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S
Scabies
Scabies are tiny insects which have eight legs and cannot be seen with the naked eye. They burrow underneath the skin and become very itchy for the carrier. Fortunately, scabies is extremely easy to treat. What you may notice is:
- Itching, especially at night
- Rash which may look like tiny red bumps or pimples
- Crusty or scaly skin
Scabies generally starts between the fingers, on wrists, or elbows and may travel to the buttocks or waist. They like to hide near rings on your fingers and bracelets on the wrists. They also prefer to hide under fingernails. If you suspect that you have scabies, your doctor can perform a test to determine so. If you have scabies, you will need to wash all of your clothes and bedding and towels that you may have. Make sure that they are dried in the dryer and not line dried. Vacuum the entire home and throw away the vacuum bag.
Slapped Cheek Syndrome (Fifths Disease)
Fifth’s disease is a viral infection that starts as an ordinary cold. It develops into a fever and by the time it is over, a rash appears on your child’s face that looks like she has been slapped. By the time the rash appears, it is no longer contagious. If there is an outbreak of fifth’s disease in your child’s school, it is almost impossible to avoid getting it as it is extremely contagious through the mucus membranes. However, if you are aware that there are a few cases of it in your neighborhood, you may want to:
- Wash hands frequently
- Avoid sharing eating utensils
- Cover nose and mouth while sneezing or coughing and encourage children to do the same
- Do not touch other peoples tissues
Women who are pregnant are at risk of passing it along to their unborn fetus so it is suggested that they try and remain away from the infected child. If you suspect that you have fifth’s disease, contact your physician.
Sore Throat
A sore throat in a child is usually indicative of another ailment. Usually, this is due to a particular virus or cold that the child has gotten from another child. Most sore throats can be remedied using throat lozenges and vaporizers. If your child is suffering from a fever along with the sore throat, she may have strep throat. This is caused by an infection and is treatable with antibiotic medication and is extremely contagious. If you believe that your child has strep throat, contact your doctor immediately.
Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction (SPD)
Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction is a condition that occurs occasionally during pregnancy. The pubis bone becomes very soft due to the rise of prolactin in your body. Depending on the size of your baby and genetics, your pubis bone may actually come apart a bit in order to help the baby come through the vaginal canal. There is not much by way of treatment but there are some measures that you can take:
- Try to stay off your feet as much as possible
- Take warm baths as needed
- The use of binders and support hose
- Support your hips with pillows while sleeping
If you think that you are suffering from SPD, you will need to discuss it with your doctor or midwife to work out a plan for you labour and delivery.
Swollen ankles
A common complaint among women during pregnancy is swollen ankles. There are many factors that contribute to swollen ankles. A few reasons for this are the increased blood flow, the extra weight that you are carrying, and hormonal changes in your body. There are some things that you can do to help prevent swollen ankles:
- Drink plenty of water
- Exercise
- Avoid salty foods
- Wear support hose
- Elevate your feet whenever possible
You may want to invest in a comfortable, slip on shoe that is made of breathable material.
For support, contact:
British Homoeopathic Association, Hahnemann House, 29
Park Street West, Luton LU1 3BE
0870 444 3950
Stretch marks
Unfortunately, some women tend to get stretch marks on their bellies during pregnancy. These are pinkish lines on the skin in the areas that stretch the most during pregnancy:
- Abdomen
- Breasts
- Thighs
- Hips
- Upper buttocks
These stretch marks, whose medical name is “striae gravidarum”, are caused by the tearing of the elastic bands in the skin. Some elastic fibers stretch without tearing, some tear yet heal, and others never completely heal. Three factors contribute to tearing and determine how severe your stretch marks will be:
- Hormones
- Weight gain
- Heredity
The pregnancy hormones that relax ligaments decrease the collagen content of the skin fibers, making them more brittle and prone to rupture. The normal growth of breasts and abdomen forces the skin to stretch too far too fast, and excessive weight gain can make this worse. Finally, the skin and body type you inherited will influence the development of stretch marks and how completely they disappear. Here are a few ways to minimize how much you stretch and how many marks remain after pregnancy:
- Exercise regularly
- Avoid putting on excess weight
- Eat well taking in sufficient nutrients, especially vitamin C and protein, which aid in building stronger collagen
Oils, lotions, and potions do nothing to keep stretch marks from forming or to accelerate their departure. They may, however, relieve two common annoyances: dryness and itching.
Sleep (lack of) in pregnancy:
Pregnancy will almost always disrupt a woman’s sleep patterns. Bladder pressure, finding it difficult to find a comfortable sleeping position, leg cramps, anxiety all conspire to keep you from getting a good night’s sleep. If you suffer from pregnancy-induced insomnia, it is important that you don’t become even more anxious. Try mediating before bedtime. Perhaps a warm bath will relax you. Lack of sleep will not harm your baby, so relax. The more you worry, the harder it will be to fall asleep.
Spina Bifida:
Spina Bifida is the most common permanently disabling birth defect. It occurs in the first month of pregnancy when the spinal column doesn’t close completely. Spina Bifida affects different babies differently. Those with the worst form have hydrocephalus which is fluid on the brain. Surgery must be performed to insert a shunt that will drain the fluid. The stunt is a lifetime remedy and can never be removed. Some babies with spina bifida will suffer from partial paralysis, bladder and bowel control problems and may even have learning disabilities. They may suffer from depression and as they age there will be sexual issues.
While any pregnancy may result in a baby born with Spina Bifida, it is more prevalent in women who insulin-dependent diabetes, use certain anti-seizure medication, are obese, run a high fever during the first month of pregnancy.
Risk of Spina Bifida is definitely reduced up to 70% if the future mother takes a multivitamin with the B-vitamin folic acid. Folic acid is a water soluble B-vitamin. It helps build healthy cells. It must be taken every day, as it doesn’t stay in the body very long. Taking 400 micrograms of folic acid every day reduces the risk of having a child with Spina Bifida.
Squint (strabismus):
Squint is a misalignment of the two eyes so that both eyes are not looking in the same direction. It is a common condition among children, but does sometimes occur in adults.
There is no known cause for squint. If you suspect your child is squinting, see an ophthalmologist for a definite diagnosis. The ophthalmologist may prescribe surgery to correct the problem. In some cases, corrective glasses are all that are necessary.
Sunstroke:
Young children are particularly sensitive to excessive heat. If your child complains of headache, nausea or dizziness; has stopped sweating and has very hot skin, small pupils, a very high fever, these are all signs of heatstroke or sunstroke. It is imperative that you immediately remove the child to a cooler location. Loosen or remove his or her clothing and dunk her in very cool water. If immersion is not an option, wet some sheets and wrap the child in them. Use cold compresses on the head and neck area, as well as the armpits and groin. If the child continues to be lethargic or not fully conscious, call 911 immediately. Contrary to popular belief, an alcohol rub is counter-productive and shouldn’t be used.
Swelling (oedema):
While most women suffer from some swelling during their pregnancy, it can be a sign of pre-eclampsia. When pressure is applied to an area of oedema, the area that has been compresses will have a “pit” or hollow it. This will not happen in ordinary swelling. A sufferer may find that her ankles and feet swell to such a size that she cannot fit into shoes. Oedema may be the result of water retention, hot weather, standing for long periods. If you see that your feet and ankles are swelling, it is advised that you rest with your feet raised up.
Sticky Eye
The formal name for this condition is Conjunctivitis. Conjunctivitis is caused by a viral infection. Because the eye takes on a pink hue, it is often referred to as “pink eye.” It is not uncommon for newborns to suffer from a form of Conjunctivitis known as opthamalia nonatorum. The baby will have contracted the virus when passing through Mum’s birth canal. As it can be very serious in young babies, it must be treated immediately. Without treatment, the virus can cause blindness.
For most Conjunctivitis, however, treatment is simply wiping the area affected with a clean, cotton cloth and applying over the counter antibiotic cream. Conjunctivitis is easily passed to the other members of the household. Therefore, it is suggested that anything that comes into contact with the affected eye (towels, pillowcases, etc.) be thoroughly cleaned.
Remember, if there are any cases of sticky eye reported at your child’s school or daycare, it is possible that your child will be next so try to recognize the symptoms:
- Eye appears pink or red
- A puss-like substance may be oozing out of it
- Her eye may be stuck together upon waking in the morning
- Itchy eyes
Stings and Bites
Babies, because of their more delicate skin, often have harsh reactions to common insect bites. However, most bites are benign and look a lot worse than they are. There are some real dangers with certain kinds of bites, especially those from ticks. A bite from a tick carrying Lyme disease can cause anaphylaxis reactions. If your baby or child displays trouble swallowing, sweating, dizziness, itching and wheezing you should immediately seek help from your physician. These symptoms usually manifest themselves within 30 minutes of being stung. If your baby or child is allergic to the venom in a bee, wasp or yellow jacket sting, she may have some of the same reactions as those listed above. Immediately, bring the child to the doctor. If antihistamines have already been prescribed for your child, give her a dose at once. This may alleviate some of the more onerous symptoms.
Styes
It is not uncommon for a child’s eye to become infected with a stye overnight as she sleeps. Styes are caused when the follicles of the eyelash become infected. Though styes can look terrible, they are not a major illness and should be allowed to come to a head on their own. Sometimes, washing the area with a boric acid bath will help draw a stye out.
Swollen Glands
It is not unusual for a child’s glands to swell as a result of an infection near the glands. For instance, if your child has a sore throat, often the glands in her neck will become enlarged. This occurs because the lymph nodes that are near the site of the infection enlarge to produce more cells that produce antibodies to fight that infection. The medical name for this condition is lymphadenopathy.
Occasionally, the lymph nodes themselves become infected and need to be treated with antibiotics. They will enlarge and become red and tender to the touch. If you child’s glands are swollen for more than two weeks, notify your doctor.
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