Colic is the term given when infants have recurring bouts of abdominal pain, often accompanied by crying. The pain comes in spasms, and often they will draw their legs up in obvious distress. It commonly starts when the baby is about ten days old, and may persist for three months. It seems more common in the first-born child and may be a source of distress for the parents who often think there is something seriously wrong with their baby. There are many causes, and the presence of air (commonly referred to as wind) in the bowel is the most frequent.

If breast-fed, the baby sucks away at the nipple, often swallowing a lot of air as well as milk. In bottle-fed babies, the same thing happens. Often if the nipple (teat) is too small, the baby will suck valiantly and unconsciously swallow a lot of air. Alternatively, if the milk flow is too fast, in the process of gulping it down the baby may also swallow too much air.

Air in the stomach and bowel creates distension, and this is uncomfortable. So baby cries. The more the baby cries, inhaling quickly at the end of each wail, the more air tends to be swallowed. So the evil cycle goes on. More crying, more air, more bowel distension, more unhappiness, more emotional tension—a worried frantic mother whose tension is quickly felt by the baby. A cycle can quickly develop. The wind-colic syndrome can easily become established on a regular basis.

On the other hand, some babies are simply overfed, sometimes by anxious mothers who fear they are not getting enough food; so overdistension of the bowel will also give pain. Of course, a hungry baby is an unhappy one and will often start crying as an alarm that it’s time for tucker. Never overlook this fact. Most parents soon come to understand their babies and the various signals that they give.

Emotional factors are a common cause of colic. Many babies are active and tense, and they are then more likely to develop this symptom. Family tensions and parental anxieties are readily picked up by sensitive infants; and this can reflect on their nervous systems and tummy system which rapidly senses when all is not well in the environment.

Some infants are allergic to cow’s milk, and colic is then much more likely. There may be a family history of milk allergy; other infants in the family may have had similar experiences, which is worth remembering.

Treatment

What to do? It is worth trying the simple measures first, for they often work. They are usually easy and don’t cost anything but a bit of time and effort.

Burp the baby. Remove the air from the stomach by lying the baby partially over your shoulder, patting the baby’s back and gently pressing on the baby’s abdomen. Air tends to rise, and in this simple manner it will find its way to the exit through the small valve at the lower end of the food pipe, the oesophagus. Baby will give a few lovely loud burps, and often will settle down and be happy and quiet thereafter.

After this, if the baby is still unhappy, try simple repetitive movements such as gently rocking to and fro, in the position in which the baby appears most comfortable. Speak soothing, comforting soft words, and coo the infant into a sedated state.

Most mothers are unaware of it, but they are the world’s best hypnotists—for this, in truth, is a simple form of medical hypnotherapy. Soothing words spoken in a soft monotone, especially in association with comfortable warmth and gentle movement, can work wonders. Every mother can do it and many become experts. Ideally, freedom from loud noises is advisable. Many babies will slip off to sleep. Some parents of very sensitive infants find that placing their baby near a dull, repetitive noise is helpful—near running water, a humming vacuum cleaner, or a radio softly playing.

Sometimes, placing warmth over the abdomen may help (but be careful you do not burn the baby’s sensitive skin). A warm water bottle wrapped in blanket may help. Occasionally, if baby has not had a recent bowel action, an infant bowel suppository may assist in stimulating a bowel action and, at the same time, help the trapped air to move on through the bowel.

Preventing recurrences is a good idea. Check for possible hindrances in feeding methods. Check bottle nipples to make certain the fluid flows at an even and satisfactory rate, not too meagre but without flooding. This may be readily adjusted. If breast-feeding, if the flow is excessive try feeding baby whilst you are lying down, with baby lying on top. In this way the baby must suck uphill, and this may reduce the oversupply and the gulping and air swallowing. Make certain baby is getting adequate food, and is not yelling simply because of hunger. A little experimenting will soon give you the answers, and you can then gauge feeding times more suitably.

Try simple remedies

It may be necessary to re-evaluate the food the baby is being given. If allergy appears to be the fault, a switch to some other product may be necessary. There are other, non-cow’s milk products now readily available, and these are often beneficial in certain cases of milk allergy. Lessening the milk’s fat content may be necessary. Often this may be done with the assistance of a baby health centre sister or after the doctor has checked the baby to eliminate any serious underlying cause of the symptoms.

Many other simple measures may be checked. The surroundings should be examined for possible aggravating factors. Excitement is always a big bogey and is not for babies; this may readily over-stimulate their sensitive nervous systems, and produce or aggravate symptoms. Always keep excitement to a minimum when the baby is around. Anxieties and tensions are often relayed to babies through their sensitive receptor mechanism; we don’t know how this works but it certainly is highly sensitive and very efficient. A calm approach at all times is the ideal, even if you have some inner stresses.

lake all measures to prevent-, overheating the baby, or alternatively letting the baby get cold.

Enlist the help of your doctor if the simple measures fail to work. Sometimes there may be underlying reasons. In any event, it is often difficult to tell if the baby simply has wind and colic, or if there is pain for some other reason such as an underlying disorder. Pain is a common problem, and there are many causes—some serious—as other sections in this chapter will indicate. Never be fearful or embarrassed about asking your doctor. The doctor will not consider it a waste of time, and neither should you. The sooner you develop a good rapport with your family doctor the better.

Occasionally, medication may be prescribed. Mixtures containing so-called antispasomodics, once popular, have declined a bit, but are still often used with reasonable efficacy. These are usually given in a pleasant liquid form. At other times mild sedatives may be prescribed. But never give medication unless specifically prescribed by your doctor. Try the simple measures first every time.

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Also known as ‘change of life’, menopause is the ending of the menstrual or reproductive cycle in women. It most commonly takes place in women between the ages of 45 and 55. Some stop menstruating suddenly, others experience irregular periods for several years before menstruation ceases altogether.

While menopause is a natural stage of life, there are many problems commonly associated with it, mostly the result of diminishing levels of the female hormone, oestrogen. Some women are troubled by hot flushes, excessive bleeding, vaginal dryness, nervous disorders and depression during the transitional period.

Because the adrenal glands take over some of the functions of the ovaries at this time and produce oestrogen, the proper function of these glands is important for keeping the uncomfortable symptoms to a mimimum. Vitamins B5, C and E, as well as zinc, all boost adrenal activity. The group of compounds known as bioflavonoids may also help during this time to ease both physical and emotional discomfort. Related to Vitamin C, they assist with its absorption and proper functioning in the body. One good source is the pith of citrus fruits but they are also found in vegetables, particularly onions, and in ordinary tea.

All women should exercise regularly and eat a high proportion of raw foods. For hot flushing, take the herb dong quai which possesses the ability to balance hormone levels. This herb is being used by Western women as an alternative to hormone replacement therapy.

Recent research indicates that dong quai, a rich source of both Vitamins E and B12 may also be helpful in the treatment of anaemia and in controlling cholesterol buildup in blood vessels. A naturopath can advise you on the correct dose for your needs.

Avoid the common trap of resorting to tranquillisers to combat depression. Instead try lifestyle changes to lift your mood or learn relaxation techniques to ease anxiety. Active women appear to suffer much less from depression around this time of life. The inclusion of oats in the diet can also help alleviate mild depression.

One of the greatest risks associated with menopause is the gradual loss of bone mass. This condition is known as osteoporosis and can result in fragile bones which fracture easily. Throughout adult life, women should take care to keep their calcium intake high and calcium supplements taken during and after menopause may help.

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Cat scratch fever is caused by a minor scratch or bite from a kitten or young cat. It is caused by a germ – probably a virus – although the cat is not ill. The puncture wound or scratch does not heal in the time expected. One to two weeks later, the wound is still red, sometimes with a small amount of pus. One to six weeks after the incident, the lymph nodes near the wound become swollen, tender, and red. The child has a low-grade fever (37.8°C, oral; 38.3°C, rectal). Eventually the lymph glands may break down and discharge pus through the skin.

Signs and symptoms

The signs of cat scratch fever are a minor cat scratch or bite that hasn’t healed; large, tender lymph nodes; and a low-grade fever. There may be pus in the wound. If you don’t know that your child has been scratched by a cat, it may be difficult to tell cat scratch fever from a wound infected with staph or tuberculosis germs.

Home care

Scrub all cat scratches and bites immediately with soap and water for ten minutes. Then apply an antiseptic. If the wound becomes infected, see your doctor.

Precautions

• Unsupervised play between cats and young children is dangerous to both the child and the cat.

• Do not allow children to tease or torment cats or any other animals.

Medical treatment

Your doctor will rule out other illnesses by blood tests and cultures. Treatment with broad-spectrum antibiotics is occasionally helpful. Cat scratch fever may require surgical incision and drainage or the complete removal of a lymph gland.

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Medical science has proved that “Only the Lonely” is a more accurate selection than “Only the Good Die Young” if we’re trying to pick the true hits on the Grim Reaper’s jukebox.

The lonely, the disenfranchised, the disconnected, those who feel their lives have no purpose-studies show that these are the folks at greatest risk for coming down with a bad case of premature death or life-threatening disease, says Dean Ornish, M.D., president and director of the Preventive Medicine Research Institute in Sausalito, California, and author of Dr. Dean Ornish ‘s Program for Reversing Heart Disease.

Amazingly, in a study directed by psychologist Sheldon Cohen, Ph.D., professor of psychology at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, people with the most diverse types of social contacts and networks were the least likely to be susceptible to a cold virus intentionally squirted up their noses.

Why does social interaction seem to have a life-lengthening and health-promoting effect?

“Bottom line: Nobody knows,” Dr. Ornish says. What is known, he says, is that “it is the quality, not the quantity of relationships” that matters.

So no one knows for sure why mingling and sharing thoughts and feelings with others is healing. Theories abound. Dr. Cohen and his research cohorts at Carnegie Mellon believe that having a wide range of social environments is distracting-and that’s good. “For example,” Dr. Cohen says, “someone whose only social role is worker will find problems at work more distressing than someone who works, has a family, and belongs to social groups.”

Whether we call it distress or just stress, it truly is a killer, Dr. Ornish says. Much of his program for heart attack patients is devoted to helping them learn to reduce stressful responses. “We know that when people are under stress, their immune systems are impaired and their cardiovascular system is more prone to heart attacks or sudden cardiac death,” he says.

In Dr. Cohen’s study that we mentioned earlier, participants’ blood levels of norepinephrine and epinephrine were measured regularly. These two hormones are released when we are under acute stress. Dr. Cohen’s researchers squirted the common cold virus up the nostrils of all the test participants. Those who became infected were those who had the highest levels of the stress-indicating hormones and were those with the fewest types of social contact. At this point in medical research, however, it is too early to say that we gain the health effects of positive interaction with others because our brains instruct our glands to exude some protective chemicals-or our brains emit specific electrical impulses-that strengthen our immune systems, Dr. Ornish says.

Dr. Ornish and colleagues have implemented and studied the effects of programs “that increase the sense of connection and community, and we have found that the patients initially think that this is the part of the program that will be least helpful. And yet when they have gone through the program, they find that it is the most powerful and meaningful part.” That’s because the peer interaction encourages people to stick with positive helpful behaviors, such as healthy diets, ceasing smoking, and other goals the programs set forth for the patients, Dr. Ornish says.

“People who feel lonely and isolated are more likely to smoke, abuse other drugs or alcohol, eat too much, work too hard, or watch too much television as ways of numbing, distracting, or killing the emotional pain that they feel. I think the real epidemic in our society is this emotional or psychological or spiritual heart disease-this sense of loneliness, isolation, and alienation that’s so common when people feel that sense of disconnection,” says Dr. Ornish. People in the throes of that epidemic are more likely to engage in behaviors that increase their risk of premature death or disease, he says.

So how does one get connected? First, says Dr. Ornish, realize that there is a difference between being alone and being lonely.

“It’s not how many people you call every week or how many people live in your household,” says Dr. Ornish. “It’s not so much the number of social contacts you have but the perception of whether you feel loved and cared for and nurtured by them. Someone could be alone by choice-in a monastery, for example-and they can also feel that sense of interconnection with something spiritual.

“It doesn’t necessarily have to be another person,” adds Dr. Ornish. “Some studies show that even having a plant to take care of, or a pet, prolongs life. Anything that takes us outside of the belief that we are separate and only separate, I think, is healing. The word healing even comes from the root ‘to make whole.’”

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