Child Specialist

Epigastric Pain is a type of abdominal pain which occurs in the epigastrium. The area of the abdomen just below the sternum and above the umbilicus. This type of pain is common in children. As they are children, they are unable to pinpoint the exact location of the pain. Older children can generally locate the pain. According to Dr Mubina Agboatwalla – Child Specialist in Karachi , Epigastric pain generally occurs due to gastritis. When the child has taken too much spicy food, chips etc. Sometimes the epigastric pain maybe due amoebiasis or giardiasis. Giardia lamblia infections are quite common in children in tropical countries. This type of pain is characterized by a feeling of fullness or diarrhoea. The child may pass foul smelling gas. In addition, there maybe worm infestation. This is in fact very common. Referred pain to the epigastrium can occur too. Pain from the liver or gall bladder. Another dangerous and emergency type of epigastrium pain is due to pancreatitis. This is very...

  Wheezing is a whistling sound heard in the chest due to broncospasm. This occurs chiefly in allergic children occurring chiefly in winter or even throughout the year whenever any allergin stimulates the bronchial system. This is whistling sound , as if the air passes through a narrow bottle. It is so loud that it can be heard if the mother is standing next to the child. The allergic reaction causes the bronchi to go into spasm, in addition mucus gets collected and as the air passes through the bronchi and bronchioles it produces a whistling sound. The wheezing is best heard with a stethoscope. According to Dr Mubina Agboatwalla – Child Specialist in Karachi   the wheezing is treated with a bronchodilator, which can be given with a nebulizer or oral bronchodilator. In severe cases when the spasm is not relieved steroids may need to be given. It is important to prevent bronchospasm. The child should be protected from cold air, dust, paint smell, perfume smell or any factor w...

There is lots of confusion in the minds of people regarding what vaccines are and how they work. The body has its own immune system i.e a system whereby the body produces an effective fighting force in the form of antibodies to fight infections. This is known as natural immunity. Vaccines produce another immunity based on the same principle. There are two types of vaccines. Inactivated and live attenuated. In the inactivated vaccine, the organism antigen is treated in such a way that it is not harmful to the body. It is inactivated. The body however recognizes it as an antigen. When injected in the body it produces an antibody response by the body. By antibody response means infection fighting ability of the body. The virus in this case is dead in the vaccine. Another vaccine is live attenuated vaccine. The virus/bacteria is treated in such a way that it loses its virulence i.e loses the strong harmful effect. However, the virus is live but does not cause disease.eg Polio vaccine. ...

 Candidiasis is a condition characterized by fungal infection. It generally occurs in the mouth(oral cavity) but can also occur in the genital region. Due to moisture the fungi flourish and grow. It occurs as a thick while coating on the tongue Initially, it appears as small white spots in the mouth. Tongue, cheeks, gums, under surface of lips, or anywhere in the oral cavity or genital region. The mother thinks it is milk stuck in the baby’s mouth. When she tries to remove it, the mucosa surface starts to bleed and it is difficult to remove. The baby finds it difficult to drink or eat. If a small baby she cries whenever milk is given. AS time passes and treatment is not started, the white coating becomes thick and starts to cover the whole of the oral cavity. According to Dr Mubina Agboatwalla - Child specialist in Karachi , treatment involves maintaining oral hygiene and apply glycerine and Nilstatin. It takes atleast 2 weeks to resolve. This should be accompanied by a good diet s...

 Wheezing is a condition characterized by a whistling sound coming from the chest. It occurs due to spasm of the bronchi and bronchioles. The windpipes get pressed and as the air passes through them a whistling sound is produced. This can be heard by the parents as they are standing close to the child. Wheezing occurs generally in an asthmatic child but can occur as an allergic bronchospasm as well as part of bronchopneumonia and chest infection. Wheezing is accompanied by chest in drawing, increased respiratory rate, rapid and deep breathing, intercostal recession. It can very well be a sign of pneumonia. Sometimes the mucus gets stuck and produce wheezing. A foreign body in the bronchiole can produce wheezing also. According to Dr Mubina Agboatwalla - Child Specialist in Karachi treatment of wheezing is use of bronchodilators. These bronchodilators are given chiefly by nebulizors and help in expanding the airways. This releases the air passages and reduces the breathlessness. Ora...

 Scabies is an itchy condition caused by a mite scroptes scabie. The mite burrows under the skin causing intense itching. The itching is specially intense at night. Small red coloured lesions develop with burrows. It quickly spreads all over the body but specially around in underarms, inguinal region , near wrist, near the waist, between the fingers and near skin folds. Red coloured bumps develop everywhere. Scabies spreads through the entire family, in play groups, in schools. Therefore, the whole family needs to be treated. The main symptom is severe itching. Keep all bedding and linen clean and disinfected.  According to Dr Mubina Agboatwalla - child specalist in Karachi scabicide creams or lotions kill the mite and eggs. Permethrin or sulphur ointments are used and applied to all over the body. They are applied at night and bath given to the child in the morning. This is done for 3 nights or more. Generally whole family is treated.

Ear Pain is common in children and can be quite painful for the child. It can be due to number of reasons. Simple ear infection is also known as otitis media. It causes redness of the ear drum. In young infants who are breast feeding or on milk are more liable to develop ear infections. The Eustachian tube is very narrow and milk flows from the oral cavity to the middle ear cavity. Infection of the throat can spread to the ears. If the infection persists pus develops, the ear membrane is broken and pus is discharged outside. This condition needs urgent attention.  According to Dr Mubina Agboatwalla - Child Specialist in Karachi , use of antibiotics and drainage of pus. Sometimes a foreign body gets stuck in the ear canal of the external ear. AS the child tries to remove it, it goes in even further. This leads to further pain. And infection can set in too. Excessive wax production can block the ear and cause pain and irritation. Ear pain should not just be treated with ear drops but...