Frequently Asked Questions - Medical



Our Expert Health Visitors have answered the following questions on Medical Issues, to aid parents of infants & children 0-5 years. Look through the questions listed below, or use our confidential online Health Visitor support service if you would like to ask your own question.


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Q I just wanted to know is it dangerous for a baby to gulp a bit of bath water when she is having a bath? My baby was only 4 months and when I bathed her she gulped a bit of bath water which had a bit of shampoo in it. She then burped, had some breast milk and then went to sleep. She seems ok, but I hate to think of the dirty water she swallowed with a few bubbles of shampoo in the water.
health visitors response

Q My 1 year old boy was born with Hypospadias and is due to go for an operation the beginning of next month. I am however concerned as I have been reading on several web sites about this condition. Although most have been positive towards surgery there was one in particular that said I would be making my child more prone to infections by having the op. It said that surgery should not be performed in babies. Obviously I am really worried as if it wasn’t enough worrying about the op. health visitors response

Q My son seems to suffer alot with a bad chest but doctors won’t diagnose asthma, even though they think that’s what it is. He is about to go into hospital for a minor operation but will need an anesthetic and I have been told that if he has a bad chest on the day of the op its going to be cancelled I just want it over and done with for his sake. health visitors response

Q My 6 month old daughter has an haemangioma on the back of her head which became infected culminating in a 4 day stay in hospital over xmas while she received iv antibiotics. What can I do to prevent this happening again? Is this likely to reoccur frequently/ medical opinion seems to be to let nature take its course but how can I possibly keep her head completely sterile?
health visitors response

Q My health visitor has been to measure my daughters head twice and is coming back again next month as its measuring small? What could a small head mean? Is it something I should be worried about? health visitors response