For Mummies of Little Boys – Foreskin Infection

Posted in Holidays, Kids health, Parenting decisions, Tips with Kids, Travel with Kids, Uncategorized by jahbella

So we are just fresh off a beach holiday and honestly this is possibly the last topic I would think to write after an awesome vacation. (More on that awesome vacation in our later posts).

However I felt that it was important for me to share our run-in or Jah’s run-in with a foreskin infection during our trip and what we did to help him. Excuse the lack of photos as the photos taken were rather private (pun intended :p)

A foreskin infection or balanitis is apparently a very common condition amongst little boys from the ages of 2 and up however there are varying and overwhelming information on how to go about handling this situation.

For starters, there are two camps on the issue – the pro-circumcision and the anti- circumcision camp. I will not be going into a discussion on this at all, rather I would just like to share what worked for us in a situation where we didn’t have access to his usual PD or an A&E that we felt we could trust.

Jah started complaining about a pain in his penis on Friday (a day into our holiday). On close inspection, we didn’t spot anything odd and figured it might have been an insect bite or a bruise that he might have gotten during a recent Sports Day event. We asked if it was painful to pee and ruled out an urinary tract infection when he said no. I started watching him closely for signs of swelling or redness and also monitored his peeing situation.

By Saturday afternoon, the boy was screaming in pain every time I tried to put on his underwear or if anything would brush or even come into slight contact with his penis. This time the sudden swelling was very obvious. The area was obviously swollen, red and very tender in fact the appearance of pus started to really freak us out. My best friend Google revealed that it was likely balanitis which we were looking at and it needed medical attention and likely a hydrocortisone cream and antibiotics for the infection.

We were more than 24 hours away from our flight home and I read enough horrors stories online about doctors not knowing the right way to examine for balanitis. I didn’t want to traumatise Jah before his PD got to see him and so the huge dilemma of whether to take him to the in house hotel doctor, a local A&E or to sit tight and wait till our return to Singapore.

We gave him a dose of ibuprofen to help with the pain and to settle him for a nap. The closest thing we had to a hydrocortisone cream at that point was his eczema cream which belonged to the same family of medicine. In desperation, we applied a thin layer for him and prayed hard that we would see some improvement after his nap.

Thankfully the pain relief worked and he rested. He also woke up to a slightly less inflamed nether region and no more pus. However the tip of his penis now had a small ‘balloon’ at the end and we started to worry if it was sealed swollen and whether he was able to pee. We only started breathing again when we witnessed him peeing without fuss.

We wanted to go to a nearby pharmacy to purchase a hydrocortisone cream for him but also read that using a cream without antibiotics might worsen the situation if it was a bacterial infection rather than a fungal infection. Thankfully we found out that organic coconut oil had anti fungal and anti bacterial properties and could be used to treat balanitis. We were fortunate that we were holidaying in a place where coconut oils were a plenty and we found a bottle of Extra Virgin Coconut Oil easily at a pharmacy.

Jah was in good spirits throughout this experience and was very happy to go for dinner, ice cream and to shop for his coconut oil and that settled us alittle. Mummy’s instinct told me that we were at least not in dire need of medical attention at that point.

This big smile put my mind at ease..(well alittle at least)…what a trooper!

We applied the coconut oil before bed that night and found that the swelling and redness had largely subsided overnight! Phew! We made it home the next evening and even managed to wait till Monday morning to take him to his PD.

A visit to his PD on Monday morning showed a marked improvement in his condition compared to the Sat photos we had taken and he was prescribed with a potassium permanganate wash as well as a hydrocortisone cream. Ironically the cream was something that he also used for his eczema but I had brought a different brand with us in the trip. *smack head*

Easily available at pharmacies too I was told…

So what lesson have I learnt through all this? Well for one I will definitely be packing some coconut oil and his hydrocortisone cream for our next trip overseas.

Some of the things we learnt and checked for
1) Could he pee as per normal? Any problems or pain peeing? This was to rule out a UTI.
2) Was he having a fever? This would suggest the infection was a lot worse and we would have then taken him to a dr or Hosp immediately.
3) Was he in a lot of pain and was that preventing him from functionally normally or sleeping. If so then give him some pain relief in the form of Panadol or ibuprofen.
4) Did the interim measures like coconut oil help? Was he in less pain and had the swelling situation improve? If the coconut oil had not made any improvements then we would also have brought him to the In-house Dr.
5) Mummy’s instinct..yes apart from the above checks, we used mummy instinct which overrules everything else above. Had I felt uncomfortable about the situation at all, we would have handed straight for medical attention.

Hopefully Jah will never have to go through that experience again but we will definitely be better equipped if it does. And I hope you never have to find this post handy 🙂

JahBella’s Mummy

28Mar2016

Cold Storage Kids Run 2016 + Discount Code

Posted in Event Listings, Kids health, Media Invite, Reviews, Uncategorized, Weekend activities with kids by jahbella

JahBella participated in their first race during the Cold Storage Kids Run 2015 last year and thoroughly enjoyed themselves. In fact they have been bugging us to find out when the next race will take place and which categories they will get to race in. So you can only imagine their excitement when we told them that the Cold Storage Kids Run will be back for its 9^th consecutive year and that we will be taking part!

While there is definitely no lack of runs/ races/ marathons in Singapore, my kids are strangely fixated on the Cold Storage Kids Run even though it isn’t ‘attached’ to any fancy cartoon/ animation character.

If you read about our experience last year [click here], you would know that we benefited from JahBella being close in age because they got to participate in the same category, the Jolly Kiwis for 2 – 4 years old. Well ok, they didn’t really participate side by side, given that Jah ran the whole 800m while Bella got carried on Joel’s shoulders almost from the starting line. But the awesome part was that the littler ones could move at their own pace and not be worried about being jostled by much older kids (which normally happens when every kid from 2 to 12 ends up in 1 category). In fact we saw many parents carrying their little ones in carriers or on their shoulders and the small ones were just really happy to be part of all that 800m excitement.

The one thing that I absolutely love about the Cold Storage Kids Run is the fact that the races are very well categorized by age. It is truly an out and out Kids Run which caters to the various ages in different categories as well as distances which the kids can cover comfortably regardless of whether it is in ‘fun’ mode or ‘competitive’ mode. There is even a stroller race if that is your preferred mode of ‘transportation’ 🙂 The ‘after party’ carnival is also a huge draw for the little ones to spend time with family and friends so yes gather everyone for a fantastic Sunday morning out!

This year, we will be participating in two different categories which means that Joel and I will have to divide and conquer. I’m taking Bella so wish me luck! Perhaps I’ll be whipping out my own carrier this time around :p

The Cold Storage Kids Run 2016 will be happening on 22 May 2016 (Sunday) at The Meadows @ Gardens by The Bay (7am to 12pm).

Race/ reporting times will depend on which category you have signed up for.

For more info on race categories and fees, please refer to this link.

Do note that the registration will close on 3^rd April 2016 or once the race capacity of 5,000 has been reached so make sure that you don’t miss out!

However if you have missed out on the Early Bird Registration Window, fret not!

Here is a promo code REFBLOGGER16 that will entitle you to a 10% discount off the registration price.

JahBella are already gearing up and practicing for their upcoming race so what are you waiting for? We will see you at the Finish Line! 🙂

JahBella’s Mummy

13Mar2016

Disney on Ice presents Magical Ice Festival – JahBella’s Tips and Highlights [Media Invite]

Posted in Event Listings, Media Invite, Uncategorized, Weekend activities with kids by jahbella

We attended our first Disney on Ice 2 years ago with Jah when he was a teeny weeny little baby ok maybe I exaggerate, he was almost 3 years old then. So we figured it was about time for Bella to have her first Disney on Ice experience since she would be turning 3 in 2 months! Oh how time flies…

With Bella all decked out in her Princess Anna costume (never say never! :p) and Jah in his Marvel Avengers outfit (yes this boy is still holding out for a superhero show), we headed for Disney On Ice presents Magical Ice Festival at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.

Before we go into the highlights of the show proper, let me take you through some tips that we learnt from today’s experience

Arrive early

While parking didn’t seem like too much of an issue and there was more than enough parking across the road at Kallang Leisure Park, getting a lot right in front of the stadium was perfect for ushering kiddos quickly into the car after a 2 hour long show. (Trust me the parents will need it even if the kids don’t 😉 ) Also coming early would help you beat the crowd queuing to for the bag check and entry and give you some time to leisurely check out the merchandise and F&B.

Bring cash for the merchandise and snacks.

There are some pretty cute and interesting merchandise. We got Jah and Bella a pair of binoculars at $16 each. Perfect for keeping them busy!

Snacks and drinks are also sold inside.

In fact if you are seated in the first few rows, you will be able to get them for the mobile kiosk in front of the rink. Oh and in case your kids ask for popcorn and you do not want to indulge in such a big tub, there are also smaller boxes available for sale (think movie theatre size)

Booster seats are available on a first come first served basis.

But honestly I preferred to go without because they don’t really fit well on the seats. Given that half the audience were kids, it was pretty easy to ensure minimal blockage by seating them strategically behind another kid.

Go ahead, prep your kids for that big Frozen Spectacular thats happening at the end of the show.

Yes 1.5 hours might seem like a long time time in ‘kids light years’ to be waiting for something and I was afraid to oversell what was coming at the end so I had pretty restless frozen hungry kids towards the end of it all. If I had known any better, I would have promised them a Frozen extravaganza which it turned out to be. 🙂

Now for the HIGHLIGHTS!!!

Storylines!

We absolutely love the fact that there were storylines to follow. Rather than a random act or song, we got to revisit a few acts from each tale. Awesome for those who were familiar with the stories because we could enjoy all the little details and perfect for this who weren’t familiar because they were introduced to the likes of The Little Mermaid, Tangled, Beauty and the Beast and Frozen. Who said you had to be a fan to enjoy it! Incredible storytelling!

Skills!

The aerial stunts, the ice skating techniques and the synchronised choreography. The spins, twirls, lifts and flips! I can tell you that the kids were not the only ones wowed.

Set!

The backdrop, costumes, props and effects were phenomenal! Fans of the Disney tales would notice the details and the larger than life similarities. Fireworks, floating lanterns, snow! The amount of snow that fell on the rink during the Frozen segment was truly an effect alright! Without giving too much away, I actually thought that it was quite interesting how they presented a Frozen Anna.

Bella was captivated as all the other young princesses were and Jah was hooked on the fight scenes as all young princes/ superheroes would be. :p

All in all, it was truly a Disney experience!

Disney on Ice presents Magical Ice Festival will be in town from now till 20 March 2016.

Tickets are priced from $25 to $120.

Tickets for Disney On Ice presents Magical Ice Festival can be purchased online via http://www.sportshubtix.sg.

To learn more about Disney on Ice presents Magical Ice Festival, please visit http://www.disneyonice-asia.com/magical-ice-festival/

Disclosure: We received complimentary VIP tickets to attend Disney on Ice presents Magical Ice Festival for a media review. No monetary compensation was received and all opinions are my own.

28Feb2016

To the Mum whose kid we met at the playground yesterday.

Posted in Letters, Our Thoughts, Parenting decisions, Uncategorized by jahbella

Dear Mum whose kid we met at the playground yesterday,

We met your 10 year old son at the playground yesterday. He is an exceptionally articulate and compassionate young man. He saw that my son was apprehensive about scaling the netted tower (he attempted it two weeks back and never made it to 2nd tier) and your son encouraged him. He showed him how to do it and he put his fears to rest. He didn’t pressure him or make fun of him when he was too scared to attempt the subsequent tiers. My son made it to the 2nd tier on his first try that morning, thanks to your son.

Oh don’t get me wrong, I too encouraged my son . I too told him that he can do it. And I sure tried to show him how to do it (although that proved to be alittle challenging for me). I made up for that by trying to give him a little physical boost to the 2nd tier. It didn’t work. The fear crippled him. Your son did what I could not do. Sometimes they just need to hear it from someone else other than their parents. And that morning, your son was the perfect someone else.

The older brother. The role model. The competition. The ally. All rolled into one. Your son spent the next hour playing with my boy. They scaled towers. They skate scooted around the park. They played ball. They laughed, joked and fought. But through all this, your son was kind, patient, respectful and understanding.

Through that hour, I realised that your son was on his own and I got the sense that he is alone a lot. No before you think that I am going to get judge-y here, I’m not. I just want you to know that whatever the reason, whatever the circumstances, you seem to be doing something right. He is the most well-adjusted and independent 10 year old I have ever met. He has a level of situational awareness and maturity that would put many adults to shame.

To the mum whose kid we met at the playground yesterday, thank you.

Thank you for raising a kid who saw beyond my son’s age and size and wanted to be his friend despite my son being half his age.

Thank you for raising a kid whom through his example, allowed me to teach my kid certain life lessons. Lessons on determination, kindness, friendship and what it means to be a big brother.

Thank you for letting your kid play at the playground yesterday. 🙂

JahBella’s Mummy

28Feb2016

To the mum whose kid we met at the playground yesterday.

Posted in Letters, Our Thoughts, Parenting decisions, Uncategorized by jahbella

Dear Mum whose kid we met at the playground yesterday,

To the mum whose kid we met at the playground yesterday, thank you.

Thank you for raising a kid who saw beyond my son’s age and size and wanted to be his friend despite my son being half his age.

Thank you for raising a kid whom through his example, allowed me to teach my kid certain life lessons. Lessons on determination, kindness, friendship and what it means to be a big brother.

Thank you for letting your kid play at the playground yesterday. 🙂

JahBella’s Mummy