Renungan Hari IBu --- infografis permasalahan ibu hamil dan melahirkan

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Pusdatin KemKes

RENUNGAN HARI IBU.

Kenapa Angka Kematian Ibu (AKI) Masih Tinggi Aja?

Menurut SDKI’12, Angka Kematian Ibu saat ini masih 359 Per 100.000 Kelahiran Hidup. Padahal Target SDG’s di tahun 2030, paling tidak menurunkan hingga 70 per 100.000 KH. Secara Kalkulasi Matematika, dalam 15 tahun ke depan AKI harus turun sebesar 289 / 100.000 KH dan per tahun turun sebesar 19 / 100.000KH. ini secara hitungan matematik !! Sesuatu yang bukan Mustahil lagi….!!

Terlepas dari itung-2 an global tsb yang terpenting adalah mengapa sih kok masih tinggi aja AKI nya ? Dimana letak Gap nya? Ada yang salahkah dalam sistem kita ?? Marilah kita Recheck dengan menyandingkan Data-2 dari berbagai Sumber yang dalam kurun kurang lebih sama.

GAMBAR-1

GAMBAR-1 menunjukkan bahwa AKI yang awalnya menurun dari tahun 1991 hingga tahun 2007 tiba-tiba melonjak drastis di tahun 2012 yaitu dari 228 per 100.000 KH di tahun 2007 menjadi 359 per 100.000 di tahun 2012.

Angka Pemakaian Kontrasepsi / CPR bagi perempuan menikah usia 15-49 th hanya sedikit meningkat dari 61,4 % di tahun 2007 menjadi 61,9 % di tahun 2012. Hal ini menunjukkan bahwa “peluang” untuk bisa Hamil dan kemungkinan meninggal sehingga menambah kematian ibu tidaklah terjadi perubahan berarti.

ANC yang dicerminkan dengan cakupan K-1 dan K-4, terjadi peningkatan pula. K-1 di tahun 2007 cakupannya 91,23 % dan meningkat di tahun 2012 menjadi 96,8 %. Demikian pula K-4 di tahun 2007 cakupannya 80,26 % dan meningkat menjadi 90,18 % di tahun 2012. Lantas Persalinan di tenaga kesehatanpun juga cenderung meningkat dari 77,21 % di tahun 2007 menjadi 88,64 % di tahun 2012.

Jika dicermati dari ke 3 kondisi di atas, semestinya dengan meningkatnya ANC dan Persalinan ke nakes, ditambah lagi CPR / Angka pemakaian kontrasepsi meningkat, maka AKI nya menjadi Menurun.

Namun kenapa kok AKI masih Tinggi dan meningkat ??

Apa iya peningkatan AKI itu dari 10 % Bumil yg tidak K4 saat ANC ?
Apa iya peningkatan AKI itu dari 12 % Ibu tidak bersalin di Nakes?

Mari kita recheck kondisi yang terkait dengan 2 (dua) pertanyaan di atas.

Pemberi ANC ketika terjadi kehamilan, menurut hasil Riskesdas th 2010 dan tahun 2013 terlihat seperti tabel di bawah.

GAMBAR-2

Gambar-2, menggambarkan secara Total pemberi ANC meningkat tajam pada tenaga kesehatan di tahun 2010 sebesar 92,8 % dan menjadi 99,6 % di tahun 2013. Hal ini menunjukkan bahwa ANC diberikan oleh tenaga kesehatan yang tepat dan berkualitas. Hanya sayangnya peran dokter umum masih minim.

Nah, dengan kondisi yang demikian ini, bisa jadi 10 % dari bumil yang tidak K4 ini memberi kontribusi kepada peningkatan AKI.

Selanjutnya jika dilihat dari Persalinan ke tenaga kesehatan dimana 12 % nya tidak bersalin ke Nakes, maka ada kemungkinan terkait dengan distribusi Nakes yang tidak merata. Disuatu wilayah terjadi KELEBIHAN nakes namun di wilayah lain terjadi KEKURANGAN nakes. Seperti yang terlihat pada diagram di bawah:

GAMBAR-3

GAMBAR-3, Secara Nasional, terdapat 71,5 % Puskesmas KELEBIHAN Bidan, namun masih ada 23 % Puskesmas yang KEKURANGAN Bidan. Demikian pula dengan tenaga kesehatan Dokter.

Apalagi jika dilihat menurut penyebaran Propinsi, Gambarannya menunjukkan betapa ‘njomplang’ nya distribusi Bidan di Puskesmas untuk masing-masing Propinsi di Indonesia, seperti di Jatim, 90 % lebih Puskesmasnya kelebihan Bidan, namun di Maluku, Papua Barat, Sulawesi Tenggara dll sebagian besar Puskesmas masih kekurangan tenaga Bidan. Sebenarnya sesuai dengan UU No. 36 tahun 2014 tentang Tenaga Kesehatan, disebutkan bahwa Pemerintah daerah Propinsi dan Kabupaten Kota berwenang melakukan Redistribusi tenaga kesehatan. Lebih jelas lagi pada Peraturan Bersama 

Mendagri - MenpanRB – Menkes No.61 th 2014; No.68/ 2014 dan No. 08/ 2014 tentang Perencanaan dan Pemerataan Nakes di pelayanan kesehatan daerah. Namun apakah hal tersebut dilakukan?? Itulah sebabnya peningkatan cakupan K-1, K-4 atau Linakes melalui Peningkatan Jumlah Bidan di Puskesmas ‘JALANNYA BERLIKU”. Perlu Komitmen yang kuat untuk Redistribusi Nakes.

GAMBAR-4

Dengan melihat GAMBAR-4 tersebut di atas, maka ada kemungkinan bahwa daerah-2 yang kekurangan Bidan seperti Papua Barat, Papua, Maluku, Kalimantan Timur, Sulawesi tenggara dll persalinannya tidak di Nakes. Sehingga bisa saja memberikan kontribusi besar terhadap peningkatan AKI.

Selanjutnya jika dilihat penyebab kematian Ibu, tertinggi masih disebabkan karena Perdarahan dan Hipertensi. Prosentase penyebab Perdarahan sebenarnya telah menurun dari 35 % di tahun 2010 menjadi 32 % ditahun 2011. Akan tetapi penyebab Hipertensi ( Eklamsi) terjadi kenaikan di tahun 2010 sebesar 22 % dan di tahun 2011 menjadi 25 %. Jika disandingkan dengan pemberian Fe ketika hamil agar tak terjadi Anemia dan juga Perdarahan nantinya, terjadi peningkatan mulai dari 86,1 % di tahun 2010 menjadi 89,1 % di tahun 2013. Terlebih ketika ANC, jenis pemeriksaan yang dilakukan diantaranya Tekanan Darah dan periksa Hb.

GAMBAR-5

Dari GAMBAR-5 diatas sebenarnya bisa menunjukkan bahwa pemeriksaan ibu saat hamil cukup berkualitas, yaitu sebagian besar dilakukan oleh Tenaga kesehatan dan preventif untuk tidak terjadi perdarahan serta hipertensi juga cukup dikendalikan. Namun mengapa Kematian ibu masih meningkat ?? inilah yang perlu direnungkan ?

Dari sisi lain, yaitu MEMAHAMKAN keluarga ibu hamil, sehingga mampu dan mau periksa kehamilan (ANC) dan persalinan ke Tenaga Kesehatan secara Kesadaran sendiri /mandiri, merupakan aspek Promotif dan preventif yang cukup penting. Namun sampai seberapa jauh sarana guna bisa dipakai sebagai ALAT PEMAHAM keluarga bumil tersebut ? salah satu alat pemaham yang ada saat ini adalah BUKU KIA. Lantas bagaimana kondisi KEPEMILIKAN BUKU KIA ini di masyarakat atau keluarga bumil ? mengingat salah satu strategi Promotif dan Preventif yang mungkin TERLUPAKAN adalah bagaimana membuat masyarakat ibu hamil dan keluarganya MENJADI PINTAR dan FAHAM tentang Kondisi kehamilannya melalui KEPEMILIKAN BUKU KIA.

Terlihat bahwa hasil Riskesdas 2013 lalu, Kepemilikan Buku KIA yang bisa menunjukkan buktinya hanya sebesar 31.7 %. Hal ini bisa diasumsikan bahwa HANYA 1.679. 566 ibu hamil yang memahami kondisinya sehingga bisa menyadari pentingnya K1, K4 atau Linakes. Sedangkan sisanya 3,6 Juta Ibu hamil dan keluarganya perlu dorongan ekstra untuk memahami kondisi Kehamilannya. ( Jumlah Bumil pada tahun yg sama adalah 5.298.285 orang).

Kalau kita tarik benang merah untuk sebuah alternative intervensi yang bisa dilakukan agar AKI ini bisa menurun dari gambaran kondisi di atas, dan kemudian kita kaitkan dengan UPAYA PROMOTIF DAN PREVENTIF yang dikedepankan di Puskesmas, maka secara garis besar ada 2 Jalur, yaitu (1) Menambah tenaga kesehatan (Bidan) di puskesmas atau (2) Memahamkan masyarakat melalui Kepemilikan buku KIA.

Jika dilihat kondisi saat ini dengan jumlah bidan di puskesmas (pd tahun yg sama) = 102.176 orang. Jumlah ibu hamil yang semestinya dilayani bidan adalah = 5.298.285 orang. Jumlah Lulusan D3 Bidan Poltekkes (tahun yg sama) = 7.604 orang dan Jumlah peserta didik Poltekkes = 19.278 orang. Kemudian Kepemilikan Buku KIA adalah 31,7 %. Maka marilah kita cermati bersama hasil analisis sederhana dengan mengunakan Regresi Linier antara masing-2 variabel.

GAMBAR-6

Hasil analisis di atas memberikan gambaran ada 2 jalur yang bisa dilalui baik secara LANGSUNG maupun secara TIDAK LANGSUNG, yaitu melalui Variabel “Jumlah Bidan di Puskesmas” dan Variabel “Kepemilikan Buku KIA”. Khusus untuk “kepemilikan Buku KIA” ini data yang diambil adalah Responden (keluarga) yang menjawab “Ya punya dan dapat menunjukkan bukunya”. Asumsi yang di bangun disini adalah: Keluarga (ibu Hamil + suami) telah membaca dan memahaminya.

STRATEGI – 1 (JUMLAH BIDAN DI PUSKESMAS)

Hasil analisis menunjukkan bahwa dengan meningkatkan Jumlah Bidan di Puskesmas sebanyak 1000 orang di seluruh Indonesia, maka akan meningkatkan Cakupan K-1 sebesar 3 %. Jika dilihat Lulusan D3 Bidan saat ini sebanyak 7.604 orang dan seluruh lulusan disebar di seluruh Indonesia dan menangani Ibu Hamil, maka diprediksi terjadi peningkatan cakupan K-1 sebanyak 22,8 % (0.003 x 7.604) ; Peningkatan cakupan K-4 sebesar 60.8% (0.008 x 7.604) atau Cakupan Linakes sebesar 60.8 % (0.008 x 7.604). Dari Perhitungan diatas kertas ini sebenarnya Intervensi melalui peningkatan jumlah Bidan di Puskesmas jalur LANGSUNG cukup bisa memenuhi Target. Demikian pula jika melalui Jalur TIDAK LANGSUNG, yaitu Peningkatan K-1 terlebih dahulu (22.8%), kemudian efek dari peningkatan K-1 ini akan mempengaruhi Peningkatan cakupan K-4 sebesar 19.01 % dan selanjutnya efek dari peningkatan K-4 ini akan mempengaruhi cakupan Linakes sebesar 19.01 % juga. NAMUN kenapa Kondisinya belum bisa terpenuhi ?? Hal ini terjadi Kemungkinan karena DISTRIBUSI tenaga Bidan di Puskesmas TIDAK MERATA. Seperti terlihat pada ulasan di atas sebelumnya.

STRATEGI -2 (Peningkatan KEPEMILIKAN BUKU KIA) :

Salah satu strategi Promotif dan Preventif yang mungkin TERLUPAKAN adalah bagaimana membuat masyarakat ibu hamil dan keluarganya MENJADI PINTAR dan FAHAM tentang Kondisi kehamilannya melalui KEPEMILIKAN BUKU KIA. Terlihat bahwa hasil Riskesdas 2013 lalu, Kepemilikan Buku KIA yang bisa menunjukkan buktinya hanya sebesar 31.7 %. Hal ini bisa diasumsikan bahwa HANYA 1.679. 566 ibu hamil yang memahami kondisinya sehingga bisa menyadari pentingnya K1, K4 atau Linakes. Sedangkan sisanya 3,6 Juta Ibu hamil dan keluarganya perlu dorongan ekstra untuk memahami kondisi Kehamilannya.

Padahal kalau kita melihat hasil analisis di atas, jika ‘Kepemilikan Buku KIA’ ditingkatkan 10 % saja, maka pengaruhnya pada cakupan K-1 akan meningkat sebesar 20,2 %, dan secara ‘efek domino’ akan menaikkan cakupan K-4 dan Linakes sebesar 16,68 % secara TIDAK LANGSUNG. Sedangkan secara LANGSUNG efek peningkatannya bisa 19,2 % baik K-4 maupun Linakes.

Lantas muncul pertanyaan:
1. MENGAPA JUSTRU STRATEGI KE-2 INI DILUPAKAN ??
2. MENGAPA TETAP BERKUTAT UNTUK MENINGKATKAN JUMLAH BIDAN DI PUSKESMAS ??
3. MENGAPA TIDAK MENDORONG UNTUK REDISTRIBUSI NAKES (sesuai PMB 3 Menteri) ?
4. BENARKAH UNTUK MELAKUKAN STRATEGI KE 2 INI MENJADI BEBAN LEBIH DARI BIDAN ??

Untuk Point pertanyaan 4 ini, MARI KITA LIHAT KONDISI yang ada dengan pendekatan matematika :

Jumlah Bidan di Puskesmas yang ada adalah 102.176 orang, sedangkan jumlah sasaran Bumil adalah 5.298.285 orang. Itu dalam 1 tahun. Sehingga jika dibuat Rasionya : 5.298.285 : 102.176 = 51,8 org (52 orang). Artinya bahwa 1 orang Bidan mengurusi 52 orang bumil dalam 1 tahun. Dalam 1 bulan berapa ?? 52 : 12 = 4,3 orang. Sehingga secara rata-rata bisa dikatakan 1 orang bidan HANYA mengurusi Bumil 1 orang dalam 1 minggu. Dan disini bisa terlihat bahwa MASIH ADA WAKTU ‘LOWONG’ 5 – 6 HARI. Lantas kenapa tidak bisa maksimal ‘MEMINTARKAN’ Bumil dan keluarganya dengan Kepemilikan Buku KIA ??

Menurut saya, Tidak bisa tidak kondisi harus segera dirubah, dengan mencermati kondisi seperti di atas yaitu:

1. Jumlah BUMIL = Jumlah K-1 = Jumlah K-4 = Persalinan Nakes. (atau perbedaannya sedikit). Hal ini terkait dengan perubahan Mindset bagi tenaga kesehatan (Bidan dll) dalam memandang ibu hamil yang akan dilayani juga masyarakat / keluarga dan pengelola masyarakatnya. Sehingga perlu dilakukan pendekatan secara TIM BASED dan KELUARGA.

2. Tidak tergantung dari hasil Survey AKI, akan tetapi dari sistem pencatatan kematian beserta Cause of Death nya yang valid.

3. Melibatkan tokoh masyarakat (kepala Desa / dusun, tokoh religious) secara Aktif di sisi HULU sebagai upaya Preventif. Mengingat bahwa Kepala Desa / Lurah merupakan ‘MANAJER PRODUKSI KESEHATAN” (jika di analogikan bahwa Keluarga itu sebagai unit produksi kesehatan).

Dengan ke 3 hal tsb di atas, harapan dalam renungan kali ini adalah bukan lagi “Kenapa AKI masih tinggi aja”, akan tetapi berubah menjadi
“ehhh… Ternyata AKI sudah menurun lhoo…”

Demikian sejenak Renungan seorang pemimpi di HARI IBU ini, semoga bermanfaat dan mohon maaf jika kurang berkenan.

Salam BTB,

Debe.

UITEMATE

https://www.facebook.com/nino.noim/posts/947477378648268

Nino Noim

UITEMATE ,Teknik Mengapung yang Telah Menyelamatkan Banyak Nyawa

Bagi Anda yang tidak bisa berenang, melakukan aktivitas yang berhubungan dengan air yang dalam pasti selalui dihantui kekhawatiran. Jatuh ke dalam sungai atau laut tanpa memiliki kemampuan berenang akan menjadi mimpi buruk. Banyak kasus orang yang harus kehilangan nyawa karena tenggelam akibat tidak mampu berenang atau kelelahan.

Tapi tahukah Anda, data korban tenggelam yang tewas atau hilang di jepang memiliki statistik yang agak aneh terkait usia korban. Menurut survei, sebanyak 803 orang tewas atau hilang tenggelam pada 2013. Lebih dari 47% berusia lebih dari 65 tahun, sementara sisanya kebanyakan berkisar antara usia lulus SMA hingga 65 tahun. Sedangkan anak-anak di bawah usia sekolah dasar hanya berjumlah 44 orang.

Profesor Hidetoshi Saito dari Universitas Teknologi Nagaoka meyakini rendahnya korban usia anak disebabkan karena banyak anak SD yang telah mengikuti pelatihan “Bertahan Hidup dengan cara Mengapung dan Menunggu” atau dalam bahasa Jepang “Uitemate”.

Konsep Uitemate sangat sederhana namun efektif. Banyak korban tenggelam jatuh kedalam air ketika berpakaian lengkap, dan karenanya penting bagi kita untuk mengetahui cara agar tetap bisa mengambang dipermukaan dengan kondisi tersebut.

Pada 2008, di Kobe lima orang tenggelam di sungai Toga ketika hujan badai, seorang anak SD dapat diselamatkan karena ia bertahan hidup dengan cara memeluk tas ranselnya. Para ahli mengatakan, seseorang dapat dengan mudah mengapung di permukaan air seperti layaknya Berang-berang, dengan hanya memegang sesuatu seperti botol plastik kosong.

Peristiwa menakjubkan lainnya terjadi saat Jepang dihantam Tsunami pada 11 Maret 2011, murid-murid SD di Prefektur Miyagi selamat dari tenggelam karena menggunakan teknik Uitemate. Saat gempa terjadi, mereka dievakuasi ke gedung olahraga, namun tak lama kemudian mereka terjebak air tsunami yang masuk kedalam gedung dan air makin lama makin meninggi.

Ketika bencana berlalu, para rewalan dibuat takjub saat masuk ke dalam gedung tersebut, tak ada satu pun murid yang tewas tenggelam. Seorang guru mengatakan mereka selamat karena menggunakan teknik Uitemate untuk mengapung. Kebetulan teknik ini telah dipelajari pada saat pelajaran renang. Teknik ini memang telah diajarkan di seluruh Sekolah Dasar di Jepang. Profesor Hidetoshi Saito adalah orang yang mencetuskan ide ini. Ia mendapatkan ilham ketika melihat daun yang mengapung di air.

Saat seseorang jatuh ke dalam air, reaksi spontan adalah berusaha untuk berenang walaupun ternyata ia tidak pandai berenang. Dengan spontan korban juga akan melambai-lambaikan tangannya sambil berteriak minta tolong, tangan yang mengarah ke atas sebenarnya malah akan membuat korban menjadi semakin mudah tenggelam. Menurut Prof. Saito, tindakan ini salah. Yang harus dilakukan adalah berusaha agar tetap mengapung memakai teknik Uitemate dan tunggulah hingga bantuan datang.

Saat ini teknik Uitemate gencar di kampanyekan ke seluruh Dunia, terutama wilayah Asia Tenggara termasuk Indonesia. Dalam satu setengah tahun, 40 instruktur telah dilatih dan 10.000 orang di Sri Lanka telah mendapatkan pelatihan Uitemate.

Berikut Teknik Uitemate yang dapat kita praktikkan dikutip dari duniaberbicara.com :
Untuk belajar teknik ini, berikut tips-tips yang bisa untuk Anda lakukan.

Tenang dan santai, apabila Anda telah terjun ke dalam air, hal yang pertama perlu untuk dilakukan adalah bersikap tenang. Jangan panik, panik hanya akan membuat anda semakin tenggelam.

Rentangkan tangan dan kaki, usahakan setenang mungkin untuk tidur terlentang di air sambil merentangkan tangan dan kaki. Kurangi gerakan-gerakan yang bisa membahayakan diri Anda.

Pandangan menatap ke atas, untuk melancarkan sistem pernafasan Anda, hal yang dilakukan pada teknik satu ini adalah wajah dan pandangan mata menatap ke atas kemudian bernafas seperti biasa.

Teknik jika memakai sepatu, biarkan sepatu Anda terpasang, berat sepatu tersebut akan bisa membantu mengapung.

Botol kosong, jika ada botol kosong di dekat Anda gunakan botol kosong tersebut untuk didekap pada atas dada Anda, hal ini akan semakin membantu proses mengapung.

Mulai sekarang Kita bersama Anak-anak kita bisa belajar menguasai teknik Uitemate ini.

keep healthy till the end

DANCE!!!

BOM DIA!!!

Posted by Revista FisioBrasil on Monday, 6 July 2015

Sejarah Hari Kesehatan Nasional

http://promkes.depkes.go.id/hari-kesehatan-nasional/

Menilik kembali ke belakang pada era 50-an, penyakit malaria merupakan penyakit rakyat yang terbanyak penderitanya dan berjangkit di seluruh Indonesia. Ratusan ribu jiwa tewas akibat malaria yang sebenarnya, melalui penyelidikan dan pengalaman penyakit malaria di Indonesia dapat dieliminasi. Oleh karena itu pemerintah melakukan usaha pembasmian malaria (malaria eradication) yang berarti melenyapkan malaria dari penjuru tanah air.

Untuk mencapai hal tersebut, pada tahun 1959 dibentulah Dinas Pembasmian Malaria yang pada bulan Januari 1963 dirubah menjadi Komando Operasi Pembasmian Malaria (KOPEM). Pembasmian malaria ditangani secara bersama oleh pemerintah, WHO, USAID dan direncanakan pada tahun 1970 malaria akan hilang dari bumi Indonesia.

Pembasmian malaria dilakukan dengan menggunakan obat baru yaitu DDT, dengan penyemprotan secara masal rumah-rumah di seluruh Jawa, Bali dan Lampung. Penyemprotan secara simbolis dilakukan oleh Bung Karno selaku Presiden RI pada tanggal 12 November 1959 di desa Kalasan, sekitar 10 km di sebelah timur kota Yogyakarta.

Selanjutnya, kegiatan tersebut dibarengi dengan kegiatan pendidikan atau penyuluhan kepada masyarakat. 5 tahun kemudian, kurang lebih 63 juta penduduk telah mendapat perlindungan dari penyakit malaria.

Peristiwa tersebut merupakan upacara simbolis penyemprotan nyamuk, yang diiringi dengan kegiatan pendidikan atau penyuluhan kepada masyarakat. Peristiwa itu kemudian dikenal sebagai Hari Kesehatan Nasional (HKN), yang setiap tahun terus menerus diperingati sampai sekarang. Sejak itu, HKN dijadikan momentum untuk melakukan pendidikan/ penyuluhan kesehatan kepada masyarakat.

http://promkes.depkes.go.id/?portfolio=panduan-kegiatan-50-tahun-hari-kesehatan-nasional

9 first months of life in 4 minutes

#DiaDasMães <3 Vídeo mostra em 4 minutos como são os primeiros 9 meses do bebê http://bit.ly/1KSdBQ3

Posted by UOL Notícias on Sunday, 10 May 2015

Fever in children: 5 facts you must know

http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2011/08/fever-children-5-facts.html?utm_content=buffer2b4f9&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer
NATASHA BURGERT, MD



A recent issue of Pediatrics includes a new report detailing the need for doctors to improve patient teaching about fever and fever-reducing drugs.

Many parents fear their child getting a fever or have “fever phobia.” I certainly can understand why. Kids can do crazy things when they get fevers. They don’t sleep well, eat poorly, and behave strangely. Some children can even have seizures due to a quick spike in body temperature. So it isn’t surprising that beginning as early as the prenatal consultation, parents ask questions about what to do when their child gets a fever.

Concern about childhood fevers is long-standing in our history. Fever superstitions and ancient fever remedies are ribboned throughout all cultures. For example, Romans would trim the fingernails of those affected with fever. Using wax to attach the fingernail clippings to a neighbor’s front door was thought to transmit the fever to that household. Note: Do not have ancient Romans as neighbors. And, even today, I will occasionally see children whose elders have used a method called cupping to literally suck the fever out of them.

So, here are five fabulous facts about fever. Some of these statements may be exactly opposite what our mothers have said about fever. The goal of this post is not to discredit grandma, but to decrease fever phobia and treat fever correctly. And with the right information, maybe the next time our pink-cheeked kiddos come to us with warm foreheads, we might not be so eager to jump to our medicine cabinets.

Please note: The following facts are NOT true for infants under the age of 3 months. Please talk to your pediatrician about newborns with fever.

1. There is no “number” on a thermometer that requires a trip to the Emergency Department. Nope, not even 104F degrees. With very specific exceptions, kids do not have to maintain a “normal” temperature during times of illness. Fever is a normal, healthy way for the body to fight common infections. Bacteria and viruses that attack our bodies love normal body temperature but cannot successfully replicate in hotter conditions. Fever, therefore, reflects a robust immune system’s defense against these pathogenic attackers. The bacteria and viruses are the enemies, not the fever they cause.

So remember: fever is a symptom of illness, not a disease. Seeing a high number on the thermometer means your child’s body is doing its job to fight an infection.

2. The severity of fever does not always correspond with the severity of illness. So, what does that mean? A fever is generally defined as over 100F degrees. However, with few exceptions, the degree “number” over 100F really doesn’t matter. In fact, a fever of 101F degrees does not make more difference to me than a fever of 103F degrees.

I have kids running and playing in my office with high fevers. I have other children who look sluggish and sad with a reasonably mild fever. Every kiddo reacts to a fever differently. So regardless of the actual numerical value, look for signs of serious illness in your child. Observe his level of discomfort, level of activity, and ability to maintain adequate hydration. If you are concerned, call your pediatrician to discuss the next steps.

3. Fevers do not have to be treated with medication. Fevers help the body fight infection. Treating a fever is only necessary when you think your child is uncomfortable. The goal of administering antipyretic (anti-fever) medications is not to get a high temperature back to “normal.” They are simply medications to make your child feel better.

Fevers can make kids feel pretty lousy. Children can have altered sleep, unusual behavior, and poor oral intake. If these symptoms are upsetting to your child, please give a fever-reducing medication. Treating the fever does provide comfort and may decrease the risk of dehydration.

As an aside, if you are coming to the pediatrician’s office because your child has a fever, and her or she is uncomfortable, please give your child a fever-reducing medication prior to coming to the office. You do not have to wait until the doctor “sees them with a fever.” A comfortable child is much easier to examine. And a good exam will often determine the cause of the fever, allowing for accurate treatment.

4. Half of you are dosing fever medications incorrectly. As many as one-half of parents do not administer the correct dose of fever-reducing medication to their child. This includes both under-dosing and over-dosing. Medications should be dosed according to your child’s weight, not age. Always use the measuring device that comes with the medication. If you lose the dosing device, use only a standard measuring instrument (syringe, medicine cup) as a replacement. Household spoons and measuring spoons are not always accurate.

I often hear parents deliberately under-dosing their child. They say, “I didn’t really want to give him medication, so I just gave him a half-dose.”

A “half-dose” will do nothing. Don’t bother.

If you feel that your child needs medication, give the correct dose. If you have questions about your child’s dosage or the proper measuring device to use, call your pediatrician.

5. Fever does not cause brain damage. In a person with a normal functioning brain and the ability to cool oneself, fever is a normal response to infection. Every normal brain has an internal “thermostat” that will prevent a person’s temperature from getting high enough to cause brain damage. It is only when hyperthermia, or heat stroke, occurs when damage to the brain and other organs will occur. Hyperthermia happens in the rare instances when an individual’s brain cannot regulate temperature well (as in a rare case of brain injury) or when an individual is not able to cool oneself (as in a closed car on a summer day.) Fever due to illness in a normal child will not cause organ damage.

Natasha Burgert is a pediatrician who blogs at KC Kids Doc.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com

kepribadian

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10205295840299479&set=a.1458452545256.2076539.1351656507&type=1

What Negative Thinking Does to Your Brain

http://www.attn.com/stories/2587/what-negative-thinking-does-your-brain
By: Kathleen Toohill

If you’ve ever found yourself trapped in a seemingly endless loop of negative thinking, or wondered why you fixate on a stray rude comment but easily forget compliments, you may have a culprit to blame: evolution.

According to Rick Hanson, Ph.D., a neuropsychologist, founder of the Wellspring Institute for Neuroscience and Contemplative Wisdom, and New York Times best-selling author, humans are evolutionarily wired with a negativity bias. Our minds naturally focus on the bad and discard the good. It was much more important for our ancestors to avoid threats than to collect rewards: An individual who successfully avoided a threat would wake up the next morning and have another opportunity to collect a reward, but an individual who didn’t avoid the threat would have no such opportunity.

Thus, the human brain evolved to focus on threats. Millennials are no stranger to stress and depression, especially when it’s work related—a recent study reported that around 20 percent of Millennials sought out help or advice in the workplace for depression—a higher percentage than any other generation. According to the Status of Women in the States report from the Institute for Women’s Policy Research, Millennial women ages 18-34 report an average of 4.9 days of poor mental health per month, while Millennial men report an average of 3.6 poor mental health days. Our brains are highly attuned to stress, even when such stress is of the mundane variety and not at all life threatening.

"Negative stimuli produce more neural activity than do equally intense (e.g., loud, bright) positive ones, Hanson writes on his website. “They are also perceived more easily and quickly. For example, people in studies can identify angry faces faster than happy ones; even if they are shown these images so quickly (just a tenth of a second or so) that they cannot have any conscious recognition of them, the ancient fight-or-flight limbic system of the brain will still get activated by the angry faces.”

Hanson describes the brain as like "Velcro for negative experiences and Teflon for positive ones." While some individuals may be inherently more optimistic than others, it’s generally true that in order for positive experiences to “stick” in our brains as well as negative ones do, these positive experiences need to be held in our consciousness for a longer period of time.

“The alarm bell of your brain — the amygdala (you’ve got two of these little almond-shaped regions, one on either side of your head) — uses about two-thirds of its neurons to look for bad news: it’s primed to go negative,” writes Hanson. “Once it sounds the alarm, negative events and experiences get quickly stored in memory — in contrast to positive events and experiences, which usually need to be held in awareness for a dozen or more seconds to transfer from short-term memory buffers to long-term storage."

HOW NEGATIVE THINKING CHANGES THE BRAIN

The more that an individual’s thought patterns trend negative and slip into rumination—continually turning over a situation in one’s mind and focusing on its negative aspects—the easier it becomes to return automatically to these thought patterns.

That’s not so great for our health. According to a blog post on Psychology Today, ruminating can damage the neural structures that regulate emotions, memory, and feelings. Even when our stress and worry is completely hypothetical and not based on any real or current situation, the amygdala and the thalamus (which helps communicate sensory and motor signals) aren’t able to differentiate this hypothetical stress from the kind that actually needs to be listened to.

Cortisol, a stress hormone, breaks down the hippocampus, the part of the brain that helps form new memories. Most people experience a peak of cortisol in the morning, but it can also spike throughout the day in response to stress. The more cortisol that’s released in response to negative experiences and thoughts, the more difficult it can become, over time, to form new positive memories.

In neuroscience, the expression “neurons that fire together, wire together” describes “experience-dependent neuroplasticity”—essentially, the concept that our brains are shaped by our thoughts and experiences. According to Hanson, the synapses in our brains that fire frequently become more sensitive. Our experiences and thoughts can lead to the growth of new synapses and even change our genes, altering the very structure of our brain. Or, as Hanson writes, “the brain takes its shape from what the mind rests upon.”

If you’re prone to negative thinking, this might seem disheartening. It’s easy to assume that we have no control over our thoughts. After all, they often pop up out of nowhere, and when rumination takes hold, it can be difficult to break its grip (I would know, I’m an accomplished ruminator). But the good news—and the basis of much of Hanson’s work—is that it is possible to change our thought patterns and even “hardwire happiness” into our brains (which is the title of Hanson’s 2013 book).

SHIFTING NEGATIVE THOUGHT PATTERNS

Edward Selby, Ph.D., suggests in a post on Psychology Today that engaging an activity that fully occupies the mind, such a crossword puzzle, can be helpful in terms of breaking out of ruminative thought patterns.

Mindfulness—a non-judgmental awareness of moment-to-moment experience—and a regular meditation practice have been proven to be immensely valuable in shifting negative thought patterns and brain activity. One study published in Cognitive Therapy and Research in 2014 found that decentering, or stepping back to “observe thoughts and feelings as temporary and objective events in the mind,” can help mediate the effects of rumination in individuals with depression. Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), developed by Jon Kabat-Zinn, founder of the Stress Reduction Clinic at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, teaches individuals to train their minds to cope with stress more skillfully (I discovered Rick Hanson through Karen Sothers, who teaches MBSR at the Scripps Institute for Integrative Medicine in San Diego, California).

Meditating regularly (there are apps for that: here’s a list) can not only help shift negative thought patterns—it helps the brain focus its attention and even slow the loss of brain cells. For individuals struggling with depression, meditation won’t necessarily substitute for therapy and/or medication, but it can work as a complement. Hanson also recommends practicing gratitude (keeping a gratitude journal and writing in it each morning is one way to do so), which can help increase psychological wellbeing.

Gardasil: Yup, Still Safe

http://www.slate.com/blogs/bad_astronomy/2015/07/27/gardasil_new_study_shows_it_s_safe.html
By Phil Plait

A scourge we can eliminate, if we choose wisely: the human papillomavirus.

Photo by the Laboratory of Tumor Virus Biology

Through an article in Forbes I saw that a new study has been published about the safety of Gardasil, a vaccine for prevention of certain strains of human papillomavirus, or HPV.

HPV is a virus that can lead to genital warts, many types of cancer, and cervical cancer in women, which kills 4,000 women every year in the U.S. alone.

The Gardasil vaccine, on the other hand, caused some people to faint after getting it, and others got mild skin infections—both of which occur somewhat rarely with other vaccines too, as you might expect.

Which sounds worse to you?

The study, published in the Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal, looked at the published data about effects from the vaccine and found that it has a “favorable safety profile.” This study comes after many other previous studies that show essentially the same thing. There is no correlation between getting the Gardasil vaccine and seriously adverse effects such as “autoimmune diseases (including Guillain-Barre Syndrome and multiple sclerosis), anaphylaxis, venous thromboembolism, and stroke.”

Mind you, all these things and more have been used by people who attack vaccines as an argument against it. And, just like essentially every claim made by the anti-vaccination movement, these arguments are wrong.

That doesn’t stop them from making them, or from them getting attention by mainstream media; attention they most assuredly do not deserve.

It’s very frustrating; mounds of data show these vaccinations are incredibly low-risk, but it only takes a little bit of doubt and fear to make vaccine rates drop. For example, a young girl died tragically not long after getting the vaccine, and it got a lot of press, but it was later found that she died of a completely unrelated cause. This, sadly, is expected; more than 178 million doses of Gardasil have been given worldwide, and given that huge number it’s a statistical certainty that some young people will die not long after getting them. But as the saying goes, correlation is not causation. The vaccines are not to blame here.

Even more frustrating about this vaccine is that it’s being fought by an unusual group of people; while most anti-vax leanings are not affiliated with any particular political persuasion, Gardasil gets attacked additionally by conservatives who think that girls getting it will become more promiscuous, because HPV is a sexually transmitted disease.

However, this has been shown to be false. Worse, these same people tend to promote abstinence-only education, which has been shown conclusively to be the worst possible sex education; kids taught his way tend to have more pregnancies and more STIs than ones who are taught progressive, healthy sex ed.

It’s like Bizarro world, where everything is backward. All the evidence shows Gardasil to be safe and to be effective against a virus that causes horrific illnesses. It also shows that the claims made by anti-vaxxers are wrong, and that people fighting the vaccine because of their own sexual biases are making things far worse.

And yet they dig in. They insist real science is wrong, that their anecdotes are better, that the entire medical industry is on the take (which is silly beyond reason).

But that’s where we are. When it comes to health issues, especially ones tied to sexuality, reason goes out the window and emotions take over.

That’s why I am very, very clear about this: I and my family are all up to date with our vaccinations, and my daughter has had all three stages of the Gardasil vaccine (we’d have done that if she had been a boy, too). As a parent, as someone who knows and loves someone with an autoimmune disorder, and as a person who knows just how truly awful so many diseases are and how easily and safely they can be prevented, I am a strong advocate for vaccinations.

It’s your body, but it affects literally everyone around you. Don’t listen to the anti-vaxxers, who just want to scare you. Get the facts. And please, talk to your board-certified doctor and find out if there are any vaccinations you need.

How many lives will you save when you do?

Tip o’ the virion to the Refutations of Anti-Vaccine Memes group on Facebook.

on Turmeric

http://www.doctoroz.com/recipe/dr-sanjay-guptas-calming-creamy-turmeric-tea

Dr. Sanjay Gupta's Calming Creamy Turmeric Tea
Dr. Sanjay Gupta drinks a creamy cup of turmeric tea every night to help calm his nerves, but the benefits of this colorful drink don't end there: A recent study suggests that curcumin, a brain-boosting chemical in turmeric, could help slow the progression of Alzheimer's by helping hippocampal brain cells grow.

Ingredients

• 1 cup almond milk
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp cinnamon

• 1 tsp honey
• 1/4 tsp ginger

Directions

Heat the almond milk in a microwave, stir in the spices and drizzle the honey on top. Enjoy!

http://complete-health-and-happiness.com/turmeric-does-what-chemotherapy-cant-naturally-blocks-cancer-growth/

Turmeric Does what Chemotherapy Can’t: Naturally Blocks Cancer Growth

Turmeric is an ancient ayurvedic medicine that has been used for centuries throughout Indonesia and Southeast Asia. It is a powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant.

Therefore, it  can help fight a number of chronic health conditions from heart disease and diabetes to dementia. Turmeric has been found to reduce the cellular inflammation and oxidative stress that causes degenerative disease. It improves blood flow, leading to improved cognitive function and speeds wound healing.

Did you know that less than a teaspoon a day of turmeric appears to significantly lower the DNA mutating ability of cancer-causing substances?

Researchers at UCLA found that curcumin (the primary component in turmeric) proved these cancer-blocking properties during a study which involved 21 participants suffering from head and neck cancers. The participants were given two chewable curcumin tablets containing 1,000 milligrams of the substance each. After evaluating the results, the lab found  that the enzymes in the patients’ mouths responsible for promoting cancer spread and growth were inhibited by the curcumin supplementation. Thus, curcumin intake halted the spread of the malignant cells.

A recent study published in the Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention, for instance, found that a dose-dependent administration of curcumin effectively activated apoptosis of liver cancer cells, meaning it prompted these harmful cells to die.

A study back in 1987 studied the effects of curcumin on the mutagenicity (DNA mutating ability) of several toxins and found that curcumin was an effective antimutagen against several environmental and standard mutagenic and cancer-causing substances.

Just remember that to get maximum benefits, it needs to be high quality turmeric or curcumin in such a form that  can optimize curcuminoid absorption.

Turmeric is fat-soluble, that means it dissolves in fat. Without fat, the active component in turmeric, curcumin, has a hard time making it past the stomach, into the small intestine, and into the blood where it can provide the greatest benefits. Thus, turmeric is traditionally mixed with a healthy fat and heated. You can optimize turmeric absorption with this traditional“Golden Milk” recipe.

http://healthimpactnews.com/2015/golden-milk-recipe-with-turmeric-and-virgin-coconut-oil/

Golden Milk Recipe with Turmeric and Virgin Coconut Oil 

Health Impact News

Image by Lynelle Frazier

Drinking Golden Milk Every Day Could Keep the Doctor Away 

Recently, I have been enjoying a hot cup of Golden Milk instead of my coffee, and that’s saying a lot for this coffee addict!  Who wouldn’t enjoy something that’s delicious, creamy and satisfying, and also so good for you?

Golden Milk is an ancient Ayurvedic drink made using turmeric and milk – and it’s one of the best ways I know to incorporate turmeric into one’s daily diet.  Turmeric is known to have so many health benefits due to curcumin, a powerful polyphenol antioxidant that also gives turmeric its beautiful golden color.

Turmeric has been widely studied for its health benefits such as:

• antioxidant
• anti-inflammatory
• aids in digestion
• anti-parasitic
• anti-bacterial
• anti-cancer
• blood purifier
• clears the skin
• Aids Memory and brain function

Making Golden Milk is so easy, and by making a Golden Paste ahead of time, you can enjoy a nice hot cup of Golden Milk in minutes!  Because turmeric is fat-soluble, using virgin coconut oil not only increases turmeric’s health benefits, but it adds one more way to use this healthy fat every day!  I use raw milk, but any milk can be used.  Black pepper’s piperine has also been shown to increase curcumin’s bioavailability by 2000%, and the taste is undetectable in the Golden Milk.

Here’s how to make Golden Paste and Golden Milk:

Golden Paste:

• 1/2 cup Organic Turmeric Powder
• 1 cup water
• 1.5 teaspoons black pepper
• 5 Tablespoons virgin coconut oil

In a stainless steel pot, cook the water, turmeric and black pepper until it forms a thick paste, stirring and cooking for about 7-10 minutes.  Remove from heat and add virgin coconut oil, using a whisk to fully mix in the coconut oil.  Transfer the Golden Paste into a glass jar with a lid, and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. You will use this paste to make your Golden Milk below.

Golden Milk:

• 1 teaspoon Golden Paste
• 2 cups milk
• 1/8 teaspoon vanilla (optional)
• Honey to taste (optional)
• Pinch cinnamon (optional)

In a stainless steel pot, gently heat, but do not boil, 2 cups of milk with 1 teaspoon of golden paste.  A whisk is helpful to fully mix the paste into the milk. Add optional vanilla, honey and/or cinnamon.

Next time you think about having a cup of coffee, try some Golden Milk instead. Drinking a cup of Golden Milk every day could keep the doctor away!  Golden Paste can also be used in smoothies, to make salad dressings, in curries, or any way your heart desires, and pets love golden paste too!

http://livingtraditionally.com/turmeric-drink-can-revolutionize-health/

The Turmeric Drink that Can Revolutionize Your Health

This is an amazing healing recipe with turmeric, one of the most multi-talented remedies for many different ailments. Turmeric, a key ingredients in the drink, has been used as a spice in Indian recipes and as medicine in Ayurvedic for thousands of years.

Golden Milk Health Benefits

• Golden milk is a Ayurvedic elixir which has the ability to improve the proper functioning of the whole organism: balancing the nervous system and normalizing the functioning of the digestive system.

• Golden milk possesses anti-inflammatory properties which are very effective for treating catarrhal diseases and their prevention.

• Golden milk helps fight infections, improve cognitive ability, helps lubricate the joints, purify the blood, balance blood sugar and even clear the skin.

• Golden milk is a great way to help curcumin (the active ingredient in turmeric) be absorbed by your body as it has a hard time getting past the stomach and into the small intestines on its own.

How to make Golden Milk

Ingredients

1/8 tsp. turmeric
½ cup water
1 cup organic milk (or coconut milk)
raw, organic honey to taste

Boil water and turmeric for about 8 minutes as the turmeric has to be fully cooked. In a separate pot, bring the milk to a boil and remove from heat. Combine the two mixtures and add honey to taste.  I would also recommend to add a little nutmeg since it also offers so many amazing healing benefits.

Drink a cup of warm turmeric milk two or three times per day for best results.