Dr. Venkat Raman V

CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE

• Child sexual abuse has been reported up to 80,000 times a year, but the number of unreported instances is far greater, because the children are afraid to tell anyone what has happened, and the legal procedure for validating an episode is difficult. The problem should be identified, the abuse stopped, and the child should receive professional help. The long-term emotional and psychological damage of sexual abuse can be devastating to the child.
• Child sexual abuse can take place within the family, by a parent, step-parent, sibling or other relative; or outside the home, for example, by a friend, neighbor, child care person, teacher, or stranger. When sexual abuse has occurred, a child can develop a variety of distressing feelings, thoughts and behaviors.
• No child is psychologically prepared to cope with repeated sexual stimulation. Even a two or three year old, who cannot know the sexual activity is wrong, will develop problems resulting from the inability to cope with the overstimulation.
• The child of five or older who knows and cares for the abuser becomes trapped between affection or loyalty for the person, and the sense that the sexual activities are terribly wrong. If the child tries to break away from the sexual relationship, the abuser may threaten the child with violence or loss of love. When sexual abuse occurs within the family, the child may fear the anger, jealousy or shame of other family members, or be afraid the family will break up if the secret is told.
• A child who is the victim of prolonged sexual abuse usually develops low self-esteem, a feeling of worthlessness and an abnormal or distorted view of sex. The child may become withdrawn and mistrustful of adults, and can become suicidal.
• Some children who have been sexually abused have difficulty relating to others except on sexual terms. Some sexually abused children become child abusers or prostitutes, or have other serious problems when they reach adulthood.
• Often there are no obvious external signs of child sexual abuse. Some signs can only be detected on physical exam by a physician.

Sexually abused children may also develop the following:

• unusual interest in or avoidance of all things of a sexual nature
• sleep problems or nightmares
• depression or withdrawal from friends or family
• seductiveness

Statements that their bodies are dirty or damaged, or fear that there is something wrong with them in the genital area refusal to go to schoolChild Sexual Abuse, “Facts for Families,” No. 9 (5/08)

• delinquency/conduct problems
• secretiveness
• aspects of sexual molestation in drawings, games, fantasies
• unusual aggressiveness, or
• suicidal behavior.

Child sexual abusers can make the child extremely fearful of telling, and only when a special effort has helped the child to feel safe, can the child talk freely. If a child says that he or she has been molested, parents should try to remain calm and reassure the child that what happened was not their fault. Parents should seek a medical examination and psychiatric consultation.
Parents can prevent or lessen the chance of sexual abuse by:

• Telling children that if someone tries to touch your body and do things that make you feel
• funny, say NO to that person and tell me right away
• Teaching children that respect does not mean blind obedience to adults and to authority,

For example, don't tell children to, “Always do everything the teacher or baby-sitter tells you to do.”

• Encouraging professional prevention programs in the local school system
• Sexually abused children and their families need immediate professional evaluation and treatment.
• Child and adolescent psychiatrists can help abused children regain a sense of self-esteem, cope with feelings of guilt about the abuse, and begin the process of overcoming the trauma. Such treatment can help reduce the risk that the child will develop serious problems as an adult.

Vaginal dryness can be caused due to a range of factors, including hormonal alterations, medicine side effects, psychological factors like stress and anxiety and much more. Female lubrication begins as your hormones signal your brain that you are being aroused sexually.

There is swelling in the inner and outer vaginal lips and your vulvovaginal glands start secreting fluids to help the process of penetration. But some women find it really difficult to feel wet and ready for the intercourse and experience painful intercourse before they finally lose interest in the whole act of lovemaking. Before you give up hope, ask yourself these few important questions and make the necessary changes to help yourself lubricate enough while enjoying intimate acts.

Are you too stressed out?
This is one of the most important reasons behind the lack of sexual drive in both men and women. It also occurs when you are ageing and approaching menopause. Lack of proper lubrication also takes place as your hormones rise and then fall, and you can consider meditating or performing a few yoga exercises in the morning to help your sex health.

Are you on a medication?
There are certain antibiotics and other medicines that lead to vaginal dryness as a form of a side effect and your sex health would come back to its normal state after seven days of finishing the course.

Are you hurrying too much?
It can so happen that your regular sexual activity is demanding for a longer course of foreplay, such as kissing, touching and cuddling, so that you get the time to become fully aroused. There are some erogenous spots in your body that crave for attention, and you can try a new position or a new sex toy or probably go with playful stroking and kissing all over the body to get stimulated.

Is everything about your diet alright?
Your diet mirrors how your body is going to respond to various situations. It is good to include loads of fresh fruits and green leafy vegetables in your diet and curb down those sweet meats, cream coffees, fries and junk foods and drink more water. You can also consider incorporating zinc and vitamin supplements as they help in lubrication.

Thankfully, these ways of handling lubrication issues are much easier than estrogen inserts. If you are experiencing symptoms like hot flashes owing to vaginal dryness, you can go for an oral medication as prescribed by a health expert. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a sexologist.

Make diwali healthier: try these 6 healthy desserts!

Diwali is an ancient indian festival and the most awaited one at that. Be it bursting crackers, meeting relatives or savoring mouth-watering sweets, everyone has a special reason to make merry during diwali every state of india celebrates this festival of lights with its own special dessert recipes. In an attempt to avoid overindulgence, here are some healthy sweets and desserts that you can try this festive season:

1. Sesame seeds laddoo
- for a change, you can avoid the boondi laddoos this diwali and instead opt for sesame which is a rich source of calcium and magnesium.

- this laddoo is prepared by dry roasting the sesame seeds and then grinding them to a powdery texture along with sugar and cardamom powder.

- you can replace sugar with jaggery which is a healthier option too. Add roasted peanut chunks to the laddoos for a crunchy twist.

2. Pumpkin delight

- forget the calorie-rich kheer and choose pumpkin this season to add the extra fibre and goodness of vitamin a to your pumpkin payasam.

- you can make this dessert using all healthy ingredients like mashed pumpkin, milk, sago, cardamom powder and a pinch of saffron.

3. Ragi treat
- why not embrace ragi as your favorite cereal and make some mouth-watering delicacy out of it.

- ragi or finger millet is known for its high protein and mineral content.

- combine ragi with the grand flavors of saffron and cardamom, roasted peanuts and dried coconut and you can make some healthy and delicious barfi.

- add jaggery for the sweetness. You can easily replace the usual high calorie kaju barfis with this delicious treat.

4. Coconut macaroons

- some delicious macaroons can be baked with the healthiest ingredients like coconut, eggs, vanilla essence and sugar to taste and absolutely no oil content.

- once out of the oven, they have a hard texture and equally chewy feel from the inside.

- they make the best choice for an evening snack and are filled with goodness of coconut which help in digestion and also add a glow to your skin.

5. Date laddoos
dates (khajoor) are known for their iron content. Try to rope in the vitamins and minerals of dates to use them for ladoos instead of using besan (gram flour).

- in this recipe, dates are mashed till soft, heated in a pan with little coconut oil and then sesame powder is added to them while kneading them into a dough.

- add pieces of roasted cashew and cardamom powder to the kneaded dough for the flavor. When ready, roll them over sesame seeds for both the look and the taste.

- this is yet another treat for your sweet tooth without the harmful effects of either sugar or ghee (clarified butter)

6. Oats barfi

- when it comes to health, none can forget the ubiquitous oats. From breakfast to snacks, oats are the perfect choice for the health freak.

- this diwali make your favorite barfi with oats, anjeer (fig), dates, pistachios and flax seeds.

- use a little coconut oil in a pan and heat the mashed dates and coarsely ground roasted oats.

- add the other ingredients with a pinch of saffron and spread the dough it out in a flat dish.

- cut them into sizes you love and relish them with family.

Enjoy this diwali with your favorite sweets but without the sense of guilt with these exotic yet healthy recipes. Happy diwali!

Are you gaining excessive amount of weight during your pregnancy, well you are not alone.  Most of the pregnant women tend to be overweight or obese. You are viewed as overweight, if your pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) is approximately between twenty-five and twenty-nine. Your BMI is the relationship between your height and weight. You are considered obese, if your BMI is thirty or more.

However, here are some ways with which you can control the weight gain during pregnancy:

1. Eat a solid, yet less-calorie diet: Utilize a convenient pregnancy food journal to ensure you are getting enough supplements and drinking a lot of water every day. The journal is additionally helpful for keeping track of your mood swings and appetite levels, so you can spot patterns you may need to change. Since you realize that you have to take after a particular eating regimen, the following are very solid for you:
   • Crisp leafy foods
   • Oats and bread made with whole grains
   • Low-fat milk and dairy items
   • Foods rich in folate such as strawberries, spinach and beans
   • Unsaturated "good" fats such as olive oil, canola oil, and shelled nut oil
2. Regular exercise: In case you are a relative newcomer to work out, you can start with pregnancy exercise for beginners. You can practice low-impact exercises; for example, walking, swimming and light heart stimulating exercises. Never begin an exercise without first talking with your medicinal services supplier or doctor. Furthermore, make sure to you adhere to the thirteen principles of safe pregnancy work out. A few women do get in shape during pregnancy in case that they roll out solid eating regimen and make way for life improvements, so make sure to check in with your specialist if this happens.
3. Comprehend your calorie needs: As specified before, not all pregnant women have to put on equivalent measures of weight. Thus, you have to know precisely what number of calories you require. Talk with your specialist to get the correct number.
4. Eat frequent, small meals: This is true when you need to deal with your weight, pregnant or not. Eating successive little dinners is particularly helpful when you are pregnant. Eating a full feast makes you wiped out.
5. Taking prenatal pre-natal vitamins: This is something your specialist will recommend in any case. Yet, in case that you require an extra motivation to take your pre-birth vitamins consistent, then this is it. As you most likely are aware, your body needs additional food and nutrients during pregnancy. In case that you need to deal with your weight and take in the supplements without stacking yourself with calories, take your vitamins.

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