World asthma day is observed worldwide on first Tuesday of May.The purpose of this observation is to spread the awareness of Asthma among public.Asthma is the most common chronic respiratory disease of children.

Asthma can occur in first year of life to any age.Any child suffering from repeated episode of cough, breathlessness, chest tightness or wheezing should be investigated for asthma.High level of air pollution is very important trigger factor for flare up of asthma.

Asthma is controllable but not curable my regular use of medications.The cornerstone of Asthma management is inahalational steroid by metered dose inhaler.It should always be taken through spacer and in children below 5 years of age with spacer and mask.

The purpose of this ob

Common cold is the commonest respiratory disease in children and adults.It is characterised by running nose,sneezing,coughing,fever,headache and generalised bodyache with feeling of low.It is a common belief among mothers that while I am suffering from common cold and breast feed my child,this disease will go into my child through my milk.

This belief is totally wrong.Whenever mother or any member of family is suffering from common cold,child may get infected through close contact because this disease is viral disease and spreads from person to person through air, not through milk or not through saliva.

So it makes no difference,whether a mother feeds her baby or not.If she has common cold,she may transmit it to the baby by just sneezing or coughing near the baby.

So, breast feeding should be continued while mother has common cold.

Inhaler medications in the form of metered dose inhaler(pMDI) with spacer+/-mask is the cornerstone of asthma management in children as well as in adult.There is a common myth in society that once a child starts to take medicines through pMDI with spacer+- mask,he or she becomes addicted to these medicines and device.This belief is completely wrong.These medicines or devices does not contain any substance which makes the user addicted to it.It depends on the severity of the disease that the medications will be needed for how long.

Suppose, a child has been prescribed a lens with spectacle for problem in eyes.Some children will not require it after few months or few years as the child grows.But few children may require it for life.It does not mean that the spectacle or lens has made the child addicted.Same is the situation with MDI with spacer.

So ,whenever your doctor prescribes it ,use it for a period decided by your doctor.

Cough is a protective mechanism of body by which body tries to through out some unwanted particles or organisms, which has entered into body through nose or mouth.Usually ,it should not be suppressed by giving medicines.It requires treatment,only when it becomes disturbing and interferes with d ay to day activities or it disturbs the sleep of child or adult..There is a usual habit of purchasing cough syrup and giving it to child.This practice is wrong.On one hand ,it is not the treatment of disease causing cough and on the other hand it can suppress cough temporarily and increase the disease causing cough.Sometimes it can adversly affect the body and mind.There are many causes of cough in a child,which should be diagnosed and treated,cough will go.Cough is a symptom,not a disease..So,always consult your doctor whenever your child has troublesome cough..

Milk,curd or Banana are not responsible for producing or increasing cough in children or adult.If a person has proven allergy to any of these three,it shoud be avoided,as it may produce or increase cough in that case.Banana contains a substance which breaks the substance responsible for breaking down histamine.Thus ,it may increas the level of histamine in body,which may increase the cough,if the child is already coughing.

So,if a child is not allergic to milk,curd or Banana,these should not be prohibited in diet.

Cold and cough are the symptoms of a viral disease caused by respiratory virus. It is not caused by cold weather or ingestion of food materials which are cold to touch.It is a common practice,not to give bath to children during cough and cold.

Bath with normal water is not harmful,rather beneficial during cold and cough.It washes out disease causing virus which are lying over the body. Personal hygiene is compulsory and regular bath should be given to children even during cough and cold.

If the child is sensitive to cold,then only, bath with cold water should be avoided.But bath with normal water should always be given.

It is a common belief in society that diarrhoea (loose motion) in age group of teething children(6 months to 2 years of age) is due to the process of teething and it will go on till teething will be complete.There is also a belief that teething requires some medications.

Teething is a natural process in growth and development of children.It does not require any treatment as the growth of hairs and nails do not require any treatment.These grow naturally unless,there is no deficiency of any element in the body.If the child is taking exclusive breast feed till 6 months of age and thereafter he or she takes proper nutritious diets,there is no need of any medication for teething.Every child requires supplementation of vit-D ,right from birth to 1 year of age and the dose will be decided by treating pediatricians.

At the time of teething,there occurs some sensation in the mouth of baby and the baby puts something in the nearby surroundings into the mouth.It gives instant gratification after chewing.If ,in the surrounding,there are dirty things ,it will go into the mouth of baby and may cause diarrhoea(loose motion and vomiting) due to infections..To prevent that,surroundings should be kept clean.

During the period of teething,a baby may pass one or two times more stools and there may be mild fever but no vomiting.If the child is feeding well,and passing urine normally,nothing to be worried.If the child is passing stools more frequently,.less interested in feeding and passing less urine,then a doctor should be consulted immediately because it is not due to teething but may be due to infections.

It has been seen that ,parents go for tetanus toxoid vaccine,after every and any type of injury to the child.This is a wrong practice,as it may blunt the effect of previous vaccines ,if the child has received 3 doses of primary vaccination in first year of life and booster at age of 18 months,5 years and 10 years of age.If the child has received vaccine properly at scheduled periods,the vaccine will protect the child against tetanus after minor injuries,without taking any extra vaccine after injury.Child may require extra vaccine in some situations,which will be decided by the doctor.For example if 10 years has lapsed after last dose,then the child may be given extra dose even after minor injury,otherwise no extra dose is required after minor injury.In cases of major and lacerated injury,the child may require extra dose if 5 years has lapsed after the last dose.The national immunisation schedule has been prepared to immunise the child against tetanus,as it is presumed that,the child may face multiple minor injuries during the childhood period.

Sleep is an essential component of life.This stage is more important than awake stage.There is a circadian rhythm of sleep which is regulated by dark and light.

There are two types of sleep.One is quite sleep when the brain remains calm and other is active sleep ,when brain remains active and dreaming occurs during this active sleep.There is an alternating cycle of these two sleep patterns.Initially the sleep cycle is of 50 minutes ,which becomes of 90 minutes later on during preschool age.Baby spend 50% time during each phase.The sleep rhythm is not established at birth ,but begins to develop at about 6 weeks of life and becomes established during 3-6 months of life.Sleep is very irregular during first month of life and during this age ,baby may be active during sleep which may be observed as movements of legs,smiling and sucking during sleep.

Sleep is essential for the adequate development of body and mind.During the period of quiet sleep,blood flow increases through muscles,hormones are released in the body which are essential for the growth of baby.During quiet sleep,tissue growth and repair occurs and energy is restored.

Adequate Sleep time;

0-3 months of age 10.5-18 hours,4-11 months of age 9-12 hours,1-2 years of age 11-14 hours,3-5 years of age 11-13 hours and 6-13 years of age(school age) 9-11 hours

Sleep problems and disorders are mostly seen during school age group (6-13 years of age).If the child does not sleep adequately ,it may cause mood swings,behavioral problems and the dangerous thing which can destroy the career of child -ADHD(Attention deficit and hyperactive disorder)

A child should be taught the importance of good sleep and parents should help in making a regular sleep habit..Child should go to bed at a particular time even during holidays.The room should be conducive for good sleep.The room should be dark ,cool and noise free.TV,Computer and mobile should not be in the room.Watching TV close to the bed time may cause resistance to sleep