| A hole in the heart
Touching stories of babies and toddlers with congenital heart defects appear in our newspapers on a regular basis. These conditions can usually be treated successfully with surgery, writes TEE SHIAO EEK. THE man leaning against the wall outside the operating theatre had his arms tightly folded across his chest as he stared into space. Berdebar-debar (heart pounding) was how Zainuddin Daud described his emotional state, having waited three hours while his 18-month-old son underwent surgery to repair a hole in his heart. Inside, little Faiz Imran Zainuddin lay unconscious on the operating table, his chest cavity held open by clamps while the surgeons and nurses hovered above him. In the waiting room, Faizs mother prayed for his safety. .
Baby on board: Stay fit during pregnancy
Exercise during pregnancy, once considered off limits, is now a valid choice. Mostly, it will appeal to women who relish the idea that they have a say in their physical destiny, pregnant or not. LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT Women who are already exercising regularly will be pleasantly surprised how much they can safely continue to do, and they will reap all the same rewards of pre-pregnancy fitness and then some. If you hated exercise prior to becoming pregnant, though, chances are good that having an extra body on board is not exactly going to warm you up to the process. Conversely, if you are a fitness junkie with a habit for going at it hard, you may hate the fact modification is warranted. MODIFICATIONS ARE A MUST Ligaments and joints become more lax and mobile during pregnancy due to hormonal changes, so aggressive stretching, high kicks and hot yoga should be avoided.
9/11's Grim Toll on Health Continues
MONDAY, Sept. 11 (HealthDay News) -- Five years after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, many of those at or near the World Trade Center site carry grim reminders of that day in their minds, hearts and even their lungs. Thousands of workers who toiled for months on the smoldering pile that was Ground Zero continue to complain of respiratory illness, including a chronic, soot-laden hacking known as "World Trade Center Cough." At the same time, researchers are keeping tabs on the development of hundreds of children, born early and underweight, to women living in Lower Manhattan. And psychologists worry that the anniversary day itself could reawaken mental woes for those once traumatized by the devastation. In short, the health problems that have emerged over the last five years will become a lasting legacy of 9/11, and one that will continue to grow, experts say.
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