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Worms in kids

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Few of my friends are always  worried about their child's growth. Natasha always keeps me asking why her daughter is not gaining weight and why she falls sick again and again.  The worms are parasites which feed off the host’s body and eventually result in malnutrition, affecting the healthy growth of the child.  Worms may get entry into abdomen and create health problems .          Though all age groups can get worms, kids are more susceptible. Worms in abdomen can affect the appetite and ultimately growth of a child. When a child is not eating properly we assume he is showing tantrums or too busy in playing and ignore it but it can be worms those are troubling the stomach. When to suspect worms? Itchy bottom, which is usually worse at night Redness around the bottom area Restlessness due to itching Difficulty in falling asleep Visible worms – small, white and 8-13 mm long (often mistaken for bits of toilet paper!) ...
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Skin in pregnancy

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For many women skin becomes better in pregnancy  due to hormonal changes, mild fluid retention and increased blood flow. This can result in smoother skin which is popularly called as "pregnancy glow". Sometimes your skin may take down turn but don't worry as the effects are temporary. For these conditions it is better to go for natural remedies than chemical treatments as they are too harsh and skin is too sensitive in pregnancy.

 Some of them are :
  1. Dark spots and patches
  2. Chloasma
  3. Stretch marks
  4. Varicose veins
  5. Spider veins
  6. Acne
  7. Changes in nail and hairs
Dark spots and patches:

Sites: Over neck ,armpits, groins and inner side of thighs.

 Why do dark spots and patches appear?
Dark spots and patches are due to increase in body's melanin content. Melanin is a natural substance that gives colour to the skin.
 Home remedy:
1) Natural cleanser like curd will be helpful.
2) Rub a rind of lemon dipped in turmeric , it will exfoliate the dead skin.
Chloasma/Melasma :
This is butterfly shaped grey-brown coloured patch on face i.e.over cheeks, bridge of nose, forehead, chin and above upper lip. It is also called as" mask of pregnancy". It can also appear on other parts of the body those are exposed to sun.
Solution:
1)Melasma usually fades away its own after delivery.
2) Most common treatment is sun protection. Use a good sunscreen ( SPF-50, UVA-PF-28) and reapply every 2 hours when going in sun. 
Stretch marks:

They are the result of sudden stretch      in skin due to the growing baby.They begin as reddish purple lesions, which can appear anywhere on the body, but most likely appear in places where larger amount of fat are stored.
The most common places are abdomen,breasts, upper arm, back,thighs, hips and buttocks.

Cause:
The increased load of hormones affect the dermis by preventing the fibroblasts 

from forming collagen and elastin fibres which are necessary to keep rapidly

 growing skin taut resulting in epidermal scarring in the form of stretch marks.

 Remedy:
  •  Massaging the body with olive oil or cocoa butter throughout the pregnancy helps skin stretch more easily.
  • Ideally upto 11 kg weight gain is allowed in pregnancy so you should make sure you don't put on excessive weight, because rapid and excess weight gain causes more stretch marks. Healthy and controlled weight gain is good for baby as well.
  • After delivery usually the stretch marks fade away to silvery white  but can not disappear completely and fresher marks are easier to fade or treat.
    Creams: 
 Cocoa butter is well known for its anti-ageing and hydrating  property. It should be massaged twice a day throughout the pregnancy and after delivery too. Some other natural remedies to massage on-
  • Add 10 capsules of vit E to 100ml of Almond oil or olive oil, and apply this oil at bedtime for 10-15 days.
  • Machine treatments like skin tightening can also be useful as the skin becomes tight stretch marks will be less visible.
Varicose veins:
These are engorged (Swollen) superficial veins in the leg, blue or purplish in colour. This causes heaviness in leg, discomfort and itching is also possible. Few women get varicose veins first time in pregnancy and some feel they get worsened with pregnancy.

Causes:

As the uterus grows it puts pressure on a large vein (inferior vena cava) in abdomen. Veins carry blood from extremities to the heart. The leg veins have to work against gravity. In pregnancy there is increased amount of blood which adds to the pressure over the veins. Also there is raised progesterone level which relaxes the walls of blood vessels. These all together makes the leg veins lax leading to varicose veins.
 Being overweight , multiple pregnancies and standing for long time increase the chances of getting varicose veins.

Remedy:

 To prevent:

  • Don't stand for long time
  • Daily some form of exercise and brisk walking
  • Stay healthy and avoid gaining excess weight
  • Elevate your leg to the level of heart for some time in a day. Put stool under the leg while sitting.
  • You can sleep on your left side , as inferior vena cava is on right side of abdomen , this will avoid pressure 
Remedy:
  • Put on stockings before getting up off the bed and leave it throughout the day, to avoid pulling of blood in leg veins.
  • You can use over the counter available creams for varicose veins, they can relieve the itching
  • Twice a day massage legs from below upwards with some olive or coconut oil, to improve the vein emptying. 
Spider veins:

These are spider web like superficial small veins being visible under the 
skin. These are pink or bluish veins. They can appear anywhere over the body , most commonly over legs. They can be seen with or without varicose veins.

Causes:
  • In pregnancy there is increased amount of blood, which puts pressure on veins
Remedy:
  • Mostly after delivery in 5-6 months these visible veins go off.
  • Regular walking can help to prevent
  • Post delivery as the body repairs itself foods rich in vit.C and E should be included in diet. These vitamins help to repair the skin.
Acne :

Some women who get acne during their menstrual periods can get acne during pregnancy, mostly in 1st and 2nd trimester. This is usually temporary.

Causes:

The oil over skin can clog the pores and lead to breakouts. In pregnancy due to increase in hormones, glands in skin grow and produce more sebum, an oily and waxy substance, which can clog the pores leading to acne.

 Remedy:
  • It is important to clean the excess oil. You can use curd or curd and lemon juice as a cleanser. Curd contains Zinc which has anti-acne effect.
  • Don't wash face too much as if skin becomes dry, skin will produce more oil.
  • To exfoliate dead skin at home mixture of curd. gram flour and turmeric powder is very good. Turmeric has anti bacterial property as well.
  • Applying honey is also very useful as it is anti bacterial.
Effect on hairs and skin:

In pregnancy in the growth phase both hair and skin grow long and strong as due to hormones anabolism is better. After delivery you may feel hair loss and nails being brittle  but this is temporary. In six months hairs and nails should be back to normal.



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