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How To Bring Down A High Fever In Children

admin — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 00:00:00 +0000

When you have a child that has an extremely high fever, there are a few things that a parent can do to keep the temperature down, or at least keep it regulated at the level if is already at. So, one thing to do is to feed them the right foods, and to give them the right liquids to drink, in order to keep their body in line. You will find that the right nutrition and nutrients when a child is sick, are things that have to be done. You will also want to find that when your child has a higher temperature, you are going to want to find a warm bath, or a colder bath, depending on how the child’s temperature is. And you will find that the longer they have a higher fever, the more you are going to have to care for those things. When the temperature starts to go down immediately, there are a few things to consider as well. If the temperature does not go down after a few days, the parent is going to want to take the child to see a doctor or physician, in order for them to get it down.

What To Do If Your Child Has A Seizure

admin — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Nothing evokes feelings of vulnerability in parents more than watching their child in an uncomfortable or painful situation. While seizures in children are not commonplace, they do happen. Close to 10 percent of children will experience a seizure during childhood. Knowing what to do if your child has a seizure will help give your child the best care possible.

First, stay calm. Resisting the urge to panic will help you keep a level head and objective mind. Seizures are not indefinite conditions. Often, they pass as suddenly as they arrive. Remaining calm in the midst of an uncomfortable situation will allow you to provide care for your child that you would be otherwise unable to do in a panicked state.

Secondly, seek medical attention. Whether your child has a history of seizures, or it is your child’s first, the occurrence needs to be brought to the attention of your child’s pediatrician. Prompt notification will help your doctor determine the root cause of the seizure and set a course of treatment in motion. In most cases, an electroencephalogram will be ordered to look at brain activity.

If the seizure persists longer than 5 minutes, it is advised to call 911 immediately as this duration may signal more serious underlying problems.

What Types Of Preventative Medicine Are Available For Seizures

admin — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Oftentimes, seizures arise from serious health conditions and can be scary to the person experiencing them and their family and friends. These occurences can effect a person’s everyday life, including driving, working, and regular functioning. Thus, it is important to prevent seizures before they even begin in attempt to minimize the traumatic consequences of these occurrences.

The most difficult aspect of choosing a preventative seizure medication that works is discovering exactly which type and combinations of medications work best for each individual patient. Each patient’s body functions in a unique manner, which makes methods of trial and error the best option for preventing seizures. While seizure medication can not “fix” the problem of having seizures, it can help patients to control them better.

Therefore, the most common type of preventative medications for seizures are antiepileptic drugs, which are unique for specific types of epilepsy. These drugs go through rigorous and extensive testing before they are made available. Many AEDs can cause unpleasant side effects, such as dizziness, vomiting, and fatigue. However, for patients experiencing seizures, the benefits often outweight the side effects. Additional illnesses and preferred method of delivery should also be taken into consideration when choosing preventative seizure medication.

What Are The Different Types Of Seizures In Children

admin — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Seizures are an irregular electrical discharge that occurs from within the brain. It affects a focal spot of the brain and or the entire brain. The part of the brain where the seizures occur ultimately loses the regular ability of the function, which could react uncontrollably

For instance, if the part of the brain that controls your arm has a seizure in that area than the arm could repetitively shake throughout the seizure. If the brain is affected entirely this causes all extremities to shake uncontrollably during the seizure. Once a child is diagnosis of Epilepsy, this means a seizure disorder which both are the same meanings. The diagnosis given when the child has more than two seizures than they are a patient with epilepsy and can be put on medication to help slow or stop the seizures.

There are different types of seizures that a child could have. For example, each type has separate actions during, before, or after a seizure in a child. The two most common names called Focal and Generalized. Focal involves limited amount of regions in the brain. Additionally, Generalized has several different names of the types of seizures that can occur while the child is suffering from seizures. Generalized means the entire brain becomes affected. During a seizure in children and can usually cause loss of consciousness.

If your child suffers with Focal (partial) seizures, they will have symptoms such as

Motor signs as uncontrolled muscle movements
Somosensory or special sensory symptoms such as smell and vision
Autonomic symptoms – nausea, blood pressure change
All of the above and more depending on the localized area of the brain affected.

If your child has Generalized seizures these symptoms can be

Absence seizures – staring for seconds before returning to full function of their body again
Myoclonic seizures – rapid muscle jerks caused by
Benign Myoclonic epilepsy – very rare that can start at the age of four-months old
Severe Myoclonic epilepsy – results from progressive brain damage
Lenox-Glastaut syndrome – A severe epileptic disorder
Clonic seizures
Tonic seizures
Clonic tonic seizures
Atomic seizures
Unclassified epileptic seizures

As you read above there are several different names under the Generalized Epileptic disorder. This is due to the whole brain affected and the different classifications of the seizures are the severities and the affects it takes on while the child is having the seizure.

What Causes Children To Have Heart Problems And Why

admin — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Heart problems in children may not be the leading cause of death in the United States but it is in adults. There is a death from a heart problem every few seconds in the United States. The key to preventing a problem later in life is trying to make sure that you do everything you can when your children are younger.

Some of the things you can do to help your child have a healthy heart all throughout life are making sure they are physically active and within a healthy weight for their height and age. Also, make sure that your children are eating the right foods so they do not end up with high blood pressure or high cholesterol. When you are eating right and being physically active you are going to have children who are going to have a strong heart to carry them through life. Not to mention the habits that they learn will last them a lifetime.

Another key factor is to make sure that your children are not smokers. Smoking is a huge factor in heart disease and can affect them for the rest of their life. Prevention is key regardless of what type of problem you are dealing with.

What Are The Best Finger Foods For Toddlers

admin — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0000

The toddler is a very picky eater. For this reason, you need to make sure the food your toddler does eat is very nutritional. It is also essential to take the texture of the food into consideration. The toddler needs food high in vitamin A and C, fiber, iron, and essential fats. Some good finger food choices include: sweet potatoes, peas, apples, soft meat, eggs, fish, and iron rich cereals such as Cheerios. Soft fruits and veggies are a good food choice for the toddler as well. Cantaloupe, watermelon, mango, bananas, pears and broccoli are great. Fish like salmon are very crucial for brain development. Calcium is also important so make sure your toddler gets cheese and beans. Small food such as corn and green beans are great for your toddler to help with his pincher grasp. Your toddler can progress his small motor skills while enjoying a meal. Remember to also make the food soft and cut into small pieces for the toddler. Try to offer a variety of finger foods to keep your toddler’s interest. To make eating fun, you can cut the finger food up into different shapes for your toddler. Eating for the toddler should be entertaining and nourishing.You thought this was good? Brace yourself: How to Get Picky Eaters to Try New Foods

Vitamins You Can Take With Confidence

admin — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 00:00:00 +0000

There’s something to be said for taking supplements but there’s been a lot of bad press in the last few years about vitamins and their health effects. If you’ve seen one too many shows on Direct TV about what to take and not to take, rest assured the following supplements will do you good:
Vitamin E: It’s great for your hair and nails and there’s some evidence it can contribute to good heart health, too. It’s one of the cheapest vitamins on the market and it shouldn’t have any adverse effects on your other medications.
Prenatal Vitamins: Women should be taking prenatal vitamins regardless of whether or not they’re trying to get pregnant. More so than any other supplement, prenatals are great for overall health and can do wonders for blood as well. They’re expensive but research shows they’re worth it.
Vitamin D: One of the only vitamins we’re only now starting to be deficient in and it’s because the sun has long been our primary source of Vitamin D. If you’re extra careful about sun exposure you may want to consider taking D Vitamins.

Are Children Born With Anemia Why Or Why Not

admin — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0000

There are multiple types of anemia, so the question necessarily becomes: “are they all hereditary?” The basic definition of anemia is an abnormality in the formation of, or the premature death of red blood cells. For example, sickle-cell disease is when red cells carry abnormal hemoglobin (an oxygen-carrying protein) resulting in anemia when large numbers of them die. Pernicious anemia is the result of insufficient amounts of vitamin B12 being absorbed by the intestines. Sickle-cell disease is genetic and pernicious anemia is not (but may be a result of a different genetic condition). If an anemia has a genetic component it does not mean that the disorder will manifest in the individual in every case-only that the abnormality may lead to an anemia if the gene that controls its expression allows it. Some other types of hereditary anemia are the thalassemias; Fanconi’s anemia, and congenital dyserythropoietic anemia. Anemia is a general term describing a common complex of symptoms. There are other types of anemia not mentioned here, some that are hereditary and some that are not, but any anemia can be serious and deserves attention regardless of whether a person is born with it or acquires it by other means.

What Is The Best Age To Start Potty Training

admin — Sat, 09 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Children start potty training at different ages. It all just depends on how fast they are growing and catching on to things. There is no set age that children should be potty training by. Children’s motor skills, bladder and bowel control, emotional and social awareness, and cognitive and verbal development all play a role in potty training. If they are not potty trained by a certain age, there is nothing to be worried about. Some children do not get potty trained until they are 3 or 4 at the most. Some children can start as early as 1 and 2. Every child develops differently than others.
If you have any questions, you can always talk to your doctor to make sure that your child is developing properly. As long as they are developing properly, there is not age limit to their potty training. If you feel your child is comfortable enough to start potty training, then you should give it a try. It never hurts to try. If they are not ready for it, you can always wait a little longer, and then try it again. Potty training is definitely an experience as well as a challenge for most parents.

When Should A Parent Potty Train Their Child

admin — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Potty training a child is part of growing up. The process also brings relief the parents. The child may find the idea of diapers convenient, but they are messy and not environmentally friendly Unless the parent uses cloth or biodegradable diapers, the discarded disposable diapers will sit in a landfill for centuries.

Opinions on when to potty train a child vary. Some sources suggest waiting until the child is ready. A book will occasionally recommend waiting for the child to show an interest in the toilet. The decision on when to teach a child to learn to use the potty is ultimately up to the parent, but it generally occurs when the child is about two years old.

When a parent decides to potty train his child, he has several options to choose from. Many parents will force a child through the process. Forcing a child to learn to use the restroom takes time. As long as the training is done gently, it does not have any impact on the child’s later life, despite the opinions of Sigmund Freud and his followers. A parent should complete the process long before the child grows out of diapers and training pants. It will save the parent money and it will save the child embarrassment.