What can we do about this growing area of concern? Carers were asked what their requirements were, using this as a starting point. They not unreasonably wanted assessments at regular intervals of their dependent sufferer. New problems could then be referred to the correct agency and appropriate back-up provided. Medical treatment was seen as very [...]
Lithium Carbonate is the mainstay in the management of manic depressive psychosis. It shifts the mood of a very depressed person or the mood of a very manic person back to the middle ground. Lithium also acts to prevent recurrent attacks. The down side of Lithium therapy relates to the fact that the therapeutic dose [...]
In Australia at least 15% of the general population suffers from hay fever, and amongst children, adolescents are the most frequent victims. Hay fever can have effects that range from mild to quite disabling and can burden a child’s daily life, particularly becoming a problem for teenagers around exam time. Cause Children who get hay [...]
Although he may appear fragile, your healthy newborn baby is actually quite robust – do not be scared to pick him up and cuddle him! Each baby is an individual, and appearances vary widely. Keep in mind that most babies come out looking a little ‘squashed’ after their struggle down the birth canal! It takes [...]
“He thinks I’m too fat. Can I ever be sexually attractive to him like this? I just don’t think I can ever keep much of this weight off.” ANSWER: The range of healthy weight seems to be much wider than once thought, and general health, not sexual attractiveness, should be the determinant of weight. One [...]
Humans have a very long intestinal tract, typical to all plant eating creatures. All meat eaters have several times shorter intestines. What does this have to do with poisoning? Quite a bit. Meat in a long intestine spends a long time, before it is excreted. Too long. Not only is it more difficult to digest [...]
Every so often, perhaps at 10 or more year intervals, the virus may undergo a major change and antibodies from previous infections or immunisation with vaccine will be totally ineffective. The virus is usually named from the year and location of the laboratory where it is first isolated. The great influenza pandemic of 1918-1919 was [...]
Pain is the usual obvious symptom. It is initially rather vague, centred around the umbilicus (navel), usually intermittent in character and associated with nausea, vomiting and loss of appetite. Anorexia or loss of appetite is a constant feature and characteristic of this condition. There may be either diarrhoea or constipation. If the inflammation progresses and [...]
Common in Florida from early February through late August every year, outbreaks of ciguatera fish poisoning occur after ingestion of certain types of ocean fish, especially grouper and snapper. Beginning two to 30 hours after a meal, this illness usually starts with diarrhea and vomiting, which may cause such severe dehydration that hospitalization for intravenous [...]
Signs and symptoms First symptoms are fever, malaise (body discomfort), headache, and sometimes signs of a common cold. The key symptoms are a marked loss of appetite (often with nausea, vomiting, and upper abdominal pain) and the onset of jaundice (yellowed skin, yellowed whites of eyes, dark amber urine, and light-colored stools). Jaundice lasts [...]