Asthma is a condition that can flare up anytime; be it at your child's soccer practice or during the middle of the night. Whenever the condition sets in, it leads to your child struggling for breath. For a parent to witness this situation can be hard; but you should know the techniques to keep the situation under control.

Here are a few tips on how to manage the situation:

1. Find out the triggers in your home: Asthma is triggered due to substances that your child may be allergic to. Examples are cigarette smoke, fur of pets and dust. If possible, keep your child away from the known triggers so that the condition does not flare up again.

2. Keep records of the following: It is good to have an action plan ready for your child when the bouts of asthma strike. When you visit the doctor to discuss about your child's condition then make sure that you have these records at hand.

The triggers that caused the bout of asthma
How many times did your child have wheezing episodes?
The number of times your child has been admitted for the same reason
The medications that your child is currently taking, dosage and/or whether they have been changed
How often does he/she need medications if he/she has acute symptoms?
3. Knowledge of the test your child may require: Asthma control test is a type of test that allows parents and children to grade asthma symptoms without a doctor. A pulmonary function test is used to detect the capacity of the lungs and flow of air.

4. See how your child responds to the treatments: You should consider changing the treatments for your child if he/she has recurrent symptoms of asthma attack and require frequent visits to the Emergency Room even after taking medications for an extended duration.

5. Long term treatment plans require patience: Any asthma treatment plan requires patience as they might not immediately cure symptoms.

How to Manage if Your Child Is Suffering From Asthma

Valvar aortic stenosis, commonly called aortic stenosis, is a disorder which occurs when the aortic valve of the heart becomes narrow. The narrowing of the valve prevents its full opening, and hence, blood flow from the heart to the aorta is restricted. When the aortic valve gets obstructed, the heart has to exert much more effort to pump the blood. The heart muscles get weakened as a result. This condition is more common in children.

Diagnosis of valvar aortic stenosis-
Before diagnosis, we should know about the symptoms of valvar aortic stenosis in children. They include:

 Feeling breathless
 Angina or chest pain with a feeling of pressure or tightness
 Syncope of fainting
 Palpitations and enhanced heartbeats
 A steady decline in regular activities and energy levels
 Fatigue due to little exertion
 Not gaining weight
 Poor eating patterns
 Problems in breathing

The wall of the left ventricle also thickens muscularly, and the thick wall occupies more space in the lower chamber of the heart and hence, the room for adequate blood supply is reduced. This may lead to heart failure.

Echocardiogram-
The initial test that is recommended for patients with symptoms of valvar aortic stenosis is doppler echocardiography. This test enables the doctor to estimate the aortic valve region, peak or mean transvalvular gradients and the maximum aortic velocity. These primary measures are required to assess the severity of the disease. Echocardiography provides important information on the valve function, left ventricular filling pressure and disruptions in other valves.

Other major tests which help in the diagnosis of valvar aortic stenosis include:
 Mri or magnetic resonance imaging, which provides images of internal body structures with great detail.
 Ct scan or computed tomography where three-dimensional images are extracted.
 Chest x ray
 Cardiac catheterization where a dye is used to highlight blockages, if any, in the heart.

Treatment-
Usually, there are no medicines for fixing valvar aortic stenosis as the disease is not reversible. Medicines can be used to treat the problems, which are caused by the condition.

Replacement of the damaged valve by surgery is the best treatment for valvar aortic stenosis. The surgery performed is called valvuloplasty. This is a cardioscopic surgery where a tube with a small balloon is inserted into a vein. The tube is guided into the heart, and the balloon is inflated. The balloon and tube are removed after the valve is opened. The damaged valve is replaced by mechanical valve or the valve of a cow or pig by an open-heart surgery.

Valvar aortic stenosis is a severe heart condition in children, and the only permanent remedy for this disease is a valve replacement surgery.

Diagnosis and Treatment of Valvar Aortic Stenosis in Children

A mother s milk is said to be the most nutritious food for a new born baby. It contains the perfect balance of carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins and minerals needed for your baby and changes to keep up with your baby s growing needs. However, the benefits of breastfeeding extend way beyond nutritional value. Breastfeeding is beneficial for both you and your baby. Ideally, a baby should be breastfed for at least the first six months. 

Here are 5 major benefits of breastfeeding.

Stronger immunity: Mother s milk is rich in antibodies and a number of unique compounds that help the newborn child s body fight bacterial and viral infections. No other form of baby food is as rich in these antibodies. Babies who have been breastfed have a lower risk of suffering from ailments such as ear infection, stomach upsets and respiratory problems. The first milk expressed by a woman s breasts after giving birth is known as colostrums. This milk coats the baby s digestive system and prevents the growth of harmful bacteria.
Fewer allergies: Breast milk is easier to digest than formula or cow s milk. This protects the gastrointestinal passages from inflammation and prevents undigested food from triggering allergic reactions. Being breastfed can also reduce the number of allergies a child may suffer from in their later years.
Healthy body weight: Breastfeeding makes a child less likely to suffer from obesity in their later childhood and adult years. This is because breast milk contains less insulin and more hormones as compared to formula. This helps regulate fat absorption. On an average, babied fed on formula put on weight quickly and are more likely to overeat in their later years.
Stronger bones: Breastfeeding is beneficial for both the child and the mother. When a woman is breastfeeding her child, her body s ability to absorb calcium increases. This helps increase bone density, especially as pregnancy can make bones weak.
Builds a strong mother-child bond: After 9 months of carrying a child to term, giving birth may lead to post partum depression and a mother may feel the connection between her and the child severed. Breastfeeding helps nurture this connection and provides emotional relief to both the mother and child. For the mother, this experience releases hormones that reduce stress and relax the body. For the baby, close physical contact is very important and this process provides the perfect opportunity to do so.

Breastfeeding - 5 Benefits of It!

Tips to prevent irritant diaper dermatitis (diaper rash)

A mother's prime focus always is how to ensure that her child is happy and comfortable, especially when the child is too small. One of the problems which bothers many mothers who are bringing up really small children, is diaper rash. Sensitive skin, tight diaper and prolonged contact with feces and urine etc are common reasons for diaper rash or irritant diaper dermatitis.

Here are few tips to avoid diaper rash and ensuring your child is always comfortable.

1. Careful with wash: if you are using a cloth diaper, be extra careful in washing such that there is no soap remaining in the cloth.

2. Clean well: when bathing your baby, make sure you clean the area covered by diaper with a mild soap and do not rub the area while drying, since the skin is sensitive.

3. Remove soiled diaper instantly: this is the most important. However busy you are, you need to aware of the times when the diaper/cloth has been soiled. And when soiled, the diaper has to be changed at the earliest. Do not keep your baby in the diaper for all hours of the day. It is good if they are out of the diaper for some time every day.

4. Keep the diaper loose. Also, ensure that you wash the cotton diapers with fabric softeners and try to avoid wipes altogether as they have strong chemicals in them.

5. Keep a tab on rashes: if your baby does get the rashes, check with the pediatrician at the earliest. Frequent topical applications of a bland protective barrier agent (zinc oxide paste) may suffice to prevent dermatitis. There are also chances of fungal infections. Antifungal creams should be used on advice of a doctor.

If you would like to consult with me privately, please click on consult.

5 Simple Ways To Avoid Diaper Rash For Your Baby

Type II Diabetes is also known as Non-Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus (NIDDM) or Adult-onset Diabetes. Diabetes mellitus is a syndrome characterized by increased level of sugar (glucose) in the blood due to deficiency or inactivity of hormone 'Insulin' that is absolutely necessary to monitor glucose metabolism of body. This is a metabolic disorder that is primarily characterized by insulin resistance, relative insulin deficiency and consecutively hyperglycemia. Diabetes is prevalent worldwide and if not attended properly, it may lead to serious complications.

Causes of Type II Diabetes:

Diabetes basically occurs due to defective insulin secretion combined with defective responsiveness of the body to the insulin (also called Insulin resistance). Due to both these factors, hyperglycemia starts occurring in the body. It is strongly associated with obesity and with increasing age. A strong inheritance pattern has been noted in cases of type 2 diabetes. Sedentary lifestyle, pregnancy, hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, etc pose as risk factors for developing Diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes can begin at any age though it is not very common in childhood. It usually begins with insulin resistance, a condition in which the body does not use insulin properly. At first, the pancreas keeps up with the added demand by producing more insulin but later it loses the ability to secrete enough insulin in response to meals. This ultimately results in Hyperglycemia (high levels of glucose in circulation).

Homeopathic Treatment for Type II Diabetes:

Diabetes is a constitutional disorder as it is an offshoot of constitutional defects (genetic factors, altered immunity) having an impact on the entire constitution of an individual. Hence it calls for an in-depth constitutional approach for its management.

Homeopathy is based on the principle that disease is a total affliction of body. Moreover, homeopathy recognizes importance of the underlying causes such as genetic and inherited factors as the root of any ailment of the body. Homeopathic medicines prescribed on such criteria plays a crucial role in management of many deep-rooted, chronic, difficult diseases; one amongst them being Diabetes.

When we talk about diseases like diabetes, we talk in terms of management rather than cure. Homeopathic treatment along with intake of hypoglycemic drugs and/or insulin can prevent the progress and the complications associated with this condition. Moreover timely administered homeopathic medicines help in maintaining the levels of exogenous insulin and hypoglycemic drugs at minimum possible dosage and in preventing the further progress of the disease. However, it may be noted that there is no substitute to insulin in homeopathy. The role of a healthy diet and exercise cannot be underestimated along with all the above treatment measures.

Diet Food For Diabetes

Ear aches are a common complaint for many children. An ear infection can be explained as an inflammation of the middle ear. Unlike other aches, this one cannot be soothed by scratching or applying pressure and hence makes children cranky. Ear infections are usually triggered by bacteria or viruses. 
This causes inflammation that narrows the tube in the ear and allows fluid to build up. This fluid buildup is responsible for the pain.

However, not all ear infections need to be treated with medication. When it comes to treating ear aches in children, picking a natural remedy is a much better option ,since it has no side effects and can address the root cause of the infection. Here are a few natural remedies for earaches:

1. Compress: Hot and cold compresses are very effective ways of treating pain and can be used for earaches as well. Place an ice pack or a warm, moist compress over the ear to soothe the ache. Heat relaxes the muscles and stimulates blood flow while ice controls inflammation and swelling. Hot and cold compresses should not be applied for over 20 minutes at a time. 

2. Water: Some actions can help open up the eustachian tube to the middle ear. Swallowing is one such action. To encourage your child to swallow, offer him lots of fluids. 

3. Oil: Before using oil to treat an earache ensure that your child is not suffering from a ruptured eardrum and there is no fluid leaking from the ear. Pouring a few drops of warm olive oil or sesame oil can help soothe the pain by opening up the eustachian tube. It can also prevent the buildup of excessive ear wax and form a protective layer on the outer ear against bacteria and other infections. 

4. Elevate the head: Elevating a child's head can help improve sinus drainage. When it comes to children, instead of using a pillow below their head, place the pillow below the mattress to create a gradual slope. 

5. Onion: Onions can be used in many different ways to treat earaches. You could either juice an onion and put a few drops of the same in the ear or slice an onion in half and heat it before placing it over the ear like an ear muff. Onion contains anti inflammatory and antibacterial properties that help soothe earaches effectively and quickly. 

If the earache does not reduce or if there is a discharge from the ear, do not continue to self treat it and consult a doctor immediately.

Natural Remedies for Ear Infections in Children

Don't wait any longer, manage your Kids Doctor online with a Lybrate doctor today

Consult for Kids Doctor - Online and Easy!

FilterClear All

COMMON SPECIALITIES

COMMON ISSUES