Showing posts with label Illness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Illness. Show all posts

Friday, May 15, 2009

Mother's Role in Combating Diseases of Children

The especial province of the mother is the prevention of disease, not its cure. When disease attacks the child, the mother has then a part to perform, which it is especially important during the epochs of infancy and childhood should be done well. I refer to those duties which constitute the maternal part of the management of disease.

Medical treatment, for its successful issue, is greatly dependent upon a careful, pains-taking, and judicious maternal superintendence. No medical treatment can avail at any time, if directions be only partially carried out, or be negligently attended to; and will most assuredly fail altogether, if counteracted by the erroneous prejudices of ignorant attendants. But to the affections of infancy and childhood, this remark applies with great force; since, at this period, disease is generally so sudden in its assaults, and rapid in its progress, that unless the measures prescribed are rigidly and promptly administered, their exhibition is soon rendered altogether fruitless.

The amount of suffering, too, may be greatly lessened by the thoughtful and discerning attentions of the mother. The wants and necessities of the young child must be anticipated; the fretfulness produced by disease, soothed by kind and affectionate persuasion; and the possibility of the sick and sensitive child being exposed to harsh and ungentle conduct, carefully provided against.

Again, not only is a firm and strict compliance with medical directions in the administration of remedies, of regimen, and general measures, necessary, but an unbiased, faithful, and full report of symptoms to the physician, when he visits his little patient, is of the first importance. An ignorant servant or nurse, unless great caution be exercised by the medical attendant, may, by an unintentional but erroneous report of symptoms, produce a very wrong impression upon his mind, as to the actual state of the disease. His judgment may, as a consequence, be biased in a wrong direction, and the result prove seriously injurious to the welldoing of the patient. The medical man cannot sit hour after hour watching symptoms; hence the great importance of their being faithfully reported. This can alone be done by the mother, or some person equally competent.

There are other weighty considerations which might be adduced here, proving how much depends upon efficient maternal management in the time of sickness; but they will be severally dwelt upon, when the diseases with which they are more particularly connected are spoken of.

Thursday, April 30, 2009

Allergies in Children

Author: Nicky

Many people do not think that young children can have allergies as doctors at one time believed since the nasal cavities are not completely developed then allergy problems should not exist. Today, we now know allergic rhinitis is one of the most chronic childhood diseases. The main reason some children have allergies and some do not, comes down to heredity. If only one parent has allergies their children have a 30% to 50% percent chance of developing allergies and if cases where both parents have allergies the percentage goes up to 60% to 80%. The most common allergy seen in both infants and children is an allergy to cows milk protein. This usually happens during the first year. Before a child can develop an allergy, he or she must first be exposed to a substance that may later be considered an allergen. Besides food, some allergies that children may have include indoor allergens such as molds, household dust mites, and pets, outdoor allergens include weeds, tree pollen, and grasses. If you think that your child may have allergies, then there are some physical symptoms that might help you make an educated decision prior to visiting your doctor. Symptoms of food allergies in infants can cause yo
ur little one to be colicky, vomit, have diarrhea, rashes, eczema, cry more than they should, and have cold like respiratory congestion. Physical symptoms that may show that your child has an allergy include bluish/brownish discoloration around both eyes, puffiness under the eyes and the eyes may look red and irritated, and the ears and cheeks may appear flushed. Your little one may not be able to explain to you how they feel but you may notice them breathing through their mouth, rubbing their noise, sniffling, sneezing, and have congestion that may make it hard for them to breath. If you notice that your child is always complaining of a sore throat, has nasal congestion quite a bit and has had to be treated for chronic ear infections you may want to ask your doctor is your little one could be suffering from allergies since these also accompany allergies. Remember, allergies can cause excess mucus secretions, this causes swelling of the nasal cavity and breathing can be difficult when your child lies down. It can be so bad that he or she may gasp for breath, cough or awaken in the middle of the night unable to breathe properly. If disturbed sleep does occur from allergies, it can result in sleep apnea.

Article Source: http://www.BestToRead.com/

Saturday, April 11, 2009

Autism Wars

Author: Bette Dowdell

Wanna choose sides in the latest autism war?

One side says the mother’s lack of Vitamin D during pregnancy
causes autism, while the other side says it’s the glutamate
that’s in the many immunization shots babies and young children
receive.

Let’s take a look-see.

Autism comes from brain inflammation. Mothers noticed a link
with immunizations. Since mercury, a known brain inflammatory,
came in each shot, a campaign to get rid of mercury raged–and
won.

But the incidence of autism continued its rapid growth.

Aluminum is part of immunizations, too. It’s part of the brain
inflammation problem, too. It’s harder to remove than mercury,
though, because it’s part and parcel of the immunization’s
function, not just an additive that helps with delivery. And it
causes less inflammation without the presence of mercury.

While the experts tussle over aluminum, they ignore another
brain poison, glutamate. Glutamate, well-known as a big time
participant in the brain inflammation game, forms part of the
delivery mechanism, not the function, of immunizations. Removal
won’t change the efficacy (another subject for another day) of
the immunization. Even so, removal poses a technical challenge,
and denial runs high.

I’m guessing the medical community will line up on the
blame-the-mother side. Not that they check Vitamin D levels
during pregnancy, but blaming the mother is a time-honored
tradition. Besides, that leaves them off the hook of having to
justify all the immunizations–not to mention their component
parts.

But how will they hide the 500-pound gorilla in the middle of it
all? Glutamate is an excitotoxin, meaning it revs up the brain
to toxic levels, and the resulting brain inflammation damages
the hypothalamus. Babies are particularly susceptible; glutamate
can irreversibly ravage a young hypothalamus.

And what does the hypothalamus do that makes this such a big
deal? The hypothalamus controls both the endocrine system and
the nervous system–i. e. pretty much everything that goes on in
our bodies; this is no small matter.

As to the other side of the argument: Since everybody needs
Vitamin D, mothers, be sure to take Vitamin D3 (the absorbable
version) during pregnancy and beyond. It’s good for the heart,
diabetes, arthritis, and on, and on. Take a good
multi-vitamin/mineral capsule, too. (It’s not a good practice to
take a single vitamin without at least a little of the others.)

In addition, for sure and for certain, demand (not request,
suggest or pretty please) some serious attention to the
glutamate in immunizations, flu shots, tetanus shots, etc. It
inflames adult brains, too, you know.

Also insist that medicine prove, with scientific studies not
biased toward the immunization model, the medical necessity of
so many immunizations given in such rapid succession to
vulnerable babies.

Finally, overwhelm Congress with demands that they follow
science, not politics, in their edicts. I know that sounds like
yelling at a brick wall, but if we don’t fight for our children,
who will?

“Just what the doctor ordered” can mean your children never
reach their inborn potential.

About the author:
Bette Dowdell is not a doctor, nor does she purport to be one.
She’s a patient who’s been studying the endocrine system and
successfully handling her own endocrine problems for more than
30 years. She offers teleseminars to explain the endocrine
system, discuss things –food, cosmetics, water, etc.–that damage
it, suggest vitamins, minerals, amino acids, herbs and super
foods that help and answer questions. Check her out at
http://TooPoopedToParticipate.com

How To Cope With Baby Eczema

Author: Margaret Tye

Baby eczema/excema/exzema is a common condition affecting babies
from about 2-3 months old. The most common form is atropic
dermatitis characterised by dry, red and often very itchy skin
that can appear anywhere on the body but especially on the face,
arms, neck and in the folds of the skin.

There may be a number of reasons for a child to develop eczema
but it is often hereditary, with other members of the family
suffering from related complaints such as hay fever or
psoriasis. With a very young baby it is difficult to know what
could be the likely cause, but there are a number of things that
can be done to help eliminate the risk.

Eczema is an allergic condition and so it is a good idea to
remove any possible source of irritation. Hoover and dust
regularly within the house to ensure mites and dust are removed.
Wooden, laminate or vinyl floors are better than carpets which
can harbor dust. Air the house regularly and if you have pets
then make sure that their fur does not get anywhere near the
baby or any object the baby is likely to come in contact with.

Always launder clothes and bedding in the gentlest detergent
possible. If a baby is a severe sufferer, it is possible to buy
silk clothing designed for eczema patients. It is very expensive
so the best alternative is to use cotton. Fitting cotton mitts
will help prevent baby from scratching his or her face.

Bathing the baby can dry the skin. Make sure the water is just
lukewarm and pat the baby dry carefully. There are special
medicated products available to help moisturise the skin in the
bath and to apply during the day, but you should consult your
physician before using anything, even herbal remedies,
especially when a very young baby is concerned.

With some babies diet may be a cause of eczema. Some mothers
prefer to breastfeed to avoid the risk of baby products. However
if you are breastfeeding, do remember that your own diet could
affect your baby. Always consult your physician or health nurse
about the best diet for both you and the child. When you start
introducing semi solids to a baby suffering from eczema,
introduce one at a time to monitor whether it has any effect on
the eczema.

Some babies who suffer from eczema also develop infantile
seborrheic dermatitis, or cradle cap as it is more commonly
known. Unlike eczema it does not itch or cause discomfort, but
nevertheless needs to be treated as it can form a very thick
scab on the scalp. Talk to your nurse on how to remove it and
always treat it gently as it is easy to damage the skin surface
and cause an infection.

Fortunately eczema tends to improve as children get older and as
they understand their condition they are less likely to
aggravate the skin further by scratching. However some sufferers
may develop related conditions such as asthma or hay fever, so
try to keep their environment free from dust or airborne
irritants.

This article is for information only and should not be viewed as
medical advice. You should always consult your physician before
treating any medical condition and the author accepts no
liability for any action taken.

About the author:
Margaret Tye runs the href="http://www.fromtots2teens.com">From Tots 2 Teens. For
further information on eczema visit the href="http://www.fromtots2teens.com/eczematreatment.html">eczema
treatment web page.

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Home Remedies for Jaundice

Author: naturalremedies

Jaundice is a disease caused due to vitiation of the pitta
dosha. It is called as kamala. When there is an excessive
circulation of the bile pigments in the blood, then this disease
is caused. Pitta dosha controls the bile pigments.

Causes of Jaundice:

Jaundice is caused by an increasing amount of bilirubin in the
blood. When red blood cells break down, the heme in their
hemoglobin is converted to bilirubin. The bilirubin is processed
by the liver where it is eliminated in bile. The hemoglobin is
in the red cells of the blood that carries oxygen in your cells.
As red blood cells die your body builds new cells to replace
them and the old ones are processed by the liver. If any reason
the red blood cells die rate faster than as usual, bilirubins
can collect in the blood and cause jaundice. Other causes of
jaundice are anemia and other diseases which affect the liver
such as malaria, yellow fever, typhoid and tuberculosis.
Jaundice that is present at the time of birth suggests a more
serious cause of the jaundice. In fact, bilirubin levels in the
blood become raised in almost all babies during the first few
days following birth, and jaundice becomes more than half
babies.

Symptoms of Jaundice:

The main symptoms of jaundice are headache, fever, extreme point
weakness, yellow eyes, skin, tongue, Dark urine, Light-colored
stool. The patient also feels abdominal pain or swelling in the
liver region. At the starting movement jaundices also irritates
with intense itching.

Treatment for Jaundice:

1. Juices of bitter vegetables like the bitter gourd are very
effective in treating jaundice. Mash the vegetable and extract
their juices by pressing with a cloth. This juice must be
ideally had in the early morning. One glassful of juice per day
is recommended.

2. Prepare a cupful of juice of beetroot and lemon in equal
proportions. Having this juice for a few days will definitely
cure jaundice.

3. Extract juice of amalaki (Indian gooseberry, Emblica
officinalis). Have this juice thrice in a day in a teaspoonful
quantity. This is a potent remedy for all kinds of liver
ailments.

4. Berberis is a very effective herb for all kinds of liver
ailments, especially jaundice. So effective is the herb that it
is nicknamed ‘jaundice berry’.

5. All parts of the chicory plant are useful in the treatment of
liver ailments.

6. The root of the gokulakanta plant is potent in the treatment
of liver diseases such as jaundice and hepatitis.

7. Indian aloe is an excellent remedy for liver problems such as
jaundice.

8. Alcohol is very dangerous to a jaundice patient.

9. The fat intake should be limited. Even curds must not be
given to the jaundice patient. Buttermilk can be given if the
butter has been carefully removed from it.

10. Snake gourd is taken as an infusion of its leaves for the
treatment of jaundice. It is generally to be taken with
coriander.

11. Turpeth is the other best Ayurvedic remedy for jaundice. It
is known as nisoth in Ayurveda.

12. Fresh vegetables must be included in the diet. They must be
cooked in minimum oil and kept as green as possible.

About the author:
Read About Home
Remedies
also Read about href="http://home-remedies-treatment.com/remedy-itching.htm">Home
Remedies for Itching and href="http://home-remedies-treatment.com/remedy-jaundice.htm">Hom
e Remedies for Jaundice