Q My 10 year old daughter continues to wet the bed. Not every night, but i thought it would stop as she grows but still hasnt. I wonder if there is something medically wrong.

If you daughter has nocturnal enuresis sometimes, it may need further evaluation, as this is not so common in teenagers. There are some factors that may affect urine control in teens. These include excessive intake of caffeine drinks like tea or coffee, deep sleep pattern which can be a normal for growing teen, excessive emotional stress or fear of something, inconsistent sleep timings etc. These things can be corrected in order to fix the problem. Other things to give consideration are certain medications, diabetes of other medical diseases, family history of parents having the same problem, urinary tract infection, etc. If she is having this problem since her childhood, then this can be considered as primary nocturnal enuresis and she can be out of 2% of girls who continues with this till they reach their teen. This thing can be improved with proper counselling to her. Making her to use bathroom before going to bed. Limiting her fluid intake before going to bed. She can be effectively treated with moisture alarms while asleep. It will be less likely that she will need medications for this. Proper counselling and educating her may motivate her to take initiation to cure herself. You may take her to physician to rule out underlying disease if any.

Q Using woolen blanket during summer can cause hair fall?

There is no scientific evidence to prove that using woolen blanket in summer can lead to hair fall.

Q How fast are calories absorbed?

The calories absorption depends on the physical and mental well being of the person. It also depends on the age, sex, occupation, environmental factors etc. It varies from person to person. Some one doing heavy physical work spend the calories early than other one who does relax work in the office.

Q I am married and I still dont have baby

Difficult in conceiving is called as infertility. Causes of primary infertility in females are: irregular menses, hormonal imbalance, being obese, thyroid disorder, PCOD, diabetes, birth defects, etc. In males the cause of infertility are: hormonal imbalance, poor quality and quantity of sperms, birth defects, impotence, retrograde ejaculation, etc. If it is been more than one year since you are trying for pregnancy then you should consult a gynecologist. Preliminary test like sonography for female partner and semen analysis for male partner will help to identify the probable cause.

Q I have been seeing faces on walls doors etc. Sometimes they are scary looking, and look like they are in pain. Sometimes they are peaceful looking. Ill see them in clusters, male, female, even babies faces.

Can you relate to any experience or incident after which you started seeing these faces? How long has it been since they started and how frequently does it happen? Are you suffering from or are on treatment for any other disease/disorder? Any addictions to smoking, alcohol, drugs etc? If these faces have been appearing recently, just ignore them for a while. Try to divert your attention and keep yourself busy. Theyll probably go away on their own. However, if you have been seeing these faces consistently, it would be wise to see a Mental Health practitioner who will be able to help you out.

Q Hello doctor, my grandfather was diagnosed with an alzheimers dementia; could u give me more info about this disease? What is the cause? Is it hereditary? Any treatment for the same?

Alzheimers disease is the most common form of dementia, a serious brain disorder that impacts daily living through memory loss and cognitive changes. Alzheimers is a degenerative disease, progressing from mild forgetfulness to widespread neurological impairment and ultimately death. nAlthough a direct cause of Alzheimers is not known certain common factors are found in the clinical picture of sufferers. These include; prior personality organisation of the individual and stressfulness of their life situation. You are at higher risk, if family history of this disease is there.nAlthough there is no cure for Alzheimers, and various psychotherapies appear to be ineffective, there are ways to treat some of the symptoms of the disease: Use of medications to treat cognitive decline and memory loss. Also appropriate activities such as exercise, recreation, and adult day care services appear to assist in the management of the patient.

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 What are the characteristics of a pedophile?

Pedophilia is a psychiatric disorder. It is characterised by a person who is 16 years of age or older and have primary or exclusively sexual interest in prepubescent children i.e generally 11 years or younger. The age gap should be at least 5 years or more to be diagnosed as pedophilia.

Q What is a kleptomaniac?

Kleptomania is a complex disorder characterized by repeated attempts of stealing (especially invaluable things). It is often seen in patients who are chemically dependent or who have a swings in mood, anxiety, or eating disorder. Other coexisting mental disorders may include major depression, panic attacks, social phobia, anorexia nervosa and obsessive compulsive disorder. People with this disorder have an overwhelming urge to steal and get a thrill from doing so. The recurrent act of stealing may be restricted to specific objects and settings,

Q Do childhood earaches cause hearing loss later in life?

The ear ache in childhood has different causes either related to ear or some other parts like teeth, head, mouth etc. In most of the cases, it is related with the hearing loss in later life. But, the deafness has many other serious conditions in adult life which are not related with the childhood earache.