Children

Dealing with Hand – Foot and Mouth Disease

Dealing-with-Hand-–-Foot-and-Mouth-Disease

මෙම ළිපිය සිංහලෙන් කියවන්න

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Does your little one suddenly have angry red blisters inside the mouth, and on the skin of the hands and feet? Do these leave them uncomfortable and sometimes screaming in pain?

Hand, Foot and Mouth disease has recently made a recurrence in Sri Lanka, and we are seeing a lot of reported cases around the country. Mainly affecting toddlers and children, the Hand, Foot and Mouth disease can also be contracted by adults, yet very rarely.

What is this Hand, Foot and Mouth disease?

Hand, Foot and Mouth disease is a moderately contagious viral infection, which is spread by direct contact from person to person. It’s known to begin with a mild fever, followed by small red spots in the insides of the cheeks, gums and sides of the tongue. At the same time, rashes will also develop on the palms, fingers and soled of the feet. These will last between 7 – 10 days, and will then disappear, with no recorded complications.

How to manage Hand, Foot and Mouth disease?

The treatment for hand, foot and mouth disease is based on the symptoms, and it is strongly advised to consult a pediatrician if the symptoms such as spots in the mouth and rashes in hand and foot are visible in the child. However, it is medically recommended to use a cooling lotion, with soothing ingredients such as witch hazel and calamine (Such as Lacto Lotion) to manage the rashes on the skin. The lotion will also help in avoiding scarring of skin and itchiness.

How to avoid Hand, Foot and Mouth disease?

Being a viral infection, that is spread from person to person, hygiene is crucial in avoiding Hand, Foot and Mouth disease in children. It is recommended for children and care givers to frequently wash their hands, specially after visiting public spaces an using public transport. It is also advised not to let children have close contact with other children who are suspected to have Hand, Foot and Mouth disease, such as hugging, and sharing utensils etc. If, your child is suspected to have Hand, Foot and Mouth disease, it is recommended that the child is kept home away from school and public areas until the symptoms wear off, to avoid transmission.

Children generally become immune towards Hand, Foot and Mouth disease after the first infection, yet find it a very uncomfortable disease to have if infected. It is advised, always, to focus on effective hygiene practices for your children to keep them safe from such viral infections.

 

Written by Shana

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අහිතකර හිරු කිරණින් ඔබේ සම ආරක්ෂා කරන්න පහසු ක්‍රම 5ක්

THIS ARTICLE IS ALSO AVAILABLE IN ENGLISH

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හිරු මුදුන් වී ඇති මේ දවස්වල, ඔබේ සම අහිතකර හිරු කිරන වලින් ආරක්ෂා කරගැනීම ඉතාමත්ම වැදගත්. මාර්තු මාසයේ සිට අප්‍රේල් මාසය දක්වා මෙලෙස ඉර මුදුන් වීම නිසා, හිරු රශ්මියෙන් සමට ඇතිවෙන හානිය ඉතාමත්ම බරපතලයි. අහිතකර UVA සහ UVB කිරණ වලින්, මේ දින වල ඔබේ සම ආරක්ෂා කරගන්න පහසු ක්‍රම 5ක් මෙන්න!

1. පොල් තෙල්

විටමින් E වල යහගුණයෙන් පිරිපුන් පොල් තෙල් වලට, ඔබේ සම ඇතුලින් පෝෂණය කරන අතරම ඔබේ සම අහිතකර කිරු කිරණ වලින් ස්වභාවිකව ආරක්ෂා කරන්න පුළුවන්. දිනපතා පිරිසිදු පොල් තෙල් තේ හැඳි භාගයක් ඔබේ සමේ මතුපිට සහ මුහුණේ ආලේප කරන්න. මෙය, අහිතකර හිරු කිරණින් ඔබේ සම ආරක්ෂා කරන ස්වභාවික පටලයක් ලෙස ක්‍රියාකරයි. නමුත්, මෙය භාවිතා කල යුත්තේ ඔබට සාමාන්‍ය හෝ වියලි සමක් ඇති නම් පමණයි. තෙල් සහිත සමක් ඇති නම් සමහර විට පොල් තෙල් භාවිතයෙන් කුරුලෑ ඇති වෙන්න පුළුවන්. එමෙන්ම ඔබ බොහෝ වෙලාවක් ඉර අව්වේ සිටිනවා නම් පොල් තෙල් වලින් ලැබෙන ආරක්ෂාව ප්‍රමාණවත් නොවෙන්න පුළුවන්.

2. ඔබගේ දිනපතා make-up එකට හිරු කිරණින් ඔබේ සම ආරක්ෂා කරන්න පුළුවන් moisturizer එකක් එකතු කරන්න.

දිනපතා ඉතාමත් පරිස්සමෙන්, නොවරදවා ආලේප කරන make-up එකට ඔබව හිරු කිරණින් ආරක්ෂා කරන්න පුළුවන් නම්? ඔබේ දිනපතා make-up එකට Lacto Lotion එකතු කිරීමෙන්, ඔබේ make-up එක ඔබව හිරු කිරණින් ආරක්ෂා කරයි! Lacto Lotion තුල අන්තර්ගත Zinc Oxide වලට ඔබේ සම හිරු කිරණින් ආරක්ෂා කරන්න පුළුවන්. Lotion එකක් වශයෙන්, සම්පූර්ණ ආරක්ෂාවත් සමගම, Lacto Lotion එක ඔබේ සම ඇතුලතින් පෝෂණය කරමින්, කුරුලෑ ලප කැළැල් ඔබේ සමින් ඉවත් කරයි.

3. අව් කන්නාඩි භාවිතා කරන්න

ආලේපනයක් භාවිතයෙන් ආරක්ෂා කල නොහැකි අංගයකි ඔබගේ ඇස් දෙක. දිනපතා අව්වේ යන විට නොවරදවා අව් කන්නාඩි භාවිතා කරන්න. මෙමගින්, අහිතකර හිරු කිරන වලින් ඔබේ සම ආරක්ෂා කරන අතරම, දීර්ග කාලීනව ඔබගේ පෙනීම ද ආරක්ෂා කරයි.

4. ඔබගේ සම ආවරණය කරන්න

හිරු කිරණින් ඔබේ සම ආරක්ෂා කිරීමට පහසුම ක්‍රමය වන්නේ ඔබේ සම ආවරණය කිරීමයි. ඉර අව්වේ එලියට යනවිට ඔබගේ සමේ සංවේදී ප්‍රදේශ (බෙල්ල පිටුපස, උරහිස, අත් යනාදිය) ශෝල් එකක් හෝ කුඩයක් භාවිතයෙන් ආවරණය කරන්න.

5. Moisturize කරන්න

අධික රස්නය සහ අහිතකර හිරු කිරණ ඔබගේ සම ඇතුලතින් වියලි කරයි. මෙනිසා, අධික ලෙස රස්නය සහ හිරු කිරණ ඇති දින වල පැයකට වතාවක් වත් ඔබේ සම moisturize කිරීම අනිවාර්යයි. ඔබගේ Moisturizer එක තුල මෙම ද්‍රව්‍ය ඇතුලත් වී ඇත්දැයි බලන්න. Witch hazel, ඔබේ සම ඇතුලතින් ආරක්ෂා කර පෝෂණය කරන අන්තර්ගතයක් වන අතර, Calamine වල ඇති Zinc Oxide සම අහිතකර හිරු කිරණින් ආරක්ෂා කරමින් හිරු රශ්මියෙන් හානි වී ඇති ඔබේ සම සුව කරයි. මේ සියල්ලම අන්තර්ගත වන Lacto Calamine, ඔබේ සමට පරිපූර්ණ ආරක්ෂාවක් ලබා දෙයි.

අහිතකර හිරු කිරණින් ඔබේ සම සම්පූර්ණයෙන් ආරක්ෂා කරන්න කල හැකි දේ බොහොම පහසුයි. ඔබත් අදම ඔබේ සම හිරු කිරණින් ආරක්ෂා කරන්න. සුන්දර, නීරෝගී සමක් ලබාගන්න.

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5 Ways to Sun-Proof Your Skin

මෙම ළිපිය සිංහලෙන් කියවන්න

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The sun is upon us! (literally). Between March to April, the sun is pretty much overhead us, making the days warmer and the sun rays stronger. What does this mean to your skin? Well, it means that your skin needs a lot more protection, and a heavy duty skin protection regime needs to be embraced, to keep your skin safe from the harmful UVA and UVB rays.

Following are 5 easy ways to sun-proof your skin this season – with minimal effort!

1. Coconut Oil

Fortified with Vitamin E that actively nourishes and protects your skin, applying half a teaspoon of pure coconut oil on your skin before you face the sun is a simple way of staying sun protected! Labelled as a natural sun-screen, coconut oil acts as a layer on your skin, providing protection from harmful sun rays. However, this option is only recommended if you have dry or normal skin, as is not recommended for oily skin.

2. Incorporate a moisturizer with sun protection into your make-up routine

Most of us pay significant focus to our daily make-up routine. What if you can make your make-up sun proof? When Lacto Calamine is a part of your daily routine, your skin is automatically sun protected. Acting as a moisturizer, skin healer and protector from UVA and UVB rays, the Lacto Calamine lotion, which contains Zinc Oxide that actively protects against sun damage, is one of the easiest means by which you can protect your skin from harmful sun rays.

3. Sunglasses

Your eyes are one of the most sensitive elements of your face which is not covered by sunscreen. Protect your eyes by regularly using a pair of sunglasses to cover up – it will help your eyes stay safe from harmful UV rays and help protect your sight in the long run.

4. Cover Up

Your wardrobe plays a significant role in protecting your skin from harmful sun rays. Always try to cover the sensitive sun exposed areas of your skin – the back of your neck, shoulders and arms etc. Use a shawl or an umbrella when you go out in the sun – an additional layer of protection is always recommended.

5. Moisturize – Moisturize – Moisturize

You know what the sun and the heat does to your skin? It dries it up. Always give priority to moisturizing your skin with a moisturizer that can heal and protect your skin. Look out for ingredients such as witch hazel, which protects your skin; Calamine which includes Zinc Oxide, which actively protects against UV damage, and protect and heals from sun damage; all of which are ingredients of Lacto Calamine!

All it takes, are a few lifestyle changes for you to completely protect your skin from harmful sun rays. Take action and don’t let your skin get damaged by the sun!

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Daily Skincare Routine to Avoid Pimples and Blackheads

මෙම ළිපිය සිංහලෙන් කියවන්න

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Pimples and Blackheads are every girl’s worst nightmare. But do you know how pimples and blackheads occur and why?

Pimples and blackheads are both types of blemishes that occur on the skin – and are quite distressing when they occur. A pimple is a blemish that is inflamed, and usually appears to be red, white or filled with a mucus like substance. A pimple that looks like a simple red bump is called a papule, and when some of these develop a pus-filled substance these are called pustules.

Blackheads on the other hand, are not inflamed, and are hardly visible unless you inspect your skin very closely. These are simply dark toned blemishes that occur on your skin.

Pimples occur when the pores in your skin are blocked, and oil and dead skin cells become trapped inside these. As the oil glands keep pumping oil to these blocked pores, the pore walls break and white blood cells rush in to the pores, creating a pus filled pimple.

Black heads, on the other hand, occur when the surface of a pore is blocked with the oils produced in your skin. With time, the surface of this oil filled blemish oxidizes, giving you the appearance of black heads.

Both these conditions can be treated with this simple daily skin care routine.

1. Cleanse

Use a mild cleanser every day to clear your pores off blocked oil and dirt. A cleanser opens up the pores in your skin and clears off all oil and grit within these pores. For both black heads and pimples, we’d recommend the honey cleanser, which is easy to find and chemical free. Simply apply a tea spoon of honey on your face and gently massage it in. Wash this off with mildly warm water. This is gentle and rejuvenating at the same time, making this the perfect daily cleanser.

2. Tone

A toner does the job of closing and sealing the pores that were opened and shrinks the pores that are over large while further cleansing the skin from left over debris. Once you cleanse your face, it is important to use a toner. We recommend the homemade cucumber toner, where you simply grate a cucumber and squeeze the juice out for immediate use. You can also keep this refrigerated for up to 2 days. Simply apply the juice on your face using upwards motions. Wash this off using cold water.

3. Moisturize

Before you go out to start your day, use a moisturizer that nourishes your skin while protecting it from harmful UV rays. The Lacto Calamine cream is ideal for Dry skin and the lotion is ideal for oily skin – and both have the capability of nourishing your skin from the inside thanks to its unique ingredients. Whilst Witch Hazel nourishes the skin from the inside, Calamine heals the skin from all its blemishes, whilst providing protection from the sun.

This daily routine will, in no time relive your skin from pimples and blackheads! Yes, getting rid of pimples and blackheads are easy as the three steps of cleansing, toning and moisturizing!

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5 easy steps to get rid of skin blemishes

මෙම ළිපිය සිංහලෙන් කියවන්න

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A blemish is a woman’s worst nightmare. That discolored patch of skin that stands out from your normal skin tone has given many women, many sleepless nights. But what exactly is a blemish? It is important to understand this before we try to treat these blemishes.

Skin blemishes are patches of discoloration, marks or spots on your skin. These may occur anywhere, from face, arm to legs. There are many causes of blemishes, the most prominent of which is Acne. Acne is a condition where the pores in your skin or hair follicles gets clogged with oil, bacteria or dirt. The resulting pimple, blackhead or whitehead ends up leaving tiny marks, leading to blemishes caused by Acne. Another cause of blemishes is papules. These occur as a result of conditions such as chicken pox, eczema and dermatitis, resulting in larger patches of discolored skin. Hyperpigmentation, which is an overproduction of melanin causing uneven skin tone is also a leading cause of blemishes. Hyperpigmentation occurs due to sun exposure and acne scarring.

The solution to getting rid of blemishes is two-fold. If you already have blemishes, you need to treat these scars, and if you are prone to suffer with conditions such as acne, eczema and dermatitis, you need to follow a schedule of preventing the causes of blemishes.

Here are 5 easy steps to get rid of blemishes for a clear and even toned skin, while avoiding conditions that cause them!

1. Calamine

Calamine is a natural scar healing agent and is a tried and tested treatment for unsightly blemishes. Lacto Calamine comes with a combination of Calamine and Witch Hazel, which together have healing properties as well as skin balancing properties. These will help you get rid of those blemishes in no time, while giving you an even skin tone.

2. Baking Soda

Baking soda has the unique ability to balance the pH level of your skin. It can also slowly rid your skin of the accumulated dead skin cells. Mix one tea spoon of baking soda with a little bit of water to make a thick paste, and apply it on your blemish. Leave it on for 5 – 10 minutes and wash off. With regular use, this can make your blemishes disappear altogether.

3. Egg white

Packed full of natural enzymes that can help lighten your skin tone, using egg white as a face mask twice a week will help you lighten those scars while balancing your skin tone. Apply egg white on your face using upward strokes, and leave it on for 20 – 30 minutes before washing off.

4. Honey

Honey contains emollient properties that can nourish and revitalize your skin cells. It also contains antioxidants that remove free radicals, and replace the dead skin cells with healthy ones. Apply a layer of honey on your blemishes and leave on for 10 minutes before washing off. Use this treatment daily for best results.

5. Toothpaste

Surprisingly, toothpaste can absorb the excess oils in your skin, drying out your acne. The peppermint in the toothpaste also helps in the healing of the blemish, helping you get rid of it quite easily.

Blemishes are a secondary result of a number of factors that cause them. It is very important to understand the cause of your blemish and treat the cause than the symptom.

After all, prevention is always better than cure when it comes to your skin! 

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How to Keep Your Baby Safe From Heat Rash

මෙම ළිපිය සිංහලෙන් කියවන්න

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When the sun is over the equator and the heat hits tropical countries like Sri Lanka, it’s the little babies who suffer the most. Their soft and sensitive skin with tiny sweat pores is not designed to bear up with the excessive sweat generated by the body to keep cool, and thus the sweat gets trapped under the skin. End result? An uncomfortable baby who is suffering with heat rash!

What does heat rash in babies look like?

If your baby’s skin has a lot of tiny bumps or blisters, which are sometimes red, its most definitely a heat rash. These conditions occur mostly in folds in your baby’s skin such as the neck and where the clothes are close to the skin such as chest and buttocks.

How can I avoid heat rash?

Babies find heat rash to be uncomfortable and annoying as they are mostly itchy and sometimes in rare cases it can also develop in to skin infections. Heat rash is also a sign to say that your baby is overheating – something you should take very seriously as it can lead to heat related complications.

Heat rash is something that naturally disappears when the heat is reduced, but let’s not take even the slightest chance with your baby! Here are 4 easy steps to avoid heat rash!

1. Keep your baby cool!

Your baby needs to stay cool to avoid having a heat rash. Keep your baby in a shady area which is air conditioned or has a fan. If it’s getting too hot, its okay to keep your baby bare bodied.

2. Keep it loose and natural

Natural fibers have the capacity to breathe – which means that these clothes don’t trap heat. Loose fitting clothes with natural fibers are the best for babies – and avoid synthetic fibers at all costs. Another thing to avoid are plastic diapers – switch to cloth diapers at least during the heat season.

3. Hydrate!

Keep your baby hydrated with a lot of water and liquids. Lack of hydration in the body can lead to heat stroke, so its important to make sure that your baby is hydrated enough!

4. Keep the skin folds dry!

Areas with skin folds are most prone to heat rash, such as the neck and the crotch. Always keep these areas clean and dry, and apply prickly heat powder to avoid excess moisture in these regions.

Its always better to avoid heat rash. But, in the case of your baby suffering with heat rash, a Calamine based lotion or powder can help soothe the itching and the blisters. Apply calamine lotion or powder on the affected areas and help your baby cool down by taking off the clothes and keeping the baby in a cool, chilled place. Generally, heat rash disappears after a while. But if the symptoms persist, consult a doctor immediately.

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5 Things You Need to Know Before You Send Your Children Outdoors

The outdoors is a great place to explore and learn about the little intricacies of life. Sending your little ones out is a great exposure in order for their mental and physical growth. Statistics state that playing outdoors is a great form of physical exercise that promotes child – well being and improves general health.

However, if you have chosen to let your children know the greater degree of life outside, its better to be equipped and gather knowledge to be on the more informed and safer side.

Here are five important things you should know before you send your children to explore the world outside.

  • Clothing

How your child is dressed and in what apparel they are clothed in plays an important role in their outdoor life. Weather is another factor which effects daily routine. If it’s in the tropics, its better to dress your child in clothes that are made out of cotton. The cotton clothing shall absorb the moisture of the sweat and keep your child fuss free.

If your child is more prone to get his or her clothing dirty, either due to vigorous play and activity, It is advisable to dress them in apparel that is more onto the darker shade. A darker shade will keep the dirty look minimized and would make an easier wash

  • Sun Lotion

If you happen to live in the tropics and in Asian countries, then this is a serious concern you should take into important consideration. Due to heavy pollution and harsh sun effects we need to keep ourselves more informed, when we send our kids out to play. A sun lotion is am important factor that plays a vital role in keeping your children safe and act as a screen. Apart from the concern with regards to complexion, the health effects due to direct exposure to the sun is indeed a worrying one. The acute and immediate effects of UV irradiation on sensitive human skin could vary between sunburn to inflammation erythema and tanning. This short term exposure may cause pain and itching, due to irritated skin.

Adults often tend to look after their skin due to a particular skin care regime, however children are overlooked and the effects of the detrimental exposure to direct sunlight is an alarming one.It is essential to choose a wise option to protect your kids from the sun before sending them out. There are many sunlotions in the market. However it is important to consider a good option when it comes to sunlotions. The factors that you may have to consider should be the SPF. SPF (sun protection factor) is a relative measure of how long a sunscreen will protect you from ultraviolet (UV) B rays.

Make sure to apply the stated amount of sunlotion onto your children. One must choose a trusted skin care brand with a good name in the market before you make the purchase. You should be informed that a sun lotion which consists of an SPF rating tends to act as a shield that eliminates the effect of UV photons from touching skin and causing harsh damage. This may also depends on what type your skin (or your child’s skin) is, (sensitive/ oily/ tough/ rough) type and how exposed it may be towards burn. Always follow the careful instructions and follow the label. Any sunscreen lotion that consists of an SPF 50+ combines strong UVA and UVB filters that shield young and sensitive skin from sun damage with a caring formula. Use only the safest since children have tender skin

The benefits of using a good sun lotion on your children will reap the results later and will also help keeping away skin cancer. Did you know that Ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun is the number one cause of any skin cancer. Children need to have adequate protection from the sun so choose a sunscreen that has the essential quotient of SPF 50 and a sun lotion that has UVA & UVB both.

  • Shoes and footwear

Apart from clothing and a good lotion an important factor that needs to be considered is proper shoes whilst sending your child outdoors. Choose from Footwear that is both durable and light for your child to wear. Make sure that they do not cause unnecessary discomfort or cuts that might effect the sensitive skin and cause callouses on the heels or the ankles. Choose footwear that does not have laces so that children don’t trip. Its best to look for shoes that have velcro straps that eliminate the hassle of shoe laces.

  • Stay hydrated

Adequate hydration is an essential factor that is often overlooked. Children tend to forget to drink water or juice, they even stay hungry for long periods of time. It’s best to ensure your child has adequate water and other juices to keep them hydrated before sending them out.

  • Mini snacks

Children hardly take care of their hunger, they tend to get grumpy. It is best to satisfy their occasional hunger pangs with mini bites that are healthy. Instead of junk food, do give them a small snack of freshly cut fruit or crackers before they head out.

Being Asians, the sun is an important part of our lives, make sure that when you send your children outdoors, they are always well protected. They are the beacon of our future and deserve only the best. We need to up our game in terms of protection with today’s outbreak of disease and pollution. Safeguarding them and providing them with safety is essential to ensure a rosy future!

by Sheherazad Hussain