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Ailmemts & Remedies Pediatric

Heart Murmurs in Babies

Definition
The heart has four separate chambers, and four one-way valves attaching them. The two lower chambers pump, and they’re called ventricles. The two upper chambers accept incoming blood, and they’re called atria.

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Blood that’s low in oxygen comes from the body into the right atrium, then goes through a valve into the right ventricle, and over to the lungs to get more oxygen. That oxygen-rich blood returns to the heart through the left atrium, then across a valve into the left ventricle. From there it’s pumped through the aorta, which is a large blood vessel, and on to smaller blood vessels throughout the body.

A heart murmur is the term used when an extra swishing sound is heard besides the normal heartbeat, which is the sound of the valves opening and closing. A doctor can hear these sounds with a stethoscope, but a child needs to sit very quietly for that to happen, because his heart is near his chest wall, and outside sounds can get picked up. You might be asked to hold your baby in your lap while the doctor listens, or calm him down; if he’s crying, it’s almost impossible to hear a murmur.

Parents often panic when they are told their baby has been diagnosed with a heart murmur, yet do not realize that heart murmurs are actually common in babies and that, in general, they resolve themselves without affecting the baby’s overall health.Murmurs are very common during childhood and the vast majority are not a sign of disease or anything to worry about. It is extremely important for parents to understand which type of murmur their child has been diagnosed with, if it requires further evaluation and treatment options available if the result is a serious heart defect.

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Symptoms:
There may be no other symptoms – a murmur is generally diagnosed by the sound heard through the stethoscope.

These murmurs usually get resolved by the time the child become adult. The defective heart murmur may need to be tested to find out the real cause of it. The child with innocent murmur can live as healthy life as any other child of healthy heart. Pathological heart murmurs is a defect in the heart with a hole which may be there in the two chambers of the heart. The chest pain, rapid heart beat, bluish color or fingertips, shortness of breath, fainting, fatigue with exertion and signs of congestive heart failure are some of serious symptoms of this disease.

However, if the murmur is due to disease – ie, it isn’t harmless or ‘innocent’ – the child may be cyanosed (blue, especially around the lips), short of breath (especially on feeding), off their feeds, failing to thrive (poor growth) or have frequent chest infections.

Causes:
The majority of heart murmurs are the result of the fast rate at which children’s hearts beat or normal variations in the structure of the heart. Some factors, such as fever or excitement, make these innocent murmurs more likely because they increase the speed at which the heart pumps.

The common cause of baby’s heart murmur is congenital heart disease which may occur when blood vessels or valves attached to the heart don’t get developed even before the child is born. Some children may get birth with heart defects. One in hundred children may be found with this type of birth disorder.

. Some serious heart defects may be due to some illnesses like rheumatic fever, heart disease, heart attacks. It is due to heart defects in structural disorder of a baby’s heart. The defects may be of valve abnormalities, cardiomyopathy and septal which produce murmur. Cardiomyopathy is usually a heart disorder of muscle which can result in defective functioning of the heart.

However, a heart murmur is also the most common sign of congenital heart defects caused by abnormal development of the heart tissues. This may be atrial or ventricular septal defects – a hole in the heart or an abnormal hole between two heart chambers. Sometimes the connections between vessels from the heart don’t close after birth as they should, resulting in patent ductus arteriosus.

Other abnormalities of the heart valves and still rarer problems can also cause a murmur.

Heart murmurs may also be caused by heart failure and infection involving the heart.

Diagnosis:
Although parents often fear the worse, not all heart murmurs are serious. They’re graded on scale from 1 to 6, where 1 is almost inaudible and 6 is quite loud. When your baby’s doctor hears it, he’ll note where in the heart it occurs, at what point in the heartbeat cycle, what type of sound it makes, and whether the noise changes when your child moves. If further evaluation is required, your child will be referred to a pediatric cardiologist.

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Sometimes a heart murmur will be heard at one appointment, when it wasn’t noticed at the last one. This could be because heart murmurs are better heard when children are in certain positions or have a different heart rate. It could also mean it’s due to a heart problem that’s recently developed, or one that’s been there since birth but hasn’t been severe enough to make a detectable murmur.

It can be difficult to tell an innocent murmur from a suspicious one. If a child has an unusual murmur but seems well, the doctor may suggest the child comes back for review in a few weeks or months.

Tests including a chest x-ray, electrocardiogram and echocardiogram may be recommended to examine the structure of the heart and check for abnormalities. If heart disease is suspected, more extensive tests may be needed.

Treatment :
The treatment of innocent murmur is not required at all. Congenital heart defects may be diagnosed after conducting laboratory tests. The parents should consult pediatric cardiologist after confirming the tests. The doctor will provide the suitable treatment to regulate the proper blood flow to the heart.

Some medications may solve the problem but in case of severity, the surgery can be conducted to treat the ailment. The mitral valve prolapsed may not require any treatment but only periodic checkups can be sufficient to be conducted. The doctor can prescribe some anti-biotic but medications should never be self prescribed which pose some serious problems.

The surgery may be conducted in serious types of cases. The anti-clotting medication, medications to put control on irregular heartbeat, palpitations and to open the blood vessels

Alternative treatment:
If a heart murmur requires surgical treatment, there are no alternative treatments, although there are alternative therapies that are helpful for pre- and post-surgical support of the patient. If the heart murmur is innocent, heart activity can be supported using the herb hawthorn (Crataegus laevigata or C. oxyacantha) or coenzyme Q10. These remedies improve heart contractility and the heart’s ability to use oxygen. If the murmur is valvular in origin, herbs that act like antibiotics as well as options that build resistance to infection in the valve areas may be considered.

Prognosis
Most children with innocent heart murmurs grow out of them by the time they reach adulthood. Severe causes of heart murmurs may progress to severe symptoms and death.

Prevention:
Heart murmurs in infants or babies can not be prevented but the blood pressure may be treated before the heart murmur gets developed. It is also advised to prevent rheumatic fever in the children to prevent heart murmurs. The regular check ups may be conducted to get to know the defects in advance to treat the ailment.

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.

Sources:
http://www.ehow.com/about_5280475_heart-murmur-babies.html
http://health.stateuniversity.com/pages/696/Heart-Murmurs.html
http://www.livestrong.com/article/22104-heart-murmur-babies/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/health/physical_health/conditions/in_depth/heart/heartmurmurs2.shtml
http://www.mychildhealth.net/what-causes-baby-heart-murmur.html

http://fromyourdoctor.com/topic.do?title=Heart+How+it+Works&t=7986

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Herbs & Plants

Penstemon Grandiflorus

Botanical Name:Penstemon grandiflorus
Family : Scrophulariaceae
Genus : Penstemon
Species :  Penstemon grandiflorus Nutt.
Kingdom : Plantae
Subkingdom : Tracheobionta
Superdivision : Spermatophyta
Division:Magnoliophyta
Class : Magnoliopsida
Subclass:  Asteridae
Order : Scrophulariales

Synonyms: Penstemon bradburii

Common Name :Large beardtongue,Showy Beardtongue, Pink Beardtongue, Shell-leaf Beardtongue, Canterbury Bells, and Wild Foxglove.

Habitat : Native to U.S.

Description:
Penstemon grandiflorus is a perennial plant. Large, lavender, horizontally arranged, tubular flowers on a smooth stem above opposite, blue-green, clasping leaves and in axils of similar leafy bracts. This perennial’s stout, unbranched stems, 2-3 ft. tall, bear opposite, blue-green, waxy leaves and pink to bluish-lavender, tubular flowers. The large flowers extend horizontally on short stalks from the axils of leafy bracts near top of stem.

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This handsome plant is especially spectacular when growing in masses. It occasionally escapes from cultivation in the East. At least 15 species of Penstemon occur in eastern North America, and there are many more in the West.

Cultivation Details:
Large-flowered Beardtongue (Penstemon grandiflorus) prefers full sun to partial shade, dry mesic to dry conditions, and poor soil containing rocky material or sand. When Penstemon grandiflorus is a mature plant it can reach heights of 2-3 ft. Large-flowered Beardtongue has shades of pink to purple flowers and blooms from May to June.

This plant is endangered in some states and is typically rare to see in the wild. Bumblebees like to visit the flowers for nectar and this plant is well liked by birds. Penstemon grandiflorus is one of the showiest of all Penstemons! In the past Native Americans treated toothaches by chewing the root pulp of this plant and then placing it in the cavity. Large-flowered Beardtongue is loved by the hummingbirds and is drought tolerant.

Medicinal Uses:
The Dakota used a decoction of roots to treat chest pains and the Kiowa to treat stomachaches.   The Pawnee used a tea made of the leaves to treat fever and chills. The roots were chewed to a pulp and placed it in a cavity to relieve toothache pain.

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://www.herbnet.com/Herb%20Uses_AB.htm
http://www.prairiemoon.com/seeds/wildflowers-forbs/penstemon-grandiflorus-large-flowered-beardtongue/?cat=249
http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=PEGR7
http://www.prairienursery.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_seed_info&cPath=64_1&products_id=119
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Penstemon_grandiflorus

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Ailmemts & Remedies

Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease

Alternative Name: Coxsackievirus infection

Definition:
Hand-foot-mouth disease is a relatively common infection viral infection that usually begins in the throat.

A similar infection is herpangina.

Many people panic when they’re told they have hand, foot and mouth disease. They think they’ve got the infection that affects cattle, sheep and pigs, but the animal infection is called foot-and-mouth disease and is completely unrelated.

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It is a mild, contagious viral infection common in young children. Characterized by sores in the mouth and a rash on the hands and feet, hand-foot-and-mouth disease is most commonly caused by a coxsackievirus.

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There’s no specific treatment for hand-foot-and-mouth disease. You can reduce your risk of infection from hand-foot-and-mouth disease by practicing good hygiene, such as washing your hands often and thoroughly

Symptoms:
Hand-foot-and-mouth disease may cause all of the following signs and symptoms or just some of them. They include:

*Feeling of being unwell (malaise)
*Painful, red, blister-like lesions on the tongue, gums and inside of the cheeks
*A red, nonitchy, possibly blistery rash on palms of the hands and soles of the feet, and sometimes the buttocks
*Irritability in infants and toddlers
*Fever
*Headache
*Loss of appetite
*Rash with very small blisters on hands, feet, and diaper area; may be tender or painful if pressed
*Sore throat
*Ulcers in the throat (including tonsils), mouth, and tongue

The usual period from initial infection to the onset of signs and symptoms (incubation period) is three to seven days. A fever is often the first sign of hand-foot-and-mouth disease, followed by a sore throat and sometimes a poor appetite and malaise. One or two days after the fever begins, painful sores may develop in the mouth or throat. A rash on the hands and feet and possibly on the buttocks can follow within one or two days.

Causes:
Hand-foot-and-mouth disease (HFMD) is most commonly caused by coxsackievirus A16, a member of the enterovirus family.

The disease is not spread from pets, but it can be spread by person to person. You may cacth it if you come into direct contact with nose and throat discharges, saliva, fluid from blisters, or the stools of an infected person. You are most contagious the first week you have the disease.

The time between infection and the development of symptoms is about 3 – 7 days.

Oral ingestion is the main source of coxsackievirus infection and hand-foot-and-mouth disease. The illness spreads by person-to-person contact with nose and throat discharges, saliva, fluid from blisters, or the stool of someone with the infection. The virus can also spread through a mist of fluid sprayed into the air when someone coughs or sneezes.

Hand-foot-and-mouth disease is most common in children in child care settings because of frequent diaper changes and potty training, and because little children often put their hands in their mouths.

Although your child is most contagious with hand-foot-and-mouth disease during the first week of the illness, the virus can remain in his or her body for weeks after the signs and symptoms are gone. That means your child still can infect others.

Some people, particularly adults, can pass the virus without showing any signs or symptoms of the disease.

Outbreaks of the disease are more common in summer and autumn in the United States and other temperate climates. In tropical climates, outbreaks occur year-round.

Risk Factors:
The most important risk factor is age. The infection occurs most often in children under age 10, but can be seen in adolescents and occasionally adults.

Children in child care centers are especially susceptible to outbreaks of hand-foot-and-mouth disease because the infection spreads by person-to-person contact, and young children are the most susceptible.

Children usually develop immunity to hand-foot-and-mouth disease as they get older by building antibodies after exposure to the virus that causes the disease. However, it’s possible for adolescents and adults to get the disease

Diagnosis:
A history of recent illness and a physical examination, demonstrating the characteristic vesicles on the hands and feet, are usually sufficient to diagnose the disease.

However the doctor will likely be able to distinguish hand-foot-and-mouth disease from other types of viral infections by evaluating:

*The age of the affected person
*The pattern of signs and symptoms
*The appearance of the rash or sores
*A throat swab or stool specimen may be taken and sent to the laboratory to determine which virus caused the illness.(this test may not always needed)

Treatment:
There is no specific treatment for the infection other than relief of symptoms.Most people need no specific medical treatment and are better within a week or so. Complications are rare, but occasionally it can lead to mild viral meningitis.

Treatment with antibiotics is not effective, and is not indicated. Over-the-counter medicines, such as Tylenol (acetaminophen) can be used to treat fever. Aspirin is no longer recommended for children under 16, because of a possible link with a serious problem called Reye’s syndrome.

Salt water mouth rinses (1/2 teaspoon of salt to 1 glass of warm water) may be soothing if the child is able to rinse without swallowing. Make sure your child gets plenty of fluids. Extra fluid is needed when a fever is present. The best fluids are cold milk products. Many children refuse juices and sodas because their acid content causes burning pain in the ulcers.

You can also try giving them soft cold foods such as yoghurt or ice cream, and plenty of cold drinks, to ease the discomfort of a soft mouth.

Children are sometimes excluded from nursery or school during the first few days of the illness in an attempt to prevent it spreading, but this can be difficult as the viruses that cause it are widespread in the community.

Prognosis: Generally, complete recovery occurs in 5 to 7 days.

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/handfootmouth.shtml
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hand-foot-and-mouth-disease/DS00599
http://healthtools.aarp.org/adamcontent/hand-foot-mouth-disease?CMP=KNC-360I-GOOGLE-HEA&HBX_PK=hand_foot_mouth_disease&utm_source=Google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=hand%2Bfoot%2Bmouth%2Bdisease&utm_campaign=G_Diseases%2Band%2BConditions&360cid=SI_148905163_5812331101_1

http://www.hpb.gov.sg/health_articles/hfmd/

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Herbs & Plants

Beaked willow

Botanical Name : Salix bebbiana
Family: Salicaceae
Genus: Salix
Species: S. bebbiana
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Malpighiales

Common Names:  Beaked willow, Long-beaked willow, Gray willow, and Bebb’s willow.

Habitat :Beaked willow is indigenous to Canada and the northern United States, from Alaska and Yukon south to California and Arizona and north-east to Newfoundland and New England.

Description:
Beaked willow plant is typically a large, fast-growing, multi-stemmed shrub or small, shrubby tree capable of forming dense colonial thickets. It can be found in loose, saturated soils such as that on riverbanks, lakesides, swamps, marshes, and bogs. It is capable or tolerating heavy clay and rocky soils, making it highly adaptable and durable. It is a dominant species in many marshland areas in its native range.
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Leaves are alternately arranged, simple, anICKd ovate in shape, widest near the midrib and narrowing to a tapering base and pointed tip. The leaf edges are serrated, with large, coarse, irregular teeth, a characteristic that distinguishes the species from other willows, which have  much finer serrations on their leaves. The leaves are dull blue green in color and smooth in texture when mature; new leaves are coated in downy hairs. The leaves are up to 5 inches long and 1.5 inches wide. Like other willows, this plant is dioecious, with male and female plants producing small, dangling catkins. Female flowers yield spherical seeds covered in long, threadlike fibers that help them disperse on the wind. The plant also spreads via vegetative reproduction, sprouting from the base of the stem or from segments of root, and by layering, allowing the plant to form colonies of clones.

Medicinal Uses:
A poultice of the chewed root inner bark has been applied to a deep cut. The shredded inner bark has been used as sanitary napkins to ‘heal a woman’s insides’. A poultice of the damp inner bark has been applied to the skin over a broken bone. A decoction of the branches has been taken by women for several months after childbirth to increase the blood flow.  A poultice of the bark and sap has been applied as a wad to bleeding wounds.  The fresh bark of all members of this genus contains salicin, which probably decomposes into salicylic acid (closely related to aspirin) in the human body. This is used as an anodyne and febrifuge.

Other Uses:
This is the most important species of diamond willow, a type of willow which produces fine, colorful wood used for carving. The twigs and branches are used by Native Americans for basket weaving and arrowmaking.

Many parts of the plant are consumed by animals, especially domestic cattle, which find the foliage a palatable forage.

This species readily hybridizes with several other species of willow.

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/Salix_bebbiana
http://www.herbnet.com/Herb%20Uses_AB.htm
http://www.uwgb.edu/biodiversity/herbarium/trees/salbeb01.htm

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Herbs & Plants

Mahonia bealei

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Botanical Name : Mahonia bealei
Family: Berberidaceae
Genus: Mahonia
Species: M. bealei
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Ranunculales

Common Names: Beale’s barberry, Leatherleaf Mahonia, Leatherleaf Holly, Mahorina

Habitat : Mahonia beal is native to E. Asia – W. China in Hupeh, Hubei, Sichuan and Taiwan. It grows in damp woodlands in uplands around 2000 metres.

Description:
Leatherleaf mahonia is an evergreen shrub with large, pinnately compound leaves. It grows in an upright, open and loose, multi-stemmed clump 4-6 ft (1.2-1.8 m) tall and 3-4 ft (0.9-1.2 m) wide. It can get as large as 10 ft (3 m) tall and 8 ft (2.4 m) wide. The erect stems are stiff and unbranched, and the leaves come out in horizontal tiers. The leaves are about 18 in (46 cm) long with 9 to 13 stiff, sharply spiny, hollylike leaflets. The leaflets are dull grayish blue-green above and pale yellowish green below, and about 2-4 in (5-10 cm) long and 1-2 in (2.5-5 cm) wide. The terminal leaflet is larger than the lateral leaflets. The fragrant lemon-yellow flowers, appearing in late winter, are borne in erect racemes 3-6 in (7.6-15 cm) long. The fruit is a berry, first green, then turning bluish black with a grayish bloom. They are about a half inch long and hang in grapelike clusters.

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Cultivation:
Landscape Uses:Border, Foundation, Pest tolerant, Massing, Rock garden, Specimen, Woodland garden. Thrives in any good garden soil[11]. Grows well in heavy clay soils. Survives under quite heavy tree cover, thriving in dense shade. Prefers a semi-shaded woodland position in a damp, slightly acid to neutral humus-rich soil. The fully dormant plant is hardy to about -20°c, though the young growth in spring can be damaged by late frosts. Scarcely distinct from M. japonica, differing mainly in its broader leaflets which are placed closer together on the stem and its erect flower raceme. It is often treated as a subspecies of M. japonica, despite the fact that this species is found in the wild whilst M. japonica is a cultigen and not a wild plant. Plants of the two species are often confused in cultivation. The flowers are sweetly scented. Hybridizes freely with other members of this genus. Special Features:Attractive foliage, Not North American native, Extended bloom season in Zones 9A and above, Fragrant flowers, Attractive flowers or blooms.

Propagation :
Seed – best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame. It usually germinates in the spring. ‘Green’ seed (harvested when the embryo has fully developed but before the seed case has dried) should be sown as soon as it is harvested and germinates within 6 weeks. Stored seed should be sown as soon as possible in late winter or spring. 3 weeks cold stratification will improve its germination, which should take place in 3 – 6 months at 10°c. Prick out the seedlings when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in a cold frame for at least their first winter. Plant them out in late spring or early summer. Division of suckers in spring. Whilst they can be placed direct into their permanent positions, better results are achieved if they are potted up and placed in a frame until established. Leaf cuttings in the autumn.

Edible Uses:.....Fruit –raw or cooked. A pleasant acid flavour, it is nice when added to muesli or porridge. Unfortunately, there is relatively little flesh and a lot of seeds. The fruit is about 10mm long and 6mm wide, it ripens in April/May and if the plant is in a sheltered position the crops can be fairly heavy.

Medicinal Uses:
A decoction of the root and root bark is used in the treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis, recurring fever and cough in rundown body systems, rheumatoid arthritis, backache, weak knees, dysentery and enteritis. Berberine, universally present in rhizomes of Mahonia species, has marked antibacterial effects and is used as a bitter tonic. Since it is not appreciably absorbed by the body, it is used orally in the treatment of various enteric infections, especially bacterial dysentery. It should not be used with Glycyrrhiza species (Liquorice) because this nullifies the effects of the berberine. Berberine has also shown antitumor activity. The taste is bitter.  The plant detoxifies, reduces inflammations and breaks fevers. Anti-influenza effect of alkaloids from roots of Mahonia bealei. was studied in vitro. The experiment in embryo indicated that the alkaloids at concentration of 0.25 mg/ml obviously inhibited the proliferation of influenza virus Al, and at concentration of 20 mg/ml showed no side-effect on embryo.

The leaf is febrifuge and tonic. A decoction of the root and stems is antiphlogistic, antirheumatic, depurative and febrifuge. A decoction is used in the treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis, recurring fever and cough in rundown body systems, rheumatoid arthritis, backache, weak knees, dysentery and enteritis. The root and root bark are best harvested in the autumn. Berberine, universally present in rhizomes of Mahonia species, has marked antibacterial effects  and is used as a bitter tonic. Since it is not appreciably absorbed by the body, it is used orally in the treatment of various enteric infections, especially bacterial dysentery. It should not be used with Glycyrrhiza species (Liquorice) because this nullifies the effects of the berberine.  Berberine has also shown antitumour activity.

Other Uses:
The shade tolerant leatherleaf mahonia is a popular shrub in the southern US and similar climates, producing dense clusters of very fragrant, golden yellow flowers. These showy blossoms stand above its evergreen foliage in late winter or early spring when few other plants are blooming. Use this spiny, gangly shrub on the north side of a building, where shade excludes most flowering shrubs. You can plant a leatherleaf mahonia in front of a window, and still be able to see out between the vertical stems and horizontal layered foliage. It often is used as a border or foundation plant as well. The coarse texture and clumsy form may not suit well in a neat, formal garden, but leatherleaf mahonia can be pruned to a single-stemmed specimen. To keep a denser form, prune out a few of the tallest stems each spring to encourage new stem growth from the base. Prune out a few leaves to accentuate the layered effect. With creative pruning, leatherleaf mahonia has a dramatic silhouette.

The fruits are much relished by birds, and are usually devoured within days of ripening. Leatherleaf mahonia can be grown in containers and can be used as a large houseplant.

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://www.floridata.com/ref/m/maho_bea.cfm
http://www.herbnet.com/Herb%20Uses_AB.htm
http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Mahonia+bealei

 

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