In April we asked for your input and comments on ways for us to measure how well our nation’s health care system is doing in achieving “widespread interoperability,” as required by the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA). Separate from the provisions that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has […]
The post Measuring Interoperability: Listening and Learning appeared first on Health IT Buzz.
When are symptoms due to a medical condition, and when are they just a part of life? That’s the question that came to mind as I read about “computer vision syndrome.”
Before considering the health hazards of working long hours in front of a computer screen, it’s worth asking what a syndrome is. In medicine we often use the word syndrome to describe a group of features, such as symptoms, examination findings or test results, that tend to occur together but without a clear enough understanding of their cause to be considered a specific disease.
Some syndromes are described by the part of the body involved: carpal tunnel syndrome, for example, is caused by the compression of a nerve in a narrow part of the wrist called the carpal tunnel. Other syndromes are named for the person or persons who were among the first to describe them: Down syndrome is a genetic disorder named for the British physician Dr. John Langdon Down, who described it in 1862 — well before its cause (an extra copy of chromosome 21) was recognized. Still others are named for the problems they cause. For example, restless legs syndrome” tells you a lot about the symptoms that people with this condition experience. But in many cases, the difference between calling a condition a “syndrome” and simply describing a cluster of symptoms is more about language than about science or medicine.
My medical dictionary lists more than 600 conditions as “syndromes.” Well, now we can add one more: a recently published report describes a new syndrome: “computer vision syndrome.” This is a condition increasingly recognized among people working long hours on a computer who complain of eye problems including:
Symptoms may be severe enough to interfere with continued computer work.
The authors of the report suggest that up to 70 million people worldwide are at risk for computer vision syndrome. And this number is likely to grow, considering the large (and increasing) numbers of students and employees who rely on their computers for many hours each day. According to the researchers, up to 90% of people who use a computer for prolonged periods of time will report one or more of these symptoms. And that’s not counting other health problems linked to extensive computer use, including back, neck, and shoulder pain; carpal tunnel syndrome; and headaches. Together, it’s enough to make you view an ordinary computer as a potential health hazard.
The authors of this paper suggest several explanations for computer vision syndrome:
There are a number of ways to combat computer vision syndrome:
Computer vision syndrome may be the newest technology-related threat to public health, but new syndromes related to changes in how we work and play is nothing new. I recall a form of tendinitis called “Blackberry thumb” being described as a “scourge” in 2005, when texting on the new wireless device was becoming common. It’s a reminder that as our technology changes, some impact on our health is probably inevitable.
And whether we consider it a new disease, a new syndrome, or just a part of working long hours in front of a computer screen, the most important thing is to recognize the problems described by computer vision syndrome and take measures to prevent and treat them. That’s particularly true because computer vision syndrome may be the latest technology-related syndrome to be described, but it probably won’t be the last.
The post The times, they are a-changin’ (and bringing new syndromes) appeared first on Harvard Health Blog.
A few weeks ago we brought you a guide to learning to ride a bike in London as an adult. Now, with the school holidays rapidly approaching (whoop to a quieter commute!) we felt it was a good time to bring together some resources for cycling with children in London. It may seem like the sort of place that is inhospitable to children learning to ride, but it needn’t be.
The principles of learning as an adult are taken from advice you get given when teaching children to ride. As with most things in life, it is about patience and preparation. Making sure you have a bike that fits your child correctly is incredibly important, not just for their enjoyment but for their growing bodies.
The most important thing about teaching a child to ride a bike is instilling them with confidence initially. To do this it helps if the child rides a good bike that is going to help them learn, rather than drag them down. For older children it is worth having some gears as it is worth having them learn how to use these early. Having gears will also make it easier to cycle further and over varied terrain – the main point of learning to ride is learning to love cycling after all!
Frog bikes are great for kids as they are lightweight and handle fairly similarly to adult bikes. However they do have some safety features that make them safe to learn on. Therefore they are great for beginners and allow for a quick transition to a larger bike. They are also pretty fun, if only adult bikes came in that range of colours and with matching accessories, the cycle commuting world would be a happier place!
As children grow so quickly, the Frog bikes are great as they don’t lose their resale value as much as other bikes, probably because they are so well made in the first place. This means that buying new and reselling is an option. Also good value, they come with two sets of tyres so the bike can comfortably be ridden on or off road.
If you want to check out the Frog bikes and test ride them, Lunar Cycles in Kentish Town has the balance bike, first pedal bike and hybrid bikes in a full size range. They also have all the accessories you may need to go with them. As an extra bonus, Lunar Cycles is on a quite alley with a very quiet road and a park within walking distance so is a great place to try out some new bikes.
After getting children confident and comfortable on a bike, the next most important thing is the get them safe on one. Even if you don’t really intend for a child to cycle on roads all that often, or at all, proper cycle training is definitely a good idea, especially as it is free for most people living in London.
Bikeability training may be offered in schools to groups but can also be taken as a 1-2-1 course. This is the training that used to be called cycling proficiency in the 90’s. The idea has since been improved to include 3 levels which allow the trainee to work up to be able to cope with complex traffic situations as would be found on many London roads.
Cycle Confident are the providers of bikeability cycling skills training in many London boroughs for children and adults. You can chose to do a 1-2-1 session or something else like a family cycling session if that is you goal. You can also find information about cycle training and the three different levels over on TfL’s website
There are lots of traffic free routes in and around London which would be suitable for family rides. The canals are good, but they can get a little congested at the weekend. As they are narrow as well they are probably a good route for children who are already confident at handling their bikes and knowing what to do around other cyclists and pedestrians. The canals are great for bird watching though!
Parks are the traditional choice for budding cyclists and London has some great ones, Hyde Park and Victoria Park are just two which spring to mind. There are also the marshes in East London and the paths along the Thames. Don’t forget to check out our route planning guide as it can help as well.
There is a pretty awesome Sustrans book which compiles 150 different traffic-free cycle routes around the country, which are great for anyone to ride, but especially families. There are 5 in Greater London and many more within a short train or car ride.
What is your experience cycling with children in London?
