Some Mothers do 've 'em - G6PD

1. On Paracetemol (Calpol/Brufen)

Zachary Gassoumis came up with the following responses based primarily on two websites:

Substance to avoid

Drugs & Foodstuff to avoid

1) Paracetamol (a.k.a. acetaminophen) is a low-risk contraindicated substance. I have personally used it in the past without disastrous results, but you should try to avoid this and all other NSAIDs as much as possible.

2.Nuts

2) I have never read anything to suggest that nuts are unsafe. But take note that the peanut (a.k.a. groundnut) is actually a legume, not a nut, and is therefore contraindicated for people with G6PD deficiency.

3.Chocolate beans 4.Green beans 5.Chick peas 6.Lentils 7.Legumes

3-7) All legumes are contraindicated for G6PD deficients - see website below for a fairly comprehensive list.

Legumes etc

8. Vitamin C (or oranges/lemons)

8) Natural vitamin C as found in oranges and lemons is perfectly safe, but the synthetic form found in most vitamins (called ascorbic acid) is contraindicated.

9. Folic acid

9) The same is true for folic acid. The natural form (folate) is perfectly safe and found in fruits and vegetables (especially green leafy vegetables). The synthetic form, folic acid, can be hazardous to people with G6PD deficiency - just like most synthetic drugs.

Courtesy : Zachary Gassoumis

'MCKK should be in league of its own'

the Malay College Kuala Kangsar - the Big School

"I am fully aware of the importance of quality, the importance of the education standard in the college be upgraded into world standard so that the tradition of churning out credible national leaders can be continued and the capacity to produce outstanding national heroes at the international arena can be realised," the Raja Muda of Perak, Raja Dr Nazrin Shah, said at the MCKK speech day and prize presentation. . . . . read more c/w comments.

Indian baby 'back from the dead'

BBC News - Thursday, 19 June 2008

Dr Merchant said that the 30-year-old mother of the child - who was seven months pregnant - suffered life threatening convulsions and high blood pressure over the weekend, which required powerful medicines.

He said that that the doctors believed that the baby - who was limp at birth - had no heart beat and no pulse.

But later, when the effect of medicines wore off, Dr Merchant said that the baby "showed attempts to breathe". . . . full news.

Higher education loan no longer tied to savings account

Tuesday June 10, 2008 MYT 10:04:40 PM – StarOnline

PETALING JAYA: The Government will not enforce the minimum savings requirement that was previously compulsory for anyone wanting to obtain a loan from the National Higher Education Fund Corporation.

Previously, parents needed to open a National Education Savings Scheme (SSPN) account in order to qualify for the loan.

“To ease the burden on students wanting to obtain a study loan, the Government has decided that the ruling on compulsory savings would not be enforced this year.

“Those wanting to take a loan need only have a minimum of RM20 in their SSPN account to apply for the loan,” Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin said in a statement Tuesday.

Under the minimum savings ruling enforced on Jan 1 this year, parents with a monthly household income of less than RM2,000 must have deposited at least RM500 in their SSPN account to qualify for a loan.

Parents who earn more than RM2,000 monthly must have saved up at least RM3,000.

The SSPN was established in 2004 and was aimed at encouraging parents to save for their children’s education.

The main advantage of the SSPN was that the Government provided a matching grant of up to RM10,000 for parents who earned less than RM2,000 monthly.

Other benefits of the SSPN, which is administered by the corporation, included yearly dividends that were tax-exempt.

Be patient

30-05-2008 10:56:15 AM

MY four-year-old daughter is an introvert. I notice she has problems making friends with other children.

She refuses to go to kindergarten. I have tried sending her to two different kindergartens and a social development class.

They were all futile attempts because she cried and was unco-operative, even though the teachers and kids were nice to her.

Two weeks ago, I sent her to a kindergarten which is within walking distance from our house. I thought she might feel more confident as home is just around the corner. But I was mistaken. After three days, she started crying and shouting. She refused to go to school.

I do not know how to encourage her to join a preschool and mix with other children. I would like her to be more sociable. When I take her to the playground, especially to the slide which she loves most, she will wait until all the other kids have left. Only then will she play on the slide. When other kids come over to join in, she would stop playing and stand by the corner quietly.

I am concerned about this negative behaviour that I see in her.

How do I encourage my daughter to socialise with other children? How do I influence her to love going to school? –

Concerned Mother

Parents worry when their children do not behave as expected. If the parents are extroverts, they may feel uneasy about their children's introvert behaviour. They do not understand why their children prefer to play alone and struggle to remain in groups.

Being shy is hardly a weakness in a child. Your daughter needs more time and patience to adjust in a group.

She may be more observant and cautious in a social setting. When a child is an introvert, she is turned off by large groups and prefers one-to-one contact. This does not mean that she will not learn to participate in group play. You can help her get used to being with other people by having her play with one child at a time.

Before sending her to kindergarten, survey the possibility of setting up play dates with children from her class.

Introverts tend to internalise their thoughts and intentions more than extroverts. They can be imaginative and have stimulating ideas. Unlike their extroverted peers, they don’t blurt out everything; they tend to share their ideas when the time is right for them. They are not anti-social.

To encourage your child to socialise, you must first respect and understand her need for time alone. She will not be the live wire of the group but her quiet nature can have a calming effect on others. Your good intentions can backfire if you constantly push her to play with others.

Accept her behaviour when she stands on the sideline and watch others play. She feels better when she knows you support her unconditionally.

Later when you are alone with her, ask her about her observations. The more she shares with you her findings, the more familiar she gets with the art of socialising.

She will know what are the expectations in a group and how she should behave to be accepted. This will help her to gain courage to join others at the next playground visit. Many four-year-olds find it difficult to transition from home to school. They worry about being away from home and having to deal with strangers.

They are afraid that they may never see their mum and dad again when they are away in school. They have to overcome this fear before they can be happy in school. Before enrolling in a school, take your daughter for a few visits. Let her indicate her readiness before you sign up. Do not be in a hurry to enrol her. Her perception is different from yours. Let her feel secure first before you send her off to school.

Courtesy : RUTH LIEW - mSTAR Online