Month: July 2012

Mental abuse can harm a child as much as physical or sexual abuse, a new report says. The American Academy of Pediatrics, a group of children’s doctors, issued the report. Psychological maltreatment (abuse) includes ridiculing or humiliating a child. It also includes ignoring a child or withholding affection. Placing him or her in a dangerous situation is another form of abuse. So is cutting the child off from other human contacts. Such abuse has been linked with problems related to brain development and physical growth. It can harm a child’s social interactions, education and behavior. The report says doctors should be alert to signs of psychological abuse. But it admits that this is much harder to spot than physical abuse. Psychological abuse must be a pattern of actions. It’s not just a parent having a bad day. It is more common in families that are under stress.

Yoga may help stroke survivors recover and become more active, a small study suggests. The study included 47 people who had a stroke more than 6 months in the past. They were randomly divided into 3 groups. Two of the groups did yoga twice a week. One of the yoga groups also listened to a relaxation recording 3 times a week. The third group received usual care. The program lasted 8 weeks. Yoga classes were taught by a registered yoga therapist. Yoga poses were modified for people’s needs, but became more challenging each week. People in the yoga groups had greater improvement in balance than those who received usual care. They were less afraid of falling. They also scored higher on measurements of independent living and quality of life. Most stroke rehab programs end after 6 months. But researchers said yoga could be an affordable way to help stroke survivors keep improving.

If you have chest pain, but aren’t having a heart attack, an advanced CT scan can help get you out of the emergency room sooner, a study finds. But it might not be worth the extra radiation and later tests. The study included 1,000 people with chest pain. All had electrocardiograms and blood tests that suggested a heart attack was unlikely. Then they were randomly divided into 2 groups. People in one group got standard tests, such as a stress test. The others got a type of CT scan that gives a detailed view of arteries around the heart. People spent an average of 23 hours in the hospital with the CT scans and 30 hours with standard tests. About 47% were sent home after the CT scans, compared with 12% who had standard tests. The others were admitted. But those in the CT group received 3 times as much radiation as the standard-care group.

Recently revised guidelines say that women don’t need to get Pap tests every year anymore. But a group of doctors says that women do need an annual exam. The advice comes from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. These doctors are often called ob-gyns. A committee of the college says that women should have an annual “well-woman” visit with their ob-gyn. After age 21, the group says, this visit should include a pelvic exam. This is an internal and external exam of female organs. Pap tests may be included in some years, depending on age and risk level. For women 40 and older, the visit should include a breast exam, the group says. These exams may be done every 1 to 3 years for younger women. Tests for sexually transmitted diseases may be done.

People newly diagnosed as HIV positive should start drug treatment right away, says a group of experts. The International Antiviral Society presented the guidelines July 22 at the International AIDS Conference in Washington, D.C. They will be published in the July 25 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. The guidelines say that even HIV-positive people with healthy immune systems should take antiviral drugs. The drugs are now stronger, easier to take and safer, the guidelines say. The drugs don’t get rid of the virus, but they can keep it from replicating. This keeps people healthier for longer periods. It also reduces the risk that HIV-positive people will transmit the virus to others.