Health Tips

                       Rheumatic Fever Rheumatic fever is more commonly found in developing countries. Due to cross sensitivity reaction due to group A & B haemolytic Strep. Develops 2-3 weeks after a streptococcal throat infection (U.R.T.I) Upper  respiratory tract infection. Exact pathogen is not known. Oedema and fibrinoid of collagen. Aggregation of lymphocytes and macrophages Aschoff's bodies form Mac Callam's plagues. Streptococcal Sore Throat  need to be handled carefully because, left untreated, it can lead to rheumatic fever with involvement of the joints and the heart. Symptoms :  The patient has fever, a sore throat, pus points on the tonsils, and enlargement of the lymph nodes below the jaw, but no running nose, cough or redness of eyes. Treatment :  You doctor may like to take a throat swab and do a blood test (A.S.O titre) to further substantiate the diagnosis Children with tonsillitis are  given a course of antibiotic.   Introduction Rheumatic fever can be a

                                    Rabies Introduction Rabies is a serious disease, that gives rise to difficulty in swallowing, convulsions and death. It results from an infected animal like a dog,, a cat, a monkey , or a bat or a fox. Bites from all these animals should be taken seriously and the following steps should be undertaken. Step 1 Tie the animal up if possible for close observation for a period of 10 days. If the animal is healthy after this period there is no cause for concern. This is true of a cat or a dog. But a bite from a wild animal like bat or a fox should be taken more seriously. If it is possible such a wild animal has to be killed immediately, and its brain examined to see if it is infected with the rabies virus. Step 2 Wash the site with soap and water for at least 10 minutes. This is the most important step. If the wound is bleeding , check the bleeding by firm, constant pressure.  Step 3 Do not cover the wound. Step 4 Contact your doctor immediately. In the m

                        Premature Baby Introduction The babies who are born before the expected time  are called premature babies. They normally weight less than 2.5 kg at birth.  But in our country , quite a few babies who are born at the  expected time also weight less than 2.5 kg. All  low birth weight babies, especially those below 1.8 kg and those born 2 months before full term need special care in the hospital. A warm environment, protection from infection and adequate nutrition are the most important steps in the management of a premature baby. Because of less fat, a premature baby can become cold. For warmth the baby is either kept in an incubator  or in a heated room.  The baby's head and feet must be well covered.  Another good way to keep the baby warm  is to let him sleep  with the mother.  She can also carry the baby  next to her body , inside her cloths, between her breast, in what is called 'kangaroo position'.  The baby should be sponged not bathed till he w

                                Poliomyelitis  Introduction  Polio is caused by  any one of three types of viruses- type 1, 2  or 3. The extent of the illness varies from child to child. Fortunately 90% to 95% of affected children who get the infection do not manifest any symptoms. A few may just get a little fever or stiffness in the neck and back. Paralysis of muscles is seen in less than 1% of cases. The child may completely recover from the paralysis or may be left with some degree of handicap. Serious cases may involve the brain and muscles of respiration. Treatment If you suspect poliomyelitis, show the child to the doctor  as soon as possible. Those attending to the child  must wash their hands properly, especially, after handling the baby's stools. https://madhuchhandacdmo.blogspot.com/2021/02/poliomyelitis.html

                                Poisoning Introduction Steps to be taken if you suspect that your child  has been handling some poisonous substance or has consumed them. Step 1 Remove the poisonous substance from his system. If he has some of it  in his mouth, remove it from your fingers. If the child can understand ask him to spit it out. Preserve this stuff along with the poisonous substance that is in his hand or is lying near him. Your doctor needs to check its contents. If the child had spilled some poisonous substance in his body, remove the cloths, and pour cold water on his skin as you would in managing, a case of burns. If the poison gone into the eyes, wash it with water. Keep washing the eye for about 15 minutes. Step 2 After taking these steps, call your doctor and ask him if you should make the child vomit. His advice is needed because vomiting is not advisable if the child had swallowed acids used for cleaning the toilet sink or alkalies used for washing dishes. In such c

                              Pneumonia                                                    "Pneumonia may be preventable." Introduction Pneumonia can be due to several causes. Viral, bacterial, lipid, aspiration etc. ,Bacterial pneumonia is common. It must be treated promptly. Suspect this condition if the child's condition is faster than usual. A breathing rate of 50 or more  per minute in an infant, 40 or more in the child between 1 and 5 years, and more than 30 in an older child should be taken seriously. Pneumonia may start with fever , a stuffy nose, or cough. In an infant, temperature may be around 39 degrees C.  He will be restless, have fast breathing and  look quite sick. He may also develop cynosis with blue lips and nails and noisy breathing. The spaces between the lower ribs  may go in when  the child breaths.. The fever in an older child will be even higher (40.5 C or more). He may also have chills and cough out blood tinged sputum. He may complain of pain on

                                   Nose Nose : Window of your brain Nose Related Problems Epistaxis (Bleeding From The Nose) Nose Bleeds can occur because of direct injury to the nose and due to nose picking. Sometimes, it may also be a manifestation of a generalized bleeding disorder, or because of an infection or a foreign body in the nose. Treatment Steps 1 Do not show any panic. Let the child sit up in bed or on a chair or on the floor. He should be leaning slightly forward. Steps 2 Pinch the nose for at least 10 minutes. The child can open his mouth if  he likes. Often, the nose bleeding will stop with this procedure. Steps 3 If bleeding continues, try to get in touch with a doctor. In a mean while, take some cotton, roll it into a thick wad large enough to occupy the nostril which is bleeding. Leave a part of this wad of cotton outside the nose. If some hydrogen peroxide is available, moisten the cotton with it  or lubricate it with  Vaseline.  But do not waste precious time  sea

                Influenza/Flu/ Seasonal Fever The Flu/   epidemic catarrh ,  la grippe/  Grippe/Severe cold/ sweating sickness/Spanish fever            "COUGH, SNEEZE, FEVER, REPEAT? YOU MAY HAVE THE FLU." The word  influenza  comes from the Italian word  influenza , from medieval Latin  influentia , originally meaning "visitation" or "influence", meaning "influence of the cold".   Since the mid-1800s,  influenza  has also been used to refer to severe colds. Influenza/ ( flu ) is a highly contagious viral infection of the respiratory tract that can cause severe illness and life-threatening complications. Seasonal influenza outbreaks each year causes 3 -5  million deaths globally, estimates the WHO. If there is a mismatch between the  vaccine and the circulating influenza strains, effectiveness falls further. Very common more than 10million cases per year (India). Spreads easily.  5–10% of adults and 20–30% of children contract influenza each year