If nothing works, it is okay to just put your baby down and let him cry for short periods. Always remember that it wasn't anything that you did or didn't do that caused your baby to have colic and as a last resort try to take a break by having a family member or friend help care for your baby.
Myth 8: Your child needs a daily multi-vitamin.
It is estimated that a daily multivitamin is given to 25-50% of children in the United States, although this is generally not necessary for most children with an average diet, even if your child is a picky eater. Some children that have a poor or restricted diet, liver disease or other chronic medical problems, especially those that lead to fat malabsorption, such as cystic fibrosis, may need vitamin and mineral supplements to prevent deficiencies.Preterm infants and children who are exclusively breastfed, with either very dark skin or limited exposure to sunlight, may also need vitamin supplements. Also, children may need fluoride supplements if they do not drink fluoridated water.
Although you may give your child an age appropriate multivitamin if you or your Pediatrician feels that your child needs one, it is probably better to try and reach his daily requirements or recommended daily allowance by providing him with a well balanced diet. Consuming a diet with the minimum number of servings suggested by the Food Guide Pyramid will provide your child with the recommended daily allowance of most vitamins and minerals.
Myth 9: A mobile infant walker will help your child learn to walk faster.
In general, you should not use a mobile baby walker, as it will not help your child learn to walk faster and they can be dangerous if they make your child too mobile. Stationary walkers are much safer. If you do use a mobile walker, make sure the area is child proofed and away from stairs, and that your child is supervised at all times.Myth 10: You should/shouldn't let your children sleep in your bed.
There are no definite right or wrong ways to put your child to sleep and if you and your baby are happy with your current routine then you should stick to it. However, it is not good if it is a struggle to put your child to bed, if he gets overly frustrated in the process, strongly resists being put to bed or if he is waking up so much that he or other family members end up not getting adequate sleep.Myth 11: You shouldn't give milk or other dairy products to your child when he is sick because it will increase mucus production or make it thicker.
In general this isn't true, unless your child has a milk allergy. When your child is sick, you can let him eat his usual diet as tolerated. If your child does not want to eat then you can try the typical BRAT diet (bananas, rice, applesauce and toast) with lots of fluids and then advance his diet as he will tolerate it.Myth 12: You can tell if a child has strep throat just by looking at him.
This is a common myth that is propagated by doctors, but it isn't true. While most parents are worried about strep throat when their child has a throat infection (tonsillitis), there are also many viruses that cause infections that look very similar to strep. If your child has a sore throat with fever and a red, swollen throat or tonsils with white pus on them, then he should be seen by his physician so that he can be tested for strep throat. If the tests for strep are negative, then your child's throat infection is caused by a virus and antibiotics will not work. Viral infections of the throat usually improve in two to three days without treatment.Most studies have shown that doctors and other health professionals are only correct about half the time when they think a child has strep after just a physical exam. So if your child was treated everytime it looked like he had strep, then he might be overtreated or mistreated with antibiotics half the time.
