My partner and I are expecting a baby in the next few weeks. Now the day is approaching, I'm worried about what I can do as a new dad to help out. Do you have any advice?

The biggest thing you can do is to make sure you spend time with your new family. Mum may well need support around the home and you should get to know your new baby. The more time you spend together, the more you will realise you already have the skills needed.

Playtime is something you will both benefit from and a good chance to give mum a rest. Your voice should be a source of comfort to your baby so the more they hear it, the better. You don't need to try to think of riveting conversation, reading a nursery rhyme is enough. The important thing is baby hears your voice so feel free to read newspapers, emails or text messages out loud if you like.

Remember, in the days following the birth you will both be tired and may have a crying baby in the middle of the night, it can be very stressful. It is important that you can remain calm and support each other.

Finally now is a great time to make any lifestyle changes you have been wondering about. Your baby will grow up quickly and an active child needs an active parent. There can be no better motivation for reviewing your overall health than the arrival of a baby.

I have read a lot about the new sugar tax and I am scared about the amounts in some products. What are the safe levels and how can I understand more about what is in my food?

It is important here to understand the issue is not with all sugar but with added sugar, that is sugar added to food and drink to sweeten it by a cook or chef or by food manufacturers. Many whole fruits for example are naturally high in sugar content but they are also packed with other vitamins and minerals and count towards your five a day so you should continue to make whole fruit and vegetables a key part of your diet.

For people over age 11, the recommended maximum daily allowance of added sugar is 30g. For children aged 7-10 it is 24g and for 4-6 year olds just 19g. As a guide, one cube of sugar is between four and five grams.

To monitor your sugar intake, you can look at the information on the label and be sure you know if it is for a set portion or for the whole packet. There is more information on labelling on the Food Standards Scotland website http://www.foodstandards.gov.scot/foodlabels

You can also download the Sugar Smart app if you have an Android or Apple device. It can scan products in the supermarket and instantly shows you the added sugar levels (https://www.nhs.uk/change4life-beta/campaigns/sugar-smart/home).

What is Otitis Media?

Otitis media is a very common and painful infection of the middle ear, typically affecting young children. For no determined reason ear infections are more common in boys than girls.

The ear nose and throat are all interconnected and ear infections will often accompany other illnesses such as colds and flu. They can also be caused by allergies such as hay fever. For this reason, although it is less common, older children and adults can also suffer with this type of illness.

Infections take hold when fluid which normally drains from the ear into the throat is unable to do so.

If the Eustachian tube which performs this duty becomes blocked, fluid builds up in the middle ear, providing a breeding ground for bacteria which can cause the area to become infected.

Symptoms

In children, you may notice a difficulty sleeping or the child pulling at their ear on a regular basis. It may affect sleep or encourage the child to cry when they are laid down. Because ear infections are often a result of other illnesses you should also check for a fever.

In adults, earache can be felt as either a sharp sudden pain or a continuous dull pain. Hearing may be muffled and you could see drainage of fluid from the ear itself.

Diagnosis

Your GP will use an Otoscope, a special device for looking into the ear to check your middle ear for signs of infection. This is usually easy to see as the eardrum will appear swollen, red or inflamed.

Treatment

It is important ear infections are treated promptly to avoid any complications such as loss of hearing ability or a perforated eardrum.

As ear infections are caused by a virus in most cases, antibiotics will not help. Instead your GP may recommend decongestants and pain relief such as paracetamol (liquid form for children). This will relieve the symptoms until the infection passes.

Repeated infections over the course of a few months or weeks indicate there could be an issue with the Eustachian tube or that there is an allergy problem to pollen or even common dust. People who smoke or have asthma, typically have more chance of contracting a ear infection too. Your GP will be able to recommend further investigation if they feel it is needed.