MANAGING YOUR CHILD’S HEALTH: RECOGNISING SERIOUS ILLNESS IN BABIES AND VERY YOUNG CHILDREN

Parents will often be worried that their baby is not well. The most common cause of a baby being ‘off colour’ is a cold or simple viral infection. These are very common in childhood, and in most cases no specific treatment is necessary. Your child may be a little irritable and clingy. A slight fever may be present on and off, and he may be snuffly. It is often difficult for parents to see their child not wanting to eat or drink very much but in the majority of cases all these symptoms will pass after a few days. Young children have viral infections frequently during the winter months, especially when they begin to attend daycare or kindergarten where they are in regular contact with other children.

While most simple viral infections are mild and a full recovery is assured with no treatment, a baby or young child can sometimes have a more serious illness. Sometimes, especially during the early stages of an illness, it is difficult even for doctors to pick up the signs of something more serious. Yet it is important to realise that the earlier the signs of a serious illness are detected, the sooner treatment can be started. This is particularly important for babies and very young children. Younger children can go downhill quite quickly, and early detection of serious illness is vital.

How do parents know when an illness is minor and when it might be more serious? Recent research has pointed to signs which might indicate that the baby or young child should be seen immediately by a doctor. You should watch out for:

• drowsiness

• decreased activity/lethargy

• breathing difficulty

• poor circulation

• poor feeding

• poor urine output.

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YOUR CHILD’S HEALTH CARE/MEDICAL PROCEDURES AND TESTS: SWEAT TEST AND THROAT SWAB

SWEAT TEST

This is a test which is used to confirm the diagnosis of a genetically inherited disorder called cystic fibrosis (see p. 200). The concentration of salts in the sweat is measured. In children with cystic fibrosis, the level is much higher than normal.

THROAT SWAB

If your child has a sore throat, your doctor may suggest doing a throat swab. This is a brushing of the back of the throat with a sterile long cotton bud, which is then placed in a special container and sent to the laboratory. The sample is checked under a microscope and some is brushed onto a special culture medium and incubated for 48 hours, in an attempt to grow the germ causing the infection. Many throat infections are due to viruses but certain germs, such as Streptococcus, can also be the cause. It is definitely advisable to do a throat swab if your child has pus on his tonsils. The procedure also helps to determine which antibiotic will be effective against the specific germ found.

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YOUR MARITAL HEALTH/SEX AND PROBLEMS OF DAILY LIVING: PERSONAL PLAY AND MARITAL PLEASURE: SPOUSEHOOD AND “SPERSONHOOD” – SOME SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVING RECREATIONAL TIME TOGETHER

Here are some suggestions for improving recreational time together.

1. Select an entirely new activity that neither one of you has ever done before, even in childhood. There are hundreds of possibilities.

2. Decide what type of recreation suits your “unit.” If one of you is very athletic and the other more artistic, the activity will have to stress other skills, leaving these for individual enjoyment.

3. Start the activity together and develop it together. If one or the other partner tends to “get ahead” in most things, make sure you leam together. This one activity is only for the two of you. You can still have your golf, tennis, running, or whatever other activity you may enjoy as an individual.

One wife reported, “We came up with something. It’s sailing. We both can’t swim, have never been on a boat, and don’t like the water. We couldn’t come up with anything, so we picked the one thing most unlike both of us. It’s working out slowly. He tried to be the captain and make me crew, but I think we worked that out after he fell off the boat while trying to tell me to be careful. There he was, mouth full of water, his captain’s hat floating beside him, and trying to tell me how to save him.”

4 Remember that individual activities are still important. One husband stated, “We have spouse activities that include tennis and walking. Then we have what we call ’sperson’ activities, individual things we do with other people. She golfs, I golf, but we’re at drastically different levels of ability there. I will never be the golfer she is, so we each enjoy it to our own level with other people more at our level.”

The marriage that plays together and plays separately is most likely to find super marital sex, for the joy and energizing aspects of fulfilling play can enter into the sexual relationship. As you consider this possibility, remember that a mutual involvement in a “mini-career” could also be a form of play. Noel Coward said, “Work is much more fun than fun.”

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HUNTINGTON’S CHOREA

An uncommon hereditary disorder, which can have disastrous effects not only on the sufferer but also on the whole family, is known as Huntington’s chorea.

It is caused by a dominant gene, so the children of a sufferer have a one in two chance of inheriting the disease. Unfortunately, it may not appear until a person is in his forties, so the sufferer has usually married and reproduced before being aware that he has it. It affects men and women equally.

Once the disease declares itself, the sufferer shows involuntary muscular movements, incoordination and mental degeneration.

Although it occurs in most countries of the world, it has its greatest incidence in closed communities where there is a degree of inbreeding.

Tasmania has one of the highest prevalences of Huntington’s disease in the world and this has been traced to the arrival in the last century of an affected Somerset woman who had nine affected children.

Unfortunately, there is no treatment.

Considerable research is under way to improve the outlook for sufferers. Proper genetic counselling for those who have a family history of this disorder can help a couple to decide about having a family.

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TOXAEMIA OF PREGNANCY – HYPOTENSIVE DRUGS

A doctor will insist that the mother lies down during the day. If she is still working then he will insist on her giving up her job.

If the blood pressure continues to rise bed rest at home or admission to hospital may be necessary.

Hypotensive drugs that lower the blood pressure may also be necessary. Once pre-eclampsia has developed it does not go away, until the baby is delivered.

It can be controlled and its effects minimised until the baby is spontaneously delivered or the pregnancy is terminated by induction of labor before the due date.

If untreated pre-eclampsia may go on to the condition of eclampsia, where the blood pressure is out of control. The mother develops fits and the baby usually dies. Eclampsia is rare only because pre-eclampsia is so well managed.

An instrument called an echograph can measure the size of the baby and see its progress. This uses ultrasonic waves in the same way as sonar is used to track submarines. The placenta produces a hormone, oestriol, and this is excreted in the mother’s urine.

Measurement of the levels of oestriol give a good indication of placental function and how well nourished is the baby.

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VITAMIN E CAN SAVE YOUR HEART

This is where vitamin E enters the heart picture as a miraculous heart saver! Whether it be for an already damaged heart or as a safety measure to prevent an attack, vitamin E is an indispensable aid.

Vitamin E oxygenates the tissues and markedly reduces the need for oxygen. It also has an anti-blood-clotting ability. This anti-coagulant quality of vitamin E prevents deaths through thrombosis or a blood clot. Yet, vitamin E is completely harmless and does not interfere with normal blood clotting in a wound or with the normal healing processes. It has been demonstrated that vitamin E is a dilator of blood vessels, and thus can improve impaired circulation and prevent clots. Vitamin E also prevents production of excessive scar tissue; it even has an ability to melt away unwanted scars. This property is of extreme importance in heart attacks where part of the heart tissue is destroyed.

All of these functions of vitamin E are scientifically confirmed in extensive clinical experiments in many parts of the world. As Evan S. Shute, M.D., of the Shute Foundation of London, Ontario, Canada, the foremost authority on using vitamin E in the treatment of heart disease, says, “Vitamin E is the most valuable ally the cardiologist has yet found in the treatment of heart disease … It is the key both to the prevention and treatment of all those conditions in which a lack of blood supply due to thickened or blocked blood vessels or a lack of oxygen is a factor or the whole story of the disease.”

It should be self-evident that anyone concerned with the health of the heart should make sure that his diet contains ample amounts of vitamin E. Foods rich in vitamin E are: wheat germ oil, wheat germ, whole grains, unrefined cold-pressed vegetable oils, raw nuts and seeds. But, of course, vitamin E is virtually nonexistent in processed cereals, processed oils, and white flour products. The richest natural source of vitamin E is wheat germ oil—as high as 240 mg. per 100 grams. You can also buy vitamin E in capsule form from your drug or health food store.

Of course, if you have already had a heart attack and are under your doctor’s care, it would be advisable not to experiment with any treatment on your own. Show him this chapter and ask his advice on using vitamin E and vitamin E-rich foods. Most doctors who are not too busy to read their professional publications are aware of the benefits of vitamin E. If your doctor is not, it might be advisable to find another doctor; your life may be at stake.

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SYSTEM OF PREVENTING HEART ATTACKS: HOW EUROPEAN PREVENTIVE AND RECONDITIONING PROGRAMS SAVE LIVES

The United States has the highest incidence of heart disease of all the civilized countries; Russia has the lowest! The reason is.’ simple: We are looking for a cure—the Russians are concentrating on prevention. The governments of the Soviet Union and other European countries have built over 3,000 rural reconditioning centers where over five million people are treated each year. Tense, fatigued and malnourished workers and executives are given four weeks of reconditioning “treatment,” which consists of proper health-building diet, environmental emotional relaxation, and systematic physical training. In addition, they are instructed in rules of good health, proper nutrition and the need for proper exercise, which will guide them when they return to their homes.

Russia also has a nation-wide program of regular physical exercises for everyone, beginning with the schools and continuing with the regular radio-conducted morning calisthenics and exercise breaks in offices and factories.

In West Germany, Switzerland and Austria there are similar preventive programs, financed by governments, insurance companies and private industries. Most heart reconditioning centers are located in the healthy environment of the Alps and the Black Forest of south Germany.

The results of these European preventive programs are there for all to see: the absentee figures among workers visiting these reconditioning centers in Germany have dropped nearly 70 percent in two years;1 and Russia, as we have seen, has the lowest incidence of heart disease in any civilized country.

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VITAMIN AND MINERAL SUPPLEMENTS FOR ARTHRITIS TREATMENT

Impaired adrenal function is one of the major characteristics of arthritis. It has been shown in clinical research (by Morgan, Wick-son and others) that prolonged deficiency in vitamin C and the two B vitamins, pantothenic acid and B2, can severely damage the adrenals and result in decreased cortisone production. Vitamin C increases the production and utilization of cortisone.

Therefore, biologically oriented doctors advise heavy doses of vitamin C, 1,-500 to 3,000 mg. a day, in the treatment of arthritis. This should be a natural vitamin C, made from rose hips, acerola berries, green peppers, or other natural sources. Natural vitamin C contains, in addition to ascorbic acid, bioflavonoids (vitamin P) — citrin, hesperidin, rutin—which always accompany vitamin C in its natural state, and which make ascorbic acid biologically more effective and potent.

Vitamin Bi2 is also used in the treatment of arthritis with good results. Dosage: 10 to 25 meg. a day.

Another vitamin useful in treating arthritis is vitamin E. Some researchers suggest that scar tissue, which forms around the joints in arthritis, could develop as a result of vitamin E deficiency.2 The usually recommended dosage is 300 to 600 I.U. a day.

Minerals are also considered extremely important in the treatment of arthritis. Disturbances in the body’s mineral metabolism are usually indicated in arthritis. Therefore, the restoration of proper mineral balance in the tissues is imperative for an effective and fast recovery.

European clinics use various mineral preparations. For the United States, the mineral supplements most useful and easily obtainable would be kelp and bone meal. Recommended doses are reported to be 10 kelp and 10 bone meal tablets a day. Kelp is especially beneficial for arthritis sufferers. It could be used as salt replacement in the seasoning of salads, soups, and other foods. In Japan, where kelp (seaweed) is used extensively as an important part of the daily diet, arthritis is virtually non-existent.

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SCHLENZ-BATH FOR INCURABLE DISEASES

Back in 1932, Maria Schlenz, an Austrian lay-woman, wrote a remarkable book, So Heilt Man Unheilbar Scheinende Krankheiten —So Are Cured Incurable Diseases. After the second World War her method was scientifically tested and later incorporated into the standard arsenal of therapies in many university hospitals. Now the Schlenz-method of overheating therapy is employed widely in Europe, particularly by the biological clinics. Prof. Werner Zabel, the leading biological doctor in Germany, uses Schlenz-bath in his clinic in Berchtesgaden and testifies that it indeed does cure “incurable” diseases.

Here is how the curative Schlenz-bath is taken:

First, the patient should not eat for at least two hours before treatment. If possible, the bladder and the colon should be emptied. The bath tub should be as large and as deep as possible. Most American type tubs are too small for this treatment. European bath tubs are about twice the size of the average American tub.

The patient must be totally covered with water, including his head; only his nose, eyes and mouth—and as little as possible of them—should be left uncovered. Start with a low temperature of about 36° C, or approximately the temperature of the skin. Let warm water run slowly from the faucet and stir constantly. In 15 to 20 minutes bring the temperature in the tub to about 38 or 39 degrees centigrade, later up to 40 and perhaps a little higher, depending on the patient’s reaction. The length of the treatment is about one hour. Since the temperature in the Schlenz-bath is not very high (some may remark that they take a tub bath hotter than this), how could this bath possibly have a curative effect? The secret is that if the body is totally covered by water there is no heat escape from the body and its temperature will invariably rise to match the temperature of the water.

The Schlenz-bath, if given to sick patients, must be supervised. Pulse should not go over 130 or 140. The temperature of the water should be controlled at all times with a thermometer. If the patient feels any discomfort, he should be raised out of the water to a sitting position for awhile. It is also recommended that the nurse massage the patient with a stiff-bristled brush during the bath. This brings the blood to the surface of the skin and relieves the heart from undue pressure.

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HOW TO PLAN YOUR LOW-ANIMAL-PROTEIN DIET FOR BETTER HEALTH AND PREVENTION OF DISEASE

In practical terms, for the profitable application of the information in this chapter and the assurance of optimal health and the prevention of disease and premature aging, abide by the following rules with regard to protein in your diet:

Eliminate, or cut drastically, all meat from your diet. If you insist on animal protein, ocean fish and eggs are preferable to meat.

Raw, unpasteurized milk and milk products such as soured milk, yogurt, kefir, and homemade cottage cheese are good, wholesome sources of complete proteins. Use them to complement the protein sources of vegetable origin, such as:

Whole grains, seeds, lentils and nuts. Soybeans are particularly rich in complete proteins, which are superior to meat protein. Sesame seeds, millet and sunflower seeds are also great protein sources. Millet and buckwheat can be used to make delicious cereals. Sesame seeds are nutritious and delicious in the form of homemade Halvah. Sunflower seeds should be eaten raw, as they are, or ground and sprinkled on fruit salads or other dishes. Whole wheat and rye breads from freshly-ground flour are rich in good proteins; so are Kruska, Molino and other whole grain cereals, particularly in combination with milk. All kinds of beans and peas should be used liberally in your diet; their proteins are not complete, but nevertheless they are high-grade proteins which are rendered complete in combination with other foods. Nuts are excellent sources of protein, especially almonds, cashews and peanuts. Nuts should always be eaten raw, not roasted.

Many readers do not know how to use all these seeds and nuts, especially older people who do not have good teeth to chew them raw. Here’s good advise: buy a tiny seed grinder! Health food stores or drug stores usually have several varieties to offer at prices from $9.00 to $12.00. In a few seconds you can grind to a fine powder any of the grains, seeds, or nuts and use them conveniently mixed with other foods or blended with milk or juices. Of course, they also could be liquefied in an ordinary blender, or osterizer, mixed with water, milk or juice.

Do not ignore vegetables as a protein source. Green leafy vegetables contain complete proteins of the highest biological value. Potatoes are a very good source of complete proteins. Potatoes should be boiled or baked whole with their jackets on.

Fortify your diet with such high-protein sources as wheat germ and brewer’s yeast. Two or three tablespoons of wheat germ a day will give you a large amount of good protein in addition to a Virtual gold mine of vitamins and minerals. A half cup of raw wheat germ contains 24 grams of protein, more than in a quarter-pound of beef! A pound of raw wheat germ, which costs about 30 cents, gives you over 100 grams of protein. Brewer’s yeast, or food yeast, is an even better source of protein than wheat germ. Two tablespoons of yeast contain as much protein as half a cup of wheat germ, or more than a quarter-pound hamburger.

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