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

04/08/2025

🦷 Bruxism in Children – What Every Parent Should Know 🦷

Have you ever noticed your child grinding their teeth during sleep? 😬 It might be bruxism, and yes — it’s more common than you think!

🔍 What is bruxism?
Bruxism refers to involuntary grinding or clenching of teeth, often during sleep. It affects up to 20–30% of children at some point, especially between ages 3 and 10.

🧠 What causes it?
It’s rarely due to dental issues alone. Research highlights multiple contributing factors:
✨ Stress & anxiety — Emotional tension or big life changes (starting school, new sibling, etc.)
✨ Sleep disturbances — Irregular sleep routines, nightmares, or poor-quality sleep
✨ Neurodevelopmental factors — More common in children with ADHD or sensory processing sensitivities
✨ Teething or dental misalignment — In some younger children

📉 Most cases of bruxism in kids are temporary and harmless — many children outgrow it without intervention.

🔔 When to consult a pediatrician or dentist?
✔️ Your child complains of jaw pain or headaches
✔️ Grinding is loud and persistent
✔️ Teeth show signs of wear or damage
✔️ You notice disturbed sleep or daytime fatigue

💡 What can help?
💤 Maintain a calming bedtime routine
🧘‍♀️ Address emotional stress with empathy and support
🦷 Regular dental check-ups
📉 Avoid screen time before bed

Remember: Bruxism isn’t just “a bad habit” — it’s often a sign that a child’s body or mind is trying to cope with something. Recognizing it early can make a real difference ❤️

Yours, Dr Aleksandra 🦋

31/07/2025

🧠 Early Allergen Introduction Can Reduce Food Allergy Risk 🌱🥚🥜🥛

A new study published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice (Walker, Summer V.M. et al., 2025) confirms what pediatricians are increasingly encouraging: introducing common food allergens like eggs, peanuts, and cow’s milk early — around 6 months of age — can reduce the risk of food allergies in high-risk infants by up to 5 times! 💥

📌 Key findings:
✅ 5x fewer peanut allergies
✅ 4x fewer egg allergies
✅ Nearly 5x fewer milk allergies

This is a major shift from older guidelines that encouraged delaying allergens.
Now we know: early, safe, and guided introduction is the key! 🔐

👶🏼 When your baby is ready for solid foods (usually around 6 months), introducing allergens with proper guidance can make a big difference in future health outcomes.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 It’s not just about having the right information — parental support is crucial, too!

Please don’t delay allergen introduction if your child is ready.
Always consult with your pediatrician, especially if your baby is at higher risk due to family history of allergies.

Let’s help protect our little ones with smart, science-based choices! 🧬💪🏼

Yours,
Dr Aleksandra 🦋

26/07/2025

😮💤 Why Do We Yawn When Someone Else Does?
🤣 Or laugh just because someone near us is laughing?

It’s not magic — it’s the work of mirror neurons 🧠🪞
These powerful brain cells help us “mirror” the emotions, actions, and facial expressions of others — and they’re especially important in childhood.

👶 Even in infancy, mirror neurons help babies:
👀 Recognize faces
💞 Feel connected to caregivers
🗣️ Learn language
🌍 Understand the social world

✨ A baby who watches you smile will try to smile too.
A toddler who sees your calmness will start to self-regulate.
A child who senses your empathy is learning to be empathetic.

This is why your presence and emotional tone matter so much, even in small daily moments — like dressing, feeding, or rocking to sleep.

What can parents do to support this powerful system? 💬

✔️ Make eye contact and smile often
✔️ Use warm, expressive speech
✔️ Stay emotionally present — even during tantrums
✔️ Model the emotions and behaviors you want to see (your child is watching!)

💡 Mirror neurons remind us that children don’t just listen — they absorb how we live, love, and regulate our feelings. 🧘‍♀️

You don’t have to be perfect — just consistently loving and aware 💗

Yours, Dr Aleksandra 🦋

22/07/2025

🧠👨‍🍼 Dads can have the baby blues too… and it affects the baby

A new study published in JAMA Pediatrics shows something that's still not talked about enough: when fathers struggle with depression, anxiety, or stress around the time of birth, their children's development can suffer—not just in the first months of life, but even up to the child's 18th birthday.

📉 Emotional disturbances in fathers were linked to:

· poorer social and emotional development
· poorer language and cognitive development
· delayed physical development

🔍 The analysis included over 9,500 studies from 21 countries. They assessed levels of depression, anxiety, and stress in fathers and their children's development from birth through adolescence.

📊 It's estimated that up to 1 in 10 fathers experience depression, and even more – anxiety and chronic stress, during their partner's pregnancy and after the birth of their child. Many of them never talk about it. Why? Because the myth persists that a man "has to be strong." Supporting a father isn't a sign of weakness, but rather a concern for the well-being of the entire family.

📌 Conclusions?
👉 Let's take care of fathers' mental health just as we do mothers'. 👉 Let's talk About it openly – without shame, without taboo.

New dads deserve just as much support, compassion, and care as new moms. 🫶

You’re not alone — and you’re doing better than you think. 💙

Yours, Dr Aleksandra 🦋

Source:
Le Bas G, Aarsman SR, Rogers A, et al. Paternal Perinatal Depression, Anxiety, and Stress and Child Development: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. JAMA Pediatr. Published online June 16, 2025. doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2025.0880

19/07/2025

🍼💉 Why Do Babies Receive So Many Vaccines at Such a Young Age? 🤔

As a parent, it’s completely natural to feel worried when your tiny baby is given multiple vaccines in the first months of life. 💞 Your concern shows how much you care — and you’re not alone. Many parents have the same question.

But here’s why these early vaccinations matter so much ⤵️

🔹 Babies are most vulnerable to serious infectious diseases like whooping cough, meningitis, measles, or rotavirus. These illnesses can be especially dangerous — even life-threatening — for newborns and infants. 😢🦠

🔹 We rarely see these diseases today thanks to widespread immunization — but that doesn’t mean they’ve disappeared. They still exist in our communities, often carried by adults who no longer have strong immune memory. 😷👨‍👩‍👧

🔹 Your baby’s immune system, while still developing, is incredibly capable — it can respond to many vaccines at once! In fact, every day your child encounters and handles hundreds of new antigens through food, breathing, and the environment. 🌱🛡️

💬 That’s why expert organizations around the world recommend not delaying vaccines. The schedule is carefully designed to protect your baby at the age when they need it the most.

✨ Vaccines don’t overwhelm the immune system — they strengthen it. They help your baby build powerful, long-term protection — starting from the very beginning.

👶 Please don’t postpone or skip vaccinations. Each one is a shield your child deserves. 💗

Yours, Dr Aleksandra 🦋

15/07/2025

🧠💔 Children Feel Pain More Intensely – Let’s Not Forget That 💉

Did you know that newborns and infants may experience pain more intensely than adults? 🤯
For a long time, it was mistakenly believed that babies don’t feel pain the same way we do. But science tells a different story.

🔬 Research shows that a newborn’s nervous system is highly sensitive, and their ability to regulate pain is still immature. They feel pain acutely – and often without the calming mechanisms that older children and adults have developed.

💉 That’s why administering multiple vaccines in one visit can be a very stressful experience for a small child. Although vaccinations are crucial for health and safety, we should be mindful of how they are given.
👉 Whenever possible, consider:
• Using comfort techniques (skin-to-skin contact, breastfeeding, distraction) 🤱🧸
• Giving clear explanations to older infants or toddlers (even if they don’t fully understand, your calmness matters) 😌
• Asking about pain-relieving options such as topical anesthetics or spacing vaccines if appropriate (discuss with your pediatrician) 💬

👶 Let’s treat their pain seriously. Empathy and good preparation can make a big difference in how a child copes – both physically and emotionally. 💞

Yours, Dr Aleksandra 🦋

12/07/2025

🌞 Does my baby need vitamin D supplements in a sunny country like Malta?
👉 Yes – absolutely! Even in sun-rich countries ☀️ like Malta, vitamin D supplementation is essential for infants.

🍼 Babies — especially under 12 months — don’t get enough vitamin D naturally, because:

🔸 Their skin is delicate and shouldn’t be exposed to direct sunlight 👶🧴
🔸 Breast milk, while incredibly valuable, contains only small amounts of vitamin D
🔸 Even formula-fed babies may not reach optimal levels without supplementation

📌 What do international recommendations say?
Organizations like the World Health Organization (WHO) and ESPGHAN recommend that all healthy infants receive 400 IU of vitamin D daily, starting in the first days of life — regardless of sun exposure or geography.

💧 Why is vitamin D so important?
It plays a key role in:
🦴 Building strong bones and teeth
🛡️ Supporting the immune system
🧠 Neuromuscular development and long-term health

☝️ Remember: even Mediterranean sunshine isn’t enough — vitamin D must come from a daily supplement in the first year of life.

Yours, Dr Aleksandra 🦋

08/07/2025

🌊 Can a child with skin allergies swim in the sea? 🧴🧒👶

Summer means sun, fun, and beach time! But what if your child has a skin allergy — can they safely enjoy a dip in the sea? 🧐

The good news is ✅ yes, they usually can — but with a few important precautions:

🔹 Before swimming:
• Apply a hypoallergenic, water-resistant sunscreen ☀️🧴 — ideally one formulated for sensitive or allergic skin.
• Use a barrier cream if recommended by your doctor to protect vulnerable areas.
• Avoid swimming if there are open wounds or signs of infection.

🔹 During swimming:
• Choose cleaner, less crowded beaches 🌍.
• Limit time in the water — especially if your child is having a flare-up.

🔹 After swimming:
• Rinse off the saltwater thoroughly 🚿 (preferably with clean, lukewarm water).
• Gently pat dry the skin — avoid rubbing.
• Apply a moisturizing emollient immediately after drying to soothe and protect the skin. 🧴💧

Every child is different, so if your little one has severe eczema or allergic reactions, always consult a dermatologist or pediatrician before beach outings. 🩺

Let’s keep their summer safe and skin-happy! 🐚💙

Yours,
Dr Aleksandra 🦋

21/06/2025

🧠✨ Why Does Your Teen Seem to Live in a Different World? 🌍🤯

Have you ever looked at your teenager and thought…
“What planet are you even on right now?” 🪐😅
You’re not imagining things — and there’s a powerful biological reason behind it.

👶➡️🧑‍🎓 During adolescence, the brain goes through a huge transformation — a real neurobiological construction site 🚧🧠.
🔁 Neural pathways are being rebuilt.
⚡ Emotional responses are heightened.
🧩 Logic and impulse control aren’t fully online yet.

The prefrontal cortex (responsible for planning, logic, and self-regulation) is still under construction 👷‍♂️🔧 —
…while the limbic system (in charge of emotions and reward) is running at full speed 🚀❤️‍🔥

🎢 This imbalance explains:
• mood swings 😤😭😆
• risky behavior 🤸‍♂️🚫
• strong need for social acceptance 🧍🧍‍♀️🧍‍♂️
• and moments of pure brilliance 💡✨

💬 What may seem irrational to adults can feel deeply logical and urgent to a teen. They are not being difficult — they are literally rewiring.

So next time your teen slams the door 🚪💥, rolls their eyes 🙄, or changes their opinion in 3 seconds ⏱️…
Remember: they’re not broken.
They’re becoming. 🌱🌟

💞 Let’s meet them with patience, curiosity, and calm guidance.

Yours, Dr Aleksandra 🦋

18/06/2025

🌞 Do you think that viruses are only an autumn-winter thing?

❌ Nothing could be further from the truth! In the summer, we are also exposed to viral infections - only they are caused by different microorganisms than in the winter, but of course there are fewer diseases.

👾 1. Enteroviruses (e.g. Coxsackie, ECHO)
These are typical summer viruses. They cause fever, sore throat, rashes, diarrhea, and in children often the so-called Boston disease (HFMD) - i.e. lesions on the hands, feet and in the oral cavity.

👁 2. Adenoviruses
Do you know those burning, watery and itchy eyes on warmer days? It could be summer conjunctivitis caused by adenoviruses. They can also cause symptoms of a cold or diarrhea.

🤢 3. Noroviruses and rotaviruses
In the summer, you can also catch the classic "stomach flu" - diarrhea, vomiting and general malaise. Noroviruses are very contagious. Rotaviruses are less common thanks to vaccinations, but they can still happen.

🦟 4. Viruses transmitted by insects
- Tick-borne encephalitis 🕷 - the season begins in spring and lasts until autumn. - West Nile virus 🦟 - increasingly common in Europe, transmitted by mosquitoes. (When traveling, it is also worth watching out for Dengue or Chikungunya.)

Yours,
Dr Aleksandra 🦋

16/06/2025

🧠 How does a baby’s brain develop? 👶✨

Did you know that in the third trimester of pregnancy, a fetus’s brain begins producing brain waves similar to those of newborns? That means the baby can already perceive stimuli and start processing information before birth — it’s learning about the world even in the womb! 🌍👶

🔬 What does a newborn’s brain look like?
At birth, a baby’s brain is largely developed in terms of structure, but it still requires intensive growth. Newborns have about the same number of neurons as adults — around 86 billion! However, most of these neurons are not yet fully connected.

During this time, the first senses start developing. By the 8th week of fetal life, the first sensitivity to touch emerges. In the following weeks, hearing and balance begin to take shape. 👂⚖️

🧠 How do babies learn about the world?
From the very first days, newborns actively analyze their surroundings. Their brains act like sponges — absorbing, processing, and creating new neural connections.

👀 Fascination with faces: Newborns naturally prefer looking at human faces. It’s the first step in learning to recognize emotions and communicate.

📈 Critical development windows: The first months of life are crucial for sensory and motor development. The more stimuli a child experiences, the better its brain functions develop.

🧠 Memory & learning: Just hours after birth, babies can recognize faces and differentiate voices. 🗣️👶

⸻

👨‍⚕️ The human brain is an extraordinary organ — and its journey starts long before birth. That’s why supporting healthy development from the very beginning is so important.

If you found this post interesting, leave a 👍🏻 or share it with someone expecting a little one! 💬👇

Yours, Dr Aleksandra 🦋

13/06/2025

🧠 How does a child’s brain develop — and why are the early years so important? 👶✨

Brain development begins just days after conception and continues intensely through the first 20 years of life! 🤯

👩‍⚕️ In the 5th week of pregnancy, the brain starts forming its basic structures:
🔹 Forebrain
🔹 Midbrain
🔹 Hindbrain

By week 7, these divide further into areas like the cerebellum, cortex, and brainstem, which control movement, emotions, and essential life functions. ❤️

👶 At the same time, the first senses begin to develop:
👋 Touch sensitivity appears around week 8
👂 Hearing and balance follow soon after

💡 Did you know?
🧠 The brain has incredible plasticity — the ability to create new connections!
🚀 During the first year, it doubles in size, and by age 3, it’s already ~80% of its final volume!
💥 At its peak, a baby’s brain forms up to 250,000 neurons per minute! 🤯

That’s why the early environment, responsive care, and proper nutrition are so essential to long-term cognitive and emotional health. 💕✨

More on supporting brain development coming soon! 🍼📚

Yours, Dr Aleksandra 🦋

Dr Aleksandra Gajecka - Pediatrician in Malta

04/08/2025

31/07/2025

26/07/2025

22/07/2025

19/07/2025

15/07/2025

12/07/2025

08/07/2025

21/06/2025

18/06/2025

16/06/2025

13/06/2025

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