Health News and Information

“Edith is eight and wants to go to one of those sports camps where they do gymnastics, work on the bars and the trampolines. Should I let her go?”
Everyone who exercises on a trampoline should be carefully supervised. If Edith is having frequent seizures, whether they are big seizures or staring spells, it’s preferable that she not fall great distances. So she probably should not work on a high bar—or climb trees, either. However, if her seizures are controlled, if she continues to take her medicine, then her chances of injury are not much greater than the other children’s. All child gymnasts need a soft place to land. It does not have to be softer for children with epilepsy. There should, of course, be mats and appropriate protection, both for any child who makes a mistake and for the child who might have a seizure.
“Bobbie wants to go out for cheerleading. They do all sorts of acrobatic stunts. What do you think?”
Surprisingly, cheerleading, which we think of as a girls’ sport, probably presents the greatest risk of injury of any high school sport. In the past there were no coaches, no training, no rules—and hard gym floors. The least coordinated individual used to be placed on the top of the pyramid! That’s dumb, for the individual with epilepsy and for the one without. With adequate coaching and training, cheerleading should be no more risky for someone with controlled epilepsy than for the child who hasn’t had seizures.
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Friends and relatives can be a wonderful source of support and inspiration for you. Some of them will show great sensitivity and understanding and will help you through trying times almost instinctively. Other people – most people, in fact – will look to you for direction. You must let them know that you value their friendship and company, and you must show them how they can support you when times are hard. If you must decline a social invitation because of your arthritis, be sure to let people know that you want to be included in future get-togethers.
Friends and relatives can also be a tremendous source of irritation. Remember, there are many, many people who do not know much about RA. Although most people mean well, they may say the wrong thing. Our recommendation is to use private humor as a way to cope with “the dumb comment” or the thoughtless statement. So, when someone makes a dumb comment, think about how you wish you could respond . . . then wait a few seconds . . . and instead make a constructive response to your friend or relative. Here are some ideas:
The should have comment: “You should have exercised more or you wouldn’t have arthritis.”
Think: “You should have gone to charm school.”
Say. “That’s an interesting hypothesis. Although exercise is important, its absence hasn’t been shown to be linked to the development of rheumatoid arthritis.”
The should comment: “You should drink six pints of apricot juice each day to cure your arthritis.”
Think: “You should learn that silence can be golden.” Say: “A balanced diet is very important for all people, including those with rheumatoid arthritis.”
The could have comment: “You should feel lucky, you could have developed cancer.”
Think: “I do feel lucky, you could have been someone whose opinion mattered to me.”
Say: “I do feel good that I have a condition I can cope with successfully.”
The I’ve got a relative with arthritis comment: “My third cousin twice removed has that kind of arthritis and she’s crippled.”
Think: “I wish you were twice removed from me.”
Say: “Did you know that there are more than one hundred types of arthritis? With early treatment and therapy, few people with arthritis today develop serious handicaps.”
The brilliant observer: “Did you know that your hands are swollen?” Think: “Thank you for the brilliant observation, Einstein.”
Say: “Yes, I did. Thank you for your concern.”
The doting relative: “Serve your sister her dinner! Can’t you see she has arthritis?”
Think: “Would you mind chewing and swallowing it for me, too?” Say: “Mom, I appreciate your concern, but I would really like to do the things I can do alone. There will be things I’ll need assistance with in the future, and I’m glad that I can count on all of you for your help.”
Get the idea? You’ll probably be surprised at the type of comment that will pop into your head in these circumstances. Thinking silently of a humorous response is a good way to ventilate your annoyance without alienating the person who makes a thoughtless comment. Remember, most people are trying to be supportive. Be patient and direct them in their efforts. Do not get angry or hurt. Use your energy to educate them about RA so that they don’t continue making senseless comments.
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The onset of vaginal bleeding in a pregnant woman implies the presence of a threatened abortion. Most spontaneous abortions occur within 5 to 12 weeks of conception. Some sources say the figure reaches as a high as 50 per cent of pregnancies, many of these abortions occur so soon in a pregnancy that a woman may never know she is pregnant. The natural abortion may just appear, as a late or an irregular period.
When vaginal bleeding in pregnant woman moves on to be accompanied by regular bouts of crampy pain the abortion is said to become inevitable. The medical response to a threatened abortion is to advise pregnant women to rest and lie down. Vaginal bleeding in pregnancy can relate to a number of other disorders and if bleeding persists or is extensive urgent medical attention is advised.
Some times habitual abortion is caused by incompetence of the cervix. When this condition is diagnosed ensuing pregnancies are incarcerated in the uterus by a linen tie around the cervix known as Shrodker’s Suture. This stitch is promptly removed when the pregnancy goes to full term and a mother goes into spontaneous labour.

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