Stomach aches or abdominal pains are one of the most frequently reported health complaints faced by children. Children below the age of twelve are known to suffer from recurrent stomach pain. While pains such as these lead to momentary discomfiture, they also lay the path for graver worries if neglected for too long. Your child may feel sick and bunk school for two days; rest and home care can restore his or her health, but that in no way, is the best suited way of dealing with the situation. If tummy aches resurface over a certain period of time, parents should be cautious enough to look for the root cause and should try to eliminate it accordingly.

Widely noticed causes of stomach aches in children:

Unhygienic food can affect the child s digestive system.
Intolerance to a certain food item should not be overlooked.
Perpetual anxiety can make the tummy twist and turn.
Urinary Tract Infections can also lead to acute abdominal pain.
Serious factors such as gallstones or appendicitis could also be present. Immediate expert consultation is advised in such a case.
Caffeine and packaged soft drinks can be harmful.
Butter, ghee and other greasy products can trigger tummy aches.
Ways to treat tummy aches in children:

Keep children away from gas producing food items: Food that is hard to digest should be avoided. Lentil soup or dal should only be consumed in limited amounts to prevent the formation of gas. Don t let your child have too many nuts regularly.
Keep them hydrated: Fluid intake should be monitored. A child should drink at least six to seven glasses of water per day. Fruit juices or soups can also be given to them alongside main meals. This helps digestion.
Do not stack up food in one go: Eating a lot in one meal is a bad way of satisfying hunger. Have smaller meals in more numbers. Six to eight meals will keep your child full and will also eliminate chances of acid reflux which happens either due to an empty stomach or too much piling up of greasy food.
Timely check - up with the doctor: If tummy aches refuse to go away, take your child to a doctor for a thorough check- up. Administer medicines as prescribed by the physician.

Stomach Ache in Kids - 7 Causes Behind It!

Scabies is a contagious disease that is caused by small insects called mites, primarily the  human itch mite . Small blisters are formed along the trail where the mites lay the eggs. You may experience symptoms of intense itching at night. The usual spots where scabies usually tend to develop are the fingers, armpits, elbows and the inner thighs.

This disease can spread by touch; sharing toiletries or sleeping with an infected person all contribute to the spread of this disease. The eggs and the feces of the mites in the burrows of the skin are what cause the itching in scabies. The eggs and the feces usually trigger allergic reactions on the skin.

The various homeopathic treatments for scabies are:
1. Carbo-veg: This remedy is effective when you experience dry abrupt eruptions on the body. Symptoms of itching tend to aggravate at night, especially during undressing. There is usually a smelly discharge from the infected areas.
2. Arsenic album: This remedy is used to treat scabies eruptions which appear on the bends of the knees. The burning and itching sensations tend to worsen at night.
3. Causticum: This is used to treat symptoms of scabies which include wet pustules with foul smelling pus. In this case, the skin develops a yellowish hue along with the presence of warts. Coughing and sneezing can lead to involuntary urination.
4. Hepar sulph: Hepar sulph is used when symptoms of crusty pustules develop on the hands, folds of the skin and the feet. The skin becomes sensitive to cold weather and the pustules have a cheese like discharge.
5. Lycopodium: Lycopodium is used to treat symptoms of scabies that occur on the genitals, scalp and the abdomen. Exposure to anything warm can aggravate the condition and intensify the itching. The pustules are moist and yellowish brown in color. The itching usually subsides if the skin comes in contact with anything cold.

5 Common Homeopathic Remedies for Treating Scabies

The early childhood period is considered to be the most important developmental phase throughout the lifespan.  This period focuses on the physical, social/emotional and language/cognitive domains of development of a child, which have direct effects on their overall development as an adult in the future.
Physical Development
Physical developments of a child are associated with the motor skills and physical growth of the child. As a child grows and his or her nervous system become more mature, the child becomes more capable of performing increasingly complex actions such as walking, running, balance, and coordination which involve the larger muscles like arms and legs, as well as, some more intricate skills such as drawing, writing, grasping objects, throwing, waving, and catching, involving the smaller muscles in the fingers, toes, eyes, and other areas. Physical growth follows a directional pattern, such as the body's core, legs and arms develop before the small muscles in the fingers and hands.  The muscles in the center of the body become stronger and develop before those in the feet and hands. Development goes from the head to the toes. 
Cognitive Development
Cognitive abilities are associated with memory, reasoning, problem-solving and thinking that continue to emerge throughout childhood. There are four Stages of Cognitive Development:
Stage
Age Period Between
Milestones
Sensorimotor Stage
Birth to age 2
Respond to sensory stimuli by simple motor skills.
Preoperational Stage
Age 2 to 6
Learn to use language, but do not understand logic or mentally manipulate information and understand others' point of view.
Concrete Operational Stage
Age 7 to 11
Begin to think logically about concrete events, but have difficulty understanding abstract or hypothetical concepts.
Formal Operational Stage
Age 12 to adulthood
Able to think about abstract concepts and develop skills such as logical thought, deductive reasoning, and systematic planning.
 
Language Development
It is the most remarkable development in children. According to several researches, it is found that language development begins at fetal level, as the fetus is able to identify the speech and sound patterns of the mother's voice and by the age of four months, a child can distinguish between sounds and read lips. Infants are able to differentiate between speech sounds from all languages; however, around the age of 10 months they lose this ability and begin to recognize their native language only.

What Is Early Childhood Development?

Eczema is an autoimmune disorder wherein the skin overreacts to certain triggers in or outside the body resulting in inflammation and lesions. Eczema is also known as atopic dermatitis. The skin becomes dry, patchy and rough, and it tends to form itchy and red blisters. Eczema is usually caused due to inflammation; in most cases, allergy triggers eczema. It has been observed that quite often, patients who suffer from eczema have a family history of allergy. In some cases, patients having other allergies, may also develop eczema. Apart from this, low immunity triggers this disease.

Symptoms

Red patches over skin
Dry rough skin with blisters
Intense itching on skin, with occasional bleeding
Formation of a thick leather-like layer over the affected areas of the skin
Discharge of an oozing watery and sticky liquid from the affected area, in case of wet eczema (In case of dry eczema, there is no watery discharge; the skin stays rough and dry.)
Treating eczema with homeopathy
Treating eczema might be possible by taking several medications. But treating doesn't mean curing. People who suffer from eczema know how irritating the disorder is. So they want a cure for eczema, which is possible with homeopathic medicines. Homeopathy is known for curing eczema, from the root. Basically, homeopathy helps to improve the immune system, as low immunity is responsible for causing allergies. When immunity is built, and low immunity quits from overreacting to several reactions, eczema is cured.

Here are five homeopathic medicines suitable for treating eczema:

Graphites: Graphites is one of the finest homeopathic medicines for treating wet eczema, when there is thick, oozing watery and sticky discharge. In most cases, the patient with this type of eczema suffers from constipation and obesity. He or she might be sensitive towards cold. Their usual skin becomes hard and cold, but the affected area remains dry and rough. The remedy is prescribed mostly to women with menstrual disorders.
Mezereum: This is the suitable for patients with eczema, which tends to form a leathery crust on the head. The patient might feel intense itching especially at night.
Hepar sulphur: This is suitable for eczema with formation of pus. The patient is usually too sensitive to cold. Intense itching, sneezing and sensitivity towards cold are the symptoms, which indicate the need for this medicine.
Dulcamara: This is one of the finest homeopathic medicines for eczema, which aggravates in damp or cold weather. Thick formation of yellowish crust and intense itching are the symptoms, which clearly indicate the need for this remedy.
Sulphur: This one is suitable for eczema with burning sensation along with intense itching. Symptoms usually worsen in summer and the skin feels rough and dry.

Eczema - 5 Best Homeopathic Remedies to Treat It

Bathing  the newborn baby is a pleasurable experience both for the mother and the baby. It can also be defined as a process through which the mother and child bond. A mother understands the requirements of the child and the baby adapts itself to the cleanliness regime of the mother.
When should I start bathing my new born baby?
According to guidelines of WHO, initial bath for a term newborn weighing more than 2.5kg should be given 6 hours after birth. In the term low birth weight babies weighing less than 2.5kgs, only sponge bath is to be given, till the weight crosses 2.5kg.
Dip baths can be given once the umbilical cord falls off i.e. by 7 -10 days. Till then sponge baths are to be given.
How should I bathe my baby?
The room should be warm and free from draught of air as a wet baby can easily catch the chill. Check the temperature of the bath water before placing the baby in the bath tub. The depth of the water should be 5 cms upto the hip of the baby. Eyes can be cleaned by using one sterile water-soaked cotton swab for each eye. The Head should be washed last and dried first to prevent exposure due to large surface area. Pay special attention to skin folds of the neck, behind the ears, underarms, and diaper area. Also wash between the fingers and the toes.
What cleanser/ soap should I use for my baby?
Do not use soap for the first 1 month of life. After that, use any mild unmedicated soap or liquid cleanser with acidic/ neutral pH, that maintains the pH of the baby's skin. Avoid scented soaps and bubble baths.
How frequently should I bathe my baby?
In summer months, daily baths can be given. In winters, dip bath may be given twice/thrice a week and rest of the days, it is preferable to sponge the baby.
Hair wash can be given twice  a week.
A word of caution:
Never leave your baby unattended  to in the bath tub.Bath tub should be disinfected after use.

How Should I Bath My Baby

Necrotizing enterocolitis is a disease that causes inflammation of the tissues present in the intestines and results in damaged tissues. It initially affects the inner lining which ultimately results in thickening of the intestine. It may also lead to a hole in the abdomen resulting in bacteria entering the intestine, thus resulting in infection.

Symptoms-
The symptoms of necrotizing enterocolitis are:

You may experience symptoms of bloating in the abdomen
The abdomen may be discolored
You may experience diarrhea and vomiting
You may not feel hungry
There may be presence of blood in your stool
You may have a fever and constantly feel lethargic
Causes-
Lack of blood and oxygen in the intestine causes it to become weak and increases the chances of necrotizing enterocolitis. It may result if oxygen levels drop during a difficult delivery. If the intestines are weak, then they are at a higher risk of getting infected by bacteria. If you have an excessive supply of blood cells in your body or other stomach condition, then it may lead to this disease.

Diagnosis-
Usually the doctor conducts a physical exam to detect the symptoms of this disease. If babies are born with this condition, then they may suffer from weak immune system and problems in blood circulation. The doctor may also recommend x-rays to get detailed images of the intestine in order to probe for symptoms of inflammation and damage.

Treatment-
The treatment of the disease depends on few factors such as:

The child's age
How far has the disease progressed?
Health of your child
It is recommended to stop breastfeeding. Feed the baby through intravenous methods. The doctor may also recommend antibiotics and oxygen support if the child has breathing problems. In severe cases, the child may require surgery to treat this disease.

If the treatment occurs early, then the child may recover. However, complications such as a narrow and damaged bowel may persist. This may cause problems in nutrient absorption in the intestine leading to other disorders.


All About Necrotizing Enterocolitis

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