Infection control: dirty dog, dirty home, baby coming?!


Question: Infection control: dirty dog, dirty home, baby coming.?
A married couple in my Florida apt.complex is expecting a baby in 4 weeks. Their 2-room apartment is filthy and cluttered. Their 6-month old pit bull mix has never seen the inside of a vet's office - no shots - and has no training whatsoever; pees and poops inside the home. Husband smokes and drinks beer 24/7, literally. Both are very uneducated. Wife was initially diagnosed at a free health clinic and has not seen a doctor since. Can you identify some of the potential risks the new baby faces.? This is so sad.Health Question & Answer


Answers:
This kid is starting out with several strikes against him.

First, he (or she) risks being born with birth defects, low birth weight, or other complications due to his mom not receiving any prenatal care.

Second, and scariest in my opinion, is the risk from the dog. An untrained, young pit bull (or any other type of dog) is an extremely high risk to have around any baby or small child.

Third, the baby's chances of developing asthma or even sudden infant death syndrome are much higher than usual because of the father's smoking.

Fourth, if sanitation is poor, the baby's undeveloped immune system may easily be overwhelmed, leading to a life-threatening infection. Certainly, a moderate amount of dirt is acceptable or even beneficial, but if the place is trully filthy, the child is at high risk.

Fifth, since the parents are uneducated and apparently unmotivated, the child may become the victim of abuse and/or neglect. Don't get me wrong: abuse and neglect happen in ALL socioeconomic levels, but since the parents are neglecting themselves so badly, it's logical to conclude they'll neglect the baby too.

Since you're a good, concerned citizen, I assume you'll be keeping a close eye on the situation. Do not hesitate to call child protective services if you have any doubt as to the child's well-being. This is not to punish the parents; CPS can help them to get their act together to provide a decent environment for the child. Removing the child from the home is only done as a last resort; normally a lot can be done to improve the home situation so that the baby can remain with the parents.Health Question & Answer

Sounds pretty squalid, but believe it or not, a dirty environment can actually help a child become immune to sicknesses. Obviously, there are extremes where this statement would become untrue, but in households with children where there is a high level of cleanliness, kids have a tendency to develop allergies, etc and are prone to other seasonal illnesses, more so than their not-so-clean counterparts.

I would think the biggest concern would be the dog - and I say this regardless of breed, and the father who smokes.

Perhaps a call to the building supervisor is in order.Health Question & Answer

Wow, I feel sorry for that baby. You can't pick your parents so there's not really anything you can do except call child services once the baby is born if you feel that the baby would be better off being raised by someone else.Health Question & Answer

i recomend that you get rid of the pitbull. trust me. if you want your baby to live a good healthy life. clean up the house and get rid of the pitbull. get another small nicer dog.Health Question & Answer

I would call Child Protective Services. Keep calling until something changes.

Depending on your county, you could face charges by not making a report to the proper authorities.Health Question & Answer



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