Mid America Health

Archive for the ‘Medical Symptoms’ Category

Asthma symptoms, like many illnesses is not the easiest thing to diagnose. The symptoms can be caused by many different problems. It’s up to the professional who understands bronchial and pulmonary illnesses to accurately diagnose asthma symptoms.

To fully understand the symptoms of asthma, it is important for you to understand that it’s more than simply – difficulty in breathing and coughing.

But these are not really the only symptoms of asthma, because mostly everyone (including those that don’t have any asthma related condition) to occasionally have difficulty in breathing and also sometimes experience cough.

Does this mean they have asthma? Not at all.

So, it is not enough to say the symptoms of asthma are mainly difficulty in breathing and coughing.

Agreed, these two could be some of the symptoms but not all the symptoms. A medical doctor can understand the other symptoms including the construction of the bronchial air passages that keep the victim from being able to breath.

Below are the general symptoms of asthma… in order of their occurrence:

. It can start with very severe sneezing and cough,

. Runny nose and itchy throat.

. Shortness of breath that gradually builds up and leads to difficulty in speaking,

. Gasping for breath while talking,

. Tightening of the victim’s chest,

. Loud wheezing (raspy or whistling sound when breathing) and a more intensified coughing,

. Flared nostrils of victims and tightening of the neck muscles.

. Bluish lips of the victims and fingernails.

At this display of these last symptoms of asthma, it is a serious indication of danger. Blue lips and fingernails are an indication that the person isn’t getting enough oxygen to deliver into the bloodstream.

Whenever you experience any 3 or more of the above symptoms of asthma, then you should know the situation could be dangerous to the victim.

Be vigilant however as many of these same symptoms can be caused by simple allergies. Once again however, it’s important to recognize the symptoms and the severity to determine the right course of action. If in doubt, immediately seek medical attention for the person in distress.

Some people are very lucky to notice the early symptoms of asthma before it becomes critical; while some don’t even see it coming until it suddenly hits them… and brings them to their knees.

Be on the look out for the above symptoms of asthma… so that you can stay protected all the time and be able to quickly take the necessary medication when it occurs.

Pros and Cons

Of ADHD Medication

On Children

 

 

 

 

 

By Mackenzie Quinn

 

 

June 1st 2009

           

Introduction

            As a parent of a child who has Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) you are faced with deciding how to manage your child’s ADHD symptoms. One options for treating the symptoms of ADHD that is highly debated is medication; some people strongly believe it is the best options and other believe medication shouldn’t be used on children. Determining the best option for your child is an important decision that shouldn’t be made without sufficient information. Before you make this decision, you should know that there are pros and cons to ADHD medication and that medication may be right for one child but not another. This article may help you as a parent or caregiver decide if medication is the right treatment method for your child.

Cause of ADHD

            When treating ADHD, it is important to look at the cause. “Scientists now believe that the impulsivity, short attention span and other symptoms associated with ADHD are caused by a specific dysfunction in the brain that is often inherited” (Wilens, 2004, p10). ADHD is a medical diagnosis with a medical cause, and many times medication offers a “straight forward solution” (Wilsen, 2004, p12). Members of the medical community often compare the treatment of ADHD with medication to that of seizures or other health problems with a medical cause and believe that these medical symptoms can be managed with medication. 

Symptoms of ADHD

            The cause of ADHD is a dysfunction in the brain (Wilens, 2004) but parents and caregivers seek treatment to manage the hyperactivity, impulsivity, short attention span and other behaviors associated with ADHD. The symptoms of ADHD are behavioral and many think they should be treated in the same manner as other behavior problems. Stephen Flora writes in his book Taking America Off Drugs “ The best way to improve behavior is with behavior modification techniques” (Flora, 2007)

Overview of Treatment Options

            As mentioned earlier, one treatment method for ADHD symptoms is medication; these medications are prescribed to “diminish the inattention, distractibility, over activity, and impulsivity” caused by ADHD. These medications ideally allow students to perform to their fullest potential such as focus on their homework and listen to directions. For individuals who do not have ADHD and can focus on their work these medications may seen like performance enhancing drugs that are not necessary. As you know ADHD is more than just a little distractibility.

            Along with medication, there are other ways to treat ADHD symptoms such as behavior therapy. Behavior therapy is a form of psychological treatment method that stems from behaviorism and focuses on observable and measurable behaviors. When applying behavior therapy to students who have ADHD the family works with the counselor to increase the occurrence of positive behaviors through routines and a better understanding of what the student needs. Some students can be treated with behavior therapy but for many children their symptoms are severe enough that behavior therapy isn’t enough. Behavior therapy may not be enough because it treats the symptoms of ADHD not the cause of the problem. Students who have ADHD have aspects of their brains that are malfunctioning, these malfunctions cause the hyperactivity, inattention and other symptoms that behavior therapy attempts to control. For these students medication can help supplement the therapy or other forms of treatment being used.

Common Medications and Routines For Taking Medication

            There are a wide variety of medications that are prescribed for the treatment of ADHD symptoms and you should discuss the specifics with your health care provider. Briefly, three of the top brands of medication are Ritalin, Concerta and Adderall.

            Depending on the type of medication your child is taking they will have to take the medication anywhere from once a day to three or four times a day. Some medications are longer lasting and only need to be taken once a day while others are short term and must be taken more frequently. Both are safe and effective options.

Pros of Medication

            The most important pro to ADHD medication is the reduction or elimination of the behavioral symptoms associated with ADHD.  By reducing students hyperactivity and giving them the ability to focus, medication gives many students the ability to perform better in school, make friends and participate in extra curricular activities.

            Many parents worry that their children will become addicted to the ADHD medication. However, there is no physical way for children to become addicted to ADHD medication because addiction comes from a high or state of euphoria and the medications used to manage ADHD symptoms do not cause students to have a high.

            There have been numerous studies indicating that psychotropic drugs are safe, tolerable and useful for children. As of 2004 there have been “over 250 scientifically controlled studies of the stimulant medications for ADHD” (Wilen, 2004, p 91) These studies suggest that if children take the prescribed dosage indicated by their doctor, then the medication is safe and that the majority of the side effects are mild.

Cons of Medication

            Now that we have looked at some of the pros of ADHD medication lets examine some of the cons. One aspect of ADHD medication that should be of concern to parents is that there are very few studies done on the long-term affects of the medication. So, while we know that these medications are safe in the short term the prospect of giving students medication without knowing the long-term effects bring cause for hesitation.

            There are also mild side effects associated with many of the medications including loss of appetite, difficulty falling asleep, dizziness, moodiness and growth problems. These side effects should be monitored but for the most part are easily managed. For specific side effects consult your health care provider.

            And even though students cannot become physically addicted to these forms of medication, they can form a psychological dependency. This dependency can develop when students feel they need medication for everything or when they are afraid to go off their medication.

Decision Making

            When deciding whether medication is right for your child there are 4 things to consider; side effects, the severity of your child’s symptoms, if your child’s symptoms are being managed with other forms of treatment how your child feel about medication. Before you make this decision talk, with your child’s teacher, the school counselor or psychologist, your health care provider and most importantly your child. While this may seem overwhelming now, the more information you can gather the easier this decision will be.

Conclusion

            As you can see there are pros and cons to ADHD medication and what is right for one child and family will not necessarily be right for another. When choosing whether to try medication as a way to manage the symptoms of your child’s ADHD make sure to consider the pros and cons along with your child’s characteristics and the attitude of the school.

 

References

Flora, Stephen Ray. Taking America Off Drugs (2007) State University of New York Press, Albany

 

Wilens, Timothy E. Straight Talk About Psychiatric Medication For Kids, (2004) TheGuilford Press, New York

 

 

Appendix

Resources For Parents To Get More Information

Straight Talk About Psychiatric Medication For Kids- This book was written for parents who have questions about the affects and risks of psychiatric medication on children. It is a basic guide for what parents need to know about a wide variety of psychiatric medications including ADHD medications. Wilens, Timothy E. Straight Talk About Psychiatric Medication For Kids, (2004) TheGuilford Press, New York Taking America Off Drugs; Why Behavior Therapy is More Effeftive for Treating ADHD, OCD, Depression, And Other Psychological Problems- This books presents behavior therapy as an alternative treatment method for ADHD instead of medication. The book does a good job of showing the other side of treating psychological problems. Flora, Stephen Ray. Taking America Off Drugs (2007) State University of New York Press, Albany CHADD- this website is a support system for parents of children with Attention Deficit Disorder and Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder. Children and Adults with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Retrieved May 12, 2009,  http://www.chadd.org/

 

             

 

 

One of the best ways to help with panic symptoms is to try natural holistic methods of alleviating the panic attack.

Panic attacks come on quite suddenly and are very intense periods of anxiety and fear which are combined with physical effects such as an acute shortness of breath, heart murmurs, hyperventilation, feeling “pins and needles”, sickness, and an in extreme cases an overriding fear of death. Quite when an attack reaches its highest intensity varies from person to person. This can be anywhere between a few minutes to several hours before panic symptoms subside. The frequency of an attack can also vary from occurring every few days to only occurring once a year.

What to do during an attack

It is best to try to take care of the panic symptoms whilst an attack is actually taking place. The best method for doing this is a natural holistic method. For instance, the person whilst having an attack should try to recall happy pleasant memories perhaps from childhood when times were a lot happier. A common way for people to be helped into remembering childhood experiences is by aromatherapy. The brain associates happy times with pleasant smells and it only takes a few sniffs of a familiar smell to help reduce a panic attack. This is one step towards ending the repeat cycle of attacks.

One of the most common odors which are comforting to people is the smell of baby powder which reminds them of carefree and comforting times. Added to this are other childhood smells which vary from person to person depending on where they were brought up. For instance, the smells of the seaside might help a person remember fond times playing on the beach or the smell of woodland would help with people who used to have vacations in the countryside. The exact smells which help with panic symptoms will vary from person to person.

Most people will be surprised by the fact that the last thing you should do during an attack is to sit down. The reason for this is that the body experiences much higher adrenaline levels during a panic attack. It therefore follows that if you are having an adrenaline rush then you should try to burn it off by exercising rather than let the levels build up. You should go for a moderately strenuous walk which will be of great help. Indeed, it has been found that exercise generally, that is daily exercise and not just exercising during an attack, helps people recover more quickly from panic symptoms than people who take little or no daily exercise.