I realize that a lot of parents are still not very sure about the upcoming changes in the Baby Bonus Scheme. So here is a short post to let you know what is happening.
From 15 August 2008, parents wishing to make use of their Baby Bonus to pay for their child's medical bills can do it by simply using their Baby Bonus Card at our Clinic.
Two new banks have been appointed to take over the CDA accounts, viz OCBC and Standard Chartered. Parents can expect to earn higher interest at the new banks and also benefit from the more streamlined approach to paying their medical bills. Karri Family Clinic is an approved institution for the Baby Bonus and you will be able to use your new Baby Bonus Card at our Clinic like an ATM card using the NETS machine. The Baby Bonus Card may be used to pay all your medical bills at our clinic including vaccination packages, surgical procedures as well as the usual consultation and medications.
It is important to note that DBS will no longer be the managing agent for the CDA accounts as of 31 July 2008. Existing trustees of CDA accounts should have already been sent a kit which will include an option form for you to choose one of the two banks. The dateline for submission of this form is 30 June 2008. Once you have submitted the form, the bank will send you the Baby Bonus Card with the PIN number before August 2008. You will be able to use the card at our clinic from 15 August 2008.
If you do not submit the option form by 30 June, your CDA account will automatically be transferred randomly to one of the two banks by 7 August 2008. And you will need to apply for your Baby Bonus Cards from the appointed bank separately.
Parents of newborns after 1 June 2008 can open their accounts with one of the two new banks directly and you can use your Baby Bonus Card even if it is your first child. This would be most useful for paying for the vaccinations your baby will need.
So if you have not already done so, please submit your option forms by 30 June 2008.
We look forward to be of service to you.
For more information please visit the Baby Bonus Website by clicking here
You can read the press releases and FAQs here
Check out the OCBC Baby Bonus site
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Dengue Rash: When do you suspect it is Dengue?
Day 3: Rash is resolving
This boy first came to the clinic on Tuesday with a widespread rash over the whole body. He had been treated with antibiotics for a sorethroat two weeks before and it was initially thought that the rash might have been due to antibiotics even though he had finished the course of antibiotics two weeks ago.
Day 2: Widespread rash with "islands of sparring"
The next day, the boy's rash got worse and you can see from the picture below how the rash covered almost the whole leg with just little areas of normal skin. This is known as a widespread rash with "islands of sparring" and is one of the ways a Dengue rash might look like.
A blood test was done which confirmed that the Dengue IgM was positive. This indicates that the child is having Dengue fever. However, the platelet count was still in the safe range, so the child is being managed at home but has to come to the clinic for daily blood tests to monitor the platelet count.
The child is otherwise quite active and the fever has subsided.
Parents can learn a few valuable lessons from this case:
1. Always seek medical attention if your child has a rash with fever.
2. Never assume a rash is due to antibiotics
3. Most Dengue cases can be managed at home and don't need hospitalization
For more info on Dengue click here
For my previous articles on Dengue please click here
Confirmed case of Dengue in our Area
We have just confirmed one case of Dengue in a patient from Blk 862A today. The child developed a rash all over the body which was initially thought to be due to an allergy. But blood tests eventually confirmed it to be due to Dengue.
Please be extra vigilant to check around your area for stagnant water and to take measures to prevent your family members from being bitten by the mosquitos.
More info on Dengue fever can be found here
Please be extra vigilant to check around your area for stagnant water and to take measures to prevent your family members from being bitten by the mosquitos.
More info on Dengue fever can be found here
Tuesday, May 06, 2008
Welcome TMAsia Life card holders!
We would like to extend a warm welcome to all TM Asia Life card holders!
We hope to be of service to you and your family!
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Welcome Parkway Shenton Card Holders!
Our clinic now accepts Parkway Shenton Card Holders. We welcome you to the clinic and hope to be of service to you and your family.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease (HFMD) on the Rise
There has been a an increase in the number of HFMD cases this year so parents please be on the alert!
The Ministry of Health also reports that there is a higher circulation of the EV71 strain which is the strain of virus that caused the deaths of 2 young children in 2000/2001. The predominant strain is still the Coxsackie A16 virus which only causes a mild illness so the vast majority of children will make a full recovery.
HFMD is mild in most cases with the child developing fever, sore throat and red spots and blisters on the hands and feet and ulcers in the mouth. They just need to be isolated and most of them will recover fully. However in some rare instances, the illness can get very severe and affect the lungs, brain and heart.
The danger signs to look out for are:
- Drowsiness, disorientation, irritability and fits
- Severe Headache and neck stiffness
- Breathlessness or turning blue
- Dehydration
If you notice any of these signs, you must seek medical attention immediately.
More about what to do if your child has HFMD can be found in my previous post by clicking here
The MOH press release dated 8 Apr can be found here
The Ministry of Health also reports that there is a higher circulation of the EV71 strain which is the strain of virus that caused the deaths of 2 young children in 2000/2001. The predominant strain is still the Coxsackie A16 virus which only causes a mild illness so the vast majority of children will make a full recovery.
HFMD is mild in most cases with the child developing fever, sore throat and red spots and blisters on the hands and feet and ulcers in the mouth. They just need to be isolated and most of them will recover fully. However in some rare instances, the illness can get very severe and affect the lungs, brain and heart.
The danger signs to look out for are:
- Drowsiness, disorientation, irritability and fits
- Severe Headache and neck stiffness
- Breathlessness or turning blue
- Dehydration
If you notice any of these signs, you must seek medical attention immediately.
More about what to do if your child has HFMD can be found in my previous post by clicking here
The MOH press release dated 8 Apr can be found here
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
New Season Flu Vaccination is Now Available!
We have just received our stock of Flu Vaccines.
This is the latest 2008 Southern Hemisphere strains.
This is the latest 2008 Southern Hemisphere strains.
Monday, April 07, 2008
Update on Dengue Fever
You have probably read in the news today an article about Dengue and also about the outbreak in Brazil. The article is actually talking about how we can be expecting an outbreak in around 3 years' time and how the government is preparing for it. So it is not a cause for panic although we should be still diligent about making sure that we do not allow mosquitoes to breed and also to be on a constant lookout for the symptoms that are consistent with Dengue.
According to NEA's dengue website, the number of cases we are seeing this year is around the same as this time last year and there is certainly no peak in the number of cases. In our clinic, we have not had any confirmed cases of Dengue recently.
There is also some good news ahead. The Straits Times reports that there will be a quick Dengue Test kit available to GP clinics in June. That will mean that it will be easier to detect Dengue earlier. Currently the available test kits can only detect Dengue after day 5 of the illness. The ability to detect Dengue fever earlier will mean that the NEA will be able to control the mosquito breeding grounds earlier to stem the spread of the illness.
Click here to read more on Dengue
According to NEA's dengue website, the number of cases we are seeing this year is around the same as this time last year and there is certainly no peak in the number of cases. In our clinic, we have not had any confirmed cases of Dengue recently.
There is also some good news ahead. The Straits Times reports that there will be a quick Dengue Test kit available to GP clinics in June. That will mean that it will be easier to detect Dengue earlier. Currently the available test kits can only detect Dengue after day 5 of the illness. The ability to detect Dengue fever earlier will mean that the NEA will be able to control the mosquito breeding grounds earlier to stem the spread of the illness.
Click here to read more on Dengue
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Welcome Alliance Medinet - AXA & Great Eastern Cardholders
We would like to extend a warm welcome to all holders of Alliance Medinet: AXA and Great Eastern (Platinum and Gold) card holders.
We look forward to serve you and your family.
More information about our clinic can be found by clicking this link.
We look forward to serve you and your family.
More information about our clinic can be found by clicking this link.
Monday, March 24, 2008
New Asthma Guidelines: Take the Online Asthma Test!
One of the big problems in treating asthma is that patients tend to underestimate the severity of their asthma.
For example: One mother came with her 5 year old asthmatic son and said that the child has been coughing at night maybe only twice a week. Obviously, she is under the impression that night coughs twice a week is considered mild and not action need to be taken. The fact is that night coughs are considered serious enough to warrant further evaluation if they occur more than twice per month!
So in this short post, I would like to outline for you the criteria for which you should be seeking medical help to manage your asthma.
With the latest innovations in asthma management, the bar for good asthma control has been raised. It is no longer good enough for you or your child to be able to survive on that blue puffer. The current criteria for good asthma control is defined as:
Now there is a quick and simple way of determining if you need to see your doctor about your asthma. All you need to do is answer 5 simple questions and add up the score. They even have a special set of questions for your child.
You can take the test by visiting www.asthmacontrol.com
A score >= 20 means your asthma is well controlled and you can maintain or step down on your medication
A score of <20>means you will have to seek medical advise on how to control your asthma better
You can read the other Asthma posts HERE
Reference:
Clinical Practice Guidelines: Management of Asthma. MOH 1/2008
For example: One mother came with her 5 year old asthmatic son and said that the child has been coughing at night maybe only twice a week. Obviously, she is under the impression that night coughs twice a week is considered mild and not action need to be taken. The fact is that night coughs are considered serious enough to warrant further evaluation if they occur more than twice per month!
So in this short post, I would like to outline for you the criteria for which you should be seeking medical help to manage your asthma.
With the latest innovations in asthma management, the bar for good asthma control has been raised. It is no longer good enough for you or your child to be able to survive on that blue puffer. The current criteria for good asthma control is defined as:
- No daytime symptoms (twice or less/week)
- No limitation of daily activities, including exercise
- No nocturnal symptoms or awakening because of asthma
- No need for reliever treatment (twice or less/week)
- No exacerbations
- Normal or near normal lung function results
Now there is a quick and simple way of determining if you need to see your doctor about your asthma. All you need to do is answer 5 simple questions and add up the score. They even have a special set of questions for your child.
You can take the test by visiting www.asthmacontrol.com
A score >= 20 means your asthma is well controlled and you can maintain or step down on your medication
A score of <20>means you will have to seek medical advise on how to control your asthma better
You can read the other Asthma posts HERE
Reference:
Clinical Practice Guidelines: Management of Asthma. MOH 1/2008
Friday, March 14, 2008
The Flu Situation in Hong Kong
Many parents have been asking me about the flu situation in Hong Kong in which 3 school children have died so far. As it is the school holidays, there are many who are heading to Hong Kong for holidays and want to know if they should vaccinate themselves against the flu.
MOH has a recent press release on the influenza situation in Hong Kong and Singapore. You can read it by clicking here.
Here is what I think are the important things to note:
1. The influenza season this year is no different from the previous years and the strains of influenza viruses are the usual ones and not the dreaded Bird Flu strain or SARS virus. We know the usual influenza strains can have severe effects on the young children, the elderly and those with chronic illnesses, so although the death of the children is tragic, it does not signal that we are dealing with a situation like SARS all over again.
2. There has not been any increase in the number of flu cases in Singapore and the ones that have been detected are the expected influenza strains. These are the Influenza Type A H3N2, H1N1 and also Type B strains. These are the strains that are covered by the latest Flu vaccinations. (Remember that Bird Flu is the H5N1 strain)
3. Influenza is a self limiting illness in the healthy adults, so there is no need to rush to get yourselves vaccinated. However, the MOH does advise that those who require vaccinations are
Click here to my previous post on Influenza
MOH has a recent press release on the influenza situation in Hong Kong and Singapore. You can read it by clicking here.
Here is what I think are the important things to note:
1. The influenza season this year is no different from the previous years and the strains of influenza viruses are the usual ones and not the dreaded Bird Flu strain or SARS virus. We know the usual influenza strains can have severe effects on the young children, the elderly and those with chronic illnesses, so although the death of the children is tragic, it does not signal that we are dealing with a situation like SARS all over again.
2. There has not been any increase in the number of flu cases in Singapore and the ones that have been detected are the expected influenza strains. These are the Influenza Type A H3N2, H1N1 and also Type B strains. These are the strains that are covered by the latest Flu vaccinations. (Remember that Bird Flu is the H5N1 strain)
3. Influenza is a self limiting illness in the healthy adults, so there is no need to rush to get yourselves vaccinated. However, the MOH does advise that those who require vaccinations are
- Elderly persons above 65 years of age
- Children from 6 mths to 5 years of age
- Persons with heart, lung, kidney problems or diabetics
- Pregnant women in their 2nd and 3rd trimesters
Click here to my previous post on Influenza
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
A few thoughts on Breastfeeding
The issue of breastfeeding vs bottle-feeding is really interesting. When I was a baby (so I am told), formula milk was touted as the ideal nutrition for babies. The addition stuff that was added into the milk was believed to enhance the baby's growth and well being. On top of that, it costs more to formula feed your baby, so there was also the issue of prestige involved.
Fast forward a few decades and the whole thinking has been reversed. Breast milk is now recognized as the better milk for babies. How we managed to come to the belief that Humans can create something better than what God has already provided, baffles me. It's almost like arguing that 3rd party spare parts are better than the original for your prized BMW.
Benefits of Breastfeeding
It is well recognized nowadays that breastfeeding confers many benefits for babies which includes:
1. Protective effects against illnesses like diarrhoea, lung and ear infections.
2. Protecting the child against the development of allergies like asthma, eczema and rhinitis.
3. Reducing the risk of obesity.
4. Some possibility that it may reduce the risk of developing diabetes.
5. Some link between the protective effect of breastfeeding and the development of certain cancers.
6. Better performance in tests of cognition.
7. Benefits to the mother like helping to reduce the mother to her pre-pregnancy weight as well as getting the uterus to return to its normal size. There is also evidence that breastfeeding also reduces the risk of breast cancer and perhaps ovarian cancer.
So how many mothers in Singapore actually breastfeed?
But the issue is not that mothers don't know about the benefits of breastfeeding. The majority do. But the problem is that a lot of mothers have (or think they have) an inability to produce adequate breast milk and also that most of them have to return to work after the maternity period which makes it difficult to continue breastfeeding.
In Singapore 95% of mothers actually do initiate breastfeeding, but at 2 months only 50% are still breastfeeding . By 6 months, this drops to only 21% which compares unfavorably with other developed countries like the US (33%) and Australia (45%).
Encourage Exclusive Breastfeeding for the first 6 months
Knowing the benefits of breastfeeding, the current drive is to encourage exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of the infant's life. (This is the recommendation for healthy full term infants. The requirements for infants with special needs will need to to individualized)
For the first 6 months of life, healthy infants only need breastmilk and nothing else. There is no evidence that weaning the child at 4 months has any demonstrable benefits. Even after introducing complementary foods, the mother is encouraged to breastfeed the child until 12 months of age. Of course, if the child is not gaining weight appropriately while being exclusively breastfed, then medical help should be sought.
Do I need to give my baby extra water?
Another common question is whether babies need to be given extra water. The answer is no, not even in a hot climate like Singapore. Breast milk provides all the fluids needed in the first 6 months for the infant who is fed on demand. Giving the baby extra water may cause it to reduce its intake of milk and there is also a risk of water intoxication if too much is given. Babies who are ill or have diarrhoea will of course need medical attention.
OK, I want to Breastfeed, where can I find support?
So, you've decided to breastfeed your child? Great! You can find more information on support groups and other useful stuff at the Association for Breastfeeding Advocacy website.
Reference:
Dietary Guidelines for Children and Adolescents for the Healthcare Professional. Health Promotion Board 2007
Fast forward a few decades and the whole thinking has been reversed. Breast milk is now recognized as the better milk for babies. How we managed to come to the belief that Humans can create something better than what God has already provided, baffles me. It's almost like arguing that 3rd party spare parts are better than the original for your prized BMW.
Benefits of Breastfeeding
It is well recognized nowadays that breastfeeding confers many benefits for babies which includes:
1. Protective effects against illnesses like diarrhoea, lung and ear infections.
2. Protecting the child against the development of allergies like asthma, eczema and rhinitis.
3. Reducing the risk of obesity.
4. Some possibility that it may reduce the risk of developing diabetes.
5. Some link between the protective effect of breastfeeding and the development of certain cancers.
6. Better performance in tests of cognition.
7. Benefits to the mother like helping to reduce the mother to her pre-pregnancy weight as well as getting the uterus to return to its normal size. There is also evidence that breastfeeding also reduces the risk of breast cancer and perhaps ovarian cancer.
So how many mothers in Singapore actually breastfeed?
But the issue is not that mothers don't know about the benefits of breastfeeding. The majority do. But the problem is that a lot of mothers have (or think they have) an inability to produce adequate breast milk and also that most of them have to return to work after the maternity period which makes it difficult to continue breastfeeding.
In Singapore 95% of mothers actually do initiate breastfeeding, but at 2 months only 50% are still breastfeeding . By 6 months, this drops to only 21% which compares unfavorably with other developed countries like the US (33%) and Australia (45%).
Encourage Exclusive Breastfeeding for the first 6 months
Knowing the benefits of breastfeeding, the current drive is to encourage exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of the infant's life. (This is the recommendation for healthy full term infants. The requirements for infants with special needs will need to to individualized)
For the first 6 months of life, healthy infants only need breastmilk and nothing else. There is no evidence that weaning the child at 4 months has any demonstrable benefits. Even after introducing complementary foods, the mother is encouraged to breastfeed the child until 12 months of age. Of course, if the child is not gaining weight appropriately while being exclusively breastfed, then medical help should be sought.
Do I need to give my baby extra water?
Another common question is whether babies need to be given extra water. The answer is no, not even in a hot climate like Singapore. Breast milk provides all the fluids needed in the first 6 months for the infant who is fed on demand. Giving the baby extra water may cause it to reduce its intake of milk and there is also a risk of water intoxication if too much is given. Babies who are ill or have diarrhoea will of course need medical attention.
OK, I want to Breastfeed, where can I find support?
So, you've decided to breastfeed your child? Great! You can find more information on support groups and other useful stuff at the Association for Breastfeeding Advocacy website.
Reference:
Dietary Guidelines for Children and Adolescents for the Healthcare Professional. Health Promotion Board 2007
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Chinese New Year Opening Times
Happy Year of the Rat to all our Chinese readers!
Our Clinic will be opened till 2pm on the Eve of Chinese New Year and we will be closed on the first two days of the New Year. We will be opened as usual from Saturday 9th Feb.
Our Clinic will be opened till 2pm on the Eve of Chinese New Year and we will be closed on the first two days of the New Year. We will be opened as usual from Saturday 9th Feb.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Lady Doctor available for consultations on Friday Nights
We are happy to announce that we now have a lady doctor who will be available for consultation on Friday nights.
Dr Serene Ang started her education at CHIJ and Catholic Junior College before winning a Local Merit Scholarship to study Medicine at NUS. She went on to obtain her Masters Degree in Family Medicine in 1998. After leaving the public hospital system, she has been working as a Family Doctor since 1996. Dr Ang brings her experience in the areas of Women's Health, Dermatology and Paediatrics to Karri Family Clinic.
With her many years of experience, we are confident that your family will continue to receive the best care possible from Karri Family Clinic.
Dr Serene Ang started her education at CHIJ and Catholic Junior College before winning a Local Merit Scholarship to study Medicine at NUS. She went on to obtain her Masters Degree in Family Medicine in 1998. After leaving the public hospital system, she has been working as a Family Doctor since 1996. Dr Ang brings her experience in the areas of Women's Health, Dermatology and Paediatrics to Karri Family Clinic.
With her many years of experience, we are confident that your family will continue to receive the best care possible from Karri Family Clinic.
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