Celeste Botonakis - NursingAssistantGuides.com

Celeste Botonakis

Author Archives: Celeste Botonakis

On the Nursing Assistant Guides blog, certified medical assistant Celeste Botonakis explores the daily life of a CMA. She'll keep you up-to-date with the latest on what’s happening in the field, and provides tips for those who are interested in becoming a medical or nursing assistant. Celeste has served in the medical field for over six years, and is passionate about helping people. She currently works at CSR Primary Care in Skokie, Illinois. Click here to learn more about Celeste Botonakis and NursingAssistantGuides.com.

Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Week

The primary purpose of Congenital Heart Defect Awareness day is to raise awareness of congenital heart defect (CHD) which is actually the most common birth defect. It affects approximately 1% of new-borns with more than 40,000 babies born with heart defects in the United States each year. Every day, a little over 10,800 babies in the US are born and 411 of them have some type of birth defect. Out of the 411 with birth defects, 87 will be born with a congenital heart defect. This number is more than cerebral palsy (27), Down syndrome (12), sickle cell disease (27) and oral/facial clefts (11). This is according to the March of Dimes.

World Leprosy Day

World Leprosy Day is annually observed around the world on the last Sunday of January. The day was initiated in 1954 by French philanthropist and writer, Raoul Follereau, as a way to raise global awareness of this deadly ancient disease and call attention to the fact that it can be prevented, treated and cured. Doctors and other medical professionals spend time talking to the public about how to recognize the symptoms of leprosy. Seminars are held around the world to address the problems faced by leprosy patients and to find ways to reduce the social stigma faced by them.

National Blood Donor Month

Each January we celebrate you, our dedicated blood and platelet donors, during National Blood Donor Month. We couldn’t carry out our lifesaving mission without you. As we begin the New Year, the Red Cross encourages individuals to resolve to roll up a sleeve to give this month and throughout 2018. Blood donors bring hope and promise to hospital patients who may need blood for their very life. Donors are people like you who play a vital role in modern health care by helping ensure hospitals have blood for patients.

Older Driver Safety Awareness

Driving helps older adults—persons 65 and older—stay mobile and independent. However, as we age, declines in vision and cognition (ability to reason and remember), and physical changes may affect driving. Certain medical problems such as heart disease, dementia, sleep disorders, and limited hearing and vision place older adults at an increased risk of car crashes. Additionally, medicines, both prescription and over the counter, such as those used for sleep, mood, pain, and/or allergies among others may affect driving safety.

Birth Control Pills & Breast Cancer

Nearly 10 million American women use oral contraceptives, including about 1.5 million who rely on them for reasons other than birth control. The number of women in the United States with intrauterine devices, many of which release hormones, has grown in recent years, as has the number of women using other types of hormonal contraceptive implants. Many women have believed that newer hormonal contraceptives are much safer than those taken by their mothers or grandmothers, which had higher doses of estrogen.

Sleep & Your Healh

You’re tired. You could put your head down on a desk right now and fall asleep immediately. You went to bed late last night, had trouble falling asleep and woke up too early. And let’s not kid ourselves. Reality is quite different. Sleep is often one of the first things to go when people feel pressed for time. Many view sleep as a luxury and think that the benefits of limiting the hours they spend asleep outweigh the costs. People often overlook the potential long-term health consequences of insufficient sleep, and the impact that health problems can ultimately have on one’s time and productivity.

National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month

November has been designated National Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month. It is a time to spread awareness about this disease that affects nearly two million Americans today. An estimated five million Americans are affected by Alzheimer’s disease. This number is expected to increase to 60 million by 2050 in the U.S. alone. What is more distressing isn’t the fact that it is an incurable disease or that there are limited treatment options, but that Alzheimer’s disease has an insidious onset, often not being recognized until it is too late.

Shingles

About one out of three Americans will develop shingles, which is caused by the same virus that triggers chickenpox. Although anyone who’s had chickenpox is at risk for shingles at any point in their life, about half of all cases involve people 60 or older, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The main symptom is a painful rash that develops on one side of the face or body, with blisters that scab over in about a week. The only way to reduce the risk is to get vaccinated, so the CDC recommends people 60 and older get the shingles vaccine regardless of whether or not they recall having had chickenpox.

Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month

In October 1988, President Ronald Reagan proclaimed October as National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month. This Month recognizes the loss so many parents experience across the United States snd around the world. It is also meant to inform and provide resources for parents who have lost children due to miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, molar pregnancy, stillbirths, birth defects, SIDS, and other causes. Too many families grieve in silence, sometimes never coming to terms with their loss.

National Down Syndrome Awareness Month

October is Down Syndrome Awareness Month, a chance to spread awareness. During the month of October, we celebrate people with Down syndrome and make people aware of their abilities and accomplishments. It’s not about celebrating disabilities, it’s about celebrating abilities. Better understanding of Down syndrome and early interventions can greatly increase the quality of life for children and adults with this disorder and help them live fulfilling lives.

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