Cold and cough is caused by a viral infection, which can last for about two to four weeks. The symptoms include stuffy or a runny nose, coughing and sore throat. Many times, the infection may raise body temperature and the child may suffer from fever. Our body s immune system naturally fights with such infections. Depending on the type of cough and the symptoms, the virus can stay active in the body for about 4 to 6 weeks. It is quite painful to see the child suffering from cold and cough. The symptoms of this infection are worse during the first two days.

The child will experience pain and irritation in the throat with difficulty in swallowing, frequent coughing with mucous, breathing difficulty and high fever. Most parents rush to over the counter drugs for cold and cough to ease of their child s agony. However, most drugs/ cough syrups available over the counter only provide temporary relief. Medical evidence suggests that antibiotics do not kill viruses, thus, it is not advisable to treat cold and cough with antibiotics unless accompanied by another infection. So, what do parents do? Well, there is a lot that can be done.

Let s first understand the type of a cough your child might be suffering from:



Dry cough: Generally occurs due to infection in upper respiratory tract, cold or influenza. Children with asthma and allergies are also prone to this type of cough as dry cough is triggered by smoke or dust.
Croup Cough: A harsh barking and dry cough with swelling beneath vocal cords.
Wet Cough: Most commonly caused by cold. This is an infection of the lower respiratory tract characterised by mucous secretions.
Whooping cough: Characterised by fast coughing, breathing difficulties and a whooping sound while breathing.
Apart from this, If coughing starts suddenly along with choking, the child may have inhaled a foreign body. Immediate help may be required. For babies less than 12 months of age, cold cough followed by breathing difficulties may indicate bronchiolitis and require a paediatric attention. A normal cold and cough generally subside with two to four weeks. However, it is important to understand when to consult a doctor.

Chest pain or breathing problems
Cough lasting for more than 6 weeks.
A yellow, green or brown mucous indicating another infection.
Swollen glands, persistent high fever, rashes.
Body getting pale and symptoms getting worse.
Temperature higher than 38 degrees in the case of infants.
Precautions and diet that should be taken care of

Increase Intake of fluids especially hot liquids
Never stop breastfeeding the baby
Vapour rub applied on chest and back is an effective remedy
Inhaling steam provides relief to a sore throat and nose
Intake of crushed tulsi leaves with honey or hot turmeric milk is soothing and very helpful
There is little we can do to prevent viral infections. However, proper care and caution can ensure a smooth recovery.

Cold and Cough in Children - Precautions that Parents Must Take

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!

While siblings are the force that breathes life into any family structure, it has also been seen as a challenge of sorts to manage siblings and bring out the best in each one of them. In any family unit, there are a number of entities who need to be nurtured in a certain way to ensure that their identities are not hampered by a "one size fits all" style of parenting. Every child is different and will need to be handled differently. Besides this, there are other related challenges that will contribute to the quality of the relationships between the siblings, as well as the rivalry that they may feel towards each other when it comes to attention, achievements and varied other factors.

Read on to know the ten tips to tackle sibling rivalry:

1. Make Friends before Birth: encourage your first born to connect even before the birth of the new baby by including him or her in the changes you see and feel. Planning for the new baby with your first born will also help in such cases.

2. Staying positive is a big factor that will help the children in feeling confident despite their different qualities and strengths.

3. Comparison is a big no no. Stay away from these kind of comparisons so that the children do not feel like they have to fight with each other for your praise.

4. Time Sharing: Ensure that you divide your time well and indulge each child in his or her area of interest so that they feel like you are always there for each of them.

5. Harmonious Start to the day: this will ensure that the children have a special bond at the end of the day. Make sure that they help each other and divide chores accordingly. The older siblings should be given the care giving tasks while the younger ones should be taught to obey them and play along.

6. Humour them: It is a known fact that humour is the best medicine that breaks even the most tension filled atmosphere.

7. Family Meetings: Hold family meetings to discuss important things and even intense fights so that everyone's needs and issues are addressed.

8. Empathy: Teaching your child to empathize with others will help him or her steer clear of needless rivalry at home too.

9. Ignore the Small: Let them figure out the smaller fights, yet always be there to address the bigger issues so that they know you are there for them.

10. Equal Treatment: Treating them equally does not mean doing the same thing for each of them. It means giving them equal time and attention with personalized treatment to suit varied temperaments. This will also give them a lot of individual confidence which eventually kills any feelings of rivalry.

10 Tips to Tackle Sibling Rivalry

CAKUT or Congenital Anomalies of the Kidney and Urinary Tract is a group of simple to life-threatening malfunction or malformation of the ureters, kidney, bladders, testis, penis or female genitalia. These malformations are present from the birth when the genital or urinary system of the fetal starts developing. In young children, this kind of malformations can lead to renal transplantations and kidney failures. The primary cause of this kind of congenital problem with the urinary tract is genetic while other possible cause can be due to the environment.

Some of the most common Congenital problems with the urinary tract are:

Bladder Exstrophy: One of the most common congenital problems in children is bladder malformation. In this case, the bladder is flattened in shape and not round. So it will be exposed on the abdominal walls. This, in turn, will result in widely separated pelvic bones. Thus the function of female genitalia, penis and prostate will be affected. There are different types of Exstrophy and surgeries required for correcting them.
Undescended Testes: Usually, in the abdomen area, the testicles are formed. After the formation, they pass from the abdominal wall muscles and twist to the local place. This happens in the last few weeks of the pregnancy and is seen only in 5 percent of full-grown boys. Most of the times, testicles fall to the normal place in the first 6 months of their life. Any abnormality in the testicles or missing testicles can be due to problems in the testicular blood vessels or due to loss of blood flow to that particular area. Surgical and nonsurgical therapies like hormone management can be used to treat this kind of congenital problem.
Vesicoureteral Reflux: The Ureter is the tube in the human body that carries the urine from the kidneys to the bladder. When there is Vesicoureteral Reflux problem, then the urine flows back in the ureter. When the reflux of urine takes place, then that will get detained in that area and can cause damage to the kidneys. There are basically two types of Vesicoureteral Reflux and the primary condition is congenital problems. This problem can also be treated with the help of surgical and nonsurgical methods.
Hydronephrosis: Another very common congenital problem with the urinary tract in children is Hydronephrosis. The flow of the urine from the kidney can be prevented by any obstruction. This obstruction can result in fluids getting filled in the organs. There can be many disorders or problems associated such as Multicystic Dysplastic Kidney, Posterior Urethral Valve, Ureteropelvic Junction Obstruction and Idiopathic Hydronephrosis. There can be many other problems also associated along with these.

Congenital Problems With The Urinary Tract!

The term pollution means introduction of harmful and unwanted contaminants into our environment. Due to the borderless nature of our atmosphere and oceans, contamination at a small level can have a huge impact that to in places which are nearby and one of the best examples of this is crop stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana which is a major contributor to Delhi smog. Pollution is a slow poison and is deleterious to the life of all beings, including plants, animals, and humans. With the rise in the pollution levels, no one can escape the harmful effects of the same on health. Though pollution poses a great threat to everyone, it is the children who are most effected, let us read on to know the reasons

Why are children more susceptible to pollution?

The lung function, immune system, and metabolic systems in children are not fully developed and functional which makes it difficult for the body to fight these pollutants.
Children breathe in more air per kilogram of their body weight than adults, so they take in more pollutants per breath.
Children are not only more active but also have a faster breathing rate than that of adults. This means that they take in more environmental toxins and at a much faster rate.
What are effects of pollution on children s health?

Exposure of pregnant women to polluted air is strongly associated with premature birth, low birth weight, and intrauterine growth retardation. Low birth weight babies and premature infants are more prone to developmental delays and other disorders.
Exposure to certain pollutants like carbon monoxide and ozone are linked with septal and valvular defects in the heart of a child.
There is a strong association between particulate pollution and symptoms like wheezing and bronchitis in both adults and children. This is the main reason why there is an increased prevalence of Asthma in children in urban areas. Research has shown that high level of pollutants in air cause deficits in lung function growth.
The immune system which protects the body from infections and germs is not fully developed in children. Pollutants are known to cause suppression of immunity in small children making them more prone to infections.
Children need sufficient Vitamin D for strong and healthy bones. Vitamin D is known as sunshine vitamin and is synthesized in the body on exposure to UVB rays of the sun. Increased particulate components in the air reduce the amount of UVB radiation reaching the ground level. More than 60% children are Vitamin D deficient and require supplements orally.
The exhaust of gasoline and diesel is known to emit carcinogens which are thought to play a role in the development of leukemia (blood cancer) in children.
The nervous system is a target for many environmental pollutants. Exposure to these pollutants can lead to neurological deficits and delays in development. Some of these effects are irreversible and long-lasting.
Unfortunately, with urbanization and increased population, the levels of particulate pollutants in the air are increasing at an alarming rate. The problem of pollution needs to be addressed immediately, until then it is best to keep the children indoor and take necessary precautions and keep children safe from exposure to the pollutants.

Pollution - How Is It Worse For Children?

Diabetes is caused due to hormonal imbalance in our bodies. When the equilibrium between insulin and glucagon (hormones related to the sugar levels in the body) is disturbed, an individual suffers from diabetes. The disease is of two types: Diabete mellitus (Type-I and Type II) and Diabetes insipidus. When your body fails to release adequate insulin, the food that we consume is not properly converted into sugar or glucose. This is Type-I diabetes. On the contrary, if body releases defective insulin, one suffers from Type-II diabetes. Type-1 diabetes is sometimes called juvenile diabetes, or insulin-dependent diabetes. Type 1 occurs more frequently in children and young adults, but accounts for only 5-10% of the total diabetes cases nationwide. The basic symptoms of diabetes include changing sugar levels, excessive urination, thirst, weight loss and a lack of energy. Diabetes is caused due to a number of factors, ranging from environmental matters or hereditary links.

Homeopathic Remedies for Diabetes
Diabetes requires prolonged treatment. Long exposure to allopathic drugs can hamper your body organs due to its side effects. Therefore, it is advisable to take up homeopathic remedies, which have a long-lasting effect on the patient. These medicines don t cause side effects. Here are some of the remedies:

    Uranium nitrate: This compound reduces the sugar levels in the bloodstream and also keeps a check on frequent urination. It is prescribed for patients who develop the disease due to assimilative derangements. The symptoms that are looked for while prescribing medicines containing this compound include digestion problem, languor and debility, excess sugar in urine, huge appetite and thirst.
    Phosphoric acid: This compound is best for the treatment of diabetes that has a nervous origin. The symptoms that are looked for include excess urine and the colour of the urine is milky; poor mental force and general lethargy. The patient can also develop a bruised feeling in the muscles.
    Phosphorus: This compound is given to patients, suffering from diabetes and pancreatic diseases, especially tuberculosis or gouty diathesis. The symptoms include dry mouth, dark and watery stool and restlessness.
    Lactic acid: It is helpful for treating gastrohepatic type of diabetes. The symptoms that will have to be present in the patient include light yellow coloured urine, dry skin and tongue, thirst, nausea, and costive bowels.
    Insulin: Insulin therapy is an important as it helps in maintaining a balance in the sugar levels and keeps the urine free from sugar. 

Suffering from Diabetes - 5 Homeopathic Treatments that can Help 

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