Introduction Calcium, an essential mineral, is found in great quantity in the body, and about 99% of it is present in the bones and teeth;1Cashman KD. Calcium intake, calcium bioavailability and bone health. Br J Nutr. 2002;87 Suppl 2:S169-77. the remaining 1% is found in the blood. Besides its direct role in maintaining bone health, calcium play important roles in various body functions such as nerve conduction, muscle contraction, and blood clotting. When levels in the blood falls below normal, it will be resorbed from bone in order to maintain blood calcium levels, forming the basis of rationale to consume enough calcium to maintain adequate calcium levels in the body.2Available at: http://ag.arizona.edu/pubs/health/az1042.pdf. Further, bone itself undergoes continuous remodelling, with constant calcium resorption and deposition; the balance between bone resorption and deposition changes with age. While bone formation exceeds resorption in periods of accelerated growth in children and adolescents, the processes…
Introduction Abdominal pain, or "tummy ache", is one of the most common reasons for a parent to bring the child to medical attention.1Available at: http://www.emedicinehealth.com/abdominal_pain_in_children/article_em.htm. Accessed on 25.01.2012. In fact, it is the most common type of pain in younger children and the second most common type, after headache, in older children and adolescents.2Bufler P, Gross M, Uhlig HH. Recurrent Abdominal Pain in Childhood. Dtsch Arztebl Int 2011; 108(17): 295-304. Besides directly affecting the child, abdominal pain in children is often frightening and frustrating for parents. Issues related to evaluating and managing a child with abdominal pain further complicate the situation since many times it is hard to find the exact cause of a child's abdominal pain.3Available at: http://children.webmd.com/tc/abdominal-pain-age-11-and-younger-topic-overview. Accessed on 25.01.2012. Nevertheless, each case should be managed promptly to avoid prolonging the child’s discomfort; also, abdominal pain is sometimes a sign of life-threatening disease. Causes of abdominal pain in…
