The appendix is a small, finger-shaped pouch attached to the large intestine in the right belly area. It is a vestigial organ as it has no specific role to play in humans, but the organ is still seen, though in a very small size compared to the earlier living beings in the evolutionary chain. Acutely inflamed appendix is the most common cause leading to it removal, often seen in the ages of 10 to 19.

Causes: the appendix gets infected by two main reasons - general infection in the abdomen that reaches the appendix or blockage of the appendix leading to inflammation and swelling within it. The appendix is a blind pouch, and there is a good chance for its blockage from food particles, lymphatic tissue, or even sometimes feces. Some of the potential risk factors for appendicitis include a diet low in fiber, high in sugar, gut flora, and family history.

Symptoms/diagnosis: in adults, the appendicitis has very characteristic symptoms including acute pain in the right upper part of the belly associated with fever and vomiting. However, in children, the pain may not be as tell-tale a sign but is still quite diagnostic of appendicitis. However, presence of the following symptoms together is surely indicative of appendicitis.
1. Right abdominal pain, especially rebound tenderness, where pressure placed in the right upper part of the belly and released leads to excruciating pain.
2. Fever, nausea, and vomiting
3. Abdominal fullness or bloating
4. Elevated white blood count (as with most infections)
Additionally, the younger the child, the symptoms are not very clear, but ultrasound will confirm the diagnosis. The inflamed, enlarged appendix will be visible on the images and could be surrounded by free fluid. Ct scan also can be considered if required to confirm the diagnosis.

Treatment: as noted above, children present with symptoms that do not pinpoint to appendicitis. Treatment usually takes two routes:

If diagnosed as appendicitis before rupture, then surgical removal is the best method to contain its symptoms. Other symptoms like fever and nausea and vomiting usually subside a couple of days after the surgery.
If the appendicitis goes unnoticed and ruptures, then the intestinal cavity can get infected, which is called peritonitis. Earlier, the preferred approach was to control the infection and then go for removal. However, lately, removing the appendix followed by antibiotics to control the infection is the preferred approach.
The prognosis and recovery from appendicitis is very good. Deaths have occurred only in very small infants, where they are not able to pinpoint the area and therefore it can go undiagnosed, leading to rupture and subsequent death.

Early identification is the key to proper identification, immediate treatment, and complete recovery from appendicitis.

Appendicitis in Children

Growth is the most important aspect of childhood, one that distinguishes children from adults. Growth is affected by a number of diseases and growth failure is often the first sign of a serious disease. Unfortunately children with growth failure present very late when no help is possible. 

Why to worry?

Growth is the best marker of health and growth failure may be caused by a seious disease. Moreover children with short stature have lower self esteem. 

When to worry? 

Plot the height of your child in the growth chart and if it is below the lower limit visit a doctor. Alternatively if your child's height is less than the formula (Height = Age in years x 6 + 77 cm) it may be a cause of concern. Growth stops at the age of 14 years in girls and 16 years in boys. Hence the child should be reviewed latest by 10 years for girls and 12 years for boys. 

What causes growth failure? 

Growth failure can be due to a number of causes including poor nutrition, lack of physical activities and low genetic potential with parents being short. Short stature can also be caused by a number of diseases like thyroid problems, growth hormone deifiency and celiac disease (wheat allergy). 

How can I improve my child's growth?

Please encourage your child to play for atleast 1 hour a day. It is important to restrict screen time including television, computer, tablets and mobiles to less than an hour. Increased protein and calcium intake with more milk, pulses and vegetables also helps in improving growth. Growth hormone is produced during sleep. Sleeping for at least eight hours a day is therefore essential for a child to achieve good growth. 

What can be done if my child is very short? 

Please consut a doctor to identify the cause of short stature. Most conditions are readily treatable. Children with growth hormone deficiency respond dramatically to growth hormone. Growth hormone is also being used now in children with turner syndrome, familial short staure, small size at birth and kidney disease. 

Time is important- act now if your child is short. 

Is My Child Short? 

Benign growth of abnormal cells is characteristic of a uterine fibroid. It grows on the walls of the uterus and occurs in 70% of women. However, most of the times, they go undetected as they are non-intrusive, painless and recede on their own. 99% of the cases reported for fibroids in the uterus are the ones which progress into painful tumors.

Fibroids occur due to elevated levels of estrogen and progesterone in the body; therefore women who are inching closer to menopause are most susceptible to developing fibroids due to elevated and prolonged exposure to these hormones.

The symptoms include:

Pain during urination
Pain during coitus
Constipation
Excessive bleeding and extended menstruation
Fertility problems
Fibroids in the uterus can very easily be treated with various methods. Ayurvedic treatment remains to be one of the most popular choices among women for these illnesses. Ayurvedic treatment involves the use of naturopathic methods to reduce and cure diseases rather than the use of medicinal or surgical methods which may be intrusive, and carry potential risks of side effects and failure rates. It aims to strengthen the immune system of the body and allows the system to mend the infection internally. Ayurvedic methods include the use of herbs, medicinal plants, roots and body enhancing/strengthening practices. Ayurvedic practitioners offer a wide array of treatment methods to battle uterine fibroids naturally with household alternatives, or other readily available remedies.

Ayurvedic treatments for uterine fibroids:

Daily intake of Aloe Vera (with milk, or honey)
Guggul and Asoka herbs (with ghee, or milk)
Douching with herbal decoctions
The ingestion of turmeric in meals
Foods rich in fiber and detoxifying elements (such as spinach, banana) are also recommended as they increase the metabolism rate.

Along with that, if a healthy lifestyle, sound sleep patterns and a regular workout regime are also advised by Ayurvedic practitioners. By taking proper care of one s self, maintaining proper hygiene and taking preventive measures, one can ensure that the recurrence of uterine fibroids do not present itself.

Fibroids - Best Natural Ways It Can Be Managed!

Best Way To Treat Fever In Children

Let us imagine a scenario: It is 4 in the morning. You are fast asleep and suddenly you hear the discomforting cries of your child. You sense that something is wrong and you immediately rush to the other room. As soon as you touch him, you realize that the child's body is burning up like a furnace? You immediately rush to get your thermometer and the figures on it do not make for a good reading - 102 degrees F. Panic dulls your response rate. Your first reaction is to call the doctor. It might be the right thing to do in some rare cases, but in most cases experts advise differently.

Stay Calm

The most important thing is for you to stay calm and relax and realize that it is still well within your hand to take care of the child. First things first, fever is not your enemy. Rather, it is body's way of telling you that your immune system is fighting alien elements in your body. Children of the age group 0 to 3 almost always face high temperatures at some point in their nascent lives.

The Need of the Hour

How you should go about it depends on your child's age and thermometer's readings. If your child is a newborn or is less than 3 months old and reading is above 100.4 degrees, then you must call the doctor at once.

Between 3 to 6 months, temperature threshold is 101 degrees F, while 103 degrees F is usually the limit for children older than 6 months. But, if the child is showing alarming symptoms such as body ache, fatigue, and diarrhoea, along with the high temperature of 101 degrees F or 102 degrees F, then you should consider calling the doctor on a priority basis.

Take the Hints - Be Wary of the Symptoms

Keeping an eye out on the symptoms is extremely important. If your child has a running nose and low-grade fever (99-100 degrees F), then he might be suffering from a bout of common cold. Vomiting and diarrhoea usually indicate stomach virus. For children with weak immune system or at higher risk than others, it is advisable to consult a doctor.

A 24 hours rest is generally advised in flu, till the patient is fever free without taking any antibiotics. Ailments like an earache, sore throat or discomfort in peeing should be brought to the notice of doctor as it might indicate soar throat, UTI or ear infection, all of which require antibiotic treatments. Certain signs warrant an immediate medical attention. Discomfort in breathing along with constant crying, difficulty in walking, unusual rashes and purple looking spots demand that he be taken to the E.R. right away.

The most important thing is to complete the treatment course diligently and let the fever run its course as it may actually aid the body in building immunity against the fever causing germs and fight them. One must remember that being calm and relaxed at taxing times go a long way in helping you take right decisions and treating fever in children is all about patience and right decisions.

Best Way To Treat Fever In Children

It is that time of the year when insects are all around. Suddenly one feels a buzzing sound or an itchy feel in the ear. To your horror, one feels a live insect is in your ear, which can be extremely annoying and is like a nightmare. Insects often get stuck when they enter our ears as they cannot fly or crawl out. They try to find their way out and their movements inside our ears can be very uncomfortable, painful and can be itchy as well. Moreover, they can easily produce infection.

In this scenario, do not try to remove an insect with cotton swab, tweezers or hair clip as it will make the situation worse and can lodge the insect deeper into the ear canal, which can possibly damag the eardrum, leading to permanent hearing loss. If an individual is not certain about the potential harm taht can be caused by the insect in the ear, one should seek medical care immediately. Insects in the ear are common reasons for visits to doctor's clinic, especially in children.

If one suspects an insect in ear, one may experience pain, swelling, blood or crackling. One may even feel biting, stinging, hearing loss or dizziness. It is best to stay calm in this situation as being active may lodge the bug further in ear or cause it to move further back or cause serious damage to the sensitive eardrum

One way to try to remove a bug in ear is by tilting the ear toward the ground and attempt to wiggle the ear. Grasp the earlobe and give it a wiggle. If the bug is not too far into ear canal, it may fall out on its own. If the bug is still alive and is not too far inside of the ear canal, it may simply come out on its own. If one stays calm and keep objects including fingers away from ears, it is likely that the bug will find its way back out of ear.

One can also try to flush the ear with warm water with a dropper or a bulb syringe. This can be done by holding head upright and stretching the ear canal by pulling the outer ear and then putting a steady stream of warm water into ear. Tilt head to the side to drain out the ear. Do not try this if one suspects that ear drum has been ruptured to prevent additional damage.

To avoid stinging or eardrum rupture from scratching or biting , one may use a drop or two of mineral, baby, or olive oil inside your ear canal to kill the insect. Finally, visit an ENT specialist doctor as they can remove the insect by special suction devices. Post insect removal, one must look out for signs of infection as swelling, dizziness, hearing loss, fever, and pain. Finally follow up with ENT specialist or Otolaryngologist for the final opinion.

How to Remove Insect from Ear at Home? 

Almost all of us have experienced bloating, gas or an upset stomach. Yet some people experience this problem at a chronic level. Gas occurs in the stomach and intestines due to breakdown of food into energy. All of us pass gas, however some people do more than others. An average person passes gas 5-20 times a day.

An upset stomach can often cause problems and can be a difficult battle for many people. Although the symptoms of gas problems often relate to an improper diet, yet other factors may be also responsible.

Causes and Symptoms of Gas Problems

Swallowing air: The swallowed air which is not burped out, passes through the digestive system and is released through the opening of the anus. Hiccups can also occur if you have swallowed excessive air.
Diet: The reaction of different foods varies from one person to another. Also foods that lead to odorous gas may also vary from person to person. Yet, spicy foods and dairy products are the most common causes of gas. Example - Beans, cabbage, onions, radishes, eggs, carbonated drinks, sugar, packaged foods etc.
Medications: Certain medicines and supplements, including prescription drugs, can lead to gas problems and bloating. Further, medications which change the hormonal balance in the body can also cause bloating.
Medical problems: Certain medical conditions such as Irritable bowel syndrome or bowel obstruction can also lead to an upset stomach.
Common symptoms of gas problems include gas pain, cramping, bloating, diarrhoea and constipation. In the worst of cases, gas and bloating indicate colon cancer. Such people experience rapid weight loss, anaemia and blood in stools.

Treatment
Modifying your lifestyle, in particular your dietary practices, is essential to a healthy recovery.

Avoiding foods such as spaghetti, oats, bran, barley, banana, bread etc. which contain high fibre content is important.
You can opt for over the counter medications after consulting your physician. Homeopathy and Ayurveda can be also opted as alternative forms of treatment.

Chronic Gas Problem - Facts You Should Know About it

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