Friday, August 31, 2012

Causes Still Unknown

Microtia causes are still something that doctors have not figured out. This is a condition that affects a newborn child's ears and impacts approximately 1 out of every 10,000 babies that are born. This number is different depending on which study you look at, but this is an approximate number. This condition causes a child to have deformities to one or both ears. It can vary from mild to severe cases, and to this point there is no reasonable explanation for it happening. There is one thing that doctors have ruled out though. This one thing is that there is really no correlation between the mother and the baby. This means that there is no evidence that this is caused by the mother doing something during the time she is pregnant. In fact, there is very little correlation between microtia causes and any other conditions. The only thing that doctors really know is that it is more likely to occur when someone has other types of syndromes, such as Treacher Collins Syndrome or hemifacial microsomia syndrome.
One thing that you should know about this is that an ultrasound is not likely to see this condition. If the condition is really severe, the ultrasound may be able to see that the child does not have ears. If the condition is mild, there is no chance that the ultrasound will catch it. When a child has microtia, it is often labeled as one of the possible four grades. Beginning at Grade 1, the severity of this condition is very mild. This grade is so mild that it may be hard to even notice that there is a problem. Moving on to Stage 2, you will be able to see that the child has most of the ear, but there might be some part of it missing. Grade 3 is often labeled as the grade when a child's ear or ears are like small nubs or peanuts. Finally, Grade 4 is the diagnosis when the ears are not present at all.
One of the problems that this causes is hearing loss. Microtia really refers to the outer portion of the ear, but this can cause problems to the inner part. If the outer part has not developed properly, there is a very high chance that the child will not have his full hearing. There could be parts of the inner ear that have not developed, and there could also be parts in the middle ear that are underdeveloped.
When a child is diagnosed with any grade of microtia, the doctors must come up with a plan to treat the problem. Growing up with small ears or without ears could be something that could really harm a child, especially if the child cannot hear well. Other children will make fun of this child, and the child may be embarrassed because of this problem. Trained cosmetic surgeons can help. They are able to use various techniques to correct the problem. They will often reconstruct the ears, or they will attach prosthetic ears if necessary. Hopefully, someday they will find microtia causes so they can prevent this condition from occurring.

Friday, August 24, 2012

8 Major Benefits

Online training to handle blood borne pathogens (BBP) is available and can be availed easily if you belong to a profession where dealing with infected human blood or other body fluids is a regular part of your job. Numerous sites give out this BBP training on gaining adequate knowledge about how BBP are transmitted and the various methods to reduce or prevent exposure to infected human blood and steps that need to be taken should you be accidentally exposed. The following are the major benefits of online blood borne pathogens training:
1. Most online courses are interactive and give you ample opportunity to ask as many questions you want about the characteristics of pathogens, preventive measures and post- exposure methods and procedures. This aids easy and quick learning.
2. Online BBP training gives you the liberty to train at your own speed and pace because of its 24X7 accessibility.
3. If you are a full time job holder, there is no need to take special leave to and these courses as they usually last for one to two hours daily. The course can be successfully completed at a time that's convenient for you.
4. Online training is ideal for those who have already received their certification through regular classes in order to update their skills and knowledge about the latest developments in the field in order to enhance their job skills and opportunities. These courses also work well as auxiliary training for those who are taking first aid courses for the first time.
5. The certificate that you get from a recognized online BBP course is valid on a national level and enhances your employment chances in well known hospitals, blood banks and pathological laboratories.
6. Online BBP training is particularly necessary for those who run the risk of accidental exposure to blood borne pathogens. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has estimated that nearly 380,000 workers in the health care industry have been injured by needle pricks resulting in pathogenic infections. This was in addition to around 200,000 employees belonging to other industries who also contracted pathogenic infections.
7. Online blood borne pathogens training gives you extensive knowledge about taking adequate measures like using protective equipment like gloves, footwear, scrub suits, goggles, gowns and face shields; cleaning methods of contaminated surfaces; methods to identify pathogens; first aid procedures in case there is accidental exposure; and proper disposal methods of items contaminated by pathogens. The latter provides specialized advice on using red can liners along with markers having biohazard warnings, to store contaminated waste and they are to be held from the top rather than from the bottom or sides and never with bare hands. Another advice given is to collect or dispose of broken glass vials or needles with tongs always.
8. Another great advantage of online BBP training is that it teaches you how to tackle certain pathogens like the Hepatitis B virus which are known to be sterility resistant. The Hepatitis B virus lives on in stains of dry blood up to seven days and any such surface needs to be constantly disinfected.

Friday, August 17, 2012

Microtia Is A Birth Defect Of The Ears

Microtia is a deformity of the ears and it is not usually discovered until a baby is born. When a child is born with this, the baby's parents are usually stunned and unsure about what went wrong. It can affect one ear or both, and the severity of it varies. For some children, only minor deformities are present. Other children may have complete deformities, meaning they are left without any ears at all. In most cases, the level of severity of the condition is related to the level of hearing loss. If a child is born without any ears at all, there is a much greater chance that the child will have a great deal of hearing loss.
If you have never heard of microtia, you may wonder what these deformities look like. Every child is affected by it differently, and the deformities are the most noticeable on the outer ear. This is the part you see, but the ear actually has two other parts. These parts are the inner ear and the middle part of the ear. This condition generally affects approximately 1 in every 10,000 children. The good news is that if a child is born with microtia, there are options. One of the first steps will be to find out if the child has hearing loss. If he or she does, the doctors will try to determine what level of hearing loss has affected this child.
The doctors are then able to help in two ways. They can help by giving the child hearing aids or other devices to help the child hear better, and they can help by reconstructing the ears. If there are no ears to work with, the doctors may even suggest prosthetic ears. Parents of a child with this condition must learn to be patient. The child's doctors may decide that they cannot do anything for the child until he is at least 5 years old, or older. This does require patience, but it will pay off when the child reaches this age.
One thing that the parents should realize is that the cause for microtia is unknown. It is not anything that the parents did wrong, but many parents do feel guilt about it. This condition is one that affects boys more often than girls. In fact, 65% of cases are of boys. It is also more common to find this with the right ear. 90% of all reported cases have deformities only to one ear. If a child is born like this and the parents have another child, there is a much higher chance that the second child will also have this condition. There is also a greater chance that a child with microtia will also have a child with this condition. If your child is born with this, your doctors will offer insight for you regarding your options. You must remember to be patient and you must not feel guilty over it. Most children born with this are able to lead normal, productive lives.

Friday, August 10, 2012

Occupational Medicine Employers Need

Occupational medicine providers are those who are familiar with and regularly process workers compensation or employer-related medical needs. Individuals who work for a business may be entitled to receive compensation for injuries or illnesses that occur on the job. However, it is essential that the provider of that medical care know that a worker's compensation claim is to be made. There are various legal steps necessary to do so. Even in situations where an employer requires medical services for employees, having a specialized provider is critical.
Businesses Needing Service
Today, it is becoming more prevalent than ever for occupational medicine providers to work with employers one-on-one. For example, some insurance companies reduce liability costs to the employer if the employer requires drug testing randomly for its employees. To make this process effective and fast, many employers are working directly with these professional providers to streamline the process. The employee comes in, provides the proper samples, and is back to work. The results go to the employer and the employee. This eliminates the risk that inaccurate results are passed to the employer.
Workers Compensation Claims
Perhaps the most common reason for going to such a provider, though, is for workers compensation injuries and illnesses. The employer of any business in most states is required to carry a special type of insurance called workers compensation, or workers comp for short. This plan provides payment for medical costs incurred by the employee because of working. It could include falls, burns, and even death in some cases.
However, to make such a claim, the employee must first provide information to the employer about the incident, which is then documented. Then, the employee must visit a medical provider that takes workers compensation claims. Many facilities do. Then, the documentation of the incident and all billing will move from the medical provider to the proper insurance company. The employee does not have to worry about those costs.
Other Uses
There are many other uses of occupational medicine providers. This includes urgent care, pre-employment screening, executive physicals, such as for insurance providers, health and wellness education provides, immunizations for travel-related employment and medical surveillance examinations. When you need a provider for this type of service, ensure you work with one that is specifically capable of providing expert level care for your business.
Occupational medicine is not something to put off finding. If you are a business, you may need this type of help for your employees in far too many incidents. As a business owner, having a go-to provider is a key component to managing on the job incidents and employee needs seamlessly. Do not wait until there is a problem to find a provider, though.