Childhood health problems

I knew there was something wrong with my youngest when he was born. As the midwife held him to check his toes we could both see that the foot and lower leg on his right side, and his left foot were extremely swollen. after consultation with the doctors on call (it was 12.30 am!), and much head scratching they decided to take him into neonatal for tests. So, at barely a few hours old he was subjected to blood tests, scans, xrays, heart scans and many other intrusive procedures, and still they doctors were stumped, and still his feet stayed swollen. They did not cause him any pain, or seem to be affecting him in any way except to be large; he kicked, his reflexes were good and his bones were of equal length. Then one doctor came upon a name for his condition; Milroy's disease. In medical terms it is a congenital type of autosomal dominant lymphoedema; in English, the system that carries away fluid in his legs never developed, or is very minimal. If you had swelling in your legs when you were pregnant then that is what he is like, and will be for the rest of his life.

Our major stumbling block after getting this diagnosis was finding anyone who actually knew what this problem was. We were passed around the various departments in the hospital, none of which wanted to take his case on, until we were referred by a dermatologist to the lymphoedema nurses, who usually deal with patients who develop this problem after cancer, when the lymph nodes have been removed. At last we began to get some progress, actually have someone who recognised his illness and could start to work through the process of referrals to specialists and treatment, although for his condition it is management rather than cure.

Today we are still awaiting appointments in London; he is only 9 months old and most tests have to be done over a year. But what I have found, and that scared me the most, was that if I hadn't kept on at the medical proffessionals and reminded them about him we would have been overlooked, and his condition relies on a lot of care to maintain his skin or else he runs the risk of developing major infections.

So I would first say that if you think your child has a health issue - any health issue - and you have not received any information from your doctors then keep on at them, make your name recognised and remembered. You may well find you are overlooked otherwise, and this is the life and health of your child that is at risk.

Aspergers syndrome is a form of autism, but unlike autism is less easily diagnosed (especially in children) as it differs from person to person. Because of this many children who have Aspergers Syndrome will not be diagnosed until adulthood, and sometimes for even then. It is classed as a 'hidden disability' as to look at a person you would not be able to tell if they have it or not; they are unlikely to have problems speaking and have an normal intelligence, but may show some specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia or dysphaxia.

The major characteristics of Aspergers Syndrome come in three groups: they may have difficulty expressing themselves emotionally and socially, they can have difficulty starting and maintaining relationships, they may also have difficulty with social imagination - not being able to work out what will happen next and not being able to interpret other peoples facial expression or body language. They may also become obsessive in a hobby or activity, and often will need to follow strict routines.

Aspergers syndrome is a lifelong illness; there is no cure although management of the condition will mean that sufferers live a full and independent life. Therapy in various form and even diet can help an Aspergers sufferer come to their full potential. Diagnosis from a qualified medical professional is important and then further techniques can be put in to place , specifically tailored for that sufferer. If you feel you or someone you know has Aspergers confirmed diagnosis is the first step to managing the syndrome, and unlocking doors that you may have felt were closed to you.

Here are some more sites that may be of interest to you:

http://essentialaspergerguide.url-Site.com

http://aspergersparenting.url-Site.com

Eczema shows up in two major forms in children: Atopic eczema - this is the commonest type of eczema, usually running in families, and shows up as dry, red, flaky and inflamed skin that is incredibly itchy. The skin becomes fragile and if scratched, can break and become infected.
Infantile seborrhoeic eczema - this usually shows up in children under a year old and is otherwise known as cradle cap. Although unsightly it does not seem to cause any discomfort or illness and will normally clear up on it's own within a few months.

If you think your child has eczema it is really important that you have it diagnosed correctly, possibly with a referral to a paediatric dermatologist. The mainstream ways of treating eczema are the use of emollients and hydrcortisone, but there are a few things you can do at home to help as well:

Keep the skin moisturised - this will help relieve the itching.
Keep an eye on the detergents you use at home, especially washing powder. Try to use non-bio products as they cause less irritation to the skin.
Try not to scratch. This is difficult to do, especially with small children, even small amounts of scratching can lead to infection. You may find that sewing scratch mits into a baby's sleep suit is the best way to combat the nighttime itch.
Try cotton clothes and bedding as they help keep the skin cool.
Try to reduce the effect of house dust mites with regular vacuuming, damp dusting and bed airing.
Don't bathe in hot water - this will dry the skin further and irritate the skin.
If you have central heating in your house make sure that you use humidifiers on the radiators to stop the air from drying out too much as this will encourage your skin to dry out.

You can visit this site for some more information:
http://naturalcureeczema.url-Site.com

For a parent there is nothing worse than listening to your child at night and instead of hearing the contented sighs and moans of a sleeping child you hear the gnash and gnaw of teeth grinding. Bruxism affects three out of every ten children, with most instances occuring in children under five. It doesn't seem to cause them any pain, except for perhaps jaw ache and a headache on awakening, but it can be quite distressing for other family members.

Most children will grow out of teeth grinding when they finish teething but for some the condition can continue into adult life. Then they run the risk of tooth errosion, increased sensitivity to temperature, jaw problems and chipped teeth.

Finding the correct solution for bruxism can be very difficult. Have a look at this man's story on how he dealt with the problem:
http://stopgrinding.url-Site.com

After about 9-11 days after getting the measles infection your child will start to show the following symptoms:

Cold like symptoms, including sneezing, runny nose and watery eyes
A mild to severe temperature which may peak at about 40C (105F).
Tiredness and irritability, general aches and pains.
Loss of appetite.
Tiny grey/white spots in the mouth and throat.
A rash of reddish-brown spots that appear about 3-4 days after the first symptoms appear.

For most children, rest and fever reduction is the main treatment for measles. As measles is a virus, antibiotics do not work - it must be left to the body's immune system to fight it. Simple paracetamol products will reduce a fever, as will ibuprofen. Make sure that you avoid dehydration by ensuring your child drinks water.

With measles you must always ensure that you get proper medical advice and help to avoid further complications.