The Importance of Regular Checkups

People are generally not keen on seeing a doctor unless they’re sick or an emergency warrants it. It’s mentality that primarily springs from a financial reason: If you’re feeling OK, then you must be healthy, so why shell out money for an unnecessary visit to the doctor?

Unfortunately, how you feel in not always the best barometer of your health. Through regular checkups, the physician can spot irregularities or early signs of health problems. And in newborns to six-year-old kids, this is even more important. They’re at a formative period where their bodies are undergoing a lot of changes. Their growth and development need to be monitored regularly to ensure they are in good health. Developmental delays and other anomalies can be spotted sooner and treated earlier, giving your kids a fighting chance to have normal healthy lives.

By taking your kids to a good pediatrician regularly, you’ll receive valuable advice on how to encourage your kids’ physical and psychosocial progress, as well as be updates on what vaccines they need.Do not afraid to ask if you don’t understand what the doctor says, what the test results mean, or what the medicine he prescribes is for. A well-informed parent is a smart and responsible parent. Ideally, you should meet in person your short-listed choices before deciding. Some doctors may welcome the interview, others may not. That would probably narrow down your list further. You may be reluctant to go through this selection process, but remember that your children’s health I is not something to be taken lightly. You should at least give this procedure a shot. Who knows, you might find the right one in the first pediatrician you’ve talked to. To help you along, here are some things you have to consider:

• Would you rather have a pediatrician or a family doctor?
• If the doctor is a pediatrician, what is his subspecialty?
• Would you rather have someone who is also a parent?
• What are his credentials? If this sounds too forward, you can ask where he studied, trained, and practiced. Make sure that he is board-certified.
• What medical organizations is he a member of? It’s not always a guarantee, but being part of a professional association can mean that the doctor keeps abreast of the advances in his field.
• If your kids have special needs, does the doctor have the necessary experience or the training to handle your kids?
• How often does he expect you to bring your children in for checkups? What kind of checkups and exams will he do?
• What are his positions on certain health issues, such as breastfeeding, the use of antibiotics, and others which you deem important?
• Which hospital/s is he affiliated with? If your kids have to be brought to a hospital, which one, and where is it.
• How much does he charge for appointments or consultations?
• Does he belong to your HMO or health-insurance company’s network of health-care providers?
• Is it convenient to get to the doctor’s clinic?
• Are the operating hours workable with you and your kid’s schedules?
• Will the doctor take or return phone calls and text messages, in case you have a question? Can he also be contacted in the evenings?
• Is the clinic clean and organized?
• In the clinic, how are the healthy patients protected from those with contagious disease? Os there a separated area?
• What happens when the doctor is on leave? Will you be notified? Who will take his place and what are his credentials?

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Colic

All babies cry, but sometimes a baby will cry for hours at a time, no matter what you do. This extreme type of crying in a baby between 3 weeks and 3 months of age is called colic. Although it is upsetting for parents and caregivers, colic is normal for some babies.

Doctors usually diagnose colic when a healthy baby cries harder than expected in a "3" pattern: more than 3 hours a day at least 3 days a week for at least 3 weeks in a row. Colic is usually worst when babies are around 6 to 8 weeks of age and goes away on its own between 8 and 14 weeks of age.Experts generally agree that it is not a digestive problem, although having gas in the belly can aggravate the condition, nor is it caused by pain or illness. Some speculate it is due to the baby’s volatile temperament or immature nervous system. Whatever the cause, you can comfort your children by rocking them gently, burping them after meals, and eliminating stressors, such as harsh light and noise. Soft music and gentle massage can also help. Breast-feeding mothers, on the other hand, may be advised to avoid dairy products, spicy foods, raw vegetables, and caffeine
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Diphtheria, Pertussis, and Tetanus

Diphtheria is an acute bacterial disease that can infect the body in two areas the throat (respiratory diphtheria the skin (skin or cutaneous diphtheria). It can cause pneumonia, muscle paralysis, heart and kidney failure, and death.

Tetanus (lockjaw) is an acute, sometimes fatal, disease of the central nervous system, caused by the toxin of the tetanus bacterium, which usually enters the body through an open wound. Tetanus causes painful tightening of the muscles, usually all over the body. It can lead to "locking" of the jaw so the person cannot open his/her mouth or swallow.Pertussis (whooping cough) mainly affects infants and young children. Caused by a bacterium, it is characterized by paroxysms (intense fits or spells) of coughing that end with the characteristic whoop as air is inhaled. Whooping cough causes coughing spells so bad that it is hard for infants and children to eat, drink, or breathe. These spells can last for weeks.

Diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis vaccines prevent these diseases. Most children who receive all of their shots will be protected during childhood. A combination vaccine is given to babies and children and provides protection against all three diseases.
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Polio

Poliomyelitis, often called polio or infantile paralysis, is an acute viral infectious disease spread from person to person, primarily via the fecal-oral route. The term derives from the Greek poliós, meaning "grey", myelós, referring to the "spinal cord", and the suffix -itis, which denotes inflammation. It is an infection that exhibits no symptoms in 95 percent of the cases. One to two percent develops stiffness in the neck, back, and legs, while less than one percent experience paralysis. For the rest, polio manifests itself through sore throat, vomiting, and low-grade fever.

To prevent the reentry of the disease two vaccines are used throughout the world to combat polio. Both vaccines induce immunity to polio, efficiently blocking person-to-person transmission of wild poliovirus, thereby protecting both individual vaccine recipients and the wider community (so-called herd immunity). The first inactivated virus vaccine was developed in 1952 by Jonas Salk, and announced to the world on April 12, 1955. The Salk vaccine, or inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV), is based on poliovirus grown in a type of monkey kidney tissue culture (Vero cell line), which is chemically inactivated with formalin.Subsequently, Albert Sabin developed an oral polio vaccine (OPV) using live but weakened (attenuated) virus, produced by the repeated passage of the virus through non-human cells at sub-physiological temperatures. Human trials of Sabin's vaccine began in 1957 and it was licensed in 1962. The attenuated poliovirus in the Sabin vaccine replicates very efficiently in the gut, the primary site of wild poliovirus infection and replication, but the vaccine strain is unable to replicate efficiently within nervous system tissue.

Because OPV is inexpensive, easy to administer, and produces excellent immunity in the intestine (which helps prevent infection with wild virus in areas where it is endemic), it has been the vaccine of choice for controlling poliomyelitis in many countries. On very rare occasions (about 1 case per 750,000 vaccine recipients) the attenuated virus in OPV reverts into a form that can paralyze. Most industrialized countries have switched to IPV, which cannot revert, either as the sole vaccine against poliomyelitis or in combination with oral polio vaccine.
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Measles

Measles, also called rubeola, is caused by the measles virus. It is not the same as German measles, which is caused by the rubella virus. Measles is a contagious disease characterized by fever, cough, runny nose, and conjunctivitis (sore eyes or pink eyes). Common complications include pneumonia, ear infection, and diarrhea. In rare cases, encephalitis occurs, resulting in permanent brain damage or death.
In developed countries, most children are immunized against measles by the age of 18 months, generally as part of a three-part MMR vaccine (measles, mumps, and rubella). The vaccination is generally not given earlier than this because children younger than 18 months usually retain anti-measles immunoglobulins (antibodies) transmitted from the mother during pregnancy. A second dose is usually given to children between the ages of four and five, in order to increase rates of immunity. Vaccination rates have been high enough to make measles relatively uncommon.

In developing countries where measles is highly endemic, the WHO recommend that two doses of vaccine be given at six months and at nine months of age. The vaccine should be given whether the child is HIV-infected or not. The vaccine is less effective in HIV-infected infants, but the risk of adverse reactions is low.
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Hepatitis B

Hepatitis B is an inflammation of the liver, the most serious of all types of viral hepatitis. There is no cure for this disease, which can cause chronic infection and may appear asymptomatic for many years before complications, like cirrhosis and liver cancer, develop. The World Health Organization says that in developing countries, Hep-B infection usually occurs in childhood, and about 10 percent of the entire populations are chronically infected.
The Hep-B vaccine may be more expensive than the other vaccines, but it is the best way to protect your family from the disease. It has a 95 percent success rate in preventing chronic infection in those who have not been infected yet.
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Tuberculosis

Caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the disease kills more people globally than any other infection. It poses the highest risk in children under three years old. TB not only affects the lungs, the targeted site of the most common form of this disease, it can also spread to the bloodstream, and even to the spinal cord and the brain (TB meningitis). According to the Department of Health, TB meningitis is the leading cause of child deaths.
The National Network for Immunization Information in the United States says that studies of the vaccine BCG yield various rates of effectiveness, including 50 percent. It is highest in those who are immunized during early childhood. A vaccinated individual can still catch the disease. However, BCG provides 80 percent protection against the life-threatening military TB and TB meningitis.
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The Value of Vaccination

Children six years old and younger have a greater risk than older kids and adults of developing complications. When treatment isn’t timely, an otherwise “simple” disease may result in chronic health problems and even death. The good news is, many of the illnesses can be prevented with a well-balanced diet, regular exercise, good hygiene, and vaccination.
When your baby was born, he or she received antibodies from you, the mother, and it protected him from some diseases. But that immunity is limited, it doesn’t cover some vaccine-preventable diseases and it lasts only for a month to a year. That’s why we should have all our kids vaccinated according to schedule.

Vaccines work like a body armor, shielding the sensitive immune system of young children against infectious diseases, such as measles and hepatitis B. vaccinated individuals are also protecting those they come in contact with who are unvaccinated.
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Teething

For most babies, the growth of their first set of teeth can be a frustrating experience. The gums become tender and swollen, making babies restless and irritable. Some will quietly grind their gums, others will go into crying bouts, and still others will have difficulty eating or sleeping. Many will find anything they could get their little hands on and bite, which is why a painted or lacquered wooden crib is not advisable.
Teething typically starts by the baby’s third month and ends by the third year, when 20 of their primary teeth have all emerged. The first teeth, though usually the bottom front or central incisors erupt sometime between the fourth and seventh months. During teething, you’ll notice your baby drooling a lot. Wipe off the saliva to prevent a rash.To relieve irritation, gently massage the gums with your finger. Provide your infant with a teething device that doesn’t contain liquid, because it might leak out. Leave it in the freezer and take it out before it becomes rock hard. The coolness will help soothe inflamed gums. You can also do the same with a clean wet cloth be sure to wash it after every use, a thick stump of carrot, or, as the American Dental Association recommends, a sold metal spoon. The chewing aid should be nontoxic and should not break off easily into large chunks and be accidentally swallowed. Naturally, the best thing you can do is to monitor your baby every now and then.
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Cradle Cap

Cradle cap is a common condition in newborn’s where the scalp forms greasy yellowish crusts or scales. The patches are not contagious, and they generally do not cause discomfort. Cradle cap usually goes away in a few weeks or a few months, becoming a rare problem when the baby turns two.

Researchers aren’t sure what causes it, but they speculate that the excess production of sebum which prevents skin cells from shedding is probably triggered by hormones the mother has passed on to the baby. Some studies also found a correlation between the incidence of cradle cap and a family history of asthma or other allergies. What is certain is that skin condition is not caused by poor hygiene.If your child has it, wash his scalp with mild shampoo every day. You can help loosen the patches beforehand by gently running a soft-bristled brush over them, or leaving on a coat of mineral or olive oil for a few minutes. If you’re breast-feeding, you might consider bulking up on foods rich in biotin, like milk, eggs, green vegetables, and nuts. Biotin is a B vitamin that has been found to minimize the occurrence of cradle cap.
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Diaper Rash

A minor problem that brings a lot of discomfort, a diaper rash is a skin irritation that can be caused by many thongs, the friction of the diaper against the skin, the chemicals in the urine or stool, the soap used on a baby, the detergent used to wash the cloth diaper, the fragrance in the diaper, or the alcohol and other irritants found in baby wipes. Diaper rash gives the skin a red and scaly appearance. In worse cases, the skin peels and may develop blisters and sores where blood may ooze out.

To prevent diaper rash, check on your baby frequently and change dirty diapers at once. Clean the soiled genitals, thighs, and buttocks with warm water only or with mild soap. Don’t use baby wipes that contain alcohol. Pat the areas dry, do not rub. Avoid bulky diapers and plastic pants, which make babies sweat, thus making the skin more prone to diaper rash. The diaper’s plastic edges should not be snug around the thighs. Roll them up to encourage air circulation.You can also protect the healthy skin around the irritated area with a cream that contains zinc oxide. Do not apply it on broken skin. Stay away from products that contain fragrance and alcohol. You may also consider changing diaper brands or detergents, or switching from disposable to cloth, or vice versa, every so often. When washing the cloth, rinse thoroughly, and add one ounce of vinegar to a gallon of water for the final rinse. Usually, the rash will disappear in a day or so. If the skin still remains raw, try this home remedy: soak your little one in a tub or basin of warm water that’s mixed with two tablespoons of baking soda. Do this for ten minutes, three times a day.
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