4 March, 2015

Deaths due to birth defects can be prevented: WHO

New Delhi: A large number of deaths due to birth defects in children can be prevented through cost-effective measures within the existing health systems, the WHO said on Tuesday.

"Birth defects are common, costly and critical health challenges globally and particularly in the South-East Asia region which reported 49,000 newborn deaths due to birth defects in 2013," Poonam Khetrapal Singh, regional director for WHO South-East Asia Regional Office, said in a statement.

"But a large number of these deaths can be prevented with cost effective measures through the existing health care systems," she said.

The first World Birth Defects Day is being observed on March 3 this year to put the spotlight on this under-recognised problem.

"On this occasion, WHO urges countries to take measures to prevent as well as minimise the sufferings of children born with birth defects, with timely and appropriate care," the statement said.

The most common birth defects are heart defects, neural tube defects and Down's syndrome, with 94 percent of the severe ones occurring in middle and low resource settings.

Infants who survive with birth defects suffer long-term disability which impairs them, their families and societies due to the social and economic consequences.

"We also need to build awareness among the people, the programme managers and health workers to seek and provide early care for their children born with birth defects. Timely and appropriate care can cure or minimise the effects of birth defects in children," Khetrapal Singh said.

Source: www.zeenewsindia.com

04.03.2015

Candies may cause high blood pressure in kids: Study

London: Confectioneries may be more harmful for your child than you ever imagined for they can lead to high blood pressure or even seizures in kids, says a study.

The case study details the account of a 10-year-old boy who suffered seizures after over-indulging in licorice (a confectionery).

Licorice is a confection flavoured with the extract of the roots of the liquorice plant. A wide variety of liquorice sweets are produced around the world.

A 10-year-old boy was admitted to hospital in Bologna, Italy after suffering a two-minute tonic-clonic seizure.

Dr. Davide Tassinari and colleagues from the University of Bologna reported that a cluster of another three generalised seizures occurred in the next few hours.

The boy also complained of a severe headache and had high blood pressure.

During medical examination, doctors noticed that the boy's teeth were black. It came out that he had been eating at least 20 licorice sweets each day for the past four months.

This resulted in the consumption of 2.88 mg/kg of glycyrrhizic acid (one of the active ingredients of licorice) -- well above the World Health Organization's recommended maximum of 2 mg/kg.

This excessive consumption had resulted in his developing hypertension, and, in turn, posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES).

After the boy stopped eating the sweets, his anti-hypertensive treatment was gradually reduced and his blood pressure returned to normal.

The authors noted that the risk was particularly high for children with a low body weight.

The study appeared in the journal Paediatric Neurology.

Source: www.zeenewsindia.com

04.03.2015

Jealousy is the jauindice of the soul

John Dryden