Family Health

Understanding Teenager Depression

2012-01-03T04:34:00.000-08:00

Teenagers nowadays faced tremendous pressure. Teenagers need to handle the hormonal changes of puberty, deal with peer pressures, major exams and at the same time, figure out about the transition to adult in their social roles. These demands can be overwhelming for some teenagers and can cause depression.

There are some early warning signs of depression that parents should know about. These include:

Social withdrawal
Loss of appetite
Sleeping disorder
Deliberate self-harm
Lack of energy
Loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities
Deteriorating school results
Problems paying attention during class
Recurring complaints of physical problems, such as headaches and stomach aches
Unusual aggression or reckless behavior

Teenager depression may be caused by a combination of genetic and external factors.
A family history of depression, could indicate a predisposition for teenager depression. External factors such as traumatic experiences, relationship problems, exam and study stress could increase the risk of depression.

A key factor in resisting depression is resilience. Learning how to cope with life's stress and the availability of social support are important for increasing a teen's resilience to depression.

The two main treatment for depression is psychotherapy and medication. A combination of psychotherapy and medication has been shown to be most effective. However, in the case of young patients, psychotherapy is preferred.
Psychotherapy aims to increase resilience by helping the teen to think more positively and learn how to deal with his or her problems.

When necessary, in severe cases, antidepressant medications may protect against the effects of stress factor. Antidepressant drugs can also correct biochemical imbalances in the brain which may be causing depression.

Early treatment of teenager depression offers the best hope of recovery. So do not mistake teenage depression for teen angst or teenager attitude problems. It is important to seek professional advice if you suspect that your child needs help for depression.

If you have to deal with a teenager who has depression, show your support in the following manner:

Be patient. Do not apportion blame.
Encourage your child to seek help from a doctor or counselor
If your child is prescribed antidepressant medication, make sure that he or she takes the right dose regularly.
Monitor your child closely. Watch for any mood changes for the worse. If your child starts talking about suicide, seek professional help immediately.

Health Screening For Women Above 40

2011-08-29T21:16:00.000-07:00

Hit the dreaded 4O? Have no fear, life is still good at 40s, 50s and even the 60s. But you have to watch your health to be able to enjoy the good life. Health screening is important for women above 40. They are more prone to chronic diseases such as diabetes, osteoporosis, hypertension and hyperlipiademia. There is also an increased risk of contracting cancers such as breast cancer, cervical, uterine, ovarian, colorectum and lng cancer. Women above 40 are more susceptible because of the change in metabolism and the loss of the protective effective of oestrogen upon reaching menopause.

Health screening for women above 40 should include the normal battery of tests. Namely, ECG for th eheart, chest X-ray, blood sugat test, yearly pap smear and ultrasound scanning of the pelvis. Older women should also go for mammogram and bone density test. For women above 50, an annual fecal occult blood test is advised. Ideally, a colonoscopy should be done every 3 - 5 years.

Of course, health screening is only for detection. Prevention is equally important and that mean living a healthy lifestyle - quit smoking, eating a proper diet and exercise regularly.

What are the Symptoms of Scarlet Fever

2011-06-22T09:33:00.000-07:00

Scarlet fever is caused by a bacteria. The symptoms are scarlet fever are sore throat, fever, muscle aches, abdominal pain and vomitting. It is characterised by a bright red tongue with a "strawberry" appearance.

In June 2011, Hong Kong declared a Scarlet Fever epidemic. The disease had affected mainland China and Macau as well. With more than 470 reported cases in 6 months and 2 deaths, Hong Kong had raised the alert. The disease strike children more, especially those below 10-years old.

It is advisable to consult a doctor if your child has the symptoms of scarlet fever.

Elbow Pain

2011-06-18T01:41:00.000-07:00

Imagine that! I get tennis elbow by playing game on my smart phone!

Well, I learnt a lot about elbow pain from that experience. It has been about 2 months and my elbow is just beginning to feel normal. I guess I did not get enough rest.

What to do for Tennis Elbow?

Rest the forearm, Ice the painful area for 15 min every 2 hours. Repeat about 3 times. Compress the area. I bought a elastic strap for this purpose. It is useful especially when I need to use the forearm muscles.

I found out that Tennis Elbow in my case, is caused by unaccustomed use of the wrist extensor muscles.

The other common cause of Tennis Elbow is really by playing tennis - but using improper techniques such as excessive wrist force during backhand or using too heavy a racket.

Age is also a factor or rather lack of strength and flexibility in the arms and wrist. So it is good to work up gradually when playing tennis.

I also found out that a similar condition is called Golfer's Elbow. Caused by playing golf but for the same wrong reasons.

My recovery take a while because I did not follow the recommendation. Maybe it will work for you.

In the first 3 days, stretch your forearm extensor and flexor muscles by doing this. Straighten your arm, palm down and pull down your fingers. Feel the stretch in your forearm. Hold for 20 seconds and repeat 5 times. Next turn your palm upwards and pull your fingers upward. Again hold for 20 seconds and repeat 5 times.

In the 4th to 10th day, do strengthening exercises using a light weight. Isolate the extensor and flexor muscles by resting your wrist on your knee while sitting down. Lift the weight using your wrist with your free hand holding your wrist. Lift the weight with your palm facing up. Do it slowly and hold for 2 seconds before lowering. Repeat 15 times to complete a set. Do 3 sets each day. That would strengthen the flexor muscle. Repeat the process with your palm facing down to exercise the extensor muscle.

Preventing Heart Disease: Information for Parent

2011-03-15T16:36:00.000-07:00

Parents, you need to take good care of yourself in order to be able to look after your children. Heart disease is one of the biggest health risk for parent. It can lead to heart attack, stroke or simply a lower quality of life. The good news is that heart disease is preventable. Many experts acknowledge that some risk factors such as gender, genetics and aging are not controllable. However, those factors that can be controlled, can make the difference in heart disease prevention. Preventing heart disease is simply a matter of changing one's lifestyle and diet. It is a combination of actions to keep healthy, avoid obesity, maintaining normal blood pressure as well as blood sugar level. The latter two are major risk factors for heart disease. So if you are sufferring from hypertension or diabetes, you would also need to tackle this problem in order to prevent heart disease. You should stick to a proper diet and your medications if prescribed by a doctor.

The main watch area for many parents is obesity. Obesity must be combat in order to avoid heart disease, even for your children. Combating obesity must be complemented by a proper diet for proper nutrition. A proper diet should include consuming adequate fruits, vegetables and natural fibers.

Dietary supplements, which contain antioxidants, vitamin B and folic acid, can help to maintain a good healthy heart. Try mangosteen puree as a diet supplement. It is rich in antioxidants, vitamin B and folic acid. Antioxidants destroy free radicals thereby preventing damage to cells, which can cause arteriosclerotic heart disease. Vitamin B and folic acid help keep homocysteine low. A high homocysteine level contribute to the casual of arteriosclerotic heart disease.

Heart disease prevention is possible and easy. By maintaining the right lifestyle and diet, you are enhancing your good protection against heart disease.

Radiation Risk for Children From Japan Nuclear Crisis

2011-03-15T09:09:00.000-07:00

11 Mar 11, a 9.0 earthquake struck Japan, triggering a monster tsunami. Among the damages caused by the twin disasters were Japan's nuclear rector plant. With their cooling system damaged and the back up generators swept away, several of the reactor overheated. Subsequent attempts to cool the reactors induced hydrogen explosions which blew off the roof of one of the plant near Fukushima. At the time of this writing, radioactive steam has been released into the environment and the crisis has yet to be resolved. The radioactive materials spewed into the air may contaminate food and water resources. As a parent, I am most concerned as children and unborn babies are most at risk of possibly developing various kinds of cancer such as thyroid cancer, bone cancer and leukaemia. Children and foetuses are especially vulnerable.

The radioactive material is held in air by minute moisture droplets. It can be directly inhaled or get into the body through food and water. Radioactive material will be washed down by rain into the sea and onto soil, and eventually contaminate crops, marine life and drinking water. Children are especially vulnerable because of cow's milk. Grazing cows will pick up radioactive material that lands over a wide area of pasture. These radioactive particles very easily are concentrated and pass into the milk.

Severe HFMD Cases

2010-08-24T03:02:00.000-07:00

Lately, there was a reported rise in the number of severe HFMD (Hand Foot Mouth Disease) caused by the Enterovirus (EV71). The increase in the circulation of Enterovirus 71 (EV71) among HFMD patients was reported in many country around the world. While HFMD is generally a mild and self-limiting childhood disease, those caused by EV71 are usually more severe in nature and can lead to complications and even death. Countries such as China, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore and Taiwan, have recently experienced HFMD outbreaks caused by EV71.

It is important to maintain high standards of personal and environmental hygiene to minimise the risk of HFMD. Parents should ensure that their children adopt proper hygiene practices such as washing of hands with soap before eating and after going to the toilet; covering mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. Throw the tissue away after use immediately. Do not allow children to share eating utensils. Parents should also ensure that their children's toys that can be contaminated by nasal or oral secretions are cleaned regularly.

What You Should Know About Your Liver

2010-08-02T06:31:00.000-07:00

Your liver is one of the most important organs in your body. It has many functions. It stores energy, iron, vitamins and minerals. It produces new proteins as well as bile which is necessary for digesting your food. It detoxifies and filter off poisonous chemicals such as inhaled smoke, alcohol and drugs. It regulates the blood clotting mechanism and helps to defend your body against germs. In fact, your liver is very hardworking and it does all its work without complaints. Even when it is not well, it does not give you any warning. That is why liver disease can fatal. Liver diseases can strike without any warning.

Signs of Liver Disease

A healthy liver can become permanently damaged without you knowing it. Fatty liver is one of the early warning sign of liver damage. Fatty liver occurs when there is excessive amount of fat accumulated inside the liver cells. There are several causes of fatty liver. Obesity, hypertension and abnormal cholesterol levels can cause non-alcoholic fatty liver disease or NAFLD. This affects people who consume little or no alcoholic drinks. The good news is that there is normally no liver damage and a complete recovery is possible.

Liver fibrosis occurs when scar tissue forms. Recovery is still possible at this stage but the scar tissue will remain. Cirrhosis is when the liver cells are destroyed. The damage is irreversible.

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis or NASH is caused by obesity, malnutrition and Type 2 diabetes. In some cases, NASH can lead to cirrhosis, which can produce irreversible liver damage or lead to liver cancer.

Finally, there is alcohol steotosis, which is caused by alcohol abuse. Not only the liver are damaged but all body organ including the brain are affected.

How To Take Good Care of Your Liver

Here are a few pointers of taking good care of your liver

Avoid alcoholic drinks or drink in moderation. Do not abuse alcohol.
Do not abuse drugs. Take medicine as prescribed by the manufacturer or your doctor.
Avoid too much fatty and oily food. Maintain a well-balanced and healthy diet.
Protect yourself with mask and respirator when handling chemical sprays such as insecticide and paint.
Avoid skin contact with dangerous chemical including horticultural insecticides. Be aware of the warning label on such products.

Your Child's Favorite Food Can Be a Source of Hepatitis A

2010-08-01T06:55:00.000-07:00

Hepatitis A is a highly infectious liver disease. It is caused by a virus. In serious cases, it can lead to death. Hepatitis A can be spreaded through faecal contamination and then by hand to mouth contact. This is why children are particularly at risk. It can be spreaded by somebody who simply forget to wash his or her hands after changing diaper or using the bathroom. It be spreaded through contaminated food and water. Contamination shellfish is a common source of infection. It is also known to spread in a child care centre environment. The virus itself is extremely resistant and is not easily destroyed. It can survive for a very long time in the environment.

The symptoms of Hepatitis A may include fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, nauseam abdominal discomfort, dark colored urine and jaundice. If you have any doubts, you should consult your doctor for clinical tests.

In November 2003, 3 people died and almost 500 people fell ill after eating contaminated food at a Pittsburgh restaurant. It is the biggest known outbreak of Hepatitis A in United States of America. Around 100 deaths occurs in the United States each year as a result of severe Hepatitis A infection.

Fortunately, there is a vaccine available to protect your child. It is suitable for infant as young as 1 year old. For older children, there is a combination vaccine that also protect against the more dangerous Hepatitis B. Hepatitis A infection in young children less than 6 years old, is problematic because there may not be any symptoms. They can spread the disease to other family members whle the disease is still not detected. In any cases, proper hygiene is very important. All it takes is one person's lapse in hygiene combined with faecal contamination. So do teach your child good hygiene practice.

What To Do When Your Child Has Diarrhoea

2010-07-31T06:02:00.000-07:00

Causes of Diarrhoea

There are many causes of diarrhoea. Diarrhoea can be caused by bacteria, viruses, parasites or intolerance to certain food such as cow milk or fruit juices. Excessive intake of apple, banana or prune juice can cause diarrhoea. Intestinal or bowel disorder will also cause diarrhoea. Some medication such as antibiotics and antacids affects children resulting in watery stools.

Diarrhoea Can Lead More Serious Problems

Diarrhoea will lead to dehydration if not handled properly. The loss of body fluid can affect the body's normal functions. When suffering from diarrhoea, a child's intestinal lining may lose certain enzymes that are necessary for breaking down carbohydrates. Common cow's milk can aggravate the condition further leading to excessive fluid loss. For young children, this can lead to more serious health problem.

How to Handle Diarrhoea in Young Children

It is important to feed your child fliud frequently. Even if your child vomits, some fluid will still be absorbed. This will help to prevent dehydration. Your doctor may prescribe oral electrolyte solution. This help to quickly replenish fliud and electrolytes lost from your child's body. Do not use home made salt solution as the quantity of salt may be too much. Do not use sports drinks either. If in doubt consult your doctor.

Try to feed your child as normal as possible. Your child still need constant nutrition. Feed smaller portions if necessary. Serve more of the starchy food such as bread, pasta, cereal, rice or mashed potatoes. If your child show signs of intolerance to formula cow milk, you can switch to soy-based milk.

If your child's condition does not improve in 24 to 48 hours, you should consult the doctor again. Other signs to watch out for are blood in stools and high temperature.

Signs of Dehydration

If your child shows these signs of dehydration, you should consult your doctor.

No tears when crying
Dark area around eyes
Decreased urine production
Dry tongue and mouth
Sunken eyes
Sunken soft spot on top of head

Keeping Your Child Safe From HFMD

2010-07-26T04:34:00.000-07:00

HFMD or Hand Foot Mouth Disease, is a highly contagious disease. Children are also highly susceptible to other infections when affected by HFMD. In severe cases, the HFMD virus can damage a child's brain stem, which controls key functions such as breathing, digestion, eye movement and the beating of the heart.

To protect your children, it is important to teach them the importance of hygience as early as possible. Some habits to inculcate would be washing of hands with soap before meals and after going to the toilet, covering the mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing.

If you suspect your child has HFMD, consult a doctor immediately. Keep your child home from school, kindergarten or childcare centre to avoid spreading to other children. Do remember to inform the school so that they can monitor the other children for symptoms and prevent a outbreak. You should also keep your child away from all public places such as restaurants, playgrounds and shopping centres until he or she has fully recovered. This would be till all the blisters have dried up and there are no more symptoms. Consult your doctor if in doubt.

To prevent the spread of HFMD within the household, disinfect items such as toy, book, utensils, clothing and towel. Take note of items that can be contaminated by salvia and nasal secretion. Separate these items from other users. Look out for signs and symptoms in other family members. It is important to note that some infected people may not show obvious signs or symptoms that is why practising good hygiene is very important.

Advice For Parent on HFMD

2010-06-02T20:06:00.000-07:00

HFMD or Hand Foot and Mouth Disease in young children is problematic as they are ill-prepared to cope with the symptoms. Parents are advised to consult a doctor early if they suspect that their child has symptoms of HFMD. They should also be on the alert to any change in their child's behaviour, such as irritation and sleepiness. Should a child refuse to eat or drink properly, start having persistent vomiting or is drowsiness, the parents should bring their child to the nearest hospital.

Prevention of HFMD

When there is a serious outbreak of HFMD, as far as possible, parents should consider keeping their children away from crowded public places. If the child show signs of infection, parents should keep the child away from schools, play groups and other public places in public transport. Family members should be advised to follow good hygiene practices, including frequent hand washing, to limit the spread of the infection in the household.

Why You Should Be Concerned About Pneumococcal Disease

2010-05-22T04:44:00.000-07:00

Most people are clueless about pneumococcal diseases. Many have not heard of the disease yet it is a serious threat to young children and the elderly. Many parents would dismiss the symptoms as pneumococcal diseases can sometimes display symptoms, which are similar to other common ailments such as flu or common cold. Pneumococcal disease is a serious disease not to be trifled with. It is a leading cause of serious ailments around the world. Young children below the age of 5 and the elderly above the age of 65 are most susceptible to pneumococcal diseases. As a parent, you should learn about this disease as data have shown that children below the age of two are at the highest risk developing severe cases of pneumococcal diseases.

Pneumococcal disease is caused by a common bacterium, the pneumococcus. This is the leading cause of pneumococcal death around the world. The pneumococcus bacterium is perhaps the most serious cause of disease in early infancy. Serious respiratory infections kill approximately 2.6 million young children under the age of 5 around the world each year. Of these, it is estimated that the pneumococcus bacterium causes over one million deaths. When the pneumococcus bacterium attacks the lungs, it causes bacterial pneumonia. The bacterium also attacks other part of the body. When it enters the blood, it causes bacteremia or bloodstream infection. When the brain is attacked, it causes meningitis or brain infection. Pneumococcus can also attacks the ear and nasal tissues, causing otitis media or middle ear infection. Another common ailment is sinusitis caused when the bacterium attacks the sinus membranes.

It can be difficult to differentiate between the symptoms of a common cold or flu and pneumococca; disease. If your child is not responding well to treatment for cold or flu, you should consult a doctor. Especially if your child is breathless and distressed. Other symptoms include lethargy, chest pain, ear pain, dizziness, vomitting, headaches, neck pain and loss of appetite.

Pneumococcal vaccination is the best mean of reducing the chances of infection. With the prevalence of the pneumococcus bacterium and the severe ailments it can cause for young children, it is advisable for parents to vaccinate their children as early as possible. This is particularly important as many children attend playgroups and childcare at a young age, increasing the risk of exposure. With vaccination, not only are the children protected, but also the rest of the household, especially the elderly who are also at great risk.

Spanking Young Children Can Lead To Aggressive Behaviour Later

2010-05-18T07:22:00.000-07:00

Children who are spanked by their parent frequently at age of three are more likely to develop aggressive behaviour when they're five. This is according to a recent study published in the May 2010 issue of the journal Pediatrics. In the study, researchers surveyed 2,500 mothers with young children of the age of three. It ws found that two years later, the mothers who had spanked their children more frequently reported higher levels of aggressive behaviour such as arguing, shouting, screaming, fighting, destroying things, acts of cruelty or bullying in their children.

In the survey done at the children's age of three, nearly half of the mothers had said that they had not spanked their children in the past month, while 27.9 per cent said reported spanking one or two times and 26.5 reported spanking more than twice.

The result of the study reinforce earlier studies which have found that young children who are spanked have lower IQ scores. Frequent spanking during childhood has been linked to growing up problems such as anxiety and behaviour problems as well as higher risk of violent or criminal behaviour, depression and excessive alcohol use.

The American Academy of Pediatrics strongly discourage striking children for any reason and recommends more effective means such as time outs, withholding special privileges and logical consequences for bad actions like taking toys away for the rest of the day if a child does not keep them properly after play.

Gastroenteritis. Diarrhoea From Rotavirus

2010-05-15T18:06:00.000-07:00

Gastroenteristis is an infection of the gut usually caused by a virus known as Rotavirus. It can also be caused by bacteria such as Camphylobacter and Samonella. It causes serious diarrhoea lasting up to 3 weeks along with vomitting and fever. Infection by Rotavirus can cause serious symptoms requiring hospitalisation and even death. Diarrhoea may occur up to 20 times a day and vomitting yup to 15 times a day. The loss of fluid can lead to dehydration and causes shock, kidney failure or even brain damage. This is a dreadful disease that can inflict a child. It is in fact the common cause of severe diarrhoea and vomitting among babies. It is estimated that almost all children are infected with Rotavirus by the age of 5. It is most common among babies from the age of 6 months to 2 years. Breastfeeding for as long as possible is one mean to prevent infection.

Rotavirus is high infectious and is transmitted by faecal-oral route. The virus can remain on toys and other objects for days. Hence, it is easily spreaded at home and places such as day care centres. Hence, preventive measures include regular disinfection of play areas and handwashing. With known infection, the whole house should be disinfected and handwashing done with alcohol based hand-cleaning agent.

There is no cure for Rotavirus. Treatment is mainly to prevent dehydration or to rehydrate and to bolster the body's immune system to fight the virus. Fortunately, there are vaccines available to protect against Rotavirus. Consult your doctor if you want to protect your young children against this disease.

Chicken Pox and Children

2010-05-14T03:12:00.000-07:00

Chickpox is a highly infectious viral disease that causes fever and characteristic blister-like rashes. It is also known as Varicella. It is caused by the varicella zoster virus and occurs worldwide. In many communities, 90% of all children will have been infected by chickpox by the age of 12. Chickpox is spreaded by cough, sneezes, direct skin contact, through droplets of bodily fluid or airborne airway secretions. The symptoms are a fever of up to 38.9 Deg C, lasting 4-5 days, followed by characteristic itchy rashes on the face, limbs and trunk. The rashes have pink spots and tiny fluid-filled blisters. These blisters would dry and become scabs after 5-7 days. There may be as many as 500 spots occuring in waves. Conjunctival and mouth blisters may also be present. The rashes are often the first sign of chickpox with or after a bout of fever and general fatigue.

The incubation period of chickpox is between 10-21 days and it is contagious from 2 days before the onset of the rashes till the drying and scabbing of the blisters. Most cases of chickpox are mild and do not need treatment except to relieve the ill effects of the symptoms. If the skin become infected, antibotics may be required. Sometimes, serious infections of the heart, central nervous system, liver, lungs, eyes and kidneys can occur. In people with low immunity, the virus may recur as painful shingles. It can be passed on to unborn child if the onset of the symptoms is a week before delivery, or 2 days after delivery. Hence, pregnant women would seek treatment promptly. There is no cure for chickpox. Anti-viral drug may lessen the severity and the duration. For children, the scars can affect their self-esteem especially if the face is badly scarred. Fortunately, vaccine is now available for chickpox.

Hand Foot Mouth Disease (HFMD)

2010-05-13T19:44:00.000-07:00

Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease (HFMD) is an cute viral disease. HFMD is characterised by fever, mouth ulcers, skin rashes and sore throat. It affects mainly children below the age of 10 although many adults do get infected. HFMD is caused by many members of virus family, Enterovirus. The most common culprit is Coxsackie A16.

HFMD is spreaded by direct contact with the infected person's salvia, nasal discharge, faeces and vesicular fluid. It is also spreaded by indirect contact through contaminated objected handled by the infected person.

The symptoms of HFMD is a fever lasting 2-3 days, followed by sore throat with blister-like vesicles on the mouth. The vesicles would burst and leave painful ulcers on the gums and the side of the tongue. There may be raised red vesicular skin lesions on the palms, soles and buttocks. These symptoms can last for 7-10 days. The infected person may have diarrhoea and vomitting.

There is no cure or vaccine for HFMD. Hence, it is important to prevent the disease in the first place.

Fortunately, most cases of HFMD are mild. However, there are the occasional complications affecting the nervous system, heart and lungs which affect mainly children under the age of 5. So it is necessary to be viligant.

Symptoms of severe HFMD are prolonged high fever, difficulty in breathing, chest pain, poor appetite, severe vomitting with dehydration, general weakness or numbness, confused mental state and lethargy. Patients with such symptoms should be sent to the nearest hospital.

Personal hygiene is an important preventive measure especially for young children. Cultivate good habits such as hand-washing. If anybody in the family is affected, avoid close contact and wash his or her personal belonging thoroughly. Especially things which may be soiled with saliva or faeces.

Severe HFMD

Rheumatic Heart Disease

2010-05-12T06:28:00.000-07:00

Rheumatic fever is the most dangerous of the common diseases that can afflict a child. It can lead to rheumatic heart disease which a common child heart disease. It is dangerous because the symptoms can be mild and hard to recognise. In the worst case, it is difficult to assess whether it has subsided because it can lie dormant and yet do serious damage to the heart. The active infection can go on for months with inflammation of the heart. Hence, bed rest is important for a child with rheumatic disease. Children are most vulnerable to rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease between the age of 7 to 15 years old.

Rheumatic fever begins with a strep throat, pharyngitis or tonsillitis. Watch ut if your child develop a new fever while recovering from a strep throat or other streptococcus respiratory infection. Other symptoms include painful and swollen joints which are red and hot. Rashes are also common with the occasional nose bleed.The greatest danger of rheumatic heart disease is permanent damage to the heart due to leaky valve or muscle scarring. This is one form of child heart disease is preventable in most cases. Consult a doctor if your child has any of these symptoms. Early detection and treatment of rheumatic fever will prevent any serious damage to the heart.

High Risk Factors For Heart Disease

2010-05-08T07:34:00.000-07:00

Diet High In Fat

Do you like fatty food? Well, welcome to the high risk grouo for heart disease. Fatty food is almost unavoidable, being so prevalent in our diet. It is no wonder that it is also one of the most prevalent heart disease risk factors. If you consume too much fatty foods over a period of time, you will have a build up of those fat in your blood stream. This is detrimental to your health in two ways. Firstly, it increases blood pressure. Secondly, it can clog up the arteries through accumulation of cholesterol on the wall lining. Young children are not immune to this risk factor. So it is wise to start your children on a healthy diet early.

Genetic

Some heart disease are hereditary. That is why you should be more careful if there are members of your family with heart disease. If you are genetically predispose to heart disease, staying active and healthy, and keeping a proper diet will eliminate this heart disease risk factor. But it will certainly help to prevent the onset of health conditions leading to heart attack and other heart disease. It is also important to go for regular medical check up. Early detection can be the crucial difference between cure and heart disease.

Tobacco Smoking

Snub it out. One of the most serious heart disease risk factors is tobacco smoking. Fortunately, with better health awareness and vigorous public campaigns to get people to quit, smoking as a heart disease risk factor, is gradually becoming less of a concern. For smokers, it is crucial to quit early as the chemicals present in cigarettes contribute to more than the various heart disease risk factors.

Does Heart Disease Runs In The Family?

2010-05-08T01:04:00.001-07:00

Yes, heart heart run in families. Many heart diseases such as high blood pressure or hypertension, run in families. Some forms of heart valve defects like mitral valve prolapse seems to stem from some hereditary condition defects . Mitral valve prolapse is the more common form of heart valve defects. It is also called heart click-murmur or floppy heart syndrome. In mitral valve prolapse, the flaps forming the valves are enlarged such that they protrude back into the upper heart chamber or the atrium. The valve may not close properly and cause a backflow of blood upstream. It propduces a characteristic sound of a click and then a murmur.

The more commonly known heart disease which run in families is congenital heart disease. It is believed that around 5% of congenital heart problems are caused by genetic abnormalities. There are also a few types of hypercholesterolemia or very high levels of blood cholesterol, that run in families. In very severe case, even children can develop coronary heart disease and die from heart attacks.

Symptoms of Heart Disease

2010-05-07T18:51:00.000-07:00

The more common symptoms of heart disease include nausea, dizziness, a sensation of pressure or heaviness on the chest, frequent breathlessness, pain in the back or shoulder area, irregular heart beats and heart palpitations. If you experience any of these symptoms of heart disease, you should consult a doctor for a proper check up especially if you belong to the high risk group for heart disease. The high risk group for heart disease include factors such as gender, age, pre-existing medical condition and lifestyle habits. Early detection of heart disease is key to a successful treatment and cure. Do not wait till the heart disease progresses to a stage where heart disease treatment would be less than optimal. Of course, these symptoms could also be indicative of other benign medical condition. For more information on heart diseases and symptoms of heart disease, consult your family doctor.