The fact cannot be denied that children have the most sensitive skin which makes them prone to have skin irritations and infections. Plus children love to play around making them more prone to have cuts, bruises, and wounds of different types which make them prone to have scars.

Scars are common in children but when they are not managed well, these scars may not be gone and traces of it can still be seen even when they grow up. These scars may be the cause why your child will feel insecurities and have low self esteem that is why it is best to do something before it can greatly affect your child’s life.

While there are many known ways to remove scars especially with the advancement of technology, but most of these ways are too strong for your child’s sensitive skin to handle. Instead of providing relief, this may cause irritations leading to further injury to the skin. The best ways to treat your child’s scars is by doing natural methods. At least you are sure that these methods do not have any side effects that can damage your child’s sensitive skin.

Here are some of the ways on how to get rid of your child’s unwanted marks naturally:

• Apply aloe vera gel directly on the scar every morning after your child’s bath. Aloe vera has components that are very good for the skin especially in restoring it from scars.
• Squeeze lime juice straight on the scar. Lime is a good source of Vitamin C that helps in wound healing. It also has bleaching properties which helps lighten the color of scars making it appear less visible.
• Vitamin E oil also lightens the appearance of scars when applied directly on the affected area. Applying it twice a day preferably on the morning and before retiring at night will make the scars less noticeable. Some even claim that they do not see any traces of scars after doing the method for a month.
• Lavender oil just like lime, lavender oil has bleaching effect that makes the scar look less visible when put straight to the scarred skin. When the skin is much moisturized healing is enhanced so scar formation is prevented.
• A diet rich in Vitamins and minerals especially vitamin C and Zinc will also help in lessening the appearance of your child’s scar so it is recommended to give them food rich with these nutrients.

The world of diseases is absolutely a scary world for virtually all parents especially when it comes to knowing our vulnerable children who could readily suffer from diseases and disorders that are known to be fatal, chronic and even untreatable.

One such condition is known as Hepatitis or the inflammation of the liver caused by certain viruses. There are also instances when the ailment can be brought about by parasites, an inherited disease, certain drugs, parasites or bacteria. Another interesting point when it comes to Hepatitis is that your baby or a more grown-up child may be already suffering from the disease but won’t exactly exhibit symptoms. Additionally, in cases of chronic hepatitis, the child’s condition may even progress to liver failure and damage and even liver cancer; not to mention, other complications.

Most people are disturbed with Hepatitis B. Who wouldn’t? This category of Hepatitis is a chronic condition; meaning to say, once your baby suffers from it, your baby will likely have it and carry the disease for the rest of his life. Take comfort, however, that based on statistics, the likelihood of Hepa B developing into its chronic state is pegged at 90. In adults, the virus is commonly transmitted via contact with blood and other body fluids. Also, it can be acquired from unprotected sex and needle-sharing especially among drug users. Tears and urine have also been implicated in cases of Hepatitis B. In babies, however, Hepatitis B can be acquired from exposure to the virus in the blood and the vaginal fluids present during delivery. Thankfully though, transmission occurs rarely in the mother’s womb via the placenta and the umbilical cord. Simply put, if the mother is already suffering from Hepatitis B, there is an increased chance for her baby to experience the same situation but then again, there is always an exception. As can be inferred from the data released by the World Health Organization, around 90% of infants who have been infected during the first year of life have developed chronic infection as opposed to the adults who can significantly discharge the disease after treatment.

If your toddler or pre-schooler is suffering from Hepatitis B, he will, again, show no apparent signs of the problem. In some cases, you will see actual symptoms like fever, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. As a result of the two, your child will lose appetite for food. Also, you will notice that your child easily gets tired and note the yellowing of the white portion of his eyes and the skin. This condition is termed as jaundice. Since the liver is affected, your child may complain of abdominal pain and you will observe foul breath, tea-colored urine and clay-colored stools.

Since the Hepa B virus is considered the deadliest of all viruses, you should, as much as you can, prevent your child from suffering Hepatitis B or any other kind of Hepatitis. Make sure that your infant gets immunized against Hepa B. A second and third shot will be given at a specified interval. The immunization will protect your child for up to 15 years.

If the mother already suffers from Hepatitis B, the baby shall receive, aside from the vaccine, an immune globulin injection. Aftersuch, the baby will again be tested to check if the vaccination worked.

Not only are adults suffering from a condition called intussusception otherwise known as intestinal blockage. As seen in statistics, there exist a significant number of children suffering from the disorder specifically those between 5 months old and 3 years old. Also, noteworthy is the fact that intussusception appears to be the most common abdominal surgery for infants under the age of two and that it affects more boys than girls. As such, parents should, at the very least, have a broad understanding of the blockage to further help in curbing the problems and complications brought about by intussusception.

What is intussusception?

This intestinal blockage is when a certain portion or area of the bowel telescopes into the next; almost similar in the case of a sectioned telescope. When the serious intestinal disorder happens, inflammation and swelling becomes inevitable which results to a decreased blood flow in the intestines. Apart from the blockage, tearing may also happen. The good thing is that once the condition has been diagnosed earlier on, the prognosis is good.

What Probably Caused the Intussusception?

Basically, experts do not know what causes the intestinal blockage. The condition is attributed to viruses causing upper respiratory infections or even the stomach flu. At times, it is also linked with a tumor, an abnormality in the blood vessel of the intestines and enlarged lymph nodes.

What are the signs and symptoms to watch out for?

The most sensible way you could ascertain that your child is really suffering from intussusception versus gas pain or a simple stomach upset is the intensity, duration, frequency of the pain experienced by your child. Although he may not be able to exactly tell you the spasms he experiences, you will note that the severe abdominal pain seems to happen almost suddenly and your baby gives out a loud and very anguished cry. Your child may even draw his knees up to his stomach or bend over. After the painful bout, your baby will appear very comfortable; as if nothing has ever happened. The pain will be intermittent and it may progress in terms of its severity.

Other symptoms also include:

• stools with mucus or blood that look like currant jelly
• abdominal distention
• vomiting
• drowsiness

As the disease advances, your kid may also suffer from dehydration and fever. The worst case scenario will be shock.

How will my child be diagnosed and treated?

The doctor will have to depend on physical examination and a comprehensive history-taking where you will note that the aforementioned symptoms will be carefully noted. One measure taken after confirmation via special x-ray or ultrasound or CT scan is through air or barium enemas. These refer to the introduction of air or a special liquid called barium into the intestine via the rectum. The air or liquid introduction will push back the intestine in the position it has to be in. If these options have not been successful or if the doctor has evaluated something else, then, your child will have to undergo a surgical operation. For these procedures, your child will be confined in the hospital and will have to undergo intravenous infusions.

As a final word, intussusception should be perceived as a life-threatening condition with symptoms that will not go on their own but if you are always sensible to your child’s status, the fatal condition can be rightly corrected with early diagnosis and treatment.

An ingrown toenail is definitely the last thing you’ll want to have. For those lucky ones who have not encountered such condition, it has, obviously something to do with a nail that grows or presses onto the skin. Generally, it happens on the big toe and  swelling plus redness are the most common early signs one will encounter with an ingrown.

Add to the two symptoms, an individual may also experience pain especially when a shoe or a sock rubs with the ingrown. It may come to the point where one can experience difficulty in walking. When worse comes to worse, a blister may also form because of possible infection.

To simply describe it, think of an ingrown toenail as a needle pricking one of your toes; the needle lodged in between. Reflect on how the ingrown would feel on your child’s fragile stature and you’ll soon realize that something should be really done.

To manage an ingrown, let your child soak the affected feet in warm soapy water for 10-15 minutes three times a day. Remember to use a clean and dry towel to pat dry the foot. File the nail away from the skin. Aftersuch apply an over-the-counter antibiotic cream or ointment on the affected area. You may also consider giving your child a pain medication like Acetaminophen to relieve your child of pain.

In the meantime, you may ask the school for special consideration as regards wearing the prescribed shoes. Let you child wear sandals or shoes that are loose-fitting until the toe is already healed. In a few days, the condition will improve.

Sinice an ingrown toenail is caused by long nails with a high tendency of curving downwards; thereafter, injuring the skin and nail; there are necessary precautions that you should take. First off, regularly and properly cut the nails of your child by cutting the nails across and not in a rounded manner and make sure that you don’t buy shoes that are ill-fitting. If you plan on buying a pair of shoes for your child, shop towards the afternoon because this is the time when the feet significantly increases in size. Also, discourage your child from maintaining long nails; because this idea may be hip for youngsters these days, you may have to make the necessary explanation. Long nails equate to a risk of injuring one’s self while engaged in playing. Additionally, regularly check your child’s toenails as these grow faster than the fingernails to make sure that everything is covered. Of course, you don’t want to suffer seeing your child suffering from a mistake you could have avoided in the first place.

If after a week or so or religiously following the measures related, you may have to consult a doctor. This is especially true if you see a blister with a foul-smelling discharge or if the redness has not stopped. During your consultation, expect that your doctor may have to remove the nail or remove a portion of it. However, if the situation warrants it, you may be referred to a pediatric podiatrist, a specialist in problems involving a child’s feet.

No matter what season, spending time outdoors can be very enjoyable for you and your child. You get precious time off work, and your little one bonds with you and nature. However, sometimes no matter how careful you are, the unexpected may occur and you find yourself panicking and helpless in a scary situation. As a parent you know by now that panic will get you nowhere, and may even make you act in ways that may be put you and your child in greater danger.

Here are some untoward circumstances that could happen while outdoors, what to avoid doing, and how to handle crises like the brave parent your child sees you to be:

1.       When you and your child are confronted by a big black bear in the woods

What not to do: play dead or run

What to do: According to wilderness guides, most black bears don’t really mind people. In fact, they can even be scared away.  When a bear does notice you or your child, raise your hands as high as you can to appear bigger, and speak in a loud, deep and growling voice. Signal for your child to back up slowly behind you. The bear may run away, or charge towards you. If it does, do not run away as you will only tempt it to run after you. Instead, fight back. Unbelievable as it may sound, pick up a large stick if you can and fight, trying your best to hit the bear’s nose because this is its most sensitive organ. However, if you do get confronted by a Grizzly bear, do play dead.  

2.       When your car drives and falls into a river or a lake

What not to do: wait for the water to cover the doors and for the pressure to equalize before opening the doors

What to do: Time is crucial in a situation like this. Unfasten your seatbelt and your child’s, and open the car doors as soon as you hit water. Automatic and power door locks and windows will still respond if hit early. Car window glasses tempered, so if you can’t open any of the doors, try breaking them in the corner to get them to shatter.  

 3.       When you and your child get caught in a violent riptide

What not to do: Swim for the shore

What to do: Doing this will exhaust you and you may drown. Instead swim parallel until you are away from the strong current. Typically, strong riptides as twenty to sixty feet wide, so swim away from it in a direction parallel to the beach before making your way to the shore.  

 4.       When your child gets hit by a ball in the head and falls unconscious

What not to do: Lift and take him to the emergency room

What to do: The most common culprit is a baseball. If one knocks your child unconscious and he or she falls to the ground, do not attempt to move him or her because there may be a brain or spinal injury from the trauma and the fall. What you need to ensure is the presence of a pulse and breathing. Call 911, and try to rouse your child but do not attempt to move him or her.

 5.       When your child gets stung by a jellyfish

What not to do: pee on the wound or apply rubbing alcohol  

What to do: While these are both popular ways to deal with a jellyfish sting, they aren’t the safest. What you will need to do instead is to first rinse the wound with sea water and not fresh water because the latter makes the pain worse. Remove any tentacles you can see. Soak a clean piece of cloth or a napkin in white vinegar and apply to the wound until the pain wanes. The acidity of vinegar kills the sting cells of the jellyfish which are lodged in your child’s skin. Watch your child for any signs of an allergic reaction such as hives, difficulty breathing, wheezing, rashes and loss of consciousness. If any of these become apparent, rush to the ER.  

You’ve probably heard of horrifying stories of parents who had to undergo the ordeal of seeing their child suffer from problems like a dislocated elbow or a dislocated shoulder. These two injuries are acceptably terrible and no parent would ever want a child to experience such injury.

Unfortunately, accidents happen everyday and for the growth and development of a child, activities like climbing, reaching out for an object, roller-skating, sliding, biking, and other similar actions are inevitable. As a result, older kids specifically those who are already exposed to sports and outdoor games are at a higher risk of acquiring a dislocated shoulder or elbow as compared to the younger ones.

In case your child experiences either of the two, what should you bear in mind? What should you do and what should you try to avoid?

The Dislocated Elbow

A child suffering from a dislocated elbow will obviously complain of excruciating pain felt in and around the affected area. Since the bone has been jolted out of its rightful place, expect the said section to be swollen and tender. Dislocation also means your child will have difficulty moving his arm. It may also mean fracture so this should be treated as an emergency.

While waiting for the ambulance or before making that trip to the hospital, make an effort not to reposition the bone as it may harm your child rather than help him. Instead, try to immobilize the bone by using a splint. Also, do not allow your child to eat or drink anything in case surgery is indicated.

At the hospital, your child will likely undergo x-ray examination after an evaluation from a doctor. Your doctor may reposition the bone himself and immobilize it. A sling may be used. In cases where a sling or a splint is not indicated, your child’s elbow area may need to be casted.

The Dislocated Shoulder

In cases of a dislocated shoulder, you will note bruising, swelling and a deformity in the affected shoulder. Just like an elbow dislocation, pain is absolutely there. And in worst cases, a broken shoulder means that your child may not be able to move his shoulder. Like a dislocated elbow, do not ever try to reposition the bone. This should be done by a doctor. Instead, make that trip to the emergency room so that the necessary measures would be done. Do not worry about your child experiencing further pain at this point as the doctor will prescribe pain medication.

For both cases, be vigilant of shock symptoms such as cool and clammy skin, glassy-eyed stare and a fast heartbeat.

If everything is relatively okay and your child is sent home, applying ice compress will be advised. Moreover, the doctor will also suggest that your child rest the affected area for a given amount of time; for healing and recovery as well as to avoid further complications and re-injury. Ice compression should be done for fifteen minutes, three times a day. To reduce the swelling, it also helps to elevate the elbow or the shoulder. Finally, try to let your child rest and postpone any activity that may aggravate the injured area.

Have you ever noticed round-like whitish to yellowish open sores enveloped by red halo inside the cheeks, lips, gums, tongue and palate of your child? These sores bring about pain and discomfort to your child and can either appear individually or in clustered forms. Thankfully, these sores known as mouth ulcers or canker sores are not really fatal.

Its Incidence and the Causes

A canker sore is called aphthous ulcer. When the condition occurs, it affects more girls than boys. Although it may be unusual for children under the age of ten to experience canker sores, it may happen amongst school-aged children and teenagers. Basically, the cause of the condition is something that experts have not clearly identified.

One attribution is that the condition’s genetic tendency. Apart from genetic orientation, individuals with immune system problems have higher chances of developing the condition. The same reasoning goes with those suffering from viral problems. Also, experts have linked mouth injuries caused by dental work-ups or even a simple bite in the cheek or tongue.

In some instances, there are triggering or aggravating factors that have been identified. These are allergies, stress, nutrition deficiencies and even hormonal changes as in cases of pregnancy and menstruation especially for teens who have raging hormones.

The Symptoms

Apart from the painful open whitish to yellowish sores surrounded by the red halo, the following can also be noticed in your child:

• the sore turns to gray when it starts to heal
• fever
• tender lymph nodes
• body discomfort
• guarded behavior on the face specially in the cheeks or jaws

Diagnosis

Just by assessing and evaluating the sore, the doctor may be able to tell if your child is suffering from canker sore. If the condition persists, then, a biopsy is possible to determine a canker sore from other types of mouth ulcers. This especially applies to a sore that does not heal which may mean a squamous cell carcinoma.

The Management

In most cases, treatment is no longer necessary as canker sores go away by themselves; specifically, in three days, the pain will subside and your child will completely feel that he no longer has the sore in a week.

You should warn your child about eating or drinking citrusy foods and beverages. Also, avoid giving your child foods that are spicy. It may also help if you let your kid use a straw rather than drinking straight from the cup or glass to avoid irritation of the sore. Frozen products like ice cream will help numb the area temporarily plus imagine the joy it can bring to your ailing child.

An effective management at home would be to ask your child to gently gurgle a half a glass of warm water with half a teaspoon of salt. The solution will relieve the pain. You may also want to mix equal amounts of water and hydrogen peroxide. Apply the solution gently on the sore using a cotton swab. Then, dab a little amount of Milk of Magnesia. For both procedures, you may do it on your child three to four times in a day to help the sore heal and to alleviate the pain.

Apart from the home remedies, there are over-the-counter drugs you may buy but just to be sure, consult your doctor. If the pain seems very difficult for your child, you may give Ibuprofen or Acetaminophen.
If the canker sores come with fever, diarrhea, rashes and headache, consult your doctor.

What you don’t know will definitely scare you. Admittedly, one of the most horrifying situation parents have to face is when their child suffers from injury and they do not know how to deal with it; either on the way to the hospital or while waiting for the ambulance to come.

However, this situation does not need to happen if we choose to be aware of some probable injuries our child may suffer from especially during toddlerhood, school age and during adolescence when a kid becomes engaged in a lot of activities like playing in the playground or competing in sports activities.

Two common injuries are known as sprains and strains. First off, a sprain refers to a ligament that overstretches or becomes injured. Usually, it occurs in the wrists, elbows, knees and ankles.  On the other hand, a strain is suggestive when the muscles or moreso, the tendons are the ones that are overstretched or even torn. Muscles like the neck, back, the thigh and calf muscles are the ones commonly strained. The two injuries will definitely produce pain, and depending on your child’s tolerance to pain and the severity of the condition, the pain may be mild to excruciating. Additionally, you will notice that bruising and swelling may also happen.

One important thing to remember in these cases is to assess the situation before acting. Try to immobilize the affected part. You may use an elastic bandage or a splint. However, if you are uncomfortable doing these, you just have to try to pacify your child. While doing this, you may call the doctor and he will either assess the injury himself in the hospital or clinic or just suggest measures for you to do. At home, you’ll have to do three things. First stop; let the injured area rest. This means that your child has to make sure that, in the meantime, your child has to postpone play. In cases where your kid has to play the piano, re-write long letters or kick a ball; the affected area should not be compromised. Next, apply cold compress in the sprain or strain. You may do this for a duration of fifteen minutes, three times a day. At the same time, your child, as much as possible, should elevate the affected area, ideally, higher than the heart’s level. The area may heal at around two weeks. During the healing period, watch out for signs of infection such as redness, a foul odor in the area and fever. Ibuprofen, an over-the-counter drug may be given to alleviate the pain.

In case your child complains of severe pain and he is unable to move the affected area or even put on any weight, then, it is likely that your kid has a fractured bone. As expected, the emergency room is the place to be. An x-ray will confirm the fracture. This is when your child may have to be put on an elastic bandage or a splint. In more serious instances, surgery may be indicated.

Sprains and strains are undeniably unavoidable. Therefore, what parents can do is to practice safety precautions and to enjoin the help of their children to avoid such problems, even if it might seem impossible. #