Head lice can be an irritating and frustrating problem for children and their parents. Effective

head lice treatments

can cure this nagging issue and prevent future occurrence. In this article we reveal useful

head lice treatments

that can help your child lead a scratching-free and happy life.

Head Lice Treatments

• Use an effective shampoo for head lice such as Nix, Medicare or Rid. Then, remove all the nits using a lice comb. Follow the instructions carefully to be free of head lice.
• Ensure other family members do not have lice and if they do have, get them treated too.
• Wash the child’s hair at least twice a week and encourage your family members to do so too to stay on the safe side.
• If you do not wish to use anti-lice shampoos for personal reasons, try to remove the nits and lice manually, though this process may be laborious.
• Wash the child’s bedding and clothes in hot water. Vacuum car seats, stuffed animals, carpets, furniture etc. to remove nits and lice.
• Ensure you do not panic about the lice infestation. Panic will only lead to over-treatment and make you and the child anxious and tense.
• A second round of anti-lice shampoo treatment is necessary because nits hatch in about a week. Experts recommend this second treatment to be done on day 9 to get good results.
• Shaving your child’s head is not necessary to remove the lice.
• Be cautious while using alternative treatments such as tea tree oil, olive oil, Vaseline or mayonnaise as these are untested and can be difficult to remove from the child’s hair.
• Useful medications to treat resistant lice are Ovide, Lindane, Elimite, Crotamiton, Ivermectim and Bactrim.
• Ulesfia is an approved medication to treat head lice in infants older than six months. It is a water-soluble gel that suffocates head lice and gets rid of them.
• Do not try multiple remedies but consult a pediatrician to know about effective remedies that do not have side effects.
• Ensure your child has a short hair cut to detect and remove lice more easily.

Home Remedies for Head Lice

• Neem is a great remedy for head lice. Its bitter property kills the insects and it is also very safe as it is chemical free. Make a paste of lemon, neem powder and water and apply on the hair to get rid of lice. You can also use Neem oil which has the same effect.
• Wash your child’s hair with tea tree or oil or vinegar to get rid of head lice.

Babies start thumb sucking as this gives them pleasure and comfort. Most children outgrow this habit by the time they go to preschool. But, if they still continue to suck their thumb afterwards, it is a cause for concern as permanent teeth will start to grow by then. If your kid is finding it difficult to stop sucking his thumb, read on and learn valuable tips on

how to stop thumb sucking

. We recommend these easy yet effective ways to get rid of the habit.

How to Stop Thumb Sucking

• Monitor your child carefully to detect if anxiety and mental conflicts are the reason behind her thumb sucking.
• Give your kid rewards if he refrains from thumb sucking for an allotted time. This will motivate the kid to drop the habit.
• Put some bad-tasting juice on her thumb like pickle juice or vinegar. But, take their permission beforehand. When your kid tries to suck her thumb absent-mindedly, they will feel the bad taste and will immediately
  

  stop thumb sucking.

• When you notice your child trying to suck his thumb, distract them by engaging in some activity which requires using both hands. Most likely, your kid will be tempted to suck her thumb before bedtime or naptime. Distract her by asking her to hold a stuffed toy or the book that you are reading to her.
• Try to take the help of his friends who have overcome the thumb-sucking habit. Peer pressure will help a great deal and influence your child to quit the habit.
• If your kid is old enough, then ask him to introspect on why he sucks his thumb. They will realize this is just an arbitrary habit and will become wise enough to quit immediately.
• Keep a journal of the times when your kid is most likely to suck her thumb. Pay extra care during these times and slowly wean her away from the habit.
• Confess to your kid that you also had some unhealthy habits and tell him how you managed to overcome them. This will motivate him and kindle his can-do spirit to
  

  stop thumb sucking.

• You can ask your dentist and pediatrician to pitch in and explain to your kid the various ill-effects of thumb sucking. Once the kid realizes that this seemingly innocuous habit does have certain undesirable side effects, they will stop it immediately.

Summary

We hope our tips on

how to stop thumb sucking

prove useful to you and your kid. Never scold your child for his habit, but help him gradually overcome it by giving your support, love and affection.

This is exactly a moment where most of the parents can lose their control. It is difficult to be patient when your child freaks you out but since violence in parenting in any form can destroy the trust and confidence of a child, it is important to never lose the control and to stay calm. So what can you do to stay calm in difficult situations?

Here are the

tips for parenting

without any violence even in difficult situations:

• Instead of exploding, go to a room where you can be alone. Take a deeeep breath, count to twenty or gasp some air on the balcony – Just do something that gives you distance!
• You should put away things which your child shouldn’t touch to a place where they can’t reach it to eliminate unnecessary stress.
• If you are about to be overwhelmed by your child’s urge to explore, put it in a cot or playpen for a short term.
• If you need to grumble with your child, go into a crouched position and see the child in the eye to achieve a better effect than if you grumble from the top. But it is important not to force your child to have eye contact with you as well.
• An important
  

  tip for parenting

  is to avoid physical proximity or contact when feeling too upset. Prefer to step back or to leave the room briefly to calm down.

• If your child keeps asking you to do something, forget about the time pressure to finish all you have to do and focus for some minutes on your offspring. It will make it easier for you to finish your to-do-list afterwards.
• When you are already annoyed, don’t start with topics like cleaning the rooms. Instead, take a break to calm down or make a phone call with a friend. It will help you!
• If your nerves are on edge, let off steam by pounding on the table. This signals to the child that your patience is at the end.
• When grumbling is necessary, be careful of your word choice and tone. Don’t say to your child things like “You are bad!” but “What you have done is bad.” And don’t scream, a stern voice is more efficient!
• The most important
  

  tip for parenting

  is to be absolutely honest and to apologize when your parental tantrum has become bigger than adequate. Explain to your child why you were so angry.

]]> http://www.drgranny.com/2011/09/20/tips-for-parenting-how-to-stay-calm-when-your-child-freaks-you-out/feed/ 0 http://www.drgranny.com/2011/09/17/behavior-problem-of-children-%e2%80%93-is-swearing-really-so-bad/ http://www.drgranny.com/2011/09/17/behavior-problem-of-children-%e2%80%93-is-swearing-really-so-bad/#comments Sat, 17 Sep 2011 12:37:13 +0000 admin http://www.drgranny.com/?p=3683 Cursing is a way to get rid of the anger. If you don’t do so, you risk to get aggressive. Therefore, it should be allowed for children to curse. But how and which words are allowed so that cursing doesn’t become a


behavior problem

?

The referee is an “asshole”! The teacher is ”stupid”! And the new neighbor is just a “big meanie”!
These are moments where the parents are embarrassed for their kids and ask themselves where this vulgar vocabulary comes from. Is it from school, from the street, from the TV or even from home?

Is he a chip off the old block?

Does this idiot really snatch away my parking spot? It is normal to curse in such situations, whether the kids are in the car or not. And what do you say when the olive oil bottle shatters on the freshly cleaned kitchen floor? ‘Crap’ is probably the most harmless word.

It is impossible to have your vocabulary always under control. But on the other hand, most parents feel guilty when they swear in the presence of their children since parents are always and everywhere a role model.

No matter how silent you were cursing, the offspring internalizes it immediately especially when it comes from the mother and there we go, the young one takes it to his repertoire. Therefore, parents shouldn’t be surprised when their children use bad vocabulary since it is not always the school or the TV!

Do only “bad” parents curse?

Definitely no!! Researches of linguists showed that swearing is present even in the best families and that there is no culture without curse or swear words. It doesn’t matter where and when, the language used always bad words since cursing relieves one from anger and aggression. Growing up in a family where nobody said a bad or a loud word would be too oppressive. Child psychologists also share the opinion that expecting constant self-control is not the desired way to raise a child.

Is There Really No Limit?

Would you really feel relieved if you call a traffic fool an “asshole”? Psychologists say that the motives of cursing are crucial. Channeling negative emotions about the language is not just okay, it also prevents you from getting angry. So using bad words sometimes doesn’t have to be a behavior problem! So, when the LEGO tower breaks together, the child should be allowed to swear at the ruin.

Nevertheless, each family has to define for themselves what curse and swear words are allowed at home. And if any mishap follows with a verbal cannon fire, the parents should definitely set limits for swearing.

What is with the school?

Parents should be aware that even if they get rid of their anger on a socially totally acceptable way, they cannot protect their children from really rough printouts. Then vulgar vocabulary is everywhere: on the street, in the kindergarten, school or in the sport club. But still, parents can do a lot to ensure that cursing and swearing doesn’t become a behavior problem:

• Monitor your own vocabulary and stop using some bad words.
• When arguing with your partner, make sure you don’t use gross insults à la “asshole”.
• Start making a list on which you always make a check when your child is cursing. For example, set a rule like “more than 3 times cursing a day results in no TV in the evening”.
• Explain your children why some expressions really hurt and why they shouldn’t use them (racist, sexist, etc.).
• Make sure they don’t see TV shows with a lot of swear and curse words.
• Explain to them that even though some people may use a bad vocabulary, you don’t accept it from them.
• If your child swears at somebody, ensure that your child says sorry to this person.
• Insist on proper expressions at home.
• Do not tolerate vile insults under any circumstances.
• Explain to them that cursing and swearing is not accepted by the society.
• The most important thing is to praise them if your offspring stayed calm in a difficult situation.
]]> http://www.drgranny.com/2011/09/17/behavior-problem-of-children-%e2%80%93-is-swearing-really-so-bad/feed/ 0 http://www.drgranny.com/2011/09/16/safety-for-children-is-too-much-protection-harmful/ http://www.drgranny.com/2011/09/16/safety-for-children-is-too-much-protection-harmful/#comments Fri, 16 Sep 2011 12:29:00 +0000 admin http://www.drgranny.com/?p=3680 Many boys and girls are always guarded, protected and observed by overanxious parents. But is growing up without any adventure and risk good for the development of your child? Can too much


safety for children

have fatal consequences? Here are the answers!

What is Childhood?

Childhood is when both knees are covered with Band-Aids in the summer, if you collect earth worms and put them in bottles, if you drive your bicycle down a hill, if your mom has to wash your clothes after you ate an ice cream, when you play hide and seek in the forest ….

Or was that childhood some years ago? Because this description sounds like a surreal story from the TV or a dream of such adventures for many children nowadays.
And some parents get goose bumps when they imagine their child running around in the forest by themselves or racing with bikes on the street.

Life is dangerous!

Yes, it is dangerous to handle with Swiss army knives, to make somersaults in the living room or to go somewhere without the parent’s knowledge. And therefore many kids are not able to do these activities. They are completely secured and always observed.

Is the world really more dangerous?

Parents protect and observe their children nowadays so much with the argument that the world is now so much more dangerous than at the time when they grew up. But the facts speak at least another language. According to Wikipedia, in 2009, America’s crime rate was as low as 1968. Even though the U.S. crime rate has increased a lot since 1964 and had its peak in the early 1990s, the rate is steadily decreasing since then. And the year 2009 was the safest year in almost forty years.

Furthermore, the statistics of Administration for Children and Families (http://www.acf.hhs.gov) show a similar picture. The child maltreatment rate was 1.35% in 1990 while the rate sunk to 1.08% until 2007.

But not only this! Also, diseases like polio and smallpox are nowadays almost extinct, and kidnapping, sexual offense and violent crimes were 30 years ago the same when not even higher. Also the dangerous strange man is not strange at all in more than 90 percent of the cases, but comes from the family or close circle.

So a child’s life today is not more dangerous than when you grew up. Nevertheless, most parents still think that the daily lives of children are more risky than in their youth and overdo it with the


safety for children

.

But why do Parents think like That?

Frank Furedi, a professor of Sociology at the University of Kent in Cantebury and author of the book “Paranoid Parenting”, calls the mistrust of today’s generation of parents to other adults “Stranger-Danger”. For sure, articles about dangerous playgrounds, teachers who abuse students, pedophile priests or abusive babysitters are reasons for the mistrust of parents. But many overdo it and forget that children need some risks and adventures to grow up and are afraid that something could happen to their child even though their offspring seems to be well cared.

Furthermore, Furedi also sees the society today as a reason in which individualism banishes solidarity between adults. This was exactly different when you grew up. Then twenty years ago, parents assumed that other adults – often strangers – would help their children if they got into trouble.

What are the consequences?

But today, other adults are not supposed to interfere in raising kids or to speak with some which they don’t know, with the consequences that a stranger doesn’t grab a child immediately anymore when it wants to cross a dangerous street. And since most of the children get picked up from school, get chauffeured to the soccer training or are not allowed to walk to their playmates by themselves, they don’t get the experiences with barking neighbor dogs, balancing on garden walls or getting in trouble because of ringing neighbor’s doorbells.

Don’t these experiences matter?

“So what?”, one may argue. Children don’t learn anything when they ring the neighbor’s doorbells. They can balance on the balance beam at school during physical education and a barking dog is nothing else than dangerous. Exactly not, then children need to build strong personalities with their own will and responsibility and unstructured spaces where they can gain their own experiences. Then according to Neurobiologists, it is important for the brain development to make physical experiences which are linked with emotions. Therefore, young people have to make their own experiences with the risk to hurt themselves or to get in trouble with neighbors to adapt to challenges in the future.

But I can’t endanger my child!

It is not even so difficult to give your child the possibility to make these experiences without the risk that it gets seriously injured – still some bruises and wounds are a part of growing up. Letting your child spend time with peers, to go hiking or on a bike ride with your child instead of going to the mall will give him or her challenges and adventures he or she needs.

Tips for parents:

• A little pain never hurts! If your child runs down the stairs the whole time you are not next to him, if she always wants to nibble from the hot frying pan when she gets a chance or when he never binds the laces, your kids maybe need to hurt themselves a little to learn not to do it. And these won’t be serious injuries. Your child will learn through a burned tongue or bruises on the knees that you should walk down stairs slowly, that food directly out of the pan is too hot and that you should tie your laces.
• It is not possible in the whole United States to let your children go to school or to the playground by themselves. That is true! But next time you are going to the playground, don’t stay the whole time next to them. You can observe them also from a little distance to make them feel independent and free.
• When you see your children arguing with other kids, don’t interfere immediately, since your offspring will learn a lot for life by fighting. Only when it comes to scuffles you should go to settle the dispute.
• Let your child do sports. Even though the risk of injury is high in most sports, kids can obtain many experiences. Especially in team sports, they learn additionally how to act in groups, develop team spirit and learn how to control aggressiveness.
• Girls and boy scouts are also a great after school program for your children when you don’t have time to do activities with your kids such as going to the zoo, going biking or for a walk in the nature. In this group, kids do many different activities which will help to learn a lot for life.
• In case your child gets hurt because of doing some silly things, don’t punish it. Instead give a hug and let it choose his or her favorite Band Aid. But let your child think about why it happened. Due to reflexing silly behavior, the learning process is much more efficient and the chance that it will do it again is smaller.

Following these tips will make you feel indeed more relaxed with


safety for children

, and you give your offspring the opportunity to gain his or her own experiences. And just think back to your childhood. Who wasn’t proud of the scars because of skateboarding accidents?

]]> http://www.drgranny.com/2011/09/16/safety-for-children-is-too-much-protection-harmful/feed/ 0 http://www.drgranny.com/2011/09/11/farewell-to-breastfeeding-how-to-wean-from-breastfeeding/ http://www.drgranny.com/2011/09/11/farewell-to-breastfeeding-how-to-wean-from-breastfeeding/#comments Sun, 11 Sep 2011 11:22:43 +0000 admin http://www.drgranny.com/?p=3629 If it were up to the will of the children, they would usually get nursed for years. But very few mothers can do that. Here are some tips


how to wean from breastfeeding

– a not always easy transition from the breast to the bottle.

Am I the Only Mum with Problems?

Definitely not, but the World Health Organization and many others recommend, because of the numerous benefits of breast milk, to breastfeed babies for at least six months. Due to this, many mothers with problems force themselves to breast feeding even though they have problems like mastitis. But there are also other ways to give your baby what it needs.

Do I need medicines for weaning?

There are very different and often very individual solutions for


‘how to wean from breastfeeding’

and the appropriate variant is often only in a detailed conversation between mother and counselor. But if the child is already six months old and eats already, women usually don’t need any medicines.

Certainly an advantage is there since drugs have often unwanted side effects, such as circulatory problems, nausea, vomiting or headache.

If you breastfeed the baby only irregularly you can also stop the flow of the milk with home remedies.
Sometimes a tight-fitting bra or a cold pack wrapped in a shawl helps. If you feel very tense on the breast, the milk should be bottled out to there is no engorgement.

Take it slowly

If you wean gradually, you don’t have to do anything. This way is less stressful for the female body compared to the abrupt cessation of breastfeeding with the pill, but also for the baby since its stomach can slowly get used to the milk bottles. Experts recommend to leave out the breastfeeding every fourth day at a daytime that is the least important for the child. Babies younger than six months get their meal replaced by a feeding bottle. For older children you can maybe even start with real food. If the father or another close caregiver does this step with the child, it will be even easier.

The only disadvantage of this method is the time you need for it because, until the child is weaned, it takes several weeks. When babies are under six months they usually get the breast up to ten times a day, so this process of weaning off can drag on for a whole month.

There is no answer about the perfect way of


how to wean from breastfeeding

, but when the circumstances allow it, take it slowly then the last method would be for sure the best solution for mother and child.

]]> http://www.drgranny.com/2011/09/11/farewell-to-breastfeeding-how-to-wean-from-breastfeeding/feed/ 0 http://www.drgranny.com/2011/09/09/baby-formula-feeding-when-is-the-right-time-to-stop/ http://www.drgranny.com/2011/09/09/baby-formula-feeding-when-is-the-right-time-to-stop/#comments Fri, 09 Sep 2011 11:09:21 +0000 admin http://www.drgranny.com/?p=3622 Most of the kids love their feeding bottles and won’t go to sleep without snuggling in the warm bed and drinking their milk formula. At the same time, most of the parents hope that their kids are no longer interested in the bottle at some point. But what if a child already counts to 30, goes to the kindergarten, eats normally and still wants his formula? Many parents don’t know the right time to stop with


baby formula feeding

and are helpless when the child keeps asking for it even though it could already eat and drink normally.

So, when is the timing to wean a child and how can you do it? Here are the answers:

When is the right time?

As soon as a child eats normally it actually doesn’t require the formula milk anymore, because a healthy child gets all the needed nutrients and energy with three main meals and two snacks. Nevertheless, there is no official age limit for the end of the formula feeding-bottle age. But it is highly recommended to replace the formula milk with normal milk or tea when the child has too much fat on the ribs.

Do you think the formula is better than milk?

Even though there is not a right age to stop with the milk formula, researches showed that special children’s milk is unnecessary or even harmful. Experts say that industrial products do not offer benefits when compared to normal cow milk. Baby milk consists also mainly water, whey powder and sugar. The high sugar content is not just bad for the teeth but also for the health of your child.

Whole or reduced-fat milk?

Normal cow milk provides your child with all the needed nutrients, so it is definitely sufficient. So parents shouldn’t feel guilty when they decide to stop with


baby formula feeding

even when their child keeps asking for it.

But which milk should it be? Normal-weight children can drink whole milk without any problems. Only kids who are overweight should consume reduced-fat milk because it contains less fat than whole milk. But in general, the rule is that natural food is always better for kids.

Experts recommend giving children 3 portions of dairy products a day – one portion is around 0.5 fl. oz., because milk containes calcium which is essential for building a healthy bone structure. If your child doesn’t like cow milk, you can try it with yogurt or cheese. If your child suffers with lactose intolerance, there are many lactose-free products nowadays, so don’t skip the milk supply.

No chance with normal milk?

Don’t worry if your child doesn’t show any interest in normal milk after stopping with


baby formula feeding

. Then children need time to get used to this change. It is important to give the child some time to adapt to normal milk and not to despair as a parent if it doesn’t work right away.

What if it doesn’t eat anything else?

In general, it is sufficient when you offer a child different types of solid food slowly to wean from the bottle and at the same time to reduce the milk formula. If the child still asks for the feeding bottle, tell him/her that he/she is a “big boy or a big girl” now and doesn’t need the bottle anymore. If the child does try out some solid food, praise him. And make him throw the bottle away then he should do this step.

But if your child doesn’t want anything else other than the formula even though it could eat normally and you tried already for some time, you should contact a pediatrician in this case. There may be several medical or nutritional reasons why your child doesn’t want to take solid food.

]]> http://www.drgranny.com/2011/09/09/baby-formula-feeding-when-is-the-right-time-to-stop/feed/ 0 http://www.drgranny.com/2011/08/18/how-to-cure-bedwetting/ http://www.drgranny.com/2011/08/18/how-to-cure-bedwetting/#comments Thu, 18 Aug 2011 05:33:58 +0000 admin http://www.drgranny.com/?p=3493

Bedwetting during sleep is a common problem children face, especially in early childhood. Most kids overcome this issue by age five, but some may continue to experience this problem even till their teen years. Bedwetting can cause psychological issues such as lack of self-confidence, embarrassment, anger, depression, frustration and anxiety, especially in older children. This article reveals the common causes of bedwetting and how to cure this embarrassing condition.

Causes of Bedwetting

• Sleeping soundly
• Drinking too much water just before bedtime
• Stressful life conditions
• Allergies to certain foods
• Vitamin and mineral deficiencies in diet
• Mental troubles like upset mind, fear etc.
• Small bladder which is unable to retain the urine
• Diabetes in children
• Candida yeast infection
• Urinary tract infection
• Bladder or kidney weakness
• Hypoglycemia

How to Cure Bedwetting

Read on to learn some easy and natural methods you can try to cure bedwetting:

Diet

Give your child a balanced diet with lots of vegetables and fruits. Try to buy organic foods as these do not have herbicide and pesticide residues. Advise your kid to reduce the consumption of soda and junk food. Avoid food additives, fake sugars, white sugar and synthetic food colorings. Give your child quality protein snacks such as beef, turkey, meat, nuts and peanut butter before bedtime which can improve bladder control and sleep.

Drinks

Avoid drinking liquids an hour before hitting the bed. At other times, try teas such as corn silk and Parsley, and also cranberry juice all of which support the kidneys and bladder.

Herbs

To cure bedwetting

, try herbs mixed in pastes, tinctures, teas and cooked food. Beneficial herbs for bedwetting are:

• Kava kava is an antiseptic and diuretic that helps cure urinary tract infections, stress, insomnia, depression and anxiety.
• Juniper berries are diuretics that regulate blood sugar, relieve inflammation and alleviate kidney and bladder problems.
• Uva Ursi is also a diuretic which supports the pancreas, liver, spleen, kidneys and bladder.

Mental Health of Your Child

Psychological or emotional upsets can also cause bedwetting. Fear is a strong emotion linked with bedwetting. Take your child to a psychologist to treat emotional problems if they persist and cause issues.

Tips to Cure Bedwetting

• Advise your child to empty their bladder before hitting the bed.
• Ask your kid to avoid chocolate and caffeinated drinks which increase the urge to urinate.
• Do not embarrass your child by scolding them if they wet the bed. Rather, praise them if they stay dry.
• Give your kid confidence by informing that bedwetting is a common condition in children. Protect them from embarrassment and shame, and encourage them to try the above tips to
  

  cure bedwetting

  .

]]> http://www.drgranny.com/2011/08/18/how-to-cure-bedwetting/feed/ 0 http://www.drgranny.com/2011/05/27/lazy-eye-in-children/ http://www.drgranny.com/2011/05/27/lazy-eye-in-children/#comments Fri, 27 May 2011 10:25:48 +0000 admin http://www.drgranny.com/?p=3252 Amblyopia or


lazy eye

, is a condition characterized by the abnormal reduction of vision without any definitive cause.


Predominantly seen in children, about 3% of them under 6 get it in some form or other. About 1-5% of the general population is affected by it.


Amblyopia, generally affects one eye but it is possible to have this condition in both the eyes. In general, the vision of both the eyes is hampered. The visual stimulation on seeing an image is transmitted to the brain through the optic nerve. Even in the absence of structural deformities in the eyes or optic nerve this function does not take place properly. It is actually a developmental problem of the brain.
Another crucial factor in understanding the disease is the emphasis on the fact that this deprivation, due to the lack of visual stimulation should have occurred for the most part of the “critical period”. The critical period in humans would be from birth to two years old. During this period the brain gets used to relate the images and establish coherence.
The brain in this condition learns not to acknowledge the images it sees. Irreversible damage is possible if the brain is not trained to process images.

Causes of lazy eye

Anything that inhibits vision in the”critical period” is responsible for it. The most common causes are as follows:

• Constant Strabismus

  : This happens when both the eyes are misaligned. The dominant eye has normal vision but the affected eye has blurred vision because of the misalignment or turning of the pupil away from the object. As a result, the images the brain is processing from both the eyes are different. If untreated, this causes irreversible developmental damage in the brain. Adults having this condition have double vision.

• Refractive or Anisometropic Amblyopia

  : This happens because of unequal refractive capabilities (prescription/vision) of both the eyes. The eye with clearer vision establishes the visual mechanism with the brain. The other eye fails to do so resulting in only half development of the visual system.

• Form Deprivation and Occlusion Amblyopia

  : Physical obstructions barring the visual images from the eyes to reach the brain could also cause it. These obstructions could be cataract, corneal scarring from forceps used in birth, drooping eye lids causing an opaque image to be sent to the brain for further processing.



Symptoms of Amblyopia

• In case of a milder amblyopia, it is asymptomatic or without any symptoms in the beginning. This is so because the good eye has strong vision and quite makes up for the weak vision in the other eye.
• Poor depth perception, as to gauging the distance to a particular object is affected.
• Poor visual acuity, as to having a clear and sharp image of the seen object.
• Poor understanding of contrasts.
• Lower reflex and sensitivity to motion.
• Poor processing of three dimensional images by the brain.

Diagnosis and Detection of this condition

• A normal 20/20 vision test is not sufficient to detect it. This is more true because it affects young children.
• A comprehensive visual test encompassing testing depth perception, spacial acuity is needed. This is particularly true if the child suffers from constant strabismus or has different prescriptions for both eyes. In that case, a normal eye check-up by the pediatrician or one at school is not sufficient.

Treatment of Lazy Eye

• Wearing glasses according to prescription.
• Patching the good eye or using pupil dilating drops like topical atropine to inhibit the vision in the good eye. This is like forcing the affected eye to learn to form vision and establish the visual mechanism with the brain.
• Vision Therapy is also recommended.It is a program designed to correct eye movements, alignment problems, usage of both eyes, focusing with both eyes and visual processing.
]]> http://www.drgranny.com/2011/05/27/lazy-eye-in-children/feed/ 0 http://www.drgranny.com/2011/04/02/foot-pain-causes-in-children/ http://www.drgranny.com/2011/04/02/foot-pain-causes-in-children/#comments Sat, 02 Apr 2011 05:03:43 +0000 admin http://www.drgranny.com/?p=3044 Foot pain in children is the most common complaint which doctors come across. Often, this condition is just an annoyance which doesn’t last for more one or two days. However, its occurrence after a severe foot injury or leg injury or while a chronic health condition, can indicate a grave situation. Simple home remedies are enough for treating mild to moderate foot pain in the children. If the pain persists for long period or becomes intolerable, medical intervention may become essential. It is must to understand that extreme cases of foot pain may lead to disability or long term damage if not treated in time. Here are some


foot pain causes in children

. The causes of foot pain in children are similar to those in adults.



Foot Pain Causes in Children:

Many a times, improper fitting of shoes or shoes with not sufficient cushioning may be one of the reasons for foot pain in children and also in adults. Sudden twisting the foot or leg, tips and falls or excess use are other mild causes. Apart from these factors, there are many other medical conditions whose symptoms may include foot pain. Following are some of the most common


foot pain causes in children

:

• Broken foot

• Bone spurs:

  These are bony projections which rub against the bone and spurs.

• Achilles tendinitis:

  This is an inflammation of Achilles. This is the most common cause of severe foot pain.

• Bunions:

  Bunions are the bumps on the bone of the big toe’s base and it pushes against other toes.

• Corns and calluses:

  The skin near the heel may become hard and thick. Typically this condition is found in elderly people to be a cause of foot pain.

• Bursitis:

  This is an inflammation of cushions amongst the tendons and bones. These cushions are called bursae.

• Diabetic neuropathy:

  Children suffering from diabetes are susceptible to experience foot pain. This is because diabetes mellitus damages the nerves in feet and legs.

• Defects with posture:

  Certain abnormalities in posture can also be one of the causes of foot pain in children.

• Peripheral neuropathy:

  It causes numbness and pain in the feet. Peripheral neuropathy is caused by the nerve damage.

• Ingrown toenails:

  The corners or sides of the toenail of afflicted toe grow into the soft flesh of toe. Ingrown toenails are very common in elderly people compared to kids.

• Gout:

  Gout is another form of arthritis. It causes foot pain in both adults as well as children. Gout causes tenderness and redness of the joints, typically at big toe’s base.

• Flatfeet:

  Foot pain in children can also be caused due to flatfeet. Mostly, it is painless.

Treatment for Foot Pain in Children:

Foot pain in children at nights can be troublesome because it might not allow them to have enough sleep. As they are very small, they may not be able to tolerate pain. Hence, take some steps for managing the symptoms to get relief from the foot pain in little ones. Parents can take a few steps to treat the foot pain immediate medical attention is not available. Following are some home treatments to treat foot pain in children:

• Help your child in taking rest. This may need sometime for the body for healing itself, and keep the pain from aggravating.
• Apply ice on the foot for reducing pain. This is a traditional remedy for improving the condition. Take some ice cubes and wrap them in a towel. Place this on the painful area. Apply ice for about 20 minutes and parents must wrap ice in a thick towel because it may be very cold for the kids.
• Keep the painful foot at an elevation. You must keep you child’s leg higher than the heart because it reduces swelling and pain too.

Usage of over the counter pain relievers is generally not recommended for treating foot pain in children, yet they may trigger some severe adverse effects. Thus after following the above treatment options if the pain does not subside, consult the health care provider immediately.

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