Vomiting in infants and kids are very common. Most of the vomiting cases do not require patients to see a doctor. But there are some conditions that cause forceful vomiting in babies and infants leading to dehydration.

One such condition is called Infantile Hypertrophic Pyloric Stenosis. Infantile Hypertrophic Pyloric Stenosis is a problem that affects infants and requires the immediate attention of a Pediatric Surgeon. In this disease, the lower portion of the stomach known as Pylorus is blocked. Due to the blocked Pylorus, the food in the stomach cannot enter the small intestine. Due to this obstruction, the child experiences vomiting persistently.

Risks Prone to Pyloric Stenosis -

The disease is more common in boys than girls.

Children from white race are more prone to Pyloric Stenosis.

There is evidence of genetic predisposition.

Symptoms - 

The most common symptom of Pyloric Stenosis is frequent and projectile non-bilious vomiting in kids. Whatever feed they take from mothers is vomited after few hours. However, the vomiting is different than that of wet burps which are very common among infants.

Kids remain hungry after vomiting

Weight loss

Ongoing crying

Lack of energy i.e. lethargic

Sleeping

Fewer bowel movements

Bloating and constipation

Diagnosis -

In addition to the physical examination the following investigations are done:

Blood tests to evaluate dehydration and electrolyte imbalance.

Abdominal ultrasound is diagnostic to know the presence of pyloric mass and the length of pyloric canal

Treatment -

The only practical course for treating Pyloric Stenosis is to operate the infant. However, first doctors administer the infant with the medicines and IV fluid to treat dehydration and electrolyte imbalances. Once the baby is hydrated and ready to get operate, surgery is performed.

TAKE AWAY -

Consult a Pediatric Surgeon if your child is vomiting after feeds. He needs evaluation to know the cause of vomiting and treat accordingly.

Surgical Causes Of Vomiting In Children!

Do people really suffer from mood disorders?

Mood disorders are common psychological problems that affect a vast portion of the human populace all over the world every year. These occur when there is a shift or imbalance in a person's psyche which affects his or her daily function and interpersonal relations in varying degrees. Each individual is affected by these conditions in a different capacity and responds to them in a distinct manner.

Mood disorders generally manifest themselves as fluctuations in a person's temperament. It is triggered by various factors. These mental illnesses range from mild to severe, the latter requiring urgent psychological counseling and treatment. A mild condition may even develop into a painful and chronic one without any form of remedial intervention.

What are the most common types of mood disorders?

There are many distinctive categories of mood disorders that can affect a person. The most commonly occurring ones are as follows:

- major depressive disorder

- bipolar disorder

- dysthymia

- cyclothymia

- seasonal affective disorder (sad)

Major depression is the most frequently occurring type of mood disorder. It causes mental and emotional turmoil, as well as physical anguish. Those affected by it may experience a single episode in isolation or multiple episodes over a period of time. The milder version of this condition is known as dysthymia.

Bipolar disorder is a comparatively rare condition that causes alternating states of extreme mania and depression. It is also known as manic-depressive illness. The mild version of this is called cyclothymia.

Seasonal affective disorder or sad is a depressive disorder that is known to affect those living in colder climes. It is caused generally by the lack of warmth and light, the onset of which begins in late autumn and lasts till the end of winter.

What causes a mood disorder?

Mood disorders are very difficult to diagnose as they can be caused by an assortment of triggers and the symptoms are not always apparent. This is particularly true in the case of dysthymia and cyclothymia.

Some of the usual factors that lead to mood disorders are:

- chronic stress and anxiety

- anomalies in the functioning of the nervous system

- prolonged periods of isolation

- genetics

- childhood abuse and trauma

- ineffectual coping mechanisms

- insufficient nourishment/malnutrition

In most cases, a combination of multiple factors usually leads to the development of mood disorders and other mental illnesses.

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Related Tip: 5 Mood Uplifting Foods You Must Keep Handy

Do People Really Suffer from Mood Disorders?

The first question when you greet somebody is 'how are you' and this often refers to our state of well-being. While most answers would be great, awesome or good, we usually think of how we are doing physically. While some of us may talk about physical conditions (say things like feverish, have a cold, etc.), not many would think of talking about mental health conditions. However, mental health is very important for overall well-being. 

Can you think of someone who is severely depressed or anxious all the time and have a good physical health? Chances are very bleak, and if you consider the overall health as a mix of mental and physical balance, this is not possible. Read on to understand how important mental health is and why you should start paying more attention to it.

Improved physical health: If someone is in a stressed state, it is obvious that they would not be able to do the activities they enjoy. Being affected mentally also leads to reduced immunity and sleep disturbances, making the person prone to infections and other disorders. Stress is one of the main risk factors for chronic medical conditions like heart disease and diabetes.
Improved prognosis: Most often, doctors focus on treating the physical aspects of a person s health. However, with recent emphasis on mental health, more and more doctors are looking at wholesome measures to improve a person s health. Results show that when a person s mental health is also addressed, the physical ailments respond very well.
Improved productivity: People with unattended mental health disorders often resort to absence from work and/or school, can have financial instability, be homeless and can fall repeatedly. Being mentally healthy provides overall changed perspective of life and therefore improves productivity.
Improved personal relationships: Children of people affected with mental illness are prone to neglect, abuse, rejection, and behavioural issues. There is also social isolation, which may lead into adulthood, and these children may also have emotional health problems. Others in the close circle including spouses, siblings, parents, close friends and colleagues would be clearly affected by a person who is mentally unhealthy.
Social effects: These people are highly prone to social crimes like rape, murder, theft, violence, etc. They may not be able to afford their treatment and/or resort to these crimes to assert themselves.
Improved quality of life: Life expectancy is higher in people who are mentally healthy. Even with mild symptoms of anxiety and depression, this is reduced, and the chances of a happier, healthier life are reduced.
Whatever the effect, mental health needs to be addressed as equally as we do physical problems, using medications, counselling, or lifestyle changes.

Mental Health - 6 Reasons Why You Should Take it Seriously!

Every person is familiar with the remark  Stop fidgeting  but does anybody ever wonder why do humans fidget? Is there any scientific reason for such an action? This article will throw light on the underlying causes for what is known as fidgeting.

Fidgeting and its underlying causes

Scientific research has revealed that fidgeting has many benefits still most people get annoyed when they see another person twitching and tapping. Most people do this seemingly without any control over their movement when they are ordered to be still. Research shows that there is at least one biological reason to back this action.
Since the same brain area is used for movement and speech, it is only natural that gestures are interlinked with thorough preparation for a speech. People tend to move their hands more when they are looking for a word to say, but are not being able to find it. In a recent study, it was found that school children between the age of 6-8 years who use their hands a lot can come up with the right answers during lessons.
While this is one theory, another neurological theory suggests that a portion of the mental load is off-loaded through the process of fidgeting when people have to tackle complex problems or thoughts. The theory is called cognitive load hypothesis. The offloading mechanism frees up the mental faculties thus, devoting them to the mental process. While this may not be a definitive explanation for fidgeting, it does go to show that there is a link between a person s hand movements and their thought and speech process.
Other reasons for fidgeting

Other than the cognitive advantages, some evidence has also been found linking fidgeting with metabolism. People who fidget are found to have a higher metabolism and lower BMI. This difference can be seen between thin and overweight people. Fidgeting amidst lollygagging during the day helps burn up to 350 calories a day. Also, fidgeting among other incidental physical activity helps keep an individual fit.
Among other reasons, fidgeting also serves as a coping mechanism for people with ADD. If a person is engaged in something that he/she is not interested in then the additional sensory-motor input that is even slightly stimulating or entertaining helps the brain to get completely engaged. This helps to maintain focus on the actual activity being performed by the individual.
So, fidgeting helps distract that part of the brain that is getting bored. This helps the other parts of the brain focus better on the actual activity. This is known as floating attention which perhaps is an evolutionary trait that dates back to prehistoric times. In those times, the ability to focus entirely on a task with undivided attention was not favorable to the human since doing so could make them unaware of the enormous ravenous beast hiding behind the bushes.
Thus, though there is some degree of understanding is there when it comes to fidgeting, more research studies are required to gain further insight. Consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

Fidgeting - Why Do We Do It?

Humans are social animals who thrive on reciprocality. It is in our basic nature to be socially courteous, and the word 'No' feels like a conflict that warns a potential relationship. Many of us tend to comply with every single request that is put forward to us by our peers, family, or at the workplace by our superiors. We choose to take up more jobs than we can efficiently handle and put unnecessary stress on ourselves even at the cost of our time and well-being. Must we always do that? 

Why is it so hard to say 'No'?

People have the notion that saying 'No' can come across as rude or uncaring. You may feel that you are letting someone down by turning down their request or risking a relationship. But, it has mostly to do with your self-confidence than your relationships with people. It may branch from overbearing parents, high expectations set by your peers and mentors or experiencing parenthood yourself and setting unreasonable standards for yourself. Childhood influences are usually the biggest cause of people always saying  yes  all the time.

People who have low self-confidence tend to value their own needs less than the needs of others. Saying 'No' feels rude, and no one wants to be impolite.

Well... saying 'No' does not mean you are being rude or disagreeable.

At the end of the day, it is more about how you say 'no', rather than just saying the word 'No'. Saying 'No' is about valuing and respecting your own time and priorities. 

How to start saying say 'No'?
If you want to take a step back and start saying 'No' to make sure your own needs are valued, here s what you need to do.

Refuse politely, when it seems not possible: Do not overcomplicate responses and try to be as simple in your responses as you can be. If you are asked to do something, and you want to say 'no', try to be polite in your body language and state that it is not convenient for you at the moment and that you would rather get back to it later.
Seek time before committing: The transition from saying  yes  all the time to saying no does take time! Start to give yourself more time and ask people to get back to you later. This way you can begin to build more self-confidence and learn to say no over time. This also allows you to evaluate your response instead of immediately saying yes or no to the person asking the favor or task.
Do not feel guilty: Deep down if you want to do a favor, you can go ahead with it, but you should also understand that it is okay to say no, and there is no need to associate guilt with it. You should set boundaries and allow people around you to understand how much favors they can ask you for instead of presenting you with an endless amount of favors from you.
Set your boundaries: Refusal does not amount to rejection as you have just as much right to say  no  as the person who is asking the favor from you. You are simply turning down a request, and in most situations, there is a middle ground for compromises where both you and the requester can be satisfied. If you have limited time to fulfill a request, let the person know and help out only as much as you can without overstepping your boundaries.
Bringing in these changes can help you be more self-confident, and at the same time enable you to say no when you need to without weighing yourself down with expectations and fear or rejection.

Simple Steps To Help You Say No!

Vomiting is a natural process for the body to rid itself of something it does not want, in the quickest way possible. Nausea is usually the prior warning of this process, although it can mean other things too. Vomiting is commonly caused by an infection in the stomach or intestines that may be due to food poisoning or an infection of an unknown origin. 
Vomiting is not a disease in itself. It is a symptom that something is not alright with the body   it could be indigestion or kidney stones, medication side effect or pregnancy, alcohol or spoiled foods. Homeopathy believes in treating the underlying symptoms and the person as a whole. Listed below are some of the common homeopathic remedies which have been proven useful during the bouts of vomiting.
Arsenicum Album: If food poisoning is the cause, then this is the best remedy. There is a burning sensation in the stomach along with thirst, and small frequent sips of water are beneficial. The stools are dark, small in amount, and have a foul smell. The person is chilly, exhausted, and anxious.
Ipecacuanha (Ipecac): For prolonged vomiting, this is a good cure. Especially in pregnancy associated with belching and excessive saliva. This is also useful when watching moving objects for prolonged periods induces vomiting. There may be associated abdominal pain after a meal.
Carbo Vegetalis: If the vomiting is associated with indigestion, heartburn, flatulence, and a bloated feeling, carbo vegetalis can be the ideal remedy. Food regurgitation or GERD with a sour taste in the mouth is a good indicator for using this remedy. There is gas in the stomach which causes distention and burping, especially in children, and this remedy is very useful in such cases.
Ignatia: Vomiting is brought on by emotional stressors, associated with depression and trying to curb this feeling. The person may be crying and have mood swings and sleeplessness. This is also used in children who may complain of a lump in the throat. In children especially, everything that is said will be taken very personally.
Nux Vomica: This helps relieve nausea associated with gas and bloating sensation. It is especially useful in pregnancy where the person can be irritable and impatient and have vomiting after eating and in the morning. There is constant sense of retching. Children who have eaten too much food can be treated with this remedy. The child could also have stomach pain, headache, and irritability.
Antimonium crudum or Ant-c: The tongue is coated with a white layer and vomiting occurs soon after eating or drinking. There could be history of eating indigestible foods or overloaded stomach.
Kreosote: When undigested food stays in the stomach for prolonged periods or used in vomiting associated with cancerous growths and kidney diseases.
Aethusa: If a child is vomiting curd-like material followed by exhaustion, this is a good solution. The hungry child eats and goes through the bout of nausea, and the cycle repeats.
These are some simple homeopathic medicines; however, bear in mind that these should be taken only under supervision. 

Homeopathic Remedies for Vomiting & Nausea Problem

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