Q My child drank one full bottle of cough syrup. He has some reactions like swelling on body and face, please advise what to do .

Your child has had an overdose of medication. Rush to the hospital immediately along with the bottle. Any delay can compromise the health of the child.

Q After what age children can drink coffee?

Children under 12 are generally recommended to avoid caffeine or to limit its intake. Because, Caffeine is absorbed very quickly into the body and then passes into the central nervous system. In low doses caffeine can affect the body causing decreased appetite, increased urination, hyperactive behaviour and difficulty sleeping. The harmful effects may occur when a child consumes more than 4.5 mg of caffeine per pound of body weight.

Q How to treat an oat allergy?

In an acute episode use of over the counter antihistamines are beneficial. As far as prevention is considered the best way is to avoid eating oats. Cereals, cereal bars, cookies and other similar foods are main sources of oats and hence should be avoided. Rice, potatoes, fruits contain many of the same health benefits as oats and can be substituted for oats.

Q What can i do if my child is overweight?

Overweight children are more likely to grow up into overweight adults, so your concern for raised weight of child is appropriate. It is usually better that the child maintains their current weight while they continue to grow in height. Making changes to your family~s lifestyle can make a real difference to your child~s weight. Eat regular meals, together as a first step towards a healthier diet. Use homemade food rather than relying on ready-made meals to help you to lower the fat and sugar content in your meals. Avoid the diet like snacks and meals that are high in fat or sugar, such as chocolate, biscuits, sweets and fizzy drinks, and aim to replace these with healthier alternatives such as fruits. Exercise is helpful to burn extra calories in your child. Kindly focus on light exercises done by your child like standing up, moving around, walking at a slow pace and less energetic play. Also active play (such as hide and seek and stuck in the mud), fast walking, riding a bike, dancing, swimming, climbing, skipping rope, gymnastics are helpful depending upon the age.

Q Why does your babies tongue keep thrusting out?

Its because of tongue-thrust reflex. It is also called as reverse swallow or immature swallow. This tongue-thrust reflex can make early feedings a bit of a challenge. Try to get your baby to relax during feedings and dont push him to eat more than hes inclined to. If hes bottle-fed, make sure the hole in the nipple is the right size making it easy for him to suck milk.

Q What is Schizophrenia?

Schizophrenia is a brain disorder that affects the way a person acts, thinks, and sees the world. People with schizophrenia have an altered perception of reality, often a significant loss of contact with reality. They may see or hear things that dont exist, speak in strange or confusing ways, believe that others are trying to harm them, or feel like theyre being constantly watched. With such a blurred line between the real and the imaginary, schizophrenia makes it difficult even frightening to negotiate the activities of daily life. In response, people with schizophrenia may withdraw from the outside world or act out in confusion and fear.

Q When is it safe to have sex after an episode of heart attack?

It is natural to be concerned about being sexually active after a heart attack or other cardiovascular problem. Like any form of physical activity, having sex can make your heart work harder by increasing your heart rate and blood pressure. It is important to note that, if you do not experience cardiac symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath, and dizziness during exercise, you will not experience them during the sex. Most people can safely resume sexual activity a couple of weeks after a heart attack, if they have no serious complications. Like any form of physical activity, having sex can make your heart work harder by increasing your heart rate and blood pressure. You have to consult your physician about the fitness and the preventions during sex, to enjoy the moment.

Q Body too thin...some diet tips

Weight gain depends upon your diet and exercise pattern. Include calorie and protein rich foods in your diet such as eggs, chicken, fish, milk and milk products, nuts, pulses etc. Every morning have a glass of milk with honey and 2 bananas. Consume handful of mixed nuts everyday. Weight gain should be healthy and hence you should limit your intake of junk food. Instead of 3 large meals have 5-7 small meals. Join a gym and practice weight training under supervision.

Q Whats causing my palpitations and how can I get rid of them?

The causes for palpitations are - strong emotions such as anxiety, fear, or stress; palpitations often occur during panic attacks; caffeine, nicotine, alcohol, or illegal street drugs such as cocaine; some medical conditions, including thyroid disease, a low blood sugar level, anemia, low blood pressure, fever, and dehydration; hormone changes associated with menstruation, pregnancy or menopause etc. In most cases, palpitations are found to be harmless and often go away on their own. Treatment depends on the cause of your palpitations. Some lifestyle changes like exercise and yoga and quitting smoking and alcohol help a lot.

Q Does sperm die when it touches water?

Yes. The sperm will die in the water after sometime and not instantly as it touches it. This is due to change in the environment of the sperm in the body and outside the body like change in the temperature, pH etc.