What is paediatricians? What does a pediatrician do?

There are a few factors that cause childhood obesity, and they can be treated by paediatricians.

How to Identify Childhood Obesity?

The body mass index (BMI), serving as a metric of weight relative to height, stands as the established standard for assessing overweight and obesity. The formula for calculating BMI is weight in kilograms divided by height in meters square.

BMI Formula = weight (kg) / (height [m])²

Children above 95^th percentile are considered to be obese.

Or you could also use an online child BMI calculator.

Causes for Childhood Obesity

There are certain reasons that can cause childhood obesity.

• Genetics: If your family has a history of overweight and obesity, there is a great chance that your children may inherit obesity.
• SDOH: The Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) indicates the way we live, work, and play. An unhealthy diet with high calories, like baked goods, fast foods, and packed foods can contribute to obesity.  Also, ignorance of exercising regularly or having any physical activity can lead to childhood obesity.

Risks of Childhood Obesity

1. Diabetes: An elevated body weight, commonly associated with obesity, raises the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. This heightened susceptibility to diabetes has implications for your children's sugar consumption, as it underscores the importance of monitoring and managing their dietary choices.
2. High Blood Pressure and Cholesterol: These factors can foster the deposition of arterial plaques, leading to the constriction and stiffening of the arteries. This condition has the potential to significantly elevate the likelihood of encountering a stroke or heart attack in the later stages of life.
3. Pain in the Joints: Too much weight for a particular age category ends up putting tremendous pressure on the hips and knee joints. This can weaken the joints or even cause damage to them.
4. Sleep Apnea: Children who are overweight find it hard to breathe while sleeping and they develop a serious condition called sleep apnea. This is a condition in which breathing stops and starts repeatedly while you sleep.

Prevention

If your children have obesity, you can help them by maintaining a healthy diet and motivating them for some physical activities.

A healthy diet must contain whole grains, leafy vegetables, and fruits. Avoiding processed foods and foods with added sugar is also required.

As technology grew, children got more addicted to mobile phones than physical activities. Children aged from 3 to 5 need to be physically active throughout the day. Parents need to engage their children in physical activities.

Medical Treatments

The treatment options available for childhood obesity are lifestyle intervention, pharmacotherapy, and bariatric surgery.

1. Lifestyle Intervention: This includes severe diets, vigorous physical activities, and proper sleep cycle. These are followed for weeks or even months to lose weight. 
2. Pharmacotherapy: Weight loss medications have proved to be more effective and the medications that are being developed today also don’t have any side effects.
3. Bariatric Surgery: The alteration of gut hormones, physical reduction of stomach size, or reduction of nutrient absorption are the medical procedures used to manage obesity through bariatric surgery.

You can consult with a paediatrician to choose the right path for your child.

• Virus
• Bacteria
• Fungus
• Progressive lung diseases
• Smoking
• Asthma
• Inhalation of saliva or stomach acid in the lungs (aspirational pneumonia)

Symptoms of Pneumonia

• Difficulties in breathing (rapid chest rise and movement of the abdomen moving in and out, sucking in beneath the ribs with nasal flaring)
• Discoloration of the nails

Vaccination is an effective method for preventing pneumonia. The following are a few effective vaccinations that you should know:

• Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) and
• Pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23 or Pneumovax 23)

These vaccines are specifically developed to provide protection against bacteria that are known to cause pneumonia.

Note:

• It is not advisable to administer the vaccine to a child who has an allergy to PCV.
• It is not recommended to administer the flu and pneumonia vaccines to your children simultaneously. There is a possibility that it could heighten the risk of experiencing seizures along with fever.

Here are some effective preventive tips to protect against pneumonia:

Practice personal hygiene: Proper handwashing is essential for preventing the transmission of viruses, bacteria, and fungi, into children's respiratory systems. It is important to encourage children to wash their hands often and consistently follow proper hygiene practices.

Avoid Exposure to Infected People: It is essential to minimize children's contact with individuals who are infected, as many respiratory infections can be transmitted through aerosols or contaminated surfaces.

A well-balanced diet: Providing them with nutritious foods that include fruits, vegetables, and whole grains can help strengthen their defensive nature against infectious diseases. Also, ensure to help them follow a regular exercising habit.

Mitigating exposure to harmful chemicals: Limiting children's exposure to harmful chemicals found in household products, cleaning agents, and pesticides can help reduce their risk of developing respiratory and other health issues.

Taking precautions against pollution: Wearing masks in heavily polluted areas and using air purifiers at home can help reduce the risk of respiratory problems and other health issues caused by pollution. It is also important to stay informed about air quality indexes and avoid outdoor activities during times of high pollution levels. 

Prompt Action for Child with Pneumonia Symptoms

If you believe that your child is experiencing symptoms of pneumonia, it is important to promptly seek healthcare guidance from a doctor, especially consult with a paediatric pulmonologist. Most child pneumonia cases do not necessitate hospitalization, as they can be effectively managed at home. To do so, get to know a few tips to manage it effectively at home:

• Strict adherence to the medicine
• It is advisable to refrain from using over the counter (OTC) medicines.
• Regularly monitoring your child
• Keep your child hydrated.
• Ensure that your child gets plenty of rest.
• Use humidifiers.

Conclusion:

Pneumonia can be effectively treated within one to two weeks using the help of antibiotics. Coughing may persist for weeks or months following the resolution of the infection, but it should gradually abate. Therefore, protecting your child with the vaccine is of the utmost importance at all times. In addition, always keep in mind to consult with a paediatrician for guidance on vaccination schedules and if you have any concerns, you may take online doctor consultations with the best paediatrician instantly to address your specific questions and concerns. Online doctor consultations can provide convenient and reliable advice from the comfort of your home.

However, it is also normal to feel constant worries and anxiety about ensuring the health, safety, and well-being of your newborn. We all want to protect our babies from infections and keep a clean environment as much as we can. But babies are easily vulnerable to bacterial illnesses and infections as their immune systems are still developing. Many of us want to keep our babies in a clean sanitized bubble. It is vital to understand for all the new moms and dads that to know the difference between a Paediatrician and a Neonatologist, and consult the right doctor according to their child's age. Here are measures you can take to protect your infant from harmful bacteria and viruses.

1. Clean Baby’s Toys

Babies have a special bond with their toys since they often tend to be the baby’s first companion. Once babies are 3 to 5 months old, they start to reach and grab things, and they often put them right into their mouths, which makes them susceptible to illnesses like allergies and infections.

Hence, it is critical to regularly clean and sanitize the toys with a good anti-bacterial soap and lukewarm water to aid in preventing the spread of contagious infections.

2. Change Diapers Regularly

Changing a baby's diaper every two to three hours has been recommended by health experts to reduce the chance of infections, diaper rash, and other issues. If you do not change your baby's diaper at once after they poop, they may develop skin problems like redness, eczema, and other allergies.

Make sure the skin is completely dry every time you change your baby's nappy. Avoid using baby powder in that region and instead wipe it down with a cotton cloth or wet wipes.

3. Sanitize and Keep your Home Clean

Keep your home as clean as possible to limit your child's exposure to dangerous germs and bacteria. Make sure to keep your baby's sleeping cot clean, with fresh sheets changed often and the room kept dust-free; change the linens at least once a week and disinfect the room with baby-safe antibacterial treatments twice weekly. The baby's room should be bright and airy with plenty of windows to let in natural light.

4. Trim your Baby’s Fingernails

If there is one place where a lot of dirt may accumulate, it is on your baby's tiny nails. Long, dirty nails make it easy for germs to get into your baby's body and could also scratch his cute face. So, make sure your baby's nails are always clean and well-trimmed. The best way to trim your baby's nails quickly and easily is to do it while they are asleep, and always make sure to use baby-sized nail clippers.

5. Wash your and Baby’s Hands

Before touching your baby, wash your hands well or use a baby wet wipe to clean your hands. If you have guests, do not get hesitated to tell them, and make sure they wash their hands properly before touching the baby.

It is common for babies to put their hands in their mouths right away. Therefore, it is essential to keep your kid healthy by regularly washing his or her hands with an effective antibacterial soap or hand wash liquid.

6. Sterilize the Bottles

If you are using bottles to feed your baby, be sure to thoroughly clean and sterilize them after each feeding. Boiling water is the most efficient method of sterilizing feeding bottles since it removes all traces of potentially hazardous bacteria and other microorganisms. To further prevent contamination of clean and sterilized feeding bottles, you can use a protective baby bottle cover.

7. Stay Away from Large Crowds

Remember that your newborn is extremely vulnerable to infections since their immune systems are very weak and should therefore stay away from crowded environments. So, try to keep your baby away from large groups of people until at least six weeks old.

I can get you, all you new mothers and daddies! Maintaining good healthy hygiene is not an easy feat. It really requires consistent effort and unwavering dedication. Simply follow these effortless tips we have shared to ensure that your little one has the best hygiene possible. You can buy high quality and the most sterilized baby care products for your little bundle of joy at the convenience of your home.

Most of the neonatologists practice in hospital-based neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) and it is a specialized kind of new-born nursery that stays open 24 hours, to care for sick or early infants. Additionally, it is possible that the infant will continue to see a neonatologist even after being discharged from the hospital; this specialist will work together with your child's primary pediatrician.

Role of a neonatologist

A neonatologist,

• Identifies and cures problems, infections, and diseases affecting neonates.
• Manages and directs the delivery of care, including surgical procedures.
• Uses diagnostic imaging techniques including X-rays, echocardiograms, and ultrasounds, as well as blood tests, to check up on an infant’s health and track organ performance.
• Provides nourishment for infants who are ill or recovering from illness.
• Cares for a new-born with special needs right after birth and helps in the delivery area.
• Consults gynaecologists, pediatricians, and specialists in maternal-fetal medicine regarding the care of the child.
• Facilitates family well-being during the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) stay.

A neonatologist's support is required when the child is diagnosed with a hereditary impairment.

The baby may be born with a genetic disorder like cystic fibrosis or there may be structural abnormalities in one of the baby's organs. And neonatologists collaborate with doctors and experts in the maternal-fetal field to oversee the care of new-borns before, during, and immediately after childbirth. When complications arise during pregnancy or delivery, a neonatologist may be required.

What does a neonatologist treat?

Neonatologists specialise in caring for new-borns with abnormalities or injuries. Typically, neonatologists deal with a wide range of illnesses and conditions, including:

• Premature birth or stunted growth of the infant
• Abnormalities present at birth, or congenital defects
• Issues with breathing or circulation of the blood to the lungs
• Conditions affecting the heart such as congestive heart failure, septal abnormalities, and bradycardia
• Seizures, brain haemorrhaging, and other similar problems
• Reduced glucose levels in the blood (Hypoglycaemia)
• Taking care of a person's diet and development, or putting in a feeding tube
• Cirrhosis, jaundice, or other kidney or liver issues.
• Injuries at birth 

Neonatal expert procedures

The neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) is well-equipped to supervise infants in need of specialized care, and if your child needs surgery, a neonatologist will manage the operation. They also generally use treatments and procedures for the infants, which includes:

• Breathing treatments such as continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), ventilators, and others
• Premature infants who are unable to maintain a normal body temperature may benefit from warming treatment.
• Baby brain injury treatment with cooling therapy
• Jaundice can be treated with light therapy
• Fluid, antibiotic, and drug administration, as well as blood transfusions, administered by intravenous (IV) therapy

Neonatologists are medical practitioners who are qualified to treat infants since they have specialized skills to offer the care that new-borns need. They provide extra care for new babies who experience illness. Consult a neonatologists when your infant needs a particular care.