How could your child develop such an illness? Many different factors, acting together, cause depression. The child’s complicated makeup, including genetic endowment, physical health and psychological style, all contribute. The child’s environment also plays a role. He or she interacts with – and over time is shaped by – you, siblings, friends, school and the Read more
Esther, who is eighty and checks the obituaries daily, reported to her therapist that in the last month three people she had gone to elementary school with had died. She said she couldn’t remember so many people dying so often since World War Two. A single death can leave us sad and bereft for years; Read more
Psychosocial therapies include all the ‘talking therapies’. They can be very helpful for milder forms of depression. We can divide them into three major groups: – cognitive behavioural – interpersonal – short-term psychodynamic In day-to-day practice, most therapists use a combination of many types of therapy. Both the therapist and you are active -exchanging observations, Read more
Radiotherapy treatment is given either externally or internally, depending on the site of the tumour. It is always given at a cancer treatment centre because of the need for specialist equipment. The patient usually attends daily with a break at weekends. Radiotherapy Treatment program may last up to six weeks depending on the technique used. Read more
The first time you see blood in the stool, you should call your doctor. If your child is still in diapers, save the diaper with the bloody stool so that the doctor can see the color of the blood and where it is relative to the stool. If your child has recurrent bloody stools, what Read more
If you suspect that your child has a tethered cord, you should contact your doctor. There is nothing you can do at home to address the symptoms. When does my doctor need to be involved? Whenever a tethered cord is suspected, your doctor should be involved. Likewise, contact your doctor if your child is having Read more
DTaP combines vaccines against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis. It is currently given as a series of five doses, recommended at 2 months, 4 months, 6 months and 12 to 18 months, with a booster dose between 4 and 6 years. Diphtheria generally causes a throat infection, although it also can lead to problems in other Read more
The “cord” in tethered cord refers to the spinal cord. The “tether” refers to a sticking point. The spinal cord normally hangs down between the bones of the spine, called vertebrae. A sheath of tissue surrounds the cord, enclosing it along with fluid, called cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). As your child grows, so do the spinal Read more
The sole of the foot is flat along the base of the toes, around the outer side, and all the way back to the heel. The inner side has a slight C-shaped curve, and it rises up above the rest of the sole to form an arch. This is called the medial arch. It is Read more
Nerves are very similar to wires in that they carry signals from one place to another. Nerves are designed to tell a muscle, an organ, or another nerve what to do. To send the message quickly and efficiently, a nerve — like a wire — is insulated. This way, a message can travel along a Read more
As toddlers learn to walk and then run, the shape of their legs changes. Initially, a toddler walks with a wide-based gait, and her f legs typically look bowed — as if she just got off a horse. By two or three years of age, the base narrows, and the legs straighten out. Often the Read more
An anal fissure is a tear in the tissue around the bottom, the puckered ring where stool leaves the rectum. This area tears easily when a child is constipated and has a large, hard stool. Small cuts in the skin around the anus result in bright red spots of blood. If your child is in Read more