Health

Healthcare workers can enable early detection of autism by identifying red flags specific to autism during routine immunisation, said a paediatric neurologist at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi. Taking to social media platform X, Dr. Sheffali Gulati, Professor and faculty-in-charge at the Child Neurology Division, Department of Pediatrics at AIIMS Delhi, explained what autism is and how it can be identified early. “Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterised by social deficits and qualitative impairment in communication, along with some fixed interests and behaviour,” Gulati said. She noted that the condition comes with “some fixed patterns of interest, and there may be sensory issues within them”. She explained how to identify autism in a baby within 2...

There is a significant rise in respiratory illnesses among children aged 6-13, with viral infections such as respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). flu, pneumonia, and allergy-related problems affecting both skin and respiration. There has been a notable uptick in asthma exacerbations among children. Most children are coming to the OPD with symptoms such as runny nose, decreased appetite, coughing, sneezing, fever, body pain, fatigue, cough with phlegm, and sore throat. The prevention strategies include maintaining good personal hygiene, eating a nutritious diet, wearing masks, social distancing, hand sanitizing, and regular check-ups with the doctor. Parents should stay vigilant when it comes to their child’s well-being by following the proper vaccination schedule. The alarming spike in air ...

Consumption of coffee and tea can lower the risks of developing head and neck cancer, including cancers of the mouth and throat, claimed a study on Monday. Head and neck cancer is the seventh most common cancer worldwide, and rates are rising in low- and middle-income countries. The findings, based on an analysis of data from 14 studies, showed that compared with non-coffee-drinkers, individuals who drank more than 4 cups of caffeinated coffee daily had 17 per cent lower odds of having head and neck cancer overall. It also led to a 30 per cent lower risk of having cancer of the oral cavity, and 22 per cent lower odds of having throat cancer. Drinking 3-4 cups of caffeinated coffee was linked with a 41 per cent lower risk of having hypopharyngeal cancer -- a type of cancer at the bottom ...

As the winter season begins, there is an alarming rise in cases of cold, flu, and constipation. Unfortunately, cold weather, absence of exercise, dehydration due to the lack of hydration, and changes in diet are the driving factors behind surging cold, flu, and constipation cases in children aged 8-12. Doctors say parents should take utmost care of their children during winter. Children should eat a well-balanced diet inclusive of all the vital nutrients, avoid processed foods, adhere to good personal hygiene, get a flu vaccination, and stay active by exercising indoors when the weather outside is cold. Timely attention is crucial for managing these illnesses and improving the quality of life of children. The colder winter months not only invite joint or respiratory illness but even cold,...

Diarrhea and related infections continue to be a leading cause of death among children under five years and the elderly, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, even though deaths from these conditions have dropped globally by 60 per cent between 1990 to 2021, a study says.Published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases journal, the study found that in 2021, diarrheal diseases -- infections that cause diarrhea -- were responsible for 12 lakh deaths worldwide, a significant decrease from 29 lakh deaths in 1990.These estimates are the latest and most comprehensive from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD), coordinated by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington, US.The findings suggest that health interventions, including oral rehydration th...

Spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar`s event `World Meditates with Gurudev` has broken various records and bagged a place in the Guinness World Records, the Asia Book of Records and the World Records Union. This monumental event, organised by the Art of Living Foundation, brought together millions from across the globe, setting a new benchmark for collective meditation. The official release from the `Art of Living` stated, "The first World Meditation Day marked an unparalleled celebration of unity and inner peace. With participants tuning in from over 180 countries, the event showcased the transformative power of meditation as a global movement." Starting with the inaugural event at the United Nations and culminating in a live session led by Gurudev from atop the World Trade Center (Ne...

A 52-year-old gentleman, who had been suffering from severe stiffness and difficulty walking for months, has shown a remarkable improvement following treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) therapy. After experiencing progressive tightness in his back and legs, the patient found it increasingly difficult to walk more than 200-300 meters without the onset of intense muscle stiffness, which led to him losing his balance and needing to catch hold of nearby walls for support. Initially, the patient’s condition raised concerns for possible spinal canal stenosis and vascular claudication, but after thorough testing, including MRI and Doppler scans, no such conditions were found. With the clear absence of clues in the investigations pertaining to common neurological and vascular issues,...

Brains of people with high glucose levels and inflammation can age faster, increasing their risk of developing dementia, according to a study.  Researchers at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden used an artificial intelligence (AI) tool to analyse brain images from 739 cognitively healthy people aged 70-years to explore the brain’s biological age. They found various risk and health factors that determine the speed at which the brain ages. The study, presented in the journal Alzheimer`s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer`s Association, showed that diabetes, stroke, cerebral small vessel disease, and inflammation were linked to brains with an older appearance, On the other hand, healthy lifestyles involving regular exercise were linked to brains with a younger appearance, the study...

Envision being thousands of feet above ground seated inside a crowded aircraft when suddenly an in-flight medical emergency occurs. A passenger seated in the aircraft was having trouble breathing and her skin turned pale and strained. Other passengers looked on in concern but did not know how to intervene, Dr. Smita Moitra, consultant and in-charge, Emergency Department, Manipal Hospitals, Broadway in Kolkata took charge of the situation. The incident occurred on a Kolkata-to-Delhi flight on December 6, when a 45-year-old woman from Bikaner started experiencing severe hypertensive heart failure due to a long history of high blood pressure. With the aircraft being mid-air, every second was critical. What followed was a reminder of how fragile life can be, and how human instinct and compass...

In a successful medical procedure, a 45-year-old Navi Mumbai man who had been experiencing avascular necrosis (AVN) of the femoral head for the past year, underwent a total hip replacement surgery in Navi Mumbai. The patient, Mahesh Dhawalkar’s condition was a result of unmonitored steroid usage for managing Covid-19 infection. He had been suffering from walking pain for more than a year. Despite seeking help from multiple doctors and trying various medications including painkillers, he found no relief. A team led by Dr Deepak Gautam, Director of Orthopedic Medicine, Medicover Hospital, Navi Mumbai, conducted the surgery. The patient was seen walking pain-free in the post-operative room just hours after the surgery and was discharged within 24 hours.  Talking about the condition, Dr Gau...