Babies who develop colic, which is acute pain in the stomach area, often show these symptoms two to three weeks after birth. This can be agonizing for both the parents and the baby, causing the parents stress levels to become elevated because of their baby’s constant crying. However, seeing their otherwise healthy and happy infant in pain renders them helpless. While there is no cure for colic and babies usually outgrow it, there is a product to help relieve the pain almost immediately. The name of this product is gripe water. It is homeopathic sterile water, which contains natural herbs and other natural ingredients. People in Europe have been using gripe water for centuries to relieve colic, and learning how to use gripe water may bring comfort to your baby, as well as peace of mind to the parents.
Gripe water, while its main use is to soothe colic, has also been used for teething pain as well. Adults have taken gripe water in larger doses to soothe stomach cramps. Originally introduced in the 1800’s by William Woodward, an American pharmacist who was training in England, this ...
colic but only relieves minuscule amounts of gas pains. Breast milk is the only natural, complete
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional GI disorder (FGID) characterized by abdominal pain in association with altered bowel habits in the absence of any identifiable structural or biochemical abnormalities. It is a very common disorder that can have a profound negative impact on a patient’s quality of life and constitutes a considerable social and economic burden on society. Extensive research over the last few decades has led to a better understanding of this complex syndrome and improvements in treatment. After a brief review of the clinical manifestations and diagnosis of IBS, the current understanding of the complex physiological mechanisms contributing to the syndrome will be addressed. The remainder of this paper will focus on a number of important topics at the interface of IBS and psychiatry, including psychiatric comorbidity in IBS, the complex role of psychosocial stressors in the onset and perpetuation of symptoms in IBS, and various considerations in the management of IBS from the perspective of psychiatry.
Ulcerative colitis progresses from the rectum and moves proximally. Distal disease refers to inflammation that is limited to the rectum (proctitis) or rectum and sigmoid colon. Here it is referred to as proctosigmioditis. If the disease is more extensive it includes the left side of the colon and can cover the splenic flexure. This occurs in 40% of patients. Extensive colitis occurs up to the hepatic flexure. Pan colitis affects the whole of the colon and this can affect up to 20% of patients. Some patients with pan colitis have involvement of the terminal ileum, this is caused by an incompetent ileocaecal valve.
useful in the relief of mild to moderate pain. It is also used as a cough remedy
Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis are both in a category of diseases called Inflammatory Bowel Diseases. This is a classification of disease in which inflammation forms in a part of the digestive tract, known as the gastrointestinal tract or GI tract, of the patient. The immune system then treats this area of inflammation as a foreign pathogen and attacks it. The causes of both of these diseases are currently unknown to the medical world.
Wakefield, A. J., Murch, S. H., Anthony, M. A., Linnell, J., Casson, D. M., Malik, M., Berelowitz, M., Dhillon, A. P., Thomson, M. A., Harvey, P., Valentine, A., Davies, S. E., & Walker-Smith, J. A. (1998). Ileal-lymphoid-nodular hyperplasia, non-specific colitis, and pervasive developmental disorder in children. Lancet, 351(9103), 637–641.
Field T., Preterm infant massage therapy studies: An American approach. Semin Neonatal, 2002; 7, 487-494.
Another early complication is infection. Some causative organisms of infection are skin flora and colonic flora. Colonic flora are caused by the dirty environment of the diaper. Most infections can be prevented with good hygiene procedures, including local wound care. Good hygiene includes washing hands prior to and after changing baby’s diaper. Wound care includes thoroughly cleaning the penis and an application of antibiotic ointment with each diaper change. Severe infections including necrotizing fasciitis, have been reported as
History of St. John's Wort St. John’s Wort has been in use for about 2400 years and has been utilized for many different purposes throughout history. Some of these less modern uses have been nerve tonic, painkiller, including effectiveness for relieving arthritis pain and menstrual cramping, and relief for gastrointestinal problems such as diarrhea, nausea, and more serious problems like ulcers. Now it is becoming more common as a remedy for depression and anxiety but is simultaneously being tested as a possible type of assistance for AIDS patients because it appears to help the immune system combat viruses.
Often frustrated parents or other persons responsible for a child’s care feel that shaking a baby is a harmless way to make a child stop crying. The number one reason why a baby is shaken is because of inconsolable crying. (National Exchange Club Foundation, 1998) An infant may spend two to three hours a day crying. (The Epilepsy Association of Central Florida) A caregiver momentarily gives in to the frustration of responding to a crying baby by shaking. Caregivers may be inadequately prepared for children.
Cradle cap is an intestinal disorder often caused by diet, recent or past antibiotics and bowel problems. Using a quality probiotic along with diet changes, including a cream called DermaQur will usually resolve the problem. It can also happen if the baby is breastfeed and the mother takes antibiotics or has a poor
The drug cimetidine was launched in 1976, as a successful medication to treat peptic ulcers. Over many centuries peptic ulcer has been a major cause of death, at any particular time about 4 million people are effected with peptic ulcer, and the at least 6000 people die from this disease each year.
Many children suffer from dehydration and become symptomatic quickly. In an article by Spandorfer, Alessandrini, Joffe, Localio, and Shaw, it was found that approximately 10% of children admitted suffer from dehydration due to gastroenteritis (2005). Oral hydration cannot always be achieved especially if the child is vomiting as well as suffering from diarrhea, which leads parents to take their children to the hospital for care. Parents may need education and emotional support in the prevention of dehydration in children.
• Clean all pacifiers and bottle nipples in hot water or a dishwasher after each use.
Although childbirth appears to be a calm and unforgettable moment for mothers and family members, there can be severe complications that can affect not only the mother, but also the delivery and the child; on the contrary, the process may also run smoothly without any