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Fifth Disease: Symptoms, Diagnosis, and Treatment in Children

Case study

I was working in ABC hospital as a nurse for the past few weeks and one condition caught my eyes. A child was admitted with red skin rashes all over his body and I suspected it to be fifth disease. Although I have learnt about fifth disease in my course, I have never experienced it before. The mother of the child said that her son had fever, running nose, was vomiting for the past four days. Upon examining the child, he had bright red rashes on the cheeks and it looked like it was a “slapped” cheek. The body of the child had also the rashes on the legs, arms, trunk and the rashes has a lacy appearance

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Background history

The mother of the child narrated how his son, who is a pupil at Jefferson Elementary school came back from school four days ago with a mysterious rash. She called their teacher and their teacher informed her many children in his class are suffering from fifth disease. Given that she has never heard of the disease, she went to the nearby chemist and purchased medicine for skin rushes. However, as days passed by and the health condition of the child deteriorated, she brought him to the hospital for check-up and treatment.

Evaluation and diagnosis

According to MGH (2015), the incubation period of fifth disease ranges between 4-28 days and the rashes usually lasts 1-3 weeks. This means that the child was within the incubation period and therefore evaluation and examination could provide accurate results. KidsHealth (2015) pointed out that diagnosis of fifth disease is usually done from the distinctive rashes on the body and face if the child. The health care provider should do a complete physical examination and medical history of the child. Similarly, CDC (2015) suggested that blood tests could be performed to see if there is presence of parvovirus B19 in the blood of the patient

From the unique rashes on the body often child, it was evident the child was ailing from fifth disease. However, when blood tests was done, the results indicated presence of the parvovirus B19 in the blood of the child

Treatment plan

MGH (2015) pointed out that fifth disease among children is caused by a virus. However, despite the fact that there exists antiviral medicines, currently there is none available that is able to treat fifth disease. Furthermore, in most cases of fifth disease, there exists mild illnesses that medicine is not even necessary.

KidsHealth (2015) suggested that normally children with fifth disease need little home treatment and feel fairly well other than some rest. After the mild cold symptoms and fever have passed, there is little to treat except the discomfort from the rashes on the skin.

The goal of my treatment plan was to help reduce the fifth disease symptoms since there is no cure for the viral infection of fifth disease. The treatment plan in the case scenario included the following:

  • Drinking of more fluids
  • the child has some itching from the fifth disease rash and therefore to relieve discomfort, I recommended antihistamine for itching
  • I also recommended acetaminophen or ibuprofen for joint pain and for fever.

Cultural diversity issues

Culture is a learned and transmitted practices, beliefs and values of a particular group of people that guide their actions, thinking and decisions in pattered ways (MedScape, 2015).the associated behaviours with response to illness such as pain, fear, and anxiety and determined culturally. MedScape (2015) gave an example of some cultures where the role of the sick is no longer valid after the disappearance of the symptoms. Therefore, the continuous need for care is a challenge when dealing with the patients whose symptoms have disappeared.

In the case scenario, there was a cultural diversity issue when the patient stopped coming for check-ups after the symptoms have subsided.

Patient outcomes

The child recovered with no complications. The itching stopped, rashes disappeared and other accompanying symptoms disappeared and the child went back to his normal activities.

5/5 - (5 votes)

Why College Education Goes Beyond Financial Gains

Allan, G. (1997). Rethinking college education. Lawrence, Kan: University Press of Kansas.

The author is George Allan, in this book he demonstrates that what the students are taught in school is not important when their moral practice is tainted. He further goes ahead and elaborates with the fact that moral practice determines how students can acquire knowledge in the best way as well as their conduct and how they become individuals who are responsible. The book points out that some practices are not taught in class but learned in an environment that enhances dialogue and open-mindedness. In brief, the author observed that the college earns individuals skills to converse, skills of cultured intercourse, and not only a means through which they earn a living.

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This book will be essential in illustrating how college education builds an individual personality, develops a unique brand for individuals where people can easily interact with. This is as a result of the environment that college creates an environment that encourages dialogue and also enhances individuals to air their point of view. This fact will be further linked to the notion that one does not go to college for financial future gains only but also to be shaped into a reasonably noble human being.

In Atwan, R., Duff-Strautmann, V., & Atwan, G. (2017). America now: Short readings from recent periodicals.

The article is about how students often look forward to going to pursue their careers. It highlights the optimism that drives the student to pursue marketable courses. it highlights how there is a paradigm shift in education how today critical thinking or knowledge that only appreciates culture, history, or government does not entice the students because they are more driven by the success of having money.

The article also points out at the change in the generation in education policy now that college is seen as a way through a better job prospect is offered for better earning in the future, unlike the past where education was broad and it was more than the earnings.

This article is vital to my research; I will use it to prove the fact that people should be driven by a passion other than the prospects of a better future. In addition to this, I will illustrate how one can actually learn a technique through apprenticeship and become an expert and be better more than the one who has gone through college, in other words, it will give me fact there are some faculty which are better learned in the field than in-class use it further to illustrate that experience gained from outside college in another field like baking industry. To support this the author gives this example, “Oklahoma State’s degree in fire protection and safety engineering and technology suggests skill in acquiring valuable tips for making society safer, but should the university be the place to collect such tips?”

The article will also help in showing how the so-called “marketable course” is not that marketable as the field end up being flooded with graduate and with the high demand for the job than the job itself it renders many graduate jobless “Graduates in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, known as the STEM courses, think their training aimed them in the right direction for jobs, but only 1 in 5 recent STEM graduates get those jobs.”

Mangukiya, Piyush. “[Infographic] Is College Worth the Cost?” The Huffington Post, TheHuffingtonPost.com, 7 Dec. 2017, www.huffingtonpost.com/piyush-mangukiya/infographicis-college-wor_b_8692234.html.

The article is about weighing the worthiness of education and determine whether the advantages of education outweigh the disadvantages and also if the advantages I worth the cost. To begin with, the author points out the coast of education and how it leaves an average student to a debt that is roughly $30,000 after which a job is never guaranteed immediately after finishing school making the 4 -5 year spent in school a waste of important resources like time and money.

On the contrary, the author gives detailed facts about the advantages of a college education besides a career. The author gives facts about social attributes that college education adds to an individual making them confident, have high self-esteem, more friends, and excellent communicators. In addition to social growth, college education promotes career growth as those with a college degree are paid better and are the decision-makers in the places of work while those with high school diplomas are subjected to implement the decisions. Further to this, those with a college degree have got high job satisfaction as well as the lowest unemployment rate. Finally, the author indicates that those who have a college education have got better health due to the comprehensive insurance cover and less stress related to income.

This article I vital in my research, I will use it to affirm the fact that when one goes to college there I much he or she gets besides the education. I will also use this article to explain the social, wealth, and career positives that college education brings and prove the fact that it is worth every penny used.

5/5 - (1 vote)

Addressing Mental Health Challenges: Insights from a Social Worker’s Perspective

Social workers play a major role in providing equity among societies today. They help in building the health of society by ensuring coordination and respect for human life. They advocate for the rights of the disadvantaged, neglected, and isolated populations. They also play a major role in ensuring the good standards of the health of society members. There has been an emphasis on concerns about mental health in recent years. Social workers have been identified as the leading practitioners in addressing the concern. Research has discovered that various behaviors are clear indicators of mental conditions that call for medical attention. Ranging from depression, isolation, to the extremes of suicide, mental concerns are a robust threat to humanity unless addressed adequately. This paper seeks to discuss the findings from an interview with a social worker who works at Royal Colombia Hospital as a Medicine Social worker on unit 6N, regarding the major issues faced in the sector from both the patients and the Social Workers’ perspective.

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Victims of mental health face similar challenges across the globe. (Consider the power of language here, the word victim has certain implications) (Mental health is a continuum that we all fluctuate on) They are subject to stigmatization. These patients struggle with the adverse manifestation of the psychological impacts of their mental health conditions at the same time battling against the society they live in. Most societies tend to be stereotypical on people with mental illnesses. They view these patients (clients, service users, maybe more strength-based terms) as incapable of leading a sustainable lifestyle hence deter them from their right to equal treatment. Some communities minimize contact with these populations, leaving them vulnerable to challenges they wouldn’t have otherwise been exposed to. A stigmatized patient, living within a population that barely has any regard for their existence is more unlikely to lead a satisfying life. The effects of stigmatization are diverse and extend to discrimination, isolation, and rejection.

The modern world has put much emphasis on Social Workers’ competitiveness as the major principle of economic development. (reference?)This way, firms seek to maximize the utility resource of each laborer subject to a minimum wage. Most managers assess the mental wellbeing of their employees to verify their capability in the industry (Stansfeld et al. 2005). People with mental health concerns have problems with acquiring employment in modern societies. Employers prefer not to employ them because of the risks associated with mental instability, a threat to the general economy. In addition to stigmatization and discriminatory trends, the victims of mental disorders remain threatened in the modern economy. They rely on social workers who fight for their rights, to ensure equity and recognition in every life aspects.

Third world nations have identified the prevalence of mental health concerns and their impact on the social wellbeing of humanity (Coyle et al. 2005). However, the interview with a social worker revealed that social workers who address concerns of mental health lack enough support at the societal level. One of the greatest challenges they face is a lack of social support from the governments. Governments are paying more attention to the bio-medical view of health with less emphasis on the psycho-social aspects of human existence. (how might mental health SW navigate these differences?)

There are no minimum standards set to guide the social workers; these social workers have no exact information regarding the limits of their activities. (?? What role do our code of ethics and agency policies play?)They are tasked with the role of taking care of people with mental health problems but lack a set of minimum standards. Mental health has been undermined and few opportunities are available in the economy to address this concern. (references to support this statement) Despite the prevalence of mental challenges amongst populations, the mental health sector is not receiving enough effort to sustain it within our societies.

The most common challenge experienced by social workers is the lack of community collaboration. To deal with mental health problems, the patients are not only those directly affected by the problem but also the people around them. For instance, society is responsible for the adversity of mental health problems. While society is determined to neglect, isolate, and stereotype individuals who display signs of mental instability, the patients become detached from them. Stress kicks in and the problem manifests itself faster than initially. For example, HIV&AIDs patients begin to experience mental problems upon discovery of the health disaster. (references to support?) When the society becomes aware of their status, they respond by keeping their distance and creating social boundaries that they did not have before (Earnshaw et al 2012). The fight taken by social workers to help these victims is a war against the society itself and only a few understand the gravity of its implications.

My interviewee revealed some of the common clients presenting concerns across the departments they worked for; Cancer, family problems, foster care issues, abortion, guilt, HIV&AIDs, isolation, and rejection. The most prevalent concerns by the clients were health-based and pointed to desperation for new socialization, hope for salvation, and desire for redemption. However, most of these needs are not easily achievable if they only relied on the people around them. Life is the best gift that we have. When people realize that they have lost it already, and they live on borrowed time, they undergo a temporal period of suspension from rational reason and turn to panic. Social workers are therefore tasked with the role of bringing mental peace back to these people.

Social workers have demonstrated admirable support for people with mental health concerns over the past years to date. They fight for the civil rights of all citizens and address gaps where they are not observed. They also emphasize on humane treatment of those patients. Social workers also play the role of intervening cases to do with child abuse and rejection. (Connecting to mental health?) Summarily, social workers in the mental health department restore the lives of their clients by making them feel accepted and equal to other populations. As a preventive measure, they encourage school-based interventions for both parents and children to understand mental problems. They also increase awareness of the importance of mental health promotion as well as promoting a healthy lifestyle including nutrition and exercise trends that may influence mental health. (Good point, prevention is integral to holistic MH care)

As an emerging and aspiring social worker, I understand the role of mental health and its inhibitors as well as the mitigation strategies. Technological advance is to the advantage of my career. With bigger and safer information sources and storage technologies, social workers can serve a huge population since access to the relevant information has been made more convenient by technology. (While this may be true, privacy laws have been slow to catch up with the rate of technology) Also, the increasing awareness of understanding the implications of mental health is a loud call for social workers. However, social stereotyping of people with mental problems is alarming rates. Societies tend to disown people with mental health problems, thus worsening the situation. To curb this problem in my society, I seek to increase public education on understanding that mental problems are normal and fixable, to restore the hope for the salvation of mental health patients.

It was unclear what info came from your interview and what was your own views/statements, referencing would clarify this. I would encourage you to consider the use of language as it is a powerful tool and some words such as victim, patient, etc serve to reinforce stigma and stereotypes. Reviewing a strengths-based approach and language may be helpful. Supporting statements with relevant research and/or theories would strengthen your paper. 18/25

References

Coyle, D., Edwards, D., Hannigan, B., Fothergill, A., &Burnard, P. (2005).A systematic review of stress among mental health social workers.International Social Work, 48(2), 201-211.

Earnshaw, V. A., Smith, L. R., Chaudoir, S. R., Lee, I. C., &Copenhaver, M. M. (2012). Stereotypes about people living with HIV: implications for perceptions of HIV risk and testing frequency among at-risk populations. AIDS education and Prevention, 24(6), 574 581.

Stansfeld, S. A., Kerry, S., Chandola, T., Russell, J., Berney, L., Hounsome, N., …&Bhui, K. (2015). A pilot study of a cluster-randomized trial of a guided e-learning health promotion intervention for managers based on management standards for the improvement of employee well-being and reduction of sickness absence: GEM Study. BMJ Open, 5(10), e007981.

5/5 - (7 votes)

Assimilation and Acculturation: The Evolution of Becoming an American

Becoming an American is mostly associated with assimilation and acculturation. According to Fitts (2), assimilation is the process whereby the immigrants try to fit into the host society. Acculturation in America is defined as adopting the culture and customs of a different ethnic group. Immigrants from different parts of the world believe that becoming an American is embracing the new country by learning their values and customs. They normally do this by buying new clothes and changing their appearance altogether, learning the language; this was a huge step to becoming an American and trying to adapt to their way of life (Fitts, 5-8). Learning the American culture also involves adapting American foodways. How people made food could differentiate the insiders from the outsiders (Fitts, 10). In his quest to become an American, Pete had to put special emphasis on personal hygiene and cleanliness to fit into the American middle-class lifestyle (Fitts, 11).

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Becoming an American today is very different from how it was in the 19th and 20th centuries. People have a different perception of what being an American means and it has become much easier as compared to how it used to be. Back in the 19th century, immigrants were considered not to be legally white so they were denied citizenship (Baxter, 30). Some had to pay a monthly tax of .50 as a privilege of residing in the state. It was also necessary to assimilate for an immigrant to increase his/her chances of finding a job and avoid being excluded and ridiculed (Fitts, 5). It is very different today because of the amended laws. It is easier to become a citizen in America just by marriage or by birth even if you are an immigrant from whichever country.

There are many similarities in the lives of different groups of people living in different parts of America. These communities show so many similarities in their settlement program. They all settled in the same areas for various reasons. The African American community settled in Indiana because it was easier to start up a business there and build their economy (Mullins, 89). In California, the Chinese were forced to stay together as a way of defending themselves against ant-Chinese activities (Baxter, 31). The Japanese population was also forced by the War Relocation Authority to relocate to isolated interior parts of the country (Shew and Kamp-Whittaker, 304).

According to the archeological evidence found, the communities found a way of coming together and dealing with the harsh conditions of their lives. The Chinese immigrants in California made sure that they abide by the laws to avoid any conflict that could result in violence. They built a system of wood, ceramics, and pipes that drained waste from their houses into the main city line (Baxter, 31). The Willis Funeral Home is evidence of how entrepreneurial the African Americans were as means of bettering their lives (Mullins, 93). The Japanese ceramics found in the camps where they used to live during the war shows that women were involved in cooking in the barracks which acted as motivation and boosted their cultural identity which brought them closer despite their living conditions (Shew and Kamp-Whittaker, 310).

Work Cited

Baxter, R. Scott. The Response of California Chinese Population to The Anti-Chinese Movement. 42nd ed., Society for Historical Archeology, 2008, pp. 29-36.

Fitts, Robert K. Becoming American: The Archeology of An Italian Immigrant. 36th ed., Society for Historical Archaeology, 2002, pp. 1-17.

Mullins, Paul R. Marketing in a Multicultural Neighborhood. 42nd ed., Society for Historical Archeology, 2008, pp. 88-96.

Shew, Dana, and April Kamp-Whittaker. Perseverance and Prejudice: Maintaining Community in Amache, Colorado’s World War II Japanese Internment Camp. Springer Science + Business Media New York, 2008.

5/5 - (3 votes)

Discover the Medicinal Uses and Safety of Aloe Vera

Introduction

The Aloe Vera plant is also known as the Aloe Barbadensis is a herbal medicine that has been widely used for a thousand years ago (NCCIH, 2016). This herbal plant has been known to cure a variety of diseases (internal and external). The history of the Aloe Vera plant can be traced back to northern Africa -Egypt- but it is now being used all over the world for its health benefits. Aloe Vera has two different preparations; the clear mucilaginous gel from inside the leaves which are obtained by cutting the leaves and is used to prepare the remedy to a variety of external diseases; the thick and fleshy grey-green leaves which are mostly consumed orally (Grundmann, 2012 and Kumar et al, 2010). According to Kumar (2010), the Aloe Vera plant contains several essential materials that make it a reliable herbal treatment for diseases. These include acids, amino acids, enzymes, lectin, lipids, minerals such as potassium, lactates, phenolic, polysaccharides, urea, and vitamins.

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Uses of Aloe Vera

The aloe Vera plant has several health benefits which can either be internal or external. In the external uses of aloe Vera, studies show that it can be used to heal burns and other types of wounds due to its soothing and healing effect which reduces the burning sensation. These effects of the herbal medicine increase the rate of healing and the firmness of the wound through penetration of the gel to the blood cells (Kumar et al, 2010). For the medicine to be effective, the gel should be applied to the wound/burn three times daily (Grundmann, 2012). Aloe Vera is widely known for restoring healthy skin which is also recommended by doctors. It is a solution to several skin problems such as skin rashes, fungus infection, any scalp infection, and many others. The anti-oxidants present in the plant have an anti-aging effect on the skin by reducing wrinkles through neutralizing free radicles. Aloe Vera can be used as a moisturizer since the plant aids in the circulatory system. Due to its ability to boost the circulatory system, this herbal plant is an ideal ingredient for maintaining healthy skin.

In the internal uses of Aloe Vera, the plant has numerous medicinal benefits to the human body. The anti-inflammatory fatty acids present enables the smooth functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. This effectiveness is also contributed by the presence of enzymes and natural ingredients known as saponins which act as an antidote and flush out toxins from the digestive system (Kumar et al, 2010). Aloe Vera has a natural ingredient-pepsin- which prevents over-acidity hence reducing the effects of stomach ulcers. Consumption of Aloe Vera with food or drinks is known to control diabetes because it reduces blood sugar. Other medicinal benefits of Aloe Vera include reduction of cholesterol leading to a healthy heart, strengthening of the immune system, maintaining healthy joints preventing arthritis, and many others.

The Safety of Aloe Vera Use

Using topical Aloe Vera is considered generally safe for treating skin conditions. Appropriate doses should also be taken orally to avoid any complications. Medical conditions that are safe to use the aloe as a remedy have been mentioned earlier, however, people are warned against using aloe latex orally. Oral consumption of aloe latex is known to cause abdominal cramps, diarrhea, and kidney failure, or even cancer (NCCIH, 2016). The use of aloe Vera gel during pregnancy and breastfeeding is highly discouraged.

Evidence

Clinical reviews that have been done have proven the efficacy of aloe Vera use on the treatment of external health conditions such as burns and wounds, acne, herpes simplex virus, oral lichen, etc. Research on the use of Aloe Vera for the treatment of internal health conditions such as diabetes is inconclusive (Grundmann, 2012). A study done on the use of aloe vera gel to treat oral lichen, burns, dermatitis showed that it is more effective to the patient as compared to the use of the placebo.

Personal Narrative

Aloe vera is a treasure according to many communities around the world. Following its health benefits, I have witnessed people venturing into aloe vera farming for sale. From my experience, I have used aloe vera several times to strengthen my immune system. However, there is a myth that I doubted was true until when I have confirmed my doubts from this research; that people believe the medicine has been effective after oral ingestion when the user diarrheas!

References

Grundmann, O. (2012). Aloe Vera Gel Research Review. Natural Medicine Journal, 4(9). Retrieved from https://www.naturalmedicinejournal.com/journal/2012-09/aloe-vera-gel-research-review

Kumar, S., Bhowmik, D., Chiranjib, & Bishajit. (2010). Aloe Vera: A Potential Herb and its Medicinal importance. Journal of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Research, 2(1), 21-29. Retrieved from http://www.jocpr.com/articles/aloe-vera–a-potential-herb-and-its-medicinal-importance.pdf

NCCIH. (2016). Aloe Vera. Retrieved from https://nccih.nih.gov/health/aloevera

5/5 - (2 votes)