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Children's Health

Menstrual Disorders in Adolescent Girls

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Adolescence is the time when there is sudden transformation in the body and many questions arises in the minds of the adolescents. Firstly they are not able to cope with the changes and secondly the changes bring along problems with them. The most challenging problems are related to menses, in girls. Menstrual conditions are many that may require physicians attention or any other healthcare professionals attention. The most common of the menstrual disorders are premenstrual syndrome, dysmenorrheal and amenorrhea.

Before the onset of the menses, females face many uncomfortable symptoms which last for a short period, stretching from few hours to few days. But some of them can be very intense and can disturb the normal functioning of the person. These symptoms are grouped as premenstrual syndrome. In usual cases, the symptoms come to a halt when the menses begin, but for some they may last even after the menstrual periods are over. Eighty five percent of the females experience some of the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome at one time or the other. Nearly forty percent experience the symptoms so intensely that their daily chores are affected by it and ten percent are disabled by it.

There are many premenstrual syndrome symptoms which can be broadly classified as neurologic & vascular symptoms, psychological symptoms, gastrointestinal symptoms, fluid retention, eye problems and respiratory problems. The cause of premenstrual syndrome are fluctuations in the levels of progesterone & estrogen, hypoglycemia, hyperprolactinemia, psychogenic factors, changes in carbohydrate metabolism, excessive aldosterone, progesterone allergy and water retention by kidneys. The good thing is that premenstrual syndrome can be prevented by exercising regularly, eating balanced diet and sleeping adequately.

Dysmenorrhea is feeling intense menstrual pain and cramps. Depending on the severity, dysmenorrhea is stated as primary dysmenorrhea or secondary dysmenorrhea. Primary dysmenorrhea symptoms are felt from the onset of the menstrual periods and are felt life-long. Because of abnormal uterine contractions due to chemical imbalance, severe menstrual cramping is experienced. Secondary dysmenorrhea starts in the later stages. The causes are different for primary and secondary dysmenorrhea. Secondary dysmenorrhea can be blamed on medical conditions such as endometriosis, uterine fibroids, pelvic inflammatory disease, tumors, infections, and abnormal pregnancy.

Dysmenorrhea symptoms are lower abdomen cramping & pain, lower back pain, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, fatigue, fainting, weakness and headaches. Females who are overweight, smoke, and have started to menstruate before turning eleven are at a higher risk of developing dysmenorrheal. Females who drink alcohol during menstrual period experience prolonged pain. After studying the health conditions, age, cause of dysmenorrhea, and extent of condition of the individual, corresponding treatment will be recommended. Regular exercise, abdominal massage, hot bath, vitamin supplements, and dietary modifications can help overcome dysmenorrhea.

Amenorrhea is the condition in which the female skips her menses for more than three consecutive menstrual cycles. Amenorrhea is also classified as primary amenorrhea and secondary amenorrhea. Primary amenorrhea develops from the onset of menstrual periods. In this condition, the adolescent might not get periods when she enters puberty. Secondary amenorrhea is a condition where periods become irregular after a period of time and not from the start.

There are many causes of amenorrhea such as ovulation abnormality, eating disorders, birth defects, anatomical abnormalities, malnourishment, anorexia, bulimia, pregnancy, over exercising, thyroid disorder, obesity and other medical conditions. Out of these ovulation abnormalities are a common cause for absent or irregular periods. It is a must that an adolescent start getting menses at least by the age of sixteen. If not, anatomical abnormality, birth defect and other medical conditions are the cause. Adolescents who participate in sports actively and are athletic have a lower body fat content because of which they have absent menses. Even because of malnourishment, the body is incapable of sustaining pregnancy. So in turn the body itself shuts down the reproductive system and menses. Extra fat cells in the body interfere with ovulation and that is the reason why obese female have irregular menses. Amenorrhea is treated by dietary modifications, ovulation inhibitors and hormone treatment.

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Children's Health

Heat-Related Illnesses in Teens

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Heat related illnesses are caused due to prolonged exposure to heat and also humidity without any reprieve and due to inadequate intake of fluids. Kids and teens adjust to the variations in heat compared to adults who adapt more quickly. However the heat production is high in them when compared to adults but sweat relatively less. Sweating is the natural action of the body and cooling mechanism to counter heat. Kids and teens often ignore these facts and do not hydrate themselves enough while playing, participating in sports and exercises.

Kids and teens with health problems that are chronic or those who are on certain prescription could be more susceptible to heat related problems. Overweight adolescents or those who wear heavy clothing in times of exertion also suffer heat related illnesses. Heat related illnesses are basically classified into three types. They are: Heat cramps, heat stroke and heat exhaustion.

Heat cramps are the mildest of all heat related injuries and constitute aching muscle cramps and also spasms that occur during intense exercising and also after intense exercising and also sweating in high heat. The symptoms of heat cramps include cramps that are painful in the legs. Flushed and moist skin is also symptoms of heat cramps. The symptoms could also include mild fever generally below 102 degree Fahrenheit. Teens suffering from heat cramps should move to a cool place and take adequate rest. Remove any excessive clothing and wear or put cool clothing on skin or cool skin using air conditioner or fan. Sports drinks which are cool and which contains sugars and salts can also be taken. Stretching out cramped muscles slowly and steadily also helps reduce heat cramps.

On the other hand hear exhaustion is more serious and severe compared to heat cramps and occur due to heavy loss of salt and water from the body. Extreme heat conditions, inadequate fluid intake and excessive sweating results in this conditions. Also, heat exhaustion occurs as a result of inability of the body to maintain the body temperature below the normal which can deteriorate further and also result in a heat stroke which is even worse. The symptoms of heat exhaustion are: muscle cramps, moist skin, pale skin, nausea, fever above 102 degree Fahrenheit, diarrhea, vomiting, fatigue, headache, weakness, anxiety and faint feeling. Teens suffering from heat exhaustion should stay in cool surrounding and take enough rest. Removing excessive clothing, putting on cool clothes and sitting in fan or air conditioning also helps the situation. Intake of cold sports drinks which contains salts and sugars are also advisable. If a teen doesnt show any signs of improvement even after taking all these measures a physician should be consulted immediately.

Heat stroke is the severest condition of all heat related illnesses. In this condition the body gets overwhelmed with excessive heat and the efficiency of the system that regulates body heat goes down considerably which can result in a serious emergency requiring immediate medical care. The symptoms of heat stroke include dry and warm skin, very high fever generally above 104 degree Fahrenheit, increased heart rate, appetite loss, nausea, headache, vomiting, fatigue, agitation, confusion, stupor, seizures, coma and possible death. A teenager experiencing symptoms of heat stroke should stay in a cool place and have adequate rest. Heat stroke is a serious condition and emergency attention should be sought by calling 911. In the meanwhile the affected teenager should be made free of excessive clothing and should be worn with cool clothes and also put cool water on the skin to lower the temperature. Placing ice bags in armpits also helps. Make the teenager drink cool drinks if the teenager is alert.

Heat strokes are very much preventable if certain precautions are taken like drinking adequate water during hot days, avoiding alcoholic and caffeine drinks, wearing light clothes, exercising in cooler time of the day, wearing sunglasses and hat, using umbrella on a hot day, applying sun cream with a spf of at least 15 etc.

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Children's Health

Eating Disorders in Adolescents

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Since the adolescence is the age where bones are sprout and grow rapidly, well nourished food must be given to the adolescent to facilitate normal growth & development. The nutritional intake must be monitored regularly and modified depending upon the growing needs. Teenagers tend to develop eating disorders which affect their nutritional health. The eating behavior must be corrected as early as possible as it can lead to the development of complex illnesses. Eating disorder is the third common chronic illness, especially in adolescent females and the number has been increasing rapidly from the past thirty years.

There are two subcategories of eating disorders, anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. Anorexia nervosa is the restrictive form, where the intake of food is limited severely. In bulimia nervosa is the eating disorder where the adolescent binges on food and then tries to minimize the effects by forcibly vomiting, fasting, and catharsis or over exercising. When handling adolescence eating disorders, they must be handled differently from adult eating disorders. Adolescents face problems such as growth retardation, suppressed height, abnormal weight, pubertal delay, menstrual periods absence, and menses unpredictability. When the adolescent is growing there will be critical tissue components loss like loss of body fat, muscle mass and bone mineral.

Nutritional imbalance is also caused which reflect abnormalities in the levels of vitamins, mineral and other trace elements. The problem is that these abnormalities cannot be recognized clinically. But since protein and calories are essential to the growth of the adolescent, it is important to trace their abnormalities. Because of the problems, healthy adulthood is not a possible thing. Because of all these reasons, it is important to diagnose adolescence eating disorders as early as possible. Eating disorders give rise to peak bone mass impaired acquisition in case of adolescents. When they turn into adults, this problem aggravates to osteoporosis. Even internal organs get affected due to eating disorders. All this can be prevented by early intervention so as to limit, prevent and ameliorate medical complications, which can turn become life threatening.

Adolescents who practice unhealthy weight control practices and are obsessive about figure, weight, food or exercise should be treated clinically. Not only should the symptoms be checked, but their duration, intensity and frequency should also be checked. Although most of the physical complications caused due to eating disorders get solved with the help of nutritional rehabilitation some of the conditions become irreversible and the long term consequences of this are very dangerous. It is best if the eating disorders are recognized in the early stages as it wont result in irreparable damage. The medical monitoring should be pursued till the adolescent returns back to appropriate psychological and medical health.

Eating disorders not only result in physical abnormalities, but also psychological abnormalities. Adolescents with eating disorders take onto social isolation, low self esteem, affective disorders, low self concept, substance abuse, anxiety, and depression. Usually adolescents switch to unhealthy eating habits because of depression and lack of knowledge about affective techniques to lose weight. So the patients who are being treated for eating disorders must also be treated for psychiatric illness, if they have any. Even if the habits doesnt fit the strict criteria, adolescents who limit food intake, binge, vomit or purge accompanied with or without harsh weight loss, should be monitored because of the involvement of risk of even death. Early treatment will have an improved outcome. But the level of intervention in adolescents should be less when compared to adults.

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Mental Health

Drugs to Fight Alzheimer’s

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Although there is no known cure yet for Alzheimer’s disease, there are already a number of drugs available worldwide that can help slow down a patient’s cognitive deterioration. The main aim of these Alzheimer’s medications is to try and improve cognitive ability or the person’s capability to think, perceive, judge and recognize.

There are currently five drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that can be used to treat Alzheimer’s. There is ongoing research done all the time to test the effectiveness of such medications since they do not serve as a cure-all for the disease.
These medications may not have the same effects on all patients that are suffering from Alzheimer’s. But such prescription drugs can have significant effects on some of the patients with Alzheimer’s disease and should be given consideration as a possible treatment.

The 5 FDA Approved Medications are:
Aricept
Cognex
Exelon
Razadyne
Namenda

The first four drugs listed above belong to a group of drugs known as Cholinesterase Inhibitors. They work by trying to delay the break down of a substance known as acetylcholine in the brain which helps in bridging communication between nerve cells and has an important role in a person’s memory.

Nameda on the other hand acts on another neurotransmitter called glutamate and shields the brain from then said substance which contributes to the death of brain cells in people with Alzheimer’s disease. This drug is more effective in treating moderate to severe forms of Alzheimer’s disease, improving the day to day life of the person with Alzheimer’s disease.

The most common side effects associated with the drug Nameda include dizziness, confusion, constipation, headache and skin rashes. Some patients may experience less common side effects such as tiredness, back pain, high blood pressure, insomnia, hallucinations, vomiting and occasional shortness of breath.

The drugs Aricept, Exelon and Razadyne are seen to be most effective in treating the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease. This group of prescription drugs has been shown to have some modest effect in slowing down the degeneration of a patient’s cognitive abilities.

These drugs can also help in trying to reduce certain behavioral problems usually exhibited by people suffering from Alzheimer’s. When these drugs are administered effectively on an Alzheimer’s patient, they can significantly improve one’s quality of life and more able to cope up with the disease.

Alzheimer’s patients taking these medications may experience some side effects which may not be the same for all patients. Common side effects observed in patients using the drug Aricept include nausea, vomiting, excessive tiredness, sleeping troubles and muscle cramps.

Less frequent observed side effects of the drug are headaches and dizziness with rare cases of patients suffering from anorexia, gastric or duodenal ulcers, gastro-intestinal hemorrhage, bladder overflow obstruction, liver damage, convulsions, heart problems and psychiatric disturbances while using Aricept as medication.

The usual side effects seen in using Exelon as treatment for Alzheimer’s are nausea, vomiting, weight loss, stomach upset and fatigue. Less usual side effects observed with the use of the said drug are abdominal pain, sweating, diarrhea, headaches, tremor, and psychiatric disturbances such as anxiety or depression with rare cases of patients experiencing gastro-intestinal bleeding.

The drug Cognex is used less frequently for Alzheimer’s treatment as it can cause serious liver damage to most patients. Other side effects of the drug include nausea and vomiting. Some patients may also experience some abdominal pain, sore muscles, headache, dizziness, rapid breathing, increased urination, insomnia, runny nose or mouth, swelling in legs and feet when taking Cognex. Some of the most severe side effects associated with using Cornex are liver damage, heart problems and seizures.

The common side effects often reported with the use of Razadyne are nausea, vomiting, appetite loss and weight loss. Less common are fatigue, dizziness, tremor, headaches, abdominal pain, urinary tract infection, blood in urine, runny nose. There are no serious side effects with this drug.