With the beginning of summer here and the end of the school year the need to consider our children’s habits while they are at home. Many children are home alone or home with older siblings and are limited in their activities. This can lead to issues that will increase health problems.

The sleeping pattern for a child is very important. During sleep they not only rest; they heal from injuries, grow and their minds process much of the information it accumulates during the day. The amount a child or teen needs is higher then an adult yet we treat our children as if they have the same needs as adults. Limit setting is sometimes difficult but is as necessary during the summer as the school year.

Here are a few tips for encouraging sleep in children:

• Set a strict bedtime for most days but allow for special occasions. This will keep them on a schedule and will reduce the need to adjust their schedule when school starts.
• Allow them to sleep in on the weekend. If your child has some sleep debt, a need the body has for extra sleep, it can help to be allowed to sleep in on certain days.
• Make sure that there room is dark and quiet. It is hard to go to sleep with excess light and noise. This does not allow the brain to settle down.
• Remove all electronics from the room. There are two problems with electronics such as game systems, television and computers, they are tempting to go back to when the patents leave, and using them right before they go to sleep will not allow the brain to prepare itself for sleep.
• Create a routine to help them unwind. If a child does the same routine every night they are set up for sleep success. A great routine would start with sitting quietly about 30 minutes before bed and read or be read to, then go brush their teeth, change into sleep clothes, get a glass of water for the bedside table ( will eliminate the “I’m thirsty” call), turn off the lights and get into bed.

Parents want what is best for their children. It is essential that we work with them to succeed in all areas of their life. Helping them to get enough sleep will help them to learn better, be healthier and be happier.

What is snoring exactly? Before we can give consideration to the ways to stop snoring we first have to define exactly what snoring is. Snoring is defined as very disturbing, rattling sound ranging from soft to loud noise level, caused by a vibration of the repertory organs and structures such as the tongue, tonsils and muscular palate.

Causes- The primary cause of snoring is some form of obstruction or blockage in the airways during sleep. These obstructions can possibly be caused by jaw problems, fat accumulation in and around neck and throat areas, throat weaknesses and nasal passage obstructions.

Contributing factors- A couple of external factors have been identified as sure-fire snoring contributors. These factors include but are not limited to smoking, overweight, sleeping pills, anti-histamine medication, allergies, colds and excessive alcohol consumption

Treatments options- Treatment options vary from very intrusive not to mention painful surgery to home remedies. Its recommended that you start with home remedy treatment. These remedies are inexpensive and usually very effectiveness. Aromatherapy oils such as Marjoram and Eucalyptus have soothing vapours opening the air passages and clearing any congestion. A sip of olive oil before bedtime will coat the throat and significantly reduce vibrations which lead to snoring.

Sleeping on your side- The most important and overlooked way to stop snoring is to change your sleeping position. People who sleep on their backs have a greater tendency to snore when compared to persons who sleep on their sides. Any type of small sports ball can be attached to your sleepwear to make sleeping on your back as uncomfortable as possible.

Consult with your physician- It is essential to consult with your physician before initiating any treatment including natural remedies or should the snoring increase in severity. Snoring may be an indication of serious underlying illness.

PULMONARY HYPERTENSION: A CASE OF MISTAKEN IDENTITY?

New research shows that patients who are diagnosed with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) but fail to respond to targeted therapies may actually have a condition known as pulmonary veno-occlusive disease (PVOD), a subtype of PAH. Australian researchers reviewed 14 cases of clinically diagnosed PAH who had failed medical therapy and found that 12 patients (86 percent) had PVOD and 2 patients (14 percent) had PAH only. Although there were no significant differences in clinical presentations between patients with PVOD and PAH only, there were considerable differences in the vessel pathologic findings and pathophysiology between the two conditions. Researchers speculate that these differences may be the reason why some patients with PAH do not respond to standard PAH therapy. The researchers conclude that further research is needed to determine if PVOD should be considered an individual type of PAH or remain a PAH subtype. The study is published in the June issue of CHEST, the peer-reviewed journal of the American College of Chest Physicians.

OVERCOMING BARRIERS TO PAIN MANAGEMENT IN THE ICU

A new article underscores the many complexities and challenges associated with managing pain in the critically ill patient. Although the complex conditions presented by the critically ill patient provide significant obstacles, the authors discuss additional barriers to optimal pain management, including outdated clinical practices and faulty systems. The authors also present a number of structured approaches that have been shown to be successful in improving pain treatment in the critically ill patient, as well as future directions for pain management in the ICU. The article is published in the June issue of CHEST, the peer-reviewed journal of the American College of Chest Physicians.

URINALYSIS MAY REVEAL SEVERITY OF BREATHING DISORDER IN CHILDREN

New research suggests that the urine concentration of lipid mediators may determine the severity of sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) in children. Cysteinyl leukotrienes (CysLTs), lipid mediators associated with inflammatory conditions such as asthma, have been found in high concentrations in the tonsil tissue of children with SDB. Researchers from Greece speculated that high CysLTs concentrations found in urine also could indicate severity of SDB in children. The team measured morning urine concentrations in 19 children with moderate-to-severe SDB, 29 children with mild SDB, 26 children with primary snoring, and 18 control subjects. Results showed that children with moderate-to-severe SDB had higher CysLTs levels than the other groups. Results also showed that urine levels of CysLTs, tonsillar size, and BMI were significant predictors of obstructive apnea-hypopnea index. The report is published in the June issue of CHEST, the peer-reviewed journal of the American College of Chest Physicians.

Source:
Jennifer Stawarz

American College of Chest Physicians