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Herbs & Plants

Broom Moss

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Botanical Name :Dicranum scoparium
Family: Dicranaceae
Genus: Dicranum
Species: D. scoparium
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Bryophyta
Class: Bryopsida
Subclass: Dicranidae
Order: Dicranales

Common Name :Broom Moss

Habitat :Broom Moss is native to North America, including the Great Lakes region.Grows on  Soil, humus, humus over rock, decaying stumps and logs, tree bases in dry to mesic woodlands.

Description:
Plants in loose to dense tufts, light to dark green, glossy to sometimes dull. Stems 2-10 cm, tomentose with white to brown rhizoids. Leaves very variable, usually falcate-secund, rarely straight and erect, slightly contorted and crisped when dry, sometimes slightly rugose or undulate, (4-)5-8.5(-15) × 0.8-1.8 mm, concave proximally, keeled above, lanceolate, apex acute to somewhat obtuse; margins strongly serrate in the distal 1/3 or rarely slightly serrulate; laminae 1-stratose; costa percurrent, excurrent, or ending before apex, 1/10-1/5 the width of the leaves at base, usually with 2-4 toothed ridges above on abaxial surface, with a row of guide cells, two thin stereid bands, adaxial epidermal layer of cells not differentiated, the abaxial layer interrupted by several enlarged cells that form part of the abaxial ridge, not extending to the apices; cell walls between lamina cells not bulging; leaf cells smooth; alar cells 2-stratose, well- differentiated, sometimes extending to costa; proximal laminal cells linear-rectangular, pitted, (25-)47-100(-132) × (5-)7-12(-13) µm; distal laminal cells shorter, broad, sinuose, pitted, (11-)27-43(-53) × (5-)8-12(-20) µm

Click to see the pictures…..…(01)......(1)……....(2).……....(3).…………………

Capsules mature spring.

Medicinal Uses:
The CH2Cl2 extract of Dicranum scoparium was found to possess pronounced antimicrobial activity against Bacillus cereus, Bacillus stearothermophilus, Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, and Escherichia coli.

Disclaimer:
The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.

Resources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dicranum_scoparium
http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=200000987
http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=DISC71&photoID=disc71_005_ahp.jpg
http://www.herbnet.com/Herb%20Uses_AB.htm

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Ailmemts & Remedies

Leigh’s disease

Alternative Name :Subacute Necrotizing Encephalomyelopathy (SNEM)

Definition:
Leigh’s disease is a rare neurometabolic disorder that affects the central nervous system.  This progressive disorder begins in infants between the ages of three months and two years. Rarely, it occurs in teenagers and adults. Leigh’s disease can be caused by mutations in mitochondrial DNA or by deficiencies of an enzyme called pyruvate dehydrogenase. Symptoms of Leigh’s disease usually progress rapidly. The earliest signs may be poor sucking ability,and the loss of head control and motor skills.These symptoms may be accompanied by loss of appetite, vomiting, irritability, continuous crying, and seizures. As the disorder progresses, symptoms may also include generalized weakness, lack of muscle tone, and episodes of lactic acidosis, which can lead to impairment of respiratory and kidney function.
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In Leigh’s disease, genetic mutations in mitochondrial DNA interfere with the energy sources that run cells in an area of the brain that plays a role in motor movements. The primary function of mitochondria is to convert the energy in glucose and fatty acids into a substance called adenosine triphosphate ( ATP). The energy in ATP drives virtually all of a cell’s metabolic functions. Genetic mutations in mitochondrial DNA, therefore, result in a chronic lack of energy in these cells, which in turn affects the central nervous system and causes progressive degeneration of motor functions.
There is also a form of Leigh’s disease (called X-linked Leigh’s disease) which is the result of mutations in a gene that produces another group of substances that are important for cell metabolism. This gene is only found on the X chromosome.

It is named after Denis Archibald Leigh, a British psychiatrist who first described the condition in 1951

Symptoms:
The symptoms of Leigh’s disease usually begin between the ages of 3 months and 2 years. Since the disease affects the central nervous system, symptoms may include:

•poor sucking ability
•difficulty holding up the head
•losing motor skills the infant had such as grasping a rattle and shaking it
•loss of appetite
•vomiting
•irritability
•continuous crying
•seizures
As Leigh’s disease becomes worse over time, the symptoms may include:
•generalized weakness
•lack of muscle tone (hypotonia)
•episodes of lactic acidosis (accumulation of lactic acid in the body and brain) that may impair breathing and kidney function
•heart problems

Causes:
It is an inherited disorder that usually affects infants between the age of three months and two years, but, in rare cases, teenagers and adults as well. In the case of the disease, mutations in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) or in nuclear DNA (gene SURF1  and some COX assembly factors) cause degradation of motor skills and eventually death.

Mitochondria are an essential organelle in eukaryotic cells. Their function is to convert the potential energy of glucose, amino acids, and fatty acids into adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Mitochondria carry their own DNA, called mitochondrial DNA [mtDNA]. The information stored in the mtDNA is used to produce several of the enzymes essential to the production of ATP.

Mutations in the mtDNA that cause the mitochondria to fail, to function improperly, a person is at risk for a number of disorders, including Leigh’s disease. In the case of Leigh’s disease, crucial cells in the brain stem have mutated mtDNA, creating poorly functioning mitochondria. This causes a chronic lack of energy in the cells, which, in turn, affects the central nervous system and inhibits motor functions.

Diagnosis:
Diagnosis of Leigh’s disease is based on the symptoms the infant or child has. Tests may show a deficiency of pyruvate dehydrogenase or the presence of lactic acidosis. Individuals with Leigh’s disease may have symmetrical patches of damage in the brain that may be discovered by brain scan. In some individuals, genetic testing may be able to identify the presence of a genetic mutation.

Treatment:
Leigh’s disease is a extremely rare disorder, and there is currently no cure, nor effective treatment. It usually affects infants under two years of age, but, in rarer cases, teenagers and adults as well. A high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet may be recommended. Adults may have puffiness and/or swelling of the eye area and the hands. It is currently treated with thiamin (vitamin B1), but even with treatment, infants rarely live longer than two or three years after the onset of the disease. In cases of older people, the disease takes longer, but is still almost always fatal.

Drug treatments may be needed for epilepsy, movement problems, and cardiac or renal complications.

Prognosis:
The prognosis for individuals with Leigh’s disease is poor. Individuals who lack mitochondrial complex IV activity and those with pyruvate dehydrogenase deficiency tend to have the worst prognosis and die within a few years. Those with partial deficiencies have a better prognosis, and may live to be 6 or 7 years of age. Some have survived to their mid-teenage years.

Resrarch:
The NINDS supports and encourages a broad range of basic and clinical research on neurogenetic disorders such as Leigh’s disease. The goal of this research is to understand what causes these disorders and then to apply these findings to new ways to diagnose, treat, and prevent them.

Disclaimer: This information is not meant to be a substitute for professional medical advise or help. It is always best to consult with a Physician about serious health concerns. This information is in no way intended to diagnose or prescribe remedies.This is purely for educational purpose

Resources:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/physical_health/conditions/leigh1.shtml
http://rarediseases.about.com/od/mitochondrialdiseases/a/leighsdisease.htm
http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/leighsdisease/leighsdisease.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leigh’s_disease
http://baby-braden.blogspot.com/2008/10/diagnosis-leighs-disease.html

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Herbs & Plants

Broom snakeroot

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Botanical Name : Gutierrezia sarothrae
Family: Asteraceae
Tribe: Astereae
Genus: Gutierrezia
Species: G. sarothrae
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Asterales

Synonyms:
Gutierrezia sarothrae (Pursh) Britton & Rusby

GUDI3 Gutierrezia diversifolia Greene
GULE Gutierrezia lepidota Greene
GULI2 Gutierrezia linearifolia Lag.
GULI3 Gutierrezia linearis Rydb.
GULI4 Gutierrezia linoides Greene
GULO3 Gutierrezia longipappa S.F. Blake
GUPO2 Gutierrezia pomariensis (S.L. Welsh) S.L. Welsh
GUSAP Gutierrezia sarothrae (Pursh) Britton & Rusby var. pomariensis S.L. Welsh
GUTE3 Gutierrezia tenuis Greene

Common Name :Common snakeweed, Matchweed, broom snakeweed Broom Snakeroot and Perennial matchweed

Habitat : Broom Snakeroot is native to much of the western half of North America, from central Canada to northern Mexico. It can be found in a number of desert, grassland, and mountain habitats.

Description:
Broom Snakeroot is a species of flowering plant.This is a dense, bushy subshrub reaching maximum heights around a meter. The multibranched stems and twigs are greenish or tan when young and age to woody brown. There are scattered narrow to thready leaves along the branches.

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The plant flowers abundantly in inflorescences of a few flowers each. The flower is about a centimeter long and bright golden yellow with a center of a few long, protruding disc florets and a fringe of ray florets. The plant is toxic to livestock in large quantities, due mainly to the presence of saponins and concentrated selenium.

Medicinal Uses:
Broom snakeroot was used by western Indians in poultices for treating insect bites.  Preparations of the plant have also been used to treat rheumatism and malaria.  A decoction of the roots has been used in the treatment of painful urination, diarrhea and stomach aches. The roots have been placed in boiling water and the steam inhaled in the treatment of respiratory complaints.  The flowers are laxative. A decoction of the fresh flowers has been used in the treatment of diarrhea.  The leaves are cathartic, febrifuge and sedative. An infusion has been used in the treatment of coughs and colds. It has also been used as a bath to treat fevers and sores, including those caused by venereal diseases. A poultice of the moistened leaves has been used to treat bruises, wounds, sprains, nose bleeds and insect stings. A strong, black infusion of the plant has been used as a rub on rheumatic joints.  An infusion of the leaves has been used as a pleasant and refreshing bath for arthritis. To reduce uterine swelling after childbirth, a little of the tea is taken as a beverage, and a cloth moistened with the tea is applied as a poultice.  This treatment is repeated frequently, accompanied by massage of the abdomen.  A weak tea is used as a douche or sitz bath to treat vaginitis

Disclaimer:
The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.

Resources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gutierrezia_sarothrae
http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=GUSA2
http://www.herbnet.com/Herb%20Uses_AB.htm
http://swbiodiversity.org/seinet/taxa/index.php?taxon=3746

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Legionnaires’ disease

Definition:
Legionnaires’ disease is a severe form of pneumonia. It is a potentially fatal infectious disease caused by Gram negative, aerobic bacteria belonging to the genus Legionella.  Over 90% of legionellosis cases are caused by Legionella pneumophila, a ubiquitous aquatic organism that thrives in temperatures between 25 and 45 °C (77 and 113 °F), with an optimum around 35 °C (95 °F).

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People usually get it by breathing in mist from water that contains the bacteria. The mist may come from hot tubs, showers or air-conditioning units for large buildings. The bacteria don’t spread from person to person.

Older adults, smokers and people with weakened immune systems are particularly susceptible to Legionnaires’ disease.

Legionella bacterium also causes Pontiac fever, a milder illness resembling the flu. Separately or together, the two illnesses are sometimes called legionellosis. Pontiac fever usually clears on its own. But untreated Legionnaires’ disease can be fatal. Although prompt treatment with antibiotics usually cures Legionnaires’ disease, some people continue to experience problems after treatment.

The disease and the bacterium were discovered following an outbreak at an American Legion convention in Philadelphia in 1976, hence the name.

Symptoms:
Legionnaires’ disease usually develops two to 14 days after exposure to legionella bacteria. It frequently begins with the following signs and symptoms:

*Headache
*Muscle pain
*Chills
*Fever that may be 104 F (40 C) or higher

By the second or third day, you’ll develop other signs and symptoms that may include:

*Cough, which may bring up mucus and sometimes blood
*Shortness of breath
*Chest pain
*Fatigue
*Loss of appetite
*Gastrointestinal symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea
*Confusion or other mental changes

Although Legionnaires’ disease primarily affects the lungs, it occasionally can cause infections in wounds and in other parts of the body, including the heart.

A mild form of Legionnaires’ disease — known as Pontiac fever — may produce symptoms including fever, chills, headache and muscle aches. Pontiac fever doesn’t infect   lungs, and symptoms usually clear within two to five days.

Causes:
Legionnaires’ is caused by a bacteria known as Legionella pneumophila.

The bacteria is found widely throughout natural water systems such as rivers and ponds but temperature is critical to its growth and it is in the warm or hot water of artificial water systems such as heating plants or whirlpools that it can really thrive, forming a biofilm or layer of living bacteria over artificial structures.

Other sources include the water systems of large buildings, cooling towers of air conditioning systems, fountains and ponds, and communal showers.

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It used to be thought that people caught Legionella when they breathed in an aerosol or fine mist of contaminated water. But while this may be true in some cases it is now thought that Legionella more commonly occurs when contaminated water in the mouth (drinking water for example) is able to get past the body’s normal defences and passes down into the lungs.

This is known as aspiration and it explains why smokers and those with chronic lung disease are especially vulnerable to Legionella. Normally fluid in the mouth is pushed down the gullet and into the stomach where any particles such as bacteria can be broken down.

The gag reflex prevents water entering into the breathing tubes, and the action of tiny hair-like projections or cilia on the mucosal membranes surface brushes back any particles that have passed towards the lungs.

But in smokers and those with lung disease or weakened immunity these mechanisms may not work properly and bacteria can pass more easily into the lungs to establish a pneumonia.

Occurrences are more common in late summer and early autumn. Men are affected more than women, particularly middle-aged men.

Complications:
Legionnaires’ disease can lead to a number of life-threatening complications, including:

*Respiratory failure. This occurs when the lungs are no longer able to provide the body with enough oxygen or can’t remove enough carbon dioxide from the blood.

*Septic shock. This occurs when a severe, sudden drop in blood pressure reduces blood flow to vital organs, especially the kidneys and brain. The heart tries to compensate by increasing the volume of blood pumped, but the extra workload eventually weakens the heart and reduces blood flow even further.

*Acute kidney failure. This is the sudden loss of your kidneys’ ability to perform their main function — filtering waste material from your blood.

When your kidneys fail, dangerous levels of fluid and waste accumulate in your body.When not treated effectively and promptly, Legionnaires’ disease may be fatal, especially if your immune system is weakened by disease or medications.

Diagnosis:
Legionnaires’ disease is similar to other types of pneumonia. To help identify the presence of legionella bacteria quickly,  doctor may use a test that checks your urine for legionella antigens — foreign substances that trigger an immune system response.  One or more of the following test may also be required:

*Blood tests

*A chest X-ray, which doesn’t confirm Legionnaires’ disease but can show the extent of infection in your lungs

*Tests on a sample of your sputum or lung tissue

*A CT scan of your brain or a spinal tap (lumbar puncture) if you have neurological symptoms such as confusion or trouble concentrating

Treatment:
Current treatments of choice are the respiratory tract quinolones (levofloxacin, moxifloxacin, gemifloxacin) or newer macrolides (azithromycin, clarithromycin, roxithromycin). The antibiotics used most frequently have been levofloxacin and azithromycin. Macrolides are used in all age groups while tetracyclines are prescribed for children above the age of 12 and quinolones above the age of 18. Rifampicin can be used in combination with a quinolone or macrolide. Tetracyclines and erythromycin led to improved outcomes compared to other antibiotics in the original American Legion outbreak. These antibiotics are effective because they have excellent intracellular penetration and Legionella infects cells.

The mortality at the original American Legion convention in 1976 was high (34 deaths in 180 infected individuals) because the antibiotics used (including penicillins, cephalosporins, and aminoglycosides) had poor intracellular penetration. Mortality has plunged to less than 5% if therapy is started quickly. Delay in giving the appropriate antibiotic leads to higher mortality.

Prognosis:
According to the journal Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, hospital-acquired Legionella pneumonia has a fatality rate of 28%, and the principal source of infection in such cases is the drinking-water distribution system

Prevention:
A recent research study provided evidence that Legionella pneumophila, the causative agent of Legionnaires’ disease, can travel airborne at least 6 km from its source. It was previously believed that transmission of the bacterium was restricted to much shorter distances. A team of French scientists reviewed the details of an epidemic of Legionnaires’ disease that took place in Pas-de-Calais in northern France in 2003–2004. There were 86 confirmed cases during the outbreak, of whom 18 died. The source of infection was identified as a cooling tower in a petrochemical plant, and an analysis of those affected in the outbreak revealed that some infected people lived as far as 6–7 km from the plant.

A study of Legionnaires’ disease cases in May 2005 in Sarpsborg, Norway concluded that: “The high velocity, large drift, and high humidity in the air scrubber may have contributed to the wide spread of Legionella species, probably for >10 km. “…

In 2010 a study by the UK Health Protection Agency reported that 20% of cases may be caused by infected windscreen washer systems filled with pure water. The finding came after researchers spotted that professional drivers are five times more likely to contract the disease. No cases of infected systems were found whenever a suitable washer fluid was used.

Temperature affects the survival of Legionella as follows:

*70 to 80 °C (158 to 176 °F): Disinfection range
*At 66 °C (151 °F): Legionellae die within 2 minutes
*At 60 °C (140 °F): They die within 32 minutes
*At 55 °C (131 °F): They die within 5 to 6 hours
*Above 50 °C (122 °F): They can survive but do not multiply
*35 to 46 °C (95 to 115 °F): Ideal growth range
*20 to 50 °C (68 to 122 °F): Growth range
*Below 20 °C (68 °F): They can survive but are dormant

Removing slime, which can carry legionellae when airborn, may be an effective control process

Disclaimer: This information is not meant to be a substitute for professional medical advise or help. It is always best to consult with a Physician about serious health concerns. This information is in no way intended to diagnose or prescribe remedies.This is purely for educational purpose

Resources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legionellosis
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/legionnaires-disease/DS00853/DSECTION
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/legionnairesdisease.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/physical_health/conditions/legionnaires1.shtml

http://www.primehealthchannel.com/legionnaires-disease-symptoms-causes-tests-prevention-and-treatment.html

http://www.cruiselawnews.com/articles/legionnaires-disease/

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Laryngomalacia

A labeled anatomical diagram of the vocal fold...
A labeled anatomical diagram of the vocal folds or cords. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Definition:
Laryngomalacia is a softening of the tissues of the larynx (voice box) above the vocal cords. This softening causes the tissues to become floppy, and they may fall over the airway opening and partially block it.

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Laryngomalacia (literally, “soft larynx”) is a very common condition of infancy, in which the soft, immature cartilage of the upper larynx collapses inward during inhalation, causing airway obstruction. It can also be seen in older patients, especially those with neuromuscular conditions resulting in weakness of the muscles of the throat. However, the infantile form is much more common.

There are several types – the mildest may cause no problems, while the most severe can be associated with other abnormalities of the respiratory tract, and with neuromuscular and gastroenterological problems.

Symptoms:
Until the larynx becomes stronger, problems can arise for several reasons:

•The soft limp tissues of the larynx can collapse as the baby breathes in. This interrupts the flow of air and causes noisy breathing, with a sound called stridor, which is a sign of obstructed air flow – in fact laryngomalacia is the commonest cause of stridor in babies. It may be worse if the baby has a respiratory infection.

•In some children, laryngomalacia can interfere with feeding. The effort required to draw air in through the obstructed airway can cause reflux of food from the stomach back up into the oesophagus or gullet.

•There may be other ear, nose and throat problems, and rarely problems with the lungs. Low oxygen levels may disrupt normal growth.

Common symptoms are :-
*Nosy breathing (stridor) – An audible wheeze when your baby breathes in. It is often worse when the baby is agitated, feeding, *crying or sleeping on the back
*High pitched sound
*Difficulty feeding
*Poor weight gain
*Choking while feeding
*Apnea — Breathing stoppage
*Pulling in neck and check with each breath
*Cyanosis — Turning blue
*Gastroesophageal reflux — Spitting, vomiting and regurgitation
*Aspiration – Inhalation of food into the lungs

Causes:
Laryngomalacia is thought to be the result of abnormally slow maturation of the tissues of the larynx, possibly because of genetic factors. This simply means that at birth the baby’s respiratory tract isn’t developed and string enough to cope with the mechanical demands of drawing breath.

Although doctors believe there’s a link between laryngomalacia and gastro-oesophageal reflu, there isn’t a single common mechanism to link these two problems, so several theories exist. In some patients with laryngomalacia, reflux may be the primary cause of their airway problems. In others, it’s an additional factor on top of neurological or anatomical abnormalities.

Reflux is common in babies less than one year old, because the muscular valve at the entrance to the stomach (which holds food in the stomach) may be weak in small infants.

Research suggests that a very large number, if not all, of babies with laryngomalacia also have reflux of gastric acid and digestive enzymes up to the pharynx (back of the throat). This may have detrimental effects on the larynx and tracheobronchial tree (air passages into the lungs). This may cause persistent swelling (oedema) of the larynx lining, which is common in children with laryngomalacia.

There’s no consensus yet about managing this link, but it makes sense to think simple treatments to control reflux could help resolve the laryngomalacia more quickly, too. More interventional treatments such as surgery, with all their inherent risks, are best avoided if possible.

Although laryngomalacia is not associated with a specific gene, there is evidence that some cases may be inherited.

Diagnosis:
Your doctor will ask you some questions about your baby’s health problems and may recommend a test called a flexible laryngoscopy (lar ring os co pee) to further evaluate your baby’s condition.

During this test, done in your doctor’s office, a tiny camera that looks like a strand of spaghetti with a light on the end is passed through your baby’s nostril and into the lower part of the throat where the larynx is. This allows your doctor to see your baby’s voicebox.

After the diagnosis — additional tests:
If laryngomalacia is diagnosed, the doctor may want to do other diagnostic tests to evaluate the extent of your child’s problems and to see whether the lower airway is affected. These tests may include:

X-ray of the neck;
A neck X-ray is done to make sure that your baby does not have other problems below the voice box (in the subglottis, trachea or chest). These are areas that the doctor cannot see during the flexible laryngoscopy.

Airway fluoroscopy;
The doctor may also order a motion picture X-ray of the trachea to make sure that there are no other problems.

Microlaryngoscopy (my crow lar ring os co pee)and bronchoscopy (brawn cos co pee), also known as MLB
This test is done when a neck X-ray shows additional problems in the lower airway. Your child is taken to the operating room and given anesthesia. Then the doctor passes a tiny camera through your child’s mouth and down past the vocal cords (larynx) to look at the area below the vocal folds that may be contributing to the stridor (noisy breathing). The surgeon will take some pictures and will review the results with you afterward.

EGD or esophagogastroduodenoscopy pH probe
This test will be done if your child’s doctor suspects that there may be a more severe problem.

Treatment :
In almost all cases (99 percent), laryngomalacia resolves without treatment by the time your child is 18 to 20 months of age. However, if the laryngomalacia is severe, your child’s treatment may include medication or surgery.

Medication:
Your child’s GI doctor may prescribe an anti-reflux medication to help manage the gastroesophageal reflux (GERD). This is important because your child’s chronic neck and chest retractions from the laryngomalacia can worsen GERD. Also, the acid reflux can cause swelling above the vocal cords and worsen the noisy breathing.

Surgery:
Surgery is the treatment of choice if your child’s condition is severe. Symptoms that signal the need for surgery include:

*Life-threatening apneas (stoppages of breathing)

*Significant blue spells

*Failure to gain weight with feeding

*Significant chest and neck retractions

*Need for extra oxygen to breathe

*Heart or lung issues related to your child’s inability to get enough oxygen

Supraglottoplasty:
In this surgery, extra tissue above the vocal cords is trimmed in the operating room. Your child will be under general anesthesia while the surgeon does a thorough evaluation of the airway and removes the tissue. After surgery, your child will be taken to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) and will spend one night with a breathing tube in the nose. If there is not much swelling in this area, and if the surgeon feels it will be safe, the breathing tube will be removed the next day in the PICU. Your child will then be observed for another day to ensure that the airway is safe, and that your child is getting enough oxygen and is drinking normally.

This surgery may not completely eliminate the noisy breathing but it should help to:

*Reduce the severity of the symptoms

*Lessen the apneas (breathing stoppages)

*Reduce the extra oxygen requirements

*Improve swallowing

*Help your child gain weight.

Disclaimer: This information is not meant to be a substitute for professional medical advise or help. It is always best to consult with a Physician about serious health concerns. This information is in no way intended to diagnose or prescribe remedies.This is purely for educational purpose

Resources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laryngomalacia
http://www.chop.edu/service/airway-disorders/conditions-we-treat/laryngomalacia.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/physical_health/conditions/laryngomalacia.shtml

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