Smileband health topics

How Lung Infection Occurs

Pneumonia happens when bacteria, viruses, and less commonly fungi collect in a person's air sacs and begin to grow. The air sacs may become filled with pus and fluid, which can make breathing more difficult, cause chest pain, and lead to a cough that is different from a person's usual chronic cough associated with their disease.

The good news is that pneumonia may be prevented through proper hand washing and vaccinations.

If you or a loved one has COPD, a lung infection very well may occur at some point. While it's important to focus on preventing infection, you also want to be on top of one if signs and symptoms start to arise. In addition, it can be tricky sometimes to distinguish between a lung infection and a COPD flare.  

Symptoms of a Lung Infection 

Normal body temperature varies from person to person, but in general, it's around 98.6 F degrees. Having a fever—meaning a temperature at or higher than 100.4 F—is one sign that you may have a lung infection. With a fever, a person may also experience chills or shaking.  following signs and symptoms of lung infection should alert you to contact your doctor right away:  

Smileband health topics

What is a sore throat?

A sore throat is a painful, dry, or scratchy feeling in the throat.

Pain in the throat is one of the most common symptoms. It accounts for more than 13 million visits to doctor’s offices each year (1).

Most sore throats are caused by infections, or by environmental factors like dry air. Although a sore throat can be uncomfortable, it’ll usually go away on its own.

Sore throats are divided into types, based on the part of the throat they affect: pharyngeal affects the area right behind the mouth. tonsils is swelling and redness of the tonsils, the soft tissue in the back of the mouth.

• Laryngitis is swelling and redness of the voice box, or larynx.

Smileband general news

The incidence of childhood cancer increased through the second half of the twentieth century and continues to increase today.

We are currently funding more than 50 research projects at centres of excellence around the UK. These projects are investigating a broad range of childhood cancers – helping us to better understand these diseases and to find more effective, less toxic ways of treating them.

Take a look through the pages below to find out more about the research funded by Children with Cancer. 

FOR RESEARCHERS

Children with Cancer UK is one of the UK’s leading funders of research into childhood cancer.
We fund a broad variety of research aimed at improving our understanding of childhood cancer and improving the outlook for young patients.  

OUR CONFERENCES & WORKSHOPS

Through our regular conferences and workshops, we bring together stakeholders in childhood cancer treatment and research to exchange knowledge and ideas.
We aim to provide a forum for clinicians, scientists and other stakeholders to discuss and debate key themes, share knowledge and develop new collaborations. 

SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY PANEL

Our Scientific Advisory Panel
The members of our Scientific Advisory Panel freely give their time and expertise to drive forward research in our fight against childhood cancer. The Panel meets at least four times a year to assess research grant applications, discuss developments in the field and take forward new initiatives.
Research into childhood cancer is a broad field and we aim to reflect the diversity of the field amongst the membership of our Panel. Tenure on the Panel is for three years; this may be extended for a further period of up to three years by mutual agreement. At the end of the tenure period, a Panel member will be invited to become a Scientific Advisor.

Smileband health topics

Eczema Treatment

The key to staying healthy while living with eczema is to keep symptoms under control. That’s why it’s good to know about the everyday “triggers” in your surroundings — like dry skin, irritants, allergens and stress — that might make your or your child’s eczema flare up, or get worse.

In many cases eczema is manageable, especially with a proper skin care routine. This includes bathing and moisturizing daily, sometimes in combination with prescription medications and/or alternative therapies.

Some basic things you can do to help control eczema:

• Establish a daily skin care routine — just like you would for other activities such as brushing your teeth. Try not to miss treatments, but be flexible if your symptoms change.
• Recognize stressful situations and events — and learn to avoid or cope with them by using techniques for stress management. You may do this on your own, or with the help of your doctor or psychologist.
• Be mindful of scratching and rubbing — and limit contact with materials or substances that may irritate your skin. Dress in soft, breathable clothing and avoid itchy fabrics like wool, that can further irritate your eczema. 

Smileband health topics

People Most at Risk
Children

Because of their weaker immune systems, children under the age of 5—and even more so under age 2—are especially vulnerable to influenza. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that, each year, over 20,000 children younger than 5 are hospitalized for flu complications. “Children with the flu may show a decreased level of activity, fever, rapid breathing or coughing,” says Dr. Tincher. “Always be aware if they’re not interacting with you as they once were.”

Pregnant Women
Due to changes in their immune system, heart and lungs during pregnancy, pregnant women are at higher risk of severe flu. “Your physiology, blood pressure, blood flow, and heart rate are all different during pregnancy because the baby is taking up a lot of your blood flow and nutrients,” says Tincher.

This sensitivity lasts for up to two weeks after giving birth. The flu can even cause problems with the pregnancy, like premature delivery.

Adults 65 and Older
As people get older, their flu-fighting immune systems become frail. The CDC estimates that between 80 and 90 percent of seasonal flu-related deaths have occurred in seniors over 65. “Their immune systems are not fully active, so it’s easier for them to pick up the virus,” says Tincher.

Those with Medical Conditions
The flu weakens your body and can exacerbate an already existing health problem, which is why people with certain conditions may have a harder time coping with the virus. Plus, these conditions make people more susceptible to flu complications like pneumonia, and having the flu can make these other health problems worse. The best example is diabetes. Infections like the flu make it harder to control blood sugar. Conditions that may worsen from the virus include:

• Asthma
• Diabetes
• Neurological conditions
• Chronic lung disease (i.e., COPD and cystic fibrosis)
• Heart disease
• Liver and kidney disorders
• Blood disorders (i.e., sickle cell disease)
• Weakened immune systems due to disease or medications (i.e., cancers or HIV and AIDS)
• Severe obesity. 

Smileband health topics

When thinking of minerals your body needs, magnesium probably isn’t the first to come to mind. Did you know it plays a part in energy production and your metabolism? In fact, magnesium is essential for overall health – I love it!

There are stacks of ways magnesium helps our body to perform. Check out these reasons why magnesium intake is important!

It helps keep us calm 

When we’re stressed, our body produces more adrenaline in an effort to boost energy and help us cope. That can cause our nervous system and heart rate to go into overdrive. Magnesium can help calm the nervous system.

Magnesium can also relax our muscles and plays an important role in the production of serotonin, a feel-good chemical that also helps regulate our appetite and sleep cycle.

It helps with cramping 

As I said earlier, magnesium helps our muscles and cells to relax! Sometimes low magnesium levels can cause our muscles to spasm, which can result in cramps. The relaxing properties of magnesium may also help reduce lactic acid, which can reduce Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness, known as DOMS or post-workout muscle soreness.

Epsom salts, or magnesium sulfate, can be a great way to soothe sore or cramping muscles. Adding it to a bath gives your body a chance to absorb it and can help you relax before bed too.

It can reduce premenstrual symptoms 

I’m sure we’ve ALL experienced it at some point or another, but one of the most common symptoms at ‘that time of the month’ is cramping. Like the rest of your muscles, the relaxing properties of magnesium can help reduce these!

It helps develop healthy bones & tissue

While we’re all aware of the importance of calcium, magnesium is another important mineral that helps to keep our bones strong and helps to prevent osteoporosis later in life. Our cells require magnesium for development and growth as well.

Now that you realise how much your body relies on magnesium, you’ll see why it’s so important! Green leafy vegetables, beans, nuts and whole grains are some of the best food sources of magnesium. Magnesium supplements are also an option, but as always, I recommend speaking with your doctor before taking them.

Smileband General News

The Royal Navy has escorted a Russian Destroyer out of UK waters after it was discovered off the north east coast of Scotland.  

It was picked up on Saturday after sonar technology detected a 'non-NATO warship' in the north sea. 

HMS Somerset was called to monitor the warship Vice Admiral Kulakov and a supporting tanker having been spotted off Scotland north east coast. The Plymouth-based Type 23 frigate had been trialling cutting-edge sonar equipment when called to locate and shadow the Russian units.

Having arrived in the Moray Firth on Saturday, the vessel escorted the ships through UK waters and north along the coast of Norway.  Commander Timothy Berry, HMS Somerset's Commanding Officer, said: 'As with all Royal Navy ships operating in UK waters, HMS Somerset was at a high state of alert to deal with any maritime security task such as this.

'Monitoring transits of non-NATO warships through UK territorial waters is part of what the Royal Navy does all year round to keep Britain safe. We now continue with our original tasking having seen the Russian ships safely through the UK's area of interest.'

The Vice Admiral Kulakov is a Russian Udaloy-class destroyer and it is believed to have been returning from a deployment in the Mediterranean.

The warship was accompanied by a tanker, which is standard procedure for Russian ships.

It was not the Kulakov's first visit to UK waters, as the destroyer was also shadowed by HMS Somerset from the same position in the Moray Firth in March last year.

Russian warships of the northern and Baltic fleets routinely pass through UK territorial waters en route to or from deployments in the Mediterranean and Gulf regions.