What, How, Why and When of Nasogastric Tube Insertion in Children Simplified

• Does your child often complain about a sore throat? 
• Does your child have trouble in swallowing food?
• Is your child not getting enough nutrition through the diet?

If the answer to any of the above questions is a “Yes” then you need to consult a doctor for Nasogastric Tube Insertion.

What is Nasogastric Tube Insertion? 

The Nasogastric Tube is a thin tube, which is inserted into the child’s nostril through the food pipe and then into the stomach. Once the tube is placed, the child can easily intake food and medicines. The tube is also used to remove certain harmful substances from the stomach.

How to Insert Nasogastric –NG Tube (Procedure)

The procedure is very simple and the patient does not face any pain. The doctor will instruct the child to lay down on the bed with the head elevated. They will tell the child to move the head and the body at some angles while they try to insert the tube smoothly. These little movements will make the tube insertion easier and it will be placed in the correct position.


To check for the correct placement of the tube or for any discomfort, the child will be asked to swallow something or take a few sips of water. The doctors also secure the tube with a tape on the face. To make the process easier, try distracting your child or use some relaxation techniques.

How to Care for a Nasogastric Tube at Home?

• Always check the position of the tube before you put anything inside it.
• Brush the child’s teeth at least twice daily so that no unwanted substances can go inside.
• Change the Nasal tape when it gets loose.
• Clean the tube with water before taking medication.
• Crush the pills well before passing them into the tube.

When to call the doctor for assistance?

• If the child feels choked or has difficulty in breathing.
• If you are unable to unclog the tube.
• If you cannot make out whether the end of the tube is inside the stomach.
• If the child has symptoms of Diarrhoea or has constipation, dry mouth or dark urine.

To know more about Nasogastric tube insertion or how to insert Nasogastric- NG tube then visit Nutrition4Kids. They provide expert advice from the medical advisory board on various diseases in children, eating habits, advice for new and soon going to be mothers and much more. Visit them at http://www.nutrition4kids.com.

In case you missed my previous post about - Stomach Tube Insertion then click here..!

Is your child Gluten intolerant? Find out with a Gluten Intolerant Test

What is Gluten?
Gluten is found in a variety of everyday food. It is a type of protein generally found in wheat, rye, and barley. It helps in retaining the shape of the food by acting as the adhesive substance that holds them together. Some people are intolerant to such protein. Hence, Gluten Intolerance Test will determine if your child has gluten intolerance or not.

What is Gluten Intolerance?
Gluten intolerance causes a person’s immunity to react against a kind of protein found in wheat, rye, and barley. It starts showing symptoms right after ingesting any kind of gluten product. The symptoms include gastrointestinal problems to severe problems like anxiety, depression, etc. It is important to get a Gluten Intolerance Test and treat the problem rather than just symptoms.

Can Gluten intolerance be a serious issue?
It depends on the tolerance level. Most of the people are fine with gluten although it is proven to be bad for one’s health. For those who are intolerant to gluten may be prone to Celiac disease. Mostly, gluten insensitivity can act as one of the symptoms of other major diseases. It is important that you get your children a Gluten Intolerance Test before the problem becomes severe.

Can we avoid Gluten?
There is majority of products, which has gluten in it. It may not be specified in the ingredients of some products but it might be present in it. Food products like bread, soups, beer, baked goods, sauces, etc, contain gluten in their ingredients. Hence it is impossible to totally avoid gluten.

Are Gluten-free diets available?
Yes, it might not contain gluten. But one has to make sure that their diet must contain the nutrients that a gluten product may have. Since most of the food products have gluten in it, avoiding it may devoid your child of certain nutrients which is important for your child’s growth. Nutrition4kids will always guide you to maintain your child’s well being.

You can rely on Nutrition4kids to give you reliable information and expert advice on your child’s well-being. Gluten insensitivity or gluten intolerance can become a serious issue if it is not treated well. If a change in diet doesn’t surely indicate gluten intolerance, then you must get your child Gluten Intolerance Test to be sure about their medical issue and practice caution in their daily diet.

If you like this post, please also read my another post - SURVIVING THE STOMACH FLU 101

SURVIVING THE STOMACH FLU 101

Has your child been vomiting and feeling low lately? Then your child might be having the stomach flu. It is the second most common illness among children, first are the respiratory infections. Stomach flu is an illness known as gastroenteritis caused by viruses and bacteria like salmonella.

SYMPTOMS OF STOMACH FLU

It is not easy to spot the early signs among babies and toddlers. But do watch out for these red signals:

• High Fever
• Vomiting
• Diarrhoea
• Fussy behaviour
• Easily tired
• Reduction in appetite
• Dehydrated

Older children may also complain of a tummy ache, headache, and restlessness. Symptoms start to show generally after three days after the child has been exposed to the bug. Upset stomach can also make the child feel dehydrated.

Catching up the Flu

Kid’s stomach bugs are contagious; they spread from one child to another. Germs can stay over toys and clothes for days. So what can you do to stop the spreading of germs?

• Stress on Handwashing

This is the easiest and the most essential step to prevent germs from spreading. Make the kids wash hands before and after meals, after poop and when they come back home after playing. When kids come in contact with germs, they become infected by touching their face, nose, mouth with the contaminated hands. Hand-washing is the first defense you can take against gastroenteritis.

• Clean your home

Clean your home regularly to stop the breeding of germs.  Clean the house after the vomiting. Dusting, mopping, and vacuuming should be done regularly.

• Washing laundry

To wash the clothes and carpets use bleach and chlorine for maximum germ removal. Wear gloves while washing the laundry and also when transferring clothes from washer to dryer. Even after one thorough wash, the germs may live, so try to wash the clothes twice for better protection.

• Breastfeeding

Breastfeed little babies, the breast milk can help can help block the virus and protect the infants.

• Healthy diet

Follow a healthy diet routine for your kids. Keep them away from oily food, dairy, fiber, and spices. It is advisable to take BRAT diet during stomach infection which is Bananas, rice, applesauce, toast. These foods are easy to digest and provide energy.

• Drink lots of Fluids

The body gets dehydrated during stomach Flu because of vomiting, sweating, and diarrhea. Drinking water (10-12 glasses), ginger tea helps calm the stomach.

To know more about stomach infections and kids stomach bugs visit nutrition4kids.com. Expert advice about all your child’s health problems and medical issues. Visit the website to know more.

If you like this post, please also read my another post - Gluten sensitivity advice at Nutrition4kids

Understanding Gluten and its effect on your child’s health

Before we get into the symptoms of allergy from gluten, we shall clear what gluten is and where is it found. Gluten is a type of protein found in grains of wheat, rye, spelt and barley. Food items such as bread, pasta, cereal, sauce, soup, salad dressing, malt, beer, food coloring, etc contain gluten. It helps in maintaining the shape of such food items by acting as the glue, which sticks the food molecules together to retain its elasticity. Wheat is not only the source of gluten. Some variety of Oats and Triticale also contains gluten.

Not everyone is allergic to gluten. But the ones who are allergic to gluten often show symptoms related to Celiac disease, Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity, irritable bowel syndrome and/or other types of wheat allergies. If you find the following symptoms in your child, they may be intolerant to Gluten. The symptoms may start to show within minutes or an hour after consumption of such products.

• Unexplained Weight loss, Depression, Anxiety, Headache, Migraine, skin rashes, etc are the symptoms related to Celiac disease.
• Abdominal pain, cramping, bloating, gas and diarrhea are some of the symptoms related to Gluten allergy.

You should get your child checked if such problem persists regularly. Blood test and Biopsy from small intestine might help in diagnosing such problems because of Gluten attacks and affects small intestine. It is important to get tested for Celiac disease, which is an autoimmune disorder that causes severe digestive disorder and other health problems.

It is difficult to go Gluten free because everything contains gluten in some amount or other. And going totally Gluten free will devoid your child of certain proteins that the food grain may contain which is essential for their body. Special attention should be given to their diet so that they don’t miss out on other nutrients that will help them in their growing period.

There are other substitutes that you can include in their diet and replace it from Gluten. Fruits and vegetables, beans, seeds, legumes, nuts, potatoes, eggs, dairy products, oils and vinegar, rice, fish and lean beef, chicken and other seafood may help you to maintain a Gluten free diet.

Grains and food such as amaranth, arrowroot, buckwheat, cassava, millet, quinoa, rice, sorghum, soy, and tapioca are also Gluten free and can be consumed for a maintaining a Gluten free diet.

Nutrition4kids provides you with the best expert advice on your kid’s nutrition and how to prevent disorder. Visit our website today to find answers to your child’s health related queries.

If you like this post, please also read my another post - Gluten Allergy Symptoms: Things You Need to Know

Top 5 Sugar Substitutes You Need to Know

A sugar substitute is a food additive that provides sugar like sweet taste; some of them are natural while others are made synthetically. Those that are not produced naturally are called artificial sweeteners. Sugar is an inseparable part of the food we consume. Some products that contain sugar substitute are diet soda, sugar-free syrup, gum, ice cream, fruit cups, yogurt, pudding and much more. Besides its benefits, it has been proven that artificial sweeteners prove out to be best in this case. 

In this guide we will discuss some of the best sugar substitutes:

1. Honey:

Raw honey is the best form of natural sweetener and is easily available al around the globe. It has been used as a sugar substitute for many centuries. It can be mixed with milk, lukewarm water or can be spread on bread for breakfast. For losing weight, you should drink or eat some amount of honey every morning. As honey is rich in antioxidants, so it proves out to be helpful in fighting a variety of diseases. 

2. Date Sugar

The sugar made from different kinds of dates have a good glycemic index which provides it with antioxidant properties. It contains very small amount of calories, but its taste is same as that of normal sugar. Due to fewer calories present in date sugar, it is helpful in preventing us from various diseases like diabetes, obesity and much more, thus helps a person to remain healthy and fit. 

3. Maple syrup

Maple syrup is the boiled-down sap of the maple tree. It is two times sweeter than the original white sugar and also has a mouth-watering caramel taste in it. Maple syrup is one of the best sugar substitutes and is good for things like pancakes and waffles. Being one of the healthier substitutes, maple syrup has many benefits because of its higher antioxidant capacity.   

4. Coconut sugar

Coconut sugar can prove out to be the best replacement of white sugar. This sugar won't increase your weight but give you perfect sweet taste. When baking, you can use coconut sugar as a replacement.

5. Stevia

The sugar obtained from stevia plant is 200-300 times sweeter than white sugar. You can replace one and a half cup of white sugar with one-fourth cup of Stevia in any food recipe and enjoy the sweetness in your life. 

Sugar substitutes can help people to lose weight as they provide sweetness of sugar to foods and drinks without adding extra calories. It can also help in preventing dental decay and in maintaining sugar level in people suffering from diabetes. In other words, artificial sweetener allows people to stick to a good diet for a longer period of time. They are called as free food as they don’t count as a carbohydrate, fat or any other exchange. With the wide selection of sugar substitutes present in the market, you have to be very specific according to your needs. Choose the one which suits best according to your diet and health condition.     

For more details to Sugar Substitutes click here 

Specific Carbohydrate Diet: Things You Need to Know

Carbohydrates provide energy to the body, particularly through glucose, a simpler sugar that is found in many basic foods. It contains both soluble and insoluble elements; the insoluble part is known as fiber, which promotes regular bowel movement, regulates the rate of consumption of blood glucose and also helps in removing excess cholesterol from the body. But, regular consumption of carbohydrates creates many problems besides weight gain. It results in high cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, high uric acid levels and blood clotting problems. So, it is always advised to take a specific carbohydrate diet, especially for kids. 

In this guide, we will discuss tips to raise kids with proper carbohydrate diet: 

1. Balanced carbohydrates in diet:

Childhood obesity is a huge problem today. Lots of parents wondering - how to raise children without feeding them excessive carbohydrates. Children should not be lying on sugars, grains and high carbohydrate snacks all the time. Going back to basics - meat, vegetables, low sugar fruits, seeds, nuts and healthy fat. Simple food is always healthy. The amount of carbohydrates in the diet should be balanced.

2. Why lower the Carbohydrates:

When children eat low Carbohydrate nutritious meals, they avoid high/low blood sugar, they avoid energy slumps and more importantly they avoid all the inflammatory elements in our modern diet. A limited amount of carbohydrates is sufficient for kids for their balanced diet. 

3. Fruits and Vegetables:

These should be the main source of carbohydrates for kids. There is a valuable source of fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Fruits are highly rich in fructose, so choose low sugar fruits for a proper diet. 

4. Carbohydrate turns to fats:

Healthy fats are essential for hormone production, healthy brain function, tissue development, appetite control and absorption of fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K). Choose healthy fats such as olive oil, coconut oil, butter, oily fish, nuts, seeds, eggs, and meat. 

For a healthy future, encourage your children to eat more vegetables, meat, nuts, seeds and healthy fats. Help them develop a taste for real food. For a healthy and balanced diet, kids above the age of two years should be taking between 50-60% of specific carbohydrate diet. In case, you are worried about your child’s health or diet plan; you should consult Nutrition4Kids for the best advice and right food choices. 

To know more and to register, please visit: http://www.nutrition4kids.com 

Find it helpful? Just read my previous post - Predigested Formula

Countering Gluten-free Disease: Diagnosis and Treatments Options

Celiac disease or gluten free disease as it is commonly referred to, is the result of a weird kind of immune response of the body to gluten. It involves a reaction to gliding, a protein found in wheat, rye, barley, and oats. There occurs an inflammation and destruction of the inner lining of the small intestine due to an allergic reaction to gluten present in the diet. This leads to an impaired absorption of minerals and nutrients. Although there is no cure for celiac disease, a gluten-free diet is the essential for its treatment.

Few symptoms of the disease include:

•       Abdominal cramps
•     Gas and bloating
•     Bone and joint pain
•     Depression
•     Easy bruising
•     Failure to thrive in children
•     Persistent hunger
•     Iron-deficiency anemia
•     Infertility
•     Panic attacks
•     Vertigo
•     Dermatitis  

 

The disease can sometimes get confused with diseases like Crohn's disease of the small intestine, irritation bowel syndrome and overgrowth of bacteria in the small intestine. Two kinds of tests are performed for an accurate diagnosis including:

Blood tests: The blood tests for celiac disease include detection of antigliadin antibodies, endomysial antibodies (EmA), and anti-tissue transglutaminase antibodies. 

Small Intestinal Biopsy: This is considered as the most accurate test to detect celiac disease. Multiple samples of the intestinal lining are obtained in order to get a higher accuracy of results.

 The main treatment strategy for celiac disease includes consuming gluten-free diet for life. Patients who are suffering from the celiac disease should strictly avoid gluten. This would allow the intestines to heal. 

Guidelines for a Gluten-Free Diet

• One should have a diet restricted in foods made from enriched flour, wheat, rye, bran, bulgur, and barley.

• Strict prohibition should be applied to beer and grain-based alcohol.

• Avoid oats in the diet. Preparations made from oats may also be contaminated with wheat. In fact, food products may be manufactured in facilities producing gluten.

• Place a restriction on the use and consumption of processed foods like soups, salad dressings, soy sauce, seasonings, ice-creams, mustard, processed and canned meats and more.

• Restrict dairy products like milk containing lactose. Individuals suffering from celiac disease are also prone to lactose intolerance. After treatment, lactose should be introduced gradually into the diet.

• Products like corn, sorghum, millets, rice can be consumed by patients with the gluten free disease. One can also consume quinoa and buckwheat.

• Bananas, potatoes, tapioca, garbanzo beans can serve as the excellent sources of carbohydrates.

 

Besides, learning to substitute ingredients while modifying the cooking conditions like temperature and time, one can enjoy the best foods while avoiding deficiencies. You may visit Nutrition4Kids to find more about the gluten-free disease and the latest treatment options for this condition given by medical professionals.