q My five-year-old son vomits every morning just before leaving for school. We then have to change his uniform, and he is invariably late. He does not vomit at other times or during the holidays.

Sometimes, the mornings may be too rushed, as the boy wakes up late. He bathes, dresses and gets ready for school, all the while trying to stuff his breakfast into his mouth.

Wake him up at least two hours before school leaving time so that there is adequate time for everything. Give him breakfast at least an hour before he leaves. Avoid giving him milk in the morning. Give it when he returns from school or in the evening. See if these changes help.

Antacid issue

q My father has taken antacids regularly, three times a day, for more than three years. Will this have any side effects?

Long-term use of antacids can cause a change in bowel habits, with diarrhoea, constipation, excess gas or nausea. They can also interfere with the absorption of medication taken for other diseases, so they should ideally be taken only on a short-term basis.

Thigh burn

q I am overweight and have been trying to lose weight by dieting and walking. Unfortunately, the skin of my inner thighs burns and then peels off. It is painful.

Try wearing leggings to exercise. Before wearing the leggings, apply clotrimazole powder to the inner thighs. Once you lose weight, this problem will solve itself.

Sebaceous cyst

q I have a swelling on my back. The doctor says it is a sebaceous cyst. What shall I do?

You can leave it alone but if it becomes red, inflamed, infected and painful, you need to see a dermatologist or surgeon immediately. They will remove the cyst, and antibiotics may be needed to treat the infection.

Do not apply turmeric or try to burst the cyst yourself.

Socks change

q My son wears socks and shoes to school. How often should the socks be changed?

Feet sweat, especially if they are confined to shoes all day. Socks absorb the sweat, which then becomes an ideal medium for the growth of bacteria and fungi. Fungal infection of the foot (athlete’s foot) is highly infectious, difficult to eradicate once it develops and often requires months of treatment. To avoid all this, socks should preferably be made of cotton. They should be changed and washed every day.

Painless lump

q I have suddenly developed a lump in one of my breasts. Since it doesn’t pain I am inclined to leave it alone.

A painless lump is more likely to be cancer than a painful one. Also, the fact that it appeared suddenly and is growing is not a good sign.

You need to see a doctor and do a few basic tests, like an ultrasound of the breast and a mammogram. If the doctor wants to do fine needle aspiration, punch biopsy or excision, please do so as soon as possible.

PCOS treatment

q I am married and want to have children, but have irregular periods due to PCOS. My doctor put me on an oral contraceptive pill. I do not understand the rationale behind this.

The first line of treatment for PCOS is diet, exercise and weight loss. Since that will take at least 3-4 months to work, the treatment with oral contraceptive pills will initially regularise your periods. After three months, you may be able to stop taking them and try other fertility treatments.