Common Newborn Birth Disorders October 4, 2008

When you’re pregnant, you worry about every little thing that could go wrong. Thankfully, most babies are born healthy. There are, however, some serious birth disorders that you should be aware of, in the unlikely event that your baby is affected.

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Spina Bifida

This is a condition where the backbone, which protects the spinal cord, does not close properly during prenatal development. This condition can range from being a minor problem, if the opening is tiny, or can cause paralysis and other serious medical issues if the opening is large, or if the spinal cord itself is protruding. The exact cause is not known, though heredity does seem to play a role. So does nutrition, particularly when the mother does not have enough folic acid in her diet. Obstetricians have begun recommending folic acid supplements for women who are pregnant or who could become pregnant, and this has lowered the rate of this disease. You will probably be tested for spina bifida during your pregnancy. Many times it can be diagnosed in utero using ultra sound. Sometimes, surgery can even be performed on the baby in utero to correct the problem.

 

Tay Sachs Disease

This disease is caused by an enzyme deficiency. Simply put, these babies do not break down fatty deposits in the brain and nerve cells. Unfortunately, it is not usually diagnosed at birth. When the child is several months old, this buildup of fatty deposits will clog cells, causing the baby’s nervous system to stop working. The child will begin to regress developmentally, always resulting in death. Tay Sachs is very rare, less than one hundred cases are reported in the US each year. It is caused by genetics. Both parents must have the gene for the disease to occur. It is most common in Jewish families of Central and Eastern European descent. If your ethnic background makes this disease a risk for your child, you and your partner can be tested for the gene before you become pregnant. In addition, the disease can be diagnosed in utero via amniocentesis.

 

Down Syndrome

Down Syndrome is the term given to a set of symptoms that indicate some degree of mental retardation. Children with Down syndrome have a distinct set of facial features, a large tongue and a short neck. Down Syndrome varies widely in the degree of mental retardation that it causes. Some children are highly functional; others will require constant care. Down syndrome affects about one in 1300 babies in the US. It is most often caused by an extra chromosome coming from the mother or father. Down syndrome is more likely to occur when parents have already had a child with the birth disorder, and when the mother is over 35 years in age. Down syndrome can be detected via amniocentesis, which is why this test is common protocol for most pregnant women over the age of 35.

 

Teaching Children Anger Management September 24, 2008

1. Lead by example – Research shows that children model their parents so if the parent blows up in fits of rage in front of a child. The child will learn to use anger as a coping mechanism for their situations in their lives.

2. Teach empathy and tolerance – Empathy is the ability to walk a mile in someone else’s shoes. Children that understand the feelings of others deal better with disagreements with other children.

3. Remain calm – Yelling at angry children to control themselves will only increase the intensity of the outburst. Remaining calm yourself will assist the child caught by the anger bee.

4. Use positive self-talk – Teach children to stay in control by saying affirmations. Affirmations are simple positive messages that the child can say to themselves in stressful situations. For example, here’s a few that a child could learn: “Stop and calm down”, “Take a deep breath”, “Stay in control”, or “I can handle this”. Suggest a few to your child and practice it with them. The more you practice it with them the more likely they will use it during an anger driven situation.

5. Teach them deep breathing – During an angry episode, our breathing changes to quick short breathes. This breathing causes a cascade of physiological changes in our body that creates anger. By learning to controlled, deep breathing, children can short circuit the angry response. Teach your child to inhale to a 5 counts, then hold for a 2 counts, and exhale for a 5 counts. For young kids, I call this breathing exercise “Dragon’s breath”. Have them pretend that they are breathing out fire with the exhale and that the fire is the anger leaving the body.

6. Identify anger triggers – Most children respond to specific triggers that cause anger. Ask your child “What situations make you angry?” The answer will vary from frustrations over homework to bullying at school. Then, talk about solutions that are more appropriate to the problem situation. You can even rehearse the scenario by role-playing.

7. Watch for the warning signs – When anger starts to arise, they will show signs. Tell your child that it’s important to listen to the warning signs. Ask your child what the specific warning signs that show that they are getting upset. Some examples of signs could be talking louder, heart pounding, face getting red, clenching fists, or breathing faster. Once you identify the signs, start pointing them out when they show signs of getting upset. For example, “I see your breathing fast” “Looks like you are getting anger” “You’re clenching your fist. Are you getting upset.” This self-awareness will snap the child back into reality and help them manage the anger early – before it’s out of control.

The secret to successful anger management is to intervene early. Most children use anger because it is their only coping mechanism for daily stress. By identifying problem situations and providing them new techniques for coping, you will keep the anger bee from grabbing hold of your child.