Health and Fitness

Signs and symptoms The signs and symptoms of DOCK8 deficiency are similar to the autosomal dominant form, STAT3 deficiency. However, in DOCK8 deficiency, there is no skeletal or connective tissue involvement, and affected individuals do not have the characteristic facial features of those with autosomal dominant hyper syndrome. DOCK8 deficient children often have eczema, respiratory and skin staphylococcus infections. Beyond these, many other recurrent infections have been observed, including recurrent fungal infections and recurrent viral infections (including molluscum contagiosum, herpes simplex, and herpes zoster), recurrent upper respiratory infection (including Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, respiratory syncytial virus, and adenovirus), recurrent sinusitis, recurrent otitis media, mastoiditis, pneumonia, bronchitis with bronchiectasis, osteomyelitis, candidiasis, meningitis (caused by cryptococcus or H. influenzae), pericarditis, salmonella enteritis, and giard...

Overview Dementia is a term used to describe a group of symptoms affecting memory, thinking and social abilities severely enough to interfere with your daily life. It isn't a specific disease, but several diseases can cause dementia. Though dementia generally involves memory loss, memory loss has different causes. Having memory loss alone doesn't mean you have dementia, although it's often one of the early signs of the condition. Dementia develops when the parts of your brain involved with learning, memory, decision-making or language are affected by infections or diseases. The most common cause of dementia is Alzheimer’s disease. But other known causes of dementia include: Vascular dementia. Dementia with Lewy bodies. Frontotemporal dementia. Mixed dementia. Dementia due to Parkinson’s disease. Dementia-like conditions due to reversible causes, such as medication side effects or thyroid problems. Alzheimer's disease is the most common cause of a progressive dementia in...

Face blindness is the colloquial term for a mental health condition, prosopagnosia. Essentially, this condition means that you cannot recognize people’s faces, although you may be able to recognize other characteristics about them, like their voice, the shirt you first met them in, or the surroundings you normally see them in, like work. Unfortunately, this condition can deeply impact everyday life, including job prospects, friendships, and dating relationships. Tricks used to remember people do not work forever, and the interaction can then become tense, unhappy, or uncomfortable. People with prosopagnosia may avoid social interaction because of their condition and develop social anxiety disorder. Depression is also common, and struggles with relationships and careers are also common. Failing to recognize the faces of people you care about is one of the sadder effects of this condition, but other impacts of face blindness may not even relate to faces. These include:  Failure to re...

Overview Scoliosis is a sideways curvature of the spine that most often is diagnosed in adolescents. While scoliosis can occur in people with conditions such as cerebral palsy and muscular dystrophy, the cause of most childhood scoliosis is unknown. Most cases of scoliosis are mild, but some curves worsen as children grow. Severe scoliosis can be disabling. An especially severe spinal curve can reduce the amount of space within the chest, making it difficult for the lungs to function properly. Children who have mild scoliosis are monitored closely, usually with X-rays, to see if the curve is getting worse. In many cases, no treatment is necessary. Some children will need to wear a brace to stop the curve from worsening. Others may need surgery to straighten severe curves. Symptoms Signs and symptoms of scoliosis may include: Uneven shoulders One shoulder blade that appears more prominent than the other Uneven waist One hip higher than the other One side of the rib cage jutting forward ...

Overview Chickenpox is an infection caused by the varicella-zoster virus. It causes an itchy rash with small, fluid-filled blisters. Chickenpox is highly contagious to people who haven't had the disease or been vaccinated against it. Today, a vaccine is available that protects children against chickenpox. Routine vaccination is recommended by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The chickenpox vaccine is a safe, effective way to prevent chickenpox and its possible complications. Symptoms Symptoms of chickenpox typically appear within 10 to 21 days after you’ve been exposed to the virus. The first sign is usually a general feeling of being unwell. That’s normally followed by these symptoms: Body aches Fever Feeling extremely tired (fatigue) Feeling irritable Loss of appetite Headache Within a day or 2, you’ll develop the telltale chickenpox rash. It unfolds in three phases. During the first phase, you’ll develop itchy, raised, pink or red bumps. Doctors call th...

Vitamin B1, thiamin, or thiamine, enables the body to use carbohydrates as energy. It is essential for glucose metabolism, and it plays a key role in nerve, muscle, and heart function. Vitamin B1 is a water-soluble vitamin, as are all vitamins of the B complex. Vitamins are classified according to the materials they dissolve in. Some dissolve in water, and others dissolve in fat. Water-soluble vitamins are carried through the bloodstream. Whatever the body does not use is eliminated in urine. Foods There are high concentrations of Vitamin B1 in the outer layers and germ of cereals, as well as in yeast, beef, pork, nuts, whole grains, and pulses. Fruit and vegetables that contain it include cauliflower, liver, oranges, eggs, potatoes, asparagus, and kale. Other sources include brewer’s yeast and blackstrap molasses. Breakfast cereals and products made with white flour or white rice may be enriched with vitamin B. In the United States, people consume around halfTrusted Source of their vi...