General measures to be taken during common diseases

 

                                     

We cannot just give medicines and expect the person to recover. One must take suitable diet & follow other measures to recover quickly. Many a times , mild illnesses recover with just supportive measures.
COLDS/COUGHS
Diet : bland, soft ,veg , home-made. EgRice+dal, rice + rasam, rice + sambar, Idli +sambar,Veg soups, boiled vegetables
● Use warm water for drinking.
● AVOID fruits/ juices /cold food / cold water or drinks/curd till cold & cough is cleared completely. Can take Apple/Papaya
● AVOID A/C ; Keep windows closed in winters
● AVOID head bath until cold/cough subsides ;Body bathing with warm water( if no fever )
● Plain steam inhalation can be done for nose block/wheezing/coughs(Avoid adding
vicks/eucalyptus oil or any other medicine etc)
● Must do warm salt water gargling 3 times a day for throat pain/colds/coughs
● Use Honey (without mixing any water ) 5ml + Fresh ginger juice 5 drops [or] ¼ pinch of
pepper powder , 3-4 times /day for cough in children more than 1 yr of age. Honey is as
good as any cough syrup for children. Avoid honey in children under 1 yr of age

FEVERS 

Diet : bland, soft, veg , home- made Eg Rice kanji, milk, milk+ bread, Idli +mild sambar, rice + dal,rice + rasam, apple, papaya,boiled vegetables, veg soups.
● Must give Electral/ ORS/Tender coconut water . Give plain water if the child refuses ORS
● AVOID bathing ;use fan if needed & comfortable clothing. AVOID A/C
● For high fever (>102) – wipe with lukewarm/tap water over forehead/body every 1-2
hours.NEVER use cold/ice water for sponging .
● Usually it takes around 24-48 hours for the fever to come down after giving the
medicines . So please be patient .

VOMITING /DIARRHEA
Diet : bland, soft , veg, easy-to-digest home-made Eg.Rice or sago or arrow root gruel/ kanji , buttermilk,  dal rice, curd rice, idli , banana,apple . Breastfeeding to be continued in infants
● Must give Electral/ ORS/tender coconut water. Give plain water if the child refuses ORS. Give as much as the child wants to take.
● In case of vomiting, give small (e.g. 10 ml)quantities frequently( every 5-10 min). Once
vomiting is controlled larger quantities can be given .
● AVOID cool drinks /soda/ fruit juices/plain glucose solution/tea/coffee/spicy/oily/fried items
● Vomiting subsides in 1 day and Diarrhea subsides in 3-5 days usually.
Gradually revert back to normal diet once symptoms subside