Osteomyelitis – Overweight
Osteomyelitis is a bone infection and should be considered a
potentially serious disease. It is usually caused by bacteria that are
carried via the bloodstream to the bone, from a source of infection in
another part of the body, such as a boil or an infected ear.
Osteomyelitis takes two forms—acute and chronic. The acute form, which
is brief and severe, is more common in a growing child than in an adult.
The child has a fever, is irritable, and experiences pain and tenderness
in the bone. In some children the infection may spread from the bone
into a nearby joint. The chronic form, which lasts longer than the acute
form, is more common in adults and is characterized by bone pain and
draining sinuses (a type of abscess).
If you suspect your child has osteomyelitis, call your doctor promptly.
The doctor may give the child intravenous fluids to keep up the child’s
strength, and antibiotics to combat the infection. Early and vigorous
medical attention can cure osteomyelitis in most children,
[.ijg.]
Otitis media. See Earaches
Overweight. Many children who appear to be overweight are not. For
example, a child with a stocky build and a large body frame is not
necessarily overweight. Nor is the preadolescent girl or boy who gains
weight rapidly just before a rapid increase in height. If you think your
child is overweight, consult your doctor. By examining the child, the
doctor can determine what the child’s weight should be for the age and
body frame of the child. If your child is overweight, the doctor can
determine the cause and prescribe treatment.
Occasionally, children with thyroid disease are overweight. Treatment of
the thyroid condition corrects the weight problem. In rare instances,
the cause may be a disorder of the pituitary gland or adrenal glands.
Usually, however, excessive eating or decreased physical activity (or
both) is the cause. The child is consuming more calories than are burned
through activity. Sometimes there are underlying emotional problems.
Weight problems may start after a family crisis or after the child
recovers from an illness or operation. The child may be eating because
of anxiety.
In some families, there is a tendency to be overweight. When both
parents are overweight, there is a 75 per cent chance that their
children will also be overweight.
A little extra weight probably is not harmful. But a child who is quite
heavy may significantly increase the workload of the heart, may have
trouble performing normal physical actions, or may be ridiculed and
rejected by classmates.
A child who is overweight needs help to lose the extra weight. Do not
keep tempting foods such as cookies, candy, cakes, soft drinks, ice
cream, and potato chips in the
house. Discourage between-meal eating. Offer the child fruit, carrot
sticks, and other raw vegetables for snacks. Encourage the child to
develop an interest in athletics and other activities that will provide
physical exercise. If you want to treat the child, do not do it with
sweets; instead, take the child to the bowling alley, swimming pool, or
skating rink. Praise the child for even the slightest weight loss. When
the child loses weight, some new clothes in the child’s new size may be
an added incentive, [m g.]
See also **Anorexia nervosa; Diets
