Understanding IBS in Children

Irritable bowel syndrome is a dysfunction in the digestive system particularly in the large intestine or in the colon. There is actually no known cause of this problem. Although there are some factors that do trigger its exacerbation such as stress, certain food items and milk. Symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome include constipation or diarrhea, abdominal pain and feeling of fullness or bloating.

As irritable bowel syndrome affects all ages and all genders, children are not free from the problems it may bring on. In fact, it is even more a problem with children as they may feel severe abdominal pain because of their inability to excrete their body waste. Still, the same set of criteria that the Rome II Diagnostic Criteria System prescribed is used with children. There is no age distinction as well as gender differences. In fact, irritable bowel syndrome affects girls and boys equally.

Children suffering from irritable bowel syndrome may also experience headaches and nausea just like their adult counterparts. They may also find mucus threads on their stool. Mucus is a substance that helps moisten the passage of wastes out of the body. Most often, irritable bowel syndrome occur during periods when they are on the throes of growth milestones such as teething or some serious illness such as a flu. Some children may also develop irritable bowel syndrome if they are stressed in class. Despite this, it must be noted that stress does not cause irritable bowel syndrome. Rather it triggers the effects of irritable bowel syndrome to the body.

Diagnosis in children will also involve accounts of symptoms as well as examination of the medical history. As with diagnosing adults, physicians may conduct tests that will rule out the possibility of other diseases before reaching a full diagnosis.

Treatment in children involves more on the natural diet side as they are much too young to take in medications. Often, they are asked to eat food items that are rich in fiber to help ease constipation and get rid of the pain in the abdomen. Training is also recommended especially to children who do not empty their bowels often.

Medications like laxatives may also be prescribed but as last resort as children are more susceptible to addiction to the drug compared to adults. If laxatives however is badly needed, doctors provide detailed procedure to the parents to endure that the medication will be properly taken in.

THE HAND AND ARM MASSAGE

From the moment we wake up until the moment we fall asleep, we all work with our hands, as they are our anatomical tools with which we perform the day-to-day tasks of living; the simple as well as the complex. Some of us use our hands to a greater extent than others in which case they may become painful, tense and stiff. And since the hands are connected to the arms, chances are that the same hard work which applies to the hands also applies to the arms. As a consequence, the arms may suffer similar pains, tenseness and stiffness. A mere five to ten minute Hand and Arm massage can literally work miracles in relieving all these unpleasant indications. However, a good Hand and Arm massage also brings with it a whole battery of other health benefits.

As a matter of fact, our hands and arms have scores of acupressure and reflexology points which are correlated and linked to a number of vital internal organs (appendix, pancreas, gall bladder, kidneys, stomach, brain, spleen, heart, bladder, colon, intestines, lungs) and to other remote parts of the body (sinuses, thyroid and parathyroid, hips, ovaries, testes, uterus, penis, prostate, spine, solar plexus, thymus, shoulders, knees, neck). A Hand and Arm massage, therefore, does not only result in healing the hands and arms but it also provides curative effects for such cases as poor blood circulation, arthritis, headaches, neck and shoulder pains, backache, digestive and reproductive problems, and so on and on.

Hand and Arm massages are one of the easiest massages to perform on oneself and on others, and they can be safely applied anywhere and to persons of all ages and genders; infants, young children, teens, adults and senior citizens. Furthermore, Hand and Arm massages are harmless to people who are dealing with most health issues, whether they are slight, moderate or severe. Hand and Arm massages provide instant relief from stress, anxiety and nervousness as it relaxes the entire body. However, Hand and Arm massages should never be performed on hands or arms that are affected by any kind of skin disease, infection, inflammation, swelling, bruises, cuts or recently broken bones, torn ligaments, ripped tendons or surgeries. If and when oils or lotions are to be used during the Hand and Arm massage therapy, an earnest verification regarding allergies should be made and any pressure applied must be tailored to the clients tolerance level to pain or discomfort.

A full Hand and Arm massage should ideally begin with the biceps, the muscles in front of the upper arms and those should be pressed and stroked upwards along the biceps from the elbows toward the shoulders and then back and forth across the tendons. When the biceps have had their thorough workout the triceps, the muscles in the back of the upper arms, should be approached with similarly gentle pressing and stroking movement but this time moving downwards from the armpits down to the elbows. Moving on down the arms by kneading the flesh, pressing the muscles and stroke the tendons; the massage therapist should slowly make his or her way toward the hand that is awaiting its turn for a therapeutic workout. The hand portion of the Hand and Arm massage treatment should begin by gently pulling each finger and thumb away from the palm it attach to, while applying firm pressure to any painful or aching areas and then soothing them with moderate rubbing and rolling. The four fingers and the thumb should then be pushed upwards as far as they will go without causing undue discomfort. The thumbs should be used to massage the palms of the hands by applying firm circular motions through the entire palm while intermittently stopping in various areas, particularly those which are sore, to apply steady and direct pressure for a number of seconds. For a soothing effect on the palms and in closing of the Hand and Arm massage therapy session, the thumbs should stroke the surface of the palms in an up and down movements.

A therapeutic Hand and Arm massage can display love, appreciation and devotion more explicitly than any other free gift that anyone can think of. Just ask anyone who has ever been on the receiving or giving end of one.

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