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Today is World Hand Hygiene Day!

The World Health Organization calls on health workers to ‘Wash Hands and Save Lives’ I believe the importance of hand hygiene by all, especially health workers was clearly demonstrated during the Ebola scare. Just a fleeting touch or contact with a contaminated surface was enough to cause an infection!

So, since the Ebola scare, what are the key learning points you have taken away and still practice with regards to hand hygiene? If you have children, what important lessons have you taught them? What does hand hygiene mean to you?

I’d love to hear from you all.

Helpful posts: https://chatwithdrketch.com/2014/07/30/daily-health-tips-when-should-i-wash-my-hands/

Hygiene is two thirds of health!

I hope you had a great day at work today?

Q: I was asking…what can someone do if he/she as been bed wetting since he was little? Now they are even 18 years old?

A: Hello. Thanks for writing in. Bed wetting is a huge challenge in childhood…how much more in adulthood!

Bedwetting is usually due to an increase in the amount of urine usually contained in the bladder, an over-reactive bladder or small bladder or it may be due to a heavy sleeper who does not get or respond to the urge to void when he/she gets that urge while asleep. In childhood, ensuring the child urinates just before he goes to bed, limiting the amount of fluid he takes in the evening (some studies have shown no significant improvement with this strategy), encouraging the child to use the bathroom regularly during the day or using bedwetting alarms may help a child get through this period. A bedwetting alarm is an under-pant with a sensor clipped in. The sensor ‘senses’ (obviously :D) urine once a drop falls on the panty and thus triggers the alarm. The alarm ‘hopefully’ wakes up the child who then goes to the bathroom. In other cases, a drug may be used for over-reactive bladders. If a child had previously stopped bedwetting and starts up again, it may be due to emotional issues like having to cope with a new sibling, changing schools, moving houses etc. You may want to have a chat and find out what’s going on.

Remember that screaming at the child and embarrassing him in front of other people is not helpful. In fact, it is counter-productive as the child becomes unco-operative. Trust me…every child who bed-wets hates it and is absolutely embarrassed by it. And by the way, as a parent, consider that bedwetting appears to run in families and so your child is only exhibiting what he’s been given 😀 So, give the young man or woman a break!

Now, other causes of bedwetting which include Diabetes Mellitus, urinary tract infections, abnormalities of the urinary tract etc can also lead to night bedwetting (known as nocturnal enuresis) and any of these may likely be the problem with the adult bed-wetter. He/she has to be checked out in the hospital so that a proper diagnosis can be made.

For more on adult bedwetting, please click on this link https://chatwithdrketch.com/2013/11/24/daily-health-tip-adult-bed-wetting/

Have a great night, people 😀

Do you wonder what to do with your baby’s umbilical cord stump? How many times to clean it? What to clean it with? Methylated spirit, antiseptic lotion or water? Or perhaps you should just ignore it, hoping against hope that nature does its thing and the stump falls off when it should, leaving your baby with a nice looking navel?

Well, a couple of years ago, the standard teaching was to wipe the stump with rubbing alcohol (methylated spirit) after every diaper change, but it was realized that this may have delayed the healing of the stump somewhat. The focus, really, is on keeping the stump clean and dry.

For details on how to get this going and more, get a copy of the book, Just For The Health Of It via the shop now link on our facebook page. Or you can get it through:

1) Jumia.com. Just click on this link http://www.jumia.com.ng/jumia-books-just-for-the-health-of-it-with-dr-ketch-179486.html and get a copy. You have the option of paying when the book is delivered to you or paying online. This service is available all over Nigeria.

2) Another option for those in Lagos is Laterna Bookshop on 13, Oko-Awo Close, Off Adetokunbo Ademola Street,. Victoria Island.

3) If you’re outside the country, please visit Amazon through this link http://www.amazon.com/Just-Health-Ketch-Pregnancy-Parenting/dp/9789398026/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1426246647&sr=1-1&keywords=just+for+the+health+of+it+with+dr+ketch+olalere+nkechi

This Week on Dr Ketch Show, we explore memory loss. Have you had those moments when you just wanted to say something and then promptly forgot. Or you were just introduced to someone and the next moment, you’d completely forgotten the name! Well, we teach tou some tricks to help you recall, show you some foods that are thought to help memory and visit with a top business exec who shares her own tips for keeping her memory sharp.

If you missed the show on Thursday, catch it again on Sunday by 7pm on Africa Magic Showcase.

Here’s to a healthier you!

Have you ever heard of sensitive teeth? They can really mess up your day and make you feel like the end is near. If you’ve ever drank cold water or hot water, or even sweet or sour foods or even had air touch your teeth and then doubled over in pain? Well, you may have this condition.

Sensitive teeth are caused when the nerve endings on our teeth are exposed. Here are 5 top tips to prevent the development or recurrence of Sensitive teeth

• Scheduling regular dental visits. Your dentist is a professional who can spot problems with your teeth, perhaps even before you notice them. He can also help with requisite treatments if you already have sensitive teeth.
• Brushing teeth correctly with a soft-bristled toothbrush twice daily. You know how a lot of us think that we get our teeth squeaky clean when we scrub away at it with a hard bristled brush? Well, we are wrong. Doing this can lead to wearing away of the protective surface of the teeth.
• Flossing and rinsing appropriately to remove plaque is essential. Build up of plaque can lead to sensitive teeth and so, obviously, flossing will get rid of the plaque that could led to this.
• Using a fluorinated toothpaste. Fluoride found in toothpaste has been found to help sensitive teeth.
• Avoiding habits of clenching or grinding teeth can also help prevent tooth sensitivity.

So, go ye forth and be pain-free 😀

Q: Please doc what causes weight loss? I used to be chubby before; then, all of a sudden, like a space of 2yrs, I see myself reducing and people are complaining asking if am sick because I look like one. I am very okay, not sick and very healthy. I have gone for tests but nothing was seen. I eat but not too much; I sleep well; I drink water a lot. Please, help me. I need to get fat.

A: Interesting question!

Your weight is a combination of a couple of factors. The first two are input (how much you eat) and your activity/exercise level (how much you burn). Others include your age, your state of health, your body’s ability to absorb nutrients, stress (job loss, bereavement) etc

However, weight loss, when you’re not trying to lose weight may be due to an underlying disease condition.

Some causes of unexplained weight loss include:
• Changes in diet, taste, appetite or even sense of smell
• Depression
• Dental problems
• Diabetes
• Thyroid problems
• Peptic Ulcer
• Some medications
• Tuberculosis
• Cancer
• Misuse of drugs or alcohol
So, it is worthwhile figuring out whether you’re overdoing the exercise or stress etc. If not, perhaps you should get a second opinion on underlying disease condition(s).
Then check out your body mass index (BMI). If it’s less than 18.5, then you are underweight. If you and your medical team cannot isolate an underlying condition, then you may want to add some more calorie-dense foods to your diet. At all times, ensure you are guided by your doctor.

For examples of calorie-dense foods and related posts on BMI, please click on the link below:

Daily Health Tips: Adding Weight, Re-visited!

I hope y’all had a great May Day.

Have a good night 🙂

Q: Dr. Ketch. May I know how many C-S a woman can have?

A: To round off our discussion on Caesarian section yesterday, I decided to take this question. Before I get into this, some remarks….

• Remember that just because your doctor has said it is okay to try for a vaginal birth after a Caesarian Section does not necessarily mean that it will be successful. The woman may very well still end up having a Caesarian Section if a vaginal delivery is tried and it fails.

• People who have had a transverse cut C-section (Lower Segment C-Section) are more likely to be successful candidates for VBAC than those with vertical cuts (classical C-section).
Now to today’s question…there’s really no specific number of C-sections that a woman is meant to have (especially in centers with significant technological advancement), though about 3 used to be the mark. There are women who have had than 3 and are alive to tell the story. Having said that, the more the number of sections, the more the risks and complications the woman is exposed to.

Common risks and complications include:
• Weakening of the wall of the uterus wall with risk of uterine rupture!
• Healing after a C-section comes with development of scar tissue which may subsequently cause adhesions as they cause abdominal organs to stick to each other. This may lead to obstruction of the bowel or even block the fallopian tubes, leading to infertility. These adhesions may develop between the uterus and the bladder making it easier to injure the bladder with subsequent C-sections.
• Placental problems may occur in people who have had C-sections as the placenta may be implanted too deeply into the womb or there may be placenta previa. In these instances, removing the placenta presents a challenge and may result in profuse bleeding which requires blood transfusion.

For more on placenta previa, please click on these:

Daily Health Tips: Can Placenta Previa Recur In My Pregnancy?

Daily Health Tips: Placenta Previa

I hope y’all have a great Workers’ Day tomorrow.

Nighty-night 😀