Infants often suffer from certain diseases which need proper care and timely treatment for quick recovery. At times, it can be difficult to communicate with an infant and understand his/her needs and problems but with a close observation you will surely be able to detect any alteration in the baby's behavior and sense it when he/she is ill. Here are some of the most common diseases infants are susceptible to and what you can do about them.

1. Abdominal distension
It is normal for a baby's belly to stick out after he/she has been fed, but if between feedings there is swelling in the abdomen or it feels hard, it can be an indication of a problem. If this symptom is accompanied by vomiting and absence of bowel movements for more than two days, your baby may be suffering from abdominal distention. This condition may have been caused by swallowing of extra air by the baby while crying or feeding. In such a situation, a pediatrician should be consulted for proper diagnosis and treatment.

2. Jaundice
It is common among newborns to develop mild forms of jaundice as the undeveloped liver is often not able to eliminate the chemical bilirubin from the blood. Mostly, this situation proves to be harmless till the level of bilirubin reaches a certain limit. After that, the disease must be properly treated to avoid damage to the baby's brain or nervous system.

3. Rsv infection
Rsv or respiratory syncytial virus is responsible for causing respiratory problems among infants. Rsv infection usually affects the bronchial passage and shows symptoms like cough, runny nose and mild fever which may even lead to bronchitis. Moreover, this infection may also develop into viral pneumonia, which makes it more important to consult a pediatrician if your baby shows any of the above symptoms.

4. Diarrhea
Infants are susceptible to watery bowel movements due to the action of virus, allergens, specific medications or bacteria. If you observe that your baby is passing stools more often than usual and it is watery, then it may be a case of diarrhea. Sometimes, these symptoms are accompanied by high fever, abdominal pain, lethargy, vomiting, dry eyes and mouth etc. In this situation you should consult your pediatrician and focus on replacing the fluids your baby has lost, to prevent dehydration.

4 Common Diseases that Babies are Susceptible To

Have you heard of a health condition in which there are insufficient red blood cells in your body for carrying sufficient oxygen to all parts of the body? This condition is called sickle cell anemia and it is an inherited form of anemia. Usually, the red blood cells in your body are round and flexible and move through the blood vessels easily. In case of sickle cell anemia, the red blood cells become sticky and rigid. They are shaped like crescent moon or sickle. Because of the irregular shape, these can get stuck in the blood vessels, which slows down the blood flow.

Treatment
The only potential cure of sickle cell anemia is a bone marrow transplant. Other treatment measures focus on easing the symptoms and preventing further complications. The various treatment modes are as follows:
Medicines
Several types of medications are used for sickle cell anemia treatment. They include:

Antibiotics: Children with sickle cell anemia can start taking antibiotic penicillin by the age of two months. This prevents infections like pneumonia. Even in the case of adults with sickle cell anemia, antibiotics help in fighting certain infections.
Pain-relieving medications: Several over-the-counter pain relief medications may be prescribed by a doctor for reducing pain during a sickle cell crisis. Hydroxyurea is another type of medicine, which helps in reducing the frequency of pain. 
Vaccinations: Childhood vaccinations should be given for preventing the disease in children. These vaccinations are more important for children already affected with sickle cell anemia as they are more prone to infections. Vaccines such as the annual flu shot and the pneumococcal vaccine are important for adults suffering from sickle cell anemia. 
Blood transfusions: In case of a red blood transfusion, red blood cells are removed from a supply of blood that is donated. The donated cells are intravenously given to a sickle cell anemia patient. Blood transfusion increases the number of normal red blood cell count in circulation, giving relief to anemia. Regular blood transfusions are important for children with sickle cell anemia, who are highly prone to stroke. 
Stem cell transplant: A stem cell transplant or a bone marrow transplant involves the replacement of the bone marrow affected by sickle cell anemia with a healthy bone marrow given by a donor. This is a risky procedure and is only recommended for patients with sickle cell anemia at a chronic stage. 
It is recommended for you to consult a doctor on experiencing any symptom of sickle cell anemia. This is a dangerous health condition and requires proper diagnosis and treatment before it gets out of your hands.

What is Sickle Cell Anemia? How Can it Be Cured?

Seasonal changes can be very exciting for most people. Each season brings with it a new set of colours and nature takes a new turn. However, for people with seasonal allergies, a seasonal change also comes with a set of allergies. From skin rashes to wheezing to breathing difficulties, the list of symptoms can be quite long. Asthma is the most common problem, and the attacks can be quite bothersome with wheezing attacks and breathing troubles.

With advancements in the field of medicine, there is a lot of relief for asthma patients. A little understanding on how asthma attacks happen will help in understanding how to control it. Asthma is an allergic reaction caused by narrowing of the airway with thick mucus, which makes breathing difficult. During an attack, the person can have a dry cough, face shortness of breath and wheezing.

Asthma is often triggered or worsened by some factors, and being aware of these can help prevent or manage an attack:

Common allergens like pollen, mites, ticks, furs of animals, bird feathers, specific foods (peanuts, milk products, eggs, etc.) and mold spores appear during change of season.
Environmental chemicals like cigarette smoke, car fumes, dust, etc., can also trigger an attack.
Attacks of cold or flu can lead to an asthma attack.
Workout during cold weather can be problematic, but exercise can also help control asthma attacks. Lung function improves sufficiently, but an exercise regime should be drawn up for the patient based on his condition.
Stressful emotions like anger and anxiety can also lead to an attack or make it worse.
Some medications like aspirin, beta blockers, glaucoma drops can aggravate attacks of asthma.
Once you know the triggers, here are some common measures that can help prevent and relieve the wheezing.

The preventers reduce the inflammation in the airway tube and the swelling. While they do not provide immediate relief during an attack, using these in the long term helps avoid attacks. These are low-dose inhaled corticosteroids such as beclomethasone, fluticasone, and budesonide. Doctors would advise their usage even when there are no symptoms, as asthma attacks can be triggered when they are not taking these medications for a while. Newer drugs include leukotriene antagonists like montelukast and zafirlukast. Relievers are used for symptom relief and include Salbutamol (short acting) and Salmeterol/Formoterol (long acting). Peak flow meter may be useful in acute attacks, wherein the peak flow rates can be reduced.
A good strategy is to use preventers regularly and rely on relievers during an attack. The first one helps build resistance and so reduces the incidence of attacks. Reach out to a doctor if a severe attack ensues (lasts more than 3 hours).


Tips to Control Allergy Driven Wheezing this Season

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?

The mother and the father, both clearly play defined roles in the development of a child s personality. While the mother teaches the child things like kindness and love, the father reinforces messages like hard work and dedication. Due to various reasons, there are a number of children who end up growing up with single parents. Both the child and the parent have to deal with a lot of hardships. 

The patterns observed also differ based on whether the single parent is the mother or the father. There are various negative effects to this, and few of them have been listed below.

Social disconnect: Most children growing up with a single parent do not feel normal. There is a constant feeling of confused identity. In some cases, the children may not be able to cope with these hardships leading to depression and decreased self-confidence. In the long run, the child may be less compassionate and supportive and more aggressive and confused. There could be a sense of resentment towards the parents for forcing him to live with a single parent. The kid may also despise other children who grow up with both parents. They may also have very less friends and social connect than kids with both parents
Odd combination: If a single mother is raising a son, her contribution to his growth is very limited from a psychological point of view. They would always look for a father figure whom they can reach out to. Same is the case with a girl growing up with a single father. She misses the mother with whom alone she would be able to share some things. The overall personality in both these cases is significantly altered from boys and girls who grow up with both parents.
Performance levels: The stress of living with single parents puts pressure on the child constantly, and there could be performance dip in academics, sports, and co-curricular activities. These children also tend to become uncooperative; therefore getting them to follow the school curriculum becomes difficult. The chances of them dropping out of education and getting expelled from school are quite high.
Social menaces: The incidence of smoking, alcohol abuse, and substance abuse is quite high and also happens much earlier in these kids. Because of the constant stress they are in, these become outlets for them to be themselves.
Sexual abuse: With single parent children, the chances of sexual abuse (by them and of them) are also quite high.
These are some of the psychological problems that children growing up with single parent face. Although this may not be the case with all the children as every child has a different thinking and reaction. However unpleasant it may be, this continuous battle on raising a child alone and addressing these issues has to be fought every single day.

Single Parent - Problems Your Child Might Face!

A child s tantrums, especially during teens, are quite common. However, there could be some children who could be exhibiting an extreme version of these symptoms. This is known as oppositional defiant disorder.
Children with this disorder become easily irritable, angry, argumentative, defiant and feel vindictive against most elders (parents, teachers, and others). While this is something very common and can be ignored to be a part of teenage tantrums, the issue is when these symptoms do not seem to end. If they persist for beyond 6 months, it is time to worry. These may then begin to interfere with their daily activities including schooling, where they may not be easy for the teacher to manage.

Diagnosis of ODD: With the changing behaviour of teenagers, it is often difficult to pinpoint and say there is ODD. However, some guidelines for diagnosis are listed below. Angry/irritable, argumentative, defiant and vindictive. If these symptoms are seen for more than 6 months with no inducing reason, happens with non-siblings, and is affecting learning and playing, it is highly likely the child has ODD.

These symptoms can occur at home, at school, or in other settings   seen respectively in one, two, or more settings. Some of the symptoms are listed below.

Repeated temper tantrums
Anger bursts, swearing, using obscene language
Extremely argumentative, especially with people in authority (teachers, parents, etc.)
Annoying others and getting annoyed easily
Noncompliance to rules and regulations at school and institutions
Defending one s mistakes and blaming others for it
These result in poor academic performance, antisocial behavior, substance abuse, and higher suicidal tendencies.
Treatment

Treatment depends on the presenting symptoms, the age of the child, and supportive care available. The child should be able to actively take part in psychotherapy to reap good benefits. It would otherwise be a task with no results.

Psychotherapy will help the child improve its cope and express and control anger. This also improves problem-solving skills.
Cognitive-behavioural therapy tries to mould the behaviour.
If required, the parents also would be involved to improve family s involvement in the treatment. Caretakers are given special training if required so that they can support in long-term medical care.
The child also needs to be trained for appropriate behaviour under different circumstances.
Rewards for positive behaviour and punishments for negative behaviour are useful ways.
Prevention: Early identification can help in minimizing distress to the family and help in the early arrest of the disease. The family is also taught basic and simple steps which can help in supporting therapy. Early rejection at school and loss of learning, can happen which can be managed with early intervention. A nurturing and supportive family can help manage the child very well.

Oppositional Defiant Disorder in Kids - How to Deal with it ?

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