Dr Aleksandra Gajecka - Pediatrician in Malta, Sliema (2025)

21/11/2025

🌼 “Vaccinations During Pregnancy Protect BOTH Mother and Baby” 🤰🩷👶

Many parents still worry that vaccines in pregnancy might be unsafe—or believe it’s better to “wait until after the baby is born.”
But this is a myth ❗
Modern research shows clearly: vaccinations during pregnancy are safe, recommended, and life-saving.

⸻

🛡️ Are vaccines safe in pregnancy?

Yes ✔️
Vaccines recommended during pregnancy have been extensively studied and shown to be safe for both the mother and the developing baby.
They do not increase the risk of miscarriage, birth defects, or pregnancy complications.

Instead, they provide powerful protection during a time when the immune system is naturally more vulnerable.

⸻

💉 Which vaccines are recommended during pregnancy?

1️⃣ Tdap (whooping cough vaccine)
Given in every pregnancy, ideally between 27–36 weeks.
Helps the mother produce antibodies that pass through the placenta and protect the newborn in the first months of life—when whooping cough is most dangerous.

2️⃣ Flu vaccine (seasonal influenza)
Safe in any trimester, recommended yearly.
Protects against severe flu complications, including pneumonia, hospitalization, and preterm birth.

3️⃣ COVID-19 vaccine
Recommended for pregnant women.
Reduces the risk of severe disease, ICU admission, and pregnancy complications associated with COVID-19 infection.

⸻

🚫 A common myth:

“I’ll wait until after birth. It will be safer for the baby.”

Fact:
Vaccinating during pregnancy is the ONLY way to give your baby early antibodies before birth.
Newborns cannot receive these vaccines themselves—so maternal vaccination offers the first line of protection during their most vulnerable period.

Keeping mothers safe keeps babies safe.
Vaccination in pregnancy is an act of love, protection, and science working at its best 💛🤰✨

Yours,
Dr Aleksandra 🦋

19/11/2025

🌿 “Frequent infections in young children are a natural stage of development” 🌿

If your little one seems to catch every virus around—you’re not alone ❤️ Many parents worry about repeated infections, but for most toddlers, this is a completely normal part of immune system development.

Here’s why 👇

🌱 Why young children get sick so often
• Their immune system is still maturing, learning to recognize and fight common pathogens.
• In places like daycare or preschool, children share toys, touch the same surfaces, and stay close to one another—perfect conditions for viruses to spread.
• Toddlers have not yet built up immune memory, so nearly every virus is “new” to their body.

🤧 Most common infections in this age
• Viral upper-respiratory infections: colds, coughs, runny nose
• Gastroenteritis (“stomach bugs”)
• Ear infections
• Occasional viral fevers without other symptoms

These can happen 8–12 times per year in children under 5—and still be considered normal.

💊 A very important reminder about antibiotics

Most childhood infections are viral, not bacterial—so antibiotics won’t help and may even cause harm (gut microbiome disruption, resistance).
Antibiotics should only be used when clearly indicated, after proper medical evaluation.

🚨 When to worry and contact a doctor
• Fever lasting more than 3 days
• Signs of breathing difficulty
• Persistent ear pain or discharge
• Child is unusually sleepy, irritable, or not drinking
• Symptoms getting worse instead of better
• Repeated infections that don’t follow typical viral patterns

Most of the time, your child’s immune system is simply doing what it’s designed to do—learning, growing, and building long-term protection 💪🦠✨

Yours,
Dr Aleksandra 🦋

10/11/2025

“All too often I see among the parents of my little patients a deep worry about vaccines — especially the risk of autism.” 😔💉🧩

Let’s look at what the best science actually shows — calmly and clearly.

🔬 What happened with the original claim?

The concern started with a 1998 paper by Andrew Wakefield that suggested a link between the MMR vaccine and autism. That study was later shown to be seriously flawed and unethical (selective data, undisclosed conflicts of interest) and was fully retracted. Wakefield was found guilty of professional misconduct. The original paper is not considered reliable science.

📊 What do large, high-quality studies show?

Multiple large, well-designed epidemiological studies have found no causal link between the MMR vaccine and autism. For example, a major population study in Denmark and other large cohort and case-control studies found no increased autism risk after MMR vaccination.

🔁 What do systematic reviews say?

Meta-analyses and systematic reviews pooling data from hundreds of thousands to over a million children conclude the same: vaccines, including MMR, are not associated with autism. The balance of evidence from many independent teams is clear.

🕰️ Why do some parents notice autism symptoms after vaccination?

There is a temporal coincidence: signs of autism often become apparent around the same ages when many childhood vaccines (including MMR) are given. This timing can make it seem like one caused the other, but careful studies show the association is explained by age of first symptom recognition and other factors — not by the vaccine itself. Public health agencies and researchers emphasize this important distinction.

✅ What should parents do?

• Trust large-scale, peer-reviewed evidence and official health agencies (WHO, CDC, national public-health bodies).
• Don’t delay recommended vaccinations — delaying increases a child’s risk of serious vaccine-preventable diseases (like measles), which can be sev

07/11/2025

💉 Reactions After BCG Vaccination — What Parents Should Know 👶🌿

Many parents notice small changes on their baby’s skin after the BCG vaccine (against tuberculosis) — and wonder if it’s normal.
👉 In most cases, these are expected and harmless reactions that show the immune system is responding as it should! 💪

🩺 Typical (normal) reaction:

✅ Within 2–6 weeks after vaccination, a small red bump appears at the injection site (usually on the shoulder).
✅ It may turn into a tiny pustule or ulcer, then gradually heal over several weeks.
✅ Finally, a small scar remains — this is completely normal and means the vaccine worked. 🌸

⚠️ When to contact your pediatrician:
• If the redness or swelling is very large or painful
• If there is persistent pus or oozing that doesn’t heal
• If your baby has a fever or enlarged lymph nodes that don’t go away
• If the injection site becomes very inflamed or looks infected

💡 How to care for the site:
• Keep the area clean and dry 🧼
• Do not cover it with a bandage or tight clothing
• Do not squeeze or disinfect the lesion — let it heal naturally
• Avoid touching or scratching it 🙅‍♀️

The BCG vaccine helps protect infants against severe forms of tuberculosis, such as meningitis and miliary TB — still important worldwide 🌍

Mild local reactions are a normal part of building long-term protection 💙

Yours,
Dr Aleksandra 🦋

03/11/2025

🚻 When Poor Toilet Hygiene Causes A**l Irritation in Young Children 🧻👶

Many parents of preschoolers notice that their child’s skin around the a**s becomes red, sore, or itchy — especially after using the toilet.
This is quite common in children aged 3–4 years, who are still learning self-care and hygiene habits 🌱

💡 Why it happens:

✨ Incomplete wiping after bowel movements
✨ Use of dry or rough toilet paper
✨ Wearing tight, synthetic underwear
✨ Prolonged contact with stool or moisture
✨ Sometimes, mild bacterial or fungal irritation may develop secondarily

👀 What parents may notice:

🔹 Redness, soreness, or itching around the a**s
🔹 Discomfort when sitting or wiping
🔹 Sometimes small cracks or light bleeding from irritation

🩺 How to help your child:

🫧 Teach gentle cleaning — using soft, moist wipes or warm water after every bowel movement
👕 Use cotton underwear and change it daily
🧴 Apply a mild protective barrier cream (like zinc oxide or petroleum jelly)
🚫 Avoid perfumed soaps or wet wipes with alcohol — they can worsen irritation
💧 Encourage proper hydration and fiber intake to keep stools soft and regular

⚠️ When to see your pediatrician:
• If redness or pain worsens
• If there is bleeding, pus, or swelling
• If your child has fever or refuses to use the toilet

Most cases improve quickly with better hygiene and gentle care 🌿
For young children, learning hygiene is a process — they need time, guidance, and patience ❤️

Yours,
Dr Aleksandra 🦋

30/10/2025

🍼 Baby Spit-Up: When It’s Normal (and When It’s Not) 👶💧

Many parents worry when their newborn spits up after feeding — but in most cases, it’s completely physiological reflux, not an illness. Let’s break it down 👇

💡 Why it happens:

In babies, the muscle that closes the stomach (the lower esophageal sphincter) is still immature.
This means milk can easily flow back up — especially when the stomach is full or the baby is lying flat.

Other common factors include:
✨ swallowing air during feeding
✨ overfeeding or feeding too quickly
✨ sudden movement after meals

👀 Typical (normal) signs:
• Small amounts of milk coming up shortly after feeding 🍼
• No signs of discomfort or distress 😊
• Normal growth and good appetite
• Happier after burping or a small spit-up

This kind of reflux usually appears around 2–3 weeks of age, may peak around 3–4 months, and typically resolves by 12–18 months as the digestive system matures 🌱

⚠️ When to call your pediatrician:

Seek medical advice if your baby shows:
🚨 poor weight gain or weight loss
🚨 forceful vomiting (projectile)
🚨 vomiting with bile (green/yellow) or blood
🚨 significant discomfort during or after feeds
🚨 persistent cough, wheezing, or frequent choking

In most cases, no medication is needed — just time, patience, and a few gentle adjustments:
✅ keep the baby upright for 20–30 minutes after feeding
✅ avoid tight clothing or diapers
✅ feed smaller amounts more frequently
✅ ensure proper burping

Your baby’s digestive system is still learning — and a little spit-up is often just part of growing up 💕

Yours,
Dr Aleksandra 🦋

27/10/2025

🌙 Baby Sleep: What Science Really Tells Us 💤

Many parents wonder — “Why does my baby wake up so often?” or “Can I train my baby to sleep through the night?” 🍼✨

Let’s look at what neurobiology says 👇

👶 How much sleep do infants need?
Newborns sleep about 14–17 hours a day, but not all at once! Their sleep is divided into many short cycles — perfectly normal for a developing brain 🧠💙

🧠 Why is baby sleep so irregular?
The part of the brain responsible for producing melatonin — the hormone that helps regulate our sleep–wake rhythm — is still immature in infants.
That’s why babies don’t yet follow the day–night cycle like adults do. Their sleep pattern becomes more stable only after several months 🌙☀️

🚫 Can you “train” a baby to sleep like an adult?
The answer is no. Babies don’t wake up to “manipulate” or “test boundaries.”
They wake up because their brain and nervous system are still learning how to regulate themselves.

When a baby wakes and cries, it’s not just discomfort — it’s fear and the need for safety 🩵.
For a baby, being alone activates an ancient, atavistic sense of danger — their survival instinct.

That’s why it’s so important that a caregiver appears quickly — to provide comfort, touch, and reassurance 🤱💞

Remember: responding to your baby’s nighttime cries doesn’t “spoil” them — it builds trust and supports healthy emotional and brain development 🌙💗

✨ Sleep is not a skill to teach — it’s a process to grow into.

Yours,
Dr Aleksandra 🦋

24/10/2025

🧠💪 Zinc — A Small Mineral with Big Power for Your Child’s Immune System! 💙

Did you know that zinc plays a key role in keeping your child’s immune system strong and ready to fight infections? 🦠✨

🌿 Why zinc matters:

Zinc helps the body:
🔹 produce and activate immune cells 🧫
🔹 heal wounds faster 💧
🔹 support taste, smell, and appetite 👅
🔹 regulate inflammation and protect against viruses 🤧

A mild zinc deficiency can make children more prone to infections — especially during the cold and flu season ❄️

🍽️ Zinc-rich foods for children:

🥩 Lean meat (beef, chicken, turkey)
🐟 Fish and seafood (especially salmon, tuna, and shrimp)
🥚 Eggs
🌾 Whole grains (oats, brown rice, quinoa)
🌰 Nuts and seeds (pumpkin seeds, cashews, almonds — for older children)
🧀 Dairy products (cheese, yogurt, milk)
🍛 Legumes (beans, lentils, chickpeas)

💡 Tip: Zinc from animal sources is absorbed best, but a balanced diet with a mix of foods ensures your child gets enough of this important mineral!

If your child is a picky eater or follows a vegetarian diet, talk to your pediatrician about whether supplementation might be needed 🌱👩‍⚕️

Healthy immune systems start with everyday nutrition — one spoonful at a time 🍽️💙

Yours,
Dr Aleksandra 🦋

22/10/2025

🦷❓ Why Do Children Bite Other Children? — A Guide for Parents 👶🧒

Biting is upsetting to see, but it’s also a common behavior in toddlers and young preschoolers. It doesn’t mean a child is “bad” — it usually means they’re still learning how to communicate and control big feelings. Here’s what parents should know 👇

🔍 Why it happens
• Communication gap — young children often bite because they don’t yet have words to express frustration, wants, or discomfort. 🗣️➡️😤
• Exploration & sensory seeking — toddlers learn with their mouths; some children bite to explore or because they seek strong sensory input. 🧠👅
• Impulse control not developed — the brain areas that manage self-control mature slowly; acting quickly often wins over thinking. ⏳🧩
• Overwhelm, tiredness or hunger — overstimulation, fatigue, or being hungry makes a child more likely to react impulsively. 😴🍽️
• Modeling & attention — children may copy biting they’ve seen, or bite to get immediate attention. 👀🔁

🛠️ How to respond in the moment
• Stay calm and safe. Remove the bitten child to comfort them; calmly hold the biter and stop the behavior. 🛡️🤝
• Use short, clear language. Say: “Biting hurts. We do not bite. Use your words.” Keep tone firm but gentle. 🗣️❤️
• Attend to the victim first. Show care: clean the bite if needed and comfort the hurt child. This models empathy. 🤕🤗

🧭 Long-term strategies to prevent biting
• Teach alternative skills. Practice simple phrases: “I’m mad,” “My turn,” “Help please.” Role-play during calm moments. 🗣️🎭
• Build routines & reduce triggers. Regular naps, snacks, and predictable transitions lower stress and biting episodes. ⏰🍎
• Increase supervision at risky times. Mealtimes, transitions, and energetic play are higher-risk moments — stay close. 👀
• Offer sensory alternatives. Chew toys, textured objects, or active play can meet sensory needs safely. 🦴🧸
• Praise pro-social behavior. Notice and comment when your child uses words, shares,

20/10/2025

🍊 Does Vitamin C Supplementation Really Make Sense? 🤔

As the infection season begins, many parents reach for vitamin C to “boost” their child’s immunity. But… what does science really say? 👩‍⚕️📚

🔹 Vitamin C plays an important role in supporting immune function — it’s a powerful antioxidant that helps our immune cells work efficiently.
🔹 However, routine high-dose supplementation has not been proven to prevent infections like the common cold.
🔹 Studies show that vitamin C may slightly shorten the duration and severity of colds — but it doesn’t stop them from occurring in the first place.

💡 The best way to support your child’s immune system?
✅ A balanced diet rich in fruits and vegetables (kiwi, oranges, strawberries, bell peppers 🥝🍊🌶️)
✅ Good sleep, hydration, and daily outdoor play 🌤️
✅ And when needed, supplementation should be discussed with your pediatrician — especially for picky eaters or children on restrictive diets.

Remember: there’s no single “magic vitamin” — but consistent healthy habits make a real difference! 🌱

Yours,
Dr Aleksandra 🦋

17/10/2025

💉❄️ Flu Season Is Here — Protect Your Whole Family! ❄️💉

Every year, the influenza virus returns — and it can cause more than just a “bad cold.” It can lead to high fever, exhaustion, pneumonia, and even hospitalization 😷

👉 The best protection? The flu vaccine.
It’s safe, effective, and recommended for both children and adults — especially:
• Young children 👶 (their immune systems are still developing)
• Pregnant women 🤰
• Seniors 👵👴
• People with chronic illnesses (asthma, diabetes, heart disease) ❤️

✨ From what age?
Children can be vaccinated from 6 months of age.
For many children under 9 years old receiving the vaccine for the first time, two doses (given 4 weeks apart) are recommended for best protection 💪

✨ Why vaccinate?
• It reduces the risk of severe illness 🛡️
• It helps protect vulnerable loved ones 💞
• It prevents the spread of infection in families, schools, and workplaces 🏫👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

Remember — immunity takes about 2 weeks to develop, so now is the perfect time to get vaccinated.

A small step today can make a big difference this flu season 🌿

Protect yourself. Protect your loved ones. Get your flu shot. 💙

Yours,
Dr Aleksandra 🦋

13/10/2025

🌱 Every Stage of Childhood Has Its Own Core Need 🌱

When a child’s need isn’t met, they don’t simply “grow out of it.” They carry it inside — quietly — into adulthood 💔

This post isn’t about blaming parents. It’s about awareness, compassion, and doing better when we can 💜

👶 0–1 year:
“Can I trust the world? Is it safe?”
If a baby cries and no one comes, they learn: “No one will help me.” That silence turns into fear.
But when someone holds them and responds with care, the world becomes safe. 🤱💞

🚼 1–3 years:
“I want to do it myself!”
If everything is controlled or corrected, the child learns to doubt their abilities.
Later, they may be afraid to act without someone’s approval. 🌿

🧒 3–6 years:
“I’m a cat, a doctor, a superhero!” 🦸‍♂️🐱👩‍⚕️
This isn’t “just play” — it’s how a child builds their identity.
Support their imagination and they grow confident.
Mock or limit it, and they withdraw and lose creativity.

📚 6–11 years:
“I want to be good at something. I want to matter.”
Praise effort, not only results 🏅
If love appears only with success or grades, the child learns: “If I’m not the best, I’m not enough.”

🎯 11–18 years:
“Who am I really?”
This is not a “difficult age” — it’s the age of becoming.
Rebellion, strong opinions, and questions are all part of growth.
Your role? Be a guide, not a sculptor. 🧭

💖 Don’t shape an ideal child.
Help them discover who they truly are.

Because when we push too hard… children disappear — first emotionally, then physically.
You don’t have to be a perfect parent. Just a present and aware one. 🌸

Yours,
Dr Aleksandra 🦋

Dr Aleksandra Gajecka - Pediatrician in Malta

21/11/2025

19/11/2025

10/11/2025

07/11/2025

03/11/2025

30/10/2025

27/10/2025

24/10/2025

22/10/2025

20/10/2025

17/10/2025

13/10/2025

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