Ravina Sewani

In asthma, a person’s airways become inflamed, narrow and swell and produce extra mucus, which makes it difficult to breathe. If your child has asthma, their lungs and airways can easily get inflamed when they have a cold or are around things like pollen. Causes:<ul><li>Allergens: mould, pollen, animals</li><li>Irritants - cigarette smoke, air pollution, chemicals, odours</li><li>Weather: cold air, changes in weather</li><li>Stress: It can make your child short of breath and worsen their symptoms.</li><li>Airway Infections: This includes colds, pneumonia, and sinus infections.</li><li>Exercise</li></ul> Symptoms:<ul><li>A cough that doesn’t go away (this might be the only symptom sometimes)</li><li>Frequent coughing spells, especially during play or exercise, at night, in cold air, or while laughing or crying</li><li>A cough that gets worse after a viral infection</li><li>Less energy</li><li>Avoiding sports or social activities</li><li>Trouble sleeping because of coughing or breathing problems</li><li>Rapid breathing</li><li>Chest tightness or pain</li><li>Wheezing, a whistling sound when breathing in or out</li><li>Shortness of breath</li><li>Trouble eating, or grunting while eating (in infants)</li></ul> A severe asthma attack needs medical care right away. During severe asthma attack, watch for these signs:<ul><li>Stopping in the middle of a sentence to catch a breath</li><li>Using stomach muscles to breathe</li><li>Widened nostrils</li><li>Fast heartbeat</li><li>Sweating more than usual</li><li>Chest pain</li></ul>&nbsp;Risk Factors:<ul><li>Things that can make a child more likely to have asthma include:</li><li>Nasal allergies or eczema</li><li>A family history of asthma or allergies</li><li>Respiratory infections</li><li>Low birth weight</li><li>Exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke before or after birth.</li></ul> Diagnosis:<ul><li>Your child’s doctor will ask you a series of questions about medical history, symptoms, about any breathing problems your child may have had, family history of asthma, allergies, eczema, or other lung disease.</li><li>Physical exam: Your doctor will listen to your child's heart and lungs and look in their nose or eyes for signs of allergies.</li><li>Tests: Chest X-ray, allergy skin testing, blood tests</li></ul> Complications:<ul><li>Asthma can cause problems like:</li><li>Severe attacks, sometimes leading to ER visits or stays in the hospital</li><li>Fatigue</li><li>Stress, anxiety, and depression</li><li>Delays in growth or puberty</li><li>Damaged airways and lung infections</li><li>Death</li></ul> Treatment:<ul><li>There are two main types of asthma medications:</li><li>Quick-relief medication that help with sudden symptoms. Your child’s doctor will prescribe these for fast help during an asthma attack.</li><li>Long-acting medication that prevent airway inflammation and keep asthma under control. Your child’s doctor will probably ask your child to take these every day.</li><li>Children under 4 may be prescribed to take their medications through an asthma nebuliser. This device changes the medicine from a liquid to a mist that your child can breathe into their lungs. The doctor will tell you how often to give these breathing treatments. To use the nebuliser:</li></ul>Wash your hands.Put the medicine in the nebuliser.Connect the tubes from the compressor to the base.Attach the mouthpiece or mask.Turn the compressor on and watch for a light mist to come from the nebuliser.Put the mask on your child’s face, or put the mouthpiece in their mouth and have them close their lips around it.Have them breathe in and out until their treatment time is up.Turn the nebuliser off when the medicine is gone.Have your child cough to clear out any mucus. Prevention:<ul><li>To prevent asthma attacks or to keep them from getting worse, focus on known triggers with steps like these:</li><li>Don’t let anyone smoke near your child.</li><li>Clean bedding and carpets often to fight dust mites.</li><li>Keep pets out of your child’s bedroom.</li><li>Fix leaks and use dehumidifiers to prevent mould.</li><li>Don’t use scented cleaning products or candles.</li><li>Check daily air quality reports in your area.</li><li>Help your child stay at a healthy weight.</li><li>If exercise is a trigger, your child’s doctor might give them medicine to help keep their airways open during activity.</li><li>Make sure they get a flu shot every year.</li></ul>

Here are Asthma Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Risk factors, Treatment, Prevention, and Complications.

All about Asthma

Palak Vyas

<ul><li>Massage helps your baby to develop mentally, socially and physically.</li><li>The baby stays relaxed and does not get upset. He/she cries less and sleeps better.</li><li>You may find that giving your baby a massage lifts your mood and helps you to feel more empowered as a parent. As you massage your baby, it comes naturally to chat with him/her and have plenty of eye contact. It strengthens your bonding with your baby. This is one reason why massage can help mums with postnatal depression, or who are at risk of depression.</li><li>Even the father can give massage to their babies so as he can bond well and feels better about parenting.</li></ul> Massage may be particularly good for premature babies resulting in:<ul><li>Improved weight gain, particularly if oils are used. Massage can improve digestion and bowel movement, helping your baby to gain weight.</li><li>A more stable heart rate. Massage improves the parts of the nervous system that regulate our organs. So massage can help to keep your premature baby's heart rate steady.</li><li>The baby shows calmer response to stress and pain.</li><li>There is more stable brain activity. Premature babies who are massaged tend to have brain activity that develops at a normal level.</li></ul>

Body massage helps in keeping your baby healthy and happy.

Baby Massage benefits

Some children may develop allergic reactions against the chemicals present in the household products like carpet flooring, paints, cleaning chemicals. 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> Treating allergies:<ul><li>The best way to prevent allergies of any sort in children is to avoid the source of the allergen.</li><li>In allergies, paediatricians usually prescribe antihistamine medicines for mild allergic reactions. Whereas for severe allergic reactions like anaphylaxis, your child’s paediatrician will prescribe an adrenaline auto-injector (AAI).</li></ul> The most common chemicals triggering these reactions are:<ul><li>Volatile Organic Compound (VOCs) emitted by paints, carpets</li><li>Propylene Glycol and Glycol Ethers (PGEs) in cleaning products, paints, or pesticides</li></ul> A few tips to manage allergies due to household items:<ul><li>Avoid your child's exposure to chemical products after diagnosis.</li><li>Replace chemical products with organic or natural cleaning products and avoid aerosol sprays.</li><li>If your child comes in contact with any of these allergens, wash the skin with water immediately and seek expert help from your child’s paediatrician.</li><li>Keep your indoors clean and hygienic if your child has allergies from household products.</li><li>Your doctor may recommend a calamine lotion or an antihistamine for mild reactions. Always keep it handy to treat skin inflammations arising due to chemicals in the products.</li><li>Remove the carpet flooring.</li><li>Opt for a milder paint for the house.</li></ul>

Children may sometimes develop allergy to indoor allergens as well. Hence it is important to maintain the hygiene of your house.

Carpet allergy

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

Meningitis is a rare infection affecting the membranes that cover the brain and the spinal cord - called meninges. There are several causes of this disease, including bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Symptoms:<ul><li>Confusion</li><li>Fever</li><li>Headache</li><li>Numbness on face</li><li>Sensitivity to light</li><li>Stiff neck</li><li>Upset stomach or vomiting</li></ul> Causes:<ul><li>Meningitis is usually caused by a bacterial, viral, or a fungal infection. Bacterial meningitis can be life-threatening whereas viral meningitis is less severe and people with viral meningitis usually recover without any treatment. Fungal meningitis, on the other hand, is very rare and happens only in people whose immune system has been weakened.</li><li>Meningitis is almost always caused by a bacterial or viral infection that begins somewhere else in the body, like ears, sinuses, or throat.</li></ul>Less common causes of meningitis include:<ul><li>Autoimmune disorders</li><li>Cancer medications</li><li>Syphilis</li><li>Tuberculosis</li></ul> Bacterial Meningitis:It is an extremely serious illness. Your child will need immediate medical attention. It can be life-threatening or lead to brain damage if no quick treatment is offered. Bacterial meningitis spreads when infected people cough or sneeze. Hence being around an infected person, poses a risk for your child as well.Viral Meningitis:Viral meningitis is more common than the bacterial form and is usually less serious.Fungal Meningitis:Fungal meningitis is very rare than the bacterial or viral forms. Healthy people rarely get it. Someone with a problem like AIDS, for example is more likely to become infected with this form of meningitis. Diagnosis:Your child’s doctor will ask for your child’s medical history. The doctor will check for neck stiffness and look for a skin rash that might suggest a bacterial infection. The doctor will also direct you for following tests:<ul><li>Blood tests to find bacteria</li><li>CT or MRI scans of your head to find swelling or inflammation</li><li>Spinal tap wherein a health care worker uses a needle to take fluid from around your spinal cord. It can tell what’s causing your meningitis.</li></ul> Treatment:Your treatment will depend on the type of meningitis you have.<ul><li>Bacterial meningitis needs immediate treatment with antibiotics. Your child’s doctor will prescribe antibiotics even before they’ve found the exact bacteria that caused your illness and then change to a drug that targets the specific bacteria they find. The doctor might also prescribe medication to deal with the inflammation your child faces.</li><li>Viral meningitis usually goes away on its own without treatment. The doctor might suggest your child to stay in bed, drink plenty of fluids. The doctor might sometimes prescribe medication for pain and fever.</li><li>For fungal meningitis, antifungal medications are prescribed by doctors.</li></ul> Risk factors: Following individuals are at a high risk of getting infected with meningitis:<ul><li>Children under 5</li><li>Teenagers and young adults ages 16-25</li><li>Adults over 55</li></ul> Complications:<ul><li>Hearing loss</li><li>Neurological problems</li><li>Vision problems</li><li>Seizures</li><li>Learning disability</li><li>Damage to internal organs like heart and kidneys</li></ul> Prevention:<ul><li>Regular vaccination goes a long way towards preventing meningitis. The Hib, measles, mumps, polio, and pneumococcal vaccines can protect against meningitis caused by those germs.</li><li>Avoiding Germs - Kids should wash their hands well and often, particularly before eating and after using the bathroom.</li></ul>

Here are Meningitis Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, Risk factors, Complications, and Prevention.

All about Meningitis

Choking occurs when your baby takes more milk into its mouth than (s)he can swallow at a time. Excess milk spills into the airway and blocks the flow of air, which leads to choking. It can be a frightening sight for any mother to see her baby coughing and sputtering milk while struggling to breathe. Reasons behind choking during breastfeeding:<ol><li>Milk oversupply- When a mother produces excessive milk, the milk releases from the milk ducts in a forceful and almost explosive manner. This is called Milk Ejection Reflex. The baby is not able to swallow that much amount easily and starts choking up.</li><li>Improper latch</li></ol> You might be producing excessive milk if you notice:<ul><li>The baby is choking, gagging.</li><li>The baby is trying to clamp the nipple to slow down the flow.</li><li>The baby is trying to pull away from the breast.</li><li>The baby is refusing to nurse and is spitting up frequently.</li></ul> What to do:<ul><li>When you find your baby choking on milk, there are methods that can dislodge the milk from blocking the airway. Since babies have delicate bodies, it must be done with caution.</li><li>Turn your baby upside down and give them intermittent back blows and chest thrusts combined with gentle taps to the back, to open up the airways. The chest thrusts should be given with two or three fingers on the lower half of the breastbone, while supporting the head with the other hand. This should be continued until the block is removed.</li><li>It’s important to note that if the baby doesn’t recover and becomes unconscious, (s)he should be rushed to the nearest hospital, while still continuing the dislodging procedure.</li></ul> Prevention:<ul><li>Try and slow down your supply: Say if you are nursing with the right breast, then press your left nipple of the left breast with your right hand’s palm toward ribs and count till five. This signals your body to slow down the flow.</li><li>Stick to a single breast for a few feeds: This way one of the breasts gets fully emptied and this also slows down the flow in the other breast.</li><li>Baby’s latch: Ensure that the baby is latched properly. If the baby is latched properly, the milk should directly get into the baby’s throat and not his mouth. So when the latch is not proper, there is more risk of the baby’s mouth getting filled up with milk more than it can take and that is when your baby might end up choking.</li><li>You can recline on a surface and then feed the baby in your arms. This is a good nursing position.</li><li>While breastfeeding, if the other breast feels uncomfortable, you can express some milk from it and apply a cool compress to relieve the discomfort. As you continue this procedure, express lesser milk, until there is no need to do so.</li></ul>

A breastfeeding child chokes when (s)he takes more milk in mouth than (s)he can gulp down.

Choking during breastfeeding

<ul><li>Generally there is a notion that a gluten free diet is healthy but it is not true for everyone. Gluten free diet is for those who have either 1) celiac disease (immune reaction against eating wheat) or 2) non celiac gluten sensitivity. Gluten present in wheat, barley, rye and other products can be troublesome for celiac patients and it can make gluten sensitive people sick.</li><li>So if the kid has any of the above conditions you can go gluten free otherwise it isn’t wise to keep your child’s diet gluten free.</li><li>Gluten free diet generally includes food like vegetables, high quality protein, healthy fats (nuts, seeds, avocado), fruits and grains that do not have gluten.</li></ul> Reasons why you should not have gluten free diet for your child:<ul><li>Whole Grains that contain gluten have lots of crucial nutrients including B vitamins, antioxidants, iron, selenium, magnesium etc. Excluding whole grains will lead to nutrition deficiency in children.</li><li>Whole grains have fibre too which is good for digestion.</li><li>Gluten free diet can be too low in calories for growing children. It is hard to get healthy calories from other sources.</li><li>Gluten free diet can be high in arsenic. Those who do not eat wheat prefer rice as a staple food. Now rice and rice products are rich in arsenic which is not good for the baby’s body.</li></ul>

It is very important to maintain a balanced diet for the proper growth and development of the baby. Going gluten free or not is an individual's choice. It is better to look into the pros and cons before taking the decision.

Gluten free diet for children or not

Prachi Shah

Food in the first 6 months:A baby receives all the nourishment during the first six months from either breast-milk or infant formula milk. Health experts recommend that babies should take solid foods after six months in addition to breast-milk (or the baby’s usual formula milk) to allow them to grow and develop. Foods to avoid in first 9 months: <ol><li>Salt: Do not add any salt in babies' food as their kidneys are not fully developed.</li><li>Sugar: Do not add sugar to foods or drinks you give to your baby. Sugar encourages a sweet tooth in children and leads to tooth decay.</li><li>Honey: Do not give honey to a child under the age of one year, as it may contain a kind of bacteria which can produce toxins in the baby’s intestines and can cause a very serious illness (infant botulism).</li><li>Nuts: It is recommended that nuts and products containing them should not provided to children. This is to protect children who may be at risk of nut allergy. Whole nuts should never be given to children under the age of five because of the risk of choking.</li><li>Foods which contain gluten, e.g. wheat flour, bread, breakfast cereals made from wheat, rusks, spaghetti or other pastas</li><li>Citrus fruits, including citrus fruit juices, e.g. orange juice</li></ol> Food from the 7th month:<ul><li>All family foods can be offered at this stage – remember not to add salt while cooking or at the table.</li><li>Mash food with a fork. This will encourage the baby to learn how to chew.</li><li>By this age the baby should be having three meals a day and eating more at each spoon feed.</li><li>The amount of milk can be gradually reduced as the baby eats more solid food.</li></ul> Food from the 9th month:<ul><li>During this stage babies will move on from mashed to chopped foods.</li><li>Continue to offer all family foods at this stage.</li><li>Continue to give three meals a day plus 1–2 snacks.</li><li>At this stage babies will continue to receive 3–4 breastfeeds each day</li><li>Encourage babies to eat a wide variety of foods</li><li>By this time introduce cups to your baby.</li></ul> By the age of 12 months, the baby should be introduced to all kinds of vegetables and fruits. Dried fruits should be introduced after one year.

Gradual introduction of different foods leads to proper development in children.

Diet for babies from 0 to 12 months

Intellectual disability (ID), previously known as mental retardation is characterised by below-average intelligence or mental ability and a lack of skills necessary for day-to-day living. Children with ID can learn new skills but at a slower pace than children without ID. There are varying degrees of intellectual disability, from mild to profound. Intellectual disability affects mental abilities in two areas:<ul><li>Intellectual functioning (such as learning, problem solving, judgement)</li><li>Adaptive functioning (activities of daily life such as communication and independent living)</li></ul> Symptoms:<ul><li>Achieving milestones like rolling over, sitting up, crawling, or walking later than children without ID</li><li>Talking late or having trouble with talking</li><li>Slowly mastering things like potty training, dressing, and feeding themselves</li><li>Difficulty remembering things</li><li>Inability to connect actions with consequences</li><li>Behaviour problems such as frequent tantrums</li><li>Trouble with problem-solving or logical thinking</li></ul> Causes:<ul><li>Genetic syndrome such as Down syndrome or Fragile X syndrome</li><li>Head trauma</li><li>Exposure to toxins such as lead or mercury</li><li>Premature birth</li><li>Severely malnourished child</li><li>Brain malformation</li><li>Maternal diseases</li><li>Environmental influences (alcohol, drugs or other toxins)</li><li>Problems during delivery</li></ul> Diagnosis:Intellectual disability is identified by problems in both intellectual and adaptive functioning. Intellectual functioning is usually assessed with an exam by a doctor. A full-scale IQ test might be suggested by your child’s doctor as part of a standard diagnosing procedure. However, the IQ score should not be the only basis of confirming intellectual disability of a child. Once the IQ tests hint towards intellectual disability, your child’s doctor might suggest further genetic tests to determine the cause of intellectual disability. During the diagnosis, three areas of adaptive functioning are considered:<ul><li>Conceptual – language, reading, writing, maths, reasoning, knowledge, memory</li><li>Social – empathy, social judgement, communication skills, ability to follow rules and the ability to make and keep friendships</li><li>Practical – independence in areas such as personal care</li><li>Adaptive functioning is assessed through interviews with family members, teachers and caregivers.</li><li>Intellectual disability can be mild, moderate or severe. Delays in language or motor skills may be seen by age two. However, mild levels of intellectual disability may not be identified until school age when a child may have difficulty with academics. In general, the milder the intellectual disability, the later it’s diagnosed.</li></ul> Treatment:<ul><li>Intellectual disability is a life-long condition and cannot be treated or prevented. However, early and ongoing intervention may improve functioning and enable the person to thrive throughout their lifetime.</li><li>After the diagnosis, the focus then shifts to looking at the child’s strengths and needs, and the supports he or she needs to function at home, in school/work and in the community.</li></ul> Tips for parents:<ul><li>Learn about your child’s disability.</li><li>Connect with other parents of children with disabilities.</li><li>Be patient and accept that your child will learn things slowly compared to other children.</li><li>Encourage independence and responsibility.</li><li>Look for opportunities in your community for social, recreational and sports activities.</li></ul> Prevention: Intellectual Disability cannot be prevented. FAQS about Intellectual Disability:What is intellectual disability?Intellectual Disability is also known as "Mental Retardation". It is a congenital disorder in which the child is born with low intelligence (low IQ – less than 70). Parents can observe a delay in milestone achievement of an intellectually disabled child in comparison to their sibling(s) or other children. Intellectual Disability includes deficit in intellectual functions, such as reasoning, problem-solving, planning, abstract thinking, judgement, academic learning, and learning from experience. Can IQ be increased with anything?Not at all. IQ can never be increased as it is a birth defect. Can a child with low IQ study in a normal school?Children with low IQ should be taught in a special school as different interventions and different approaches are needed to teach such children. If the parents are very hard-working, a child with mild intellectual disability can be sent to a normal school. From where I can do check the IQ of my child?You can consult a clinical psychologist for the IQ assessment of your child. Can a child with low IQ live a normal life?Only a child with mild intellectual disability may live a normal life if trained well. Otherwise, children with low IQ are always dependent on others for their basic needs of life.

Here are Intellectual Disability Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, FAQs, and Prevention.

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