OCR Text |
Show Page 8 THE OGDEN VALLEY NEWS Volume II, Issue X 15 May 2000 What Is Your Real Health Status? Can You Praise Children Too Much? By Dr. Lewis D. Harper The World Health Organization defines health as, “Optimum physical, mental and social well being, NOT merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” Can someone have poor health yet be free of symptoms and disease? Many different conditions occur in the span of a person’s life, yet no symptoms are experienced. “The silent killer” is another name used for heart disease, because the only time one usually experiences symptoms is when they are having a heart attack. Various examinations and tests have been implemented over the years to detect problems before they become life threatening. Some of these screening methods include blood pressure, temperature, cholesterol, blood glucose monitoring and regular physicals. All of these interventions monitor and check specific systems of the body and assist in finding problems before symptoms arise. However there is one system that usually does not get checked on a regular basis and it is the most important system of the body, the nervous system. The nervous system is the controlling system that coordinates movements of the muscles so we can walk, run and play. It is the controlling system that makes you pull your hand away from a hot surface before it gets burned. It is the controlling system that makes you vomit if you have eaten something bad. It is the controlling system that monitors all other systems in your body and makes internal adjustments, allowing the body to heal itself. Yet how do we know if the nervous system is functioning at its greatest potential without any problems? New technology has emerged that can assist the healing professions detect and correct underlying problems of the nervous system before they create life threatening effects. Painless and non-invasive thermography and surface electromyography (SEMG) are now being implemented to detect such problems. For the brain to communicate with the entire body through the nervous system, total spinal balance and integrity must be maintained. If there is an imbalance in muscle tension, segmental misalignment or inflammation around the nerve roots exiting the spine, the brain loses its ability to communicate at 100% with the rest of the body. Even with minimal loss of function, the long-term effects can be dev- astating. By measuring the electrical activity of the muscles surrounding the spinal column with SEMG, we are able to detect if these muscles are over active, out of balance from side to side or not function at their full potential. If the muscles are over active, it can indicate that there is a problem in the area and the body is trying to correct it. If there is an imbalance from side to side it indicates that there may be abnormal pressure on the nerves themselves, which will result in more serious problems in the future if left untreated. If the muscles are under active and not functioning correctly, the brain is having difficulty controlling their function and immediate attention is needed. Thermography is another method used to determine if there is an imbalance in the nervous system. When we measure the temperature of the areas surrounding the nervous system, there should be a balance. If there is an imbalance, it reveals that there is a problem within the autonomic nervous system. The autonomic nervous system controls various functions of the body automatically without our conscious effort. Some of these functions include respiration rate, heart rate, blood pressure and body temperature. By measuring one of these functions, via the temperature differentials along the spinal column, we are able to determine if our autonomic nervous system may be effected. If it is determined that there is some imbalance, measures can be taken which will aid in returning the system to normal. Regular checks to assess the status of your health are very important in finding problems and correcting them before they become life threatening. Many of us have our blood pressure, our heart rate, our cholesterol and even our blood chemistries checked on a regular basis, but neglect to find out the status of our nervous system. With the overall function of our bodies relying upon the nervous system itself, one would think that a nervous system analysis would be the most important procedure to have. By utilizing the new technological assessment procedures available with surface electromyography and thermography, a person now has the ability to find out what their real health status is. For more information on SEMG or Thermography, please contact Dr. Harper at 745-0977. By Marilyn Lopes In the rush to give children a healthy dose of self-esteem, some adults go too far to praise children. And that can backfire. It doesn’t take kids long to realize that all the praise may not be justified. Maybe you fail to gush over a painting the way Mom and Dad have always done. Or a playmate tells them their clay bowl is yucky. It’s a rude awakening! A child who is praised too much may fall into the great-expectations trap. These kids feel the only way they can be accepted and loved is to keep performing at higher levels. Too much praise can also set up a fear-of-failure scenario. Kids are so dependent on the approval of others, they may be afraid to take risks. Scared that they won’t be able to do a task perfectly, they don’t do it at all. This is not to say that adults should act like drill sergeants. It’s fine to tell a toddler everything he does is wonderful. And it’s also fine to burst out in spontaneous delight over something a child does. But by the time kids are in preschool, caregivers and parents should think about when and how they praise. Don’t Praise Indiscriminately. Children need and deserve realistic feedback about their accomplishments to understand their strengths and weaknesses. If you gush over everything, they will never recognize that some areas really do need improvement. Instead of treating every painting as a masterpiece, talk about the facts: Look at that deep-blue sky! What a lot of colors you used today! I can’t wait to hang up this painting. Think of praise as a form of feedback. The more specific you are, the more important information you impart to the child. Focus on the Child’s Special Talent. Every child has some area of competence, one that can serve as a source of pride and accomplishment. Encourage that special talent and the child’s pride in his achievement will transfer to other work. Look at the Child’s Efforts, Not the Results. Too often, adults reward the results and forget about the effort. Look back two or three months on the child’s progress and concentrate your praise on how much a child has improved. Never Compare a Child with Siblings or Friends. Many times adults compare one child to another. Encourage children to participate and do well because they enjoy something, not because they want to beat out someone else or prove they’re smarter than someone else. Teach Children that Making Mistakes is a Natural Part of the Learning Process. While you will never be able to take away all the disappointment a child will face, you can make sure he doesn’t feel defeated by it. For instance, if you see a child is upset because a project didn’t come out the way he wanted, you can encourage him to start over or change something in the project. This article is provided courtesy of Old Firehouse Child Care. Licensed Contractor Delbert Morris P.O. BOX 507 EDEN, UT 84310 Tel: 745-1709 Cell: 791-7420 Grading Dirt Hauling Snow Removal Landscaping Rock Work Backhoe Service Tear out & Replace Driveways 50% OFF of Registration - Call for Details PRESCHOOL LEARNING TIME KINDERGARTEN READINESS PROGRAM Reasonable Rates Family Discounts Flexible Schedule 2-5 Days Per Week Morning or Afternoon Classes Full Day Care Available & More Early Start Phonics Reading Program Pre-Math w/ Shapes & Numbers Creative Learning Projects Self-Esteem Builders =CALL TODAY 745-5600= Now Introducing Sunshine Generation Dance & Singing Classes “Quality & Learning You Can Depend On” A Trusted Name in Preschool & Childcare Serving Ogden Valley Families Since 1996 50% OFF of Registration - Call for Details |