While talking about poop may bring laughter to kids and parents alike, when your child faces chronic constipation, it becomes a serious concern. Recent research suggests that approximately 25-30% of children experience constipation, impacting their overall well-being. More than a digestive issue, chronic constipation is often a symptom of an underlying problem linked to various childhood conditions such as autism, anxiety, sensory processing disorder, developmental delays, and ADHD.

Croup is an infection of the upper airway that primarily affects young children, especially those between 6 months to 3 years old. It’s characterized by distinctive symptoms such as a barking cough, hoarse voice, and labored breathing, which tends to worsen at night. 

Colic is a common catch-all term used to describe a baby who is crying excessively and is unable to sleep or eat comfortably. It affects about one in five babies, but I believe that number may even be higher. The challenge with colic is that it's often dismissed as just normal baby behavior, leaving parents feeling helpless and frustrated.

Are you a new parent struggling with a colicky baby?  Does it feel like your little one is constantly crying, arching their back, and having difficulty sleeping and soothing? If so, you are not alone, and this blog is here to provide you with valuable insights and natural solutions to tackle infantile colic head-on. 

In the initial few months of life, infants undergo remarkable transformations. However, encountering issues such as colic, constipation, or reflux can lead to countless sleepless nights, which may make you wonder if your struggles are normal or if others are facing the same challenges. While each infant is unique, has good days and bad days, and develops at their own pace, understanding the typical small behaviors and milestones can give parents the confidence they need to get help for their babies or the confidence to stay the course.

Ask any new mom, and she’ll tell you her goals for her baby are pretty straightforward – make sure they are comfortable, eating well, sleeping well, and are able to get the nutrients they need to grow and develop properly.  But when onesies, bibs, and their mom’s shirts are consistently getting soaked with “spit up” after each feeding, it’s hard to feel like the development they are going through is common and normal.  

Developmental milestones are significant physical and behavioral signs or markers of optimal development in infants and young children. Things like holding their head up, tummy time, sitting up, rolling over, crawling, walking, and talking provide important information about how your child’s development is progressing. 

Additionally, it’s important to focus not just on the motor aspect of development but also on how key systems such as sleep, digestion, and immune function are progressing. These ‘internal’ aspects of development are so often overlooked and dismissed as something separate and distinct by your average pediatrician but really do hold the missing clues to why so many kids struggle with developmental delays in the first place.