My son gets cradle cap. He is now seven, surely he is too old for a 'baby illness'?

There is no direct cause of cradle cap (greasy yellow patches of skin on the scalp of babies) but for it to still be present beyond age two is quite rare. It is not contagious though research has found that babies (or in your case young people) with cradle cap, often have family members with allergy-type conditions, such as asthma and eczema so the underlying cause is potentially genetic.

Given your child's age, I would recommend a conversation with your local GP or pharmacist just to rule out seborrhoeic dermatitis and to see if a hydrocortisone cream may help. Your GP can also check to make sure there is no infection of inflation which needs separate treatment.

I've had a cold I just can't shake off. Can I get antibiotics to help shift it?

Antibiotics only work on bacterial infections and a cold is caused by a virus so they will have no effect. Colds are best treated at home with plenty of rest and over the counter medications like throat lozenges and paracetamol.

However, if your cold, and especially a cough, persists for more than three weeks, it is a good idea to see your GP to be sure that you do not have a more serious lung infection or other illness. You should certainly see your GP if you are struggling to breathe, have an existing lung condition or develop chest pains.

What is Emphysema?

Emphysema is one of a collection of lung diseases which come under the heading of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder (COPD) which affects around 100,000 people in Scotland.

It can be caused by a number of different factors but tobacco smoking is the major underlying cause. Non-smokers can also get COPD. Typically, this is more likely to affect those who have worked with chemicals or in very dusty industries, such as mining, where they may inhale harmful substances.

If you have COPD, the airways of the lungs become inflamed and narrowed. As the air sacs get permanently damaged, it will become increasingly difficult to breathe in and out and can be worse during cold weather.

Symptoms

Damage to the lungs will usually build up slowly over time so you may not notice it happening at first. COPD doesn't normally appear until after age 35. See your GP if you have the following symptoms:

• increasing breathlessness when exercising or moving around

• a persistent cough with phlegm that never seems to go away

• frequent chest infections, particularly in winter

Diagnosis

To find out if you have COPD, your doctor will ask you about your symptoms, how long you have had them and whether you smoke or have smoked in the past.

You may also be asked to take a lung function test called a spirometry by breathing into a spirometer. This is a machine which checks how well your lungs are functioning by checking the total volume of air you can breathe out in one second and the total amount of air you breathe out overall. You may need to breathe out several times to ensure the spirometer gets a consistent reading.

Further tests, including chest X-rays or blood tests may also be ordered to confirm that the breathing problems are not being caused by any other illness.

Treating Emphysema

There are two types of treatment, inhaled and non-inhaled medication. If you are given an inhaler your GP or pharmacist will instruct you on how to use it properly. You may also be given oxygen to breathe, usually for around 15 hours each day using a mask or via a nasal cannula (a small tube going into your nostrils).

Non-inhaled medication includes a number of oral drugs, including steroids to help keep the condition in check. You should also make sure you get your flu vaccination each year to lower your risk of a serious exacerbation (where the condition severely restricts breathing).

During an exacerbation, you may be given antibiotics or mucolytic medicine to help clear your airways. If the exacerbation is serious you may require periods of hospital treatment where your condition can be closely monitored.