Born with a consanguinous disease

Disabled Society
Amazing writing of a young person with Muscular Dystrophy, his life, his parents, society's reactions.

Disabled girl's parents defend growth-stunting treatment

Disabled girl's parents defend growth-stunting treatment - CNN.com: "It's been a year since the parents of a severely disabled child made public their decision to submit their daughter to a hysterectomy, breast surgery and drugs to keep the girl forever small. Today, the couple tell CNN, they believe they made the right decision -- one that could have a profound impact on the care of disabled children worldwide."

Zakat Calculations for Pension Funds

Q & A: Zakat Calculations for Pension Funds

I tend to pay zakat on my pension every few years, but I recently came across this article which suggests its better to pay yearly. I'm just wondering what a large sum of zakat I'll have to pay if I ever access the money, as at that time I'll have to pay zakat on the employer contributions too! I never thought of that until today. I wonder if it will all be worth it?

Saving sex for sexual health

sBMJ | Saving sex for sexual health: "Anisa Nasir argues for doctors to suggest abstinence as a solution to unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections"

No 10 steps back from cousins row

BBC NEWS | Politics | No 10 steps back from cousins row: "Mrs Cryer raised the issue two years ago after research showed British Pakistanis were 13 times more likely to have children with recessive disorders than the general population.

'The vast majority of marriages in the Muslim community of Bradford, 80% are trans-continental and the majority of those are to cousins and many of those do result in either infant mortality or recessive disorders that I have seen,' she told Today."

So, anyone up for patient education?

Halal Healthspan

Halal | Healthspan

Some supplements that are not listed halal are also suitable, eg. the Vitamin D.

Florid rickets associated with prolonged breast feeding without vitamin D supplementation

Lesson of the week: Florid rickets associated with prolonged breast feeding without vitamin D supplementation -- Mughal et al. 318 (7175): 39 -- BMJ

I saw a friend last week, she is white, her husband is from Ghana. I was shocked to find out that her 16 month old daughter had florid rickets!

The mother's vitamin D level was normal and the child was being breastfed. I find it so hard to believe that rickets is still around in 2008 and think it's a public health problem being ignored. There is little national guidance as to prevention and treatment for health professionals, resulting in little or no explanation to patients, except a mention by the health visitor which often goes ignored.

I routinely start all babies at risk on Abidec or Dalivit, and tell the mother to supplement her diet too, especially if she is breastfeeding.

Salams

Just wondering how GPs counsel women wanting a termination, whether you do it differently depending on the faith of the woman or not?
Also how do you counsel women wanting a method of contraception that works as an abortifacient?

wasalam
umm safiya

Salaams

What do other doctors do when requested to fill in Cremation forms or when asked by another doctor to do Part II of the Crem form?

I had to fill in a Part II recently and I thought I would ask to see what other people do.

MaSalaam

Stranger in a strange land

Salaams

As Doctors we prescribe medication to our patients all the time. If the patient is a Muslim/Jew would you prescribe the same drug but in an alternative form in order to avoid any haram/Non-Kosher ingredients (gelatine in capsules etc) eg Ramipril tablets rather than capsules or Lansoprazole FastTab rather than capsules etc?

What if the 'halal' form is more expensive/conflicts with you Practice/PCT Prescribing Policy/Guidelines?

Masalaam

Stranger in a strange land

Salams,

I was wondering about how people deal with death and illness. I cannot seem to sleep when a patient dies, and it affects me for a while. A lady I sent into hospital in March with a hemiparesis was found to have multiple brain tumours and she died this week. Seeing her on all the drugs she was on was very upsetting. Sometimes I don't even realise why I'm not myself and later I realise all the things that went on at work, then I understand why. If they are Muslim, they have hope and long to meet Allah, but what about when they aren't, it seems like all they have to look forward to is more pain and then a black hole?

I'd be really grateful if anyone could explain their coping mechanisms, esp Umm Nour, working in Palliative Care.

wasalam

UmmSafiya