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.

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.

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.

By Groshan Fabiola

For more resources on different strep throat subjects check out this links. You can find great content regarding strep throat symptoms, strep throat in adults, treatment for strep throat and many more strep throat related issues.

Constipation in Babies - Making Things Flow Easier

Your one month old baby grunts and strains as he tries to move his bowels. As a mother, you are typically worried that he may be constipated - you can definitely tell from the look on his face that he is having some major difficulties. So, you call his doctor for some expert opinion. You want to know for certain if it really is constipation and guess what? He told you that you don't have anything to worry about as long as his stool remains soft and moist! No, your baby is not suffering from constipation!

But what about all that grunting? Doesn't it indicate that something is wrong? Doesn't it suggest constipation? According to medical experts, all newborn babies grunt but it does not mean that they are having difficulty in moving their bowels. Basically, they grunt and grumble because their abdominal muscles are not yet as strong as that of an adult's and they need to strain more to push the stool out.

However, when real constipation occurs, you definitely need to have your baby checked by a qualified practitioner. Constipation can be a symptom of a more serious physical or emotional condition and may even indicate an intestinal blockage in younger babies.

To be thoroughly safe, you need to be on the lookout for any significant changes in your baby's stool or bowel movements. And if the baby you are nursing does not move his bowels in 2 days or more, it really is high time for you to consult your doctor about it.

So, what do you need to do once your baby has been diagnosed with constipation? To help your baby move his bowels more easily, try these simple surefire tips:

o Try using suppositories. Glycerin suppositories are safe enough to be used for small children and infants alike. These thin, waxy substances help relieve constipation by stimulating the rectum and by "greasing the walls" to allow for an easier elimination of body wastes. However, be sure to use suppositories only when extremely necessary. Using suppositories on a regular basis may not be good for your baby since once he or she becomes dependent on it, your child will not have a bowel movement without it!

o Enlist the aid of the thermometer. Using a rectal thermometer approved for child use can help your child if he or she is being troubled by constipation. How do you use it? Simply apply some petroleum jelly onto the rectal thermometer and insert it into the baby's rectum. Be careful not to insert it more than 2 ½ inches deep. Don't worry if you see traces of feces in the thermometer as you take it out. It just means that the treatment has been proven effective once again!

o Sweet does it! So, you really need an effective treatment for your baby's constipation, don't you? Well, try this! Add a teaspoon of Karo syrup in about 6 to 8 ounces of your baby's formula and you can say goodbye to your baby's constipation for good! The syrup draws enough water as it travels to your child's digestive tracts thereby keeping the stools soft.

No one deserves to suffer from constipation - especially not the babies and younger children! Just follow these tips and you can be sure to keep constipation in babies and children at bay.

Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Constipation

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Learn to Photograph Babies and Capture Those Special Moments

Unless a baby is sound asleep, taking a picture of a baby is not easy. However, if you can manage to develop enough patience to capture your baby in an unforgettable pose, the picture can be extremely valuable.

Photographs like this will be treasured for years and years and hold special meaning for you as well as your children. You will find out just how valuable these pictures are when your teenager brings home someone special for you to meet. You may have read an article about children photography and have the belief that the same techniques that are used to photograph children will work as well when photographing babies. Is this is what you think, you had better reconsider. There are some special considerations needed when photographing infants and toddlers and you will quickly understand why once you try to do it. As babies grow older they start to understand your wishes and will usually respond accordingly. This definitely makes taking those pictures much easier. An infant or baby up to twelve months old will have no idea what you mean when you ask them to "say cheese".

From birth to twelve months of age, infants go through a number of stages of growth. Often, capturing the perfect pose will largely depend on the stage the baby is in. We are going to take a closer look at baby photography and the best techniques to use at each stage of growth.

Birth to 10 weeks - Take full advantage of the photography opportunities you have at this stage because it gets harder later on. Babies at this age will not move around to much and spend almost all their time either lying on their stomachs or backs or held in your arms. You will get the best possible head shot of your infant if he or she lies on their back. Point the camera toward your baby's beautiful little head and start snapping.

10 weeks to 6 months - At this point, babies are fully capable of holding their heads up themselves and this makes a huge difference when taking pictures. Babies at this age are known to roll over frequently, flipping from their stomach to their back. Babies are now more aware of their surroundings and like to reach out to things. You can get great shots by getting their attention right before you take a picture. To do this, casually play with something that interests your baby and quickly pull the object toward the camera without blocking the lens. If this trick works as planned, your angel will focus his or her attention on the object and therefore the camera, providing a perfect shot. You can try teasing a smile out of your baby by gently tickling the lips with a plush toy before you pull it away.

6 months to 9 months - By the time your baby has reached this age, he or she will be able to sit up without any help, crawl, and stand with the support of a chair or table. A baby's behavior is rather unpredictable at this phase. They can go from laughing, to crying, to a full-blown tantrum in a matter of seconds. You will have probably learned to handle the camera well by now which is a good thing because you will have to do your work as quickly as possible. You can try the tickle trick, but its success will likely be rather short-lived.

9 months to 12 months - Your precious baby has certainly come a long way. He or she is no longer restricted to wriggling around on their back. Once a baby has reached this stage it will be very aware of its surroundings and will try to investigate everything. Babies at this age demand a lot of attention from you so you will have to be able to play while snapping those pictures. One very easy game that all babies love is the classic "peek-a-boo". Playing this well loved game will surely provide you with some twinkling eyes and gorgeous smiles.

Bennetta Elliott is writer of Personalized Gift Express which sells unique personalized gifts and favors for every occasion. They offer a great selection of personalized baby gifts.

Family Activities Don't Have to Cost Money Just Your Time

There are a many books, discussions and video about what to do with the family. Some people take the advice in stride, others are overwhelmed by all the information and still others don't care much at all about family activities. There are those many of us are already familiar. You know the ones where you visit grandma, grandpa and relatives. However, there are other family activities that don't require visiting anyone or spending much if any money.

Take walk around the local neighborhood.

Sometimes we are so busy going in and out of the neighborhood that we don't take the time to really look at our community, nature, and speak to neighbors. Take frequent strolls around the neighborhood and point out things along the way to your child. Ask about the color, shape, and texture. If you have a faith, use this time to teach your child about the things people didn't create like the sky, wind, trees, flowers and more. If you have older children, take the time to talk to them about life experiences and ask how they feel about the way things are going in their lives, what their plans are in the future, and what has been happening lately with their friends.

Draw pictures with your children.

Little ones enjoy learning new things. Utilize this time to show them how to make a face, paint, or illustrate something very unique. If you have experience using various software programs, take the time to teach your older ones how to make some interesting creative pieces.

Invite them to help you spring clean.

Going through old things is a great way to get children involved in family history. Tell the little ones a few stories while holding up your keepsakes while allowing them to look at the items closely. You can explain why some things are worth keeping and why other things you rather do away with. Show your older children how to make signs to sell your old wares, teach them how to list on eBay, or Twitter the stuff you are trying to sell.

List more interesting activities to do with your family that cost nothing but your time. Note your plans on a calendar and stick to them.