HYPERTENSION- By Dr Maduka

HYPERTENSION IS A SILENT MURDERER BECAUSE IT PRESENTS WITH LITTLE OR NO SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS.

These are the things that could happen to you if you don't control your high blood pressure:

HEART ATTACK OR STROKE -
Blood pressure can cause hardening and thickening of the arteries (atherosclerosis), which can lead to a heart attack, stroke or other complications.

ANEURYSM -

AVOIDING NEW MOMS COMPARISON TRAP!

The comparison game is one new moms know well. Even when we try to avoid the "does your baby do this yet?" questions, it's pretty impossible not to notice when, say, a friend's 5-week-old is smiling and yours isn't.

As a mom says, "Doesn't every mother compare her kids?"

"Blame it on our survival instincts" says another mom.

Normal as it is, comparing can be a recipe for stress. It can also prevent us from fully appreciating what our kids are accomplishing. Here are some common comparison traps — and how to sidestep them

SIGNS OF A GOOD DOCTOR!

An open and responsive manner

A good doctor is willing to listen and take the time to answer and respond to your questions and concerns.

Listening isn't just a matter of courtesy. You want your doctor to be good at diagnosing disease, "and to do that she has to listen carefully to what you have to say," says a pediatrician. "I spend only about 10 percent of my time as a diagnostician, but it's probably the most critical part of my job."

It's also key

SIGNS OF A BAD DOCTOR!

"Go with your gut reaction. If you don't feel good about a physician, go somewhere else. Remember that your best friend's doctor may not be right for you and your family."

What are other good ways to recognize a bad doctor? We checked in with experts who identified seven warning signs to watch out for:

An indifferent or uncaring attitude

You're looking for medical care

HAZARDS: WATCH OUT FOR BUTTON BATTERY

Lithium "button" batteries are found in more and more products: toys, flashlights, remote controls, calculators, watches, hearing aids, even musical greeting cards. Unfortunately, small children can ingest these small, disc-shaped batteries and suffer serious injuries or even death. 

BABY SLEEP BASICS FOR 9-12 MONTHS!

Typical sleep at this age

At 9 months, babies typically sleep 11 to 14 hours a night and nap twice a day for one to two hours at a time.

Ready for sleep training

If your baby hasn't yet settled into a sleep pattern that fits your family life, now might be a good time to try some type of sleep training. Sleep training methods can help your baby go to sleep more easily, sleep for longer periods at night, and keep more regular hours

TRAVELING WITH YOUR BABY; NEW BORN TO 8 MONTHS?

Your baby's less likely to view travel as a disruption now than later on. He also can't run around yet and get into trouble. So enjoy this time because once he starts scampering about, travel becomes a far greater challenge. Here are some travel tips to get you started

COMFORTABLE SEXUAL POSITIONS DURING PREGNANCY!

Which sexual positions are the most comfortable during pregnancy?

As your pregnancy progresses, you may find that the missionary position (man on top) isn't comfortable any more. Try the following instead:

Get on top!

This position has

SEX DURING PREGNANCY!

Can I have sex while I'm pregnant?

Absolutely! Most parents-to-be worry about this, but if you have a normal pregnancy, you can keep doing it right up until your waters break. There are lots of psychological and physical benefits of sex so pregnancy is not a reason to stop. And you may find that being free from worries about conception and contraception, you feel sexier than ever

DEVELOPMENTAL MILESTONE: SITTING

Sitting independently gives your baby a new perspective on the world. Once your baby's back and neck muscles are strong enough to allow for sitting upright and he or she has figured out where to put those legs to avoid toppling over, it's just a matter of time until the next phase – crawling, standing, and walking

HOW TO HANDLE BITING!

Biting hurts. At this age, however, it's very unlikely your baby does it out of anger. Babies often bite because they're teething and may be seeking some pain relief. Some advice:

Play it cool: Hard as it may be, try not to shriek loudly, a response your baby might find interesting and then try to re-create by biting again. Babies this age won't understand too much discipline, so use simple statements and actions.

FOOD ALLERGY: COULD YOUR BABY HAVE IT?

It is possible, although a suspected food allergy often turns out to be something else.
By understanding how allergies work, you may be able to recognize the early signs, just in case. It's also important to know what to do if your baby ever has an allergic reaction.

What happens if my baby has an allergic reaction to a food?

If your baby is allergic to a food, his or her body treats the food like an invader and launches an immune-system attack

CURE FOR SOME COMMON SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS! - By Dr Maduka C Ogwueleka (MRCPUK)

Sexually transmitted infections cause significant pain to people, yet are extremely easy to treat and cure. Such pain they cause include the blockage of Fallopian Tubes in women preventing them from getting pregnant. They can also prevent a man from being fertile.

Here are some simple regimens that cure some common sexually transmitted infections

DEVELOPMENTAL DELAY IN BABIES!

What is a developmental delay?

It's a slower-than-usual progression toward childhood milestones such as sitting up,crawling, walking, and talking. Having developmental delays doesn't necessarily mean that a child will have a permanent or long-term developmental disorder. In fact, most children recover from delays

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ACETAMINOPHEN & IBUPROFEN!

Acetaminophen and ibuprofen are both good medicines, and both provide the same basic relief from fever and pain, even though they have different chemical structures and side effects. Ibuprofen is recommended only for babies 6 months and older

WHAT TO DO IF A BEE OR WASP STINGS YOUR BABY!

A bee's stinger works like an automatic pump – the longer it stays in, the more venom it releases – so get it out as quickly as you can. Look for a little black dot in the center of a reddened area and scrape it off with a fingernail or credit card. Try not to squeeze the stinger with your fingers or tweezers, because that could release more venom

PREGNANCY BACK PAIN!

If you're feeling aching in your back, you can probably blame your growing uterus and hormonal changes. Your expanding uterus shifts your center of gravity and stretches out and weakens your abdominal muscles, changing your posture and putting a strain on your back. The extra weight you're carrying means more work for your muscles and increased stress on your joints, which is why your back may feel worse at the end of the day. Your growing uterus may also cause back pain if it's pressing on a nerve.

In addition

COMMON CAR SEAT MISTAKES!

Every year, more than 90,000 children under age 8 are injured in car crashes, and more than 1,000 are killed. In fact, auto accidents are by far the leading cause of death for children.

Car seats dramatically reduce the risk of death or serious injury in a collision. But many well-meaning parents make mistakes that put their kids at risk. Here are the biggies to avoid

PREGNANCY: SIGNS OF PREMATURE LABOR!

More than 12 percent of babies are born prematurely (before 37 weeks). About a quarter of these births are intentional, meaning that a medical team decides to induce labor early or perform a c-section because of a serious medical condition such as severe or worsening preeclampsia or because the baby has stopped growing.

The rest are known as spontaneous preterm births. You may have a spontaneous

IS IT NORMAL FOR YOUR BABY TO ACT JEALOUS?

Definitely. "Older babies and toddlers often get jealous when their mom holds another baby," says a pediatrician. "It usually happens between 9 and 15 months." "Your baby is used to having all the attention. If there's suddenly someone else to share it with, he/she is going to say, 'Hey! That's my mom!'

CHILDPROOFING TIPS: HANDLING HEAD BUMPS!

Now that your baby is at the beginning stages of moving around, head bumps are more likely to happen. Here's what you can do if your baby does get a bump, along with a few tips on how to avoid future ones