International nursing day commemorated

A two-day commemoration of International Nursing Day was organized at King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Jeddah Center for children with disabilities with the cooperation of the Ministry of Health and Al-Watan charitable organization.
The aim of the event was to remember the importance of the nurses’ work and their services, which they provide at hospitals, nursing homes and clinics.
“We organize this day every year at our premises to spread awareness about what nurses do and how they take care of children. We also thank our nurses for the good care they are providing to our patients,” said Fawaz Omar Shami, general manager at the disabled children association.
The program included different activities for disabled children, parents, doctors, nurses and medical students. Various clinics put up their stalls and corners to spread awareness and there was a free medical checkup desk as well as consultation clinics from government hospitals for eyes, women pregnancy care, breast cancer, and pediatrician for the visitors. A blood donation camp, a fast services competition between nurses, face painting, games for children and medical students, and lectures for parents and medical students were also organized. The lectures were delivered by several doctors from various hospitals and clinics.
The disabled children association King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Jeddah Center is the only charity center in Jeddah that accepts physically disabled children. The center accepts only Saudi children up to 11 years of age.
Dr. Muneera Balahmar, head of the primary health care and primary health education departments at the Ministry of Health, explained in her lecture the reasons, symptoms, causes, and treatment of breast cancer and how to do a self checkup.
“Certain factors increase the risk of breast cancer, like smoking, not breastfeeding your children, family history, and late menstrual cycle. The symptoms of breast cancer are change in breast shape, lump, skin dimpling, change in skin color and texture, and any fluid secretion,” said Dr. Balahmar.
She also said that when breast cancer first occurs, there may be no symptoms at all. Lumps and tumors may not be visible until damage has been done. Breast cancer symptoms are common to a number of other unrelated and non-serious conditions apart from breast cancer.
“Breast cancer is a curable disease, and early diagnose is important. Eating fresh fruits and vegetables, adhering to a healthy diet and daily exercise are also important to prevent any health problems,” Dr. Balahmar added.
Dr. Hanan Ayoub, pediatrician, allergist and monologist, explained how serious it is to keep an eye on the growth and development of children. She explained the difference between normal growth and growth of disabled children.
“Actually, it starts before or during pregnancy, when the mother’s health is important, so mothers should avoid smoking and prevent any toxic material intake. A regular checkup is also very important to keep the baby safe from any infection, because some infections are the main factors for any complications, especially in the first trimester. Nutritional health is also very important during pregnancy as well as after the birth of the child,” she explained.
Mothers should deliver their babies in well-equipped hospitals to avoid any complications that lead to hypoxia, problems in the brain, or anything that can affect the baby’s normal growth. The parameters of growth are height, weight and head circumference, and are particularly important to be observed.
“The growth and development of the child is extremely valuable, so the parents should know about the normal behavior of the children,” Dr. Ayoub commented.
Dr. Ayman Gunaim, consultant of ophthalmology and specialist of pediatric eyes diseases, explained the importance of vision, regular checkups in children, diagnose eye problems in children, vision disorders among children, and how to refer to hospitals.
He explained the problems of vision in children, the main point on this issue and guidance to parents for children. He also gave some instructions to the nurses on how to take care of the cases and on which points they have to stress while screening the children.
“Sometimes the kids complain of having the problem, but other times they don’t. It is the responsibility of parents, teachers and even the health consultant to watch the kids while watching TV or reading to see how close they are keeping the book from their eyes. The other thing is abnormal eye deviation, which can cause poor vision. Parents should watch head posture of the children while watching TV or anything. If parents notice any head tilt, they should seek medical advice. If there is any family history of hereditary eye diseases, parents should keep an eye on children to avoid any problem in the future,” said Dr. Gunaim.