Monthly Archives: June 2014

by Tabitha Medical Center on May 27, 2013

At the PTA meeting at my son’s school I overheard a conversation between two mothers and the statement Mrs. Ola made is one that echoes in the mind of every parent; “I want my child to be successful”.

I believe that children are the legacy that speaks volumes about who we are and what we stand for. Their success not just in their academics but their physical, emotional, social even financial aspects of their lives whether at present or the future cannot be overemphasized.

The to-do list for how to raise successful children is endless and at some point as parents we may feel overwhelmed or exasperated about what choices we should make in terms of their education, their care-givers, their recreational activities etc that we may often forget that regular well-child checkups are one of the most important ways to give your child a healthy start and ensure success. A healthy child has a better chance at being a successful child.

A well-child checkup is simply a visit to a child’s doctor when the child is not sick. Well-child checkups are important because a healthy start during the formative years affects a child’s entire life. Children undergo substantial changes in cognitive abilities, physical growth, motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and social and emotional growth during their early years of life and as such their development needs to be carefully monitored and assessed.

Furthermore, a well-child visit is also a chance to raise questions and concerns about your child’s development, behavior, and general well-being questions that are difficult to discuss during sick visits. For instance, pediatricians are used to discussing common concerns with parents such as eating, sleeping, toilet training, social behaviors, as well as attention and learning difficulties.

Like Mrs. Ola; I want my son to be successful so I will make his health and wellbeing a priority and take him regularly for his well-child visits.

Happy Children’s Day!

by Chito Nwana MD on May 27, 2013

What a relief! Now young couples, expectant parents and new parents can learn all they need to know about pregnancy, childbirth, and parenting in one place! We are so excited about the “The Bump to Baby.com” prenatal education program specially designed by our certified American physicians.

It is the first prenatal class in our community that will include question and answer sessions with the Obstetrician/Gynecologist and Pediatrician, interactive classes, videos, nutrition counseling, fitness classes and interactive sessions with our mental health consultant for our parents coping with emotional stress or post partum depression.

1. Baby Talk: Thinking of Having a Baby! (One session)

Preconception counseling helps you learn about any risk factors and treat any medical problems that you may have before you become pregnant. Planning for your pregnancy before you conceive will help you make healthy decisions for you and your baby. We will also discuss: Pregnancy health and nutrition; pregnancy after age 35; Financial aspects of childbearing; Working parents/child care.

2. Expectant Parents (Four weekday evening sessions)

A four-week course that provides you and a support person with essential information as you prepare for birth. The following topics will be addressed: Pregnancy, Labor & Birth, the early postpartum period, medication & anesthesia, the basics of Cesarean birth.

3. Breastfeeding Classes (one weekday evening session)

This class will prepare you for a successful and rewarding breastfeeding experience. You will learn how to prepare for breastfeeding, how to hold your baby, how often and how long to feed, how to identify and avoid common problems. Coaches are encouraged to attend.

4. Babies Don’t Come with Directions (two part infant care course)

A must have class for expectant parents or parents adopting a newborn. A skilled instructor introduces baby care basics in hands on manner. Topics include:

a.Parenthood: new responsibilities, fatigue, and postpartum adjustments

b.Practical baby care information on feeding, bathing, diapering and sleeping

c.When to call the pediatrician

d.Safety

e.New roles as parents: time management

f.Cultivating a family: extended family. Community resources

5. Mum Take Shape!

Our prenatal and postnatal exercises for pregnant women and new mothers, will allow you to stay active and fit. It will also include sessions on proper nutrition for both the prenatal and postnatal period.

6. Infant CPR (one session class)

We offer a CPR Program for family members, friends and members of the general community who want to learn CPR, but do not need a course completion card. The program contains information on how to perform the basic skills of CPR for adults, children and infants and how to help adult, child or infant who is choking

Our Support Groups

Mom Matters

A support group for women who are either pregnant or who have recently given birth and are feeling sad and anxious

Baby and Me

Drop in to this new mom’s group when you are ready to meet new friends and talk about the joys and challenges of being a new mom. An experienced maternal infant health educator facilitates the discussions.

Contact Us

Tabitha Medical Center

No 4 Usuma St

Maitama, Abuja FCT

+2348038503654, +2347059819996

Email: info@tabithahealth.org

by Chito Nwana MD on May 27, 2013

We had so much fun at the Walk for Autism held on Saturday, April 20th, 2013. Below is a report for all those that attended. Enjoy!

The Event:
The walk commenced at Tabitha Medical Center, No 4 Usuma St, Maitama at 10am after registration of the participants. An FRSC truck and a colorfully decorated mobile float that also hosted the DJ led us. Following the group was another FRSC/Medical Bus and other utility vehicles that were carrying medical personnel in the event of an emergency.
We walked/danced from Maitama, through the busy areas of Wuse II and ended at Tabitha Medical Center. During the walk there were several displays that included step dances by participants and a show by the bike riders. The total distance of the walk was 7km. The participants were not even aware of the distance because they had so much fun.

Results: 
We discovered that people for the first time were able to comprehend the basic meaning of autism and it’s distinction or similarities with other forms of developmental disorders. The enlightenment was able to douse the stigma often times associated with it. 

Tabitha Medical Center has made the charity walk an annual tradition with our main focus being issues that affect women and children. Given the momentum and positive response by the community we plan to host another charity walk next year that will be focused on Autism and other mental health disorders in children.

by Chito Nwana MD on July 11, 2013

Isabella, a wife and a mother of an active 2 year old, was 5 ft tall weighing 84.5kg (185 lbs). For many years she battled with her weight that kept fluctuating. She loved fast foods and ate her native food of pounded yam and soup everyday. She had no major medical problems but in the past, experienced an episode of severe palpitations that appeared life threatening. She barely could walk a mile or climb the stairs without panting. She had a stressful job that demanded long hours and her joints constantly hurt especially at the end of the day. The greatest challenge was her ability to maintain a balance between managing her family and still being very productive at work. She describes herself as an emotional eater with significant cravings for sweets when she is very stressed. To keep her energy level up, she drank a lot of sodas and several cups a coffee a day. One day she woke up and felt a heavy weight on her chest and panicked, then came to see me.

When I first saw Isabella, it was evident that her symptoms were related to her weight. We did a thorough evaluation and carried out several tests to know her health status. Aside from her high cholesterol level we did not find any other life threatening condition. I also found that her weight had more than a physical impact on her but also affected her mental and emotional state. She had low self-esteem and self-confidence and had periods where she would describe herself as being depressed. She hated trying on clothes because when she did and they could not fit her, she became quite emotional. Although she has signed up for the gym in the past, she was never motivated and hardly could find time to go to the gym beyond 1 week of her membership. She described the gym as “boring”. Several of my patients that I’ve counseled about their weight have shared similar sentiments.

So after her initial visit, I knew that the best plan was to start her on a weight loss program. The challenge for me as a physician was to come up with a weight loss program that will be effective, motivating, and sustainable. I knew that a successful program would be such that will focus on the overall health of my patient and allow her to adopt healthy habits (healthy lifestyle). This type of program will keep the weight off by teaching her how to develop healthier eating habits and to increase her physical activity. It will also include ongoing feedback, monitoring and support.

To create such a program, collaboration with other experts were needed, so a team that included the physician, a fitness expert, nutritionist, and a mental health consultant was formed. And through that team, the BodyShaper Boot Camp and Aqua Fit (BBA) Weight Loss Program was birthed. The program also included prepared low calorie meals from one of the best health restaurants in Abuja.

Isabella has been on the program now for 3 months and has lost 20lbs under supervision and support from the team. Her self-esteem and self-confidence has improved significantly and she is feeling good in her clothes and getting compliments every day. Now we are trying to make sure she does not turn into a diva! The great thing is that not only has she adopted a healthier lifestyle, she has also encouraged her family and friends to do the same. So, based on popular demand we have decided to launch the program in August in collaboration with one of the best health clubs in town.

If Isabella’s story sounds like yours or if you just want to get in shape, then call us for enquiries on how you can be part of this great program. +2347059819996/+2348188059381, info@tabithahealth.org

by Toju Chike-Obi MD on July 16, 2013

The other day I attended a baby shower for a friend due with her second baby. Several other mothers were there and some had their children with them. Amidst all the fun and hilarity of the event I noticed a child who seemed to lag behind in playing with the other kids. Judging by his size, he appeared to be about 4 or 5 years old but was interacting oddly with the others, laughing inappropriately and behaving much younger than he looked.

Our hostess for the baby shower, later confirmed that he was indeed 5 years old and that she had hinted to his mother on more than one occasion that something might be a little off with his development. She had advised the boy’s mother to have him evaluated by a specialist. His mother usually responded that the child’s father was a “late bloomer” as well and that his teacher had no complaints.

3% of all children have Intellectual Disabilities (formerly called Mental Retardation), 2% of children have Autism and 3% – 7% have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. These statistics do not even include children who have Speech and Language delay or Motor skills delay. If you add it all up, 1 in every 8 -10 children may have a developmental disability ranging from mild social awkwardness to moderate speech and language delay to severe and debilitating symptoms that prevent the child from interacting in a normal way and significantly interfere with learning.

In all of these conditions, early identification is critical to a better outcome, because a child’s developmental disabilities are not necessarily fixed or set, and in fact they are often responsive to appropriate treatment if started early. A “late bloomer” may in fact be a child with an undiagnosed developmental disability who would benefit greatly from proper diagnosis and appropriate treatment. Late diagnosis (after 3 years of age) can significantly impact the degree to which the child can benefit from treatment.

Screening for developmental delays and intellectual disabilities is a central part of pediatric care from birth onward and is an important part of the Well Child Visit. Most children with Intellectual or other Developmental disabilities often develop motor skills such as crawling, walking, climbing and jumping at the appropriate age and so parents often miss delays in other areas which may be more subtle. The Well Child Visit is an opportunity to monitor your child’s development and ensure that any problems will be detected early.

If you are concerned that your child may be developmentally delayed, don’t be afraid to have him or her evaluated. Early diagnosis will go a long way to bringing about a better outcome.

By Toju Chike-Obi MD on July 16, 2013

by Toju Chike-Obi MD on September 24, 2013

Overheard in a supermarket aisle, a child in a whinny voice “Mummy I want Cheez doodles, I want Cheez doodles”. Mother replied “But I just bought Cheez doodles the other day! You and your brother will be the death of me with these doodles!”. She then adds 4 packets of Cheez doodles to her shopping basket.

Do you regularly cruise the snack aisle in your local supermarket? Cheez doodles, Cheese Balls, Pringles, potato crisps – do these describe the kind of snacks your kids eat? Forget about Cookie Monster, you’re creating your very own Snack Fiend!! Do you know that one small packet of Cheez doodles contains about a quarter of the total amount of fat your child should consume in one day?

Does this seem more like your situation – your child refuses to eat fruits but loves juice? Juice is made from fruits and is healthy isn’t it? The fact is that fruit juice is healthy when consumed in small quantities and is certainly much healthier than soft drinks. There are two main problems with fruit juice:
a) Most “fruit juices” are less than 50% juice and mostly added sugar, water and flavors and b) Many children consume large amounts of juice daily – greater than 8 ounces. Some children consume more than half of their daily calorie requirement in the form of juice, which is mostly simple carbohydrates without the benefits of fiber necessary for good digestive health.

Providing healthy nutrition for your children can be daunting and even confusing. Here is a very simple formula to help you remember what is best for your children as they return to school.

5 – 2 – 1 – 0 Every Day!
5 or more servings of fruits & vegetables
2 hours or less television screen time
1 hour or more of exercise or physical activity
0 sugary drinks, more water & low fat milk

Check the blog next month for Eating Healthy and Fit – Part 2