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10 tips when giving medicine to an infant or child

admin — Fri, 06 May 2011 02:36:39 +0000

FDA outlined 10 tips that should be followed by parents and caregivers when giving medicine to an infant or child:

* Read and follow the Drug Facts label on OTC medicines.
* Know the active ingredient in the medicine.
* Use the dosing tool that comes with the medicine.
* Know the difference between a tablespoon and a teaspoon.
* Know your child’s weight.
* Give the right medicine, in the right amount.
* Check the medicine three times.
* Ask your doctor, pharmacist or nurse which medicines can or can’t be used at the same time.
* Always use child-resistant caps on medicines.
* Store all medicines in a safe place.

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Atopic Dermatitis ( Eczema ) in an infant

admin — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 00:41:12 +0000

Eczema, formally known as atopic dermatitis, is a common disorder in infants and is associated with dry and itchy patches of skin. Young children will often scratch at the dry skin, causing bleeding in the affected area. Eczema can occur on any part of the body and is most common on skin that is stretched often (eg, the back of elbows and front of knees).

Eczema is not contagious and it is not an infection, but prolonged scratching can allow bacteria to get through the skin and cause an infection. Some common triggers that cause eczema include:
Heat and humidity
Abrasive clothing
Tobacco smoke and chemicals
Some soaps and detergents

Treatment of atopic dermatitis

Non-Steroid Cream Soothes Infant Eczema
Elidel Cream Clears Common Skin Condition Safely
The FDA approved Elidel in December 2001 but only for eczema patients 2 and older. It is the first cream of its type — giving doctors and people with eczema an option other than steroid creams.

Can steroid cream Soothes Infant Eczema?

admin — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 08:37:35 +0000

Topical Steroid Cream is a popular drug that is also commonly known under the name of Fluocinonide. This drug, like any other topical steroids, is meant to reduce and to inhibit some of the actions that are attributed to harmful chemicals which are sometimes found in the human body. Topical Steroid Cream attacks chemicals that are known to cause swelling, redness and inflammation. These types of symptoms can be caused by several different medical conditions such as eczema, psoriasis and some allergic reactions.

Traditional treatments for infant eczema include avoiding potential skin irritants and keeping the skin adequately moisturized. Topical steroid creams are typically used only for short-term treatment of flare-ups. Long-term use of steroid creams in young children can cause deterioration or thinning of the skin.

The FDA approved Elidel in December 2001 but only for eczema patients 2 and older. It is the first cream of its type — giving doctors and people with eczema an option other than steroid creams.

In this study, published in the February 2003 issue of TheJournal of Pediatrics, 186 babies with mild to moderate eczema were randomly assigned to receive twice-daily applications of Elidel or a placebo cream.

After six weeks, twice as many children who were treated with Elidel were clear or almost clear of eczema compared with those on the placebo (55% versus 24%). Researchers say Elidel produced quick results, and there was a 37% increase in the number of infants whose condition cleared in the first 15 days of treatment.

Close to 70% of the infants with mild or moderate eczema saw their condition improve after six weeks of treatment compared with about 40% of the placebo group.

Following the initial six-week study, participants who were using the placebo were given the option to switch to Elidel for an additional 20 weeks. Those who switched also reported improvements similar to those found in the initial study, and by week 27 about two-thirds of the infants treated with the cream had complete or good control of their eczema.

Researcher Vincent C. Ho, MD, of the University of British Columbia, and colleagues say Elidel was well tolerated and there were no related side effects.

Topical Steroid Cream Intake Guidelines
You must ask your doctor how and when it is recommended to use Topical Steroid Cream. You should apply the drug just like your personal physician has told you to. Avoid disobeying any of his or her instructions. If you fail to understand some of them, or if you need any additional information, you should ask a doctor, a pharmacist or a nurse.

You should carefully wash your hands (both of them) before and after you use the drug (unless you are taking Topical Steroid cream for a hand medical condition).

You should apply a small quantity of Topical Steroid Cream to the affected area. Gently rub the drug onto the skin until it is absorbed.

You must be careful while applying this drug on body areas where the skin normally creases (for example knees, armpits, and elbows). This type of areas is known to absorb a bigger amount of the drug. You should avoid applying this medicine to the mouth, eyes or any other mucous membranes.

If you have to protect the area that you are treating with Topical Steroid Cream, you should cover it with a breathable dressing (preferably a cotton-gauze one). If you are treating a child with this drug, avoid dressing him with diapers or plastic pants, because this could have harmful effects.

You should use Topical Steroid Cream on a regular basis in order to get the best results from your treatment with this drug.

aloe vera treatment for infant eczema

admin — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 11:59:52 +0000

Aloe Vera is a tropical plant, which at present has little official standing in the medical community. Despite this it is one of the most widely used substances in the treatment of burns and bruises.

Medical research is currently underway to assess the true medical value of this plant. The FDA has approved development aimed at the eventual use of Aloe Vera in the treatment of cancer and AIDS. Despite having a long history of being used in medicine its benefits as a powerful healing agent have never been properly examined. A situation that is now changing.

The use of aloe vera has a long history spanning many countries from Africa to Egypt, Greece to Italy and even into Japanese folklaw. The Greek physician Dioscorides was one of the earliest to study the use of aloe vera. Aloe vera has drawn the attention of many of the world’s greatest minds, throughout the continents, throughout the ages and throughout the various cultures.

Eczema is very common allergic condition that affects the skin. It’s also called dermatitis, which is simply another name for eczema.

Although there are a number of different types of eczema, they all stem from inflammation and irritation of the skin. And ususally, there is an allergic element to people developing ezcema, which is why eczema is linked to other allergic ocnditions such as asthma and hayfever.

Unfortunately, to those people who do have an allergy, eczema can be triggered by just about anything touching the skin. It might be the nickel in jean rivets, or a particular brand of washing powder, a particular type of fibre in clothing (wool, polyester,etc.) or anything that the person has developed a sensitivity to. (see below)

Usually, the skin becomes dry, red and flaky. It may also be mildly irritated, sensitive and itchy; sometimes it can feel as if it’s burning and intensely painful.

Eczema is very common, and affects all races and ages, from young infants to the elderly. It’s estimated that about 2% of adults have eczema, and about 18-20% of children have some eczema.

It tends to start in early childhood, and most people show signs or tendencies of ezcema by the time they’re about 5 years old.

But the good news is that from the above figures, you can see that although about a fifth of children have some type or incidence of eczema, only about 2% of adults still exhibit symptoms of ezcema -which means it tends to reduce and stop by adulthood.

Eczema can be a difficult condition to treat. It can also go in cycles, whereby the symptoms of eczema can fade for a while, only to return some months or years later. Eczema is not contagious.

Of course, the natural urge is to scratch and rub the affected area – which only makes the condition worse. So most treatments look to soothe the affected area with a cream or emollient.

The exact cause of eczema is still unknown. It’s understood that eczema is controlled and activated by the immune system, and it has some similarities with other allergic conditions – but it isn’t quite the same as other allergies.

When the person touches the allergen, it starts an allergic reaction which results in eczema. But eczema varies from person to person. Eczema can develop the very first time someone touches an allergen, or it might develop over weeks or months with repeated contact.

Irene have a 4 yearold daughter that has had eczema since she was 3 months old. She has been on everythign from cortizone to protopic to elidel and even steriod creams. Nothing worked to actually get rid of it. 2 weeks ago I used Arbonne diaper cream on the red spots and the baby lotion all over and she is off of all RX lotions. It is 100% natural and certified vegan so there are NO chemicals in it at all. It is amazing.