|
|
 |
|
|
|
| |
H
HIV / AIDS
An HIV positive woman can transmit the virus to her baby during pregnancy, labour, delivery and breastfeeding. There is a 20 to 45% chance she will infect her baby if she takes no preventive drugs and breastfeeds. Modern drugs are highly effective at preventing HIV transmission during pregnancy and delivery. A complete course of treatment, including formula feeding, can cut the risk of transmission to below 2%. Even when resources are limited, a single dose of medicine given to the mother and baby can cut the risk of transmission in half.
In addition to drugs, caesarian sections are often performed when a woman is HIV positive. This helps protect the baby from direct contact with the Mum’s blood and bodily fluids.
Antiretroviral (ARV) drugs are prescribed to HIV positive pregnant women. These are the same drugs that are given to any HIV positive person.
For support, contact:
National AIDS Helpline: 0800 567 123
Positively Women: 020 7713 0444
Go to Terrence Higgins Trust for advice.
Head Lice and Nits
Head lice are small parasitic insects. They are passed from person to person by direct head to head contact with an infected person’s hair. Occasionally, head lice are transferred through shared combs, hats or other hair accessories, but this is not a very prevalent way it spreads. You may notice the nits on your child’s head. They appear to be small, oval shaped eggs. This is exactly what they are. Children offer the lice the more attractive home than adults. Contrary to a once strongly held belief that head lice is a sign of a dirty home environment or an underclass scourge, head lice do not differentiate between economic spheres or poorly kept homes.
Once it has been confirmed that your child has head lice, there are a number of over-the-counter shampoos and treatments available that are safe and effective. If it’s a bad infestation, it may be necessary to use these treatments more than once. It is also a good idea to wash all the bedding, towels and hair implements in the house. In addition to chemical treatments, the lice can be removed manually, but this is extremely time consuming. Evidence that your child does in fact have head lice can be:
- Persistent itching of the head
- Lice in the hair
- Nits or eggs in the hair
- Light colored fecal specs on the collar
Head Lice: complimentary therapies
If you are nervous about using the over the counter chemical solutions in your child’s hair, there are a number of home remedies which may work equally as well. Try using mineral oil or baby oil. There is also an oil called tea tree oil that you can get from your local health food store that the lice and nits will stick to. This will make combing them out easier for you. Other types of oil that have shown to be successful in the removal of head lice are eucalyptus oil or vegetable oil. Use 15 drops of the eucalyptus or tea tree oil and massage into your child’s hair. Leave it on her head for about a half hour and then rinse. Repeat the entire process seven days later for the best results. When using vegetable oil, use 35ml. The types of combs that seem to work best are metal, fine tooth variety combs.
You could also use a solution of 2 drops geranium oil, 2 drops lavender oil, and 25ml vegetable oil. Massage the solution into your child’s hair and leave it there for a half hour. Then repeat a week later.
Head Lice: Facts
The facts about head lice are as follows:
- There is no known method of prevention
- Their means of transport is crawling, therefore, they cannot jump from head to head
- Head lice do not discriminate between long and short hair
- Itching is not always an indication of head lice, they do not always cause itching
- They do not cause any chronic health problems
- Having head lice is not a reason to be ashamed
- Household pets are not carriers of head lice
- They cannot live on objects such as pillows or clothes for very long, however, it is a good idea to wash everything
Head Lice: Insecticides
There are extremely powerful insecticides available from your pharmacist that kills head lice. This chemical substance may be dangerous for pregnant women, babies under six months of age, and people who have chronic scalp problems. Some strains of head lice have actually become immune to particular types of insecticides so it is advisable to discuss which kind you will be using with your doctor or pharmacist.
Head Lice: Let People Know
In order to prevent the spread of head lice in your community, you need to let others know that you or your child has it. It is important that you alert anyone that you have come into contact with including grandparents, school, and other parents in order to alert the community.
Head Lice: Wet Combing
The method for combing out head lice while hair is wet is as follows:
- Wash the child’s hair and do not dry it
- A conditioner that is creamy will help you locate the head lice and nits making it easier to comb them out
- Divide the hair into sections with clips to help comb it
- Comb hair from root to tip with a special head lice comb. These are metal and can be found at your local pharmacy
- Take any lice or nits from the comb as you are combing
- Make sure that you comb the entire head
- Repeat the entire process every three days until the head lice are gone
Hypospadias
Hypospadias is a birth defect most commonly found in boys. They are born with the urinary tract opening not at the top of the penis, but instead it is situated on the underside of the penis shaft. It occurs in 4 out of every 1,000 births. Additionally, there is a family connection associated with hypospadias; there is a 20% greater chance of being born with the condition if it exists in the baby’s family. The condition can be treated with surgery. Circumcision should be carried out prior to the surgery to correct the problem as the foreskin may be used in the procedure.
Heartburn (Mum)
Heartburn is one of the more unpleasant side effects of pregnancy. Though it is common and quite harmless, it can be very uncomfortable. If you are feeling a burning sensation that extends from the bottom of your breastbone to your lower throat, chances are you are experiencing heartburn. Hormonal and physical changes in your body are the culprits and unfortunately, you will find that the symptoms come and go until your baby is born.
For support, contact:
www.heartburnalliance.org
Hernias
Pregnant women are prone to developing femoral hernias due to the added pressure on the abdominal wall. A soft bulge will appear on the side of your stomach near your groin. There may be some pain associated with the bulge. Hernias do not go away after delivery and should be diagnosed by a physician and surgically corrected after giving birth.
Pregnant women are also susceptible to umbilical hernias caused by a weakness around the navel. Babies are sometimes born with umbilical hernias; however, these hernias often disappear on their own within the first year. Black and Chinese babies are more frequently diagnosed with umbilical hernias.
For support, contact:
www.hernia.org
Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease
The coxscackie a-16 virus is the cause of hand, foot and mouth disease. The symptoms of this disease are:
- Mouth ulcers
- Red spots on the palms of the hand and on the soles of the feet
- Low- grade fever
You may also notice that your child has a stiff neck or may be acting confused. Your child’s doctor will tell you that there is no cure for hand, foot and mouth disease because it is viral and that it will have to run its course.
Hay Fever
Hay fever is a seasonal allergy. It is brought on by pollen from grasses, trees and weeds. Because of its nature, you may only experience hay fever in the spring, summer and fall months. If you suffer from hay fever year round, you may also be allergic to pet dander, dust and mold.
This condition may be treatable with over-the-counter medication such as antihistamines. Some people suffer from more severe hay fever and acquire such symptoms as fatigue, or sleeplessness. You may have sinus pressure and headache as well as swollen eyes that may actually look like “black eyes.” The more usual symptoms include:
- Runny nose
- Constant sneezing
- Cough
- Watery eyes
- Itchy eyes, nose, roof of mouth or throat
- Sleeplessness
- Congestion
- Sinus pressure or pain
Hay fever is linked to being a genetic allergic condition. If you are prone to allergies and hay fever yourself, your child is very likely to have them as well. If both parents have allergies, the child’s risk of getting hay fever is about 70%. Most people who have hay fever develop it at an early age.
The trigger that causes most hay fever is ragweed pollen. Unfortunately, there is no way to rid the world of pollen. However, there are treatments available for hay fever such as:
- Nasal corticosteroids
- Antihistamines
- Decongestants
- Nasal atropine
The reason why nasal corticosteroids are effective is because they work well over time. Antihistamines are a great over-the-counter medication that can be taken orally or used in a nasal spray. They block histamine which causes the allergic reaction in the first place. Decongestants are great for relieving congestion in the nasal passages and nasal atropine is a prescription medication that minimizes the amount of fluid that your glands in your nose produce.
In any case, you should limit the amount of exposure that your child has to allergens in the first place. Make sure that your child is never in a situation where she is exposed to second hand smoke. Also, dust and vacuum your home regularly. If your child does show signs of hay fever, seek medical attention immediately.
Heartburn (Reflux)
If your child is suffering from chronic symptoms of spitting up, she may have reflux. Infants have very immature digestive systems. This means that as your baby grows, the symptoms should lessen and most babies are over it at around six months of age. If it is determined by a doctor that your baby does have reflux, an antacid may be prescribed for her. You can also take preventative measures in order to relieve your baby of the symptoms of reflux by:
- Elevating your baby’s head during and after feedings
- Burp your baby as often as you can during feedings
- Try to keep your baby quiet during and after feedings
- If you are breastfeeding, eliminate dairy products from your diet
Acid reflux can be painful because the stomach acids are forced upwards instead of downwards. If your baby seems particularly irritable or has failure to thrive, medical attention is absolutely warranted.
Hepatitis A
Hepatitis A is a liver disease caused by the HAV virus. It is spread by faeces, and contaminated food and water. It is also found in blood and semen. You can get it by sexual contact or by receiving infected blood or blood products. Some symptoms of hepatitis A are:
- extreme fatigue
- nausea
- fever
- dark coloured urine
- bloated or tender abdomen
- yellow skin and eyes
Most people recover from Hepatitis A after several months and are no longer contagious. You can help prevent Hepatitis A from occurring by having an HAV vaccination. The only way to know for sure that you may have it is to get a blood test administered by a physician. If it is determined that you have it, you will be ordered to bed and put on a low fat, healthy regimen of food.
Hepatitis B
The hepatitis B virus is transmitted by sexual contact or by receiving infected blood or blood products. Women can carry this virus during pregnancy but no have symptoms, and not know they are affected. The main concern is with transmitting the virus to the baby during delivery. Not only is there a high chance of an infected mother infecting her baby, but many of these infected babies become hepatitis B carriers and go on to develop chronic liver disease. The good news is that with the use of properly administered vaccine, newborns can be protected against hepatitis B infection. Your doctor may recommend testing for hepatitis B infection as part of your routine prenatal test. If you are infected, your baby will be given hepatitis B immune globulin and the first dose of the hepatitis B vaccine immediately after birth. Follow-up doses of hepatitis B will be given at one month and six months of age. Later, the baby will be tested to be sure the vaccination program has prevented infection.
HIB
Hib is a bacterium that causes children to contract meningitis. It is an inflammation of the outer brain. Hib bacteria are a major cause of bacterial pneumonia as well. It usually occurs between the ages of six and twelve months old. It is spread by:
- sneezing
- coughing
- speaking closely with an infected person
There is a HIB vaccine. It is administered to babies very early on. There are little side effects of the actual vaccine. There can be redness or swelling at the injection site for a small amount of time.
High Blood Pressure
During pregnancy, it is important not to develop high blood pressure. The reason for this is that it can cause pre-eclampsia. This type of high blood pressure is dangerous for the mother and the insufficient blood supply to the uterus will affect the growth of the baby. Some symptoms are:
- swelling of the face and hands
- protein in the urine
- spurt in weight gain
- retention of fluids
If you do have high blood pressure in pregnancy, your doctor may put you on bed rest. If your symptoms are severe, your doctor may want you in the hospital and on medication. In most cases, high blood pressure is nearly always successfully treated.
Hyperemesis
In most cases of morning sickness your body chemistry is not affected, you don’t lose weight, and you eventually feel better. Less than 1% of pregnant women suffer a severe form of persistent vomiting called hyperemesis gravidarum. In this condition, the body is unable to compensate for the relentless vomiting. It loses valuable body salts called “electrolytes” and body fluids. The mother becomes dehydrated. If unrecognized and untreated, this severe vomiting can make you very sick, which may compromise your baby. Your doctor may want you to drink salty fluids and oral electrolyte solutions to prevent dehydration.
|
|
|
|
|
