Q&A on pregnancy

Q: Married late and now in my late 30s. Is it advisable for me to try for a baby given my age?

A: Increasing age beyond 35 years of age is associated with 3 problems namely fertility, falling pregnant (the chance of miscarriage increases rapidly) and finally the risk of chromosomal disorders such as Down's syndrome
Do not delay if you've decided to have a baby.

Sleep Awareness Week 2010

- held in Singapore from 19-28 Mar 2010
- held in celebration of World Sleep Day on March 19
- highlights important sleep related issues such as disorders, treatment, education and perception

- topics include consistent sleep schedules, night feedings for toddlers and even co-sleeping
- sleep-related activities to make learning interesting available
- highlights include the Good Sleep for Good Health Public Sleep Symposium, the online Sleep An Hour More Movement and Visit A Sleep Lab programme

Singapore Sleep Society

Picky eater

- picky eating does not necessarily lead to poor nutrition and growth
- feeding disorders (in childhood) are more serious and may involve extreme weight loss or failure to meet expected growth potential
- just part and parcel of growing up but sometimes could indicate a more serious underlying problem: an eating disorder

Signs to look out for
- besides growth deficits, other signs include the child's incessant complaints about the food served
- look out for child's increasing susceptibility to illnesses, if he/she is not performing well in school, is disinterested in playing or interacting with other children and/or has adverse interactions with fellow family members.
- children are usually able to take normal table foods by the age of 15 mth

Is child at risk
- all children have a tendency to feel some anxiety when presented with a new food called neo-phobia
- done without any stress or pressure to eat and the food are offered many times (10-20), the child will learn to eat that food
- overly anxious parents may adopt coercive practices like forced feeding and punishment or turn to bribery

Bedwetting in children

- known to cause a great deal of grief and embarrassment to children who are older.
- most children fear getting chatised by their parents.
- condition which can't be consciously controlled.
- factors contributing to it include a delay in maturation and stress.

Why did it happen?
- bladder control develops at various ages in children.
- most children no longer wet the bed at age of 5 or 6.
- 3 times more prevalent among boys than girls
- runs in the family
- research has indicated the lack of a naturally occuring body hormone called anti-diuretic hormone (ADH) during sleep in 20-30 % of bedwetters
- the problem usually goes away as the child gets older
- illnesses and stressful changes in the family can also trigger a relapse

Not just a wet bed...
- not seeking treatment can lead to more serious consequences
- constant bedwetting at school-going age can adversely affect the psychosocial development of the child resulting in low self-esteem and poor social adjustment