School children’s health problems and Back Pack pain

P. Wijesiri Gunasekera (Rtd. Director of Education Class I)

The prevailing major health problems of school going age children in Sri Lanka, are temporary hunger, chronic malnutrition, micronutrient deficiencies, parasitic infections and vision and hearing impairment.

These problems have been identified as underline factors that are affecting the child’s physical and mental growth. It is in record that nearly 24 percent of 5 year-old children and 55 per cent of children in the age bracket of 6-10, who live in rural and plantation areas, are anaemic.

From province to province the rate of Vitamin A deficiency is ranging from 22 per cent to 57 per cent. Furthermore, iodine deficiency of school-age children is considered a big health problem.

All these health problems are the factors that affecting their physical and mental growth and thereby learning achievement in the school. Arguably, the back pain and the mental suffering generated having carrying a heavy school bag would not only aggravate the existing situation affected children, but it will also add value to further develop such sufferings if it is allowed to continue.

If solutions are not found early, the ultimate result would be that some of our future citizens would live as ‘hunch back’.

We all must therefore, work in unison to nib the problem in the bud.

In the recent past many aspects of the health impact of the problem has been highlighted by some medical and non-medical individuals. Causing muscular pains, ache in the spine, leaning the child to one side due to lugging the back on one shoulder, curvature of the spine, change in the natural shape of the child are some of those.

Physical pains cause by heavy back pack can affect the child’s ability to pay attention to classroom teaching learning process and it may have detrimental effects on his or her learning. In the long run this would affect regular attendants of a child and will lead to grade repetition or drop out.

The role of the teachers

As it was discussed earlier, before the problem develops as a ‘syndrome,’ parents and class teachers, as principal stakeholders, should work in liaison to finding possible solutions to the problem:

* At the classroom level formal discussions (panti cawa), and informal meetings, parents and teachers can discuss the issue and workout some possible solutions.

* School principals and the teachers can use School Development Society meetings as a forum to discuss the effect and solution.

* Like in many developed countries, at least in so-called affluent (National and 1AB) schools in Sri Lanka, can introduce small size ‘Lockable cupboards’ for the children to store some of their items.

* Schools may prepare class time tables in such a way to reduce the number of books carrying daily, in order to control the weight of the school bag.

* Instead of prescribing monitor exercise and CR books the teachers should convince their children to use ordinary exercise books with 40 pages.

Empirical research data need to be collected and disseminated

However, in Sri Lanka, as this ‘Back Pack Syndrome’ is yet remains as an assumption, it needs empirical research data to prove the assumptions (or to disprove).

It is in record that several initial steps have been taken by the HASBC to gather information from the students through a questionnaire already prepared and circulated.

It is quite true that the children are the directly affected lot, they should be the target group in such a research.

Even the Article 12 and 13 of the ‘Convention on the Rights of the Child’, declares that, the child has a right to express his or her opinion and to have that opinion taken into account in any matter or procedure affecting him.

But such a research need to be extended to invite opinions of the education authorities, school principals, teachers and parents for developing a comprehensive and authoritative data base on the subject.

Hence, while recommending a school based anonymous survey, which would preserve the privacy of children who take part in the research, I would suggest collecting empirical research data from a cross section of other stakeholders (mentioned above) too through administration of a similar questionnaire. I am sure it is on the way.

HIV/AIDS and our thoughts

Srimal Peiris (Consultant Health Education Community Development)

The AIDS pandemic is one of the greatest humanitarian crises of all times. It has caused death and misery, destroyed families and communities and ravaged entire populations. Two decades after it began its onslaught in Sub Saharan Africa, the disease has gained a firm foot-hold in Asia.

Asia and the Pacific region have an estimated 7.2 million people now living with virus. Further 490,000 people are estimated to have died of aids in the past year. Almost 1 million people in the Asia-Pacific region acquired HIV in 2002. About 2.1 million young people (aged 15-24) are living with HIV.

With the exception of Cambodia, Myanmar (Burma) and Thailand, national HIV prevalence levels remain comparatively low in most countries of Asia. Still there is no room for complacency.

Both China and India, for example, are experiencing serious, localised simultaneous epidemics that are affecting millions of people. In these two countries alone, at least five million people are believed to be infected with HIV, and the epidemiologists forecast that the numbers will escalate rapidly, at a much faster rate than in Africa.

HIV/AIDS, a disease that started with a whimper in the early eighties has gone into epidemic proportions today. The world has been living with AIDS for over 20 years. Since then over 28 million people have died and another 42 million people are estimated to be living with HIV today. The pandemic continues to grow globally and has devastated many countries reversing national development, widening the gap between the rich and the

poor people and pushing already stigmatized groups closer to the margins of society.

Prominent Health Problem

At present, AIDS is the most prominent health problem in the world. There is no question about it. We have numerous health education programmes such as awareness building programmes, workshops, exhibitions, discussions and conferences are held on the subject. The question before us is “How effective are all these in controlling HIV/AIDS? We have yet to consider the measures taken to preserve human rights of the HIV/AIDS victims”.

Not easily infected

HIV/AIDS is not a disease that could be infected easily. Transmission of HIV always happens through exposure to body fluids of an infected person. The greatest concentration have been found in blood, cerebrospinal fluid, semen vaginal secretions and breast-milk.

HIV/AIDS is transmitted when blood semen or vaginal secretions of an infected person comes in to contact with a healthy person.

The three main ways by which the virus can be transmitted to another is by unsafe sexual contact, transfusion of infected blood or blood products, contaminated needles and syringes and through an infected pregnant mother to her baby.

No evidence

There is no evidence that the virus is transmitted through social contact that is transmitted through air or food. Mosquitoes or bugs cannot carry HIV/AIDS to people and hence there is no problem to have social contact with HIV carriers. Working with them in the same work place, or sharing food with them is not a barrier. We can even live with them under the same roof and hence the social stigma is baseless.

It is vital to find out whether this type of expertise is involved. The religious leaders also have a very prominent role to play on HIV/AIDS control not only education but also protecting the rights of the victims.

We cannot control this disease by only ethical preaching. Although, we have had so many health education programmes to control HIV/AIDS, we have not been able to reduce the sex trade and the usage of multiple partners. Use of condoms is not a complete safe method and we must see the causes of HIV/AIDS and what steps should be taken to reduce them.

We have to discard the discrimination of human rights attributed to them by the society. Our health principles should pressure the rights of such patients, infected and the associates.

AIDS infection

AIDS patients should be able to obtain the drugs easily which might be of help to delay the symptoms of the AIDS infection. The reason that they are unable to approach drugs owing to high cost is indeed a violation of primary health principles. The Government should take immediate steps to stop social discrimination and annoyance against AIDS patients.

The patients should be assured of confidence, availability of suitable drugs and they should be treated with dignity. Hence, we must make sure that the victim blamed approach is not used. A health Policy should be developed to protect the patients’ rights and the rights of the people living with HIV/AIDS.

Consideration should be given with regard to treatment. No change should be given for violation of the declaration of the primary healthcare. At present, the traditional methods are not used for HIV control. However, the WHO is concerned about this.

Chinese experiment

The experiments done by the Chinese are very interesting. The Patent create monopolies on drug availability of affordable quality generic versions of anti-retroviral medicines have allowed developing country governments to put more people on treatment and thus extend their lives. In India alone, there are 5.1 million people living with HIV/AIDS, many of them receive generic drugs under the national HIV/AIDS treatment programme.

Authorities explain that several risk factors make the world vulnerable to an epidemic of HIV/AIDS. Some of them are the presence of a large number of vulnerable populations such as sex workers, migrant workers, military personnel, refugees, drug users, youth, low condom users and high rate of sexuality transmitted infections. However, everybody is at risk. Most of the innocent housewives get infected through their husbands.

Infected age group

I would like to draw your attention to the fact that nearly 90% of the reported HIV infected persons were in the age group of 15-29 which is the most productive age group of a population. Those found to be infected belong to various occupational groups of the society.

As all of us are aware that the whole society accepts, whole heartedly that religious leaders possess the esteem quality of confidentiality and credibility. There is no question that they are the strongest pressure group in the society in the angle of sociology.

Health News Summary Following is a summary of current health news briefs.

Following is a summary of current health news briefs.:

U.S. experts foresee more effective cancer radiation

U.S. researchers think they now understand why some cancers grow back after radiation treatment. They said a specialized type of cell known as a cancer stem cell has a protective mechanism that keeps radiation from damaging the DNA and proteins inside the cell.

Postmenopausal women who have hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) - a low level of sexual desire — have a worse health-related quality of life than their counterparts who are happy with their sex lives, according to a new study. In fact, the researchers say, HSDD can cause in impairments in well-being on par with those seen in chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, osteoarthritis and asthma.

Study links handedness to fertility

People who are “mixed-handed,” those who are able to use both hands with equal dexterity, may have harder time having a child than righties or lefties, a new study suggests.

Researchers found that among more than 9,000 Danish couples, those in which one partner was mixed-handed, rather than exclusively right- or left-handed, tended to take slightly longer to conceive.

Women’s heart rate helps detect health risks

Measuring a woman’s heart rate at rest can help predict her risk of heart attack or dying from heart disease, giving doctors a simple, inexpensive way to monitor health risks, researchers said on Wednesday.

The study published in the British Medical Journal showed that postmenopausal women who had the highest resting heart rate were 26 percent more likely to suffer a heart attack or die from cardiovascular disease than those with the lowest rates..

REUTERS

[Letter Box]

Disease prevention literature from SLMA

I write with reference to Prof. Vidyajothi Rizvi Sheriff’s induction address published in the HealthWatch Page of Daily News dated 17th Jan. 2009 under the above caption. As the new President of SLMA for the year 2009, Prof.

Sheriff has highlighted some very important issues that he has in mind to tackle during his period of time. It was mentioned that he would take the necessary steps to issue disease prevention literature for the information of the patients as well as the general public.

We warmly welcome this novel idea of Prof. Sheriff. The most important aspect of his speech is that he has undertaken to do some research work on the alarming increase of dreadful kidney disease in this country today which was unheard in the good old days.

We fervently hope that Professor will give his top priority to carry out some research work on this dreadful kidney disease now affecting even schoolchildren.

We greatly appreciate the HealthWatch page of Daily News of highlighting this nature of information.

D. E. Abeyweera Kelaniya

The first step in diabetes meal planning

A serving can be:
1/8, Avocado 1tbsp.
Cream Cheese or
Salad dressing
1 Tbsp Butter, Margarine
Oil, or Mayonnaise
10 Peanuts

Milk

(2-3 Servings)
A serving can be:
1 cup Milk / 1 cup Yogurt

Vegetables
(3-5 Servings)
A serving can be:
1 cup raw Vegetables,
1/2 cup cooked Vegetables,
1/2 cup Tomato or
Vegetables juice

Fruits

(3-4 Servings)
1 small fresh Fruit
1.2 cup canned Fruit
1.4 cup dried Fruit
1.2 cup Fruit juice

Grain Beans Starchy Vegetables

(6 or more Servings)
A serving can be:
1 slice Bread, Hamburger,
or Hot Dog, 4 to 6 Crackers
1/2 cup cooked Cereal, Pasta,
Rice 3/4 cup dry Cereal,
1/2 cup cooked Beans, Lentils,
Peas, or Corn, 1 small Potato,
1 cup winter Squash
1/3 cup sweet Potato or Yam

Meat & Others

(2-3 Servings)
A serving can be:
2 to 3 oz. cooked lean Meat,
Poultry, or Fish, 1/2 to 3/4
cup Tuna
or cottage Cheese,
2 to 3 oz. Cheese, 1 Egg,
2 Tbsp. Peanut Butter.

Eat less saturated fat. It is found in meat and animal products, such as hamburger, cheese, bacon and butter. Saturated fat is usually solid at room temperature.

Choose low-fat or nonfat products, such as skimmed, 1%, or 2% Milk and Yogurt. Yogurt has natural sugar in it. It can also have added sugar. Yogurt with artificial sweeteners has fewer calories than yogurt with added sugar.

Choose fish and poultry more often. Remove the skin from chicken and turkey.

Select lean cuts of beef. Trim all visible fat from meat, Bake, roast, broil, grill, or boil instead of frying or adding fat.

Choose fresh or frozen vegetables without added sauces, fats, or salt. Choose more dark green and deep yellow vegetables, such as spinach, broccoli, carrots, chillies and peppers.

Choose whole fruits often. They have more fibre than juices.

Choose citrus fruit, such as oranges, grapefruit, or tangerines.

Choose whole-grain foods such as bread or crackers, bran cereal, brown rice. Choose beans as a good source of fibre. Use wheat or other grain flours. Eat more low-fat breads. For snacks, or low-fat crackers.

Healthy Eatings is the First Step in Taking Care of Your Diabetes
You can make a difference in your blood glucose control through your food choices.
You do not need special or diet foods.
The food that is good for you is good for your whole family.

Here’s how you do it
Eat a wide variety of foods every day.
Eat high-fibre foods, such as fruits, vegetables, grains and beans, to fill you up.
Use less added fat, sugar and salt.

Changes you can make
Eat meals and snacks at regular times every day.
Eat about the same amount of food each day.
Try new foods.
Try not to skip meals.
If you want to lose weight, cut down on your portion size. If you skip a meal,
you may eat too much at your next meal.