Four common misconceptions in Iraqi society can lead to the death of newborn babies, and doctors advise mothers to avoid them.
These misconceptions include:
“Nausea and vomiting are signs of breakdown by a strong smell.”
“Putting him in front of a white lamp will cure jaundice.”
“Puncturing prevents fetal gas.”
"Sugar drink and honey cleanse the baby's stomach.”
In these misconceptions are not corrected, and the babies are not treated scientifically, they may face greater health risks.
Firstly, “nausea and vomiting are signs of breakdown by strong smell.”
Kamran Ahmed, a pediatrician and neonatologist, says that these conditions have been scientifically diagnosed, but there is no such thing as “smell-struck” as some mothers refer to in cases of vomiting and nausea.
“Vomiting and nausea in children, which are described as signs of bad breath, are caused by intestinal and gastrointestinal infections, meningitis, or poisoned food, meaning they are not caused by strong odor.”
“They brought children to us and took them from one street to another in search of a cure for breakdown by smell, but it turned out that they had meningitis... If a child is allergic to what is called constipation, he will breathe with difficulty, cough, and sneeze.”
Another misconception is that newborns face breakdown when they are taken to visit a woman who recently gave birth.
“This is not true. The truth is that the woman who gives birth becomes infected, and the disease may be transmitted to the child who comes to her, not through smell,” Dr. Ahmed added.
“Because the child is suffering from a serious illness, and it is said that there is nothing wrong, and he has bad breath, while he may have meningitis, and delaying treatment is dangerous.”
Secondly, “sugar and honey cleanse the child's stomach.”
Dr. Ahmed emphasized that it is scientifically forbidden to give honey to infants under one year of age, “because there is a substance in honey that the child's stomach cannot digest, and it may cause food poisoning, which is a serious disease that affects the infant's stomach.”
“If a child suffers from low blood sugar, they should be given a special type of sugar, which must be prescribed by a doctor, because homemade sugar causes frequent urination and stomach dryness in children,” he said.
Third: “Put them in front of a white lamp, and the jaundice will go away.”
Some mothers place their babies in front of lamps when they have jaundice.
“This is not helpful because it is different from the special lamps used in hospitals for babies with jaundice,” Dr. Kamran said.
Fourth, “Puncturing prevents fetal gas.”
Dr. Kamran says this is completely unfounded. It is true that the baby suffers from gas, but this only harms the baby and causes inflammation at the site of the injury.
"The gas does not come out because it is in the intestines. The stomach consists of several layers while puncturing is the opening of the surface upper layer.”
