Asthma is a respiratory disease that takes place with a variety of symptoms including breathlessness, wheezing and coughing. It usually occurs when the airways get obstructed, which in turn leads to inflammation of the tubes. So how can you recognise the signs and symptoms of asthma? here is a list of ways!

Risk identification: it has been observed by doctors and medical science that there is no specific reason for the onset of this ailment. It can be caused due to genetic as well as environmental factors. So, in order to recognise the symptoms, you will first of all have to take stock of both these factors. Find out if you have any blood relatives who have suffered from this ailment and try to find out how it started and at what age, so that you can watch out for the same warning signs. Also, if you are more prone than others when it comes to allergic conditions like rhinitis and atopic dermatitis, then you are at risk. Other risk factors also include living in a high pollution zone, as well as being overweight, smoking, working within close range of exhaust fumes and other chemicals, and other such factors.

Symptom identification: to be able to identify whether or not you are at risk, you must identify the potential symptoms including persistent shortness of breath, which may strike regularly. Also, another symptom is not being able to sleep comfortably due to excessive coughing and breath shortness as well as shallow breathing and wheezing. You may also experience some amount of chest tightening or constriction. These symptoms will usually get worse if you happen to be suffering from the flu or a cold. 

Respiratory health: if you are suspecting the onset of this disease, it would be a good idea to watch your respiratory health by observing the rise and fall of your breath when you are doing energy consuming and strenuous activities like exercising or other such tasks. Sports induced asthma is an actual condition that can get worse when your lungs are faced with cold and dry air. Also, if you are facing exhaust fumes and chemicals as a part of your job, then you are at risk of occupational asthma, in which case you should watch your respiratory health very closely. These symptoms can also get worse when you are around animals and pets due to the allergens that may trigger wheezing and coughing. A lung function test can be conducted by the pulmonologist in case you are suffering from any of these symptoms and conditions on a persistence and prolonged basis. 

Knowing and reporting your symptoms to the doctor is important for getting timely treatment.

How to Recognise Asthma?

Growth is the most important aspect of childhood, one that distinguishes children from adults. Growth is affected by a number of diseases and growth failure is often the first sign of a serious disease. Unfortunately children with growth failure present very late when no help is possible. 

Why to worry?

Growth is the best marker of health and growth failure may be caused by a seious disease. Moreover children with short stature have lower self esteem. 

When to worry? 

Plot the height of your child in the growth chart and if it is below the lower limit visit a doctor. Alternatively if your child's height is less than the formula (Height = Age in years x 6 + 77 cm) it may be a cause of concern. Growth stops at the age of 14 years in girls and 16 years in boys. Hence the child should be reviewed latest by 10 years for girls and 12 years for boys. 

What causes growth failure? 

Growth failure can be due to a number of causes including poor nutrition, lack of physical activities and low genetic potential with parents being short. Short stature can also be caused by a number of diseases like thyroid problems, growth hormone deifiency and celiac disease (wheat allergy). 

How can I improve my child's growth?

Please encourage your child to play for atleast 1 hour a day. It is important to restrict screen time including television, computer, tablets and mobiles to less than an hour. Increased protein and calcium intake with more milk, pulses and vegetables also helps in improving growth. Growth hormone is produced during sleep. Sleeping for at least eight hours a day is therefore essential for a child to achieve good growth. 

What can be done if my child is very short? 

Please consut a doctor to identify the cause of short stature. Most conditions are readily treatable. Children with growth hormone deficiency respond dramatically to growth hormone. Growth hormone is also being used now in children with turner syndrome, familial short staure, small size at birth and kidney disease. 

Time is important- act now if your child is short. 

Is My Child Short? 

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SID) refers to the unexplained and sudden death of a seemingly hale and hearty baby. This condition tends to occur when the baby is asleep and that's why it's also known as crib death. Although the reason for the condition is still not known, many experts have attributed the cause of the condition to abnormal development in the parts of the baby's brain that oversees breathing and awakening from sleep. Nonetheless, there are ways that can prevent the problem from occurring and which are:

Always place your baby on the back to sleep

Sleeping on the back is the safest position that your baby should be in, whenever he or she sleeps. You shouldn't let your child sleep on the sides as he or she can roll onto the stomach, and may hamper the breathing process. You can place your baby on the stomach when he or she is awake.

Place your baby on a firm surface to sleep sans of any objects

It's best to place your baby on a firm mattress to sleep while avoiding thick and feather padding like a thick comforter. At the same time, objects like toys, stuffed animals or pillows should be removed from the crib as they may get in the way of your child's breathing by pressing on his or her face.

Make sure your baby doesn't become very hot

For keeping your baby warm during sleep, it's best to opt for sleep clothing or blanket made of light material so that it doesn't make him or her feel very hot. If using a blanket, it should be placed loosely over the baby and one should also remember to not cover the baby's head during sleep.

Use a pacifier

Research suggests that the use of the pacifier can reduce a baby's chance of dying from SIDS. This is because the pacifier helps in preventing the baby from rolling over onto his or her stomach during sleep. At the same time, it's also believed that the instrument helps in keeping the baby's tongue positioned in a manner that keeps his or her airways open.

Breastfeed your baby

Breastfeeding your baby for a minimum of 6 months can help in preventing the occurrence of SIDS. Several studies have revealed this beneficial aspect of breastfeeding.



5 Ways to prevent Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SID)

Anxiety is a common issue with growing teenagers. It is not the typical anxiety before exams or academic projects. It is more than that. Anxiety may be the result of the hormonal changes, which predominantly affect the adolescent years of growth. While your body copes with different changes, your mind tangles between the future liberty and present restrictions. Knowing certain facts about this anxiety trail can help you to cope with it.

1. Anxiety is not always a disease: Anxiety is not always a disease. It is a normal phenomenon among adolescent teenagers. However, in certain cases it may be severe for some teenagers. They may feel crippled with anxiety. Under such cases, one would require psychiatric help.

2. Talk to someone: A great way to relieve yourself from stress due to anxiety is to speak with someone. It can be a friend or someone close to share your thoughts. If you know the reason of your anxiety, share it, discuss it. You will definitely feel better.

3. Take a break: Entertainment and break from academic work and schedule is necessary for teenagers to lower anxiety traits. However, if the anxiety is due to peers, you may even take a break from them and engage in family.

4. Cry out loud: It is not a silly thing to cry when you are stressed under anxiety. Crying is an emotional outburst which essentially relieves the stress due to anxiety and lets you control the emotional disturbed state of mind.

5. Good sleep: Sleep is necessary for both mental and physical rest. You need to overcome from the fatigue of routine works, stressful events, peer factor, etc. Catching the essential 8 hour sleep is a great way to overcome anxiety issues.

6. Don t be conscious: Anxiety is a common factor among all your peers. You are not the only one coping with anxiety stress. So, take it light. Relax and don t be conscious about your anxiety problems. Consider them to be temporary.

7. Be confident: Losing confidence under the stress due to anxiety can be even more disastrous. The effects will never be better. So be confident about whatever you do, whether right or wrong. Every person learns from his own activities. Whether right or wrong, everything will give you a lesson. So you will never be a loser, you will win a lesson.

8. Don t feel stupid: Being stressed with anxiety is not abnormal or stupid. Everything is okay with you, and you are not the stupid fellow out there.

9. You are not weak: Anxiety is not a sign of weakness. You can rather make it your strength. Fight it back and keep your energy and enthusiasm high.

10. Anxiety is temporary: As you move ahead of the adolescent period, anxiety will faint. You will be more confident and matured, able to tackle anxiety. So consider it to be an affair of a few years.

10 Things To Know About Adolescent Anxiety

Insulin is the most common treatment prescribed for people affected with diabetes. Diabetes is condition where high amounts of glucose prevail in the blood for an extended period of time. However, there are some drugs that offer an alternative to insulin in treating diabetes, which are:

1. Liraglutide: Liraglutide is a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) drug that causes the body to release greater amounts of insulin so as to facilitate the movement of glucose from the blood to the cells. People with type 2 diabetes generally use this treatment. It slows the digestion process and can cause symptoms of headache and nausea. 

2. Pramlintide: It's an artificially produced version of amylin. It is taken by both type 1 and type 2 diabetic patients, facilitates slower digestion of food and therefore, controls release of sugar in the blood. It can cause tiredness and nausea.

3. Dulaglutide:This treatment is for people affected with type 2 diabetes and it is administered once a week. It causes more insulin to be released and pass the glucose to the cells. It can cause loss of appetite, nausea and abdominal cramps as side effects.

4. Albiglutide: This treatment facilitates pancreas to release insulin and limits the glucagon hormone production. It is used by type 2 diabetes patients who have not taken well to other treatments. The side effects are skin reaction, respiratory tract infection and nausea.

5. Exenatide: It is a drug that causes pancreas to release insulin that facilitates movement of glucose to cells. It is a treatment for type 2 diabetes and it restricts release of glucagon in the body. The possible side effects are acidity, constipation and vomiting.

Common Insulin Alternatives

Spitting up, refusing to try new foods and occasionally turning up their noses at feeding times, is normal but consistently refusing food and water, vomiting and allergies may indicate an underlying medical condition that requires attention. Common feeding problems that affect infants include sucking, prolonged chewing without swallowing, holding food in their mouth and grabbing food. Infants who are unable to close their mouths in order to keep food inside may also be said to be suffering from feeding problems.

Feeding problems could be triggered by medical conditions like a cleft palate, premature birth, respiratory problems, low birth weight etc. or by non-medical reasons such as the child s feeling of being unloved or stressed. Symptoms of feeding problems vary from infant to infant. However, some of the common symptoms exhibited are:

Problems with chewing

Excessive drooling

Refusing to eat foods or drink liquids

Long feeding times

Coughing or gagging while feeding

Difficulty with breast or bottle feeding

Nasal stuffiness while eating

Poor weight gain

Recurring respiratory infections

Vomiting or excessive spitting up of food

Arching the back while feeding

Disinterest in feeding

Though feeding problems are minor in most cases, it is important to consult a doctor if this behaviour continues over a period of time. This is because the child may be suffering from an underlying medical condition or could be at an increased risk of suffering from dehydration, aspiration and lung problems. It could also lead to delayed physical and mental development, speech problems and cognitive issues.

Feeding problems are addressed in many different ways. The first step to dealing with feeding problems is to change the texture and temperature of food being given to the baby. In addition, try changing the posture of the baby while feeding.

In some cases, mouth exercises may be needed to strengthen the mouth muscles. Chewing exercises and tongue movement may also help reduce feeding problems.

Encourage your infant to try different types of food by including different textures in their daily meals. Alternating food textures and liquids can make it easier for the infant to swallow the food. Do not force your child to eat in a hurry but let him or her take their own time.

In cases where the infant is not gaining weight, the doctor may suggest nutritional changes and a specific diet to help gain weight. In emergency cases, hospitalisation may also be required and your baby may be given a feeding tube to ensure he or she receives adequate nutrition.

12 Signs Your Child Is Not Eating Properly!

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