You're bringing home baby and have a toddler already at home. Can big brother meet and greet -- and touch -- the new addition?
Health matters
Bryan Sibley, MD, FAAP, pediatrician and medical director of Beacon Health, Ltd./Westchase in Houston, Texas, says yes -- if the elder child is healthy. "As long as the toddler is infection-free, there is no problem with a toddler being around an infant." So make sure to wash those little hands. "The greatest natural threat to a newborn is infection," he adds.
"Germs that cause relatively minor illnesses in small children can lead to serious outcomes in newborns."
Bryan Sibley, MD, FAAP, pediatrician and medical director of Beacon Health, Ltd./Westchase in Houston, Texas, says yes -- if the elder child is healthy. "As long as the toddler is infection-free, there is no problem with a toddler being around an infant." So make sure to wash those little hands. "The greatest natural threat to a newborn is infection," he adds.
"Germs that cause relatively minor illnesses in small children can lead to serious outcomes in newborns."
