Social Medical » Children

EFFECTS OF WATCHING TELEVISION ON CHILDREN

Nancy — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 04:25:59 +0000

While television has brought great entertainment value to all of us and may have even at one time educated our kids, we should always remember that watching television should be monitored and modulated. If our kids become too glued to the television, they tend to pick up bad habits. They become lazy, refuse to exercise, and this can be quite damaging to their health. They tend to separate themselves from the outside world and refuse to make new friends. Sometimes, they may even avoid family time and refuse to do their homework. To them, the television is their friend as it entertains them. So the best way to avoid this is to make sure that our children do not stay too glued to the television. Encourage them to go out and play, exercise their limbs and body. While watching television is good, watching too much of it should not be tolerated.

Oil what? How?!!?

Nancy — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 13:55:44 +0000

Oil Pulling is an age old tradition followed in Indian households from the times of ayurveda. This is a therapy that is practiced by swishing and swirling of about 10ml of cold pressed Sesame seed oil in the mouth for about 20 minutes till the oil turns into a white watery liquid that has lost all its viscosity.

This results in cleaner teeth free of all the germs hidden between the teeth. This practice has been re-popularized in modern times by Dr Karach of Ukraine who had declared in a medical conference that he had practiced oilpulling and saw relief from some of the un-curable diseases on him. Oil pulling is gaining popularity in India as there is a company that sells Sesame oil suitable for Oil Pulling in sachets with just the quantity required. Numerous websites, blogs on the benefits of oil pulling and also to evoke discussion on the same. I have personally practiced oil pulling and find that my teeth actually get whiter and my gums get fresher. People claim that oil pulling has cured them of diseases such as Asthma, etc.

Online Diagnosis is Convenient, But Not Always Credible

Sarah — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 18:48:32 +0000

I had a friend of mine recently joke with me about how after she lost her health insurance; she had to resort to Googling her symptoms when she had a problem. But apparently she isn’t the only patient seeking the internet’s “expertise”.
A recent study done by Scarborough Research found that over half of teens use the internet as the primary way of diagnosing their illnesses. And only 75 percent of people are verifying the credibility of the information they find.
Online, you can find a range of diagnosis services, that allow you type in your symptoms and find possible causes. But with this convenience, comes the need for caution and careful evaluation of the information being given.
Sites like Yahoo and Wiki offer users a platform to post threads, a place where many divulge their health questions, and get answers from other users. Although sometimes it’s beneficial to hear from someone who has experienced the same symptoms as you, only a doctor can accurately assess your ailments. Things like your medical history need to be taken into consideration when diagnosing, something a computer program may overlook.
A big problem with online diagnosing is that a range of symptoms can be caused by a range of health problems. A search for “abdominal pain” or “stomach discomfort” could lead to a range of illnesses such as indigestion to colon cancer.
All in all, neither you nor the internet is a trained and licensed physician. So take the information you find with a grain of salt. Verify its credibility and if the problems are really serious, you should go see a doctor for proper diagnosis and treatment.

About Croup With Children

Sarah — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 19:54:22 +0000

Croup is a condition that causes an inflammation of the upper airways — the voice box (larynx) and windpipe (trachea). It often leads to a barking cough or hoarseness, especially when a child cries.

Most cases of croup are caused by viruses. Those involved are usually parainfluenza virus (which accounts for most cases), adenovirus, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Croup is most common — and symptoms are most severe — in children 6 months to 3 years old, but can affect older kids, too.

Most cases of viral croup are mild and can be treated at home, though rarely it can be severe and even life-threatening. Some children are more prone to developing croup when they get a viral upper respiratory infection.

The term spasmodic croup refers to a type of croup that develops quickly and may happen in a child with a mild cold. The barking cough usually begins at night and is not accompanied by fever. Spasmodic croup has a tendency to come back again (recur).

Symptoms are treated the same for either form of croup.

Signs and Symptoms

At first, a child may have cold symptoms, like a stuffy or runny nose and a fever. As the upper airway (the lining of the windpipe and the voice box) becomes progressively inflamed and swollen, the child may become hoarse, with a harsh, barking cough. This loud cough, which is characteristic of croup, often sounds like the barking of a seal.

If the upper airway becomes increasingly swollen, it becomes even more difficult for a child to breathe, and you may hear a high-pitched or squeaking noise when a child inhales (this is called stridor). A child also may tend to breathe very fast and might have retractions (when the skin between the ribs pulls in during breathing). In the most serious cases, a child may appear pale or have a bluish tinge around the mouth due to a lack of oxygen.

Symptoms of croup are often worse at night and when children are upset or crying. Besides the effects on the upper airway, the viruses that cause croup can cause inflammation farther down the airway and affect the bronchi (large breathing tubes that connect to the windpipe).