Parental Depression is an aspect which affects the innocent child, right from the time it is in the mother's womb.

Maternal depression could be due to various reasons ranging from familial disharmony to poor health. Unfortunately, a depressed mother's pessimistic thoughts could pass on to the pure soul inside her. So the effect starts in utero. After birth, she may be careless and negligent towards a child whose most important requirement is love. And children of these mothers become victims of behavioral and cognitive problems and poor school performers. They may also acquire the illness of depression eventually.

A depressed father will display stress and agitation instead of engaging the young minds in interesting learning or other activities.

Hence, before stepping into parenthood, it's important to be mentally fit and not just physically healthy. Exercise and meditation is of great help and of course a happy home environment.

Supporting each other is the key to getting things on track again.

Talk to your spouse: Chat with your spouse, showing affection, doing things with them and encouraging them to get out of the house are important.
Appreciate her but respect your family: Help her see that the family needs her and appreciates that she is expecting. While doing the same ensure that you respect the feelings of your family members.
Opt for specialist care: Offer to see a therapist and encourage her to take medications. Getting the help of an expert helps get guidance to handle difficult situations.
Be emotionally present with her: Go with her to as many antenatal checkups as you can, and make sure you are there for the ultrasound scans. This encourages a woman and gives her the satisfaction that her partner is involved.
Compliment her and pay attention to her: Many women find it difficult to cope with the changes in their body during pregnancy. She may be worried about stretch marks, concerned about weight gain or just be feeling not much like her old self. Make sure to compliment her and let her know how much you love her.
Be a shoulder for her to cry on: Listen to all of her concerns, and offer her the reassurance and support she really needs.
Be there to help: After the birth, your partner will need time to recover. She will be exhausted, sore and hormonal, and will be relying on you for support. Help with the baby, and do as much as you can.

What Is Parental Depression? How to Support Each Other?

Child nutrition from age 6 months to 5 years growth and development of a child depends on the nourishment received by the child right from birth. Healthy diet and proper eating habits are essential to be inculcated in a child as early as possible. A balanced diet given to the child at the earliest provides all nutrients required for adequate growth and development. Nutritional value of every food item introduced in the child s diet should be gauged prior and then given to the child.

Nutritional requirement of children varies in accordance to the age group. It is necessary that the parents should have knowledge about the age-specific requirements of the diet, which will benefit the child in their growing years.

Following is the ideal child nutrition ranging from the age group of 6 months to 5 years.

1. 6 months to 12 months

A. Right from the birth of a newborn child, it is necessary to begin breastfeeding for the baby. It should begin within an hour of the child s birth. It is the ideal way of providing proper nutrition to the child.

B. Breastfeeding is beneficial by providing nourishment and also by improving the immunity of the baby.

C. From birth to 6 months, only breastfeeding is advised. It is a critical source of nutrition for the child even during illness.

D. After the baby turns 6 months old, solid food can be introduced in the child s diet.

E. Breastfeeding can be continued and supplemented with other food items.

F. Usually, fruit juices are introduced first in the diet.

G. Feeding bottle should be avoided and the child should be fed with a spoon and cup. Proper hygiene and good handling of the food is required.

H. It is necessary to wipe the gums and developing teeth clean with a wet gauge to prevent any decay that can be caused by sticking of the food on the teeth surfaces fed to the child.

2. 1 year to 3 years

A. Children in this age group can tell when they feel full after feeding. It is necessary to listen to their demand for food and also avoid overfeeding children.

B. This age group requires children to eat all types of nutrients, so parents should focus on providing a variety of food items to replenish their child s nutritional requirements.

C. Children in this age group require fat-rich foods and should be given dairy products for calcium requirements.

D. Processed foods should not be given to children at this age. Calories intake should be monitored to the optimum level.

E. Since children at this age are involved in activities like walking, running around and playing it is essential to keep feeding them at regular intervals to maintain the energy levels of their bodies.

3. 3 years to 5 years.

A. Children belonging to this age group require to eat a well-balanced, nutrient rich diet.

B. Grains should be included on a routine basis. They provide the child with carbohydrates, fibres and minerals. All these nutrients provide energy to the child s body.

C. Inclusion of whole wheat grains provides fibres in adequate quantity.

D. Refined foods should be avoided, whole grain bread should be included in the diet.

E. Fruit intake should be increased, as they are an important source of various vitamins. Fresh fruit should always be preferred over juices for growing children.

F. Sugar intake should be kept to a minimum quantity since refined sugars do more harm to the child s health than any good.

G. Vegetables should form a considerably greater part of the child s daily diet, with the inclusion of a variety of vegetables.

H. Protein sources of food include meat, poultry, pulses, beans and nuts. Along with protein, these food items also provide iron, zinc and minerals to the body.

Apart from the above specified food items, daily intake of milk is necessary for children of growing age. It provides the body with sufficient calcium to facilitate bone growth in growing children. Also, nuts like walnuts, almonds, cashews are advised to be given to the children daily.

In case you have a concern or query you can always consult a specialist & get answers to your questions!

Nutrition Tips For Children From Age 6 Months To 5 Years!

Health advice for a breastfeeding mom

Breastfeeding mothers need to be conscious and aware of their diets. How the mother eats is how the child gets its nutrition. While they do not need any major changes from what they were eating during the pregnancy, a few adjustments are advised. A few basic adjustments in daily routine are enough. They are:

1. Eat very well - Eat a balanced diet to suit your health. Remember, first it is important to meet your nutritional needs. Only when you are eating well would the quality and quantity of your milk be ideal for your baby. Do not diet under any circumstance. We understand you wish to lose all the pregnancy weight soon, but remember, you child is your priority now. When you diet, your body will start drawing on its reserves. This will affect milk production. By dieting, you will also lack the amount of stamina you need to take care of your baby. Be aware that feeling extra hungry during breastfeeding is normal. Your body is working around the clock. Eat small meals at regular intervals to keep your hunger satisfied, your weight concern at bay and your body strong.

2. Don't count your calories - Not until you are breastfeeding. You need at least 500 calories more than you did when you were not breastfeeding. Don't let this shock you, your child will be feeding off you. There are other ways to regulate your weight and lose the extra pounds gained during pregnancy, do not compromise on food at all.

3. Do not rush to exercise - Consult your doctor and ask for suitable exercises for your body. You might have stitches which are yet to dry, so don't be hasty. Get your workout regime planned professionally and under guidance.

4. Do not avoid fats - Eat healthy foods and opt for good fats. Foods that are good for you and for milk production are a big yes. Foods which do not contribute in any positive way can be done without. They will only harm you in the long run.

5. Avoid alcohol - Stay away, and if you do want to indulge consult your doctor. An occasional drink is usually okay, still it is better you abstain altogether until you stop breastfeeding. And if you do have a drink, feed at least after two hours.

If you would like to consult with me privately, please click on consult.

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Advice For A Breastfeeding Mom

Children may run around having fun and growing in the process. Some children may be more active than the others and some may be more attentive at school. All children go through some sort of trouble while growing up. This is because of the drastic changes that the bodies of little children constantly go through. One such problem commonly faced by the children is bedwetting. This problem may be a common one, but it should be brought under control as soon as possible so that the children do not have to face social embarrassment as they grow older.

Apart from providing a healthy and happy living to the children, it may be essential to find a way of treatment that may not leave the child affected by the harmful ingredients of the regular allopathic medication. One of the safest and the most effective ways to be able to treat bedwetting is homeopathy. Homeopathy is a branch of medicine and treatment that works on the body of the user with the most natural ways. The medicines in homeopathy are made using basic ingredients from plants and other organic materials.

Homeopathy for children:
The use of homeopathy for problems that affect the children in particular is essential because of the fact that they have growing systems and the growth may get adversely affect with the strong and highly potent allopathic drugs. It is also important to understand the nuances of controlling the bedwetting issue in children and also know what the causes of the problem may be:

    When the children are highly fatigued, they may wet the bed due to the deep sleep that they may be experiencing after a tiring time.
    In times of winter when the cold is uncontrollable or much more than usual, it may be natural for some children to not be able to control their bladder.
    In a lot of cases, the children may also wet the bed when they have had a scary or traumatic experience.

Just as the causes of the problem are varied, it must be realized that the medications are also supposed to be administered according to the issue.

Homepathic medication for betwetting
Homeopathy is a stream of medicine that treats the body in the most delicate manner, which is why it is a safe alternative for children. However, it must also be ensured that proper medical intervention is attained to start a course of homeopathic medication as well, so that bedwetting may be treated within a desired amount of time and the child may feel free from the embarrassment of wetting the bed.

Bedwetting - Can Homeopathy Help in Curing  it?

Dyslexia is a neurological condition which makes learning a difficult process in children. Children suffering from dyslexia find themselves incapable of reading and learning as compared to their peers. Dyslexia occurs when the brain cannot process graphic symbols. This causes difficulty in recognizing, spelling and also decoding words. The effect of this condition varies from one person to another and is most often a lifelong condition. It can also vary as a result of different ages in people. However, a slower reading level is one common characteristic that is present in all dyslexic children.

Dyslexia is a strictly neurological condition that has little to do with a person s intelligence. It can also occur as a result of genetic conditions. Early detection of the condition can help in improvement before he or she reaches adolescence. A thorough evaluation process of the child will include the following aspects IQ level, language skills, ability of word recognition, phonological processing, automaticity skills, fluency skills, family history and also knowledge of vocabulary.

The most common symptoms of dyslexia include:

Trouble reading
Very slow progression to milestones such as walking, talking, crawling and learning to ride a bicycle.
Slow development of speech
Trouble with hand-eye coordination
A slow rate of learning when it comes to data
Problem with speech
Very poor concentration span
Children suffering from dyslexia are more prone to developing certain autoimmune diseases such as eczema and asthma.
Dyslexia is sometimes subdivided into a number of categories such as Surface Dyslexia, Rapid Deficit Dyslexia, Visual Dyslexia and Phonological Dyslexia.

There is no medical treatment for dyslexia and help generally includes assigning reading specialists, child psychologist, speech-language pathologists and child neuropsychologists.

Certain practices that you yourself follow when dealing with your dyslexic child are:

Praise your child from time to time
Remind your child that being dyslexic has nothing to do with intelligence levels
Mix with other parents who have dyslexic children and interact with them about ways and strategies to heighten the child s confidence level.
Deal with your child patiently.

Understanding Dyslexia - What All Should You Know

Coughing is a common problem of the respiratory tract and often indicates a deeper problem. It can be very irritating and can affect eating habits and socialization. A cough which persists for more than 4 weeks is believed to be chronic in nature. Tuberculosis (TB) is the most common cause of chronic cough in India. TB is an airborne bacterial infection caused by the organism - 'Mycobacterium tuberculosis', that primarily affects the lungs, although other organs and tissues may be involved. Cardinal features are: 

Chronic cough with or without sputum.
Fever more in the night time. 
Poor appetite. 
Unintentional weight loss. 
Read on to know about other common causes of chronic cough and how to manage them.

Allergies: People with allergies usually have a chronic cough, which gets aggravated when exposed to the allergens such as pollen or environmental dust. Staying away from allergen provides relief. Antihistamines are also useful, which most people detected with allergies keep in handy. Inhalers might be required, if there is associated congestion or shortness of breath.
Asthma: This is a very common chronic condition, caused by inflammation and swelling of the lungs, in addition to wheezing and shortness of breath. Asthma patients often suffer from a chronic cough. An asthma attack usually happens during the night or early morning, and is triggered by colds, cigarette smoke, air pollutants or allergens, which can even include certain foods. Most asthmatics usually carry their steroids, inhalers, and bronchodilators, as the onset of attack can be unpredictable.
Bronchitis: This condition of inflammation of the bronchial region is very common among smokers and among the elderly. There is excessive mucus accumulation, which the body tries to clear via coughing. The lungs are weakened and therefore, the coughing is painful.
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD): This is a problem of the digestive system, but regurgitation of food into the airway induces cough. GERD is a chronic issue and so most people also end up with a chronic cough. It is worse with sitting up than with sitting down. Treatment includes H2 blockers to suppress acid production and dietary changes including small, frequent meals and avoiding spicy food items.
Upper airway cough syndrome: There could be multiple problems in the upper airway, which leads to a constant postnasal drip. Here, there is constant dripping of the sputum into the air passage, which can lead to a chronic cough whenever there is impaired air flow. This can be caused by various forms of chronic sinusitis and rhinitis. People diagnosed with this condition usually resort to antihistamines and decongestants for relief.
Other causes: There are a number of other causes as noted below. Smoking, tuberculosis, congestive heart failure, pertussis or whooping cough, foreign body in the airway, cancer in the airway passage, chronic aspiration of foods, etc. can all lead to chronic cough.
The key is to identify the reason that is causing the chronic cough. Most people who are diagnosed are educated to handle it and carry the required medications including steroids, bronchodilators, and inhalers.

Suffering from Chronic Cough - How to Manage it?

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