I was about 6 years old or so when my oldest brother was bit by my neighbor’s dachshund. I don’t think he provoked Heidi, the dachshund, other than we were playing tag in my neighbor’s yard and she may not have liked her owner being chased after. There was no warning bark, surprising for these incessant yelpers, and so came as a big surprise to my brother when she took a bite at his leg as he ran across the yard. I know it scared the heck outta me, I can’t tell you how it affected my then 12 year old brother.

I don’t know how he got to the hospital, one of my parents must have been home, but I do remember him lying miserably on the couch later that evening telling us about the shots he had to get in his stomach. That sounded more painful than the dog bite. I avoided going over to my neighbor’s as much as possible, and avoided Heidi even more. She was just one of three ankle-biting steady-yelping dachshunds. I had no desire to tempt Gabby and Gretchen to try their luck at “tag.”

About Dog Bites

More than 4 million Americans are bitten by dogs each year, and about 800,000 of these people, of which 44% are younger than 14 years old, seek medical attention. One dozen or more dog bite related fatalities occur each year in the US, and most of these are children. Most dog bites aren’t provoked, but there are still some precautions adults and children can take to reduce the likelihood of being bitten. In the case of a dog bite, your family physician must know what to do to treat the bites effectively.

In 1994, an estimated 34 million American families had a dog as a family pet, making the canine population in the United States in excess of 55 million. There are some dogs that are considered more aggressive than others like Rottweilers, German Shepherds, Pitt Bulls, Doberman Pincers, Chows, Malamutes and Wolf hybrid breeds. Even though most dogs never bite a human, any dog is capable of inflicting harm under certain circumstances. Children are the most common victims of dog bite, especially those proving to be fatal. Most reported cases of dog bite involve the dog owned by the victim’s family or neighbors, and are from unprovoked attacks. For example, neonatal deaths from dog bite most frequently happen to sleeping babies.

Steps to Prevent Dog Bite

• Never leave a young child alone with a pet.

• Do not try to separate fighting animals.

• Avoid sick animals and animals that you don’t know.

• Leave animals alone while they’re eating.

• Keep pets on a leash when in public.

• Select your family pet carefully, and be sure to keep your pet’s vaccinations up-to-date.

How to Treat a Dog Bite

Knowing first aid procedures for dog bite can help you or your family member avoid a more serious wound, or at the very least, help to prevent infection or serious lasting damage. If an animal bites you or a friend or family member, follow these guidelines:
For minor wounds:

• If the bite barely breaks the skin and there is no danger of rabies, treat it as a minor wound. Wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water. Apply an antibiotic cream to prevent infection and cover the bite with a clean bandage. Keep the injury elevated above the level of the heart to slow swelling and prevent infection. Apply antibiotic ointment to the area 2 times every day until it heals.

For deep wounds:

• If the animal bite creates a deep puncture of the skin or the skin is badly torn and bleeding, apply pressure with a clean, dry cloth to stop the bleeding and see your doctor.

For infection:

• If you notice signs of infection, such as swelling, redness, increased pain or oozing, see your doctor immediately.

For suspected rabies:

• If you suspect the bite was caused by an animal that might carry rabies — including any wild or domestic animal of unknown immunization status — see your doctor immediately.

Make sure you report the incident to the appropriate official in your community (e.g. police or animal control).

What to expect from your Physician in the case of Dog Bite

• Examine the wound for possible nerve or tendon damage, or bone injury. He or she will also check for signs of infection.

• Clean the wound with a special solution and remove any damaged tissue.

• May use stitches to close a bite wound, but often the wound is left open to heal, so the risk of infection is lowered.

• May prescribe an antibiotic to prevent infection.

• May give you a tetanus shot if you had your last shot more than 5 years ago.

• May ask you to schedule an office visit to check your wound again in 1 to 2 days.

• If your injury is severe, or if the infection has not gotten better even though you’re taking antibiotics, your doctor may suggest that you see a specialist and/or go to the hospital, where you can get special medicine given directly in your veins (intravenous antibiotics) and further treatment if necessary.

-Anne

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I remember when my niece got oral thrush as an infant. It was, up until then, the grossest thing I’d ever heard of. Now that I know it’s pretty common among infants and what causes it, it doesn’t seem quite so bad.

What is Oral Thrush?

Oral thrush is an overgrowth of the fungus Candida albicans. It accumulates on the lining of the mouth—tongue, cheeks, and can sometimes spread to the lips, gums, and roof of the mouth or back of the throat.

Oral thrush is characterized by creamy white lesions that can be painful and may even bleed if they’re scraped or with teeth brushing.

Oral thrush can affect anyone, but is most common in infants and toddlers, older adults and in people with compromised immune systems where symptoms can become more serious, widespread and difficult to control. In other words, the Candida albicans fungus may infect other parts of the body simultaneously and more severely.

Symptoms of Oral Thrush

White lesions that resemble cottage cheese on the inside of the cheeks and tongue are signs of oral thrush. As mentioned above, the lesions can be painful and may bleed slightly. The symptoms commonly develop all of a sudden and may continue for quite some time.

If it’s a severe case, the lesions may spread into the esophagus (Candida esophagitis), and swallowing becomes difficult and it may feel like food has become lodged in the throat.

Healthy infants who develop oral thrush usually develop it in the first few weeks of life. Nursing mothers need to treat themselves as well as the infant; otherwise they will continue to pass the fungus back and forth between the nursing infant and the mother’s breast. The signs that a mother’s breasts are infected with candida are:

• Unusually red or sensitive nipples

• Shiny or flaky skin on the areola

• Unusual pain during nursing or painful nipples between feedings

• Stabbing pains deep within the breasts

Causes of Oral Thrush

Microorganisms live in and on your body. These viruses, bacteria and fungi in the “right” balanced proportions stimulate your immune system, create essential vitamins, and help protect against the harmful viruses and bacteria. When the relationship becomes unbalanced, the “bad” microbes overtake the “good” ones and cause an infection. A weakened immune system caused by disease or drugs (like Prednisone), or antibiotics are some factors that may cause an imbalance of microorganisms in the body. The reason it’s so common in infants is because they’re immune systems aren’t yet fully developed.

Home Remedies for Oral Thrush

The primary goal of oral thrush remedies is to stop the growth of the fungus.
Home Remedies for adults:

• Mix two teaspoons of apple cider vinegar to one cup cool water. Gargle with solution. Do not swallow. After gargling, dip a cotton swab in undiluted apple cider vinegar and apply directly on to the oral sores. Do not rinse. Allow to stand overnight.

• Mix a few drops of tea tree oil (approximately 5 to 8 drops) into a glass of either warm or cold water. Gargle the mixture for about a minute. Let the solution touch all the parts of the mouth (throat, palate, cheek lining). Be careful not to swallow the solution. Gargle two times a day (preferably once in the morning and once before sleeping).

• Drinking buttermilk is a traditional oral thrush home remedy.

• Garlic has anti-fungal properties, and tablets from the health food store may help during an outbreak of thrush.

Home Remedies for Infants and toddlers:

• Treating oral thrush in toddlers may involve the use of antibiotics or the addition of unsweetened yogurt to the diet to balance the body’s bacteria.

-Anne

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My nephew had mild bouts with eczema as an infant. Since he was so young, there weren’t any additional irritations from him scratching and he didn’t seem to be uncomfortable due to the rash. My sister used an over-the-counter cream to treat the spots of eczema. Thankfully, the condition seems to be in remission as he comes upon his 5th birthday.

What is Eczema?

Eczema is a condition that affects the skin and causes inflammation and an itchy red rash. The affected area can also be surrounded with small fluid-filled sacs that look like blisters and may ooze.

There are several different types and causes of eczema. I will be focusing on infantile eczema, sometimes called atopic dermatitis—the most common cause of eczema. Infantile eczema occurs in infancy, but affects children at any age. Conditions that occur when someone is sensitive to things in their environment like pollen, mold, pet dander or certain foods, are called “atopic.” Dermatitis describes the condition of the skin when it is inflamed, or red and sore. Eczema is often referred to the “itch that rashes” because sometimes a spot will be itchy, and scratching will cause a rash to develop. Resisting or avoiding scratching will aid in the healing of the rash, and help to avoid making it worse.

Causes of Eczema

Eczema is thought to be connected to genetic factors. Many children who get eczema also have family members with hay fever, asthma, or other allergies.
Allergies can trigger eczema, although it’s not an allergy in itself, as well as environmental and emotional factors; stress can bring on eczema. Children with eczema may also develop hay fever or asthma later on in life.

One out of every 10 children will develop eczema, almost always by the age of five. The good news is that kids dealing with eczema today will likely have outgrown it by the time they are teenagers.

Symptoms of Eczema

Every child experiences a unique culmination of symptoms that range in severity, so diagnosing eczema can be tricky. It’s possible to confuse eczema with other types of dermatological conditions like seborrheic dermatitis (commonly known as cradle cap), psoriasis (another genetic disease that causes the skin to become scaly and inflamed), and contact dermatitis which is caused by direct contact with an irritating substance such as metal, medicine or soap.

In determining a diagnosis, a doctor will examine the look and location of the rash; take a family history of allergies, hay fever and asthma, and possibly test to see if the child has developed any allergies.

List of symptoms:
• Itching with or without a rash
• A rash that looks red and/or scaly possibly with small blisters
• An oozing rash
• Thickening of the skin from rubbing or scratching

Home Remedies

• Plenty of water to help keep the skin hydrated and free of toxins and impurities
• For a great skin wash, boil the following ingredients together for 35 minutes. Let cool and use it to wash the affected area:
1tsp. comfrey root
1tsp. white oak bark
1tsp. slippery elm bark
2 cups of water
• Make sure to include plenty of food rich in B complex vitamins in your diet to assist in the healing and prevention of eczema.
• Vitamin E used topically will soothe and relieve the itching.

Things to avoid that will help your child feel more comfortable:
• Avoid hot baths, hot water tends to dry out the skin and exacerbate the problem
• Use mild soap or non-soap products to bathe your child
• Pat dry with a towel after bathing and avoid excessive scrubbing or toweling
• Help your child to avoid over-heating
• Avoid scratching

-Anne

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Anytime a headache comes on suddenly, I fear that it’s meningitis. I don’t know exactly when, why, or how I developed a paranoid dread of contracting this illness, but I did. Now that I know that I’m past the age where it’s likely that I’ll catch it, I can rest assured that it’s probably just another tension headache causing sharp pains in the back of my head along with my stiff neck.

What is Meningitis?

Meningitis is an inflammation of the lining around the brain and spinal cord. Septicemia is blood poisoning created by the same germs; meningitis and septicemia can occur together or separately. Viral meningitis is not generally life threatening but can still be a very serious condition that occurs mainly in children. Septicemia does not normally occur in cases of viral meningitis.

Most people survive meningitis, but may suffer after effects such as headaches, hearing problems, fatigue, sight problems, poor concentration and co-ordination problems.

Causes of Meningitis

Meningitis can be often associated with virus or bacteria, the same ones that cause other common illnesses. Bacteria and viruses that infect the skin, urinary tract or gastrointestinal system can spread by the bloodstream to the meninges through the fluid that circulates in and around the spinal cord called the cerebrospinal fluid. It can be spread easily among people living in close quarters, so teens, college students, and boarding students are highly susceptible although kids of any age can catch it.

In some cases of bacterial meningitis, the bacterial infection can spread to the meninges from a severe ear infection, sinus infection (sinusitis), or a severe head trauma.

There are many types of bacteria that can cause meningitis. In infants, Group B streptococcus, Escherichia coli, and Listeria monocytogenes are among them. Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus) and Neisseria meningitidis (meningococcus) are more often the causes in older children.

Many different viruses can also cause meningitis: enteroviruses (coxsackievirus, poliovirus, and hepatitis A) and the herpesvirus.

Symptoms of Meningitis

The beginning symptoms of meningitis tend to be like those of a cold or flu; fever, body aches, sneezing or runny nose. The following symptoms may come on suddenly:
• fever
• lethargy (decreased consciousness or listlessness)
• irritability
• headache
• photophobia (eye sensitivity to light)
• stiff neck
• skin rashes
• seizures
Other symptoms of meningitis in infants can include:
• jaundice (a yellowish tint to the skin)
• stiffness of the body and neck (neck rigidity)
• fever or lower-than-normal temperature
• poor feeding
• weak suckle
• high-pitched cry
• bulging fontanels (the soft spot at the top/front of the baby’s skull)

Home Remedies

Meningitis can be life threatening. The remedies can be used as an aid in recovery, but should not replace medical attention. If meningitis is suspected, please consult with you physician or pediatrician.
• Olive Leaf Extract—has a powerful anti-bacterial effect, and the ability to interfere with critical amino acid production essential for viruses
• Colloidal Silver—a natural antibiotic
• Chlorella—plant with the highest known amount of chlorophyll which carries oxygen around the bloodstream, so it cleans and purifies the blood stream as well as builds the red cell blood count
As always, drink plenty of liquids and get plenty of rest.

-Anne

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Teething seems to begin with birth and go on until kindergarten. It’s a trying time for both parents and tots alike. But rest assured, teething does end, and peace will be restored; where teething is concerned anyway. Then it’s on to any number of wonderful phases of growth for you and your child.

Causes

Children’s teeth actually begin to develop in the womb. When the teeth begin to break through the gums, teething has begun. Teething can begin as early as 3 months and last until the child is three. Most commonly, 4-7 months is the time when the primary teeth break through. But there are always those early developers who have a tooth poking through at birth, and late bloomers who sport a gummy smile until around the time of their first birthday.

Teeth usually break through in a specific order, but not always. Typically, the bottom front teeth make their appearance first, followed by the top two front teeth. The bicuspids and the canines are next, followed by the molars. There are general stages when the molars come in, giving them the names of two-year, four-year, and six-year molars.

Signs and Symptoms

Teething is a painful time for most children, although some don’t experience any side effects at all. The gums become painful and swollen from the tooth pressing against them, working its way out of the gums. The child may react with crying, irritability, loss of appetite (because it’s too painful to eat), and excessive drool which can cause a rash on the face and neck of the child. Other symptoms such as fever, diarrhea, diaper rash, and vomiting are debatable as to whether or not teething is the actual cause of these other symptoms. One pediatrician, William Sears, author of The Baby Book, maintains that teething can cause diarrhea and mild diaper rash due to the excess saliva that the baby is swallowing. Fever (101 or lower) can be caused due to the inflammation of the baby’s gums, any higher and a more serious condition must be ruled out. Many refute his claims, and assert that other symptoms are from illness and not from teething.

Treatment

There are many items on the market to soothe the baby beast. Just remember, as frustrating as it is for you to listen to all the crying and wailing, have your sleep disrupted, and go through a pound of wash just on ‘drooly’ bibs, it’s that much more for the poor teething soul. Here are some things you can do to help your not-for-long-toothless toddler.
• Offer teething rings—make sure they are hygienic before giving them to your crumb snatching ankle biter.
• Give a baby toast like zwieback to help move the teeth through while ensuring the risk of choking is minimal. Never leave your child unattended while eating. DO NOT give carrots, bits will break off and cause a BIG choking hazard.
• Keep the child’s face wiped clean of drool to aid in the prevention and healing of facial rashes.
• Often just rubbing your finger on the inflamed gums will soothe the seething, teething toddler.
• Over-the-counter topical analgesics are sometimes helpful during sleepy times.
• An anti-inflammatory like acetaminophen for children is sometimes used, especially if accompanied with fever. DO NOT give children aspirin without the consent of your pediatrician.
If diarrhea, nausea or vomiting, fever, or rashes persist, consult with a physician to rule out any other cause.

As always, lots of hugs and kisses to soothe the teary-eyed teether.

-Anne

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