Dr. Stewart Reed

Most parents expect teens to slowly pull away and keep some details of their lives private. But it may be a shock that after age 12, parents and guardians can also be shut out of some of their childs health care and its not necessarily a bad thing. California has laws about confidentiality and minor consent <http://teenhealthlaw.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/2019CaMinorConsentConfChartFull.pdf>. They allow youth 12 and older to make some health decisions independently, without the consent of a parent or guardian. To better understand the law and what parents can expect at their teens medical exams, we turned to Janet Ma, MD <https://www.uclahealth.org/providers/janet-ma>, and Susan Duan, MD <https://www.uclahealth.org/providers/susan-duan>, UCLA Health pediatricians who practice at Santa Monica 16th Street Internal Medicine and Pediatrics <https://www.uclahealth.org/locations/santa-monica-16th-street-internal-medicine-pediatrics> . Work Cited: https://www.uclahealth.org/news/preparing-your-teens-health-exam-what-parents-need-know

Most parents picture a crying baby when they think about kids and sleep problems. Many older kids and teens have problems sleeping too, including trouble going to sleep and waking up frequently in the middle of the night.

Unfortunately, not getting a good night's sleep can affect your child's mood and behavior during the day, leading to school and discipline problems.

Works Cited:
https://www.verywellfamily.com/insomnia-and-children-2634255

Removing earwax. Earwax blockage is a cause of hearing loss that can be fixed. A health care provider might remove earwax using suction or a small tool with a loop on the end.
Surgery. Some types of hearing loss can be treated with surgery. For repeated infections that cause fluid in the ear, a care provider might put in small tubes that help ears drain.
Hearing aids. If hearing loss is from damage to the inner ear, a hearing aid can be helpful. A hearing specialist, known as an audiologist, can talk about how hearing aids can help and what kinds there are. Audiologists also can fit you with a hearing aid.
Cochlear implants. When a regular hearing aid isn't likely to help much, a cochlear implant might be an option. A cochlear implant isn't like a hearing aid that makes sound stronger and directs it into the ear canal. Instead, a cochlear implant goes around the parts of the inner ear that don't work to spur the hearing nerve.

Works Cited:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hearing-loss/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20373077

Symptoms of palpitations, are what cause palpitations.

Palpitations are perceived abnormalities of the heartbeat characterized by awareness of cardiac muscle contractions in the chest, which is further characterized by the hard, fast and/or irregular beatings of the heart. Symptoms include a rapid pulsation, an abnormally rapid or irregular beating of the heart. Palpitations are a sensory symptom and are often described as a skipped beat, rapid fluttering in the chest, pounding sensation in the chest or neck, or a flip-flopping in the chest. Palpitation can be associated with anxiety and does not necessarily indicate a structural or functional abnormality of the heart, but it can be a symptom arising from an objectively rapid or irregular heartbeat. Palpitation can be intermittent and of variable frequency and duration, or continuous. Associated symptoms include dizziness, shortness of breath, sweating, headaches and chest pain.

Works Cited:
https://duckduckgo.com/?q=palpitations&ia=web&iax=about

Recovery is unique for each person. It will depend on the type of procedure, your overall health prior to surgery, and any potential complications.

Works Cited:
https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/heart-valve-problems-and-disease/recovery-and-healthy-living-goals-for-heart-valve-patients/heart-valve-surgery-recovery-and-follow-up
Works Cited:
https://duckduckgo.com/?q=palpitations&ia=web&iax=about

https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/heart-valve-problems-and-disease/recovery-and-healthy-living-goals-for-heart-valve-patients/heart-valve-surgery-recovery-and-follow-up

Treatment
The first treatment for controlling dust mite allergy is avoiding dust mites as much as possible. When you minimize your exposure to dust mites, you can expect fewer or less severe allergic reactions. However, it's impossible to completely eliminate dust mites from your environment. You may also need medications to control symptoms.

Allergy medications
Your doctor may direct you to take one of the following medications to improve nasal allergy symptoms:

Antihistamines reduce the production of an immune system chemical that is active in an allergic reaction. These drugs relieve itching, sneezing and runny nose. Over-the-counter antihistamine tablets, such as fexofenadine (Allegra Allergy), loratadine (Alavert, Claritin,), cetirizine (Zyrtec) and others, as well as antihistamine syrups for children, are available. Prescription antihistamines taken as a nasal spray include azelastine (Astelin, Astepro) and olopatadine (Patanase).
Corticosteroids delivered as a nasal spray can reduce inflammation and control symptoms of hay fever. These drugs include fluticasone propionate (Flonase Allergy Relief), mometasone furoate (Nasonex), triamcinolone (Nasacort Allergy 24HR), ciclesonide (Omnaris) and others. Nasal corticosteroids provide a low dose of the drug and have a much lower risk of side effects compared with oral corticosteroids.
Decongestants can help shrink swollen tissues in your nasal passages and make it easier to breathe through your nose. Some over-the-counter allergy tablets combine an antihistamine with a decongestant. Oral decongestants can increase blood pressure and shouldn't be taken if you have severe high blood pressure, glaucoma or cardiovascular disease. In men with an enlarged prostate, the drug can worsen the condition. Talk to your doctor about whether you can safely take a decongestant.

Over-the-counter decongestants taken as a nasal spray may briefly reduce allergy symptoms. If you use a decongestant spray for more than three days in a row, however, it can actually make nasal congestion worse.

Leukotriene modifiers block the action of certain immune system chemicals. Your doctor may prescribe the leukotriene modifier montelukast (Singulair), which comes in tablet form. Possible side effects of montelukast include upper respiratory infection, headache and fever. Less common side effects include behavior or mood changes, such as anxiousness or depression.
Other therapies
Immunotherapy. You can "train" your immune system not to be sensitive to an allergen. Immunotherapy is delivered either through a series of allergy shots or tablets taken under the tongue (sublingually). One to two weekly shots or tablets expose you to very small doses of the allergen — in this case, the dust mite proteins that cause the allergic reaction. The dose is gradually increased, usually during a three- to six-month period. Maintenance shots or tablets are needed every four weeks for three to five years. Immunotherapy is usually used when other simple treatments are not satisfactory.
Nasal irrigation. You can use a neti pot or a specially designed squeeze bottle to flush thickened mucus and irritants from your sinuses with a prepared saltwater (saline) rinse. If you're preparing the saline solution yourself, use water that's contaminant-free — distilled, sterile, previously boiled and cooled, or filtered with a filter that has an absolute pore size of 1 micron or smaller. Be sure to rinse the irrigation device after each use with contaminant-free water, and leave open to air-dry.

Works Cited:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dust-mites/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20352178

Acute bronchitis is also called a chest cold. It often occurs after an upper respiratory infection (URI). The best treatment for bronchitis includes rest, fluids, a humidifier, honey, lozenges and prescription medications and interventions, if necessary.
Acute bronchitis is sometimes referred to as a chest cold. It can develop after an upper respiratory infection (URI), which you probably know better as the common cold.

Bronchitis occurs when the airways that carry air to your lungs, called the bronchial tubes, become inflamed and irritated. Your bronchial tubes produce excess mucus and cause coughing when they become inflamed.

Usually acute bronchitis is not serious. If it isn’t treated properly it can develop into pneumonia.

Works Cited:
https://www.medicinenet.com/best_medicine_and_treatment_for_bronchitis/article.htm

1. Blow your nose (But do it gently)
It’s not like your ears are producing all of the excess fluid that causes blockages. Instead, it’s your nose and sinuses that are creating everything (you can curse and admire their productivity at the same time). But once your nasal passages run out of room, all excess mucus and fluid starts to go down your eustachian tubes–and your ears end up blocked. The (partial) solution may be to blow your nose.

This gets fluid out of your sinuses and, well, makes room. The more vacancy you produce in your sinuses and your nose, the less fluid will overflow to your ears. But there’s no need to force the issue and violently blow your nose. Be gentle and let your body do its thing.

2. Use a humidifier
It’s not just excess fluid that can cause buildup and congestion: it’s inflammation, too. When your eustachian tubes become inflamed, there’s simply less room for any fluid to go. Dry air can cause a significant amount of irritation to your nasal passages–and with that irritation is often a source of inflammation. This can quickly lead to blocked ears (and the accompanying discomfort).

Keeping a humidifier going can keep your air from getting too dry (locally, anyway). This can help your nasal passages feel better and limit inflammation.

3. Drink plenty of water
A runny nose won’t often be your primary problem when it comes to clogged ears. It’s a stuffy nose you need to watch out for. Your ears become blocked when fluid (excess or otherwise) isn’t able to drain as it’s supposed to. Drinking plenty of water may help your ears feel better when you have a cold.

When you stay hydrated, your nasal mucus does too. Drinking lots of water can help you thin out that nasal mucus, which in turn becomes easier for your body to drain. And the better your sinuses drain, the less congested your ears will feel.

4. Take a nasal decongestant
Sometimes staying hydrated isn’t enough (a cold can be amazing that way). When your stuffiness is persistent, it might be useful to consider taking an over-the-counter nasal decongestant.

Such decongestants can help fluids drain–and, as a result, help keep your eustachian tubes and ears clear. However, most such decongestants come with cautions against taking them for more than three days in a row (if you feel compelled to do so, you should talk to your doctor).

You may also want to stay away from decongestants if your nose is already quite runny.

5. Use a nasal spray
Using a nasal spray or nasal irrigation method can sometimes help get your mucus drainage system moving again, alleviating pressure on your ears. The effectiveness of these sprays will depend on the nature of your cold and your own comfort level with the methods. Many nasal sprays are, again, designed as decongestants, so their primary purpose is to get fluids running back the way they’re supposed to.

How can we work together to understand the rise of obesity and reverse its related diseases and societal impacts?

Obesity is a complex condition that increases a person's risk for developing diabetes, heart disease, cancer, dementia, and other life-threatening conditions. Contrary to prevailing notions that it results solely from a person's diet and exercise failings, a predisposition to obesity is actually determined by genetics as well as by environmental and socioeconomic factors that lie beyond individual control.

The infection can happen when you eat or drink something that is contaminated by a bacteria, virus or parasite. Often the inflammation leads to diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, abdominal cramps and sometimes fever. A foodborne infection can last between one and three days.