Are Food Allergies Causing Your Child To Be Bullied

Allergy bullying is a growing problem that experts’ warn can cause deadly effects. In fact, parents of children with food allergies are being warned to watch for signs of ‘allergy bullying’ which Dr. Sandra Hong, M.D., Allergist at Cleveland Clinic (USA) says are commonplace in schools.

BULLYING BEHAVIORS

Research, according to Dr. Hong, has learned that around one third of children with food allergies report being targeted by bullies. She elaborates, “Comments like ‘I’m going to hide peanut butter in your food’, were amongst the incidents reported.” In fact, perpetrators may threaten or taunt their victims with potentially dangerous foods such as peanuts or peanut butter. Dr. Hong stresses that parents’ whose offspring reported being bullied about a food allergy must contact the school and insist on staff intervention.

HIDDEN SIGNS

Unfortunately, many children targeted based on their particular food allergies often don’t report such incidents to their parents. Therefore, understanding the warning signs is critical for parents’, some of which include: being sad, withdrawn, upset, or a change in normal behavior. Dr. Hong adds that if the child suddenly develops an aversion to going to school out of the blue, parents’ need to get to the bottom of the problem. If there’s something more, something deeper, she advises parents’ to maintain open communication at all times in order to deal with these kinds of situations.

EMOTIONAL IMPACT

The American Academy of Pediatrics investigated allergy bullying to understand its emotional impact on children. Testimonies from a number of kids’ with serious food allergies found that bullying was common and usually involved threats linked to food. The researchers reported the bullied food-allergic children suffered from greater anxiety and a compromised quality of life. However, parental awareness of the bullying was linked with enhanced emotional and social coping skills in more than half of the cases.

UNDERSTANDING FOOD ALLERGIES

A food allergy is a reaction by the body to a food item, most commonly milk, eggs, peanuts, wheat, soy, tree nuts, and fish. Symptoms of a food allergy include a tingling sensation in the mouth, swelling of the tongue and throat, hives, vomiting, abdominal cramps, difficulty breathing, diarrhea, a drop in blood pressure, and loss of consciousness.

THE BODY DURING FOOD ALLERGY

A food allergy is caused when the body’s immune system mistakes an ingredient in food—usually a protein—as harmful and creates a defense system (special compounds called antibodies) to fight it. An allergic reaction occurs when the antibodies are battling an “invading” food protein. Although a person could have an allergy to almost any food, the following eight foods account for almost 90 percent of all foodrelated allergic reactions: milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts (such as cashews and walnuts), fish, shellfish, soy, and wheat.

A dental implant is titanium screws that replace the roots of a missing or damaged tooth, which in its turn, is inserted into a prepared bony socket in the jaw and can be used to replace a single, several, or all teeth. Dr. Hussain, Founder and Specialist Prosthodontist and Oral Implantologist at Oris Dental Center in Dubai, UAE explains more about dental implants.

Dr. Hussain explains that first; the restorative dentist decides the type of dental implant that best suits the patient and requests some additional x-rays to determine the precise measurements.

During the second visit – after applying local anesthesia – the damaged tooth is removed, and the titanium implant post is inserted into the jawbone.

During the healing process -between 6 to 12 weeks- the implant will be osseointegrated into the natural jawbone so that the bone will grow and form a solid lasting foundation for teeth replacement. Once the implant is integrated into the jawbone, a small extension called the abutment is placed over the dental implant above the gum line and an impression is taken to create the patient’s custom crown, bridge, or denture.

Dr. Hussain states that dental implants have important advantages. It is safe because the prosthesis is attached to the bone only. Also, implants function in the same way as natural teeth and prevent bone loss, plus it helps in providing a natural chewing sensation.

Also, the dental implant can be used to give removable dentures a firm grip, and there is no need to use special glue to hold the false teeth in place. Additionally, studies have proven that implants can last up to 25 years or more if kept healthy and clean.

Dr. Hussain recommends dental implants to patients’ whose goal is to restore the appearance of the teeth. However, it is preferable if patients’ are over 18-years-old to ensure that the bone tissue is fully developed.

He adds, “Your restorative dentist must make sure that your oral hygiene is in healthy condition before treatment, because the longterm success of implants depends on good plaque control”.

Like any surgery, dental implants have some health risks. However, most risks can be prevented and are easily treated.

It is recommended that all implant patients’ follow a proper dental hygiene routine to prevent implant complications; it is important to brush, floss, and visit the dentist every six months to perform regular checkups and early diagnosis of gum inflammation around the implant, and avoid smoking.

Communication is not only an expression of words or gestures, but is listening and paying attention to each other in an active and positive way, as well as sharing meals and playful interaction. But what should not be communicated to your children? HEALTH investigates.

Why It Matters

Whether it happens around the dinner table or during the car ride home from school, communication is more than just an exchange of words. Further elaborating, Dr. Valeria Risoli, a clinical psychologist tells that family relationships help children learn how to communicate verbally and non-verbally. And with all of us glued to gadgets, if the effort is not made to promote real communication amongst families and social groups, the future generations’ society will be made of people unable to talk to each other, a society of individuals unaware of the existence of other people around, and a society of loneliness.

Parents Talk

Parents should communicate to their kids what is going on, always adopting a simple and clear way of talking that is appropriate for their age. But some things should be avoided, as follows:

1. Kids do not need to be informed about grown ups issues: arguments between parents, financial difficulties, or serious family issues. Respect the age of your children, and do not load them with worries and situations that they are not emotionally ready to deal with.

2. Your children do not need to know how good other children are. They need to be praised and appreciated for what they are and have, without being compared to anyone else.

3. Your children do not need to be informed about disturbing and traumatic events of life: let them enjoy their age without spoiling their serene development with details that they are not ready to face.

4. If you are facing difficulties within your marital relationship or at work, your children do not need to be informed about the details and should not hear negative comments about their mom, dad, or even your boss.

5. Parents should not keep secrets about important events—such as an illness of a family member as children can understand and sense if something is happening.

PREPARING FOR MENOPAUSE IS NOT SOMETHING MANY WOMEN DO OR EVEN THINK ABOUT, YET THE REALITY IS THAT PERIMENOPAUSE CAN START TO CREEP UP, BRINGING WITH IT SYMPTOMS THAT CAN BE A HINDRANCE. DR. MARILYN GLENVILLE PHD, A LEADING UK BASED NUTRITIONIST AND AUTHOR OF 14 INTERNATIONALLY BEST-SELLING BOOKS, DETAILS HOW TO COPE WITH THE EMOTIONAL CHALLENGES OF MENOPAUSE.

What it means

When women talk about going through the menopause they are actually describing perimenopause, tells Dr. Glenville. “Many women can start to experience hormonal changes from around the age of 40 and remember, perimenopause is a time of change, and your female hormones are going to be fluctuating up and down,” she says, so the more gradually you go through this stage, the less hormone fluctuations you experience and the easier the transition.

Symptoms

Emotional symptoms can include irritability, crying spells, anxiety and tension, forgetfulness, low self-esteem, lack of concentration, depression, mood swings, indecisiveness, and fearfulness. Symptoms, she adds, can be connected to your adrenal glands – as your ovaries decline in the production of estrogen, your adrenal glands take over some of this role and produce a form of estrogen.

Preventive steps to help cope

Trying to reduce stress from the outside is not always easy and the only way you may be able to control what is happening is to control how you react to the stress. The other way to control the stress hormones is to watch what and how you eat. Adrenaline and cortisol are released as your blood sugar drops and can give you symptoms such as mood swings, irritability, crying spells, aggressive outbursts, tiredness, anxiety and tension, inability to concentrate, forgetfulness, and sweating—many of the symptoms we associate with the perimenopause. Dr. Glenville suggests to sort out your blood sugar balance first as you may be surprised how many of these ‘perimenopause’ symptoms disappear. Stabilize blood sugar levels by reducing the amount of sugar and refined foods in the diet by eating little and often to reduce the toll on the adrenal glands.

Reduce or eliminate

Caffeinated drinks such as tea and coffee which contribute to the blood sugar problem. Certain nutrients can also help a woman cope better and reduce the impact of that stress. These include the
B vitamins, especially B5 for stress relief and energy, magnesium – nature’s tranquilizer for relaxation and sleep, chromium for blood sugar balance, Siberian ginseng which acts as a tonic to the adrenal glands, and L-theanine for reducing stress and anxiety as well as helping the brain to switch off to go to sleep. Also, any exercise that reduces stress such as yoga can be helpful. And it is important to aim to get six to eight hours of sleep a night. Consider using aromatherapy oils, such as Bergamot, lavender, Roman chamomile, and marjoram in a warm bath, just before bed. A few drops on your pillow at bedtime, or used in a vaporizer, can have the same effect.

While the Prognosis for Migraine Patients’ Has Never Looked Brighter, There Are Still Unmet Needs to Address Which Could Potentially Improve the Quality Of Life for Individuals Suffering From This Often Debilitating Condition.

According to GlobalData’s report, ‘PharmaPoint: Migraine – Global Drug Forecast and Market Analysis to 2026’, the most pressing unmet need in migraine diagnosis is improved physician education. The report reveals that the low migraine diagnosis rate originates from a variety of factors including a lack of any diagnostic tests, and similarity to other indications such as cluster and tension-type headaches, as well as a lack of time for a physician to take a proper patient history. Rahael Maladwala, Pharma Analyst at GlobalData points out, ‘‘Just one year ago, treatments for both episodic and chronic patients’ were unable to provide adequate care for migraineurs for reasons including comorbidities, side-effects, and lack of efficacy. However, a promising late stage pipeline
is coming to fruition over the next few years which will mean migraine treatment is becoming less of a headache. Nonetheless, while treatments for migraine have improved over the last year, they can only have an impact if a patient is formally and correctly, diagnosed with the condition.”

TREATMENTS

Previously, treatments for migraine were limited to triptans for episodic migraineurs, which left a lot to be desired in terms of efficacy and a variety of repurposed drugs for chronic migraineurs, which often had safety issues on top of poor efficacy profiles. “In terms of acute treatment, which aims to stop one off migraine attacks, Eli Lilly are developing a drug called Lasmiditan, which can be used in a larger pool of patients’ (the current gold standard of treatment, triptans, cannot be used in patients’ with cardiovascular problems as vasoconstriction is a big issue with them) – this drug partially addresses that unmet need,” explains Maladwala.

PHYSICIAN EDUCATION

According to Maladwala, finally, the big unmet need that is unlikely to be addressed is the need for physician education; the above treatments only work when migraine is correctly diagnosed however, often it can be confused with other types of headaches (cluster, tension type, medication overuse) which means the patient cannot be correctly treated. Therefore, there is an opportunity for pharma companies to teach physicians more about migraine and how best to go about diagnosing it. Migraine is one of the mostly highly prevalent neurological disorders in the world and it gets very little attention, which is why these treatments have taken so long to come to market and why it gets so little training. Moreover, in cases where treatment is not effective, there are non-pharma approaches that can be taken to improve quality of life, these include; educational classes on stress management, exercise, and biofeedback.

With the rise of man buns and beard-scaping, now the modern day gentleman is paying extra close attention to the style of clothing he wears and the way he carries himself. Research has shown that taking care of your appearance has a direct correlation with success in your professional and personal life. As the ultimate modern-day gentleman, Medy Navani, Founder and Creative Director of Design Haus Medy shares his views on why dressing well is key and offers simple tips to ensure your look is on point.

Look Good, Feel Good

In most cases, looking good means feeling good, and there is no better state of mind than being confident and self-assured within oneself. In fact, research has shown that physical appearance is closely linked to confidence levels. Create a morning routine and take your time to get ready in order to put your best foot forward, which in turn will have a positive impact on your mindset for the rest of the day.

Staying in Shape

We all know that exercise is vital to keeping a healthy body, but it is equally important for creating a healthy mind. When we work out, our brains release endorphins, which is the “happy hormone”.
Try going for a light jog, swim, or even have a few rounds on a punching bag; it will provide you with an added dose of energy, a positive outlook for the day, and of course, help maintain weight.

First Meeting

A well-dressed and groomed man is instantly seen as professional upon first impression and is subsequently taken more seriously than his “scruffy” counterparts. Showing up to a first meeting wearing a beautifully fitted outfit, hair well-groomed, and beard either stylishly trimmed or cleanly shaven will present self-assurance, which will ultimately be projected onto others. First impressions are important so make sure yours counts.

Bullying is a very serious concern gripping educational institutes around the world today. While schools adopt a zero-tolerance policy, unfortunately it still exists. Often times, the crux of the problem are the kids who keep their suffering a secret. Jyotika Aggarwal, Clinical Psychologist reveals strategies for parents to initiate that conversation with kids.

Negative Messages

At such an impressionable age, it is hard for the “bullied” to stand up for themselves. Getting the message that they are not “good enough”, children start to believe it. They are afraid of being judged as “weak” or being threatened, therefore, they don’t see the option of talking to their parents about it. To the bullied child, it feels like a lose-lose situation. Hence, it is of utmost importance to talk openly and to educate your child about it. This includes telling them about the four types of bullying: verbal—which involves teasing, writing mean messages, or name-calling, physical—which involves hitting, tripping, or breaking things, social— which could be spreading rumors and leaving someone out, and cyber bullying, which includes posting hurtful comments/pictures/videos.

The Conversation

Parents need to send the message loud and clear that bullying is unacceptable and no matter what the bully threatens, your child must never keep it a secret from you. Extinguishing bullying is as important as being able to identify it. To achieve this, it is necessary to create an empathetic and safe environment, where a child can immediately approach an adult for help. Taking assertive, quick, and organized action towards the bully sets an example to keep other bullies at bay. It also encourages bystanders and other bullied children to come forward. Parents and institutions must make it a goal to be vigilant and protect their children from this damaging experience.

THE HIDDEN SIGNS OF BULLYING PARENTS SHOULD LOOK OUT FOR

• Unexplained bruises or random complaints of body aches or illnesses so as to avoid school.

• Books being torn or things missing.

• Sudden mood swings, increased irritability, crying or the desire to “be left alone”.

• Sudden nightmares, crying while sleeping, or even bed-wetting is a red flag.

• Not wanting to go to school nor wanting to talk about school anymore.

• Changes in perception of self and ability—for example, sudden thoughts like “I’m a loser”.

• Talk of suicide or self-destructive behavior.

When it comes to fitness, the results are unlimited. Whether you’re looking to lose weight or tone up, a clear training plan can help you achieve the results you want. Here are four different fitness goals with the recommended class to achieve the results you want.

Desired Result:

Weight Loss

Class recommendation: Cycling and Circuit Training

Cycling is a bike-based class that will maximize energy expenditure and raise your heart rate too; this coupled with a circuit training class will ensure that you are targeting muscular endurance as well as aerobic endurance.

Desired Result: Tone Up

Class recommendation: High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) and Pilates

If your aim is to tone up then HIIT will give you an afterburn effect, helping you to continue burning calories even after you finish your workout – this alongside the weighted exercises will help tone your major muscles.

Use Pilates to tone your core – a stronger core will help develop posture and balance between the muscles you are shaping whilst attending the other recommended classes to help you tone up.

Desired Result: Increase Endurance

Class Recommendation: Swimming and Yoga

Swimming is ideal to help boost your endurance levels, plus it complements other group classes. Yoga not only works well with swimming, but on its own, can make the body more mobile and promote balance.

Desired Result: To Build Muscle

Class Recommendation: Boxing

Boxing can develop your strength and speed, but when you combine this upper body workout with a vigorous kickboxing class, it will engage the lower body. This will ensure that you are building muscle from head to toe.

(Credit: Fitness First National Academy Manager, Katherine Benson, and Fitness First Nutrition Manager, Banin Shahine)