水痘

我在年过廿时，才出水痘。虽然已是很久的事情，但那痛苦的经历却令我到自今都无法忘怀。我还记得当时饱受全身发痒，却又不能抓痒的痛苦，由其当时我母亲严禁我沐浴，深怕我会因此而引发肺炎或其它并发症。

体验了这种痛苦经验，我打定主意决不让我的孩子也和我有相同的经历。因此，水痘疫苗问世时，我第一时间就带当时只有三岁的颖諠前往私人转科症所接种疫苗。由于事隔已久，我也忘了当时的确切费用，只记得它的收费跟政府诊疗所比较之下，只多出S$20或S$30左右（目前在政府诊疗所受费为S$65，而私人诊疗所受费为S$85疫苗；S$15接种；S$30门诊）。当颖諠接种了疫苗后，我以为可以安枕无忧了，真是大错特错。

颖諠在一年后，被她的同班同学传染，得了水痘。我当时的反应是震惊与无奈，尤其不知该如何劝服一个四岁大的孩子；在水痘发痒时，不可抓痒。唯一庆幸的是，颍諠除了身体一些部位长了水痘外，她的脸并没有长太多水痘，我想那可能是她曾接种疫苗的关系吧！

为了防止颍諠忍不住抓痒，我特地从诊疗所买了一种消炎粉涂抹在她的水痘上止痒。除此之外，我还每天用黄豆水（一杯黄豆加一大壶水煮滚即可）给颍諠冲凉，据说能帮助防止水痘扩散。这个土方在颍諠身上还蛮管用的。



当然，除了以上的方法，还有其它的治疗方法可以提供参靠：

Arm & Hammer Baking Soda： 将一杯分量的粉溶入在装满温水的洗澡盆，然后浸泡在水里冲洗以达到止痒效果。

Cheerios: 可用来制成止痒粉。将两杯分量的谷物用搅拌机搅成粉末，用粉末加温水来浸泡冲洗来止痒。

Fruit of the Earth Aloe Vera Gel： 用此芦荟膏涂抹身上后，再冲洗以达到止痒效果和身体保持清爽。

Kingsford's Corn Starch 和 Johnson's Baby Oil：将淀粉和婴儿油加水成糊状，可涂抹在水痘上止痒。

Phillips's Milk of Magnesia 或 Calamine Lotion： 用棉花轻轻抹在水痘上止痒。

Quaker Oats 和 L'eggs Sheer Energy Panty Hose： 将燕麦用搅拌机搅成粉末，并装在丝袜里，再将丝袜邦紧，然后浸泡在温水里。将身体浸泡在水里三十分钟来止痒。

中药草也有疗效作用：

青果和芦杆茶

青果 30grm
芦杆 60grm

煮法：将青果绞碎，芦杆切块，加进水里煮，并当茶饮。

疗效：清热解毒。

解注：此茶只适用于水痘初期并带有发烧、喉咙发炎疼痛等症状。


芦杆菊花茶

芦杆 60grm
野菊花 10grm

煮法：将切块状的芦杆与野菊花一起加在水里煮成茶饮。

疗效：清热解毒。

解注：此茶适用于水痘发疹和发热时饮用。

其它需注意的事项：

• 除非经医生批准，否则不可给患儿喂食阿司匹林。
• 在食物里不可加黑酱以免日后留下疤痕。
• 患儿必须要有足够的休息。
• 让患儿吃有营养的食物补充精力。
• 时时刻刻修剪患儿的手指甲，以免患儿抓破皮疹导致化脓感染。

因为有了颍諠出水痘的经验，我对于该不该让我的小儿子 - 禹衔也接种水痘疫苗，犹豫不决。但我相信如果有一天，当禹衔也患上水痘时，我绝对可以应付自如，也不会一味认为让禹衔接种了疫苗，他就可以幸免出水痘。

预防针

禹衔在满八个月大前，我就已让他注射了肺炎球菌感染疾病 (Pneumococcal) 和六合一 (6-in-1) 的预防针。刚开始，我与我先生都很犹豫是否该让幼小的禹衔接种六合一的疫苗。后来，在听取了不同护士的意见后，才放心的作出这样的决定。绝大部份的护士都赞成让幼儿一次过打六合一的预防针，理由是小孩可少打几次针。

禹衔的预防针都是在政府诊疗所打的。在政府诊疗所，如无需问诊的话，六合一的预防针大概是S$200以上，而私人诊所则有另加S$50以上的门诊费。除了费用的考量，我们也担心幼小的禹衔是否能适应这么强的疫苗，还好，禹衔在接种疫苗后并无产生不适。

当禹衔接种完六合一的疫苗后，我们就开始烦恼该不该让他注射其它的选择性疫苗。不同的护士持有不同的见解，有的护士认为没有必要让幼儿打太多的预防针；有的则认为预防胜于治疗，不要等到小孩患上疾病时才来后悔。

对我们和其他家长来说，有两种疫苗应该考虑在先： 肺炎球菌感染疾病和轮状病毒 (Rotavirus) 疫苗。

以下是我所收集到有关肺炎球菌感染疾病的一些知讯：

脑膜炎（会导致严重及永久性的残障）

- 包括失去听觉，瘫痪, 智力缺陷及死亡。症状包括：发烧，昏睡及嗜睡，呕吐及颈部或腿部僵硬。

菌血症（细菌进入血液循环造成血液系统受到细菌感染）

- 菌血症也会造成脑膜炎。症状包括：发烧及呼吸急促。

肺炎（肺部急躁感染）

- 症状包括：咳嗽，胸口郁闷，生痰，发烧及发冷或颤抖及早诊断其病况及采取行动非常重要。

中耳炎（中耳感染）

- 症状包括：耳朵疼痛，发烧及小孩经常性的拉耳朵。

由于幼儿感染肺炎球菌感染疾病的情况在我国并无达到危险水平，因此我国卫生部并没有强制要所有的幼儿接种疫苗。家长如要让宝宝接种此疫苗，必需到私人诊所讯问，因为该疫苗目前政府诊疗所并无提供。

如果幼儿在一岁以下，接种疫苗需分三次进行；一岁以上到两岁以下，需分两次进行；两岁以上则只需接种一次疫苗。

禹衔的疫苗是在我家附近的转科诊所注射的。该诊所的转科医生非常细心与耐心，并且有丰富的医学转业知识，让我感到非常放心。由于政府并没有给于津贴，接种此疫苗非常昂贵，一次就需缴付S$200（包括门诊费S$30在内）。

至于轮状病毒疫苗，我并没有让禹衔注射此疫苗。除了收费昂贵外（接种疫苗大概S$150以上），禹衔也过了可以接种的年龄（宝宝需在六个月大前注射）。在我所收集到的资料显示，染上该病毒的幼儿，都会出现腹泻现象与细菌感染。除了腹泻外，幼儿也会出现呕吐，发烧等症状，严重则会有脱水现象。但只要在家长细心照料下，绝无性命危险。较大的孩童或成人如果感染此病毒，有时只呈现咳嗽或伤风现象而已，比较难察觉，因此需要特别小心观察。

值得庆幸的是，除了此病毒不会危害到幼儿的性命外，当幼儿多次感染病毒后，他们的身体会自动产生免疫力抗体。当然，在这之前，幼儿都必须经历病痛的折磨，是所有家长不乐预见的。

为了不让孩童感染病毒，家长必须非常注重卫生问题。除了经常要小朋友在吃饭前或玩耍后洗手，所有的玩具也必须每次清洗以保持干净卫生。大人也需遵守卫生条例，在帮宝宝换纸尿片或烹煮宝宝的食物时，一定要时时确保双手干净。给宝宝喂食母乳同样也可以达到防止宝宝感染病毒。

有了以上的讯息，我对于禹衔未能接种轮状病毒并无感到担忧。况且我的长女 - 颍諠，从她出世到至今，除了注射卫生部所列出的预防针和水痘疫苗外，并没有注射其它疫苗。让我感到庆幸的是，颍諠没有因此而受到病毒感染或有任何健康问题，她还是很快乐又健康的成长。

该不该让幼儿注射尔外的预防针，我想除了我之外，都是每个家长应该认真思考的问题。

Chickenpox

I remember very clearly that I had my Chickenpox at the age of 20. It was a painful experience. My whole body itching and fever went up and down, worst is my mum forbid me from bathing during this period.

With the bad experience, I strongly do not want my child suffer the same situation like me. Therefore, when there was this Chickenpox vaccine for the children, I bring my girl to take the injection as soon as possible.

The injection was done in a private clinic 4 years ago, amount I cannot really remember but was around S$20 or S$30 more then the polyclinic (Current Polyclinic fees is S$65 and Private is S$85 + S$15 injection preparation + S$30 Consultant fees). After the jab, I thought I can rest my mind, but I am totally wrong!

My girl got her Chickenpox a year later. One of her classmate has the Chickenpox and was spread to her. I am shock and speechless at that point. As she was only 4 years old, is very difficult to expect her not to scratch her body. Luckily, only some red bumps appear on her face, and I guess the jab does help to reduce the amount of the bumps coming out.

To prevent her from scratching, I use the powder prescribe by the doctor to help relieve her itch. Also, I let her bath in cooked Soya water (take 1 cup of Soya bean to boil in a big pot of water, after the water boiled, throw away the Soya bean, leave the water for the child to bath), which i was told can reduced the bumps spreading and recover fast, and it really work on my girl.

Of course, there are a few ways to treat this Chickenpox, below are some of the others treatment which I gather the information:

Arm & Hammer Baking Soda. Dissolve one cup of this soda into a bathtub filled with warm water and soak. It will relieve itching skin.

Cheerios. You can create your own anti-itch powder using Cheerios cereal. Just pour two cups of this cereal into a blender and blend into a fine powder. Pour this powder into a warm bath and soak. The oatmeal in it is what will soothe your itchy skin. (Warning: Be sure to cover the bath drain with a mesh covering in order to avoid clogging-up your tub.)

Fruit of the Earth Aloe Vera Gel. Use this Gel as a body wash as your shower. The analgesic properties in it will attack any itch. It will also help you smell fresh.

Kingsford's Corn Starch and Johnson's Baby Oil. Mix baby oil, corn starch and a little water to make a paste. Then, apply this oil to the areas on your body that itch. It's one way to focus on the most irritating areas of your body without a full submersion into some type of concoction.

Phillips's Milk of Magnesia or Calamine Lotion. Use a cotton ball to apply this lotion to soothe chicken pox.

Quaker Oats and L'eggs Sheer Energy Panty Hose. Make an oatmeal anti-itch bath using these two products. Pour one cup of Quaker Oats into a blender and blend into a powder. Transfer it into the cut off foot of a clean pair of L'eggs Sheer Energy Panty Hose. Then tie a knot. Hang it under the spigot of a bathtub and run warm water. Soak in it for thirty-minutes and your itch will go away.

Soothing Baths. Frequent baths are sometimes helpful to relieve itching. Adding finely-ground (colloidal) oatmeal such as Aveeno can help improve itching. Oatmeal baths can be prepared at home also by grinding or blending dry oatmeal into a fine powder and adding about 2 cups to the bath water. One-half to one cup of baking soda may also be added to bath water to reduce itching.

There are also some Chinese herb can help in treating Chickenpox too:

Chinese Olive & Phragmites Tea (Qing Guo Lu Gen Cha)

Chinese olive, i.e., Fructus Canarii (Qing Guo) 30 grams

Rhizoma Phragmitis Communis (Lu Gen) 60 grams

Method of administration: Pound the olives into pieces and cut the phragmites into pieces. Boil these together with water and drink the resulting liquid as a tea.

Functions: Clears heat and resolves toxins, engender fluids and disinhibits the throat

Indications: This tea is suitable for the treatment of chickenpox during its initial stage with fever and a red, painful throat or, in other words, when it exhibits a wind heat exterior pattern.

Phragmites & Chrysanthemum Tea (Lu Ju Cha)

Rhizoma Phragmitis Communis (Lu Gen) 60 grams

Wild chrysanthemum flower, i.e., Flos Chrysanthemi Indici (Ye Ju Hua) 10 grams

Method of administration: Cut the phragmitcs into pieces and then boil these pieces and the chrysanthemum flowers with water. Drink the liquid as a tea.

Functions: Clears heat and resolves toxins, engenders fluids and stops thirst

Indications: This tea is suitable for the treatment of chickenpox manifesting as a pattern of heat toxins.

Things that need to take note:

• Do not give aspirin to a child without first contacting the child's physician.
• Do not let your child take black source as it will leave black marks.
• Let your child rest more.
• Eat healthy meals to boost your child immune system.
• Trim your child finger nails so they will not scratch the rash.

With my girl’s experience, I will not be panic if my younger son has Chickenpox. To get him jab for the vaccine or not is still a big question for me. But at least if I let him had the vaccine, I will not be shock if he still get the Chickenpox and will expect less bumps on him too.

Optional Immunisations??

My 8 mths boys recent have completed his 6-in-1 vaccination jab and had taken the first of 3 dose of Pneumococcal vaccination.

Before we have decided to go ahead with the 6-in-1 jab, we seek for others advice. Some say it will be too strong for the baby, some say less painful as the baby will need not to have too many injection.

My son had the injection taken in polyclinics. It cost above S$200 in total, not including consultation fee unless baby need to see doctor for health reason. (Private clinic will be about the same cost but each visit will have an additional charges of consultation fees and the amounts varies from clinic to clinic.) Money is of course one of the issues for us to consider, but the most importance is whether our little baby can take the strong injection like that?? Finally after seeking one of the nurse advices, we let our little boy go for the 6-in-1 injection. The good thing is, he seem fine after the injection.

The next worry for us is, do we need to give him optional immunisations?? Some nurse said why let the little one have so many injections? Others say it will be good to prevent then sorry.

There are two type of optional injection which all the parents may need to consider letting their young’s one take the injection. First is the Pneumococcal, second is Rotavirus.

I have done my homework about the Pneumococcal injection. This disease may kill the young one if did not get treat in time. The child will have high fever which acts like a normal sickness cost parent unaware. Children may have brain damage too.

There are four types of illnesses cause by Pneumococcal disease:

1) Meningitis (infection of the lining of the brain or spinal cord)
- Can cause serious and sometimes permanent disabilities including hearing loss, paralysis, mental retardation and death.
- Symptoms: fever, lethargy or drowsiness, vomiting and stiff neck or legs

2) Bacteraemia (blood infection)
- Occurs when bacteria enter the bloodstream and cause infection of the blood.
- Can also develop into meningitis.
- Symptoms: fever, irritability and rapid breathing

3) Pneumonia (infection of the lungs)
- Symptoms: cough, chest congestion, production of phlegm, fever and chills/shaking
- Early diagnosis and treatment is vital.

4) Otitis Media (middle ear infection)
- Symptoms: ear-ache, fever and frequent tugging of the ear.

The percentage of infant or young children getting this disease in Singapore is not yet critical otherwise MOH will have to add this injection in the list which all children must take. Therefore, you may not find these vaccines available in the polyclinics and is really very expensive for the whole course. Young baby who are under 1 years old will need to have 3 doses and above 1 year old will be 2 doses. For 2 years above toddles will only need to take 1 dose. These vaccines will not cost fever for most of the babies.

As the polyclinic does not carry these vaccines, I went to the children specialist clinic to take the injection for my boy. The injection cost me S$200 per dose including consultation fees (Prevenar: S$155, Consultation: S$30, Injection/Vaccination: S$15). The reasons I choose this clinic are: the doctor is experienced and full of patience; and no long queue like polyclinic.

As for the Rotavirus vaccines which polyclinic did not carry too, we hesitate to let our boy have it due to the cost (around S$150) and also too many injections when he was 3 - 6 mths old. By now, he is already 8 mths old and we realise that Rotavirus vaccine is only for babies under 6 mths old. According to the information I have, Rotavirus is one of the most common causes of diarrhea, and severe infection (rotavirus gastroenteritis) is the leading cause of severe, dehydrating diarrhea in infants and young children. Children with a rotavirus infection have fever, nausea, and vomiting, often followed by abdominal cramps and frequent, watery diarrhea. Kids may also have a cough and runny nose. As with all viruses, though, some rotavirus infections cause few or no symptoms, especially in adults.

However, according to one of the doctor told us that after several times suffer from this disease; the children themselves will have immunity. Further, this virus will not kill the young’s one if parents take good care of the children.

One of the best ways to protect your child from rotavirus infection is through breastfeeding. It is also ideal for you to disinfect his regular play areas and toys. It is just as important to maintain strict hygiene practices at home – such as helping your child wash his hands after using the toilet, and washing your own hands after diaper-changing, or when preparing and serving food.

Due to the above reasons, we are less worry that our boy did not took the Rotavirus vaccine. Beside, our 6 six old girl, we did not even get her jab for any of the optional immunisations (except for Chickenpox) and she is still a happy healthy girl.

To go for the optional injection or not, is really a dilemma not only to us but also to most parents!

My very first step

This is a very first step i am going to do to change my life style.

Setting up this blog is to share all the info which I have experience and would like others share with me too. :)

Hope this first step is a good start for me and my children.