Vaginal Discharge – Vomiting
V accination. See Communicable diseases; Immunization; Shots;
Virus
Vaginal discharge may result from an infection that causes the
external genital area of a girl to become inflamed. It may also develop
if the girl’s underpants are too tight and rub against the genital
region. In either of these instances, the vaginal discharge causes
whitish stains in the girl’s
underpants. Vaginal discharge may also occur if a foreign object has
been inserted into the vagina. The discharge is then usually bloody and
may be foul smelling.
In all these cases, consult a doctor. The doctor may prescribe
antibiotics and will probably also suggest bathing the external genital
area by having the girl sit in a tub partly filled with comfortably warm
water.
A slight discharge from the vagina is common and normal for girls who
are reaching adolescence and beginning to undergo sexual growth and
development. You should explain these changes to your daughter and tell
her about menstruation, [mg]
See also Menstruation; Pinworms
Vaporizer. See Humidifying
Virus is a living organism that is so tiny that it cannot be seen
under an ordinary microscope. Smaller even than bacteria, viruses enter
the body in various ways— through eating or drinking, inhalation,
injection, or through breaks in the skin. Once in the body, they grow
inside cells and form more viruses, which invade more cells.
Viruses can cause infectious diseases such as poliomyelitis, influenza,
measles, chicken pox, smallpox, mumps, and the common cold. Viruses can
also produce specific infections in certain cells. The liver cells are
affected in hepatitis; the brain cells, in sleeping sickness; the skin
cells, in fever blisters.
Doctors do not know of any cure for diseases caused by viruses, but once
a person has had a virus disease, the person often becomes immune to
that virus. Also, vaccines can be made from certain viruses and used to
immunize a child against the diseases they cause. If your child has a
virus disease, your doctor will probably tell you how to make the child
more comfortable and how to avoid complications of the disease,
[h.d.r..] Jr.
Vitamins are necessary for good health and proper growth. You can
supply all the vitamins your child needs—with the exception of vitamin
D in infants not drinking
Important vitamins
Vitamin Functions in the body Food oooro\^Sa*\^
A Helps develop teeth and Whole milk, cream, butter,
maintain skin, tissues eggv yolks, liver, kidneys,
lining body cavities, fats, fish liver oils, green
glands that produce and yellow vegetables,
digestive juices, and cantaloupe, peaches, and
night vision. apricots.
B, Gives body energy. Helps Lean pork, organ meats,
(Thiamine) maintain appetite, a dried beans and peas, nuts,
healthy mental attitude. eggs, milk, whole grain
cereals, and enriched
cereals and breads.
B~2~ Helps carbohydrates Liver, heart, kidneys,
(Riboflavin) release heat and energy turkey, beef, whole grain
in the body and keeps and enriched cereals, milk,
skin healthy. cheese, eggs, and leafy
green vegetables.
C (Ascorbic Increases resistance to Citrus fruits, tomatoes,
acid) infection. Helps form cantaloupe, strawberries,
sound teeth and bones. green and chili peppers,
Necessary for healthy pineapple, cabbage,
gums and body tissues. broccoli, asparagus, and
greens of all kinds.
D Helps body absorb calcium Saltwater fish, vitamin
and phosphorus for bone D-fortified milk, and fish
growth. liver oils.
Niacin Helps maintain healthy skin and Meat, poultry, fish, and
enriched and
other body tissues. whole grain bread.
fortified milk—by providing an adequate daily diet of properly
prepared foods.
Millions of dollars are spent each year on self-prescribed vitamin
pills. Dispensing vitamin pills may make a mother feel that each child’s
nutritive needs are being met. But the vitamins are unlikely to be
needed.
Vitamins work in subtle relationships with each other and with other
nutrients. The amount of a certain vitamin needed depends on the amount
of other vitamins and food elements in the body.
The contents of a vitamin pill are limited to those vitamins that have
been discovered and that can be manufactured. Food may contain
undiscovered but essential food substances.
It is best to rely on a good, balanced diet to supply your child with
adequate vitamins, unless, of course, the doctor prescribes vitamin
supplements.
Most milk today is commercially fortified with vitamin D. One quart (1
liter) contains the required daily amount. Sunlight can also provide the
body with vitamin D. The ultraviolet rays of the sun, or a sun lamp, act
on a substance in the skin and produce vitamin D. Because sunlight
produces vitamin D in the human body, this vitamin is sometimes called
the “sunshine vitamin.”
The accompanying table shows the sources of six vitamins and how the
body uses the vitamins, [mg.]
Vomiting is a common symptom among infants and children. Its cause
may be physical or emotional.
Infants may vomit if they swallow too much air during feeding, or if
they have an allergic reaction to a certain food, such as cow’s
milk.Any illness that is accompanied by a high fever may cause vomiting.
Abnormalities in the formation or position of the esophagus,
stomach, or intestines may cause vomiting.Disorders of organs other than the stomach, such as the kidneys, the
ears, or a brain tumor, may cause vomiting.A child who swallows a poisonous substance may vomit. If you suspect
poisoning, save some of the vomit for analysis. It may help a doctor
decide how to treat the child. (For ways to induce vomiting, see
[Poisonings and poisons.)]Appendicitis may cause vomiting that is accompanied by pain in the
lower right abdomen.Some children vomit when they ride in cars, trains, planes, or
ships.Vomiting may be a sign of an emotional problem. For instance, a
child who is apprehensive about going to school or who wants
attention may vomit every morning. Such a child may need
psychological help.
Because of its many possible causes, and because early treatment is
important in many instances, never take vomiting lightly. Three
instances, in particular, call for a doctor’s attention: vomiting
accompanied by pain in the lower right abdomen or severe abdominal pain
(which may indicate appendicitis), persistent vomiting (which may cause
dehydration), and vomiting green material (which may mean that some
obstruction in the intestine has caused bile to back up from the
intestine into the stomach). For simple vomiting, or until you can reach
a doctor, keep the child quiet and give nothing to eat. Offer a little
water, ginger ale, or weak tea. If the child continues to vomit, do not
give any more liquids—not even water, [m.g.]
See also Appendicitis; Communicable diseases; Dehydration; Emetics;
Food poisoning; Influenza; Motion sickness; Poisonings and poisons:
Stomachache: Swallowed objects
