Advice from the experts
Speech and Audio Inc

Dangerous Decibels, Noise induced hearing loss in children

It has become increasingly more common to see children using tablets, portable gaming devices and smartphones with headphones. Certainly these days our children are wired for sound, but does this increased use of headphones and the potential damage inflicted by them mean that they will be more wired for hearing aids in the near future?  Loud noise and sounds can be very damaging to a child’s hearing. Both the level of noise and the length of time exposed to it can put your child at risk for noise-induced hearing loss. Sound levels are measured in decibels (dB); the higher the decibel number, the louder the sound/noise. Research has shown that sounds louder than 85 dB can cause permanent hearing loss. However, it’s not a linear relationship. Eighty decibels is twice as loud as 70 decibels, and 90 decibels is four times louder. Exposure to 100 decibels, about the volume of noise caused by a power lawn mower, is safe for just 15 minutes. Noise at 108 decibels, however, is safe for less than three minutes. Most of the hearing loss caused by exposure to loud sounds can happen very slowly and take years to be detected by the person who has it. Sound Level Length of exposure, before damage to your hearing 50 – 70 dB No damage 85 dB 8 hours 90 dB 2 hours 100 dB 15 minutes 110 dB  1 minute 120 dB and upwards Instant damage One of the most common ways young children are exposed to excessive noise is via noisy toys. Many toys are designed to be played at a distance from the body, but a young child will bring the toy close to his/her face and ears. By bringing the toy closer to his/her ears, the resulting sound is louder and therefore more damaging. Some toys can reach 100dB  or more if placed close to the ear. Research has shown that there has been an increase in hearing loss in adolescents during the past three decades. What is even more frightening is that a loss of hearing may go undetected for many years after chronic exposure to high levels of noise. This means that the hearing loss caused by the noise teenagers are exposing themselves to today might not surface for many years. A recent study suggests that children who listen to headphones may be at greater risk for a noise-induced hearing loss. The study further claimed regardless of how long they wore headphones or how high they set the volume, kids who used headphones just one or two days a week were more than twice as likely to have hearing loss as children who didn’t use headphones at all.  A noise-related hearing loss is classified as a hearing loss in the high frequencies (high pitched sounds). A child with a noise related hearing loss may struggle to hear soft or faint sounds, speech may sound unclear or muffled and it may be accompanied by ringing in their ears.  Noise-induced hearing loss generally comes about gradually and is not painful. However, the damage caused to the inner ear is irreversible.  A loss can be temporary after a loud event but it can become permanent with repeated exposure to noise. How can I tell if I’m listening to dangerous noise levels? You or your child is listening to dangerously loud sounds/noise if: You must raise your voice to be heard even when you’re 1 meter from the person. If you can clearly hear what your child is listening to through their headphones, then it is too loud If a parent is arm’s length away, then the child should be able to hear if the parent asks a question.  You are listening to music or a game at more than 50 percent (half) of the maximum volume. Speech around you sounds muffled or dull after you leave the noisy area. You have pain or ringing in your ears (“tinnitus”) after exposure to noise. What can be done? You cannot limit every sound that a child hears, you can take some preventive steps to minimize potential damage The best option is to avoid the loud sounds or noise whenever possible. If that is not possible, use hearing protection like earplugs and/or earmuffs. Cotton will not protect your hearing. If you don’t have any hearing protection available, try to limit the amount of time you or your child is exposed to the loud sound. When purchasing toys for infants, look for ones with a volume control or an off/on button. Limit the amount of time that children are exposed to sound or remove the batteries from young children’s toys. Another option is to cover the loudspeaker with tape to lower the volume. Keep personal-listening devices set to no more than half volume. Don’t be afraid to ask others to turn down the sounds from speakers. Encourage children to take breaks from their headphones in order to give their inner ear hair cells time to rest  Instead of the in the ear headphones, let your child use headphones that fit over their ears.  Purchase sound limiting and noise cancelling headphones for your child but continue to monitor the level that they listen at Look for noise ratings on appliances, sporting equipment, power tools, and hair dryers. Purchase quieter products Life is loud so lead by example! YOU can also lose your hearing with noise exposure, so use hearing protection when needed and listen to music, the T.V., and other sounds at a softer level. Remember to test your child’s hearing on an annual basis to monitor their hearing abilities.

June 14, 2019
Parenting Hub

Plan to stay warm and save money this winter

Thinking ahead will often save you money. Last-minute decisions or leaving things until they become a crisis generally don’t. It’s why prepping your home for winter is usually time well invested. While winter weather isn’t the same across South Africa – wet and windy in the Western Cape, dry and bitter in Gauteng – it’s cold just about everywhere. DirectAxis spoke to some experts about how to prepare your home for winter. We asked that their tips had to be things that most home owners can implement without too much expertise. Unsurprisingly, keeping out the cold topped the list. Although insulating your home is a good idea anyway, doing so at a time when the electricity supply is under pressure is doubly beneficial. Not only will you save electricity, which is going to get more expensive, but it’ll be easier to keep warm if there is more loadshedding.  Check your doors and windows for draughts. It’s relatively easy to fit self-adhesive rubber seals to the bottom of doors which are letting cold air in. Alternatively, you can make or buy a sausage-dog draught-stopper to block the gap.  Do the same with windows. Repair glass that isn’t fitted properly or where putty or seals are damaged, fix windows that don’t seal and replace any worn or missing weather strips. Although these seem like small steps, sustainability websites claim that you can lose up to 15% heat through draughty doors and 10% though unsealed windows. Curtains are better than blinds for keeping out the cold and retaining heat. When there is a bit of warmth and sunlight you can keep them open to warm the house and close them at night to keep the warm air in.  Once you’ve finished at ground level move to the ceiling. If you don’t have insulation, consider getting some. It’ll keep you cool in summer and warm in winter. It’s not difficult to fit, but if you have doubts about your DIY abilities, call in the experts. Every house differs, but expert opinion holds that an average house will lose about 25% of heat through the roof. While you’re up there, check if you have a geyser blanket. Heating water requires a lot of energy, up to 40% of household electricity usage, so insulating your geyser will save you money in the long run. Geyser blankets aren’t very expensive, around R300 on average.  When you’ve finished insulating the inside of your house, check the outside. If you live in a winter rainfall area, clear your gutters of leaves and other debris. Water in clogged gutters can break the brackets that support them. The water also needs to go somewhere. If you’re lucky it will pour harmlessly over the side, hopefully not above an entrance. If not, it can blow up under the tiles and damage ceilings and fittings. While you’re up there look for loose, broken or missing tiles or ridge tiles. These can cause leaks or allow wind in, potentially causing more damage. Also check that seals around chimneys or other fittings such as skylights are intact. Take a walk around to see if there are any trees that might blow over or branches that could break and damage the house or installations such as satellite dishes. You may be able to trim them yourself, but if the tree is too big, you don’t have the right equipment or aren’t sure about what you’re doing, it’s best to get in a professional. Bear in mind some indigenous trees are protected, so if you’re not sure ask an expert. Pack away or cover garden or stoep furniture that you aren’t going to use. Winter weather can damage wooden and metal furniture and even plastic perishes when exposed to the elements. If you live in a region prone to high winter winds, consider that outdoor furniture which gets blown around could be destroyed and can also damage anything it hits. While you’re looking around outside, check the lighting. It gets darker earlier in winter, so this is a sensible security precaution. Well-lit paths and approaches will help deter criminals. There’s also the practical benefit that it will prevent you or any of your family or friends tripping and falling in the dark. DirectAxis’ chief marketing officer, Marlies Kappers, says the experts agreed that preventing problems is always less expensive than fixing them afterwards. “Thinking ahead and spending a little on some basic household maintenance will save money in the long run. Small improvements to your home will also help retain or even increase its market value.” For more information on home improvements visit: https://www.directaxis.co.za/imagine/loan-for-home-improvement

June 13, 2019
Bonitas – innovation, life stages and quality care

What you need to know about Pneumonia

Lee Callakoppen, Principal Officer of Bonitas Medical Fund talks about pneumonia: According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), a child dies from pneumonia every 30 seconds. Which means that around 1.1 million children, under the age of five, die each year. This is more than malaria, AIDS and tuberculosis combined. What is pneumonia? Pneumonia is a lung inflammation caused by a bacterial or viral infection, it’s when the air sacs in the lung fill up with pus and can affect or one or both lungs. The flu shot and pneumonia  Having a flu vaccine is the first line of defence when it comes to protecting yourself, with studies showing it reduces the risk by about 50 to 60%.  The vaccine trains your body to recognise flu and fight it. Pneumonia is a relatively common and serious complication of flu.Supporting evidence from randomised clinical trials indicates that fluvaccines are effective in preventing influenza-associated pneumonia. Signs and symptoms of pneumonia may include: Chest pain when you breathe or cough Confusion or changes in mental awareness (in adults aged 65 and older) A cough, which may produce phlegm Fatigue Fever, sweating and shaking chills Lower than normal body temperature (in adults older than age 65 and people with weak immune systems) Nausea, vomiting or diarrhoea Shortness of breath How are flu and pneumonia different? Bonitas explains that pneumonia symptoms are similar to flu but last longer. The severity of the pneumonia depends on your age and overall health.  In the case of newborns and infants, sometimes they show little or no infection and other times they may vomit, have a fever and cough, have difficulty breathing and eating.  Pneumococcal vaccine  There are a total of 80% Community Acquired Pneumonias (CPAs). These streptococcal bacteria can spread from the nose, throat and ears to cause pneumonia – a severe infection of the lungs.  The vaccine protects you against: Infection that can result in Pneumonia, infection of the blood (bacteremia/sepsis), middle-ear infection (otitis media), or bacterial meningitis. Pneumonia is by the most common of these infections.  Is it an annual vaccination? The pneumococcal vaccination is suitable for those over 65 years of age or immune compromised members a pneumococcal vaccination once every five years.  Who should have the pneumonia vaccination? It is recommended for all individuals aged 65 years or older plus individuals aged 2-64 years with certain long-term health conditions, such as a serious heart or kidney condition. In fact for anyone with an  increased risk, from a  chronic disease, immune-suppressed people particularly those who are HIV positive, cancer sufferers and smokers who are more prone to respiratory illnesses.   The cost of pneumonia In severe cases of Pneumonia, the estimated cost of spending a night in intensive care is R15 000 whereas a Pneumococcal vaccine costs around R1000. Most medical aids do cover the cost. Bonitas offers a free flu vaccine annually to members as well as a once off pneumococcal vaccine for people over 65 years of age. According to the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), ‘In addition to reducing the risk of hospitalisation for an influenza infection itself, the flu vaccinations appear to reduce the likelihood of hospitalisation for influenza-associated complications such as pneumonia.  When to see a doctor? See your doctor if you have difficulty breathing, chest pain, persistent fever of (39 C) or higher or a persistent cough, especially if you’re coughing up phlegm. 

June 12, 2019
Bonitas – innovation, life stages and quality care

Five facts about ‘flu

Gerhard Van Emmenis, Principal Officer of Bonitas Medical Fund gives five facts about flu: Flu strains, like fashion, change every year The latest flu strain South Africa can expect is nick-named ‘Aussie Flu’. This particular strain – H3N2 – is a subtype of influenza A. The virus has, in fact, been around for a whilebut unfortunately the flu strains have a built in survival mechanism, they mutate or change so they outwit the body’s immune response. Which is why each year flu vaccinations are updated, meaning last year’s won’t necessarily protect you this year.  The symptoms of flu? These include high temperatures, body pain, sore throat, tiredness, loss of appetite and are the same year in and year out. However, some flu strains may cause the symptoms to last for a longer time and be more severe. The flu can also bring on headaches, muscle pain, vomiting and diarrhoea. In people with weaker immune systems, the flu is even more serious.  The flu shot doesn’t gives you flu According to the Centre for Disease Control, ‘A flu shot cannot cause flu and serious allergic reactions to the flu vaccine are rare. However, if you are allergic to eggs you need to notify your doctor. Flu vaccines are currently made either with flu vaccine viruses that have been ‘inactivated’ and are not infectious or with no flu viruses at all. The most common side-effects from the shot are small amounts of soreness, redness, tenderness or swelling around the injection site.  Protecting yourself and your family The flu vaccine reduces your chances of getting flu and, if you do get it, it will be milder.The vaccine trains your body to recognise flu and fight it. More importantly, if you are vaccinated you will protect others, via what is called ’herd immunity’. This includes vulnerable members of the family such as such as small babies and the elderly as well as those who are immune-compromised. Some of the reasons people don’t vaccinate Every year there is a debate about flu injections yet up to 11 000 people die from flu in South Africa every year, despite the flu vaccination being readily available and paid for by most medical aid schemes.  There are a number of reasons, including the notion that:  ‘I don’t get flu’, ‘the vaccine doesn’t work’, ‘it will hurt my arm’ or ‘the vaccine will give me flu’.  However, according to Bonitas, there are very good clinical reasons why you should. Bonitas covers one flu vaccine for all members. Members can go Clicks, Dischem or Pick n Pay pharmacies for the vaccine at no cost, or attend a Bonitas Wellness Day.

June 5, 2019
Kaboutjie

Why Your Child Should Be Getting An Allowance

If your child has just started learning the difference between bills and coins, it won’t be long till they’re asking for their own share. And while that might be a little scary for you – they grow up so fast – there are lots of really good reasons to start giving your children an allowance. So if you’re on the fence about whether you think your kids are ready for some responsibility, here are four reasons why an allowance might be a good idea. Reason #1 – They learn how to budget When your child starts receiving an allowance, it’s the perfect opportunity for you to introduce them to budgeting. Because they’re now dealing with their own money, kids learn how to start prioritising where it goes – how much goes towards lunch money or after school treats, toys or video games. By teaching them to work to a budget you’ll be giving them a lesson in self control. That’s not always an easy lesson for kids to learn, but making the effort to curb bad habits when they’re young can prevent a lifelong habit of impulse spending. And that’s becoming increasingly important these days. Mozo conducted research into Australia’s obsession with post-pay layby service, Afterpay and found that 1 in 4 shoppers using the service experienced financial stress. That points to a worrying trend of overspending in Aussie adults and high personal debt, which appears to be a global trend. So the sooner your child gets into the habit of spending within their means, the better they’ll become at managing expenses later on in life. [ads2] Reason #2 – It’ teaches them how to set financial goals Budgeting goes hand-in-hand with setting financial goals, which for kids, usually means saving up to buy something they really want. And although owning the latest Mickey Mouse Play Doh set requires a little less work than buying a home, setting small goals builds good habits, like dedication and commitment. Knowing that you won’t just be buying them things they want and instead, when they want it, they’ll have to save their allowance starts kids on the path to thinking about their money long-term. It also means they’ll learn the skill of prioritising their spending and making hard decisions, like whether they want a treat right now, or extra spending money when your family goes on holiday at the end of the year. Let them pick their own short and long term goals, whether it’s the latest video game or a new toy, that way, the payoff will be meaningful to them. And as they inch closer to their goal, they’ll see the value in putting money away. One fun way to keep them on track is to design a motivation board. Grab some glue and stick pictures of their ‘goals’ onto cardboard, before hanging it in their bedroom where they can see it everyday. And if your child isn’t one for arts and crafts, many savings accounts offer virtual planners and activities to help kids manage their money online. The other thing to keep in mind is to make sure that if you’re encouraging your child to set savings goals, their allowance is enough to let them actually reach that goal within a reasonable amount of time. For instance, while a teenager might be willing to wait to buy their first car, a child in elementary school hoping to land a new LEGO set might not stay interested after a couple of months. So do the math and make sure that they’re not setting their expectations higher than your wallet can afford. Reason #3 – They’ll reap the benefits of saving If there’s one virtue that’s lost on many children, it’s patience. But by keeping your child from running to the lolly aisle at the first chance they get, they’ll enjoy one of the long-term benefits of saving – compound interest. The longer kids have savings stashed away, the more time there is for compound interest to work its magic and grow their funds. So give them a place to stash their new ‘income’ by opening up a savings account, so they can make regular deposits and start earning interest today. Then, by the time they finish high school, they’ll have a nice little stash to take away to college, go travelling or just to keep in case of emergencies. If you really want to give them a head start, it might be a good idea to match their savings to help them stay focused, like adding an extra $10 a week. Because if you did this from the age of 5, they’d have a whopping $6,240 by their 18th birthday – not too shabby of a gift! [ads2] #4 – It’ll give them a taste of independence Many kids just can’t wait to be treated like an adult and having their own money, especially if they’re taking out the trash every night or keeping their room tidy to earn it, is a great first step towards that kind of independence. Having their own money means they can start to make more independent decisions about how they want to use it, which can keep them motivated to continue saving. They might even decide to try a new hobby or learn a new skill with their newfound wealth which gives them a chance to work out who they are as a person. Financial independence can be addictive! If you’re the parent of a teenager, you could make things interesting by giving ‘salary negotiation’ a go. Sit down with them and talk about the quality and quantity of work they do around the house, then discuss whether their current allowance reflects this accurately. Even though they’re a long way away from doing this with an actual employer, it does give them the chance to test drive their negotiation skills and put their own price on their time and effort. Just don’t be surprised if they get too clever and start organising monthly negotiations! The next step –

May 30, 2019
Panado®

How To Make The Medicine Go Down

It’s stressful when your kids are sick and even more stressful when they refuse to take their medicines. Not to mention the icky stickiness that is almost impossible to wash off your skin. In this blog I will share with you some tips I have learnt over the years to help make the medicine go down. 1. Disguise the taste Many over the counter liquid medications available for kids are flavoured. Look on the bottle to see which flavour you are buying. Some brands have different options for the same drug such as Panado’s strawberry and peppermint flavours. Some brands may have the same flavours but taste different. My daughter prefers the strawberry flavour of Calpol than that of Panado. If the medication needs to be made up by a pharmacist, ask them to flavour the medication if possible.  Unfortunately, some meds just taste awful and not all pharmacies stock flavourings. You’ll need to get creative here. You can mix the liquid with fresh fruit or vegetable juice and even honey (if your child is over one year). You can also try mixing meds with milk or yoghurt but the calcium may interfere with the effects of some medications, particularly with certain antibiotics. Acidic foods may also inactivate some antibiotics. It’s important to ask your pharmacist and read the patient information leaflet before you decide to try this method. If you are hiding the medication in a food or drink, keep the volume small so that the entire dose can be taken. Don’t mix with a full bottle or cup of juice if your child will not finish this. 2. Equipment I always use a syringe and squirt the medicine along the inside of the cheeks and not onto the tongue. This way you can bypass the taste buds a little. You can also use a medicine dropper the same way. Slide the syringe or dropper along the cheek towards the back of the mouth and squirt the medicine slowly. Do not aim for the throat as your child will gag and cough and if you aim too far in front of the mouth the medicine will simply be spat out. Using a syringe also allows you to give correct dosages. In kids it’s vital you give the correct dosage of medication. You can wash and reuse the syringes but after a while you should replace them.  3. Keep it chilled You can also numb the taste buds beforehand. Your child can suck on a block of ice if he or she is older or you could try an ice-lolly for a younger child. Some medications can also be stored in the fridge, which can make them taste better. 4. Wash it down Whilst Mary Poppins recommended a spoonful of sugar, I’m not sure many of us moms will be too happy with the after effects of this sugar rush before bedtime.  Have a glass of water or your child’s favourite drink on standby to drink as soon as they swallow just so they can wash their taste buds.  5. Coat the taste buds You can try giving your child a spoonful of something thick and sweet such as maple syrup or honey to coat the tongue before giving the medicine.  6. Try a tablet instead Some liquid medicines are available as chewables. If your child is old enough you can try these. Whilst there are some tablets that can be crushed and mixed with food. Speak to your doctor or pharmacist before you do this.  You may also find dissolvable tablets. Dissolve the tablet in a small glass of water and add some fruit juice to hide the taste as these can be extremely bitter.  7. Give your child some control You will find that your kids will be more willing to take their medicine if they are in control or at least think they are. Allow them to choose when to take their medicine, for example, before or after the bath. They can also choose what flavour medicine they would like when you are buying it for them.  IF IT WORKS, STICK TO IT You might find that more than one trick is necessary. If you have found a technique that works, stick to it. A while back I tried using one of those fancy medicine syringes I got at my baby shower instead of a simple syringe (I had actually forgotten to replace the ones I had thrown out). These syringe type medicine feeders are quite big and I couldn’t get it far enough to the back of the mouth to bypass the taste buds. My daughter did not like this at all and I ended up wearing most of the medicine!  Do you have any other tricks or tips to get your kids to take medicine? Please share in the comments section below! If your little one requires medicine on a regular basis, here is a medicine chart to help you organise the days and quantities: https://www.oneaid.co.za/resources/

May 23, 2019
Impaq

Parenting tips for ADHD

At least one in 20 children in South Africa suffer from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This is according to research by Cape Town-based psychiatrist Dr Renata Schoeman. ADHD is characterised by three main sets of symptoms – poor concentration, hyperactivity and impulsivity – and, when left untreated, can be among the most debilitating disorders to live with. The risks include academic, social, and emotional problems in childhood, which may impact on job performance, relationships and mental health in adulthood. It is understandable why parents dread an ADHD diagnosis; not because the disorder is untreatable, but because they are unsure of how to help their child. Fortunately, all is not lost. There are many ways to help your ADHD child. Take a look at five parenting tips for ADHD below, but keep in mind that what works for one child may not work for another. Five parenting tips for ADHD Limit distractions In the 21st century, it is easy for anyone (especially children with ADHD) to get distracted if there is a smartphone, a television, video game or computer close by. Access to electronics should be monitored and limited.  Establish a routine Having a set routine in place can provide essential structure for children with ADHD. Have meals at the same time every day and have rituals in place before bedtime like taking a bath, brushing their teeth, and reading a bedtime story. Encourage exercise Exercise is the perfect outlet for built-up energy. According to an article in Healthline, exercise may help to improve concentration and stimulate the brain in healthy ways. Try to find an exercise that your child enjoys and make sure to join them, as you will benefit too. Understand your child’s thought process Children with ADHD often speak and act before thinking. Encourage your child to verbalise their thoughts and reasoning, as this can help you understand their thought process and hopefully help curb impulsive behaviours. Ask for help You don’t always have to have all the answers. It is okay to ask for help. Consult a psychologist who specialises in ADHD or consider attending an ADHD Parenting Course. And, remember that it is not only your child that can benefit from professional help – A therapist can help you manage stress and anxiety. Finding a support group in your area can also be beneficial. Home education can provide a nurturing learning environment for children with individual needs. Impaq Educationprovides all the necessary products, services and tools to enable your child to complete Grade R to 12 at home.

May 16, 2019
Bonitas – innovation, life stages and quality care

Deciphering Medical Aid Speak

It can be rather daunting trying to understand the terms in your medical aid plan and all the detailed information about your benefits.  Medical Schemes and the Council for Medical Schemes (CMS) use certain terms in reference to benefits.  They can be tricky to fathom. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions, as highlighted by the Bonitas Medical Fund call centre.   Prescribed Minimum Benefits (PMBs) PMBs are confusing even to those in the medical industry but simply put, it is a list of 26 chronic diseases and 270 treatments which have to be covered by all medical aid schemes as outlined in the Medical Schemes Act.  PMBs are in place to make sure all members have access to certain minimum health services, regardless of their benefit option. The aim is to provide members with continuous care to improve their health and well-being and to make healthcare more affordable. Above Threshold Benefit Medical Schemes set an annual limit for day-to-day claims. Once you have reached this limit – or threshold – then your claims are paid from the ‘Above Threshold Benefit’. The amount available depends on the plan you are on as well as the number of dependants.  Day-to-day limits Members and their dependants are given a pre-determined maximum amount of money for out-of-hospital expenses during a year. There is a limit to what you can spend after which you move onto the above threshold benefit. Pre-authorisation Unless there is a medical emergency, members are required to obtain pre-authorisation from their schemes before being admitted to a hospital for a procedure. If you do not organise pre-authorisation, the scheme can refuse to pay.  Quotes for procedures Bonitas advises members to not only obtain pre-authorisation but to also ask for a detailed quote from the hospital and medical practitioner prior to being admitted to hospital (if it’s not an emergency).  It means you can submit it to your medical aid ahead of the procedure to find out if co-payments will be required and if so, how much they are. Co-payment Medical practitioners and hospital often charge more than medical aid rates. This means medical schemes seldom cover the entire bill.  A co-payment refers to the outstanding portion of the account, for which you will be responsible.  A co-payment varies from one medical aid scheme to another and is sometimes not necessary if you use a designated service provider or network hospital.  The medical aid can pay from 100% – 300% of the medical aid tariffs, depending on the plan you are on. ICD codes This is a coding system developed by the World Health Organisation (WHO) that translates the written description of medical and health information into standard codes.  It means every medical treatment and diagnosis has a specific code – called an ICD 10 code.  These are important as it allows the scheme to identify the code of the healthcare service you require and to make sure payment is made. The correct ICD Code must be included on every claim to ensure you are paid for the correct benefit and t the healthcare practitioners are paid for their service.   Claim After you have seen a doctor or been in hospital, you can either pay the bill directly and claim the amount back from your scheme or your doctor can submit the claim on your behalf.  Remember to ensure that all the correct information is on your claim, including your membership number and the ICD 10 Code. Chronic Medication Is medicine prescribed by a medical practitioner for an uninterrupted period of at least three months. This medicine is used for a medical condition that appears on your scheme’s list of approved chronic conditions. Payment of chronic medication is usually a separate allowance on your medical aid plan. Formulary Medical Aids have a list of medicines on what they call their formulary – or list – that are recommended to treat different diseases.  If you opt for medication not on the formulary there might be a co-payment. Generic medicine There are a number of generic medicines on the market that are cheaper than the original, patented brands however they contain the same active ingredients and are just as effective.  Most medical schemes encourage the use of generic medicines to save costs and help you stretch your benefits. Check with your pharmacist. Private healthcare in South Africa is not cheap and the best way to make the most of your medical aid or hospital plan is to understand what is and isn’t covered as well as the terms and conditions. Make sure you get to grips with the various terms used by your Scheme and Dr and if you are unsure … ask!

May 10, 2019
Abbotts Colleges

What to do if you’re child is the bully

Bullying at school is common and the source of much misery and discomfort for many students and their parents in turn. The effects can be long lasting for the victim’s health and wellbeing, sometimes even having fatal consequences. Teachers are trained to help combat this anti-social behaviour and parents as well as students have access to many outside support structures that give guidance on how to overcome the effects of bullying.   Parents, often, only see their child as a possible victim and therefore, guide their child on how to avoid being bullied. It is rare for parents to consider that their child might be the bully. This is understandable; after all, acknowledging that your child is a bully, is possibly an indictment on you as a parent. Sadly, we are well aware that bullying at schools is rife; someone is doing it. Frighteningly, it could very well be your child. One should recognise and acknowledge this possibility and remedy such behaviour patterns immediately. Your child could see denying the occurrence or ignoring the problem as acceptance of this anti-social behaviour. The long-term consequences of being a bully are scary. Bullies are prone to mental illness later in life. They continue to be aggressive and even violent. According to stopbullying.govbullying is a risk factor for depression and thinking about suicide. Children who bully others, are bullied, or both bully and are bullied are more likely to think about or attempt suicide than those who are not involved in bullying at all. Therefore, if you notice some of the following signs, it is time to step in and get help for your child as mentioned by Sheeri Gordon on Tips for addressing bullying by your child(2019): Your child is often in the company of other bullies Your child is constantly criticising and insulting other children to the extent that they feel belittled and offended Your child is regularly violating the school’s code of conduct and in trouble at school  Your child actively invites kids over but turns down a couple that used to be included Your child is obsessed with being popular Your child is aggressive physically and/or verbally Your child is uncompassionate and has no concern for those that suffer  Your child avoids you and spends too much time alone at home Address the bullying without delay; don’t hope that it will stop. Your child must know that you explicitly disapprove of the behaviour and that they will be disciplined. It must be clearly understood that bullying is inexcusable. However, the appropriate disciplinary measures can only be taken if you know why your child is bullying someone else. Identify the reasons, for example, your child may be bullying others because they want to be part of a popular group. You should address the importance of keeping the right company and not succumbing to peer pressure. Remember to let the punishment fit the crime. A knee jerk reaction is likely to make matters worse.   Taking away privileges is a tried and tested form of discipline for teens and is very effective. For example, you can take away electronics, watching TV and the privilege of attending parties or special events. The list is endless. Ensure that that you don’t give in at any point and stick to the length of time that the privilege will be revoked.  Collaborate with the school and show full support for the school’s code of conduct.  Don’t attempt to rescue them from the consequences of their actions. Once this is done, your child will expect that you will always do so and will not take responsibility for their actions.  Determine the details of your child’s bullying behaviour. Are there skills your child is lacking that may prevent future bullying incidents like anger management and impulse control? Seek professional assistance if required. Don’t dispel the value of a session or two with a psychologist if need be. Avoid humiliating or shaming your child, especially not in front of anyone else. Letting family members and friends know about what is going on, will not help. In fact, it could prove only to worsen the behaviour. Keep it private and the solution will be more easily achieved. Remember, praise may be public; but punishment, always private. Talk about the consequences of bullying; be sure your child takes the time to really think about how he would feel if he was on the receiving end. When children learn to see things from a different viewpoint, they are less likely to bully again. Raising your child’s emotional intelligence and instilling empathy will go a long way in preventing bullying. So consider carefully, your own actions and utterances as a parent; children most often, unwittingly emulate their parents.  When bullying is identified early and addressed appropriately, it usually won’t happen again. However, don’t automatically assume that this is the case. Instead, monitor your child’s conduct and continue to discipline him if necessary. If given the right skill set, most children who bully others can change. Stopping your child from bullying others can take some time, it’s not an overnight solution. Written by: Sedhoorajan Padayachee, Principal at Abbotts College Northcliff

May 2, 2019
Kaboutjie

How To Get Your Kids To Go To The Dentist

We’ve all been there as a child—apprehensive, maybe even afraid of the dentist. Now as a parent, you face the other side, helping your child beat their fear of the dentist. The good news is, there are many things you can do to make the experience more enjoyable for them so that the next time they need a checkup, they go with a lot less fuss. Here are some of the things you can do to get your kids to go to the dentist. Start Dental Visits Early Many kids fear the things they don’t know. If you take them to the dentist early enough, they will be used to it long before many of their friends are.  As soon as they get their first teeth, you can introduce them to the fact that there is nothing to worry about. Let Them Talk to a Dentist There is nothing wrong with calling your dentist and informing them of your child’s apprehensions. A lot of the time, they will welcome a visit so they can discuss the process with your child. Even if they don’t end up being treated that day, it can go a long way towards helping future visits. Use a Family-Friendly Dentist. Some Dentists will be friendlier than others. Given this, you want to make sure you find one that specializes in family treatments, so you know your kids are in good hands. In terms of being family friendly, North Pointe dental options are abundant. Enquire before you visit your office of choice and see how they can make your child more comfortable. Do Not Use Bribery It can be tempting to offer a reward for visiting the dentist. This can add to the tension they are feeling. If you tell them that if they don’t cry, they can have X, then they will think about why they might cry just as much as the reward. Also, any offer of a sugary reward isn’t a great idea, for obvious reasons. Give the Dentist Space There is nothing wrong with holding your child’s hand if they ask, or even if you feel like you want to. What you shouldn’t be doing is interfere if they make a fuss about the situation. The dentist will be well versed in how to help your child feel more relaxed. It will be easier for them to do so if they are given the room to. Encourage Good Oral Hygiene If you encourage your child to develop good teeth care habits, then they will better understand why a trip to the dentist is necessary. Help your child to see that a dentist will work to keep their teeth healthy. Although it can be a stressful time for both parent and child, a few simple steps can go a long way. Your future trips to the dentist will run a lot smoother when you know how to help.

April 18, 2019
Speech and Audio Inc

Listening to Learn

Even though we use the words hearing and listening interchangeably, the difference in meaning is significant.  Hearing is a sense. Listening is a learned skill.  Hearing is the process, function, or power of perceiving sound.  Listening is paying attention to a message in order to hear it, understand it, and physically or verbally respond to it.  SEVERAL THINGS MUST HAPPEN FOR US TO LISTEN EFFECTIVELY:  Sound waves carry spoken words to our ears. Sound travels through the outer ear canals (without obstruction) and then through the eardrum and middle ear without being distorted by fluid from colds, infection, or allergies.  Sound then travels from the middle ear through the inner ear (which must be functioning properly as well) along the auditory nerve to the brain.  Finally, the brain compares what it hears to previously stored sounds and words in order to make sense of the message and respond accordingly. “Listening is a crucial skill for young children to acquire. Listening is one of the basic building blocks of language and communication and particularly in the early years of education, one of the main vehicles for a child’s learning.” Eleanor Johnson Auditory processing disorder (also known as central auditory processing disorder or CAPD) is a condition that makes it hard for kids to recognize subtle differences between sounds in words. It affects their ability to process what other people are saying.  DEFINING AN AUDITORY PROCESSING DISORDER: Your child passes a hearing test but is diagnosed with an auditory processing disorder. Children with auditory processing disorders typically have normal hearing. But they struggle to process and make meaning of sounds. This is especially true when there are background noises. Researchers don’t fully understand where things break down between what the ear hears and what the brain processes. But the result is clear: children with auditory processing disorder can have trouble making sense of what other people say. Typically, the brain processes sounds seamlessly and almost instantly. Most people can quickly interpret what they hear. But with an auditory processing disorder, a glitch delays or “scrambles” that process.  To a child with CAPD, “Tell me how the chair and the couch are alike” might sound like “Tell me how a cow and hair are like.” The problem lies with understanding the sounds of spoken language, not the meaning of what’s being said. Some educators and other professionals’ question or doubt a diagnosis of CAPD. Not all professionals see it as a specific disorder. The medical profession didn’t start seriously studying CAPD in children until 1977. Four decades later, there’s still confusion about CAPD. The number of children with CAPD is estimated to be between 2 – 7 percent. Some experts estimate that boys are twice as likely as girls to have auditory processing disorder, but there’s no solid research to prove that. WHAT ARE SYMPTOMS OF AN AUDITORY PROCESSING DISORDER? “The kids we see are having difficulty following directions,” explains Rachel Cortese, a speech-language pathologist at the Child Mind Institute. “They ask for repetition a lot. They seem to just kind of miss things in conversations. From testing we know that their ear is hearing the signal. It’s attending to the auditory information. But they have glitches when the brain is not assigning meaning—or the right meaning—to that signal.” The term auditory processing refers to how the brain perceives and interprets sound information. Several skills determine auditory processing ability—or listening success. They develop in a general four step hierarchy, but all work together and are essential for daily listening. Although researchers do not agree on the exact hierarchy of skills, they generally agree on what skills are essential for auditory processing success (Cochlear Americas, 2009; Johnson et al., 1997; Nevins & Garber, 2006; Roeser & Downs, 2004; Stredler-Brown & Johnson, 2004).  Children with CAPD can have weaknesses in one, some or all of these areas: AUDITORY AWARENESS • Auditory Awareness – the ability to detect sound  • Sound Localization – the ability to locate the sound source  • Auditory Attention / Auditory Figure-Ground – the ability to attend to important auditory information including attending amid competing background noise. It would be like sitting at a party and not being able to hear the person next to you because there’s so much background chatter  AUDITORY DISCRIMINATION • Auditory Discrimination of Segmentals – the ability to detect differences between specific speech sounds. The words seventy and seventeen may sound alike, for instance • Auditory Discrimination of Environmental Sounds – the ability to detect differences between sounds in the environment  • Auditory Discrimination of Suprasegmentals – the ability to detect differences in non-phoneme (sound) aspects of speech including rate, intensity, duration, pitch, and overall prosody  AUDITORY IDENTIFICATION • Auditory Identification (Auditory Association) – the ability to attach meaning to sounds and speech  • Auditory Feedback/Self-Monitoring – the ability to change speech production based on information you get from hearing yourself speak  • Auditory Discrimination of Segmentals – the ability to detect differences between specific speech sounds. The words seventy and seventeen may sound alike, for instance • Phonological Awareness (Auditory Analysis) – the ability to identify, blend, segment, and manipulate oral language structure  AUDITORY COMPREHENSION • Auditory Comprehension – the ability to understand longer auditory messages, including engaging in conversation, following directions, and understanding stories  • Auditory Closure – the ability to make sense of auditory messages when a piece of auditory information is missing; filling in the blanks  • Auditory Memory – the ability to retain auditory information both immediately and after a delay  • Linguistic Auditory Processing – the ability to interpret, retain, organize, and manipulate spoken language for higher level learning and communication CHILDREN WITH APD USUALLY HAVE AT LEAST SOME OF THE FOLLOWING SYMPTOMS: Find it hard to follow spoken directions, especially multi-step instructions Ask speakers to repeat what they’ve said, or saying, “huh?” or “what?” Be easily distracted, especially by background noise or loud and sudden noises Have trouble with reading and spelling, which require the ability to process and interpret sounds Struggle with oral (word) math problems Find it hard to follow

April 17, 2019
Abbotts Colleges

Motivating your teenager in preparations for examinations

Parents are often just as stressed, as their teenagers are when it comes to preparing for and writing examinations. Books and articles on the subject are limitless and easily accessible – try Googling it. The problem is, that there is just so much to read, that by the time you are done, your child would have finished schooling. The advice given in these articles is very much the same. They all speak about planning, goal setting, study methods, working environment, nutrition, rest and communication. You are bound to pick up handy hints from any article you read. You will soon realise that the advice in most articles is relatively obvious and is probably something that you would have figured out for yourself anyway. Sedhoorajan Padayachee, Principal at Abbotts Colleges Northcliff believe that it would be more helpful for parents to understand how their teenage children think and what they want during this challenging phase of growing up. If this is better understood, then motivating teenagers to study becomes a far easier task. Like all subjects in the technologically advanced world we live in, literature on understanding teenage behaviour is also exhaustive. I can however, refer you to a short and very informative article on the subject by Dr Debmita Dutta (30 December 2018) Dr Dutta reminds us that the three things teenagers want most are freedom, independence and respect. She goes on to explain that most teenagers are not motivated to study because they see studying as an unending drudgery; they believe that even if they study they will not have freedom or independence and still risk the chance of being reprimanded and not respected. Dr Dutta further proposes that parents: 1. Motivate their children to learn rather than perform 2. Don’t bribe or punish their children to learn 3. Be patient sensitive and understanding 4. Allow and encourage lots of physical activity 5. Explain the “why” behind what teenagers are studying 6. Don’t compare their child to others 7. Encourage the company of adults other than the parents 8. Give their teenagers mental challenges 9. Do not try to control 10. Allow friendships 11. Do not criticise 12. Do not be grumpy and complain 13. Show their passion not their worry 14. Do not pressurise teenagers with praise 15. Stop panicking and looking disappointed. All of the above recommendations are substantiated in the article, which is a must-read. Parents are advised to always be around, if possible, when their children are studying. Leaving them alone is strongly discouraged as this could be interpreted as neglect and indifference. Just be around for moral support without creating the sense that you are policing them. Besides, by just being around, the temptation for your teenager to do something else during study time will be discouraged. You may feel that it is premature to offer this kind of advice now, considering that it is so long before the June examination. Parents and students have become accustomed to receiving guidance on examination preparation three or four weeks before the examination. This is probably why students do not do as well as they are capable of. Examination preparation should not start a few weeks before the examination. It should start at the beginning of the year in the classroom from day one. Students must listen to their teachers with intent all day, every day. Encourage your children to pay attention in class ensuring that nothing distracts them. More than half the battle is won in the classroom. Absence must be discouraged at all cost, unless it is unavoidable. Students believe that they will make up for lessons missed on their own – this is not the same as receiving instruction from the teacher. This is the first step to successfully preparing for the examinations. Stress and anxiety can be avoided if preparation is constant and not crammed just before an examination. Inculcate these good habits in your teenager and you will pave the way for their success. Written by: Sedhoorajan Padayachee, Principal at Abbotts College Northcliff

April 16, 2019
OneAid

First Aid Tips Every Mom Should Know

I was recently asked by All4Women to put together my top 10 first aid tips for moms. I wanted to share these with all of you in this blog post. You can find more tips in my MiniKit Pocket Guide (https://www.oneaid.co.za/product/minikit/).  Keep emergency numbers on speed dial: Every parent should know who to call in an emergency. You should also teach this to your children. Write the numbers down and stick them on your fridge or somewhere near the phone.  Cuts and scrapes: Stop any bleeding by pressing firmly on the wound with a gauze or cloth. Then rinse the wound under cool running water before applying a dressing such as a plaster. Tap water is perfectly fine, you don’t need fancy antiseptic solutions.   Burns: Rinse burns under cool running water for up to 20 minutes. This will prevent any further damage and reduce pain. Do not use freezing cold water or ice  Bee stings: Remove the stinger if still attached and apply an ice pack to reduce swelling. Don’t use tweezers as this may squeeze out more poison. Rather scrape the stinger off with a flat-edged object such as a bankcard.  Nosebleed: Lean your child forward so they don’t swallow any blood and pinch the nose closed just below the bony part. Blood can irritate the stomach and cause nausea and vomiting. Broken bones: If you suspect a broken bone don’t move the limb or apply any weight. Splint the injured limb to prevent any movement before going to the emergency room.  Seizures: Never put anything into the mouth of a child who is having a seizure. This includes medicines for fever if your child is having a febrile convulsion. Roll your child onto his or her side and wait for the seizure to stop.  Heat exhaustion: Get your child out of the heat and elevate his or her legs. Prevention is key so make sure your child drinks plenty of fluids before and during any activity in hot weather. Poisoning: If you suspect your child has swallowed a potentially harmful substance do not make them vomit or give them anything to eat or drink unless told to do so by emergency services. Here are 10 essential tips to prevent poisoning in your home (https://www.oneaid.co.za/10-essential-tips-to-prevent-poisoning-inyour-home/). Be prepared: Always have a well stocked first aid kit on hand so you can manage minor injuries without delay and reduce the risk of infection or severity of injury.  Be sure to follow me on Instagram @oneaidsa

April 15, 2019
Clamber Club

Autism: What is it, what are the signs and who can help?

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a group of conditions that affect a person’s social communication, sensory processing, thinking and emotional regulation. It is a lifelong condition that has a spectrum of difficulties. Savannah Senior, Clamber Club Expert and Speech-Language therapist, sheds some light on Autism, the signs and how you can help your little one. This means that a child with ASD will have small to significant difficulties in each area of the spectrum. Although many people describe a spectrum as a line, a circle can also be used. This can sometimes give one a better idea that a child may function better in one area and less so in another. Sensory Processing: The ability to process and integrate all your senses and use them in a functional way. For example, to hear the teacher’s voice, seeing her writing on the board, feeling the pen in your hand = processing this information and understanding that you need to copy the teacher’s writing = motor movements of you writing. Children with ASD frequently struggle to process and integrate the sensory information that they receive from their environment. Social Communication: Communicating with others and sharing joy in social relationships. Children with ASD are impacted in this area of communication as they struggle to understand others facial expressions and body language; are more literal than figurative; struggle to make eye contact; find it difficult to share attention together with someone else etc. Thinking: Children with ASD may think in a rigid manner meaning that they cannot understand or accept alternatives when they were not expected. Thinking ahead may be difficult and new unexpected situations may be difficult. Routines often help with this. They frequently have fixed interests. Emotional Regulation: This is being able to monitor and modify emotional reactions to situations that may distress you. If one cannot emotionally regulate, behavioural difficulties can often be observed. When you are well regulated, you can recognise when you need to implement a regulation strategy such as talking to our friends, taking a break when you need it, sleeping enough, exercising etc. Children with ASD find regulating their emotions difficult and this can often result in self-harm, physical aggression, or inconsolable children. Behavioural difficulties are frequently associated with children who have ASD. It is important to remember that every behaviour is a communication. The cause of ASD is unknown but it is thought that it is a combination of genetic and environmental components. At one point it was thought that MMR vaccinations caused ASD, but this has been extensively researched and has shown that there are no links between ASD and MMR vaccinations. What to look for: ASD comes in all shapes and sizes, in other words, every child is different! Not every child will present with the same signs. Here are a few signs to look out for, but remember that a child usually has a few or many of these signs and may have ones that are not mentioned here: Struggling with non-verbal communication including: eye-contact (receiving and using); understanding and using facial expressions and body language Delayed understanding and use of language. Difficulties understanding figurative language. Children with ASD will frequently take phrases literally i.e. It’s raining cats and dogs. A child with ASD will look up to see where the cats and dogs are. Lack of interest in other children. They frequently prefer to play alone or alongside children. Difficulty understanding their own and other people’s emotions and feeling. Echolalia: repeating words, phrases or sentences (immediately or later) without fully understanding their meaning. Oversensitive to touch, light, textures or sounds. Lack of imaginative or pretend play. Children on the spectrum will frequently play with toys in an unusual way such as lining them up, spinning or opening/closing a toy instead of playing with it as a whole. Enjoying routine and structure. Difficulty moving from one activity to the next or difficulty getting them to engage in an activity (seems as if they have poor attention). Preference for repetitive activities and games such as lining things up, opening and closing doors, turning lights on and off, putting things in something and taking them out etc. Arm flapping, self-harm, uncontrollable temper tantrums and other behavioural difficulties. What to do? If you are concerned that your child is presenting with signs of Autism, seek help. It is best to contact your child’s Paediatrician who will be able complete a developmental assessment and either diagnose your child or refer your child for further assessments. Autism South Africa can also help you on your quest of answers! They can be contacted through their website: http://aut2know.co.za/. Some General Tips: Make things visual! Children on the spectrum are usually visual learners. Use pictures to help improve your child’s understanding of up-coming events and situations. This can include photographs, line drawing, visual schedules, showing your child an object/action while speaking etc. When communicating, break things into smaller phrases i.e. instead of saying, ‘Put your coat on and go to the car,’ rather say, ‘Put your coat on’ child puts coat on ‘Go to the car.’ Remember that all behaviour is a communication. You can try deciphering what your child is saying by keeping a log of: the behaviour that occurred, what happened before this and how you helped your child become regulated again. Look through them to try find patterns. Avoid figurative language. Copy your child’s actions and play routines to enter their world.

April 10, 2019
OneAid

Keeping Your Children Safe During Bath time

I’m sure many of you will agree that bath time is loads of fun for our kids. Whilst the bathroom is a fun place, it can also be a scary place with a number of dangerous hazards such as the drowning, burns and poisoning.  It’s important that you are always in the bathroom with your children before, during and after bath time. Drowning is a major cause of death in children under five years. According to the Consumer Products Safety Commision in the United States, 80% of the 87 children, under five years who drown at home each year, have drowned in the bathtub. Young children are top heavy and can slip suddenly and drown in very little water. Infants and toddlers also don’t have the upper body and core strength to lift themselves up if that slip under the water.  HOW TO RUN A BATH Keep your child away from the bath until the water is the right temperature.  The safe temperature of bath water should be between 37oC and 38oC (36OC for a newborn). Children have thinner skin than adults so they can burn much more quickly. Even if the bath feels warm to you it may be hot to your little one. Your plumber can also set the thermostat of your geyser to a maximum of 50oC.  Always fill your bath with cold water first. Your child could put his hand or foot in the water before the bath is ready and get burnt. If you have a mixer tap, run hot and cold together but start with the cold and slowly increase the amount of hot.  Run cold water through the tap before your child gets into the bath to cool the tap and prevent them from getting burnt if they touch it. If you have a mixer tap, point the lever on the cold setting when you are finished running the bath to ensure the hot water does not get accidentally turned on in the bath.  Do not overfill the bath. Fill the bath water to just over your little one’s knees.  HOW TO HAVE A S-A-F-E BATH  S: Supervision is key! Always supervise babies, toddlers and children less than six years in the bath and when you run the water. Never leave an older child to supervise. A: Arrange everything you will need for bath time in advance for e.g. towel, soap, shampoo, nappy, clean clothes and any medications.F: Feel the water with your elbow first. It should feel warm but not hot. You can also use a water thermometer. Remember to swirl the water around to ensure an even temperature with no hot pockets.  E: Empty the bath as soon as bath time is over.  SLIPS, TRIPS & FALLS  Slips, trips and falls in the bathtub and shower are a common cause of injury in young children and according to statistics more common than tub drownings.  Use a non-slip mat in the bath. If you are using a bath seat or ring, your child will still need to be supervised. A bath seat is not a safety device. These seats are actually associated with an increasing number of reported drownings. This is because the device gives parents a false sense of security and they are therefore more likely to leave their baby alone in the bath.  Infants should be bathed in the bathroom basin or a smaller infant bathtub. This way they can’t roll over or ever be completely covered by the water.  Wipe up any splashes before your kids get out the bath so that nobody, including you, can slip and hit their head. As your kids get older you should also teach them to remain seated in the bath and not to stand up and jump.  Be sure to keep a MiniKit in your bathroom for peace of mind. Each kit contains a range of thoughtfully selected first aid items geared towards common childhood injuries. You can purchase one here: https://www.oneaid.co.za/product/minikit/ WHEN CAN YOU STOP SUPERVISING YOUR CHILD IN THE BATH? This is a difficult question to answer as children mature at different ages. Since most children who drown in bathtubs are under the age of five, the general consensus is children under the age of six should never be allowed to bath alone and even those over six should be closely monitored. Even if your child knows how to swim you should never be too far away. OTHER BATHROOM HAZARDS Toilet: luckily my daughter has never been interested in exploring the toilet bowl but I have had moms tell me how their child likes to play with the water in the toilet. Keep the toilet lids closed at all times and if your little one is particularly curious install a toilet-lid lock.  Appliances: make sure any electrical appliances in the bathroom are unplugged and out of reach when your child is having a bath. Regular plug sockets may actually not be fitted in bathrooms for safety reasons so rather keep extension cords out.  Medicines: many of us keep medication in the bathroom. Make sure they are all locked away, out of sight and out of reach.  Dangerous items: make sure you keep cosmetics, razor blades, nail scissors, cleaning products and other dangerous items away.  Don’t get distracted during bath time. Keep your phone on silent or rather keep it out of the bathroom and join in on the fun. You could also try having a shower with your child instead for some extra fun. My daughter loves this and the best part is that I manage to get cleaned up as well freeing up some time later in the evening for something else. Just make sure you get a slip-proof mat for the shower first. RESOURCES https://www.aappublications.org/news/2015/11/11/PPBath111115 https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000154.htm http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19596735 https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/124/2/541.long https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/100/4/e1.long?utm_source=TrendMD&utm_medium=TrendMD&utm_campaign=Pediatrics_TrendMD_0

April 9, 2019
Parenting Hub

Helping your teen to have a positive body image

A happy home environment can help your child to develop an internal sense of control and a positive sense of self that will equip them to avoid eating disorders. Teen body image refers to how adolescents perceive their bodies. It includes their feelings about their body and how they take care of it, and is an essential part of adolescent development. Teen body image is also closely linked to self-esteem, largely because society and the media place so much importance on the way we look. This focus on appearance contributes to teenage body image issues and teen eating disorders.  “An important challenge faced by teenagers is internal versus external locus of control,” says Linda Swanepoel, therapeutic manager and occupational therapist at Akeso Montrose Manor. “This means the extent to which a person believes they have the power over events in their lives. A person with an internal locus of control believes that they can influence events and their outcomes, while someone with an external locus of control blames outside forces for everything and seeks external approval and validation to feel good about themselves.” A healthy, confident child will learn to have an internal locus of control, but if the child is raised in a household where there is instability and chaos, and at times a lack of safety, they may learn an external locus of control.  “When a child is too young to have the resources to cope they soon learn that ‘if I can help mommy and daddy to feel better, I will feel better’. As they grow older, face more stress and carry the weight of expectations, their focus turns to pleasing or impressing others, rather than developing a sense of self.” Teenagers experience increased school and societal pressures at a time when significant changes are taking place in their bodies. Thus, if they have not learned to believe in their own resources to cope with life, their focus will be on what other people expect or think of them, rather than on how they feel about themselves.  “Eventually, everything they choose to do in their lives is dependent on assumptions they make about how they will be perceived by others,” Swanepoel adds. “Body image plays an important role in this too.” Why body positivity is important “Teenagers tend to see the concept of a ’middle path’ as average and boring, and Western society reinforces this all or nothing thinking. This leads to beliefs like you must have the perfect body, you must go to university and you must make money,” Swanepoel says.    “This is why body positivity is important,” Swanepoel explains. “If we can get our society to be more middle path thinkers, teenagers with an external locus of control may be able to be more realistic and accepting of themselves. With less stress and pressure, it is easier to listen to your own voice and develop your own sense of self.” Body image and weight risk factors Maintaining a weight lower than your natural set point, or trying to lose weight, immediately activates “all or nothing” thinking. It takes motivation, discipline and determination to restrict food intake, so teens develop strict rules and often the rewards are external (for example, praise from others).  “If you break a rule you’ve set for yourself, you feel weak and like a failure, and believe you are a greedy person,” says Swanepoel. “Greed, indulgence and selfishness are bad words in Western society, and can lead to guilt. Once the rules are broken, at risk teens tend to go off the rails and binge on forbidden foods. This may lead to secret eating rituals, comfort eating and avoidance of life, which may in turn lead to obesity.” According to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, people need to meet basic needs like food, sleep, water, health and safety before they can strive for self-esteem and self-actualisation.  “People who diet are depriving themselves of these needs in a drive for self-actualisation,” Swanepoel says. “They compromise their health, their relationships and their goals and aspirations as they become preoccupied by food, exercise and weight, becoming prisoners to their own habits.  They end up lonely, exhausted and feeling like a failure – and they hate their bodies no matter what size they are as perfection is unattainable. This is where depression, self-harm and suicide become possibilities.”   Look out for these warning signs Loss or gain of weight or fluctuating weight – often from bulimia – are the most common symptoms of eating disorder among teenagers Increased exercise and keeping busy all the time, as fear of boredom may lead to binge urges Avoiding social situations, as they have too many secrets to keep and need to stay in control Rigid thinking and ‘all or nothing’ thinking – judgemental, critical and catastrophising   Isolation Spending many hours on social media Spending time preparing food and baking for others, but not eating themselves Making excuses at meal times (I’m going to work in the library, I’ll get a take away lunch)   Many demands at restaurants – food rules become important (I’m gluten/lactose intolerant, I’m a vegetarian/vegan. I’m banting.  No carbs, no sauce and no salad dressing) Becoming angry and defensive when help is offered Wearing baggy clothes, usually in neutral colours – black, white, grey Spending time with people who are not matched to the teenager’s personality Depression, anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) symptoms. How can you help? Children need to feel safe so that they can focus on self rather than feeling responsible for others.  Swanepoel points out that it’s important to avoid the ‘drama triangle’ – perpetrator, victim and rescuer.   “This is when one parent complains to the child about the other parent. The child will feel the need to take sides and rescue, immediately starting the external locus of control cycle. This leads to low self-esteem, which can lead to body image problems, such as restricting  (trying to be perfect) or binging (as a result of avoidance). Parents need to work as a team

April 5, 2019
Bonitas – innovation, life stages and quality care

Pre-authorisation and payment: Do you know the difference?

Medical aid members know that pre-authorisation ahead of a medical procedure is always required but does pre-authorisation mean it’s an agreement to pay in full? No, not necessarily. This is the cause of a great deal of confusion and unhappiness from medical aid members as well as doctors and hospitals. Gerhard Van Emmenis, Principal Officer of Bonitas Medical Funds says, ‘Pre-authorisation is required for all hospital admissions, including emergencies. However, it is not an agreement to pay all the costs and expenses in full.’ Why not? Let’s take you through the Ts and Cs.  Why do they differ? Most medical aid plans have varying hospital benefits according the level of cover you have chosen. Van Emmenis says, ‘All of our plans provide hospital cover for major medical events when you or your dependant is admitted to hospital. But, each plan has different hospital benefits available. We encourage you to use the healthcare providers on our network and to get pre-authorisation for your hospital stay so the providers of your treatment or procedure are paid to the full extent of what your plan offers.’ Understanding your medical aid rate of payment‘ For example’, says Van Emmenis, ‘The Bonitas Rate is the rate at which we reimburse healthcare providers. Where we pay 100% of the Bonitas Rate, this is NOT necessarily what the healthcare provider charges. They may charge 200% of your medical aid rate which means you are responsible for half the payment. Each plan has a different rate according to the premium you pay. If you visit a healthcare provider that charges the Bonitas Rate, we will pay the bill in full (provided that you have benefits available). For this reason it is important to use designated service providers with whom Bonitas has negotiated rates.’ How much will your plan cover? If it is not an emergency the best way to find out how much your medical aid will cover is by asking the hospital and medical practitioners for a detailed quote.  Submit this to your medical aid to check what they will cover and how much the shortfall, if there is one, will be.   Co-payments The shortfall will be in the form of a co-payment. These co-payments differ from one medical aid scheme to another, and are often higher than anticipated, mostly due to medical practitioners and hospital charging higher than the medical aid rate. Minding the gap When there is this shortfall between what the medical scheme pays and what the hospital or specialist charges, it helps if you have taken out gap cover. Even if you have a top of the range medical aid plan, it doesn’t mean there will not be ‘gaps’ between the tariffs your scheme is prepared to pay and the amount your specialist charges. GAP cover is not a medical aid product but an insurance policy taken out to reduce or eliminate co-payments. Again the amount you receive depends on your GAP policy  It is important to note that Gap Cover is an insurance ‘policy’ and is regulated under the Long and Short Term Insurance Act (1998). Medical schemes, on the other hand, are overseen by the Council for Medical Schemes Act (1998) and are not for profit. Ensuring you are covered 1. Make sure you get a quote.  Medical aid members are advised to not only obtain pre-authorisation but a quote from the hospital and medical practitioners prior to being admitted to hospital (if it’s not an emergency).  Submit this to your medical aid to find out if there are any co-payments and if so, how much they are. 2. Find a hospital on your medical fund’s preferred network in order to ensure maximum payment 3. Make sure you fill in provide all information required for pre-authorisation correctly: Have your correct membership number and the details of the member who the request is for The date you are going into hospital and the date of  the treatment or procedure The name of the doctor who will be treating the member, their telephone number and practice number The name of the hospital where you will receive treatment, their telephone number and practice number The relevant procedure and diagnosis (ICD-10) codes for the treatment (ask your doctor for these) If your request for authorisation does not include all the information listed above, your request will not be approved. If your pre-authorisation is declined the reasons for doing so will be listed on the correspondence. If it is approved, you will receive a pre-authorisation number and this will also outline the approved length of your hospital stay and the status of all codes. However remember the pre-authorisation is not a commitment to pay the full amount.  4. Gap cover If you have Gap Cover, notify them of the co-payment required prior to being admitted to hospital as there are limits to the amount they will pay. What about emergencies? Emergencies must be pre-authorised within 48 hours of going into hospital or on the first working day after a weekend or public holiday. If you don’t get pre-authorisation, your account won’t be paid by the Scheme. ‘The most important thing’, says Van Emmenis, ‘is to find out, prior to being admitted, what your medical aid will pay and what payment you are responsible for. It will save a great deal of stress when you are recovering from surgery.’

April 5, 2019
OneAid

Top Choking Hazards For Babies and Toddlers

We recently went to a very popular restaurant for lunch and to my astonishment there were vending machines with gumballs and other small toys, right next to the jungle gym. This is a disaster waiting to happen! Children under 3 are at the highest risk of choking because their airways are so small. Plus, chewing and swallowing is a lot more difficult for them. They also love to put foreign objects in their mouths. There is a cylindrical tool in the US used to measure toy parts that is the same size as a young child’s throat. If a toy part fits into this cylinder it’s a choking hazard and a warning label has to appear on the toy packaging. Therefore any object smaller than 3 cm wide is a choking hazard for small children. WHAT IS A CHOKING HAZARD? Any object that can get caught in a child’s throat and block the airway is a choking hazard. TOP 10 HOUSEHOLD CHOKING HAZARDS Once your baby starts to crawl and explore, choking hazards are all of a sudden everywhere. Coins Small caps of bottles e.g. juice and water bottles Small round batteries Jewellery Buttons Toys and toy parts Balloons (uninflated or popped) Garden pebbles Nails and screws Stationary e.g. staples, paper clips and pen lids If you have older kids too, you should keep their toys separate and make sure they learn to pack their toys away. There are countless more choking hazards. You should probably get down on your knees and have a look at your child’s eye level. How many more choking hazards can you find? TOP 10 FOOD CHOKING HAZARDS Hotdogs, grapes and popcorn are the top 3 causes of choking in children under the age of 3. Young children have a hard time chewing their food since they lack the proper dentition (canines for tearing and molars for grinding). They are still trying to coordinate chewing, and as a result, often just swallow their food whole. This makes smooth, slippery, round and hard foods especially dangerous. The foods in the list below are not recommended for children under 4 years of age. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) goes even further and recommends that hotdogs, grapes and popcorn not be given to children until they are at least 5 years old. If you do however want to give your children some of these foods, then cut them in such a way that you change their round shape. Hotdogs should be cut lengthwise before slicing and skins of other sausages removed. Grapes and other round fruit should be cut into quarters. Whole grapes, cherry tomatoes and other round balls of fruit (blueberries are ok for toddlers as they are soft to chew) Hot dogs and other sausages Popcorn Tough, large pieces of meat Fruit pips and stones Nuts and seeds Hard round sweets and caramels Raw vegetables, especially carrots Marshmallows Chewing gum BE CAREFUL  Children can trip and choke more easily if playing and eating at the same time. Your child should not walk, run or lie down while eating. Children should not be distracted whilst eating. They must sit upright and concentrate on what they are doing. It is also not advisable to have your young child eat in their car seat whilst you’re driving. You might not even notice if they’re choking. You should always supervise your child when they are eating. It’s important that all parents and caregivers learn first aid for choking and CPR. There are many training academies that offer such courses around the country that are usually done over one day and will make you feel more confident when dealing with childhood emergencies. RESOURCES Altkorn, R. et al. (2008) Fatal and non-fatal food injuries among children (aged 0–14 years). International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology, [online] 72 pp. 1041—1046. Available from: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165587608001298[Accessed 24 October 2018]. CDC (2018) Choking Hazards [online]. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/infantandtoddlernutrition/foods-and-drinks/choking-hazards.html [Accessed 24 October 2018].

April 4, 2019
Parenting Hub

Are headphones damaging your hearing

If it’s too loud, you’re too old? No, more like too sensible… Headphones and earphones are the accessory of our times. They are affixed to our ears to deliver music or podcasts, to conduct telephone calls, to accompany a workout routine, or to drown out the conversation of colleagues in open-plan offices. But is all this in-ear noise safe? The answer, unfortunately, is “not really”, but you can take steps to prevent or reduce the harm of being plugged in all day. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), up to 1.1 billion teenagers worldwide are at risk of hearing loss from unsafe use of personal audio devices, including smartphones, and exposure to damaging levels of sound at noisy entertainment venues. Of course, it’s not just teenagers who are at risk – anyone who is exposed to harmful noise levels can suffer the same hearing damage. The WHO points out that hearing loss has potentially devastating consequences for physical and mental health, education and employment. How headphones damage your hearing Sound waves travel into your ears and cause the eardrum to vibrate. This vibration is then transmitted to the inner ear via several small bones. In the inner ear, the vibrations reach the cochlea, a fluid-filled chamber that has thousands of small hairs that are moved by the vibrations. It is the movement of these hairs that enables us to hear sound. If you listen to loud sounds, the hairs move more, and if you listen to loud sounds for too long, the hairs can lose their sensitivity to vibration, or become damaged. While it is possible for the hairs to recover over time from a single instance of loud noise, repeatedly listening to sounds that are too loud and for too long can result in permanent damage and hearing loss. Preventing damage To avoid headphone-related hearing damage, the WHO strongly recommends the following: Restrict the daily use of personal audio devices to less than one hour. Limit the time spent on noisy activities by taking short listening breaks (a time when you listen to nothing). Audiologists also recommend: Turn down the volume. If you are listening through headphones and you can’t hear any of the noise around you, then your volume is too loud and is damaging your ears. Use over-the-ear headphones rather than in-ear earphones, as they increase the distance between the source of the noise and your eardrums, reducing the chance of damage. Even better, if you are listening at home or in the car, play your music or other media over a speaker, at moderate volume. If you are planning to be in a loud-noise environment, take a headphone break for most of the day so that your ears haven’t already been damaged by sound. How do I know if there’s hearing damage?  If you experience any of the warning signs of hearing loss, visit a doctor or audiologist immediately, and get regular hearing check-ups so that if hearing is being lost, action can be taken. The signs of hearing loss include: the muffling of some sounds, difficulty understanding words especially when there is background noise, trouble hearing consonants, increasingly asking people to repeat themselves, needing to turn up the volume on the television, radio or device, withdrawing from conversations, or avoiding social situations. Safeguard your hearing While listening to music at loud volumes may be cool and fun and being permanently plugged into a set of phones is just the way life is, a permanent loss of hearing can affect your quality of life forever. Rather take the steps to prevent hearing damage and enjoy existing in a hearing world for as long as possible. How long to listen It’s not just volume but time spent listening to sound that is damaging to your ears. Here is a useful guide to how long you can listen to noises at certain volumes: By 1Life

April 3, 2019
Breastpumps and Beyond

Electronic vs. Manual Breast Pumps: Which Works For You?

Many people debate over whether they need an electric or manual breast pump. Truth be told, there is no right side to this discussion. Both manual and electronic breast pumps have their purpose within the breastfeeding world. Knowing which best suits your lifestyle is the key question one should be asking. We shall discuss this below, so read on ow to see which pump best suits your needs. Electric Breast Pumps The electric breast pump has been in production since 1991. This was introduced to the world by the Swiss company, Medela, who managed to produce the first ever electric-powered, vacuum operated breast pump. From then on, the electronic pump has grown exponentially, with hundred of suppliers and models available. But what are the advantages to having an electronic pump? The Pros Of The Electronic Breast Pump It is time efficient – taking less time than a manual pump to express This type of pump requires less effort to use than a manual pump There is a wider variety of models to choose from, including hospital grade pumps Offer you the option of hiring – please note however, only hospital grade pumps can be rented from a professional supplier The Cons Of The Electronic Breast Pump These types of pumps are a lot pricier than any manual The electronic pump is far nosier than a manual pump Some electric models can be intricate to sterilize Generally, these pumps are more difficult to transport than a manual If you buy a mains operated pump, you will be reliant on a plug outlet to do your pumping Manual Breast Pumps The manual pump has been around since the late 19th century, first being patented in the States. There is a reason this magical little appliance has endured through the century – even with the introduction of the electronic breast pump.  The Pros Of The Manual Breast Pump Cost effective – this type of pup is far more affordable for the everyday mum The manual pump is light weight and compact, making it easy to carry on the go The manual pump is incredibly quiet to use The pump is also really simple to operate This pump requires no electricity, meaning you can use it any time, any where The Cons Of The Manual Breast Pump This type of pump operates slower than the electronic counterpart Sometimes finding a regular pumping rhythm can be challenging Manual pumping can tire your hands In Conclusion As you can see, both electronic and manual breast pumps have their pros and cons. If you are a mom pressed for time with a bust schedule, your best bet would be to invest in an electronic pump. However, if you’re looking for an affordable, easy t use and transport breast pump, the manual version will serve you just fine! Stand a chance to win a Medela Harmony Manual Pump this month! See our competition page for more now.

April 2, 2019
Mia Von Scha

SPECIAL NEEDS OR NEEDING SOMETHING SPECIAL

My children simply did not fit into the mainstream schooling system. They’re both very bright and along with that come some eccentricities that often get  labelled as problems within a very structured environment where children are expected to be alike, fit within the system and not stand out or cause waves. My ten year old once explained it like this: “I’m like a puzzle piece that’s been put in the wrong box… I don’t fit anywhere. There’s no place for me.” That’s quite a tough feeling for a small child to bear. And it isn’t that there’s something wrong with her, although within that system that was exactly the message she was getting. There are many children struggling in school who don’t need to be placed in remedial classes. They need something special, but they’re not exactly special needs. They would thrive in a different environment but not that one. I have nothing against remedial education. It is fantastic in the right circumstances. But a child who is simply in the wrong place and is then moved to a remedial class where there are really special needs kids can look around and label themselves. They end up thinking there is something wrong with them. These kids will generally fly if homeschooled or placed in a good cottage school or Montessori or within the Cambridge system where they have the freedom to work at their own pace and fill in the gaps they missed by being in the wrong environment.  For some, the box is simply too small to contain them. For others, it’s the noise levels. Some children are visual or kinesthetic learners and don’t respond to lectures. Most children don’t learn at the predetermined pace of the SA education system. Every child is unique – the exact reason that standardized education is failing. Nobody is standard. The trouble is if kids keep being pushed to move onto the next thing without mastering the previous stage then they end up with huge gaps in their foundational knowledge which will cause the whole structure to come crashing down at some point. That’s the point they pick up the label. Or if they learn faster than the system they get bored and restless and get labelled as ADHD or ODD (Oppositional Defiant that is, not odd – although they can be labelled as odd too!) If there is a problem with learning don’t necessarily assume that the problem is with your child. It might be. But it might not. And you are their advocate until they can stand up for themselves. You need to question and explore alternatives and not necessarily take the word of those in educational authority as fact. Only a few children really thrive within the schooling system. Most do not. Your child may genuinely be a special needs child – with Autism or dyslexia or serious processing difficulties and for these children the special needs schools and classrooms can make a huge difference to their ability to learn and develop with the appropriate assistance. But if your child is simply in need of something special – a smaller class, a more nurturing environment, a faster or slower pace, or a different style of teaching – then you need to look beyond the special needs class to any of the amazing alternatives that exist. Every child deserves to feel that there is a puzzle that they will fit in to!

March 28, 2019
Impaq

MIGHT MY CHILD HAVE ADHD?

If you are wondering about the answer to this question, then it’s most likely that your child is in preschool and not primary school because by the time children are in a more formal school setting with all the demands of sitting at a desk, having a school structure etc., issues of ADHD have already started to present themselves or been diagnosed.  Nearly all preschool-aged children display the core behaviours or symptoms of ADHD – inattention, distractibility, impulsivity and hyperactivity – as part of their normal development. However, as other children gradually begin to grow out of such behaviours, children with ADHD do not and this difference becomes clearer the older the child gets. So, when looking at the preschool child (three/four-year-olds), it’s easy for parents to feel confused about whether their child’s pattern of activity and behaviour is typical or whether it’s atypical. The signs and symptoms of ADHD are the same for preschoolers as they are for older children with ADHD – struggling to pay attention, getting bored and distracted quickly, being fidgety, restless or very active, having difficulty waiting and taking their turn, and engaging in risk-taking behaviour. The difference for ADHD is the degree of the symptoms.  The key is to discover whether the child’s behaviour is developmentally age appropriate or not. For instance, one parent observed her child in free play at the end of the school day. She noted that her son ran around wildly and didn’t listen to the teacher’s instructions to “play safe”; when the other children were settling down after activities her son couldn’t and seemed to get more hyped up; when other children were listening to a story being read, her son was rolling around and playing with toys. Although diagnostically children with ADHD may be diagnosed as young as four years old, usually from teacher reports, assessment on the Conners Comprehensive Behavior Rating Scales™, and collateral evidence from parents, the following questions may help a parent to develop some answers. Is the behaviour I observe in my child similar to that of other children he encounters; is the behaviour I expect of my child developmentally appropriate for his/her age, do I see a pattern of behaviour when my child engages in various activities, do I see a pattern of behaviour in various settings? To be diagnosed with ADHD, a child must have a specified number of symptoms for at least six months that occur in more than one area of life, e.g. at home AND at school. However, diagnosed or not, until the age of five, medication cannot be prescribed. The best treatment plan is behavioural therapy/play therapy for the child as well as parent training to help parents understand ADHD and best manage the ADHD child so that they can function optimally at home and at school. Lorian Phillips is a clinical psychologist and has been in private practice for the last 21 years. She also parents two ADD/ADHD sons and due to her challenges with her boys, she was motivated to find more constructive ways of dealing with them. This led to her parenting her boys differently and when she saw the results of her alternative parenting style, she developed a parenting course for parents of ADD/ADHD children. The successful course has been running for the past six years. In addition, Lorian also consults with parents in her private practice to offer guidance and support in working with ADHD children. She has spoken at various schools to help teachers manage the ADHD child in the classroom and has given many talks on parenting the ADHD child including an appearance on 5FM’s Weekend Play Date where she spoke about ADHD management. You can read her parenting blog called ADHD Parenting on her Facebook page. Lorian Phillipa writes for Impaq. Impaq provides innovative and accessible education solutions.

March 27, 2019
Parenting Hub

Pregnancy and Gestational Diabetes, What You Need to Know

Pregnancy is one of the most life-altering experiences for a woman. Pregnancy Awareness Week takes place from 10 to 16 February to strengthen pregnancy education and stress the important issues that promote a healthy pregnancy and safe motherhood1. This year Life Healthcare is focusing on educating women about gestational diabetes. Pregnancy can result in various risks for both mother and baby, the most prevalent of these risks is gestational diabetes, a condition in which a woman without diabetes develops high blood sugar levels during pregnancy. Pregnancy can affect the way a woman’s body processes sugar due to a high volume of hormones produced by the placenta. These hormones block the body’s ability to produce insulin that moves the sugar from the bloodstream into the body’s cells. “Gestational diabetes is most common from 20 weeks of pregnancy and is rarely diagnosed before this. Identifying the signs and symptoms of gestational diabetes isn’t always easy as they are nonspecific, however, a urine test, which is then followed up with a fasting blood test, can ascertain whether an expectant mother has this condition,” explains Dr Liz Radloff, Obstetrician/Gynaecologist at Life Wilgers Hospital. Risk factors for diabetes include being over the age of 25 years, being overweight, having conditions that cause insulin resistance, such as polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), and having high blood pressure prior to pregnancy. Gestational diabetes can result in various complications for both mother and baby, including a higher than normal birth weight, preterm labour and low blood sugar in the infant2. “Nutrition is critically important for an expectant mother and child and will assist in decreasing the risk of developing gestational diabetes. It is important for pregnant women to adopt a healthy, balanced diet and establish a regular exercise routine that is overseen and approved by their specialist. It is not recommended that women who are overweight attempt to lose weight once they have fallen pregnant. If weight loss is required, consulting with your specialist and a dietician will ensure that this is done safely to minimise the risk of complications,” explains Dr Radloff. Should diet and exercise fail in managing this condition, medication in oral or injectable forms may be necessary to manage high sugar levels. Generally, gestational diabetes clears after birth, however, mothers who have been diagnosed during pregnancy are likely to develop type 2 diabetes later. If a pregnant woman has gestational diabetes, her risk of type 2 diabetes after pregnancy rises. It is therefore recommended that mothers follow the same diet and exercise plan once their babies have been born. It is vital that expectant mothers listen to their bodies to avoid the risk of developing complications such as gestational diabetes. Life Healthcare places great importance on appointing a qualified and skilled healthcare practitioner to assist and monitor development during pregnancy. The correct medical assistance from a certified healthcare provider will ensure both mother and baby are kept healthy and safe during pregnancy. “Gestational diabetes can be a worrying diagnosis for an expectant mother. However, by managing the condition with your obstetrician/gynaecologist and making well-informed decisions related to your diet and exercise, risks can be mitigated, and expectant mothers can look forward to delivering healthy babies,” concludes Dr Radloff. For more information on pregnancy and pregnancy-related symptoms and developments visit our pregnancy guide in the link below: https://www.lifehealthcare.co.za/media/1567/pregnancy-guide-v2.pdf

March 27, 2019
Mia Von Scha

LETTING GO OF THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS

Behind most things that we want, at the core of what we think we are looking for, is this one elusive word, “happiness”. We want to be happy, we want our kids to be happy, we want to be happy in our careers, we want to have happy families. Have we ever stopped to ask ourselves what happiness actually is? Do we even know what we’re asking for? And if we did, would we still want it? In order to understand happiness, we have to start by looking at the raw experience of emotion. The next time you feel any emotion, close your eyes and observe it. Imagine that you could remove the label from it and just see it in its raw state as a baby might experience it. What you’ll notice when you close your eyes is that you are instantly transported into a never-ending internal space and emotion is something that arises within this space. All that emotion is, is a movement of energy in this vast space. It may feel fast or slow, smooth or prickly, quiet or loud, distant or in-your-face. It may move upwards or downwards, be constricting or expansive, it may even have a shape or a colour.  When you begin to observe your internal world, you’ll see that all emotions are simply movements of energy in this inner space, each one with a different movement, frequency or intensity. There is nothing in this movement that tells you that this is happiness or anger or sadness or boredom or excitement or anxiety or peace. There is nothing in the movement of energy that tells you that this is a ‘bad’ or a ‘good’ emotion. Each one is simply a different movement of energy once you view it without the label that you have applied to it. In fact, if you watch carefully you’ll see that without the label, it is very difficult to distinguish between boredom and peace, or between excitement and anxiety. The difference between a ‘bad’ and a ‘good’ emotion lies in the label and in the story that our minds attach to the experience. So, knowing this, then what is happiness? It is simply one movement of energy in inner space. We may experience it as smooth, quiet energy, but there is nothing in that movement that makes it better energy than one that is loud and spiky or one that is fast and expansive. What we’re saying when we say we want to always be happy is that we only want to experience one movement of energy for the rest of our lives. Like only watching one movie for the rest of your life, or listening to one song, or eating one type of food, or hanging out with only one friend. Is that really what you want? We have a variety of emotions to make life interesting, diverse, fun. There is a richness to our experience as humans because of our range of emotional energies, not in spite of them. What most people call happiness I call flatlining. What I believe we are all really looking for is fulfilment – that state of pursuing something so meaningful to you that you enjoy both the ups and downs, the highs and lows; the full range of emotional expression. That is a life worth living, that is a career worth pursuing, that is a family goal worth having, and that is what we need to be teaching our kids. Let go of the pursuit of happiness. Pursue your dreams and enjoy the roller coaster of an experience that comes with that pursuit!

March 26, 2019
OneAid

Don’t Be Scared, Be Prepared

Oneaid focuses on preventing and reducing the risk of childhood injuries. Through blog posts and social media Oneaid offers you, as parents and caregivers, useful information and helpful tips on how to keep your little ones healthy and safe.  OneAid by Dr Carmen Becoming a parent is one of the most challenging and liberating experiences anyone can go through. There is no amount of research, childcare books or magazines that will prepare you for parenthood. For most parents keeping their little ones safe and making sure they have few accidents as possible can be extremely stressful. It was, for this reason, Dr Carmen – mother and Doctor – created OneAid.  Dr Carmen is a medical doctor with over 10 years experience in accident and emergency medicine, and is also a mom to a beautiful, baby girl. She has a Masters degree in Public Health and is passionate about disease prevention and health education.  Social Media In Healthcare Almost 90% of adults have used social media to look for and share health information. Dr Carmen believes that healthcare needs to go digital and more healthcare professionals should be taking advantage of its broad reach. Social media can be an effective tool to get information to the public and promote health and safety.  OneAid creates engaging fun content on social media to provide information and tips relating to various public health issues in an effort to spark up conversations to drive behaviour change and education.  For a little daily advice on childhood safety issues readers can also subscribe to the OneAid newsletter. The MiniKit by Dr Carmen Cuts, scrapes and burns are common injuries to expect as our little ones gain more confidence in this world. Having a first aid kit on hand can help reduce the risk of infection or the severity of the injury. It also teaches our kids the right thing to do when they hurt themselves.  Dr Carmen has designed and developed the MiniKit, a mini first aid kit geared towards common childhood injuries. This is available in two colours – red and yellow and includes first aid essentials such as plasters, burn gels, dressings and more. Plus, the MiniKit’s small size makes it fit perfectly into any nappy or handbag, so parents are always prepared, even on the go. Through its fun and colourful design, Dr Carmen hopes to get little ones engaged and involved in the first aid experience. But that’s not all. Inside each MiniKit you will find a detailed first aid pocket guide that features simple, easy to follow steps on what to do when your child has had a minor accident or fall. By following the guide’s steps, parents can take the necessary action when dealing with broken bones or burns for example, and will now know which medical materials to use.  Ordering Your MiniKit Whether you are buying the MiniKit for yourself or as a baby shower gift, it’s really easy to order. All you need to do is visit the OneAid website on www.oneaid.co.za and browse through the products page. Add your products to your cart and checkout when you are done. There is no need to open up any accounts.  You can also purchase the pocket guide, which can be downloaded straight onto your phone. If you buy the MiniKit this download will be available to you for free.  “Accidents are just that, they happen unintentionally and unexpectedly. With the right information, we can try and reduce the incidence of these accidents.” – Dr Carmen

March 22, 2019
Parenting Hub

Do you worry about your child and cyberbullying?

As digital continues to grow and influence the day to day lives of children, and with the new school year already underway, do you find yourself worrying about the risks your children may face online, especially when it comes to cyberbullying? And do you feel that you know enough about cyberbullying – the signs, the various forms and what measures you can put in place – to not only protect your children but to be able to help them if they face this very real issue? “Despite the many benefits the digital world offers, an unfortunate challenge many parents face today is that they don’t always realise when children are being impacted by cyberbullying,” says Riaan Badenhorst, General Manager for Kaspersky Lab Africa. “This is in no way a reflection on parenting styles, but rather the result of not understanding the different types of cyberbullying that exist and with that, the proactive steps that can be put into place to help protect children from this very dangerous and growing online threat. There are many forms of cyberbullying, and getting a grip on these can assist parents in not only having a better understanding for themselves but to also educate their children on what to look out for.” Forms of cyberbullying: Exclusion – is the deliberate act of leaving someone out – like when a child is excluded from friends’ parties or activities. It can also occur when a child’s friends are having online conversations and tagging other friends but not them. Outing – involves the deliberate act of embarrassing or publicly humiliating a child or group of children, online, through the posting of private, personal, sensitive or embarrassing information, without the child’s permission to do so. Outing can happen in a variety of ways and parents should consider that even reading out aloud a child’s saved message(s) from their mobile phone can be considered a form of outing. Fraping – involves the act of someone logging into someone else’s social networking accounts and impersonating that person by posting inappropriate content, using their name. Parents are likely to be familiar with this type of bullying, as they may have personally experienced it, often in a joking manner. Unfortunately for children, however, it is more than often not a joke. Fraping can lead to repetitional damage and have serious consequences. ‘Google never forgets’ – and so anything posted online is never fully gone, even after it is deleted. Trolling – is a deliberate act of provoking a response through the use of insults or bad language on online forums and social networking sites. A troll aims to personally attack a child, in the hopes that the child becomes angry enough to act in the same way, to get a reaction – and then possibly looks to use it against the child, to get them into trouble at school or with an adult. Catfishing – is when another person steals a child’s online identity and photos, and creates new or alternative social networking profiles, for misleading purposes. A catfish is someone who wants to hide who they really are and does this through creating a fake persona, using images and information they found (and stole) online. Harassment – is sustained, constant and intentional bullying that involves abusive or threatening messages sent to a child or group of children. The messages are mostly malicious and aimed at attacking a child’s confidence and self-esteem. Continues Badenhorst; “All forms of cyberbullying should be perceived by parents/guardians of children as very dangerous and therefore requires immediate attention, as any type of cyberbullying can have massive implications to a child’s well-being.” How parents/guardians can help: Kaspersky Lab offers a few guidelines that can be followed by parents/guardians, as a means to help children deal with cyberbullying: It is important that parents/guardians are tolerant of the situation and do not ‘overreact’ leaving the child feeling scared and embarrassed. Cyberbullying can take some time to fix and so being open and talking through the issue with your child, showing support, can be beneficial in dealing with the problem. Be open and talk about cyberbullying with your children – using things like TV programmes as teachable moments around bullying and online behaviour. Ask them their views on cyberbullying and talk through these. Parents/guardians should be conversation starters on the topic – don’t wait for your child to raise the matter – look for signs of cyberbullying as the earlier the matter is picked up the faster it can be dealt with. Monitor your children’s online activities. Understand what they do on social networks, which platforms they use and who their friends are online. It’s not about ‘policing’ their behaviour, but monitoring is important. Explain to your children that they should alert you as the parent, or alert a trusted adult, if they are being cyber-bullied – that they will not be judged but can seek the right help to fix the issue. Ensure they understand that cyberbullying is not okay – and that it is better to talk up and report it so that the right help can be initiated. Do not take your child’s mobile device away or disconnect their devices from the Internet – this will only frustrate them – rather talk to them and help them with the challenge and monitor their mobile time and use, depending on their age. Educate children about basic online security rules – what can and should not be shared – and privacy guidelines. Ensure their social media pages are set on private, encourage them to only connect with people they know (friends and family) and talk to them about the types of images they share online. Make use of applications, such as Kaspersky Safe Kids, to help you manage your children’s screen time and use of certain apps. Such a solution allows you to set rules for website access, ensuring that sites with harmful content can be blocked. It also uses a GPS tracker, meaning that you can locate your children’s

March 21, 2019
OneAid

Tips For Choosing The Right High Chair

Before going out and buying a high chair it’s important to know the safety requirements. A US study found that more than 9 400 children, aging three years and younger, were treated each year for high chair related injuries in emergency rooms from 2003 to 2010. That’s one child every hour!  Nearly all of these injuries were as a result of a fall where the child either climbed in or out of the chair or stood in it. Majority of the injuries seen were head injuries (37%) then bumps and bruises (33%) followed by lacerations (19%). Most of us use our high chairs in the dining room or kitchen where the flooring is usually hard, so you can imagine the impact this has on a small brain.  This has prompted the US to update their safety standards (unfortunately there are no available statistics for South Africa). From mid-2019 all high chairs in the US will have to have a passive crotch restraint and a three-point restraint system, which means there has to be a fixed post that sits between a child’s legs and restraints that are fixed to the high chair in three different places. They found that children were able to slip out the bottom of a high chair and hope a fixed post will prevent this.  High chairs are not recommended for children younger than 6 months of age. A child is only ready for a chair once they have good head and neck control and are able to sit up on their own. If one is used too early a child could experience positional asphyxia. You may however, be able to start a little sooner with a reclining high chair. CHOOSING THE RIGHT HIGH CHAIR Framework: choose a high chair that is sturdy. Put some weight on it and see if it squeaks, deforms or moves or collapses. Gaps: make sure there are no gaps your child can slip out of. Also chair-related check for gaps that little fingers can get caught in.  Harness: choose a high chair with either a three-point or five-point harness that includes a crotch strap or a post. The restraint should go over the shoulders, around the waist and if a five-point harness then between the legs.   Wide base: a high chair becomes top heavy when your child is in. Choosing a chair with a wide base will make it more stable so that it does not tip easily.  Wheels: if you choose a high chair with wheels, make sure they can be locked when the chair is in use. Folding locks: if the high chair folds check that the locks work well enough so that the chair cannot fall or collapse when in use. Joints: choose a high chair with metal joints. These are stronger than plastic, which can crack after time. Safety standards: make sure the high chair meets current safety standards and has been approved by an international safety authority.  BOOSTER SEATS AND HOOK-ON SEATS  Please be careful when you use these chairs. If not used correctly these seats can be dangerous.  Hook-on seat: These chairs are mounted directly onto a table and should only be used once your baby has good head and neck control and can sit upright. The mounts must be slip resistant and because this seat carries the entire weight of your baby the table has to be strong so that it does not tip over.  Booster seat: These seats are attached to normals chair by straps to raise a child’s height. They are usually used when a child has outgrown the high chair but is not quite tall enough to sit at the table unaided. They should also have straps to keep your child in the seat.  KEEPING YOUR CHILD SAFE IN A HIGH CHAIR  Never leave your child unsupervised when they are in a high chair.  Always use the safety straps when your child sits in the chair, even if only for a few minutes. The tray is not a restraint. If the chair folds, make sure it is locked each time you set the chair up. If the chair has wheels, make sure they are locked each time you set the chair up. Never allow your child to stand in the high chair. Do not place the high chair near a counter or table. Your child may be able to push against the surface and cause the chair to tip over.  Don’t allow older children to climb or play on the high chair while another child is seated in it because it could tip over. Position the high chair at its lowest possible height if this is adjustable.  Make sure potential hazards such as hot food, drink and sharp cutlery are out of reach.  When choosing a high chair opt for an age-appropriate one with plenty of safety features. It’s also important to check often for recalls once you have purchased your chair. High chairs are commonly recalled because of their safety issues. Recent recalls include the Skip Hop Tuo convertible high chair and the Graco Table2Table 6-in-1. You can check http://www.recalls.gov to see if your high chair has been recalled.  RESOURCES https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0009922813510599 http:// https://www.nationwidechildrens.org/newsroom/news-releases/2013/12/new-study-finds-24-children-a-day-are-treated-in-us-emergency-departments-for-high-chair-related

March 20, 2019
Impaq

Cyberbullying

Bullies have always existed. However, in the digital age, the bullying we are seeing is worse than ever before. This is largely for two reasons: firstly, before we all had smartphones, a victim of bullying could go home from school and have some sort of break. Now, bullying is round the clock. Secondly, the type of content being shared is troubling as people say things behind a screen that they would never say to someone’s face. Moreover, the consequences of cyberbullying are more prevalent – in South Africa, we are seeing increased incidences of depression, anxiety and behaviour related to self-harm and even suicide as a direct result of cyberbullying. When it comes to cyberbullying, anonymity is the root of all evil – people seem to think they can get away with saying whatever they want when they hide behind the veil of online anonymity. We are seeing the worst kinds of bullying taking place on anonymous apps such as Qooh.me or through anonymous profiles created on apps such as Instagram. We are seeing a lot of naming and shaming, direct personal attacks, slut shaming, fat shaming, pressuring others to send nudes, and revenge pornography. Although terrible content is shared on anonymous platforms, the truth is that any platform can be open to abuse. Some platforms are simply better than others at removing offensive content. What to do if you are being bullied If YOU are being bullied: Tell a trusted adult (a parent, guardian or teacher). Take screenshots to keep as evidence. BLOCK the bully.  If you are aware that someone else is being bullied: Don’t join in (this includes commenting and sharing harmful content) and leave a WhatsApp group that hosts abusive content. Report bullying to a trusted adult (a parent, guardian or teacher). What legal options are available if you are being bullied?  If you know the identity of the bully, and the bullying is sufficiently severe to the extent that it can be said to cause you mental, emotional or psychological harm (or inspire the belief that harm could be caused), one mechanism available is to apply for a Protection Order under the Protection from Harassment Act. Almost all social media platforms have a reporting function that allows the possibility for damaging content to be removed.  Finally, the Cybercrimes Bill, which will hopefully become law soon, has codified a lot of crimes relating to online activities. Specifically, its chapter on malicious communications criminalises the creation or distribution of “a data message” that incites the causing of any damage to property belonging to, or violence against, a person or group of persons which is harmful or intimate in nature, and which is distributed without the consent of the person involved. This would include a lot of content that we are loosely defining as cyberbullying.

March 20, 2019
Bonitas – innovation, life stages and quality care

Medical tax rebates stable after budget speech

Private medical aid members can breathe a sigh of relief after the budget speech. Treasury has been hinting for a while that they were considering reducing of the medical tax credit to fund the National Health Insurance (NHI), fortunately, it remains unchanged for the year ahead. Although it was a relief to members it was also a surprise tax sacrifice, considering the need to fund NHI. This equates to over R30 billion this year and around R35/36 billion for the coming year – a large sum indeed.  It is believed the removal of tax credits would have upset too many people who are dependent on it to access private health care and are essentially being rewarded for not burdening the government health care. Before 2012, SARS deducted your medical aid contributions against your taxable income. ‘Originally,’ says Gerhard Van Emmenis, Principal Officer of Bonitas Medical Fund, ‘your medical aid contributions would be a deduction against your taxable income. However, from 2012, SARS introduced a medical credit, a ‘tax credit’ which is deducted from your overall tax liability.’ The medical tax credit consists of the following two amounts: The medical scheme fees tax credit This applies to the premiums paid by you to a registered medical scheme on behalf of yourself and your dependents. The main member, as well as the first dependant on the medical scheme, receive a monthly tax credit of R310 (for the 2018-2019 year).  All additional dependants receive a monthly tax credit of R209 (for the 2018-2019 tax year). There are three categories: 1. Under 65 (without disability) 25% of the total contributions paid to the medical scheme  Less (4X medical scheme fees credit) Plus qualifying medical expenses paid less 7.5% of taxable income 2. Under 65 (with a disability) 33.3% of total contributions paid to the medical scheme Less (3X medical scheme fees credit)  Plus qualifying medical expenses paid  3. 65 or over (with or without disability)  33.3% of total contributions paid to the medical scheme Less (3X medical scheme fees credit)   Plus qualifying medical expenses  It is important to note that if your premium is a deduction from your salary or wages, your employer is obliged to use the credit system to adjust your monthly PAYE tax accordingly. If you contribute to a medical scheme independently from your employer, you will receive the tax credit on assessment when you complete your tax return.  2. The additional medical expenses tax credit This means that the overall amount of tax you need to pay at the end of the tax year is reduced. The amount of your tax rebate is made up of a percentage of all out-of-pocket expenses you have spent on qualifying medical expenses that weren’t covered by your medical scheme. This amount accumulates throughout the tax year. You will need to keep the slips for these expenses. To calculate the additional medical expenses tax credit, special formulas are used. The specific formula to use depends on your age and whether you or one or more of your dependants has a disability. The following out-of-pocket expenses qualify: Consultations, services or medications from a registered medical practitioner, arthropod, physiotherapist, dentist, chiropractor, herbalist, homoeopath, optometrist, osteopath or naturopath Admission to a registered hospital, including nursing homes Care at patient’s home by a registered nurse, nursing assistant, nursing agency or midwife Medicines prescribed by a duly registered physician (as listed above) and acquired from a duly registered pharmacist Medical expenses on services rendered or medicines supplied outside of South Africa and which are substantially similar to the services and medicines listed above Money paid towards the treatment of a physical impairment or disability (as long as it is a qualifying expense prescribed by the Commissioner). What about over-the-counter expenses It is important to note that unless these are prescribed by a registered medical practitioner and acquired by a pharmacist they don’t enjoy a tax rebate. Examples include medicines, such as cough syrups, headache tablets or vitamins.  ‘Whether NHI is going to materialise or not’, says Van Emmenis, ‘The Government’s coffers need filling and the approximately 17% of the South African population on private medical should expect their medical aid tax relief to get less and less in the future.’ 

March 15, 2019
Parenting Hub

Review: OneAid Mini First Aid Kit

There is no doubt that we all need a good First-Aid Kit in the home, the car, your handbag…. You name it, children always seem to find scrapes and burns when you least expect it.  We are absolutely in love with the MiniKit by OneAid. Developed by a mother who just happens to be a medical doctor with years of experience in the trauma room, every consideration has been made in this handy first aid kit.  Firstly, it wraps up small. Small enough to fit in your handbag, diaper bag or to keep inside your motor vehicle.  The kit comprises of: 2) Pairs of gloves (latex-free) (1) Hand disinfectant (2) First aid dressing (1) Conforming bandage (1) Triangular bandage (1) Sterile gauze (1) Sterile dressing pad (12) Assorted plasters (1) Burn gel (1) Burn dressing (4) cotton buds (1) Antiseptic solution (2) Antiseptic ointment (1) First aid scissors (1) Metal tweezers (1) Adhesive tape (1) Syringe (5ml) (3) Reward stickers Available in Red or Yellow Don’t miss out on this amazing first aid kit, you certainly will not be sorry! Retail price is R395 and can be purchased online at www.oneaid.co.za

March 8, 2019
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