health splash_issue_04
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Starcare Hospital Health magazine Issue_04TRANSCRIPT
Editorial Note
Dr. Biji GeorgeEditor
P.O. Box 198,PC 101, As SeebSultanate of Oman
Tel: +968 24557200, Email: [email protected]
Web: www.starcarehospital.com
Issue: 04
Stress is a part of life, and always has been. Sometimes we feel that
the modern generation has more stress to deal with than our fore-
fathers, with our deadlines, targets to be achieved, consumerism
and social competition.
The tendency of bigger people to bully the smaller ones happens
every day - at school, work and in the streets. This adds to the stress
and leads to psychological and, sometimes, even physical health
issues. Dr Nishat Shams has given us an outlook on bullying as a
behavior and how to cope with it.
One of the joys of life is our children. When they are happy and
healthy, of course. When they are born deformed or with abnor-
malities they can add to our stress and frustration. There are things
we can do to increase the chances of having a healthy, happy baby.
Our new Senior Consultant in the department of Obstetrics and
Gynaecology, Dr. Bernd K. Wittmann, advises couples planning to
have a baby on the do’s and don’ts, even before pregnancy.
The recent rains and changes in climate also herald a new wave of
respiratory and water borne illnesses. The first and foremost
precaution we can take is proper hygiene, especially washing our
hands properly. We carry a small how-to on proper hand-washing
procedure.
Don’t miss out on our interesting quiz this time, not to mention the
new events in Starcare Hospital for this month.
Keep caring..
Editorial TeamEditor:
Dr. Biji Thomas George
Associate Editor:Dr. Yousef Abdel Mohsin El Qabbany
Issue Manager:Shyju Joseph
Magazine Coordinator:Anu Joseph
Design & LayoutDantis Mathew
Bullying is a behavior commonly experienced by children and
adolescents, which may start as early as preschool, increases
throughout elementary school, and peaks in middle school.
Bullying is defined as a specific type of aggression in which
behavior towards others is intended to harm or disturb,
occurs repeatedly over time, and involves an imbalance of
power.
The other kind of bullying, that is getting a lot of attention in
modern times, is Cyber bullying. It must now be considered as
part of the spectrum of bullying behavior.
Children who are bullied exhibit increased health problems,
depression, anxiety, low self-esteem and, in extreme cases,
suicidal tendencies compared to non-victimized peers.
Additionally, bullied children tend to have poorer social
adjustment skills and have decreased academic performance.
Some children try to cope by taking revenge or by ignoring
the bullying person, but this strategy is ineffective and results
in increased victimization.
Children who respond to bullying by seeking advice from
others experience fewer internalizing problems and
decreased victimization.
The use of bibliotherapy has gained increasing support over
the past few years as an effective intervention to help children
cope with stressful life events.
In bibliotherapy, the children read different books about
famous personalities and identify themselves with fictional
characters and learn their coping skills to face aggression.
Bibliotherapy can assist children in building confidence and
self-esteem. It attempts to normalize a child's world by
offering coping skills and reducing their feelings of isolation,
reinforcing creativity, and problem solving. It also gives
parents an opportunity to discuss the issues with the children.
In conclusion, remember these points when dealing with bullying:
1. Teaching children ways to avoid being bullied is likely to be more effective than attempting to teach them to cope with or to reduce bullying behavior from their peers.
2. Teaching problem-solving skills and positive interaction skills is more helpful than methods that make rules and give punishment to discourage bullying.
3. Bullying can also be an adult problem.
Dr. Nishat ShamsMBBS, MS, PhD Psychotherapist
BULLYINGCOPING WITH
A recently married couple is planning to purchase their first
car, and is spending many hours choosing the brand, the
model, the color and the extras. They research on-line, visit
dealerships, and after several test drives buy their very special
car. However, somewhere in between, a pregnancy is
suspected, and, excited about the prospect of a baby, the
couple arrives at the clinic with a positive home pregnancy
test. The pregnancy is confirmed by a laboratory test, and
calculation of the dates establishes a 7 week pregnancy. At
this stage the baby is already 1 cm long, the heart is beating,
and all the important structures are forming. Review of the
medical and family history of both parents is normal, and
they live a healthy lifestyle. Premarital laboratory tests
performed for thalassemia and sickle-cell anemia were
normal, and both were immune to rubella and hepatitis B.
The mother is of average weight, on a normal diet with low
caffeine intake, and not taking any iron or vitamin supple-
ments. The pregnancy is progressing well, however at the first
ultrasound examination at 3 months, the baby appears to
have an abnormality.
This situation has occurred many times over the years, and
head and spine abnormalities (neural tube defects - NTD)
have been considered unavoidable. Research over the last 30
years has shown that in many cases the abnormality can be
prevented through the use of a vitamin, FOLIC ACID. As
many women are on a diet which is deficient in folic acid,
supplementation for all women of child bearing age has been
recommended worldwide. However, to be most effective, the
folic acid supplementation (Canadian recommendations - 5
milligrams/day) must be started 1 month BEFORE the
pregnancy,
SO YOU PLANTO GET PREGNANT
and continued for the first 3 months of pregnancy. There is
increasing evidence that this will not only decrease the risk of
NTD, but also of other abnormalities. This scenario serves to
illustrate that couples who are thinking about a pregnancy
should plan ahead of time. One way to do this is to book a pre
pregnancy counseling session with their physician in order to
be aware of the steps required to prepare for the healthiest
possible pregnancy.
At this visit, a thorough history will be taken and, if indicated,
an examination will be performed. The family history will
reveal the possibility of medical and genetic diseases, and
reproductive problems. A personal history, especially of the
woman, will identify diabetes, hypertension and other
medical conditions which are specific risk factors for the
mother and baby in the pregnancy and afterwards. If medica-
tions are used for a specific disease, then adjustment or
change to a different drug may be required. Lifestyle, diet,
social and environmental risk factors must be evaluated, and,
if necessary, modified. For example, being overweight in
pregnancy is associated with multiple risk factors, and
extreme weight loss just before pregnancy can also have a
negative effect on the pregnancy. Information on all previous
pregnancies of both prospective parents must be collected. If
in the past there was a complication of the mother or baby, or
a surgical delivery, then documentation from the hospital file
and a copy of the operation report should be obtained. This,
together with all the other information should be reviewed
with the couple, and a plan of management for the pregnancy
developed. A recurrence of past problems is often prevent-
able, and a successful pregnancy can usually be achieved if we
dedicate at least as much time to the planning of the
pregnancy as we do to the purchase of a car!
Pregnancy planning- as important asplanning to purchase a car !
DR. BERND K. WITTMANNSr. ConsultantMD, FRCSC
Next: SO YOU ARE PREGNANT!
Hand-washing is an easy way to prevent infection. Understand when to wash your hands, how to properly use hand sanitizer and how to get your children into the habit.
Frequent hand-washing is one of the best ways to avoid getting sick and spreading illness. Hand-washing requires only soap and water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer — a cleanser that doesn't require water. Find out when and how to wash your hands properly. When to wash your hands
As you touch people, surfaces and objects throughout the day, you accumulate germs on your hands. In turn, you can infect yourself with these germs by touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Although it is impossible to keep your hands germ-free, washing your hands frequently can help limit the transfer of bacteria, viruses and other microbes. Always wash your hands before
• Preparing food or eating • Treating wounds, giving medicine, or caring for a sick or injured person •Inserting or removing contact lenses
Always wash your hands after:• Preparing food, especially raw meat or poultry • Using the toilet or changing a diaper• Touching an animal or animal toys, leashes, or waste • Blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing into your hands • Treating wounds or caring for a sick or injured person • Handling garbage, household or garden chemicals, or anything that could be contaminated — such as a cleaning cloth or soiled shoes In addition, wash your hands whenever they look dirty.How to wash your hands ?It is generally best to wash your hands with soap and water. Follow these simple steps: • Wet your hands with running water.• Apply liquid, bar or powder soap.• Lather well.• Rub your hands vigorously for at least 20 seconds. Remember to scrub all surfaces, including the backs of your hands, wrists, between your fingers and under your fingernails.• Rinse well.• Dry your hands with a clean or disposable towel or air dryer.• If possible, use your towel to turn off the faucet.
Keep in mind that antibacterial soap is no more effective at killing germs than is regular soap. Using antibacterial soap may even lead to the development of bacteria that are resistant to the product's antimicrobial agents — making it
harder to kill these germs in the future.
How to use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer ?Alcohol-based hand sanitizers, which don't require water, are an acceptable alternative when soap and water aren't available. If you choose to use a hand sanitizer, make sure the product contains at least 60 percent alcohol. Then follow these simple steps: • Apply enough of the product to the palm of your hand to wet your hands completely.• Rub your hands together, covering all surfaces, until your hands are dry.Antimicrobial wipes or towelettes are another effective option. Again, look for a product that contains a high percentage of alcohol. If your hands are visibly dirty, wash with soap and water.
Kids need clean hands, too Help children stay healthy by encouraging them to wash their hands properly and frequently. Wash your hands with your child to show him or her how it's done. To prevent rushing, suggest washing hands for as long as it takes to sing the "Happy Birthday" song twice. You might place hand-washing reminders at your child's eye level, such as a chart by the bathroom sink that can be marked every time your child washes his or her hands. If your child can't reach the sink on his or her own, keep a step stool handy.
A simple way to stay healthy
Hand-washing doesn't take much time or effort, but it offers great rewards in terms of preventing illness. Adopting this simple habit can play a major role in protecting your health.
Article adopted from “By Mayo Clinic staff”
Hand-washing: ‘Dos’ and Don'ts
HEALTH WELLNESS
&
Starcare in
NEWS
Dr. Aseel A. Altaee, Specialist Obstetrician & Gynecologist delivering a lecture to the ladies on ‘Breast Cancer’ at Shell Oman o�ce at Wattaiya.
A token of appreciation from Oman Medical College for the quality sessions attended by their Pharmacy graduate interns at the Starcare Pharmacy.
Starcare Hospital participated in the 1st International Medical Tourism Exhibition & Conference – IMTEC Oman 2013.
Dr. Midhat A.Ali
Dr. Balsam Sahib Ridha
New GP’s in ER
Disclaimer
This magazine does not attempt to endorse or promote any information presented. Please keep in mind that information about health matters changes constantly as new studies are performed and new treatments are discovered. Consult your physician or other health professional for your health related advice.
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Contact: +968 24557200, GSM: +968 98252030, P.O.Box: 198, PC 101, As Seeb, Sultanate of Oman
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QUIZ CORNERAnswer the below questions
There is a light bulb in a room which can be lit by one of the three switches placed outside. It is not lit now because all the switches are o�. There is only one chance to visit the room. How can it be determined which of these switches is connected to the light bulb ?
Anne, Olivia and Jenita are daughters of Mr.Jack, Mr.Brown and Mr.Ran. Four of these people are playing badminton doubles. Mr.Ran’s daughter and Mr.Jack are partners. Anne’s father and Mr. Brown’s daughter are also partners. There are no father-daughter combinations. Who is Anne’s father ?
Miss Anne has eleven kids in her class. She has a bowl containing eleven apples. Now Miss Anne wants to divide the eleven apples to the kids, in such a way that an apple should remain in her bowl.How can Miss Anne do it ?
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