To counteract the effects of stress, we have to recognize the signs. These may include insomnia, panic attacks, weight loss, trembling, unfounded anxieties and phobias, irritable bowel syndrome, palpitations, irritability, hyperventilation, muscular tension, headaches, addiction problems, high blood pressure, and a rapid pulse. Some of these symptoms are obviously more serious than others and will, to a certain degree, indicate your ability to channel and process stress.

Once we have recognized the signs and realized that we too are suffering from the badly processed response to stress, we need to identify the causes of stress in our lives. Most stress-management con­sultants work with a general list of around 43 prin­cipal life events that are known to cause some degree of stress. These range from the death of a spouse (rated at 100), to a change in one’s relation­ship with a partner (rated at 36), down to a minor breaking of the law (rated at 15). If you clock up a score of more than 150 in a year, the chances are that you’ll experience some sort of problem with your health. A score of anything over 300 in one year will almost certainly lead to major health problems unless action is taken.

This list can help you reduce stress in your life. Once you know which life events are on the list and how high each item normally scores, you can try to plan in advance how many of the major changes you’ll make in one year. Of course, some events are beyond anybody’s control—but at least you can keep the stressful occasions that are within your control to a minimum. The rating of stress levels on this list may seem arbitrary or subjective, but that is because it takes into account the long-term effects of various events. For example to some people the stress of Christmas may seem higher than its rating here. But while Christmas is over relatively quickly, the death of a close family
member or a prison sentence may take years to adjust to, grieve over, or come to terms with.

Death of a child or spouse 100
Divorce 75
Marital separation 65
Prison sentence 65
Death of someone close in the family 65
Serious injury or illness 55
Getting married 50
Redundancy or dismissal 48
Marital reconciliation 45
Retirement 44
Illness affecting close family member 44
Pregnancy 40
Sexual difficulties 40
New baby 39
Change in business 38
Change in financial affairs 38
Death of close friend 38
Change in work 37
Change in relationship with partner 36
Rate rise or renegotiating mortgage 31
Loss of mortgage 30
New boss 28
Children leaving home 27
Problems with in-laws 26
Winning award 26
Partner changing type of work 25
Beginning or stopping study course 23
Change in living conditions 23
Change in personal habits 22
Argument with boss 21
Change in working conditions 20
Moving house 20
Children changing schools 19
Change in social activities 18
Change in religious activities 18
Taking out loan 17
Altered sleeping habits 17
Change in family location 16
Dieting 15
Vacations 15
Christmas 15
Minor law-breaking 15

Lymph nodes are sometimes referred to as lymph glands, although they are not true glands. In their usual state, they are an eighth to a quarter-inch in size and are widely distributed throughout the body. Ordinarily, they feel like B-B shot lying just beneath the skin. Attached neither to the skin nor to the underlying tissues, lymph nodes are “poppable,” that is, they can be easily moved a short distance parallel to the skin by an exploring finger. This characteristic readily distinguishes them from cysts, which are usually attached to the skin, and from deeper structures which cannot be moved.
The following are the most important lymph node sites:

• quarter-inch in front of the ears (preauricular nodes);
• quarter-inch to a half-inch behind the ears (postauricular);
• at the base of the skull on both sides (occipital);
• under the angle of the jaw, and extending like a string of beads down the sides of the neck in front of the strap muscles (anterior cervical nodes);
• a similar string just behind the same strap muscle (posterior cervical);
• in the midline under the chin (submental);
• in the armpits (axillary);
• in the folds of the elbows (epitrochlear);
• above the crease in the groin (inguinal);
• below the crease in the groin (femoral).

Lymph nodes are also found within the chest and abdomen but cannot be felt on examination.
All lymph nodes are situated along thin-walled tubes called lymphatic vessels, which resemble and roughly follow the course of the veins in the body. They do not contain blood, however, but a thin, clear, slightly sticky liquid called lymph, which resembles the clear, watery fluid that oozes from a superficial scrape or that forms within a blister caused by rubbing. The appearance of red streaks is typical of impending blood poisoning and is caused by infection rising along the lymphatic vessels.

Function

Lymph nodes are composed of closely packed congregations of cells called lymphocytes, which are also found in the circulating blood. Lymphocytes manufacture various types of antibodies, substances that fight disease, cause allergic reactions, and reject foreign organic material. Lymph nodes also trap microorganisms that penetrate the skin or mucous membranes and prevent them from spreading throughout the body.

Some germs prove too much for the lymph nodes to handle, however, and a node itself may become infected. When this happens, the node enlarges and becomes more tender; the overlying skin becomes red. If the node is killed by the infection, it breaks down into pus, which may erupt through the skin as would a deep-seated boil. It is no longer “poppable” under the skin, but becomes anchored to the skin or to deeper tissues.

Diagnostic significance

Ordinarily lymph nodes are not server unless they are squeezed or unless they are infected. When infected. the lymph nodes swell to several sizes larger than normal and become mildly tender. Only those nodes swell when the area of the body they guard is threatened by infection. An insect bite, a boil, impetigo, an infected scratch, chicken pox, burns, splinters or any other lesion may cause swelling.

Lesions of the upper face or front of the scalp affect the preaurncular glands on that side of the back of the scalp. the postauricular and occipital glands Lesions of the lower face or teeth may cause the submental glands to swell. Infections of the throat. tonsils, or back teeth affect the anterior and sometimes the posterior cervical nodes. The epstrochlear glands respond to lesions of the fingers, hands. and forearm. and the axillary glands guard the same areas, plus the upper arm. armpit. and side of the chest. The inguinal and femoral glands swell from problems of the toes, foot, leg. arms, and genitalia. These regional responses of the nodes allow you to pinpoint the area in which to search for trouble.

Generalized infections may involve all the lymph nodes. Commonest of these diseases is infectious mononucleosis which Involves all the lymphoid tissue of the body. Since the spleen, tonsils. and adenoids are also lymphoid tissue, they also become enlarged. The spleen is an organ the size of half an orange located under the left lower lateral ribs. (Composed mostly of lymphocytes. it is connected to blood vessels instead of to lymphatic vessels, however.) Other generalized diseases, including chicken pox and leukemia (cancer of the white blood cells), also produce overall lymph node enlargement.
Rubella is the only common illness that results in swelling of the preauricular, postauricular, and occipital lymph nodes to the exclusion of the other nodes. This is a diagnostic clue in the presence of a generalized rash.

When your child is ill, note which, if any, lymph nodes are swollen. If they are mildly swollen, that indicates they are doing their job. If they are greatly enlarged (compare with healthy node size), too tender, adherent to the skin, and red, the illness requires help from
your physician.

Animal bites that break the skin are cuts, puncture wounds, or scrapes and should be treated as such. But animal bites have other special characteristics: they are prone to infection because of bacteria in the animal’s mouth, and they may cause lockjaw (tetanus) or rabies.
Rabies is a fatal disease of the central nervous system to which all mammals are susceptible. It is caused by a virus that can be seen microscopically and identified within the brain of affected animals. Transmitted through the saliva of the sick animal, rabies is most commonly found in the United States among skunks, foxes, cattle, dogs, bats, cats, and raccoons. It is rare among squirrels, chipmunks, rats, and mice. There is no risk from caged, domestic pets such as gerbils, guinea pigs, hamsters, and white mice.

Treating animal bites in children

Diagnosis

Bites are usually obvious from their appearance and from the child’s telling of the tale. Claw wounds may be indistinguishable from bites but are treated in the same way because of possible contamination by the animal’s saliva. Bruises without a break in the skin are not a threat of rabies, and are handled like any other bruises.

Home Treatment

Wash the wound with soap and water and flush with water. Apply antiseptic to minor wounds. If a wild animal did the biting, catch and hold it if this can be done without endangering anyone else; otherwise, kill and preserve it for inspection of its brain for rabies. If it’s a domestic animal, catch and impound or kill and preserve it. Find out if the domestic animal was vaccinated against rabies and determine the child’s tetanus toxoid status. Report the wound to your doctor immediately for advice concerning rabies, tetanus, and repair of the wound. In some states animal bites must be reported to the police.

Precautions

• Keep children current on tetanus boosters.
• Always contact your doctor about treatment in the case of animal bites.

Doctor’s Treatment

Because of the high incidence of infection your doctor may elect not to suture wounds. If cosmetic consideration necessitates closure, treatment first includes removal of the injured tissue and a thorough cleansing. Oral antibiotics may be prescribed. Also, your doctor will give a tetanus booster or human antitoxin to the patient if needed.
The decision whether or not to give antirabies vaccine, with or without antiserum, is complex. There’s a good possibility of serious reactions. Your doctor will arrange for examination of the animal for the presence of rabies. A pet properly immunized against rabies can still transmit rabies, although this possibility is minimal. If the animal is not caught, the decision depends upon prevalence of rabies in your area, circumstances of the bite (provoked or unprovoked), and the species of the animal.

When a proper diagnosis has been made and the most appropriate medicine selected. the child’s doctor is home free. But the third, and often most decisive factor, is the parent’s responsibility to administer the medicine correctly. Ten to thirty percent of treatment failures are directly due to inadequate administration of an effective drug. If the doctor’s directions are vague, or you don’t understand them. ask for clarification. Quite a lot of children are very adverse to taking medicine and it can be a real battle but using perseverance and the following tips should see you through.

Dosage

Most medications are prescribed in proportion to a child’s weight. Accurate liquid measurements are important. “One teaspoonful” does not
mean any old teaspoon. It means one measuring teaspoonful, or ,5, .0 cubic-centimw (cc). “One-half teaspoonful does not mean guessing when an ordinary spoon is
half full, it means 2.5 cc, or a full half-teaspoon measuring spoon. (Of course, after you have measured the medicine you may transfer the potion to any convenient spoon for giving the medicine to’ your child.) If your child vomits within one hour of receiving medication you can assume that the dose has been lost and repeat it.

Timing

“Four times a day” means that four doses should be given within every 24 hours, but the child’s sleep doesn’t need to be interrupted. Common sense dictates that the four doses should be spread out as widely as is possible and convenient while the child is awake. “Every six hours” means just that: one dose is given every six hours around the clock.

Duration

Most relapses and many complications are the result of stopping medication prematurely. Often a child feels and acts well before he is well. Earaches stop, fevers vanish, coughs subside, and appetites return when germs are merely stunned and healing scarcely begun. Strep infections require 10 or more days of antibiotic therapy before the infection is gone. Urinary tract infections and ear infections often take even longer to cure, although symptoms may disappear in a day. So be sure you continue any medication for as long as it has been prescribed. “Give for 10 full days,” “Continue for two weeks,” “Give until finished,” are not suggestions, but directions with a purpose. They should be considered orders.

giving child medication

Methods

Administration of medicines to children is a vital skill for all responsible parents to master. Of course, infants and children are not always willing and eager to take their medicines. On the other hand, since you know what’s best for your child, you are the one to decide. A parent who reports to a doctor that a child will not accept a medicine forces the doctor to resort to a second-best treatment and sometimes to hospitalize the child for nurses to administer the medication.

Infants and Toddlers

Oral, liquid medicines can be given to young children directly from a spoon (after careful measuring) or by a non-glass medicine dropper used to squirt the liquid slowly into a cheek. Take care to avoid directing the stream forcefully against the back of the throat and down the windpipe. Disguising medicine in a small quantity of juice, ice cream, applesauce, and the like is acceptable, provided the child takes the entire potion. A sweet treat may be offered after medication to cut the objectionable taste.

A young child, approached reassuringly, kindly, but firmly, often will passively accept medication. If the child struggles and refuses, other approaches must be found to administer the medicine. An enraged or terrified child can be soothed into cooperation by being totally immobilized. This is accomplished by “mummying.” With the arms pinioned to the sides, the child is wrapped tightly in a folded sheet from neck to toes. Within minutes a mummied and cuddled child will be ready to accept oral medicines, at least on the second or third try. Any attempt to spit out the medicine should be countered by a restraining hand placed calmly over the mouth. (Swaddling or mummying is equally effective for administering nose drops.)

Although some infants and toddlers accept chewable tablets of medicine or even swallow whole tablets or capsules, these forms of medication are dangerous in this age group. A child under three can easily choke to death on a bulky pill. If liquid forms of the medicine are not available, tablets should be mashed and the contents of capsules emptied into juice or food before administering them to a toddler.

Older Children

Many children over five or six can swallow tablets and capsules whole. Start with relatively unimportant medicines such as aspirin when your child has a headache. And only attempt it if he is willing. Help him to learn to swallow a pill by placing it on the back of his tongue before giving him something to drink, or include it in a half-teaspoonful of applesauce, jelly, or ice cream and have him swallow the entire thing. (A special glass that delivers a pill into the mouth automatically when the first gulp of the liquid in the glass is taken is also available.)

Rectal Medications

Many medicines are available in suppository form. They include antiemetics, aspirin, paracetamol, antihistamines, sedatives, anticonvulsants, antibiotics, antiasthmatics, cough medicines, and laxatives. Although valuable when a child is vomiting or unconscious, they are not as well absorbed as oral medications and have limited applicability. Caution: They are not to be used routinely as a substitute on a child who is reluctant to accept oral medicines. Teaching the child the necessity of cooperating is also an important issue.
(Those medicines referred to under each ailment profile as “OTC” are over-the-counter preparations and may be obtained without a prescription.)

Anemia exists when there is too little haemoglobin in the blood. Hemoglobin is the substance that carries oxygen in the blood and gives it its red color. Normally. hemoglobin is contained within the red blood cells (RBCs). One can be anemic because there are too few RBCs, because each RBC contains too little hemoglobin. or as a result of both conditions.
There are more than thirty types of anemia. each with its own cause and treatment. The most common is Iron deficiency anemia. Anemia can occur at any age Some forms run in families, others are acquired.
Among the commonest causes of anemia are: the loss of blood by internal or external bleeding; a poor diet with inadequate intake of the nutrients needed to manufacture hemoglobin (iron, protein, folic acid, vitamin B,2. and copper); a failure to absorb the nutrients, even though they are eaten, the formation of abnormal (short-lived) RBCs: an inability of the bone marrow to produce RBCs fast enough; and the too-rapid destruction of normal RBCs within the body In addition to the many diseases that are forms of anemia, many other illnesses can produce anemia.

Anemia is caused by lack of red blood cells

Diagnosis

Periodic examinations and a history taken by a doctor can help catch anemia early, an important factor in treatment. Although most cases of anemia produce no symptoms.
redness, shortness of breath, rapid pulse, and jaundice may be clues. If the suspected sufferer looks pale, check the nailbeds, the inside of the eyelids, and the membranes of the mouth for additional colourlessness. Also, be vigilant for: vomiting of blood or blood in the stools (red or tarry-black bowel movements): excessive menstruation; a grossly inadequate diet; chronic diarrhea with loss of ingested foods; and exposure to poisonous substances. The presence and type Of anemia can only be determined by laboratory tests. If one family member has anemia, watch for symptoms in others.

Home Treatment

Never attempt to treat anemia yourself. The wrong treatment can be harmful and will make a proper medical diagnosis difficult. You should receive a balanced diet to prevent nutritionally caused anemia.

Precautions

Iron deficiency can be a cause of anemia. If supplemental iron is prescribed by your doctor, keep it out of the reach of children. Some iron medicines are sweet and mistaken for candy.

Doctor’s Treatment

The testing for anemia is extensive. In addition to giving you a physical examination, taking a history and simple total blood count, your doctor is likely to take a reticulocyte (young RBC) count, platelet count, measurement of iron and of the iron-binding capacity in the blood, hemoglobin electrophoretic pattern, sickle cell test, urinalysis, test of stools for hidden blood, examination of bone marrow, test for poisons, X ray of the intestinal tract, and blood chemistries among others.
Once anemia is confirmed, your doctor will run additional blood tests to determine the type. The treatment prescribed may include adding supplemental iron and vitamins to the diet, a change in diet, and—though rarely—a blood transfusion. Iron or vitamin injections also are rarely called for and, if given, are administered for the first one or two doses only.
As treatment proceeds, be sure additional tests are scheduled to check on the effectiveness of the treatment. The proof of proper treatment is in the cure.

The contents of a medicine chest may be as simple or as elaborate as the special needs of your child and the availability of professional medical services. Be sure to consult your doctor before purchasing and administering any medications. In average circumstances, the following list of 20 items should meet all your needs in semi-emergency situations until you can reach your chemist. All items should be clearly labelled in their original containers with child-proof tops and should be stored out of reach of even the most inquisitive young child. (Even if you have no children of your own, be careful to store things away from visiting friends’ offspring) Recommended contents: Acetaminophen (paracetamol), adhesive bandages (assorted sizes), adhesive tape, antiemetic, antihistamine, antiseptic solution, aspirin, burn ointment, codeine, cough medicine, decongestant, emetic, knitted roller bandage, lubricant, nasal aspirator, nose drops, sterile gauze pads, steristrips, steroid thermometer.

20 things that you need to have in your medical chest

Aspirin And Paracetamol

Aspirin is preferred for routine use to relieve pain and fever. But paracetamol should be available when a child may be intolerant of aspirin or when aspirin alone does not control a fever. Paracetamol may be given with aspirin for a fever that does not respond to either medicine alone. Both are available as flavored, chewable tablets and adult tablets, as rectal suppositories, and in various strengths. Suppository forms are useful when a child is vomiting. These should be stored in a refrigerator to prevent melting. Aspirin may be crushed and mixed with a spoonful of applesauce, jelly, or ice cream. Paracetamol also comes as drops and syrup. Caution: The strengths of the popular brands differ; check the label. Be aware of the different strengths and administer only in recommended dosages.

Codeine

Severe earaches, toothaches, and other pains that are not affected by aspirin or paracetamol alone will respond if codeine is added. A liquid preparation of paracetamol and codeine is sold by prescription, but a simple way to keep a small supply of codeine on hand for emergencies is to buy a cough medicine that contains codeine. One teaspoonful has one-sixth grain (10 mg) of codeine. It should be used only as a temporary measure, until professional help can be obtained. Codeine should never be given for abdominal pain that might be appendicitis.

Antiemetic

An antiemetic is a drug that suppresses nausea, vomiting, and dizziness. Dimenhydrinate is one such drug to help your child get through a miserable night. It can also serve as a mild sedative. Dimenhydrinate is sold as a liquid and a tablet. The rectal suppository form of promethazine or chlorpromazine, which must be refrigerated, is more useful than the same form of dimenhydrinate. Caution: Do not give any antinauseant to a child who is disoriented.

Antihistamine

In either tablet or liquid form, any antihistamine will help control the symptoms of allergic reactions such as hives, eye allergies, hay fever, and to some extent asthma. In addition it will reduce the itching and swelling of insect bites and minimize the itching of chicken pox, poison ivy, and other rashes. It can also serve as a mild sedative.

Cough Medicine

The cough medicine kept on hand for its codeine content can serve to suppress a severe night cough. Caution: A suppressant cough medicine should never be given to a child who has croup or any type of hindered breathing.

Emetic

This medicine induces vomiting in cases of swallowed poison. It should be in every medicine chest. Syrup of ipecac is recommended. It’s convenient to have two small bottles, each containing a single dose of two to three teaspoonfuls for immediate use.

Nose Drops, Nasal Aspirator, And Decongestant

Along with aspirin, paracetamol, and cough medicine, these items are useful in treating the symptoms of common colds.

Steroids

Steroids are dangerous if used regularly for a week or more and if used in the presence of high blood pressure, stomach ulcers, tuberculosis, chicken pox, and some other illnesses. However, a few doses of a steroid are safe and can offer immediate relief. They are helpful in cases of hives (urticaria), hay fever, croup, reactions to insect bites, sun poisoning, poison ivy and asthma. Steroids are best used for the condition for which they are prescribed; they are not to be misused. Discuss with your doctor the advisability of keeping a few doses of a liquid or tablet steroid on hand.

Thermometer And Lubricant

A multipurpose, stubby-bulb thermometer, which can be used orally or rectally, is most practical. Any lubricating ointment will serve to grease a thermometer for rectal use, but a water-soluble gel is superior because it readily washes off in cold water.

Additions

Antiseptic solution, burn ointment, sterile gauze pads (2×2 and 3×3 inches), rolls of knitted bandage (2-inch and 3-inch), adhesive tape (1/4 inch), steristrips, and adhesive bandages of assorted sizes—all are useful in treating minor accidents properly.

There is a popular fallacy which sets forth that the higher the fever. the sicker the child. It is also believed that fever is a child’s enemy, that it should be fought and the temperature brought to normal. The fact Is that children past early infancy tend to develop high fevers with little provocation. Relatively harmless illnesses like roseola often cause temperatures as high as 106-F, whereas many lethal diseases, such as leukemia and polio, may cause slight or no temperature deviations at all.

A child is as seriously sick as the illness warrants, not as a thermometer registers. A child with pneumonia or meningitis and a fever of 104″F is still as ill after the temperature is artificially reduced to normal. A child with a sore throat and 101°F fever is no less threatened than the same child with a sore throat and a temperature of 104″F. Prostration, disorientation, difficulty in breathing, and other symptoms are means to decide the illness’s severity, not the degree of fever.

Fever: friend and foe.

You should first regard a fever as a child’s friend rather than an enemy. A fever is an early warning signal that a child is ill and that you must look to find a cause. It is also a helpful barometer to judge, together with other symptoms, when an illness is ending. The course of a fever indicates whether or not an antibiotic is working effectively. It speeds up the body’s metabolic processes (possibly including its immunizing mechanisms) and in some instances may help the body’s defenses overcome an illness. Finally, the pattern of daily fluctuations in a fever may be characteristic of particular illnesses and aid the parent or doctor in making a correct diagnosis.

A high fever does have disadvantages, however. It makes a child feel bad and, as it develops, causes chills. If a fever continues for days, it will debilitate a child and cause weakness and the need for a longer recuperation period. In susceptible younger children a fever may precipitate convulsions. For all these reasons, it is sensible to reduce a fever. But it is important not to confuse treating the fever with treating the illness and not to panic as a fever rises or to harm the child in your anxiety to fight the fever.

A matter of degree.

At any given moment, different parts of the body are at different temperatures. Moreover, normal temperatures vary as much as two to three degrees Fahrenheit over the course of a day even when a child is healthy. A rectal temperature of 99.8°F or less, an oral temperature of 98.6°F or below, and an armpit temperature, though the least accurate, of 98°F or less are all considered normal.

Despite these variances, all thermometers are marked to indicate 98.6°F as normal. A rectal thermometer differs from an oral one only in having a more rugged bulb. (The most practical instrument for home use is a stubby bulb thermometer, which can be used to take a child’s temperature in either of the preferred ways.)

Any type of thermometer—rectal, stubby, or oral—can be used to take a rectal temperature. If the oral one is pressed into service, extra care must be taken because of its more pointed and fragile bulb. For the most reliable readings at any age, the rectal thermometer is recommended, although it takes a bit more time for a fever to register.

Taking the Temperature.

Understanding and treating a fever in a child

No one can estimate the degree of a fever by touch; not even a mother. If your child feels warm or appears ill, you must use a thermometer to attain the information you and your doctor need to treat the child. Read the thermometer before inserting it to be certain the mercury column is below 99.8°F and the bulb is intact. Spread the child’s buttocks widely enough with the thumb and forefinger of one hand so the anal opening is clearly visible. Lubricate the bulb and insert it gently into the center of the anus. There should be no pain or discomfort. (Only the bulb portion of the thermometer needs to be inserted for the two to three minutes required to obtain an accurate reading.) You can sufficiently restrain a baby by placing him or her face down on a solid surface and putting the heel of your hand firmly on the lower back. An uncooperative toddler can be firmly clasped between your thighs and bent forward over one leg in a position to expose the target.

Although less reliable, an oral reading will suffice and can be taken in a child who is old enough to hold the bulb of the thermometer under the tongue for three minutes. (If a child accidentally swallows the mercury in the thermometer, don’t fret. Thermometers contain elemental mercury, a nonpoisonous and harmless form of the metal.)

Care of Your Thermometer.

After each use, the thermometer should be shaken down below “normal” and washed with soap and cold water. To sterilize it, you may soak the thermometer in an alcohol solution before storing it in its case. Place it back in the medicine cabinet where it will be handy the next time you need it.

“But my child won’t let me take his temperature,” some parents report. Here’s an opportunity to teach a child one of the important lessons he needs to get along in the world: self-control. Self-control is merely the internalization of the knowledge that one’s actions are capable of being controlled. You demonstrate this to your young child by restraining him from dashing into the path of a truck, taking a hatchet to a peer, or the TV set…and by firmly insisting that he allow you to take his temperature. A calm but determined approach to all of these situations can reassure the child that you are a capable parent upon whose wisdom, strength, and judgment he can depend for guidance and support.

Treatment of Fever.

The most reliable medications for lowering fever are aspirin and paracetamol, a pain reliever found in some over-the-counter preparations. Oral preparations are best, but rectal suppositories are permissible if a child is vomiting or unconscious. Sixty milligrams of either may be given for every 12 pounds of the child’s weight and repeated every four

hours if necessary. This formula works out to one children’s aspirin for every 15 pounds of weight. If the fever does not respond to either aspirin or paracetamol, the drugs may be given together in the same dose. Keep a feverish child lightly clothed or covered to allow the body heat to escape. This, too, will help lower a fever.

Other methods of reducing a fever include placing the child in a cool bath; encasing the nude child in a wet sheet; washing the child down from chin to toe with rubbing alcohol diluted with an equal amount of water; administering a cold enema; and packing ice bags around the child’s body. These methods are seldom necessary, not recommended, and are generally resisted by the child. And none is obligatory unless the temperature goes over 106°F for a sustained period. If the temperature rises that high, the child is better off under the care of a doctor who can employ a thermostatically controlled cooling device to lower the temperature.

Fever is a tool. Learn to use it properly to make your child well again.

Often, alcohol abuse is associated with intoxication or dependence on alcohol. But this attitude towards the drug can stigmatize certain behaviors while also giving excuses for it’s consumption. However, alcohol becomes a problem even before it’s intended resulting intoxication.
Alcohol consumption in England has increased significantly along with alcohol related deaths. In 2007 there were 8274 deaths related to alcohol and there has been a repid increase since 1990. Britain is among the largest consumers in the world with an average of 15.6 liters of pure alcohol per year per capita, or about 173 bottles of wine or 1 180 cans of beer. Although Britain is among the countries that consume the most they are not at the top. The top three spots are taken by Luxembourg, Ireland and Hungary

Who drinks the most - It's probably not who you think!

Vision reducing hazards

Cultural heritage, family tradition, attachment to the land or “manly”meetings  are often called upon to justify consumption that is deemed reasonable. “It can not be bad, I only drink good wine” or “I never drink too much because I’m not drunk” … This minimization of hazards makes it difficult to purvey prevention messages, but now most admit the truth that no doubt alcohol is dangerous even if you do not feel the effects, even if you’re not drunk or addicted.

The direct health consequences from excessive alcohol consumption are amongst others cancer, cardiovascular diseases, cirrhosis and mental illness. A regular and excessive consumption of alcohol accounts for more deaths than those caused by road accidents and yet the majority of British are still ignorant of the dangers of excessive consumption of alcohol. More than half under-estimate the thresholds of consumption and think more people die of road accidents caused by intoxication that regular consumption of more than 4 drinks per day.

Lunches, meals with friends, family dinners … Often alcohol is daily indulgence and the drinker thinks that this is “the norm”. It is thus important to define the limits of moderate consumption:

In men: 3 drinks or units a day maximum.
In women: 2 drinks per day maximum.
Pregnant women and children: zero consumption.

Whether one opts for a flute of champagne, a pint of beer or glass of wine, we consume roughly the same amount of alcohol: 10 g per glass. Thus, the reference unit of alcohol is a glass.
See other articles in this category for a more detailed look at the different strengths of alcoholic drinks and how to measure your intake more accurately

Definition of back pain

Back Pain, also known as lumbar pain, a herniated disc, spondylosis or sciatica is a painful condition that primarily affects the lumbar (lower back). One commonly speaks specifically of low back pain, but back pain may also involve the cervical region (upper back) and thoracic (middle back).Strictly speaking it is not a disease but a symptom derived from musculoskeletal problems originating from nerves, muscles, cartilage, disc problems or spinal osteoarthritis.

Do you suffer from back pain

We distinguish acute back pain (lasting less than 6 weeks) from chronic back pain (more than 6 weeks). The latter, although rarer neccessitates a medical consulation without question.
Back pain is rarely serious and usually heals itself  after several days of medication or massage. In some cases, however, back pain have more serious consequences for the patient.

Causes

Insomnia is a symptom, not a disease in itself, much like fever. As with a lot of cures for conditions, before thinking about the solution, you must find the cause.

Some of the physical and environmental factors that have an important influence on sleep, include lighting and ambient noise, as well as the content and timing of meals.

Psychological factors, such as stress, anxiety, depression and the anticipation of a night without sleep, are also important: they accounted for 50% of all cases of insomnia assessed in the laboratory.

In addition to factors related to lifestyle and environment, physical disorders may disturb sleep. Some, like the two that follow, may actually prevent sleep:

The restless legs syndrome, characterized by the irresistible desire to move the legs. It results from a disorder of motor movements. The unpleasant sensations that cause this syndrome usually occur during periods of rest, especially when falling asleep, but during moments of inactivity on the day;
Sleep apnea, which affects mainly obese people, causes the suspension of breathing that lasts 10 to 30 seconds (or more). The sleeper wakes up hundreds of times during the night. This superficial sleep leads to fatigue and drowsiness during the day.

The need for sleep decreases there with age?
The elderly do not need less sleep than others, although they will ussually have several hours less sleep a night, says sleep specialist Charles Morin, a psychologist and researcher at Laval University. With age, periods of slow deep sleep decreases continuously. Sleep is more fragile, the elderly are more likely to be awakened by external stimuli, be it noise, light or bodily pain. However, taking naps when necessary and complying with the rules of sleep hygiene, it is quite possible to get enough sleep.

Possible consequences

The consequences of insomnia are quickly felt and includes: fatigue, drowsiness, irritability, memory loss and difficulty concentrating during the day.

In addition, insomnia exacerbates problems: migraines, menopausal symptoms, muscle aches, digestive problems, etc.. If the fact to spend a few sleepless nights worrying is not anything to worry about, however several nights without sleep can weaken some of the bodies faculties. Thus, lack of awareness that arises from insomnia may have serious consequences:

Lack of leep is responsible for a large number of academic difficulties, especially among elementary students;
Driver fatigue is responsible for 20% to 25% of road accidents. It is also a major cause of accidents at work;
Sleep deprivation that lasts more than a few days also detrimental to the immune system, which is particularly active during the night. That is why, moreover, it is recommended that people with colds or flu to rest more.

Read more about sleeping dissorders here at health-cures.com