Taking temperature in a baby is not just in the hospital or clinics when you are in monthly check-ups. It is a part of your infant care responsibility as well. It is not as easy as taking temperature of an adult. Babies may not allow thermometers in their mouth and even if they do, it will be difficult to make them keep it still under their tongues for full two minutes, as infants do not have full muscle control to do so. They will only try to chew on the glass using their jaws and newly sprouted teeth and may even cause the glass to break, which can become a very dangerous situation with all the mercury inside their mouth. Here are tips to do it properly:

* An oral thermometer can be used over four years of age as they can put it under the tongue easily.

* Forehead strips are the easiest one to use on children and are easily available too but they are not trusted enough to get an exact reading. However, they are good for children who are a year old or older.

* Underarm temperature represents external body temperature, which may be lower than internal temperature and lead to false assumptions and diagnosis.

* While some people may prefer taking ear temperature, it can be a little challenging to place the thermometer right to get a good reading. It may also be hurtful to children who have ear infections.

* The best way to take a temperature in a baby is via rectal route. It is the recommended route to use. Rectal temperatures represent the body temperature most accurately too as the oral temperature may vary with the temperature of something the baby has just eaten or drunk.It can be taken for about 3-5 minutes.

* For taking rectal temperature, use digital rectal thermometer and apply petroleum jelly on it. Insert it one inch into the rectum and keep it there for about a minute or until the thermometer beeps. Remove the thermometer and note the reading. Babies may have a bowel moment just as you remove the thermometer from their rectum.

Learning disability is a neurological disorder that hinders child development. It is a lifelong issue and cannot be cured. Children facing learning disabilities, with the right support and interventions, can succeed in school and go on to have a successful career and become distinguished figures in various aspects.

Children having learning disabilities face difficulties with reading, writing, spelling, reasoning, recalling and organizing information without any help or if taught in the conventional ways. That does not suggest that they are less smart than other children. In fact, there are quite a lot of examples which prove that they can be more intelligent and smart than their peers.

There are a variety of learning disabilities in children. Read on some of the common learning disabilities in children.

* Dyslexia – It is a language based disability in which a child faces the problem of understanding written words. It is also referred as reading disability or reading disorder and is the most common of the learning disabilities in children.

* Dyscalculia – It is a mathematical disability in which a child faces difficulty in solving arithmetic problems and grasping the various concepts of mathematics. It is a complex disability and requires the intervention of skillful teachers. Arithmetic difficulties can be as pervasive as reading disabilities and demand similar attention and concern.

* Dysgraphia – It is a writing disability where a child finds it difficult to form letters, write within a defined space, poor handwriting and trouble putting thoughts on paper. Specific accommodations in the learning environment and additional practice will be beneficial for the one facing the disorder.

* Auditory and Visual Processing Disorders – It is a sensory disability where a child finds it difficult to understand language in spite of having normal hearing and vision. The child is unable to recognize and interpret information taken in through the senses.

* Nonverbal Learning Disabilities – This neurological disorder takes place in the right hemisphere of the brain. In case of this disability, a child finds problems with visual-spatial, intuitive, organizational, evaluating and other processing functions. This disorder is quite hard to understand and diagnose. Children are unable to recognize and translate nonverbal gestures such as facial expressions or tone of voice. They are not able to provide appropriate response to nonverbal stimuli and are wrongly considered as emotionally disturbed and branded as “problem children”. This type of disability occurs less than language based learning disorders.

These are the common learning disabilities in children. Though these disabilities may be difficult to cure, yet the combined efforts of parents, teachers and professionals can help children to go ahead and attain success in the future. Encourage their strengths, know their weaknesses, understand the educational system and learn different strategies which will help children get rid of their weaknesses and of the their development.

Schools may have a prerequisite age to start their program on a child but the knowledge of reading can be learned any time for the dedicated toddler and the passionate parent. Child education is all a matter of will and enjoyment - and it is up to the parents to make it exciting for the children as he/she prepares to be taught.

The U.S. Department of Education recommends the age of six months as a good starting point for read to babies. According to the research, the hearing of words is enhancing the child’s comprehension. Reading to your baby is one of the best ways to help her learn.”

Here are a few suggestions from the Department of Education to help introduce your child to the wonderful world of reading:

- Using sounds, songs, gestures, and words that rhyme to help your baby learn about language and its many uses.

- Point out the printed words when going with your child anywhere, to the shop, to the library, or just a colored poster.

- Spending as much time listening to your child as you do talking to her.

- Regardless on where and when you go, take all children’s reading materials with you. This gives your child fun activities to entertain and occupy her while traveling and running errands.

- Giving the opportunity for a child to work quietly somewhere in the house, i.e. creating a working place.