Archives for 2019

Sodium valproate is a widely used and effective medication for treating epilepsy, as well as other conditions, such as bipolar disorder and migraines. The drug has been used for decades and is generally considered safe for those people taking it. However, there is now growing awareness that sodium valproate can pose very serious risks when used by women during pregnancy. 

 This means that the drug is now usually not recommended for pregnant women, except in exceptional circumstances. The National Institute for Heath and Care Excellence (NICE) recommends that sodium valproate should not be used during pregnancy and if it must be used (where there is no effective alternative for a particular patient) then the lowest possible dose should be used. 

 However, if you are currently taking sodium valproate for epilepsy or another condition, you should not stop taking it without speaking to your doctor first. If you have discovered that you are pregnant and are currently taking sodium valproate, you should therefore seek an appointment with your doctor immediately. 

 What risks does sodium valproate pose to unborn children? 

 Where women take sodium valproate during pregnancy, it has been shown that their children are up to 5 times more likely than average to suffer from birth defects. This equates to 1 in 10 children having a physical birth defect and around 4 in 10 experiencing developmental issues. 

 The physical and development issues associated with exposure to sodium valproate in the womb are referred to as Foetal Valproate Syndrome (FVS). 

 Issues associated with FVS can include: 

 Physical defects 

 Spina bifida (where the spinal cord fails to develop properly causing problems such as paralysis, muscle weakness and incontinence) 

• Heart problems (due to malformation of the heart) 
• Cleft lip/cleft palate 

• Facial characteristic (e.g. epicanthic eye folds and a small upturned nose) 
• Skeletal issues (including deformation of the feet, contraction of small joints and long overlapping fingers) 
• Genital issues (e.g. the urinary tract terminating on the underside of the penis) 

 Development issues 

• Delays in walking 
• Delays in talking 
• Poor speech & language skills 

• Memory issues 
• Below average intelligence 

Claiming compensation for foetal valproate syndrome 

If your child has been affected by foetal valproate syndrome, this is likely to have a profound effect on their life and yours. Children with FVS often require significant help and support throughout their lives, including medical treatments, physical therapy and ongoing care support.  

While much of this support can be accessed through the NHS, many parents must also fund at least some of the treatments and services their child needs themselves. This is why parents of children with foetal valproate syndrome should consider pursuing compensation wherever possible. 

Foetal valproate syndrome compensation may be substantial, allowing you to cover all of the costs associated with helping your child with their condition and allowing them to live a full, happy life. These claims are complicated, however, so it is strongly recommended to consult with a solicitor specialising in FVS claims to give yourself the best chance of a positive outcome for you and your child. 

I love the fact that the warmer weather is now with us. It feels good to be able to get out more and spend time having fun with the family. We like eating outside and staying in the yard after the sun has gone down. With the right yard accessories and clothing, you can maximize everyone’s outdoor time.

Versatile kimonos If you click here you will see that, for SS19, kimonos are very on trend. They are a great item of clothing for donning when the sun goes down and the temperature drops. Kimonos are typically lightweight, very comfortable and available a range of lengths. You can buy them for everyone in the family because they are a unisex item.

Potentially, you can get a lot of wear out of a kimono. They look good pretty much whatever you wear them with. Kimonos are lightweight enough to be taken on holiday and used as an alternative to a summer jacket. They are also ideal for wearing over the top of your swimming costume, at lunchtime. Kimonos are acceptable attire in most cafes and casual restaurants.

Shrugs

If you want to cover up your bare arms without adding an additional layer of clothing over the rest of your body, a shrug is an answer. They are an item of clothing many women never wear. This is a pity because shrugs are far more useful than you think. Once you have owned and worn one, the chances are you will become a bit of a fan. The trick is finding one that works for your body type. This article explains how to find jackets and shrugs that will flatter you and fit in with the way you like to dress.

A wrap

Wraps are a very useful fashion accessory. They are the ideal way to finish off a date night outfit or to wear for a wedding. Provided you choose one that is relatively neutral color-wise, you will be able to wear it whenever you want.

If it is big enough, you can use it as an alternative to a blanket. They are typically made from very lightweight fabric which means that you should not get too warm when using them like this. Plus, you could fold it up and use it to sit on. Just what you need if you have a metal bench or chairs.

It is also worth choosing one that is light enough to be packed for a holiday. You could potentially use it as an alternative to a sarong. If you like to dry out in the sun rather than towel yourself down you could even spread it on the sand

and lay on it. To be able to do that you would need to buy one that is made from a tightly woven fabric. You can read more of my fashion related articles by clicking here. I update this section on a fairly regular basis, so there is usually something fresh and interesting for you to enjoy reading.

Buying a new home is said to be one of the biggest investments that most people will ever make in their lifetime. Therefore, as the years begin to roll on, every homeowner must be able to protect their investment so that the overall value will not fall significantly over time. This is also one of the primary reasons why many homeowners take its upkeep, maintenance, and home improvement projects very seriously each year, especially when the owner of the home is identifying ways to protect their family from pests infestations along with the home itself from the unnecessary damages that they cause.

With these and other issues related to pests infestations, here are four things that you should consider as you make provisions to keep the home clean, fresh and updated with modern features and amenities.

1. Be Proactive — Devise a Pest Proof Plan for Your Entire Home

If you really want to protect your family from having to deal with pests infestations, you will need to be diligent about creating a Moxie Pest Control plan for your home to eliminate the possibilities of these little critters taking up residence in any part of its structure. Thankfully, there is a huge amount of information today on devising an effective proactive plan, which includes doing home improvement projects that are designed to keep them out at all cost. For instance, you may want to hire a professional contractor to seal and repair openings. This contractor will assess the home in advance to inspect the basement and other areas for gaps and cracks. These openings can usually be found in virtually any place around the home, including utility meters, exterior outlets, laundry vents and any other areas that will make it easy for bugs and other little critters to come in.

2. Understand What Pests Found in the Home Can Do– Shatters Happy Home Image

Most people may like to think about that cute home with a white picket fence, especially since it is a simple and attractive picture to visualize. Although this is true, this picture can easily be flawed when the family begins to find pests like mice, termites, and bugs in different areas. In fact, it is not uncommon for the beautiful and comfortable looking living quarters to easily turn into a place where you can see a mouse or two running freely in any room of the home. So if you want to restore the image of your happy home, it is important that the necessary steps be taken immediately.

3. What Should the Family Do When They Find Pests in the Home

Though these problems can occur at anytime, you should always know what your family should do to get rid of these problems completely. One of the most essential and highly recommended is to contact professionals in the industry that know how to assess the extent of the infestation so that they can provide a viable solution. Simply stated, if someone in the home spots these unwanted pests, they should call a local pest control professional as soon as possible to keep them from spreading. These pest control specialists are equipped with the skills, experience, knowledge, equipment and the tools to get rid of these pests completely so that they will never return again. This is because the expertise that they acquire teaches them

how to eradicate different types of pests with the best chemical solutions and remedies in the industry.

4. Damage Caused to the Home By Severe Pest Infestation

There are many different reasons for taking care of these problems before they escalate into full-blown infestations. Once some of these pests infiltrate the home’s walls, roofing, furniture and other things that they can hide in, they can begin to do damage that can be seen and unseen. In some cases, the only way to assess the damage that comes from pests is via the use of smart equipment and technology used by professionals in the pest control industry. These professionals can help to identify severe damage that has been done and they will also recommend a solution to make the necessary repairs.

With advancements in aviation technology coupled with lower fares, more and more people are flying today than ever before. Despite making the world a much smaller place, travelling greater distances in which you can traverse multiple time zones on a single flight brings with it a problem that is synonymous with modern-day air travel: jet lag.

For many people, especially expectant mothers, treating jet lag without the use of medication is a priority. Here are a few tips for dealing with jet lag symptoms naturally.

When in Rome

You just landed in Heathrow airport after an overnight flight from New York. You may have caught a quick nap here and there, but for the most part, you are feeling a bit worn and ragged. What is your body telling you to do as soon as you check in to your hotel room?

If it is telling you to take a nap, don’t listen!

This advice may sound counterintuitive because you have always heard that it is important to be in tune with what your body is telling you. But when it comes to battling jet lag, you are getting the wrong message. Stay awake and don’t go to bed until the local bedtime hours.

The Hydrate-Caffeinate Equation

What is the most important beverage for a marathon runner? Water.

What is the second most important beverage for a marathon runner? Caffeine – as in coffee.

The majority of Olympic athletes drink coffee to improve their performance. Also increasing mental alertness, the benefits of caffeine for marathoners have been well documented over the years.

If you have just disembarked from a plane after a marathon flight, why not follow the lead of elite athletes? Treat yourself to a healthy and reasonable dose of coffee. For someone who weighs 150 pounds (68 kilograms), a 16-ounce cup should do the trick.

Of course, don’t forget to drink water too. Even when you are not travelling, the standard recommendation is to drink eight 8-ounce glasses daily. If you haven’t been doing that, staying hydrated as a means of overcoming jet lag is the perfect time to start.

Get Out and About

The last thing you want to do when you’re dealing with jet lag is to vegetate in front of the telly in your hotel room.

Besides getting out in the sunlight – which by the way is also a great natural prescription for overcoming a feeling of sluggishness after a long flight – being out and about will give you a

much-needed boost of energy. This energy will carry you through the first day so that you can get to bed at the proper local time and sleep well.

Taking in a few of the nearby local sites will also make you feel good because you didn’t waste the first day of your trip trying to “catch-up” on sleep.

Don’t Make a Meal Of It

It is common knowledge that you should adjust your meal-times to the local clock. But what should you eat when you do sit down to dinner that first night? Foods from chicken to cherries and bananas will help your body to reset its clock and get you out of the jet lag fog faster. Pasta is also a good choice for a meal.

Conversely, stay clear of processed, fatty foods which will cause your digestive system to work overtime, and will make you feel like taking an after-dinner nap.

You should also resist the temptation to drink wine or alcohol of any kind because it will exacerbate any lingering feelings of fatigue. Following this advice may be hard to do, especially if your travels have taken you to wine country in France or Italy. But remember, this is only the first day of your trip, and you will have plenty of time to sample the local varieties without the jet lag hangover.

Finally, and regardless of what you eat, don’t overdo it. You only have to think back to your last festive season dinner to know why this is important.

Sure and Steady

Despite taking every preventative measure you can to deal with jet lag before boarding the plane, you cannot avoid it entirely.

Whether you are eating, getting out for an active stroll or powering down caffeine, do not overdo it the first day. A sure and steady approach to all activities is the ticket.

Also keep in mind that while everyone is different, generally speaking, it will take you anywhere from three to five days for your body to recover from jet lag. Be patient, especially since you get to do it all over again on your return flight. It might be a good idea to book a couple of days off from work when you get home.