Risiko Asap Rokok Secondhand Kepada Ibu Mengandung

Kita tahu bahawa merokok ketika hamil amat membahayakan kesihatan kepada anda dan bayi dalam kandungan. Kesan lebih buruk sekiranya bayi anda menjadi mangsa oleh tabiat buruk orang lain. Pendedahan terhadap asap rokok terpakai boleh memberi kesan negatif kepada janin yang sedang membesar.

Kajian dan tinjauan telah membuktikan kesan-kesan buruk asap rokok pada tubuh manusia. Ini adalah sebabnya doktor menasihatkan wanita mengandung untuk berhenti merokok, kerana kesan nikotin dan bahan toksik lain yang ada dalam rokok boleh menyebabkan kehilangan kehamilan.

Dalam beberapa kes,
wanita yang berhenti merokok ketika mengandung
 setelah mempelajari kesan-kesan negatif merokok terhadap kandungan mereka.

Adakalanya, wanita mengandung berhenti merokok kerana tidak gemar akan bau rokok. Pengelakan ini mempengaruhi olfaktori dan gustatori iaitu deria bau dan rasa, menjadi faktor utama.

Namun bagaimana pula dengan wanita mengandung yang mempunyai ahli keluarga atau kawan-kawan yang merokok?

Apa Itu Asap Rokok Terpakai dan Mengapa Ia Berisiko?

Menyedut asap rokok tanpa sengaja dipanggil asap rokok terpakai (secondhand smoke), dan ia juga dikenali sebagai perokok pasif.

Anda dianggap sebagai
perokok pasif
 apabila ada orang merokok di sekeliling anda – sama ada ahli keluarga, kawan-kawan atau kawan sepejabat – yang menyembur asap, anda pula menyedutnya.

Kredit: mirror.co.uk

Apabila anda menyedut asap rokok, toksin dalam rokok akan masuk dalam sistem anda, walaupun anda sendiri tidak merokok.

Asap rokok terpakai menimbulkan risiko kesihatan bagi semua orang termasuk kanak-kanak. Malah orang dewasa juga kadang-kala boleh mengalami masalah kesihatan yang serius. Antara masalah kesihatan orang dewasa hadapi akibat pendedahan terhadap asap rokok termasuk:

Penyakit kardiovaskular

Strok

Kanser paru-paru

Masalah pernafasan

Masalah pembiakan pada wanita.

Kesan jangka masa pendek pula termasuk batuk, sakit tekak, hidung rasa gatal, mata rasa gatal dan pening kepala.

Kesan jangka masa lama pula ia memekatkan darah. Jadi semua masalah kesihatan yang berkaitan dengan darah beku boleh terjadi termasuk strok, angina, sakit jantung, aterosklerosis dan kegagalan jantung.

Risiko ini meningkat sehingga 20-30% kepada perokok pasif yang sentiasa terdedah dengan asap rokok.

Bayi dan kanak-kanak pula terdedah kepada masalah kesihatan lebih berisiko akibat pendedahan terhadap asap rokok. Risikonya termasuk masalah pernafasan seperti:

Penyakit cecair di tengah telinga (middle ear disease)

Jangkitan paru-paru

Asma

Bronkitis dan pneumonia

Sindrom kematian bayi mendadak (SIDS)

Hidu Asap Rokok Semasa Mengandung Membahayakan Janin

Anda mungkin percaya bahawa berhenti merokok atau menjadi seorang yang tidak merokok boleh menyelamatkan bayi anda. Ini tidak benar sama sekali.

Jika anda terhidu asap rokok terpakai, hampir 400 bahan kimia toksik disalurkan dalam darah anda termasuk karsinogen, agen merosakkan DNA serta logam berat.

Bayi anda yang menerima segala nutrisi dan oksigen daripada darah anda melalui plasenta secara automatiknya terdedah kepada toksin-toksin tersebut.

Bahkan perkembangan badan anak anda juga boleh terjejas secara kekal akibat toksin ini.
Risiko-risikonya termasuk:

Bayi dilahirkan dengan berat badan berkurangan

Keguguran

Bayi pramatang

Kelahiran mati (stillbirth)

Kecacatan kongenital

Sindrom Kematian Bayi Mendadak (selepas kelahiran)

Kredit: sciencemag.org

Satu kajian daripada Nottingham Universiti mendedahkan bahawa walaupun masih ada 20-34% risiko kelahiran mati buat ibu mengandung yang merokok, hampir 23% risiko pula pada wanita yang menghidu asap rokok ketika mengandung.

Pada masa yang sama, kecacatan kongenital pada wanita mengandung yang terdedah kepada asap rokok terpakai pula adalah 13% berbanding 10-34% bakal-bakal ibu yang mengandung.

Kajian mengemukakan kemungkinan bayi yang terdedah kepada asap rokok terpakai,
dilahirkan dengan kecacatan otak, kaki dan testis
.

Apa Yang Perlu Dilakukan Tentang Pendedahan Asap Rokok?

Kredit: cdnparenting.com

Anda mesti berhati-hati apabila terhidu bau asap rokok semasa mengandung. Sebagai langkah berjaga-jaga, periksa tahap karbon monoksida ada dengan doktor atau bidan.

Ini memberi anda penjelasan tentang pendedahan asap rokok. Berikut beberapa tip untuk anda ingat:

Cuba meminimumkan pendedahan anda terhadap asap rokok

Elak ke kawasan yang ada perokok

Pilih kenderaan secara bijak dan minta orang tidak merokok berdekatan dengan anda

Minta ahli keluarga atau pelawat merokok di luar rumah dan hanya masuk ke dalam selepas mereka selesai

Pastikan pintu dan tingkap terbuka jika seorang perokok melawat anda. Elak berdekatan dengan mereka – ini tidak biadap, anda hanya ingin menjaga pembesaran bayi anda.

Bincang dengan majikan untuk tukar tempat duduk ke bahagian perudaraan yang baik jika ada perokok di pejabat anda.

Bincang dengan doktor dan majikan tentang penggunaan alat pernafasan di pejabat, jika teman sepejabat merokok.

Pastikan anda tidak terlalu terdedah kepada sisa rokok sebelum masuk ke dalam rumah.

Ingat, bayi anda akan memerlukan perlindungan daripada asap rokok terpakai walaupun selepas kelahirannya.
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Teruskan amalan tidak merokok di sekitar dan di dalam rumah selepas kehadirannya dalam hidup. Dengan cara hidup lebih berjaga-jaga, bayi anda mungkin akan selamat daripada asap rokok terpakai.

Sumber asal ditulis dan diterjemah dengan izin dari
theAsianparent Singapore

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The stages of labour

Breakdown of giving birth in 4 stages

FIRST STAGE

Early labour

Early labour is considered one of the three parts of the first stage of labour. This happens when your cervix starts to thin out gradually and dilates. At this stage, you will start to feel contractions but not quite at a regular interval. This stage is quite tricky to determine because some pregnant women often go into false
labour
.

Depending on the pain threshold of a woman, others won’t be able to feel any pain and could still be going about their normal routines. But there are some women who feel quite a lot of discomfort even if their cervix hasn’t really started dilating yet.

At this stage, it is important to let your doctor know what you are experiencing. You would either be advised to wait out the contractions until they get stronger or go to the hospital immediately.

Active labour

For
pregnant women
 like yourself, active labour may be the most trying thing that you have experienced ever. Not only will the contractions be stronger but it would seem to be non-stop. At this point, your cervix would be dilated from 4 centimetres up to 7 centimetres  Active labour can last for a few hours up to a day depending on the mother and the condition of the baby. Make sure to keep yourself comfortable by practising different relaxation and breathing methods. If you feel comfortable standing up and pacing instead of just lying on the bed, do it. Have a lot of patience and try not to push.

Transition

When you have dilated from 7 centimetres to 10 centimetres  you are now in the transition to the second stage of labour  This transition stage is considered as the most painful time of labour and could result in a lot of tears and swearing. During this time contractions would double in frequency and in intensity. At this stage, you might feel really tired, annoyed and really uncomfortable but do not lose hope. Like all trials, this is about to end.

SECOND STAGE

Baby delivery

As soon as your cervix is at 10 centimetres and fully dilated, you are now in the second stage of labour  At this point, the baby will slowly make its way to the birth canal due to the contractions. With each strong contraction, you will be asked to push so do it with all your might. The length of this labour stage depends on the size of the baby. Bigger babies often tend longer to deliver.

THIRD STAGE

Placenta delivery

After the baby has been pushed out, it is time for the placenta to be delivered. You may have to wait for about 15 to 30 minutes before the placenta is pushed out of your body. At this point, you’ll still feel mild contractions but nothing you can’t handle. Just focus on hearing the cries of your baby. Your little angel is finally here!

FOURTH STAGE

Recovery

With the baby successfully delivered and the placenta flushed out entirely from your body, you may now begin to relax. If you opted to breastfeed, now is the best time to start. Now only will your child get the best portion of the
 breast milk
but you will also help your body heal much faster.

Read this article
 for all you need to know about labour!

Here are some related articles:

7 tips for an easier labour

14 ways in 14 days to jumpstart labour

Labour – all you need to know

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Kim Hin Joo Announces Grand Re-Opening of Its Mothercare Experience Store And Launch Of The Entertainer Toy Shop at Suria KLCC

Kim Hin Joo (Malaysia) Berhad (“Kim Hin Joo” or the “Company”), a leading retailer of maternity, baby, children’s clothing, and toys, today unveiled its second experiential concept store, with the grand reopening of its Mothercare Flagship Store at Suria KLCC, making shopping for the little ones so much easier and convenient in the central business district as well as the main shopping and entertainment district of Kuala Lumpur.

Concurrently, the Company has also launched The Entertainer Toy Shop at Suria KLCC to further enhance the shopping experience of its customers. The opening of these new stores is in line with the Company’s omnichannel strategy to improve all consumer touchpoints in Malaysia.

Spanning across 13,000 sq ft, the newly renovated Mothercare Flagship Store at Suria KLCC features several key experience zones that provide parents and parents-to-be with comprehensive hands-on exposure that can facilitate them in making better decisions for their bundle of joy.

These include a stroller test track that allows customers to try out different strollers on the platform with different terrains, replicating various strolling simulations; a baby-wearing zone where customers can use the store’s weighted baby dolls to replicate carrying a real baby, and select baby carriers best suited for their needs; and a “Sparkle Clean” zone for baby gear cleaning services.

The Mothercare Experience Store (“Experience Store”) in Suria KLCC also features Mothercare’s nursery advisors, where our trained and certified in-store staff will guide shoppers, especially new parents, through the deluge of information on what to buy and how to better prepare for the arrival of their little ones. New parents can put their mind to ease as the highly experienced nursery advisors can educate them on purchasing the relevant products that best suits their lifestyle and needs.

In addition, customers can enjoy personalised embroidery service, which is only exclusively available at the Experience store in Suria KLCC. Personalising the product with engravings can make it becomes all the more special and it can also be gifted as a unique and creative personalised gift for their loved ones.

The brand new Mothercare Experience Store (“Experience Store”) is also home to more than 300 brands of baby and children’s products, maternity essentials, and toys.

Meanwhile, The Entertainer in Suria KLCC will be the 5th store in Malaysia. The Entertainer Toy Shop sells a wide range of exclusive toys for children and it is located next to the Experience Store as an added attraction to complement the Company’s “Under One Roof” concept.

Pang Fu Wei, Group Managing Director of Kim Hin Joo said, “Today’s launch of our second Experience Store is a proud achievement for us, and we hope that the Mothercare Flagship Store in Suria KLCC will replicate the success of our first Experience Store in Tropicana Gardens Mall in Petaling Jaya, Selangor.

Our Mothercare Experience store offers a one-stop solution for all baby and parenting needs, and that is in line with our aim to help ease the parenthood journey of our customers from childhood and beyond. Boasting several key experience zones within a spacious and comfortable shopping environment, it is a must-visit store for all new parents, mums-to-be, and families with children.

Moving forward, we plan to continue rolling out the Experience Store concept to more Mothercare outlets as part of our Retail 2.0 strategy to improve all our consumer touchpoints”.
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The KLCC Experience store will be running a special giveaway from 11 August 2022. All expecting mothers can sign up to receive an exclusive Mothercare newborn starter kit worth RM150 to get them started on their parenting journey.

Disclaimer: You are not allowed to share this article on any other website or on Facebook without providing proper credit and the original article link on
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5 tips for a safer C-section


Intermittent Fasting: Healthy Or A Binge-Eating Instigator—Obesity Trainer Weighs In

Intermittent fasting has been a rising trend the last few years – but is it really new? If we look at various cultures, fasting has been a part of many old traditions in one form or the other. Some fast for a few days, some even for a whole month.

If we go even further: wasn’t fasting always something we all did? Imagine our ancestors in the cave: food was scarce and they only got something to eat if the women gathered enough roots and berries or if the men hunted down some animals. Then there was food for a bit – and after not much to eat for maybe even longer.

But can fasting lead to binge eating?

As the food industry grew, 3 meals and 2 snacks a day were the gold standard, with breakfast was a must if you wanted to stay healthy, and fasting was not recommend. Fasting was not only regarded as difficult, but it was even said that most people binged after a fasting period (aka diet) and therefore gained the weight back even faster. On top of this metabolism was said to slow down with calorie restriction (which made gaining back weight even easier) and people got fixated on food which resulted in an unhealthy relationship with food in the long term. Today we know some of this is true, but for many they are able to view things differently.

Fasting is usually a period where you reduce your calorie intake or don’t eat at all. Most people go into such a period thinking of what they can’t have and end up just torturing themselves thinking about the food they are not allowed. This can definitely result in binging once the fasting is over. But what if we could change our mindset and focus on the benefits of fasting and approach it from a more spiritual side? What if we don’t see it as black or white?

The return of fasting

While fasting has always been around, it’s only in the last few years that it has been popularised again. It started with “dinner cancelling” and in the recent years various forms of alternate day, whole day and time restricted fasting appeared.

In animal studies amazing effects were achieved: weight loss, improvements with blood pressure, blood sugar levels and cholesterol and even increased life span. In humans more studies need to be conducted but for sure its safe in healthy humans and effective for weight loss. There are also indications that it does help with diabetes and makes our metabolism more effective.

How to incorporate intermittent fasting into your life

The fact is — our bodies need time to get used to fasting. By nature our body can deal with fasting very well, but with the 24 hour availability of food, we often need to retrain our bodies and minds. If you are a constantly thinking about food and eat every few hours, it will be more challenging for you than for someone who can easily go hours without food. It will get easier with time and our bodies will adapt and become more flexible.

My approach has always been that we are all different, with a different genetic makeup. So how can there be a one-size-fits-all solution? Who says it should be one way or over another? So I invite you:
Make intermittent fasting your own.

If intermittent fasting is something that appeals to you, try first to extend the hours you don’t eat during night and then between meals and find the amount of hours that work for you.

My recommendation has always been to
try for minimum 12-14 hours during night
 (meaning for example dinner at 7pm and then breakfast only at 9am the next day) and around
4 hours between meals where you only drink water
. This gives your digestive system a bit of rest and also gives your body the chance to use up energy fuel (aka fat).

If you feel okay, you can even try to go longer without food overnight and limit the window where you eat during the day even more. I feel at my best when I don’t eat 14-16 hours overnight and leave around 4 hours between meals.

Give it a try, experiment and find your own preferred way of intermittent fasting and see how it makes you feel.
References
:

https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/intermittent-fasting-surprising-update-2018062914156

https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/healthy-weight/diet-reviews/intermittent-fasting/

This article has been republished with permission from
PurelyB.

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5 ways to keep your husband faithful, according to experts

Cheating is a choice — and so is remaining faithful. It is a choice couples make, some more often than others. While each couple’s story is different, the same is true for all: remaining true to your spouse means being devoted to the vow you made to them. But even if you’re happily married, or even if fidelity comes naturally to you, at some point you’ve likely wondered how to keep a husband faithful.

5 expert-approved tips on how to keep a husband faithful

While there are many ways to prevent your husband from straying, there are common expert-backed ways you can start with. Here are just five of them.

1. Acknowledge that infidelity is a possibility

Accept his vulnerability. Don’t be too confident, thinking that cheating “could never happen to you.” Once you accept the fact that he is not perfect, then you can start working towards strengthening your bond.

In this way, explains
author and speaker Gretchen Rubin
, you won’t be too complacent as to put him in situations where he is easily tempted.

Psychology expert Barry McCarthy agrees. In an
article for
Psychology Today
, he writes that the key to preventing extra-marital affairs is to “confront denial” by establishing a positive view of each other’s vulnerabilities. Even those who are
“happy” can be tempted to cheat
. So don’t take anything for granted.

2. Stay away from tempting situations

“Do not play with fire,” as they say. This goes both ways. You should be proactive enough to steer clear of anything — or anyone — that could sabotage your fidelity in any way. This could be
emotional cheating
 or
online flirtation
.

It’s a slippery slope. And what’s worse is that it could be happening without you even noticing. The key is to be open to introspection, correction, to be self-aware and mature enough to admit when you’re wrong. Both of you should be accountable for your actions and missteps. Of course, this is easier said than done, but it’s worth a shot!

How do you keep a husband faithful? It’s easier than you think!

3. Communicate

Making a habit out of expressing your thoughts and feelings doesn’t just strengthen your bond, it pushes you to see the good in your husband. According to
psychologist Leslie Becker-Phelps
 it also helps you resolve conflict in a more productive way.

Oftentimes, the reason husbands have affairs is that they don’t feel valued or heard. And while the act of cheating is NEVER the fault of the one cheated on, there are ways to make a spouse feel less inclined to seek out an affair. And one of them is simply talking things through to help you stay on the same page no matter what life throws at you.

4. Don’t obligate them

According to research published in the
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
 demanding fidelity can be counterproductive. Trying to control someone’s actions is not the way to keep them faithful.

Researchers found that limiting people’s desires decreased their relationship satisfaction and increased their interest in seeking out an affair.

So accept that you or your husband will find other people attractive at one point or another. But keep in mind that attraction is different from acting on it. Being faithful should feel like the natural choice.

Setting strict limits might work for some husbands — especially those with a history of infidelity — but it more often backfires. A partner will be less inclined to stray if they are satisfied, if they feel trusted.

5. Commit to satisfying each other beyond sex

Non-sexual touch
 should not be taken for granted. You should not just be sweet between the sheets! But rather
shower each other with loving touch
 throughout the day. It can be as simple as a hug goodbye in the morning or a sweet kiss when you reunite at the end of the day. These
rituals of affection
 — once they become habits — can keep you both feeling content in your marriage.

Clinical psychologist David J. Ley writes
 that there should be an honest ownership when it comes to sexual desire and feelings. Intimacy is not just what goes on in the bedroom. Don’t be afraid to open up about what worries or frustrates you.

In fact, oftentimes when there is a sexual issue couples face, it’s because of
unresolved issues
 that have nothing to do with sex at all. Though for many men sex is the
main reason why they cheat
, there are those who seek out affairs for emotional reasons.

Loving is easy, but remaining faithful no matter how overwhelming the temptations around you are, now there’s a challenge.

Sources:

Psychology Today
,
The Atlantic,

WebMD,

Journal of Personality and Social Psychology

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Is Your Child’s Growth Stunted? Here’s What You Should Know

Did you know that according to the National Health and Morbidity Survey,
the prevalence of stunting in children under five years of age in Malaysia has increased from 17.2% (2006) to 20.7% (2016)
1
? That’s basically 1 in 5 children!

What Is Childhood Stunting?

Stunting generally means the failure to reach full potential for growth. The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines stunting as “the impaired growth and development that children experience from poor nutrition, repeated infection and inadequate psychosocial stimulation”.

What Causes Childhood Stunting?

If a child’s “height for age” value is less than two standard deviations from the WHO Child Growth Standards median, he is defined as stunted
2

(see Appendix A and B for WHO Child Growth graphs).

Childhood stunting can be caused by many factors, but here are the common ones in Malaysia, as elaborated by Dr Nazrul Neezam,
Paediatric Gastroenterologist & Hepatologist:

Poor nutrition/feeding

Children require an adequate amount of calories and vital nutrients to grow well and healthy. The lack of vital nutrients will not only affect children’s growth but also weaken their immune system.
3

Poor nutrient absorption

Credit: iStock

Indigestion, bacterial overgrowth and the body’s inability to absorb nutrients are known to affect children’s growth. These are the root causes of illnesses such as paediatric gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GERD) that causes vomiting and indigestion among children, and Celiac disease that slows down bowel movements which leads to increased bacterial concentration. Acute diarrhoea that is caused by a bacterial/viral infection or inflammation of the gut also affects children’s growth. This leads to problems such as weight loss, nutrient loss and abdominal pain, too.
3

Inability to utilise nutrients

The lack of hormones will cause the body to have difficulties in absorbing nutrients effectively. Though uncommon, children who are diagnosed with hyperthyroidism, for example, do not produce enough thyroid hormones in their bodies that are needed to maintain a good metabolism function. These children may suffer not only from stunted growth but also delayed puberty, delayed tooth eruption as well as poor mental development.
3

Other factors include adolescent pregnancy, poor maternal nutrition, poverty which leads to limited healthcare access and healthy food supply, poor sanitation and lack of stimulation from parents and caregivers.
2,4

Long-term Impacts of Stunting

Stunting is largely irreversible
2
, so never take it lightly. Do note that while children can regain weight, they can never recover the same way with their height.
1
 Below are the long-term impacts of childhood stunting:

Delayed cognitive and physical development
2

Impaired mental abilities, which affects learning capacities
2

Poor performance at school
2

At the risk of developing chronic diseases
2

Children who are suffering from the impacts of stunting basically do not get to enjoy a healthy and happy childhood, and as a result, will have a huge impact on their livelihood in the future.

How Do You Prevent Childhood Stunting?

Now that you have understood the severity of childhood stunting, it’s imperative that you take preventive measures from day 1. We know by now that poor nutrition is the main cause of stunting among children, so what you need to do to prevent early stunting is first and foremost, practise good feeding.

Provide your child with complete and balanced nutrition daily. The easiest way to ensure that your child gets an adequate amount of calories and nutrients daily is to follow the Ministry of Health Malaysia’s healthy plate guideline
5
, a.k.a #quarterquarterhalf. This helpful guideline recommends children eat a variety of food groups daily by filling their plate with ¼ protein, ¼ carbohydrates and ½ fruits and vegetables.

Credit: The Malaysian Healthy Plate by Ministry of Health Malaysia

In order to instil good eating habits in your child, you can also limit mealtimes to 20-30 minutes only, encourage self-feeding (just tolerate the mess, mummy!), avoid distractions a.k.a no gadgets during mealtimes, never use food as a reward, introduce new foods every week, encourage their appetite by serving 3 meals and 2 snacks a day, and lastly, reward good behaviour and practise time-out should they misbehave.

Credit: iStock

Next, encourage your child to enjoy an active lifestyle. Bring them outdoors to play and exercise their muscles. Exercise is good for growing children because it makes them stronger and healthier, encourages them to socialise with their peers, improves their self-esteem, lowers stress and supports their healthy growth and development.

Credit: iStock

Now, remember when we said never take childhood stunting lightly? Well, it’s now super easy for any parent to track their children’s growth, thanks to the PediaSure GrowthCam filter!

Children can achieve 60% of final adult height by age of five
6
 yet, 1 in 5 children in Malaysia are stunted.
1
 Therefore, it is important for you to track and monitor your child’s height more regularly and pay attention to nutrition during the first five years of life, which is known as the golden window for growth.

Support Your Child’s Optimal Growth With PediaSure

To further support your child’s growth, why not amp up his daily nutritional needs with PediaSure, the complete and balanced nutrition for children that has been scientifically proven for 50%* faster growth in children and lesser sick days.
7

*Alarcon PA, et al. Effect of oral supplementation on catch-up growth in picky eaters. Clin Pediatr (Philia). 2003;42(3):2019-17. 50% is based on calculated value.

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Join the contest by telling us your child’s dream ambition and win 1 year’s worth of PediaSure + an Apple iPad!

REFERENCES

National Health and Morbidity Survey 2019: Factsheet. Available from:
https://mpaeds.my/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/5.-Fact-Sheet-NHMS-2019-English.pdf
 Last accessed 2 July 2020.

Stunting in a Nutshell. Available from:
https://www.who.int/news/item/19-11-2015-stunting-in-a-nutshell

Belajar & Cegah Kanak-Kanak Daripada Terbantut. Available from:
https://mypositiveparenting.org/ms/2016/06/26/belajar-dan-cegah-kanak-kanak-daripada-terbantut/

Stunting: What Is It and What It Means. Available from:
https://www.concernusa.org/story/what-is-stunting/#:~:text=Some%20common%20factors%20linked%20to,for%20children%20and%20their%20mothers

Panduan Pinggan Sihat Malaysia. Available from:
https://www.moh.gov.my/index.php/pages/view/2414?mid=891

WHO Growth Standards, 2007.

Huynh DTT et al. 5th International Conference on Nutrition & Growth 2018. Oral nutritional supplementation improved linear growth in Filipino children at nutritional risk.

Van Vught AJ et al. Dietary arginine and linear growth: The Copenhagen school child intervention study. Br J Nutr (2013), 109, 1031-1039.

Van Summeren MJ et al. Vitamin K status is associated with childhood bone mineral content. Br J Nutr (2008), 100, 852-858.

APPENDIX A

HEIGHT-FOR-AGE (BOYS)

APPENDIX B

HEIGHT-FOR-AGE (GIRLS)

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Do These Things to Increase Your Child’s Height

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Get Published, Get Paid! theAsianparent Is Giving Parents a Platform to Write Stories and Earn Income

Feeling anxious about your pregnancy? Overwhelmed with
taking care of your newborn
? Doubting your parenting skills?

Then write about it! Because chances are, there are other parents who are in the same boat and could learn a thing or two from reading about your experience.

Whatever parenting stage you are in, it is important for you to be supported, valued, and encouraged.

We at theAsianparent recognise this and have created the VIParents Content Creators (VIPCC), a platform where you can voice out your concerns, opinions, and first-hand knowledge about
pregnancy
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Plus, for every story published is a dollar earned for the parent content creator! And the higher the readership, the higher the pay!

At the VIParents Content Creators (VIPCC), we give value to your voice.
Your voice empowers you. Your voice empowers others.

How to Get Published via the VIParents Content Creators (VIPCC)

In 5 easy steps, parents can write and publish their stories via theAsianparent App (download
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Via theAsianparent App:

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Once submitted, go to ‘Published Jobs’ tab, copy the published link and share on your social media and with your friends for higher earnings!

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Sudden Infant Death Syndrome: SIDS Causes, Risk Factors and Tips for Prevention

It’s so heartbreaking to hear news about babies dying in their sleep. But can something be done to prevent this from happening? Learn more about Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) here.

Table of Contents

What is Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)?

What is SIDS caused by?

Does SIDS have symptoms?

Parental risk factors

Environmental and Physical risk factors

Biological factors

How to prevent SIDS

Put your baby to sleep on his back

Choose your bedding wisely

Remove the bumper pad

Co-sleep with your baby

Do not overheat your baby

Breastfeed, breastfeed, breastfeed

Offer a pacifier

Common concerns related to SIDS

Flat head syndrome (positional plagiocephaly)

Spitting up or vomiting

It happens in the best of circumstances

What is Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)?

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome or SIDS is part of a larger classification of unexpected infant deaths called Sudden Unexpected Death in Infancy.

SIDS, also known as crib or cot death, is the sudden and unexplained death of a baby between 1 and 12 months old. This usually happens while the baby is asleep. It is also considered one of the leading causes of death among infants.

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome kills nearly 3,000 babies each year. SIDS victims are babies, who appear to be perfectly healthy when their parents put them down for a nap or at bedtime, but never wake up. Needless to say, it’s a devastating and horrific tragedy that can happen to anyone at any time.

In 2016, the American Academy of Pediatrics modified its recommendations for preventing Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and sleep-related newborn fatalities.

Despite the ongoing communication efforts, there appears to be a gap between public health recommendations to prevent SIDS and promote safe sleeping environments, and what parents actually practice with regard to infant sleeping environments, as evidenced by the continued infant mortality statistics.

Image Source: Pexels

Around 196 babies or a rate of 0.28 deaths per 1,000 live births still die every year of SIDS in the United Kingdom in 2019, the Office for National Statistics in the UK said.

Also in 2019, about 170 or a rate of 0.27 per 1,000 live births unexplained infant deaths occurred in England and Wales. This, however, showed a decrease from 0.32 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2018.

Meanwhile, boys are more at risk of SIDS than girls with 55.3 per cent or 0.29 per 1,000 live births happening in 2019. In the same year, the SIDS was highest for mothers aged under 20 with 0.96 deaths per 1,000 live births.

A statistic from The Center for Disease Control and Prevention in 2019 showed that there were about 1,250 deaths due to SIDS, about 1,180 deaths due to unknown causes, and about 960 deaths due to accidental suffocation and strangulation in bed in the United States.

Here on the island, SIDS is not a commonly discussed topic. However, it’s important to know what measures families can take to help reduce their baby’s risks.

What is SIDS caused by?

Image source: iStock

No one knows for sure what causes SIDS. What we do know, however, is that SIDS victims stop breathing and lack the ability to alert themselves to start breathing again.

Many researchers and clinicians affirm that SIDS might be associated with abnormalities in the part of the infant’s brain. That is responsible for regulating breathing and sleep-wake function. However, this claim has yet to be proven beyond doubt.

In 1994, Filiano and Kinney proposed the Triple-risk model for SIDS to explain how it occurs.  The model poses that SIDS happens when these three conditions exist at the same time:

The infant is exposed to exogenous stressors such as prone sleeping position, soft and loose bedding,
exposure to secondhand smoke
, or an upper respiratory infection;

the baby has an underlying abnormality such as defects in the part of the brain that controls cardiac function and respiration;

These conditions prevail during a vulnerable stage in the child’s development, especially during the first six months of life.

Does SIDS have symptoms?

Even with years of research given to find more about SIDS, there are still no easy answers when it comes to clearly identify symptoms. Although the exact cause of SIDS is unknown,
certain risk factors
 have been identified:

Parental risk factors

Babies who receive poor prenatal care

Whose mothers smoked, drank alcohol, and consumed drugs during their pregnancy

Babies born to mothers who are under the age of 20

Environmental and Physical risk factors

Babies born prematurely or at very low birth weight

Babies exposed to certain stressors (such as sleeping tummy-down or on too soft bedding)

Infants who become too hot or too cold while asleep

Babies with prolonged tobacco smoke exposure even after birth

Who had an apparent life-threatening event (e.g. babies who have turned pale and required resuscitation)

Babies who recently suffered from respiratory infections might experience breathing problems.

Biological factors

SIDS is most prevalent in babies between the ages of two and four months, but there are more than a few cases each year in babies up to one year of age.

Sex may be a factor as 3 out of 5 victims are boys.

Babies born with underlying vulnerabilities and abnormalities (like brain and heart abnormalities and respiratory infections)

Babies who have siblings or blood relatives who died from SIDS.

How to prevent SIDS

It is so heartbreaking to hear news about a baby who dies in her sleep for unknown reasons. No parent should ever go through the pain of losing her newborn without much explanation.

While there is no clear way to prevent SIDS from happening, there are a number of practical precautions parents can take to lower the risk of SIDS:

Image source: iStock

Put your baby to sleep on his back

Babies placed on their stomachs or sides to sleep may have more difficulty breathing than those placed on their backs. This is because when infants sleep tummy-down, they’re more likely to overheat, breathe incorrectly, and re-breathe carbon dioxide air they’ve exhaled, which lacks oxygen.

If you’re worried about your baby developing a flat spot on his head after too much back time, you can always give your baby adequate amounts of tummy time while she’s awake and under your watchful eye.

So the next time some elders insist on having the baby sleep on his tummy, gently take charge and say “No,” and tell them to wait until your baby is older and has more control over his body.
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Choose your bedding wisely

When buying baby bedding, go with the basics: a firm mattress, a fitted sheet, and as few blankets, quilts, and fluffy padding as possible. Choosing appropriate bedding for infants will prevent smothering or suffocation.

Make sure to clear the crib of any linens, pillows, or stuffed toys that can accidentally move and block the baby’s airways during sleep. Should you give your baby a blanket, make sure it’s breathable, in case your baby wiggles under it or pulls it over his head.

Remove the bumper pad

And most importantly, avoid using bumper pads in cribs. Doing so will decrease the risk of strangulation and entrapment, increase airflow into the crib, and let you see your baby without any obstruction.

Co-sleep with your baby

There has been a lot of debate about co-sleeping and SIDS, but recent studies show that the rate of SIDS is lowest in cultures, such as in Asia, that traditionally share sleep. The best and safest option would be to
room-sharing with your infant
. Put your baby’s bassinet or crib closer to your bed so you can keep a close watch on her at all times.

If you’re set on co-sleeping, make sure your mattress is firm, that there’s enough space for you and your child, and that there’s nothing that will obstruct your baby’s breathing.

Always remember to trust your parental awareness – your bodies are so attuned to your newborn that you’ll wake up with even the slightest bit of uneasiness in your child.

Do not overheat your baby

In a tropical country like ours where it’s hot most of the year, there’s really a risk of overheating a newborn, especially when we alternate between air-conditioned and non-air-conditioned rooms.

It’s best to watch for signs of overheating like sweating and damp hair. Another way to tell if you’re bub is overheating is to put your hand on the back of his neck and feel if it is sweaty or warm.

Make sure your baby’s room is cool, and not too warm or stuffy. Hot stuffy air makes it more difficult to breathe.

Unless your baby’s a preemie, do not over-layer baby clothing and swaddles. Dress your baby in comfortable and light clothes for sleeping.

You may use onesies or pyjamas to cover arms, legs, hands, and feet if your concern is about keeping your baby warm. Instead of using a regular blanket, place them in a sleep sack or a wearable blanket.

Don’t cover your baby’s head. And to be sure, take your baby’s temperature now and again and make sure their body heat stays at a constant 36 degrees Celsius.

Breastfeed, breastfeed, breastfeed

You all know about the
benefits of breastfeeding
, and reducing the risk of SIDS is actually one of them. The protective effect is strongest if you breastfeed your baby exclusively for six months.

But even some breastfeeding is better than none – exclusively breastfeeding until 1 month of age already cuts the risk of SIDS in half.

Combining all these precautions with proper immunisations, infant care, regular paediatrician visits, and a good, clean environment (free of tobacco smoke, alcohol, and drugs) will give you the upper hand when it comes to avoiding Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. In SIDS case, prevention is definitely key.

Offer a pacifier

The sucking reflex from using a pacifier aids in consistent breathing. It also helps soothe your baby to sleep.

For breastfeeding mothers, it is best to wait until the infant is regularly breastfed (not less than 1 month old) before using a pacifier. Your baby might experience nipple confusion if you introduce a pacifier too soon. Your child then would rather have the pacifier’s nipple instead of your own.

You may put the pacifier on the infant’s mouth when you put them to sleep. After they fall asleep, it is best not to put it back in their mouth.

Make sure that you keep the pacifier clean by sterilising it. Buy a new one if it is already damaged. Avoid putting any coating in the pacifier. Don’t compel your baby to use a pacifier if they don’t like it.

Common concerns related to SIDS

Flat head syndrome (positional plagiocephaly)

Some parents might worry if their babies would develop a flat spot on the back of their heads because of spending too much time lying on their backs.

However, this can be treated easily. You can change your baby’s position and allow more supervised “tummy time” while your baby is awake.

Spitting up or vomiting

Spitting up or vomiting
 while babies are sleeping on their backs is one of the things that parents also worry about. Take comfort in knowing that there is no increased risk for choking for healthy infants who sleep on their backs.

The same goes even for most babies with gastroesophageal reflux (GER). On the other hand, experts suggest that babies experiencing some types of rare airway problems sleep on their stomachs.

Take note of these life-saving interventions. Spread the word to other parents so they can also protect their babies from the risk of SIDS. Hopefully one day, we will know a definite cause for this tragic disease, which will lead to a definite cure.

It happens in the best of circumstances

Image source: iStock

While it is important for you to follow the safety guidelines for the prevention of SIDS, the fact is that some babies who die from SIDS die in spite of their parents doing everything right. Hopefully one day, we will know a definite cause for this tragic disease, which will lead to a definite cure.

Tell us if you have any more tips or ways to share with us!

Watch this video for more on this matter:

This article was republished with permission from
theAsianparent Singapore
.

Mayo Clinic
,
GoodTherapy
,
ChildrensHospital
,
WebMD
,
NCBI

Here at theAsianparent Malaysia, it’s important for us to give information that is correct, significant, and timely. But this doesn’t serve as an alternative for medical advice or medical treatment. theAsianparent Malaysia is not responsible to those that would choose to drink medicines based on information from our website. If you have any doubts, we recommend consulting your doctor for clearer information.

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Dettol’s Hygiene Quest Targets To Help 100,000 School Children Adopt Healthy Hand Washing Habits

Dettol Malaysia proudly launches a

public awareness campaign entitled

Purpose Programme 2022 with support and in partnership with the Ministry of Education, targeting 100,000 school children between the ages of seven to nine.

Falling under the brand’s,
Hidup Sihat, Malaysia Hebat
 initiative, the school programme will be rolled-out in over 400 primary schools across Malaysia from 17 January 2022 with an aim to educate those from standard one to standard three adopt and retain healthy hygiene habits from a young age.

In today’s world, where pollution levels are rising and numerous diseases emerging, it is imperative to begin teaching children proper hand washing techniques at an early age to encourage a lifelong habit.

To build better hygiene practices and uplift health standards, Dettol, through this educational awareness initiative, aims to ingrain regular handwashing practices into a child’s daily life, which is one of the best ways to remove germs and prevent the spread of germs to others.

According to Dr Steven KW Chow, President of The Federation of Private Medical Practitioners’ Associations, Malaysia (FPMPAM) and Chairman for FPMPAM/Dettol Public Education partnership program, “It is very important that inculcating proper handwashing and keeping good hygiene become part and parcel of routine training for all school children.

Early childhood is a formative period during which healthy habits are developed, including good hygiene practices.

The Dettol Purpose Programme, which has been constructed to drive behaviour change and create lasting hygiene habits is looking to run a series of educational sessions that targets the cognitive-developmental stage of children on increasing their knowledge and promoting hand hygiene practices.

Creative activities have been planned for the illustration of hand hygiene concepts in terms of “the right time”, “the right steps”, and “the right duration”.

“Children are powerful agents of change who use their powers of persuasion to take messages back to their parents and wider communities. With the right support and interventions, we can significantly boost child development, helping them to grow, learn and foster daily practices that we hope will translate into permanent habitual change. This is why it is so important that we begin the nurturing and education process in the early stages of life where healthy habits are adopted, and hand hygiene practice becomes second nature,” said Gonzalo Balcazar, Regional General Manager of Reckitt Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam.

Under this initiative, Dettol Malaysia will be introducing Hygiene Quest, a range of curriculum modules that use short, animated episodes, comics, lesson plans and activities centred around the adventures of four hero characters to deliver learning objectives.

 The comprehensive course has been developed by leading global educational partners with a measurement framework in place for maximum impact.

Dr Say Shazril has also been engaged as an ambassador to help educate a wider audience on the importance of good hygiene practices and stand as an advocate to the children.

 “I am thrilled that a programme like this is finally being rolled out in schools, more importantly, at the primary school level. Learning simple life-long habits like good hand hygiene will benefit these children not just today, but into adulthood and future generations. It is a pleasure to be working with Dettol on this initiative and my hope is that we exceed the 100,000 children target so that more kids are exposed to the importance of keeping their hands clean at all times,” stated Dr. Say.

“At Dettol, our purpose is to protect and nurture in the relentless pursuit of a cleaner, healthier world. Via partnerships with the Ministry of Education such as these, we live our mission to help protect people of all ages, especially children, from germs by highlighting the necessity of healthy habits. As a leader in germ protection, we strongly believe that through this programme, we will be able to help safeguard the health of families in Malaysia for a better and healthier future,” added Balcazar further.

Disclaimer: You are not allowed to share this article on any other website or on Facebook without providing proper credit and the original article link on
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When children feel rejected by their father, the effects are worse!

When it comes to parenting, we typically associate warmth, affection and nurturing with mothers and more practical aspects with fathers. But you’d be surprised to learn that contrary to popular belief, recent studies have proven that when children feel rejected by their father, it’s more harmful than rejection by the mother!

What happens when children feel rejected?

Ronald Rohner of the University of Connecticut, carried out an analysis of over 36 studies about the effects of parental rejection on about 10,000 participants . He explains that in half a century of international research, no other childhood experience has been proven to have such a strong and consistent effect on the personality of a child as that of rejection, especially by their parents.

Studies show that the same parts of the brain that activate when a person is experiencing physical pain are also triggered when a child feels rejected. But rejection is worse than emotional pain for people can psychologically re-live the emotional pain of rejection for many years.

When children feel rejected by their parents, they tend to become more anxious and insecure. Over time, they start to have low self-esteem, chronic self-doubt and depression. They even develop hostility and aggression towards others.

This doesn’t end in childhood and the emotional pain lingers into adulthood. As a result, these children grow into adults who find it difficult to form trusting and secure relationships with their partners.

What happens when children feel rejected by their fathers?

Now here’s the thing, people primarily target mums when it comes to children feeling rejected. But the recent studies prove otherwise.

When children feel rejected by their fathers, the effects on their development are far more serious than that of the mother.

When children feel rejected by their fathers, the effects are worse than their mums rejecting them.

A possible explanation for this is that children pay more attention to the parent they view as more influential and the one with more interpersonal power or prestige. So it hits them harder and causes more emotional damage when children feel rejected by their father.

Attention received from the father has a strong impact on the development of a child’s personality.

Implications of these findings

The takeaway from this is that the findings should serve as a strong driving force for men to be more involved in the emotional upbringing of their children.

Men need to understand that their love is as important as motherly love which often gets most of the spotlight.

Fathers tend to leave the emotional parts of being a parent to their wife. Often this is because they feel insecure about their emotional importance in the family. But the truth of the matter is the father is the head of the family.

The father is very influential and he should be more involved in the emotional upbringing of the children.

In addition, schools and medical institutions are often too quick to blame mothers. It’s important to recognise the influence and role of the father on the child’s personality development and as such, the inappropriateness of mother blaming.

Do you know when your child feels rejected?

Having said all of this, it’s also important to raise awareness of what parental rejection is and when and how children feel rejected.

Many a time, parental rejection is not deliberate. Especially for men, they don’t have the slightest idea that they are making their children feel rejected by some of the things that they unintentionally do.

Apart from the obvious, not being warm and affectionate towards your child is also a form of rejection. If you want to be the disciplinarian go ahead, but that doesn’t mean that you
always

dismiss your child or communicate in a curt and distanced manner.

If you only focus on the negative, children feel rejected.

It may seem like you are doing them good and raising them in a ‘firm’ manner, but if you don’t balance it out and show them affection, children feel rejected and you end up scarring them emotionally.

Likewise, being too busy for them and constantly giving them divided attention is also a form of rejection. If your child runs to you in excitement to show you his schoolwork and you can barely look away from the television, your handphone or laptop, it’s also rejection.

Not praising and affirming their achievements and positive character traits and constantly focussing on the negative is also rejection.

So mums and dads, and especially dads in this case, be more aware of how you interact with your child. Give them the affection and attention that they need and deserve to avoid damaging them emotionally!
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Reference:
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Your FREE Ramadan At-Home Care Guide E-Book

Let us set ourselves up for our best and healthiest Ramadan yet at home – where you can continue to maintain your spiritual practice, do the needful of fasting and still care for your body and mind.

Please take good care of yourself and share this care guide with one another, your health and well-being is most important during this time.

Here is a sneak peek into the e-book:

Download the complete FREE Ramadan At-Home Care Guide
here.

This article has been republished with permission from
PurelyB.

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Breech baby decapitated highlights dangers of forgoing a C-section

When a mum is told she is carrying a breech baby, or a baby who will likely be born feet first, she naturally worries if delivery will be smooth. After all, babies born headfirst are indeed more common. A mum-to-be normally tries to ease her worries by talking to her doctor or researching common breech newborn death causes.

But no amount of research can ever prepare a mum for losing a child, and in one of the most horrific ways possible.

According to
The

Guardian
, a 30-year-old mum in Dundee, Scotland was subjected to extreme malpractice during delivery.

The mum, only named as Patient A, was carrying a premature infant in breech position. She should have been told that a caesarean section was her safest option for delivery. However, reports say her doctorallegedly urged her to deliver normally.

Breech Newborn Death Causes: Reports Say Gynaecologist Forced the Mum to Deliver

Dr Vaishnavy Laxman, a 41-year-old consultant gynaecologist, reportedly instructed the mum to push while she tugged at the unborn baby’s legs. The baby had a prolapsed cord, a common danger. Because the baby was fragile and pre-term, the force detached the legs, arms, and torso from its head.

More disturbing still are reports that say the mum was in pre-labour. Her water had just broke and she was just three centimetres dilated when the doctor attempted to deliver the baby.

The safest route when it comes to breech babies is still delivering them via emergency C-section. | Image source: Shutterstock

Later reports say the baby had a slow heartbeat, but was alive when it happened. Charles Garside, a lawyer for the General Medical Council, stressed that Dr. Laxman made “the wrong choice.” He emphasises that doctors “should never use vaginal delivery in that situation.”

The traumatised mum recounted in a medical tribunal hearing how she was forced down on the bed. Despite her protests, they tried to cut her cervix twice without telling her. There was no anaesthetic and she made it clear that she wanted them to stop, but her pleas were ignored.

After they realised what had happened, two doctors performed a caesarean section in order to get the baby out so they could reattach the head. They let the mum hold her little one to say goodbye.

Breech Newborn Death Causes: How Can They Be Avoided?

As previously stated, an emergency caesarean section would have been the safest decision. Considering that the mum wasn’t fully dilated yet, then the C-section route would have prevented this tragedy from happening. One doctor’s alleged mistake cost a baby its life.

Sadly, this is not an isolated case. Back in 2012, a
baby in Brazil was decapitated
 after its shoulders got stuck in the birth canal. But the baby was not in breech, so the rest of its body was left inside the womb. Six years earlier, in Kentucky USA, a baby was decapitated during a cervical cerclage procedure.

Around 3-4 % of all pregnancies will result in a breech delivery. There are many possible causes of breech baby presentation. For starters, if a mum has had several babies, or is pregnant with twins, then she’ll likely have a breech baby. Mums who have had premature babies in the past are also prone to carrying breech babies.

What Causes Breech Babies and How Can Mums Have a Safe Delivery?

Breech presentation is influenced by having too much or not enough amniotic fluid. Why? The baby has more room to turn or move around in. Uterine shape and conditions like Placenta Previa also heighten the likelihood.

Aside from the fact that a breech baby is head-up in the uterus, it’s just like a normal pregnancy. The real risk occurs during delivery. When a baby is in breech, they are more at risk for getting stuck in the birth canal. There is also a tendency that their umbilical cord will be compressed or cut off prematurely.
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Menjadi ibu bapa
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To prevent rare, terrifying breech newborn death causes, a
past study
 claims that planned caesarean sections are still SAFER for breech babies.

The British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
 backs this claim, saying that although a trained provider can deliver a breech baby normally, C-sections are still the safest decision to make.

Sources:
The Guardian
,
The Huffington Post
,
Healthline

Got a parenting concern? Read articles or ask away and get instant answers on our app. Download
 theAsianparent Community
 on
iOS
 or
Android
 now!


15 Types of Headache & How To Treat Each of Them

Headaches are a common condition that is characterised by pain that occurs in the head or upper neck area. There are many different types of headaches — common and rare. Here’s a guide to 15 recognised types of headaches and how to treat each of them.

Primary Headaches vs. Secondary Headaches

Headaches can be divided into two categories: primary and secondary.

A primary headache occurs as a condition in itself and is not related to any other cause. The main types of primary headaches are migraines, tension headaches, cluster headaches and hypnic headaches.

On the other hand, secondary headaches occur as a result of another condition — this includes hormone headaches that occur due to a change in hormones, head injury headaches that occur after a concussion or whiplash, and even hangover headaches that occur after a night of excessive alcohol consumption.

Credit: Homage

1. Tension Headache

One of the most common types of headaches, tension headaches cause pain behind the eyes and in the base of the neck. Symptoms include muscle tightness in the temple, the sensation of a tight band of pressure around the head, and continuous but not throbbing pain.

The pain can range from mild to severe, and women aged 20 to 40 are typically more prone to tension headaches compared to men.

Most experiences with tension headaches tend to be episodic, meaning that they occur sporadically once or twice a month, or less. However, tension headaches may also be chronic.

Tension headaches are commonly associated with stress, fatigue, arthritis, anxiety or depression, but may also be a result of poor posture, eye strain, as well as misaligned teeth or jawbones.

Tension Headache Treatment

When dealing with tension headaches (and most headaches), your first line of treatment can be to drink more water. Dehydration can result in headaches or make headaches worse, so increasing your fluid intake may help mitigate and prevent headaches.

A lack of sleep is a common headache trigger, so be sure to monitor how much sleep you are having each night.

Beyond these strategies, over-the-counter (OTC) medications such as ibuprofen, aspirin and paracetamol may be able to get rid of headache symptoms.

Be cautious about overusing these OTC medications though, as these may lead to more severe recurring headache symptoms as you stop taking them and the drugs’ effects wear off.

2. Migraine Headache

Migraines are moderate to severe headaches that manifest as a throbbing pain on one side of the head. This may be accompanied by other symptoms such as feeling nauseous and increased sensitivity to surrounding light and sound.

Migraines are complicated events that may be triggered by different reasons, and the symptoms may manifest differently as well. Though severe chronic migraine attacks can affect one’s quality of life, migraines generally occur in a recognisable pattern that makes them easy to diagnose and treat.

What sets a migraine apart from a headache is that it tends to progress through several stages:

The Prodromal Phase
: Pre-migraine warning signs may appear (constipation, depression, food cravings, hyperactivity, irritability, neck stiffness etc) one to two days before the migraine attack.

The Aura Phase
: Some people may experience visual disturbances or visual auras just before the attack.

Some do not experience this phase, but may instead experience mood changes, fatigue, mental fuzziness, fluid retention, diarrhoea, increased urination, nausea and nasal congestion.

The Attack Phase
: This occurs as a throbbing pain that’s usually felt above the eyes and affects one side of the head, which may last for a few hours to several days. Physical activity and movement usually worsen the pain.

The Postdromal Phase
: The pain subsides.

Migraines can happen to anyone, though they tend to be more common in adult women than men. Some women may find that migraine attacks tend to coincide with their menstrual cycle.

Migraine Treatment

Since migraines can be caused by several factors, the best strategy to manage migraines depends on the frequency and severity of your symptoms and how they affect your life.

OTCs such as paracetamol and ibuprofen may help to relieve some migraine pains. However, if your migraines persist, consult a doctor for other treatment options. Some doctors might prescribe medications that help prevent the onset of migraines. These usually come with some side effects, so only take those medications when prescribed.

Staying away from your migraine triggers as much as possible will be helpful. You can consider writing down your potential migraine triggers to help you and your doctor identify them in the long run.

3. Cluster Headache

As its name indicates, cluster headaches are primary headaches that occur in “clusters” of up to eight times per day. This kind of headache can result in severe, debilitating pain that occurs suddenly. This is often considered to be one of the most painful types of headache and is described as a searing, stabbing pain that occurs behind the eye or in the side of the head.

Cluster headaches comprise short attacks that last around 15 minutes to 3 hours. These daily clusters occur in cycles that can last for weeks or months, with cluster headaches occurring daily. Between these cycles is the remission period that can last for months or years, where the individual typically remains headache-free. Those with remission periods that last for less than a month are considered to have chronic cluster headaches.

One key characteristic that separates cluster headaches from migraines is the actions that worsen or lessen the headache’s effect during an attack. Migraine patients often opt to lie down in a dark room or keep still during an attack as movement tends to worsen migraines.

On the flip side, most people who suffer from cluster headaches find that keeping still does nothing to help with the pain and tend to fidget and move around during an attack. They may even resort to banging their head on something to distract from the pain.

Cluster Headache Treatment

According to the American Migraine Foundation, individuals experiencing cluster headaches are often treated incorrectly by doctors who attempt to treat their symptoms the same way as with migraines. However, cluster headaches and migraines are different forms of headaches that require different types of treatments.
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There are several ways that cluster headache symptoms may be reduced, including steroid prescriptions, preventive medications, and other newer experimental treatments that are currently being developed.

The best way to find a treatment plan that works for you is to consult a specialist (neurologist) on an individualised treatment plan for severe headaches that disrupt your quality of life.

4. Hypnic Headache

Hypnic headaches are a rare type of headache that occurs when one is sleeping. These are sometimes called “alarm-clock headaches” for how they awaken people from their sleep.

These headaches often occur around the same time each night for several days a week, with each attack lasting from 15 minutes to 4 hours. The pain can range from mild to severe and may be accompanied by migraine-like symptoms such as nausea as well as light and sound sensitivity.

The exact cause of hypnic headaches is currently still unknown, though some experts believe that they might be linked to issues in the parts of the brain that involve pain management, REM sleep and melatonin production.

Hypnic Headache Treatment

Though there are currently no specific treatments for hypnic headaches, your doctor might recommend that you try taking a dose of caffeine before bed in the form of coffee, as it has been shown to help reduce hypnic headache attacks without causing any severe side effects.

OTC medications can be taken to manage the pain, though long-term reliance on these may cause chronic headaches. Always speak to your doctor before trying any kind of new medication.

5. Sinus Headache

Sinus headaches (called rhinosinusitis), are a rare secondary headache that occurs due to viral or bacterial sinus infection. Symptoms include thick, discoloured nasal discharge, a decreased sense of smell, facial pain or pressure and fever.

It is quite common for people who “self-diagnose” themselves with sinus headaches to actually be suffering from migraines, due to shared symptoms such as the forehead and facial pressure over the sinuses, nasal congestion and runny nose.

Sinus Headache Treatment

If you have been diagnosed with a bacterial sinus infection, the doctor should prescribe you a course of antibiotics, which should resolve the headache symptoms after a few days.

If the pain persists, consult your doctor again as you may be suffering from migraines rather than sinus headaches, which will require a different type of treatment. Your doctor might then prescribe a migraine-specific treatment for you and see if your symptoms get better.

6. Ocular Migraine

Ocular migraines are a rare condition characterised by temporary vision loss in one eye. This is often caused by reduced blood flow or spasms in blood vessels within the retina or behind the eye.

Ocular migraines can be painless or they can occur along with or after a migraine headache, with vision in the affected eye generally returning to normal within an hour. Symptoms include a small blind spot that affects the central vision in one eye and may get larger, which could end up preventing you from driving or walking if the attack occurs when you are out of the house.

Ocular migraines are often incorrectly used to describe visual migraines, which are much more common and harmless.

Treatment for Ocular Migraine

The first step is to consult your doctor, who will determine if you are suffering from ocular migraines or some other condition. As the attacks usually last less than an hour, most people usually don’t require treatment and will be advised to stop their activities during the duration of the attack until their vision returns to normal.

A sudden loss of vision in one eye may be related to a more severe eye problem not linked to headaches. If you suddenly experience any sort of blind spot in your vision, consult an eye doctor immediately to determine if this is a temporary harmless vision problem or a symptom of something more serious such as a retinal detachment or a stroke.

7. Visual Migraine/Migraine Aura

Some people experience a phenomenon called visual migraines or migraine auras shortly before their migraine attack. These often occur suddenly and disappear within 30 minutes or so, and may or may not be accompanied by a migraine headache.

These may manifest as:

A flickering blind spot near the centre of one’s field of vision

A wavy ring of coloured light surrounding a central blind spot

A blind spot that slowly migrates across your visual field

One way to determine if you are experiencing an ocular migraine or a visual migraine is to close one eye at a time — if the disturbance occurs in only one eye, it’s likely an ocular migraine, and if it occurs in both eyes, it’s likely a visual migraine.

Treatment for Visual Migraine

As with ocular migraines, the first step is to consult a doctor about your vision problems.

The best way to prevent visual migraines is to avoid your migraine triggers and get ample sleep. You may also take OTCs to mitigate the headache pain occasionally.

8. Hormone Headache (Headache During Menstruation)

Due to the natural fluctuations in hormone levels that women experience throughout the month, many women suffer from uncomfortable symptoms around the time of their menstrual cycle, including headaches.

Due to the natural drop in oestrogen levels during this time, migraines are more likely to develop in the two days before a menstrual period or during the first three days of a menstrual period.

Beyond menstrual periods, other causes of hormonal headaches include taking combined oral contraceptive pills (which contain oestrogen) that involve a pill-free week, menopause and pregnancy.

Hormone Headache Treatment

Treatment for hormone headaches typically involves mitigating the headache symptoms via OTCs or prescribed medications taken around the time of one’s period.

If your headaches are caused by a drop in oestrogen levels during the pill-free week of taking combined contraceptive pills, you may consult with your doctor on switching to a continuous contraceptive such as combined pills with no break, progesterone-only mini-pills, and birth control implants.

Read our handy guide to learn more about the
different types of birth control available in Malaysia
.

9. Cervicogenic Headache

A cervicogenic headache is a pain that develops in the neck and radiates to the back and front of the head, often accompanied by neck stiffness. These often result from structural problems in the neck and cervical vertebrae (vertebrae at the top of the spine).

Cervicogenic headaches can develop in people who work in jobs that put them at more risk of neck strain, such as cab drivers and labourers. Cervicogenic headaches can also occur after an injury to the neck such as whiplash.

Cervicogenic Headache Treatment

Cervicogenic headache treatment focuses on removing the cause of neck pain. Your doctor may prescribe medication or OTC pain relief medications to help manage the painful symptoms.

Physical therapy involving soft tissue massage and joint movement may also be an effective treatment as it deals directly with the cause of the neck pain that results in cervicogenic headaches.

10. Post-Injury Headache

A post-injury headache is a secondary headache that may occur in the days and weeks following a traumatic head injury.

Headaches immediately after a head injury are fairly common and they usually taper off in the days following it, but a persistent headache that lasts longer than that is considered a post-injury headache.

These types of headaches are often characterised as a daily constant ache that affects both sides of the head. These bouts of pain are usually mild to moderate, though one may experience some spikes in pain similar to that of a migraine.

Other changes and symptoms that people may experience post-injury include neurological symptoms such as dizziness, blurred vision, sleep disruptions and ringing sounds in their ear.

Post-Injury Headache Treatment

Treatment for this type of headache is symptomatic and often consists of tension headache treatments such as medication. Your doctor may also advise you to get ample rest and sleep following a traumatic injury in order to help reduce the symptoms, and to avoid consuming stimulants like nicotine and alcohol.

11. Cough Headache

Cough headaches occur in some people when they experience headaches caused by a bout of coughing that’s often triggered by a sudden increase of pressure within the abdomen and chest. These headaches can be either primary or secondary.

If you have sinusitis or a cold, your coughing might become more forceful, which increases your risk of coughing headaches. This headache can also occur after sneezing, laughing, straining during bowel movements and bending over for too long.

These types of headaches are usually nothing serious, particularly if they are primary headaches, which tend to improve on their own. However, secondary coughing headaches could point to a more serious issue (an abnormal skull shape, weakness in a brain blood vessel that could lead to an aneurysm, brain tumour etc).

Cough Headache Treatment

Primary cough headaches can often be treated by medication such as OTC anti-inflammatory medications to reduce coughing and blood pressure medication.

Secondary cough headache treatment is more complex and will depend on what the doctor determines the cause to be, whether it’s a malformation of the skull or a brain tumour.

12. Exertion Headache (Headache After Exercise)

Exertion headaches are headaches triggered by physical activity such as exercise. This type of headache is often felt as a pulsating pain at both sides of the head during or after a workout, and typically don’t last more than several minutes.

Though the causes are unknown, some medical experts believe that strenuous exercise narrows the blood vessels inside the skull and results in headaches. These headaches are often likely to develop when exercising in hot weather or at high altitudes.

Exertion Headache Treatment

Most exertion headaches go away on their own within a few months. You may take OTC medications to help with the headache pain, as well as apply a hot towel or heating pad to your forehead. You should also drink plenty of fluids before, during, and after exercise to prevent dehydration.

If you frequently get headaches after exercising and experience other unusual symptoms, make an appointment with your doctor to rule out any serious underlying conditions.

13. Stimulant Drug Headache

Headaches and migraines are associated with individuals with attention deficit disorder (ADD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) who are prescribed stimulant drug medication, such as Adderall.

Most individuals report two different types of headaches when using medications to treat ADHD and ADD. The first is a milder sort of headache that is usually felt at the back of the head, which occurs at the end of the dose. This type of headache is relatively bearable and can usually be relieved by taking OTCs if desired.

The second type of headache tends to be more severe and is usually felt radiating throughout the whole head for the entire duration of the dose (and sometimes even after each dose has worn off). Patients with a family history of migraines are often more susceptible to this type of severe headache side effects.

Stimulant Drug Headache Treatment

If you experience recurring headaches as a side effect of your prescription, consult your doctor for the best course of treatment. Your doctor might consider switching the type of medication prescribed to help with the symptoms.

14. Caffeine Headache

Did you know that caffeine can both cause and relieve headaches?

Headaches can be caused by a caffeine overdose. Caffeine isn’t just found in coffee — it’s found in energy drinks, workout supplements such as pre-workout, certain sodas as well as other foods and beverages. One side-effect of caffeine is that it makes you urinate more (as it is a diuretic), which is dehydrating. In turn, dehydration can cause headaches.

On the flip side, caffeine can also help treat headaches. Some people are prescribed caffeine by their doctor in a bid to alleviate chronic headaches — particularly patients with hypnic headaches.

However, once your body adapts to caffeine, stopping consumption for even one day could cause some unpleasant side effects. Since caffeine narrows the blood vessels that surround the brain, a sudden stop in consumption results in these blood vessels dilating. The increase in blood flow around the brain puts pressure on the surrounding nerves, which may trigger caffeine withdrawal headaches.

This can happen to anyone who consumes coffee regularly, even in doses as little as a cup of coffee a day. If you’ve been taking caffeine to alleviate your headaches, stopping the consumption of caffeine may result in a “rebound effect” during which your headaches become worse after you stop — similar to how an overreliance on medication for headaches can result in a worse headache after you stop taking it.

Caffeine Headache Treatment

There is no actual way to prevent or stop caffeine headaches from occurring. However, if you consume caffeine regularly, you can monitor your intake to ensure that you are not taking too much caffeine each day. Drink plenty of water as well to make sure that your body is well-hydrated since caffeine is a diuretic.

15. Hangover Headache

Wine nights are great for unwinding — but having a few too many glasses may result in some unpleasant morning afters.

Despite how warm and fuzzy alcohol often makes you feel, it’s still a substance that affects your brain, liver, kidneys and other body systems adversely. Many of these effects persist till the next day even after your body detoxes from the alcohol. Dehydration is one significant effect, alongside disruptions to your blood chemistry, digestion, and sleep cycle. These all cumulate in what we come to know as the hangover, which is often accompanied by headaches.

The duration of each hangover varies depending on how much alcohol was consumed, how hydrated (or dehydrated) you are, weight, gender, current health status and more. People who are already prone to migraines tend to experience more instances of developing headaches along with their hangovers.

Hangover Headache Treatment

Despite all the hangover drinks and jellies that claim to prevent hangovers, the best and most reliable way to avoid a hangover is: don’t drink.

If you end up with a splitting headache after a night of overindulgence, here are some things you can do:

Drink more fluids (other than alcohol) to stave off dehydration, such as water and sports drinks.

Don’t take medications like acetaminophen that may overtax your liver (and definitely don’t drink when you are on medication in the first place)

Avoid more alcohol — that’s a given.

When to See a Doctor for Headaches?

Most headaches are usually mild and will go away with rest and the occasional self-medication. If your headache is chronic, you may want to consult a GP or be referred to a specialist who can devise a treatment plan for you.

Even though most headaches don’t require immediate medical intervention, persistent and severe headaches may point to more serious problems that require immediate medical attention.

Consult a doctor immediately or head to the emergency department if your headache:

Is abrupt and severe, and/or lasts over 72 hours with little to no gaps

Occurs with a fever

Happens after a head injury and gets worse

Lasts for a few days or weeks and gets worse after coughing, exertion, straining or a sudden movement

Is accompanied by severe and uncontrollable vomiting

Occurs along with confusion and difficulty in understanding what other people are saying

References

What different types of headaches are there? Medical News Today. Retrieved 9 June 2021, from
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320767

Hormone Headaches. National Health Service (UK). Retrieved 9 June 2021, from
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/hormone-headaches/

Headache and Migraines. Health Hub. Retrieved 9 June 2021, from
https://www.healthhub.sg/a-z/diseases-and-conditions/649/headache-and-migraine

The Connection Between Headaches and ADHD. Psychology Today. Retrieved 9 June 2021, from
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/1-2-3-adhd/202005/the-connection-between-headaches-and-adhd

Understanding Cluster Headache. American Migraine Foundation. Retrieved 10 June 2021, from
https://americanmigrainefoundation.org/resource-library/cluster-headache-2/

Hypnic Headache: A Painful Alarm Clock. Healthline. Retrieved 10 June 2021, from
https://www.healthline.com/health/hypnic-headache

Sinus Headaches. American Migraine Foundation. Retrieved 10 June 2021, from
https://americanmigrainefoundation.org/resource-library/sinus-headaches/

Ocular Migraines and Visual Migraines: What’s the Difference? All About Vision.  Retrieved 10 June 2021, from
https://www.allaboutvision.com/conditions/ocular-migraine.htm

What is a cervicogenic headache? Medical News Today. Retrieved 10 June 2021, from
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/324108

Headaches After Head Injuries — Post-Traumatic Headaches. Brainline. Retrieved 10 June 2021, from
https://www.brainline.org/article/headaches-after-head-injuries-%E2%80%94-post-traumatic-headaches

Why Does My Head Hurt When I Cough?  Retrieved 10 June 2021, from
https://www.healthline.com/health/head-hurts-when-i-cough

The Link Between Caffeine and Headaches. WebMD. Retrieved 10 June 2021, from
https://www.webmd.com/migraines-headaches/triggers-caffeine

Alcohol and Headaches. Mathew, Paul G. Harvard Health Publishing. Retrieved 10 June 2021, from
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/alcohol-and-headaches-2018102615222

Hangover Headache. John Hopkins Medicine. Retrieved 10 June 2021, from
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/headache/hangover-headache

This article has been republished with permission from
Homage.

Disclaimer: You are not allowed to share this article on any other website or on Facebook without providing proper credit and the original article link on
theAsianparent Malaysia website
.

Read more:

Things That Give Expecting Malaysian Mummies A Headache

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Diastasis recti: All you need to know about this postpartum condition

Do you still “look pregnant” months after your delivery? You might have what is called
Diastasis recti
.

It is extended flab (instead of abs) that is formed when there is extra space between your left and right belly muscles. Although this “pouch” is usually harmless, it is fairly undesirable.

It’s most commonly seen in pregnant women and sometimes even newborns. But it usually goes away after a while in both cases. You may also notice it in women who give birth to more than one child or have twins or get pregnant past the age of 35.

What is Diastasis recti?

Each of us have rectus abdominis, which are long and flat muscles that run down vertically on either side of our abdomen. These are crucial because they provide core strength to our body and also hold in the internal organs.

Now when you are pregnant, the rectus abdominis muscles expand and separate vertically down the middle so as to make room for the baby. In addition, your pregnancy hormones enable the tissues to relax and expand.

Usually, rectus abdominis heal on their own four or six months postpartum. In other words, they come back into the same pre-pregnancy vertical position. However, in many cases there is a possibility that these muscles do not come back to their original position.

In such a scenario, you end up with a “pouch” that looks like a pregnant belly. Sometimes, you may need surgical intervention.

Diastasis recti occurs when the rectus abdominis muscles expand and separate vertically down the middle to make room for the baby during pregnancy

Sometimes, it may also look like an unsightly ridge protruding from your tummy and may look prominent when you cough. But not every type of belly fat is Diastasis recti.

How do I know if I also have Diastasis recti?

There is a simple home test that can check if the flab you have is actually Diastasis recti or just fat!

Simply lie on your back, keeping your knees bent and your feet firmly on the floor. Now bring your hand gently over the navel. Make sure that it is palm down and your fingers are pointing towards the toes.

Lift your head and bring it towards your chest, this causes the rectus abdominis to contract.

If you feel a gap of two or more fingers between the two sides of your abdomen, it means you have Diastasis recti. But worry not, it is not harmful in any way. However, you may need medical intervention to get rid of it.

Can Diastasis recti lead to other health complications?

While a Diastasis recti mainly affects the abdomen and may be harmless in most cases, sometimes it can also have implications on functioning of other organs and body parts.

Chronic back ache
: Women with Diastasis recti may suffer from chronic back pain (because of excess flab in the front that refuses to go).

Urinary incontinence
: They may also have urinary incontinence, which occurs when loose muscles are unable to keep urine in control and prevent leak.

Postpartum constipation
: In some cases women may also suffer from postpartum constipation. It may take a few days for you to pass stool and you feel bloated most of the time.

Pain during sex
: Another problem that Diastasis recti causes is painful sex. You may have pelvic pain during sex and clubbed with urinary incontinence, intercourse can be difficult initially.

What can I do about my Diastasis recti?

The bad news is that once the connective tissues of the rectus abdominis muscles stretch out, it is difficult to put them back together. In fact, traditional crunches may also render useless because they may strengthen the stretched tissues in the same position. So the gap still remains.

The good news is that an abdominal rehabilitation can help you get rid of Diastasis recti.

In an abdominal rehab you essentially work with a physical therapist who suggests specific type of exercises to strengthen as well as tone weak abdominal muscles.

Here’s what you can expect in an abdominal rehab:

1. Strengthen rectus abdominis
:

You may have to perform mini crunches while wearing a belt or a sheet that is tightly wrapped around your waist. This will strengthen your abdominal connective tissues and prevent them from stretching further.

2. Strengthen transverse abdominis
:

You may also be taught to work on strengthening your transverse abdominis. This is a part of the abdomen that acts as a corset and protects and provide strength to the core. When you say ‘shhh’ out loud, you’ll be able to feel your transverse abdominis. You may also be recommended the
Tupler Technique
 for this purpose.

3. Daily exercises
:

Your therapist may show you how to use abdominal exercises and ways so that you can incorporate them in your daily activities such as getting up from the bed, sitting on a chair, picking up objects from the floor among others.

Based on your therapist’s guidance you may have to perform mini crunches to recover from a severe Diastasis recti

To start the abdominal rehab you’ll have to wait a minimum of six weeks in case of
normal delivery
 and eight to weeks in case of a
caesarean section
.

The other thing to remember is that if your Diastasis recti is severe (if you can feel a gap of three or more fingers between your right and left abdomen), then surgery may be the next best option. This is especially true if you do not plan to get pregnant again.

What happens in a Diastasis recti surgery?

In a Diastasis recti surgery, your abdominal wall muscles are stitched back together down the middle of the abdomen. While this is a more common method, in certain cases a laparoscopical procedure can also be performed.

Here, a small camera is inserted in the abdomen through tiny incisions and the stitch is made.
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In case of severe Diastasis recti, doctors may even perform an open abdominal surgery (abdominoplasty). This usually involves a larger incision in the belly. However, remember that the latter is a cosmetic surgery so you may have to discuss with your insurance provider if this can be covered in your plan.

But there is always a 50-50 percent chance for all this to actually work.

Will I ever get my pre-pregnancy abs back?

Each body is different and its requirements and healing process, therefore, also differ. So while a few weeks in abdominal rehab may work for some women, others may need a surgery to recover from a severe Diastasis recti.

In addition, you may also want to lose the pregnancy weight and so it may take time for your entire body to get back into its previous shape and size. The important thing is to take it slow, trust your body and do not over exert.

Sources:
WedMD
,
Healthline
,
Wellness Mama

(Images courtesy: Shutterstock, Pixabay)

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