Is your child getting exhausted after a bout of cough? Does he or she suffer from constant wheezing and tightness of the chest? Does your child feel drained out after climbing a flight of stairs? Do you know a child who always seems to run out of breath and cannot participate in school sports tournaments or play outside for a long time? The child could be suffering from asthma, which is a serious breathing problem. Most children are affected by asthma. Staying in a polluted city just makes the condition worse.

Asthma - Know the disease

Asthma is a condition that causes inflammation of the airways, known as trachea and bronchioles.
The muscles around the airways constrict and prevent the smooth flow of air.
The lining of the bronchioles swell and block the airways.
Asthma is mostly triggered by an allergic reaction.
There is a difficulty in breathing out. Exhalation of air is often accompanied by a wheezing, that is, a whistling sound.
There is a constant shortness of breath, feeling out of breath and gasping for air.
There is an uncomfortable tightness in the chest, the feeling of not breathing in enough air.
Coughing bouts in the middle of the night, that leave the child feeling exhausted and completely out of breath.
Causes of Asthma 

Asthma is mostly triggered by asthma allergens. These allergens are mostly pollens and animal fur.

Exposure to pollution, such as dust and smoke
Heredity
Obesity
History of heartburn, GERD and acid reflux
Inflammation of sinus and airways
History of bronchial disorders and pneumonia
Viral infections
Chronic rhinitis
Low immunity causing constant cold and blockage of nose
Treatments of asthma

A nebulizer that turns asthma medicine into a mist can then be inhaled easily
An inhaler can be used to take in inhaled steroids into the lungs or a bronchodilutor
Try and avoid asthma triggers and allergens as much as possible
Avoid physical stress and heat
Get sufficient rest of about 7-8 hours every day

Troubled Breathing - Can It Be a Sign of Asthma?

Dental care is of utmost importance. Poor dental health can cause you several problems, from a mild toothache to severe pain. Here are 10 foods which will help you maintain your healthy teeth. Read on to find out more about it:

1.  Cheese: Cheese, particularly aged cheese like Cheddar, Swiss and such are beneficial for your teeth. They increase the pH scale in your mouth and effectively prevent tooth decay. It also consists of protein and calcium, nutrients required for strengthening your tooth enamel.

2.  Yogurt: Like cheese, yogurt also contains calcium and protein for tooth enamel. Probiotics or the beneficial bacteria present in yogurt are good for the gums as well.

3.  Leafy Vegetables:  Spinach and kale promote oral health. They contain calcium, which is good for your tooth enamel. They contain folic acid, a B vitamin which has a lot of health benefits and also helps to prevent gum disease.

4.  Apples: Apples contain high fiber and water, which are beneficial for your teeth. While eating an apple, a lot of saliva is produced which washes away the bacteria present in the mouth.

5.  Carrots: Carrots are also crunchy like apples and also contain high fiber which is beneficial for teeth. They also contain vitamin A which is also highly beneficial.

6.  Celery: Celery contains vitamins A and C which are very beneficial for the gums. They are also crunchy and hence help scraping away bacteria and food particles from your teeth.

7.  Almonds: Almonds are a great choice as they are low on sugar and have high content of calcium and protein.

8.  Strawberries: Strawberries are very beneficial for your teeth. Strawberries consist of vitamin C, different antioxidants and malic acid, which help in naturally whitening your teeth.

9.  Garlic: Garlic contains a substance called 'Allicin' which has strong anti-mycobacterial properties, and is thus beneficial for your teeth. It helps to prevent periodontal disease and fight tooth decay.

10.  Meat: Meat in general is beneficial for maintaining healthy teeth. Meats consist of a lot of protein, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients which are important for healthier teeth.

10 Foods for Healthy Teeth

Is your child refusing to grab anything other than chicken nuggets? When your child s nutrition is an aching subject to deal with in your household, remember you are not the only one. Many parents are actually worried about the fussiness of their children over food. But your child s food preferences would also mature with age. Until then, you can consider trying out these following tips to avoid any kind of mealtime hassles.


Respect your child's appetite or lack of one: Respect your child s level of appetite and never force a meal, if your child is not hungry. Rather, serve small portions to give them an opportunity to ask for more, on their own.
Stick to the routine: Maintain a routine and serve snacks and meals at about the same time every day. Also, keep a check on the number of times you serve those mid meal snacks and try to stick to that count.
Be patient with new foods: Have patience with new food. Take time in introducing it to your child by talking about the food s shape, color, aroma and texture, if not the taste.
Make it fun: Try out innovative ways of garnishing your food so as to make the whole eating experience a fun and a thrilling one for your child.
Recruit your child's help: At the grocery store, ask your child to help you select vegetables, fruits and other healthy foods. But keep off those foods which you would not want you child to eat.
Set an example: Set an example by yourself by eating all kinds of nutritious and healthy foods, in order to set that perfect example for your child.
Cut Distractions: Make sure to switch off from any sort of a distraction, such as the television or the washing machine and other electronic gadgets while feeding your child.
Don't offer dessert as a reward: Do not reward your child with desserts at the end of the meal as this sends them an indication that the dessert is the best dish among all.
Do not cook a separate meal: Do not cook a separate meal for your child after he/she has refused the original one as this might encourage picky eating even more.

How To Deal With Picky Eaters (Children)?

Child nutrition from age 6 months to 5 years Growth and development of a child depends on the nourishment received by the child right from birth. Healthy diet and proper eating habits are essential to be inculcated in a child as early as possible. A balanced diet given to the child at the earliest provides all nutrients required for adequate growth and development. Nutritional value of every food item introduced in the child s diet should be gauged prior and then given to the child. 

Nutritional requirement of children varies in accordance to the age group. It is necessary that the parents should have knowledge about the age-specific requirements of the diet, which will benefit the child in their growing years. 

Following is the ideal child nutrition ranging from the age group of 6 months to 5 years. 

1. 6 months to 12 months

A. Right from the birth of a newborn child, it is necessary to begin breastfeeding for the baby. It should begin within an hour of the child s birth. It is the ideal way of providing proper nutrition to the child. 

B. Breastfeeding is beneficial by providing nourishment and also by improving the immunity of the baby. 

C. From birth to 6 months, only breastfeeding is advised. It is a critical source of nutrition for the child even during illness. 

D. After the baby turns 6 months old, solid food can be introduced in the child s diet.

E. Breastfeeding can be continued and supplemented with other food items.

F. Usually, fruit juices are introduced first in the diet.

G. Feeding bottle should be avoided and the child should be fed with a spoon and cup. Proper hygiene and good handling of the food is required. 

H. It is necessary to wipe the gums and developing teeth clean with a wet gauge to prevent any decay that can be caused by sticking of the food on the teeth surfaces fed to the child.

2. 1 year to 3 years

A. Children in this age group can tell when they feel full after feeding. It is necessary to listen to their demand for food and also avoid overfeeding children.

B. This age group requires children to eat all types of nutrients, so parents should focus on providing a variety of food items to replenish their child s nutritional requirements.

C. Children in this age group require fat-rich foods and should be given dairy products for calcium requirements.

D. Processed foods should not be given to children in this age. Calories intake should be monitored to the optimum level. 

E. Since children at this age are involved in activities like walking, running around and playing it is essential to keep feeding them at regular intervals to maintain the energy levels of their bodies.

3. 3 years to 5 years.

A. Children belonging to this age group require to eat a well-balanced, nutrient rich diet. 

B. Grains should be included on a routine basis. They provide the child with carbohydrates, fibers and minerals. All these nutrients provide energy to the child s body. 

C. Inclusion of whole wheat grains provides fibers in adequate quantity. 

D. Refined foods should be avoided, whole grain breads should be included in the diet. 

E. Fruit intake should be increased, as they are an important source of various vitamins. Fresh fruit should always be preferred over juices for growing children. 

F. Sugar intake should be kept to a minimum quantity, since refined sugars do more harm to the child s health than any good. 

G. Vegetables should form a considerably greater part of the child s daily diet, with the inclusion of a variety of vegetables. 

H. Protein sources of food include meat, poultry, pulses, beans and nuts. Along with protein, these food items also provide iron, zinc and minerals to the body. 

Apart from the above specified food items, daily intake of milk is necessary for children of growing age. It provides the body with sufficient calcium to facilitate bone growth in growing children. Also, nuts like walnuts, almonds, cashews are advised to be given to the children daily.

Nutrition Tips For Children From Age 6 Months To 5 Years!

Speech therapists are known by different names but most commonly, they are referred by people as speech therapists, who make children undertake different speech therapies to make them recover from their problem in talking or in their attempt to express their thoughts. These therapists work with children having a range of disorders and delays from minor articulation delays to more complex kind of disorders such as hearing impairment, motor speech disorders and other developmental delays.

We will now look at some of the ways through which speech therapy can help in the better development of a particular child:

Articulation skills and speech intelligibility: The physical ability to get the tongues, lips, jaws and palate moving in order to produce sounds of speech individually, which people call as phonemes. For instance, in order to articulate the /b/ sound, one needs to inhale, then at the time of exhaling, one has to turn their voice on by bringing the slightly tensed lips together to pause and build the airflow up, then finally release the airflow by getting the lips parted.

Intelligibility is all about how well people can understand a child s speech. A speech therapist can work along with the child to teach them on ways to produce particular speech sounds or certain patterns, he or she is having difficulty with, which in turn is affecting his overall speech intelligibility.

Expressive language skills: On one hand, where speech requires physical motor ability for talking, language refers to a symbol or a definite rule-governed system used for conveying a message. In the English language, the symbols could be in the form of words, either spoken or in written form. There are also certain symbols in the form of gestures like shrugging of shoulders to give the impression that he doesn t know a certain thing or a wave to indicate bye-bye or getting their eyebrows raised to indicate that one is surprised by an event or by hearing something.

So, basically expressive language is referred to something which a child says through signs and gestures. Speech therapists can let a child learn new words and teach them how to put the words together and hence form phrases and sentences, hence allowing them to communicate with others.

Receptive language or development of listening skills: Receptive language is nothing but a child s ability to listen and understand a particular language. Often, children tend to have stronger skills for receptive language than the skills required for expressive language. Hence, understanding becomes easier for them than their ability to express whatever they have understood. A speech therapist can help in teaching a child new words and the way they should be used to follow particular directions, reply to questions and thus take part in simple conversations with peers and other people.

Speech fluency: Speech fluency is affected by stuttering, which refers to the breaks in the flow of speech. This hampers one s ability to talk freely. Through speech therapy, a child can come across different strategies on how to control this behavioral pattern and lead to an increase in speech fluency.

How Speech Therapy Can Help Develop Your Child Better?

Epilepsy is a form of chronic disorder and it is characterized by recurrent seizures. The episodes of epileptic seizures may differ from person to person. These seizures could be a result of genetic disorder or a result of trauma or stroke. During a seizure, a patient may also experience symptoms of neurological disorders and sometimes lose consciousness.

Medical help for epilepsy
Epilepsy itself cannot be cured using medication, but proper medicines help in eliminating recurrent seizures. These medicines stabilize the electrical activity within the brain preventing seizures.

How effective is the medication for epilepsy?
The success of controlling seizures using medicines depends on the type and severity of the epilepsy. Medicines for epilepsy are usually very effective and may fully keep seizures under control. However, controlling seizures caused due to brain problems may be more difficult. Usually, epilepsy medicines can control seizures for a long period of time when they are taken regularly.

When is medical help needed?
The decision about when to start medicines for epilepsy is a tricky one. This is because a first seizure cannot confirm whether a person has an on-going epilepsy problem. A second seizure may occur after many years or may not happen at all. Prediction of seizures is also quite difficult.

The severity of seizures also indicates when to start medicines for treatment. In case a first seizure is quite severe, medication should be started at once. Some people have very mild seizures even though they may be recurring in nature, and medication can be avoided in this situation.

All the pros and cons must be thought over before starting medications for the treatment of epilepsy. It is advisable to wait for a second seizure and then start medications for treatment. In most cases, medication is started after a second seizure occurs, twelve months within the first seizure. You should always consult a doctor to know when you need to start taking medicines to treat the condition.

For making the most out of the medicines to control seizures, you should follow certain steps:
1. You must take medications exactly as your doctor has prescribed.
2. Before switching to generic versions of your medicines or before taking other prescribed medicines, you must consult your doctor.
3. You should never stop taking the medicines.
4. In case you experience enhanced depression, mood swings and suicidal thoughts, you should talk to your doctor immediately.
5. In case you have migraine, you should let your doctor know so that he can prescribe you anti-epileptic medicines, which also prevent migraines.

Medicines cannot treat the underlying cause of epilepsy, but these help in controlling seizures and this is the most common symptom of epilepsy. Medication should be started at a proper time and must be continued without stopping.

When to Seek Medical Help for Epilepsy

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