Early exposure to sodium may set the stage for a lifetime of salty desires.

Do you love to lick salt from the surface of foods? That desire may have started in infancy. Babies either dislike or are indifferent to salt when born. In a small, observational study, researchers have found that exposure to starchy table foods such as ready-to-eat cereals (a significant source of dietary sodium at this age) in the early months tended to prefer salty solutions over water by 6 months of age. When those who ate starchy foods as babies were retested as preschoolers, they were more likely to seek salt.

PositiveTip: Avoid adding starchy foods to an infants diet until after 6 months. This may help avoid a lifetime love for salty foods.

For healthy brain development infants and toddlers need at least 12-14 hours of sleep daily.

The American Academy Sleep Medicine recommends that infants get a minimum of 14 hours of sleep per day and toddlers 12 to 14 hours for healthy development. Parents are urged to make this a priority in starting their child’s health habits on the right foot. Even if your toddler fusses in an attempt to stay up, stick with it until it is a habit.

PositiveTip: Young children need their sleep! If you struggle in accomplishing this, check out these excellent tips.

Almost one in ten infants are fed herbal supplements.

Surveys of some 2700 mothers revealed that 9% of their children receive herbal supplements during their first year of life--sometimes as early as during the first month. These products were given most frequently to help with colic, fussiness, relaxation, digestion. Mothers who use supplements themselves were more likely to give them to their babies.

PositiveTip: Because some supplements pose health risks, parents should counsel with a pediatrician about their use.

Starting formula-fed babies on solid foods early may increase risk of obesity.

Formula-fed infants introduced to solid food before 4 months of age had 6.3 times higher risk of obesity by the age of 3 compared to breastfed infants. Breastfed infants showed no impact based on the age of introducing solid food (P<0.0001). This research confirms the long-term benefits of breast feeding during the first six months of baby's life.

PositiveTip: Breast-feeding young infants continues to be the healthiest choice for them!

Risk for infant influenza was 41% lower when the mother was vaccinated.

Infants younger than 6 months are not eligible for influenza vacations, yet are at high risk for flu complications. A study following mothers with healthy infants older than <2 weeks for three flu seasons found that infants whose mothers had been immunized for the flu had 41% lower rates than infants of unvaccinated mothers. 

PositiveTip: Flu season is upon us. Have you been vaccinated yet?

Infant sleep positioners may cause suffocation.

Manufacturers of infant sleep positioners claim that the use of these devices keep sleeping babies on their backs, reducing the risk of sudden death syndrome (SIDS). However, both the FDA and the Consumer Product Safety Commission say they are unaware of scientific studies supporting these claims, and have issued a warning that they can cause suffocation.

PositiveTip: Never put pillows, infant sleep positioners, comforters, or quilts under a baby or in a crib. Simply lay them on their backs.

Breast-feeding during the first six months of life reduces infections and hospital admissions.

Researchers in Crete interviewed 900 new mothers through-out the first year of their infants life to discover breast-feeding habits and the health of the newborns. When exclusively breast-fed infants experienced 30% fewer infections and 40% fewer admissions to the hospital. 

PositiveTip: Exclusive breast-feeding for the first six months of life provides huge benefits to the newborn!

Early solid food and television viewing linked to shorter infant sleep duration.

Many parents believe that solid food before bedtime enhances the sleep duration of their infants. However, researchers have highlighted that the early introduction of solid food and television viewing are significant risk factors for shorter sleep through two years old. At age one year the impact of solid food introduced before 4 months of age was greater than maternal prenatal depression. Amazingly, each hour of television viewing per week shortened sleep by .11 hours per day!

PositiveTip: Babies need to be breast fed if at all possible until they are really ready for solid foods. Keep the TV off too!

McNeil Consumer Healthcare recalls over-the-counter liquid meds for babies & children.

More than 40 over-the-counter (OTC) liquid medications for infants and children have been recalled for precautionary reasons. The list includes Tylenol, Motrin, Zyrtec and Benadryl products sold in the USA and 11 other countries. A complete product recall list is available online or by calling 1-888-222-6036 (USA).

PositiveTip: Check the online list of recalled children's liquid medications, before giving any meds to your children, then contact your physician for advice on alternatives if needed.

Influences prior to conception may have long-lasting effects on our children.

Ten percent of children under the age of 2 are overweight, and the percentage of overweight children between 2 and 5 years old has more than doubled since 1980.

The New York Times has reported that obesity may start even before birth, and that prevention needs to start even earlier. Leann Birch, of the Penn State Center for Childhood Obesity Research, is concerned that the genes inherited from a baby's father and mother may be turned on and off (epigenetics) depending on the environmental conditions during early development in the womb.