Are you aware of the number of people who suffer because of pneumonia? As the weather becomes cold and damp, chances of getting affected by pneumonia increases. Pneumonia can originate from virus, bacteria and a host of other factors. It is one of the most common ailment which affects the adults, all over the world. Hence, it is important for all of us to prevent  ourselves from pneumonia and for that we can follow the below mentioned steps:

Know about the symptoms of pneumonia first: It is difficult to detect or diagnose pneumonia, especially in people over the age of 65. In older patients, the common symptoms such as fever, chills, cough may not be experienced. You should watch out for non-respiratory symptoms like weakness, dizziness, delirium and confusion. It is even more difficult to diagnose pneumonia in people who are suffering from preexisting conditions.
Practice good hygiene: Common respiratory infections, influenza and cold may cause pneumonia. You should follow hygienic habits. Wash your hands regularly before meals and use hand sanitizers in order to prevent the illness from spreading. You should also maintain proper oral hygiene as several oral infections may also lead to pneumonia. You should also keep away from people who are affected by pneumonia or any other illness like flu, cold and serious diseases such as measles or chicken pox. All these factors may cause pneumonia.
Get vaccinated: It is recommended for people of all ages who may be at a risk of getting pneumonia to get vaccinated and immunised against pneumonia causing virus called pneumococcal pneumonia. This is a one-time vaccine, which prevents and reduces the severity of pneumonia. A booster vaccine after every five years may also be prescribed. Elderly people should be vaccinated against all diseases which cause pneumonia.
Quit smoking: Smoking accounts for being a major cause or risk factor for pneumonia. It increases a person s chance of getting pneumonia as the lungs  ability to defend themselves from the infection is reduced. By quitting smoking, you will be able to prevent pneumonia.
Maintain a good general health: Maintaining an overall good health and following healthy habits will help you in preventing pneumonia. This is because your immune system stays strong and is able to fight efficiently against pneumonia-causing infections. A proper diet with all essential nutrients is also recommended along with regular physical exercise and proper rest.
Severe cases of pneumonia are capable of making you suffer and you may be admitted to a hospital. According to studies, it has been estimated that more than 60% of people over the age of 65 need to be hospitalised because of pneumonia.

If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a pulmonologist.

Pneumonia - 5 Ways You Can Prevent Yourself Against it

ADHD is often diagnosed as a complex neurological disorder which is medically described as a developmental impairment of the self-management functions that are linked to brain operations. It impacts the important functions that are required to assess, plan and carry on with a normal life.

Causes of ADHD
ADHD is generally caused by bad parenting, too much sugar consumption and even playing too many video games. ADHD is a brain-based disorder and brain images have shown that people suffering from ADHD to possess psychological differences in their brains.

There are studies which revealed that a child is four times likely to be diagnosed with ADHD if his/her relative suffers from the same brain disorder, thus, clearly pointing to the genetic factor of carrying ADHD. Exposure to dangerous chemicals such as toxins in food, carpeting and flooring, cleaning products, lawn products and several personal care products can also induce ADHD in a child. When these toxins disrupt the development of the brain, a disorder such as ADHD occurs.

Symptoms of ADHD
There are a number of symptoms of ADHD. There are mainly two categories of symptoms of ADHD. They are:
ADHD - Primarily Inattentive Type of Symptoms

The person affected often fails to pay close attention to details and are prone to silly mistakes in schoolwork and other tasks.
They often lack the attention or are unable to retain attention on the task at hand.
It seems that the affected person is not listening when spoken to directly.
They do not follow the instructions given to them and fail to complete their tasks and activities.
They face difficulty in organizing things.
They avoid engaging in tasks that require constant mental effort.
They are prone to losing things essential for tasks and activities.
They are easily distracted by unnecessary and trivial stimuli in their surroundings.
They are forgetful of their daily activities.
ADHD: Primarily Hyperactive-Impulsive Type of Symptoms

The affected individual is fidgety and constantly taps their hands, feet or squirms when seated.
Leaves their seat and stands up on occasions where they are required to be seated.
They run or climb in certain situations where it is inappropriate and unnecessary.
They are unable to engage in or play in leisure and quietly.
They are hyperactive as if they are driven by some kind of motor.
They talk excessively and unnecessarily on all occasions.
They will blurt out answers even before the question is finished.
They are unable to be patient and wait for their own turn to arrive.
They have a tendency to interrupt and intrude others and take over their privacy.
It is advised to consult a doctor if one or many of these symptoms are noticed in an individual.

ADHD - Different Types & Its Symptoms!

Play is an important way, through which a child learns about the world. Through playful activities, children learn to socialize and communicate with others, solve problems, and use language effectively. 

Play is a form of expression   it is fun and all-important to cognitive, social, physical, and even emotional development. Learning through play is gaining recognition as a way to improve social and communication skills in children.

What does a playful approach to learning mean?

Playful learning implies that when children engage in enjoyable activities that are meaningful and relevant, they are able to memorize things for longer and develop holistic skills at the same time for lifelong learning. This usually takes place in a setting where the child has opportunities to take risks, share their experiences with others, and imagine new things.

How does playfulness help while learning?

Children who are engaged in playful activities are empowered to use their strengths and take part in experiences that they find relevant to their interests. Internal motivation and self-efficacy is the key to the characteristics of playful learning. 

Research suggests that parents who respond to their child s playful behaviour   by describing, labelling, or asking questions about the events or objects that are of interest to the child   improve intellectual and communication skills in them. In turn, kids develop a large vocabulary arming them with the necessary skills that are needed to acquire to perform well in academics. 

Parents can take a playful approach by following these tips  

Allow your child to be creative   through music and art   and express his/her thoughts more clearly. Sit by their side and watch them learn using different colours, shapes, and forms. 

Encourage your child to play with puzzles, or paint a picture, as it will encourage their artistic skills

Find out what triggers a positive response in your child and what prompts disruptive, challenging behaviour in him/her

When you interact with your child, talking and listening, singing and reading together, you are helping them learn about spoken and written communication, language, as well as conversational skills, such as taking turns and listening. 





A Playful Approach To Enhance Communication & Social Skills In Children!

Conjunctivitis is a medical condition that is marked by redness in the eyes owing to the inflammation of the conjunctiva, which is the membrane covering the white part of the eye. The condition is further characterized by the discharge of yellowish pus fluid from the corner of the eye. This condition, which is essentially an infection, can occur to people of all age brackets. 

Causes and Symptoms 

Conjunctivitis can be caused due to several reasons namely allergies, irritants, bacterial and viral infections, among others. Apart from the redness in the eye, some other apparent symptoms of conjunctivitis are: 

    Thin and watery discharge in viral conjunctivitis 
    Thick, mucous like discharge ranging from yellow to green in case of bacterial conjunctivitis
    Sticky eyelids
    Increased reactivity to light 
    Blurred or foggy vision
    Nasal discharges 

It is difficult to distinguish between viral, allergic and bacterial conjunctivitis. Different fields of medicine prescribe treatments according to the cause of the condition. Although subtle differences, such as thick and thin discharges can be observed, in Homeopathy the cause is not that important. 

Homeopathic medicines are natural and highly effective. The medications, which are prescribed in Homeopathy can more than manage the discharges, swelling, the sandy sensation and redness in the eyes. Homeopathic medicines are effective when the condition causes the eye to get dry, red, congested and swollen. Bathing the eyes with sterilized salt water is also a popular method of treating the infection. In addition to these, Homeopathic doctors also provide tips to curb the likelihood of further complications. Removing your contact lenses while treatment and cleaning your spectacles on a regular basis, if you wear any, are duly recommended.

Treating Conjunctivitis With Homeopathy

When you have a newborn bundle of joy, no parent would be ready for constant crying bouts from the infant. However, for various reasons, even healthy, well-fed infants can be colicky.

What is it: although a mystery, a baby is said to be colicky if it cries for more than 3 hours a day for more than 3 days a week for more than 3 weeks at a stretch. The baby is completely healthy, and the symptoms start about 2 to 3 weeks of life in both breast-fed and bottle-fed babies. The baby usually has a red face from crying and could be pulling its legs towards its chest due to the abdominal discomfort.

Causes: though still not exactly established, some things that are believed to cause colic include:
1. The baby's digestive system that is growing and goes through spasms
2. Extreme sensitivity to noise and light in the surrounding environment
3. Accumulation of gas in the belly that is ingested with the milk (breast or bottles)
4. Hormones that are supposedly affecting the baby's moods

Treatment: as there is no specific cause identified, the treatment is also symptomatic and aims at soothing the baby's pain and discomfort.

1. Altered feeding: given that a baby's tummy is very small and is about the size of a fist, it makes sense to feed it small amounts at regular intervals than to give a full feed once in like 4 to 5 hours. The baby is sure to feel full with this and therefore the discomfort. Burping between the feed is also shown to help avoid feeling of fullness. If you are breast feeding, try to not let the baby doze off when feeding.

2. Anti-colic bottles: these bottles have a vent inside the bottle which will help reduce the accumulation of gas within the bottle. There are various brands available in the market, these could be a good solution if the baby is even partially bottle-fed.

3. Simethicone: this is an anti-flatulent, which again helps eliminate gas bubbles in the stomach and thereby provides relief to the infant. It can be given either by a dropper or a syringe.

4. Exercise: try bending the legs at the knee and holding it towards the baby's stomach, this can help ease the pain.

Remember that this is a very transient thing and usually disappears on its own by the 4th month, and the above measures are only to help the baby and the mother.

Colic Pain - How to Treat It

Attention Deficit Disorder or ADD is a behavioral disorder that comprises impulsive behavior, inattentiveness and hyperactivity. This disorder tends to affect children more commonly, but the symptoms tend to disappear as one ages.

There are a number of symptoms for this disorder:

1. Concentration problems
People affected by this disorder have problems in staying focused on routine tasks. You may have problems in listening to conversations, get distracted easily, overlook various important things and have trouble remembering various things.

2. Being disorganized and forgetting things
You may exhibit symptoms such as having an extremely cluttered desk. You may also experience difficulties in completing projects and forgetting appointments. You may also lose track of time while doing important things.

3. Emotional problems
Various emotional problems such as mood swings, hypersensitivity to criticism, problems in staying motivated and having low self-esteem are common signs of ADD. The disorder may also lead you to be extremely short tempered and be constantly frustrated.

4. Hyperactivity
This symptom causes you to remain constantly agitated, unable to focus due to a racing mind, fidgeting constantly and talking excessively.

5. Impulsivity
You will exhibit impulsive behavior such as not being able to exercise self-control, blurting out inappropriate comments and have certain addictive tendencies.

Attention Deficit Disorder can cause various problems in your life. Most of these are related to the following domains:

1. Work related problems
You may constantly feel a sense of underachievement and will unable to meet your work responsibilities. You may be unable to meet deadlines, and face problems in filing paperwork.

2. Relationship problems
This disorder takes a toll on your relationships such as it can create a rift between you and your family. They may feel that you are not sensitive to their concerns.

3. Mental health problems
You may face various mental health problems such as drug abuse, anxiety, self-esteem issues and chronic stress.

Remedies for this disorder are:
1. Get proper sleep
You should always aim to sleep for at least 6 hours every day. If you are well rested, then you will be more energetic and stress free.

2. Regular exercise
You should exercise on a regular basis to keep yourself fit and healthy. It can also help you avoid problems such as obesity.

3. Improve your relationships
You should schedule time for your loved ones and engage with them. It may contribute to your overall mental well-being.

All About ADD

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