Health check issue 12

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ISSUE 12

Wednesday, January 28, 2015

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QATAR ‘HAS ONE OF THE HIGHEST BIRTH DEFECT RATES’ ALTHOUGH NOT ALL BIRTH DEFECTS CAN BE PREVENTED, AWARENESS AND EDUCATION ARE KEY TO HELPING INCREASE THE CHANCES OF HAVING A HEALTHY BABY, SAYS AN EXPERT.

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he March of Dimes Foundation, a US organisation concerned with improving infant health by preventing birth defects, premature births and infant mortality, says Qatar is among the 20 countries with the highest rates of birth defects - at 73.4 per 1,000 live births.

According to the World Health Organisation, birth defects result in about 3.2 million disabilities every year globally.

The maternal fetal medicine team at the Sidra Medical and Research Centre shared guidelines for maintaining a healthy pregnancy as key to limiting the probability of birth defects in new-borns in support of Birth Defect Prevention Awareness Month this January.

The team will provide the most sophisticated and effective care for pregnant women with complex maternal and fetal conditions.

Cutting-edge prenatal diagnosis and fetal therapy will be offered to meet the needs of patients and those referred from other centres for evaluation and management of fetal anomalies.

“Birth Defect Prevention Month puts healthy pregnancy in the spotlight. However, translating awareness into behaviour change is what will make the real difference,” said Dr Karim Kalache, Division Chief, Maternal Fetal Medicine at Sidra.

There are steps a woman and her family should take to minimise chances of her baby developing birth defects.

“It is important that lifestyle changes are at the forefront of the mothers’ minds even before becoming pregnant. I hope the information we share strikes a chord and families are empowered to make more educated decisions about their health,” Dr Kalache added.

Sidra experts advice expecting mothers to get 400 micrograms of folic acid every day, maintain a healthy weight, avoid smoking, consult a physician about any medications, and have regular check-ups.

(Source: Reuters)

SCH LAUNCHES ASTHMA-FRIENDLY SCHOOLS PROGRAMME T

he Supreme Council of Health (SCH) launched the “Asthma-Friendly Schools Programme” last month to secure a safe and supportive environment among students suffering from asthma. SCH is adopting policies and procedures that will enable students to safely manage their asthma crisis, enjoining the schools to a comprehensive responsibility to increase the success of the scheme.

The programme covers the academic year 2014-2015 and 30 independent schools for both boys and girls. The programme shall be implemented in cooperation with the Supreme Council of Education (SCE), the Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), the Primary Health Care Corp (PHCC) and the Qatar Fuel Additives Company Limited or QAFAC, the official sponsor of the programme.

Sheikh Dr Mohamed Bin Hamad Al-Thani, Director of the Public Health Department, said in his opening remarks during the launch that SCH seeks, through the implementation of the programme, to secure a safe and supportive environment of the learning process among students suffering from asthma. Sheikh Dr Mohamed Bin Hamad also explained that asthma is one of the most common chronic diseases among children and adults and although the disease is incurable, it can be managed and controlled through better medical and living circumstances.

He underlined that the essential objective of the program is the establishment of asthma-friendly schools to improve the lives of primary school students inflicted with asthma. He confirmed that the programme was first implemented in eleven primary schools during the academic year 2013-2014 and represented one of the non-communicable diseases and health promotion contributions in health development activation of the SCH’s Public Health Department.

Sheikh Dr Mohamed Bin Hamad focused on refuting the circulating concept that asthma hampers a patient’s life as the disease has been wrongly represented as a persistent daily suffering for the patient and the family.

He applauded Qatari

Sheikh Dr. Mohamad bin Hamad Al-Thani soccer player and goodwill ambassador of the programme Mr Ahmed Saleh Khalfan for the role he plays in promoting community awareness about asthma.

“Studies conducted in Qatar in 2003-2004 revealed that the prevalence of asthma and other allergic diseases among school children age 6 to 14 reached 20 percent,” said Sheikh Dr Mohamed Bin Hamad. “Maximum prevalence of nose asthma was 30.5 percent and pneumonia - 11.9 percent, whereas the rate of absences for students with asthma was 34.7 percent compared to only 22.8 percent among their healthy peers.”

Dr Kloud Al-Mutawa’a, Head of Non-communicable Disease Section, confirmed that the idea of establishing “Asthma-Friendly Schools” is pursuant to the directives of the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention.

She further stated that the program is implemented in many countries worldwide and the State of Qatar is the first to adopt from among the GCC States, with its implementation of the programme in the academic year 2013-2014.

(Continued on page 2...)

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Wednesday, January 28, 2015

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SCH LAUNCHES ASTHMA-FRIENDLY SCHOOLS PROGRAMME (Continued from page 1) issue and established key plans to contain the disease and uproot its causes. He further reviewed the prevalence and spread of the disease among children within the range 6 – 11 years of age in Qatar compared to other GCC States.

Dr Salah Al-Yafie, Head of Health Education Section at the SCH, reviewed the application and follow-up mechanism of the programs in schools, while Dr Maya Al-shaiba, the supervisor of the Asthma-Friendly Schools Programme, discussed key outcomes of the previous year’s implementation.

It was worth noting that the programme was aimed at enhancing the daily lives of children of 7-15 years of age suffering from

Mr Khalifa Saif Al-Swaidi, addressing the launch ceremony on behalf of QAFAC, the official sponsor of the programme, said his Company undertakes to implement this programme as part of its commitment to its social responsibilities towards nationals and expatriates. He further lauded the deeply rooted and fruitful cooperation between SCH and his company.

Ms Fawzia Ahmed, from the SCE Independent Schools’ Office, underlined the importance of the programme in securing a healthy environment for the students, emphasising the vital significance of inter-cooperation between schools and parents,

asthma, of renovating and documenting the infected children and providing them prompt access to the needed medications.

The programme also aims to establish a mechanism to help in the treatment of the increasing cases of asthma within schools, identify and lessen provocative sources such as air conditioning and dusts, among others.

The programme also encouraged almost 50 percent of asthma-infected children to participate in the school’s daily activities, particularly the physical ones, where awareness were raised among school staff and parents, and where everyone got the chance to interact with students’ families as well as with healthcare professionals.

and how they should interact with an asthma patient based on various aspects - cultural, treatment and follow-up.

Dr Mahdi Al-Adly, allergy and immunology specialist at HMC, focused on the issue of the importance of training on how to co-habit with asthma as a chronic disease and establish close coordination between medical, research and educational institutions to integrate efforts in favour of patient care.

Dr Husham Abdulmuniem, paediatrics specialist at the PHCC, presented important facts about asthma in children, pointing out that WHO grants vital importance to this

SCH Hosts Workshop on Expatriate Workers Check-up Programme

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workshop on the GCC Expatriate Workers’ Check-up Programme was recently hosted by the Supreme Council of Health (SCH) at the Hilton Doha. The two-day workshop held last January 7 and 8, was attended and participated by representatives of the Executive Board of the Health Ministers’ Council for GCC States, and by delegates from the GCC states and the Republic of Yemen.

The workshop was aimed to serve as a final review of the regulation of the medical examination mandated for all expatriate workers in Qatar, and as a training for members of the Central Committee for Expatriate Workers’ Check-up Programme and the Data Entry Officers, in the use of electronic linking programme. They will be tasked to train the technical committee afterwards, who will in turn train the staff of the GCC consulates and embassies during the evaluation visits.

The workshop also put into action the recommendations forwarded in the meeting of the Executive Board of Health Ministers’ Council for GCC States, which was held last year in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

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Wednesday, January 28, 2015

... DOCTOR’S DESK ...

MYTH BUSTER: FOOD ALLERGY AND INTOLERANCE

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a reaction is to avoid the food you are sensitive to. If you think you may have a food allergy or intolerance, it is important to visit a doctor before you start cutting out foods. Many children will grow out of their allergies and intolerances as their bodies and immune systems mature.

Home test kits are recommended for diagnosing food allergies and intolerances The use of commercial allergy testing kits is not recommended. These tests are often of a lower standard than those provided by accredited clinics. Also, allergy tests should be interpreted by a qualified professional who has detailed knowledge of your symptoms and medical history.

Allergies and intolerances run in families If you have parents or a sibling with an allergic condition, such as eczema, asthma or a food allergy, you are at a higher risk of developing food allergy or intolerance.

If you have eczema or asthma you are more likely to develop an allergy or intolerance

A food intolerance is just a less severe type of allergy Food allergy and food intolerance are quite different things. A food allergy is a reaction produced by the body’s immune system when it encounters a normally harmless substance. This happens relatively quick, sometimes within minutes, but more likely within 1-2 hours. An intolerance does not usually involve the immune system and is when a foodstuff (such as lactose) causes an unpleasant reaction (such as diarrhoea) and effects are rarely immediate. People who have allergies will have a bad reaction even if they come into contact with a very small amount of the foodstuff they are allergic to, whereas those with an intolerance may still be able to eat that foodstuff in small quantities.

If you think you have an allergy or intolerance to a certain food, you should cut it out of your diet Don’t cut food groups out of your diet without medical advice, because you could miss out on important nutrients.

Consult your doctor first, who can refer you for tests to diagnose your symptoms.

Most children grow out of their allergy to eggs, milk, wheat and soya It is true that most children will grow out of their allergy to eggs, milk, wheat and soya – generally by about the age of five as a result of the gut maturing or a change in the immune system’s response to that food.

Most people will grow out of allergies to peanuts, seafood, fish and tree nuts An allergy to peanuts, seafood, fish and tree nuts is very rarely lost.

MUCH IS WRITTEN ABOUT FOOD You can be A food allergy or intolerance allergic to any ALLERGIES AND can be easily foodstuff INTOLERANCES, BUT self-diagnosed WHAT REALLY IS THE This is true in theory, but in fact just a A much higher numDIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE handful of foods are ber of people will TWO? HOW ACCURATE IS to blame for 90% believe that their THE INFORMATION WE of allergic reactions symptoms are being to food. They are: READ? HERE, WE SORT caused by a food allercelery, cereals congy or intolerance than is FACTS FROM taining gluten (includactually the case. Around FICTION. ing wheat, rye, barley and 30% believe they are aloats), crustaceans (including crabs and prawns), eggs, fish, legume, milk, molluscs (such as mussels and oysters), mustard, nuts (including brazil nuts, hazelnuts, almonds and walnuts), peanuts, sesame seeds, soya, sulphur dioxide or sulphites.

Food allergies can be fatal People with allergies can have a reaction called anaphylaxis, sometimes called anaphylactic shock. Anaphylaxis can be fatal if it isn’t treated immediately, usually with an injection of adrenaline (epinephrine). This is why it’s extremely important for someone with an allergy to take their medication with them wherever they go.

Some people can be allergic to fruit and vegetables This can happen in some people who have hay fever and are sensitive to pollen or in people who are allergic to latex. Symptoms generally include itches or rashes around the mouth and lips, which is why this type of allergy is called oral allergy syndrome. Cooking can destroy the allergens that cause this type of reaction, so a person who has an allergic reaction to raw apples may be able to eat cooked apples.

The reverse can also be true, with some cooked vegetables being more allergenic than raw.

lergic or intolerant to one or more foods, but a Food Standards Agency (FSA) report estimated that only 5-8% of children and 1-2% of adults have an actual food allergy.

Levels of food allergy are rising It is thought that allergies to food are rising. For instance, the number of children admitted to hospital for food-related anaphylaxis has risen by 700% since 1990.

Food allergy is thought to affect 5-8% of young children and 3-4% of adults. It is not known why allergies are rising, but theories include changes in diet and improved levels of hygiene, which leave children’s immune systems underexposed to germs.

Symptoms of an allergic reaction will always appear immediately after eating the food that caused it Symptoms may appear immediately, or it can be several hours before they present themselves. Symptoms can be more or less severe on different occasions.

Food allergies or intolerances can be cured There is currently no cure for food allergies or intolerances. The only way to prevent

Children who are born with other allergic conditions, such as asthma or atopic dermatitis are more likely to develop a food allergy.

You are only required to carry medication if your allergy is very severe You should carry medication with you at all times, since an allergic reaction can range in severity. Your doctor will provide you with two types of medication: antihistamine tablets and/or gels, which can be used to manage the symptoms of a mild to moderate allergic reaction; and adrenaline, which is used to manage the symptoms of anaphylaxis. Adrenaline is normally supplied in a device called an adrenaline auto-injector pen.

People who have a food allergy are more likely to develop other food allergies This is known as being “atopic” and refers to a tendency to develop allergies.

Being atopic can mean you react to a number of unrelated allergens, for example peanuts and cats. Other people can react to different foods that contain either the same allergen or an allergen with a very similar structure, which means they can cause similar allergic reactions. This is known as allergic cross-reactivity. This means that if someone is allergic to peanuts, they might react to other foods in the legume family such as soya, peas, lentils, and beans.

If you have a food allergy or intolerance you may have an allergic reaction to cosmetics If you have an allergy it is important to train yourself to read labels on everything that comes into contact with your body – not just the food that you eat. For instance, some cosmetics may contain nut oils or extracts of fruit or vegetables.

(Source: nhs.uk)

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Wednesday, January 28, 2015

... HEALTH QUIZ ...

BELLY FAT FOODS QUIZ BELLY FAT IS MALIGNED FOR ITS WAY OF TAMPERING WITH ANY OUTFIT THAT DOESN’T INVOLVE A BULGE, BUT THERE IS SOMETHING WAY WORSE ABOUT THE STUFF: WHEN WHITE FAT EXPANDS IN YOUR ABDOMEN, NESTLING DEEP AMONG YOUR ORGANS, IT SETS YOU UP FOR SOME SERIOUS HEALTH TROUBLE. WE NOW KNOW THAT THIS TYPE OF FAT, CALLED VISCERAL FAT, CHURNS OUT STRESS HORMONES LIKE CORTISOL AND INFLAMMATORY SUBSTANCES CALLED CYTOKINES THAT AFFECT THE BODY’S PRODUCTION OF INSULIN. THE RESULT: IT’S WORSE THAN JUST BEING GENERALLY OVERWEIGHT; YOU’RE LOOKING AT INCREASED RISKS OF TYPE 2 DIABETES AND HEART DISEASE. LEARN MORE ABOUT IT BY TAKING THIS QUIZ.

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• True • False

• True • False

Calories from fat are better than calories from carbohydrates.

Belly fat is the most dangerous kind of fat on the human body.

The correct answer is: False It doesn’t matter where calories come from – a calorie is a calorie. One gram of fat equals 9 calories, while 1 gram of carbohydrates or 1 gram of protein contains 4 calories. Whatever you eat, the key to weight loss and loss of belly fat is to eat fewer calories, and exercise more to burn more calories. Be careful when consuming low-fat or fat-free foods, as many of these foods may be high in sugar, and even high in calories.

The correct answer is: True Belly fat, or visceral fat, lies deeper in the abdomen. Unlike subcutaneous fat or fat just under the skin, visceral fat has been linked to health problems such as increased risk for heart disease, diabetes, some cancers, and a higher need for gallbladder surgery.

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To beat belly fat, you should eat…

• More fibre • Citrus fruits The correct answer is: More fibre Soluble fibre from vegetables, fruits, and beans can help reduce belly fat. Eating foods rich in fibre can help you feel fuller, thus reducing your overall caloric intake. It may also help reduce blood cholesterol levels and can lower the risk for heart disease, obesity, and type 2 diabetes. It can keep the bowels functioning regularly, and help reduce constipation and diverticulosis.

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If you eat twice as many fat-free cookies as regular cookies, you have…

• Decreased your caloric intake • Increased your caloric intake • Balanced your caloric intake • Gained one pound The correct answer is: Increased your caloric intake Fat-free foods are not necessarily low-calorie. Eating twice as much of a fat-free food as a regular food will likely increase your overall caloric intake.

Read labels and make sure that reduced fat foods are also reduced calorie foods.

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A single pound of fat is equal to how many calories?

• 1,000 calories • 2,000 calories • 3,500 calories

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• True • False

• Eat fast food more than twice a week • Don’t drink water before meals • Eat large meals for breakfast • Sleep more than 10 hours a night

Abdominal fat disrupts the normal balance and functioning of some hormones.

The correct answer is: True Visceral fat, the type that is located in the abdominal cavity, has been found to be biologically active. Excess abdominal fat seems to disturb the normal balance and function of hormones and other substances in the body. Visceral fat produces hormones such as adiponcetin, which may influence cell responses to insulin. Visceral fat also produces a chemical called a cytokine, which can increase the risk for heart disease. Other chemicals are thought to effect cell sensitivity to insulin, blood pressure, and blood clotting..

You are likely to gain weight if you …

The correct answer is: Eat fast food more than twice a week A study by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) found that young adults who eat at fast-food restaurants more than twice weekly gain more weight and have a greater increase in insulin resistance in early middle age. After 15 years, this could be translated to an extra 10 pounds, and twice the risk for developing type 2 diabetes, which is a risk factor for heart disease. Many fast food meals contain an entire day’s worth of calories in just one meal.

The correct answer is: 3,500 calories One pound of body fat is equal to about 3,500 calories. In order to lose a pound in a week, you need to consume about 500 fewer calories per day, or burn off that many calories through exercise.

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A body mass index (BMI) of 30.0 or higher is considered…

• Normal or healthy weight • Overweight • Obese • Morbidly obese The correct answer is: Obese A body mass index (BMI) of 30.0 or higher is considered obese. BMI measures body fat based on height and weight for adults. A BMI of 18.5 to 24.9 is in the healthy weight range.

(Source: medicinenet.com)

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Wednesday, January 28, 2015

... MEDICAL SCIENCE ...

MOST CANCER TYPES

‘JUST BAD LUCK’

Diabetes May Affect Kids’ Brain Growth, Study Reports

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team of researchers tried to explain why some tissues were millions of times more vulnerable to cancer than others. The result of their study was published in the journal Science, and showed two thirds of the cancer types analysed were caused just by chance mutations rather than lifestyle.

However some of the most common and deadly cancers are still heavily influenced by lifestyle, and Cancer Research UK said a healthy lifestyle would still heavily stack the odds in a person’s favour.

Time to throw caution to the wind?

So is it time to light-up, drink and eat what you want without a care in the world? It won’t come as a surprise that the answer is no. All cancer has an element of chance - a roll of the dice that decides whether your DNA acquires a mutation that leads to cancer. The study shows that two thirds of cancer types are simply chance. But the remaining third are still heavily influenced by the choices we make.

Being overweight means we are playing with loaded dice and the odds are not in our favour. Remember smoking accounts for a fifth of all cancers worldwide. These findings are a reminder that cancer is often just bad luck and the only option is early detection. But that’s not an excuse to switch back to the ‘unhealthy’ habit.

In the US, 6.9% of people develop lung cancer, 0.6% brain cancer and 0.00072% get tumours in their laryngeal (voice box) cartilage at some point in their lifetime. Toxins from

cigarette smoke could explain why lung cancer is more common. But the digestive system is exposed to more environmental toxins than the brain, yet brain tumours are three times as common as those in the small intestine.

Root of cancer The team at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and Bloomberg School of Public Health believe the way tissues regenerate is the answer. Old tired cells in the body are constantly being replaced with new ones made by dividing stem cells. But with each division comes the risk of a dangerous mutation that moves the stem cell one step closer to being cancerous.

The pace of turnover varies throughout the body with rapid turnover in the lining of the gut and a slower pace in the brain. The researchers compared how often stem cells divided in 31 tissues in the body over a lifetime with the odds of a cancer in those tissues. They concluded that two thirds of cancer types were “due to bad luck” from dividing stem cells picking up mutations that could not be prevented.

These cancer types included Glioblastoma (brain cancers), small intestine cancers and pancreatic cancers.

Cristian Tomasetti, an assistant professor of oncology and one of the researchers, said a focus on prevention would not prevent such cancers. “If two thirds of cancer incidence across tissues is explained by random DNA mutations that occur when stem cells divide, then changing our lifestyle and habits will be a huge help in pre-

venting certain cancers, but this may not be as effective for a variety of others. We should focus more resources on finding ways to detect such cancers at early, curable stages.”

Poor lifestyle The remaining third of cancer types, which are affected by lifestyle factors, viruses or a heightened family risk, include some of the most common: • Basal cell carcinoma - a type of skin cancer caused by too much UV exposure • Lung cancer - strongly linked to smoking • Colon cancer - increased by poor diet and family risk genes Two common types of cancer - breast and prostate - were not analysed as the researchers could not find a consistent rate of stem cell division in those tissues. Separate research by Cancer Research UK shows more than four in 10 of the total number of cancers were down to lifestyle.

Dr Emma Smith, the team’s senior science information officer, stated that according to their estimate, “more than four in 10 cancers could be prevented by lifestyle changes, like not smoking, keeping a healthy weight, and a healthy diet.”

“Making these changes is not a guarantee against cancer, but it stacks the odds. It’s vital that we continue making progress to detect cancer earlier and improve treatments, but helping people understand how they can reduce their risk of developing cancer in the first place remains crucial in tackling the disease.”

(Source: bbc.com)

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igh blood sugar may slow brain growth in young children with type 1 diabetes, a new study indicates.

The research included children aged 4 to 9 years who underwent brain scans and tests to assess their mental abilities, and whose blood sugar levels has been continuously monitored.

Compared to children without diabetes, the brains of those with the disease had slower overall and regional growth of grey and white matter.

These differences were associated with higher and more variable blood sugar levels, according to the study. But, the researchers didn’t find any significant differences in the children’s thinking and memory skills, also known as cognition.

“Our results show the potential vulnerability of young developing brains to abnormally elevated glucose (blood sugar) levels, even when the diabetes duration has been relatively brief,” said lead author Dr. Nelly Mauras, chief of the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism at the Nemours Children’s Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida.

“Despite the best efforts of parents and diabetes care teams, about 50 percent of all blood glucose concentrations during the study were measured in the high range. Remarkably, the cognitive tests remained normal, but whether these observed changes will ultimately impact brain function will need further study,” Mauras said.

“As better technology develops, we hope to determine if the differences observed with brain imaging can improve with better glucose control,” she added.

The results of the study were published in the journal Diabetes.

“This is the thing that parents always worry about when it comes to a child with a chronic illness,” study co-author Dr. Karen Winer, a paediatric endocrinologist at the U.S. National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, said in a news release.

“Does it affect their brain? The good news here is that there may be some viable solutions on the horizon that parents should be aware of,” she said.

The association seen in the study does not prove a causeand-effect relationship.

(Source: nytsyn.com )

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Wednesday, January 28, 2015

... MEN’S HEALTH ...

EXPECTANT DADS ALSO HAVE HORMONAL CHANGES E

xperts can’t explain why testosterone levels of men declined early in partner’s pregnancy. While women’s hormonal fluctuations during pregnancy are well-known, new research shows that men experience swings of their own as their partner’s pregnancy progresses.

“There are hormonal changes going on with men as well, and they occur earlier than other studies have suggested,” said lead researcher Robin Edelstein, an associate professor of psychology at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

“What we found is that there is a gradual decline in men’s testosterone,” she said. The study was published online in the American Journal of Human Biology.

Edelstein and her team followed 29 expectant couples, all expecting their first child together. They looked at four different times throughout the pregnancy, evaluating salivary testosterone, cortisol, estradiol and progesterone. They looked at the levels of those hormones at weeks 12, 20, 28 and 36.

As expected, levels of all four of the hormones increased in women. Women’s testosterone declines after birth. Meanwhile, men showed substantial declines in levels of both testosterone and estradiol but showed no changes in levels of cortisol or progesterone.

Edelstein said few studies have looked at whether men might show hormonal changes as their partner proceeds through pregnancy.

She can’t explain why the hormones change as they do in men, or what effect that might have. “That is something we are really

interested in,” she said. “It’s something we can look at, but we haven’t yet.”

One idea, she said, is that men with lower testosterone might be better caregivers, as they would be less aggressive.

The changes detected, she said, “are very small,” and were not enough to be considered low-testosterone.

The change might be about psychologically preparing to be a father, Edelstein speculated.

Or the so-called sympathy weight gain by fathers-to-be might explain the lower testosterone.

The study, while interesting, has some limitations, said Dr. Tomer Singer, a reproductive endocrinologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. One was the small number of couples studied, he said.

“They would probably have to repeat this in a larger group before coming to any conclusions,” he said. Also, Singer said that testing saliva is less accurate than testing blood for the hormones studied.

The couples in the sample were mostly of the same ethnic group, highly educated and with a relatively high income. So they might not be as stressed financially as others, he added, which might explain why there was no increase in levels of the stress hormone cortisol.

The ideas as to why the changes occur also need more study, he said.

But just knowing about the hormone change may help prospective parents, Singer said, and it may help both partners to support each other if they realise both are going through changes.

(Source: webmd.com)

PROSTATE CANCER MYTHS AND FACTS P

rostate cancer is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer in men, but what do you know about it? These are five of the most common myths about the disease, and the actual facts that debunk the myths.

Myth 1: Prostate cancer surgery will cause urine leakage Fact: Urine leakage may occur after surgery, but is usually temporary. Within a year, about 95 percent of men have as much bladder control as they did before surgery.

Myth 2: Only elderly men are at risk of prostate cancer.

Fact: Prostate cancer is rare for men under 40. If you are concerned, ask your doctor if you need to get tested earlier. Age isn’t the only factor, though.

Others include: • Family history. If your father or brother had prostate cancer, your own risk doubles or triples. The more relatives you have with the disease, the greater your chances of getting it.

• Race. Men of African lineage are more at risk of prostate cancer than men of other races. Scientists do not yet know why.

You may want to discuss your risks with your doctor so you can decide together when you should be tested for prostate cancer.

Myth 3: All prostate cancers must be treated.

Fact: You and your doctor may

decide not to treat your prostate cancer. Reasons include: • Your cancer is at an early stage and is growing very slowly.

• You are elderly or have other illnesses. Treatment for prostate cancer may not prolong your life and may complicate care for other health problems.

In such cases, your doctor will likely suggest “active surveillance.” This means that your doctor will regularly check you and order tests to make sure your cancer does not worsen. If your situation changes, you may decide to start treatment.

Myth 4: A high Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) score means you have prostate cancer.

Fact: Not necessarily. Your PSA could be high due to an enlarged prostate or inflammation in your prostate. The PSA score helps the doctor decide if you need more tests to check for prostate cancer. Also, your doctor is interested in your PSA score over time. Is it increasing, which could be a sign of a problem?

Or, did it decrease after cancer treatment, which is great.

Myth 5: If you get prostate cancer, you will die of the disease.

Fact: You’re likely live to an old age or die of some other cause.

That doesn’t mean checking for prostate cancer is not important.

Finding out early and working with your doctor on a treatment plan are key.

(Source: webmd.com)

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Wednesday, January 28, 2015

... PAEDIATRICS & CHILD HEALTH ...

PARENT TALK: WHY PLAY IS IMPORTANT

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If you’re pressed for time, it’s a good idea to find ways to involve your child in what you’re doing, even the housework. Children learn from everything they do and everything that’s going on around them.

Get your child involved When you’re washing up, let your child join in, for example by letting them wash the saucepan lids. When you cook, show them what you’re doing and talk to them as you’re working.

Getting them involved in the things you do will teach them about taking turns to help and being independent.

They’ll also learn by copying what you do.

Sometimes things have to happen at certain times and it’s important that your child learns this. But when you’re together, try not to have a strict timetable. Your child is unlikely to fit in with it and you’ll both get frustrated.

There’s no rule that says the washing-up has to be done before you go to the playground, especially if the sun’s shining and your child’s bursting with energy. As far as you can, move things around to suit their moods, and your schedule.

Tips for playing with young children

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e all know that playing is fun. It’s also the most effective way for young children to learn. By playing, children can practise all the skills they need as they grow up.

To grow and develop, children need time and attention from someone who’s happy to play with them. Parents

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accination is an important step in protecting your family against a series of serious and potentially fatal diseases. Vaccinations are quick, safe and extremely effective.

The following is a guide to the recommended vaccines in Qatar’s national immunization schedule which protect against 15 communicable diseases. Both children and adults need to be up to date on their vaccinations for optimal protection for your family.

BCG This vaccine protects against Tuberculosis and should be given as soon as possible after birth. BCG can be taken up to 16 years of age.

Diphtheria, Tetanus and Pertussis (Whooping cough): The vaccine to protect against Diphtheria, Tetanus and Pertussis are given to children at 2 ,4, and 6 months. A booster dose of DTaP is given at 4-6 years.

Because immunity to Diphtheria, Tetanus and Pertussis vaccines decreases over time a booster dose may be needed every ten years or your child may require a tetanus shot if they get a severe cut or wound.

All adults are also recommended to take a booster dose of DTaP at least once (especially pregnant women)

Haemophilus Influenza B (Hib): Before routine immunizations Haemophilus influenza B was one of the primary causes of meningitis in infants and young children. It may also cause other serious infections like pneumonia, epiglottis,bone and joint infection. All children are now

should make the time to play with a child. And while brothers and sisters are natural playmates, parents can also play an active role in siblings’ games.

It can be hard to find the time to play with your child, especially when there are many other things you need to do.

Gradually, children can learn to entertain themselves.

• Get together lots of different things for your child to look at, think about and do.

• By making what you’re doing fun and interesting for your child, you can get your household jobs done while they’re learning.

• Have times when you focus completely on your child.

Talk about anything and everything, even the washing-up or what to put on the shopping list. By sharing as much as possible, your child will pick up lots of new words.

• Give your child plenty of opportunities to use their body by running, jumping and climbing, especially if you don’t have much room at home.

• Find other people who can spend time with your child when you really need to focus on something else.

Vaccination Guide vaccinated against Hib disease at 2, 4, 6 and 15 months.

Polio Polio is a devastating disease, which can lead to permanent disability. Vaccination against Polio is given as oral polio drops (OPV) which are given at 2, 4, 6 and 18 months. Booster doses of OPV is given at 18 months and between 4-6 years. Your child will also be given an injectable polio vaccine (IPV) as part of the Hexavalent vaccine given at 4 months for maximum protection.

Adults who have never been vaccinated against Polio or are travelling to countries, which are at high risk for Polio transmission, may also require OPV or IPV.

PCV 13 and PPV 23 These vaccines protect against Streptococcal Pneumoniae, a bacteria that can cause ear infections, pneumonia , Strep throat and meningitis. PCV 13 is given at 2, 4, 6 and 15 months. Adults with certain risk factors like diabetes, cancer, immunosuppression, asplenia and those above 65 years may also require these vaccines. PPV 23 is only used for people with high-risk conditions and adults over 65 years.

Rotavirus Rotarix vaccine is given at 2 and 4 months as an oral vaccine to protect against Rotavirus, a common and highly contagious bug that can cause severe diarrhoea in infants.

Measles, Mumps and Rubella: Measles and Rubella (German Measles) are a highly contagious respiratory disease caused by a virus. It spreads through the air through coughing and sneezing. Measles starts with a fever, runny nose, cough, red eyes, and sore throat, and is followed by a rash that spreads all over the body and can lead to serious complications like blindness, brain, chest or ear infections and rarely death in children and adults.

Although Rubella infection is usually mild it can cause Congenital Rubella Syndrome (blindness, deafness heart problems and brain damage) in the unborn baby if a pregnant woman catches the infection.

Mumps infection is sometimes complicated by orchitis and sterility Children are vaccinated with MMR vaccine at 12 months and 18 months. All adults who have never been vaccinated or have never had the diseases are strongly recommended to get vaccinated with 2 doses of the MMR vaccine.

Varicella Varicella vaccine is given at 1 year and 4-6 years of age to protect against chicken pox.

All adults who have never had the disease or have not been vaccinated should also get 2 doses of the vaccine.

Hepatitis B Hepatitis B infection can lead to liver failure, cirrhosis or liver cancer. All children in Qatar are given a dose of Hepatitis B vacci-

nation within 24 hours of birth and at 2, 4, and 6 months. All adults who have not taken this vaccine are recommended to take 3 doses of this vaccine. Even if you received this vaccine previously you may need a booster dose.

Hepatitis A 2 doses of Hepatitis A vaccine are given to all children at 12 months and 18-24 months. Children older than 2 years and adults may also take this vaccine when travelling to areas where there are many cases of Hepatitis A infection.

Influenza (Flu Shot) This vaccine is offered to all children and adults above 6 months of age and has to be taken every year to prevent against severe flu and its complications. It is highly recommended for those with diabetes, asthma, chronic lung, liver or kidney diseases, those without a functioning spleen or conditions with lowered immunity, age over 60 years and pregnant women.

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Wednesday, January 28, 2015