Things in the library 2 Nov...

Things to stitch...
According to this report there are some who are concerned that the newest surgical recruits are not as dexterous as former surgeons due to having less experience in doing craftwork. I'm sure our surgeons all sew beautifully...but perhaps we should start an embroidery group in the library along with our reading group!

Things about Quality of Life...
Quality of life (QOL) measures are increasingly used when important prognostication and treatment decisions need to be made in the care of a critically ill child. Unfortunately, health-care professionals and families experience difficulties when attempting to accurately predict and estimate QOL for a patient. Aspects such as subjectivity, complexity and adaptation to illness play an important role in how QOL is ultimately experienced. This often leads to inaccurate estimates of QOL, when performed by individuals other than the patient, such as clinicians or family members. In order to make decisions in the best interest of the patient, a partnership between families and clinicians must be fostered, based on communication, trust and mutual understanding of values. This article in Paediatric Respiratory Reviews attempts to describe some of the challenges that come into play when assessing QOL for a patient and will provide tools for building a clinician-family partnership in the decision-making process.

Things about air pollution...
This WHO report summarises the latest scientific knowledge on the links between exposure to air pollution and adverse health effects in children. It is intended to inform and motivate individual and collective action by health care professionals to prevent damage to children’s health from exposure to air pollution. Air pollution is a major environmental health threat. Exposure to fine particles in both the ambient environment and in the household causes about seven million premature deaths each year. Ambient air pollution (AAP) alone imposes enormous costs on the global economy, amounting to more than US$ 5 trillion in total welfare losses in 2013.

The evidence is clear: air pollution has a devastating impact on children’s health.
says the report

Recent data released by the World Health Organization (WHO) show that air pollution has a vast and terrible impact on child health and survival. Globally, 93% of all children live in environments with air pollution levels above the WHO guidelines. More than one in every four deaths of children under 5 years is directly or indirectly related to environmental risks.

Although air pollution is a global problem, the burden of disease attributable to particulate matter in air is heaviest in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), particularly in the WHO African, South-East Asia, Eastern Mediterranean and Western Pacific regions. Poverty is correlated with high exposure to environmental health risks.

Things about conversations...
This Ask Listen Do resource shares tips for health, social care and education organisations and practitioners with the aim of making feedback, concerns and complaints easier for people with a learning disability, autistic people, families and carers.





Things about nature...
It is commonly believed that nature has positive impacts on children’s health, including physical, mental and social dimensions. This review focuses on how accessibility to, exposure to and engagement with nature affects the mental health of children and teenagers. This review showed significant positive findings on the benefits of nature for all mental health outcomes; however, ADD/ADHD, overall mental health, stress, resilience and HRQOL were the only outcomes that demonstrated more positive significant findings over non-significant findings. Several outcomes (emotional well-being, self-esteem, depression) were associated with a greater number of non-significant findings than positive significant findings, supporting the inconclusive nature of the evidence reported in previous reviews. The authors believe that "By prioritising investments of natural spaces at all levels of government as well as within school districts, children have a better chance of receiving the benefits of interacting with nature."

Things about C*********...
Reluctant as I am to do things Christmassy this early in the year I spotted on the webpage for Weston Park Gallery (across the road from the hospital) that this December, they’ll once again transform the Arctic World gallery into Santa’s North Pole ho-ho-home. You can take the family along to meet the man himself, who’ll be there with a warm welcome, quality presents and plenty of Christmas cheer. To make the visit to see Santa stress-free they have a new online booking – just pick the day and timeslot that suits you £7 per child.

Things Roman...

A little bit more grown up and if archaeology interests you then there is a lunchtime talk at Weston Museum on Tuesday 27 November on Roman finds in Yorkshire. Ranging from evidence of military activity and the cult of Mithras, to the personal grooming habits of the Romans, and coin hoards and monumental statues, this talk will highlight some of the most interesting Roman finds from Yorkshire that have been recorded by the Portable Antiquities Scheme, and use them to illustrate a brief history of the Roman period in Yorkshire.

Things to eat...
I am hosting a bonfire party for 26 people ranging in age from 8 weeks to 86 years this Saturday...so hope it doesn't rain! So with jacket potatoes on my mind and apparently it being World Vegan Month in November here is a nice sounding recipe for Vegan chickpea curry jacket sweet potatoes.