Diagnosis: Autism

The government now reports that autism occurs in about one of every 150 American children. Behavioral scientists are trying to identify the early symptoms so that a diagnosis can be made as early as possible. Researchers at the Mind Institute at the University of California at Davis believe that if they can catch it early, they can change the way a child's brain develops.

What is Autism?

Autism causes kids to experience the world differently from the way most other kids do. It's hard for kids with autism to talk with other people and express themselves using words. Kids who have autism usually keep to themselves and many can't communicate without special help.
They also may react to what's going on around them in unusual ways. Normal sounds may really bother someone with autism — so much so that the person covers his or her ears. Being touched, even in a gentle way, may feel uncomfortable.
Kids with autism often can't make connections that other kids make easily. For example, when someone smiles, you know the smiling person is happy or being friendly. But a kid with autism may have trouble connecting that smile with the person's happy feelings.
A kid who has autism also has trouble linking words to their meanings. Imagine trying to understand what your mom is saying if you didn't know what her words really mean. It is doubly frustrating then if a kid can't come up with the right words to express his or her own thoughts.
Autism causes kids to act in unusual ways. They might flap their hands, say certain words over and over, have temper tantrums, or play only with one particular toy. Most kids with autism don't like changes in routines. They like to stay on a schedule that is always the same. They also may insist that their toys or other objects be arranged a certain way and get upset if these items are moved or disturbed.
If someone has autism, his or her brain has trouble with an important job: making sense of the world. Every day, your brain interprets the sights, sounds, smells, and other sensations that you experience. If your brain couldn't help you understand these things, you would have trouble functioning, talking, going to school, and doing other everyday stuff. Kids can be mildly affected by autism, so that they only have a little trouble in life, or they can be very affected, so that they need a lot of help.

Here's a video by Psychologist Sally Rogers of the Mind Institute defines autism:
http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/popup/?rn=3906861&cl=7532368&ch=4227541&src=news

Detecting Autism Test I
http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/popup/?rn=3906861&cl=7532287&ch=4227541&src=news

Detecting Autism Test II
http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/popup/?rn=3906861&cl=7532416&ch=4227541&src=news

How food affects your kids behaviour

This articles reveals what foods have positive effects, and which foods you should avoid.

Scientists agree that certain foods do affect children's temperaments and ability to concentrate. Meals containing lots of carbohydrates, such as potatoes or pasta, tend to be more calming than high-protein food, and caffeine acts as a stimulant. Hunger and lack of energy also makes children irritable and unable to concentrate as well as they usually might.

A healthy diet will have beneficial effects on how your child feels and behaves. It can help ward off colds and constipation, and can also boost energy levels, concentration and general wellbeing, leaving him more positive and cheerful

Hyperactivity: Food additives

The evidence linking additives to hyperactivity is growing. In study, 3 year olds who had a fruit drink with artificial colourings and benzoate preservatives were more hyperactive than those who had a placebo. New research from has just confirmed artificial colours and a preservative used widely in children's foods can affect children's behaviour. After eating foods that contained these additives, children experienced temper tantrums, poor concentration and hyperactivity.

Omega 3s: do they really boost child's brainpower?

Of the many fish-oil studies, only five have made it into scientific journals. They all involved children with learning difficulties such as ADHD (attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder) and DCD (developmental co-ordination disorder). Some found improvements in academic performance and behaviour. But not all reached the same conclusion. And some had no placebo group, so there's no way of knowing if the children flourished because of the supplements or the extra attention they received during the trial. It is possible that omega-3 supplements may benefit all children, but there's no scientific proof that they do.

5 tips for feeding your children

· Avoid dehydration. Children are more easily affected by a lack of fluid than adults, and even mild dehydration can result in headaches and irritability.

· Eating breakfast can improve school performance and reduce symptoms of depression and hyperactivity.

· Give regular meals and snacks. Children become more whingey and easily upset when they're hungry.

· Provide plenty of iron-rich foods (meat, fish and fortified breakfast cereals). Low iron levels can lead to lethargy, irritability and depression.

· Avoid processed foods. Instead make meals and snacks from fresh, wholesome food whenever possible and include plenty of fruit and vegetables.

Rash of Sore Eyes

There's alot of cases on rash of sore eyes recently, especially on kids. Take action now to protect your little ones.

Clinics see an average of 1,100 conjunctivities cases in a week!!

And there have been 27,710 cases of conjunctivities here so far this year!

Read out more about the news to understand some of the basic symptons and what should be done if infected by it.

Symptons

Sudden onset of red, itchy eyes. There may also be fever, headache, running nose, sore throat and muscle aches…

What should you do if you child gets infected?

Avoid rubbing their eyets and should wash their hands after touching their eyes. Eye drops and eye wash should not be shared…

Read more on this article to find out more....

By MediaCorp.

Stemcord Seminar

For All Expectant Parents! This is a good chance to learn more about pre- and post-natal care, blood cord banking and protecting your baby's health.


Date : 22 September 2007, Saturday
Time : 2-5pm
Venue : Meritus Mandarin, Mandarin Ballroom, 6th floor, 333 Orchard Rd
Fee : $15 per person/$25 per couple (Inclusive of refreshments and a FREE door gift)

Call 6471 2002 to register now!

*Closing date: 19 Sep 2007

* Special Highlights:
- "Ask-A-Doc" - One to one consultation on specific medical questions on cord blood banking
- Fit to Deliver Exercise Demonstration.
- Breastfeeding Consultation.


Topics covered:
- Essential Pregnancy Tests For A Healthy Baby
Learn more about the essential pre-natal tests that you can take to find out the condition of your unborn child.
- Preparation For A Safe Delivery & Pain Management
Ease your fears as ou understand what to expect during delivery and the types of pain relief you can take.

- Storing Your Baby's Cord Blood
Ponder on the benefits of cord blood banking and seize this once in a life time chance to store your baby's cord blood.

- Handling Common Childhood Ailments In The First Year
Prepare for how to cope with common ailments that newborns may pexperience including jaundice, rashes, fever..etc.

Stemcord Seminar is brought to you by Stemcord & ParkwayHealth.
(www.stemcord.com)


If you wished to read up more about blood cord information, you may check out the "Saving Life with Newborn's Cord Blood" under the Baby's Health Section in the blog.






(Send in your baby/kids photo to mykidzspot@yahoo.com.sg for a FREE write up in this blog! More details, check out the "Baby/Kid Write up" Section in the blog.)

Caring For Baby Teeth

The baby's first teeth appear, on average, about six months after birth. Parents may notice excessive salivation and the child may become irritable while these first teeth are coming in.

When teeth appear, use a cotton swab daily to gently wipe the teeth and remove plaque. If your child has not grown up tolerating you "meddling in their mouth" you may have a much tougher problem. If your child is two years of age and their teeth have not been brushed and inspected by you, in all probability, plaque has not been sufficiently removed.


A common question asked by new parents is:

Why should I worry about cavities in baby’s teeth when these teeth will fall out anyway?

There are several reasons why baby teeth should be taken care of from the moment they break through the gums.

1. Baby teeth hold a place and serve as spacers for the permanent teeth. Decay and early loss of these baby teeth can cause loss of space for the permanent teeth, which leads to the permanent teeth shifting and thus leads to orthodontic problems for your child.
2. Healthy baby teeth are important in helping your baby speak clearly and properly.
3. Nice looking teeth are important for your baby’s self-confidence. Missing teeth, decaying teeth or bad breath can lead to your child getting teased by other children.
4. Your baby will need these baby teeth for biting and chewing. Without these teeth, your child might not get the proper nutrition.



Each year a large number of infants and young children experience tooth decay from milk, juices and other liquids being given to them in a bottle at bedtime. This decay from milk and juice is called “Baby Bottle Tooth Decay” or “Baby Bottle Mouth”.

When a baby falls asleep, the production of saliva decreases significantly. If a baby is given milk, juice or other sugary liquid and is then put to bed without brushing, the sugar in these liquids along with the bacteria that is naturally present in a baby’s mouth join together to form an acid, which starts attacking and decaying the teeth.

It’s best to get into a routine early and not let your baby fall asleep in the crib with a bottle of milk, juice or other sugary liquid. Prevention is the key to prevent baby bottle tooth decay.

Preventative steps:

* Don’t put your baby to bed for the night with a bottle of milk or juice. Most juices contain natural sugars, while milk contains sugar called lactose, which bacteria can also use to create acid, thus causing the decay.
* Don’t let your baby use a bottle of milk or juice as a pacifier. Lying around all day sucking at will on the bottle can be as harmful to teeth as putting a baby to bed at night with a bottle.
* Don’t give your baby a pacifier that has been dipped in a sugary substance. While this is tempting to parents to try and calm a fussy baby with a sugary pacifier, it can cause a lot of damage.
* Give your baby his or her bottle of milk a little before bedtime. This leaves you time to brush your baby’s teeth before you put him or her down for the night.
* Try to make the last thing your baby drinks at night before bed be plain water.





(Send in your baby/kids photo to mykidzspot@yahoo.com.sg for a FREE write up in this blog! More details, check out the "Baby/Kid Write up" Section in the blog.)

Bad body odour for kids

There's cases on kids(one of them is just 5 yrs old girl) to have body odour and parents are worrying about it. Here's some information/advice given by some doctors. Hope this helps.

It is certainly a little unusual for kids to have a noticeable body odour problem. At such young age, the glands within the skin, which produce the secretions that are then broken down by bacteria to cause the odour, have not yet significantly been stimulated by secondary sex hormones.

Changes at puberty, however, which include hair growth under the arms and the increased activity of secretary glands within the skin, do bring about a stronger odour. The kid may be undergoing a precocious puberty but there are other explanations too.There is for example one rare condition commonly known as fish odour syndrome where the person concerned secretes a particular chemical known as methylmercaptopurine, which results from the relative deficiency of the enzyme necessary in the body to break down certain ingredients of normal foodstuffs. Without these enzymes this chemical accumulates in the body only to be excreted through the glands in the skin producing this noticeable odour.

The good news is that avoiding certain food can solve the problem. Another possible explanation is that certain synthetic materials in clothing can react with sweat and cause an odour in their own right.

Furthermore, some people, including children, are simply born with more sweat glands in a certain area than others and they need to take extra precaution in masking the resulting odour.There is a treatment called Anhydrol forte, which contains aluminium chloride in a roll-on bottle that reduces sweating in the armpits, hands and feet when applied at night and washed off in the morning.

Advice would be to try thoroughly washing her clothes in hot water first to eliminate any residual smell, then using Anhydrol forte and if this fails, ask your family doctor about arranging a referral to a dietician in order to be able to avoid the foodstuffs responsible - if fish odour syndrome is the cause.

Baby Heat Rash

In order to treat your baby's heat rash, you need to understand what causes heat rash.

Heat rash is an eruption of little bumps on the skin that can show up when your baby overheats. Babies are most susceptible to heat rash. Most babies get a heat rash during the summer months. You will probably notice is on their face or neck first.



Causes of heat rash

Heat rash often occurs when the sweat glands are very active, so it's easier for them to become clogged with sweat, causing the rash. But done worry heat rash is not a serious condition.

Heat rash or prickly heat is caused by the blockage of the pores that lead to the sweat glands. It is most common in very young children but can occur at any age, particularly in hot and humid weather. An infant does not sweat. The sweat is held within the skin and forms little red bumps or occasionally small blisters.

Hot, humid weather is prime time for heat rash, but you might see it in winter, too, if your baby is wearing too many layers of clothing or is running a fever. Sometimes a baby will get heat rash after a cough ointment is rubbed on his chest.


How can you treat baby heat rash?

Heat rash or prickly heat is best treated by providing a cooler and less humid environment for the child.

Start by cooling your baby off. Loosen or remove his clothing, and move him into an airy room or a shady spot.

You might place him on a cotton towel, which can help absorb his sweat. Apply cool, wet washcloths to the areas affected by the rash. A lukewarm bath with a little baking soda — 2 teaspoons per gallon — can also help.

If it's hot at night, use an air conditioner or a fan in your baby's room. Direct the fan near your baby but not directly on him. Or place it far enough away so that only a gentle breeze reaches him. You want your baby to be comfortable, not chilled.

Powders are unlikely to help treat heat rash and should be stored out of reach of the infant to prevent accidental inhalation. Avoid ointments and creams because they tend to keep the skin warmer and block the pores.



Is heat rash painful for my baby?

No, it isn't usually painful, but it can be itchy. Some of the bumps may be tender to the touch.





(Send in your baby/kids photo to mykidzspot@yahoo.com.sg for a FREE write up in this blog! More details, check out the "Baby/Kid Write up" Section in the blog.)

Chicken Pox

Many parents have concern of your baby/kid get infected by chicken pox. This can be prevented by vaccination now. Read up more to understand it, so you can protect your baby in the early stage.


What Is Chickenpox?

Chickenpox is caused by a virus called varicella zoster. People who get the virus often develop a rash of spots that look like blisters all over their bodies. The blisters are small and sit on an area of red skin that can be anywhere from the size of a pencil eraser to the size of a dime.
The illness also may come along with a runny nose and cough. But the good news is that chickenpox is a common illness for kids and most people get better by just resting like you do with a cold or the flu. And the really good news is that, thanks to the chickenpox vaccine, lots of kids don't get chickenpox at all. Kids who do get it, if they got the shot, often get less severe cases, which means they get better quicker.


How to prevent it?

If your child is not yet vaccinated, it is best to keep him away from sufferers of chicken pox – whether at home or in school. If he contracts chicken pox, ask your doctor about the effective and fast-acting anti-viral tablets that can ease the discomfort of your child. It helps to reduce the duration and severity of the chickenpox infection, accelerate healing and potentially diminish long-term scarring.


What to Do When Your Child Has Chicken Pox?

Chicken pox - memories of being itchy and uncomfortable pop up with just the mention of the name. In most cases, chicken pox is a mild illness. It is very contagious because the virus particles that cause it actually get into the air we breathe.
Symptoms of chicken pox usually start with a fever and rash. The rash often looks like bug bites. After a day or so, each "bite" turns into a tiny clear blister on a red patch. From blisters, these spots turn into scabs. A person with chicken pox stays contagious until all of the blisters have scabs.
A child who has chicken pox can be very irritable, uncomfortable and itchy.

There are many things you can do to soothe a child with chicken pox:

* Control the fever with acetaminophen (children's Tylenol). Do not give aspirin. It is associated with chicken pox and a dangerous disease called Reye's syndrome.
* Keep the child in loose fitting clothes that will not rub the already irritated skin.
* Cool baths sometimes are helpful. An oatmeal bath (AveenoBath) is good for the irritated skin and reduces the itching for a while. (You can buy this special oatmeal at drug stores.)
* Apply Calamine Lotion or a cool cloth to soothe the skin.
* Give your child an antihistamine such as Benedryl Elixir to help control the itching. Follow the instructions for the age and size of your child.


Q&A

Q. My daughter was one in April and contracted chicken pox. She was quite literally covered from head to toe apart from two small patches on her shoulder and calf which were the only places we could hold her. Two months on and her torso and bottom in particular still bear many purple spots - they look like faded port-wine birthmark stains. Will these ever fade or will her skin be permanently marked?

A. The amount of scarring that is left after a severe attack of chickenpox depends on the severity of each individual pox spot, and whether it became infected. If it is only skin discolouration it is extremely likely that this discolouration will disappear, but if there has been a severe secondary infection it may lead to the well known characteristic pox pitting. These become pale with time and don't usually show. It is unusual to have more than one or two of these left as a relic of an attack of chickenpox.



(Send in your baby/kids photo to mykidzspot@yahoo.com.sg for a FREE write up in this blog! More details, check out the "Baby/Kid Write up" Section in the blog.)

Baby Teething and How to ease their Distress

There's no fixed time for teething, but on average, most babies sprout their first teeth between four and seven months of age.
Some may get their first white cap as early as three months, while others may have to wait until they are a year or older.
While teething, baby will be in discomfort and cranky.




How can parents help to ease their distress?
Here's some tips to share. Hope this helps.

• To ease his discomfort, give your child something to chew on, such as a firm teething rings, water filled, chilled rubber teething toys or a cold washcloth.
• If your baby is old enough for solid foods, he may also get some relief from eating cold foods like chilled applesauce, yogurt and pureed peaches as they will looked more appealing to your baby and also more nutritious than a chilled teething ring. The cold may numb the pain temporarily.
• Offering your baby a cold bottle of water can also help. If sucking on the bottle bothers your child, offer a cold cup of water. The water can also help replenish your baby’s fluid if they’re drooling a lot or have loose bowel movements.
• Giving your baby a hard, unsweetened teething cracker such as zwieback to gnaw on is another way to help relieve his pain.

*Avoid carrots or lollipops, as they can be a choking hazard. Try to ensure that your baby is getting the sleep he needs to during this uncomfortable time. Keep a consistent nighttime routine to help your baby sleep better.




(Send in your baby/kids photo to mykidzspot@yahoo.com.sg for a FREE write up in this blog! More details, check out the "Baby/Kid Write up" Section in the blog.)

Autism in Kids

Autism can be a very serious problem if you do not handle it properly. You can see them in kids and this should be taken care while they're young. Because the earlier the treatment, the better it is.
Parents play a very important role in understanding them and bring them for appropriate therapy if necessary.

Here's some information about Autism to share with you:


What is Autism?

Autism causes kids to experience the world differently from the way most other kids do. It's hard for kids with autism to talk with other people and express themselves using words. Kids who have autism usually keep to themselves and many can't communicate without special help.

They also may react to what's going on around them in unusual ways. Normal sounds may really bother someone with autism — so much so that the person covers his or her ears. Being touched, even in a gentle way, may feel uncomfortable.

Some symptoms you may find if you kid has autism:

Kids with autism often can't make connections that other kids make easily. For example, when someone smiles, you know the smiling person is happy or being friendly. But a kid with autism may have trouble connecting that smile with the person's happy feelings.

A kid who has autism also has trouble linking words with their meanings. Imagine trying to understand what your mom is saying if you didn't know what her words really mean. It is doubly frustrating then if a kid can't come up with the right words to express his or her own thoughts.

Autism causes kids to act in unusual ways. They might flap their hands, say certain words over and over, have temper tantrums, or play only with one particular toy. Most kids with autism don't like changes in routines. They like to stay on a schedule that is always the same. They also may insist that their toys or other objects be arranged a certain way and get upset if these items are moved or disturbed.

What causes Autism?

The bottom line is, no one really knows for sure what causes autism. Most experts will say that autism is probably caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Even those experts, though, do not have a definite answer. For many people, this uncertainty is terribly frustrating. On the plus side, interest in and funding for autism research is on the rise, so new and better information should be forthcoming in the next months and years.


How is Autism treated?

There is no cure for autism, but doctors, therapists, and special teachers can help kids with autism overcome or adjust to many difficulties. The earlier a kid starts treatment for autism, the better.

Different kids need different kinds of help, but learning how to communicate is always an important first step. Spoken language can be hard for kids with autism to learn. Most understand words better by seeing them, so therapists teach them how to communicate by pointing or using pictures or sign language. That makes learning other things easier, and eventually, many kids with autism learn to talk.

Therapists also help kids learn social skills, such as how to greet people, wait for a turn, and follow directions. Some kids need special help with living skills (like brushing teeth or making a bed). Others have trouble sitting still or controlling their tempers and need therapy to help them control their behavior. Some kids take medications to help their moods and behavior, but there's no medicine for autism.

Students with mild autism sometimes can go to regular school. But most kids with autism need calmer, more orderly surroundings. They also need teachers trained to understand the problems they have with communicating and learning. They may learn at home or in special classes at public or private schools.

To read more about true live cases of Autism, you may find it in this link:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7006980/

Understand Autism. There's a Autism Association setup in Singapore, to seek help. You may approached help:
http://web.singnet.com.sg/~autism/contact.htm








(Send in your baby/kids photo to mykidzspot@yahoo.com.sg for a FREE write up in this blog! More details, check out the "Baby/Kid Write up" Section in the blog.

Saving Life With Newborn's Cord Blood

Newborn's cord blood can save life...
Many of you might not be awared of its benefits. It can potential treat diabetes, stroke, heart and Alzshiemer's diseases...so find out more about how saving your baby's cord blood can benefits your baby and family.

Here's some information to share, hope it'll helps to give you a better understanding:

What is Cord Blood?
The blood that remains in your baby's umbilical cord after it has been cut is called cord blood and is rich in stem cells. Stem cells are one of the most promising areas of medical treatment for a number of common illnesses such as heart disease and Alzheimer's. They're the body's "master" cells and can regenerate into the cells that form all other tissues, organs, and systems in the body.

Donate blood cord
Before your baby is born, the umbilical cord is a lifeline. After birth, that lifeline can provide hope to patients with leukemia, lymphoma or other diseases.
After delivery, the umbilical cord and placenta are no longer needed and are often discarded. But the blood remaining in the umbilical cord and placenta is rich with blood-forming cells. These healthy blood-forming cells can be collected and stored so they can be used by a patient who needs them.

Cord Blood Is Changing Lives Today
The umbilical cord is a lifeline: before birth, it provides the nutrients and oxygen necessary for your baby’s growth. After birth, your baby no longer needs that lifeline. But it could help someone else. You can donate cord blood to give hope to someone in need.

Real Life Story
New life can bring new hope through umbilical cord blood
Chicago Sun-Times, Jun 6, 2005 by Jim Ritter

Newborn Sofia Hogue was just a few minutes old when she performed her first good deed:
With her mother's permission, Sofia donated her umbilical cord blood, which some day might save a life.
Donated cord blood is used in stem cell transplants for patients with leukemia, immune system disorders and other life-threatening diseases.

The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed and sent to the Senate legislation to add 150,000 units to the nation's cord blood banks, which now store about 40,000 units. The vote was 431-1. Each unit contains cord blood from one newborn. The more units in the nation's cord blood banks, the greater the chance a patient will find a match.

A relatively new source of stem cells is cord blood, which offers certain medical advantages. However, an umbilical cord holds only three to five ounces of blood. Consequently, cord blood transplants are used more often in children and small adults, who need fewer cells.

There have been about 1,000 cord blood transplants to date, with a potential for thousands more.

When a mother decides to donate her baby's cord blood, she calls the cord blood bank during her pregnancy. About a month before the due date, the blood bank sends a collection kit, which the mother brings to the hospital.

Painless, poses no risk
After the baby is born, the umbilical cord is clamped. Blood remaining in the cord and placenta is drained from the mother's side and sent to the cord blood bank, where it's stored at minus 320 degrees. The collection is free and painless and poses no risk to the mother or baby. If not collected, cord blood is discarded as part of the afterbirth.

It's possible a baby donor could later get sick and receive a perfectly matching cord blood transplant from his or her own stored blood. But there's no guarantee the cord blood would still be available, since it would be donated to the first matching patient who needs it.

Dengue Fever

Dengue Fever is one of the most common diseases. To keep our baby and kids safe from this, here's some information I'll like to share with you.

How is Dengue spread?
Dengue fever is spread by the bite of infected Aedes mosquitoes. It cannot be spread from one person to another.


What are the symptons if someone got dengue?

• High, prolonged fever (usually lasts for 5 to 7 days)
• Rashes
• Severe headache
• Pain behind the eyes
• Muscle and joint pains
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Loss of appetite
• Fatigue
• Diarrhoea

The rash develops on the feet or legs 3 to 4 days after the beginning of the fever. You may also experienced disorders in blood clotting that can result in internal bleeding. DHF is more severe and associated with loss of appetite, vomiting, high fever, headache and abdominal pain. Shock and circulatory failure may occur. Untreated hemorrhagic dengue results in death in up to 50 percent of cases.

How to prevent Dengue?
To prevent dengue fever, you must prevent the breeding of its carrier. A puddle of water about the size and depth of 20-cent coin is sufficient for an Aedes mosquito to breed in.

For for detailed areas that you can take note of as a preventive measures:

Every other day

• Change water in flower vases.
• Remove water in plant pot plates.
• Clear fallen leaves and stagnant water in drains and garden. Some leaves can collect water.

Once a month

• Add prescribed amounts of sand granular insecticide into containers, vases, gully traps and roof gutters, even if they are dry.
• Sand granular insecticide can be purchased from plant nurseries and DIY stores. (Caution: Do not add the chemical into drinking water. Keep out of reach of children.)
• Clear away leaves in roof gutters and apron drains. Remove roof gutters wherever feasible.

At all times

• Turn pails and watering cans over and store them under shelter. Place/ store all articles that can collect rain water under shelter at all times.
• Cover bamboo pole holders when they are not in use.
• Cover rarely used gully traps. If possible, replace gully trap covers with non-perforated ones and install anti-mosquito valves.
• Do not block the flow of water in scupper drains along common corridors in HDB estates. Do not place potted plants and other paraphernalia over the drains.
• Do not litter. Paper cups and water bottles thrown indiscriminately into drains, grass verges, roadside, vacant lands and other public places can collect rainwater and breed mosquitoes.
  

If you are vacating your home or away on long holiday

• Cover the toilet bowls.
• Seal off the overflow pipe of the flushing cistern.
• Cover all gully and floor traps.

Hope these information helps you have a better understand on dengue. A good start on the knowledge, helps in protecting your kids too.

Pulpotomy (Infected tooth)

The word Pulpotomy may be unfamiliar to you, but knowing and understanding it will definately gives you a better position should this happen to your kid and anyone around you..

I got some information and will like to share this with you:

When the nerve of the primary tooth becomes infected, Pulpotomy is necessary in relieving pain and discomfort by removing the nerve tissue (called pulp ) located in the center of a primary ( baby ) tooth.

During a pulpotomy the infected part of the nerve is removed and a sedative medication is placed inside the tooth to prevent sensitivity and to promote healing
Treatment involves drilling through the biting surface of the tooth to expose the diseased pulp, which is removed and treated. Medications are used to sterilize the interior of the tooth to prevent further infection.

After the diseased portion of the pulp has been removed and treated the resulting cavity is sealed with cement and a restoration such as a crown or filling is placed. In most cases this treatment can be completed in one visit however, if additional visits are required, it is essential to return promptly to have that treatment completed.

• Pain, soreness, and infection: Usually there is minimal pain, soreness, or infection after this treatment, however if the tooth was badly infected there may be some residual discomfort. Sometimes an antibiotic is prescribed to clear any residual infection. Slight discomfort is usually treated with an over-the-counter pain reliever such as Tylenol or Advil.

• Perforation: Occasionally the decay, infection, or treatment results in a hole through the tooth into the bone. If this is seen during the treatment the tooth is usually removed, however if the abscess does not heal after treatment it is usually assumed that a perforation is present and the patient is scheduled to have the tooth removed.

• Overfill: Sometimes the cement filling material is forced out though the tip of the roots into the surrounding bone and tissue. This usually causes little or no problem, however if there seems to be discomfort or incomplete healing after the treatment an X-ray can identify if this is the problem and the excess material can be removed.

• Cracking or fracture: Teeth that have had pulpotomies become more brittle and more prone to cracking or breaking. To protect from fracture and further infection, a crown is almost always placed on a tooth that has had a pulpotomy. If the treated tooth has had a filling only, there is a chance that it might fracture and require further treatment.

• Loss of bone support: A severe or longstanding infection can destroy bone around the tooth causing the tooth to be loose. Usually this will heal after pulpotomy treatment however; sometimes it is too advanced. If it does not heal after treatment, the tooth may need to be removed.