Archive for December, 2008

Importance of Renewing Vaccinations

Author: mom_to_one, 12 31st, 2008
Importance of Renewing Vaccinations

When children are young they receive essential vaccinations that prevent a number of dangerous diseases and illnesses that were so potent they caused epidemics in the past.  Diseases like typhoid, tetanus, and smallpox were leading causes of death in the past, and now children can become immune to them at an early age.  However, sometimes more important than receiving the initial vaccination shots is ensuring that the proper booster shots are received throughout the years.  It’s common for children to be vaccinated at birth, only to have parents shirk off future vaccinations, increasing their risk for serious illness that could easily be prevented. 

It’s also important for adults to receive vaccination shots as they advance in years; as a general rule, checking with your doctor’s office on your birthday is a good idea.  Vaccination provides significant benefits, but it’s also important to be aware of one potential risk that comes from the preservative thiomersal.  This preservative has been discontinued in mainstream use because it contains the toxic substance mercury, which can be fatal if it enters the bloodstream in large amounts. 

Increasing Awareness of Autism

Author: mom_to_one, 12 26th, 2008

autism awarenessAutism is a complex developmental disability that often becomes visible in the first three years of a child’s life.  Autism is a ‘spectrum disorder’, meaning that it covers a set of behaviors and affects individuals differently and to various degrees of severity.  There is no single known cause for autism, though studies indicate that genetics are a contributing factor, as well as certain harmful toxins introduced in a child’s life.  In American children, the prevalence of autism is about 1 in 150, and the number is much higher in males at 1 in 94.  Families with autistic children face a lifetime of support, and as the number of autistic children increases, it’s important to also increase autism awareness amongst the general population.  If autism is recognized early in a child’s life, it is possible for children to develop into functional adults, working through their autism.  However, there is no known cure for autism. 

To recognize autism, look for lack or delay of spoken language, repetitive use of language or motor mannerisms, little or no eye contact, and lack of interest in peer relationships.  Autistic children lack certain important social skills, and autism often manifests most clearly in this respect. 

Cleansing the Body’s Toxins

Author: mom_to_one, 12 24th, 2008
Cleansing the Body’s Toxins

It’s unavoidable; no matter what kinds of food we eat, the water we drink, or the air we breathe, over time toxins build up in the body.  Though trace amounts of toxins like lead, aluminum, or mercury aren’t harmful, when built up over time they can have serious ill effects.  The body stores these toxins in various places; in tissue, fat cells, and throughout various caches in the body.  There’s no natural method for the body to remove these dangerous toxins, therefore it might be necessary to use treatment like PCA-Rx, which serves as a detoxifier and heavy metal detox.  Through cleansing the body, you might not notice the benefits on the surface, but down the road you are guaranteed to be healthier and living more prosperously. 

Treatments that serve as detoxifiers are available over the counter or can be prescribed through your doctor.  It is always wise to ensure that new medications don’t interfere with other medications you are taking. 

Dangers of Household Thermometers

Author: mom_to_one, 12 22nd, 2008
Dangers of Household Thermometers

It’s less common for thermometers made in modern times to contain mercury, but in the past nearly all thermometers were mercury based.  Mercury is one of the most volatile substances known to man; even in small dosages exposure can be fatal.  There have been horrendous accidents in the past where a person or in some cases a child died because a thermometer was broken and the fumes were inhaled or the substance touched their skin.  Most medical clinics, medical practitioners, and even parents have switched to alternative thermometers to prevent mercury poisoning.

If you do happen to come in contact with mercury, be sure to contact a doctor.  Mercury poisoning symptoms include swelling, skin discoloration, skin peeling, and a number of more serious symptoms like memory impairment and kidney failure. 

Creating a Treatment for Your Autistic Child

Author: mom_to_one, 12 17th, 2008
Creating a Treatment for Your Autistic Child

Despite a lot of advice on how best to help an autistic child in the mainstream, in truth there is no solution that will work in all cases.  Autism is a serious condition, and once a child is afflicted with autism, there is no cure.  However, if recognized at an early age, a child can learn to work within the confines of their specific case of autism, and in some cases, become a functioning adult.  There is no single treatment for autism because cases vary; one child may be prone to a certain repetitive behavior that another child is not, or one child might have trouble learning a specific skill while another will not. 

When designing treatment for autism, it is important to consult qualified professionals, and also to individualize the treatment to suit the child’s needs.  It’s also pertinent to consult multiple sources; when it comes to autism no one person will hold all the answers. 

Increasing Your Autism Awareness

Author: mom_to_one, 12 12th, 2008
Increasing Your Autism Awareness

Autism is a serious condition which affects millions of adults and children worldwide.  Unlike other mental illnesses, autism is not quite so easy to diagnose, and it comes in different degrees of severity.  The two most important parts to addressing autism are recognition and treatment.  To recognize autism in a younger child, look for impaired communication, or repetitive behavior.  If you suspect a child could be autistic, you should consult a doctor immediately.  Treatment for autism varies; there are medicinal treatments, as well as therapy. 

Autism research shows that if autism is recognized a young age, a child is much more likely to become a functional member of society through treatment, though this is not always possible depending on the severity of the mental illness. 

Thimerosal: Vaccination Preservative

Author: mom_to_one, 12 10th, 2008
Thimerosal: Vaccination Preservative

Thimerosal is an antiseptic or antifungal agent that is most commonly used to preserve the condition of vaccines.  It was developed in 1928 from a need to have a preservative that didn’t reduce the potency of the vaccine.  In one incident, a diphtheria vaccine killed 12/21 children inoculated because the vaccine lacked a preservative, and the children contracted Staphylococcus; a bacteria which can be harmful.  Though thimerosal provided a clear benefit when it was conceived, because the substance is almost 50% mercury, it has been indicated as potentially harmful.  Mercury is one of the most volatile and toxic substances known to man. 

Thimerosal has been linked to serious childhood conditions like autism, and the government has begun phasing the substance out. 

Chelating Agents in Earth Science

Author: mom_to_one, 12 05th, 2008

chelationThe process by which heavy metal ions are extracted from minerals and rocks through natural processes is often called chelation.  In earth science, chelating agents, like peptides and sugars, work to remove heavy metals, and cause the movement of these metals in the soil.  In addition, accumulation of metals in plants and smaller organisms can be attributed to chelating agents.  The same idea of chelation that was pioneered by natural processes has also been used to detoxify metals from the human body. 

Utilizing different chelating agents, through chelation the human body can be rid of toxic metals such as lead and mercury.  Chelation treatment has also been used to treat autism, as one of the supposed causes of autism is mercury poisoning.

Benefits and Potential Dangers of Probiotics

Author: mom_to_one, 12 03rd, 2008

ProbioticsIn the human body, there are different varieties of beneficial bacteria that help to combat disease, break down food, and eliminate toxins and pollutants.  Probiotics are supplemental cultures of bacteria designed to invigorate the body and assist the existing bacteria to do their job.  Probiotics have been proven to help eliminate certain diseases, and also to combat the onset of illness.  Taken as an oral medicine and sometimes through injection, probiotics boost the immune system, improve digestive health, and can reduce the growth of harmful bacteria.

In truth, probiotics are as essential as taking vitamins for increased physical and mental wellness.