The most likely cause of respiratory alkalosis in newborns is illness or a congenital disorder that causes the newborn to experience respiratory difficulties resulting in rapid, shallow breathing, or hyperventilation. Some of these medical conditions include pneumonia, high fever, congenital lung malformation, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, meconium aspiration and lung agenesis. While respiratory alkalosis by itself is not life endangering, the condition causing hyperventilation might be dangerous to the newborn’s health, requiring immediate intervention in order to return a normal alkaline content to the infant’s bloodstream.

Respiratory Alkalosis

Acidity levels of the blood are constantly maintained by the lungs and kidneys. While the kidneys eliminate acid through urine output, the lungs accomplish the same task by ridding the body of acid through exhalation of carbon dioxide. Essentially, the blood turns much more alkaline than acid during respiratory alkalosis. When an individual starts to inhale and exhale rapidly because of anxiety or illness, hyperventilation occurs causing respiratory alkalosis. Oxygen does not stay in the lungs long enough to be assimilated into the blood, creating a decrease in the amount of carbon dioxide in the body. Symptoms of dizziness, light-headedness, tingling or numbness of the extremities and occasionally muscle spasms and unconsciousness affect the individual.

Signs of Respiratory Alkalosis

Infants suffering from respiratory alkalosis experience symptoms directly caused by the reduced level of carbon dioxide in the body, including a disruption of the calcium ion equilibrium and and unconsciousness. Blood pH levels dramatically fluctuate in order to counterbalance for what the body thinks is an incoming flood of lactic acid, a chemical produced by muscles under stressful circumstances. Infants suffering from this intense shifting of acid levels might experience burning sensations throughout the body, as well as depressed functioning of the central nervous system. However, accurate diagnosis of respiratory alkalosis in infants depends wholly on arterial blood gas interpretation.

Diagnosis of Newborn Respiratory Alkalosis

Testing the amount of arterial blood gas in a newborn’s system is necessary to confirm the presence of respiratory alkalosis. This test will also negate the possibility of metabolic acidosis, which necessitates respiratory compensation. If the condition causing the newborn to hyperventilate enough to profoundly disturb blood acid levels is not resolved, severe respiratory alkalosis can induce heart arrhythmias, seizures or even brain damage in newborns. Depending on what is producing the respiratory alkalosis, a sedative may be given to the infant in an attempt to reduce rapid breathing and allow oxygen to infiltrate the lungs more deeply and evenly.

Recovery

If the underlying cause of newborn respiratory alkalosis is successfully treated, recovery is usually free of prolonged conditions that are detrimental to the child’s future health. In fact, maintaining a slightly higher than normal alkaline level in the body seems to assist the immune system in warding off diseases. This is due to the inability of bacteria and other pathogens to thrive in an acidic environment. Newborns, however, need to be strictly monitored when it involves their alkaline and acid levels because they easily become under- and over-ventilated.

For most women, the first sign of pregnancy is when your menstrual period doesn’t arrive on the expected date. When your period is late and still doesn’t come after a few days, it might be a sign you’re pregnant, providing you’ve been sexually active. However, there are several factors that might conceal your pregnancy, even at six weeks pregnant.

Oligomenorrhea

According to the website Medical News Today, oligomenorrhea is the medical term describing menstrual periods that are irregular or infrequent. A number of causes can be attributed to irregular menstrual cycles, including a change in your method of contraception, some type of hormonal imbalance, excessive exercise, poor diet, hay fever and asthma. If you suffer from oligomenorrhea, it might not seem out of the ordinary if your period is late, leading you to assume its tardiness is related to menstrual irregularity, not pregnancy. Under this set of circumstances, you could be six weeks pregnant and not know it.

Early Symptoms

Although a missed menstrual period is the most obvious sign, there are other early symptoms that might indicate pregnancy up to and beyond six weeks of pregnancy. As Medical News Today points out, these include nausea — which can be accompanied by vomiting — excessive fatigue; dizziness; changes to your breasts, including increased breast tenderness; and the need to urinate more frequently than normal. If you experience any or all of these symptoms but ignore them, or you simply don’t notice, you might not be aware that you’re pregnant.

Home Pregnancy Tests

If you suspect you might be pregnant, the fastest, easiest way to find out is to use a home pregnancy test. According to MayoClinic.com, you’ll obtain the most reliable test results if you wait until one week after the date of your missed period. Pregnancy tests detect a hormone called human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG), which your body begins to produce at a rapid rate after the fertilized egg attaches to your uterine lining; in fact, the level of HCG in your blood might even double every two days. If the home pregnancy test indicates that you are pregnant, you need to schedule an appointment with your doctor as soon as possible to take a blood test.

Folic Acid

Folic acid is extremely important during your first month of pregnancy and is necessary to ensure normal development of a baby’s brain and spine; however, many women don’t realize they’re pregnant until they’ve been pregnant for a month. For this reason, notes the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, if you’re sexually active and entertaining the possibility of becoming pregnant, you should be taking folic acid supplements regularly.

In your second trimester of pregnancy, you will likely feel less nauseated and more energized, which can make exercising seem more appealing. Pilates exercises can help make you stronger and better able to protect your neck and back as your belly and breasts become bigger. At this point in your pregnancy, you should focus on increasing core stability, balance and posture. Certain exercise positions are generally safe, but lying on your back is not recommended. Get your doctor’s permission before exercising when you are pregnant.

Standing

Standing exercises offer the benefit on not having to get up and down from the floor. You can do stretching and strengthening exercises in this position. An example of an exercise appropriate for someone in their second trimester is the Standing Cat Back. This exercise strengthens your legs and keeps your spine supple. Begin standing with your feet hip-width apart and bend your knees into a mini squat. Incline forward slightly and rest your hands on your thighs. First arch your entire back and look up, and then round your back in the opposite direction. This provides a stretch from your lower back up to your neck. Repeat four times.

Kneeling

Kneeling is another position with appropriate exercises for women in their second trimesters. Kneeling allows you to do modifications of popular Pilates exercises, such as the Kneeling Hundreds, while avoiding lying on your back. To perform a Kneeling Hundreds, kneel on a pillow and hold your arms straight at your sides with your palms facing behind you. Pump your arms quickly behind you for five counts as in your inhale, and then squeeze your abs in as you exhale for five counts. Repeat once to complete one set and work up to 10 sets.

Side-Lying

Lying on your back or stomach may not be comfortable during your second trimester, but you can exercise lying on your side, which leaves plenty of room for your growing belly. An example of a Pilates exercise that you can perform on your side is the Banana, which works your abs, back and legs. To begin, lie on your right side with your right leg bent, your right arm lying flat on the floor and your head resting on your bicep. Place your left hand on the floor in front of you for support and straighten your left leg. Then, lift your left leg, right arm and upper body toward the ceiling. Repeat four to six times and then switch sides.

All Fours

The "all fours" position leaves room for your belly and allows you to perform challenging exercises for your core. This basic position is also known as Table Top. An exercise you can do in the second trimester that begins with this position is Hovering Knees. Begin on your hands and knees, and then lower yourself down on your forearms. Slowly lift your knees a few inches off the floor so that your weight is on your forearms and toes. Your spine must stay straight. After one deep breath, return your knees to the floor and repeat four to eight times. This exercise strengthens your abs.

Lying on Your Back

By the time you reach your second trimester, it is best if you avoid lying on your back because in this position, your baby can put pressure on the large vein that allows blood to flow from your lower body to your heart. This also affects blood supply to your baby. The reduction in blood flow may make you dizzy. Dizziness can also be a symptom of overdoing exercise. Headaches, chest pain, abdominal pain, vaginal bleeding and shortness of breath are other signs that you should stop what you are doing.

An allergy is an immune response to something in the environment. Many allergies cause nasal symptoms like a runny nose, sneezing and coughing, and even skin symptoms like eczema. According to BabyCenter, dust mites are a common cause of nasal allergies in toddlers, affecting approximately 85 percent of children who have allergies. Wool rugs release particles that might aggravate allergies so you should avoid them, or at least clean them frequently. In addition, your toddler can be allergic to wool itself.

Dust Mites

Dust mites are small bugs that usually live in house dust. Dust mites eat human-shed skin cells and absorb water from humidity so they thrive in warm, moist air. Dust mites are often trapped in bed linens, carpeting, floor rugs and furniture accessories like cushions, so they are often in the bedroom. According to the Mayo Clinic, an allergy to the decaying debris of a dust mite often includes itchy eyes, sneezing, nasal congestion, a runny nose, coughing and possibly wheezing. Consult a doctor if allergy symptoms persist and seem to interfere with your toddler’s quality of life.

Wool Rugs

There is no rug that is completely allergy-free, according to the Carpet and Rug Institute. Though wool rugs tend to be a drier environment and not an ideal living condition for dust mites, they can also trap bugs that come near. They can also trap other allergens like pet dander. According to the University of Nebraska’s UNL Extension in Lancaster County, you should avoid wool rugs in a bedroom because they shed particles that other insects might eat. These potentially dust- and dander-filled particles travel to different locations and might attract insects to your toddler’s room.

Considerations

If you have a wool rug in your toddler’s room, vacuum it twice weekly, according to the Carpet and Rug Institute. In addition, vacuum any particles that come off the rug, as these particles can travel.

Wool Allergy

Some toddlers are allergic to wool. Symptoms of a wool allergy are redness, swelling and a rash on the face, hands and arms. Wool particles might come off a rug and land on your toddler’s skin. In addition, airborne particles that enter the respiratory system can cause nasal congestion and a runny nose. To help your child avoid these allergies, avoid any product containing wool.

The frustration-aggressive syndrome is based on a decades-old hypothesis that all aggression stems from frustration. The frustration-aggressive syndrome — also called a theory and a hypothesis — applies to both adults and children. It has been used to explain why children become bullies and why bullied children may turn violent. It also helps explain other aggressive behaviors and has led to research about ways to prevent frustration from leading to aggression.

Theory

The theory, introduced in 1939 by Yale University professors Leonard Doob and John Dollard, first stated that all aggression is the result of frustration and that all frustration leads to aggression. The authors amended the second half of the theory in 1941, saying, “Frustration produces investigations to a number of different types of response, one of which is an instigation to some form of aggression.” This means, as the theory applies to children, that aggressive children act out because they’re frustrated but not all frustrated children become aggressive.

Modern Application

The frustration-aggression theory has been updated and re-examined in recent decades. The focus has been on trying to determine why some, but not all, frustrated children turn violent and on ways to prevent aggression among frustrated children. Most bullying, for example, occurs at school, and educators and administrators have searched for reliable ways to prevent bullying and other acts of violence in the classroom and on the playground, according to a 2007 study published in the "International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology." Multiple studies have sought to explain why bullying persists despite considerable effort on the part of educators to prevent it.

Root Causes of Frustration

This 2007 study on bullying led by J.P. Dussich, a researcher at California State University Fresno, suggests that educators can’t break the link between frustration and aggression — bullying — because bullies are frustrated by their home lives, not by their experiences or relationships at school. Dussich examined bullying incidents in South Africa, the United States and Japan and found that most bullies suffered physical abuse at home. Physically harmed — and frustrated — children became aggressive toward other children. Because bullies’ frustrations were caused by problems outside school, teachers and principals were ill-prepared to prevent bullying.

Considerations

The frustration-aggression syndrome helps explain why victims of bullies sometimes turn fatally aggressive. Doob and Dollard’s theory was used by some news commentators to explain massacres such as the Columbine shootings. Aggression may stem from a particular frustrating event or from an ongoing, long-term frustration. Aggression — an act — is hard to prevent because frustration — an emotion — is difficult to track. Punishing aggressive acts may prove temporarily effective, but understanding ways to deal with frustration, such as taking a break from a difficult task or encouraging children to voice their emotions, is key to preventing aggressive behavior, according to the theory.

Growth and development during the teenage years depends on a variety of factors, including adequate sleep and exercise, hormone levels, overall health and proper nutrition. Nutritional deficiencies can significantly stunt growth, resulting in short stature, delayed development and poor weight gain. If you are concerned about your teenager’s growth, consult a doctor for an evaluation. Children and teenagers develop at different rates and what may be normal growth for one may indicate malnutrition and stunted growth in another.

Vitamin Deficiencies

Adequate amounts of vitamins A, B, C and D are essential to normal growth and development in teenagers. Vitamin A is necessary for proper eye and immune system development and plays an essential role in skin and cell health. Vitamin C is needed for bone, gum, tooth and blood vessel development. It also assists in collagen production and helps the body absorb certain necessary minerals. Vitamin D is necessary for proper calcium absorption and healthy bone development, and the B vitamins are involved in the health of most bodily systems. Because vitamins interact with each other inside the body, any vitamin deficiency can potentially stunt growth.

Mineral Deficiencies

Calcium is one of the most important minerals for growth during the teenage years because it is essential for bone and tooth development. Magnesium and phosphorus are also necessary for bone and tooth development, and potassium is involved in nervous system and muscle function, both of which can influence growth. Too little iron during adolescence can result in iron-deficiency anemia, a condition that impairs the ability of red blood cells to transport oxygen around the body. Iron deficiency can cause fatigue, weakness, shortness of breath and stunted growth. Another mineral, zinc, is directly associated with growth during

Protein and Calories

Most teenage boys require between 2,000 and 3,200 calories per day, depending on exact age and activity level, with teenage girls needing 1,600 to 2,400 calories per day, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Failure to take in enough calories can result in weight loss, lack of energy and stunted growth, especially if the calorie deprivation lasts for long periods. Protein is also necessary for growth, with teenagers needing approximately 1 gram of protein per kilogram of body weight, according to Drugs.com.

Considerations

Eating a balanced diet that includes a variety of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, low-fat dairy and lean meats helps provide teenagers with the vitamins and minerals essential for growth. Although most teenagers are able to obtain enough vitamins and minerals through diet alone, some may require supplementation to prevent or treat deficiency and ensure proper growth. Because excessive intake of some nutrients can cause harm, consult a doctor before administering vitamin or mineral supplements to teens.

If your toddler has pain in his feet in the mornings that causes him to shuffle when he walks, you likely want to discover what is causing it so you can help him. There are several reasons why your toddler might be experiencing pain and shuffling his feet. Once you know the potential causes, you can work with your toddler’s doctor to determine an appropriate course of treatment.

Injury

Mild injuries are common for toddlers as they learn to walk, run and otherwise move their bodies. Falls and tumbles are part of being a toddler, and even if they are not serious, they may have caused an injury you cannot see. If your toddler complains about foot pain in the morning and shuffles when he walks, he may have twisted his foot or ankle while playing the day before. He may also have a cut or sore on the bottom of his foot that you may not have noticed before. Other injuries, such as a stubbed toe, stress fracture, bruise or broken toe, may also cause pain the morning and shuffling when your toddler walks.

Ingrown Toenail

An ingrown toenail occurs when your toddler’s toenail grows into the skin of his toe. This causes swelling and redness and may also lead to a wound that leaks pus and bleeds. The most common reason ingrown toenails occur is if the nail is cut too short. Shoes that do not fit, injury and repeated use of the toe, such as when kicking a ball, can also lead to ingrown toenails. Ingrown toenails can also cause pain, which is one reason why your toddler may be shuffling around when he gets up in the morning. Kids Health, a subsidiary of the Nemours Foundation Center for Children’s Health Media, recommends that you take your toddler to see his pediatrician to remedy the situation to reduce the risks of infection.

Shape of Feet

The shape of your toddler’s feet may also cause pain and shuffling. While most variations in foot shape do not cause problems and correct themselves over time, in some instances they can also cause pain and alterations in movement. Flat feet occur if your toddler’s arch did not form as he grew. In some situations, flat feet can cause pain and increased clumsiness in your child. Pigeon toes, or turned-in toes, do not commonly cause problems, but in some instances they can lead to pain and changes in the way your toddler walks. Out-toeing, which also does not commonly cause problems, occurs when the toes point out and can cause pain due to the abnormal pressures placed on various parts of the foot. If you suspect any of these problems, make an appointment to have your toddler seen by his pediatrician.

Additional Causes

Improperly fitting shoes may cause blisters and pain that you notice when your child gets up in the morning. Take your little one to get his shoes fitted so you know exactly what size he needs. Corns, warts or bunions, while not common in toddlers, may also be causing the pain and changes in walking. Athlete’s foot, also not common among toddlers, leads to pain and may change the way your toddler walks. An irritation in your toddler’s arch, called plantar fasciitis, or juvenile arthritis are additional explanations.

In 2004, about half of all U.S. children could expect to still be living with both their biological parents by the time they reached age 15, according to the Social Science Research Network. With the increase of divorce rates throughout the United States and elsewhere in the world, single-parent homes are a major segment of all households with children. Accordingly, it’s a point of intense interest to educators and parents how a single-parent environment affects children’s learning.

Potential Challenges

Typically, single parents have to manage far more tasks than the mothers or fathers in two-parent households, simply because of practical limitations on the division of labor. At least until children are old enough to take on household chores, all the housekeeping responsibilities fall on one person, as well as wage earning and parenting. As a result, it’s possible for single parents to have less time or energy to encourage their children’s learning by reading together, overseeing homework or planning educational, entertaining and fitness activities and outings for the family.

Education and Behavior

Aside from the direct influence of household structure on academic achievement and learning, a single-family home environment may influence a child’s behavioral performance in school, which can indirectly affect learning and interest in school. According to Adoption.com, when single parents are working full time and therefore have less available time for their children, the situation may lead to either behavioral issues or lower academic achievement.

Historical Trends

In the late ’80s, when single-parent homes were less common than at present, a study carried out at the University of Illinois at Urbana, reported by "The New York Times," found that children raised by one parent were less likely to continue their schooling through high school and into college. From a sample of 2,500 children, the longer kids were in single-parent households, the shorter their educations. Since the early 1990s, however, a new model has become the standard for statistics measuring academic performance in children of varied household types. Instead of using a Family Deficit Model, which presupposes that single-parent households are incomplete and nonstandard, contemporary statistics instead use a Risk and Protective Factor Model. The model views family structures based on multiple risk factors, including positive and negative life events and general characteristics of the family unit.

Understanding Statistics

Sociologists continue to chart the relationship between household structure and academic performance. With the increasing prevalence of single-family homes and continuously changing methods of measuring educational performance, it’s impossible to reduce the relationship to one of direct cause and effect. According to Adoption.com, statistics such as a 1992 study published in the journal "Sociology and Education" show that children from one-parent households generally evidence lower academic achievement. However, the site also points out that many studies, including the 1992 investigation, indicate that income level has much greater effect on education than family structure.

New mothers often experience numbness or tingling in their hands as a result of ulnar nerve entrapment or fluid-related carpal tunnel syndrome during pregnancy. In some cases, the condition may be more serious. Your doctor can determine the cause as well as discuss possible treatments.

Ulnar Nerve Entrapment

While this condition is not exclusive to pregnancy, it has a higher chance of occurring while carrying a child. As your child grows in your stomach, the weight and balance of your body begins to shift. This can throw off different muscles in your body, including your arms. If your ulnar nerve gets pinched in your arm as a result, you will feel a numb, tingling sensation that runs from your wrist down to your fingers.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

While carpal tunnel syndrome often is associated with repetitive motion stress, it can come on in the later stages of pregnancy. As your body retains more fluid in preparation of your child, the fluid can spread to the carpal tunnel canal in the wrist and hands, causing swelling, tingling and numbness. This swelling also compresses the median nerve in your wrist, causing tingling that can move from your thumb to your middle finger.

Medications

If you are looking to reduce swelling and tingling in your fingers, taking an anti-inflammatory medication can help. This reduces pressure on the median nerve. Over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drugs can be purchased, although it is best to consult your doctor to see if he recommends a specific medication. B-12 vitamin supplements also can help improve circulation and reduce swelling in your hands.

Caution

While tingling fingers and numbness often are directly related to your pregnancy, you also may be experiencing a more serious condition, such as cervical spondylosis. As a result, consult your doctor with the specific symptoms you are feeling, giving him the chance to recommend an MRI if necessary. Another scan that may be administered is an EMG, which tests specific nerve functioning in your body.

Exercise is a vital part of maintaining a healthy pregnancy for the majority of women, but in certain circumstances, it could be dangerous. If you are suffering from placenta previa, the risks of exercise can outweigh the benefits, depending on the severity of the problem. Before attempting any type of exercise, consult your doctor.

The Basics

The placenta is attached to the inside of the uterus — the lowest part of the womb — and connects to the fetus through the umbilical cord. It is a transfer point for the blood of the fetus and your blood, which provides nutrients and oxygen to your unborn child. The fetal blood transfers waste to your blood, although the two blood supplies do not mix. In addition to supplying nutrients and oxygen to the fetus, the placenta produces hormones directly related to pregnancy.

Placenta Previa

In the first stages of pregnancy, it is common for the placenta to be located in the lower part of the uterus — what’s referred to as a low-lying placenta. During the course of the pregnancy, the placenta should move up to the upper part of the uterus so it is not blocking the cervix, the opening through which the baby will pass during birth. In a case of placenta previa, the placenta stays in the lower part of the uterus, potentially blocking the opening. Three different forms of placenta previa can occur: marginal, partial and complete. In a marginal placenta previa, the opening is not blocked, but the placenta is still against the cervix. A partial placenta previa means only a portion of the opening is blocked, while a complete placenta previa means the entire opening is blocked.

Exercise

Exercise is not recommended for women who have placenta previa, even during the early stages of pregnancy. Even if you only have marginal placenta previa, it’s possible that the added pressure on the uterus during exercise could harm the placenta. If the placenta is damaged, bleeding can occur, which can be potentially fatal to both the fetus and mother. However, if you were diagnosed with placenta previa before 20 weeks, it’s possible that the placenta will move toward the top of the uterus, according to certified doula, or midwife, Heather Johnson. To verify this, you will need to consult your doctor for an ultrasound. Do not attempt any sort of exercise without consulting your doctor first.

Considerations

Bed rest is often recommended for women diagnosed with placenta previa, along with a reduction in activity. Even if you are engaged in light activity, the placenta still might be damaged. In addition to refraining from exercise, it is also advisable to refrain from sexual intercourse and avoid inserting anything into your vagina, including tampons. If any type of bleeding does occur during your pregnancy, however light, seek medical attention as soon as possible.