The incidence of asthma is increasing dramatically, due to the increasing air pollution. It is a chronic disorder where the airways are hyper-reactive to a variety of stimuli. This hyper-reactivity is reversible but recurrent. Recurrent attacks are a hallmark of asthma. The airways constrict in response to the offending stimulus (e.g. pollens, viral infection etc.), which narrows their lumen.
Continue reading Child Care: How to Treat Asthma in Children?
Coughs and colds
The commonest affliction of childhood, some children may have 10-12 attacks per year (since 1 attack may last for 1 week or so, parents may feel that the child is falling sick every 2-3 weeks). To the parents of such children, it appears that the child is never all right. Hardly has one attack subsided that the child again starts having cough and cold. The infections may vary from common cold with nose block to high fever, severe cough and congestion of the chest.
Limb pains
A very common complaint of children is pain in the limbs. It may be a part of a viral illness in which case the child will also have fever, apathy etc. Some children complain of pain in the calf muscles, bones and joints, particularly at night time. This pain is present in both the limbs and is called “growing pains.” It is common amongst school going children. It is a benign condition, which outgrows with age as the child reaches adolescence. In case of severe pain, local massage, hot fomentation and analgesics may be required.
Jaundice
Most commonly it is due to an infection of the liver called “Hepatitis”. The liver is usually infected by the hepatitis viruses A, B, C and E, out of which A is the most common. The mode of spread of Hepatitis-A is feco-oral. This means that it can occur by contaminated water, fingers, flies, contaminated food etc. Hepatitis B and C are also common and the mode of spreadis by intimate sexual contact, i.v. drug abusers, and blood transfusions and from a pregnant mother to her baby.
Continue reading Child Care: Jaundice, Cervical Lymph Nodes, Head Injury and Ear Aches in Children
Urticaria (skin allergy)
Red blotches, round or oval and raised from the skin surface appear on the body accompanied by itching. If it is associated with swelling of the lips and tongue, pallor, breathing difficulty or light-headedness, it may signify a serious disorder called “anaphylaxis.” Under such circumstances the child should be taken to the doctor immediately. Otherwise urticaria is a benign condition and the best treatment is anti-histaminic drugs. The only problem with urticaria is that like asthma it is difficult to trace the allergen and hence it may be chronic and recurrent.
Continue reading Child Care: Urticaria, Headaches, Dental Caries and Anemias in Childhood
❖ Nothing is more tragic than a healthy child dying of a freak accident. On hindsight, the parents realise that the tragedy could have been averted, if only they had been more careful. An immense feeling of guilt haunts them throughout their lives. For such parents, it is important to know that medical science doesn’t put any blame on them. Such mishaps are destined by fate and one should not question the wisdom or the unfathomable ways of the ALMIGHTY. Such mishaps can happen to anyone. Retrospectively it is always easy to be wiser, but can anyone foresee or predict such a tragedy? The answer is an emphatic no.
Enuresis (Bedwetting)
The child is unable to control urination and thus voids in the bed, pants etc. Usually bedwetting occurs during night when the child is asleep. A neonate is a natural enuretic and only by the age of 2-3 years is the child able to have some control over his voiding of urine. As the child masters it, he wakes up at night whenever he has the urge to pass urine. Such a child, by and large, is day and night-time dry and only occasionally, he may pass urine in his pants e.g. when he is busy playing or is in a deep sleep. Such rare occasions are normal.
Continue reading Child Care: Treatment for Enuresis (Bed Wetting) and Eye Problems in Children
Diaper rash
The rash can be allergic or due to direct irritation of the skin by the chemicals like acid, ammonia etc. liberated from the urine and stools of the child. This rash may also be due to fungal infection (candida). Depending on the type of rash, specific ointments are prescribed. Some general measures are important. The diapers should be changed frequently.
PREVENTION OF CHOKING/SUFFOCATION
1. Do not give the child any food that is big in size, particularly round things that the child can put into his mouth as a whole, as there is a danger that the child may choke upon it. This precaution is necessary till the child is old enough to chew or spit out such things (usually 4 years of age). Classical examples are nuts, buttons, beads, popcorn etc. Chop things that are large into small pieces so that the child may not choke upon it.
Continue reading Child Care: Preventions of Specific Accidents in Children
Nothing is more tragic and heart rending than a healthy child dying due to some sort of accident or mishap e.g. the child may consume some adult medicines (poisoning), drown, choke on some object etc. When such a tragedy occurs, on hindsight, parents realise that the tragedy was preventable if only they had been more careful. Many “ifs” and “buts” torture their mind. That the child died due to their “negligence” is the nagging feeling of self-guilt that continues to haunt them throughout their lives. Children, particularly below 3 years, have little sense of danger or self-preservation and thus are wholly dependent on adult supervision for their safety. But sadly, preventable accidents continue to happen.
Continue reading Child Care: Guidelines to Prevent Accidents in Children