Iron is an essential nutrient and mineral that is required by adults and children alike. Iron helps move oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body and helps muscles store and use oxygen. It is especially important for children because it aids development and prevents anaemia. Untreated iron deficiency in children can cause physical and mental delays. It can lead to less healthy red blood cells in the child's blood stream which will cause a delay in the growth of physical and mental faculties.

Risk factors for iron deficiency in children

Infants and children at highest risk of iron deficiency include:

Babies who are born prematurely or have a low birth weight
Babies who drink cow's milk before age 1
Breast-fed babies who aren't given complementary foods containing iron after age 6 months
Babies who drink formula that isn't fortified with iron
Children ages 1 to 5 who drink more than 24 ounces (710 milliliters) of cow's milk, goat's milk or soy milk a day
Children who have certain health conditions, such as chronic infections or restricted diets
Children ages 1 to 5 who have been exposed to lead
Adolescent girls also are at higher risk of iron deficiency because their bodies lose iron during menstruation.
Symptoms of iron deficiency anaemia

The signs and symptoms of iron deficiency anaemia in children may include:

Pale skin
Fatigue or weakness
Slow cognitive and social development
Inflammation of the tongue
Difficulty maintaining body temperature
Increased likelihood of infections
Unusual cravings for non-nutritive substances, such as ice, dirt or pure starch
Prevent iron deficiency in children

Take steps to prevent iron deficiency in your child by paying attention to his or her diet. For example:

Breast-feed or use iron-fortified formula. Breast-feeding until your child is age 1 is recommended. If you don't breast-feed, use iron-fortified infant formula.
Encourage a balanced diet. When you begin serving your baby solids, typically between ages 4 months and 6 months, feed him or her foods with added iron, such as iron-fortified baby cereal. For older children, good sources of iron include red meat, chicken, fish, beans and dark green leafy vegetables. Between ages 1 and 5, don't allow your child to drink more than 24 ounces (710 milliliters) of milk a day.
Enhance absorption. Vitamin C helps promote the absorption of dietary iron. You can help your child absorb iron by offering foods rich in vitamin C, such as melon, strawberries, kiwi, broccoli, tomatoes and potatoes.
Consider iron supplements. If your baby was born prematurely or with a low birth weight or you're breast-feeding a baby older than 4 months and he or she isn't eating two or more servings a day of iron-rich foods, talk to your child's doctor about oral iron supplements.
Make sure that you watch out for the tell tale signs of iron deficiency and take the necessary precautions to avoid the same. If you wish to discuss about any specific child related problem, you can consult a specilized pediatrician and ask a free question.

Iron Deficiency In Children

Almost all of us have experienced bloating, gas or an upset stomach. Yet some people experience this problem at a chronic level. Gas occurs in the stomach and intestines due to breakdown of food into energy. All of us pass gas, however some people do more than others. An average person passes gas 5-20 times a day.

An upset stomach can often cause problems and can be a difficult battle for many people. Although the symptoms of gas problems often relate to an improper diet, yet other factors may be also responsible.

Causes and Symptoms of Gas Problems

Swallowing air: The swallowed air which is not burped out, passes through the digestive system and is released through the opening of the anus. Hiccups can also occur if you have swallowed excessive air.
Diet: The reaction of different foods varies from one person to another. Also foods that lead to odorous gas may also vary from person to person. Yet, spicy foods and dairy products are the most common causes of gas. Example - Beans, cabbage, onions, radishes, eggs, carbonated drinks, sugar, packaged foods etc.
Medications: Certain medicines and supplements, including prescription drugs, can lead to gas problems and bloating. Further, medications which change the hormonal balance in the body can also cause bloating.
Medical problems: Certain medical conditions such as Irritable bowel syndrome or bowel obstruction can also lead to an upset stomach.
Common symptoms of gas problems include gas pain, cramping, bloating, diarrhoea and constipation. In the worst of cases, gas and bloating indicate colon cancer. Such people experience rapid weight loss, anaemia and blood in stools.

Treatment
Modifying your lifestyle, in particular your dietary practices, is essential to a healthy recovery.

Avoiding foods such as spaghetti, oats, bran, barley, banana, bread etc. which contain high fibre content is important.
You can opt for over the counter medications after consulting your physician. Homeopathy and Ayurveda can be also opted as alternative forms of treatment.

Chronic Gas Problem - Facts You Should Know About it

Raising a child with dyslexia can stir up a lot of emotions. You may look ahead and wonder if this learning issue will affect your child's future. But dyslexia is not a prediction of failure. Dyslexia is quite common, and many successful individuals have dyslexia.

Research has proven that there are different ways of teaching that can help people with dyslexia succeed. There's a lot you can do as a parent too.

What are the symptoms of dyslexia?

Because dyslexia affects some people more severely than others, your child's symptoms may look different from those in another child. Some kids with dyslexia have trouble with reading and spelling. Others may struggle to write or to tell left from right.

Dyslexia can also make it difficult for people to express themselves clearly. It can be hard for them to structure their thoughts during conversation. They may have trouble finding the right words to say.

Others struggle to understand what they're hearing. This is especially true when someone uses nonliteral language such as jokes and sarcasm.

The signs you see may also look different at various ages. Some of the warning signs for dyslexia, such as a speech delay, appear before a child reaches kindergarten. More often, though, dyslexia is identified in grade school. As schoolwork gets more demanding, trouble processing language becomes more apparent.

Here are some signs to look out for:

Warning Signs in Preschool or Kindergarten

Has trouble recognizing the letters of the alphabet

Struggles to match letters to sounds, such as not knowing what sounds b or h make

Has difficulty blending sounds into words, such as connecting C-H-A-T to the word chat

Struggles to pronounce words correctly, such as saying 'mawn lower' instead of 'lawn mower'

Has difficulty learning new words

Has a smaller vocabulary than other kids the same age

Has trouble learning to count or say the days of the week and other common word sequences

Has trouble rhyming

Warning Signs in Grade School or Middle School

Struggles with reading and spelling

Confuses the order of letters, such as writing 'left' instead of 'felt'

Has trouble remembering facts and numbers

Has difficulty gripping a pencil

Has difficulty using proper grammar

Has trouble learning new skills and relies heavily on memorization

Gets tripped up by word problems in math

Has a tough time sounding out unfamiliar words

Has trouble following a sequence of directions

Warning Signs in High School

Struggles with reading out loud

Doesn't read at the expected grade level

Has trouble understanding jokes or idioms

Has difficulty organizing and managing time

Struggles to summarize a story

Has difficulty learning a foreign language

Skills that are affected by Dyslexia-

Dyslexia doesn't just affect reading and writing. Here are some everyday skills and activities your child may be struggling with because of this learning issue:

General

Appears bright, highly intelligent, and articulate but unable to read, write, or spell at grade level.

Labelled lazy, dumb, careless, immature, "not trying hard enough," or "behavior problem."

Isn't "behind enough" or "bad enough" to be helped in the school setting.

High in IQ, yet may not test well academically; tests well orally, but not written.

Feels dumb; has poor self-esteem; hides or covers up weaknesses with ingenious compensatory strategies; easily frustrated and emotional about school reading or testing.

Talented in art, drama, music, sports, mechanics, story-telling, sales, business, designing, building, or engineering.

Seems to "Zone out" or daydream often; gets lost easily or loses track of time.

Difficulty sustaining attention; seems "hyper" or "daydreamer."

Learns best through hands-on experience, demonstrations, experimentation, observation, and visual aids.

Vision, Reading, and Spelling Skills

Complains of dizziness, headaches or stomach aches while reading.

Confused by letters, numbers, words, sequences, or verbal explanations.

Reading or writing shows repetitions, additions, transpositions, omissions, substitutions, and reversals in letters, numbers and/or words.

Complains of feeling or seeing non-existent movement while reading, writing, or copying.

Seems to have difficulty with vision, yet eye exams don't reveal a problem.

Extremely keen sighted and observant, or lacks depth perception and peripheral vision.

Reads and rereads with little comprehension.

Spells phonetically and inconsistently.

Hearing and Speech Skills

Has extended hearing; hears things not said or apparent to others; easily distracted by sounds.

Difficulty putting thoughts into words; speaks in halting phrases; leaves sentences incomplete; stutters under stress; mispronounces long words, or transposes phrases, words, and syllables when speaking.

Writing and Motor Skills

Trouble with writing or copying; pencil grip is unusual; handwriting varies or is illegible.

Clumsy, uncoordinated, poor at ball or team sports; difficulties with fine and/or gross motor skills and tasks; prone to motion-sickness.

Can be ambidextrous, and often confuses left/right, over/under.

Math and Time Management Skills

Has difficulty telling time, managing time, learning sequenced information or tasks, or being on time.

Computing math shows dependence on finger counting and other tricks; knows answers, but can't do it on paper.

Can count, but has difficulty counting objects and dealing with money.

Can do arithmetic, but fails word problems; cannot grasp algebra or higher math.

Memory and Cognition

Excellent long-term memory for experiences, locations, and faces.

Poor memory for sequences, facts and information that has not been experienced.

Thinks primarily with images and feeling, not sounds or words (little internal dialogue).

Behavior, Health, Development and Personality

Extremely disorderly or compulsively orderly.

Can be class clown, trouble-maker, or too quiet.

Had unusually early or late developmental stages (talking, crawling, walking, tying shoes).

Prone to ear infections; sensitive to foods, additives, and chemical products.

Can be an extra deep or light sleeper; bedwetting beyond appropriate age.

Unusually high or low tolerance for pain.

Strong sense of justice; emotionally sensitive; strives for perfection.

What can be done at home for dyslexia?

Helping your child with dyslexia can be a challenge, particularly if you're never been confident in your own reading and writing skills. But you don't have to be an expert to help work on certain skills or strengthen your child's self-esteem.

Keep in mind that kids (and families) are all different, so not all options will work for you. Don't panic if the first strategies you try aren't effective. You may need to try several approaches to find what works best for your child. Here are some things you can try at home:

Read out loud every day

Tap into your child's interests

Use audiobooks

Look for apps and other high-tech help

Focus on effort, not outcome

Make your home reader-friendly

Boost confidence

What can make the journey easier?

Dyslexia can present challenges for your child and for you. But with the proper support, almost all people with dyslexia can become accurate readers. Your involvement will help tremendously.

Wherever you are in your journey, whether you're just starting out or are well on your way, this site can help you find more ways to support your child. Here are a few things that can help make the journey easier:

Connect with other parents. Remember that you're not alone. Use our safe online community to find parents like you.

Get behavior advice. Parenting Coach offers expert-approved strategies on a variety of issues that can affect children with dyslexia, including trouble with time management, anxiety and fear, frustration and low self-esteem.

Build a support plan. Come up with a game plan and anticipate what lies ahead.

Understanding dyslexia and looking for ways to help your child is an important first step. There's a lot you can do just don't feel you have to do everything all at once. Pace yourself. If you try a bunch of strategies at the same time, it might be hard to figure out which ones are working. And do your best to stay positive. Your love and support can make a big difference in your child's life.

9 Dyslexia Signs & Symptoms - Your Kid is Suffering from it!

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. 

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

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How To Diagnose Asthma In Children, Before It Attacks?

Cystic Fibrosis is a genetic disorder that is known to affect some of the vital organs of the body including the lungs, digestive system to name a few. For long it was believed that cystic fibrosis affects a person in their childhood. However, various research and studies suggest that adults are also susceptible to this inheritable disorder. In this article, we will discuss the cause and symptoms associated with cystic fibrosis.

Cause
The epithelial cells that line the stomach, nasal cavity and lungs, are responsible for the production of the digestive fluids, sweat, tears, mucus. The Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator (CFTR) gene codes for a protein called the CFTR protein. The CFTR protein, a membrane protein plays a pivotal role in transporting the chloride ions of the epithelial cells inside and out of the cell. This regulation of the chloride ions goes a long way in ensuring that the mucus produced is free-flowing and thin.

In the case of Cystic Fibrosis, the CFTR gene that codes for the protein undergoes a mutation. With the CFTR protein unable to perform its function, sticky and thick mucus builds up and clogs some of the major systems of the body including the digestive system, reproductive, and respiratory system. There is also a higher salt content in the sweat of the affected person.

For a person to be affected by cystic fibrosis, he/she must inherit a copy of the mutated CFTR gene from both the parents ( Autosomal Recessive Disorder) at birth.

Symptoms
The symptoms associated with cystic fibrosis depends on the organs and systems affected.

The thick mucus formed can clog the digestive tract resulting in incomplete absorption of the essential nutrients from the food. This may have an impact on the overall growth and development of the body.
- There may be stunted growth or no weight gain.
- The stool may appear greasy and foul smelling. Some may also suffer from constipation.
- Newborns and infants may suffer from an intestinal blockage.
Cystic fibrosis, left unattended can lead to diabetes, intestinal blockage or obstruction.
- The mucus can also block the bile duct triggering a host of problems including liver disorders.
- At times, the obstruction or blockage can occur at the junction where the large and the small intestine meets (Distal intestinal obstruction syndrome).
The thick mucus can also affect the lungs and the respiratory system by blocking the tubes that act as a passage carrying the air inside and out of the lungs. As a result,
- A person may suffer from lung infections frequently.
- There may be difficulty in breathing, stuffy and blocked nose, or wheezing.
- Some people may also suffer from a chronic cough with a thick sputum.
Left untreated the complications can worsen resulting in

Nasal polyps, Chronic infections, Hemoptysis (there is blood while coughing), and Pneumothorax (air fills up in the space bifurcates the chest wall from the lungs).

In severe cases, there may be a respiratory failure.

Cystic fibrosis can also trigger fertility problems (both in males and females).

Cystic Fibrosis- Causes and Symptoms!

Diabetes is something which has become so common over the past few decades and this is said to be a cause of worry as most people don't understand how to prevent and manage it. This has led to some myths, gaining more than their fair share of popularity. So, wouldn t it be a good idea to get to know a little more so as to separate the myths from the facts?

Weight & watch: One of the most common myths when it comes to diabetes is the belief that a person is going to have his or her life adversely affected if he or she is overweight. While it is true that being overweight happens to be one of the risk factors related to diabetes, it is important to keep in mind the fact that there are other risk factors which are responsible, as well. Some of these factors are age and family history, as well as the ethnicity of the person. Taking this into account, it should not come as too much of a surprise to know that there are quite a few people who are not overweight, but are still fighting diabetes.
Packaged tricks: Considering the rise in the number of people who are suffering from diabetes, this has led to food being marketed specifically for their consumption. However, in reality, whatever represents a healthy diet is sufficient for a person who is diabetic. So a diet which does not have a high amount of saturated fats and trans fats and does not go overboard with starch and sugar, but features a fair amount of lean protein works well too. All the fancy diabetic food, which a person buys, is only likely to drive a great hole in the wallet and not have any additional health benefits. Therefore, the extra spending is nowhere close to being worthwhile and should be avoided.
Fruits punch: Many people are of the opinion that it is the processed and sugary food items, which cause diabetes and this is true to a significant extent. However, some people are of the view that since fruit is natural, diabetics can eat as much of it as they like. This is where the thinking gets dangerous. Some fruits are rich in carbohydrates and so it should be consumed in a reasonable quantity, as part of the daily meal plan. After all, too much of any good thing is bad!

Diabetes - 3 Myths Decoded!

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