Q: My six-year-old daughter continues to suck her thumb. It is quite an embarrassment for us. How do we stop this bad habit? — G.M.

A: Thumb sucking is normal in infants. If it persists in older children, it makes the child appear immature and may interfere with normal alignment of the teeth. Like other disorders, it can be seen as a way of securing extra self-assurance. The best way to deal with thumb sucking is to provide the child with evidence of interest in his or her wellbeing and other forms of satisfaction. Parents should ignore the symptoms if possible while giving attention to more positive aspects of the child’s behavior. The child who actively tries to stop thumb sucking should be given praise and encouragement.

Q: I regularly take the following vitamins and minerals as a part for dieting. I want the replacement names for each item so that I can buy them in Saudi Arabia: Cobadex CZS, Riconia Silver, Recharge Plus, Maxepa, Troyvit D3, Acucal and Nurokind LC. — V.V.

A: All the medicines which you have named are Indian medicines. We do not know whether they are homeopathic or ayurvedic. My suggestion to you is to take all these medicines with their pharmaceutical names to a qualified pharmacist and get his opinion regarding their availability in Saudi Arabia.

Q: My CBC from a clinic in Riyadh showed I had 1893 mg/dL triglycerides in July. After 27 days of Lipanthyl 145mg and some adjustments to my diet, another hospital reported my CBC to be normal in terms of lipids so I stopped the medication. I was so worried about the first result that I became very curious about any possible side-effects of either triglycerides and Lipanthyl. Maybe I was overly concerned as I had what I now think were panic attacks on two occasions, both of which I thought were heart-related. I had an ECG which ruled out heart problems. Lung x-rays and asthma tests suggest no problem in the respiratory system; but I am still finding difficulty in breathing. The cardiologist I consulted told me that triglycerides do not cause blockage of vessels. Could he have just said that to counter my negative thinking because he sensed how tense I was while recent test results were negative? I am not hypertensive. Please advise. — M.

A: High triglycerides are more dangerous than cholesterol. High triglycerides will cause atherosclerosis. Your first result showed very high value 1893 mg/dL. This kind of high value happens if there is a hereditary or familial disease or it may be a lab error. You should have rechecked your triglyceride value again before starting the medication. Anyway, the second report turned out to be normal and you should be relaxed.

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