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Chapter List
- Introduction to Home Remedies for Children
- Acne Steps to a Clearer Complexion
- Aggressiveness Taking the Menace Out of Dennis
- Anal Itching Strategies to Stop the Scratching
- Anemia Upping the Energy Level
- Animal and Human Bites Tactics When Teeth Bring Tears
- Asthma Managing the Wheezing
- Attention Problems a Matter of Focus
- Bad Breath the Less Scent the Better
- Bed-Wetting for Sheets Like the Sahara
- Bee Stings This Season Be Ready
- Black Eyes Ways to Soothe a Shiner
- Bladder Control Problems Wet No More
- Blisters Pinwork and Prevention
- Boils Getting Them to Simmer Down
- Bottlefeeding Finding the Formula for Success
- Breastfeeding No-Problem Nursing
- Bronchitis Relieve the Chest Congestion
- Bruises Treatments from the School of Hard Knocks
- Burns Cool Ways to Treat Them
- Burping An Easy Exit for Excess Air
- Canker Sores Ousting the Ouch from the Mouth
- Cavities Learning to Live Without
- Chapped Lips Soothe That Kisser
- Chapped Skin the Best of the Balms
- Chickenpox Tips for Minimal Misery
- Cholesterol Keep It under Control
- Colds the Fewer Caught the Better
- Cold Sores Clearing Up a Pesky Problem
- Colic Calming the Chronic Crier
- Constipation the Route to Regularity
- Coughing at Night Hints for Sounder Sleep
- Cradle Cap Coping with a Crusty Crown
- Crankiness Getting Away from the Whine Routine
- Croup Chasing off a Scary Cough
- Crying How to Still the Sobs
- Cuts Scrapes and Scratches Remedies
- Dandruff Putting the Hex on Telltale Specks
- Dawdling Methods to Get Things Moving
- Diaper Rash Soothing Babys Ruddy Buns
- Diarrhea When a Minor Has a Major Mess
- Dizziness Steps to Stop the Spinning
- Ear Infections Countering Chronic Flare-Ups
- Earlobe Infections Help for a Piercing Problem
- Eating Problems How to Handle the Picky Eater
- Eczema Strategies to Stop the Itching
- Fatigue Tips to Recharge the Battery
- Fears Tactics to Take the Scare Out
- Fever What to Do When Your Kid Has a Temp
- Flatulence How to Lessen the Gas
- Flu Ways to Soothe the Symptoms
- Food Allergies Keeping An Eye on the Edibles
- Foot Odor Fresh Solutions to Sole Pollutions
- Foot Pain Tips to Take Away the Ache
- Forgetfulness Measures That Add to Recall
- Frostnip Bundling Up and Thawing Out
- Gagging Hints for Smoother Swallowing
- Gas Pains How to Burst the Bubbles
- Growing Pains What It Takes to Stop the Aches
- Hair Tangles Keeping Locks in Line
- Hangnails Fix-Ups for Fingertips
- Hay Fever and Allergies Getting the Better of Allergy Onslaughts
- Headaches How Doctors Spell Relief
- Heat Exhaustion How to Cope with Summers Sizzlers
- Hiccups Help Halt Those Hics
- Hives Giving Bumps the Bump Off
- Impetigo How to Stop the Spread
- Insect and Spider Bites Antidotes for Pest Attacks
- Lactose Intolerance Handling the Dairy Dilemma
- Laryngitis and Hoarseness Clearing Up the Husky Whisper
- Lazy Eye Getting Vision Back on Track
- Lice An All-Out Attack to Clear the Hair
- Marine Stings and Cuts Remedies for Seaside Perils
- Measles Going the Distance with the Virus
- Motion Sickness Taming the Upsets
- Mumps Help for the Pain and Swelling
- Muscle Aches and Cramps Soothing Action That Brings Relief
- Nail-Biting Backing off a Nervous Habit
- Negativity Upbeat Ways to Brighten An Outlook
- Night Terrors Taking the Fear Out of Bedtime Hours
- Nosebleeds Staunch Techniques to Stop the Flow
- Overweight How to Handle Chubbiness
- Pinkeye Chasing the -Itis Out
- Pinworms When An Itchy Bottom Signals Problems
- Stopping the Scratching Before It Starts
- Posture Problems Straight Talk About Slouching
- Prickly Heat An Array of Rash Approaches
- Ringworm a Round-Up of Remedies
- Runny Nose Drying Up the Drip
- School Refusal Help for the Reluctant
- Separation Anxiety Parting Without Such Sorrow
- Shyness Guiding the Way to Social Skills
- Sibling Rivalry
- Side Stitches So Long to the Pain
- Sleep Problems
- Snoring Measures to Silence the Sawing
- Sore Throat Soothe the Scratchiness
- Splinters Tips for Easy Extraction
- Sprains and Strains a Line Up to Halt the Pain
- Stomachache Comfort for a Tender Tummy
- Stress Helping Your Child Cope
- Stuffy Nose How to Break Up Nasal Gridlock
- Stuttering Smoothing the Way to Surer Speech
- Sunburn Ways to Counter Risky Rays
- Swimmers Ear Safeguards Against a Perennial Problem
- Swollen Glands When Infection Sends Signals
- Teething Relief for Sensitive Gums
- Temper Tantrums Techniques to Tame the Rage
- Thumb-Sucking Helpful Hints to Break the Habit
- Tick Bites Tactics to Stop the Tiny Attacks
- Toilet Training Problems
- Toothache Making Molar Misery Milder
- Tooth Grinding Ways to Halt the Gnashing
- Tooth Knocked Out Fast Action to Save a Smile
- Tv Addiction Getting Tube Time to a Minimum
- Video Game Addiction Tips to Tame the Kid Whos Hooked
- Vomiting How to Quell the Queasiness
- Warts Causes Quirks and Cures
- Tips on Safety
- Bike Safety
- Burn Prevention
- Car Seat Safety
- Choking
- Drowning
- Electric Shock
- Fall Proofing Your Home
- Firearms
- Fire Safety
- Frostbite
- Playgrounds and Sports
- Poisons
- Snakebite
- Suffocation
- Bleeding
- Breathing Problems and Suffocation
- Minor Burns
- Severe Burns
- Choking3
- Convulsions Without Fever
- Drowning3
- Electric Shock Injuries
- Eye Injuries
- Falls
- Finger Or Toe Injuries
- Frostbite3
- Head Injuries
- Poisoning
- Snakebite3
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Chapped Lips Soothe That Kisser
CHAPPED LIPS
Soothe That Kisser
It's one thing to watch your child lick her lips in anticipation of eating a yummy ice cream cone. It's quite another to watch her lick her lips over and over--trying without success to ease the irritation that comes from chapped lips. Fortunately, your child needn't suffer if you use these tips from our experts.
Slather on petroleum jelly. ' Wet your child's chapped lips 10 to 20 times a day with cool water for about 30 seconds and then slather on a thick coating of Vaseline petroleum jelly,' says Paul Rehder, M.D., a pediatric dermatologist in private practice in Oxnard, California. 'The Vaseline doesn't taste that good, but even when habitual lip-lickers lick their lips, the saliva won't get through the Vaseline.'
Keep a lip balm in your kid's pocket. Any readily available lip balm such as ChapStick is suitable for use by kids with chapped lips, says Rodney S. W. Basler, M.D., assistant professor of dermatology at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha. But it has to be reapplied every time your child eats or drinks anything. Otherwise it won't work.
Don't go for flavored lip balms. Ignore the pleas of your child for such exotic lip-balm flavors as Mucho Mocha or Torrid Tangelo, suggests Dr. Rehder. 'Some kids like to eat the flavored kinds right off their lips, causing even worse chapping. Stick with the unflavored lip balms instead. They're more likely to stay where they're needed,' he says.
Go for the sunscreen combo. 'It's a good idea to protect your children's lips from cancer as well as from chapping,' says Dr. Basler. Regularly apply a lip balm that contains sunscreen whenever your child goes outdoors.
Borrow from the bees. Carmex, an over-the-counter product that comes in a little tin and is made of beeswax and phenol, is better than any prescription medicine for chapped lips, says Dr. Basler. If regular lip balm isn't strong enough to help your child, Carmex might do the trick.
Heal with hydrocortisone. For chapping that refuses to yield to either lip balm or Carmex, try an over-the-counter 1 percent hydrocortisone ointment, says Dr. Basler.
Encourage less licking. Chapping is caused by dehydration. So if your child's lips feel dry, she'll automatically lick them to restore moisture. Unfortunately, as soon as the moisture from licking evaporates, her lips will be drier than ever.
With older children, you should discuss what's causing their lips to be chapped, suggests Dr. Basler. They may not understand how evaporation causes the problem, but they can certainly understand how licking the lips can make them hurt even more. With a few reminders, your child can become aware of this habit--and stop herself from doing it.
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