MANAGING ABDOMINAL PAIN IN CHILDREN

Mummy, my tummy is paining me, Daddy my tummy is paining me. I ve got a sore tummy – This is a common complaint in children. Parents may sometimes not need to be concerned, but they should take such children to the doctor if the stomach pain are severe or doesn’t go away, or if a child also seems generally ill.

Causes of stomach pain or ache

The term ‘stomach ache’ is used to cover any and all types of pain experienced in the abdominal area but anyone who has suffered a stomach ache knows that one stomach ache can be quite different from another.  Not only can a stomach ache occur high up under the ribs or down low in the guts, but it can also be experienced as campy and gurgling or sharp and stitch-like.

Stomach  pain in children is very often caused by excessive gas and  indigestion, which may not be that serious.

A sore tummy might also be a sign of infections like food poisoning, gastroenteritis, pneumonia or urinary tract infections.

Severe stomach pain might be caused by more serious or surgical illnesses like appendicitis or intussusceptions, which is when part of the gut slides into or over itself.

Tummy pain that keeps coming back might be associated with constipation, food intolerances or inflammation in the gut.

Symptoms

The symptoms that come with stomach pain might include nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, fever, constipation, bloating and loss of appetite. These also vary depending on the underlying cause of the stomach pain.

A sore tummy is more likely to be a sign of something serious if it wakes the child up, or if the pain is in a specific area of the abdomen, away from your child’s belly button.

Appendicitis, the pain is usually sharp, and the pain often starts in the middle then moves to the lower right section of the abdomen. The child might also have fever, loss of appetite and vomiting.

If the stomach pain comes with loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea, the problem could be gastroenteritis or food poisoning.

Cramps and general pain might be associated with excess gas.

Tummy pain that doesn’t go away could be constipation or a urinary tract infection. If the child has a urinary tract infection, she might also have pain when urinating, urinate more than normal, and might have a fever, vomiting and feel irritable.

Tummy pain might also be associated with pneumonia or a viral infection. In this case, your child will probably also have a fever, cough and possibly a sore throat.

In all types of stomach pain, there’s a risk that the child will become dehydrated and should be watched for signs of dehydration like sunken eyes, less urination, lethargy and weight loss,

Treatment

Encourage your child to lie down quietly for 20 minutes. Lying flat on his back with his knees bent is the best position Small to ease a tummy ache. Regular sips of water can help ease a tummy ache – be careful though not to let your child drink too much too fast as this can make the pain worse and can result in vomiting.

Gently massaging your child’s stomach in a slow clockwise direction which follows the direction of the digestive system can help soothe a stomach ache. Sit on the toilet. Encourage your child to sit on the toilet for longer than a minute! Aside from the obvious benefits, the position he maintains while sitting on the toilet is an effective way of dispelling painful gas.

Don’t give your child any medications for  stomach ache without consulting your doctor first. Laxatives can make a stomach ache worse by upsetting the bowels. Painkillers can mask more serious symptoms.

Most stomach aches will resolve themselves naturally and they are not the symptom of anything more serious than a little gas, but there are times when a stomach ache should not be ignored.

In conclusion, parents are to immediately take their children to the hospital if they noticed; the stomach ache is severe in the abdomen; the stomach ache becomes worse with movement, the stomach ache lasts longer than a couple of hours, the stomach ache is regular, occurs frequently; The stomach ache is accompanied by a fever; The stomach ache is accompanied by a rash, or your child is very pale, The stomach ache results in vomiting that contains blood or is green; Your child is drowsy and floppy; Your child’s poo is black, which could indicate the presence of blood; Your child experiences pain when he urinates always check for blood in his wee; Your child is experiencing pain in the groin, scrotum or testicles (boys only)

HOW TO HANDLE TEETH GRINDING IN CHILDREN

A woman recently approached me with a question concerning her son who is fond of grinding the teeth especially at night. This was first noticed by the older children who sleep in the same room with the boy. The mother also noticed this after few sleepless nights she observed to monitor the son.
Teeth grinding medically called bruxism  is the involuntary clenching or grinding of the teeth. It generally happens during sleep, but some people experience it when they are awake. Many children have it but most outgrow it. Bruxism often happens during deep sleep phases or when children are under stress. Children will not usually be woken up by the sound of their own teeth grinding but other people in the room might be! In most cases, children who grind their teeth don’t cause any damage to their teeth. In only a few very extreme cases, where the grinding is very regular, is it likely that your child could cause damage to teeth.

Causes of Bruxism

Doctors are not always sure why bruxism happens. In some cases, Children may grind because the top and bottom teeth are not aligned properly. Others do it as a response to pain, such as from an earache or teething. They may also grind their teeth as a way to ease the pain, just as they might rub a sore muscle. Children do outgrow these fairly common causes for grinding. Some children also do this when having fever.
Stress usually nervous tension or anger is another cause. For instance, a child might worry about a test at school or a change in routine (a new sibling or a new teacher). Even arguing with parents and siblings can cause enough stress to prompt teeth grinding or jaw clenching.
Some children who are hyperactive also have bruxism. And sometimes those with other medical conditions (such as cerebral palsy) or who take certain medicines can develop bruxism.

Complications of teeth grinding

Teeth grinding can cause a range of oral health problems, which may include: cracked tooth enamel, excessive wear and tear on the teeth, broken teeth or restorations, strain on the joints and soft tissue of the jaw joint, enlargement of the jaw muscles (rare).

Signs and symptoms The signs and symptoms of teeth grinding include: grinding sounds while the person is asleep, headache, jaw joint or ear pain, aching (or ‘dancing’) teeth – particularly upon waking, aching or stiffness of the face and temples upon waking, aching or stiffness in the jaws while chewing – particularly during breakfast, clenching the jaw when angry, anxious or concentrating, sensitive teeth, cracked or chipped tooth enamel, tooth indentations on the tongue, raised tissue on the cheek caused by cheek biting, wobbly teeth.

Treatments

Most kids outgrow bruxism, but a combination of parental observation and dental visits can help keep the problem in check until they do.

In cases where the grinding and clenching make a child's face and jaw sore or damage the teeth, dentists may prescribe a special night guard moulded to a child's teeth, the night guard is similar to the protective mouthpieces worn by athletes.

Finding Out If They Have It
Determining if your child has bruxism can be tricky, because the child often doesn't realize he or she is grinding at all. Check in on them at night to discover whether they make grinding noises while asleep, or ask a sibling who shares the room with them. If your child complains of a sore jaw, or pain when chewing, these can also signal bruxism.
Is he particularly worried or angry about anything? If these emotions coincide with the sound of teeth-grinding while they sleep, it's time to pay attention. Children experience a lot of anxiety in general, and you may need to address the root cause through other medical treatment or stress-relieving interventions, like a warm bath or soothing music before bedtime.
Most Children stop grinding when they lose their baby teeth. However, a few of them do continue to grind into adolescence. And if the bruxism is caused by stress, it will continue until the stress eases.
What to Do Next
If you believe your child has bruxism, schedule a dental check up for a proper diagnosis and further treatment. Your dentist may even order a custom mouth guard for wear at night to prevent grinding and the residual soreness. Bruxism in children as a result of stress can be prevented by taking special care to help yours deal with it appropriately. The good news is most kids eventually grow out of the tendency, but it doesn't hurt to make that dentist appointment to first diagnose the problem, allowing you to then treat it the best way you can.

CARE OF CHILDREN DURING THE HARMATTAN SEASON

Harmattan season is usually a dry and dusty period associated with low humidity. Harmattan is a hot, dry and dusty wind that blows from the Sahara Desert into the Gulf of Guinea between November and the middle of March.

 As a result, the weather is harsh to the respiratory tract, hair as well as the skin. Some micro-organisms that cause diseases increase during harmattan period.

Effects of Harmattan

The dry weather conditions associated with harmattan have various health implications on humans, affecting their respiratory system, skin and eyes. There is increase in the number of people coming down with cold and cough to outbreak of a viral infection commonly referred to as flu; Ear, nose and throat are the first to be affected. Harmattan increases cases of respiratory infections such as asthma, cough, catarrh, tonsillitis, influenza, and pneumonia.

It triggers asthma, bronchitis attacks, and even meningitis.

Harmattan also worsens conditions like the sore throat, the dry air taken irritates the throat, allergy (and it worsens) as the voice changes and becomes very croaky. Harmattan also triggers sickle cell crisis in those with sickle cell anaemia. Oxygen in blood is usually reduced in extreme temperatures, like cold. Thus, patients with sickle cell anaemia should take precaution and keep warm as much as possible to prevent a crisis.

Signs and symptoms

Sneezing, cold, cough, catarrh, noisy breathing, fever, cracked lips, cracked skin, epistasix (bleeding from nostrils).

How to prevent effect of Harmattan

Parents should limit their exposure to dust. Curtains should be washed. Air-conditioners should also be serviced to avoid harmattan induced symptoms. Windows and fans should be wiped with wet rags. We should take more liquid; especially water, during harmattan to prevent dehydration and heatstroke. Parents can do steam inhalation for the children. The moisture will help to sooth the nose, sinuses as well as the lungs. Parents should observe and ensure high level of personal hygiene as the infection is often spread from person to person through sneezing and coughing. The best way to prevent the flu is by getting vaccinated each year.

Treatment

Over the counter drugs like antipyretics, analgesics, vitamins and antihistamines are sometimes recommended for symptomatic reliefs. Complications especially by a superimposing bacterial infection are treated with appropriate antibiotics. Bacterial pneumonia, dehydration, asthmatic attacks, sinus problems, ear infections, epistasix and other worsening chronic medical conditions are treated in the hospitals.

How to protect yourself from Harmattan

Bathe Children with warm water. This protects against direct cold, and many children seem to love it! You can also decide to put some Mentholatum on their chests and the soles of their feet at night to stay warm.

With every diaper change, you may want to moisturize their buttocks. Some mothers do this with shea butter. After a warm bath, apply Rub on the sides, chest and feet. This keeps them warm.

The skin can be kept healthy by application of oily creams and weather friendly clothing. Lip balms or the application of Vaseline to the soles of the feet will prevent them from cracking.

Wearing warm clothes will keep you warm and protect us from the severe cold. Proper eye hygiene by rinsing with clean water and reducing the exposure to the dust by wearing protective spectacles is advised.

This is a season to have an extra layer on; usually in the mornings when it is very cold you might want to wear a singlet or undershirt under their clothes. Also let them have a sweater handy at all times and they can cress up or down as the weather gets hotter during the day.

For the girls, please ensure that their hair is made and to keep it moisturized. You might want to let them spend more time in the house at this time to protect them from the dry, dusty air during Harmattan.

Asthma patients should pay special attention to their health and take all possible and practicable measures to reduce exposure to the dusty atmosphere and they should carry their inhalers with them at all times. Sickle cell patients should be vigilant and keep warm as much as possible to prevent crisis.

The weather is very deceptive, this minute, it is very hot, the next minute, it is cold; or the sun is shining, yet there is a chill in the air. Parents need a lot of wisdom when it comes to taking care of their children during harmattan. Give them lots of water to drink and fruits to eat as this help to build their immunity.

Find ways to make warm interesting for them; warm food, warm tea, this is a season to stay away from ice cream and chilled water.

Vitamin supplementation for children to boost their immunity against infections!

HOW TO TAKE CARE OF A CHILD WITH ALLERGY

A young boy usually scratches the eyes with watery secretions anytime he resumes at the boarding school; the itching used to be so bad that he normally ends up with red eyes and severe nasal secretions. On a particular day he sneezes for over 1 hour and was excused from the classroom. The parents were called to pick up the boy. This has badly affected the boy’s performance since he is  not always comfortable in the classroom. This is just one in many cases of allergic reactions, other includes allergic skin conditions,atopic dermatitis,ulticaria rash etc

Allergy is defined as an immune-mediated inflammatory response to common environmental allergens that are otherwise harmless.s

Allergic diseases include allergic rhinitis and asthma; food and stinging insect allergies leading to anaphylaxis; and allergic dermatitis, Urticaria rash, eczema and allergic rhinitis.

 The manifestation of allergic diseases changes throughout life: food allergies and eczema are most likely to develop in infants, asthma in young children, and rhinitis in older children and adults

Things that people are commonly allergic to include: Tree and grass pollens, house dust mite., animals, especially domestic pets such as cats and dogs. insect venom such as that contained in wasp and bee stings, medicines, foods, such as nuts and eggs, chemicals such as latex.

SYMPTOMS

Rhinitis (inflammation of the nose). This causes runny nose or nasal congestion and sneezing.

Conjunctivitis (inflammation of the eyes). This leads to watering, itching and a hot feeling in the eyes.

Skin rashes. The typical allergic rash is an urticarial rash - also known as hives or nettle rash. It is very itchy. Flushing of the skin is also common.

Angio-oedema. This is swelling of the tissues, and can include the lips, tongue, throat and eyelids. It can start with a tingling feeling. Angio-oedema is potentially very serious, as airway obstruction can occur (and so breathing might stop). People might have difficulty talking or swallowing.

Breathing difficulties. This includes wheezing, chest tightness and breathlessness, and can occur in severe allergic reactions and anaphylaxis. It can be life-threatening.

Cardiovascular collapse. This can cause death. It is the end stage of anaphylaxis. The chemicals released by the body in an extreme allergic reaction can make blood pressure drop dramatically. This can lead to loss of consciousness and to cardiac arrest (the heart stops). Resuscitation is required.

Other symptoms. These can include a sense of impending doom, abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, and palpitations.

INVESTIGATIONS.

Skin prick testing

Blood specific IgE : It can be used to diagnose all types of allergies, but is generally less sensitive than skin prick testing.

PREVENTIONS

Careful avoidance of the specific allergens: This is the primary form of treatment for food allergies and some stinging insect allergies, as avoidance can be a very effective strategy if patients are well educated about precautionary measures.

The most effective methods for primary prevention of allergic disease in children that can currently be recommended is breastfeeding.

TREATMENT

There is increasing evidence that appropriate treatment of allergies can prevent and alter the natural history of allergic diseases.

Patients with intermittent symptoms are often treated adequately with oral antihistamines.

Short courses of oral corticosteroids may also provide relief.

Daily use of an antihistamine, decongestant, or both can be considered

Ocular antihistamine drops (for eye symptoms).

 Intranasal antihistamine sprays for rhinitis

FACTS ABOUT HEPATITIS B VIRUS

HEPATITIS B is a contagious Liver disease which is caused by the infection of HBV virus. At first, infected person develops acute infection with mild illness which can progress to chronic infection which can lead to Liver cirrhosis, Liver cancer and sometime death. SYMPTOMS: Loss of appetite, fever, pains of muscles, joint and stomach diarrhea, vomiting and dark urine. SPREAD: when blood, semen, vaginal fluid, sweat of infected person enters your body by either of these; sexual contact or work related. The virus can live on the object and is contagious for 7 days or more and even in dried form. So even if you do not see the blood, semen or other body fluid that could be virus on the object. FACTS ABOUT HEPATITIS B VIRUS Hepatitis B is 100 times more contagious than HIV Hepatitis B if not treated can lead to Liver cirrhosis and Liver damage 19 million Nigerians are infected by Hepatitis B Hepatitis B can be prevented in 98 to 100 % of patient Hepatitis B prevention is very safe and affordable You need 3 doses for life time protection against Hepatitis B.

HUMAN PAPILLOMA VIRUS VACCINE (CERVICAL CANCER VACCINE)

HPV(HUMANPAPILLOMAVIRUS)VACCINE
Cervarix®
W H A T Y O U N E E D T O K N O W

1 What is HPV?
Genital human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted virus in the United States. More than half of sexually active men and women are infected with HPV at some time in their lives. About 20 million Americans are currently infected, and about 6 million more get infected each year. HPV is usually spread through sexual contact. Most HPV infections don’t cause any symptoms, and go away on their own. But HPV can cause cervical cancer in women. Cervical cancer is the 2nd leading cause of cancer deaths among women around the world. In the United States, about 10,000 women get cervical cancer every year and about 4,000 are expected to die from it. HPV is also associated with several less common cancers, such as vaginal and vulvar cancers in women and other types of cancer in both men and women. It can also cause genital warts and warts in the throat. There is no cure for HPV infection, but some of the problems it causes can be treated.

2 HPV vaccine - Why get vaccinated?
HPV vaccine is important because it can prevent most cases of cervical cancer in females, if it is given before a person is exposed to the virus.
Protection from HPV vaccine is expected to be long-lasting. But vaccination is not a substitute for cervical cancer screening. Women should still get regular Pap tests.
The vaccine you are getting is one of two HPV vaccines that can be given to prevent cervical cancer. It is given to females only.
The other vaccine may be given to both males and females. It can also prevent most genital warts. It has also been shown to prevent some vaginal, vulvar and anal cancers.

3 Who should get this HPVvaccine and when?
Routine Vaccination
• HPV vaccine is recommended for girls 11 or 12 years of age. It may be given to girls starting at age 9. Why is HPV vaccine given to girls at this age? It is important for girls to get HPV vaccine before their first sexual contact – because they won’t have been exposed to human papillomavirus. Once a girl or woman has been infected with the virus, the vaccine might not work as well or might not work at all. Catch-Up Vaccination • The vaccine is also recommended for girls and women 13 through 26 years of age who did not get all 3 doses when they were younger.

HPV VACCINE



HPV vaccine is given as a 3-dose series
1st DoseNow
2nd Dose1 to 2 months after Dose 1
3rd Dose 6 months after Dose 1
Additional (booster) doses are not recommended.
HPV vaccine may be given at the same time as other vaccines.

Anyone who has ever had a life-threatening allergic reaction to any component of HPV vaccine, or to a previous dose of HPV vaccine, should not get the vaccine. Tell your doctor if the person getting vaccinated has any severe allergies, including an allergy to latex.
•
HPV vaccine is not recommended for pregnant women. However, receiving HPV vaccine when pregnant is not a reason to consider terminating the pregnancy. Women who are breast feeding may get the vaccine.
• People who are mildly ill when a dose of HPV vaccine is planned can still be vaccinated. People with a moderate or severe illness should wait until they are better.
5 What are the risks from this vaccine?
This HPV vaccine has been in use around the world for several years and has been very safe. However, any medicine could possibly cause a serious problem, such as a severe allergic reaction. The risk of any vaccine causing a serious injury, or death, is extremely small. Life-threatening allergic reactions from vaccines are very rare. If they do occur, it would be within a few minutes to a few hours after the vaccination. Several mild to moderate problems are known to occur with HPV vaccine. These do not last long and go away on their own. • Reactions where the shot was given: - Pain (about 9 people in 10) - Redness or swelling (about 1 person in 2) • Other mild reactions: - Fever of 99.5°F or higher (about 1 person in 8) - Headache or fatigue (about 1 person in 2) - Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or abdominal pain (about 1 person in 4) - Muscle or joint pain (up to 1 person in 2) • Fainting: Brief fainting spells and related symptoms (such as jerking movements) can happen after any medical procedure, including vaccination. Sitting or lying down for about 15 minutes after a vaccination can help prevent fainting and injuries caused by falls. Tell your doctor if the patient feels dizzy or light-headed, or has vision changes or ringing in the ears. Like all vaccines, HPV vaccines will continue to be monitored for unusual or severe problems.
6 What if there is a severe reaction?
What should I look for? Serious allergic reactions including rash; swelling of the hands and feet, face, or lips; and breathing diffi culty. What should I do? • Call a doctor, or get the person to a doctor right
away.
• Tell the doctor what happened, the date and time it happened, and when the vaccination was given. • Ask your doctor to report the reaction by filing a Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) form.

Gardasil: This is also recommended for young boys and male young adults.

HEALTHY DIET