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Asthma |
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Asthma is a disease of the respiratory system. Your
respiratory system is made up of your nose and mouth, your windpipe, your
lungs, and a bunch of air tubes that connect your nose and mouth with
your lungs. People who have asthma sometimes have trouble breathing. When
people who have asthma do have trouble breathing, we call it an asthma
attack. When most of us breathe, the muscles that are wrapped around the
air tubes are very loose and relaxed, and the lining inside the air tubes
is very thin. This let’s the airways open up very wide so that it
is easy to get air in and out of the small air sacs that make up your
lungs. When air moves in and out of your lungs, we call it breathing.
When you are breathing normally, it takes about the same amount of time
to breathe in as it does to breathe out. During an asthma attack, the
muscles around the airways tighten, or "spasm" (like when you
make a fist) and the lining inside the airways swell or thicken, and get
clogged with lots of thick mucous. This makes the airways much skinnier
than usual so it is harder to move air in and out of the air sacs. This
makes it hard to breathe. During an asthma attack, it is actually harder
to breathe out than it is to breathe in.
Everybody doesn't feel the same things when they have an asthma attack.
- You may feel like you need to cough and cough and cough. Do I cough
when I exercise?
- You may feel like they can't catch their breath.
- You may feel like air is trapped in your lungs and you can't get it
out.
- You may have pain in your chest.
- You may have very noisy breathing.
What triggers your asthma?
It is really important that you find out what causes or triggers your
asthma attacks. So that you can avoid being around it or you can treat
yourself before hand. There are many kinds of triggers. They can range
from viruses (such as colds) to allergies, cigarette smoke, dust, feathers,
and mold. Keep a journal or write down triggers that cause your asthma
attacks so that you can let your doctor or school nurse know and they
can help treat your asthma better.
So you found out you have asthma now how can you control it?
Take your medicine regularly. Some asthma medicines help to keep you from
having attacks. But you have to take them regularly. That may mean taking
the medicine every day, even when you feel just fine. Don't stop taking
the medicine if you have an asthma attack, either. It can take some time
before the medicine starts to work in your body. Your doctor or nurse
will tell you how often you should take your medicine. Don't cut down
on the amount of medicine you take if you are feeling good. And don't
take more medicine than usual if your chest feels tight unless your nurse
or doctor told you to. Your body needs the correct amount of medicine,
no more and no less, to keep you from having an asthma attack. Try and
keep an extra inhaler with you wherever you go. Put it in your pocket
or purse. That way you'll have it with you when you need it. Check your
inhaler every once in a while to make sure it still has medicine in it,
they do run out! If you do not understand how to use your inhaler then
you can ask your doctor or your school nurse if you have questions. It
is always better to ask then to use it wrong. Most importantly, make sure
you tell your teacher and your friends or maybe even your coworkers that
you have asthma in case you have an attack they will know what to do.
Can I still play sports or be involved in school activities?
Don't think you can't be part of the team because you have asthma. You
can do what anyone else can do. You may need to take asthma medicine before
you work out. And you may use deep breathing to keep your asthma in check
while you exercise. But don't let your asthma keep you away from sports
or activities you love. Swimming is especially good if you have asthma
because you breathe in warm, humid air as you swim. Sports that have some
"down time" such as baseball might be easier to manage than
those that keep you in constant motion, like basketball or tennis.
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Type
I Diabetes |
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In Type I Diabetes, the
body does not produce insulin. Insulin is necessary for the body to be
able to use sugar. Sugar is the basic fuel for the cells in the body,
and insulin takes the sugar from the blood into the cells. Because of
the lack of insulin, the sugar level builds up in the blood.
The main symptoms of Type I Diabetes include urinating more frequently
than usual, drinking more fluids than usual, eating more than usual, and
unexplained weight loss. You may develop Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA),
which includes having a high sugar and ketone levels in your blood and
urine and acidosis.
Treatment for diabetes includes, proper nutrition, monitoring your blood
sugar, and by using insulin on a daily basis. Most kids require treatment
with a combination of a short acting form of insulin (Regular) and a long
acting form (NPH) to help control their blood sugar levels. Older kids
and adults may even use an insulin pump to more easily control their symptoms.
If you do not treat your diabetes it may become uncontrolled. Uncontrolled
diabetes can lead to many complications later in life, which can include
blindness, kidney problems, and circulation problems. You may also have
to visit an Endocrinologist, which is a special doctor that takes care
of children with diabetes, and you can also visit your pediatrician and
ask him questions too.
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Lice |
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Head lice infestations are a common problem for children
and teenagers, and even for those who practice good hygiene and frequent
hair washing. Lice can only live on humans and they are spread by direct
contact with someone who is already infected or by use of their belongings
like coats, hats, or brushes. Last, one of the most common signs or symptoms
of lice infestation is itching.
What are lice?
There are two forms of lice- they are adult lice and nits (eggs from the
adult lice).
- Adult lice are reddish brown and 1/16 of an inch long. They are most
commonly seen on the back of the neck and sometimes behind the ears.
Remember: Lice can only survive for two or three days when they are
off of the body.
- Nits are eggs from the adult lice and are whitish and are firmly attached
to hairs. The nits hatch in 6-10 days and it then takes two or three
weeks more for the nits to become adult lice. Remember: Just because
you have nits, does not mean you have a lice infestation.
What do you do if you suspect you have lice or nits?
Do a good thorough check of your hair and scalp to look for any live lice.
If you do not see any live lice, then you may be able to remove the nits
on a regular basis and continue to look for live lice.
How do you treat lice?
Use an anti lice shampoo such as Rid and Nix and read the directions well.
Make sure that you cover and saturate the head with the shampoo and leave
it on for at least ten minutes and rinse it out. You may have to go back
in a week and repeat the process.
Removing the nits.
Besides shampooing, it is important to remove all of the nits as well.
You need to comb through your hair with a plastic comb that you can throw
away if possible. Separate your hair into sections if possible and go
through each section of the hair from the scalp to the ends of the hair
to remove the lice and the nits. Remember: To check your hair everyday
or night to see if any reinfestation of lice or nits has occurred.
At your home, wash all of your bedding and clothing on a daily basis
in hot water and dry in a hot dryer. Vacuum your room and around any furniture
you might suspect lice might have gone
After treatment, continue to check for nits until they are gone. Be
patient, although it may take one or two weeks to get rid of the infestation.
Most importantly, remember not to share combs, hats, coats, or brushes,
regardless if you have lice or not. Lice can spread fast.
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