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The Health IDEA
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 Don't fear anesthesia when your child needs surgery As a parent, you want to be sure your child gets the best and safest care. Anesthesia’s effect on the developing brain is being researched continually, and you’ll be comforted to know that anesthesia provided during one brief surgery is considered safe by the experts at the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA).(BPT) - When surgery is necessary, anesthesia ensures your child can safely receive life-saving or corrective treatment while managing the pain and discomfort of the procedure. Anesthesia’s effect on the developing brain is being researched continually, and you’ll be comforted to know that anesthesia provided during one brief surgery is considered safe by the experts at the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA). “Parents should rest assured that surgery is only recommended when necessary and your child will be monitored during every minute of the procedure to ensure the safest and most effective care,” said Linda Mason, M.D., ASA president-elect and a pediatric physician anesthesiologist. “In an effort to continually improve anesthesia, physician anesthesiologists have been at the forefront of research on the effects of anesthesia on children — and adults — and continue to study this important issue.” As a parent, you want to be sure your child gets the best and safest care. To that end, ASA offers the following guidance: 1. Don’t delay or avoid surgery: Work closely with your child’s surgeon and other physicians to determine if surgery is the right choice. In most cases, delaying or avoiding surgery may mean the child does not receive much-needed care. For example, if your child’s doctor recommends placing tubes to drain fluid in the ears and prevent ongoing infection, not doing the procedure increases the risk of delayed speech and language development, which can affect social and academic success. 2. Talk to the physician anesthesiologist: Highly trained to ensure safe, high-quality care, the physician anesthesiologist will monitor your child through the entire surgery so he or she stays warm, gets enough oxygen, has stable blood pressure and receives necessary fluids. Depending on the location and type of surgery, your child may have more than one anesthesia option. Be sure to ask the physician anesthesiologist about those options as well as any other questions you have, such as: * How can I ensure my child has a successful surgery? * How can I help my child prepare? * Is anesthesia safe for my child? 3. Rest assured that limited exposure is considered safe: Experts note that a single, relatively short exposure to anesthesia and surgery is unlikely to have negative effects on behavior or learning. And most common surgeries in children require anesthesia for less than two hours. Research continues regarding the use of anesthesia in repeated or longer surgeries. But parents should be confident that physicians are aware of the concerns and will only recommend a surgery or procedure if necessary. “ASA is committed to advancing research regarding this issue and its physician scientist members are active in cutting-edge research both in the laboratory and at the patient’s bedside,” said Dr. Mason. “Through the SmartTots program, ASA partners with the International Anesthesia Research Society and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to support funding to investigate the safety of anesthesia for infants and young children.” Learn about preparing your child for surgery and questions to ask about anesthesia safety for your young child at asahq.org/kidschecklist. Additionally, download ASA’s companion coloring book for children who are about to undergo anesthesia and surgery. The American Society of Anesthesiologists Founded in 1905, the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) is an educational, research and scientific society with more than 52,000 members organized to raise and maintain the standards of the medical practice of anesthesiology. ASA is committed to ensuring physician anesthesiologists evaluate and supervise the medical care of patients before, during and after surgery to provide the highest quality and safest care every patient deserves. For more information on the field of anesthesiology, visit the American Society of Anesthesiologists online at asahq.org. To learn more about the role physician anesthesiologists play in ensuring patient safety, visit asahq.org/WhenSecondsCount. Like ASA on Facebook; follow ASALifeline on Twitter. KEYWORDS
 Manage your health care costs as part of your personal financial strategy! If you or a loved one are struggling with the expenses of diabetes, here are some useful tips to control the cost of supplies and treatment. (BPT) - For the over 29 million Americans living with diabetes, striking a balance between managing diabetes and controlling the cost of treatment can be challenging.[i] According to a Wakefield Research survey of 500 adults with diabetes, 62 percent of respondents said they felt they could do a better job managing their diabetes if supplies were more affordable, and 58 percent admitted to cutting corners in order to save money. If you or a loved one are struggling with the expenses of diabetes, here are some useful tips to control the cost of supplies and treatment: Affordable and simple testing Testing your blood glucose regularly is very important for people with diabetes as it assists with the management of their condition and helps to prevent serious complications.[ii] Check out the Accu-Chek Guide System, which includes a new blood glucose meter to help simplify the most frequent tasks needed to manage diabetes. Updated features include test strips in a new spill-resistant SmartPack vial to help ensure you won’t spill any strips when you take one for testing, a larger application area on the strip so even a small drop of blood anywhere along the end will yield results, and the meter’s strip port light to allow you to easily test at night as well as during the day. An addition to the Accu-Chek Guide System is the SimplePay program which provides consistent low prices on test strips.[iii] Simply download the free SimplePay Savings card on the Accu-Chek website and hand the card to your pharmacist, along with your Accu-Chek guide meter and strip prescription to start saving. Visit accu-chek.com/guide to learn more and to download the savings card. Manage medications for savings Medications can be expensive, but several strategies can help you cut back on costs. First, always ask your doctor if a generic version is available for any diabetes medication he or she prescribes for you. Generic medications typically cost much less than name brands, and the FDA requires generics to be the same as their brand-name equivalents in dosage form, safety, strength, route of administration, quality, performance characteristics and intended use.[iv] If your doctor advises you to stick with a brand-name diabetes medicine, try contacting the manufacturer to see if they offer discount programs for patients. Many do. Another tip is to purchase your diabetes medications in bulk to save money. Some online prescription supply companies offer savings for purchasing medicines in bulk. Just be sure you’re purchasing from a reputable supplier. Use online resources and communities When it comes to managing a disease like diabetes, knowledge really is power. A wealth of information is available for people living with diabetes from sources such as: * The American Diabetes Association at www.diabetes.org. * The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Diabetes Education Program (www.cdc.gov/diabetes). * The Children’s Diabetes Foundation (www.childrensdiabetesfoundation.org). * The National Institutes of Health’s National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diabetes). * Your local health department. Support organizations can also help you manage your disease. You’ll not only receive guidance from others who share similar experiences and concerns, but community members may be able to share ideas, tips and practical advice. To learn more about diabetes management and controlling the cost of testing supplies, visit accu-chek.com/guide. Survey Methodology The Roche Diabetes Care Survey was conducted by Wakefield Research (www.wakefieldresearch.com) among 500 U.S. adults with diabetes, between April 11th and April 19th, 2017, using an email invitation and an online survey. Results of any sample are subject to sampling variation. The magnitude of the variation is measurable and is affected by the number of interviews and the level of the percentages expressing the results. For the interviews conducted in this particular study, the chances are 95 in 100 that a survey result does not vary, plus or minus, by more than 4.4 percentage points from the result that would be obtained if interviews had been conducted with all persons in the universe represented by the sample. [i] https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/pubs/images/diabetes-infographic.jpg [ii] http://www.diabetes.org/living-with-diabetes/treatment-and-care/blood-glucose-control/factors-affecting-blood-glucose.html [iii] The card is not insurance; it is a cash discount program and cannot be combined with any form of health insurance. Those insured by any government healthcare program, such as Medicare or Medicaid, are NOT eligible for this offer. Some insurers may offer a lower cost option. [iv]https://www.fda.gov/Drugs/resourcesforyou/consumers/buyingusingmedicinesafely/understandinggenericdrugs/default.htm KEYWORDS:
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