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Understanding Dyslexia

MEDICAL NEWS

Dyslexia is a learning disability that impacts the ability to read. While the condition can be frustrating, people with dyslexia have more resources available than ever before. With proper support, they can build the skills needed to adapt and learn.

Causes

Dyslexia is neurobiological, meaning it is caused by how the brain is “wired.” Many people with dyslexia are born with a brain that has difficulty interpreting written information. However, dyslexia can develop as a result of a brain injury or dementia.

Dyslexia isn’t related to a person’s intelligence. People of all intellectual abilities may be affected by dyslexia. Just because someone has difficulty processing written information doesn’t mean they don’t understand the concepts.

Genetics may play a role in the development of dyslexia. While the exact cause of the condition is unknown, research is ongoing to further clarify its origin and treatment.

Signs

While no single test can diagnose dyslexia, a doctor will look at a range of signs and symptoms. Information from family history, medical history, reading evaluations, psychological testing, and other factors provide the basis for a diagnosis.

Here are some common signs of dyslexia:

* Reading or writing slowly

* Writing letters in the wrong order

* Difficulty telling similar letters or words apart

* Problems spelling

* Difficulty planning and organizing

* Avoidance of activities that involve reading

* Problems remembering sequences

Support

Early identification of dyslexia is vital, especially for young children. With the right support, most individuals can be successful in school and at work. Effective treatment involves providing a supportive environment and individualized instruction to teach techniques that make reading easier. These include:

* Helping a child use multiple senses to identify written words

* Tutoring sessions with a reading specialist

* A school Individual Education Program (IEP) that guarantees learning support

* Reading aloud to children and having them practice reading aloud

* Utilizing technology to aid reading and writing

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Drowsy Driving: Know The Signs

WELL-BEING

Drowsy driving is the combination of driving a vehicle and being overly tired. It might happen if you didn’t sleep well the night before. It can also happen if you take medicines that make you tired. Sometimes people who work long shifts or the night shift are drowsy when they drive home from work.

What’s the big deal?

Experts believe drowsy driving causes tens of thousands of car crashes each year.

Driving when you’re drowsy is a lot like driving drunk. Drowsy driving can:

* Make you less aware and less attentive

* Slow down your reaction time

* Make it hard for you to make decisions while you’re on the road

How do I know if I’m drowsy?

Signs of being too tired to drive include:

* Yawning or blinking a lot

* Not being able to remember some of your trip

* Missing your turn or exit

* Drifting out of your lane or off the road

* Hitting rumble strips

What to do

If you think you’re driving while drowsy, pull over in a safe place. If you can, get some coffee or a caffeinated drink. Then lock the doors and take a 15- to 20-minute nap in your vehicle. The caffeine and nap combination may help you be more alert.

Opening the windows and loud music don’t help you stay awake. When your body needs sleep, it will do almost anything to get it.

Prevent drowsy driving

The best way to prevent crashes from drowsy driving is to:

1. Get enough sleep. If you can’t get the sleep you need, have someone else drive you to your destination.

2. See your doctor if you think you might have a sleep disorder.

3. Never drink alcohol before driving.

4. Never take medicines that make you drowsy before driving.

Sources: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Sleep Foundation

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Safe Travels

WELL-BEING

COVID has changed many things in recent years, including the way we travel. No one wants to end up sick on vacation or pass an infection to those around them. Thankfully, there are ways to make travel safer for everyone. A few simple precautions are all it takes.

* Get updated on your vaccines, including COVID and any specific vaccines recommended by your destination country.

* Check the COVID situation at your destination. If community spread is high, you may want to take extra precautions.

* Find out if there are any testing, vaccine, or other documentation requirements at any stage of your journey.

* While masks are not required everywhere, the CDC recommends masking up on public transportation.

* Consider getting a COVID test when you return if you were in an area with a high risk of exposure.

* Be patient and flexible. Everyone wants to get to their destination safely.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Seven Ways To Cure Workaholism

Stress Management

Time off is good behavior, especially for people who work, work, work, all the time. When work overpowers all other activity, stress develops. Long hours, with little relief, generally leads to:

* Less productivity or inefficiency.

* Neglected family and social life.

* Distorted concepts of what’s important and what’s not.

So often, though, a workaholic is the last to realize a problem exists. People who have trouble separating themselves from their jobs may feel that their personal worth is measured by how much they produce at work and little else.

Ask your spouse or a close friend if they think you’re a workaholic. If the answer is yes, here are some ways to create a healthier balance between work and play.

Gradually cut down the number of hours you work each day or week.

Avoid radical changes, but take measurable steps, like making it a rule not to work on weekends. (If that means you have to cut your workload proportionally by skipping unimportant tasks or delegating some work, so be it.)

Plan time for recreation in your schedule as though it were an important commitment.

(It is.) Set aside some time for fun, however brief, every day.

Get some physical exercise every day.

Take a walk, do some stretching, or participate in some other nonstressful, noncompetitive activity.

Avoid talking shop over lunch.

Go on a picnic or meet an old friend and talk about something unrelated to work.

Choose a hobby that contrasts with the kind of work you do.

If you work on highly technical mental problems all day, take up a handicraft hobby like woodworking or needlework. If you stay indoors all day, take up an outdoor activity like gardening or bicycling.

Select leisure activities carefully.

You need at least one activity you can share with family or friends.

Refuse to feel guilty when you’re not working.

This is probably the most important step of all.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Do A Digital Detox

Stress Management

Overuse of electronic devices and our interactions with them can contribute to chronic stress. Consider taking a digital detox retreat, where you remove all electronic devices and reconnect with yourself and nature. Explore ecotherapy, or connecting with and immersing yourself in nature. Ecotherapy has proven to help some people manage symptoms of anxiety and depression.

Be More Earth-Friendly

Much of the energy that powers homes comes from fossil fuels, which contribute to global warming. Unplug electronics when you are not using them to reduce energy use and carbon emissions.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
“Rehearse” For Stressful Events

Stress Management

If you’ve ever mentally rehearsed a speech before you gave it, you may already have some idea of how advance playacting can help you prepare for stressful situations. (Athletes, musicians, salespeople, and actors do it all the time.) The idea is to imagine yourself feeling calm and confident in an otherwise stressful situation so you can relax more easily when the situation arises. Here’s how it’s done.

* Close your eyes and unwind, releasing every bit of muscular tension your body has accumulated.

* For a minute or two, concentrate on simply feeling relaxed.

* For the next minute or so, think of yourself actually doing whatever you’re practicing for rather than observing yourself doing it.

* Concentrate again on feelings of calmness.

* Visualize the event once again, and re-create as many details as possible. (What is the setting? What are you wearing? Who else is present?)

* Imagine yourself continuing to feel calm as you successfully handle the anticipated situation.

* Imagine a positive outcome-your boss congratulating you on a job well done, your spouse volunteering to pitch in around the house, and so forth.

Use this technique to prepare for any stressful situation-your performance review, a confrontation with your spouse, or other tense occasion. Practice twice a day for 5 minutes each time (preferably when you first wake up in the morning and when you’re ready to go to sleep at night). Imagining that you’re confident and successful increases the likelihood that you will be confident and successful in real life, because you’re creating new mental pictures of yourself. After practicing regularly for a few weeks to prepare for various events, you’ll be able to relax when the real situations occur.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Use Your Imagination To Unwind

Stress Management

Imagination can make a cloudy day sunny-and overpower stress. Here are three ways to create mental pictures that offset daily stressors.

Music

Choose a recording you find soothing. Find a quiet, calming environment in which to listen to it. Feel yourself become part of this calming environment of sound, a physical extension of every note. If your thoughts stray, simply release them and refocus on the music. When the music ends, compare the way you feel to how you felt before listening to it. (You should feel more relaxed.)

Colors

Imagine two colors, one (like bright red) representing tension, and the other (like pale blue) representing relaxation. Close your eyes and imagine that your muscles are the “tense” color. Then imagine each muscle changing to the “relaxation” color. End the exercise by imagining that your entire body is now a vivid hue of the relaxation color (like vivid blue), symbolizing complete relaxation.

Paint a picture

If you have trouble visualizing abstract concepts like tension and relaxation, substitute concrete images that connote these feelings. Use symbols that can interact, like jagged rocks to symbolize tension and rolling waves to symbolize relaxation. Then imagine the waves slowly smoothing out the surface of the rocks. An alternative: Imagine warm sunlight (relaxation) gradually melting icicles (tension) until they disappear.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
A Routine Checkup

Medical Exams

A routine checkup from a doctor or health care provider is a way to find out your health status. It allows you to ask questions, too. It also helps you find out if you have a health problem you don’t know about. Some diseases, such as high blood pressure and some cancers, may not have symptoms in the early stages. Tests and exams can help detect these.

The Basic Parts of a Checkup

* A complete medical history. This includes family health history, past illnesses, and current problems.

* A check on how well your eyes, ears, heart, bowels, etc. function.

* A check of your blood pressure, pulse, temperature, etc.

* A medical exam.

* Possible routine tests for your conditions, gender, or age, such as blood tests or X-rays.

* A check of specific health concerns.

* Vaccinations, as needed.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Anger

Mental Health

Anger is a natural response to frustration and/or events that cause displeasure. Too much or pent up anger can play a role in mental and physical problems. Chronic anger can lead to illnesses, drug and alcohol problems, headaches, domestic violence, etc. Anger turned inward can result in depression. Anger can also be a symptom of depression.

Studies have found that anger and depression can increase the risk for heart disease, high blood pressure, and stroke.

Angry outbursts can cause relationship problems with others. On the other hand, learning to manage anger and frustration can enhance emotional well-being and lead to a healthier, happier life.

Signs & Symptoms

Anger can range from mild displeasure to outright rage. Symptoms of anger include:

* Feeling restless.

* Teeth clenching. Trembling of the lips or hands.

* Increased heart rate and blood pressure.

* Yelling, slamming doors, etc.

* Being less productive.

* Sleeping problems.

* Violent outbursts.

Causes

Unmet expectations can cause anger. So can feeling frustrated and disrespect from others. Physical pain and discomfort from heat, noise, crowds, etc., can provoke an anger response. Low blood sugar can do this, too.

Treatment

Self-care measures can help in most cases. When these are not enough, an evaluation from a doctor or mental health care provider may be needed. Treatment will depend on the cause.

Questions to Ask

Self-Care / Prevention

* Don’t ignore anger. Express it in a healthy way.

– Share your angry feelings with a person you trust and feel safe with, such as a friend, partner, teacher, etc.

– Get the anger “off your chest.” Do this calmly and without being cruel. Tell persons you feel angry with how they have upset you. You will likely start to feel better.

– If you can’t express your anger out loud, write it down.

* Express your wants, needs, and feelings, in ways that do not offend others. Doing so can keep you from feeling that you were taken advantage of and getting angry as a result. Use “I” rather than “you” statements. For example, say “I get angry when I feel put down by your comments in front of our friends.” Don’t say, “You make me angry when you put me down in front of our friends.”

* List reasons and times when you have too much anger. Note if there are any patterns to your anger and if they can be changed.

* Channel the energy from anger into something positive or creative. Clean out drawers. Take a short walk or do other exercises. Paint, write poems, etc.

* Distract yourself. If you’re stuck in traffic, try to accept the delay and that it is beyond your control. Instead of clenching the steering wheel, play pleasant music on the radio or listen to tapes or CDs that are calming.

* To lessen anger outbursts, think of what will happen as a result of your anger.

* Find humor in situations that result in anger.

* Practice learning to lighten up.

* Use stress management techniques on a routine basis.

* Think before you act or speak. Try to understand your anger. Plan how you want to react or respond.

* Eat healthy foods. Eat at regular times.

Resources

Mental Health America (MHA)

800.969.6642

www.mentalhealthamerica.net

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026
Parenting Issues

Mental Health

Parents face many issues in raising children. Issues focus on seeing that the children are:

* Safe

* Cared for (physically and emotionally)

* Taught right from wrong

* Guided to deal with the stresses of life stages in order to learn how to become independent adults

Parenting is not easy. Being an effective parent takes know how, time, and commitment. All parents face problems from time to time in dealing with their children. However, when problems become the “norm” and they frequently interfere with your life or your children’s lives, you may want to consider professional help.

Questions to Ask

Self-Help

* Take courses in effective parenting, such as Systematic Training for Effective Parenting (STEP) and STEP of Teens. Check local community education programs for places where these are offered.

* Follow the principles generally agreed upon by professionals to be important in effective parenting:

– Unconditional love. This means that you love your child without exception and you let your child know this. Unconditional love is always present even when the child has misbehaved. Let your child know when you do not like their behavior, but that you love them.

– Constructive discipline. Set and stick to specific standards of behavior. This is an important part of readying your child to adjust to the world. Discipline should take the form of “do’s” rather than “don’ts.” Carry through with consequences when you say you will. Don’t make idle threats. Discipline should be:

1. Consistent – Don’t undermine your spouse and don’t change what is or isn’t acceptable behavior from one day to the next.

2. Clear – Tell the child specific rules to follow and the consequences of not following these rules.

3. Private – Do not publicly humiliate your child.

4. Reasonable – Give the child a reason they can understand.

5. Flexible – Take your child’s point of view into account.

6. Independence promoting – Allow your child an expanding role in decision making.

7. Authoritative – Make a decision and stick to it.

* Make time for your children. This includes playing, talking, listening, and teaching them how to do things around the house in addition to family activities.

* Make time for your spouse (if applicable) and yourself. It is an easier job to be an effective parent when you and your partner have a solid, loving relationship. Also, make time for yourself and do something you enjoy. This will help you avoid being overwhelmed. Children need to know that everyone in the family is important and that they are not the center of the household.

* Teach right from wrong. Parents need to teach basic values and manners so the children will function well in society. Be honest and show respect, moral values, and kindness in dealing with your children.

* Listen. Good communication between parent and child is vital. It lets children feel that their ideas and feelings are important. Even if you don’t agree with them, don’t criticize their ideas. However, reinforce the idea that even though the two of you may have differing opinions on certain subjects, certain behaviors will not be acceptable (i.e., taking drugs, drinking, etc.).

* Guide your children. When they have problems, offer them “suggestions” rather than “should do’s” or “better not do’s.” This encourages them to find their own solutions.

* Be realistic. Expect to make mistakes and allow your children to make mistakes. Be aware that they have many outside influences to deal with, such as peer pressure, which may conflict with your teachings.

* Praise your children. Give compliments to your children for doing something well.

Special Parenting Concerns

In today’s complicated world, life or death issues now face parents in raising their children. These include:

* Drug/alcohol abuse

* AIDS

* Random violence

Raising children is complex. It requires a range of skills and knowledge. Today’s parents must have a firm handle on how to effectively deal with their children regarding the concerns listed above. The following suggestions can help parents understand these special parenting concerns.

* Educate yourself. Learn all you can about the subjects in the previous column by reading and talking to professionals who deal with these topics.

* Know the warning signs of drug and alcohol use

– Abrupt change in mood, attitude, or appearance

– Decline in performance and/or attendance at school or work

– Resistance to disciple and/or “authority” figures

– Withdrawal from family and/or friends

– Recurrent fights

– Increased borrowing (or stealing) of money from parents, siblings, employer

– Replacing old, stable friends with new, unstable ones

* Educate your children. Make them aware of the many dangers of drug/alcohol abuses and unsafe sexual practices. Talk to them about AIDS and how to prevent it through abstinence or safe sex. If it is not easy for you to talk to your child about these issues, arrange for other knowledgeable and caring persons to do so.

* Communicate. Talk to your children and let them know that they can count on you in a crisis.

© American Institute for Preventive Medicine

January 23, 2026