Couple discovers wedding ring in baby's X-ray

X-rays revealed that a missing wedding ring was swallowed by a couple's baby.

A Seattle-area woman learned that the hard way after she noticed her wedding ring was missing on Thursday, according to a Reddit thread.

Who was the culprit? Their 14-month-old baby.

Imaging done by doctors at a hospital revealed a platinum wedding band lodged inside the baby's gut, according to Reddit user, iamclarkgriswold, who posted the story on the social media site. After being under observation for eight hours, the tiny tot was discharged and the parents were instructed to wait for nature to take its course.

That means poop, people.

"We were allowed to go home. If it doesn't pass naturally in two weeks, they will go get it," iamclarkgriswold wrote, explaining that doctors would have to perform surgery or use other medical methods to extract the ring if it didn't come out naturally.

After leaving the hospital the family was officially under "passing" watch, the father wrote in a post. Everyone -- husband, wife, the couple's other two kids -- was monitoring the toddler.

As the great baby-watch unfolded, Reddit users were abuzz with excitement.

The couple dissected each diaper like a grade-school science project in hopes of finding the ring, the father wrote.

After much anticipation and bemoaning, the couple fished out the wedding band and posted a not-suitable-for-work photo of it as proof.

Dad said he was thankful the toddler showed no signs of discomfort during the "passing" and reassured those online that the baby was doing just fine. He also asked people to be understanding.

"Don't be too critical of us. He's the third. The third practically raises themselves," he wrote.

Most parents know, or soon discover, that babies put everything in their mouths. Putting toys and objects into their mouths is part of a baby's developmental process, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Babies put things in their mouths to explore objects around them, pediatrician Jennifer Shu told CNN. And they will continue to do so until they are 2 or 3 years old.

"Or sometimes longer," Shu said. "Think about adults who chew on pens or pencils."

Source; CNN

The mother would have lost some weight, for the ring to have slipped off her finger unnoticed. It could also be that she placed it where the child could reach the ring. I had a similar case bach then in medical school but it was a coin that the child swallowed. An abdominal x-ray was done and the coin was located in the colon( large intestine), the doctor asked him to use potty to pass stool and that the coin should be checked in the faeces after defecation. The child passed the coin some days after.

I wrote a post on how to keep objects out of reach of children. Read HERE .

Thanks for visiting.

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Zika virus has infected 2,100 pregnant Colombians, health officials say

More than 2,100 pregnant Colombians are infected with the mosquito-borne Zika virus, the country's national health institute said on Saturday, as the disease continues its spread across the Americas

The virus has been linked to the devastating birth defect microcephaly, which prevents fetus' brains from developing properly. There is no vaccine or treatment. There are 20,297 confirmed cases of the virus in Colombia, the national health institute said in a epidemiology bulletin, with 2,116 pregnant women among them. 

There are so far no reported cases of microcephaly or deaths from the virus in Colombia. The institute said 37.2 per cent of pregnant women with Zika live in Norte de Santander province, along the eastern border with Venezuela. 

Earlier figures from the health ministry showed 560 pregnant women had the virus, out of more than 13,500 infections.

Zika cases have been confirmed in 23 countries and territories in the Americas and scientists are racing to develop a vaccine for the virus.

Nearly half of Colombia's Zika cases have been reported in the country's Caribbean region, the bulletin said. More than 60 per cent of those infected are women.

The health ministry has said Zika infection falls within the health requirements women must meet to get abortions in the country, which restricts the procedure unless patients are victims of rape, have significant medical problems or the fetus is fatally deformed.

Many women, especially those living far from large cities, struggle to find abortion providers even when they meet the legal requirements and illegal abortions are widespread.

The government has urged women to delay pregnancy for six to eight months to avoid potential infection. Officials expect up to 700,000 cases.

Brazil is the country hit hardest by the disease. It has reported around 3,700 cases of microcephaly strongly suspected to be related to Zika. The World Health Organization has said as many as four million people in the Americas may become infected.

Source;cbc news

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How many rounds of s3x can a man handle in a day?

This patient walks in and sits down as soon as he was called. A young man not more than 33 years of age.
Here is the conversation I had with him
Patient; Good evening doc. How work na?
Doctor; Good evening sir. How are you? You were here some days ago. I guess your here for the results of the tests you did the last time you saw a doctor.
Patient; Doc, this thing dey give me concern. Kai I no understand. Wetin the test talk sef
Doctor; What is the problem?j
Patient; See my problem be say I no fit perform like i dey do before.
Doctor; I want to get you right. Is it that your pen-s no dey stand again abi you mean another thing.
Patient; No be that one. The thing dey stand well well but the problem be say I dey do like 3 times now.
Doctor; 3 times in a day? Is that not ok.
Patient; Nooo. See doc before I dey do like 5 times before day go break.
Doctor; Are you serious? wetin you dey do?
Patient; Now sef just once or twice. My wife carry pikin for hand.
Doctor; why you no go allow this woman rest na. She just born pikin and you dey disturb her like this.
Patient; The pikin don reach  7 months oo. No be like baby wey dey just born.I wan marry another woman sef join am
Doctor; wetin you dey do? make you no just go dey born pikin full house.Make you born the one you fit train.o
Patient; Doctor you know get any drug wey you go give me make I take so that I go dey perform well well reach like 7 times sef.
Doctor;The result of the tests you did are all normal. Do you take any drugs like the one you smoke?
Patient ; whalai I no dey do that one.
Doctor; I no trust you again e be like say you dey smoke something. Any time wey I ask you wetin you dey do you no go talk.
Actually the patient was seen previously by another doctor and was asked to go do some investigations, which were all normal. I had to ask some few questions as well . There was really nothing wrong with this young man medically.
I just couldn't phantom out why a man would want to have up to 5 rounds of s3x in a day except if he is high on some drugs.
I may be wrong you know.I feel that it is kind of absurd. I just want to hear from you guys. Have you had such an experience? Please do share with us.
I am really curious to hear from you guys. Thanks for visiting.

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Lassa fever hits Jigawa, kills one

Jigawa State Government has confirmed the death of one person as a result of Lassa fever outbreak.

The state also disclosed that over 26 others persons who had contact with the decease were currently under surveillance.

Confirming the sad development, Commissioner of Health, Dr Abba Zakar, said the victim who until his death resided at Gujubaki village in Dutse Local Government area of the state, had just returned from Port Harcourt in Rivers State and reported to Dutse General Hospital with signs and symptoms suggestive of Lassa fever.

The commissioner explained that immediately the hospital management noticed the case, it contacted the state ministry of health.

According to him, the ministry immediately sent its Rapid Response Team, RRT, which consisted three Doctors, Disease Notification Officers, DNOs, and an Epidemiologist to examine the victim and take sample of his blood.

He said the blood sample was taken to a laboratory in Abuja where it was confirmed positive, lamenting that the victim died later the same day he reported to the hospital.

The commissioner said: “Unfortunately, about a week ago, that was exactly on January 25, an 18 year old Safiyanu Usaini, from Gujubaki village in Dutse town, who had travelled to one of the infected states, specially Port Harcourt, reported to Dutse General Hospital.”

Source ; Dailypost

The death toll for Lassa fever keeps rising everyday. What are we not doing right? Are we preventing the transmission from rat to human and from human to human? Why is the diagnosis taking so long? Why is the treatment not started on time? Are the drugs readily available? Or may be patients are not presenting to the hospital on time? A lot of questions to be answered.

Remember that prevention is better than cure. 

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Lassa fever: One dead, 3 infected in Akwa Ibom

The Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Dominic Ukpong, on Monday, disclosed that three suspected cases of Lassa fever had been recorded in the state, with one confirmed case of a patient who died before her test result came out.

Ukpong made this disclosure at the inauguration of a task force on the eradication of Lassa fever in the state, stating that one of the suspected cases absconded, while the confirmed case, a 53-year-old female crayfish seller, happened to be someone who had been undergoing treatment for HIV until her death.

The Commissioner said, “The situation is that Akwa Ibom is no longer free and since rat meat is not so much a delicacy in the state, I appeal to those that eat rat to please stop it.”

He charged the constituted Response Committee on Lassa fever to ensure the state kicks out the disease, urging the people to keep cats if they could, because cats drive away rats.

Source ; Dailypost

disease, urging the people to keep cats if they could, because cats drive away rats.

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Lassa fever: Nurse confirmed dead in Nasarawa

The Chairman of the Nasarawa state Rapid Response Task Force from the Ministry of Health, Dr. Ibrahim Adamu, has confirmed the death of a male nurse at Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital, Lafia, who treated the index case of Lassa fever outbreak in the state.

Adamu, while disclosing this to newsmen in Lafia on Wednesday, described the death of the nurse, Oshafu Ibrahim, as a colossal loss at a time when all efforts were being made to curtail the spread of the disease in the state.

He confirmed the nurse died on Tuesday, having contracted the disease through the index case in December 2015.

The chairman said that adequate safety kits had been provided for health workers by the Federal and State governments to check the spread of the disease.

He urged the health workers to always observe the universal protection practice of hand washing and wearing of safety kits while attending to patients, urging healthcare providers not to be demoralised by the death of their colleague in carrying out their duty of saving lives.

source;Dailypost

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What you didnt know about road accident and epilepsy?

A known epileptic patient was brought to the ER ( emergency room) by the wife on account of occurrence of a seizure the night before. History taken from the patient showed that he wasn't compliant with his medications (anti-convulsant drugs)
I was shocked to hear the answer to my next question. Do you drive?  Yes I do.
 We hear of stories of how cars rammed into a crowd of people, veered off the road , knocked some body down, plunged into the river, or ran into a stationary vehicle.
Have you ever wondered what could have been the cause?
About 1.25million people die each year as a result of road traffic accidents.
Half of those dying on the world's roads are vulnerable road users; pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists.
Without action, road traffic accidents are predicted to rise to become the 7th leading cause of death by 2030.
 Factors that could be responsible for road traffic accidents are as follows;

1. Epilepsy and other medical conditions that could make you have seizures with or without loss of  consciousness.Just like I mentioned about my patient who drives and at the same time not compliant with his medications. Loss of consciousness is one of the symptoms you experience in some types of epilepsies and can lead to an accident if it happens while you are behind the wheel. 
2. Visual impairments leading to blurred vision.
3. Suicide attempts.
4. Mechanical faults from the vehicle.
5. Side effects of some drugs could actually cause dizziness.
6. Alcohol intoxication and other recreational drug use that could cause one to loose consciousness.
7. Weather conditions that could reduce visibility.
8. Speeding by drivers.
9. Distracted driving. 
10. Not obeying traffic rules.
11. Roads with potholes. etc

Road traffic accidents cause a considerable  economic losses to the victims, families and to the nation as well. These losses could arise from treatment and rehabilitation of the victims, reduced productivity from those disabled from the injury and for those who are also going to stay away from work to take care of the injured.

Health professionals should educate patients about the what the disease is all about, treatment, reasons for follow up etc  .

Patient education is very important in management of any health condition . Patient might not be aware of the dangers he/she faces if he/she is not compliant with his drugs. 

Epileptic patients must be on their drugs and must have been found to be seizure free for a certain number of years before he/she can be licensed to drive . This must be certified by a medical practitioner.

This also applies to other medical conditions, never abandon your drugs. Always talk with your doctor whenever you need help.

Remember that prevention is better than cure . Stay safe guys.

Thanks for visiting.

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WHO to convene Emergency Committee on Zika virus and observed increase in neurological disorders and neonatal malformations

WHO Director-General, Margaret Chan, will convene an International Health Regulations Emergency Committee on Zika virus and observed increase in neurological disorders and neonatal malformations. The Committee will meet on Monday 1 February in Geneva to ascertain whether the outbreak constitutes a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.

Decisions concerning the Committee’s membership and advice will be made public on WHO’s website.

Outbreak in the Americas

In May 2015, Brazil reported its first case of Zika virus disease. Since then, the disease has spread within Brazil and to 22 other countries and territories in the region.

Arrival of the virus in some countries of the Americas, notably Brazil, has been associated with a steep increase in the birth of babies with abnormally small heads and in cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome, a poorly understood condition in which the immune system attacks the nervous system, sometimes resulting in paralysis.

A causal relationship between Zika virus infection and birth defects and neurological syndromes has not been established, but is strongly suspected.

WHO action

WHO’s Regional Office for the Americas (PAHO) has been working closely with affected countries since May 2015. PAHO has mobilized staff and members of the Global Outbreak and Response Network (GOARN) to assist ministries of health in strengthening their abilities to detect the arrival and circulation of Zika virus through laboratory testing and rapid reporting. The aim has been to ensure accurate clinical diagnosis and treatment for patients, to track the spread of the virus and the mosquito that carries it, and to promote prevention, especially through mosquito control.

The Organization is supporting the scaling up and strengthening of surveillance systems in countries that have reported cases of Zika and of microcephaly and other neurological conditions that may be associated with the virus. Surveillance is also being heightened in countries to which the virus may spread. In the coming weeks, the Organization will convene experts to address critical gaps in scientific knowledge about the virus and its potential effects on fetuses, children and adults.

WHO will also prioritize the development of vaccines and new tools to control mosquito populations, as well as improving diagnostic tests.

source ; who.org

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Student dies of Lassa fever in Ebonyi state

An unidentified student has died of Lassa fever in Ebonyi State. The state governor Dave Umahi made this known at a town hall meeting in Abakalili, the state capital yesterday January 26th. Speaking at the meeting, Umahi urged residents of the state to immediately go to the hospital for proper testing anytime they fall ill

 “It may be Lassa fever and if it is detected early, it can be treated than when it reaches an advanced stage when it may be difficult to save the victim.”he said

Meanwhile the Rivers state government has declared "Operation Kill all Rats" in the state after 6 people died from the disease in the state.

Lassa fever is a deadly fever transmitted by rats. It can be prevented by keeping a clean environment. Early symptoms of the disease include fever, headache, chills, diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting, sore throat, backache, and joint pains. Late symptoms include bleeding from the eyes, ears and nose, bleeding from the mouth and rectum, eye swelling, swelling of the genitals and rashes all over the body that often contain blood. It could   progress to coma, shock and death

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Quarantined Lassa Fever Patient Dies in Abaji

A female patient quarantined over Lassa fever at the General Hospital Abaji since last week Saturday has died.

City News had reported that the deceased, who hailed from Gegu town in Koton-Karfe Local Government Council of Kogi State, was brought to the hospital on Saturday night, after which she was examined by a doctor and diagnosed with Lassa fever symptoms.

A hospital source, who preferred anonymity, disclosed to our reporter yesterday that the deceased died at about 5:12p.m.on Monday.

He said the result of the blood sample which was taken to Asokoro General Hospital, later proved that she was infected with Lassa fever, saying her remains were later taken away by her relatives.

"In fact, it was shortly after they brought the result of the investigation which showed that the woman was actually infected with Lassa fever that she gave up. It was unfortunate that she didn't survive it," he said.

When contacted, the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the Hospital, Dr. K.I Jizaya, confirmed the death of the Lassa fever victim, saying her remains had been handed over to relatives for burial.

Source; Daily Trust

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Did you know that there are some home remedies that may be harming you?

There are some home remedies we do that not does cure our disease and spend so much time, energy and money on it without seeking for medical attention. If these disease are left for a long time can  lead to complications. They range from the use of ginger, garlic,honey,beetroot, Aloe vera, parsley,mint etc
When patients arrive at the hospital and you ask how long it has been there, you hear answers like I have being treating it with different things but it has refused to go.
These are the common ones we hear;

• Using palm oil and potash to make boils ripe so that it can be pressed and the pus released from it.It is wrong because the fingers we are using to press it are so dirty that it introduces germs into the open wound leading to infection
• Using breast milk to cure conjuctivitis; Conjuctivitis is inflammation of the conjuctiva. it can be as a result of an allergy , bacterial, viral. The popular one is that which we call Apollo.
• Use of salt in burns
• Drinking alcohol (stout) or palm wine for breast feeding mothers to increase breast milk flow.
• Drinking coconut water, palm oil in cases of poison ingestion
• Drinking juices squeezed from paw paw leaves and seeds in cases of measeles, or any other rashes on the body.
• Use of juices from different leaves to cure jaundice in children
• Use of juice from vegetable to replenish lost blood.
• Pouring sand mixed with  saliva to on open wound on the lower extremities.
• Inserting garlic in the vagina to cure vaginal candidiasis.
• Use of juices from scent leaves to cure abdominal colic in infants.
• Use of juice from beet root to lower blood pressure
• Use of Vernonia amygdalina( bitter leaf) to cure diabetes mellitus
• Use of honey and ginger for cough.

The disease could be more than what a home remedy can cure. You could be having pulmonary tuberculosis in the case of cough and this is not what honey and ginger can cure. Always present to the hospital when ever you are ill. It saves you time ,money  and averts the complications that comes with the disease when not treated on time. 

I would like to hear from you guys.I want to know those that you do at home that wasnt mentioned here.

Thanks for visiting. 

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What do you know about Zika virus?

Key facts

1.  Zika virus disease is caused by a virus transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes.
2. People with Zika virus disease usually have a mild fever, skin rash (exanthema) and conjunctivitis. These symptoms normally last for 2-7 days.
3. There is no specific treatment or vaccine currently available.
4. The best form of prevention is protection against mosquito bites.
5. The virus is known to circulate in Africa, the Americas, Asia and the Pacific.

• Introduction

  Zika virus is an emerging mosquito-borne virus that was first identified in Uganda in 1947 in rhesus monkeys through a monitoring network of sylvatic yellow fever. It was subsequently identified in humans in 1952 in Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania. Outbreaks of Zika virus disease have been recorded in Africa, the Americas, Asia and the Pacific.

1. Genre: Flavivirus
2. Vector: Aedes mosquitoes (which usually bite during the morning and late afternoon/evening hours)
3. Reservoir: Unknown

• Signs and Symptoms

  The incubation period (the time from exposure to symptoms) of Zika virus disease is not clear, but is likely to be a few days. The symptoms are similar to other arbovirus infections such as dengue, and include fever, skin rashes, conjunctivitis, muscle and joint pain, malaise, and headache. These symptoms are usually mild and last for 2-7 days.
  During large outbreaks in French Polynesia and Brazil in 2013 and 2015 respectively, national health authorities reported potential neurological and auto-immune complications of Zika virus disease. Recently in Brazil, local health authorities have observed an increase in Zika virus infections in the general public as well as an increase in babies born with microcephaly in northeast Brazil. Agencies investigating the Zika outbreaks are finding an increasing body of evidence about the link between Zika virus and microcephaly. However, more investigation is needed before we understand the relationship between microcephaly in babies and the Zika virus. Other potential causes are also being investigated.

  Transmission

  Zika virus is transmitted to people through the bite of an infected mosquito from the Aedes genus, mainly Aedes aegypti in tropical regions. This is the same mosquito that transmits dengue, chikungunya and yellow fever.
  Zika virus disease outbreaks were reported for the first time from the Pacific in 2007 and 2013 (Yap and French Polynesia, respectively), and in 2015 from the Americas (Brazil and Colombia) and Africa (Cape Verde). In addition, more than 13 countries in the Americas have reported sporadic Zika virus infections indicating rapid geographic expansion of Zika virus.

  Diagnosis

  Zika virus is diagnosed through PCR (polymerase chain reaction) and virus isolation from blood samples. Diagnosis by serology can be difficult as the virus can cross-react with other flaviviruses such as dengue, West Nile and yellow fever.

  Prevention

  Mosquitoes and their breeding sites pose a significant risk factor for Zika virus infection. Prevention and control relies on reducing mosquitoes through source reduction (removal and modification of breeding sites) and reducing contact between mosquitoes and people.
  This can be done by using insect repellent; wearing clothes (preferably light-coloured) that cover as much of the body as possible; using physical barriers such as screens, closed doors and windows; and sleeping under mosquito nets. It is also important to empty, clean or cover containers that can hold water such as buckets, flower pots or tyres, so that places where mosquitoes can breed are removed.
  Special attention and help should be given to those who may not be able to protect themselves adequately, such as young children, the sick or elderly.
  During outbreaks, health authorities may advise that spraying of insecticides be carried out. Insecticides recommended by the WHO Pesticide Evaluation Scheme may also be used as larvicides to treat relatively large water containers.
  Travellers should take the basic precautions described above to protect themselves from mosquito bites.

  Treatment

  Zika virus disease is usually relatively mild and requires no specific treatment. People sick with Zika virus should get plenty of rest, drink enough fluids, and treat pain and fever with common medicines. If symptoms worsen, they should seek medical care and advice. There is currently no vaccine available.

  WHO Response

  WHO is supporting countries to control Zika virus disease through:
  1. strengthening surveillance
  2. building the capacity of laboratories to detect the virus;
  3. working with countries to eliminate mosquito populations;
  4. preparing recommendations for the clinical care and monitoring of persons with Zika virus infection; and
  5. defining and supporting priority areas of research into Zika virus disease and possible complications.

• Source; WHO.

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