Immunization is the process of protecting someone against a certain disease or infection by introducing special substances into the body, especially by injection. It is a process that most parents get done after they conceive a baby. It is one of the most common practices that people perform in order to immunize their children from unforeseen diseases along with regular diseases that children are most likely to develop. It’s a standard practice and every responsible parent must get their children immunized or vaccinated against diseases to ensure a happy and healthy life for their children.
This blog aims to emphasize the real reasons and importance of immunization. Below are the reasons why it is extremely important to ensure that you know all about immunization and vaccination and why it is imperative that you get it done:

 

• Immunizations can save your child’s life.
  It enables you to guard your child against several diseases with one shot of injection. Various diseases have been eliminated from existence due to the scientific advancements and getting your child immunized shields them from the diseases that are still prevalent. Polio is one example of the great result that vaccines provide. Polio was once affecting India’s children like the plague, causing death and paralysis across the country but now it is almost a rare occurrence due to the vaccines.
• Immunization protects those you care for.
  There are many children who still have vaccine-preventable diseases. While some are too young to be protected by vaccination, others may not be able to receive certain vaccinations due to their inability to resist vaccines, weakened immune systems from conditions like leukemia, thalassemia, etc. Thus, it is important that you make sure to have them fully immunized.
• It’s the need of the hour!
  If your children aren’t vaccinated then they can carry a possible threat of spreading the disease to other children that are yet to be vaccinated or suffering chronic illness. The results could be long-term complexities and fatal to the vulnerable people.
• Foresighted prevention
  Immunization protects and safeguards children from several fatal or serious illnesses and complexities of vaccine-preventable diseases such as hearing loss, limb amputation, paralysis of limbs, convulsions, and brain damage.
• Immunization defends future generations.
  Vaccines have been successful in reducing and eliminating numerous diseases that caused disability in people a few decades ago. By vaccinating your children against particular diseases, you can reduce the potential risks of spreading the disease further. This initiative taken by more people has and will continue to dramatically lower such cases. Immunizing your children at the earliest from fatal conditions before time or at the earliest enables you to contribute in saving hundreds and thousands of children to be born in the future.
• Safe and effective procedure.
  Parents may be wary of having their young children going through the painful process of vaccination but it is important to understand that vaccines are only given to children after extensive research and studies by scientists, doctors, and healthcare professionals. There may be a small amount of discomfort that results in swelling, tenderness, pain or redness at the site of injection but it is temporary and settles in eventually. The process is short and safe that takes less than a few minutes but it ensures the safety of your child for a lifetime!

It is always good to know what is best for your children. It’s more important for parents to be aware and informed about what their responsibilities are towards their newly-born children and the society at large. Vaccination can not only secure your child but also contribute to eradicating a deadly disease from the future.

One of the most common complications that a baby can suffer while still developing inside the mother’s womb is a cleft lip. A cleft lip and cleft palate usually go alongside. These are facial and oral malformations that occur very early in pregnancy.

Physically, a cleft lip looks like a split or separation on the two sides of the upper lip. When there is not enough tissue in the mouth or lip area, and the tissue that is available does not fuse properly, clefting happens. A cleft palate, on the other hand, is a split or an opening in the roof of the mouth.

Causes of cleft lip and cleft palate

 The exact cause of a cleft lip and cleft palate is still unknown, which is why these conditions cannot be prevented. However, there are some reasons why a cleft might happen:

• Genetic factors: If the parent, sibling or relative has suffered from cleft lip and cleft palate, chances increase for clefting.
• Environmental reasons: This entails exposure to certain radiations, viruses or chemicals while the fetus is still growing.
• Medication: Certain kinds of medications that a pregnant woman takes might make the baby vulnerable to a cleft lip.

Diagnosis

A cleft lip may be detected using ultrasound sometime around the 13^th week of pregnancy. The doctor can diagnose a cleft lip judging by the differences in facial structures of the fetus. Other than that, no special tests for diagnosis are required.

 

How is a cleft lip treated?

 A cleft lip repair is usually done surgically where a surgeon makes incisions on both sides of the cleft to create the extra tissue. These flaps of tissues are then stitched together to give the same structure and function as that of a normal lip. Additional surgeries may be needed to improve the appearance of the mouth, lip, and nose.

Due to a number of oral health and other medical problems associated with a cleft lip, a team of doctors is usually involved to treat these children. Cleft lip is generally tackled with a couple of surgeries, but a cleft palate might require a number of surgeries over the years. The initial surgery to cure a cleft lip is usually performed once a baby is three months old.

 What is the outlook for children with a cleft lip?

 The first few years for children who have a cleft lip and palate are crucial. This is the period when they are developing, and in the hands of the right doctors, a cleft lip can be done away for good with the child achieving normal appearance, speech and eating patterns.

According to studies, cleft lip with/without cleft palate affects 1 in 700 babies annually. Children of Asian, Latino, or Native American descent have reported more cases of clefts than others, and compared to girls, twice as many boys are susceptible to a cleft lip!

 

The human body is made of millions of nerves and the spine is known to be one of the most sensitive visceral parts of the body! Any damage to the vertebrae can require extra care and treatment. The vertebrae are responsible for protecting the spinal cord, which is a bundle of nerves that relay messages between the brain and the rest of the body. Together, the spine and spinal cord are covered by a protective membrane, forming the spinal column. C1-C2 dislocation is a medical condition called Atlantoaxial subluxation. It is a condition in which the C1 and C2 vertebrae in the neck becomes slightly misaligned or dislocated due to both external or internal factors that may have caused the damage.
Atlantoaxial dislocation denotes the loss of balance between the two parts named as the atlas and axis (C1–C2), eventually turning in the loss of normal articulation. The atlantoaxial joints can lose solid articulation from inflammatory, idiopathic, traumatic or congenital abnormalities. This condition may occur in all age groups, however, atlantoaxial dislocation is found to be most commonly noticed amongst adolescents. It has been a source of research and studies through several years and scientists have been looking for options that can treat this condition with lesser abrasive and painless techniques.

Like any damage or injury to your body, Atlantoaxial subluxation also may occur in different levels or the injury’s level of damage may vary, subsequently differing the way of treating it. The degree of the dislocation often decides the level of treatment that it may require. In the case of a minor atlantoaxial subluxation, it is most often treated with a neck brace to aid in the immobilization of the neck which further allows the injured cervical joint to be at rest and recuperate adequately.

Here are some of the causes of Atlantoaxial dislocation:

• Domestic fall
• Sports Injury
• Automobile or car accident
• Osteoporosis
• Rheumatoid arthritis

Like every kind of health condition or disease, Atlantoaxial subluxation also has some noticeable symptoms. You must keep an eye out for these symptoms that may manifest themselves post any of the above-mentioned causes:

• Severe neck pain that spreads to arms and legs
• Chronic body pain
• Stinging in the back or upper back region
• Pain that resembles pins stabbing
• Restricted range of movements
• Inability to turn the neck comfortably

Owing to scientific advancements, there are several treatments that have been introduced to treat such cases. Treatments are categorized in different sections and each has its own way or procedure of treating the condition. Here are some of the treatments of Atlantoaxial subluxation:

• Physical Therapy
• Massage Therapy
• Chiropractic Therapy
• Physiotherapy
• Usage of walker/therapeutic brace

Atlantoaxial subluxation must be attended to as immediately as possible since it can pose a potential threat to the other parts of the body or may cause complications in the nervous system leading to immobility or paralysis. With regular care, medication and the will to get out of the pain, you are more likely to treat Atlantoaxial subluxation at a more rapid pace!

 Have you ever wondered what is the role of Radiology in medical sciences? On multiple occasions, you must have been to the radiology department in a hospital to get the investigations done. Yes, exactly. Radiology is the study of diagnostic images obtained from advanced machines utilized for detecting various normal processes or diseases inside your body. It is especially beneficial for early detection of cancers.

How does radiology aid in saving lives?

It has been a long journey since 1896, from the discovery of x-rays to its application in medical sciences for detection of various obscure ailments in the initial stages of their growth. Today, many technologically advanced radiological equipment have come into existence by the application of various principles of physics in medical research studies. These assist doctors in the diagnosis of disease as well as charting out the course of action specific to the patient’s disease.

X-ray imaging

The different types of radiology equipment like X-ray, CT scan or Mammography machine use similar principle for producing X-rays. CT machine runs on advanced technology and is used for greater precision in diagnosis. Similarly, a mammography machine is specifically designed for the visualization of breasts for detecting any abnormalities. The radiations pass through your body onto the sensor plate which then converts it into an image on the radiographer’s monitor screen.

Thus, X-rays are used for 

• Localizing fractures of different degrees
• Visualizing breasts for any diseases
• Visualizing the gut obstruction
• Detecting the cause of chest or abdominal pain etc

Magnetic Resonance Imaging

As the name suggests, this imaging technique harnesses the power of giant magnets to produce clear and powerful images of the soft tissues and organs inside the body. MRI has certainly aided in overcoming the hazardous effect of excessive exposure to X-rays, especially for the pregnant ladies.

MRI is particularly advantageous for:

• Detection of bleeding or swelling in trauma patients
• Tumors or inflammation in the brain, spine, abdomen, pelvic area etc

PET scan imaging

This is the most advanced technology in the field of radiology which operates with radioactive tracers in limited amounts whose radiations are captured to create images of zones of activity in the body. Highly active zones usually indicate cancer cells. It is useful in:

• Real-time functioning of the cells in the body
• Chronic degenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s
• Damaged areas of the brain that cause seizures
• Plan operations like heart bypass surgery
• Visualizes cancer growth
• Detects spread of cancer to other parts

Ultrasound imaging

It is a commonly used investigation which employs the use of sound waves. It is used extensively for

• Neonatal screening in pregnant ladies
• Detect causes of pain in the abdomen
• Urinary tract obstructions
• Heart and blood vessels abnormalities.

Deformed or protruding ears is a significant issue that is not often paid attention to until it becomes a source of distress. A child with prominent ears is often the target of bullying and then come comparisons to characters that are deformed in much larger proportions, the burden of which has to be carried throughout the childhood.

Deformed or protruding ears can be a cause of great psychological distress for both children and adults, whoever be the sufferer. Due to insecurities that stem from aesthetically displeasing ears, most patients seek plastic surgery. However recent advancements have made it possible to get rid of prominent ears without having to suffer excruciating pain.

 

Causes of protruding ear

• Genetics: Genes have a big role to play when it comes to this ailment as people with prominent ears often share this with others in the family.

• Present from birth: Most ear deformities are congenital, meaning they are present from birth.

• Injury: In rare cases, protruding ear may also develop from trauma or disease.

 

Treatment for the protruding ear:

• For children under 6 months of age, non-surgical methods are used to treat protruding ear

• Otoplasty: For older children and adults, surgical intervention is required. In this procedure, the anatomical deformity is determined and is performed under general anesthesia. Otoplasty has been known to achieve remarkable results, the only downside being the extent of pain suffered by the patient as the cartilage goes under the knife for repairing the shape of the ear.

• Implants: Now a brand new procedure that is a 20-minute painless incision is being opted by more and more patients. In this, implants are inserted under local anesthesia that corrects the ears’ prominence. What makes this procedure special is the rapidity, as well as immediate correction.

 

Protruding ears are found in both genders equally, and do not lead to or are associated with any other syndrome. However psychologically, protruding or deformed ears can make life miserable. Speak with your medical practitioner over what course of treatment to take to get rid of prominent ears, and build your life anew. 

Back in the day bacteria were considered to be fatal. Before antibiotics were invented infected wounds with Staphylococcus aureus bacteria, tuberculosis and pneumonia bacterias were major causes of death. When antibiotics started getting prescribed, the bacterial infections plummeted and were no more a cause of death.

What is an antibiotic? 

Antibiotics are chemical substances derived from microorganisms or living system to inhibit the growth of harmful microorganisms or destroy them completely. They work only on bacteria and cannot treat viruses like the flu.

When bacteria enter our body, white blood cells (WBC) start attacking the harmful bacteria and destroy them even before a person starts seeing any symptoms. Our immune system is capable of fighting off the infection on its own. However, in certain cases, the number of harmful bacteria is so high that the immune system can’t fight them on its own. That is when a person needs to take antibiotics.

How does an antibiotic work?

Different infections can be treated using different antibiotics that vary chemically. Below are some of the ways how antibiotics destroy bacteria:

1. Affect the cell structure of a bacteria: They do this by either weakening the cell walls forcing the cells to burst or damage the cell membranes causing a leakage of bacterial cells.
2. Interfere in the metabolism of a bacteria: Some antibiotics interfere with protein synthesis while some inhibit nucleic acid biosynthesis to destroy the bacteria.

Doctors may suggest antibiotics that can be used to treat a wide range of infections or antibiotics used to treat specific infections. Some antibiotics work against aerobic(that needs oxygen) bacteria and some against anaerobic (that doesn’t need oxygen) bacteria.

For infections on the skin surface, eye or ear, antibiotics can be used in the form of a cream or an ointment. In case of an internal infection, the antibiotics can be taken orally or via an injection where they enter the bloodstream.

How long does it take for antibiotics to start working?

Antibiotics start working immediately after consumption, but it takes 3-4 days to start showing its effects. Complete recovery from an infection after taking antibiotics varies from person to person. Also, the kind of infection being treated determines the time taken to treat the infection.

Usually, antibiotics are prescribed for a period of 7-14 days, only a doctor can describe the exact time and type of antibiotic needed by a person to treat an infection. It is always advised to visit a doctor before starting on any type of antibiotics as they are more effective when used as per doctor’s advice.

Even though there is a noticeable improvement in one’s health, one should always complete the antibiotics course in order to fully treat the infection. Stopping antibiotics earlier than prescribed can lead to antibiotic resistance.

What is antibiotic resistance?

Bacterias that are not completely destroyed by antibiotics can change their form to resist the attack on its cell walls are known to have antibiotic resistance. Antibiotic resistance is becoming one of the major problems globally. An estimated 750,000 people die from antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) infections or antibiotic resistance every year. After a series of reports on AMR, the British Government estimates around ten million deaths annually by 2050.

A campaign named Red Line in India demands a use of red line mark on prescription only antibiotics to discourage the over-the-counter sale of antibiotics.

Remember taking antibiotics when they are not needed, not prescribed, not completing the course and continuing the usage for a long time can all lead to antibiotic resistance. It is always advised to visit a doctor and avoid the usage of over-the-counter antibiotics to contribute and prevent the growing problem of antibiotic resistance.