Pneumonia is the infection of the either one lung or

both. When both the lungs get infected it is known as double pneumonia. When the

pneumonia is mild enough that the visit to the doctor can be avoided and the

child can carry out daily activities normally, it is known as walking pneumonia.

The lungs are an important part of the respiratory system. The air which is

breathed in contains oxygen, which is filtered by the lungs. This oxygen then is

carried around the body with the help of blood which is passed from the

breathing tubes by the alveoli. Capillaries or the minute blood vessels are

surrounded by small air sacs known as alveoli. There are over six hundred

million alveoli in the human body. The air which is taken in is supplied to the

alveoli; the oxygen extracted from the air is dissolved in the blood. Then it is

the job of the red blood cells to distribute the oxygen to all the body parts.

Oxygen is vital in the proper functioning of the human body and insufficient

supply of oxygen can damage the organs and sometimes can be life threatening.

This functioning is disturbed when the lungs get infected by pneumonia.

Pneumonia does not allow the lungs to function properly, because the infection

produces fluid which obstructs the alveoli. In turn the oxygen does not

penetrate deep inside the lungs and lesser oxygen is supplied to the blood. The

breathing is affected and the condition worsens when both the lungs get infected

with pneumonia.

People of all ages from infants to old could get affected with

pneumonia. It is a myth among people that getting wet makes the person catch

pneumonia. But it is actually the virus or the bacteria which causes the

infection. When a person infected with flu or cold faces a deterioration in

his/her condition, he/she can be infected with pneumonia. This happens because

the irritation caused by the flu or cold helps the pneumonia germs to get into

the lungs easily and move around to spread the infection.

The virus or

bacteria which cause pneumonia can cause damages, whose severity can depend on

the health of the child. If the infection is caused by bacteria, the child will

get sick very soon and can get high temperature fever accompanied with chills.

Pneumonia caused by virus develops very slowly and it takes longer time to go

away. The child can also experiences cough, chest pain, headache, and or muscle

ache. It can also make it difficult to breath, so the child will start to breath

faster which may make him cough out gloppy mucus. The child would have to

totally abstain from eating.

When given the right treatment, the child can

recover fully. The doctor will first examine the heartbeat and breathing with

the help of the stethoscope. The stethoscope also helps to check the lungs, the

sounds made by the lungs help to determine if it contains any fluids. Sounds

such as crackling or bubbling are indications of pneumonia. Chest X-ray will be

taken too. White patchy area will show fluid buildup. By looking at the X-ray,

the doctor can also determine whether the infection is caused by bacteria or

virus. If it is caused by bacteria, antibiotics will be prescribed. And if it is

difficult for the child to swallow the medicine or to retain it inside, he/she

will be injected with IV fluid. And if virus is responsible for the infection,

antibiotics won’t work. Fever reducers, along with cough medicine, will be given

in this case. The medicines will be of no use, if the child doesn’t take

adequate rest and plenty of liquids.

Shots can be taken to prevent pneumonia.

These series of shots are called pneumococcal. Regular flu shots can also prove

helpful, especially for kids who have asthma or other kinds of lung infection.

Rest and sleep also strengthens the immune system. Washing hands regularly can

keep harmful germs at bay.

Urinary tract infection makes urinating painful. The infected children thinks twice before going to the bathroom and they always get a feeling to go to the bathroom. The urine also smells bad because of the infection. Bacteria are responsible for infecting the urinary track.

The urinary track consists of certain parts such as two kidneys, bladder, two ureters and a urethra. The kidney does the major job of cleaning waste from the blood. The waste material is urine which is passed to the bladder through the ureters. The shape of the bladder is very similar to a deflated balloon. When the bladder gets filled two hundred and thirty seven milliliters of urine, the brain sends signals to go to the bathroom. When the person gets ready to pass, the muscles located at the end of the bladder relax which lets the urine rush through the urethra, from the bladder, and out of the body.

When children face any of the symptoms of urinary track information, they should talk about it to their parents as the symptoms are visible to the patient more than to others. Parents can observe the urinating frequency of the children. The child feels terrible pain while peeing. He/she is able to pass only small quantity at a time. He/she also gets up several times during the night to go to the bathroom. There is a strange sensation in the lower part of the belly. Blood can also pass along with the urine. Also the urine isn’t a clear solution and is cloudy. The urine smells badly after passing. These are all the symptoms of bladder infection. The child can also feel feverish along with chills. Pain can be experienced in the back or the belly. When the pain is right below the ribs, it is a clear sign of kidney infection. Depending on the severity of the symptoms, the child should be taken to the doctor.

The doctor will take urine sample for testing. The urine is taken in a plastic cup, into which the child pees. Before passing, the child must wipe the area with special wipes, so that the germs from the body do not confuse with the germs in the urine. Germs in the urine are an indication of infection. Although there are million of germs residing on the exterior of the body, they are completely harmless. Only a few of them actually infect the body. A stick is dipped in the urine sample. The stick is special, that is it is a specially treated paper which changes color upon determination of an infection. Otherwise, the urine sample can also be sent to the laboratory. Incase of a bladder infection, the doctor will prescribe medicine that kills the bacteria.

The child will begin to feel good just few days after starting to consume the medicine. But he/she must stay away from food and liquid which has caffeine in it as it can elevate the bladder irritation and the patient will feel very uncomfortable. After the test, if kidney infection is detected, the child will be hospitalized for few days. He/she will be given a germ fighting medicine which will be administered by a small plastic tube which will be introduced in a vein.

After the child recovers from a urinary tract infection, he/she should try best to avoid such incidents in the future. The most important thing is to maintain cleanliness. The private parts should be washed everyday. It is best to take a shower or a bath daily. The child can use wipes to clean every time after passing urine. Children should never hold the urine. When they feel the urge, they should rush to the bathroom immediately. Fluids intake must be increased. Best fluids are water and cranberry juice. Water washes the bacteria out of the body and cranberry juice prevents another bacterial attack. Bubble baths aren’t good as it can irritate the urethra. Cotton underwear will absorb the sweat and body moisture, which will prevent bacterial growth. Underpants must be changed everyday.

Food allergies are a common problem in kids. Nearly two million children have food allergies in the United States. Some food allergies are life threatening, even if the food is taken in very little quantity. Peanut tops the list of notorious foods which cause allergies. Following it are milk, especially cow’s milk, soy, eggs, wheat, seafood and other nuts.

Food allergies are caused when the immune system is confused. The job of the immune system is to protect the body from diseases, bacteria, viruses and germs. The antibodies produced by the immune system helps to fight these minute external organisms which makes the person sick. But if the body is allergic to certain food, the immune system mistakes the food to a harmful foreign substance and takes action towards it thinking that it is dangerous to the body. The body acts adversely, when it isn’t supposed to do so.

When the immune system detects allergic substance, the antibodies produce mast cells. They are a kind of immune system cell which release a chemicals, such as histamine, in the bloodstream. These chemicals affect the respiratory system, digestive system, nose, eyes, throat, and skin. Initial symptoms are runny nose, tingling sensation in the lips or tongue, and itchy skin rash like hives. The reaction can be mild to severe and depends on every individual. The symptoms can appear right after the food is consumed or after few hours. Other symptoms are cough, wheezing, nausea, hoarse voice, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach ache, and throat tightness.

A sudden and harsh allergic reaction is known as anaphylaxis. The patient encounters many problems, all at once which involve blood vessels, the heart, digestion, breathing, and skin. The blood pressure drops very steeply, the tongue swells and there is swelling in the breathing tubes. Patients who have such allergic reactions should be ready to handle emergencies. They should always carry some type of medicine which will help to combat or reduce the adverse affect of the food.

Most of the times, it is very easy to detect the cause of food allergy. Problems such as hives begin to surface as soon as the child eats the substance he is allergic to. At other times, it becomes very difficult to determine the cause of allergy. In such cases, everything should be observed under close surveillance. Food items which are made out of many ingredients should be thoroughly checked for the allergic cause. Most of the times, allergies are inherited from other family members or other kids born with food allergies. Changes in the surroundings and the body play a major role in these kinds of cases. Some of the kids aren’t actually allergic to the food and show only mild reaction. Like people who are lactose intolerant suffer from diarrhea and belly pain after consuming milk and diary products. This is not an indication that the child is allergic to milk. This reaction happens because their body is incapable of breaking down the sugars which are found in diary products and milk.

If the conditions are severe, a doctor should be consulted immediately. If food allergy is diagnosed, the doctor refers to an allergy specialist. The doctor asks questions like eating patterns, past allergic reactions and the time period between the consumption of food and the surfacing of the symptoms. The specialist can also ask about allergy related conditions like asthma or eczema and whether allergic reactions are hereditary. Usually skin test and blood test is done to test the antibodies and the reaction they have on the skin when it is exposed to the allergic substance.

Kids who are allergic to egg and milk outgrow them as the age progresses. But allergies which are severe and are related to items such as peanut, shrimps, and some kind of fish, last for a lifetime. Other than food, children can be allergic to certain medicines and flower pollen. The best way to avoid allergies is to avoid the cause of it. No specific medicine has been developed for the cure of allergies.