Health Care - Health Insurance

How to Permanently Correct and Restore Your Vision

2010-09-12T12:05:00.000-07:00

Poor eyesight may be caused by various factors. It may be due to frequent exposure to televisions and computers. It may also be due to reading and writing in the dark. It may also be caused by ageing. Nevertheless, whatever the reason may be, poor eyesight is still not something good. Fortunately, there are plenty of methods on how to naturally improve your eyesight, in particular permanently correct and restore your vision.

One way is to consume foods that are rich in antioxidants and vitamins. Foods that are rich in Vitamin A such as liver, eggs, fish, spinach, and carrots really help in improving eyesight. They also prevent the eyes from drying. Foods that are rich in Vitamin C such as tomatoes and bell peppers are also ideal.

They help reduce the damages that oxygen and light do to the lens of the eyes. They also help prevent cataracts from developing. In addition, taking in calcium is also a way on how to naturally improve your eyesight. You must know that calcium is not only good for the bones. Calcium-rich foods such as dark green vegetables, dairy products, and milk are also important for the eyes. They prevent myopia as well as the development of elongated eyeballs.

Moreover, proper eye exercising is an essential way on how to naturally improve your eyesight. You must perform eye exercises daily such as blinking, palming, swinging, video shifting, and sunning if you want to see clearly. You may also try other eye exercises such as the Bates Method and the pencil eye exercise.

Do you wish to discover how to enhance your vision using nothing but naturally proven approaches which are Safe, easy yet very efficient? If yes, then you should get a copy of the Vision Without Glasses Guide.

Credit: articlesbase.com

10 Common Symptoms And Signs Of High Blood Pressure

2009-07-30T20:40:00.000-07:00

High blood pressure typically has no symptoms at all, that is why we can call it as Silent killer. Although there are many coincidental symptoms that are widely believed to be associated with high blood pressure.

These include headaches, nosebleeds, dizziness, a flushed face and fatigue. Although people with high blood pressure may have many of these symptoms, they occur just as frequently in those with normal blood pressure. Why these symptoms occur, If a person has high blood pressure that is severe or longstanding and left untreated, symptoms such as headache, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, shortness of breath, restlessness, and blurred vision can occur as a result of damage to the brain, eyes, heart and kidneys. In rare cases, high blood pressure may cause brain swelling, which can lead to drowsiness and coma.

Briefly Hypertension has following 10 common symptoms.

* Headache

* Nosebleed (Epistaxis)

* Breathlessness

* Tinnitus(Ringing in Ears)

* Sleepiness, Ansomnia

* Confusion

* Fatigue

* Profuse sweating

* Vomiting

* Low libido or lack of sexual desire

* Blurred vision

If you have not above symptoms, it does not mean that you have no high blood pressure. Remember most common symptom of high Blood pressure is that ” It Has No Symptom”. Best way to keep you healthy is to have your blood pressure checked at regular intervals.
Wish you all the good health.

Blood tests to detect breast cancer

2009-03-21T10:01:00.000-07:00

Biotechnology DiaGenic ASA (Norway) Company have found new methods to help detect breast cancer at early stages before having the symptoms, that is blood test.

Unlike the current methods, the blood test help to detect changes in chemistry of the cells when the cancer has just appeared and the results accurate to 88%. According to BBC News Agency, the scientists said the blood test specifically have advantages for young women, because their chest are ready and solid that the current methods can not detect the changes in breast cells.

How Essential Oils Work

2009-03-21T09:53:00.000-07:00

Essential oils also have many special properties which give them the ability to help us deal with odors and bacteria. They act in several ways:

1. They are able to increase atmospheric oxygen in a closed space as they release oxygenating molecules into the atmosphere. Oils increase ozone and negative ions in the home, which inhibits the growth of bacteria. This prevents and destroys existing odors of cigarettes, mold, animals, etc.

2. They are able to break up the molecular chains of some chemicals in the air, making them non-toxic to us because of their particular attraction to these chemicals.

3. Essential Oils will bond to metals and chemicals within the body and carry these toxic out of the body. They work as natural chelators, i.e. they bond organically, forming new compounds called chelates, so that these toxic substances can’t remain in the tissues.

4. Essential Oils remove dust particles from the air, acting as an air filtration system.

5. Essential Oils are recognized as having a very marked ability to increase cellular oxygen through their normal functioning. When applied to the body by rubbing the feet, they will travel through the body and affect every cell, including the hair, within 20 minutes!

Tips for saving child care costs

2009-03-08T09:30:00.000-07:00

Child care costs are among the most expensive costs associated with the return to work. Finding ways to reduce the cost of child care without sacrificing the quality of child care is a priority for all working parents. Here are some ideas that can help cut the costs of care for your child without sacrificing the quality of child care:

See if your employer has a child care flexible spending account. This is a special account that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) - http://www.irs.gov/faqs/faq-kw87.html - created that allows you to set aside money for child care expenses with pre-tax dollars. You ask your employer to take out a certain amount of money each month from your paycheck and you can use this money tax free for child care related expenses.

Ask if your company has partnerships or offers discounts for certain child care services. Some large companies sometimes negotiate discount plans with the providers of childcare to offset childcare costs.

See if your public school district offers a half-day for the preschool program for 4 years. These programs are usually free and by signing your child, it will reduce your need for child care a day from any one day.
Check if your company is open to flex time, job sharing or telecommuting. If so, you may be able to use them to manipulate the timing and reduce the costs of care for their children.

If you and your spouse work, see if you can arrange work schedules so that they overlap as little as possible. This enables you to reduce the number of hours the child must go to childcare.

See if a relative or friend who can help with childcare.

Consider hiring a nanny and sharing the burden of care for children with some good friends. This will allow you to pay less individually for the costs of child care and babysitting to earn more money in general.

For a list of child care resource and referral agencies, you can visit the Child Care Aware website - http://www.childcareaware.org - which is a nonprofit organization that helps parents find quality child care in their communities.

Child Care Service At Home

2009-03-08T01:30:00.000-08:00

One of the basic needs of parents with small children is quality child care. Since more and more couples elect two revenue structure, the markets for children's day care has grown enormously in recent years. If you think that you can give to parents with a reliable, credible, and high-quality child care, then in some day care Centers may be what is best for you.

There are several requirements in order for you to establish a good and reputable child care facility. The primary essential is that you love to be with children and have an innate ability to work with them. If you are the family member that your relatives always run to if a child is sick, throwing a tantrum, or when a babysitter doesn’t show up, then you actually might have a very bright future as a child care provider.

Because the demand for quality child care services is high, this business can become very profitable for you. So aside from your inborn child-handling skills, you should also be ready to take on financial responsibilities that can make or break your child care business.

Take a look around your own home and try to see it in a different perspective. Do you think you can make the necessary arrangements to turn it into a safe haven for children where they can play, socialize and develop their cognitive abilities and skills? If your answer is yes, then you have found a prime location for your day care center.

Next, take a look around your neighborhood and see how big a market you can tap. Does your neighborhood have a lot of children loitering around with nothing to do during the early mornings, early evenings, or all throughout the day? Again, if your answer is yes, then you have found a captured clientele.

Afterwards, you might want to go to your local business center and ask about the zoning regulations on properties used to produce income. Is there any law or rule that prohibits you to start a child care facility in your own home? If the answer is no, then you can go ahead and list down the requirements to register your business, acquire licenses, and obtain permits. You should also look into insurance policies for your child care facility.

When you have done that, do an inventory of the children’s toys and books you might have stashed away inside trunks and the attic. If you have young children, you probably will have a lot but it would not be wise to use these for your facility as your own child may not be ready to share his/her personal belongings. However, if you have kids that are a bit grown up and into other things such as movies, sports, and the opposite sex, then it might save you a lot of money to dust off their old books and send their toys to the cleaners. If those are not enough, you can look into library sales and thrift shops that offer second hand toys and books for a bargain.

Stopsmoking Tips - You Only Smoke Marijuana To Change The Way You Feel

2009-03-06T20:26:00.000-08:00

If I invented a new drug, what is the first thing that you would ask me? I’ll tell you, because I have asked thousands of people the same question.

They all say, ‘What does it do?’
Then I say, ‘What do you mean?’
Then they say, ‘Well, how does it make you feel?’

Another way of putting that question is, ‘How does it change the way you feel?’
Now, if I said that it did absolutely nothing, that you felt exactly the same- would you buy it?

Of course not.

Because everybody who takes drugs wants to change the way they feel.

Remember me in the bar? I said, “We drink, we smoke and we have a joint. I feel great when the first lung full hits my head. Somehow, the world feels a little better, and what harm is it doing anybody?”

So, imagine if you could feel ‘great’, feel ‘spaced out’, feel ‘chilled out’, without drugs. Imagine if
YOU felt happy enough without drugs.
That would great wouldn’t it?
That is what my friend showed me how to do.
I just needed a helping hand.

We all just need a helping hand.

What Essential Oils Can Do For You?

2009-02-24T10:03:00.000-08:00

Essential oils act on many different levels.

On a physical level, essential oils are a most potent form of herbal energy. They are antiseptic and immune system stimulants. They are also effective for daily first-aid, e.g., for bites, itches, coughs and cold.

On a cellular level, essential oils are good for healing wounds, repairing scars, stimulating tissue and regulating the barrier (between the inside and outside world). They help maintain optimum moisture level in skin and protect it from infection. Geranium and lavender are examples of oils that work on this cellular level.

On an emotional level, they stimulate both conscious and sub conscious memories, basic drives and hormones. They are effective in dealing with depression, grief, low self esteem, improving sleep and stress-related disorders.

On an energy level, they can be applied to acupuncture meridian points, chakras and subtle energy points to help healing.8

On a spiritual level, essential oils have been used by every major culture and society for over 10,000 years. They have been used for ritual, prayer, purification, magic, mysticism, celebration and meditation.

Many people believe that essential oils can bring focus and deeper meaning to our existence.

These days the understanding of their properties and appropriate use has been formalized into a health discipline – aromatherapy – and practitioners are now trained to know how to use them effectively for optimum health and well being.

The mechanism by which essential oils acts is complex and not well understood due to the nature of all the many compounds within each one. Nevertheless, the quality and effect of fragrance or smell, though little understood, is an important part of our human experience and via the many and varied healing properties of essential oils, can enhance our lives and heal our bodies, minds and spirits.

By Tamar Goldstein and Dr. Roberta Peters

7 Symptoms Of PDD-NOS - Detailed Facts Revealed

2008-11-21T19:57:00.000-08:00

Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS) is milder than autism. It's a label children are given when they don't meet all the criteria of autism, but have some developmental delays. Children with Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified will show different symptoms than others because every child's problem will be different. Children grow and develop at their own rate and children with PDD-NOS are no exception.

One of the symptoms a child might show is unusual behavior. Not every child is going to display this, some will. Let's look closer into this symptom.

1. Unusual behaviors in children with Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified can be a number of things. There are several behaviors that fall under this category. Your child may have repetitive actions. They want to do the same thing all the time, eat the same meal or just continue to do the same action over and over. This can include continually clapping their hands or twiddling their fingers.

2. Along the same lines, children with PDD-NOS like routine. They want to do the same thing at the same time everyday. They don't like when their schedule goes off track. If it happens, they could have an outburst or a temper tantrum that isn't a normal reaction to the situation. Children with PDD-NOS might set up their room in a certain way and if things are moved could get very angry.

3. Some children will become obsessed with a certain object or subject. If they like airplanes, they may learn everything they can. They will have pictures of them and stare at them in the sky. These obsessive behaviors usually only happen with one thing and the child won't care for much of anything else.

4. Learning a new skill is hard for children with PDD-NOS. Their developmental skills challenge them, but they also don't like change. This can include a number of things such as potty training, brushing their teeth or combing their hair. Because they are so into routine and doing the same thing, having to learn something new will change their lifestyle.

5. Some children with Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified have sensory issues. They may become attached to a certain cloth beyond the extent of just a blankie. This piece of clothing, or even a smell, could have an unusual calming effect on the child. They will carry this with them and never want to part with it. Many times, they will like something of the same texture and smell as well.

6. Sounds, however, have an opposite effect. Children with PDD-NOS don't like high-pitched sounds. When they hear some thing that is loud, they could have an outburst or a meltdown.

7. Your child may not want to cuddle. They may not want to be touched unless they are playing around. This is unusual in children and should be checked out if that is the case.

These behaviors can be caused by other problems in your child. If any of these behaviors are witnessed, speak to your doctor. Unusual behaviors are also just one symptom of PDD-NOS. There may be other symptoms your child will show if they have Pervasive Developmental Disorder Not Otherwise Specified.

Author: Abhishek Agarwal

Updated from ezinearticles.com

7 Tips To Potty Train Your Autistic Child

2008-11-21T19:52:00.000-08:00

As babies become toddlers and toddlers become school-aged children, parents may become concerned about delays and behaviors that suggest autism. What are the early signs of autism? What is early intervention? How can parents find the resources they need to reach, teach and support their youngsters on the autism spectrum?

Here is a list of suggestions and things to look for to help you and your autistic child while potty training.

1. Don't start potty training too early. You have to ensure the child is ready to start. Make sure they know the difference between a wet and a clean diaper. If they don't understand this important difference, it might be too early to start potty training. Try explaining what a wet diaper is and see if your child can recognize it.

2. Being able to dress themselves is an important aspect. If your autistic child doesn't know how to take his or her clothes off, potty training is going to be difficult through their clothing. Their motor skills might not be ready yet to start the process. Wait to potty train a child until they can dress themselves, which means being able to pull their pants on and off. This is going to make the process much easier.

3. Potty training doesn't need to feel like a job for you or your autistic child. Create a reward program. Every time the child goes to the potty offer them something they are going to enjoy. Perhaps a favorite treat or a toy. Anyone else involved in the process should be made aware of the reward system. At the same time, don't punish your child for an accident. This isn't going to help the process and will only confuse your child. It's not good to send mixed signals.

4. Learning your child's schedule will be helpful. If you are keeping your child on a certain schedule throughout the day, they normally get their diaper changed at the same time. When this happens, sit your child down on the potty and have them go to the bathroom about the same time everyday. Schedules and routines are important to many children with autism. Having a potty schedule could help them in the process.

5. Be patient. This sounds a lot easier than it is, but patience is very important. Your child, and this goes for any child, may not get the hang of it right away. Don't show frustration and don't get angry because this might cause the child to regress in potty training.

6. Be consistent. Don't keep switching from the potty to diapers. This will confuse your child and make it difficult to potty train.

7. Don't stress out the child by forcing them on to the potty. You want them to get familiar with it for a few days. Keep it in the open where they can see it. By seeing it more often, they will get comfortable with the idea of it.

To reiterate, the single most important factor is patience. All of the other tips go with mom or dad being patient. It might take a few weeks for an autistic child to learn something new. If that's the case, just stay positive and work with the child as best as you can.

Updated from ezinearticles.com

5 Types Of Autism Drugs

2008-11-21T19:50:00.000-08:00

Here is a look at the types of medication a person with autism might have to take:

1. Antipsychotic: These types of medications are used for behavioral problems. This can include a variety of problems such as aggression, tantrums or insomnia. This medication should not be the first option for the child. Behavioral therapy should be sought out and tried before resorting to these types of pills.

2. Anticonvulsant: This is to help control seizures if an autistic person suffers from them.

3. Anti-anxiety and Depression: Autistic children have a hard time controlling their feelings. Sometimes they laugh and cry without being prompted. These medications are used to control those feelings and random outbursts. However, these medications have some serious side effects. If your child does take these, watch for odd behavioral changes, ones that weren't present before the medication began.

4. Sedative: If your autistic child suffers from insomnia or other sleeping disorders, a doctor may prescribed a sedative to help the child sleep better. There are natural alternatives that you may want to seek out before trying sedatives.

5. Stimulant: Some children who suffer from autism are hyperactive and these medications are used to help children focus better. This is often used when a child becomes school-aged to help them to pay attention and help with their education. This medication is useful for those children who can't seem to stay focused on any certain areas.

Medicine should be a last resort for parents when treating their children. You don't want the children to become dependent on the medication. Another problem with medicines is that it may control the issue, but have side effects that cause new problems. You also want to discuss long-term side effects with the doctor.

PDD-NOS - 6 Things A Doctor Will Do Before Making A Diagnosis

2008-11-21T19:46:00.000-08:00

Your child may show symptoms of autism, but has been diagnosed with Pervasive Developmental Disorder - Not Otherwise Specified (PPD-NOD). This is milder than autism and will not have all of the symptoms of autism, but a developmental problem.

A doctor will go through a list of criteria to determine if your child PDD-NOS. Assessments will be done in a number of areas.

1. Medical Assessment: If there are any health problems your child is showing a doctor will do a physical to see if there are any other medical conditions present. A doctor will run a number of tests including hearing, blood and urine tests.

2. Educational Assessment: Your doctor will check out your child?s educational level based on where they are supposed to be. There are many different areas the doctor will check such as dressing, bathing, social interaction and other social skills. This can be assessed by interviewing parents, teachers and others who are with the child often. You can also keep a journal of everything your child does and how the child interacts to give to the doctor.

3. Psychological Assessment: A psychologist will be on hand to interview the child to see if there are any mental disorders. Some of the symptoms your child is having could be from other conditions and your doctor will want to rule anything out.

4. Behavior Observation Assessment: A doctor may want to observe your child in his or her natural setting. By watching the child, a doctor will be able to gauge what is going on. They will see firsthand how the child acts around other children their age and in the home environment.

5. Communication Assessment: A doctor will test a child's communication skills because this is an important piece of information to see if a child has autism or PPD-NOD. This doesn't have to be just through words. The doctor will test body language, facial expressions and other forms of communication.

6. Occupational Assessment: Your child's motor skills are an important way to determine if your child has autism or PDD-NOS. This will consist of tests that check the function of the child's motor skills and the child's senses. A child might dislike a certain texture or smell. This is important when figuring out what is wrong with the child.

Many of these assessments are done while interviewing the parents, teachers or anyone else that is close to the child. A child might exhibit different symptoms at different moments. That's why it's imperative to get as many people as you can to give information to the doctor or anyone else involved in the patient's care. These people will have plenty of knowledge to give the doctors. Don't be shy in finding anyone who can help.

After the assessments are complete your doctor or pediatrician will meet with other doctors to diagnose the problem. Here the doctors will decide if the child has autism or Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise Specified. Once a child is diagnosed with PPD-NOS, a treatment plan will be given to help your child. This will help your child to have a normal life and communicate with people better. Getting a diagnosis is the first step in helping your child has a better life.

Author: Abhishek Agarwal

Updated from ezinearticles.com

Diagnosing Autism - Various Stages Explained

2008-11-21T19:04:00.000-08:00

Hearing your child has autism can be a heart wrenching ordeal. Your first inclination might be to get a second opinion and no one would stop you. However, once your child has been diagnosed with autism, instead of looking for a way out, you should begin treatment. There are signs to look for if you think your child might suffer from autism. If you witness any of problems or abnormal behavior, call your doctor.

Autism is a brain development disorder and is usually diagnosed before a child turns three years old. Here are some symptoms to look for in your child.

- If your child is showing speech regression, there might be a reason for concern. Also, if your child is taking a long time to start talking, longer than most children at that age.

- Another problem you might see is the way your child interacts with other children. Perhaps your child refuses to play with other children or doesn't seem to respond well in social settings, you should visit a doctor to get more information.

If a doctor suspects a problem, they will perform a battery of tests. Every child is different, so one test will not show if a child has autism. Every child has different symptoms and responds to the disorder differently. Your family doctor will do a full work up with family history. If your doctor does suspect any problems, your doctor may refer you to a specialist in autism and similar disorders to get a proper diagnosis.

A doctor will start with performing auditory tests. There could be other reasons your child isn't speaking well or not playing well. It could be due to hearing problems. There are two ways to do a hearing test. The first way is done while a child is awake and reacts to the tones he or she hears. The other is done while the child is sedated and a machine measures the brain activity to certain tones.

Blood and urine tests are usually taken as well to analyze DNA. The doctor is probably looking for the Fragile X syndrome, which normally shows up in children with autism. Along with DNA tests, the doctor may perform an MRI or a CAT scan to examine brain functions.

If your child does get diagnosed with autism, it's important to give your child structure. This is going to start with the doctor. Don't drag your child around to the three or four doctors hoping the diagnosis is going to change. Get one doctor who is going to give your child a uniform treatment. This will help your child in trusting other people if they see the same face all the time.

Author: Abhishek Agarwal

Updated from ezinearticles.com

Useful Tips For Teachers And Educators to teach Autistic Children

2008-11-21T18:58:00.000-08:00

Children with autism can still perform daily functions and can be integrated in normal classrooms while at school. However, this is predicated upon the teacher's willingness to learn methods to teaching autistic children and their patience. Autistic children learn and understand differently than other children. They have a different skill set, but can learn a lot. Even though they are limited due to their disability, autistic children can really surprise you when it comes to how much knowledge they can retain.

Teachers and educators need to learn about the disorder. The teacher can take a class or learn lessons that will help autistic children. Autistic children are visual thinkers. They understand pictures and movements better than spoken word. This is an important part of the lesson plan. A teacher should never speak with their back to the autistic child and should use as many visual cues as possible. If a young child is learning about animals, having flash card on the respective animals is important. The child can associate the nouns with pictures and understand the lesson better.

While teaching on autistic child, you might learn they are enamored with a certain object. This could anything from airplanes to cars to mice. When teaching a child with autism, try to use the object that they love in the teaching. This will make them understand everything much better. Use this as a way to motivate their school work.

It is harder to use pictures with other types of ideas such as verbs and adjectives. Simulating an action will go a long way in an autistic child understanding the meaning. Autistic children may have a hard time following long-winded instructions. Once the child gets older, have written instructions for lessons, tests and assignments so the child can follow it easily.

Motor skills are many times compromised with autistic people and thus have a difficult time in writing. To help cope with this problem, try to get those who suffer from autism to use a computer. They can type easier than hold a pencil and will be able to communicate better and be more effectively. Have the keyboard near the computer screen so they can read anything they have written. Those with autism sometimes forget what they have just done or will forget certain sequences. If possible, try to get the autistic child to use art as a form of expression as well. Because those with autism think in pictures, they will have an easier time drawing than writing words.

One thing a teacher should note is never force an autistic child to do something they don't want to do. Teachers have to be firm, but gentle. If a teacher doesn't have the patience to deal with an autistic child this can really hinder the learning experience. Those with autism can lead full lives. A lot of that starts at school.

Author: Abhishek Agarwal

Updated from ezinearticles.com

5 Methods for Treating Autistic Children

2008-11-21T18:48:00.000-08:00

There have been some alternative methods in treating autism that are more common than others. Some work alone while others are used in combination. There is no telling which method will work best for your child. Speak with your doctor to learn about alternative treatments for autistic children.

1. Music Therapy: Autistic children have been found to respond to music in a number of ways. Sometimes the music makes them happy and they want to move around, helping with their motor skills. Other times children sing along to the words of the song, helping with speech therapy. This has been seen in children who do not even talk. Music therapy is a natural way to help autistic children.

2. Sensory Integration: Everyone, autistic or not, has a certain smell that reminds them of something happy. Or the touch of a certain cloth will invoke specific feelings. This holds true for some autistic children as well. Researchers have been using sensory skills to get autistic children to react. The autistic children rely more on their hearing, touch, taste and smell to understand and communicate. This is also used to calm autistic children down by using specific odors or textures.

3. Nutritional: An autistic child's diet can have an effect on the way they react. There have many different diets that doctors have been using. Some of the popular diets are gluten-free, which is no wheat products, or removing dairy from the diet. Certain ingredients in foods make autistic act out or have bad reactions. Learn what they are and eliminate them from your child's diet.

4. Omega 3: Omega 3 is a fatty acid that has been found to have health benefits, which includes better sleep patterns, better social skills and better general health. All of these are positive attributes to a child with autism. While you can buy Omega 3 at many nutritional stores, discuss with your doctor the benefits of trying Omega 3 in your autistic child's diet. Omega 3 and other essential fatty acids are needed in a child's normal growth pattern. However, no major studies have been done on the benefits of fish oil for autistic children.

5. Play Therapy: Play therapy works well because it doesn't feel like work. Autistic children are in a more relax atmosphere and have a chance to react naturally. When a therapist begins playing with the autistic child, this will give the therapist and the child a chance to bond. The child will learn to trust the therapist through playing and make the sessions easier. By helping to create bonds through playing, autistic children can learn to play well other children their own age.

Good treatment plans may use some of these alternatives along with medication or you can try them out before resorting to medication. Every child is different, so some of the alternatives therapies could work well for one autistic patient while not work for another. Don't get discouraged if it doesn't work for your child. Just look for ways to keep your child happy while giving your child the best care.

Author: Abhishek Agarwal

Updated from ezinearticles.com

Child's Autism Diagnosis - 4 Stages You Will Go Through

2008-11-21T18:40:00.000-08:00

When you hear that your child has been diagnosed with autism, the worst thoughts come to your mind. You can feel scared, lonely and overwhelmed. All of these feelings are natural when dealing with a new situation, but it doesn't have to be terrifying. There are many organizations and people to help along the way. During the process of coping with the diagnosis of autism, you may go through a mixture of feelings. Here is what to expect and the stages of dealing with the diagnosis.

Stage 1 - Denial: This is common and usually happens immediately after you hear the diagnosis. You could think not my child or the doctors have to be wrong. There is nothing wrong with getting a second opinion but if a second opinion confirms what has been told, don't keep dragging your child from doctor to doctor hoping for something different. It's important to move past this stage of the process because denying the existence of autism isn't going to help anyone, especially the child. The quicker parents accept the diagnosis of autism, the quicker treatment can begin.

Stage 2 - Anger: Getting angry is a natural human emotion. There are different ways to go through this anger. You can get mad at yourself, thinking you did something wrong. You can get angry at God, questioning why your child has autism. You may even get mad at other parents with healthy children, wondering why they don't have to deal with autism. The key when dealing with anger is speaking to someone about it. Speak to someone you trust. Your doctor might be able to refer you to a counselor who can help with these issues.

Stage 3 - Grief: Grief is a very strong emotion, but a natural one in dealing with bad news. Feeling sad is not a bad thing though, so you should never feel guilty about feeling heartbroken. However, don't let this emotion overwhelm you because you might transfer this onto your child who might blame themselves, thinking they did something wrong. Working past grief is important, but it's also a natural process. If you notice you are sitting in stage three too long or people around you think you have been grieving too long, seek the help of a counselor.

Stage 4 - Acceptance: It may have taken some time to get to this stage, but this is the end result in coping with the diagnosis of autism. At this point, you can finally move on with your children and get the best care. Your child is different and this isn't a bad thing, nor should you ever feel that way. Once you finally accept an autism diagnosis, you and your child can move on to have a happy life. Having autism doesn't change that.

Autism can be difficult to manage, especially depending on the severity of the case. There are services to help you, so you never have to feel overwhelmed. If you ever spend too long in any one of the first three stages, seek counseling because those specialized in these kind of cases will be able to help you move on. Not only is it important for parents to accept their child has autism for their own sake, but for the child's as well. The only way to really help your child is by accepting the course of their life.

Author: Abhishek Agarwal

Updated from ezinearticles.com

All About Theory Of Mind

2008-11-21T18:36:00.000-08:00

Theory of mind effects social behavior in almost every way, from children's playgroups to the adult's social world. This theory claims that people suffering from autism do not recognize other people's points of view as valid. An autistic person is not necessarily egocentric; he or she just presumes that every other person in the world knows and feels exactly the way he or she does. Most people suffering from autism do not know how to lie, which, though not a bad thing at all, is a little unnatural. Lying is not even an option for them, as they presume that everybody knows the truth the way they know it.

Because individuals suffering from autism do not know how to lie, they presume that others do not either. That is they believe anything and everything anybody else tells them. As a matter of fact, autistic people find it shocking to realize that somebody has lied to them. This effect is more pronounced in the business world, where autistic people are unable to cope up with such dishonesty. As they are under the notion that the whole world thinks and acts they way they do, they find it impossible to put themselves in anybody else's shoes. Although they can be taught this, it is a task that is almost impossible to achieve, as they have to consciously do this every time.

The Theory of Mind proves to be troublesome even for small children who find themselves completely out of place when they play games with other children and the games involve keeping secrets. They also need to be reminded about how to share and release their aggression in way that is not harmful. A very large part of the frustration that autistic people feel is due to the fact that they cannot understand why other people are not reacting the way they expect them to react. The same applies for autistic children. They cannot believe that other people will not know facts that they know. If they know something, so should every body else.

A lot more study and research needs to be dedicated to the Theory of Mind in order to gain better understanding and consequently treat this symptom. At present, the most commonly used teaching method is exposing the autistic person to continuous social interaction, in addition to games like role-playing that involve looking at things from different angles. Till modern medicine finds a suitable answer to the Theory of Mind, patience and the willingness to explain are the key qualities that are required when it comes to autistic patients.

11 Ways To Detect Aspergers Syndrome

2008-11-21T17:48:00.000-08:00

Asperger syndrome (also called Asperger's syndrome, Asperger's disorder, Asperger's or AS) is the autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in which there is no general delay in language or cognitive development. Like other ASDs, it is characterized by difficulties in social interaction and restricted, stereotyped patterns of behavior and interests. Although not mentioned in standard diagnostic criteria for AS, physical clumsiness and atypical use of language are frequently reported.. A child can either show all the signs relating to Aspergers, or just a few. A few of the common symptoms of Aspergers are listed below.

1. The child may find it difficult talking to other children. Children suffering from this syndrome find it difficult approaching other people and starting conversations.

2. The child might use very advanced words in relation to his or her age. These children use words that only adults use.

3. The child is not able to understand jokes and sarcasm. Children suffering from Aspergers find it difficult to understand tones and voices. They take everything seriously.

4. The child does not have many interests. These children focus on a single thing only. For instance if the child takes to puzzles, he or she will only want to do puzzles always. They will learn as much as they can about one particular subject and focus on that only.

5. The child is not able to cope with change in routine. This is especially hard when the child is starting school. Their home routine is suddenly changed. The same applies for breaks during school year. Autistic children often suffer from this problem.

6. They talk a lot. Children suffering from the Aspergers syndrome usually speak a lot. They speak about everything irrespective of its appropriateness. Their conversations are usually one sided. It will seem like they are talking at you rather than to you.

7. They have problem making new friends. Children with Aspergers find it difficult to make new friends because they are unable to relate to other children. Sometimes they try too hard to make a friend and scare other kids away in the process.

8. They do not make eye contact. Children who suffer from Aspergers usually cannot look at your eyes while speaking. This is found commonly in Autistic children.

9. The child uses repetitive movements. These include bouncing back and forth, spinning around etc. These movements calm and soothe the Aspergers child.

10. They have a problem speaking. The child might speak too fast without noticing whether the person to whom they are speaking is paying attention. Usually they speak in monotones and their tone does not reflect emotions.

11. They have a problem with movement. They often have a problem coordinating their movements and they lack certain coordination skill. They might trip and stumble very often. They might take longer than usual to learn to ride a bike.

Children suffering from Aspergers are the luckiest of those suffering from Autism. Their language skills and intelligence is high. It is relatively easier to teach them social skills to help them get by. If your child exhibits any of these symptoms, take him or her to the doctor immediately.

Traveling With An Autistic Child - 10 Pointers To Keep In Mind

2008-11-21T17:40:00.000-08:00

Everyday is a challenge when it comes to living with autistic children. What are thing things you should do when going for a vacation or someplace else? Here is a list of things that the parents of an autistic child can do while traveling with him or her.

1. Plan ahead. Plan all your trips well in advance. This will give the child enough time to get accustomed to the idea of traveling and the child will be familiar with the process. Explain to them the places you will visit and things you will all do.

2. Take along with you some of the objects that the child likes, for instance, his or her favorite toy. Take the blanket and pillow they use daily. Try to take as many familiar items as possible so that the child will not feel lost. This will also allow him or her to get used to a new environment.

3. Take all necessary medications and medicines. The last thing you will need will be to want a medicine that you do not have. Refill the prescriptions before your trip to ensure you do not fall short.

4. Always keep a schedule with you while you travel. As far as possible try keeping the schedule that you use at home. Keep the same bed time everyday. Autistic children feel secure when they stick to a schedule.

5. Ensure your child is not overloaded. If the child suffers from many sensory issues, ensure he or she is not overloaded. If your child is getting overwhelmed, take him or her back to the hotel for some rest. If your child has issues concerning bright lights or loud noises, warn your child well in advance before taking him or her to any such place.

6. Never force the child to do a thing he or she is uncomfortable doing. For instance, if the child does not like loud noises or crowds, do not take him or her to an amusement park. Hire a qualified person to look after your child while you are visiting the park. This way the child could be kept occupied in something he or she finds interesting.

7. Ensure your child is carrying some sort of ID which contains your name and telephone number in case of emergency or in case the child gets lost. If the child can communicate, teach him or her what to say in case he or she gets lost. This will be hard for them, as they do not like dealing with people.

8. Stay calm in case there is some emergency. Your child can pick up your stress if it observes that you are stressed.

9. While traveling, try to keep the child occupied in activities that he or she enjoys. This could include a DVD player or a hand held game etc. This will ensure your child does not get too bored. This also helps distract them incase they start to feel uneasy.

10. Make sure that the place you are staying at is aware that your child is Autistic. This is important so that the staff knows what to do in case your child wanders off. If they see the child alone, they will contact you immediately.

While traveling with a child who is Autistic, extra planning is required. But it is not as difficult as it seems. Just ensure that your trip maintains a certain amount of structure. You and your child will not fail to have a good trip.

Author: Abhishek Agarwal

Updated from ezinearticles.com

Melatonin For Autism - Helping The Child Have A Restful Night

2008-11-21T17:35:00.000-08:00

The human body produces Melatonin naturally. Usually the body of an autistic child does not produce enough Melatonin and so they usually have a problem falling asleep. Excessive lack of sleep can cause a lot of problems for an autistic child. The number of unwanted behaviors will increase. Usually, if the child has not slept, the parents do not sleep either. This will lead to both the parent and child being grouchy. Starting a day exhausted can spoil the entire day. Additionally, the child will be cranky and refuse to cooperate with anybody. This makes doctor appointments and therapy very difficult.

If your child is autistic and is having trouble sleeping at night, you could try giving him or her some Melatonin supplements. Most pharmacies and health food stores sell these. Melatonin is safer than using the prescription medicines. Using prescription medication makes the child depend on them for sleep. As the body anyway produces Melatonin, its supplement merely ensures the body has the correct amount of Melatonin required to make the child sleep.

Give the child the Melatonin supplement at least half an hour before his or her bedtime. Ensure you give the minimum dosage that is required for effect to take place. Usually 1-3 milligrams is sufficient for the autistic child to fall asleep with ease. Always give the lowest dosage initially. If you give too high a dose, waking the child can be hard. It could also lead to the child having nightmares. Too high a dose can make the child groggy and tired the next morning. This is not desirable. The child needs to be energized and rested, not sleepy and tired.

Usually, Melotonin does not become less effective with time. With continuous use, there is not much chance that the Melatonin will stop working. If, for some reason, it stops working, discontinue the course for a couple of days or weeks. After this the dosage can be restarted and it should work. It has been shown that autistic children who have taken Melatonin have shown additional positive results. Children who take Melatonin are found to be more alert after their sleep. It has also helped children suffering from depression or anxiety. In this way you can avoid certain medicines that have unfavorable side effects.

If the autistic child is not sleeping well, Melatonin is the best bet. A good night's rest is essential for any child, especially an autistic one. If your child is already on some other medication to get sleep, consult your doctor if Melatonin is a good substitute. This should be given to the child only once, and that too, before bedtime. Giving Melatonin late at night or in the middle of sleep can disrupt the internal clock of the child. This could increase the problems the child suffers from.

Consider Melatonin if your doctor recommends using sleeping medication for your autistic child. There are no side effects and the child does not be dependent on it to help him or her sleep. Because our bodies produce Melatonin, it is completely natural. When our bodies do not produce enough, it is all right to supplement it. The Melatonin supplement will add the amount that our body needs in order to fall asleep and get a good night's rest.

Author: Abhishek Agarwal

Updated from ezinearticles.com

3 Treatments To Help Your Child - Curing Autism

2008-11-21T09:15:00.000-08:00

A lot of parents and guardians of autistic children often ask themselves whether autism can be cured. Unfortunately it cannot be cured. You might often see many ads on products and books that offer cures for autism, but they are only misleading you. There is no actual cure for autism. There are only treatments that can make it easier to live with autism. Here are a few treatments to help autistic people.

Therapies

There are a number of therapies available that help treat autism. Physical, occupational, speech, behavioral, music, drug, play, music and many other different types of these therapies can make a difference in an autistic child's life. These therapies are not cures for autism but they do make life easier for an autistic child. It will teach the child different ways of coping with the autism.

Alternative treatments

Today, many alternative and natural treatments are gaining popularity. These include using herbs in the place of prescription medicines. Unlike traditional medicines, herbs do not cause any side effects. Mineral and vitamin supplements are proving to be good treatments for autism. If you are giving any natural product to your child, ensure that your doctor is informed. There are a few herbs that react negatively with prescription medicines. Do not forget that these minerals and vitamins are not cures but only treatments. They help treat certain autism symptoms.

Nutritional Methods

There are a few people who prefer to treat autism by regulating the diet. Elimination of certain food items that cause sensitivities is a method. A few food products that need to be removed from the diet include Dairy, Gluten and artificial des. Removing these foods that are responsible for the sensitivities will help in the removal of the particular behavioral problem. Test your child for possible food allergies. Find out from your child's doctor how to go about allergy testing. Such information can let you know what food products are causing behavioral problems in your child. This also can give you a clear picture of what food stuff to eliminate from the diet in order to treat autism.

Although there is not yet any cure for autism, the different treatments available help with the symptoms to a great extent. Make sure you do not try out too many treatments at one go. Try them one by one. It should take only a few months to determine if the particular treatment is working positively. There is absolutely no treatment that gives results overnight. Inform your doctor in case you are adopting a vitamin or herbal treatment. The doctor knows best what works and what does not. Very often herbs can cause negative reactions in conjunction with medicines. Therefore it is for the best if your treatment team knows what exactly is going on. This helps ensure your child is getting positive treatment.

There are many products that will say that they can cure autism but do not waste your time and money on them. If there really were a cure, your doctor would tell you, not some person on television. If you child is autistic, give him or her a good consistent treatment. This can lead to positive results.

Author: Abhishek Agarwal

Updated from ezinearticles.com

Teach Your Child To Be Independent

2008-11-21T09:10:00.000-08:00

Almost all autistic children have a problem acquiring the skill of self-discipline. In addition to inappropriate outbursts, this can include potentially dangerous habits such as aggression towards others or themselves like banging their own head on walls. Self-management is one technique that teachers and parents can use to help the child avoid such behavior and activities. The key to controlling violent behavior and moving towards more positive behavior is giving the child control over him or her.

The reason self-management works is because no longer is the child fully controlled by other people. Teaching self-management to the child at specific times of the day, like when the child is in therapy or at school, will increase the chances of the child practicing self-management at other times of the day also. It is necessary to implement programs through which the child gets to monitor her or his own activities and behavior. Start with smaller amounts of time, while monitoring the child from a passive standpoint. Remind the child every fifteen to twenty minutes that she or he is in full control of her or himself and needs to be aware of the kind of behavior that is good and bad.

This kind of monitoring is a kind of self-evaluation. When the child controls his or her own behavior, he or she thinks more attentively about his or her own behavior in the present and past. Make sure that the child sets clear goals; such as a day without causing any injury to anybody. Every fifteen minutes check if the child is doing as promised. Has the goal been achieved? If the child is unable to achieve these goals, perhaps the child is not yet prepared for self-management and the goals are too tough to understand and comprehend. Ensure the goals you set are easily accomplishable initially, and then continue to increase the difficulty level according to the child's progress. As the child's progress in self-monitoring increases, he or she will automatically gain a more positive approach towards the entire experience.

The reward system is an integral part of the program of self-management. Make the children come up with their own rewards relating to their own interests. Reinforce the goals so that the child understands clearly what is good and what is bad and through the method of self-reward, the child will gain confidence in self-monitoring and self-management. Start with simple rewards, such as a sad face for every goal that is not met and a smiley face for every goal that is met. In this manner, move towards a larger goal like a toy or a special activity after a certain number of smiley faces have been achieved.

It is not an easy process to develop these programs, and they do not work overnight. It is important to ensure that the child devotes sufficient amount of time on these self-management activities. The combination of good behavior and reward, enforced by the children themselves, increases the likelihood of them practicing it even without any adult supervision. If the child is old enough, this method can even be used as a good treatment program.

Updated from ezinearticles.com

Lung cancer

2008-11-18T10:27:00.000-08:00

Lung cancer is a disease of uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. This growth may lead to metastasis, which is invasion of adjacent tissue and infiltration beyond the lungs. The vast majority of primary lung cancers are carcinomas of the lung, derived from epithelial cells. Lung cancer, the most common cause of cancer-related death in men and the second most common in women, is responsible for 1.3 million deaths worldwide annually. The most common symptoms are shortness of breath, coughing (including coughing up blood), and weight loss.

The main types of lung cancer are small cell lung carcinoma and non-small cell lung carcinoma. This distinction is important, because the treatment varies; non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) is sometimes treated with surgery, while small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) usually responds better to chemotherapy and radiation. The most common cause of lung cancer is long-term exposure to tobacco smoke. The occurrence of lung cancer in nonsmokers, who account for as many as 20% of cases, is often attributed to a combination of genetic factors, radon gas, asbestos, and air pollution, including secondhand smoke.

Lung cancer may be seen on chest x-ray and computed tomography (CT scan). The diagnosis is confirmed with a biopsy. This is usually performed via bronchoscopy or CT-guided biopsy. Treatment and prognosis depend upon the histological type of cancer, the stage (degree of spread), and the patient's performance status. Possible treatments include surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. With treatment, the five-year survival rate is 14%.

Read more lung cancer at Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lung_cancer)

Breast cancer

2008-11-18T10:24:00.000-08:00

Breast cancer is a cancer that starts in the cells of the breast in women and men. Worldwide, breast cancer is the second most common type of cancer after lung cancer (10.4% of all cancer incidence, both sexes counted) and the fifth most common cause of cancer death. In 2005, breast cancer caused 502,000 deaths worldwide (7% of cancer deaths; almost 1% of all deaths).

Because the breast is composed of identical tissues in males and females, breast cancer also occurs in males. Incidences of breast cancer in men are approximately 100 times less common than in women, but men with breast cancer are considered to have the same statistical survival rates as women.

Read more at Wikipedia

3 Ways Breast Cancer Can Screw Up Your Sex Life

2008-11-18T10:22:00.000-08:00

According to the National Cancer Institute, one in two women treated for breast or gynecologic cancer experiences some combination of low desire and pain with intercourse. Below, a list of the most common problems and some expert suggestions on what to do about it.

1. Fatigue
Breast cancer typically brings on one of the biggest libido-killers: fatigue. Recovering from a mastectomy—and perhaps reconstruction—can sap your energy, as can chemotherapy and radiation. "Fatigue is a bigger problem because it can be pervasive and it can last a lot longer" than other physical changes such as hair loss or dry skin, says Helen L. Coons, PhD, president and clinical director of Women's Mental Health Associates in Philadelphia.

2. Vaginal dryness
If you're on hormone treatment, you may be plunged into early menopause, and for some people that includes low desire and vaginal dryness, which can make sex painful. (Younger women and women who've had chemotherapy are generally more likely to report problems with sex.) Leslie R. Schover, PhD, professor of behavioral science at the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, suggests a vaginal lubricant and/or a vaginal dilator to make sex less painful. "Being on an antidepressant or anti-anxiety medication can also blunt sexual desire," she says.

3. Breast changes
Accepting how your body may have changed is obviously crucial to feeling sexual again. Scars, a new breast shape, or a missing breast or reconstructed one may take some time to get used to. As difficult as it can be to talk about these things with your partner and your doctor, if you're not bouncing back to your usual sexual self over time, it is something to bring up.

Updated from http://www.health.com/health/condition-article/0,,20189330,00.html

Cancer vaccine

2008-11-18T10:15:00.000-08:00

The term cancer vaccine refers to a vaccine that either prevents infections with cancer-causing viruses, or treats existing cancer.

Some cancers, such as cervical cancer and some liver cancers, are caused by viruses, and traditional vaccines against those viruses, such as HPV vaccine and Hepatitis B vaccine, will prevent those cancers.

Scientists have also been trying to develop vaccines against existing cancers. Some researchers believe that cancer cells routinely arise and are destroyed by the healthy immune system; cancer forms when the immune system fails to destroy them. They are separating proteins from cancer cells and immunizing cancer patients against those proteins, in the hope of stimulating an immune reaction that would kill the cancer cells. Therapeutic cancer vaccines are being developed for the treatment of breast, lung, colon, skin, kidney, prostate, and other cancers. But they have not yet been proven to work in phase 3 human trials, and have not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or by European Union regulatory agencies.

Scientist Ian Frazer to trial skin cancer vaccine

2008-11-18T10:13:00.000-08:00

THE pioneering Australian scientist who discovered the cure for cervical cancer is on the verge of creating the world's first vaccine for skin cancer.

Professor Ian Frazer, former Australian of the Year, has revealed the vaccine could be ready within the next five to 10 years.

As with the jab now given to millions of young girls each year to prevent cervical cancer, children aged between 10 and 12 would be given the vaccine to prevent skin cancer later in life, Professor Frazer envisages.

Testing on animals has shown the vaccine to be successful and human trials will start next year.

Australia has the world's highest rate of skin cancer with more than 380,000 people diagnosed with the disease and 1600 dying from it each year.

Professor Frazer will reveal this ground-breaking skin work at the Australian Health and Medical Research Congress to be held in Brisbane tomorrow.

Read more on this story at The Sunday Telegraph.

Good news: Migraines associated with lower risk of breast cancer

2008-11-18T10:10:00.000-08:00

SEATTLE – Women who suffer from migraines may take at least some comfort in a recent, first-of-its-kind study that suggests a history of such headaches is associated with a significantly lower risk of breast cancer. Christopher I. Li, M.D., Ph.D., and colleagues at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center report these findings in the November issue of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention.

"We found that, overall, women who had a history of migraines had a 30 percent lower risk of breast cancer compared to women who did not have a history of such headaches," said Li, a breast-cancer epidemiologist and associate member of the Hutchinson Center's Public Health Sciences Division.

In particular, migraine history appeared to reduce the risk of the most common subtypes of breast cancer: those that are estrogen-receptor and/or progesterone-receptor positive. Such tumors have estrogen and/or progesterone receptors, or docking sites, on the surface of their cells, which makes them more responsive to hormone-blocking drugs than tumors that lack such receptors.

The biological mechanism behind the association between migraines and breast cancer is not fully known, but Li and colleagues suspect that it has to do with fluctuations in levels of circulating hormones.

"Migraines seem to have a hormonal component in that they occur more frequently in women than in men, and some of their known triggers are associated with hormones," Li said. "For example, women who take oral contraceptives – three weeks of active pills and one week of inactive pills to trigger menstruation – tend to suffer more migraines during their hormone-free week," he said. Conversely, pregnancy – a high-estrogen state – is associated with a significant decrease in migraines. "By the third trimester of pregnancy, 80 percent of migraine sufferers do not have these episodes," he said. Estrogen is known to stimulate the growth of hormonally sensitive breast cancer.

While this study represents the first of its kind to look at a potential connection between migraines and breast cancer, Li and colleagues have data from two other studies that in preliminary analyses appear to confirm these findings, he said.

"While these results need to be interpreted with caution, they point to a possible new factor that may be related to breast-cancer risk. This gives us a new avenue to explore the biology behind risk reduction. Hopefully this could help stimulate other ideas and extend what we know about the biology of the disease."

For the study, the researchers combined data from two population-based, case-control studies of 3,412 Seattle-area postmenopausal women, 1,938 of whom had been diagnosed with breast cancer and 1,474 of whom had no history of breast cancer, who served as a comparison group. Information on migraine history was based on self-report and was limited to migraines that had been diagnosed by a physician or other health professional.

Updated from http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2008-11/fhcr-maw103108.php

Scientists found a possible cure for cancer

2008-11-18T10:00:00.000-08:00

Researchers at the University of Alberta believe DCA is the cure for cancer. But big pharmaceutical companies aren't interested because DCA is not patentable, meaning there is no money to be made, so they will not spend millions for clinical trials.

Child Abuse can Cause Schizophrenia

2008-11-18T09:59:00.000-08:00

Tuesday, Jun 13 (Psych Central) -- University of Manchester researcher Paul Hammersley is to tell two international conferences, in London and Madrid on 14 June 2006, that child abuse can cause schizophrenia.

The groundbreaking and highly contentious theory, co-presented by New Zealand clinical psychologist Dr John Read, has been described as “an earthquake” that will radically change the psychiatric profession.

Clinical psychologist and writer Dr Oliver James commented: “The psychiatric establishment is about to experience an earthquake that will shake its intellectual foundations [and] may trigger a landslide.”

Mr Hammersley, Programme Director for the COPE (Collaboration of Psychosocial Education) Initiative at the School of Nursing Midwifery and Social Work, said: “We are not returning to the 1960s and making the mistake of blaming families, but professionals have to realize that child abuse was a reality for large numbers of adult sufferers of psychosis.”

He added: “We work very closely in collaboration with the Hearing Voices Network, that is with the people who hear voices in their head. The experience of hearing voices is consistently associated with childhood trauma regardless of diagnosis or genetic pedigree.”

Dr Read said: “I hope we soon see a more balanced and evidence-based approach to schizophrenia and people using mental health services being asked what has happened to them and being given help instead of stigmatizing labels and mood-altering drugs.”

Hammersley and Read argue that two-thirds of people diagnosed as schizophrenic have suffered physical or sexual abuse and thus it is shown to be a major, if not the major, cause of the illness. With a proven connection between the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and schizophrenia, they say, many schizophrenic symptoms are actually caused by trauma.

Their evidence includes 40 studies, which revealed childhood or adulthood sexual or physical abuse in the history of the majority of psychiatric patients and a review of 13 studies of schizophrenics found abuse rates from a low of 51% to a high of 97%. Psychiatric patients who report abuse are much more likely to experience hallucinations – flashbacks which have become part of the schizophrenic experience and hallucinations or voices that bully them as their abuser did thus causing paranoia and a mistrust of people close to them.

They admit not all schizophrenics suffered trauma and not all abused people develop the illness, but believe less traumatic childhood maltreatment, rather than actual abuse, may be an important difference. In their review of the 33,648 studies conducted into the causes of schizophrenia between 1961 and 2000, they found that less than 1% was spent on examining the impact of parental care. Still, they say, there have been enough studies to suggest negative or confusing early care may be an important addition to abuse as a cause.

Genes may still have a role to play but other evidence Hammersley and Read cite shows that genes alone do not cause the illness. A recent study compared 56 adoptees born to schizophrenic mothers with 96 adoptees whose biological parents did not have the illness. The families were observed extensively when the children were small and all the adoptees were assessed for psychiatric illness in adulthood. It was found that if there was a high genetic risk and it was combined with mystifying care during upbringing, the likelihood of developing schizophrenia was greater - genes alone did not cause the illness.

In addition a recent review revealed that, apart from for Alzheimer’s, not a single gene has been shown to play a critical role in any mental illness, while sociological studies show that schizophrenia poor people are several times more likely than the rich to suffer schizophrenia and urban life increases the risk.

Finally, they argue, if patients believe their illness is an unchangeable genetic destiny and that it is a physical problem requiring a physical solution, they will readily accept a drug prescribed to them when in fact they require other therapy. Worse, those who buy the genetic fairytale are less likely to recover, and that parents who do so are less supportive of their offspring. They recommend that all patients be asked in detail about whether they have been abused, anti-psychotic drugs no longer be doled out automatically and psychological therapies offered more often.

Hammersley and Read will propose the motion ‘Tears on my pillow, voices in my head: This house believes child abuse is a cause of schizophrenia’ at a public debate at the Institute of Psychiatry in London on 14 June 2006. They will also be speaking at 15th ISPS Symposium for the Psychotherapy of Schizophrenia and other Psychoses in Madrid on the same day.

The University of Manchester is the largest higher education institution in the country with almost 36 000 students. Its Faculty of Medical & Human Sciences (www.mhs.manchester.ac.uk) is one of the largest faculties of clinical and health sciences in Europe, with a research income of over £37 million. The School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work enjoys national and international research acclaim, attracts considerable funding and publishes extensively in internationally renowned journals. It has three research groups which comprise a number of project and theme-based teams – acute care and rehabilitation, primary health care and mental health.

The University of Auckland is New Zealand’s pre-eminent research-led University. Established in 1883, it has grown into an international centre of learning and academic excellence and is New Zealand’s largest university. The Department of Psychology has teaching and research interests in social psychology, cognitive neuroscience, child development, learning, industrial/organisational psychology, speech language therapy/speech science, clinical, health psychology, and psychological and developmental disabilities.

Source: EurekAlert!

Potential causes of child abuse

2008-11-18T09:51:00.000-08:00

Child abuse encompasses a spectrum of abusive actions, from acts of commission, to lack of action or omission. Abuse can start even before the birth of the child, and can have adverse effects on the child. Such as maternal drug abuse and failure to seek appropriate prenatal health care during pregnancy.

Parental choices and other unforeseen circumstances that place families under extraordinary stress ― for instance, poverty, divorce, sickness, disability, lack of parental skills is often associated to child maltreatment. Many of these factors may contribute to family stress that can result in child abuse or neglect. Understanding the root causes of abuse can help better determine the best methods of prevention and treatment.

Child abuse has many faces, a discussion of the four most common follows:

1. physical abuse

2. sexual abuse

3. neglect

4. emotional abuse

I. Physical abuse

Children who have been physically abused present with a multitude of psychiatric disturbances:

Anxiety

aggressive behavior

paranoid ideation

posttraumatic stress disorder

depressive disorders

suicidal risks are increased

poor self esteem

depression

dissociative disorders

substance abuse (alcohol, drugs)

violent behavior/outbursts

High risk parents/parent, care givers:

1. Over 90% of abusive parents do not have a psychotic or criminal personality.

Single parent is the sole responsible care giver of a child. Usually with little or no family or friends to assist them. They are lonely, did not plan their pregnancy, have little or no knowledge of child care and child development, and have unrealistic beleifs of child behavior. substance abuse is a common finding in families of abused children.

2. Groups living in poverty

a. increased number of crisis in their lives

b. they have limited access to economic or social resources for support during times of stress

c. increased violence in the communities where they live

d. association with poverty and teenage mothers, substance abuse

3. Other high risk parents are those where spousal abuse occurs in the home.

Parent with limited education, or mentally handicapped parents who perceive what is normal child behavior as misbehaving and punish the child harshly.

4. High risk children

a. Mentally retarded children

b. premature infants

c. infants with chronic medical problems

d. colicky babies

e. children with behavioral problems

5. 10-40% of abusive parents have experienced physical abuse as children.

This is only a statistic not an excuse for abuse.

3. Neglect

Neglect accounts for more deaths than physical abuse, such as medical needs neglect which occurs when the parents belief system runs against the medical needs of the child. Neglect to provide adequate nutrition, clothing, heat, basic shelter, and protection from environmental hazards are other forms of neglect leading to failure to thrive or the direct cause of injury to a child.

4. Emotional Abuse

Emotional abuse includes intentional verbal or behavioral acts that result in adverse emotional consequences, emotional neglect occurs when a caretaker intentionally does not provide nurturing verbal and behavioral action that are needed for healthy development.

Emotional abuse can include:

a. rejection

b. scapegoat assignment

c. isolation

d. criticism

e. terrorizing of a child

5. Sexual Abuse

Sexual abuse is defined as involving any minor child (age dependent upon state/country) that is intended for the sexual gratification of an adult.

Sexual abuse includes oral-genital, genital-genital, genital-rectal, hand-genital, hand0-rectal or hand-breast contact; and showing pornography to a child or using a child in the production of pornography. Sexual intercourse includes vaginal, oral, or rectal penetration. Penetration is entry into an orifice with or without tissue injury.

In studies of juvenile offenders, younger perpetrators tend to have younger victims, but are more likely to have intercourse with older victims. Sex acts by young children, between young children is a learned behavior and are associated with sexual abuse or exposure to adult sex or pornography.

Sexual abuse most commonly occurs by an individual known by the victim, parent or other family member (intrafamilial). Rarely is the abuser a stranger. Intrafamilial and incest sexual abuse is difficult to document and manage because the child just be protected from additional abuse and coercion to not reveal or deny the abuse, while attempts are made to preserve the family unit. Children themselves may also decide to recant thier recent accusations of abuse due to fear of retaliation by the perpetrator or other family members. They may also recant out of fear of loosing contact with the perpetrator who is commonly a family member or close friend tied to t he family by various social means.

Violence is not common in sexual abuse, however, its incidence increases with the age and size of the victim and specific traits in the perpetrator. Violence is more likely to occur in association with a single incident by a stranger. In cases of vilent incest, the father has been described as sociopathic, with a sexual abuse extending outside the family circle.

Clinical manifestations of sexual abuse

1. Vaginal, penile, or rectal pain, redness of area, or a discharge with or without bleeding.

2. Chronic painful urination, constipation

3. Premature puberty in a female (nonspecific to abuse)

Behaviors associated with sexual abuse

1. sexualized activity with peers, animals, or objects

2. seductive behavior

3. age-inappropriate sexual knowledge and curiosity Statistics

Nonspecific behaviors to sexual abuse

These behaviors are nonspecific to abuse but are in need of investigation for needs of the child:

1. suicide gesture

2. fear of an individual or place

3. nightmares

4. sleep disorders

5. regression

6. aggression

7. withdrawn behavior

8. post traumatic stress disorder

9. poor self-esteem

10. depression

11. poor school performance (especially when previously good)

12. running away

13. self-mutilation

14. anxiety

15. fire setting

16. multiple personalities

17. somatization

18. phobias

19. prostitution

20. drug abuse

21. eating disorders

Statistics

Most of the increased numbers of child abuse is in the increase in the reporting of sexual abuse and the publicity surrounding sexual abuse.

Rate increase between 1976 to 1984 rose from 1.4/10,000 to 17/10,000 children.

In 1991:

838,232 cases of child abuse reported to the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System, 15% was sexual abuse.

Female abuse

1. 12-38% were sexually abused by age 18.

2. 8% incidence of extra familial sexual abuse is actually reported.

3. 2% incidence of intrafamilial sexual abuse is actually reported.

Male abuse

1. 3-9% of males in the population were sexually abused by age 18.

2. males constitute 20% of the reports.

3. Pedophiles show a predilection for boys, theory suggests that the number of males who are sexually abused is higher.

4. boys may refrain from reporting the incident due to homophobic social stigma. Also, males are "expected" to be able to protect themselves from assault, boys may feel guilty if they are victimized.

Age ranges in sexual abuse

15 million women in the US have been involved in a incestuous relationship.

1. 33% of victims are under age 6

2. 33% are 6-12 years old

3. 33% are 12-18 years old.

Sex, age of offenders, and who they are

1. 97% are male who are on the average 10 years older than their victims.

2. Females are more often perpetrators in child-care settings, including baby sitting.

3. Abuse by females may be higher than reported due to younger children confusing sexual abuse with normal hygiene care and adolescent males may not be trained to recognize sexual activity with an older female as a form of abuse.

4. sexual abuse by stepfathers is 5 times higher than among natural fathers, the most common age for onset of abuse is age 10

5. abuse of daughters by fathers and stepfathers is the most common form of reported incest. Commonly the mother is unavailable to the father and is usually chronically ill or depressed. The mother is commonly the victim of child abuse when young.

6. brother-sister incest is the most common form of incest (but not the most commonly reported).

Incestuous fathers, a profile

1. Rigid

2. patriarchal

3. emotionally immature

4. alcoholic or drug abuse common

5. usually do not engage in extramarital affairs

Mothers in the home where father-daughter or son incest

1. chronically depressed

2. chronically ill

3. work takes them away on business trips overnight

4. show little or no interest in their husbands sexually

Pedophiles, a profile

Pedophiles become sexually attracted to children begins in their adolescence. Pedophiles seek opportunities that place them in and around children.

The common victim profile of a Pedophiles is:

a. mental and physical handicaps

b. unloved, unwanted children

c. previously abused children

d. children of single parent families

e. children of drug abusing parents

f. children with low self esteem

g. children who are poor achievers

Updated fo http://thechildabuseinfo.com/causes_of_child_abuse.htm

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2008-11-18T06:56:00.000-08:00

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How to Identify Mental Health In A Normal Condition

2008-11-17T18:21:00.000-08:00

Health providers concerned with how the mind works are capable of distinguishing the difference of being mentally healthy and mentally ill. They judge through the specific signs and symptoms that the client may or may not manifest upon undergoing series of tests.

There are a lot of approaches and here are some:

1. One’s own perception

Here, you have to asses yourself internally. Are you thinking about anything that is quite morbid or something really insane? Your behaviors, thoughts and functioning which means the way you perceive every detail of your thinking can readily determine if you are really normal. If there is a sudden shift from the normal things that you do like daily habits and routines which you used to enjoy, then there might be something wrong.

Other people who experience depression in the severe tense can oftentimes go on with their lives without doing chores or even bathing themselves. Therefore, it is important to asses yourself. If you can no longer pinpoint what’s wrong or is unable to do something about the condition then, you can consider yourself asmentally ill.

2. Other people’s perception

It is still important to ask other people’s opinion about yourself and the way you behave. You can lie aboutyour own feelings and pretend that nothing is wrong thus, making it all subjective. This may not help in bringing out a very accurate assessment.

People around you, those whom you know and trust, may be the best source for an objective opinion. You may see yourself to be perfectly typical while others may disagree. Schizophrenia is one very good example of this wherein a person may admit seeing or hearing things where in fact nothing’s there.

3. Ethnic and cultural norms

Oftentimes, a person’s normalcy is defined by their culture. Because people are living within different boundaries and different cultures, what is normal for others may not seem normal for you. Going back to the case of schizophrenia, when a person tends to hear things and let the people around him believe that there is really something, for others this may be insane but for some religions, this is normal and is a sort of divine intervention. Culture within the family may also affect the way you see others big time. What you normally do within the four sides of your home may not be the same with others.

4. Based on statistical numeric

Within the range – that is what normal is usually stated as. Generally, what is within the average
counting defines what normal is and if statistics goes high or low, it becomes abnormal because of the extreme fluctuations in changes which are not considered as the average.

Based on the four approaches, one can clearly identify if a particular individual or a member of the family is suffering from mental illness. Mental health depends on the state of mind which is not hindered by any kind of abnormal manifestations.

How to Recognize and Report Child Abuse

2008-11-16T07:58:00.000-08:00

There are ways to prevent child abuse before it happens. In the very least, we can help prevent a child from coming into fatal danger by recognizing what child abuse is, why it’s such a problem, and what we can do to help stop it.

More than 1 million children are victims of abuse or neglect by their parents and other caregivers every year in America. More than 1,200 children die each year as a result of the abuse and neglect they receive. After accidents, child abuse ranks as the second leading cause of death for children between one and five years old.

Violence hits home for too many children across the country, creating scars that will affect children, families, and communities a lifetime of anguish.

What Child Abuse Is and Why It Happens

Physical abuse of children has been something that we’ve learned to recognize as a problem. It wasn’t until the late 60’s that child abuse was given a name: Battered Child Syndrome. Since it was pinpointed and shown to be wrong, not something that we can turn the other way and allow to happen, society as a whole has learned a lot about what causes child abuse and how it can be prevented.

In simplest terms, child abuse is a pattern of injuries to a child that is not accidental. This might seem like common sense, but when we stop to think about what it really means, there are some patterns of injury that we might not have expected. In addition to physical injury and sexual abuse, neglect and emotional abuse are also considered to be mistreatment of children.

There are no hard and fast rules about “where” children are abused. When there’s violence in the home, it has no prejudice about ethnic or economic lines. Recent studies by the National Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and Neglect, though, have shown that children from families with incomes below $15,000 were 25 times more likely to experience child abuse than those families who earned $30,000 or more. This fact might be linked to the stress of poverty that can lead a parent to physically hurt a child, but marital problems, difficulties at work, social isolation, grief or illness can also lead to a parent lashing out at a child.

Some people enter adulthood with unreasonable expectations of their children. When parents expect children to be able to perform in ways that children aren’t able to, they can become angry and violent.

No excuses – stress is a part of everyone’s life and we all have to learn to deal with it like adults. Helping stop child abuse before it happens, though, means recognizing what causes child abuse to begin in the first place. Then, we can help our friends, families, and even ourselves to overcome forces like poverty and addiction which might lead to abuse.

Stopping Child Abuse

In every community is a dedicated group of people who exist solely to provide counseling and services to families – the Child Protective Service. These agencies help at-risk families overcome the barriers causing stress in their lives to help prevent child abuse in the first place. In severe cases, they will not stop at removing children from violent homes, either temporarily or permanently.

Tying tightly into the Child Protective Service are community institutions like schools and hospitals. When all of these work together with informal networks of residents in your community, a safety-net can be created to help prevent child abuse from happening at all by identifying families at risk of abuse or neglect. Unfortunately, prevention doesn’t always work – and it’s important to take steps before abuse happens again.

Before you come to the conclusion that a child is being abused, look for the following warning signs. These signs don’t necessarily mean that a child is being abused, but they definitely raise some questions.

• Unexplained injuries.
• Injuries in unusual patterns or locations.
• Multiple injuries (several bruises, for example) at different stages of healing.
• Multiple bruises, any welts, broken bones, moderate to severe cuts, bite marks, burns, missing hair or bald spots, black eyes, or swollen lips.
• Any burns from cigarettes, ropes, radiators, or scalding water.
• Wariness of adult contact.
• Hostility and aggressiveness toward other children.
• Self-destructive behavior.
• Extremely low self-esteem.
• Fears of going home.

Reporting Child Abuse

First, a word of caution: Up to 3 million cases of child abuse are reported each year, and of these cases only 1 million can be confirmed. You need to exercise caution when reporting an issue with children; kids are clumsy, and oftentimes when they say that the bruises on their legs are from soccer, they really are from soccer. Make sure that any report you make is backed up by facts, and not emotion. It’s too easy to become frightened for a child and overreact when there is not a problem to begin with.

Once you have moved past the emotion stage, and still feel strongly that there is a problem that needs to be dealt with, here’s 3 important tips for reporting abuse:

1. If a child says that s/he is being hurt, believe them. Children almost never lie about being hurt or abused, and this should be taken seriously.
2. If you suspect abuse by a member of your family, go outside of your family to talk to someone. The child protective agency is a good place to start.
3. Attempt to find out if a parent is being abused as well. Many times, a spouse is abused before children, and s/he should be given the chance to remove the child out of the home. In every metropolitan area, and many smaller communities, there are battered men, women, and children shelters to go to who will not ask for a dime.

By Lolaness - associatedcontent.com

What Are Some Causes of Child Abuse?

2008-11-16T07:35:00.000-08:00

The bottom line regarding child abuse is that its occurrence crosses all gender, race, societal and economic lines. The Administration of Children and Families estimate 3,503,000 children received an investigation by CPS agencies in 2004 as follows: 62.4 percent of victims experienced neglect, 17.5 percent were physically abused, 9.7 percent were sexually abused, 7.0 percent were psychologically maltreated, and 2.1 percent were medically neglected.

Who is at highest risk of becoming a child abuse victim? What factors should be considered when assessing child abuse risk factors?

Adults who experienced abuse as children. When assessing child abuse risk factors, stastics show that some adults who were abused as children repeat that same behavior with their own children. Victims of child abuse are often unable to develop healthy ways of disciplining their children, so repeat the behaviors they learned themselves as children.

Adults involved in an abusive relationship with an intimate partner. Another dynamic to consider when assessing child abuse risk factors is a parent/caregiver who is involved in an abusive relationship themselves.The child abuse may occur either out of frustration and shame over the abuse the adult experiences, or because of a minimized ability to function in a healthy and appropriate relationship with their children.

Child with disabilities or mental retardation. A child with extraordinary needs may increase the burden of care on the cargiver, potentially leading to higher stress levels. Further, a parent's or caregiver's lack of understanding the child's needs and development may lead to abuse by the parent or caregiver who perceives the child's behavior inappropriately or inaccurately.

Family disorganization, dissolution. When assessing child abuse risk factors, children in families on the brink of dissolving, or have already dissolved are at a high risk for abuse due to increased stress level in the relationships. Sometimes one parent abuses the child as an unconscious way to hurt the other parent or one of the parents blame the child for contributing to the dissolution or disorganization of the family.

Poverty, unemployment, stress, distress. Poverty is not a cause of child abuse. When assessing child abuse risk factors, though, poverty, unemployment and other socioeconomic disadvantages of the family place a child at high risk for becoming a victim of child abuse. The stress, sense of hopelessness, potential loss of possessions and livelihood can increase stress to a boiling point, with adults lashing out at those who are most vulnerable.

Depression and other mental health conditions. Mental illness can cause adults to respond and react in violent, or at least unhealthy ways. Relationships with children and others in the life of a depressed or mentally ill individual can be strained and misunderstood, sometimes leading to abuse..

Negative interactions and/or poor child-parent relationships. This type of dynamic creates a vicious cycle of mutual anger and frustration. When a parent and child have a difficult or challenging relationship, the parent may lash out in anger and frustration by abusing the child.
Medical practioners, teachers, child care providers and others in a position of responsibility for children are required by law to report suspected child abuse. Reporters may remain anonymous to the suspected abuser and investigators will thoroughly investigate the allegation. The burden of responsibility for proving abuse is on the investigator, not the reporter.

Source: associatedcontent.com

Top 7 Ways for Working Parents to Bond With Their Children

2008-11-12T10:19:00.000-08:00

Childcare (also written child care and babycare) is the act of caring for and supervising minor children. With some effort though, it is possible for working parents to spend the quality time necessary to develop strong, life-long bonds with their kids. Here are some of the methods my husband has used to spend quality time with our three sons over the years.

1. Get Involved With Sports

Playing sports benefits children in many ways. Sports can help build self-confidence in kids, promotes physical health and teaches cooperation with other children. For parents, and especially the non-stay-at-home parent, becoming involved in with kids sports leads to important time together. Whether the parent chooses to volunteer to coach little league or the soccer team, or just plays catch in the back yard, spending time together playing sports can be fun and helps promote the parent-child bond.

2. Read to Your Kids

Allowing the non stay-at-home parent to read to the children at bedtime is a great way to promote bonding. My kids loved to have some special time together with their dad when he read to them at night. This doesn't have to take long, either; 10 or 20 minutes of reading a favorite book is enough for most kids.

3. Help With Homework

Another opportunity for the working parent to spend more time with their children is to help the kids with their homework in the evening. My kids really enjoy the individualized time with their dad when he helps them study for a test or helps them proofread a paper.

4. Volunteer at School

While this might be difficult for many people to work into their busy schedules, occasionally helping out at school is another option for non stay-at-home parents to bond with their children. While our kids were still in elementary school, my husband frequently volunteered to chaperone during class field trips. Most field trips were planned well in advance, so my husband was able to arrange for time off from work to chaperone. Our children and my husband enjoyed spending this time together.

5. Do Household Chores Together

Working together around the house is another way that non stay-at-home parents can spend some quality time together with their kids. Even when the kids are very young they can "help" wash the car or pull weeds in the garden.

6. Enjoy a Hobby Together

Spending time together working on a hobby is an excellent way for parents and kids to bond. Enjoying a hobby together doesn't have to be complicated or expensive; it can be something as simple as collecting interesting rocks or putting together jigsaw puzzles.

7. Take a Camping Trip

Since my boys were infants we have enjoyed family camping trips. We often take them camping two or three times a year. Whether you go hiking or just sit around the campfire telling ghost stories, a camping trip is fairly inexpensive and offers a great opportunity for both parents to spend quality time with the kids.

Source: http://homeparents.about.com/od/parentingtips/tp/bond_kids.htm

Avoiding Child Abuse in Times of Stress

2008-11-12T10:00:00.000-08:00

There are several risk factors that precipitate an abusive situation - so be aware and be smart about your limitations as a human and do what you can to avoid setting yourself up for failure. In this case - abusive behavior towards your children.

Take a time out for yourself. Lock yourself in the bathroom for a few minutes - after making sure younger children are safe, of course.
Don't pick up or touch your child when angry - count to 10 or more.
Walk away when feeling the urge to strike out or boil over.
Call a friend. Share your frustration.
Go to a neighbor and ask for reinforcement or a short break. I have done this and it started a great new friendship that I now cherish with my neighbor.
Look to your church for help when feeling overwhelmed with parenting.
Look for a parent's day out program at your local church, school, or community center.
Take time to be a kid again. Go to the park with your kids and run around. Let go of all adult responsibility for an hour or so. Take a mental break.
Another great way to take a mental break is to read or get into a soap opera. Avoid reality for an hour.
Look into parenting classes. Perhaps learning a few new techniques will help.
Bind together with others who are struggling for strength and assurance. Talk openly with each other about stress and problems.
Take turns watching the kids so that each parent can have time to break down, cry, reflect, or begin the rebuilding process in times of crisis.
See a therapist regarding your issues at home, especially if you are having a difficult time walking away from your children when angry or have began to be abusive in any way. Remember that stress and depression can overwhelm the best of parents. Things can't improve until we are honest with our limitations and seek help.
Seek inner peace through prayer and meditation. Whatever beliefs you hold that bring you comfort.

Source: http://adoption.about.com/od/parenting/a/avoidabuse.htm?nl=1

Causes of Child Abuse

2008-11-12T09:45:00.000-08:00

Research regarding the causes of child abuse has recently undergone a paradigm shift. The results of research initiated by the National Research Council's Panel on Research on Child Abuse and Neglect⁸ signal the first important step away from simple cause-and-effect models. As was recognized by researchers for the National Research Council's panel, the simple cause-and-effect models have certain limitations, mainly related to their narrow focus on the parents. These models limit themselves by asking only about the isolated set of personal characteristics that might cause parents to abuse or neglect their children. Moreover, these models also fail to account for the occurrence of different forms of abuse in one child. At the same time, these models had very little explanatory power in weighing the value of various risk factors involved in child abuse. As a result, they were not very accurate in predicting future cases of child abuse.

To replace the old static model, the panel has substituted what it calls an "ecologic" model. This model considers the origin of all forms of child abuse to be a complex interactive process. This ecologic model views child abuse within a system of risk and protective factors interacting across four levels: (1) the individual, (2) the family, (3) the community and (4) the society. However, some factors are more closely linked with some forms of abuse than others. The factors thought to contribute to the development of physical and emotional abuse and neglect of children are listed in Table 2 and are discussed below.


TABLE 2 Risk Factors for Child Abuse
Community/societal • High crime rate • Lack of or few social services • High poverty rate • High unemployment rate Parent-related • Personal history of physical or sexual abuse as a child • Teenage parents • Single parent • Emotional immaturity • Poor coping skills • Low self-esteem • Personal history of substance abuse • Known history of child abuse		Parent-related (continued) • Lack of social support • Domestic violence • Lack of parenting skills • Lack of preparation for the extreme stress of having a new infant • History of depression or other mental health problems • Multiple young children • Unwanted pregnancy • Denial of pregnancy Child-related • Prematurity • Low birth weight • Handicap

Societal Factors
Many would argue that our society does not really value its children. This assertion is highlighted by the fact that one in four children in the United States lives in poverty, and many children do not have any form of health insurance. The presence of high levels of violence in our society is also thought to contribute to child abuse. Deadly violence is more common in the United States than in 17 other developed countries. Seventy-five percent of violence occurring in this country is domestic violence. The United States leads developed countries in homicide rates for females older than 14 years and for children from five to 14 years of age. Other factors that may contribute to high rates of violence include exposure to television violence and reliance on corporal punishment.

Poverty is the most frequently and persistently noted risk factor for child abuse. Physical abuse and neglect are more common among the people who are the poorest. Whether this association is precipated by the stress of poverty-related conditions or results from greater scrutiny by public agencies, resulting in over-reporting, is debated. Nevertheless, this association is well documented. Other societal factors that have been cited include inaccessible and unaffordable health care, fragmented social services and lack of support from extended families and communities.

Personal Factors
Lack of parenting skills, unrealistic expectations about a child's capabilities, ignorance of ways to manage a child's behavior and of normal child development may further contribute to child abuse.Parents who were abused as children are more likely than other parents to abuse their own children. However, the retrospective methodology of research in this area has been criticized. It is estimated that 40 percent of confirmed cases of child abuse are related to substance abuse. It is also estimated that 11 percent of pregnant women are substance abusers, and that 300,000 infants are born each year to mothers who abuse crack cocaine. Domestic violence also increases the risk of child abuse.

social isolation of the parent or parents from family and friends and the resulting lack of support that their absence implies, Other factors that increase the risk of child abuse include emotional immaturity of the parents, which is often highly correlated to actual age (as in the case of teenage parents), poor coping skills, often related to age but also occurring in older parents, poor self-esteem and other psychologic problems experienced by either one or both parents, single parenthood and the many burdens and hardships of parenting that must be borne without the help of a partner, any situation involving a handicapped child or one that is born prematurely or at a low birth weight, any situation where a sibling younger than 18 months of age is already present in the home, any situation in which the child is the result of an unwanted pregnancy or a pregnancy that the mother denies,any situation where one sibling has been reported to child protective services for suspected abuse and, finally, the general inherent stress of parenting which, when combined with the pressure of any one or a combination of the factors previously mentioned, may exacerbate any difficult situtation(Figure 1).


The Path to Child Abuse


FIGURE 1. The path to child abuse.

Source: http://www.aafp.org/afp/990315ap/1577.html

Healthy Pregnancy Tips - The Dont's

2008-11-09T17:31:00.000-08:00

Help your spouse steer clear of these pregnancy no-nos to help keep her and the baby safe and healthy:

Avoid fish with lots of mercury in her diet. Get correct information from your dietician on what fish to eat and what fish to avoid when she is pregnant.
Don't disregard food borne illness. Eat, cook, handle and clean food safely! According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, food borne illness can cause serious health problems - or even death for both mother and baby.
Protect her from using chemicals. Products including herbicides, pesticides, paint, stains, and some cleaning solutions may be harmful to your baby. If she must use these things, make sure she wears gloves, a mask, and keeps the room well-ventilated.
Don't let her clean or change a cat's litter box. This could put her at risk for an infection called toxoplasmosis. Toxoplasmosis is caused by a parasite that cats can carry in their feces. Toxoplasmosis can harm a fetus.
Don't let her take very hot baths, hot tubs, or saunas. According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, high temperatures can be harmful to the fetus, or causing the mother-to-be to faint.
Discourage her from using scented feminine hygiene products. Pregnant women should avoid scented sprays, sanitary napkins, and bubble bath. These products might irritate your spouse’s vaginal area, and increase her risk of a urinary tract infection or yeast infection.
Don't let her douche. According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, douching can irritate the vagina, force air into the birth canal and increase the increase the risk of infection
Avoid optional x-rays. X-rays are a form of radiation that is linked to a very small risk of cancer for an unborn baby. But x-rays are usually safe during pregnancy. So if your doctor says your spouse needs x-rays for a health problem you should follow her advice. But sometimes doctors can use other tests in place of x-rays. And other times, x-rays can wait until after the baby is born.
Don't let her smoke tobacco. Tell your doctor if your spouse smokes. Quitting is hard, but she can do it. Ask your doctor for help. Smoking during pregnancy passes nicotine and cancer-causing drugs to your baby. Smoke also keeps your baby from getting needed nourishment and raises the risk of stillbirth and premature birth (a small baby born too early).
Discourage her from drinking alcohol. Your spouse should stop drinking alcohol if she drinks it regularly. Experts are still unsure of the exact amount of alcohol needed to cause problems in your baby. But, both drinking every day and drinking a lot of alcohol once in a while during pregnancy can harm the baby.
Don't let her use illegal drugs. Tell your doctor if your spouse is using drugs. Marijuana, cocaine, heroin, speed (amphetamines), barbiturates, and LSD are very dangerous for your spouse and the baby.

Source: greatdad.com

Healthy Pregnancy Tips - The Do's

2008-11-09T17:22:00.000-08:00

Now that you're pregnant, taking care of yourself has never been more important. Of course, you'll probably get advice from everyone — your doctor, family members, friends, co-workers, and even complete strangers — about what you should and shouldn't be doing.

Follow these helpful hints to ensure your spouse a healthy pregnancy:

Get all her essential vitamins and minerals every day. According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, women need a lot more iron when pregnant. And sometimes it's hard to get enough by eating alone. Ask your doctor if your spouse should be taking a daily prenatal vitamin or multivitamin.
Get 400 micrograms (or 0.4 mg) of folic acid daily in her diet. According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, getting enough folic acid (or folate) reduces the chances of some birth defects. Some women eat lots of certain foods and others take multivitamins to get enough folic acid during pregnancy.
Eat a healthy diet. Load her up on fruits, vegetables, and whole-grains (such as whole-wheat breads or crackers). Eat plenty of calcium-rich foods (such as non-fat or low-fat yogurt, milk, and broccoli) that your baby needs for strong bones and teeth. If you live in areas where fruits and vegetables aren't in season, frozen vegetables are a good option. Avoid giving her a lot of fatty foods (such as butter and fatty meats) to eat. Choose leaner foods when you can (such as skim milk, chicken and turkey without the skin, and fish).
Let her gain a healthy, not excessive amount of weight. Research shows that women who gain more than the recommended amount during pregnancy have an elevated risk of obesity. On average, 25 to 30 pounds is a healthy weight gain over the 40 weeks of pregnancy. Check with your doctor to find out how much weight your spouse should gain during pregnancy.
Make sure she gets enough sleep (seven to nine hours every night). Aches, pains, anxiety and bathroom runs keep many pregnant women awake at night. To get some sleep, try getting your spouse to eat any large meals at least three hours before going to bed, get some easy exercise (like walking) and avoid long naps during the day. Make sure she sleeps on her left side and uses pillows between her legs and under her belly to help her get comfortable.
De-stress. If she can, your spouse should control the stress in her life. When it comes to work and family, she should figure out what she can really do. She should set limits with herself and others. Tell your spouse that she should not be afraid to say NO to requests for her time and energy.
Get Her Moving! Getting regular, low-impact exercise is good for your spouse and your baby. Talk to your doctor about what is safe. Get more guidelines on exercising while pregnant.
Get a handle on health problems. Talk to your doctor about how your spouse’s health problems can affect her and the baby. If she has diabetes, make sure she controls her blood sugar levels. If she has high blood pressure, monitor it closely. If she is overweight, talk to the doctor about whether she should lose weight.
Ask your doctor before taking any medicines. According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, prescription, over-the-counter, and herbal medicines all can harm your baby. Find out if your spouse should continue taking prescription medicines.
See your doctor regularly. Prenatal care can help keep your spouse and the baby healthy, spot problems if they occur and prevent difficulties during delivery.
Consider getting a flu shot. The flu can be dangerous for some moms-to-be. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggests vaccinations for all women who are at least 14 weeks pregnant during the flu season. Ask your doctor if your spouse should get a flu shot.
Make sure she wears her seat-belt correctly. Seat belts used correctly protect your spouse and your unborn baby during a crash. The American Academy of Family Physicians recommends that pregnant women use seat belts that have a lap belt and a shoulder strap (3-point restraint). Seat belt straps should never go across her belly. The lap strap should go under the belly, across the hips. The shoulder strap should go off to the side of her belly and between her breasts. If she are not driving, the back seat is the safest place for her to sit.
Ease the aches and pains. Don't just accept discomfort as a necessary part of pregnancy. Your spouse can easily be helped with problems related to hemorrhoids, heartburn, and leg cramps.

Source: greatdad.com

Aspirin 'may not help diabetics'

2008-11-08T08:10:00.000-08:00

A daily dose of aspirin does not appear to reduce the risk of heart attack in patients with diabetes, it has been claimed.

There are currently over 2.3 million people with diabetes in the UK and many of these take aspirin to reduce their risk of heart attack.

A study in the British Medical Journal analysed 1,276 patients with diabetes and evidence of artery disease, all of whom were over the age of 40.

The researchers found that rates of heart attack and death were similar among patients who took aspirin and those who did not.

They concluded that, while aspirin should still be prescribed for secondary prevention - for instance in patients who have already had a heart attack or stroke - the treatment is unlikely to be of benefit for patients who have not yet had a heart attack.

Professor Jill Belch, from Dundee University's Institute of Cardiovascular Research, commented: 'We do not want people taking aspirin prescribed by their doctor to stop taking it without seeking medical advice. They may have conditions for which it is suitable.'

Source: netdoctor.co.uk

Having a boy 'increases miscarriage risk'

2008-11-08T08:04:00.000-08:00

A study was carried out on 305 women who had had miscarriages after having one child. Just over 60 per cent of the women tested had had a boy as their first child rather than the national average of 51 per cent.

Researchers found that these women who had given birth to a boy had one third of the chance of having another baby as those women who had had a girl, even after going through treatment.

Experts have said that this could be a result of a woman's body reacting to the presence of male cells in it.

Dr Henriette Svarre Nielson, who led the research in Copenhagen, said: "It is known that when a female carries a male, it is strange to her immune system. And up to 22 years later, you can pick up cells in her immune system which act against males."

"Carrying a male baby is normally tolerated - but in some cases, that obviously goes wrong."

Multiple-miscarriages affect one per cent of women and of this percentage one third have already had one child.

Source: http://www2.netdoctor.co.uk/news/index.asp?id=123286&D=20&M=6&Y=2006

Child poverty linked to mental health

2008-11-08T07:45:00.000-08:00

Children who have experienced poverty or other disadvantages are more likely to develop mental health problems, the British Medical Association (BMA) has claimed.

A report published today suggests that children coming from disadvantaged backgrounds are suffering from a number of mental health-related problems, including insomnia, unstable tempers and depressive and obsessive disorders.

Those who have witnessed domestic violence, been brought up in care or as asylum-seekers also face a heightened risk, the report argues.

Dr Vivienne Nathanson, head of BMA ethics and science, has highlighted the 45 per cent of children looked after by local authorities who have mental health issues.

"These children may have come from socially and economically deprived backgrounds, and are more likely to under-perform at school," she claims.

"Children from deprived backgrounds have a poorer start in life on many levels, but without good mental health they may not have a chance to develop emotionally and reach their full potential in life."

One reason for the link between poverty and mental health problem could originate from physiological rather than the more obvious environmental factors.

Today's report suggests that diet and physical exercise are both crucial elements to mental health – a link with poverty which correlates with the lower levels of concern about such matters among those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

In response the report has called for renewed scientific research into these links, as well as for the government to improve the innovation and flexibility of the care services it provides.

Source: netdoctor.co.uk

Kids with type 1 diabetes often depressed

2008-11-08T07:42:00.000-08:00

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Symptom of depression are common among children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes, according to researchers from Harvard Medical School, Boston.

Dr. Lori M. B. Laffel and colleagues conducted a study with 145 such youngsters, who had had diabetes for an average of eight years, and their parents.

The researchers used a 27-item self-report questionnaire to assess depressive symptoms, which was completed by the children as well as by the parents with regard to their children.

The investigators also used other questionnaires to measure family conflict specifically related to diabetes management, to assess emotional responses to the children's high and low blood glucose values, and to determine the parents' perceived burden related to diabetes care.

As reported in the medical journal Diabetes Care, Laffel's team found that 15.2 percent of the young diabetics had symptoms of depression, which was also tied to poorer control of blood sugar levels.

Higher levels of diabetes-specific family conflict, whether reported by parents or children, were associated with higher depression scores, say the researchers.

They suggest that doctors should pay close attention to the emotional state of children with diabetes, as well as their family situation, to promote optimal diabetes management for these children.

SOURCE: Diabetes Care, June 2006.

How to promote mental health - part 2

2008-11-08T07:32:00.000-08:00

Exploring Options v Giving Advice

There may be times when young people ask others for advice on a certain matter, because they are stuck with what to do in a given situation.

Young people often assume that adults are ‘experts’ on life issues, that they have all the ‘right’ answers. How else are young people able to gain information about or find ways to manage difficulties they experience?

When young people have a problem, it can be so easy for adults to give them the advice they think the young person needs, based on what they would individually do in that particular situation. Although there is nothing particularly wrong with advice giving, care should always be taken not to assume that, just because a person resolved a problem in a way that worked for them, it will also work for others. If an adult were to give advice to a young person and it did not resolve their issues, it is likely that the young person would not seek support from them again.

Instead, try asking the young person what it is they think they could do to resolve the situation they are in. Talk through all the options that may be available to them – including the potential benefits and risks of each option, then allow the young person to make the final decision.

Exploring options can be a useful strategy, as young people may not be aware of the range of choices available to them to resolve or manage a particular situation.

Challenging

There may be occasions when young people do or say something that lets people know that they have a fixed or limited view of themselves, others or a particular situation, which could either be counterproductive or restrict them in managing a particular situation.

By challenging a young person on their views or beliefs, using empathy and open questions, can enable them to have a clearer picture of a particular situation.

An example of challenging a young person is as follows:

“You say you are stupid, which sounds as though you are being hard on yourself. What are the reasons for you thinking you are stupid?”
“Although you say you have no choice but to fight back, it sounds as though you know the risks involved in doing this. When would you know if the risks are not worth taking?”
“You don’t want to return to school because you don’t want to get into trouble with Miss Brook. How do you think skipping school may help you to avoid being told-off by your teacher?”

Giving Constructive Criticism

It can be easy to criticise young people for things they do and say that are wrong, however if young people receive more criticism than they do praise, they can be left knowing what they do wrong and remain unsure of what it is they do right!

Young people that are criticised and rarely praised can often have low self-esteem and little self-confidence. Giving constructive criticism is therefore important to help young people maintain an awareness of what they do well and what they don’t do so well.

Constructive criticism involves letting a person know what they do or say that is ‘good’, followed by that which they do or say that is ‘bad’. For example,

“It was great speaking with you yesterday, but I feel quite angry with the way you are talking to me today”

“The work you did yesterday was brilliant, you concentrated really well and put so much effort in, I know you can perform a lot better than you are at the moment”

“I don’t mind it when you ask me to help you out, in fact I enjoy helping you, however the way you are behaving right now leaves me feeling reluctant to help you again”.

The key to giving constructive criticism is remembering to ‘own’ how we feel and to compare previous positive experiences with current negative ones.

Knowing Your Limitations

Parents and professionals can promote mental health in young people,simply by remaining aware and communicating the limitations of the support they can give.

Some people may find it easier than others to recognise signs of emotional distress, just as some people may find it easier than others to promote or safeguard their own mental health - everyone has limitations. Knowing when to access support and training is therefore crucial if parents and professionals are to safeguard and promote the mental health of young people with whom they live and work.

Source: mentalhealthcare.org.uk

How to promote mental health - part 1

2008-11-08T07:18:00.000-08:00

Just as we are all responsible for our physical health, we are equally as responsible for our emotional health. It is up to us when we access support and what type of support we access, to enable us to manage our feelings and behaviour.

Parents and professionals can play a major role in promoting positive mental health amongst young people. Such promotion starts with the basics of maintaining boundaries and follows by knowing how to communicate effectively.

Holding Boundaries

"Parents and professionals can help to promote positive mental health in young people simply by communicating the limits of appropriate rules and boundaries and the risks of breaking them."

All of us follow certain rules or boundaries that are laid-down by our society, culture, family and peer group. They enable us to have some idea of what others expect of us and allow us to function within certain defined limits.

As with most rules, they can be broken or even dismissed. But as long as we know the consequences and risks of doing this, we can make decisions and choices as to whether to adhere to these rules or boundaries.

Children and adolescents often break rules and boundaries. Sometimes they may simply be unaware that they are doing this. Others know they are breaking rules, but are merely ‘testing-out’ the limits of their behaviour. Some other young people may break rules and boundaries because they do not feel able to meet the expectations of others.

Parents and professionals can help to promote positive mental health in young people simply by communicating the limits of appropriate rules and boundaries and the risks of breaking them.

If a young person knows what risks they could be taking by breaking a boundary or rule, it is far easier for them to recognise that they are ultimately responsible for their actions, decisions and choices. This is a crucial learning tool for young people who are making their way into the ‘adult world’.

Although it may sometimes feel difficult to maintain appropriate boundaries and rules when these are challenged by young people, ‘bending’ the rules or ‘overlooking’ the boundaries, does little to empower young people and instil trust in either their abilities or those of others. This can impact on or delay a young person from being able to modify their behaviour and does little to discourage them from taking risks, which could negatively affect their health and wellbeing.

Maintaining consistency with rules and boundaries can help a young person keep themselves safe, be aware of what others expect of them and can encourage them to be responsible for their own behaviour.

The Power of Communication

Without speaking or telling someone how we feel, we can all communicate how we are feeling through our behaviour and body language. In fact 54% of all communication is non-verbal, only 7% is verbal. How we say something can also communicate what we may be feeling – the tone of voice we use when we speak can relay how we may feel. Even though we may not actually be telling someone ‘I feel angry’, ‘I feel excited’ – the anger and excitement can often be heard from the way we speak.

Body language, behaviour, tone of voice and what someone actually says and doesn’t say are primarily what mental health professionals, such as therapists and counsellors, listen and look out for – they use total communication.

Children and young people may find it difficult to let others know how they may be feeling – they may not have the words or feel able to express themselves verbally.

This is why some therapists use art, play, drama and music when working with young people. However, parents and professionals can look at what a young person is communicating through their body language and behaviour, and listen to their tone of voice, to establish how they may be feeling at any given time.

Emotional Literacy

Understanding why we feel the way we do can help us to learn how to manage our everyday life. Often, young people know how they may be feeling, but they may not always fully understand what has made them feel this way. This is often what causes young people to struggle with managing certain situations, and cope with difficulties when they arise.

By parents and professionals communicating how a young person appears to be feeling, as a result of what they communicate through their behaviour, body language or tone of voice, can often help that young person to feel understood and improve their emotional literacy.

For example, all the following responses can be made to a young person as a direct result of either observing their body language or listening to their tone of voice:

Body Language & Tone of Voice: "You seem really"...[excited and happy]"

Body Language: "It looks as if….[you are really upset]"

Tone of Voice: "You sound…..[really angry and frustrated]"

It can be so very easy not to let a young person know what they communicate to us through their behaviour and tone of voice. Some people can be reluctant to do this in case they might be ‘wrong’ or perhaps even say something ‘wrong’, or because they will feel responsible if the young person responds by disclosing a ‘whole can of worms’.

It is important for parents and professionals to be aware that not only do young people often let us know if we get something wrong, they will also only disclose information about themselves that feels safe enough to share.

Asking Questions

Once we have gained an accurate impression of what a young person may be feeling, we can go one step further and try to establish what has left them feeling this way by asking questions.

However, there is also an art to doing this. Asking ‘closed’ questions, which can be answered with either a ‘yes’ or ‘no’, are far less useful than asking ‘open’ questions, which can encourage a person to give a more detailed response.

Closed Questions	Open Questions
"Do….[you like school?]"	"How….[do you like school?]"
"Did…[you want that to happen?]"	"What…[did you want to happen?]"
"Are…[you going to speak with someone?]"	"Who… [could you speak with?]"
"Have….[you thought about going elsewhere?]"	"Where..[else could you go?]"
"Would..[you know if this is the right time?]"	"When…[would you know if this is the right time?]"

How a young person responds to questions, the tone of voice they use, their body language and what they say and don’t say, can give parents and professionals a clearer picture of how the young person may be feeling and what may be going on for them.

If parents and professionals communicate back to a young person what they have heard them say and how they understand the way that young person may be feeling, this can help young people to feel understood. Equally, communicating such empathy can also help young people to gain a greater understanding of how and why they feel the way they do.

The more empathy a person can have and share with young people, the easier it can be to ‘walk in their shoes’ and be beside them as they attempt to resolve conflict in their life.

Source: mentalhealthcare.org.uk

Gaining Weight During Pregnancy Linked To Big Babies

2008-11-03T22:26:00.000-08:00

Washington (dbTechno) - According to a new study, women who gain a great deal of weight during pregnancy are more likely to have a big baby over 9 pounds.

Researchers were led by Teresa Hillier of the Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research, and looked at pregnancy weight and how it impacted the weight of the baby.

The study was done with 41,540 women who gave birth to babies in Oregon, Washington, and Hawaii.

They all gave birth from 1995 through 2003, and their medical records were looked at to compare weights and such.

They found that women who gained more than 40 pounds during pregnancy doubled their risk of having a baby that was 9 pounds or more.

This increased the health risks for both the mother and the baby due to the weight gain.

It is believed that this is the first study to link excessive weight gain during pregnancy to bigger babies overall.

The study shows that women need to make sure they do the right thing in following recommendations about diet and such.

From: http://www.dbtechno.com/health/2008/11/03/gaining-weight-during-pregnancy-linked-to-big-babies/#comment-85164

Third-Party Reimbursement for Diabetes Care

2008-11-03T03:13:00.000-08:00

Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects >20 million Americans and is characterized by serious, costly, and often fatalcomplications. The total cost of diagnosed diabetes in the U.S.in 2002 was estimated to be $132 billion .

To prevent ordelay costly diabetes complications and to enable people withdiabetes to lead healthy, productive lives, appropriate medicalcare based on current standards of practice, self-managementeducation, and medication and supplies must be available toeveryone with diabetes. This paper is based on technical reviewstitled "Diabetes Self-Management Education" and "NationalStandards for Diabetes Self-Management Education Programs" .

The goal of medical care for people with diabetes is to optimizeglycemic control and minimize complications. The Diabetes Controland Complications Trial (DCCT) demonstrated that treatment thatmaintains blood glucose levels near normal in type 1 diabetesdelays the onset and reduces the progression of microvascularcomplications. The U.K. Prospective Diabetes Study (UKPDS) documentedthat optimal glycemic control can also benefit most individualswith type 2 diabetes. To achieve optimal glucose control, theperson with diabetes must be able to access health care providerswho have expertise in the field of diabetes care.

Treatment plansmust also include self-management training and tools, regularand timely laboratory evaluations, medical nutrition therapy,appropriately prescribed medication(s), and regular self-monitoringof blood glucose levels. The American Diabetes Association positionstatement "Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes" outlines appropriatemedical care for people with diabetes

Modified from care.diabetesjournals.org by VNTTN.

Teen with brain cancer looks to the future

2008-10-30T11:49:00.000-07:00

Christchurch teenager James Kelso will live with a brain tumour for the rest of his life.

It is a daunting prospect, the 19-year-old says, but not as bad as discovering an orange-sized tumour in your brain and being given a month to live.

Five years ago, doctors gave the then Year 10 student that prognosis after discovering a large cranial pharyngioma at the base of his brain. They diagnosed the growth after his eyesight started fading, although he had suffered migraines and vomiting for several years.

"I was just real freaked out, but it sort of explained my being sick," Kelso said of the diagnosis.

Surgeons at Christchurch Hospital successfully removed the tumour during a 12-hour operation Kelso was not expected to survive. He returned to Hillmorton High School, needing only regular scans and medication to maintain his good health. He also had to regularly inject himself with growth hormones because the tumour had affected his pituitary gland, which is linked to height.

Soon after Kelso finished Year 13, routine scans revealed the tumour had returned. The teenager spent his first year out of school recovering from a nine-week course of radiotherapy at Dunedin Hospital.

"I freaked out when they said that `we think it's here again and we have to go do a whole other lot of treatment', but I found out a couple of months ago that it has shrunk two-thirds because of this therapy. It will stay this small size for the rest of my life.

"Well, it should stay in my head. It shouldn't do anything ... Sometimes I just think you just don't know. It's in there. What if it grows and they don't know?"

Kelso will have routine scans and takes 12 pills a day.

He has short-term memory loss, tiredness and is blind in one eye because of his brushes with cancer, but is now enrolled in a youth-work course and is contemplating part-time work next year.

"It's definitely changed my view of life," he said. "I think twice before I do things now, because I know life is so precious. It just goes; like a click of your fingers, it can be over."

The Canterbury and West Coast branch of CanTeen, which supports young people living with cancer, yesterday launched its annual bandanna appeal.

By KATIE WYLIE - stuff.co.nz

A Child Dies after Allergic Reaction to Acne Treatment

2008-10-30T11:40:00.000-07:00

Schoolboy, 14, 'dies after suffering allergic reaction to acne tablets'

A teenager collapsed and died of a suspected allergic reaction to drugs he had been prescribed for acne.

Shaun Jones, 14, developed breathing problems and collapsed after taking his first dose at home.

He was taken to hospital but could not be saved.

Shaun Jones (foreground) died after suffering a suspected allergic reaction to the tablets for his acne treatment

Speaking from the family's home in Rhydyfelin, South Wales, Shaun's father said he did not blame the doctor who prescribed the medicine.

'It's unbelievable. Shaun was a strong, fit lad and was loved by everyone. He was popular with the girls and had a couple of spots so the doctor gave him some antibiotic acne tablets.

'The doctor that gave him the tablets is really upset, but we don't blame him. It was just one of those terrible things. One minute he was here and now he's gone.'

He added: 'Shaun's little sister is devastated. She can't bear to leave our sides because she thinks something will happen to us too.'

An inquest into his death has been adjourned pending the results of medical tests. Mr and Mrs Jones are declining to name the antibiotic Shaun took until the results are known.

The pupil from Hawthorn Highschool in Pontypridd went to a GP after developing the common skin condition earlier this month.

Cardiff coroner Mary Hassell adjourned the inquest for more investigations into his death.

A spokesman for Rhondda Cynon Taff Local Health Board said: 'We cannot comment on individual cases but we would co-operate with any investigation.'

A spokesperson at the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency said:
'Most medicines work well and are acceptably safe and most people take medicines without suffering any side effects. Every medicine has some side effects ranging from minor to severe. No product is risk-free.'

Updated from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1081505/Schoolboy-14-dies-suffering-allergic-reaction-acne-tablets.html

Canadian health gets a 'B'

2008-10-30T11:36:00.000-07:00

The health of Canadians was ranked 10th among 16 developed countries in a study released Tuesday - good enough for a B grade, but down from the fifth-place finish Canada earned in the 1990s.

While Canada's health-care system still remains the envy of much of the developed world, individuals aren't as healthy as people in Japan, Switzerland or Sweden, according to the report by the Conference Board of Canada.

The study took into account a number of factors, such as deaths due to specific diseases, infant mortality and life expectancy. It concluded that a relatively high rate of deaths from complications related to diabetes was the main reason that Canada's ranking has suffered.

Canada's surging prevalence of diabetes - some two million cases, or one in 11 Canadians - and relatively high mortality rates for cancer patients suggest that more has to be done to encourage healthier lifestyles.

"New estimates suggest that one-third of cancers could be prevented with increased vegetable and fruit consumption, increased physical activity, and maintenance of a healthy body weight," the report says, adding that rising levels of alcohol consumption and obesity further contributed to declining health.

"It is becoming more apparent that individuals must be held more accountable for their own health and must understand the impact of their actions on the health system, especially in terms of rising rates of chronic diseases such as diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular disease."

The study concludes that countries with the best health status often have older populations and spend less on their health care systems than Canada, yet Canada's grade is suffering from a lack of innovation in health care and a shortage of personal responsibility.

On average through the 1990s, Canada ranked fifth in the health status sweepstakes, a position now held by Australia. For the decade starting in 2000, Canada has actually maintained an average grade of C, although a slight uptick in the most recent year brings the grade back up to B.

The U.S. finished in 15th place of the 16 countries evaluated, and Denmark has the unenviable last-place position.

By Mike Barber , Canwest News Service - canada.com

Cancer-lifestyle link needs attention, says surgeon

2008-10-30T11:25:00.000-07:00

Research has given new light to preventing breast cancer.

The increasing number of women getting the disease can be fought with lifestyle changes, says breast surgeon Trevor Smith.

Without changes he predicts the figures will continue to escalate.

FIONA GOODALL

CANCER PREVENTION: Breast surgeon Trevor Smith has released a book with information about all aspects of breast care.

Through 12 years in the job Dr Smith has seen increasing awareness through October’s breast cancer awareness months and improved treatments, but the number of women being diagnosed with and dying of the disease hasn’t dropped.

Dr Smith says New Zealand has one of the highest rates of breast cancer in the world because of a similar lifestyle to the United States which leads the statistics.

Concern about the increasing diagnosis industry and lack of education about preventative lifestyle measures has prompted him to write a book covering all aspects of breast care.

"There is an increasing demand to fund expensive drugs and virtually no money is spent on promoting and improving lifestyle," says Dr Smith.

Figures from 2002 showed the rate of breast cancer in women in China was 19 per 100,000 people while in New Zealand it was 91.

Women from low risk countries who move here increase their chance of getting cancer because risk is based more on lifestyle than genetics.

He says only 5 percent of cancers are linked to genetics. World Cancer research shows 30 to 40 percent of cancer can be avoided by adopting the advice.

Hundreds of published studies identified risk factors which people can easily control and the challenge is to motivate people to want to change, Dr Smith says.

Healthy nutrition should be more plant-based and less processed and energy dense. A binge drinking culture contributes to the risk and alcohol should be limited to one drink a day.

He says he is not trying to promote elimination but moderation. Limiting alcohol is not a popular message, but drinking alcohol daily increases the risk by 10 percent.

"Every bit you do is an investment in your health."

From the age of 30 women should get an annual breast check and by the age of 40 be having mammograms.

The book, called Breast Care, was launched two months ago, providing a new approach presented in a positive way, he says.

It is available at bookshops for $30.

Information can also be found at www.thebreastcen tre.co.nz

Source: NICOLA WILLIAMS - Eastern Courier

Security vulnerability mars anti-Polio drive

2008-10-30T11:20:00.000-07:00

ISLAMABAD- A sizeable child population living in areas of vulnerable security that stayed away from the anti-Polio campaign’s reach are feared to be carrying high risk of poliovirus presence.
Since the polio campaign staff is unable to cover these areas mostly due to security constraints thus the children living in these areas could not get any vaccination against the disease. Therefore, a large number of children with respect to theirs carrying poliovirus risk are as unpredictable as they were.

According official sources the situation in the country’s conflict ridden and security-compromised areas continues to affect provision of much needed health services.

“People in these areas are also becoming a source of spread of diseases to other areas in the country as lack of health interventions means outbreaks of diseases can neither be contained nor controlled and this is resulting in spread and spill over to other areas of Pakistan” he noted.
He said that the most critical is the spread of poliomyelitis in these areas a disease that causes permanent irreversible disability.

“Where the situation in the conflict areas is resulting in affecting peace in other parts of the country, it is also a cause for spread of diseases like polio” he added.
This in turn is spread to other children as these children are taken out of the conflict zones and settle in camps for the Internally Displaced Persons or in houses of their relatives and near and dear ones he opined.

According to careful estimates close to 0.7 million children belonging to security-compromised areas could not get the polio vaccine despite efforts of the local teams. The situation has indeed reached alarming proportions and has put health experts in a spin as despite best efforts by the provincial and federal teams there seems to be no let up in the polio cases.

Most of these cases have been reported from NWFP and FATA and even in Punjab and the Federal Capital Islamabad, majority of polio cases are genetically linked to the security compromised areas in NWFP and FATA and Afghanistan remarked an epidemiologist working for the polio eradication initiative.

Poliovirus circulation is restricted to transmission zones in NWFP and FATA and areas bordering Afghanistan, which present a major risk to the other polio free areas, said the expert.

By FOZIA AZAM - nation.com.pk

Mental health patient in two storey plunge

2008-10-30T11:15:00.000-07:00

An investigation has been launched by Nelson's health board after a patient from its mental health unit got into a sixth-floor diagnostic area, broke a window and jumped out, landing two floors below.

The inquiry is being classed as a sentinel event investigation, which follows any event where a significant failure of the hospital's care is possible.

The Nelson Marlborough District Health Board is not yet revealing how the man got into a Nelson Hospital stairwell in the sixth-floor diagnostic services area of the Percy Brunette Building - which contains no wards - about 9am yesterday.

The man, aged in his late 30s, smashed a window with a fire extinguisher before jumping out and landing on a cooling tower two floors below.

He was in the hospital's intensive care unit in a stable but improving condition this morning.

Health board incident controller Pat Davidsen said police had completed a scene investigation.

He could not say how long the sentinel event investigation would take but said it would be thorough.

Senior Constable Phil Wylie of Nelson police said an officer attended and, on advice from a physician, decided not to take any action.

Updated from http://www.stuff.co.nz/4744387a20475.html

Halloween: Keep The Kiddies Safe Trick Or Treating

2008-10-30T10:47:00.000-07:00

Halloween is just a day away and you must decide whether to turn your little witches loose on their broomsticks in the neighbourhood or to keep them on a shorter rein. If you are going to allow them to trick or treat in the neighbourhood there are some things you can do to make their adventure fun and safe.

Feed them before they venture out. This way they will be less tempted to sample their booty before returning home.
Plan to have an adult accompany very young children and have the older ones travel in groups.
Establish rules about gathering candy and treats. 1. Only go to well lit houses. 2.Never go inside a house. 3. Never eat anything at someone's house. 4.Never drink anything at someone's house. 5.Don't eat candy that another kid has gathered.
Decide on a time for the older children to be home. They'll need to wear a watch and carry a flashlight.
Make sure that costumes don't present a tripping hazard and that masks don't obstruct vision, makeup is a better option.
Go over rules for crossing the streets safely with the older children.
Take a spare bag in case the first one breaks.
If big kids demand your loot bag, give it to them. Don't fight.

Many towns and cities now offer Halloween night activities that are free or low cost and allow the ogres and ghosts a chance to haunt in safety and warmth. Shopping centres seem particularly good at offering free or low cost trick or treating. You have the added assurance that the edibles are safe for kiddies. Some centres have parades, crafts, face painting and costume contest. For specifics, log onto you local shopping centre and look for the "events" category. In the Vancouver area, the Aberdeen Centre looked like a sure be for family fun. In Nanaimo, Woodgrove Centre provides a warm, dry venue for little demons to collect treats from merchants.

While many charitable organizations offer spooky haunted houses, many are too scary for the little haunts. In Vancouver, the Stanley Park Miniature Railway at $9 and 5.50 offers spooky pirates and more from the Ghost Train until November 1st. If you are in Toronto, the Cadbury Gladstone Chocolate Factory 08 is offering a tour of the chocolate factory and it's free. Donations are requested for the charity it's supporting this year.

Today would be a good time to think about how you are going to handle confiscating the treats that your little devils collected that aren't suitable for them. You might want to lay in a supply of nickels for bribe money.

Have a safe Halloween.

By Barbara McPherson

10 Tips for Raising Children of Character

2008-10-23T09:30:00.000-07:00

It is one of those essential facts of life that raising good children--children of character--demands time and attention. While having children may be “doing what comes naturally,” being a good parent is much more complicated. Here are ten tips to help your children build sturdy characters:

1. Put parenting first.

This is hard to do in a world with so many competing demands. Good parents consciously plan and devote time to parenting. They make developing their children’s character their top priority.

2. Review how you spend the hours and days of your week.

Think about the amount of time your children spend with you. Plan how you can weave your children into your social life and knit yourself into their lives.

3. Be a good example.

Face it: human beings learn primarily through modeling. In fact, you can’t avoid being an example to your children, whether good or bad. Being a good example, then, is probably your most important job.

4. Develop an ear and an eye for what your children are absorbing.

Children are like sponges. Much of what they take in has to do with moral values and character. Books, songs, TV, the Internet, and films are continually delivering messages—moral and immoral—to our children. As parents we must control the flow of ideas and images that are influencing our children.

5. Use the language of character.

Children cannot develop a moral compass unless people around them use the clear, sharp language of right and wrong.

6. Punish with a loving heart.

Today, punishment has a bad reputation. The results are guilt-ridden parents and self-indulgent, out-of-control children. Children need limits. They will ignore these limits on occasion. Reasonable punishment is one of the ways human beings have always learned. Children must understand what punishment is for and know that its source is parental love.

7. Learn to listen to your children.

It is easy for us to tune out the talk of our children. One of the greatest things we can do for them is to take them seriously and set aside time to listen.

8. Get deeply involved in your child’s school life.

School is the main event in the lives of our children. Their experience there is a mixed bag of triumphs and disappointments. How they deal with them will influence the course of their lives. Helping our children become good students is another name for helping them acquire strong character.

9. Make a big deal out of the family meal.

One of the most dangerous trends in America is the dying of the family meal. The dinner table is not only a place of sustenance and family business but also a place for the teaching and passing on of our values. Manners and rules are subtly absorbed over the table. Family mealtime should communicate and sustain ideals that children will draw on throughout their lives.

10. Do not reduce character education to words alone.

We gain virtue through practice. Parents should help children by promoting moral action through self-discipline, good work habits, kind and considerate behavior to others, and community service. The bottom line in character development is behavior--their behavior.

As parents, we want our children to be the architects of their own character crafting, while we accept the responsibility to be architects of the environment—physical and moral. We need to create an environment in which our children can develop habits of honesty, generosity, and a sense of justice. For most of us, the greatest opportunity we personally have to deepen our own character is through the daily blood, sweat and tears of struggling to be good parents.

Source: Dr. Kevin Ryan - http://www.bu.edu

Ways to Build Character in Children

2008-10-23T09:19:00.000-07:00

As parents, we want our children to be the architects of their own character crafting, while we accept the responsibility to be architects of the environment—physical and moral.

Structured character education has flourished as schools seek to instill the values of integrity, respect, responsibility, fairness, honesty, caring, and citizenship in their students to strengthen the social fabric of the school and community. Though not without criticism, these efforts to strengthen children's character through school-based programs are welcomed by parents who want their children educated in a strong culture of respect, integrity, and self-control.

Children's character development certainly can't come from the classroom alone. The qualities of character develop through an interplay of family, school, church, and community influences, and the child's individual temperament, experiences, and choices. What can parents do to encourage their child's development of the qualities of good character? We have many opportunities and tools for this important task. Using them will give us the joy and satisfaction of seeing our child grow into a person of integrity, compassion, and character.

Social Learning - A Family Culture of Character

Parents who exhibit the qualities of good character powerfully transmit their values by modeling the choices and actions that are essential to being a person of good character. Are we honest, trustworthy, fair, compassionate, respectful, involved in the greater good of our family and community? How do our children know this? They see it in our everyday actions and choices. They see that it brings a sense of joy, satisfaction, and peace to their family life. Children also learn that when they violate these guiding ethics, parents will implement consequences with fairness and dignity.

In her books on moral development in children, Michelle Borba teaches that the first step is empathy. Empathy is the necessary condition in the parent-child relationship that allows us to teach all of the other character values to our children. When our children feel that we understand and care about them deeply, they have the intrinsic motivation to learn the lessons of love and character we share.

Direct Instruction - Teachable Moments to Build Character

Discipline strategies are an important tool to use teachable moments to build character. We should always take the opportunity to explain why our child's behavior is wrong when we correct him. Make a habit of identifying in your own mind the value you wish to teach the child based on the particular behavior. Choose a consequence that is appropriate to teach that value. One natural consequence that we can use is to 'make amends'. For example, dishonesty is best resolved when we confess and are held accountable. Sometimes an apology to the person wronged is enough; other times we must take action to right the wrong. Brief, but direct instruction about why we have a family rule and the underlying value we hold helps the child learn from consequences and discipline.

Story Telling - Learning Qualities of Character from Literature and Life

Parents and teachers used stories to teach moral lessons long before the books were invented; and if you think about it, we still do. As we tell the stories of our lives and the world around us, we convey lessons of virtue and ethics to our children. Discussions about the stories we see on TV are opportunities to reinforce our values. Listening and responding to our child's stories about school and peers, we can help them think through the right thing to do. Being mindful of our children listening to the stories we tell other adults, we teach that our values guide all aspects of our life.

Children's literature abounds with great books that illustrate important values. Great books reach the inner child and teach their lessons without the parent's interpretation or instruction. About Children's Books will guide you to finding some good children's literature choices that teach character. Sharing real-life stories from the news and internet with our children inspires us all to pursue our values in life.

Experiential Learning - Practicing Qualities of Character

We know from education models that we must practice what we learn before it comes naturally to us. We can learn vicariously when we see it and learn directly when we hear it. But, we need to do it and feel it to know the true meaning of character in our selves. We can use opportunities for decision-making to help our child take ethical action and see the positive results in their daily lives. We can also find opportunities to be involved in social and community action that is accessible for our children. Find ways for your children to learn altruism through good deeds.

Updated from: http://childparenting.about.com/od/emotionaldevelopment/a/charactered.htm?nl=1

Tooth Decay - Causes and prevention

2008-10-22T10:44:00.000-07:00

What is tooth decay?

Tooth decay is a disease that destroys teeth.
It can result in the loss of teeth if it is not treated.

What causes tooth decay?

Tooth decay is caused by the bacteria in dental plaque.
The bacteria feed on dietary sugars and release acids, which dissolve and destroy the teeth.

What are dental plaque, calculus and tartar?

Dental plaque is a thin coating of bacteria and food particles that sticks to teeth.
- It cannot be rinsed off, but it can be removed by brushing, flossing and dental scaling.
- It causes tooth decay and gum disease.
- The longer that plaque is allowed to remain on teeth, the greater are the risks of gum disease.
If plaque is not removed, it can harden to form calculus, also called tartar.
Calculus should be removed by a dentist or hygienist, as it cannot be removed by brushing.
Diets rich in soft, sticky, carbohydrate foods (refined sugars) assist plaque formation.

How does decay progress through the tooth?

The first layer of tooth to be affected is the outermost, the enamel.
It then spreads to underlying dentine.
The decay can eventually reach the pulp, which is the name for the nerves and blood vessels of the tooth.

Spread of decay

What are the symptoms of tooth decay?

The symptoms of decay will vary according to the extent to which it has spread into the tooth.
- Decay is quite painless in the early stages when only the enamel is affected.
- When decay has spread to the dentine, pain can be caused by sweet foods, such as chocolate, sugary snacks and drinks.
- When the decay spreads deeper, sensitivity can be felt with hot and cold drinks.
- Severe ongoing pain that is caused by hot food and drinks indicates that the nerves and blood vessels have become affected by the decay.
  This condition is called a pulpitis.

Visit our Pain Chart to learn more about the causes of pain (#11 above)

How does the dentist discover decay?

The dentist uses a special fine explorer instrument to discover cavities that have developed.
Regular check ups by the dentist, and periodic x-rays will ensure that decay will be detected soon after it has started.
X-rays can reveal decay that cannot be detected by visual dental examination.
A dull white patch on the tooth could be a sign of early decay.

Illustration of x-ray
showing decay

Which tooth surfaces are most likely to decay?

The chewing surfaces of back teeth with their grooves and pits, are usually the first to decay.
This is because dental plaque accumulates in these areas.
The tooth surfaces where adjoining teeth meet are also common places for decay to start.
Tooth decay can start around and under old fillings that have cracked, chipped or broken down.
Decay can also occur at the gum line, which is at the neck of the tooth.

Why are regular brushing and flossing necessary?

Plaque formation is an ongoing process which starts again soon after brushing.
This is why regular brushing and flossing are necessary to keep plaque off the teeth.
- Brushing cleans mainly the surfaces of the teeth that can be seen.
- Floss removes dental plaque from between the teeth where the toothbrush cannot reach.

What measures should be taken to prevent tooth decay?

Tooth decay can be prevented by home care and oral hygiene, professional care and diet control.
Home Care and Oral Hygiene
- Regular brushing and flossing are essential:
- Brush your teeth at least twice a day, after breakfast and before bedtime.
- Regular flossing will remove harmful plaque from the areas between teeth, that the brush cannot reach.
- Special brushes and devices, prescribed by the dentist, can help to clean areas in the mouth that are difficult to reach.
- Your dentist may recommend a mechanical or ultrasonic toothbrush to remove dental plaque.
- The surface application of fluoride is made with the daily use of fluoride toothpastes and mouthwashes.
  Fluoride is a chemical that hardens the enamel of a tooth, and increases its resistance to decay. It can also help to stop the early stages of decay.
Professional care
- Adults and children should see the dentist twice a year.
- Regular visits to the dentist for professional examination and cleaning are essential.
- The early detection and treatment of decay and gum disease will only be possible with regular dental inspection.
- X-rays will help the dentist to find early signs of decay.
- Fissure sealants can be applied to back teeth to protect them from decay.
- Fluoride applied to the teeth by the dentist will also help to prevent decay.

Before sealants

After sealants

Diet Control
- Reduce the amount of refined carbohydrate in your diet.
- This includes the refined sugar found in table sugar, biscuits, cakes, chocolates, sweets, and fizzy soft drinks.
- The acid in carbonated soft drinks, including diet drinks, is harmful to teeth.
- Fruit, vegetables and juices, which contain natural sugars are preferable.

Source: www.simplyteeth.com

Bruxism (Tooth Grinding) in Adults

2008-10-22T10:37:00.000-07:00

"Habitual grinding and/or clenching teeth are forms of abnormal behaviour. Individuals may be aware of the habits during the day, but often they occur at night during sleep." - U.S. Surgeon General's Report

1. What is bruxism?
2. What are the signs and symptoms of bruxism?
3. What causes bruxism?
4. How is bruxism treated?
How do nightguards help to treat bruxism?
5. How does the dentist treat the attrition caused by bruxism?

1. What is bruxism?

Bruxism is the unconscious and involuntary habit of clenching or grinding teeth. This means that a person with bruxism is mostly unaware of, and unable to stop the habit.
- It can take place at night when asleep or during the day.
- As bruxism is related to stress, it is a fairly common problem.
- Bruxism can affect the teeth, muscles, jaw joints (Temporomandibular joints), and the appearance of the face.

2. What are the signs and symptoms of bruxism?

Excessive tooth wear caused by bruxism is not the same as normal tooth wear. These are the symptoms:
- The teeth will be worn down, and become shorter. The dental term for this toothwear is attrition.
- The teeth will become flattened, and the creamy/yellow dentine will be visible.
- If bruxism is not treated, the teeth may be worn down to the level of the gums.
- Teeth have a tendency to chip as a result of the grinding.
- Tenderness and pain may be felt in the muscles and jaw joints on waking in the morning.
- Eating may become painful because of restricted jaw movement.
- Teeth can become sensitive, painful and loose, after they have been worn down or cracked by the grinding.
- Extensive tooth wear can cause the jaws to close down too far, resulting in facial changes.
- Unsightly creasing at the corners of the mouth will be evident.
- Bruxism may also cause the development of prominent jaw muscles.
- The sound of grinding teeth can disturb other people.

Severe bruxism

Moderate bruxism

Normal toothwear
with ageing

3. What causes bruxism?

The main causes of bruxism are stress, psychological problems, and medical conditions.
It may occur in people with cerebral palsy, or learning difficulties.

4. How is bruxism treated?

Bruxism is treated psychologically, dentally and by medication.
- The psychological and medical causes are dealt with by psychologists, psychiatrists and doctors.
- Behaviour modification through relaxation training may be used to treat bruxism.
The dental treatment for bruxism is directed to preventing further damage to the teeth, and to the repair of the worn down teeth.
The preventive treatment is to use a nightguard.
- Nightguards can lessen the effects of bruxism:
- They cannot cure the bruxism as they do not treat the cause, but they can protect the teeth from further damage.
- Nightguards prevent the upper and lower teeth from grinding against each other.
- An acrylic nightguard or bite plate may also relieve the symptoms of jaw joint disorders caused by bruxism.
- Nightguards are provided by the dentist:
- Impressions are taken of the upper and lower teeth.
- They are sent to the dental laboratory where the nightguard is made.
- Nightguards are designed to cover the biting and chewing surfaces of the teeth in one of the jaws, usually the upper.
- They can be made from a soft plastic or a hard acrylic material.
- A mouthguard is often supplied with the cast from which it was made.

Nightguard + cast		Nightguard
Nightguard in the mouth		Acrylic bite plate

5. How does the dentist treat the attrition caused by bruxism?

Where bruxism has resulted in severe attrition, the teeth will need to be restored:
- Replacement crowns or onlays can be used to restore the worn down teeth.
- These measures will restore the teeth to their normal size, and the jaws will regain their normal position.
- The dimensions and appearance of the teeth and face can be aesthetically improved with dental restorations.

Before

After replacement crowns

Source: http://www.simplyteeth.com/category/sections/adult/aboutteeth/bruxismgrinding.asp?category=adult&section=1&page=3

Brushing and Flossing Teeth

2008-10-22T10:30:00.000-07:00

"Individuals should use a fluoride dentifrice (toothpaste) daily to help prevent dental caries, and should brush and floss daily to prevent gingivitis." - U.S. Surgeon General's Report

1. Why do we brush our teeth?
2. What are the recommended techniques for brushing teeth?
3. How can I be sure that I am cleaning my teeth properly?
4. What helpful aids are there for cleaning between the teeth?
5. Can brushing damage teeth?
6. What is the ideal toothbrush?
7. Are all toothbrushes made to the same design?
8. What type of brush is suitable for children?
9. How often should your toothbrush be changed?
10. Should I share my toothbrush with another member of the family?
11. Are electric toothbrushes recommended by dentists?

1. Why do we brush our teeth?

It is important to remove the dental plaque and food that stick to teeth, and cause decay and gum disease.
Brushing and flossing are the most effective ways of controlling plaque.
You need to be aware of the fact that plaque is being formed continuously.
Plaque formation and growth cannot be stopped. Plaque can only be controlled by regular daily removal.

2. What are the recommended techniques for brushing teeth?

We recommend two methods for brushing teeth. They both use the same angled position of the brush:
Place the brush at a 45-degree angle towards the junction of the tooth and the gum. This is the position for brushing the sides of the teeth.
One suggested method is to brush gently in a circular movement.
Another technique is known as the gentle scrub method.
- The brush is moved backwards and forwards horizontally in very short strokes.
- Each stroke is no more than the width of one tooth.
- Brush all the tooth surfaces of all the teeth.
- Brush behind the front teeth with an up and down movement using the end of the brush.
- Brushing should be unhurried and thorough.
Partial dentures should be removed for the efficient brushing of the remaining teeth.

Toothbrush position

3. How can I be sure I am cleaning my teeth properly?

Disclosing tablets can be used after brushing to check that all the plaque has been removed.
- These are brightly coloured tablets, which are chewed and then rinsed out.
- If your teeth are not clean, a pink stain will show where more brushing is needed.
- If your brushing has been thorough, little or no stained dental plaque will be seen.
- The disclosing tablets are only used occasionally, to confirm how well the teeth are being cleaned.
- Disclosing tablets are available in a few colours.
Teeth should be brushed at least twice a day, preferably after meals.
It is most important to brush your teeth before going to bed at night.
Brushing should not injure the gums and cause bleeding. If your gums bleed after gentle brushing you should see your dentist.

After disclosing tablets

After more brushing

4. What helpful aids are there for cleaning between the teeth?

There are many dental hygiene products available for cleaning between the teeth. We describe and show them below.
It is most important to clean between the teeth to prevent decay and gum disease.
- Plaque and food particles stick to the teeth in these areas.
- Normal tooth brushing cannot reach these tooth surfaces.
- Plaque can only be removed by daily brushing and interdental cleaning.
Flossing is the method of choice for cleaning between teeth.
Why it is important to use dental floss.
- Dental Floss is the most efficient way to clean between teeth.
- Different types of floss are available, such as regular floss, dental tape and super floss.
- Floss is also available on a plastic holder, in the shape of a bow. The string of the bow is slipped between the teeth and makes flossing more manageable.
Superfloss

Dental tape

Floss holders

Regular floss
Here are a few tips for flossing as demonstrated below:
- Use a 12-15inch (30-40cm) length of floss.
- Wrap the floss around your middle fingers.
- Hold the floss between the thumb and forefinger of each hand.
- Leave about 2 inches (5cm) of floss between the hands.
- The floss must be taut when it is used.
- Gently guide the floss across the contact point between the teeth.
- When the floss is in position between the teeth, rub it up and down a few times against each tooth surface, one after the other.
- This is then repeated for all the teeth in the mouth.
- Be careful not to cut your gums with the floss.
- A sharp downward thrust of the floss will damage the gum and make it bleed.
- Your dentist will be happy to show you how to floss, and choose which floss is best for you.
- The floss holders shown above are easy to use, if you have difficulty using the conventional floss.
Floss on hands

Floss up

Floss down
Interdental (interproximal) brushes
- These are triangular shaped small brushes, like little bottlebrushes.
- They are very useful for cleaning between the teeth.
- They fit onto a plastic handle, and are available in varying sizes.
- Select the size of brush that is best suited to you.
- Gently push the brush back and forth into the spaces between the teeth.
- This interdental brush is best suited to teeth that have spaces between them, caused by gum recession.
- Some degree of gum recession is seen in most mouths by middle age, and in those with gum disease, at any age.
Interdental brushes

Interdental brushing

Interdental brushing
End or single tuft toothbrushes
- These are toothbrushes with only one tuft of bristles.
- They are used where the normal, multi-tufted toothbrushes cannot reach.
- These brushes are designed for brushing around crowns, bridges, displaced and rotated teeth.
End tuft brush
Interdental picks or sticks
- These are specially designed soft wooden wedges for cleaning between teeth. They can be used after meals or at any time.
- The end of the stick should be moistened and softened in the mouth before use.
- Gently insert the stick between the teeth, with the flat edge facing the gum.
- Then move it in and out gently to clean the teeth and massage the gums.
- Food trapped between the teeth can be removed with these sticks.
- They are effective for mouths where receding gums have left spaces between teeth.
- The sticks should only be used where there is sufficient space to allow the free movement of the stick between the teeth. Do not force them into position.
- They should not be used if they cause any bleeding.
- They are not suitable for children.
Interdental sticks

Stick in use

Stick in use
Interdental rubber tip stimulators
- These are pointed rubber tips that are fitted to a toothbrush handle.
- They are used to stimulate and firm up the triangular soft gum between teeth.
- Your dentist or periodontist will tell you if you need them.
Rubber tip stimulator
Pulsating water or medicament spraying devices
- Irrigating devices provide a steady or pulsating stream of water under pressure through a nozzle. They are especially useful in mouths with fixed bridges, and for cleaning between teeth.
- They should not be used as a substitute for toothbrushing.
- Speak to your dentist before you buy one.

5. Can brushing damage teeth?

Toothwear, the wearing away of the enamel and dentine, can be caused by brushing too vigorously, and by using a toothbrush with a very hard bristle.
- This type of toothwear is called abrasion.
- It usually takes place at the gum margin, where the enamel is thin, and is easily worn away.
- Brushing across the teeth with long horizontal strokes is the main cause of abrasion. Gentle brushing is all that is necessary.

Abrasion

See Toothwear

6. What is the ideal toothbrush?

The ideal toothbrush should meet the following requirements:
- It should have a head that is small enough, and correctly angled, to reach all the teeth.
- The brush should be multi-tufted, and have a medium/soft texture.
- Hard bristles can damage teeth and gums, and are not recommended.
- The bristles should be made of nylon, and their ends need to be rounded.
- Bristles made from synthetic rather than natural materials are preferable for hygienic reasons. Natural bristles may be porous and are likely to absorb bacteria.

7. Are all toothbrushes made to the same design?

There is a large selection of toothbrushes:
- Some have bristles arranged in patterns that reach the greatest possible area of tooth surface.
- Others are designed for cleaning between the teeth, and along the gum margins.
- Yet another design is made with a row of coloured bristles that fade with use, and thereby indicate that the brush needs replacing.

Toothbrush bristles

Various toothbrushes

8. What type of toothbrush is suitable for children?

A toothbrush with a small head is recommended, so that children can use it easily, and it will not cause gagging when they brush their back teeth.
The handle should have the correct length and thickness. It must be easy to use and provide a firm grip.
Toothbrushes can easily be modified if difficulty is experienced with a regular brush.
Brushes for children often have handles and heads that are brightly coloured, and show cartoon characters. Brushing needs to be a fun experience!

Toothbrushes for children

Modified toothbrushes

9. How often should your toothbrush be changed?

The toothbrush should be changed at the first sign of wear.
- The bristles may become flattened and lose their shape.
- Bristles wear differently from person to person depending on how the toothbrush is used.
- Plaque removal becomes less efficient with an old worn toothbrush.
- It is recommended that you to change your toothbrush every four to six months.

10. Should I share my toothbrush with another member of the family?

Toothbrushes should not be shared as they can harbour infectious bacteria.
- Using the same toothbrush can transmit hepatitis and other diseases.
- Mothers should not share their toothbrushes with their children.
- The initial immunity to infection that the child shares with the mother does not last indefinitely.
- Toothbrushes should also be kept separately, as an added precaution.

11. Are electric toothbrushes recommended by dentists?

Electric toothbrushes have proven to be very successful in maintaining good oral health, and removing plaque.
- The action of the brush is more efficient than the manual brush for cleaning teeth.
- Electric toothbrushes are recommended for the elderly and people with arthritis or other disabilities, who may find it difficult to manage with a manual toothbrush.
- Children enjoy the fun of using an electric toothbrush. It will result in a more thorough cleaning of their teeth, particularly at an early age.
- As they grow older it may be less important to use an electric toothbrush.
- It is effective with fixed orthodontic appliances.
- Remember that the cleaning of teeth will only be successful, if the motivation exists to have healthy teeth and gums.
- Electric toothbrushes may provide interest and motivation for people who are reluctant to brush their teeth properly.
- Consult your dentist and follow the manufacturer's instructions.

Source: http://www.simplyteeth.com/category/sections/adult/CaringTeethGums/BrushingTeeth.asp?category=adult&section=1&page=2

The Anatomy of Teeth and Jaws

2008-10-22T10:25:00.000-07:00

A knowledge of the outer shapes and internal details of the teeth and jaws will help the viewer to understand and appreciate the simplyteeth website. We suggest that you familiarise yourself with the information provided. The subjects to be detailed are:

1. The Teeth and Their Parts.
2. Tooth Names and Positions.
3. The Jaws and Jaw Joints (Temporomandibular Joints / TMJ).
4. Dental X-ray Viewing and Interpretation: Seeing Inside Teeth and Bone.

1. The Teeth and Their Parts:

Each tooth has two main parts, the crown and the root.
The crown and the root meet at the neck of the tooth, which is normally just below the gum margin.

The tooth

Normal teeth, gum and bone

The crown
This is the part of the tooth that we see in the mouth.
It is made up of the enamel, dentine and pulp.
The appearance of teeth varies in shape and size.
- The front incisor teeth have a straight edge as a cutting tool.
- The canine or eye teeth are the pointed long teeth between the incisor and premolar teeth.
- The pre-molar and molar teeth are larger and have cusps.
- A cusp is the raised pointed part of the chewing surface of a tooth.
- The presence of large cusps on pre-molar and molar teeth marks the main difference between them and the front teeth.
- Pre-molar teeth (bicuspids) have two cusps.
- Molar teeth each have four or more cusps.
- The four permanent lower incisor teeth each erupt with three small cuspettes that resemble a serrated edge. These cusps wear down with use and the teeth remain with a straight edge.
- The four permanent upper incisors may erupt with three very small cuspettes. These are much less obvious than those on the lower incisors. They are also normally worn away to form a straight edge.

Enamel
- The enamel is the white hard covering over the crown of the tooth.
- It is shaped into cusps, fissures and pits in premolar and molar teeth.
- It is the hardest material in the body and does not have a nerve supply.
  Chipping or damage to enamel only will not be painful.
- It also does not have a blood supply.
  This results in a chipped tooth remaining exactly as it is.
  Enamel cannot heal or repair as bone or dentine can.

Dentine
- Dentine is a cream coloured hard material that makes up the bulk of the tooth.
- It is covered by enamel on the crown, and by cementum on the roots.
- The dentine surrounds and protects the nerves and blood vessels (pulp) in the crown and roots.
- Dentine is alive or vital in as much as more dentine can be formed, and it can register pain.
  - A protective layer of secondary dentine can be layed down over the pulp.
  - This happens in response to caries, attrition, abrasion, erosion, or fracture of a tooth, when the dentine becomes exposed.
  - The tooth becomes sensitive to temperature changes and feels painful, when the dentine is exposed in the above mentioned ways.

Pulp
The nerves and blood vessels of the tooth are called the pulp. The pulp occupies the root canals, and the pulp chamber i
- n the crown of the tooth.
- When it is exposed to infection by decay or injury it will die and cause severe pain. An abscess will develop on the root.
- The tooth will have to be extracted if a root canal treatment is not performed to save it.

The roots
The roots are embedded in the tooth socket in the jaw bone.
- The front incisor and eye-teeth each have a single root.
- Pre-molar teeth (bicuspids) have one or two roots.
- The molar teeth can have two or three roots.
- Each root has a root canal for the nerves and blood vessels to pass through.
- Roots are covered by cementum and held in place by the periodontal ligament.

Cementum
- The cementum is a thin calcified covering of the roots.
- It meets the enamel at the neck of the tooth.
- It has no nerve supply.
- The cementum covers the dentine of the roots.
- It is attached to the periodontal ligament.

Periodontal membrane or ligament
The periodontal ligament attaches the roots to the alveolar bone of the jaw.
- It has both a nerve and blood supply
- The ligament provides an elastic cushion between the tooth and the bone. Slight movement of a tooth is made possible by the ligament.
- Teeth are not rigidly joined to bone. There is flexibility.

2. Tooth Names and Positions.

A. Baby Teeth

Tooth Names

Positions

Front Teeth:
A. Central incisor
B. Lateral incisor
C. Canine or eye tooth

Upper Teeth

Back Teeth:
D. First molar
E. Second molar

Lower Teeth

A. Permanent Teeth

Tooth Names

Positions

Front Teeth:
1. Central incisor
2. Lateral incisor
3. Canine or eye tooth

Upper Teeth

Back Teeth:
4. First premolar
5. Second premolar
6. First Molar
7. Second Molar
8. Third Molar Or Wisdom Tooth

Lower Teeth

3. The Jaws and Jaw Joints (Temporomandibular Joints / TMJ)

The temporomandibular joints are the two jaw joints, one at each side of the face.
- Movement of the lower jaw is made possible by this joint.
- The upper jaw is called the maxilla and is joined to the temporal bone.
- The lower jaw is called the mandible or mandibular bone.
- The term "temporomandibular" refers to the connection between these two bones.
- Chewing and speech would not be possible without this joint.

Jaw joint (TMJ)

The TMJ is a variation of a hinge joint. It is technically called a sliding hinge joint. This allows the jaw to be flexible and move in a number of directions:
- The lower jaw moves up and down when the mouth is opened and closed.
- When we chew food and speak the jaw movements can be forward and backward, sideways and circular.
- In young children the jaw only moves up and down like a regular hinge.
- The flexibility and other movements of the jaw develop with the arrival of the permanent teeth.

Jaw open

Jaw closed

4. Dental x-ray viewing and interpretation

A dental x-ray is a picture of the inside of a tooth and bone.

How to read or interpret an X-ray:
Soft objects appear black, solid objects are white on x-ray.
What you see as grey/black on x-ray:
- Decay.
- Abscess.
- Nerves and blood vessels (the pulp).
- Gum in the spaces between teeth.

What you see as white/cream on x-ray:
- The enamel.
- Metal fillings and crowns will be white.
- The dentine appears as a creamy white colour.
Bone has a mottled grey and white appearance. It has a fine white line at its margin around the teeth.

Illustration of x-ray showing
tooth parts and bone

Abscess above root
(the dark area)

Source: http://www.simplyteeth.com/category/sections/adult/aboutteeth/anatomy.asp?category=adult&section=1&page=1

Gum Disease (Periodontal Disease) In Children

2008-10-22T10:20:00.000-07:00

The periodontal disease in children has some different points form periodontal disease in adult.

1. What does "periodontal" mean?
2. Which are the periodontal tissues?
3. What is periodontal disease?
4. What causes periodontal disease?
5. What are dental plaque, calculus and tartar?
6. What else can cause gingivitis and periodontitis?
7. What other periodontal problems can children develop?
8. What can I do to protect my children from periodontal disease?
9. How is gingivitis treated?
10. How is gingival enlargement treated?

Answer of the two first questions is the same with periodontal disease in adult.

3. What is periodontal disease?

Periodontal disease is an inflammation or infection of periodontal tissue. There are two main types of periodontal disease, gingivitis and periodontitis:

A. Gingivitis

This is an inflammation or infection of the gums only.
It can be recognised by:
- A change in the colour of gums from pink to red or bluish red.
- Swelling of the gum margins closest to the teeth.
- Blood on the toothbrush during brushing.
- It is the most common form of periodontal disease in children.
- Up to 35% of children between the ages of 3 and 5 have at least some symptoms of gingivitis.
- The incidence in adolescence may increase to 90%.

Gingivitis

B. Periodontitis

This is a destructive infection that can affect all the periodontal tissues, that is, the gums, the underlying bone and the connecting tissues.
About 20% of adolescents (14-17 years) develop adult periodontitis, but the disease is rare in young children.

Juvenile periodontitis

Gum loss
between teeth

X-ray showing
bone loss

Early onset periodontitis
- A small percentage of children (approximately 1%) develop this form of the disease.
- It is a rapidly developing and very destructive form of periodontitis.
- It is associated with a blood cell (leucocyte) disorder.
- The disease may be localised to a few teeth or it may be generalised.
- It is caused by specific bacteria, and is treated by a combination of antibiotic and surgical therapy.

Periodontitis
(rapidly progressing)

X-ray showing
bone los

4. What causes periodontal disease?

Dental plaque is the major cause of gingivitis and periodontitis.
- The bacteria in the plaque are the major offenders.
- The effects of plaque can be even more damaging if the patient is in poor health, or has a low resistance to disease.
Periodontal disease is unlikely to be transmitted from one person to another.

5. What are dental plaque, calculus and tartar?

Dental plaque is a mass of bacteria and other organic material that accumulates on the teeth.
- It can not be rinsed off, but it can be removed by brushing and flossing.
- The longer that plaque is allowed to remain on teeth, the greater are the risks of gum disease.
- Diets rich in soft, sticky, carbohydrate food with a high sugar content encourage plaque formation.
If plaque is not removed, it can harden to form calculus, also called tartar.
- Calculus causes gum problems. It should be removed by your dentist or hygienist, as brushing will not do so.
- Calculus occurs more often in older children.

See Diet and Decay

6. What else can cause gingivitis and periodontitis?

There are many causes of gingivitis and periodontitis:
- Puberty can make children more vulnerable to inflammatory gingivitis.
- Medical problems such as blood or genetic disorders, or diabetes can predispose children to periodontal disease.
- Mouth breathing results in the drying of the mouth and gums, and can cause gingivitis.
- Orthodontic appliances make oral hygiene more difficult and this can lead to inflamed gums.
- Gum disease that is not related to dental plaque can be caused by viruses (herpes), fungi (candidiasis or thrush) or bacteria.
- Medications such as anti-epileptic Dilantin, and anti-rejection Cyclosporin can cause gingival overgrowth in children.

Puberty gingivitis

Gingival overgrowth

After gum surgery

See Oral Medicine

7. What other periodontal problems can children develop?

Periodontal problems are usually the result of infection or injury:
- Gums can be injured by hot foods such as pizza, or damaged by excessive incorrect toothbrushing.
- An abscess or gumboil can be caused by food particles being trapped between the gum and the tooth.
- An infection can occur under a flap of loose gum around an erupting tooth.
- This is dealt with by removing trapped food particles, which are usually the cause of the problem. Antibiotic treatment may be necessary.
- Allergies to foods or some toothpastes can cause gingivitis.
- Gum recession is sometimes seen around the lower front permanent teeth.
- It occurs if the permanent teeth grow and erupt too far forward in the mouth.
- It may also be the result of orthodontic treatment.

8. What can I do to protect my children from periodontal disease?

Parents should start taking their children to the dentist by the age of three or four.
Children should be taught and encouraged to brush and floss their teeth early on.
Brushing should be supervised, or done for them until they are sufficiently competent to do it on their own.
Provide a healthy diet for your children.
Keep sweets (candies) and sweet drinks to a minimum!

9. How is gingivitis treated?

Gingivitis can be treated and reversed by professional treatment and good oral hygiene.

10. How is gingival enlargement treated?

Dental plaque plays a major part in the development of the problem and must be removed through good oral hygiene and professional cleaning.
The enlargements may need to be reduced surgically.

Source: www.simplyteeth.com

Health care fails everyone, not just seniors

2008-10-20T10:58:00.000-07:00

This study concludes that seniors only receive needed medical care half of the time. So if ten seniors need treatment, only five get it. That's interesting, but it needs to be expanded to all age groups. Because in reality, I'd say that 90% of all patients don't get quality medical care at all. What do they get instead? Drugs.

Real medical care would involve communicating with patients. Few doctors even go that far, spending as little as 60 seconds actually talking with a patient before making a diagnosis, prescribing pills, and booting them out the door.

I once visited a knee specialist who spent no more than twenty seconds with me, asked one question, touched one place on my knee and then went on to misdiagnose the obvious symptoms.

By and large, our Western medical system offers terrible health care. An improvement would involve working to educate the patient about what they can do to reverse serious problems with their diet, exercise, levels of stress, exposure to toxins and so on.

Yet when was the last time a doctor ever consulted you on your diet? Have you ever visited a doctor who told you to stop eating hydrogenated oils, known to cause heart disease? Has a single doctor ever told you to stop eating refined sugar? Probably not.

See, modern medicine isn't modern, and it's not even really medicine. It's a drug racket. See a patient, pop a pill. Send 'em to the pharmacy where another round of mistakes will be made. And even if they manage to read the doctor's handwriting correctly (which is fouled up nearly 10% of the time, according to studies), and the pharmacist manages to fill your prescription correctly (many prescriptions have errors), you're faced with the fact that the drug itself might damage your liver, harm your nervous system, cause gastrointenstinal bleeding, or create other serious side effects. There are 2.2 million people harmed each year by side effects from perscription drugs, according to research published by JAMA.

Our medical system is broken. Big Medicine doesn't work for people, and it's not just the elderly. What we need is a return to basics: doctors who communicate, a focus on prevention, nutrition education, and a national program of fitness and exercise to get people on their feet and off their couches. If your doctor helps you in these areas, you're very, very fortunate. Spread the word and bring your doctor more business

About the author: Mike Adams is a natural health researcher and author with a mission to teach personal and planetary health to the public He has authored more than 1,500 articles and dozens of reports, guides and interviews on natural health topics, impacting the lives of millions of readers around the world who are experiencing phenomenal health benefits from reading his articles.

The health insurance disaster continues

2008-10-20T10:54:00.000-07:00

About the author: Mike Adams is a natural health researcher and author with a passion for sharing empowering information to help improve personal and planetary health He has authored more than 1,500 articles and dozens of reports, guides and interviews on natural health topics, reaching millions of readers with information that is saving lives and improving personal health around the world.

As current headlines show, even when a group of politicians promise their best (and actually mean it!), the result can still be disastrous. Two years later, Shawn Hegdal still has no health insurance.

Neither do 44 million other Americans, and the problem is getting much, much worse. The current proposals on the table simply won't work, and there's far too much at stake from insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies, doctors' groups and hospitals to actually conduct real reform. Because real reform would restructure health care from scratch and eliminate the 70% waste that keeps a lot of people employed.

Because of these reasons (and others), health care reform can never happen from within. The stakeholders have too much sway over the politicians writing the laws. And that's why it's only gotten worse in this country. Today, the U.S. health care system is the laughing stock of the world. Canada has a system that's basically affordable. Taiwan has a far better system than our own, and Eastern European countries like Romania even manage basic health care better than we do.

The fact is, health insurance gaps will continue to widen until we decide to get real about health care and cut all the paper pushers and prescription drug profiteering out of the loop. But today, it's exactly the paper pushers and Big Pharma companies who are calling the shots. And why? Because it's profitable -- and too many politicians are beholden to drug money in order to get reelected.

Anne's Diary - A mom's adventure in child care - Week 31

2008-10-17T09:54:00.000-07:00

Ju1y 17 - Week 31: A Fond Farewell

A little more than eight months ago I started chronicling the last days of my pregnancy and my search for child care in this column. Since then, I've been able to share my thoughts on pregnancy, labor and the birth of my wonderful baby, Henry Xavier. I've detailed my search for convenient, trust-worthy care and found the perfect caregiver in Shasheena. I've re-entered the workforce and grappled with jealousy, parental guilt and breastfeeding at work. And despite it all, I've survived!

Henry is thriving and is a bouncing, happy child. He loves his caregiver and her family and they reciprocate with the most wonderful care and concern for my son. I love being back to work and seem to be finding a true balance between my professional life and my family life. It's certainly not easy but it is definitely rewarding and this would all be a very different story without the support my husband provides -- both as a partner and as a parent.

As someone who truly never anticipated having children, I am still amazed at the sheer joy my son brings me. It's such a pleasure to come home at the end of the day and spend time with my little wild-haired boy. He's constantly amused by his surroundings now and waves "bye-bye" endlessly. I can't imagine my life without him!

I've spent the past couple of days reading Anne Lamott's Operating Instructions -- her personal account of her son's first year and her own experiences adjusting to life as a parent and a working mother. I've laughed my head off over her frank, no-holds-barred tales of learning to be a parent. If I hadn't recently been through the experience, I might think she was completely off her rocker -- but now I know that parenting is truly a series of highs and lows. The lows often come at 3:00 in the morning when you haven't slept properly in months and your child is up sick all night and you have a presentation to make at 8:00 a.m. But then the sun comes up and the coffee starts flowing and things take on a different hue.

And so, now that it seems we've settled into a parenting routine and have a rhythm going, I'm going to end my column. Thanks for sharing these past eight months with me and for listening to the trials and tribulations of my life as a new mom. I've enjoyed keeping this running account of my induction into motherhood and Henry Xavier's induction into the big new world. I plan to keep this for him -- as his online baby book.

Anne's Diary - A mom's adventure in child care - Week 30

2008-10-17T09:50:00.000-07:00

June 26 - Week 30: Henry's First Summer

This past week marked the official start of summer with the Summer Solstice on June 21. However, San Francisco had a heat wave the week before and Henry had his first dip in the pool, so I guess he's well on his way to enjoying his first summer. I see kids playing and walking with parents during the day and immediately think, "Why aren't these kids in school?" and then it dawns on me -- summer vacation!

Henry is growing fast but he's still a long way from starting school. Fortunately, I'll still have a few years before I have to worry about finding interim summer day care or camps for him, but I will have to arrange for an alternate care situation when Shasheena vacations with her family this year. Darrick and I may have to look into splitting our work weeks and alternating days at home to cover her time off.

We're waiting to hear when Shasheena plans to take her vacation, but we've already started planning our first "family" vacation. Unfortunately, it is highly unlikely that the two will coincide. We're going to spend a week with my family on Hilton Head Island. Henry loves the water and will be able to frolic in the warm Atlantic Ocean -- it's going to be great fun to watch him discover the waves and the sand. He'll definitely be a handful -- he's on the verge of crawling now; by the time we actually start our vacation, we'll be chasing him around instead of lounging on the beach all day.

Anne's Diary - A mom's adventure in child care - Week 29

2008-10-17T09:46:00.000-07:00

June 12 - Week 29: Planning for Father's Day

Another little parenting milestone is just around the corner -- Father's Day! I can't wait to help little Henry honor his Dad on that special day. Darrick loves his role as a father and I'm looking forward to helping initiate him into this brand new holiday territory!

When I was growing up, Mother's Day and Father's Day were marked by mother-daughter and father-son pancake breakfasts. Held in the cavernous school gym, the tables were decorated with streamers and little vases of carnations. Each mom-daughter group filed through a long line picking up plates of pancakes and sausages and little Dixie cups of orange juice. I was never allowed to attend the father-son breakfasts (since I'm not a son) but I imagine the scene was very similar.

As far as Dads go, I couldn't ask for a better one for my son. Darrick and I have really managed this transition into parenthood as a team. I've mentioned it before, but I don't know how I'd manage responsibilities with work, family and day care without Darrick to share the load. A shared evening routine has evolved over the past couple of months -- Darrick tends to pick Henry up from day care and gets him home and in the bath. Once he's had his play time with his Dad, we feed Henry his dinner and I read to him and get him off to bed. This nighttime ritual enables us both to catch up and reconnect with Henry after hectic days, but frees the other one up for some "down" time as well.

So in honor of a really great Dad, Henry and I might have to start our own little Father's Day tradition that will carry on through the years. Perhaps we'll make a special pancake breakfast of our own.

Anne's Diary - A mom's adventure in child care - Week 28

2008-10-17T09:44:00.000-07:00

May 29 - Week 28: Outgrowing the Apartment But Not the Caregiver

There is no turning back now -- my child is metamorphosing into a kid before my eyes. Henry is on the verge of crawling, has learned to sit up, and just cut his second tooth last week. My husband, Darrick, has visions of Henry toddling behind me holding an apple asking "Why Mama, why?" and I know that the reality is just around the corner.

With Henry's development, it's become obvious to us that we need to start looking for new space. We are quickly outgrowing our little apartment and, although sharing a room with Henry has been fun, now that he's sleeping through the night it would be nice to have separate rooms. It's going to be difficult leaving our little place though; this apartment has been witness to so many changes in our lives. It was our landing pad in San Francisco, we got married while living here, and we brought Henry home to this place. If the walls could talk!

But in addition to the emotional aspects of relocation, we have the practical issues to consider as well. Namely, moving out of the city or even out of our neighborhood might jeopardize Henry's care situation at Shasheena's. The peace of mind Shasheena gives us is really priceless and we'll have to think long and hard before we find a new caregiver. I know that regardless of where we end up living, we'll try to manage our time and schedules to keep Henry in Shasheena's care.

On another note, a close friend of mine just had a new baby boy and I, for the first time, found myself in the position of offering advice on dealing with a newborn. For six months now, I've been turning to my sister for words of wisdom and it's daunting to be in these new shoes. Six months ago I knew nothing and although I can't speak to what's ahead, it's fun to offer inexpert opinions on dealing with those first few months of life.

Anne's Diary - A mom's adventure in child care - Week 27

2008-10-17T09:42:00.000-07:00

May 15 - Week 27: The Virtues of a Good Back-Up Plan

This week we learned to hit the ground running when we experienced our first child care meltdown. We received a call on Sunday evening from Shasheena's daughter telling us that her grandmother has suddenly passed away and that Shasheena would be closing the day care for the upcoming week.

Of course we understood that this was a family emergency, and we wanted Shasheena to take the time she needed. But in the meantime, we had to continue to get to work and take care of Henry, too.

We still don't have a back-up babysitter who is regularly available to cover for us on weekdays or weekend evenings. So, Darrick and I worked out a plan to reorganize our schedules so we could be home on alternating days with Henry. On Monday morning, Henry spent the morning at the office with me while I made phone calls and prepared to work from home that afternoon. He was surprisingly good, playing on the floor next to my desk and enjoying tours around the office from my co-workers! He even managed to sneak a nap in while I worked.

I was able to stay home the next morning and Darrick worked from home that afternoon so we kept the wheels turning at work and the bases covered at home. But I wondered how the parents of the other children in Henry's group were managing back-up care. We should probably band together and create a rotating back-up schedule -- when Shasheena isn't available, one parent could watch the kids in his home and someone else could take the responsibility the following day. That type of shared care would provide a reliable, and affordable, interim solution. I decided the next time I see the other parents, I'll suggest the idea and see if they're interested.

Shasheena called on Tuesday night to let us know she was ready to open her day care up on Wednesday. She wanted to be around "her kids" and was ready to focus on something new. The break in care was brief, but the situation once again underlined how quickly I've become dependent on Shasheena to help me balance my work and family lives.

CareGuide would like to hear how other parents have handled breakdowns in child care. What are your back-up plans? Write to us at workfamily@findcarenow.com.

Anne's Diary - A mom's adventure in child care - Week 26

2008-10-17T09:40:00.000-07:00

May 1 - Week 26: Sick Day With Dad

Big news this week - Henry cut a tooth! It never occurred to me what a painful process "growing teeth" must be. The little guy has been sleeping but cries out at night and I'm certain it's due to the emerging pearly whites.

We had an interesting experience this week that made my husband, Darrick, and me comment on the incredible task single parents face. Darrick came down with a terrible stomach flu in the middle of the night last Friday and was horribly ill the next day.

In the meantime, I had already committed to hosting a baby shower at a friend's house and Henry was supposed to be spending the day with his Dad. Taking Henry with me wasn't an option because my friend's baby had arrived three weeks early and would be at the shower. I was worried about exposing her brand new baby to Henry's day care germs! So, sick or not, Darrick was going to be spending the day with Henry.

Darrick handled the day like a champ but he said that it was really difficult caring for Henry when he could barely get out of bed. He worried that he was too ill to be able to play with Henry and give him the stimulation he needed.

Of course, I came home that afternoon and took over so there was no real crisis. But it gave us both pause to think that if we weren't in this together, it would be an almost impossible task to take care of ourselves and our child properly. It made us realize how lucky we are to be able to rely on each other, and reinforced our respect for those parents who go it alone.

Anne's column will be moving to from a weekly schedule to every two weeks. So tune in on May 15 for the next adventure in child care!

Anne's Diary - A mom's adventure in child care - Week 25

2008-10-17T09:35:00.000-07:00

April 24 - Week 25: A False Alarm

As a new parent, I've watched my son grow and develop profoundly in his first five months of life. And it's made me ponder the possibilities that someday, when he learns to run, jump and climb, I'm going to have to deal with the inevitable injuries associated with adventure and curiosity. I can't imagine how I'll feel if my son is ever harmed.

As a related aside, my husband and I traveled out of town for a wedding last weekend and took Henry along. We had breakfast at a little diner where the owner picked up Henry's car seat, with Henry in it, and perched it precariously on the booth where we were sitting. Darrick couldn't help laughing when the owner walked away because he likened the look on my face to that of a pouncing lion defending her cub -- one wrong step and the man would have been mincemeat.

This week, I received my first call from Shasheena at work and it scared the daylights out of me. (I stopped calling Shasheena to check on Henry after the first week he was in her care and she's never had to call me at work.) So, her voice mail asking me to call her as soon as I could immediately conjured up disaster images -- was Henry hurt or sick? To complicate matters, as I was trying to reach her, my second line at work rang. Assuming it was Shasheena again, I picked up. Unfortunately, it was a client. I did my best to wrap up the conversation as quickly as possible.

When I finally reached Shasheena, she could tell immediately that I was anxious. The first words out of her mouth were, "Henry is fine!" As it turns out, Shasheena had a simple question and I had worried for no reason. We did agree that in the future, if she needs to leave a message for me to return her call, she'll let me know upfront whether or not Henry is alright.

The experience gave me new respect for my own mother, who endured 20 years of calls from day care and school about her injured kids!

Anne's Diary - A mom's adventure in child care - Week 24

2008-10-17T09:30:00.000-07:00

April 17 - Week 24: Preparing for the Unexpected

Picking Henry up from day care isn't always as simple as it seems. This week I found out at the last minute that my husband, Darrick, was tied up at work. Although it was his day to pick up Henry, he called and asked me to go in his place. So, as I was rushing out of work in a vain attempt to arrive at Shasheena's before 6 p.m., I realized that the next day was a telecommuting day. I grabbed my computer, files and briefcase and jumped on the subway.

Halfway to day care it dawned on me that I had no idea how I was going to negotiate the trip home on public transportation with my belongings and my child. I hadn't planned on picking Henry up so I didn't have a baby carrier or a stroller with me. Calling a taxi was out of the question as well because I was without a car seat! I was going to have to balance the load in my arms.

This might seem simple enough but Henry has grown to a hefty 18 pounds. Plus there was the diaper bag, computer and briefcase. I ended up trudging home bearing easily 50 pounds in my arms - with Henry squirming and kicking the whole way!

As I very slowly made my way from the subway station to our house, (five blocks…uphill), I vowed to add "backup plan" to my day care vocabulary. In retrospect, I could have left the computer and the rest of my work stuff at Shasheena's and picked them up that evening once Darrick returned home, but that seemed like an imposition at the time.

In the event that one of us has another late business meeting, car failure or another glitch in our schedules, I'll be more prepared. From now on, I'm going to plan to leave a travel stroller at Shaheena's house.

Superfloss		Dental tape

Floss holders		Regular floss