The most frustrating part of parenthood is figuring out why the baby’s crying. It’s fed, rested and healthy, so what could be wrong? According to an online report, stray hairs could be the reason for their pain!
It’s true – stray hairs wrap themselves around the baby’s toes and form a “hair tourniquet” that can stop the blood supply in that part, slice through the skin and cause pain for babies. While the hair is soft, it is highly tensile and once it’s wrapped, it’s really difficult to undo it. Today explains: “Parenting and youth development expert Dr. Debi Gilboa told TODAY.com that a hair tourniquet is one of the many risks young children face, but not many parents know about it. “This is something all pediatric interns are taught to look for when baby or a preverbal toddler is inconsolable,” she said. A hair tourniquet happens because a lot of parents have long hair and babies tend to grab it or a piece of it can end up in places like their diaper or sock without you [even] noticing. “If you feel like your child is behaving in a way that’s unusual, pay attention to it. You’re usually right,” Gilboa says. “A hair tourniquet is a great thing to check for and it’s not hard to spot. There’s not really any way to prevent it, but they’re not that hard to remove. Use something like a bobby pin, so it’s thin and not sharp, slide it between the hair and the skin and it pops right off. If you feel uncomfortable call your doctor.”
Toes are almost always covered, so these hairs can become stuck in socks easily. Diapers can be a problem as well, so you also need to check that area too. Once you see it, remove it slowly and the crying will stop.
Have you ever noticed these problem before? Has your pediatrician warned you about it? Tell us in the comments section. - [source: tiphero.com]
