Body & Mind

IMPROVE OVERALL ENDURANCE

Pushing oneself physically can be exhausting and demanding. But whether you’re a seasoned athlete, a part-time fi tness enthusiast or even someone who lives a largely sedentary lifestyle, you can fi nd ways to dig down and improve your overall endurance. Many athletes fi nd pushing their bodies past certain boundaries to be empowering. Letting complacency set in is easy, but fi nding the motivation to press on and push ahead takes mental determination.

MICROCEPHALY BROUGHT INTO THE LIMELIGHT

Conception and childbirth are miracles of life. While parents experience many joys during pregnancy and delivery, they must discuss potentially uncomfortable conversations that need to be addressed. This includes the potential that babies will born with birth defects. Over the last year, microcephaly, a rare but serious disability, has garnered substantial attention. Microcephaly is a neurological condition in which an infant’s head is signifi cantly smaller than the heads of other children of the same age and sex, advises The Mayo Clinic. The condition is typically the result of the brain developing abnormally in the womb or not growing as it is supposed to after birth. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says microcephaly can be an isolated condition, or it can occur in combination with other major birth defects. Depending on the severity of the condition, children with microcephaly can face any number of symptoms. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, symptoms of microcephaly include impaired cognitive development, delayed motor functions, dwarfi sm, seizures, diffi culties with balance, and other neurological abnormalities. Although microcephaly is rare, according to the National Birth Defects Prevention Network, it may become more common. That’s because microcephaly has been linked to mothers who were exposed to the Zika virus while pregnant. Exposure to in utero substance abuse, as well as genetic or chromosomal issues, also can lead to microcephaly. Dr. Nassim Zecavati, an assistant professor of pediatrics and neurology at the Georgetown University School of Medicine, says essentially anything that slows down brain growth in the womb or causes a severe deprivation of oxygen and blood fl ow before, during or after delivery can be problematic. Unfortunately, no treatment exists to return a child’s head and brain to normal size. Instead, treatment focuses on reducing the impact associated with neurological disabilities and subsequent physical disabilities. Early childhood intervention programs that include speech, physical and occupational therapy may be part of a child’s course of treatment. Certain medications can be prescribed to help with seizures or hyperactivity. Thanks to its link to the Zika virus, microcephaly has garnered considerable attention over the last year-plus. Though still rare, microcephaly is something expecting parents and couples planning to have children should familiarize themselves with.

By Fifi Rodriguez

1. GEOGRAPHY: How many states are in Australia? 2. LITERATURE: The character of Miss Havisham appears in which 19th-century novel? 3. ASTRONOMY: What is the name of the boundary between Earth’s atmosphere and outer space? 4. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: What creature was a hood ornament on the 1933 Hudson Essex Terraplane car? 5. TELEVISION: What were the names of the boys on the 1990s sitcom “Home Improvement”? 6. MUSIC: The Jug saloon was the setting in which Lynyrd Skynyrd song? 7. MOVIES: What was Charlie Sheen’s nickname in the 1989 movie “Major League”? 8. ANIMAL KINGDOM: What are the offspring of echidnas (Australia) called? 9. U.S. STATES: What is the state fl ower of West Virginia? 10. FOOD & DRINK: Which country produces Gouda cheese?

10. The Netherlands 9. Rhododendron 8. Puggles 7. Wild Thing 6. “Gimme Three Steps” 5. Brad, Randy and Mark 4. A griffi n 3. The Karman line Dickens 2. “Great Expectations,” Charles 1. Six Answers