Dr Aliraza Khunt

Palak Vyas

<ul><li>If the child gets sick again and again, the parent considers it as weak immunity but this is not true because every time a child falls sick, (s)he gets back to normal on their own so the immunity is fine. The immunity is weak when the child doesn’t heal and stays sick for long extended periods.</li><li>As a child grows, (s)he does not stay at one place or with just one person. This leads to a child getting exposed to outside environment and a lot of new people. Due to this, the chances of catching infections again and again are very high. And so the child falls sick frequently.</li><li>This does not mean that the immunity is less. In fact, the child should not be given medication again and again. The infection will be cured within a week as a child’s body learns to fight against outside germs. Fighting against germs will only make your child’s immunity stronger.</li><li>A child’s immunity completely develops by 5 to 7 years.</li></ul> To increase your child's immunity:<ul><li>Breastfeed your baby.</li><li>Encourage exercise:&nbsp;It enhances immune system through stress-reduction. Thus encouraging your kids to opt for age-appropriate exercise regularly, will&nbsp;make them physically fit and support their immunity. Regular moderate intensity exercise increases child’s immunity.</li><li>Give them nutritious diet: Deficiencies of Vitamins A, C, E, B6 and Folate, are also associated with reduced immunity. Micro-nutrients such as Zinc, Selenium, Iron and Copper are also important in developing a healthy immune system. Thus, a properly balanced diet with all required nutrients is extremely important, especially in the growing years when the immune system is still maturing.</li><li>Inculcate healthy sleep habits: Sleep is a restorative process that plays a critical role in the proper functioning of the immune system. It is important to develop and follow a healthy and optimum sleep pattern for your children.</li><li>Serve more fruits and vegetables.</li><li>Develop a good habit of washing hands: You should pay particular attention to their hygiene before and after each meal and after playing outside, handling pets, blowing their nose, using the bathroom, and arriving home from daycare. When you're out, carry disposable wipes with you for quick cleanups. To help kids get into the hand-washing habit at home, let them pick out their own brightly coloured hand towels and soap in fun shapes, colours, and scents.</li><li>Keep your babies away from second hand smoke: If you or your spouse smokes, quit. Cigarette smoke contains more than 4,000 toxins, most of which can irritate or kill cells in the body.</li></ul>

Your child getting sick again and again does not mean that (s)he has a weaker immunity.

Increasing child’s immunity

Ravina Sewani

During the fit, a child might experience jerking/twitching of a hand, arm or leg or jerking/twitching of the whole body. They may or may not become unconscious. Seizures are either epileptic (caused due to epilepsy) or non-epileptic that are caused by factors such as drops in blood sugar or pressure, changes in heart rhythm, or emotional stress. Epilepsy is a brain condition that causes a child to have seizures. The brain consists of nerve cells that communicate with each other through electrical activity. A seizure occurs when one or more parts of the brain have a burst of abnormal electrical signals that interrupt normal brain signals. Types of seizures:The type of seizure depends on which part and how much of the brain is affected and what happens during the seizure. The 2 main categories of epileptic seizures are focal (partial) seizure and generalised seizure. Focal (partial) seizures:Focal seizures take place when abnormal electrical brain function occurs in one or more areas of one side of the brain. Before a focal seizure, your child may have signs that a seizure is about to occur. The most common signs are deja vu, impending doom, fear, or euphoria. The 2 types of focal seizures are: <ul><li>Simple focal seizure: The symptoms of this seizure depend on the area of the brain getting affected. If there is an abnormal electrical brain function in the vision part of the brain, your child’s sight may be altered. The seizure activity is limited to an isolated muscle group. For example, it may only affect the fingers, or larger muscles in the arms and legs. Your child may also have sweating, nausea, or become pale. Your child won’t lose consciousness in this type of seizure.</li></ul> <ul><li>Complex focal seizure: This type of seizure often occurs in the area of the brain controlling emotions and memory. Your child will likely have altered consciousness. Your child may or may not pass out, or just stop being aware of what's going on around him or her. Your child may look awake, but have a variety of unusual behaviours. These may range from gagging, lip smacking, running, screaming, crying, or laughing. Your child may be tired or sleepy after the seizure.</li></ul> Generalised seizure:A generalised seizure occurs in both sides of the brain. Your child will lose consciousness and be tired after the seizure (postictal state).&nbsp;Types of generalised seizures include: Absence seizure: This seizure causes a change in consciousness and staring. Your child will likely maintain posture. His or her mouth or face may twitch or eyes may blink rapidly. The seizure usually lasts no longer than 30 seconds. The child may not recognise the seizure and go on about their activity without feeling different. These seizures may occur several times a day. Absence seizures start between ages 4 to 12. Atonic seizure: This is also called a drop attack. During an atonic seizure, your child experiences a sudden loss of muscle tone and may fall from a standing position or suddenly drop his or her head. During this seizure, your child will be limp and unresponsive. Generalized tonic-clonic seizure (GTC): Also known as grand mal seizure. In this seizure, your child’s body, arms, and legs will flex (contract), extend (straighten out), and tremor (shake). After this, muscles contract and relax (clonic period). The child then enters postictal period (after seizure). During the postictal period, your child may be sleepy. He or she may have problems with vision or speech, and may have a bad headache, fatigue, or body aches. Myoclonic seizure: This type of seizure causes quick movements or sudden jerking of a group of muscles. These seizures tend to occur in clusters. This means that they may occur several times a day, or for several days in a row. Status epilepticus: is a life-threatening condition in which a child has prolonged seizures or one seizure after another without regaining consciousness in between them. You should always get emergency medical help if a seizure lasts more than five minutes. Symptoms:<ul><li>Staring</li><li>Tremors, convulsions or jerking movements in the arms and legs</li><li>Stiffening of the body</li><li>Loss of consciousness</li><li>Breathing problems</li><li>Loss of bowel or bladder control</li><li>Falling suddenly</li><li>Not responding to noise or words for short periods of time</li><li>Appearing confused or in a haze</li><li>Extreme sleepiness and irritability when waking up in the morning</li><li>Periods of rapid eye blinking</li><li>Vomiting</li><li>Changes in vision, speech or both</li></ul> Causes:<ul><li>Head injuries</li><li>Birth trauma</li><li>Congenital conditions</li><li>Poisoning</li><li>Fever or infection</li><li>Brain tumours</li><li>Maternal illness during pregnancy</li><li>Genetics</li><li>Degenerative brain disorders</li></ul> Diagnosis:Diagnosing a seizure can be tricky. Seizures are over so quickly that your doctor probably will never see your child having one. Your description of the seizure is important to help your doctor with the diagnosis. If your child falls suddenly or shakes, it is impossible to not notice it. But absence or staring seizures may go unnoticed for years. You shouldn't worry if your child gazes open-mouthed at cartoons on TV, or stares out the window in the car. Most kids who appear to be daydreaming really are just daydreaming. But be careful when your child is in the middle of speaking or doing something, and suddenly stops. Medical tests are an important part of diagnosing seizures. These include blood tests, an EEG (Electroencephalogram) to check the electrical activity in the brain, or request a brain scan such as an MRI with a specific epilepsy protocol. Treatment:The goal of treatment is to control, stop, or reduce how often seizures occur. Treatment is often done with medicine. Medicines are selected based on the type of seizure, age of the child, side effects, cost, and ease of use. Your healthcare professional might conduct regular blood tests to check the level of the medicine in the blood and its effects on the organs. (S)he might also do an EEG by which you will know how the medicines are helping the electrical problems in your child’s brain. Your child may not need medicine for life. Some children are taken off medicine if they have had no seizures for 1 to 2 years. This though, is determined a healthcare provider. Other treatments include: <ul><li>A ketogenic diet: This type of diet is high in fat and low in carbohydrates. The diet causes the body to make ketones. The brain and heart work normally with ketones as an energy source. Researchers cannot identify how exactly this diet helps. DO NOT undertake this diet for your child unless it is advised by your child’s doctor.</li></ul> <ul><li>Surgery: Surgery may be done to remove the part of the brain where the seizures are occurring. Or the surgery helps to stop the spread of the bad electrical currents through the brain. Your child may be awake during the surgery. The brain itself does not feel pain. If your child is awake and able to follow commands, the surgeons are better able to check areas of his or her brain during the procedure. Surgery is not an option for everyone with seizures.</li></ul> Factors that trigger a seizure:<ul><li>Stress, anxiety, or other emotional issues</li><li>Change in sleep schedules or significant sleep deprivation</li><li>Change in medications, or skipping or missing a dose of anti-seizure medication</li><li>Things that over-stimulates the senses, like lights that flash brightly, watching television, playing video or computer games</li></ul> Preventing seizures:<ul><li>Plenty of sleep each night</li><li>Regular medications as prescribed by your doctor</li><li>Avoid bright, flashing lights and other visual stimuli.</li><li>Skip TV and computer time whenever possible.</li><li>Avoid playing video games.</li><li>A healthy diet.</li></ul> Fits or seizures can be really difficult to deal with. Keep the following in mind while your child is having a fit: <ul><li>Stay calm: When you stay calm, you can think of how to help your child.</li><li>Prevent injury: Keep your child away from sources of danger, for example, if you are on the road, take him/her to some safe place. Try to keep them away from ladders or stairs. Keep hard or pointed objects away from them.</li><li>They may stop breathing temporarily. Their face may become dusky or blue around the mouth. Do not try to give CPR during seizures. They will get normal soon.</li><li>Be aware of the length of the seizure: If it lasts for more than 5 minutes, call an ambulance. Observe minutely so that you can give an accurate report.</li><li>Make your child as comfortable as possible: Remove glasses if any. If the child has food in the mouth, do not try to take it out. Roll them onto their side so that any fluids can drain out of their mouth. Loosen anything around their neck for better breathing. Loosen belts or buttons if they are tight.</li><li>Do not put anything into your child’s mouth like a spoon or pencil or any such thing. It is a common misconception that people can swallow their own tongue but that is just not possible.</li><li>Avoid making a crowd around the child during seizures, give them room for breathing.</li><li>Do not give your child any water, food or pills while they are having seizures.</li><li>Be sensitive and supportive after the seizure is over. Let them know it is okay if they had wet their pants or had bowel movements, as they had no control over their body during the seizure. Provide them with fresh clothes to change if they have spoiled their clothes.</li></ul> After the seizure: If they have injured themselves during a seizure, take them to a doctor.

Here are Seizure Symptoms, Causes, Treatment, Risk factors, Prevention, Diagnosis, and Types.

All about seizures

Tearing is a normal function of the eye. But when tear ducts get blocked due to infection and inflammation, tears well up in the eye and fall excessively; this is called "eye watering". In newborns, the condition usually resolves itself within a few weeks. Common causes of watery eyes:<ul><li>Allergies</li><li>Blocked tear duct</li><li>Common cold</li><li>Dry eyes</li><li>Ingrown hair lashes</li><li>Pink eye (Conjunctivitis)</li><li>Stye (a red, painful lump near the edge of the child’s eyelid)</li><li>Tear duct infection</li><li>Eye injury</li><li>Chemical splash in the eye</li></ul> Symptoms associated with watery eyes:<ul><li>Eye pain</li><li>Eye infection</li><li>Runny nose</li><li>Vision impairment</li><li>Sneezing</li><li>Swelling in the eyes</li><li>Redness in the eyes</li></ul> Treating eye watering:<ul><li>Sometimes a sticky liquid may form around the baby's eye or eyes. You can use a piece of cotton wool that has been soaked in sterile water to clean the eyes. Make sure to boil the water to make it sterile and then cool enough before dabbing it on the child’s eyes with cotton wool.</li><li>Sometimes tears can be relieved by gently massaging the tear ducts. Apply light pressure with the finger and thumb to the outside of the nose.</li><li>If the situation persists for more than a day, consult a doctor.</li></ul>

The problem of constant tears usually resolves within a few weeks in a newborn. If eye watering is accompanied with other problems, you might want to consult a eye specialist for your child.

Treating eye watering

<ul><li>Pet allergy is body’s immune response against animal’s dander (dead skin in animal fur), animal’s saliva, or animal’s urine. The body perceives all of these as a threat and triggers an allergic reaction in your child.</li><li>A pet with a lot of fur or feathers on its body holds a greater chance of triggering an allergic reaction in your child.</li><li>If your child has been diagnosed of pet allergy by your child’s paediatrician, it is better to not own a pet. If your child loves animals, you can take him/her visit your friend’s or relative’s pets once in a while.</li><li>If your child is allergic to other things as well, then your child may show immediate symptoms after coming in contact with some animals.</li><li>Pet allergies are known to self-resolve after avoiding animals for some time. But if this is not the case, it is better to not own pets at all.</li><li>Pet allergens are airborne so use an air filter in your house to keep your child from contacting these allergens. Keep the carpets at the minimum in your house.</li><li>Keep your pet’s belongings and cage clean and free of fur.</li><li>Keeping pets outdoor might help a bit but does not solve the problem entirely.</li><li>Treatments include prescription of antihistamines and nasal sprays by your child’s paediatrician.</li></ul> Symptoms:<ul><li>Itching</li><li>Rashes</li><li>Vomiting</li><li>Diarrhoea</li><li>Swelling of the lips or tongue or face</li><li>Throat constriction</li><li>Difficulty in breathing</li><li>Allergies may sometimes also cause a life-threatening reaction called anaphylaxis which constricts the airway passage and requires immediate medical attention.</li></ul> Diagnosis:<ul><li>Always get your child diagnosed by a healthcare expert and never on your own. Never self-assume that your child has peanut allergy. Commercial home test kits for self-diagnosis are not recommended as they may not be of the required standards.</li><li>Your child’s paediatrician may recommend that your child undertake tests like skin prick test, blood test or food/drug challenge. It is important that these tests are performed under medical supervision as these tests might trigger an allergic reaction. Along with these tests, your child’s paediatrician will also examine your child's medical/family history, existing conditions like asthma and eczema.</li></ul>

Children love pets. But sometimes, the pet dander may cause allergies in children.

Pet allergy

Stomach aches are of two types: Pathological and Functional. Pathological stomach aches have medical reasons behind it whereas functional stomach aches are mostly due to stress. Pathological Stomach ache: In pathological stomach ache, the child will also have other symptoms like severe fever, huge swollen belly, vomiting, problems in urine and stool. Here child is actually sick. Here the doctor can ask to get some blood work or urine stool reports done.Ultra scan of abdomen&nbsp;may be required. Such severe cases are generally not very common.<ul><li>From the history of your child, the doctor will be able to identify whether the child is suffering from functional pain or not. This kind of pain has a long history like it occurs over 15 days, 2 months, or so. Normally these types of pain are not considered severe. There is no particular reason behind it. There will be no pathological sign or symptom apart from pain.</li></ul> <ul><li>Sometimes constipation also leads to stomach ache: Constipation is again one of the major reasons behind child’s stomach pain. Generally after half an hour of the first food in the morning the child can get nature’s call. Now, when the child gets up, the mum is ready with a cup of milk and hurries up to get him/her ready for school. In that situation the child feels the stress causing him pain. There is no time to attend nature’s call and (s)he has to leave for school. When the child reaches school either the toilets are dirty or the teacher doesn’t allow the child to go. So to avoid these, the child suppresses his/her natural urge to go to the toilet and hence develops constipation. When (s)he gets back home there is no natural urge and constipation increases. Here, the doctor needs to check for constipation as a reason of stomach ache.</li></ul> <ul><li>Stomach ache and stomach worms: Stomach worms could also be one of the reasons of stomach ache. Children above one year up to the age of 12 years need to be given stomach worm medication after every six months even if there is no pain.</li></ul> Functional Stomach aches: The child can experience functional stomach pain due to stress. When the child experiences stress, certain chemicals are released in the stomach which can lead to stomach pain. So remember, when a child is complaining about stomach ache, (s)he is not lying or making things up. Situations under which child can experience stress and can complain of stomach ache:<ul><li>When a child has just woken up and (s)he sees his mom with a glass of milk.</li><li>When the child is trying to finish school work and the school bus arrives.</li><li>When the teacher scolds him/her in the school.</li><li>When other kids bully him/her in the school.</li><li>Sometimes there is sibling rivalry when you compare two children in the same house which can also lead to some stress resulting.</li><li>Ultimately all the stress in the body gets out in the form of stomach pain. So the child feels like avoiding school and any such situation which are uncomfortable for him/her. When the child is rescued from such situation or distracted, this pain is also relieved.</li><li>One thing that is important here is that how a parent treats the child during situations of stress. If the parent starts giving special treatments or pampers the child by allowing them to stay home after stomach ache complaints or if they say it is okay not to work, the child would know for sure that anytime (s)he doesn’t want to work or don’t want to do a thing (s)he can use this excuse of stomach pain.</li><li>Parents can instead, talk to the child, understand the problem and find out the reason behind stress. You can help your child calm down and explain to them that you are there for them if anything goes wrong.</li><li>Give some time to your child to accept changes and you will be good to go.</li></ul> Causes:<ul><li>Stress</li><li>Food intolerance</li><li>Food alergy</li><li>Injury</li><li>Constipation</li><li>Diarrhoea</li><li>Appendictis</li><li>Gas</li><li>Colic</li></ul> Symptoms of Stomach ache:<ul><li>Acts fussy or grumpy</li><li>Doesn’t sleep or eat</li><li>Cries more than usual</li><li>Diarrhea</li><li>Vomiting</li><li>Trouble being still (squirming or tensing up muscles)</li><li>Makes faces that show pain (squeezing eyes shut, grimacing)</li></ul> Diagnosis: Your child's doctor will first examine your child, take his/her medical history, and maybe do some tests. Treatment:<ul><li>The child’s lifestyle has to be improved.</li><li>Parents should check that the child is stress free.</li><li>Give the child suitable and balanced diet.</li><li>Avoid giving outside food or junk food from hotels and restaurants.</li><li>Parents should keep house atmosphere pleasant.</li><li>Gentle behaviour from parents can improve this condition.</li><li>If the stomach ache is followed by vomiting or diarrhea, it is better to consult a paediatrician.</li><li>The doctor may suggest some medicine or might give special instructions on eating to help with the bellyache.</li><li>If stress is the reason of stomach problems, the doctor may recommend a specialist, such as a psychologist.</li><li>If your child's stomach ache turns out to be due to appendicitis, an operation called an appendectomy needs to be performed.</li></ul> Prevention:<ul><li>Avoid overeating.</li><li>Give fiber-rich foods, such as fruits and vegetables to your child, so that the bowel movements are regular.</li><li>Give lots of fluids, especially water to your child.</li><li>Wash hands before eating.</li><li>Avoid eating right before bedtime.</li><li>Lots of sleep.</li></ul>

Here are Stomach ache Types, Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment and Prevention.

All about stomach aches

Children are prone to taking in passive smoke if someone in the family has a habit of smoking. Smoke from the cigarette can cause mild to severe allergies in children and pose the risk of asthma in their later lives. Symptoms:<ul><li>difficulty breathing</li><li>wheezing</li><li>hoarseness</li><li>headache</li><li>watery eyes</li><li>runny nose</li><li>congestion</li><li>sneezing</li><li>itchiness</li><li>nausea</li></ul> DiagnosisYour child's doctor will apply small drops of different allergens to parts of your child's forearm skin and wait to see which allergens of tobacco produce a reaction. Prevention:Here are a few tips to minimise your child's exposure to tobacco products that may cause an allergic reaction:<ul><li>Don't smoke when you are around/with your child(ren).</li><li>Avoid taking your child to areas where they will be exposed to secondhand smoke.</li><li>If someone smokes and then wants to play/take care of a child, ask them to wash their hands and clean their mouth before they handle your baby.</li><li>Do not smoke during pregnancy. Apart from your child developing cigarette smoke allergy, the chances of stillbirths are high in smoking mothers than in non-smoking ones.</li><li>Segregation between smokers and non-smokers in an indoor environment will reduce the risk of secondhand smoke exposure but does not completely eliminated it.</li></ul> Treatment:If your child gets diagnosed with cigarette smoke allergy, it is better to get medicine prescribed for them. It is not advisable to give them over-the-counter remedies for tobacco allergies.

Children are exposed to secondhand smoke unknowingly and this can cause problems in later stages of their lives.

Cigarette smoke allergy

Samiksha Choithani

The first yellow milk (fluid) produced in the breasts is called colostrum. It is the first stage of breast milk production. Colostrum is thicker than your usual breast milk. Colostrum/yellow milk lasts until the transitional phase or mature milk is produced i.e. till the second or fifth day after the birth. Colostrum is like a child’s first immunisation, it is full of antibodies, white blood cells and other immune properties. Benefits of Colostrum for the baby are:Builds a strong immune system.Creates a tough layer on baby’s stomach and intestines to fight with germs that cause illness.It serves as a laxative that helps your baby pass the first dark stool/poop.Prevents jaundice.It is a perfect blend of nutrients to make the child’s brain, eyes and heart strong.Prevents low blood sugar in newborns. A baby should take 1-4 tablespoons of colostrum per day. Note: Do not give honey or any other food substance during birth, the first yellow milk is a great source of nutrition.

Colostrum has multiple benefits for a baby's health and should be the first food give to a baby after birth.

Colostrum and its benefits for Babies

Blood pressure is the force of blood as it flows through the body's vessels. The vessels widen and contract as needed to keep blood flowing well. In a child with hypertension (high blood pressure), however, the blood pushes too hard against the blood vessels, which can cause damage to blood vessels, the heart, and other organs. Causes:<ul><li>Kidney problems</li><li>Blood vessel abnormalities</li><li>Heart disease</li><li>Endocrinological disorder</li></ul> Risk Factors:<ul><li>Obesity: Obese children have a higher chance of developing hypertension</li><li>Hypertension history in family</li><li>Sleep disorders</li></ul> Symptoms:<ul><li>Headaches</li><li>Loss of vision</li><li>Double-vision</li><li>Chest pain</li><li>Abdominal pain</li><li>Breathing problems</li></ul> Diagnosis:Your child's doctor will use charts based on your child's sex, height, and blood pressure numbers to determine whether or not your child has high blood pressure. Treatment:If your child's high blood pressure is severe and doesn't respond to lifestyle changes, the doctor may prescribe medication for the same. How High Blood Pressure Affects Children:<ul><li>Heart disease</li><li>Kidney disease</li><li>Stroke</li></ul> Helping child with hypertension:<ul><li>Keep your child away from tobacco smoke.</li><li>Limit the amount of time your child spends playing video games and watching TV.</li><li>Make changes to diet and exercise a family affair.</li><li>Make sure your child has his or her blood pressure checked as often as recommended by your child's doctor.</li></ul>

Here are Hypertension causes, symptoms, risk factors, diagnosis, and treatment.

Hypertension in children

<ul><li>Yes! There is a difference in potty training boys and girls. Most parents start potty training their child when they are between 2-3 years old. Usually, a girl child is ready to start potty training when she is 18 months old or it can vary up to 4 years in some cases.</li><li>Girls tend to get started with potty training about 3 months earlier than boys. Boys take more time to get ready; at around 2 years they start and can be fully potty trained between 4 to 6 years of age. So they start later and take longer to train.</li><li>Boys have to learn two different ways and they easily accept this. To start with, teach them to use the potty while sitting and gradually they learn to use the toilet in standing position for peeing and in sitting position for potty.</li><li>Girls mature faster both physiologically and intellectually. They are quick with the concepts of language and understand better so their potty training is faster. They learn how to dress and undress and they have better control than boys.</li><li>Every child is unique. Regardless of gender, potty training will be different for everyone. Each child will be potty trained in his/her own time and in his/her own way.</li><li>It is important to reward your child for achieving this milestone of being potty trained.</li></ul>

You might have to adapt different approaches to potty train your girl child and boy child.

hair lice health concerns

Following article(s) will help solve your concern.