Babies: health & daily care

Hygiene and daily care for babies Find out how to clean baby eyes, ears, teeth, umbilical cords and genitals in our illustrated guide to hygiene and daily care for newborns and babies. Article available in Arabic, Dari, Dinka, Hakha Chin, Karen, Persian, Simplified Chinese, Swahili, Tamil, Vietnamese. Safety, comfort and fun are key when bathing a baby. Use warm water, clean cloths and mild cleanser. Make sure everything you need is within reach. Fear of the bath: babies and toddlers Some babies and toddlers have a fear of baths. If your child is afraid of baths, introduce baths slowly, help your child feel safe, and make bath time fun. Baby genitals: care and cleaning Keeping your baby’s genitals clean helps to prevent infections. To clean baby genitals, use warm water, mild cleanser and a cotton ball or soft cloth. Cleaning baby eyes, ears and noses Baby eyes, baby ears and baby noses need gentle cleaning once a day. Clean them with warm water and a cloth or cotton wool when you give your baby a bath. Baby nails: how to cut them and treat nail problems Cutting baby nails is important, because short nails mean babies can’t scratch themselves. It can help to cut baby nails when baby is calm, drowsy or asleep. Looking at your baby’s poo and wee might sound disgusting, but it’s not. It’s one of the best ways to check your baby’s health. Find out more. Children with constipation have hard poo that’s difficult to push out. A high-fibre diet and regular toileting usually helps. Some children need laxatives. Diarrhoea is large, runny, frequent or watery poo. It’s common in children. Make sure your child drinks enough fluids as they recover from diarrhoea. Nappies: cloth nappies and disposable nappies What nappies should you use for your baby? Our guide takes you through the pros and cons of cloth nappies and disposable nappies to help you decide. Nappy changing in simple pictures: have nappies and wipes handy. Clean baby’s bottom and put on a fresh nappy. Never leave baby unattended on a change table. Nappy rash makes children’s bottoms inflamed. To treat it, change nappies often, keep skin clean and dry, apply barrier cream and use disposable nappies. Baby teeth development, dental health and dental care Dental care and tooth decay prevention start before first baby teeth arrive. But how do you clean baby teeth properly? Our baby dental health guide explains. Brushing children’s teeth: in pictures Brushing teeth is vital to your child’s dental health. Our illustrated guide takes you through the steps for keeping kids’ teeth clean and healthy. Tooth decay in babies, children and teenagers Tooth decay is bad news for children and teens. But your child can avoid tooth decay with careful cleaning, a healthy diet and regular dental check-ups. Dressing babies and choosing baby clothes: a guide Read this practical guide to dressing babies for essential information on baby clothes – what to buy, how many to buy and how to dress your baby. Babies sleep well when they’re not too hot or cold. Dress babies in enough clothes to keep them warm without coverings, or try a safe infant sleeping bag. Sun safety: babies, children and teenagers Sun safety precautions protect your child’s skin from UV exposure, skin damage and sunburn. It’s all about timing, shade, protective clothes and sunscreen. Baby massage is often soothing and can be good for bonding. Use smooth, gentle, slow strokes, and stop if baby gets upset. See more steps for baby massage. A good family GP understands the importance of getting to know you and your children. Location, opening hours, fees and availability are important too. Medicines for children: a guide Children’s medicines are designed for children’s bodies. Ask your doctor or pharmacist about which medicines your child needs, and check dosage instructions. Telehealth: children and teenagers Telehealth is when you have health appointments by phone or video. Telehealth has many benefits for families. It’s secure and protects privacy. Telehealth appointments for children and teenagers: in pictures Our guide shows you how to get the most out of telehealth appointments: set up somewhere quiet, check technology, prepare children and have information handy. Immunisation protects your child’s health. Find out why your child needs immunisation, what diseases the NIP covers, and how to get your child immunised. Immunisation: questions and answers Get answers to questions about immunisation in Australia with our immunisation FAQs. Read about keeping up with immunisation, side effects, safety and more. How to prepare children and teenagers for vaccination Talking is a good way to prepare children and teenagers for vaccination. Distraction and relaxation can help kids cope with injections and needle phobia. COVID-19 vaccination: children and teenagers COVID-19 vaccination is available to some children from 6 months. If you have questions about vaccination, check with your GP or other reliable sources. What are vaccines and how do vaccines work? Vaccines help the immune system recognise viruses and bacteria and destroy them quickly. This is how vaccines protect your family from infectious diseases. Serious childhood illnesses: 0-3 years Seek immediate medical help for symptoms of serious childhood illness, like severe drowsiness, breathing difficulty, blue skin, seizures, fever and vomiting. Fever is a body temperature higher than 38°C. Fever in children is a sign of illness. Here’s what to do when your child has a high temperature. How to take temperature in children The best way to take temperature in children is with digital oral or armpit thermometers. Digital ear and forehead thermometers are easy but can be unreliable. COVID-19 and children in Australia For most kids, COVID-19 causes mild flu-like symptoms. Your child should do a COVID test if they have symptoms. You can manage mild COVID symptoms at home. A cold can make your child feel quite unwell. There’s no cure, but you can treat cold symptoms so your child feels more comfortable. Fluids are important. Middle ear infection in babies, children and teenagers Children with middle ear infections usually have pain or discomfort in the ear. If you think your child has a middle ear infection, it’s best to see a GP. Second-hand smoke, third-hand smoke and vapour: effects on children Second-hand smoke, third-hand smoke and vapour can cause serious health problems for kids. To reduce risk, quit smoking and have a smoke-free home and car. Cradle cap is the oily, scaly crust that babies get on their scalps and sometimes in body folds. It usually doesn’t need treatment and goes away by itself. Sometimes germs in swimming pools cause gastro and ear, eye, skin and chest infections. Swimming pool hygiene helps your family stay healthy in pool water. Experts agree that the risks of circumcision for boys for non-medical reasons outweigh benefits. It’s important to make an informed choice about circumcision. Allergies in babies, children and teenagers Allergies are when the immune system reacts to something in the environment. Our guide explains how to recognise allergic reactions in children and what to do. Non-food allergies in babies, children and teenagers Children should avoid non-food items that give them allergies, like chemicals, dust mites, grasses, weeds or trees, insect bites, latex, medicines and pets. Food allergies: babies, children and teenagers If your child has food allergies, your child must avoid foods that they’re allergic to. You need to know the symptoms and how to treat an allergic reaction. Food intolerance: children and teenagers Food intolerance symptoms in children and teens include bloating, diarrhoea and stomach pain. If you think your child has food intolerance, talk to your GP. Lactose intolerance: babies, children and teenagers Lactose intolerance symptoms include wind, stomach pain, bloating and diarrhoea. Babies might also have nappy rash. Your child should see the GP. Mental health for babies and toddlers Good mental health is important for development and wellbeing. Relationships, play and a safe environment support good mental health in babies and toddlers.