WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT CONGENITAL HEART DISEASE & ROTAVIRUS DISEASE

In this issue, Dr. Tan Teng Hong, Head & Senior Consultant, Cardiology Service and Prof Phua Kong Boo, Senior Consultant, Gastroenterology Service, KK Women's and Children's Hospital (KKH); share on what you should know about Congenital Heart Disease and Rotavirus Disease.

A Q&A ON ALL ABOUT PREGNANCY AND FACE TO FACE WITH ADJ A/PROF WEE HORNG YEN

In this issue, Adj A/Prof Dr Wee Horng Yen, Senior Consultant and Director, Women Wellness Centre, KK Women's and Children's Hospital (KKH); Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, answers questions in:

ALL ABOUT PREGNANCY

Choking in Children

Last year, KKH Children’s Emergency (CE) attended to almost 400 children who swallowed foreign bodies (excluding fish bones).

80% of these children are 6 years old or younger.

The most commonly swallowed foreign bodies are coins ranging from 5 cents to 1 dollar. Swallowed batteries are another common complaint with button batteries being the most common type of battery swallowed.

Other objects swallowed are your everyday items like paperclips, plastic pen caps, loose or broken parts of toys and even parents’ wedding rings!

In the same year, KKH CE also saw close to 500 children who swallowed fish bones, or have fish bones stuck in their throat.

There were also more than 330 children who had foreign bodies stuck in their ears and more than 340 had foreign bodies stuck in their nose.

Young children like to explore their environment by putting various objects into their mouth, and may swallow them thinking they are food. They may also try to put various objects into their nostrils and ears as part of play.

In this issue:
Dr. Peter Wong, Associate Consultant, Department of Emergency Medicine shares information to manage choking in children.

Flu and fighting it off

INFLUENZA, commonly known as “the flu”, and acute respiratory infections (ARI) have been going up in Singapore in the past few weeks.

Countries in the temperate region of the Northern Hemisphere have also seen an increase in influenza activity as expected during their winter season.

In this issue:
Dr. Thoon Koh Cheng, Head and Consultant, Infectious Disease Service, Department of Paediatric Medicine, KKH Adjunct Assistant Professor, Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School Adjunct Instructor, NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine shares information to manage flu.

Ms Ong Chengsi, Dietician at KKH also answers 3 commonly asked questions regarding flu and diet.

BECOMING A LATE BABY "BLOOMER"

Mature mothers-to-be have become quite the norm in the past decade. In fact, according to data from Immigration and Checkpoints Authority, the number of babies born to mothers aged 40 and above last year was 1,295 out of a total of 39,654 or 3.3 per cent in Singapore. This has been a consistent figure over the last ten years.

In this issue, Dr. Wee Horng Yen, Senior Consultant, Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, KKH Adjunct Assistant Professor, Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School Clinical Lecturer, NUS Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine shares some tips to ensure a smooth pregnancy for potential mature mothers-to-be.

BRITTLE BONES

Brittle bone disease weakens the bones and affects the physical development in a child.

The bones would often fracture when a child with brittle bones disease falls accidentally.

In this issue, Dr. Arjandas Mahadev, Head and Senior Consultant, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery shares more information about this uncommon childhood disease.

Key Facts

• Brittle bone disease is a congenital disease, more commonly known as osteogenesis imperfecta (OI).
• The patient’s bones are of poor quality and are unable to take the normal forces that is put to it, hence resulting in crooked bones and frequent fractures.
• There are various levels of severity of this condition ranging from mild to severe.
• A patient with severe condition of brittle bones may likely experience immense difficulty in walking, resulting in the loss of ability to walk.
• For milder conditions, the patient may experience a higher incidence of fractures.
• The exact cause of OI is unknown but appears to be genetic as genetic mutations have been found in a majority of patients afflicted with this condition.

SURVIVING CERVICAL CANCER

May is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month in Singapore.

Key Facts

• About 466,000 new cervical cancer cases are diagnosed around the world each year.
• Cervical cancer is cancer at the neck of the womb (cervix).
• In its early stages, cervical cancer often exhibits no symptoms.

2nd to 8th March 2011 is designated Endometriosis Awareness Week in major parts of the world to promote greater understanding and support for women suffering from this condition.

MATTERS OF THE HEART

• In some countries, Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Day is held on 14 February every year to educate the public about congenital heart defects.
• To raise greater awareness about children’s heart conditions, this issue of KKHealth Update is focused on “PDA”.
• Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), also known as patent arterial duct, is a form of heart defect present at birth (congenital) and accounts for about 5-10% of all types of congenital heart disease.

URGENT BUSINESS

• In conjunction with World Toilet Day, to be held on 19 November, KKHealth Update would like to share with you tips and facts on urinary incontinence, an affliction commonly experienced by women around the world.
• Although non-debilitating, urinary incontinence interferes with a woman’s social activities and negatively affects her quality of life.
• Urinary incontinence is highly treatable and it is recommended that an urogynaecologist be consulted before the problem becomes severe.

KEEP ABREAST

October is internationally recognized as Breast Cancer Awareness month.

Key Facts

• Breast cancer accounts for about 16% of all female cancers worldwide.
• Early detection, diagnosis and treatment in appropriately equipped facilities increase the breast cancer survival rates.