Raising A Reader

Being as a mother is not an easy job with a grown children aged 7 and 6 years old as you have to struggle and show a good example to them especially on their development progress. One of it is READING practice, in my case I have to be more patience in terms of teaching my children on how to be a good reader at their young age.

Reading begins at home. As a parent you are the first and most important link on the road to reading. Enjoy stories with your child from a very early age. Even newborns can sense your enthusiasm when you read to them. Try to set aside a special time each and every day that you and your child can enjoy a number of books together without interruption. Your child will signal you when he or she begins to tire of this activity. Let this be your clue that story time has ended. It is probably best to let your child dictate the length of time spent reading and you will find that as the activity becomes standard, your child will sit and listen for longer periods of time.

Be sure and engage your child in conversations, for communicating orally is a prerequisite to understanding the written word. Encourage and ask questions like "Why?", "What would you have done?" or "Who was your favorite character?" from a book or television show.

Your child will have a lot of fun choosing books from the library or bookstore and will enjoy even the simplest of tales. Once your child begins to read independently, take turns reading to each other. This is also a great time to begin to read longer stories, perhaps a chapter or two a day. There are plenty of books out there that will keep them on the edge of their seats until the next reading session.

Be certain that your child has the opportunity to watch you enjoy reading. Don't save those newspapers, magazines or novels until after the little ones are in bed.

Your child will begin to read on their own timetable. They may be a "listener" longer than other children their age. Don't fret, they will begin to read when the time is right for them. Should you have a question about their reading ability, don't hesitate to ask your pediatrician or school personnel about early reading and literacy programs in your community. They may be able to suggest steps to take to further your child's reading abilities.

Don't be a prisoner of age related material. Use age suggestions as a guideline only. Even very young children can listen to and comprehend rather technical, scientific or historical books. Your child may be interested in dinosaurs or trains for example. Let them choose their books and read them over and over if necessary. If it is a subject dear to their heart, they will become a walking, talking encyclopedia on the subject!

Make a habit of giving children's books or magazine subscriptions as gifts. There are books and magazines for every interest and age group. If in doubt, a gift certificate from a book seller is a great gift for all ages.

Write your own stories! Even a child that cannot write yet can dictate a story to you. Keep a journal of these stories. They will make a wonderful keepsake and will bring back very special memories for you and your child. Encourage older children to keep a journal or diary. This not only allows them to perfect their writing skills but will help them relieve the stresses of everyday life. Ask relatives or out of town friends to correspond by mail with your child, not only do they get the thrill of receiving their own mail, they will enjoy reading their letters and best of all replying to them.

Playing word games is also a fun way to learn new words and develop a much larger vocabulary. Board games like scrabble and homemade games are excellent learning tools. Try playing rhyming games with your child when driving or walking. Think of a word and each of you take a turn thinking up words (real or imagined) that rhyme with it.

Get your child a dictionary. This will not only be educational but your child might even spend time reading it and discover lots of new words!

Always have a book with you! A short story is just the thing to pass the time when waiting in line, sitting at the doctor's office or picking up siblings from school.

ENDOMETROSIS ???

What are the symptoms of endometrosis and what is it exactly?

Chronic pelvic pain
Pain during periods
Poinful sexual encounters
Ongoing fatigue
Extensive allergies
Difficulty becoming pregnant


Many women suffer from pain each month. Doctor's are now learning these are more than just complaints but a serious disorder, the invisible cause of so much suffering.

Endometriosis, is a chronic and puzzling condition in which cells from the lining of a woman's uterus, or endometrium, also grow elsewhere in the pelvic area, causing pain, cysts, even blockages. An estimated six million women and girls suffer from the condition, which is believed to be the leading cause of infertility and accounts for many unwanted hysterectomies. Endometrosis is a a chronic and puzzling condition in which in which cells from the lining of a woman's uterus, or endometrium, also grow elsewhere in the pelvic area, causing pain, cysts, even blockages. An estimated six million women and girls suffer from the condition, which is believed to be the leading cause of infertility and accounts for many unwanted hysterectomies.

The condition has been so overlooked as a research area that a recent article in Forbes magazine noted the theories about what causes the condition have hardly been updated in 80 years.

A recent survey by the Endometrosis Association discovered ( of 4.000 women participating) two thirds of these women began suffering symptoms before the age of 20. 96% of the women surveyed suffered strong pain and yet it took their Doctor's approximately five years to come up with the diagnosis.


SYMPTOMS

Some of the symptoms (severe pain, bowel problems, headaches and joint aches) have suggested to that the disease may be an immune system disorder (yet another theory) and I was one of those women diagnosed prior to advances in research. Hysterectomy is frequently the physicians solution.

The most important thing every woman can do for herself is seek knowledge and information. Talk with other women who have it. Search our health-care professionals that listen and respect you and your point of view. Those who are genuinely concerned with your needs. The mental battle can be the most difficult. It is critical for your own well being to seek assistance.


TREATMENTS

There are many treatments available for the condition (which is confirmed by a laparoscopy), but the trick is finding the one that works for you. Surgery can remove some of the tissue, but it could grow back. Medications help quell the pain, and various hormone treatments might put the condition into remission for awhile.

The disease's cause is still unclear. One theory suggests that environmental toxins such as dioxin and PCBs cause the condition. Another is that during menstruation, some of the menstrual tissue backs up through the fallopian tubes, implants in the abdomen and grows.

Provides excellent information on endometrosis and it's links to other disorders. (i.e., chronic fatigue syndrome, multiple sclerosis, lupus, and rheumatoid arthritis.

One thing is abundantly clear. Unless women join forces and demand further reasearch,
this condition will continue to bring pain and suffering to millons of women.
Contact your congressman or woman today.

Together we can make a difference.


Endometrioid cyst

An endometrioma, endometrioid cyst, endometrial cyst, or chocolate cyst is caused by endometriosis, and formed when a tiny patch of endometrial tissue (the mucous membrane that makes up the inner layer of the uterine wall) bleeds, sloughs off, becomes transplanted, and grows and enlarges inside the ovaries. As the blood builds up over months and years, it turns brown. When it ruptures, the material spills over into the pelvis and onto the surface of the uterus, bladder, bowel, and the corresponding spaces between. Treatment for endometriosis can be medical or surgical. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are frequently used first in patients with pelvic pain, particularly if the diagnosis of endometriosis has not been definitively established. The goal of directed medical treatment is to achieve an anovulatory state. Typically, this is achieved initially using hormonal contraception. This can also be accomplished with progestational agents (i.e., medroxyprogesterone), danazol, gestrinone, or gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists (GnRH), as well as other less well-known agents. These agents are generally used if oral contraceptives and NSAIDs are ineffective. GnRH can be combined with estrogen and progestogen (add-back therapy) without loss of efficacy but with fewer hypoestrogenic symptoms. Laparoscopic surgical approaches include ablation of implants, lysis of adhesions, removal of endometriomas, uterosacral nerve ablation, and presacral neurectomy. They frequently require surgical removal. Conservative surgery can be performed to preserve fertility in young patients. Laparoscopic surgery provides pain relief and improved fertility over diagnostic laparoscopy without surgery. Definitive surgery is a hysterectomy and bilateral oophorectomy.


Treatment

About 95% of ovarian cysts are benign, meaning they are not cancerous.[citation needed]

Treatment for cysts depends on the size of the cyst and symptoms. For small, asymptomatic cysts, the wait and see approach with regular check-ups will most likely be recommended.

Pain caused by ovarian cysts may be treated with:

* pain relievers, including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil), acetaminophen (Tylenol), or narcotic pain medicine (by prescription) may help reduce pelvic pain. NSAIDs usually work best when taken at the first signs of the pain.

* a warm bath, or heating pad, or hot water bottle applied to the lower abdomen near the ovaries can relax tense muscles and relieve cramping, lessen discomfort, and stimulate circulation and healing in the ovaries. Bags of ice covered with towels can be used alternately as cold treatments to increase local circulation.

* chamomile herbal tea (Matricaria recutita) can reduce ovarian cyst pain and soothe tense muscles.

* urinating as soon as the urge presents itself.

* avoiding constipation, which does not cause ovarian cysts but may further increase pelvic discomfort.

* in diet, eliminating caffeine and alcohol, reducing sugars, increasing foods rich in vitamin A and carotenoids (e.g., carrots, tomatoes, and salad greens) and B vitamins (e.g., whole grains).

* combined methods of hormonal contraception such as the combined oral contraceptive pill -- the hormones in the pills may regulate the menstrual cycle, prevent the formation of follicles that can turn into cysts, and possibly shrink an existing cyst. (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, 1999c; Mayo Clinic, 2002e)

Also, limiting strenuous activity may reduce the risk of cyst rupture or torsion.

Cysts that persist beyond two or three menstrual cycles, or occur in post-menopausal women, may indicate more serious disease and should be investigated through ultrasonography and laparoscopy, especially in cases where family members have had ovarian cancer. Such cysts may require surgical biopsy. Additionally, a blood test may be taken before surgery to check for elevated CA-125, a tumor marker, which is often found in increased levels in ovarian cancer, although it can also be elevated by other conditions resulting in a large number of false positives.

For more serious cases where cysts are large and persisting, doctors may suggest surgery. Some surgeries can be performed to successfully remove the cyst(s) without hurting the ovaries, while others may require removal of one or both ovaries.