Why should I get my child vaccinated?
Childred need vaccinations (shots) to protect
against many serious contagious childhood diseases.
Today, many children are needlessly catching
dangerous diseases like measles, whooping cough,
hepatitis, and meningitis. Without vaccinations at the
right times, your child could contract one or more of these very
serious or even fatal illnesses.
Do vaccinations really work?
Yes. If your child gets the right vaccination at the
right time, the chances of getting any of these
diseases will be much less.
When should children be vaccinated?
Many parents think that their children don't need
vaccinations until they are ready to go to school.
This is not true!
Children's vaccinations need to begin when they
are babies. Children should receive most of their
vaccinations during their first 2 years of life, starting
at birth.
Children who are behind on their shots need to
get vaccinated to "catch up" and be protected.
Older children and teenagers also need vaccinations.
The "Immunization Schedule" tells you when you
should get your child vaccinated. Check with your
child's pediatrician or visit your local health clinic to
make sure your child's vaccinations are up-to-date.
Remember, the best way to make sure your
child gets the vaccinations they need is to make
regular visits to your child's pediatrician, or your
local health clinic.
What vaccinations do my children need?
Some vaccinations are combined and protect against
more than one disease. Your child needs all of these
vaccinations to stay healthy:
MMR to protect against measles, mumps, and rubella (German measles);
Polio Vaccine (OPV or IPV) to protect against polio;
DTP or DTaP to protect against diphtheria, tetanus (lockjaw), and pertussis (whooping cough);
Hib Vaccines to protect infants against Haemophilus influenzae type b (a major cause of spinal meningitis). A combination of the Hib and DTP vaccines is now available and can be given as one shot for infants who need both; and
HBV Vaccine to protect against hepatitis B, which causes liver disease.
Ask your pediatrician about new vaccines that can protect your child against these and other contagious illnesses.
Where can I get my child vaccinated?
You should get your child vaccinated at your
pediatrician's office, at your community health
center.
What if I can't afford vaccinations?
You can get vaccinations for your child even if you
can't afford them. At community
health centers, medical school clinics, children's
clinics, public health clinics, and some pediatricians'
offices, you can get your child vaccinated for free or at a
very little cost.
Are vaccinations safe?
Reactions to the vaccines may occur, but they are
usually mild. Serious reactions are rare but may
occur. Remember, the risks of the disease being vaccinated
against are far greater than the risk of serious reaction from the
vaccination.
Do vaccinations hurt?
Sometimes they hurt a little, and your baby may cry
for a few minutes. There may be some swelling
where your child was injected. However, protecting
your child's health is worth a few tears.
If your child is old enough to understand, explain
that these vaccinations help prevent some very serious
diseases. Comfort and play with your child after the
vaccination. Acetaminophen can be used to help
relieve some of the more common side effects such
as fever and irritability.
Who should I call for more information?
Always contact your pediatrician, your local public
health department, or community health center, for
the following:
If your child is sick,
If you have health care questions,
If you need information about vaccinations
or your child's health care needs.
Remember, vaccination is a very important part of your child's total health care. Vaccinate your child on time, and keep your child's vaccination record up-to-date. Make sure you take your child to the pediatrician's office or a health clinic on a regular basis so that the doctor or health clinic can get to know your child. And be sure to get regular checkups, even when your child is healthy.
Osteoporosis, or porous bone, is a disease characterized by low bone mass and structural deterioration of bone tissue, leading to fragile bones and an increased susceptibility to fractures of the wrist, hip and spine.
What are the symptoms?
Osteoporosis is often called the "silent disease" because bone loss occurs without symptoms. People may not know that they have osteoporosis until their bones become so weak that a sudden strain, bump, or fall causes a fracture or a vertebra to collapse.
Collapsed vertebrae may initially be felt or seen in the form of severe back pain, loss of height, or spinal deformities such as stooped posture or dowager's hump. Please see your doctor or health care specialist is you have any of these symptoms.
Who's at risk?
Some people are more likely to develop Osteoporosis than others. The risk factors of developing Osteoporosis are:
*Menopause before age 45
*A family history of fractures in elderly women
*Thin and/or small boned people
*Chronically low calcium intake
*An inactive lifestyle
*Caucasian or Asian
*Advanced age
*Cigarette smoking
*Excessive use of alcohol
*Use of ertain medications, such as corticosteroids
and anti-convulsants
Women have approximately 10 to 25 percent less total bone mass at maturity than men, making them more susceptible to osteoporosis. However, five million American men are affected by Osteoporosis and one out of five men will develop fractures.
White women 60 years of age or older have at least twice the incidence of fractures as African-American women. However, one out of five African-American women are at risk of developing osteoporosis.
How is bone density measured?
Specialized tests called bone density tests can measure bone density in various sites of the body. With the information obtained from these bone mass measurements, physicians can assess an individual's bone density and predict the likelihood of fractures.
What can be done to prevent Osteoporosis?
Building strong bones, especially before the age of 35, can be the best defense against developing osteoporosis, and a healthy lifestyle can be critically important for keeping bones strong. So to help prevent osteoporosis:
*Eat a balanced diet rich in calcium
*Exercise regularly, especially weight-bearing activities
*Don't smoke
*Limit alcohol intake
Talk to your doctor if you have a family history of osteoporosis or no longer have the protective benefit of estrogen due to natural or surgically-induced menopause.
About bone fractures...
The most typical sites of fractures related to Osteoporosis are the wrist, spine, hips and ribs although the disease can affect any bone in the body.
Forty percent of all women will have at least one spinal fracture by the time they reach age 80 years of age.
The rate of hip fractures is two to three times higher in women than men.
A women's risk of hip fracture is equal to her combined risk of breast, uterine, and ovarian cancer.
Spinal Osteoporosis is eight times more likely to afflict women than men.
Among those who were living independently prior to a hip fracture, 15 to 25 percent are still in long-term care institutions a year after injury.
How is Osteoporosis treated?
Although there is no cure for Osteoporosis, there are treatments available to help prevent further bone loss and fractures:
Studies have shown that estrogen can prevent the loss of bone mass in post-menopausal women.
Another treatment used by both men and women for treatment of Osteoporosis is Calcitonin. This drug has been shown to slow bone breakdown and also can reduce the pain associated with Osteoporotic fractures.
Treatments under investigation include bisphosphonates, nasal spray Calcitonin, Sodium Fluoride, Vitamin D, and "anti-Estrogens."
How big a problem is it?
Twenty-five million Americans are affected by Osteoporosis, 80% of those affected by Osteoporosis are women.
One out of every two women and one out of five men have had an Osteoporosis-related fracture.
By age 75, one third of all men will be affected by osteoporosis.
While osteoporosis is usually thought of as an older person's disease, it can strike at any age.
For more information see The National Osteoporosis Foundation
Is it a Night Terror or is it a Nightmare?
A night terror is not the same as a nightmare. Nightmares occur during the dream phase of sleep known as REM sleep. Most people enter REM sleep after about 90 minutes of sleep. The content of the nightmare will frighten the sleeper, who will usually wake up with a vivid memory of the movie-like dream.
Night terrors occur during a phase of deep Non-REM sleep usually within an hour after the person goes to bed. During a night terror, which can last anywhere from five to twenty minutes, the person is still asleep, even though their eyes may be open. When the person does wake up, they have no memory of the episode but may still have a sense of fear.
Symptoms:
Sudden awakening from sleep, persistent fear or terror, screaming, sweating, rapid heart rate, confusion, unable to explain what happened, no memory of the "bad dreams" or nightmare, may have a vague sense of frightening or terrifying images, unable to fully wake up, difficult to soothe or comfort, no recollection of the episode the next day....
Facts about Night Terrors
*Night Terrors are not dangerous (what you do during
night terrors can be dangerous, such as, sleep walking, bumping
into objects or using kitchen or other appliances).
*Night Terrors occur in Non-REM sleep.
*Night Terror episodes can last 10-20 minutes.
*Night Terrors and other sleeping disorders tend to run in families.
Night terrors can occur anytime in a persons life, the most cases are reported in children between the ages of three and five. (although studies have turned up showing that many adults have night terrors on a weekly basis.) Night terrors usually occur fifteen minutes to an hour after going to sleep. The longer the person is in Non-REM (the stages before REM) before the night terror occurs, the more terrified they will be when it happens. Keep in mind though, not everyone falls to sleep at the same time as others. This makes a sleep study about the only way of determining what stage of sleep you are in when these episodes take place.
Night terrors have been shown to appear in Non-REM sleep. This is what make them different from nightmares, which can occur anytime in sleep. It is possible to set off night terror in some people by touching them or waking them during Non REM sleep. Why night terrors occur is still a mystery. The mind is supposed to be practically a void during the deeper stages of sleep. The person will awake gasping, moaning, crying, but mostly screaming. They will sit up in bed, breathing rapidly with a wide eyed look of terror. This panic will often last anywhere from five to twenty minutes after waking. Probably the most amazing aspect of night terrors is that it generates a heart rate of 160 to 170 beats per minute. This is twice the normal heart rate that can be attained under any of the most stressful circumstances. The best method of controlling the subject during a night terror is to hug them and reassure them that everything is all right. Agree with whatever they are saying and doing. DO NOT yell at them or tell them they are only dreaming as this seems to aggravate the situation.
It is also interesting that two other sleeping disorders, sleepwalking and bed-wetting, are experienced during Non REM sleep. Some families will dismiss night terrors as nightmares and blame the problem on watching television or movies before going to bed. Night terrors DO NOT mean a person has psychological problems. However, do not tell the person that nothing happened. You should always tell the person the next morning, that they had a night terror.
Breast self-exams play a crucial role in the early detection of breast cancer. Women detect eight out of 10 breast cancers in between visits to their doctors. Women who routinely perform breast self-exams can usually detect an unusual mass in their breasts much sooner than women who do not.
Before you begin a breast self-exam, you should be aware that every woman's breasts are different. The key to the success of the breast self-exam is knowing the texture and shape of your own breasts so you can better recognize any changes or abnormalities that might occur. Remember, when you are doing your breast self-exam, you are looking for masses within the soft tissue of your breasts, or changes in their appearance.
Since your breast size, sensitivity, and even texture can vary throughout the month, it is important to do the self-exam at the same time each month. Women who are menstruating should do their breast self-exam at the end of their menstrual cycle. Women who take estrogen should do their breast exams on a non-hormone day. Women who do not have periods, and those taking estrogen daily, should perform their exam during the first week of every month.
Below is a step-by-step explanation of the 7 Step breast self-exam procedure for examining your breasts.
Step 1. -- In the Bath or Shower
Examine your breasts when you shower or bathe. Your hands will glide easily over wet skin.
Step 2. -- Use a Circular Motion
Place one hand behind your head. With your other hand, press flat fingers gently in small circular motions. Begin with your index finger next to your collarbone. Move your hand in a circular fashion, clockwise around the breast. You will feel a ridge of tissue in the lower curve of your breast. When you reach the top of your breast, move in three fingers and continue circling and sliding around your breast. Continue until you reach the nipple. Repeat this step with your other breast.
Step 3. -- Squeezing the Nipple
Squeeze the nipple gently between thumb and index finger. Any discharge, whether clear or bloody, should be reported to your doctor.
Step 4. -- Using a Mirror
After your shower, stand before a mirror and examine your breasts visually. Look for anything unusual, such as puckering skin, dimpling, color changes, or scaling.
Step 5. -- Hands Behind Your Head
Watching closely in the mirror, clasp your hands behind your head and press your elbows forward. You should be able to feel your chest muscles tighten. Notice the contour of your breasts.
Step 6. -- Hands on Your Hips
Press your hands firmly on hips and bow slightly toward the mirror as you pull your shoulders and elbows forward. When you are aware of your breasts' natural contours, any future change will become apparent.
Step 7. -- Lie Down
Lie flat on your back with your left arm over your head and place a pillow or folded towel under your left shoulder. This position flattens the breast and makes them easier to examine. With your right hand, press flat fingers gently in small circular motions. Begin with your index finger next to your collarbone. Move your hand in a circular fashion, clockwise around the breast. You will feel a ridge of tissue in the lower curve of your breast. When you reach the top of your breast, move in three fingers and continue circling and sliding around your breast. Continue until you reach the nipple. Repeat this step with your right breast. Hand lotion will allow your hands to slide more smoothly over your skin.
If you find any lumps,
thickenings or changes, tell your doctor immediately.
Remember, most breast lumps are not cancerous, but
you don't know if you don't ask. Breast cancer may be
successfully treated if you find it and treat it early.
Delaying the diagnosis of breast cancer does not change
the diagnosis, it only worsens the outcome.
Politeness and consideration for others is like
investing pennies and getting dollars back.
-Thomas Sowell, Creators Syndicate
To acquire knowledge, one must study; but to
acquire wisdom, one must observe. -Marilyn
vos Savant
Winter is on my head, but eternal spring is in my
heart. -Victor Hugo
When all is said and done, the weather and love
are the two elements about which one can never
be sure. -Alice Hoffman, Here on Earth
(Putman)
Laughter gives us distance. It allows us to step
back from an event, deal with it and then move
on. -Bob Newhart
If only we could pull out our brains and use
only our eyes! -Pablo Picasso
A celebrity is any well-known TV or movie star
who looks like he spends more than two hours
working on his hair. -Steve Martin
Age is not a particularly interesting subject.
Anyone can get old. All you have to do is live
long enough. -Groucho Marx
Marriage is a great institution, but I'm not ready
for an institution yet. -Mae West
Rise early. Work late. Strike oil. -J. Paul Getty
Never eat at a place called Mom's. Never play
cards with a man named Doc. And never lie
down with awoman who's got more troubles
than you. -Nelson Algren
Anything worth doing is worth doing slowly.
-Gypsy Rose Lee
What is worth doing is worth the trouble of
asking someone else to do it. -Ambrose Bierce
There's nothing to winning, really. That is, if
you happen to be blessed with a keen eye, an
agile mind, and no scruples whatsoever. -Alfred
Hitchcock
Never say anything on the phone that you
wouldn't want your mother to hear at the trial.
-Sydney Biddle Barrows, the "Mayflower
Madam"
In the fight between you and the world, back the
world. -Frank Zappa
If love is the answer, could you rephrase the
question? -Lily Tomlin
I'd rather entrust the government of the United
States to the first four hundred people listed in
the Boston telephone directory than to the
faculty of Harvard University. -William F.
Buckley
It is better to keep your mouth shut and appear
stupid than to open it and remove all doubt.
-Mark Twain
I don't want to achieve immortality through my
work...I want to achieve it through not dying.
-Woody Allen
The best way to keep children at home is to
make the home atmosphere pleasant and let the
air out of the tires. -Dorothy Parker
You've got to be careful if you don't know
where you're going, because you might not get
there. -Yogi Berra
So little done, so much to do. -Alexander
Graham Bell
Tact is the ability to describe others as they see
themselves. --Abraham Lincoln
If you can't convince them, confuse them.
-President Harry S. Truman
I'm willing to admit that I may not always be
right...but I'm never wrong. -Samuel Goldwyn
Everyone likes a good loser, especially when
he's on the opposing team. -Milton Segal