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Ear Problems:Health Query

By Dr.Amrita Basu(MBBS,MS) on February 6, 2018 4

In my weekly health query post I will be discussing some very common ear problems.

Read on. Information is power. Never know whom you will be helping.

#1 Health Query

Does my 2-month-old baby have a pin pint hole in front of her Right ear? Do I need to worry?

The ear develops from the joining of six tissue heaps known as hillocks of His.

When there’s a problem in their fusion, you can have pit-like depressions in front of the pinna. This is most common above the level of the tragus (small projection in the front part of the ear).

How common is this?

It occurs in 5 to 6 babies per 1000.

One side or both sides?

25% to 50% it’s bilateral.

Bilateral has a genetic link.

What you should watch out for

Infections are common.

Respond to oral antibiotics and local treatment.

Recurrent infection is an indication of surgical resection.

Incision and drainage during infections should be avoided. Scarring and fibrosis makes future surgery difficult.

Isolated pre -auricular sinus infrequently associated with:

Hearing loss
Renal abnormalities
Craniofacial deformities

Audiological testing is important to rule out hearing problems.

Renal USG can be performed if the pre-auricular sinus is associated with:

Other facial dysmorphic features
Family history of hearing loss
Maternal diabetes during pregnancy

# Healthy query 2

I have yellowish fluid coming out of my ear.What can it be?

What are the causes of ear discharge?

Ear discharge occurs when infections in various parts of the ear cause secretions .

Causes:

*Otitis externa : Infection involving external ear.

Furuncle/boil

Otomycosis :fungal infection

*Acute otitis media
Pus gets trapped behind ear drum and the pressure may cause the drum to rupture and pus mixed with blood gets released .

This generally occurs after untreated cold for a period of 5 to 7 days.

Accompanied by fever and earache.
Rupture of ear drum occurs with decrease of pain and pus with bloody discharge.

Chronic otitis media

When ear infection causes persistent discharge for more than 12 weeks.Ear may be discharging for years .

This often presents with ear drum perforation and reduced hearing. .

*Otitis media with effusion

Generally associated with allergic rhinitis ,adenoiditis ,Tonsillitis. In this case a sticky discharge occurs.

*CSF Otorrhoea

Following head injury if the junction between your ear and brain is breached the brain fluid may leak.

Potentially serious condition with a risk of meningitis .

Types of ear discharge:

*Watery:CSF Fluid covering the brain
*Mucoid:Middle ear goblet cells are the source .Indicates ear drum perforation.This is sticky like the goo which comes out of your nose ,when you have a cold.
*Pus:Otitisexterna/furuncle/infected fungal infection ,squamous type of Chronic otitis media.
*Pus+mucus:Infected mucus,indicates ear drum perforation .Chronic otitis media mucosal type when there occurs ear drum perforation.
*Pus+blood:squamous type of Chronic otitis media potentially serious and needs urgent management.

*Pus+mucus+blood.:Chronic otitis media mucosal type with granulation.
Potentially serious and needs urgent management.

What are the important investigations you should do?

*Otoendoscopy :A chance for you to Visualize the inside of your own ear and see the problem.Done by a trained ENT surgeon.

*Pure tone audiometry: PTA helps to assess diminished hearing which can occur due to ear discharge.Prolonged discharge gradually erodes the small bones ,responsible for sound transmission .

*Tympanometry: Ear drum problems like thinned drum,perforated drum is diagnosed . You can also detect fluid behind an intact drum.

*HRCT temporal bone:This is a computed tomography of your ear bone and helps detect ,how far the disease has progressed .Involvement of brain can also be assessed

What are the options for treatment for discharging ear?

Treatment may be:
*Surgical:Chronic Otitis media squamous type( having cholesteatoma and granulations)
*Medical:Acute otitis media,Otomycosis, furuncle of ear.
*Surgical+Medical:Chronic otitis media

What are the other complaints associated with ear discharge?

*Swelling behind the ear : post aural abscess
*Partial or complete loss of hearing.

Earache: more common in acute otitis media, ear furuncle,fungal ear infection.Less common in chronic otitis media. If earache occurs in Chronic otitis media it’s considered a dangerous sign.

*Dizziness

*Ringing sound in ear:Tinnitus

*Acute and chronic mastoiditis

Infection and inflammation of the Mastoid bone.
*Post aural fistula:Opening in the skin behind the ear connecting with the Mastoid bone.(This occurs in Chronic otitis media eroding the bone .)

*Accompanying signs such as fever and headache often indicating potential involvement of the brain.

Meningitis
Brain abscess
Other intracranial complications.

*Facial palsy :Disease can cause involvement of the facial nerve.Deviation of mouth,difficulty closing eye,problem with chewing,eating,blowing ,puffing.

Treatment depends on the exact cause

Often ear discharge is a symptom ignored for long.
Avoidance of the problem will put you at risk of serious complications including, permanent hearing loss.

What other queries do you have about ear? Let me know

Disclaimer: Health info is meant for educational purposes only and should not be confused as professional medical advice.

Preschooler with vision problem in India:Secrets no one told you

By Dr.Amrita Basu(MBBS,MS) on February 6, 2018 5

Preschoolers with vision problems in India is heartbreakingly common.

The problem is a bigger one than adult myopia because they are unable to tell us.

The symptoms of childhood nearsightedness: When will you suspect?

Sitting close to the television is classic
A frequent headache.
Head tilting to a side.
Performance not up to the mark in school.
Silly mistakes in the classroom.
The child is inattentive in class.
Rubs eyes a lot.
Appears to daydream.
Behavioral issues as a secondary result

Now, what is nearsightedness or Myopia?

When the image of the object occurs in front of the retina and not on the retina, the object appears fuzzy

Suspected reasons for myopia or nearsightedness

Nutrition, growth spurts, heredity, childhood diabetes all may be responsible for myopia.Excessive computer use, total screen time lack of outdoor activity all can be responsible for childhood eye problem.

The child may need her vision assessed every 3 months as growth is associated with changes in power.

Your child has no idea about how things should look.so this condition often goes undetected.After a complete checkup by a doctor get eyeglasses .This is perfect for children to correct myopia.Myopia correction is classically undercorrected and not overcorrected.

Things you should remember if you suspect your child has a vision problem

Do not delay
Believe the child
Go to a qualified specialist
Always review refraction periodically.
Don’t scold the child.
Don’t make him/ her feel self-conscious.
If you do wear glasses do not forget to wear them always or the child will not adjust well.
Do not blame yourself.
Blood work may be needed to rule out any underlying condition like diabetes.In adults, obesity and diabetes are major reasons for fluctuating myopia.

When do children need urgent review by an eye specialist

One or both eyes are abnormal in size.Small or large
One or both eyes appear to stick out

There is a red mark on the eyelid

One or both eyes are obviously abnormal, white in all parts

How to assess vision preliminarily in young child 0 to 1 year?

How does the baby see the things around him /her?
Does she /he make eye contact?
Does your baby follow mother with eyes?
Does baby respond to raised eyebrows?

You must remember

As much as 80 percent of childhood learning is vision based.
Reading difficulties and learning disabilities may have an undiagnosed eye problem as the underlying reason.
It is difficult to diagnose vision problem in young children.
Studies show a higher prevelance of refractive error in school children in urban areas as compared to rural areas.

A correlation has been found with outdoor activity and myopiaIt is said even as little as one hour per day outdoor playtime can decrease the chance of developing myopia.But whether it has any role in progrssion is yet to be determined.

Myopia is a serious problem and by 2050 half of the worlds population are projected to face this problem.If you don’t take care of good eye health now how will you help the next generation?

Take care of your diet, exercise and spend more time with nature, decrease screen time, blink frequently and you have a good chance of beating the odds.

Disclaimer: This is meant for awareness and is not meant as professional medical advice.Kindly consult your doctor for a personalized opinion.Read my full disclaimer.

Mompreneur Biz focus:Nilanjana and Cue Math

By Dr.Amrita Basu(MBBS,MS) on February 6, 2018 20

A recent study by Kelly Global Work force Insights services has found a shocking truth.
Something which you and me already know .But is rarely openly discussed.
It’s seen that women in STEM that is science ,technology,engineering and mathematics jobs are leaving their high-profile careers at its peak.
There’s a serious lack of women in middle and higher up corporate positions.
Interestingly 46% of undergraduates in STEM branches are females.Few are visible higher up in the corporate ladder.

#Shocking truth

41% Women in STEM industries leave job after 10 years of service.

Reason:

Gender inequality in Pay.
Discrimination in promotion and benefits during child-bearing years.
Hostility towards women who want to balance both home and career.

Today I am sharing the story of one brilliant mom who gave up her corporate career for motherhood.
But didn’t stop planning a biz.

Introducing Mrs Nilanjana Guhathakurta an engineer ,a mommy and now a biz owner.

Nilanjana’s journey in her own words

Hello friends,
I am Bachelor of Engineer ( Computer Science ) & PGDBM (HR ) .I was associated with corporate jobs for almost 8-9 years but was stressed and dissatisfied apart from pay package.
Then my daughter came into our lives and things changed (being pregnant is not encouraged in a corporate setup ) .
I took a break from work as things turned worse at work front. The bosses came to know about my promotion at personal level.
Life has been great ,bringing up my little bundle of joy.
As my daughter has started going to play school ,now I have got some spare time.

The feeling to do something with flexible timing ,cropped up in my mind.

(Image @Nilanjana Guhathakurta )

Through a Facebook ad I learnt about Cue math .I applied.
After going through my resume , instantly they called up and we discussed in details about this programme.

Life has changed again.

This time I am a mompreneur, with my own biz.

I call the shots, about when I work ,how long I work.

About Cue Math

The curriculum comes in 3 sections.

School maths
Mental aptitude (Tab based)
Creative reasoning (puzzle cards)

It is founded by an IIT-ian.

Why I wanted to be a part of Cue Math?

3 Reasons why I loved the Cue Math concept.
1)I like working with children.
2)Math is a favourite subject.
3)Cue Math has a fantastic learning programme.

Most students in our education system have a fear in maths as subject but it is not the fault of the student or not related to his IQ.

Every child has the ability to do well in maths it depends how he is taught or how his WHYs are answered .The child needs to have a clear concept .

This will make him/her capable of applying it in practical problems.
This program will teach every child to think strategically, be creative and love maths.

What’s the fee structure ?

It’s an easy payment option.
The fee structure is Rs 1600 for 3 classes per week
Duration of class is of an hour.
Students of any board from UKG to class 8 can avail this programme.

Through this opportunity I am re-learning mathematics in a newway.Sharing it with the kid makes me happy.It is making me independent by working from home itself.
Also getting to meet so many people and knowing their life story.

Have a look at Cue Math by Nilanjana Facebook page.

What do you think of Moms in business?
Don’t all babies deserve to be close to their mothers ?
What about corporate social responsibility?
Do the men in biz remember their mother’s?
Comment below to let me know how things can be improved?

P.S I am taking my alexa rank to the next level with Blogchatter.#MyFriendAlexa

My Global Alexa rank 1st September 2016: 6,64698????

SPI PRO THEME & BLOG DESIGN :Mompreneur’s blogging journey & miracles

By Dr.Amrita Basu(MBBS,MS) on February 6, 2018 115

I started blogging in 2014 October (I have a blog birthday coming up).

I knew nothing .I had heard about blogs and blogging for the first time.

I wanted to spread the message of health wellness and earning money as a mompreneur. First two was what I already knew (I am a doctor for the last 10years and a teacher in a medical college ).

But the next one is my online diary.

That’s the mompreneur’s blogging journey.

I love reading and having the patience that motherhood has given , I believed I could do it DIY.

I bought a domain on Godaddy.There’s nothing easier. Try to buy at least for 2/3 years you get a better rate.

I wanted a self hosted blog from the very first.But where to host?

I heard great things about Hostgator India.

Decided to give it a try.I have been with them since.

I have a shared hosting plan. They have not disappointed me till date.Rates are cheap too with great server support.

All this would have meant useless, if
their customer support wasn’t suitable for a DIY .Customer support at hostgator is superb.

Any trouble shooting you need, you will get help.

The next part was to learn about content creation and all things blogging.That’s where amylynnandrews.com was the best resource ever.

Her Knowtbook is a live diary which is helping me everyday.

A few days back I was discussing the number one problem I was facing with my blog.

I told my husband the frustration I faced with blog design, free themes and DIY ing how my blog looks.I was seriously considering buying a theme and getting somebody professional look over my site.

Just about then Pat Flynn of Smart Passive Income blog was conducting a survey(I have forgotten the exact question).

It was something like this:

What’s the number one problem I had with my blog.

Seriously answer was blog design !

Like the genius Pat is he found a solution.

A SPI Pro theme designed in collaboration with Studio press .

I was ecstatic. Pressed the “buy now“button with joy .I didn’t even check how it looked.

I knew if it is Pat Flynn, it’s going to be value for money.

Unfortunately I don’t own a credit card (my father had family destroying credit card debt ).I couldn’t buy!

I was devastated. I thought with Pat , there will be net-banking or some unique payment options.

Not finding any, I almost gave up.

Almost .

But I am a mom on a mission.

Persistence is my middle name.

Eureka moment!

Write to Par Flynn .Maybe he will answer.

Maybe he won’t.

Either way nothing to lose.

SPI PRO THEME & BLOG DESIGN :Mompreneurs blogging journey & miracles

I really wanted to buy this and wasn’t looking for a freebie.

I thought of all the possible ways I could pay him.

Services :

I am an ENT surgeon.

My hubby’s a Pediatrician.

Difficult ,as we are separated by continents.But anything is possible online.Right?

Plus Pat is big on education.He is building schools (Pencils of promise ).

Maybe when he opened a school in India we could help.????

Amazon gift cards.

Maybe they will have an international EMT set up (I don’t know how that works)

Anything else.

My email was answered by Pat’s assistant Jessica .They were looking into it.

I was happy.But afraid to be too hopeful.

The kind of busy schedule Pat has, its unlikely he has time for answering emails .Let alone find time to brainstorm ideas for credit card less ,wannabe mompreneurs.

But when you really want something. When you pray hard and work towards it.God has a way of making things happen.

This is the email I received from Jessica on 23rd August (I first wrote to Pat on 18th of August ).

This is like Birthday gift and Christmas gift .

I was shocked ,stunned,close to tears.

Unfortunately I had fever and was not really able to do much .But I managed to get my theme up and running.

The best thing about the SPI theme .

It’s responsive,clean,fast loading. Its super easy for a complete novice like me to get up and running.

You will get step by step design updates soon.But this is the basic SPI Pro theme with only a few colour changes.I absolutely love how it looks.

Wishes do come true

Miiracles happen everyday.

Have you checked out the SPI Pro theme?

Comment below and let me know your opinion about Pat’s kindness and how I can take this forward.

#VDay gifts for the House Proud Woman #MondayMommyMoments

By Dr.Amrita Basu(MBBS,MS) on February 6, 2018 1

Valentine’s Day is complicated.While we love writing about self-love and loving family, showing that you love is not easy. Gifts are lovely.But people remember how you make them feel.

If you make your wife feel loved, according to Newton’s law you should automatically loved! Self-help books which were a staple in my life since I was 14.Together with all the Mills And Boons hid behind the brown paper wrappers, they shaped my views about life, love and what it takes to form a loving relationship.

All relationships need investment.You need an investment of time( most important), emotions and your will. For the next few days, I will be sharing my unique gift ideas for the woman you love!

Home is where the heart is #VDay gifts for the house proud woman

The book love the home you have will be perfect. It talks about how while searching for the perfect house with stop making our memories in the home we have.

Gift her original art

You can draw and paint yourself, frame and gift your wife’s artwork with a little note engraved.You can buy from sites like Amazon, or pay a commission to someone to make a couple sketch.

Gift her a low maintenance vertical Garden or balcony Garden starter kit.

Maybe you could gift her an Aquarium with a DIY aquaponics gardening kit for an extra challenge?

The garden and aquarium will give a new dimension to the living room decor!

Get a new rocking chair or lounging chair for reading a book or for unwinding!

If you are really feeling generous and have a deep pocket how about a second home next to the sea or the mountains? No harm in wishing right ?f

Maybe you could decorate the entire home with flowers and surprise her!\

Congratulations!

The supermoms who won the January #MondayMommyMoments challenge are Shipra and Surbhi Congratulations to both of you.Your prizes will reach you soon!

SURBHI MONDAY MOMMY MOMENTS SUPERMOM AWARD JAN

Prompt this week

#Valentines day post.Share your gift ideas, thoughts and memories!

Valentin's Day Monday mommyMoments prompt — Valentin’s Day Monday mommyMoments prompt

Read our rules here and link up using the button below.

MondayMommyMoments Rules : Must follow!

How to win friends and influence people:Book review (part3) & Life hacks

By Dr.Amrita Basu(MBBS,MS) on February 4, 2018 14

How to win friends and influence people is a life tools book.

It’s 275 pages of people gold.Each word is worth memorizing.

That’s why I am taking so much time to review this book,that too backward.This not a typical book review or summary .I am trying to highlight the parts which have helped me, become mentally stronger , more emotionally stable and get things done.

How to Win friends & influence people:Book review (part 3)

Nobody at home or school really teaches us to deal beautifully with people.But all through life we need other people.

Friends, family,colleagues ,people whom we dislike,and those who dislike us,all are important to get things done.You really don’t know .

To get what you want,and leave the other person feeling great , is not an easy skill to develop.

You spend time thinking how to make your hubby agree to the vacation plan.How to make your children eat up their veggies.How to make your boss agree to work from home.
I struggle with this all the time.I have realized, other people’s wisdom can help us in this journey.That’s where this book is a gem.

So how can you win people over to your way of thinking?

Such an important skill,so few of us learn.
If you have watched the movie Inception (starring Leonardo DiCaprio),you will know the power of thought planted in your brain.

In reality too, your thought is all-powerful.
If you want someone to do what you want,the idea has to come from his/her brain .

No amount of forcing or cajoling can get it done, unless his/ her mind says so.Simple right?
For all of us ,this is a job requiring lots of patience,sympathy and ingenuity.The second and third is easier to develop than the first.But all are equally important.
To get the full benefit of Dale Carnegie ‘s wisdom, you have to read the book.But for those who want a shortcut,maybe I can help.

Few pearls of wisdom from the 3rd section of the book

☆Dealing with people depends on sympathetic grasp of other person’s viewpoint.

Other people may be totally wrong .But they don’t think so. It’s no use trying to condemn them we have to try to understand ,them because only wise tolerant exceptional people even try to do that.

☆One thing from the book if you remember:

Try honestly thinking from the other person’s point of view. I would rather walk the sidewalk in front of a person’s office for 2 hours before an interview, than step into that office without a perfectly clear idea of what I was going to say and what that person from my knowledge of his or her interest and motives was likely to answer.

☆Magic phrase that can stop arguments:

” I don’t blame you one one iota for feeling as you do .If I were you I would feel just as you do .”

☆Learn from experience the enormous chemical value of sympathy in neutralizing the acid of hard feelings.

☆Be sympathetic with the other persons ideas and desires.

☆Appeal to the nobler motives.

☆Dramatise your ideas
The way to get things done is to stimulate competition, the desire to excel, the challenge.
Without a challenge most things will never get done .

☆All men have fears but the brave put down their fears and go forward sometimes to death but always to victory .

☆What every successful person loves is the game ,the chance of self expression to prove this word to excel to win .

Have you read this book ,what’s your favourite part?

Comment below to let me know.

Blog

#1 Health Query

Does my 2-month-old baby have a pin pint hole in front of her Right ear? Do I need to worry?

How common is this?

Isolated pre -auricular sinus infrequently associated with:

Renal USG can be performed if the pre-auricular sinus is associated with:

# Healthy query 2

I have yellowish fluid coming out of my ear.What can it be?

What are the causes of ear discharge?

Causes:

Types of ear discharge:

What are the important investigations you should do?

What are the other complaints associated with ear discharge?

Treatment depends on the exact cause

Sharing is good Karma!

Preschoolers with vision problems in India is heartbreakingly common.

The symptoms of childhood nearsightedness: When will you suspect?

Things you should remember if you suspect your child has a vision problem

When do children need urgent review by an eye specialist One or both eyes are abnormal in size.Small or large One or both eyes appear to stick out

There is a red mark on the eyelid

One or both eyes are obviously abnormal, white in all parts

How to assess vision preliminarily in young child 0 to 1 year?

You must remember

More reading :

Sharing is good Karma!

#Shocking truth

Reason:

Nilanjana’s journey in her own words

About Cue Math

Why I wanted to be a part of Cue Math?

What’s the fee structure ?

Sharing is good Karma!

A SPI Pro theme designed in collaboration with Studio press .

But I am a mom on a mission.

Sharing is good Karma!

Home is where the heart is #VDay gifts for the house proud woman

Congratulations!

Prompt this week

Sharing is good Karma!

How to win friends and influence people is a life tools book.

So how can you win people over to your way of thinking?

Few pearls of wisdom from the 3rd section of the book

☆Magic phrase that can stop arguments:

Sharing is good Karma!

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When do children need urgent review by an eye specialist

One or both eyes are abnormal in size.Small or large
One or both eyes appear to stick out