Women tend to develop high levels of blood sugar during their pregnancy (especially within the 24th and 28th weeks), irrespective of whether they already had suffered from diabetes prior to their pregnancy. However, gestational diabetes, if not taken proper care of, might escalate the risks of developing diabetes in the near future for both the mother and the child, accompanied by complications in pregnancy or labor. Gestational diabetes is usually characterized by mild symptoms such as excessive urge to urinate, excessive thirst, blurred vision and fatigue.

Causes:
Insulin, a hormone produced by the pancreas, allows for the utilization of the glucose for energy. The food consumed is broken down by the digestive tract of the body, converting carbohydrates into glucose before releasing it into the bloodstream. The glucose is then absorbed by the cells to be used as an energy source. Now, at the time of pregnancy, the placenta (organ nourishing the fetus) connecting the baby to the blood supply also produces various other hormones in high levels, for instance, estrogen and human placental lactogen. Most of these hinder the normal functioning of insulin in the cells, hence raising the blood sugar count. With subsequent growth of the baby, the placenta keeps on producing more amounts of such insulin resistant hormones to an extent that they are capable of meddling with the development of the baby.

Treatment:
1. Monitoring the blood sugar count at least four to five times a day and keeping it under control might help to ease the complication.
2. A healthy diet consisting of whole grains, vegetables and fruits in the right proportion and limiting sugar or other highly refined carbs meets the nutrition and fiber requirement of the body. Guard against additional weight gain during pregnancy as that hampers the entire process.
3. Exercise or regular physical activities help to normalize blood sugar level by boosting glucose absorption in the cells. Furthermore, exercises also enhance the sensitivity of the cells towards insulin. This means that only a little amount of insulin production by your body would be enough for the transportation of sugar.
4. Medication, If exercise and diet fall inadequate, insulin injections are often administered to control blood sugar count.
5. Keeping the baby under close observation with the help of repeated ultrasound and other tests to record its growth and development is an essential part of the treatment plan.

Gestational Diabetes - How It Can Be Treated?

Does your baby s skin taste too salty when you kiss him or her? Did he or she not poop after being born? These symptoms indicate cystic fibrosis in your baby, which is a condition that changes the way your body makes sweat and mucus. It also affects the functioning of the lungs and digestive system. The condition occurs from a flawed gene. If you have cystic fibroids, your mucus may be too thick or your sweat can be too salty. Heavy mucus clogging in your lungs may affect your ease of breathing. This is a serious and life-threatening disease, but it affects different people in different ways.

Causes
The gene known as CFTR is present in everybody. It makes a protein which controls the amount of salt and water that are moved in and out of the cells of the body. In case of cystic fibroids, the CTFR gene is broken, which occurs if you inherit two bad copies of the gene. A bad CFTR gene may lead your cells to make the wrong amount of water or salt. This makes the body incapable of getting sufficient oxygen and nutrients, as the body loses them via sweating.

Symptoms
Apart from the primary symptoms, several other symptoms are also likely due to cystic fibroids. The common symptoms which your child may experience are as follows:

Coughing up thick mucus, wheezing and shortness of breath
Sinus infections, pneumonia, or very frequent bronchitis
Development of polyps in the nose
Bulky, oily and foul-smelling stool
Low bone density, widening and rounding of the fingertips and weight loss
In later life, cystic fibroids may cause liver disease, gallstones or pancreatitis.
Treatment
There is no specific treatment for cystic fibroids. Several treatments are followed for relieving the symptoms and help patients feel better, breathe easier and have lesser infections or stomach problems.

Airway clearance technique can help you with breathing as the mucus from the lungs is cleared in the process. There are several ways to undertake airway clearance and special devices can be used for assistance.
Several inhaled drugs such as salt solutions, steroids and antibiotics are used in thinning the mucus, clearing the lungs and fighting infections.
Several medicines are used for fighting the inflammation and reducing swelling in the lungs.
In case your pancreas are not working properly, you can take enzyme pills for digesting proteins and fats for absorbing more nutrients from the food you take.
Vitamin A, E and D supplements provide the nutrients, which your intestine cannot absorb.
In case you experience the symptoms of cystic fibroids, you should visit a doctor immediately. This will allow you to go for an early diagnosis and effective treatment.

Cystic Fibrosis - Can it be Life Threatening?

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

4 Simple ways to lose your baby weight naturally

Having a baby brings about a number of changes in your life, including a change in the way you look. The nine months see you putting on additional weight, which you try to shed off once you deliver. To help you get back into shape, here are some very effective and simple ways that you can follow:

Losing weight doesn't mean you need to get started on a vigorous exercise regimen; even a simple walk around your apartment block can help you to lose your baby weight. Whether it's going up and down the stairs for 15 minutes or pushing the stroller for about 30 minutes, such activities can bring your body's calorie-burning capacity back on track.

Breastfeed to burn about 600-800 calories everyday

Breastfeeding is not only good for your newborn but also for you. Breastfeeding your child can help you to lose weight considerably as it's a great way of burning off all the baby fat.

Lift weights to speed up your body's metabolism

Lifting weights can aid in improving your body's metabolism, thereby helping you to lose your baby weight effectively. By adding weight training to your fitness regimen, you're in fact helping yourself to build muscle mass and losing weight in the process. To do this, you don't need any gym equipment, for instance, you can do lunges while taking your baby around in a stroller. Or do them while holding your child close to your chest.

Always snack healthily

Having healthy snacks in place of high-calorie sugary foods can help you to get back your post-pregnancy shape. Studies show that yogurt and low-fat milk can help in weight loss as the calcium content present in these two foods block a hormone that assists the body in storing fat. Moreover, consuming foods high in fiber like raisins and figs can help in improving your digestion.

Get adequate sleep

Sleeping is another way in which you can shed off those extra kilos. Try to sleep whenever you get the time as it'll help to keep you from binging on junk foods as well as keep your energy levels in check.



4 Simple ways to lose your baby weight naturally

For a child, the first visit to the dentist can be panicky. This is because they don't realize what's in store. Children get a better idea about dentists after getting some information about the visit. We, as grown ups, must be set up to answer the inquiries and instruct our children in the most ideal way. The following are some valuable tips on the best way to set up a child for the first dentist appointment.

1. Guardians regularly ask when they ought to take their child for the first ever dental visit. The best time to begin taking children for a dental checkup is either when their first tooth pops out, or right around their first birthday. Expert dentists are capable of instantly recognizing any potential issues with the development and advancement of the jaw and delicate palate. Children's teeth are more porous and defenseless to decay than grown-up's teeth; so early mediation is a basic to guarantee those small teeth staying sound. It is also recommended that guardians begin brushing their child's teeth when they start coming out, utilizing a delicate toothbrush and plain water. Brushing should be started as early as possible.

2. It's never too early to begin acquainting your kids with tooth brushing and knowledge of oral health. The best time to begin is before your kid's first dental visit. Youngsters love to find out about their bodies, and love to grin, touch, and investigate new things. There are many fun ways to impart oral health education to children. The more agreeable they are with their mouth and teeth, the less demanding your youngster's first dental visit will be.

3. Tooth brushing is an essential piece of our everyday self-care, and it is our habit. A child, after being introduced to a brush and a toothbrush will take a certain time period to make daily brushing a habit. Guardians and the kids can brush their teeth" together. It is essential to note that toothbrushes are apparatuses, not toys, and that infants and babies ought to be firmly directed.

4. Little children, are extremely insightful and touchy to the states of mind of people around them. Children regularly reflect our conduct. When we are casual and upbeat, children will probably be loose, as well. Children are additionally more casual when they are prepared for or taught something. Invest energy conversing with children about going to the dentist. You can also discuss what the dentist will do, emphatically.

5. Always choose the most trustworthy dentist who is friendly and knows how to handle a child on his first dentist visit.

A child's first dentist appointment is a special one, and you should prepare him accordingly.

Tips to Prepare Your Child For First Dental Visit

Speech therapists are known by different names but most commonly, they are referred by people as speech therapists, who make children undertake different speech therapies to make them recover from their problem in talking or in their attempt to express their thoughts. These therapists work with children having a range of disorders and delays from minor articulation delays to more complex kind of disorders such as hearing impairment, motor speech disorders and other developmental delays.

We will now look at some of the ways through which speech therapy can help in the better development of a particular child:

Articulation skills and speech intelligibility: The physical ability to get the tongues, lips, jaws and palate moving in order to produce sounds of speech individually, which people call as phonemes. For instance, in order to articulate the /b/ sound, one needs to inhale, then at the time of exhaling, one has to turn their voice on by bringing the slightly tensed lips together to pause and build the airflow up, then finally release the airflow by getting the lips parted.

Intelligibility is all about how well people can understand a child s speech. A speech therapist can work along with the child to teach them on ways to produce particular speech sounds or certain patterns, he or she is having difficulty with, which in turn is affecting his overall speech intelligibility.

Expressive language skills: On one hand, where speech requires physical motor ability for talking, language refers to a symbol or a definite rule-governed system used for conveying a message. In the English language, the symbols could be in the form of words, either spoken or in written form. There are also certain symbols in the form of gestures like shrugging of shoulders to give the impression that he doesn t know a certain thing or a wave to indicate bye-bye or getting their eyebrows raised to indicate that one is surprised by an event or by hearing something.

So, basically expressive language is referred to something which a child says through signs and gestures. Speech therapists can let a child learn new words and teach them how to put the words together and hence form phrases and sentences, hence allowing them to communicate with others.

Receptive language or development of listening skills: Receptive language is nothing but a child s ability to listen and understand a particular language. Often, children tend to have stronger skills for receptive language than the skills required for expressive language. Hence, understanding becomes easier for them than their ability to express whatever they have understood. A speech therapist can help in teaching a child new words and the way they should be used to follow particular directions, reply to questions and thus take part in simple conversations with peers and other people.

Speech fluency: Speech fluency is affected by stuttering, which refers to the breaks in the flow of speech. This hampers one s ability to talk freely. Through speech therapy, a child can come across different strategies on how to control this behavioral pattern and lead to an increase in speech fluency.

How Speech Therapy Can Help Develop Your Child Better?

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