Q: I am a 24-year-old mother who just started attending university this semester and I have a seven-year-old son. What I have noticed with him is that he has problems with phonics. He can't break up the words into pieces to try and pronounce them.
I really think he is slow for his age in terms of his reading ability. When I'm helping him he doesn't even try, he just sits there and decides that he is not going to at least try. Every time I put schoolwork to him he frowns at me. If I allow him, he would watch cartoons all day. I have to be honest. I sometimes do not put in the work I should with him from he was younger, because school took up a lot of my time. I'm often frustrated because of his inability to read well for his age.
A: Before you continue to worry just take a deep breath and take your son to a reading specialist and have him tested. The specialist will recommend a reading approach that will best suit his reading needs. If the reading specialist refers you to a psychologist for a more comprehensive assessment, please remember to ask the psychologist to schedule a meeting with the person who will be teaching your son and yourself, so that a plan of how to meet his psychological and academic needs will be fully met. You must also remember that you are in charge of your son's life. Encourage him to be obedient by rewarding good behaviours and reprimanding bad behaviours. Remember parenting will mean giving up some things that you will want to do, to make your child a better person. Be firm and give him hugs and kisses.
Q: Do we have children who have schizophrenia in Jamaica and can we help these children?
A: Schizophrenia is a chronic, debilitating mental illness that causes people to experience the world differently than most other people do. Consequently, the way they communicate and behave often appears to be disorganised, illogical, detached, imaginary or paranoid.
Childhood schizophrenia is rare. If a child is schizophrenic, special plans for treatment, educational needs, emotional and social development, family relationships will have to be considered. Medications and mental health-care services can help families manage the disease and learn strategies to cope with the effects of childhood schizophrenia, and address other needs of the child.
Q: I have a four-year-old son, whose penis has not been circumcised or rolled back. I am really scared because, he has been complaining that his penis is hurting. I tried several times without success to roll back the skin on his penis. I am wondering if there is something else I can do, as the head of the penis seems glued and just a little hole visible. I do not want him to be circumcised. Please, advise me.
A: Even though we are not medical specialists, our job is to guide you to get help. You need to take your son to a paediatrician right away so the child medical specialist can determine if you need even further specialist medical help.
When you have kids, you get the full package: runny nose, nausea, diarrhoea, gripe and a slew of testy troubles that come with early childhood.The Gleaner's health specialist, Dr Orlean Brown-Earle, has all the answers. Email questions to helpline@gleanerjm.com or send to Ask the Doc, c/o The Gleaner Company, 7 North Street, Kingston.
