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| HEALTH & FITNESS |
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Spectacles are your child’s friends
Wisdom about wisdom teeth
Breakthrough offers hope in breast cancer fight
‘Supermums’ more likely to be victims of depression
Health Notes
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Spectacles are your child’s friends
They have a lurking fear that if they take the child to an eye doctor he will certainly put spectacles on the child’s face! “When we don’t want spectacles for our child, why should the doctor prescribe it? Can’t he find some medicine or some other latest technology treatment or prescribe some healthy food”, lament the parents. “If your child’s vision is weak, go for corrective glasses”, counsel eye doctors. How do I know if my child has a vision problem? Vision screening is a very important way to identify vision problems. During an exam the doctor looks for an eye disease and checks to see if the eyes are working properly. Children with a family history of childhood vision problems are more likely to have eye-related disorders. It is recommended that children have their eyes checked by an eye specialist at the following ages: Newborn — All infants before discharge from the hospital should have their eyes checked in the newborn nursery for infections, defects, cataracts or glaucoma. This is especially true for premature infants, those who were given oxygen, and infants with multiple medical problems. Six months of age — Doctors should screen infants during their baby visits to check for proper eye health, vision development and alignment of the eyes. Three-four years of age — All children should have their eyes and vision checked for any abnormalities that may cause problems with later development. Five years of age — The doctor should check your child’s vision in each eye separately every year. If a problem is found during routine eye exams, an eye doctor trained and experienced in the care of children’s eye problems may be consulted. Warning signs of a vision problem Babies older than three months should be able to follow or “track” an object, like a toy or ball, with their eyes as it moves across their field of vision. Before four months of age most infants occasionally cross their eyes. However, eyes that cross all the time or one eye that turns out is usually abnormal and is another reason to seek advice. No matter how old your child is, if you spot any one of the following, let your doctor know:
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Eyes that look crossed, turn out, or don’t focus together
l White, greyish-white, or yellow-coloured material in the pupil
l Eyes that flutter quickly from side-to-side or up-and-down
l Bulging eye(s)
l Persistent eye pain, itching, or discomfort
l Redness in either eye that doesn’t go away in a few days
l Pus or crust in either eye
l Eyes that are always watery
l Drooping eyelid(s)
l Excessive rubbing or squinting of the eyes
l Eyes that are always sensitive to light
l Any change in the eyes from how they usually look If you observe the following symptoms, don’t ignore them: Covering one eye while reading Frequent headaches (usually when reading or looking at something) Sitting close to the blackboard when copying notes Sitting close to the television screen Having difficulty catching things thrown at them such as balls Constant scratching of the eyes Difficulty in reading Computer screen looking a little fuzzy due to dry eye and visual fatigue Remember, don’t go for witch hunting if your child has been advised spectacles, and accept them gracefully and without reservation. Avoid giving a complex to the child. Your child’s future lies in the use of glasses. The writer is a senior eye specialist and author of medical books based in Chandigarh. Email — drrkumar16@gmail.com |
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Wisdom about wisdom teeth
Adults can have 32 teeth at the maximum, but the jaw sizes are very small in today’s generation. This is the basic reason for the wisdom teeth causing trouble to our generation as there is no space for the whole set of 32 teeth in our jaws. Some lucky people have just a set of 28 teeth and they do not suffer from wisdom teeth troubles. Wisdom teeth may try to come in the mouth but may strike against the tooth in front of it and some part of that tooth may be visible in the mouth. Sometimes the tooth may be completely embedded in the bone and may not be visible in the mouth at all. Problems that wisdom teeth may cause include soreness, swelling and food collection in the adjoining gums. Your dental surgeon will tell you whether these are the temporary problems that can be treated by special cleaning methods and the use of mouthwashes, or wisdom tooth needs removal. When the aforementioned problems persist and the wisdom teeth cannot come to a useful position in the mouth, it needs removal. Sometimes these teeth may be placed in so deep a position in the jaw bone or in such a position that these teeth may require a minor surgical procedure for their removal. When it is known that they require removal, one should get it done as soon as possible and must not delay its removal. Delay in the removal of these teeth may damage the adjoining teeth due to food lodgement. Pain and persistent swelling may cause infection. Wisdom teeth are known to put pressure on the adjoining teeth and may cause resorption in the adjacent teeth. Cysts may form around these teeth and may cause complications if removal is delayed. Wisdom tooth removal requires a small cut in the gums and some bone cutting/wisdom tooth cutting to help removal. Two-three stitches are placed in the gums to help the gum heal up. It is always better not to speak more and do not spit 24 hours after the operation. Removal of a wisdom tooth may cause swelling and pain for a few days, usually two-three days, depending on the amount of bone removed. Pain killers and some antibiotics can take care of the pain and swelling. Usually, stitches are removed after one week. Always be wise to keep a check on your wisdom teeth. The writer is a Patiala-based dental consultant |
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Breakthrough offers hope in breast cancer fight
A naturally occurring molecule in bacteria can block the development of breast cancer, scientists have discovered, paving the way for the design of more potent and selective drugs.
The molecule, thiostrepton, clamps FOXM1, a cancer-causing protein, is present in greater amounts in breast cancer cells. It switches on genes regulating the growth and division of cells, causes tumours to spread and triggers the growth of blood vessels. Blocking this protein may prevent the development of cancer at an early stage as well as blocking its growth and spread according to the study published in Nature Chemistry. Its lead author, Professor Shankar Balasubramanian, based at Cancer Research UK in Cambridge, said: “Before this research we weren’t aware of any natural product which could directly target a protein that controls gene activity. Yet intriguingly a molecule in bacteria — which also has strong antibiotic effects — does this very well, switching off cancer-causing genes in breast cancer cells.” Dr Lesley Walker, the organisation’s director of cancer information, said: “It’s fascinating to discover how a simple bacteria could hold the key to powerful new approaches to treat breast cancer developing and spreading.” Meanwhile a cancer drug which extends the lives of melanoma sufferers but costs £72,000 for one course of treatment for each patient, goes on the market today in the UK. Ipilimumab (brand name Yervoy) is the first new treatment for advanced melanoma, the most deadly form of skin cancer, since the 1970s. There are more than 10,000 cases of melanoma a year and 2,000 deaths. Ipilimumab boosts the immune system and has been shown in trials to extend the lives of patients with metastatic melanoma (which has spread to other organs) by about 10 months. In a trial, 46 per cent of patients were still alive at one year compared with 25 per cent prescribed a different treatment. The National Institute for Clinical Excellence is considering whether to recommend the drug, made by Bristol Myers Squibb, for use by the NHS. — The Independent
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‘Supermums’ more likely to be victims of depression
London: Working mothers who expect that a successful career and family life can be blended with relative ease, are more likely to become depressed than women who accept they “cannot do it all”, according to a new research. They become frustrated when they fail to measure up to their own expectations.
“Women are sold a story that they can do it all, but most workplaces are designed for employees without child-care responsibilities,” the Daily Express quoted sociologist Katrina Leupp of Washington University as saying. In reality, juggling home and work requires some sacrifice such as cutting back on work hours and persuading husbands to help more, she said. “You can happily combine child rearing and a career, if you are willing to let some things slide,” Leupp said. She analysed responses to a survey of 1,600 stay-at-home and working mothers, all married, who answered questions about work-life balance. When the women reached the age of 40, Leupp measured their levels of depression and found the stay-at-home mothers had more symptoms of depression than the working ones. There was some truth to the adage that “stay-at-home mums have the hardest job in the world”, she concluded. — ANI
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Health Notes Washington: Dried plums have been found to have a positive effect on bone health, and a Florida State University researcher has said that eating them could help prevent fractures and osteoporosis. Bahram H. Arjmandi, Florida State’s Margaret A. Sitton Professor and Chairman of the Department of Nutrition, Food and Exercise Sciences in the College of Human Sciences, and a group of researchers from Florida State and Oklahoma State University conducted the research. “Over my career, I have tested numerous fruits, including figs, dates, strawberries and raisins, and none of them come anywhere close to having the effect on bone density that dried plums, or prunes, have,” Arjmandi, said.— ANI Common blood clot in veins is life threatening Washington: Results from a new study have revealed that patients with clinically diagnosed superficial vein thrombosis (SVT), a blood clot in the veins just beneath the skin that commonly resolves on its own without treatment, are at an increased risk of developing venous thromboembolism (VTE), a dangerous, often life-threatening condition. Recent studies have shown that patients diagnosed with SVT using ultrasound to confirm the presence of a clot showed an increased risk of VTE. However, it was unclear whether patients with “clinically diagnosed” (without the use of ultrasound) SVT also had an increased risk for VTE. VTE is a clotting disorder that includes both deep-vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE). — ANI Babies’ first 1,000 days vital for their long-term health London: The first 1,000 days of a child’s life — the nine months in the womb and the first two years out of it — determine their health prospects for life, a new research has suggested. The study has found that this period can permanently affect everything, from a child’s chances of developing diabetes or having a heart attack in old age to their future weight and life expectancy, reports the Daily Mail. Professor David Barker and his colleagues at Southampton University developed the theory after decades of research. They believe there are a series of critical stages in a child’s development. If conditions are not perfect at each step, problems can occur later. — ANI |
Rahul always makes an effort to sit too close to the television set at home; he cannot see the blackboard in the class; and is having a hard time catching a ball in the playground. He shuns outdoor games and remains home-bound to play video games on the computer. He often complains of headache and eye strain. He has apprised his parents about his difficulties but they have turned a deaf ear to his complaints. Why?
Wisdom teeth are the last to come in the mouth when you are 17-25 years of age, but they may come even later in your life. It is common for an old person to ridicule a dental surgeon that “I have become a grandfather and you are telling that my teeth are coming!”