Health | Mom MD

Home Remedies For Minor Ailments

For children getting the occasional scrape is a fact of life. So too is the occasional cold or tummy ache. In fact, children are susceptible to a variety of conditions that may respond to home treatments. Every mother knows that being a part-time doctor is only one of her many responsibilities.

A first-aid kit should be present in every home where there are young children. This will help in treating cuts and bruises that can result from play time activities. It is important for moms to be aware of common ailments and methods of treatment such as:

Sore throat: Quick relief can be provided by gargling with warm salt water. If the sore throat persists for more than a day or two, it makes sense to visit a doctor.
Congestion: One of the oldest remedies, Vicks Vapor Rub, is still a popular choice. If the child’s nose is stuffy, a little dab at the edge of the nostril can provide relief. You can also make saline drops with warm water and salt to relieve stuffiness.
Tummy aches: Brew crushed ginger in hot water, allow it to cool and give a cup to the child to drink. Most children won’t be happy with the taste but it will help. This can also help to combat nausea. Ginger ale can also provide relief.
Sprains: Active children occasionally twist an ankle. Relief from pain and reduction in any swelling can be helped by placing hot and cold compresses to the affected area.

Of course, you should know when a visit to the doctor is necessary. Once home treatments don’t seem to be helping, it is time to seek medical help.

Filed Under: Medical, Parenting Tagged With: Child, Health, Sore throat

Knowing When OTC is Not Enough

This image depicts a young boy who presented t...

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One thing is certain about becoming a parent; you will acquire some medical knowledge along the way. Children are prone to various conditions and moms and dads need to recognize the signs of some of these illnesses. In addition, they will need to know when a visit to a doctor is necessary.

There are many over-the-counter (OCT) medications that can provide relief from certain ailments. However, the problem lies in knowing when to use OTC meds and when to seek medical attention. This calls for recognizing certain symptoms that can spell trouble when a child is sick.

Symptoms to Look Out For

Some symptoms in sick children that warrant a visit to the doctor are:

Having a fever over 102 degrees Fahrenheit that last over one day if the child is older than three months old. Consult the pediatrician for a fever in babies younger than three months old.
A persistent cough that lasts longer than two days for children older than six months old.
Difficulty breathing
Vomiting and diarrhea, whether together or alone
Listlessness and loss of appetite
Obvious pain or discomfort that is unaccounted for

With many childhood illnesses home care can help but professional medical attention can lead to quick recovery. On the other hand being slow to get the right treatment can cause more serious conditions. For example a cold can lead to pneumonia or a small scratch can become infected.

Generally mothers tend to have a gut feeling about their children and their health. They should never ignore these feelings when it comes to seeking treatment for their kids.

Filed Under: Medical, Parenting Tagged With: Child, Health, Medicine, Symptom

Signs and Symptoms of a Brain Injury

A CT of the head years after a traumatic brain...

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As a mom, you worry about serious injuries to your child. Brain injuries can cause physical and psychological problems over the short and long-term. If your child suffers a blow to the head, some symptoms may occur immediately, while others may not appear until some time later. Infants and children may have different types of symptoms than teenagers.

If your child is hit on the head, you should always visit your physician or a healthcare professional. You should also keep good records just in case you need to visit a Los Angeles brain injury attorney to get compensation for an injury.

Mild brain injuries or concussions may present with a temporary loss of consciousness, confusion, issues with memories, nausea or vomiting, or light sensitivity. More serious brain injuries may involve a longer period of unconsciousness, agitation, slurred speech, lack of coordination or muscle weakness, long-term headache, and seizures. A person with a brain injury may have some of these symptoms or all of them.

If you have a teenager, your child should be able to alert you to these complaints. However, a smaller child may not be able to tell you if they are having a headache or dizziness, so you may have to look for other symptoms. Some signs to watch out for include increased fussiness, change in feeding habits, irritability, change in mood, and a lack of interest in toys or activities. Brain injuries can be scary, but with proper care, they can be managed.

Filed Under: Child Development, Medical Tagged With: Health, Los Angeles, Traumatic brain injury

Take Extra Measures to Avoid Bronchitis

Getting over a cold or upper respiratory infection can seem like a never-ending chore. Once you start to feel better, you want to just be over the illness for good. However, this is when you have to be careful because you are at risk of developing acute bronchitis. This is characterized by a dry, itchy throat, coughing, congestion and fever. Since your immune system is weakened when you have a cold, if you do not let your body full recovery, bronchitis can develop and keep you out of commission for a long time.

People who smoke are at the highest risk of prolonged illness, including chronic bronchitis, which could last for months. Smoking while having a cold will often quickly transition into bronchitis. You should take extra care when you are sick and avoid inhaling toxins caused by cigarettes, cigars, cars and household chemicals. These can all weaken your body’s immune system and make it more susceptible to bronchitis.

The key to preventing bronchitis is to give your body a chance to fully recover from a cold or upper respiratory infection. You do not want to rush back into stressful situations or begin smoking until you are healthy again. Bronchitis can be very painful on your lungs and throat, so a few extra days of taking it easy will be more than worth it in the end.

Filed Under: Expert Advice, Medical Tagged With: Bronchitis, Common cold, Health

Keeping your Child Healthy

1. Illness

A sick child can make a parent feel helpless. Almost nothing pulls at our heart than not being able to comfort an ailing child. With an infant we may seem even more at a loss because they can’t communicate to tell us exactly what hurts. Understanding that we all get sick at some point and learning to identify signs that something is not right with your baby is part intuitive and learned behavior. Using resources like family, the Internet in addition to your pediatrician’s advice are all ways to relieve stress associated with taking care of a sick baby.

2, Well Baby Care

Parenting classes offer tools and resources on keeping your baby healthy. Many of these classes are offered through community agencies that also offer services and health resources for new moms. Your baby’s development and health are of course top priority to any parent. Learning skills and tools will help you with concerns around childhood illness and developmental issues with your child.

3. Well Times

When your child is healthy the best thing is to keep him that way. With new babies we experience colic and teething. Older children’s’ colds, e flu, chickenpox, earaches, tummy aches, digestive issues and sore throats are all things we contend with as parents. Each child responds differently to being sick. Knowing when to take your child in for a condition you can’t handle at home is helpful. There are instances fortunately where home treatment can work. Other times medical assistance is required. Loading your child up on vitamin c and healthy food choices are easy ways to keep him healthy. Your can’t control external forces that can be breeding grounds for germs. Day care centers have kids all day everyday and many come in with low grade illnesses that transmit germs to your kid. Vitamin C and up to date shots can help his system fight illness.

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Filed Under: Child Development, Parenting Tagged With: Child, Health, Parent

Women Infants and Children

Women, Infants, & Children (WIC)

1. Healthy Options

Pregnant women and new mommies alike need proper nutrition. Assistance is offered from the Women, Infants, and Children’s’ Program a Federally funded initiative to help end poverty and make sure kids are meeting basic nutritional needs through supplemental food items.

2. Who Qualifies?

Pregnant women, new mothers, and persons with children or foster children under the age of five are eligible. If you qualify for WIC you receive special checks to buy healthy foods like milk, juice, and cereal. Nutrition and breastfeeding information and support and referrals to health and community services. Many working families qualify as well.

3. WIC Income Guidelines

A family of one can make up to $20, 036 a year, $1,670 monthly, $771 Bi-Weekly, $386 weekly, $9.64 hourly. A two person family can make $26,995 annually, $2,247 monthly, $1,037, $519 weekly, $12.98 hourly, three person family, $33,874 annually, $2,823 monthly, $1,037, $652, $ hourly 16.29, a four person family can make $40,793 annually, $3400 monthly, $1569 bi weekly, $785 weekly, $19.62 an hour. This helps a good number of families to have nutritional meals.

Breastfeeding Information

New mothers to WIC have an option of breastfeeding (encouraged by WIC) of receiving a breast pump and resources for getting baby to nurse. If you choose not breastfeed you are eligible for formula. Still a good thing and very helpful as baby formula can be costly.

4. Referrals to Other Services

WIC also provides referrals to health and community services. The wrap around approach is utilized to hook mothers up with as many services as possible to help keep babies and moms healthy. Communities get funding based on numbers. When funding is granted it will dry up if community members don’t take advantage of services. WIC exists so that kids don’t go to bed hungry and to meet daily recommended allowances from essential food groups. WIC helps to make eating healthy and nutritious.

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Filed Under: Child Development, Education Tagged With: Health, Nutrition, WIC

A Husband’s Guide to Pregnancy Care

For husbands looking for a complete list and itemized catalogue of procedures related to caring for a pregnant wife, this will seem piteously inadequate. There are countless methods and actions one could take to ensure a common and agreeable state of care. This, however, is an appeal for more a shift in philosophy than a list.

More important than remembering to pack a bag for the hospital is mental attitude. With the pregnant woman the man now has a new and mystical being for which life has likely provided little in the ways of practical education. If the man is a much older sibling who has experienced a pregnant mother there is a slight advantage, though it can be as much a disadvantage if the man is not careful.

This is because the relationship between a mother and her son is dramatically different than the relationship with her husband. A son may be relied upon to run errands, help with lifting and assume other general household tasks which previously may have been shared. A husband will be required to perform all those tasks without complaint, while also becoming a supporter and caregiver to a new extreme.

The trick to providing great care for a woman who is pregnant to to be as attentive as possible to the woman the man already knows so well. If he’s used to giving foot rubs, well that’s probably not going anywhere. But now there is going to be a host of new and dramatic changes to her body which are going to bring sudden shifts in how she feels, thinks and moves.

A good caregiver is going to rub get up and continue to offer what ever is needed. He is going to remember that while the demand for his time and attention has increased, it is nothing compared to the new, constant and unrelenting demand on his wife.

Filed Under: Expert Advice, Parenting Tagged With: Health, Lauren London, Pregnancy

The Importance of Health Insurance

No matter how healthy your family may seem, it is important to have health insurance. From medical emergencies to something as simple as the flu, it can be scary to have a family member sick with no means to see a doctor or get a prescription filled. This is why it is imperative to have the right medical insurance so that you and your family is covered. The good thing is that it is very easy to get an insurance quote so that you can find the price that you can afford each month.

Once you have researched some of the medical plans out there, you can take a look at all of the advantages once you find one that you are interested in. Not only does medical insurance give you peace of mind in case of illnesses or accidents, you can also save money on prescriptions too. It doesn’t matter if you have a prescription that needs to be filled each month, such as allergy medication or a prescription that comes up due to an illness or accident, insurance saves you money – and everyone wants to have a little extra money in their pockets.

Don’t wait until it’s too late. Do your research on medical insurance, get insurance quotes and choose an insurance company that you are interested in. You never know when an accident or illness can happen and you wouldn’t want to be without insurance when it does. By getting your insurance needs taken care of in advance, you can have peace of mind that you and your family are covered and will get the best possible health care if it is needed. Take the time to make sure that your family has what is needed in a time of crisis and have the health insurance that is so important to their well-being.

Filed Under: Child Development, Parenting Tagged With: Agents and Marketers, Business, Financial Services, Health, Health care, Health insurance, Insurance, Medicine

How to Balance Work and Sick Kids

: Image via Wikipedia

Being a parent can be a difficult task. What’s even harder is juggling work while your kids are sick. For nearly all mothers, the honest answer is that their children is a priority far above work. So, how can mothers find a way to accommodate work and a sick child?

Save personal days- just in case
Let’s face it, sometimes personal days aren’t purely for the person. When a mother has a family, she has to think about her kids. Previously, she may have purely thought about her own personal well-being. So, stack up those personal days in case your kid needs you.

Talk to your supervisor ahead of time
The moment your child gets sick and has to depend on you is the moment you need to call your boss. Bosses can show compassion and understanding for employees who have kids. After all, chances are they have kids of their own.

Schedule your work to complete important tasks first
Finish up the monumental projects as soon as possible. That way, your boss is more likely to allow you to leave early and spend time with your children.

Have a network of emergency caregivers
Talk to the people who love you and your child. This could be your own spouse, family members or neighbors. In case you have to stop by the office, you can call someone in your network to help you out until you can get back home.

Prevent illnesses
If your kid is coughing on Saturday, be sure to nip it at the bud. Give your child the attention he or she needs to conquer potential illnesses. Offer medicine, tea and anything else that can help your child get back to normal. It’s also important for your child to have a healthy diet and a healthy lifestyle no matter what.

Filed Under: Expert Advice, Medical, Parenting Tagged With: Child, Child Health, Children Youth and Family, Family, Health, Home, Mother, Parent

How to Look Like a Well Rested Mom

: Image by Getty Images via @daylife

The way you look can impact the way you feel about yourself. For example, you may have stayed up all night taking care of your child. In the morning, the moment you put on the right makeup, you can look as if you got your ideal amount of beauty rest. Soon you find yourself in front of a mirror where you perk up by default. This is an example of how you can translate looking awake into feeling awake.

Start with a primer. You can fill in any fine lines with a nice primer. A primer also supports the longevity of your makeup.

Apply concealer. Make sure to dab concealer under your eyes. A concealer that is a good match can cover up any dark under eye circles that occur when you don’t get enough rest.

Use eye brightener. An eye brightener can make your eyes pop. Apply a bit over your concealer, but be sure to place some in the inner corner of your eye and on your brow bone below your eyebrow.

Take a nude pencil that matches your skin tone and line your lower water line. This can make your eyes look larger.

Curl your lashes with an eyelash curler. The curl makes your eyes look more wide open.

Stroke mascara on your lashes. Mascara darkens and lengthens your lashes. This adds definition and makes your eyes look bigger. If your lashes aren’t very long and you want a more eye popping look, consider placing individual lashes in the outer corners of your eye.

Define your eyebrows. Having clean and well groomed brows can act as a visual face lift.

Brush some blush on. Apply blush on the apples of your cheek. A little blush can instantly enliven your look.

Throw your hair up in a high ponytail. High ponytails provide an instant face lift.

Filed Under: Education, Parenting Tagged With: Beauty, Cosmetics, Curl, Eye shadow, Eyebrow, Eyelash curler, Flagellation, Health