Bilingual Children Have an Increased Risk of Stuttering

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Jan 22 - The risk of stuttering is increased among young bilingual children, according to findings published in the January issue of the Archives of Disease in Childhood. These children also have less chance of recovery from stuttering than monolingual speakers who stutter.

Bilingualism is considered a risk factor for stuttering, Dr. Peter Howell, of University College London, and colleagues point out, but "there is little information about how a second language affects the chances of stuttering onset and of recovery."

A total of 317 children between the ages of 8 and 12 years who stuttered participated in the study. The 69 children who were bilingual were matched to a group of fluent bilingual controls.

The main outcome measures included subjects' stuttering history, Standard Attainment Test educational scores, and measures of recovery or persistence of stuttering.

Of the 38 bilingual children who used a language other than English at home, 36 stuttered in both languages. Two of the 38 children stuttered in their native language but did not stutter in English.

Fewer children who used their alternative language exclusively at home and learned English in school stuttered, compared with those who used both languages at home - 39.5% versus 60.5%, respectively.

By contrast, fluent bilingual controls were more likely to speak their alternative language exclusively at home -- 73.7% versus 26.3%, respectively. The difference between bilingual stutterers and bilingual fluent speakers who spoke only their original language during their preschool years was statistically significant (p = 0.003).

The recovery rate for children who spoke both languages at home prior to school age was 25%, compared with 55% in both the alternative language exclusively and monolingual speakers.

However, Dr. Howell's group also found that early school performance was not affected by stuttering.

"Together, these findings suggest that if a child uses a language other than English in the home, deferring the time when they learn English reduces the chance of starting to stutter and aids the chances of recovery later in childhood."

Taken from: http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/587209?src=mp&spon=24&uac=113552SK

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Now I think I understand how come I catch pronounciations easily! Cuz when I was young, I only speak mandarin and nothing else. During English class, I stutter trying to make myself understood. So now I know why I can speak in English and Mandarin fluently! :D. Heh heh. *brags*

Now we know how to teach our children to be bilingual scholars next time! Make them speak only ONE language first! Haha.

Bruxism

Something to share :D. Its a lengthy post as I directly copied and paste from Wikipedia, so u can skip the details if you want :). Mainly read the headings and the 1st line :D. Hahah.

Bruxism (from the Greek βρυγμός (brugmós), gnashing of teeth) is the grinding of the teeth, and is typically accompanied by the clenching of the jaw. It is an oral parafunctional activity that occurs in most humans at some time in their lives. In most people, bruxism is mild enough not to be a health problem. While bruxism may be a diurnal or nocturnal activity, it is bruxism during sleep which causes the majority of health issues, and can even occur during short naps. Bruxism is one of the most common sleep disorders.

Associated factors
The following factors are associated with bruxism.

• Disturbed sleep patterns and other sleep disorders (obstructive sleep apnea, hypopnea, snoring, moderate daytime sleepiness)
• Malocclusion, in which the upper and lower teeth occlude in a disharmonic way, e.g., through premature contact of back tooth
• Relatively high levels of consumption of caffeinated drinks and foods, such as coffee, colas, and chocolate
• High levels of blood alcohol
• Smoking
• High levels of anxiety, stress, work-related stress, irregular work shifts, stressful profession and ineffective coping strategies
• Medication, such as SSRIs and stimulants
• Hypersensitivity of the dopamine receptors in the brain
• Stimulant drugs, particularly those of the amphetamine-based family (MDMA)
• GHB and similar GABA-inducing analogues such as Phenibut, when taken with high frequency
• Disorders such as Huntington's and Parkinson's diseases
  

Treatment
There is no single accepted cure for bruxism. However, treatments are available.

Bruxism may be reduced or even eliminated when the associated factors, e.g. sleep disorders, are treated successfully

Mouthguards and splints (you can skip the details if you want :D)
Ongoing management of bruxism is based on minimizing the abrasion of tooth surfaces by the wearing of an acrylic dental guard or splint, designed to the shape of an individual's upper or lower teeth from a bite mould. Mouthguards are obtained through visits to a dentist for measuring, fitting, and ongoing supervision. There are four possible goals of this treatment: constraint of the bruxing pattern such that serious damage to the temperomandibular joints is prevented, stabilization of the occlusion by minimizing the gradual changes to the positions of the teeth that typically occur with bruxism, prevention of tooth damage, and the enabling of a bruxism practitioner to judge — in broad terms — the extent and patterns of bruxism, through examination of the physical indentations on the surface of the splint. A dental guard is typically worn on a long-term basis during every night's sleep.

Professional treatment is medically recommended to ensure proper fit, make ongoing adjustments as needed, and check that the occlusion (bite) has remained stable. Monitoring of the mouthguard is suggested at each dental visit.

Another type of device sometimes given to a bruxer is a repositioning splint. A repositioning splint may look similar to a traditional night guard, but is designed to change the occlusion, or "bite," of the patient. Randomly controlled trials with these type devices generally show no benefit over more conservative therapies and they should be avoided under most if not all circumstances.

The NTI-tss device is another option that can be considered. The NTI covers only the front teeth and prevents the rear molars from coming into contact, thus limiting the contraction of the temporalis muscle. The NTI must be fitted by your dentist.

The efficacy of such devices is debated. Some writers propose that irreversible complications can result from the long-term use of mouthguards and repositioning splints.

Botox (HAHAHAH!!)
Botulinum toxin (Botox) has recently been seen to be very successful in treating the grinding and clenching of bruxism. Botox is an injectable medication that weakens muscles and is used commonly in cosmetic procedures to relax the muscles of the face and decrease the appearance of wrinkles. Botox was not originally developed for cosmetic use, however. It was, and continues to be, used to treat diseases of muscle spasticity such as blepharospasm (eyelid spasm), strabismus (crossed eyes) and torticollis (wry neck). Bruxism can also be regarded as a disorder of repetitive, unconscious contraction of the masseter muscle (the large muscle that moves the jaw). Botox works very well to weaken the muscle enough to stop the grinding and clenching, but not so much as to interfere with chewing or facial expressions. The strength of Botox is that the medication goes into the muscle, weakens it and does not get absorbed into the body. The procedure involves about five or six simple, relatively painless injections into the masseter muscle. It takes a few minutes per side and the patient starts feeling the effects the next day. Occasionally, some bruising can occur, but this is quite rare. The symptoms that are helped by this procedure include:

• Grinding and clenching
• Morning jaw soreness
• TMJ pain
• Muscle tension throughout the day
• Migraines triggered by clenching
• Neck pain and stiffness triggered by clenching

The optimal dose of Botox must be determined for each person as some people have stronger muscles that need more Botox. This is done over a few touch up visits with the physician injector. This treatment is expensive, but sometimes Botox treatment of Bruxism can be billed to medical insurance (plans vary - its good to call your plan beforehand to find out what is covered and what documentation is necessary). The effects last for 3 months or so. The muscles do atrophy; however, so after a few rounds of treatment it is usually possible to either decrease the dose or increase the interval between treatments.

Other authorities caution that Botox should only be used for temporary relief for severe cases and should be followed by diagnosis and treatment to prevent future bruxism or jaw clenching, suggesting that prolonged use of Botox can lead to permanent damage to the jaw muscle.

Dietary supplements
There is limited evidence that suggests taking certain combinations of dietary supplements may alleviate bruxism; pantothenic acid[citation needed], magnesium, and calcium have been examined.

(information taken from wikipedia.org)

Reason why I put this is because I grind my teeth during sleep and seems like my sister has been telling me since I was quite young. And apparently, the problem seem to be getting worse lately, but I'm not sure if its true! Cuz I dunno :D. I'm asleep what. I get from feedbacks :D.

And I see the associating factors, I kinda understand why. I drink so much coffee and am under so much stress, I think I will grind my teeth till it turns into powder soon :S.

ANW. After reading the article, I'm proud to say, I have all the reason to go for botox! Don't stop me! :D Heh heh.

But before I go for botox, maybe a cheaper alternative will be a proper mouth guard. But I seriously feel like some mad dog if I really wear a mouth guard to sleep. And I'm very sure I will wake up with wet pillow from all the drool! EEeeeeks!

Looks like I will be wearing dentures before everyone of you :D

Coffee Drinking May Help Protect Against Type 2 Diabetes

October 9, 2008 — Regular consumption of coffee and potentially black tea, but not green tea, is associated with a lower risk for type 2 diabetes mellitus in Singaporean Chinese men and women, according to the results of a study reported in the October issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

"Increasing coffee intake was inversely associated with risk of type 2 diabetes in populations of European descent; however, data from high-risk Asian populations are lacking as are data on tea intake in general," write Andrew O. Odegaard, from the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, and colleagues. "We investigated the prospective associations between intakes of coffee, black tea, and green tea with the risk of type 2 diabetes in Singaporean Chinese men and women."

The study cohort, from the Singapore Chinese Health Study, consisted of 36,908 men and women aged 45 to 74 years between 1993 and 1998, who underwent evaluation of multiple diet and lifestyle measures and who were then followed up between 1999 and 2004. To examine the association of baseline coffee and tea intakes with incident type 2 diabetes during follow-up, the investigators used Cox regression models, with adjustment for several possible confounding or mediating variables.

Compared with participants who reported not drinking coffee daily, those who reported drinking 4 or more cups of coffee daily had a 30% reduction in the risk for diabetes (relative risk [RR], 0.70; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.53 - 0.93). Compared with participants who reported not drinking black tea daily, those who reported drinking 1 or more cups of black tea daily had a suggestive 14% reduction in the risk for diabetes (RR, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.74 - 1.00). There was no apparent association with green tea.

"Regular consumption of coffee and potentially black tea, but not green tea, is associated with lower risk of type 2 diabetes in Asian men and women in Singapore," the study authors write.

Limitations of this study include potential misclassification of the exposures because of poor self-report, biases, and other errors; possible residual confounding; and results for black and green tea consumption applying only to a smaller range of intake vs coffee.

"The associations we observed are noteworthy because they provide evidence that the coffee findings in other prospective cohort studies are not likely artifacts of the reported dietary patterns, nor are they likely to be explained by residual confounding," the study authors conclude. "Given the high consumption of coffee and tea worldwide and the growing type 2 diabetes epidemic, especially in Asia, these findings convey a potential high significance for public health. However, it is too early to recommend increasing coffee and tea consumption until there is more thorough data from clinical trials related to the topic, with respect to not only the possible benefits but possible side effects or harm as well."

The National Cancer Institute supported this study. The study authors have disclosed no relevant financial relationships.


Source from: Medscape Medical News, "Coffee Drinking May Help Protect Against Type 2 Diabetes", Oct 9, 2008


Comment #1: As opposed to a blog entry posted in my old blog about an article I read about in Emedicine.com of this case study whereby this man had an AF due to overcomsumption of coffee (and other factors), this is really pretty interesting and quite shocking to me, in fact. I've cut down on my coffee intake as a result of the previous article (from about 3-4 daily to now 1-2 daily). Best part, 1-4 cups! 4 cups is alot!

Anw the case study I read about was on a Caucasian, so maybe that marks the difference?

Comment #2: I thought green tea will be THAT factor that will reduce the risk of DM more directly. Interestingly, it's the complete opposite!

Comment #3: This is from a rather reliable source, and the research was done on SINGAPOREANS. So, it should work? *raises eyebrows*

Comment #4: I'm rather interested to know the effect coffee has on the pancreas or any part of the body that led to its reduced risk for DM. Quite cool huh?

I think I just gave Yvonne more reason to drink coffee. Aye!!

Alternative headache therapies

I was actually reading up some medical articles and I chanced on this article on Prevention and Treatment of Migraines in Adolescents. I took down a few interesting non-pharmacological treatments that the author suggested. Mind you, this is from a reliable medical source! :D

TigerBalm Ointment (Haw Par Healthcare Limited, Singapore).

"This fragrant ointment is typically used to treat sore muscles. In a randomized trial of adult headache sufferers, applying the ointment to neck muscles helped relieve headache more effectively than placebo ointment; it worked about as well as acetaminophen to relieve tension headache pain. It is very safe but should not be used in or near the eyes (it stings). "

Not bad, our Tiger Balm made its way to the Western countries and is recommended! :D Maybe can really try applying Tiger Balm on our necks when we have headaches eh?

Guided Imagery and Self-hypnosis.

"Learning self-hypnosis or guided imagery relaxation skills is very effective in preventing migraine headaches. In fact, one study suggested that hypnosis is more effective than taking beta-blocking medications in preventing migraine headaches. Healthcare providers can learn to provide hypnosis training themselves through workshops sponsored by the American Society for Clinical Hypnosis or the Society for Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics. Clinicians may also refer patients to psychologists, social workers, or other health professionals skilled in teaching these techniques. "

I wonder if I can call this "self-delusion" Brings me to the next treatment intervention recommended:

Autogenic Training.

"Autogenic training is a self-hypnosis technique developed by the German psychiatrist Johannes Schultz in 1932. The training consists of learning to repeat a set series of phrases such as: "My arms and hands are heavy and warm; my legs are heavy and warm; my heartbeat is calm and regular; my forehead is cool; my breathing is easy." Typically, each phrase is slowly repeated 3 times before going to the next phrase. Deceptively simple, this practice has proven effective in reducing the frequency and severity of migraine headaches. Ancillary benefits include improvements in mood, cognitive function, and quality of life. "

This is super funny can!!! :D Goodness.

Interesting :D. If you tried any of these and it works, pls tell me :D

No food and drink!

Its been so long since I last packed dinner to work and bring home the same pack of dinner -_-.

Today was so busy!

I didn't quite expect a Saturday afternoon shift to be this busy. Seriously I have no idea what I was really busy with. I guess on a Sat where everyone is not around, I spend more time looking for people on the phone to inform and running up and down, executing orders caused by all the abnormalities.

Ever since I really started working after my training, I've already learnt how to work better. Every afternoon shift, no matter how busy, I'll some how have time to eat. I guess timing wise all the work came at the wrong time today. Grr..

The sudden surge of workload left me running around, panicking like a headless chicken.

I hope this will not happen again! And mind you, its a Saturday! I expected more rest on a Sat okay. This reflects badly on me la :(.

I speculate at this rate I carry on, I may just develop some gastrointestinal disorders. I should go see a doctor and get a steady supply of Omeprazoles or Famotidine as a preventive measure to protect my stomach eh?

The best preventive measure right now, SLEEP. :)

Red Bull Drink Seen to Increase Stroke Risk

"CANBERRA (Reuters) Aug 15 - Just one can of the popular stimulant energy drink Red Bull can increase the risk of MI or stroke, even in young people, Australian medical researchers said on Friday.

The caffeine-loaded beverage, popular with university students and adrenaline sport fans to give them "wings", increased blood viscosity.

Scott Willoughby and colleagues tested the cardiovascular systems of 30 young adults one hour before and one hour after consuming one 250-ml can of sugar-free Red Bull.

The results showed "normal people develop symptoms normally associated with cardiovascular disease" after consuming the drink, created in the 1980s by Austrian entrepreneur Dietrich Mateschitz based on a similar Thai energy drink.

"One hour after they drank Red Bull, (their blood systems) were no longer normal. They were abnormal like we would expect in a patient with cardiovascular disease," Willoughby, lead researcher from the Cardiovascular Research Centre at the Royal Adelaide Hospital, told the Australian newspaper."

"But Willoughby said Red Bull could be deadly when combined with stress or high blood pressure, impairing proper blood vessel function and possibly lifting the risk of blood clotting.

"If you have any predisposition to cardiovascular disease, I'd think twice about drinking it," he said ."

Read full article from eMedicine.com.

THANK GOD I NEVER LIKED RED BULL.

Then I suddenly wonder, am I predisposing my dad to AMI or stroke, since whenever he goes hypo, we'll feed him with redbull (he likes it, plus its reaally sweet and when he goes hypo, he goes REALLY hypo. Like 2.0-3.0.)

Goodness. Now I'll really think twice about drinking red bull. :S.