Palak Vyas

Infectious diseases that spread from person to person are said to be contagious. Contagious diseases can spread through insect bites or by ingesting contaminated food or water. Contagious or communicable diseases include: Flu, Common cold, Hepatitis A and B, Measles, Cholera, Rubella, Lice, Mumps, Chicken pox, Cough, Meningitis, Strep throat, Conjunctivitis. To avoid communicable diseases:<ul><li>Ask your children to wash their hands often with soap to reduce the risk of catching any infection. Specially before and after taking food and after using toilets. You too should maintain proper hygiene while preparing food. Tell them not to keep touching their eyes, nose or mouth with their hands.</li><li>Get your child vaccinated for rubella, measles, diphtheria, typhoid on due time.</li><li>Keep your child at home when he or she is ill. If they have any of the symptoms like fever, diarrhoea, or vomiting, don’t send them to school. Sending them to school can worsen their own health plus they may cause infection to other&nbsp;healthy children.</li><li>While you prepare food, use disinfectant and cleaners to clean kitchen surfaces.</li><li>Make sure they don't share their personal items like a toothbrush and comb either with friends or siblings. Avoid sharing drinking glasses and dining utensils too.</li><li>If you are travelling out of the country, go see a doctor first. Ask your doctor about any special vaccination such as yellow fever, cholera, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B etc.</li></ul>

It is very important to take proper precautions to stay away from communicable diseases. Children catch diseases faster than adults as their immune system is weaker than adults.

Precautions for contagious disease

Ravina Sewani

In mastitis, your breasts might become tender, warm to touch, breast may get swollen, get a breast lump, skin redness, experience burning sensation continuously or while breast-feeding. Mastitis is an inflammation of the breast due to ineffective draining of milk. Mastitis is known to happen in only one breast but sometimes it can happen in both your breasts. Mastitis requires medical advice right away. When you are breastfeeding, milk production is a continuous process and if you do not empty your breasts, the pressure around the breasts increases and the milk builds up in the surrounding breasts tissues. This build up of milk causes redness and swelling. If the milk enters into the blood stream, your immune system might respond with fever or with chills and heat alternatively. Mastitis sometimes is also caused by bacteria entering your body through your cracked nipples or milk ducts. The risk of mastitis increases there is poor draining of milk, sore or cracked nipples, inefficient nursing, or if you wear a tight-fitting dress restricting your milk flow, if you smoke or have a poor nutrition compromising your immunity. If left untreated, mastitis could lead to abscess. Mastitis can be prevented by ensuring drainage of the milk from your breasts while breast-feeding. This can be done by allowing your baby to fully feed from one breast before offering the other.The usual treatment for mastitis includes prescription of antibiotics. Mastitis can recur if you do not treat the cause. You need to drain your breast totally during every feed. Continue to breastfeed through your bout of mastitis as this may help you. If you do not do this, you run the risk of another infection.

Mastitis is an inflammation of the breast due to ineffective draining of milk.

Mastitis in mothers

Babies who are prematurely born may have complications as some of their organs haven’t yet fully developed. Premature babies can have complications in the first few days, weeks or months and so are first kept in neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) for survival and to provide optimal environment for growth. Kangaroo care (skin-to-skin contact) is a unique practice where a baby is taken care of outside the incubator. The baby is positioned directly on the mother's bare chest after birth and is covered with a warm blanket. Care should be taken to not move the baby too far away from the incubator as the machine is connected with tubes and wires. There are several benefits of Kangaroo care. They are:<ul><li>Kangaroo care regulates baby's body temperature and heart rate.</li><li>It promotes baby's digestion and improves oxygen levels for the baby.</li><li>It helps babies sleep longer, thereby promoting growth and protection from infections.</li><li>Kangaroo care releases hormones that support breastfeeding and increases the volume of volume that contains antibodies.</li><li>It is a great practice to develop the bond between the mother and the baby.</li></ul>

Kangaroo care is a method of holding a baby that involves skin-to-skin contact with the mother.

Kangaroo care for children

Cholera is an infectious disease that causes severe watery diarrhoea, which can lead to dehydration and even death if untreated. It is caused by eating food or drinking water contaminated with a bacterium called Vibrio cholerae. The disease is most common in places with poor sanitation, crowding, war, and famine. Causes:<ul><li>Common sources of contamination include:</li><li>Municipal water supplies</li><li>Ice made from municipal water</li><li>Foods and drinks sold by street vendors</li><li>Vegetables grown with water containing human wastes</li><li>Raw or under-cooked fish and seafood caught in waters polluted with sewage</li></ul> When a person consumes the contaminated food or water, the bacteria release a toxin in the intestines that produces severe diarrhoea. Symptoms:Symptoms of cholera can begin as soon as a few hours or as long as five days after infection. These include:<ul><li>Rapid heart rate</li><li>Loss of skin elasticity (the ability to return to original position quickly if pinched)</li><li>Dry mucous membranes, including the inside of the mouth, throat, nose, and eyelids</li><li>Low blood pressure</li><li>Vomiting</li><li>Thirst</li><li>Muscle cramps</li><li>If not treated, dehydration can lead to shock and death in a matter of few hours.</li></ul> Diagnosis:Doctors usually take a stool sample or vomit sample to check for signs of the cholera causing bacteria. Treatment:<ul><li>Hydration is the treatment for cholera. Depending on how severe the diarrhoea is, treatment will consist of oral or intravenous solutions to replace lost fluids. Antibiotics, which kill the bacteria, are not used for mild cases. But they can reduce the duration of diarrhoea and also reduce the excretion of the bacteria, thus helping to prevent the spread of the disease.</li><li>Cholera vaccines are also available but whether your child needs one or not will be decided by your child’s doctor.&nbsp;</li></ul> Prevention:Use water that is boiled, chemically disinfected, or bottled water for the following purposes:<ul><li>Drinking</li><li>Preparing food or drinks</li><li>Making ice</li><li>Brushing your teeth</li><li>Washing your face and hands</li><li>Washing dishes and utensils that you use to eat or prepare food</li><li>Washing fruits and vegetables</li></ul> Avoid raw foods like:<ul><li>Unpeeled fruits and vegetables</li><li>Unpasteurised milk and milk products</li><li>Raw or under-cooked meat or shellfish</li><li>Fish caught in tropical reefs, which may be contaminated.</li></ul>

Here are Cholera Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention

All about Cholera

Thyroid gland is situated almost in the centre of the throat region. It releases thyroid hormone which plays a major role in all metabolic and chemical processes in our body. It is important for the overall growth and development. There can be two conditions related to thyroid hormone:<ol><li>Hyperthyroidism: When the thyroid gland produces an excess of the thyroid hormone. Here, the gland is overactive.</li><li>Hypothyroidism: When the thyroid gland produces too little of the thyroid hormone. Here, the gland is under-active.</li></ol>You will need a paediatric endocrinologist to treat thyroid in children.&nbsp; Congenital Thyroid:Congenital defect is the defect that child has from its birth itself.1 in 4000 live babies can have congenital thyroid. If congenital Hypothyroidism (the situation where less amount of hormone is produced) is not detected on time and if treatment is not given on time, the child can suffer from poor growth and can get developmental defects. (S)he can develop severe mental retardation. Reasons for congenital thyroid:<ol><li>The thyroid gland is not able to develop fully and is unable to produce hormones.</li><li>The thyroid gland is totally absent.</li></ol>&nbsp; Hypothyroidism in children:Causes:<ul><li>Children who are born in a family that has a history of the same disease. If the parents, grandparents or siblings have it, the chances of the child developing this disease are more.</li><li>The amount of iodine is not enough in a child's diet.</li><li>Improper treatment of a mother’s thyroid during pregnancy.</li><li>Abnormal pituitary gland.</li></ul>&nbsp;Symptoms of hypothyroidism in newborns:<ul><li>Yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes</li><li>Constipation</li><li>Poor feeding</li><li>Cold skin</li><li>Loud breathing</li><li>Hoarse crying</li><li>Enlarged tongue</li><li>Umbilical hernia</li></ul> Symptoms of hypothyroidism in toddlers:<ul><li>Shorter than average height</li><li>Shorter limbs</li><li>Slow mental development</li><li>Brittle hair</li><li>Tiredness</li><li>Constipation</li><li>Puffy facial features</li></ul> Diagnosis:Physical exam and specific diagnostic tests can be helpful in detecting thyroid in children. Specific diagnostic tests include blood tests. Treatment of hypothyroidism:Thyroid hormone therapy may resolve physical symptoms but permanent brain damage is most likely to have happened. Along with this, medication is also given by the doctor depending on the child’s age. Hyperthyroidism:<ol><li>Hyperthyroidism in newborns (Neonatal Hyperthyroidism): this is rarely seen in newborns.</li><li>Grave’s disease: this is an autoimmune condition where the body produces antibodies that stimulate the thyroid gland uncontrollably produce more than enough hormones.</li></ol>&nbsp;Symptoms of hyperthyroidism:<ul><li>Short attention span</li><li>Weight loss</li><li>Protruding eye</li><li>Goitre (enlarged thyroid gland)</li><li>Infrequent blinking</li><li>Muscle weakness</li></ul>&nbsp;Thyroid disease and endocrine conditions are interlinked as the thyroid is an endocrine gland.&nbsp;Diagnosis:Physical exam and specific diagnostic tests can be helpful in detecting thyroid in children. Specific diagnostic tests include blood tests. Treatment of hyperthyroidism:<ol><li>Anti-thyroid medication</li><li>Radioactive iodine ablation</li><li>Total thyroidectomy (surgical removal of the thyroid) or lobectomy (removal of half of the thyroid gland).</li></ol> Prevention: Thyroid cannot be usually prevented.

Here are Thyroid Symptoms, Causes, Treatment, and Diagnosis.

All about Thyroid

Dr Ajab Primuswala

The most important thing is to make sure that your child is diagnosed of autism by a psychiatrist or psychologist. You should not confuse autism with social anxiety or social awkwardness. As a parent you have to be extra loving and caring. Be very specific in what words you use with your child. This makes the child comfortable with you and develops a rapport which helps them in expressing themselves in front of you. Things to be taken care of:<ul><li>As a parent, we tend to get aggressive easily when we feel the child is not understanding or obeying us. But leave your aggression aside and be friendlier with your child. The first rule to deal with a child with autism is, be friendly and loving.</li></ul> <ul><li>Second most important thing is to know that a child with autism doesn’t understand eye movements or non verbal communication like signs and gestures. They always need verbal communication for better understanding.</li></ul> <ul><li>For example: If you want your child to sit down, rolling your eyes down won’t make any sense to him/her. It is better to tell him precisely, “Please sit down”. Or you can tell him/her that you would appreciate it if (s)he would sit down.</li></ul> <ul><li>Once you have child has been diagnosed with autism, start working with them as per your psychiatrist/psychologist’s guidance. Your child will develop a lot of coping skills if given regular therapy and constant words of encouragement from you. So when your doctor suggests therapy, go ahead with it and be regular in that.</li></ul> <ul><li>Don’t treat them as different children or disabled children. They are quite normal. It is just that their way of understanding; their way of perception is different than ours.</li></ul> <ul><li>For them, the world is what they perceive, not what we want them to perceive.&nbsp;Be very open in sharing how you are feeling. If you do not like their certain behaviour, you can verbalise and tell them , “I don’t like your behaviour and I would appreciate if you do not repeat it again.” Scolding them for everything they do, is not going to work in a progressive manner.</li></ul> <ul><li>As a parent you can tell people in your surroundings that you can be verbal and caring towards these children. Just don’t treat them differently. Don't be aggressive to them. Be loving and gentle. Convey this to you family, relatives, near and dear ones, so everyone treats him/her in a similar manner as they treat other children.</li></ul>

Children with autism, sure need extra care but they should never be treated as "misfit" children.

Raising a Child with Autism

Normally babies cry after the injection because the prick of the injection is painful for a baby. The doctors usually advise the parents to give paracetamol to reduce the pain so the child can have some relief. Keep the following in mind to soothe your child after injection:<ul><li>Stay near your baby to distract and calm him/her during injection.</li><li>Hold your baby in a position so that the doctor can easily give injections.</li><li>If your baby is under 6 months, use a sugar solution to pacify him/her. You can dip his/her pacifier in a sugar solution and let him/her suck it.</li><li>Distract your baby with lights, sounds or some new toy.</li><li>After the injection, rub the vaccination site gently.</li><li>Swaddling can be helpful for little babies.</li><li>Place your baby on one side or on the stomach.</li><li>Swing him/her in your arms.</li><li>Feed your baby.</li><li>Apply cold compress at the site of injection.</li></ul>

Injections are painful for children so they tend to get cranky post one.

Soothing your baby after injection

Massaging your baby’s scalp with suitable oil and the right technique will give your child all the benefits. Ensure that you apply oil on clean scalp and massage gently. Some of the benefits are:<ul><li>﻿It moisturises your baby’s hair and soothes dry scalp.</li><li>Helps in treating scalp problems like dandruff, scaly skin, a bacterial or fungal infection.</li><li>It hydrates your baby’s hair.</li><li>It prevents hair fall.</li><li>It strengthens hair roots.</li><li>If your baby has curly hair, applying oil softens hair strands.</li></ul>

Hair massage with oil is beneficial in several ways.

Benefits of applying oil in child’s hair

Samiksha Choithani

Some babies find it difficult to latch in the initial phase of breastfeeding. This may be due to the shape of the nipple, or if the nipple is not completely engorged. Premature babies or the ones who had a difficult birth may also find it difficult to latch.Nipple shield is a silicon shield that gives a definite shape to the nipple making it easy for the baby to latch. If you are using nipple shields, do clean them with warm water (sterilise them) after every feed. Advantages:<ul><li>Nipple shield should be the last option but use it to get started rather than avoiding breastfeeding completely.</li><li>Helps mothers to stick on breastfeeding and avoid bottles too early.</li><li>Heals and protects the nipples when they are sore.</li></ul> Disadvantages:<ul><li>Avoid long term use of nipple shield as it gets tiring and difficult to clean after every feed. There is nothing more hygienic and convenient than a bare breast.</li><li>A baby may get less milk if the shield is used incorrectly.</li><li>Once the habit of a nipple shield is developed, it gets difficult to wean it.</li></ul>

choking health concerns

Following article(s) will help solve your concern.