Iron deficiency (ID) is the most common micronutrient deficiency worldwide. In Canada, ID is recognized as a “Public Health Problem” in infants and young children.
The Safe Infant Sleep Clinical Practice Resource is intended to help guide perinatal care providers in giving evidence-based information to families to support them in making informed decisions about safe sleep for their babies. All families should be provided with education about safe sleep practices, including modifiable factors that can reduce the risk of SIDS and other sleep related infant deaths or injuries. This resource overviews key safe sleep messages to address key modifiable risk factors along with harm reduction strategies that can be discussed with families.
The late preterm infant (LPI) requires frequent assessment and close observation due to their inherent risks and medical vulnerability compared to the term infant. These guidelines focus on these infants cared for in a postpartum setting and will support health care providers in the proactive approach to the care requirements, assessment, monitoring, and discharge planning of the late preterm infant.
This document describes care and services for heathy populations and contains guidance in four key areas: Reducing Health Inequities; Promoting and Supporting Healthy Infant Development; Promoting and Supporting Parent Postpartum Physical and Emotional Well-Being; and Supporting Healthy Transitions and Follow-up.
The rotavirus vaccine has been added to Nova Scotia’s publicly funded childhood immunization program. Babies born on or after November 1, 2019 are eligible to receive this vaccine orally, starting at 2 months of age. Since rotavirus vaccine is a live attenuated vaccine, there may be implications for babies whose mothers are on biologic monoclonal antibodies. The exception is babies whose mothers are taking certolizumab or Cimzia (no implications with this medication).
The Canadian Paediatric Society (CPS) has recommended moving from universal newborn ocular prophylaxis, to universal prenatal screening for Neisseriae gonorrhoeae (GC) and Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) and treatment of those with positive results in order to eradicate infection and prevent intrapartum transmission to the newborn.
Infants and young children are at particular risk of contracting pertussis until they have completed their primary immunization series. For maximum protection, children need a primary series of pertussis-containing vaccine at two, four, and six months followed by booster doses at 18 months, between four to six years of age, and again as part of the school-based immunization program, which in Nova Scotia, occurs in Grade 7.
The best way to prevent mortality and significant morbidity from pertussis is for health care providers to:
The current recommendation from the Canadian Cardiovascular Society (CCS), Canadian Pediatric Cardiology Association (CPCA), and the Canadian Pediatric Society (CPS) is that pulse oximetry screening should be routinely performed in all healthy newborns to enhance the detection of critical congenital heart disease (CCHD) in Canada.
