Texting and Driving?
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Category: Friendly Health Worker
Toru dashes in to see her mother – Emi, earphones in place. She navigates her zoom meeting as she quickly hands over mom’s prescription drugs to her. She is on her way to pick up the twins from school and as mum tries to recount her experience for the day, she responds with a sharp “not now mom. We will catch up when I come over on Saturday”. With that Toru sails out the door and contemplates the fastest route to the twins’ school to avoid traffic.
Come Saturday, Emi eagerly awaits the visit of her only daughter – Toru and prepares Onunu, the favorite meal of the twins. After a hearty lunch, the children run off to play with the neighbour’s children while mother and daughter settle down to their usual weekly tete-a-tete.
Toru begins “Mom, you look exquisite. So natural, fresh and relaxed. Was it not for your strands of grey hair you could easily pass for my elder sister? In fact, my friends are always teasing me and commending your looks. The stress of the times just doesn’t seem to leave its mark on you, meanwhile, I remember when we were growing up, you were always so busy with the shop, I determined never to grow up running a shop. It just seemed so stressful”.
Emi responds “Baby girl, the years between 20 and 50 constitute the “Hustle phase of life”. You feel you must make it or break it especially as you look forward to a stable life by age 50. At the same time as you are building a career/ business, you are juggling home, and investing for the future, while keeping up with the Joneses. Life is a whirlwind at that phase. Believe me, when I say, I can identify with you.”
She continues: “However, given that the average life expectancy is 70-80 years, the phase between the ages of 50 and 80 should be spent in quiet repose enjoying the simple things of life. The tranquility and serenity with which you face life at this point emanates from within and exudes a radiance that gives a youthful glow to the skin. This, my dear daughter, is what can be referred to as graceful aging”.
Toru too responds “Mom…mom and her rhetoric. “I guess the real question is – what do you need to do to achieve graceful aging”?
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August 8, 2018
Story 1
One of my people had been complaining of not feeling well. My general recommendation usually is “Go to the hospital”. After saying it a few times without results, I caned my lane.
I’m not sure what finally got through to her but God being so gracious, she finally decided to go to the hospital. She had been self-medicating, treating malaria. After a series of tests, she was diagnosed with low blood count (abi something like that).
After a few days of adhering to the doctor’s instructions, she felt better. Somebody shout alleluia! To God be the glory.
Story 2
The driver of the taxi I boarded yesterday was complaining about one strange headache that came suddenly. We were both stuck in the vehicle anyway, so I took time to advise him about going to the hospital asap. I pray he takes heed.
All of you that will be concocting medicine upandan as a DIY personally trained doctor… It’s all “fun” till you damage a vital organ…
If you are not feeling well, head to the hospital… This life is only one o… Don’t use your own hand to do yourself…
I repeat, if you don’t feel well, DO NOT TREAT YOURSELF BY YOURSELF… Head to the hospital! You will be alright by God’s grace.
Those of you cooking meat with paracetamol, una don hear about person wey village people dey pursue and him/her sef come dey use “slow motion” run. Won ma get e…. Dem go catch am…
Don’t let village people win this match. One of my lecturers once told us that every drug is poison; use only when absolutely required.
Let’s file this as #UnsolicitedAdvice201900027
Welcome to my world!
AMA:
What can we do PRACTICALLY to help people who are suicidal?
Dionne:
First, be there. Call, visit and just listen.
A lot of times we wade in mouth first with solutions when they just wanna be HEARD.
So Step 1 – just be there, available…
The conversation and intuition will guide your next steps.
Here are a few tips
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Question
How does one differentiate between typical toddler tantrums and a child with autistic tendencies?
Adenike O.
Tantrums are temporary while the tendencies of autism are sort of permanent or consistent
Adelola G.
Tantrums are not signs that a child may have autism, but if the child shows symptoms of autism, and then throw tantrums, we can then differentiate between tantrums and what we call meltdowns.
Gbemisola B.
Tantrums are not the only features of Autism spectrum disorder. In addition to the tantrums there WILL BE OTHER SYMPTOMS. One of which commonly is COMMUNICATION DEFICIT.
In toddlers the social communication delay often manifesting as speech delay and/or repetitive restricted patterns of behaviors are the usual common symptoms first observed by parents and caregivers.
Possible “Red Flags”
A person with ASD might:
• Not respond to their name by 12 months of age
• Not point at objects to show interest (point at an airplane flying over) by 14 months
• Not play “pretend” games (pretend to “feed” a doll) by 18 months
• Avoid eye contact and want to be alone
• Have trouble understanding other people’s feelings or talking about their own feelings
• Have delayed speech and language skills
• Repeat words or phrases over and over (echolalia)
• Give unrelated answers to questions
• Get upset by minor changes
• Have obsessive interests
• Flap their hands, rock their body, or spin in circles
• Have unusual reactions to the way things sound, smell, taste, look, or feel.
Social Skills
Social issues are one of the most common symptoms in all of the types of ASD. People with an ASD do not have just social “difficulties” like shyness. The social issues they have cause serious problems in everyday life.
Examples of social issues related to ASD:
• Does not respond to name by 12 months of age
• Avoids eye-contact
• Prefers to play alone
• Does not share interests with others
• Only interacts to achieve a desired goal
• Has flat or inappropriate facial expressions
• Does not understand personal space boundaries
• Avoids or resists physical contact
• Is not comforted by others during distress
• Has trouble understanding other people’s feelings or talking about own feelings
Communication
Each person with ASD has different communication skills. Some people can speak well. Others can’t speak at all or only very little. About 40% of children with an ASD do not talk at all. About 25%–30% of children with ASD have some words at 12 to 18 months of age and then lose them. Others might speak, but not until later in childhood.
Examples of communication issues related to ASD:
• Delayed speech and language skills
• Repeats words or phrases over and over (echolalia)
• Reverses pronouns (e.g., says “you” instead of “I”)
• Gives unrelated answers to questions
• Does not point or respond to pointing
• Uses few or no gestures (e.g., does not wave goodbye)
• Talks in a flat, robot-like, or sing-song voice
• Does not pretend in play (e.g., does not pretend to “feed” a doll)
• Does not understand jokes, sarcasm, or teasing
Unusual Interests and Behaviors
Many people with ASD have unusual interest or behaviors.
Examples of unusual interests and behaviors related to ASD:
• Lines up toys or other objects
• Plays with toys the same way every time
• Likes parts of objects (e.g., wheels)
• Is very organized
• Gets upset by minor changes
• Has obsessive interests
• Has to follow certain routines
• Flaps hands, rocks body, or spins self in circles
Other Symptoms
Some people with ASD have other symptoms. These might include:
•Hyperactivity (very active)
• Impulsivity (acting without thinking)
• Short attention span
• Aggression
• Causing self injury
• Temper tantrums
• Unusual eating and sleeping habits
• Unusual mood or emotional reactions
• Lack of fear or more fear than expected
• Unusual reactions to the way things sound, smell, taste, look, or feel
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Kemi K
A tantrum can be stopped or controlled by either the parent or the child. A meltdown can not. The autism spectrum is vast and a combination of symptoms will give a diagnosis. One single “symptom” does not mean a child is autistic. If all other development markers are hit, it is very unlikely that the singular issue of meltdowns will lead to a diagnosis.
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