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Not Just for Kids — the Surprising Health Issues of Midlife Women

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One of the advantages of reaching midlife is that we are finally finished with all those issues that make childhood and adolescence such a pain in the neck, such as needing set bedtimes as well as  regular dental and eye checkups; having to worry about using protection during sex and about cigarette smoking; getting all those shots to prevent diseases and wearing helmets to prevent sports injuries; needing to eat all our vegetables and avoid sugar as well as not missing gym class. What a relief to let these issues fade right along with our memories of tetherball on the school playground!

Not so fast. Would it surprise you to know that you still have to be aware of each and every one of the above so-called “child/adolescent” health issues?  

For instance, what about set bedtimes? The obvious reason that we needed enforced, regular  bedtimes each night was so that we would get enough sleep. Being tired and sleepy the next day in school caused everything from lousy concentration to crabby moods. Now that we’re in midlife, many of us believe that sleep is no longer an issue. This is not the case at all. It’s still essential to our health and wellbeing. Recent studies have shown that not only do sleep disturbances often indicate a serious health problem, but that lack of sleep can actually cause health problems, such as weight gain. Polls have shown that nearly two thirds of adults over the age of sixty-five have sleep complaints, but that less than 15 per cent of them have been formally diagnosed with a sleep problem. Why? Because we don’t mention sleep problems to our health care providers. Our mothers were right — we still need to be concerned about our bedtimes.

Once we’ve gotten the glasses we need and all our baby teeth are gone, we no longer need to get regular eye and dental checkups as we did in our younger years, right? Again — no. Although our vision does remain stable from young adulthood until we need bifocals, there are common eye diseases that begin to occur in midlife, and that can lead to blindness if not diagnosed.  And even though we no longer have our baby teeth,  other dental issues take the forefront upon reaching midlife, such as gum inflammation which has been shown to be associated with diabetes and heart disease. So, continued regular dental and eye checks are as important as in our younger years. 

And what about sex at midlife and beyond?  We’ve moved from groping and being groped in the backseat of the car to more sophisticated maneuvers in a comfortable bed, and finally, finally no longer have to worry about pregnancy. So we don’t need protection; or so many of us think. Although it’s true that once menopause arrives one can’t get pregnant (warning: make sure you have completed menopause before assuming this as diagnosing menopause can be tricky),  protection is still needed during sex because of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Yes, we can still get those, and in some cases are even more prone to becoming infected after menopause, even after a hysterectomy. And even though we’re past the childbearing years and our reproductive organs seem to have no further use, we still need regular pelvic exams and Pap smears. It is also important at that exam to discuss with our healthcare providers the need for testing for STIs; if there is a new partner or the worry that the current partner is not monogamous, this testing is a must.

STIs are not the only threat held over from our adolescent years; so is cigarette smoking. Many women in midlife think that there is no reason to stop smoking cigarettes at this age, since they wrongly assume that the damage is already done from all the prior years of smoking. This is not the case. No matter how many years one has smoked, stopping can prevent further damage to the heart, blood vessels, and lungs, and in some cases can reverse some of that damage.  

Also relevant to the lungs is the fact that asthma can begin in midlife, where once it was thought to only begin in childhood.  The two major causes seem to be occupational exposure to substances that damage the lungs, and the recreational exposure to air pollution by adults who run predominantly outside. So, a new onset of shortness of breath at this age — even if it occurs only with exercise — does not necessarily mean heart disease; remember that we can develop asthma now.

Did you think you were finished with all those horrible shots you had to have in childhood and adolescence? Sorry, you’re not. There is a recommended immunization schedule for adults in midlife and beyond, just as there are for children. At certain ages over 50 and at certain intervals, you’ll need shots against the flu, certain types of pneumonia, tetanus, and in some instances, shingles and hepatitis.  Ask your primary care provider about these.

And did you pack away your helmet when you gave away your bike with training wheels? Probably ok to have done this since now you will need a bigger size helmet. But you do need a helmet. A recent report by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission stated that sports-related injuries in the Baby Boomer population was on the rise, with over 1 million injuries in this age group in 1998 alone, most of the injuries being due to bicycling and basketball.  The same report said that the many head injuries associated with bicycling were probably due to the fact that Baby Boomers use helmets less than younger people do.

The fact that exercise and proper nutrition are as important in midlife and beyond as in childhood may not come as a surprise. Regular exercise at this age has been shown to increase longevity and wellbeing, postpone and possibly prevent dementia, strokes, heart disease, and diabetes, and aid in the treatment of depression. Important to know as well is that several different types of regular exercise are recommended at this age, including aerobic (cardio) exercise, weight-bearing exercise or strength training, and exercises to improve balance and flexibility.

What we eat as we get older is every bit as important as it was in our younger years. One particular healthy way of eating, the Mediterranean diet, has been shown to stave off dementia, prevent heart disease and diabetes, maintain a healthy cholesterol level, and improve longevity. One study showed that this diet even improved sexual function in certain women! This diet is exactly as expected given its name: lots of natural whole foods, like vegetables, fruits, and nuts, lots of fish and olive oil, moderate amounts of wine, and limited amounts of foods containing refined sugar. Controlling the portions of the foods we eat is even more important at this age. Our metabolic rate decreases with age, making it easier to gain weight while eating the same amounts of food as in our younger years.  

So, as you are rummaging through your mother’s attic looking at your old dolls, baseball bat and Ouija Board, and breathing a sigh of relief that you no longer have to worry about being picked for a baseball team or that your best friend copied your paper doll’s dress, don’t get lulled into complacency about your health. Although you once may have thought that taking care of yourself  health-wise would get easier as you get older, you know now that that’s not true. Make your appointments for regular checkups, get more than 5 hours of sleep a night, use protection when having sex, particularly with a new partner, stop smoking no matter how old you are, get the recommended immunizations, be careful and wear your helmet and seatbelts, and exercise regularly and eat well. Your mother’s recommendations from your childhood continue to apply!

©2008 Janet Horn, M.D.

Author Bio
Dr. Janet Horn is Board Certified in Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases, with training in Obstetrics and Gynecology. She spent many years on the fulltime faculty of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, where she published articles in medical journals on her research interests, including sexually transmitted diseases, AIDS, and women’s health. She was also the primary author of several chapters in medical textbooks.  She started her solo private practice in 1990 while continuing to teach as an Associate Professor of Medicine on the part time faculty at Hopkins. She has been selected by Baltimore Magazine as one of the “Top Doctors in Baltimore” and by the Maryland Daily Record as one of the “Top 100 Women in Maryland.”   She is included in the books Consumer’s Guide to Top Doctors (in the US) and Best Doctors in America, Southeast Region.  She is the co-author of The Smart Woman’s Guide to Midlife and Beyond, which will be available this September from New Harbinger Publications.

Please visit www.SmartWomansHealth.com for more information.

Overweight Teens- Causes them different Health Issues

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Since the late 1990′s, there has been a dramatic increase in obesity with teenagers around the world, regardless of age, according to the information collected, In America alone, nearly 9 million children ages between 6 and 19 are overweight, and that number continues to grow according to information gathered between 1998 and 2001 (triple the number in 1980). The information also revealed that another 18% of children aged between 6 and 19 are at risk of becoming overweight as well. Obesity is defined as having an excessive accumulation of body fat, which will result in the person’s body at about 20% heavier than their ideal body weight. Therefore, people whose weight is above what is considered their ideal range are defined as overweight. Obesity is a common eating disorder that is related to adolescents.

Although adolescents may have fewer weight related health issues than adults, adolescents who are overweight are much more likely to become overweight as an adult. Adolescents who are overweight (in fact, people of all ages who are overweight) are at risk of a number of different health issues, and these include: Heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, stroke and some forms of cancer.

Those adolescents who are obese may find that they are not only physically incapable, but their well-being is generally very low as well. Many obese people also tend to have a lower life expectancy than those who are the right weight for your body size. In addition, it can also lead to disability and social unhappiness, which in turn can cause them stress and, in some cases, can make them as mentally ill well. A study was conducted and what information suggested that the excess children are more likely to be involved in bullying than children who are normal weight. But they can not just be victims of bullying.

The development of their own identity and body image is an important goal for any teenager. There are a number of causes for obesity, which around a center of energy imbalance that adolescents placed in their bodies (calories they get from the food we eat) and release the energy from their bodies (how good your metabolism is, and how much physical activity they take part in).

An often teen when a teen is overweight is because there is a problem with food value of your diet, or it may be psychological, familial or physiological, in that all of us discuss a little more. Often children and teens are further at risk of flattering overweight if they have two overweight parents. Although in some cases, this may be due to a strong genetic factor, or it may be because they are models themselves after they see their parents eating. Also physical activity, if any, involved, may indirectly affect adolescent.

On average, many children will spend several hours a day watching television or a computer. Compare when that time would have been spent doing some form of physical activity time. There are a lot of teenagers and children who are now overweight, as they are expending little energy, and often eat high calorie snacks while watching TV or playing on computer. Today in the world, about 1 / 2 of primary school children carry some form of physical education and less than 1 / 4 to participate in physical activity programs after school.

Recently, information has shown that heredity may influence fat in a child and teenager. Been found that children born to mothers with overweight were found to be less active and often earn more weight for age less than 3 months, compared with those children born to mothers who have a normal weight, suggesting a possible inborn drive to conserve energy.

Read more on Herbal Remedies for Weight Loss and Anti Cellulite Cream

Seclusion And Restraint In Child And Adolescent Mental Health Care

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Introduction

Mental health care settings present a series of challenges, more so when patients are children and adolescents. One of these controversial issues is the use of seclusion and restraint. Many nursing practitioners find that it is extremely difficult trying to balance between the civil rights of the child or adolescent patient and the needs of the patient as a health care consumer. When most people think about seclusion and restraint, they imagine that it is a form of punishment, neglect, institutional abuse or custodial care. However, certain instances necessitate its use and if used in the right manner, it may even be regarded as a form of therapeutic treatment.

However, in order to place restraint and seclusion in mental health care settings, it is imperative to understand its definition. Huckshorn (2004) defines restraint as a form of intervention that is intended on limiting the freedom to move. Seclusion on the hand refers to the placement of an individual in a solitary area that may be a room, unit or any other form of confinement that ensures that the patient’s interactions are limited. Usually, restraint or seclusion is necessary when a child or adolescent patient is exhibiting acute behvaioral disturbance. At this point, there is a need to protect the safety of the people around the patient, deal with the behavioural disturbance and provide therapeutic alternatives. These goals are only achievable upon application of restraint or seclusion.

Statistics show that a series of children and adolescents have been physically restrained in psychiatric institutions. However, media reports and research also indicate that some deaths have occurred as a direct result of this form of treatment. These statistics have sparked off a lot of debate about the issue especially because it involves a series of professionals, family members and other stakeholders in health care. There is evidence to suggest that some psychiatric institutions tend to overuse seclusion and restraint as asserted by Donat (2003). This author also asserts that the utilisation of this form of intervention among children and adolescents is a sign of poor quality health care or oversight on the part of the government. As a result, he believes that the government should step in to ascertain that the safety of children and adolescents is preserved.

Assessment of risks nurses make leading to secluding or restraining a child or adolescent

Seclusion and restraint are primarily utilised in nursing practice to prevent children and adolescents from injuring themselves, their colleagues in psychiatric institutions or the institutional staff. This is especially in the case when the patient has depicted signs of violence and aggression. Consequently, nursing personnel and institutional staff need to be well trained in this area because if implemented wrongly, it could cause serious harm to the patient or to the workers themselves.

Curie (2005) suggests that whenever psychiatric institutions choose to implement seclusion and restraint, they place themselves at a serious risk of getting injured. Also, they place the rights of the adolescent patient or young patient at risk. It is essential to remember that seclusion and restraint can cause emotional impact among mental health patients hence promoting the need for evaluation of the method. Children and adolescents have a right to dignity in health care just the way their adult counterparts do.

Given the latter concerns, certain risks may necessitate this kind of approach to mental health care provision among children or adolescents. First of all, when the medical needs of the patient have been clearly assessed and it has been found that seclusion and restraint are the most appropriate modes of action. Glover (2005) explains that this method should only be adopted when less restrictive techniques have been applied and have failed. Also, they need to be applied when the patients is seen as a threat to his own life or to the life of others around him/her. It is also applicable when the patients may present certain safety concerns within the institutions even if those safety concerns may not be life threatening.

Psychiatric institutions should only apply restraint and seclusion procedures after it has been ascertained that the implementation of the latter procedures will not impose any more danger to the patient or to other persons. In order to do this, Keski Valkama (2007) explains that institutions should document all the necessary procedures that had been taken prior to seclusion or restraint in order to provide proof that they had indeed been pursued but they failed.

Sometimes, some nursing personnel may think of using seclusion and restraint as forms of punishment. This is highly unethical and should never be the case for any staff member. Additionally, it should not be used as a form of convenience. In order to curb such practices, Keski Valkama (2007) explains that there should be proper documentation of the justification for applying such a method. Besides this, he also explains that seclusion and restraint should only be applied during the period of time in which it will be of use to the institution or patient. In other words, when security & safety are no longer a concern for the affected party, then there is no need for continuing with the methodology.

Curie (2005) explains that risk assessment in nursing should also entail the assessment of personnel capability in implementing it. In other words, staff members need to be trained on chemical or mechanical methods of restraining. Also, they need to demonstrate that they are competent enough in handling non-physical techniques. In order to ascertain that this risk assessment is done, then facilities need to hold their personnel accountable. Institutional administrators need to confirm that data collection is done and reports have been made about these issues. After the latter have been ascertained, then it may be considered safe to implement such a form of mental health approach among children or adolescents.

Lebel (2004) also asserts that mental health institutions dealing with children need to clarify to the patient prior to admission (If they are in a position to understand) that certain types of behaviour may necessitate the use of seclusion and restraint. By doing this, nursing personnel will have created a positive relationship with the patient and will have clarified the issue. It should be noted that if all these early interventions have not solicited a positive response from the child or adolescent and they continue to present a threat to the danger and safety of themselves or others, then it may be suitable to use seclusion or restraint.

Champagne and Sayer (2004) claim that a large percentage of injuries associated with seclusion and restraint represent child or adolescent patients. Consequently, the latter approach should only be applied in instances where due procedures designed for this age group specifically have been followed. It should be noted that a large number of mental health care institutions lack procedures that apply to children alone and to adults. This is because sometimes, children may be given time out as a form of punishment. But such is never the case for adults. As a result, it is possible that psychiatric personnel may misuse or confuse the applicability of ‘time out’ and seclusion.

In order to minimise risk during the implementation of restraint and seclusions, there should be an allowance that checks whether the personnel are well equipped with CPR knowledge in order to administer it if necessary. If the latter measures are present, then one can apply the methodology.

In order to promote accountability in this kind of procedure, it is necessary for the affected person to be held accountable by ensuring that all cases of abuses or data related to seclusion and restraint have been unearthed and prosecuted. (Donovan et al, 2003) According to these authors, it is necessary for psychiatric institutions and mental health facilities to expose cases in which a death was directly related to the issue of seclusion or restraint. By doing this, there will be more accountability and also there will also be better implementation of the methodology. In line with this is the issue of protecting whistle blowers who may have witnessed a case of abuse through seclusion or restraint. The latter groups need to be protected in order to ensure sound application of the procedure.

Glover (2005) summarises the issues by asserting that seclusion should only be applied as a method of treatment if it is the last resort. Issues such as personal requests from patients need not be considered. This is because some patients may demand for confinement when they want to get some time out away from their normal environment, their other patients or even certain unit personnel. Alternatively, patients may seek confinement when they want some time to think about their lives. Regardless of this willingness, it is debatable whether patients have the ability to make their own choices, consequently, confinement should only be as a last result.

Legal and ethical dilemmas from a UK perspective

It should be noted that number of legal regulations exist within the UK concerning seclusion. However, application of this methodology has no clear cut regulation or standards. Consequently, this leaves a lot of room for error during its administration. (Anthony, 2004) the latter author cites some examples of children and adolescents in mental health care institution who have been placed in considerable danger as a result of this form of treatment. There are various categories revealed by him concerning persons who are affected by seclusion and restraint within mental institutions. This means that that the possibility of the occurrence of harm to patients present ethical dilemmas to nursing personnel concerning this issue. (Anthony, 2004)

The first category are those patients who die as a direct result of seclusion and restraint. This usually occurs when a patient is left for long hours in restraint or seclusion and a physical health issue develops along the way. In other situations, children or adolescents may die as a result of the methods used to restrain them. For instance, if the mechanical methods used are not checked properly, then there is a chance that they can crush that patient. Children are especially vulnerable because of their small sizes.

Mohr (2004) reports that the rate of injuries that occur among institutional personnel implementing seclusion and restraint is as high as the rate of injury among construction workers, miners and lumbers. Consequently, such high chances of injury present ethical dilemmas for psychiatric personnel because they have to choose between their safety and that of the patient.

The issue of seclusion and restraint may present ethical dilemmas due to the personality of the respective nurse administering that form of treatment. Some nurses go about their duties in a dictatorial manner; others may be very sympathetic towards their patients while others may be remote from their patients. Consequently, all these personalities are expected to adhere to nursing regulations. Some personalities may not be compatible with confinement or restraint because they may too humanistic and may feel as though they are torturing their patients by doing so (Huckshorn, 2004)

In other situations, seclusion and confinement itself can worsen a patients’ mental health care situation. For instance, children are highly dependent on their parents for their emotional needs, consequently, when those children have been placed away from their parents for  a long time because of their mental state, then chances are those children will be missing out on something. This situation is further aggravated by placing them in confinement or restraint. Consequently, such children or adolescents may feel more frustrated and their mental health may further deteriorate. Donovan et al (2003) explain that the possibility of such an occurrence implies that nurses have to choose between dealing with the patient’s safety issues or dealing with their psychiatric needs.

Some of the issues that have been brought about the nature of seclusion and restraint and its relation to patient recovery include

-Impeded social relationships between patients

-Ruins the relationship between the nurse and the child or adolescent

-There is minimal psycho social intervention

-etc

Another ethical dilemma also comes into play with some levels of ambiguity in current state law. Nurses may sometimes have difficulty deciding whether a patient’ level of violence is valid enough to solicit the use of seclusion and restraint as a way of handling them. This means that nurses need to be careful about the sort of decisions they make with regard to these kinds of issues. When a patient engages in sexually inappropriate behaviour in public, then some nurses may consider this plausible enough to solicit confinement while others may not. Usually, this is a dilemma because it becomes difficult to determine exactly what kind of behaviour is aggressive enough to impose danger to the patient’s surroundings. (DosReis, 2003)

Additionally, placing patients within confinement may also be problematic because it means that it will infringe a patents’ right to freedom. On the other hand, when left unguarded, that patient may present a risk to himself to to others. This means that it then becomes difficulty to institute the measure because very little information available about it.

The United Kingdom is governed by a series of legal regulations on administering psychiatric seclusion and restraint. Most of these regulations apply to adults but there may be others that apply to children alone Glover (2005) explains that the law requires psychiatric institutions to ensure that all the necessary fittings and devices are in place to prevent self harm to the patient or harm to others. Additionally, there should be staff present to operate these devices used in mechanical restraining.

The law requires that the amount of patient to staff ratio be monitored and checked. This is in order to ensure that the time spent between patient and nurses is heightened. Face to face contact with adolescent and children is instrumental in such procedures. In close relation to this issue is that of instituting systems and routines for checking on patients. Nurses must ensure that check on the movements and communication of the respective individuals in order to protect them. (Mohr, 2004)

At the institutional level, there should be certain arrangements to promote sound governance crisis planning and reviews once seclusion and restraint has been instated. Cases of neglect need to be prevented at all costs. It is essential for mental health institutions to protect the health and safety of patients by instituting certain managerial level measures in place. For instance, they need to ensure that resources allocated for seclusion and restraint are adequately monitored. Also, they need to make sure that they do monitoring on a weekly level and report whatever they witness. Such institutions need to have systems that ensure compliance with latter mentioned laws and regulations. All these issues are intended on streamlining the  seclusion and restrain processes.

Alternatives/improvements to restraint and seclusion

Restraint and seclusion need not be regarded as the lowest of lows in nursing mental health care for children and adolescents. There are certain measures that can be instated to encourage greater outcome from such patients. Interventions can be conducted in order to encourage these elements in health care

Doing for others
Competence
Belonging
Autonomy

Mental health institutions dealing with children and adolescents need to promote the above qualities by giving positive feedback to the latter parties about their health. This can be done by creating relationships between these patients and staff members especially nurses. By instating such mechanism, then health institutions will have encouraged autonomy in health care. (Anthony, 2004)

Mental health institutions need to create a sense of belonging among the adolescent or child mental health care patient. They can do this by creating coaching relationships with members of staff and the patients. Also, they can teach those children or adolescents that violence and aggression is a violation of social norms and that it needs to be stopped when they can. Also, Donat (2003) explains that these relationships are usually fostered by engaging the children in activities that relate to their developmental activities, for instance, children may be given tasks such as artwork, projects and group work that encourage them to work together and to feel like they are part of the team. By doing this, mental institutions will be teaching children how to be confident in themselves and will also create a sense of competence amongst them.

The issue of doing for others also inhibits violent or aggressive behaviour by making children feel relevant. Usually, when children are encouraged to work in groups or to engage in activity that will benefit others, then those triggers that cause violent behaviour may be inhibited and this eliminates the need to use seclusion and restraint.

In order to ensure that the latter alternative works, then it is necessary for respective institutions to adhere to a number of procedures. First of all, that institution needs to set some goals for the program. For instance, they could state that the number of seclusion and restraint cases after a certain period of time need to have reduced by a certain percentage. (Keski Valkam, 2007)

Also, in order to ascertain that these goals have been met, then mental health care institutions need to engage in constant monitoring. They can do this by checking on the type of results that emanate after a short period of time and then evaluating it with regard to their goals. If the gaols have been met, then new ones ought to be set. In close relation to this is the need to have constant feedback between staff in the institution. This means that nurses need to collaborate with administrators and other primary care givers to ensure effective implementation of this alternative. (Mohr, 2004)

Conclusion

Making the choice to either restrain or seclude a patient is a critical matter in nursing mental health care. This is because there are certain dangers that may emanate out of it yet there are also some benefits of the procedure. Consequently, nurses should only resort to this methodology when the positives outnumber the negatives. Also, the method should be applied in a least restrictive manner. Care should be taken by mental health institutions to ascertain that their personnel have adequate capacity to asses a child’s risk of violence. This is done by instituting preventive procedures. Additionally, other alternatives should be sought that foster proactive responses or those that minimise violence and aggression.

Reference

Anthony, W. (2004): Overcoming Obstacles to a Recovery-Oriented System; National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors Report, No. 1-5

Champagne, T. & Strayer, N. (2004): Innovative Alternatives to Seclusion & Restraint- Sensory Approaches in Inpatient Psychiatric Settings; Journal of Psychosocial Nursing; 42, 9, 1-8

Curie, C. (2005): SAMHSA’s commitment to eliminating the use of seclusion and restraint; Psychiatric Services, 56, 9, 139-140

Donat, D. ( 2003): An analysis of successful efforts to reduce seclusion and restraint at a public psychiatric hospital; Psychiatric Services, 54, 8, 19-67

Donovan, A., Peller, A., Plant, R., Martin, A. & Siegel, L. (2003): Trends in the use of seclusion and restraint among psychiatrically hospitalized youths; Journal of Psychiatric Services; 54, 7, 287-293.

dosReis, S., Love, C., Barnett, S, & Riddle, A. (2003): A guide for managing acute aggressive behaviour of youths in residential and inpatient treatment facilities; Journal Psychiatric Services, 54, 10, 57-100

Glover, R. (2005): Reducing the use of seclusion and restraint; Psychiatric Services, 56, 9, 114

Huckshorn, K. (2004): Core strategies for prevention – reducing seclusion and restraint in mental health settings; Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 42, 9, 22-33

Keski-Valkama, A., Eronen, T. Sailas, E., (2007): Legislation is not enough to reduce the use of seclusion and restraint; Soc Psychiatry Epidemiology 12, 42, 747–752

LeBel, J., et al (2004): Child and adolescent inpatient restraint reduction – A state initiative to promote strength-based care; Journal of the Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 43(1), 37-45.

Mohr, W. (2004): Inpatient Programming Whose Time Has Passed – Level Systems; Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Nursing, 17, 3, 143-165

 

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Discount Diabetic Supplies: Low-Cost Options For Your Health Maintenance

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Diabetes is a disease that affects hundreds of thousands of people each year: without the proper management, diabetes can keep people from leading healthy, productive lives. Diabetes disease management, however, is not only difficult but costly. People with some types of diabetes need frequent insulin shots, or have to take oral insulin, both of which can be expensive. As a result, discount diabetic supplies are in high demand.

What diabetic medical supplies are required, and why are they needed by diabetics? Because diabetics can also suffer from a wide variety of complications, they also need to undergo different treatment regimens that can help ease these complications. Such complications can include cardiovascular disease, renal or kidney failure, liver failure, hypertension, and general organ and tissue damage.

Why is Insulin So Important?

There are three principal types of diabetes, and all of them involve the inability of pancreatic cells to produce the metabolic hormone insulin. Insulin aids in the breakdown of complex sugars and carbohydrates into forms that the body can use for energy. If insulin is not present in large quantities, or if insulin is not present in functional form, sugar levels can increase substantially in the blood. This can cause widespread tissue and organ damage, and, in extreme cases, result in sugar shock and eventual coma.

Type I Diabetes

Type I diabetes was once called juvenile diabetes, as it was often found and diagnosed in children. Type I diabetes is essentially an autoimmune disease. People with Type I diabetes have overactive immune systems that destroy the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas, so that they require constant doses of insulin.

Type II

Type II diabetes develops in adulthood, and is often associated with obesity, which scientists find is a large risk factor for this type of diabetes. In Type II diabetes, the body’s tissues and organs are resistant to insulin. This condition is similar to the third type of diabetes, which is called gestational or pregnancy-induced diabetes. Gestational diabetes arises because higher levels of pregnancy hormones can make organs more resistant to insulin; this diabetes type, however, generally disappears after delivery.

Insulin therefore has to be produced in large amounts in order to cater to the needs of rising numbers of people suffering from diabetes. This important hormone was once sourced from cadaver pancreases, which was a highly inefficient method that made insulin shots expensive. In the advent of recombinant DNA technology, however, microbial cells are used to produce large amounts of human insulin, which can then be harvested and purified from the microbial culture.

Today, insulin is available in oral or tablet form, which can be useful in dealing with all types of diabetes. However, insulin shots work best for Type II diabetics who are too far advanced in the disease and whose bodies do not have adequate resources to respond to tablets. Recently, insulin has also been approved in inhaled form, although this type of insulin is prescribed for people suffering from Type I diabetes.

What are Diabetic Supplies Used For?

In general, diabetic insulin supplies can be expensive: if not in oral form, people suffering from diabetes need syringes and specifically designed inhalers to deliver insulin. For people who are far advanced in the disease, dialysis machines can be in demand in order to clean out the kidneys or liver, and generally rid the body of toxins that its organs can no longer properly dispose of.

Many corporations and insurance companies can be contacted to provide information on diabetes supplies, as well as free diabetes supplies for patients who are in immediate need of therapy. For instance, Liberty diabetic supplies and Medicare are common examples of providers that work closely with doctors in ensuring proper medical care for diabetics, as well as efficient disease management.

Supplies For Diabetic Complications

There are also medical supplies that are used in therapy regimens that deal with complications of diabetes. For instance, diabetes can impede blood circulation and can damage the nerves of the feet. People with diabetes often need to undergo foot amputation in order to get rid of gangrenous tissue or foot ulcers. To prevent this from occurring, physicians will often prescribe physical therapy, which can require special machines to carry out. Physical therapy can keep nerves active, and muscles toned.

If you are suffering from any form of diabetes, you might be recommended some forms of therapy that will require you to purchase discount diabetic supplies. Always consult with your doctors and insurance company about them, as well as low-cost or free alternatives that are reliable and matched to your needs. With good maintenance, you can keep your diabetes in check, and you can still be healthy.

Visit Learn-About-Diabetes.com to learn more about discount diabetic supplies and diabetes sugar count.

Child & Adolescent Mental Health: the Right Career at the Right Time

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According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, an estimated two-thirds of the young people who need mental health services aren’t getting them. The time is now for a career in child and adolescent mental health.

Mental Health Career Profile
Establish and maintain interpersonal relationships, discover private, and very often hidden, information, and then use that information to potentially save someone’s life. If you believe a meaningful career is about more than just a paycheck, mental health could your profession. With a growing population and the identification of new disorders, the field is ripe for growth and discovery.

Child and adolescent mental health services typically focus on a variety of mental, emotional, and substance abuse issues kids experience daily. This may mean working with patients as individuals or in group settings in order to find answers to developmental difficulties. Working environments may include hospitals, clinics, schools, as well as mental health facilities.

A Career at the Competitive Edge
Why mental services? In a word, diversity. One of the primary benefits of a career in this profession is that you’re typically not restricted to a predictable track. There are multi-level tiers that cater to a variety of interests and education levels. Many of the niches overlap, which can allow you to explore your preferences. A few of your options include:
• psychiatry occupational therapy
• clinical psychology
• psychiatric nursing
• social services
• psychotherapy
• language development

Flexibility is another key benefit. A surprising percentage of mental health professionals are self-employed, working within their own established practice or as a freelance consultant. Because mental health is such an in-demand profession, graduates may find that they can create their own schedules, deciding when and how much to work based on their own professional and personal obligations.

Mental Health in the Numbers
When most people think of mental health, the psychologist usually comes immediately to mind. And it can be a good place to start when looking at the growth potential in the field of child and adolescent mental health. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that psychologists alone held 166,000 positions in 2006. And employment of psychologists projected to increase by 15 percent through 2016–that’s faster than the national average. Also, psychologists working in elementary and secondary schools enjoyed one of the higher annual mean salary levels at $66,040.

To Follow This Career Path
While all professionals in the mental health field typically possess a bachelor’s degree in a pertinent subject, students wishing to be competitive for the top jobs should pursue a specialist’s or doctoral degree in psychiatry, psychology, or counseling. For example, if you have your sights set on serving in an educational setting, a specialist (EdS) degree in school psychology traditionally requires 3 years of full-time graduate study plus a 1-year full-time internship.

The requirements for potential psychologists are usually more stringent. Geri Fox, Director of Psychiatry Undergraduate Medical Education with the University of Illinois at Chicago, encourages board certification by completing two years of child and adolescent psychiatry training in addition to earning board certification in general psychiatry.

Kelli Smith is the senior editor for www.Edu411.org. Edu411.org lists colleges and career institutes that offer training and programs in Child and Adolescent Mental Health. Schools listed offer free information packages or academic consultation.