Q: Your baby likely won't be able to articulate words until they are between the ages of 10 and 13 months. Instead, they will coo and cry as a means of communication. Respond to these as you would normally, and don't fret over using baby-talk. The cutesy language used to communicate with young children might actually help hold your child's attention and stimulate language learning.  Infant-directed speech (also called Motherese or baby talk) encourages your baby to practice vocalizations. To do it, hold your baby or lay them on the floor. Look at your baby and imitate or build on the sounds they make. Pause to allow your baby to “respond.” This is the beginning of back-and-forth conversation between you and your child!  Try to match coos and cries with the objects they directs their sounds at. Instead of bringing them a bottle, ask, "Does baby Tiffany want her bottle? Dada will bring you a bottle." Combine specific items with your spoken responses. You might ask, "Is this what you want? Does baby Tommy want his stuffed elephant?" This is especially important while they are learning to coordinate their speaking with new vocabulary. They might make a certain noise or cry when they are hungry or needs to be changed. Respond to this as you normally would with spoken language, saying things like:  "Little Emma feels like she needs her diaper changed! Do you need your diaper changed? Let's get you a fresh diaper!" "Is baby Bert hungry? It's almost lunch time. Let's go get your bottle ready." "Do you need more? More milk? Here you go." When you interact with your baby or are doing something in front of them, describe the process as you do it. You might describe what you are shopping for in the supermarket, how you are buckling them into their car seat, or even what you are making for lunch.  "Does Kris need help getting his toy off the shelf? I'll be right there, honey. Just let mama wash these dishes. Wash, wash, wash!" "Look, Sarah! Fido wants to come in from going potty outside. Good boy, Fido." "What's daddy doing? Is he getting Andy's favorite book? Look Andy! I got it. Hooray! Let's sit down and read the book together." If they’re clapping their hands, say "You're clapping so well, Josh!" When they get excited to see a family member coming toward them, say "There's Dada, Meg! Are you so happy to see Dada?" This is natural for many parents, but by saying, "That's your toy! Are you playing with your toy?" you will help your baby make connections between items and words, as well as their own actions and name. You may think that you are encouraging overly talkative behavior when you narrate daily life to your child, but this is not the case. Try not to worry about that, because your child will hear and understand a great deal, and may even pick up on your hesitancy. After all, even young children can understand facial expressions.  Children who are not talked to enough during language development are often negatively impacted later in life.  Some research suggests that children in talkative families are more linguistically stimulated due to the regular exchange of language. This could be a potential link to better performance on reading tests at older ages. Difficult phrases can trip even experienced speakers up, and these can be fun exercises for your child to practice. You might repeat difficult daily expressions that you've become tongue tied over, or you might try some simple tongue twisters like:  She Sells Sea Shells Whether the Weather Fuzzy Wuzzy was a Bear Children are sensitive to sound and can be easily upset by loud or confusing noises. The noise level of neonatal intensive care units is 50 decibels, or the sound of regular conversation at home. It has been proven that reading has a powerful positive influence on your child's development, including their language development. Reading will help develop their imagination and also contribute the expansion of their vocabulary. Familiar words will become reinforced in their mind, and enable them to start using those new words. You don't have to wait until your child is old enough to make sense of the words on the page. A book with colorful pictures can become a pre-nap teaching activity.
A: Respond to your baby. Take cues from your child. Describe what you are doing. Describe what your baby is doing. Speak with your child regularly. Do some articulation exercises with your child. Talk softly with your child during the exercises. Read books to your child.

Q: Not all lip balms are created equal. When selecting a product to apply to your lips, make sure you choose a product with the proper ingredients to heal your lips.  Look for ingredients like cocoa butter, Vitamins A and E, petrolatum, and dimethicone. Products without these ingredients might not do much to heal lips and could even make symptoms worse.  Balms that include alpha-hydroxy acid can soothe and exfoliate chapped lips. This is an especially good ingredient to look for if you want something you can apply as a rub. Apply by gently adding the products to the lips, brushing the lips with a toothbrush to remove flakes, and then wiping off the balm.  Petroleum and beeswax are also good ingredients to look for when seeking out lip balm. Responses to such products tend to vary from person-to-person, however, so you might have to try a few different products before you find one that works for you.  Any lip balm you choose should always be re-applied before you head out into harsh weather. Sunscreen can help protect lips that are already dried and cracked from further damage outside.  Look for a sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher for optimal protection. You should be able to find such a product in most drugstores and supermarkets.  Always apply a lip balm as protection underneath sunscreen.  Apply sunscreen that has broad spectrum cover for UVA and UVB that is water resistant. If you're looking for a more natural route, there are a variety of home remedies you can try that may improve your cracked, dry lips.  Natural oils, like coconut oil and mustard oil, can moisturize dry lips. Natural oils tend to work best when cracked lips are the result of poor weather conditions. Cucumbers can cool and soothe lips. Simply eating cucumber, and applying the juices to the lips, can help. Aloe vera, which can be purchased in cream or gel form from most drug stores, is a great option for cracked lips. You can also purchase an aloe vera plant and apply the juice from the leaves to your lips. Be aware that the taste of aloe vera is sometimes unpleasant. Make sure not to get any in your mouth while applying it to your lips. Milk cream softens skin throughout the body, including the lips. Apply cream to the lips and leave on for 10 minutes. Rub the cream away from the lips with a cotton ball dipped in lukewarm water. Repeat as needed until lips heal. If your cracked lips are severe and do not improve with over-the-counter treatments, you might need to see a doctor about prescription medication.  If your lips become inflamed and feel sore, talk to your doctor. Inflammation is usually benign and the result of mild irritation, but it can also be a sign of a bacterial infection.  Antifungal and antibiotic creams, such as hydrocortisone creams, can be used to treat cracked  lips in the event of an infection. Your doctor will prescribe you a cream if she thinks it is necessary. Always ask a doctor about potential side effects and proper use before starting a new medication.  Steroid creams are not designed for long-term use, as this can cause thinning of the skin, discoloration, and other adverse side effects. Only apply in the recommended doses and only for as long as your doctor advises.
A:
Choose the right lip balm. Try sunscreen. Try home remedies. Ask your doctor about an antibiotic or antifungal cream.