Sidra Medicine hosted an information session on 25 November 2014 for mothers. The session “A Healthy Child is a Happy Child” was hosted to commemorate Universal Children’s Day and was aimed at mothers with children under the age of five.
The session conducted by Sidra Medicine specialists, featured presentations and demonstrations on topics related to baby massages; clarifying the differences between food allergies and food intolerances particularly against cow’s milk protein; understanding food labels; and how playtime allows children to develop fine and gross motor skills.
“We are proud of the caliber of our physicians and allied healthcare specialists that we have on board here at Sidra Medicine. We regularly conduct such sessions and workshops and aim to host more, as we are keen to reach out to the community and share insights and offer advice related to pediatric and maternal healthcare. Information sessions are also a great way for mothers to ask questions in an informal group setting. It provides a level of comfort and reassurance that they aren’t alone in their concerns or quest for knowledge related to their children’s or their own health and wellbeing,” said Eman Nasralla, Manager, Community Relations and Development, Sidra Medicine.
Beryl King, Clinical Nurse Manager for Children’s Health Promotion demonstrated how massages are not only beneficial for babies but encourage a deeper connection between parents and babies. She also highlighted how some families found that massages are particularly helpful for children with special needs.
Kim Underwood, Registered Dietitian for Pediatrics and Pregnancy talked about how allergies and intolerances, particularly related to cow’s milk protein, if not properly managed, may result in nutritional problems in young children and can cause immediate or long-term effects on their health, growth and development. Parents were also advised on food labeling, the differences between food allergies and food intolerances and how to identify whether their child is at risk and what they can do to manage food allergies.
Penny DeGoosh, Supervisor Social Work Services highlighted how playtime is the universal language of children; allowing them to develop fine and gross motor skills, hone language and sparking creativity. Her workshop focused on the ways parents can engage with children to not only help advance their development but also strengthen the parent-child bond.
For more details about Sidra Medicine’s child and maternal health and wellbeing information sessions and workshops, please email crd@sidra.org.