Obesity and Type 2 diabetes in Children

Background information on type 2 diabetes and obesity in children

Childhood obesity and Type 2 diabetes in children have reached epidemic proportions in the United States and continues to grow. Obesity is defined as an excessively high amount of body fat (Cline, Spradlin & Plucker, 2005). Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body fails to properly use insulin, a hormone, used to convert sugar to energy (All about Diabetes p1). These increases affect all ages, ethnic groups, and gender. According to the New York State Department of Health (2004), the Diabetes Center of Excellence reported that between 10%-20% of newly diagnosed school age children have type 2 diabetes. Obesity is one of the principal risk factors of type2 diabetes. Overweight children have doubled from 15% in the 1970s to nearly 30 % in 2006 while obesity has tripled from 5 to 15 % in the United States. Twenty percent of elementary school students New York City are considered obese (Thorpe, 2004).
Type 2 diabetes was once previously known as adult onset diabetes a condition confined to adults age 40 and older. However, as a result of the number of children being diagnosed with this form of diabetes, the name was changed to type 2 diabetes. Nestle, 2005 stated that if the current rate of obesity continues, diabetes would eventually develop in one in three children who were born in 2000 (Nestle, 2005). Diabetes is the sixth leading cause of death nationally but the fourth leading cause of death in New York City largely because of its high rate of obesity among Hispanics and African American residents who are poor and working does not have the time to provide nutritional meals for their children or do not live in communities where they have access to safe play grounds for physical activity (Nestle, 2005).
The Causes and Risk Factors
Obesity and type 2 diabetes substantially decrease life expectancy, as type 2 diabetes progresses other complications such as end stage renal diseases, high blood pressure and peripheral neuropathy develops which eventually leads to death. There is also an increase health care cost to government for those children who are uninsured. Children who are obese often develop asthma, obstructive sleep apnea and psychological problems such as low self- esteem. Sedentary routine in schools exist as a result of reduced tax revenues for schools. The reduction of money has forced many schools to reduce or eliminate time for physical education classes. In addition, more families consist of working parents, which prevent the parent from supervising their children’s meals and active play. Further there has been a decrease in physical activity at home, as more children watch television or play games on the computer rather than playing soccer, basketball or jump rope. Parents have little or no time to prepare nutritious foods therefore; there has been a greater consumption of non-nutritional foods prepared outside of the home (Nestle, 2005).
Interactive questions
Ø What can parents do prevent obesity and type 2 diabetes in children?
Ø What can the government do in our school system to prevent obesity and type 2 diabetes in children?

conjestive heart failure interactive questions

1.What is the primary diagnostic tool for diagnosis?
2.List 4 signs of left side failure?
3. What causes fluid overload in CHF patients?

CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE

Congestive Heart Failure
According to the American Heart Association, Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) is the leading cause of hospitalization for the geriatric population. There are approximately 500,000 people being diagnosed each year and approximately 5million people living with this disease in the United States. CHF is caused by heart disease, the heart is no longer able to pump blood to the systems of the body or remove all the blood that enters the ventricles.
CHF is diagnosed by careful assessment by the doctor. Some of the signs and symptoms that the doctor’s check for are, irregular heart sounds, and abnormal breath sounds, enlarge and distended neck veins. One of the best tools for diagnosis is an echocardiogram (ECHO). ECHO uses ultra sound waves to take pictures of the heart while it is beating. The test can state if both sides of the heart is failing and determine if valves are working properly.
Although as nurses we do not diagnose patients, often we have patients who are at risk for CHF and we are able to assess the patient and gets medical intervention before the patient become too overload with fluid. These are the signs and symptoms that we should look for.
Signs and Symptoms of left side failure
Ø Fatigue.
Ø Shortness of breath.
Ø Drowning feeling
Ø Dry hacking cough/wheezing
Ø Sleep apnea.
Ø Skin in clammy and pale.
Signs and symptoms of right side failure
Ø Fatigue
Ø Swelling of feet, ankles, legs, stomach (edema).
Ø Depressed appetite/nausea.
Ø Loss of muscle mass.
http://www.medicinenet.com/congestive_heart_failure/article.htm

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000158.htm

Hand hygiene interaction questions

1. Identify ways to remind co-workers to wash their hands.
2. why is it necessary to wash your hands.

Hand hygiene

Hand Hygiene

One of the first things we learned in nursing school was the importance of hand washing. According to the Center for Disease Control, 2 million people each year become ill as a result of a hospital acquired infection. Proper hand hygiene is critical to prevent these infections, which contribute to death of nearly 90,000 hospital patients per year and $4.5 billion in medical expenses. Hand washing is one of the most essential skills of infection control especially in the hospital; yet many nurses and other health care personnels ignore this basic rule and contribute to many nosocomial infections. Therefore, I want to remind everyone to wash their hands especially when you enter a patient’s room and when you are leaving the patients room. There are many other occasions when the hands should be washed. These links will give you additional information please visit:

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/hand-washing/HQ00407
www.handhygiene.org/
http://www.mass.gov/dph/cdc/handwashing/handwashing/_brochure.pdf

Good hand washing involves using soap and water or using an alcohol –based hand sanitizer. Follow these instructions for washing with soap and water.

Ø Wet your hands and arms with warm, running water and apply liquid soap, bar soap is not recommended because it may harbor microorganisms. Lather well.
Ø Rub your hands vigorously together for at least 15 seconds.
Ø Scrub all surfaces, including the backs of your hands, wrist, between your fingers and under your fingernails.
Ø Leave water running during the entire procedure.
Ø Holding your hands and forearms lower than your elbows, rinse thoroughly, starting at one moving down the arm
Ø Dry your hands with a clean or disposable towel.
Ø Use a dry towel to turn off the faucet.

New Insulin

Bristol Myers and Flamel Tecnologies have agreed to develop a new insulin called Basulin. Basulin is the first controlled release insulin that uses recombinant human insulin, rather than an insulin analog. Basulin operates like lantus but has a lower risk of hypoglycemia. Basulin is now entering phase II of clinical development.

According to the World Health Orgaization, approximately 177 million people worldwide suffer from diabetes and this number is expected to double by year 2025. I have noticed during my clinical practice that 4 out of my 7 patients always have diabetes; it has become an epidemic. Education is necessary for the prevention and control of this disease. For further information visit: http://www.diabetesblog.com

Prior to taking this class i did not know anything about blogs. I am moving slowly in the age of technology. This is my first blog and i hope by the completion of this class in 5 weeks i will be an expert at blogging. I have been a nurse for a little over 4 years ; this is a second career for me. I formerly worked in the hospitality industry as a food and beverage manager with special emphasis on conventions and banquets. This field was very exciting as a got to meet people from ta wide cross section of society. I did not continue in that field because it is very time consuming and i would have to neglect my family too often. I am a native of the island of Jamaica and migrated to this country 9 years ago.
I am pursuing my MBA in education because i want to become a diabetes educator and teach at a college part time. Based on the readings, i have learned that a blog is an essential tool for sharing information. I consider blogs to be a virtual community where people with similar interest are able to share information. I will be using blogs as my plat form to express my opinions on health policies, to share current research information as it becomes available and to give information on diabetes prevention and management. I hope to get positive feedback as it will help me to better articulate my thoughts.