Strep Throat - A Common Disease Among Children

Strep throat (usually a more severe form of sore throat) is a very common disease, afflicting thousands of people during flu seasons. Although strep throat can be developed by anyone, at any time, the disease is most often seen in children, who tend to catch the disease in winter or spring. According to statistics, strep throat has the highest incidence in children and teenagers with ages between 5 and 15. Strep throat refers to throat infection with bacteria called Streptococcus pyogenes. The disease is generally manifested by reddish aspect of the throat, intense throat pain and discomfort, difficult swallowing, headache, fever, cold chills, pronounced fatigue and nausea. Although most cases of strep throat don't involve serious complications, sometimes the disease can lead to coronary damage, kidney affections or rheumatic fever.

diseases of the human body tamparo

Most of the time, strep throat is acquired by entering in contact with persons infected with the causative bacteria. The bacteria responsible for causing strep throat are highly contagious and they can be easily contracted by air, saliva or nasal secretions. Proper hygiene can substantially reduce the risks of infection with Streptococcus pyogenes and thus you should instruct your child to frequently wash his / her hands and avoid interacting with contaminated individuals during epidemics. In case you have become afflicted by strep throat, it is very important to properly wash eating utensils and dishes and to avoid sharing food or drinks with your child and other members of the family.

DISEASE

Strep throat usually requires paying a visit to the doctor's office. While home remedies may provide temporary relief for the symptoms of strep throat, the infection can only be overcome with proper medications. If the doctor confirms the presence of bacterial infection in the throat (by taking a sample of mucus from the throat and analyzing it in the laboratory) he will prescribe a course of antibiotics to deal with the infection. Common antibiotics used in the treatment of strep throat are penicillin V, erythromycin and clarithromycin.

Although most symptoms of strep throat will begin to ameliorate within the first few days of treatment, it is very important to complete the course of prescribed medications in order to fully eradicate the infection and to stop it from recurring. Strep throat doesn't require bed confinement, and patients are allowed to carry on with their regular activities over the entire duration of the treatment. After 2 or 3 days of treatment the disease loses its contagious character and patients can interact with other persons without the risk of transmitting the infection. However, it is still advisable to maintain proper hygiene and take other precautions until the disease is fully overcome in order to prevent contaminating other persons with the bacteria.

Strep Throat - A Common Disease Among Children

DISEASE

Celiac Disease in Children

Celiac disease is a condition which transpires in the small intestine. It is basically an autoimmune disorder that that occurs to people who are genetically predisposed to this condition. The disease in children may be a bit difficult to diagnose since those affected by this condition are too young to talk and communicate properly. Since this disease in children can stunt growth and reduce thriving, it is advisable to be aware of one's family history to be able to tackle this condition forewarned.

disease proof your child

Children are initially introduced to solid food around five to seven months. It may be around this time that a genetically predisposed child may be exposed to gluten which in turn triggers the autoimmune disease which if celiac disease. Regular ingestion of food products with gluten can worsen the condition and ruin the small intestines. This condition is also known as celiac spruce disease and is passed on genetically from one relative to another.

DISEASE

Celiac disease in children may not be immediately obvious since this disease is triggered by the presence of gluten. Gluten is a protein found in wheat that can cause the autoimmune system to affect the absorption function of the small intestine. One surefire symptom of celiac disease in children is stunted growth. This is caused by the malfunction of the absorption process of nutrients in the small intestines. This symptom manifests in the slow weight gain of the affected child as well as the slow growth, either horizontally or vertically of the child.

Diarrhea and fatigue are also other classic symptoms of celiac disease in children. Diarrhea has something to do with the inability of the small intestine to process and absorb food properly which means that there is a digestive problem. Fatigue is caused when the child lacks nutrients for an active lifestyle and is constantly tired due to the presence of celiac disease in children. In some cases, though, there is not much diarrhea occurring to the child which can result to a misdiagnosis of the disease.

Celiac disease in children can prove fatal if left untreated or unnoticed. Frequent ingestion of gluten can destroy the villi as well as the mucosa lining of the small intestine. This is where the problem arises and stays because the damage is usually permanent and can affect the digestive processes of the child. This disease in children should be treated properly as soon as it is diagnosed to avoid malnutrition or stunted growth.

Celiac Disease in Children

DISEASE

Adopting Children

Adoption
Adoption provides a child with a new family when it is not possible to live with their own family. Adoption is the means of giving a child an opportunity to start again; for many children, adoption may be their only chance of experiencing family life.

Although age is a factor considered, there is no upper age restriction for people applying to adopt, age is only one factor taken into account when assessing the suitability. Age needs to be linked to the age of the child, general health, fitness, energy and general emotional well being. The important issue is that adopters can meet the day to day needs of children they look after.

SEVERS

To be eligible for adoption the child must be under the age of 18 years and a child for whom returning home to their parents is not possible. If the child is or has been married they cannot be adopted.

An Adoption Order severs all legal ties with the birth family and gives parental rights and responsibilities on the new adoptive family.

The birth parents no longer have any legal rights over the child and they are not entitled to have them back. The child becomes a full member of the adopted family; they take the adopter's surname and assume the same rights and privileges as if they had been born to them, including the right of inheritance.

Adoption agencies
Adoption Agency is the term given to an organisation that has been licensed and approved by the Department of Health.

Mostly adoption agencies in the UK are the social services departments of local councils. But there are also voluntary bodies and charities that are registered as adoption agencies.

When a child is permanently removed from their biological parents, but has not yet been placed for adoption, the adoption agency assumes parental responsibility for that child.

The time it takes to adopt will vary. It will take just over eight months for the adoption agency to complete its assessment of your suitability to adopt. It could then just take a matter of weeks for the agency to match adopters with a child.

Prospective adopters are invited to attend an adoption panel meeting, which recommends to the agency whether or not they should be approved as adopters. The agency's decision on whether they are approved or not is usually given orally within two days and in writing within five days.

If the agency plans not to approve the adopters' application, the prospective adopters (in England and Wales only) the applicants can seek a review with the IRM (The Independent Review Mechanism). The IRM must be contacted within 40 days if in England, 28 days if in Wales, of the written notification from the agency.

Once the agency considers the applicants as suitable to adopt, it will begin the process of finding a child whose needs can be met. If a match doesn't take place after three months, the potential adopters can be referred to the Adoption Register for England and Wales.

The Register holds details of children across England and Wales who need a family. The Register will be searched to identify a child. Once a link has been made, potential adopters details will be passed on to the child's social worker.

Once the child goes to live with the potential adopters, it is up to them to decide when to apply to the court for an adoption order. However, the child must have lived with them for at least ten weeks. An adoption order means that parental rights and responsibilities for the child are given to the adoptive parents.

Allowances
Adoption allowances are subject to means testing but may be paid in some situations and are generally awarded for sibling groups, or a child with special needs. The allowance is paid in respect of the child's needs and cannot be attached to adopters. Adoption allowances are subject to an annual review. Adopters can claim child benefit, tax credits or disability living allowance like any other parents.

Adopting children from overseas
If potential adopters are thinking of adopting a child from another country, before applying to an Agency, enquiries need to have been made with a child's country of origin to find out what requirements that country has. Some countries, for example, do not allow their children to be placed for adoption overseas.

Local authority adoption agencies, charge a fee for these assessments which is currently £4,500.

Potential adopters will be required to undertake the same training and assessment as for other adopters who wish to adopt children in the UK.

Adopting Children

SEVERS

Severs Disease of the Heel in Children

Pain in the heel of children is not common, but when it does happen the most common reason is a condition known as Severs Disease. This is pain that develops in the back of the heel where the Achilles tendon inserts into the heel bone. The most common symptom of this is pain on activity and pain on squeezing the sides of the heel bone near the back.

Before we are born almost all bones in the body are a cartilage shell that is used as the framework for building bone. In the heel bone, the main part of the bone starts developing in the middle. There is also a flat plate of bone that starts developing at the back of the heel. Up until around the age of fifteen years, a small piece of cartilage separates these two growth areas of bone. It is at this cartilage that allows normal growth to occur. Around age fifteen years, these two areas of bone fuse to make one heel bone. Before this age, there can be some sort of strain of this cartilage area that can become painful, resulting in Severs Disease. Some like to consider this to be a stress fracture of the cartilage. It is more common in active children especially on hard surfaces as this adds more load to the growing area. The forces from the Achilles tendon also put a lot of strain on the growing area.

SEVERS DISEASE

The first stage in treating this is some sort of activity modification. The child will need to cut back, but not necessarily eliminate, sporting activities to give it a change to heal. Heel raises inside the shoe are often used. The heel raise helps reduce the pull from the Achilles tendon and provides some cushioning to the damaged area. Sometimes strapping is also used to help reduce the pull of the tendon on the bone. Occasionally, some anti-inflammatory medication is needed to help settle it down. Foot orthotics have been reported as being helpful in those with biomechanical problems. If this does not help, then complete rest from sport is needed, and even a walking cast may need to be applied. This condition is self limiting, in that they will outgrow it by the time they reach age 15 or so when the bone fuses into one. However, there is plenty that can be done to help the symptoms before then.

Severs Disease of the Heel in Children

SEVERS DISEASE