Air pollution is known to take a toll on the lungs of even the healthiest adults. So, it comes as no surprise that the effects of this pollution on the lungs of children is deemed as a grave situation, full of health hazards including the onset of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorders and conditions like asthma and other lung disorders. Read on to find out more about the link between air pollution and its effect on the lungs of children.

Children's Lungs: Mostly, all the organs of a child's body are considered delicate and not fully matured until the child reaches a certain age. The main and largest part of the child's lungs will usually grow only after the child is born, much like the arms and legs. In fact, it is a medically proven fact that about 80% of the tiniest of air sacs grow after the child's birth, these are called the alveoli and they facilitate the transfer of the oxygen into the bloodstream with a life-sustaining function that is built into our lungs. These alveoli continue to grow until the child becomes an adult. 

Immunity and Infections: Like the lungs of the child, the immunity of the child is also still in its growth phase, and is very much, unlike the immunity that an adult enjoys. This makes the child more susceptible to infections that are usually carried by air pollution in today's day and age of urban living when myriad pollutants are sent into the air every single day. Also, since children play outdoors more often and spend more time breathing in this air, they are more prone to these infections and lung or respiratory ailments due to this reason. Various studies and tests have shown inflammation in the respiratory passages caused by deposits of carbon dioxide emissions in the lungs of children.

Symptoms: Usually, the very first symptoms that show that air pollution is affecting your child's lungs can be seen when persistent coughing and wheezing sets in, without any proper reason. Also, when the child faces bronchial infections time and time again, all these are indicators of hazardous effects of air pollution in children.

Respiratory problems: Apart from respiratory problems, which can lead to asthmatic attacks, hay fever and allergies as well as other COPD ailments, there are other related dangers as well. These can happen when constant choking and obstruction of oxygen due to pollution becomes a regular affair. These include stroke and brain damage which can eventually also lead to a higher risk of dementia. 

How can you protect your child during such times?

Restrict outdoor activity for the time being, especially during the early morning and evening
Make sure that your child wears a face mask when outside, preferably N95 or 99
Use air purifiers at home 
Go green and use indoor plants that can remove indoor toxins
Boost your child's immunity
Lastly, keep a track of air quality index in your locality

Pollution - How It Can Affect Your Child's Lungs?

Abdominal pain after surgery is common. It is only a part of the healing process. But extreme pain or prolonged pain is a sign of infection, surgical complications or some other underlying health condition. It is difficult to detect whether the pain is normal or abnormal when the person concerned is a child.

Symptoms:

A child complaining about abdominal pain after surgery should not be ignored no matter how common it may be; especially if the pain does not start reducing after 3 days from surgery. Children who are too young to verbally communicate the pain or feel discomfort show symptoms like:

Excessive crying.

Difficulty in sleeping.

Irritability.

Reduced activity.

Refusal to eat

After surgery, a child's behavior must be closely observed.

Causes:

A common cause of abdominal pain after surgery on children is fear of the surgery itself. Children might associate the fear with the pain psychologically which can prevent them from realizing that the physical pain has actually already started to reduce.

In this case, the child needs attention and maybe placebo medication, if all possible causes of physical pain have been ruled out.

The obvious causes of pain after surgery include:

Surgical complications like collection (i.e. bile or blood or pus) below the wound or inside.

Infection at the site of surgery.

Not getting the right dose of pain-killers.

Diagnosis:

Apart from the symptoms already discussed, the diagnosis of complications after surgery includes:

Fever.

Swelling at the site of surgery.

Abdominal distension after abdominal surgery.

It is best to contact the Surgeon who performed the surgery. Diagnosis might involve:

Blood tests.

Ultrasound.

CT scan

Effects:

Possible complications resulting in abdominal pain after surgery are:

Wound Dehiscence.

Wound infection.

Hematoma or collection which may be bile or pus.

Treatment:

Pain management involves pain killers in the right dose, according to their body weight. If the medication doesn't help, the Surgeon should be consulted.

Other treatment methods include:

Rest to ensure no further injury occurs and the wound gets time to heal.

Antibiotics for the infection.

The site of the surgery must be kept clean and dry to prevent further infection.

The recommended diet, if any, must be followed for quick healing.

Pain after surgery isn't difficult to manage, even in children, as long as a reliable doctor's instructions are followed well.

Abdomen Pain After Surgery - How To Resolve It In Children?

Infants often suffer from certain diseases which need proper care and timely treatment for quick recovery. At times, it can be difficult to communicate with an infant and understand his/her needs and problems but with a close observation you will surely be able to detect any alteration in the baby's behavior and sense it when he/she is ill. Here are some of the most common diseases infants are susceptible to and what you can do about them.

1. Abdominal distension
It is normal for a baby's belly to stick out after he/she has been fed, but if between feedings there is swelling in the abdomen or it feels hard, it can be an indication of a problem. If this symptom is accompanied by vomiting and absence of bowel movements for more than two days, your baby may be suffering from abdominal distention. This condition may have been caused by swallowing of extra air by the baby while crying or feeding. In such a situation, a pediatrician should be consulted for proper diagnosis and treatment.

2. Jaundice
It is common among newborns to develop mild forms of jaundice as the undeveloped liver is often not able to eliminate the chemical bilirubin from the blood. Mostly, this situation proves to be harmless till the level of bilirubin reaches a certain limit. After that, the disease must be properly treated to avoid damage to the baby's brain or nervous system.

3. Rsv infection
Rsv or respiratory syncytial virus is responsible for causing respiratory problems among infants. Rsv infection usually affects the bronchial passage and shows symptoms like cough, runny nose and mild fever which may even lead to bronchitis. Moreover, this infection may also develop into viral pneumonia, which makes it more important to consult a pediatrician if your baby shows any of the above symptoms.

4. Diarrhea
Infants are susceptible to watery bowel movements due to the action of virus, allergens, specific medications or bacteria. If you observe that your baby is passing stools more often than usual and it is watery, then it may be a case of diarrhea. Sometimes, these symptoms are accompanied by high fever, abdominal pain, lethargy, vomiting, dry eyes and mouth etc. In this situation you should consult your pediatrician and focus on replacing the fluids your baby has lost, to prevent dehydration.

4 Common Diseases that Babies are Susceptible To

Chromosomal abnormality happens when a cell has too many or too few chromosomes. The most common form of chromosomal anomaly is Down s syndrome. If a parent has a chromosomal anomaly, she/he will pass it on to the child. PGD or Pre-implantation Genetic Testing aims to select only the embryos with normal chromosomal count and only these embryos are implanted to achieve a healthy pregnancy and bring down the number of children affected with a chromosomal anomaly.

The risk of Aneuploid pregnancy:

The older a woman is when she tries to conceive (aged 35 or more), the higher the risk of Aneuploid pregnancy (carrying a baby with genetic or chromosomal abnormality). Most of these pregnancies end in miscarriages and the few that come to term produce babies with chromosomal abnormalities.

Causes of Chromosomal Abnormality:

Usually, chromosomal abnormalities occur due to an error in the cell division. Meiosis refers to the cell division, which the sperm and the egg undergo during the development procedure. Normally, meiosis breaks the chromosomal material into two equal halves, so that each of the parents contributes 23 chromosomes to the pregnancy. However, when the number of chromosomes in the cell goes up or down than the normal, it results in genetic/chromosomal anomalies.

PGD Procedure for a Chromosomal Anomaly:

If a couple elects to go for Pre-implantation Genetic Diagnosis, they have to undergo ICSI Cycle. ICSI cycle initiates a fertilization cycle to produce embryos. When the embryos reach upto day 5 and blastocyst are formed, they are biopsied and further sent to genetic lab for detecting the chromosomal abnormalities. The embryos are incubated for the entire duration of the genetic screening. Only the embryos that the genetic test clears are implanted. PGD never reveals the gender of the embryo.

PGD can help detect the single genetic disorders that may lead to the following ailments:

  Cystic fibrosis
  Muscular dystrophy
  Tay-Sachs
  Sickle cell anaemia
  Thalassemia
  Turner syndrome

PGD is a revolutionary science that can help root out incurable disorders linked to genetics. It ensures that pregnancy is sustained until term and a healthy baby is born.

Suffering From Genetic & Chromosomal Anomalies - Know About PGD!

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?

If your child has recently been diagnosed with autism, you must be feeling baffled and disheartened. It is surely upsetting to learn that your beloved child has a serious developmental disorder. Learning about the disorder, and where to seek help may ease your confusion. Autism is a major developmental disorder, which develops in early childhood. Autism primarily impairs a child s ability to interact and communicate.
Struggles of an autistic child-

Social withdrawal
Repetitive, rigid behavior
Difficulty communicating verbally/non-verbally
Learning disability
Being autistic or artistic-
Despite such problems, most parents of autistic children hold high hopes of wanting to unleash the one talent their child must be gifted with. Most often, the gifted talent is  art . Studies show that in about 90% cases, autistic children possess artistic, creative skills. The finding may be surprising to others, as they can barely imagine how a child with the above traits could possibly be creative.

To quote a parent whose child suffers from autism since age 5-  My son Sam, who is now 15 years old, forced me into rethinking creativity years ago. He was hardly six years old, when I realized he could envision things that I would never imagine. During playtime, I once drew one or two curves on a paper and handed it back to him. I had really expected Sam to scribble a few lines or maybe a disoriented picture. But what my son came up with left me spellbound. Sam had drawn a picture of a bowlful of cereal with a spoon, and a hand pouring milk from a carton. For most people this would probably not mean anything. But being a mother to an autistic child, I was completely in awe of my son s artistic skills. 

How to nurture your child s  hidden talent ?
The question remains - Can such creative skills be discovered in your child too? The answer to the question is  Yes!  Here is how you too can help your child cope with autism-

Don t limit your child: Allow your child to express his thoughts through creativity, art, music. His/her imagination should know no bounds. Sit by their side and watch them learn using different colors, shapes, and forms.
Let your child thrive: Holding back your child will not help him/her come out of their shell. Your child may have difficulty learning things in school, or going through books. But he/she may have a knack for paintings, or solving puzzles. Encourage their artistic skills, and watch them grow.
Intent healing for your child: A couple of sessions of Intent Healing for both the parent and the child can help manage autism. Ideally, 6 sessions of this therapy for the child and 2 sessions for the mother is recommended.
More than conventional treatment, autistic children need the support and affection of their parents. By adopting the above measures, you can assure your child s speedy recovery.

How To Nurture Passion In Autistic Child?

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