Health News

Respiratory infections: children suffer the same infective illnesses of the respiratory system as adults, but infecting agents which cause only a mild “cold” in an adult may cause a severe infection, like croup, in a child.

Aspirin and paracetamol may be used to reduce a fever, paracetamol being better-tolerated and less dangerous for infants under 18 months.

Decongestant drops might be necessary to reduce the nasal swelling before feeding infants on the breast or by the bottle. It is difficult for them to suck if they have to keep pausing to breathe through the mouth. Decongestants also can be taken by mouth.

Cough suppressants should be used cautiously for babies. They are either ineffective or, if they work, may suppress the cough reflex.

An adult can cough voluntarily, but a small child can cough only on reflex, that is, when a plug of mucus irritates the bronchi. If this reflex is impaired, the child might not cough up this material and it might block the bronchial tube and lead to collapse of a portion of lung.

CROUP: Croup is an infection of the larynx or vocal cords and may involve the trachea and bronchi as well.

It is usually caused by one of the para-influenza viruses or the respiratory syncytial virus, but also may be due to bacteria.

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Your practitioner will know where your particular type of cancer usually spreads. This is very important in working out what tests are needed and what types of treatment are likely to be best. With many types of cancer, the first secondary growths to develop tend to be located in the lymph nodes closest to the primary cancer. Examples include cancer of the breast, colon and tongue. Sometimes enlargement of these nodes is noticed by the patient before there is any sign of the primary cancer.

Other types of cancers tend to release cells into the bloodstream right from the start. These include some types of lung cancer and bone cancer. For each type of cancer there is a typical pattern for locations of secondary growths. Cancers spreading through the lymph system often form secondary growths in the nodes closest to the primary. Cancers spreading through the blood often form secondary growths in the lungs, liver and bones. Although, of course, the blood goes to every part of your body, for some reason the cancer cells are much more likely to lodge and form secondary growths in some organs than in others. Thus, for example, the lungs, liver and bones are common sites while the muscles, heart and intestines are not usually affected by secondary growths.

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