Here鈥檚 a jargon busting guide for some of the medical terms you鈥檒l hear about in your baby鈥檚 first six months.
The blood spot test is offered to all babies when they are about five days old. A health professional will prick baby鈥檚 heel and collect four drops of blood on a special card. This allows them to test for nine health conditions. It鈥檚 quick, and easy to get done. In summary: The blood spot test. A zero-hassle blood test.
The weight 鈥榗entile鈥. When you visit your local baby clinic, your baby can be checked and weighed, if you wish, by a member of your health visiting team so you can monitor their development. Their weight is recorded on a chart in your red book. This helps compare your baby鈥檚 weight with the average weight of others the same age. In summary: The weight centile: a way for you to keep an eye on baby鈥檚 growth
Cradle Cap: and no, it鈥檚 not a special hat worn in a cradle! Cradle cap is a common and harmless skin condition that often appears on babies in the first six months. It's not itchy, painful or contagious but it can turn scabby. Use baby shampoo and a soft brush to help reduce the flakes and to stop infection, try not to pick at the crusts! No matter how tempting! It normally clears up on its own, but if you're worried, just ask your health visitor or midwife for advice. In summary: Cradle Cap. Looks nasty, but actually harmless.
So, that鈥檚 three phrases explained, but if your health care professionals use a term that you don't understand, ask them to explain it.
When you're baby is first born, you'll have a lot of things to remember and hear a lot of new terms.
Here's a quick guide to 3 commonly used terms from health visitors. Remember, if you hear any words or phrases you don't understand, just ask a healthcare professional.
