Stomach aches and pains are common in babies, infants and parents are always in search of quick fixer to help their little ones get a relief instantly. Though instant reliefs do not come always, and there are colicky infants and babies with common stomach problems, yet some remedies and treatments always help.

Stomach pain in older kids
The common home remedies in not so serious pains are as follows:
- let the child rest and lie down. This may help to ease the pain in 20-30 minutes.
- give the child some liquid to drink, which is soothing, like light tea, soup, water or diluted fruit juice.
- let the child go to the toilet and encourage him or her to pass stool. This may help ease off the pain sooner.
- avoid any bulk food intake in one meal and divide it into smaller meals through the day until symptoms go away.
- don't give oily and fried food. Give easy to digest food, mostly boiled or light fried.
- avoid giving a medicine without medical advice.

These steps generally help and the pain goes away without going to a doctor immediately. If the pain is severe and is persistent in any one part of the abdomen, then it may require immediate medical attention. Common causes may be appendicitis or gall stone problem or may be a case of acute jaundice, diarrhoea, food poison, etc. Pain on pressing one part of the belly, or high body temperature with pain, and serious vomiting are serious symptoms which you must not ignore and take the kid immediately to a medical centre or doctor.

Stomach pain in infants
Stomach pains in infants are caused due to extra air entering the stomach while feeding. This can be avoided by burping the baby manually. There are a few burping techniques which your paediatrician and baby care giver will show you.

If you are with a colicky baby, then you would try administering the baby's nursing bottle first. There are new age nursing bottle designs, which keep off extra air from entering the stomach. The extra air mainly causes the stomach pain, and therefore, the bottle which prevents mixing of air with milk or water keeps the baby safe from colicky pains. Keep baby colic pain syrups at home ready, and give the baby a dose as and when required. It will eventually give the pain a relief.

Treating Stomach Aches and Pains in Kids

As we go about life and routine activities, we may be exposed to a lot of different types of environments. We may have to travel in heavy traffic and may be exposed to vehicular pollution, there may be times when we are at places that allow smoking and that may expose us to smoke from cigarettes. Our nature of work today requires us to be constantly in a situation where we take in industrial fumes and exhausts. Being in any of these conditions temporarily may not be a big matter of worry, but when the incidents get more frequent they may lead to troubles in breathing and diseases such as bronchitis or acute bronchitis.

Acute bronchitis is a condition in which the bronchial tube that carries air to and from the lungs gets inflamed due to different reasons. The biggest hazard related to the inflammation of the bronchial tube is that the patient may suffer from constant coughing and irritation of the throat putting pressure on the lungs. In advanced cases, a bronchial infection may also leave the nodes of the lungs inflamed, making it more difficult for the patients to breathe.

Causes of Acute Bronchitis:

The most common causes of bronchitis include the infection of the bronchial tube with bacteria or virus, which lead to the inflammation of the tube and subsequent bouts of coughing.

A habit of smoking cigarettes or being exposed to cigarette smoke as a passive smoker may lead to the infection of the bronchial tube.

Vehicular smoke and fumes also lead to the inflammation and infection of the tube that plays an imminent role in supplying oxygen to the lungs.

Finally, when one works in a position where he/she is exposed to chemicals or harmful exhausts on a constant basis may also have to suffer from acute bronchitis.

Treating the Problem:

One of the best ways to combat health issues such as problems of bronchitis may be to lead a lifestyle as healthy as possible and to make sure that bad habits such as cigarette smoking are kept at bay. Apart from lifestyle habits, if a person falls prey to acute bronchitis, it may be important to undergo treatment so that long term effects to the lungs may be avoided.

Choosing the right treatment is of essence when you need to get the best results. One of the most effective treatments in maintaining a healthy bronchial tube is to opt for homeopathic treatment. The most viable trait of the treatment is that it does not lead to affecting the other body systems in a negative manner and the results are achieved by ensuring that it remains easy on the body. The natural ingredients and components of the medicines in homeopathy do not leave the patient weak and fighting for strength. This is one of the main reasons why people today prefer homeopathy over other conventional medicines.  

Acute Bronchitis - Causes and Treatment

Sometimes, during consumption of certain food items many children get itchy throat, eyes, ears, asthma, sneezing, rashes, diarrhea and eczema. This can be due to food intolerance in children. It is a form of allergic disease in children. Every 1 out of 10 children suffer from food intolerance. These days, food allergies are becoming more and more common in children who are allergic to nuts, milk and eggs. In some cases it can also be life threatening. This condition is known as anaphylaxis. Milk and egg allergies are more common throughout the world.

Symptoms of food intolerance:

Bloating

Your bowels start becoming irritable.

Stomach starts to ache.

Cough and cold is a common symptom.

Itchy skin rash

Causes of food intolerance in children:

There are enzymes in your body, which help you to digest the food you consume. Some enzymes in your body are insufficient; which further causes food intolerance in children. For instance, lactose intolerance causes spasms, stomach aches, diarrhea and so on so forth.

Food intolerance can also be caused due to chemicals, such as chemicals present in coffee, tea, cheese and chocolates.

Some food products can also cause food intolerance such as undercooked beans containing aflatoxins can cause extreme stomach infections in children.

Some children are also intolerant to certain food products which have salicylates such as majority of fruits, vegetables, herbs and also additives. Processed food contains a high amount of salicylates.

Children can be allergic to antioxidants like artificial food coloring, artificial flavouring and preservatives.

What to do if you think your child has food intolerance?

Take your child for a skin prick test. In this test, the skin is pricked with a thin needle and when the blood oozes out, supplements of different food products are put in that area. If that particular area becomes reddish and begins to itch, your child has allergy to that certain food product

A blood test should be done. It verifies the level of lgE present in your blood and finds out if your child is suffering from food intolerance or not. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a doctor.

Food Intolerance in Children - 5 Reasons Behind it

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?

Depression in children is not a very uncommon phenomenon. But if the feeling of sadness persists over a period of time with little or no change to their behavior, then it can be seen as a symptom of depression. Children who are suffering from depression need immediate and utmost care as negligence may cause severe long term effects on the child. Read on to find more about them.

Symptoms
Symptoms that indicate childhood depression vary. Some of the different symptoms which indicate depression are:
1. Social withdrawal
2. Irritability
3. Feeling of worthlessness
4. Difficulty in concentrating
5. Reduced ability to function during events
6. Continuous feelings of sadness
7. Physical complaints

Causes
1. Depression in children can be caused due to the combination of a multitude of reasons.
2. Children from a family history of depression are more likely to be suffering from depression.
3. Similarly if the parents suffer from depression then it is more than likely that the child will also suffer from depression.
4. Children from conflicted families or children and teens who are prone to substance or alcohol abuse can suffer from depression.
5. Reasons such as physical health, environment, genetic vulnerability or biochemical disturbance can lead to depression.

Treatment
The treatment process of depression in children is similar to that of adults and can be treated with psychotherapy and medication. If your child is depressed consult a general physician who after his or her diagnosis may refer you to a psychiatrist. The medical specialist will recommend psychotherapy.

In some instances, a child suffering from depression maybe be suicidal. Parents are advised to be vigilant and observe certain behavioral changes that the child may have adapted to or suddenly switched to.
Some of the signs are mentioned below:
1. Changes in eating, sleeping or activities
2. Isolating oneself even from family
3. Talking of suicide, feeling helpless or hopeless
4. Increased risk taking behavior
5. Substance abuse
6. Giving away possessions

Sessions at first and then opt for antidepressant medication if no significant progress is seen. The best results often result from a combination of prescribed medication along with multiple sessions of psychotherapy.

All About Depression in Children

Down Syndrome is a genetic disorder resulting from chromosomal aberration. Usually, a person is born with 23 pairs of chromosomes (46 chromosomes in total). In the case of a Down Syndrome, there is a total of 47 chromosomes (an extra complete or partial chromosome appearing in the 21st pair). This extra chromosome is the main wrecker in chief that triggers the behavioral and developmental alterations characteristic of Down Syndrome.

Depending on the distribution of the chromosome during cell division, Down Syndrome may be triggered by three conditions

Trisomy 21: One of the most common causes of Down Syndrome, Trisomy 21 is characterized by the presence of an extra chromosome in chromosome 21.
Translocation Down syndrome: As the name suggests, here a part of the chromosome 21 translocates itself to some other chromosome. There will be no trisomy on chromosome 21. However, there will be extra genetic material resulting from the chromosome containing the translocated portion of chromosome 21.
Mosaic Down Syndrome: This is a rare condition where some cells will have 46 chromosomes (23 pairs) while few others will have 47 chromosomes (trisomy 21).
Symptoms characteristic of Down Syndrome
Some of the symptoms synonymous to Down Syndrome include

The face appears flattened with a short mouth and a protruding tongue.
The ears, neck, arms, and legs are shorter than usual.
Children and adults with Down Syndrome usually have a short stature.
The muscles also lack proper tone.
Children with Down Syndrome are often found to have impaired cognitive ability. The condition also affects the memory, both short, as well as long-term.
Managing a child with Down Syndrome
No parent would ever want their child to suffer from Down Syndrome. Along with the medications and therapies, as a parent, you should also be prepared to manage the situation well.

The situation is by no means easy for you, but if you get weak or panic, things will only go from bad to worse. Thus, you need to be strong.
Be in constant touch with the attending physician to know the progress of your child.
If your child is still very young, get them enrolled in the special enhancement programs. These programs play a significant role in improving the language, motor movements, as well as developing the various self-help skills in the Down Syndrome children.
Connect with families dealing with identical situations. Discussing your problems with them or learning about theirs can help in better management.
Your concern for the child is understood but do not snatch their independence. Give them the freedom they deserve. They might make mistakes, but it will help build their confidence.
If the situation demands, get your child admitted to schools which are specially designed for such children.
Do not keep your child confined within the four walls of the home. Take them outside. Let them interact with people. Indulge in family outings and get-togethers.
The situation may be difficult but not impossible. Have faith and do what is in your hands.

Down Syndrome - How It Should Be Dealt With?

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