Diplomate, Board Certification of Emergency Medicine
Recently, we received a letter from America asking about
Burnshield. This is a product known to be 80-90 percent water
that is advertised for burns. We at Tel HaShomer are a burn
center and I checked with a number of physicians from the
center to see what their opinions were and have not found
much evidence for it helping burns. Water does sooth burns,
and copious irrigation is required for chemical burns,
especially from lye (although regular burns do not need
this). Still I cannot find any evidence that this product
works.
I still like Dermaplast, a product with benzocaine and aloe
vera. Aloe vera soothes and may have some antibacterial
properties. However, both the benzocaine and the aloe vera
can cause skin allergies to people who are susceptible.
Other subjects: What about juvenile diabetes? This form of
diabetes is treated with insulin control, and there is always
something new in the field. Diabetics can have complications.
Kidney failure, heart trouble and eye problems are common.
But with today's experts and new glucometers -- machines that
check what the level of the sugar in the blood is -- we are
succeeding more and more in making normal lives for these
people. Eating lots of sugar does not make you a diabetic,
but can make you fat and predispose to adult diabetes.
What about Juvenile obesity? This is a subject we have
discussed before. I will just add that our women, due to peer
pressure, tend to watch their weight during their teen years
but we are permissive with our boys to live it up at
Kiddushim. Does anyone monitor the food that is served
at yeshivas for nutritional value? Men still die a lot
earlier than women and obesity does kill. Good eating habits
must start early.
Juvenile high blood pressure: This is unusual and a sign of
serious problems such as kidney disease, congenital heart
disease, or others. However do not depend on home monitors
for this. Many are not calibrated. Exercise can help both of
the last two problems and should be a part of training a
child for a healthy lifestyle. Write me in care of the
Yated.
A message from GlaxoSmithKline, sponsor of this
column. Avandia is advanced diabetes care. It is the
newest generation of diabetes treatment, rarely causing low
blood sugar but at the same time being very effective.
