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By Darrell Miller

Around the holidays as well as other times, toys are serious business. A recent discovery which found that lead contamination is widespread is causing parents and grandparents to panic. Some of the most trusted names in the toy industry have had to recall favorite toys that have been around for ages. Although lead has gotten all the press lately, other toxins found in toys and household products are sure to be next month’s topics.

December 2007’s issue of Consumer Reports concluded that lead can be found in a large variety of items used everyday. Dishware, jewelry, glue stick caps, vinyl backpacks, vinyl lunchboxes, children’s tea sets, vinyl mini blinds, brass keys, baby bibs, clothing, crayons, and chalk were among those products tested. A fairly safe hypothesis is that those items that are brightly colored and made overseas are likely to contain lead, as it is an inexpensive pigment. Other household items that are not normally associated with toys are made with lead because of its malleable and stabilizing qualities. These items, which include brass keys, are often given to young kids as entertainment, while parents are unaware that they contain surface lead. Any item that a young child handles often or puts in his or her mouth should be tested for lead. A shocking discovery found that inexpensive children’s jewelry imported from China contains as much as 90 percent lead. Waste in the environment and use of lead additives is a major contributor to contamination in the United States. The widespread use of battery-operated toys has made dumping and recycling of batteries a major concern. Because lead never deteriorates or disappears, the EPA believes that the primary source of lead exposure for most children is from deteriorating lead-based house paint, dust from this paint, and its residues in soil. Not only can lead be inhaled and ingested from paint residue, but it can also come from food and beverages. Drinking water has been shown to contain lead if lead solder or lead parts were used in the plumbing. Lead is unable to been tasted, seen, or smelled.

Lead poisoning in children has been found by the EPA to be a major environmental health problem in the US. Children who appear healthy can have extremely dangerous levels of lead in their bodies. Lead is dangerous because it is a neurotoxin causing damage to the brain and nervous system, leading to behavioral and learning problems, hyperactivity, slowed growth, hearing problems, and headaches. In adults, lead toxicity can lead to complications with pregnancy, fetal neurodevelopment abnormalities, male and female reproductive problems, high blood pressure, digestive and nerve disorders, and problems with memory and concentration. If you think that you child has been exposed to lead, you should have he or she tested immediately. The EPA recommends that all children be tested when they are at the age of one or two.

Pediatricians also suggest the children under the age of six be tested every year as young children are at the greatest risk from lead toxicity. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children who associate with other children who are lead toxic be tested each year, no matter there age. The AAP also recommends taking nutritional supplements of calcium and iron for toxic children as a way to prevent lead buildup and reduce body burden. Lead inhibits calcium and replaces it in the bones, therefore both calcium and iron can reduce the storage of lead in tissues. Increasing the amount of fresh fruits and vegetables consumed daily is also suggested, as they contain vitamin C, which helps to harness the lead and escort it out of the body. A multiple vitamin with C or an additional vitamin C supplement is also recommended by doctors as a preventative measure. Calcium, iron, multiple vitamins and vitamin C can all be found at your local or internet health food store.

About the Author: More information on

Kid’s

supplements is available at VitaNet, LLC Health Food Store. http://vitanetonline.com/

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By Nahshon Roberts

To install or not to install?

This question is at the forefront of debates concerning the management of nursing homes. At present, the issue of whether or not to put security cameras in nursing homes and where these should be placed is extremely controversial and is far from resolved.

Merits of Installing Security Cameras in Nursing Homes

The most important argument in favor of security cameras is their deterrent value against abuse and substandard care. These security cameras have been given the moniker “granny cams” and are said to be a positive step in reducing the potential for elderly abuse. Experts believe that granny cameras could singlehandedly restore public confidence in nursing homes because they give family members instant access to recently stored footage. They can, thus, closely monitor the well-being of their parents or grandparents.

Security cameras retail for at least $630 and may go up as high as $1,590. On top of this, there is a $20 monthly fee for accessing the server and another $10 monthly to upload images via a data-only line.

Drawbacks of Installing Security Cameras in Nursing Homes

Not surprisingly, the strongest opposition to the use of granny cams comes from the industry itself. Nursing-home operators and staff consider video surveillance a needless invasion of privacy. They fear that security cameras would make it so much harder to retain good staff and attract new ones. Moreover, they believe that use of security cameras will compromise a patient’s dignity, particularly when bathroom and bathing activities are filmed and then reviewed by security. Another argument used is the additional expense. After all, a nursing home would need not just one, but several, security cameras distributed in strategic places throughout the nursing home.

The Debate Continues

While not trifling, however, the costs of purchasing the equipment and the installation expense are comparable to the cost of updating housekeeping, food, or recreation services. This means that the purchase and installation of security cameras should be treated as necessary an overhead cost as staff salaries, for example.

Additionally, experts believe that security cameras help nursing home operators minimize their legal responsibility should an employee or a nursing home resident be found guilty of abusive behavior. By having digitally captured evidence on hand, nursing home owners can thereby reduce unnecessary and groundless litigation.

At present, a dozen state legislatures are actively considering passing the granny-cam legislation. Existing laws mandate that an operator must inform the staff ahead of time of the presence of cameras and their respective placements. Otherwise, video surveillance may be considered illegal. There are no law expressly prohibit the use of security cameras. What prevents their wide use, however, are practical barriers in the form of pricing and vehement opposition from the nursing-home industry.

So, to install or not to install security cameras?

Nursing-home operators vehemently answer “no” while experts openly advocate their mandatory use. If you are a nursing-home owner, the added institutional cost would mostly likely make you cringe. If you are one of the many in search of a nursing home for a loved one, your answer to this question should dictate your choice of nursing homes. However, do not make it your only consideration. Check the facility’s history of deficiencies and citations from formal regulatory inspections.

It will be very difficult for this controversy to be resolved speedily because it is an issue that hits too close to home. It simply is not possible to put a price on safety, or negotiate dignity.

About the Author: Want to learn more about security cameras? Find out which video surveillance camera and security camera system best suits your needs when you visit Video-Surveillance-Guide.com today!

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By Carolina Eye Prosthetics

The process of replacing a damaged eye has come a long way since the old-fashioned glass eye. In fact, because modern eye replacements are no longer made of glass, the term glass eye is obsolete. Ocular prosthesis are now made of methyl methacrylate, a high quality medical-grade acrylic. In fact there are several types from which to choose according to the individual needs of the patient.

The majority of people require an orbital implant to replace the inner eye following its removal during a surgery called an enucleation. After the orbital implant is in place, a prosthetic is created by an ocularist to match the companion eye. This prosthetic is not round as one might expect, but instead, since it covers an existing orbital implant, the artificial eye is a convex shell that fits in between the orbital implant and the eye lid.

When an enucleation is not required, but instead the inner eye is removed during a surgery called an evisceration, the white of the eye, or sclera, is left in tact. In this case the orbital implant is not needed and the sclera can be covered with an artificial eye called a scleral shell. A scleral shell is a much thinner than the other type of ocular prosthetic. Like a regular ocular prosthetic, the scleral shell is crafted by an ocularist to match the companion eye. In some cases, a scleral shell can be worn to cover a damaged eye that does not require removal in order to create a more aesthetically pleasing appearance.

Typically, either an artificial eye or a scleral shell can meet the needs of most adults requiring an ocular prosthesis but, when young children require an artificial eye due to the removal of the natural eye as a result of disease or injury, it is often more practical to use a conformer rather than an artificial eye during stages of rapid growth. As a childs face grows and changes, it is necessary to change the prosthetic frequently to stimulate the growth of the bones and tissues of the eye socket in order to achieve a more natural appearance as an adult. Because conformers are less expensive to create, they can be replaced more frequently. Conformers are made from clear plastic and should be exchanged for increasingly larger sizes every four to eight weeks as the childs face grows. In cases where a child is born with a small eye orbit, conformers can be used to stretch the eye socket so that an artificial eye can be worn in the future.

All of these types of ocular prosthesis, including conformers, can be obtained by contacting an ocularist. With the exception of the clear plastic conformers, ocularists craft the ocular prosthetic to be a match to the remaining natural eye. Ocularists not only match the natural eye in appearance, but they create a prosthetic that conforms to the eye socket so that the shape and size of the eye socket is preserved, giving the artificial eye a natural appearance. When the ocular prosthetic is created by a highly skilled ocularist, the artificial eye can so closely match the natural eye that the difference is imperceptible.

About the Author:

Carolina Eye Prosthetics

provides hand-crafted and hand-painted prosthetic eyes. With two North Carolina locations their ocularists serve patients in need of artificial eyes. For more information about Carolina Eye Prosthetics visit

carolinaeyeprostheticsinc.com

or call 1-877-763-9393.

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By Marie-Claire Smith

Surgery is at worst a harrowing experience and at best a real drag. Any type of surgery that requires more than a day or two of recovery can put a serious kink the surgery patient’s lifestyle.

Anybody who has undergone surgery knows how a person usually feels during the first few days after returning from the hospital. First off, they are a bit disoriented given that they are thrown off of their regular routine. They may also be feeling a bit drowsy, dizzy or just plain “out of it,” given the effects of the general anesthesia and any other pain medications. The person will also likely also be experiencing at least some pain or discomfort at the site of the surgery.

Meanwhile, for more serious types of surgery such as heart surgery, back surgery, and hip surgery, the disorientation, discomfort and inconvenience might last for weeks or even months. During this time, the patient can feel bored and even a bit lonely as they nurse their body and spirit toward recovery.

If there is someone in your life whom you would like to cheer up after surgery, here are 5 ideas for gift ideas after surgery:

1. Daily Massages:

Therapeutic and personal massage salons are popping up all over the country these days. You can find really good ones in malls, strip malls and standalone buildings in most small and midsize towns and most cities. In addition, there are many licensed, reputable massage professionals who make house calls.

In terms of gift ideas after surgery, the gift of a massage cannot be beat. Of course, the masseuse/masseur will want to avoid directly massaging the site of the surgery itself, but in general, a full-body massage can raise the spirits and speed along recovery.

2. Help Around The House:

Short on money but still want to give a meaningful gift to the surgery patient you care about? Almost everyone needs a little help around the home. If working inside is your forte, offer to do some laundry, perform spring cleaning, or organize a room or two. If working outside is your thing, offer to do some gardening or to clean up the yard. Hint: be sure to ask their permission before getting to work: you don’t want to step on any toes by being more helpful than is welcome!

3. Dinner In:

Another great surgery recovery gift idea is that of a warm, delicious meal. The last thing a recovery surgery patient wants to do is to cook. And, eating TV dinners and delivered pizza gets old pretty quickly. Since a home-cooked meal is always welcome, why not make a large meal like a pan of lasagna? They can always freeze the leftovers and have them again in a few days.

4. Trip To The Movies:

Doctors recommend that most recovery surgery patients get up and about as often as they can. In fact, staying in bed or sitting on the couch for too long after surgery can actually hinder proper recovery for many types of surgery, since exercise is usually a part of recovery. A great gift idea is to buy some movie passes or even to offer to pick up and accompany him or her for a night at the movies.

5. Gift Basket:

One of the easiest ways to show you care is with a gift basket. Gift baskets come in a variety of styles, themes and sizes to please just about anybody. Do you think that gift baskets are just for female surgery patients? Think again: gift baskets can be very masculine-themed, featuring sports and outdoor activity themes. They can also appeal to the movie lover (DVDs), avid reader (books and magazines) and even to the connoisseur of fine wines and cheeses.

Get-well-soon gifts (or gifts of your time) are a great way to show someone who is in recovery after surgery that you care.

About the Author: Get more useful get-well gift ideas for after surgery at:

Surgery-Recovery-Gift-Ideas

.

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