Dr. N. Rajeshwari

Children generally tend to be fairly over active and have lesser attention spans. However, when this tends to get into their performance at school and in general with getting along with other children it may be a sign of ADD or attention deficit disorder. Let's look at some of the common symptoms of this disorder.

Symptoms of ADD:

1. Problems in staying focused: One of the very basic symptom is that children will often be very inattentive even during classes and will be easily distracted by small things.
2. Problems in trying to remember things or difficulty in following instructions: Children with attention deficit disorder tend to have issues with remembering things and if given tasks, being unable to complete as they can't remember instructions properly.
3. Issues with organizing, planning and trying to finish tasks: Due to the lack of attention, kids have problems retaining information and cannot plan or finish tasks given to them on a daily basis.
4. Easily bored or loses interest: Even if a child with ADD starts with something they like, interest may wane off quickly. Thus it is difficult to make them stick to a specific work schedule which may require regular practice.
5. Lack of attention to details and making careless mistakes: This is another trait of children with attention deficit disorder. They may be able to complete a task, but it will be fraught with mistakes as they wouldn't have much attention to detail.
6. Has a tendency to not listen when someone is speaking to them: This is also very common and is usually tied to being easily distracted and thus will drift off or not listen to when someone is speaking to them.

Some Myths about ADD:

• All kids with ADD are hyperactive
• They will eventually grow out of it
• Medication is the only option to treat ADD
• ADD is not really a disorder and kids need to be trained better

Most of these are half truths and the extent of the problems varies from child to child. Only proper counseling will be able to diagnose the extent of the problem and what needs to be done.

How to spot ADD in Children:

ADD can be spotted in children aged below 7 years via certain symptoms. Apart from the ones mentioned above, children generally tend be abrasive towards others and can make embarrassing comments quite often. They also change tasks very quickly without completing any of them. Any distraction would force them to change their track. It is best to go to a child specialist to get your child checked out for possible symptoms.

Yellow teeth ruining your smile? see what's the solution it's not always whitening!

January is around the corner and along comes a new year with its numerous resolutions and promises on improving ourselves. Be it the latest diet or the promise to workout we all want to look and feel our best. If your dental resolution is to stop living with a yellow smile then here's a combination of home remedies and dental treatment tips to make you smile bright and white this new year.

Depending on the existing colour of your teeth and how bright you want your teeth to be, we have here some options ranging from the mildest to the most impactful colour change.

#1. Light yellow teeth: clean better!

Plaque and other food deposits can make your teeth look unclean and discolored. Most often the original white of your teeth can be restored by a simple clean up procedure that washes away all the discolored food particles.

#2. Yellow to brown teeth: eat better!

An indian diet with turmeric coupled with our addiction to anything from tea, green tea, coffee, red wine to even smoking can lead to excessive staining of our teeth. While it may seem impossible to avoid what we are habituated to it's equally necessary to compensate by frequent cleaning and whitening procedures based on your frequency and level of exposure to these staining substances.

#3. Natural white: naturally

Home remedies which have no side effects like a pinch of baking soda mixed with crushed strawberries or 3-4 drops of lemon are often used to whiten teeth by scrubbing away the stained particles. Malic and citric acid present in strawberries and lime respectively gives an instant whitening effect without harming the natural layers of the teeth.

#4. Frequent yellowing: brighten at home

If you're looking for more than just a natural clean white colour but want it done with as little chemical exposure as possible then home bleach is the best option for you. Removable, transparent, custom made plastic moulds of your teeth can be made in just one session. You can then put in a few drops of a low concentration gel bleach into these as they snugly fit onto your teeth. Keep them in the mouth for 45 minutes daily for up to 7 days. This procedure is done as directed by a registered dentist. This gives you a bright white colour with minimal or no side effects and the additional benefit is that it can be repeated just before an occasion or every time you feel there is yellowing of teeth.

#5. Brilliant white: in under an hour!

If you want nothing less than super bright then a very standard and recognized procedure is that of the office bleach done in the dental chair in under 45 minutes. Here we use a more concentrated bleach to get you noticeable and long lasting results. Done in cycles every 10-15 minutes to show you the colour improvement and prevent side effects and discomfort. Certain precautions must be observed for 7 days after the bleach and it is recommended once annually to maintain the colour.

A word of caution for the over the counter products that claim to work brilliantly to whiten teeth but overuse or unsupervised use of the same may lead to irreversible tooth damage.

Even with this array of information and multitude of options available for your convenience- a consultation with your dentist for your perfect white smile, will work best before you decide to take matters into your own hands.

You could have yellow teeth due to one of the following reasons:

    Genetically yellowed or dull when formed.
    Age-related reduction or thinning of enamel and exposure of dentin.
    Excessively stained diet or habits.
    Appear yellow due to fairer gums, lips, complexion or lighter eye colour.
    Dental diseases which stain or eat away your enamel.
    Improper oral hygiene habits.

Do let us know what you think. We would love to hear from you!

SSHL is not like any other normal hear-loss trouble. Rather it is quite a severe condition. Sudden deafness can occur at any time due to several reasons. This trouble does not affect both the ears rather only one specific ear is usually affected, and thus this is one of the prominent signs that can help the doctors to understand that SSHL has occurred. 

What are the leading causes of this hearing loss?

1. Head injury: If you have faced any severe kind of head injury ever, then it might bring SSHL. This is why you are suggested to get necessary treatment on time so that this kind of hearing loss can be avoided.
2. Loud-noise exposure: If your ears are exposed to louder noises or sounds in a consistent manner, then there is a greater possibility of the occurrence of this hearing loss. Thus, you should stay away from unwanted noises. 
3. Ageing: With the increase in age, hearing power slowly decreases. However, if you take proper precautions from the very beginning, then SSHL can be definitely avoided. 
4. Blood-circulation troubles: Interrupted blood-circulation creates different physical troubles out of which hearing loos is one of the most prominent one. And if timely treatment is not provided, then it might get converted into SSHL. 
5. Ototoxic medication: This kind of medication should not be continued for long without doctor's prescription otherwise SSHL might occur. 
6. Lyme disease: This is a kind of disease, which occurs due to tick bites and this is pretty infectious in nature. Apart from that, this disease is now considered as one of the main sources of SSHL. 

How to evaluate this hearing loss? 

1. History analysis: The history of the patient needs to be known first otherwise SSHL cannot be perfectly treated. If the history shows that the patient already has an existing trouble of ear loss for which SSHL has been proven, then in accordance with the same the treatment can be prescribed. 
2. Laboratory and imaging: Laboratory analysis is one of the main methods for evaluating SSHL and necessary images of the ears boost the potentiality and importance of this kind of analysis to a great extent. 
3. Quick evaluation: This kind of medical evaluation is mainly made on the basis of the symptoms. The doctors often follow the signs thoroughly in order to determine as to whether the patients have SSHL or not. This evaluation is highly supported by different medical tests that are prescribed by the doctor.

If someone amongst you has hearing loss do consult because that has a great impact on memory in future.

Measles or rubeola as it is also known is one of the leading causes of children’s death around the world. This viral infection is communicable through the air and spreads through contact with infected saliva and mucus. Thus, sharing cutlery or glassware with an infected person can increase a person’s risk of suffering from this disease. Thankfully measles can be prevented through vaccination known as MMR. This vaccination is given to infants and also protects them against mumps, rubella and chickenpox. The first dose of MMR vaccination is given when the child is about 1 year old and a booster dose is repeated when the child is 4-6 years old.

One of the most characteristic symptoms of measles is a reddish rash that begins inside the mouth and later erupts all over the body. This is usually preceded by a high fever, cold, cough, sore throat and swelling of the lymph nodes. Fatigue, diarrhoea and redness of the eyes are other symptoms of this disease. Measles symptoms are not apparent the moment a person is exposed to the virus. It can take 7 to 18 days for symptoms to become visible after catching the infection, this is known as the incubation period. Measles affects adults is a more severe way than children.

Children and adults with a weak immune system are highly susceptible to complications associated with measles. In some cases, it can lead to life threatening conditions, such as pneumonia and encephalitis or inflammation of the brain. Other complications associated with measles include ear infections, bronchitis, blindness and a sharp fall in platelet count. A pregnant woman suffering from measles also has a high risk of miscarrying the baby or preterm labour.

There is no definitive form of treating measles and doctors typically address the symptoms while prescribing medication. In most cases, the symptoms and the virus should disappear in two to three weeks. Some of the common forms of medicine prescribed to deal with measles are:

1. Medication to relieve fever
2. Antibiotics to prevent or treat accompanying bacterial infections
3. Vitamin A supplements to reduce the severity of measles symptoms
4. Pain relievers to deal with muscle pains

In addition, the patient needs plenty of rest and fluids to strengthen the immune system. The use of a humidifier can also help treat a sore throat and cough. Bright lights can aggravate headaches and irritation and hence should be avoided. Hence, avoid watching television and activities like reading. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a pediatrician.