How to diagnose asthma in children

Asthma in children under the age of 5 is a matter of concern. It is not a rare disease and early diagnosis is important. Common signs of asthma in children are:

1. Recurring bronchitis
2. Wheezing
3. Discomfort in the chest
4. Coughing
5. Trouble breathing

While some children have persistent yet mild symptoms, some children have severe attacks at times. Seasonal allergies and smoke make the symptoms worse.

What to notice?
While feeding an infant, if you notice that your child is facing shortness of breath, it might be a symptom of asthma. In a toddler, if your notice a decreased desire to run and play, or easy fatigue, then this could be a symptom of asthma. Asthma attacks for many children under the age of 5 are worsened when they catch cold or have any other respiratory infections. All these, if noticed should not be ignored and your child's pediatrician should be consulted.

The above mentioned symptoms were mild. Some children have it worse and the attacks can be life-threatening, needing immediate treatment. If your child is under the age of 5 and you see them doing one of the following, contact emergency services immediately:

1. Trouble in speaking because they have restricted breathing
2. When they are breathing in, the effort is so much that the abdomen is getting sucked in
3. Gasping for air.

Diagnosing asthma in a child can be tricky as symptoms like coughing, wheezing, etc can be for other conditions also. Once a child is a little older and if the symptoms persist, breathing and lung function tests are taken to gauge the situation. 

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How To Diagnose Asthma In Children, Before It Attacks?

Baby bottle syndrome is a decay that affects the milk teeth in children who fall asleep with a bottle containing sugary drinks. Prolonged contact between the liquid and the surface of the teeth promotes the destruction of tooth enamel.

Causes and symptoms

The symptoms of baby bottle tooth decay are discoloration of the tooth (enamel), with the formation of yellow or black spots on the surface.

When a child falls asleep with a bottle containing sugary liquids such as milk, fruit juice, sugar water, or with a pacifier dipped in honey or syrup - bacteria present in the mouth, (streptococcus mutans to be precise) transform the sugar into lactic acid.

Normally, the saliva helps to neutralize this acidity, but its production declines during sleep. Thus, teeth are subjected to acid attacks that promote the formation of cavities. As milk teeth are weaker than permanent teeth, decay can be quick with enamel getting hit first, then dentin and finally the pulp in the centre of the tooth.

At this stage, the infection can spread rapidly to other teeth, causing significant pain when the dental abscess formation often requires removal of the damaged teeth.

Precautions

To avoid it, the first thing to do of course is to stop giving your child a sweetened drink at night or when putting the child for a nap. You should also brush your baby's milk teeth twice a day, especially at bedtime with a cotton swab and water and in a year - with a toothbrush and toothpaste.

In case, the teeth are already decayed or you have doubts about it (staining of the tooth that becomes pink or white can be the harbinger of decay), consult a paediatric dentist immediately. Decayed milk teeth may lead to deformation of the permanent teeth if not attended to immediately.

Causes and symptoms of Baby Bottle Tooth Decay

Necrotizing enterocolitis is a disease that causes inflammation of the tissues present in the intestines and results in damaged tissues. It initially affects the inner lining which ultimately results in thickening of the intestine. It may also lead to a hole in the abdomen resulting in bacteria entering the intestine, thus resulting in infection.

Symptoms-
The symptoms of necrotizing enterocolitis are:

You may experience symptoms of bloating in the abdomen
The abdomen may be discolored
You may experience diarrhea and vomiting
You may not feel hungry
There may be presence of blood in your stool
You may have a fever and constantly feel lethargic
Causes-
Lack of blood and oxygen in the intestine causes it to become weak and increases the chances of necrotizing enterocolitis. It may result if oxygen levels drop during a difficult delivery. If the intestines are weak, then they are at a higher risk of getting infected by bacteria. If you have an excessive supply of blood cells in your body or other stomach condition, then it may lead to this disease.

Diagnosis-
Usually the doctor conducts a physical exam to detect the symptoms of this disease. If babies are born with this condition, then they may suffer from weak immune system and problems in blood circulation. The doctor may also recommend x-rays to get detailed images of the intestine in order to probe for symptoms of inflammation and damage.

Treatment-
The treatment of the disease depends on few factors such as:

The child's age
How far has the disease progressed?
Health of your child
It is recommended to stop breastfeeding. Feed the baby through intravenous methods. The doctor may also recommend antibiotics and oxygen support if the child has breathing problems. In severe cases, the child may require surgery to treat this disease.

If the treatment occurs early, then the child may recover. However, complications such as a narrow and damaged bowel may persist. This may cause problems in nutrient absorption in the intestine leading to other disorders.


All About Necrotizing Enterocolitis

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

A nutritional disorder, the problem of rickets occurs if your child suffers from a deficiency of calcium, phosphate or Vitamin D. It causes softened and damaged bones, skeletal deformities, impaired development of the bone's growth plate (a spot of growing tissue found near the end of a long bone in adolescents and children) and stunted growth.

Here are few very simple ways you can prevent your child from getting it:

1. Having Vitamin D and calcium rich foods - One of the best ways to prevent this nutritional disorder from affecting your child is by making sure he or she have foods that are high in Vitamin D and calcium. Egg yolks, fish oil or fatty fish like salmon and mackerel are some of the Vitamin D foods that your child can have to strengthen his bones. Even foods that have Vitamin D added to it such as cereals, orange juice, milk and infant formula can also be given to your child. Sources of calcium can be soyabeans, nuts, broccoli, cabbage, cheese and yoghurt.

2. Going out in the sun - Considered to be an excellent source of Vitamin D, getting your child exposed to sunlight is another excellent way of getting most of this nutrient, as well as preventing him or her from developing rickets. Although the exposure time may vary from individual to individual, about 10-15 minutes of sun exposure without sunscreen can help.

3. Having Vitamin D supplements - Even the consumption of Vitamin D supplements can reduce your child's risk of getting rickets. Since mother's milk contains less than the recommended Vitamin D amount, infants too need to be put on Vitamin D supplements of 400 IU each day. For teenagers and young children, the recommended dosage is 600 IU of Vitamin D every day.




What is Rickets? How to Prevent Your CHILD From the Disorder?

Homeopathy is a natural and mild form of medication. The remedies are natural substances, which have been diluted and potentized. Homeopathic medicines are best applied during childhood and work very effectively with children. A child's self-defense or immunity gets stimulated naturally towards a healthier state without any kind of side effects. Homeopathic remedies are very safe, effective and mild. They are especially effective for children, on the grounds that the remedies work by stimulating vitality of a child's body. Children have a higher vitality naturally and thus, homeopathic medicines are extra effective during childhood. Moreover, homeopathic medicines are soft globules, which dissolve in the mouth. They are easy to take and have a sweet, pleasant taste as well.

Here is a list of diseases and disorders, which are common during the childhood along with their homeopathic remedies.

Teething
1. Chamomilla is used in case of painful teething during childhood. It is used when a child has got one hot cheek and one cold cheek.
2. Coffea cruda may be used to treat restlessness in teething children.
3. Calcarea phosphorica is another homeopathic remedy used for delayed and difficult teething in children.

Colic
1. Dioscorea is the common homeopathic medicine for treating colic cramps in the abdomen.
2. Colocynthis is also used to relieve intense cramps and pain in children. The irritability factor of the pain is treated.
3. Magnesia phosphorica treats colics with spasmodic or intermittent characteristics.

Fever
1. Aconite is an effective homeopathic remedy for treating sudden fever. The child's skin is likely to be hot, and the temperature of the cheeks may differ.
2. Ferrum phosphoricum is used for treating fever that occurs due to inflammatory problems. This kind of fever gives you pale, red cheeks.

Irritability and restlessness
1. Passiflora is an ideal homeopathic relaxant for children.
2. Avena sativa is used when a child cannot sleep due to restlessness.
3. Kali phosphorica treats restlessness in children occurring because of over stimulation.
4. Magnesia phosphorica and natrum phosphoricum are other homeopathic medicines, which act as relaxants.

Cough and cold
1. Ipecac is the best homeopathic remedy for constant coughing along with nausea.
2. Aconitum napellus is used when a child wakes up from sleep with a dry, hoarse cough.
3. Spongia tosta cures cold, croup and cough which start from the throat.
4. Antimonium tartaricum is the homeopathic medicine used when mucous accumulates in the chest, giving rise to coughing.

Homeopathy is best applied in childhood as a child is at risk of developing a number of diseases. A child's body is delicate and much more sensitive than adults and is prone to getting affected easily. Moreover, homeopathy is natural and is the safest form of medicine for children.

Why Homeopathy Is Best Applied in Childhood?

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