Saturday, August 30, 2014

Synesthetes Mixing of the Senses- Synesthesia Examples, Definition and Colored Numbers

People who hear colors and see sound are described as synesthetes. Synesthetes have a response with one of their senses that matches what they are detecting with another of their senses.

While many people will hear a sound and not associate it with a particular color, people who are synesthetes experience something different. They match what they hear with a color.

Synesthetes may experience a mixing of more than one sense at any time. They may smell a particular sound- for example, laughter may smell sweet. An individual who perceives sound like this may also associate a visual with some sounds.

Doctors describe this medical condition as synesthesia. It is a neurological condition which is experienced by people all across the globe. Many of the people whose senses work differently have always been synesthetes. People with synesthesia feel different effects.

Some synesthetes do not see letters that are typed in regular black text as black. Instead, their brain automatically assigns a unique color to each letter. Some persons have a sense of space when it comes to dates and may see a calendar date that is nearer as being physically closer than another date. There are more than sixty different ways in which people with synesthesia mix their senses.

Doctors are divided on how synesthesia works. Some physicians think that all human beings are born with synesthesia but as the brain develops, many people have their senses split. This means that they no longer see blue, for example, when they hear a loud sound. Doctors think that the split occurs after a child reaches four months.

According to what some doctors think, people with synesthesia do not experience this split after they reach four months, so they may hear a sound every time they see something move. Physicians are of this opinion because they observe that young infants only respond to changes in the intensity of the stimulation that they receive.

There are also people who have never experienced synesthesia before, who only start to see colors and hear sound after they have had something affect them externally. For example, people who have had seizures, individuals who have had a concussion and persons who have lost the blood supply to a particular area of the brain may all smell colors, see sound or experience synesthesia in some other way.

Thursday, July 3, 2014

Repairing an Atrial Septal Defect or "Hole in the Heart" in Children

Many parents may wonder when an atrial septal defect should be closed by surgery. The physician involved with the case will use several different factors to decide if your child needs surgery to close a hole in the heart. Surgery is not usually the first choice, because of the risk associated with anesthesia and other complications that might develop.

If the doctor notices that there is persistence of the atrial septal heart defect beyond 4 years of age, surgical intervention will be necessary. Also, if your child has other heart defects, such as a ventricular septal defect, or valvular anomalies, your physician will also encourage you to choose surgery to treat your child’s condition.

Children with refractory congestive heart failure and a septal heart defect may also be required to have surgery to treat their condition. Adults who have this issue may also require an operation.

If your doctor decides that repairs must be done to the heart in order to reduce symptoms, they generally choose one of the following techniques:
1. They may make an incision in the chest and close the hole in the heart using a patch or stitches. This is done under anesthesia and is referred to as open heart surgery.
2. They may insert a thin tube into a blood vessel which leads from the arm or the groin and conduct treatment using this tube. This is known as cardiac catheterization.

Source: Cdc.gov, "Facts About Atrial Septal Defect",
http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/heartdefects/atrialseptaldefect.html

Is It Safe to Drink a Soy Chai Latte Tea with Anise During Pregnancy?

Many pregnant women who enjoy drinking soy chai lattes wonder if it is safe to do so during pregnancy. This tea has less caffeine than coffee. It also helps some women to relax and that is generally a positive thing when it comes to health.

This tea contains anise, which has been linked to miscarriages. Anise is known to bring on contractions. That is the reason why some women are wary of drinking the tea while they are carrying their baby in their womb.
Not all soy chai latte’s contain anise. If you really want to have a cup, choose a brand or a store that does not use this spice or spices that have a similar side effect when making the beverage.

According to Drugs.com, anise is not recommended for use in pregnancy. You should also be careful with meats, liqueurs and other food products that contain this flavoring.

As with everything else, if you choose to drink a soy chai latte tea during pregnancy, you should do so with caution. Moderation is the key. If you have any health issues that you feel might exacerbate the effect of anise, speak to your gynecologist about it.
Source: Anise

Thursday, May 8, 2014

Effects on Children of Teen Parents- Disadvantages, Problems, Imapct and Needs

Children of teen pregnancy are at higher risk for a wide range of diseases and conditions that can affect children. Doctors are aware of this and pay special attention to teenagers who become pregnant whenever this is possible. They will point out the increased risks to the teenage mother so that both parents and the immediate family can be better prepared and take precautions where necessary.

Children of teen pregnancy are more likely to be born prematurely. Being a preemie, or a premature baby comes with its own share of problems. Kids who are born too early sometimes have organs that are not fully developed. They may die if they do not receive the right kind of help through specialized equipment that can help them perform the vital functions of life until their little bodies are able to work on their own.

Teen Pregnancy 

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These little ones have a low birth weight. Some of them are really tiny and may remain that way for the first few years of life. Although some of these kids start out small, they may grow significantly as they move into adolescence and by adulthood they may be the same size as other people in their age group.

Children of teen pregnancy are also more likely to die as infants because their bodies are not properly developed. The babies experience more illnesses and sometimes have cognitive delays. However, if a child does not display any signs of problems at birth it is less likely that they will have issues later on with their health.

One of the problems that teen mothers often face is that of their own children engaging in early sexual activity. They usually warn their kids of the possible outcomes of early sexual activity but some of these children disregard the warnings. In fact, children who are born to teen mothers and fathers are more likely to engage in early sexual activity.

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Acute Epiglottitis Croup in Children- Symptoms, Picture, Treatment, Causes

Epiglottitis in children causes in difficulty in their breathing. Epiglottitis in children results in stridor with inspiration and expiration. The shallow breathing and loud sounds that a child makes usually cause parents and guardians to become worried. This condition can result in death if it is not treated.

Children also experience symptoms such as high fever and dysphagia. Drooling and hypoxia are also exhibited by children who have epiglottitis. Adults with this condition show similar symptoms.

Epiglottitis- Drooling is Dangerous



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Children with epiglottitis may lean forward with their neck outstretched to minimize airway obstruction. The condition is treated with intubation, and intravenous antibiotics. The intubation should be done by trained personnel.

Epiglottitis in children is caused by Haemophilus type B infection in some cases. It is also caused by bacterial infection by Streptococcus and bacterial infection by Staphylococcus. Routine vaccines usually protect children from this condition but if you think your child is affected, get emergency medical help immediately.