BT Calgary Blogs

Tis the season for germs to be floating around that will make us sick. There are a few hot spots in the house that are notorious for bad bugs.

I spoke to Microbiologist, Professor Glen Armstrong from the University of Calgary, and he says yes, there are bad bugs out there but there are also good bugs. And, we need the good bugs to help us fight off the bad bugs. Professor Armstrong also says we have these good and bad bugs living in and on us all the time… on our skin, in our mouths in our intestines.

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We don’t want to think that our children experience stress, but they do. Some experts say they experience as much stress as we do. But they will manifest stress in different ways.

So, I spoke to Ruby Lecot, Senior Director Client Services with the Canadian Mental Health Association. She says it’s up to parents to know our children and understand what’s typical of them so we can see when it’s atypical. Most commonly in children, she says, you’ll see changes in behaviour. So your child might have trouble sleeping, they might eat excessively or have a lack of appetite, they might lose interest in activities that used to make them happy and they might act out more. Children may also manifest stress with physical symptoms. They might complain of headaches, or tummy aches or their immune system may not function as well resulting in more colds or flus.

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Does it ever feel like your preschooler is just not listening to you? Or do you feel like they never do what you ask? Well, perhaps we could be communicating with them more effectively. I say “we ” of course because I’m the mother of a 2 and three year old! And getting them to do what you want can certainly be a challenge!

So, lucky for me, I have a job where I can just call up a Registered Speech Language Pathologist for some advice. I interviewed Lisa Lindland. She has some great tips!

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This story idea popped up after I shot an interview at the Sheldon Chumir Health Centre. I wondered if anyone actually knew what an Urgent Care Centre was or how it differed from an Emergency Department. Turns out, not many people do. 

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Welcome to our first “Ask the Pediatrician” segment. We hope it’s as popular as our “Ask the Doctor” segments!

We all know being a parent often means more questions than answers, so at least we can address the health ones!

Our pediatrician is Dr. Peter Nieman. He has been a practicing pediatrician for over 20 years. He’s currently a pediatrician at both the Alberta Children’s Hospital and Rockyview Hospital. Dr. Nieman also teaches as a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Calgary. He also has a very busy practice in south Calgary.

Here are the questions Dr. Nieman addressed this morning.

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November is Diabetes Awareness Month and you expect canvassers to knock on your door now through November 15th. It’s a good time to really explain how serious this disease can be.

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It’s Cervical Cancer Awareness Week.

This cancer is 100 percent preventable with the proper screening. That screening is a pap test. The pap test checks for abnormal or precancerous cells in the cervix. If there are any abnormal cells, they can be removed, or they can be monitored because some people will get clear them on their own.

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Lots of interesting tidbits in the news this week!

We’ve heard in the past that medications to control high blood pressure in pregnant women might lead to birth defects in the baby. However new research suggests it may be the high blood pressure itself that’s the problem.

Researchers in California examined data on almost half a million women from 1995 to 2008  and found compared to women without high blood pressure, those with the condition were more likely to have babies with congenital heart, brain, or spinal cord defects, regardless of whether they were taking blood pressure medications, or no meds at all.

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It’s that time of year again…. time to get your flu shot. Flu clinics in six locations across the city start on Monday. Some doctor’s offices and pharmacies will also be offering the shot. And it’s free – for everyone in Alberta six months of age and older. It’s the best way to protect yourself from influenza.

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Imagine seeing your baby having seizures hundreds of times a day. It would be horrifying. And that was the case for Cathy Evanochko. Her baby Kimberly was just 13 months old when scans showed she was seizing every 5 to 10 seconds. Kimberly was diagnosed with a relatively rare disease called TSC or tuberous sclerosis complex.

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