Infantile spasm is a seizure-related disorder that is witnessed among infants and young children. The average age for getting affected with infantile spasm is four months, but some kids might experience this disorder within a month of the birth. This disease can have a subtle appearance, and as such it is difficult to recognize as a serious condition. While a full seizure in an adult is scary, the one observed among infants can be as little as a minor head drop, along with minor body shakes. This might appear to be that serious, but infantile spasm is more serious as compared to a full body convulsion in adults. Unfortunately, an infant suffering from infantile spasm is at great risk of developmental disability, if the condition is not detected and treated early.

Anticonvulsant Medication:
There are very few medicines that are approved by the FDA for treating infantile spasms. The two medicines that are widely used by doctors include Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and Vigabatrin.

ACTH: This is the oldest approved medicine by the FDA that was first discovered in the year 1958. This injection needs to be pushed twice in a day. Children tend to gain weight and feel hungry when this injection is injected.
Vigabatrin: Vigabatrin is very well tolerated by young kids and has a successful track record of treating infantile spasms. Studies have proven that Vigabatrin can tackle tuberous sclerosis and plays an important role in improving developmental outcome.
Second line therapies:

Pyridoxine: Dependency on Pyridoxine as a cause of infantile spasm is very rare. High dosage of oral administration of pyridoxine has fetched good results for patients, who do not suffer from pyridoxine related seizures.
Valproic acid: Valproic acid has the best anecdotal rate of success. However, doctors do not recommend this medicine for kids less than 2 years of age because of possible complications.
Clonazepam: This is one of the earliest non-steroid medicine for the treatment of infantile spasm. Some of the popular medicines used are nitrazepam, benzodiazepines, and clonazepam.
Ketogenic Diet: This is a decade old practice that has come back to popularity again. Studies have shown that ketogenic diet can help 20-35 % patients of infantile spasm to keep the condition under control.
IVIG: High dosage of IVIG has been reported to be very helpful in tackling infantile spasms. The dosage ranges from 100-200 mg/kg/dose ranging for about 2-3 weeks at stretch.
Surgery: The final part of the therapy includes a surgery that removes the abnormal part of the brain. It should only be considered for patients who have not responded to therapies including Vigabatrin and ACTH. It should also be investigated whether the patient has any structural abnormalities of the brain.


Infantile Spasms - How They Can Be Treated?

Risk factors and complication of scabies

Scabies is a type of skin conditions that causes itching and rashes. This dermatological condition is caused by Sarcoptes scabiei, a microscopic mite. It is a contagious condition, which can spread through physical contact. An estimate shows that scabies infects over 300 million people worldwide per year.

This eight-legged microscopic mite creates a tunnel in the human skin and lays eggs in it. These larvae move under the surface of the skin and spread across the whole body, once hatched. Dogs, cats, and mice can also be affected by this disease. It usually takes 2-6 weeks for the symptoms to develop. Signs and symptoms of scabies involve itching, rashes, sores and thick crusts on the surface of the skin.

Some of the risk factors of scabies are:

- Scabies spreads through direct, prolonged skin-to-skin contact with a person who has mites.
- An infected person can easily pass scabies to his/her household or sexual partners. Scabies in adults is usually sexually acquired.
- The likelihood of scabies increases easily under crowded conditions, which involve close body and skin contact. Nursing homes, prisons, and several types of care facilities are sites of scabies outbreaks.
- Immunocompromised, elderly and disabled people also suffer from an increased likelihood of contracting this skin condition.

Complications of scabies include:

- Persistent and vigorous scratching can break the surface of your skin, which can lead to secondary bacterial infections. Impetigo, a superficial infection, is a quite common occurrence in such cases.
- Crusted scabies, the most severe form of scabies, can be common in certain groups. People suffering from diseases such as HIV or leukemia who have weakened immune systems as well as severely ill people have high risks of contracting this condition. This condition, also known as Norwegian scabies, is very contagious and also hard to cure.



Must Know Risk Factors and Complication of Scabies

Down syndrome is a chromosomal disorder that is caused by the presence of an extra chromosome. A genetic condition, it causes physical and cognitive impairments and can lead to disabilities and increase the risk of a number of health problems.

Causes
Each cell in our body contains 23 pairs of chromosomes where one chromosome in the pair comes from the mother and the other comes from the father. But in the individuals with Down syndrome, the chromosome 21 has an extra copy. This means that there are three copies instead of the usual two. The reasons behind this genetic abnormality remains unknown as of yet, but there are a few risk factors that might increase the chances of the condition.

Women who are older than 35 years of age have a higher risk of their children being born with Down syndrome.
If a woman has a child with Down syndrome, then chances are that the next child might be born with the condition as well.
Though uncommon, Down syndrome has been seen to have been passed from parent to child.
Symptoms
Children born with Down syndrome exhibit certain characteristic symptoms which include flattened facial features, a short neck and eyes that slant upwards. Ears that are atypically shaped and muscles that lack tone are also symptoms of Down syndrome. Physical growth and development of the child are also hindered by the condition. A child with Down syndrome might also display social and mental disabilities that include a short span for attention, a lack of judgment and issues with impulse control.

Complications
Down syndrome can lead to a number of medical complications that include but are not limited to visual impairment, leukemia, chronic constipation, dementia, hypothyroidism and Alzheimer s disease in the later stages of life.

Homeopathic Treatments
Homeopathic treatment methods of Down syndrome focus on the development and improvement of the behavioral and cognitive abilities of a child with Down syndrome. The treatment that is usually prescribed includes homeopathic medicines and bio-neural supplements that help remedy the disorder. These also reduce the effects that the condition might exert on the physical growth and intellectual development of the child.

A child with Down syndrome might find it difficult to communicate and recognize objects and people. Homeopathic treatment can help remedy these shortcomings. Homeopathic treatment for Down syndrome should be initiated at the earliest possible in order to help the child with behavioral and physical development.

Down Syndrome - Signs & Symptoms You Must Not Ignore!

Pregnancy is a journey in itself where you tend to go through physical changes, psychological changes and social changes as well. While the body struggles to cope with the hormonal and other major changes, the mind also tries continuously to adapt and cope with emotional as well as mental stress. Teenagers are considered to still be in a maturing stage when they have difficulty dealing with factors such as peer stress, emotional ups and downs, identity issues, personality building challenges and psychological barriers. 

So, getting pregnant at this stage can be very traumatizing. Issues such as postpartum depression have become very common among teenagers. 

Psychological Barrier in Teenage Pregnancy
As per the Pediatrics Journal, teenage mothers tend to have higher rate of depression compared with adult women who experience pregnancy. This may be due to various reasons like difficulty to face the society, unplanned pregnancy, immaturity to deal with pregnancy and related symptoms, own social involvements, which come between pregnancy and a whole lot of reasons.

However, the psychological effects and stress, which account for these barriers are sometimes quite severe and according to researchers, teen mothers often show symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, which may sometimes lead to suicidal tendencies.

Signs and Symptoms of Stress and Trauma
1. Some of the major stress signs in teenage pregnancy either in the prepartum or postpartum period may include anxiety, depression, concentration difficulties, eating disorders, insufficient sleep, sadness or mood swings.

2. Already teenage pregnancy leads to excessive mental stress and if there is a complication in delivery or premature birth before 37 weeks, the level of depression tends to get higher.

3. There is a distinct difference between postpartum depression and baby blues. While baby blues are similar to stress and sleep problems, eating troubles, mood fluctuations seem the same as postpartum depression, they tend to go off within two to three weeks, while depression lasts.

4. Excessive fatigue resulting into a brittle mood.

5. Sudden attacks of panic are also quite common.

6. Difficulties in bonding with baby or having patience with baby's demands.

This type of stress and trauma may lead to child abuse, neglecting children or depression. Lowered self-confidence and irritated state of mind are also some of the common complaints. Therefore, to avoid the postpartum stress and major difficulties, teenage pregnant moms can consult psychiatrists for help and advice.

Stress and Trauma Related to Teenage Pregnancy

Why it's important that your child's diet is calcium-rich

Calcium is an inevitable part of your child's diet. You cannot afford to skip it if you wish to maintain a healthy lifestyle for your child. It is recommended that children between the ages of 9 and 18 should get approximately 1300 milligrams of calcium every day. Calcium-rich diet is important for your child for a number of reasons.

Why calcium?

Calcium helps in building strong bones and teeth for your child.
It is important in order to ensure proper functioning of your child's muscles and nerves.
Calcium plays a vital role in the release of such hormones and enzymes in your child's body that convert the food he eats into energy.
It is also helpful in causing the blood to clot whenever your child gets bruised.
Since your child is continuously growing, a calcium-rich diet ensures an adequate supply of resources that help him to develop new bones that are healthy and strong.
A calcium-rich diet is also essential as far as other bodily functions like muscle contraction, blood vessel constriction and relaxation are concerned.
What does lack of a calcium do to your child's body?

Lack of calcium can cause bone diseases like osteoporosis in your girl child, thus exposing her to a greater risk of weakened bones and possibility of fractures.
If your child is a young kid and his diet lacks calcium or vitamin d, which absorbs calcium, he is exposed to the threats of the bone-softening disease called rickets. It can cause in him bowing of the legs, muscle pain and poor growth.
Bones are living tissues that change constantly, old bones keep getting replaced by newer ones and a calcium-rich diet aids this procedure. Therefore without an adequate supply of calcium, this process would borrow minerals from existing bones, thus weakening them and exposing them to increased risks of fracture.
Lack of calcium also increases risks of cardiovascular diseases, damaged gums, high blood pressure, ovarian and breast cancer and several other infirmities in your child in his later years.

Why it's Important That Your Child's Diet is Calcium-Rich

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!

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