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Symptoms: runny nose; low-grade fever; severe, strangling (“whooping”) cough followed by vomiting of mucus.
Home care:
Make sure your child is adequately immunized against whooping cough.
Isolate the child from other young children.
If the vomiting is severe, feed the child small meals several times a day.
Precautions
- Whooping cough is often fatal in infants. All infants should be immunized against this disease.
- Whooping cough is more common than many parents and doctors believe, and 90 percent of cases are never diagnosed.
- A child who has been exposed to whooping cough should see a doctor.
- A mild cough may indicate mild whooping cough, which the child can spread to others.
- Any cough that is getting progressively worse after two weeks should be brought to the attention of your doctor.
- Whooping cough is highly contagious and the infected child should be kept away from other people.
- Whooping cough can be caused by several germs, and the disease caused by one type does not give immunity against the others.
Whooping cough is a highly contagious infection of the respiratory tract, usually caused by the bacterium Bordetella pertussis, but sometimes by Bordetella parapertussis or Bordetella bronchiseptica. Whooping cough caused by one organism does not provide immunity against whooping cough caused by other germs, and the vaccine that’s available provides immunity only against infection from the most common organism, Bordetella pertussis. The incubation period – the time it takes for symptoms to develop once the child has been exposed to the disease – is seven to 14 days. Whooping cough can be serious in infants under one year, and as many as 50 percent of these infants die. Newborns are not immune.
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Routine tests for a newborn baby
Certain tests are done on each new baby to check for abnormalities. Many minor problems can be taken care of before the baby leaves the hospital. Others can be treated by the parents at home. Some other problems that appear at birth must be detected early so that they can be corrected before they become serious.
One test that is required in most states is a screening test on samples of the baby’s blood and urine to check for PKU, or phenylketonuria. This rare disorder can cause brain damage and mental retardation. But, if it is detected right away, changes can be made in the baby’s diet to prevent such damage. Other routine tests may be done as well, depending on where you live. Your doctor may recommend additional tests.
Special supplies and equipment
Before you bring your baby home, you will want to have everything you need on hand.
Clothes. A newborn baby usually needs only nappies and soft nightgowns for sleeping and extra sheets or blankets. Overdressing a baby can cause heat rash. Babies spit up on and otherwise dirty their clothes, sometimes many times a day, so be sure you have plenty. You don’t want to spend all your time washing.
Skin cleaner. Many doctors recommend using just a mild soap and water to keep your baby clean. Do not use oils, lotions, or powders; clear water is best. A baby’s skin can be very sensitive, and scented products can be irritating. Some babies are allergic to certain lotions and creams.
Bed. You can use a cradle or bassinet for a new baby, but a cot will work just as well and save the investment in a smaller bed that the baby will soon outgrow. Choose a cot with one side that drops, so that you can easily reach the baby. Make sure the catch is out of the baby’s reach; it won’t be long before the child is standing up in bed. Also, be sure the rails are close enough together so that the baby’s head won’t fit through them.
Mattress. The mattress should be firm, and covered with a plastic sheet. Put a regular fitted sheet over the plastic cover. Make sure the mattress is no more than 1 centimeter from the sides of the cot, so the baby can’t get wedged into the crack.
Toys. Babies like toys that are brightly colored. Soft toys are safest in the early months. Avoid sharp edges. Remember that soon everything will go into the baby’s mouth, so be sure toys are safe and washable. Mobiles and music boxes are interesting and stimulating, but be sure they are either out of reach or safe for the baby to touch.
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I have read some alarming things about diabetes. Are these true?
Books can be misleading. Sometimes they have been written many years ago and not been properly brought up to date. This means that they do not contain recent knowledge and there is no doubt that we know a lot more about diabetes than we did in earlier days. Many of the problems which used to be encountered can now be helped and are no longer such a worry. If you do read something which seems alarming, you should discuss it with your doctor.
I have heard that diabetes can have ‘complications’. What are these?
A. These are seldom a worry in childhood, but it is true that some people, as they grow older, develop other problems of health due to their diabetes. Some of these could have been prevented, or would have been less troublesome, if the diabetes had been more carefully looked after. On the other hand, some problems may develop despite every care. Not everyone has these complications, and it is probable that as a result of the enormous amount of research in progress, we may one day be able to prevent them completely. The important complications that you may hear about are as follows:
1. Poor circulation in the legs with slow healing sores
You may also have heard of old people developing ‘gangrene’ of the feet. This can be a problem in old age but trouble can be avoided by proper care of the feet. This means keeping feet clean and dry and treating minor cuts and sores promptly and properly.
It is important to cut toe-nails correctly and have ingrowing toe-nails looked after properly. Always be sure shoes are a good fit. With these measures, and careful control of the diabetes, there is no reason why gangrene should ever develop.
2. Impaired vision or blindness
It is true that some persons with diabetes develop poor vision as they get older. We think that good diabetic control may help minimize this, and only a small number of people are likely to be seriously affected. There are some forms of treatment available for those with diabetes who show signs of eye complications, and sometimes these are very effective in preventing blindness. There is a lot of research work being done at present to study the way the blood vessels of the eye are affected by diabetes and how we can maintain good vision. The very early signs of eye problems can be detected by tests that photograph the back of the eye.
3. Kidney trouble
Once again, as with visual disorders, some people do get kidney disorders later in life as a result of diabetes. It would be surprising if modern research does not point the way in the next few years to the prevention of this.
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