

bejn ‘allerġija’ u ‘intoleranza’

għall-ikel. L-alleġija tinvolvi l-immune

system u antibodies; l-intoleranza hi

ħafna aktar komuni, u tiġi b’mezzi oħra.

1. Irritazzjoni

Il-larinġ u t-tadam fihom aċidu

naturali li jista’ jtella’ raxx madwar

il-ħalq fit-trabi. Il-meraq tal-frott

jista’ jikkawża dijareja,

speċjalment jekk ikollu ż-żokkor

miżjud.

2. Avvelinament ta’ l-ikel

Jiġri minħabba kontaminazzjoni bil-

mikrobi jwassal għal remettar u

dijareja. L-iġene fit-tisjir u mod

tajjeb kif jinħażen l-ikel jnaqqsu

r-riskju ta’ food poisoning.

3. Intolleranza għall-lactose

Il-lactose huwa ż-żokkor naturali fil-

ħalib. Xi whud għandhom nuqqas

ta’ l-enzyme ‘lactase’ li tiddiġerixxi

dan it-tip ta’ żokkor. Is-sintomi

jistgħu ikunu uġigħ u nefħa fiż-

żakk, u dijareja. Jista’ jkun hemm

intolleranza għall-lactose għal ftit

żmien wara gastroenterite.

4. Food additives

Xi persuni huma sensittivi għal

sustanzi miżjuda ma’ l-ikel (bħal

MSG fl-ikel Ċiniż, u sulfites fl

-inbid) u sustanżi helwin li

jintużaw minflok iż-żokkor fix-

xarbiet minerali.

5. Coeliac Disease

Din hi kundizzjoni kronika fil-

musrana u twassal għall-intoleranza

għall-qamħ u xi ċereali oħra.

Kif tista’ tinduna b’allerġija għall

ikel?

Jekk taħseb li t-tifel tiegħek għandu

allerġija għall-ikel, kellem lit-tabib.

It-tabib ikun irid jaf x’inhuma

s-sintomi, x’inhu l-ikel li taħseb li qed

iġib allerġija, jekk l-istess ikel

jagħmilx dejjem l-istess reazzjoni, u

kemm idumu ma’ jitfaċċaw is-sintomi

wara li t-tifel ikun kiel. It-tabib jistaqsik

ukoll jekk it-tifel għandhux allerġiji oħra

(bħal ekżema, hayfever u ażma) u jekk

xi ħadd ieħor fil-familja għandux xi

kundizzjoni allerġika. It-tabib jista’

jgħidlek biex iżżomm djarju li fih tniżżel

l-ikel u x’ikunu s-sintomi. Jista’ wkoll

jagħtik parir biex tevita ċertu ikel mid-

dieta biex jara jekk is-sintomi jmorrux

għall-aħjar.

Hemm żewġ forom ta’ testijiet x’isiru:

it-test tal-ġilda u t-test tad-demm. It-test

tad-demm (RAST) jiċċekkja għall-

antibodies kontra tipi differenti ta’ ikel.

Dawn it-testijiet huma ta’ għajnuna,

imma ma tistax toqgħod fuqhom biss.

Testijiet oħra li huma reklamati

m’għandhom ebda valur mediku, anzi

aktar jiżgwidawk, u għalhekk

m’għandhomx isiru.

Kif titratta allerġija għall-ikel?

Wieħed għandu jħalli barra mid-dieta

dak l-ikel li qed jikkawża l-allerġija.

Aqra l-lista’ ta’ inġredjenti u twissijiet

fuq it-tiketta dwar kontaminazzjoni

(eż. ‘May contain traces of nuts’).

Hemm ħalib speċjali għat-trabi li huma

allerġiċi għall-ħalib tal-baqra jew soya.

Huwa importanti li id-dieta tibqa’

bilanċjata u tinkludi n-nutrijenti kollha.

M’hemmx mediċina li tfejjaq l-allerġija,

imma hemm mediċina (anti-histamines)

biex ittaffi s-sintomi. F’każ ta’

anaphylaxis, l-adrenalina għandha

tingħata immedjatament b’injezzjoni

fil-muskolu u tissejjaħ l-ambulanza

(telefon 112). Dawn it-tfal għandhom

iġorru magħhom siringa speċjali ta’

l-adrenalina, u jkollhom ġiżirana jew

brazzuletta li tgħid li huma allerġici.

L-għalliema tagħhom u dawk li jieħdu

ħsiebhom għandhom ikunu informati

bil-kudizzjoni.

By Dr. Joseph Mizzi (Paediatrician)

josephmizzi@onvol.net

Going Potty Ready, Steady, Potty!

Your toddler might have settled on her tantrums, may have started to eat some veggies and may have started to sleep more during the night but there is still a big m i l e s t o n e t o a c c o m p l i s h . Y e s , saying arivaderci to nappies and Hello Mr. Potty. Teaching a tot about the loo can drive any parent just that – POTTY. There is simply no point in starting potty training if your child isn’t good and ready. Some mothers tend to be locked in some kind of a competition others may hear their mother in law’s asking- when is that child going to be out of nappies!? The average age for dry days is between two and two and half give or take a few months either side, but timing is everything. Signs to watch out for are:

Wiggling about

pulling her nappy

an increase of

awareness if her nappy is wet or not

telling you that she

is about to go

The bottom line is, that when you actually decide to go for it choose a corner or space where your going to put the potty and let her sit whenever she likes on it, but never let her play with it. You may put her into pants or just leave her running around with nothing on. It will be better for you to choose a time when your not extremely busy, cause let’s face it, potty training is

going to be the main event of your home for a couple of weeks. Apparently boys tend to enjoy how learning how to aim, well personally I would leave that to your husband or partner if possible. Ask her frequently whether she wants to go. Try to put her on the potty after meals or drinks, in the morning as soon as she wakes up and in the evening before

going to bed. Try not to give her any drinks just before going to bed in the evening. Accept accidents and never ever punish or yell at your child if accidents happen. If by any chance you successfully have mastered wee times, some tots might still look for that nappy security to poo, somehow in time that can be overcome as well. Some children tend

to find it difficult to get out of nappies during the night, but that might happen months even years after. Don’t worry about

it, it’s simply that their bodies aren’t ready yet to wake up if they have a full bladder. If you’ve tried anything but it’s still isn't happening, then it might be because your tot just isn’t ready. So pop nappies back on and try again in a month or so. She’ll get there eventually. If your really worried then you should talk to your health visitor for reassurance.

Specific probiotic for children’s digestive problems.

From the start, it is important to note that in children, the digestive system is still quite immature and that about 70% of the body’s immune system is found in the digestive tract. This makes it vital that we support this system first, thereby not only improving the absorption of nutrients from the diet, but also reducing sensitivities to foods, while maximizing immune function. Since bacteria (probiotics) form the primary ‘work-force’ and ‘defenders’ of the gut, supplementing with a good probiotic is paramount.

ERBAVITA’s FermentFlor® Junior contains 6 probiotic strains, including Bifidobacterium infantis, lactobacillus acidophilus, and streptococcus thermophilus amongst others. The formula is also

enriched with a probiotic ; alpha GOS, that provides nourishment for the bacteria to grow and keep their activity at the highest level, and also contains Vitamin B1, B2, B6 and

B12, that are fundamental for a healthy digestive system. This formula can be taken daily to strengthen the child’s immunity and is most especially recommended for children that need rebalancing of their intestinal bacterial flora, manifesting in the form of sluggish bowels, diarrhoea following antibiotic use, eating imbalances, abdominal swelling and colic. Intestinal function is restored within a few days. We recommend taking 1 orosoluble sachet a day dissolving it directly in the child’s mouth or dissolving it in water or milk or other cold drinks.

If antibiotic drugs are taken, we recommend taking the 2 products at different times of the day. The granules are strawberry flavoured, and are free from artificial sweeteners, lactose and gluten. ERBA VITA is a leading company in the international health sector providing highly effective herbal (phytotherapy) and food supplements processed under the highest quality standards in the industry. ERBA VITA has become a synonym for quality, efficacy, guarantee and safety due to its constant meticulous attention to scientific research and clinical testing.

For further information kindly visit the website: www.erbavita.com or contact the

local agent, E.J.Busuttil Ltd at erbavita@ejbusuttil.com or

call directly 21 447184.

“that provides nourishment

for the bacteria to grow and

keep their activity at the

highest level’’

www.letstalkaboutbabies.com