JANUARY 2014
FEATURE STORY:
FAMILY READING CLUB
U.S POSTAGE PAID
POSTAL CUSTOMER
PERMIT NO. 9227
Also Inside:
The Five Essential Components of Reading Overcoming Reading Struggles
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THE READING ISSUE
CONTENTS FEATURES
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The Five Essential Components of Reading
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Family Reading Club Overcoming Reading Struggles Family Day At the Library
MONTHLY DEPARTMENTS 06
Community Profile Newborns receive special welcome during Children's Book Week
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Dear Doctor Sponsored By UT Physicians at Sienna Village
Top: Clean out your closets for the Elkins High School VIPS/PTO clothing drive fundraiser. Items can be dropped off
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Business Directory
at the Lowes in Missouri City parking lot from 9-1 on Saturday, January 18 or during school hours prior to January 18. Donate any condition used or like new clothing (all sizes), towels, sheets, pillowcases, comforters, purses, belts, bags, small toys, stuffed animals, any fabric or material. The items will be sold to a textile recycling company to raise funds to beautify the Elkins HS patio and to purchase a digital marquee. To find additional early drop off locations or for more information, visit www.elkinsvips.org Bottom: Fort Bend Symphony Orchestra combines history and music to present Six Flags over Texas on Sunday, Feb. 2 beginning at 2 p.m. at the Stafford Centre. Featured music represents Spain, France, Mexico, the Republic of
Sienna Plantation News is an advertiser-supported publication wholly owned by Community Magazines
Texas and the United States. Music Director Dr. Héctor Agüero will share more background on the musical selections
LLC, publishers of custom pubblications for narrowly focused audiences. There is no affiliation with Sienna
during an informal “Beyond the Baton” talk beginning in the theatre at 1:30 p.m. Reserved seats for adults begin at $12
Plantation Residential Association Inc. or Johnson Development.
with discounts for adults 55 and over, students, military and groups of 10 or more. Children 12 and under are free with
Send correspondence to: Community Magazines LLC, 2245 Texas Drive, Suite 300, Sugar Land, Texas 77479
a reserved ticket. Order tickets at fbso.org or by calling (281) 276.9642.
To advertise in Sienna Plantation News, contact Denise Williams: (281)566-2527 or communitynews@entouch.net
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Houston’s First Baptist Church is now in
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Life Bible Studies @ 9:30 & 11a Worship Services @ 9:30 & 11a Houston’s First The Loop
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Noninvasive treatments can relieve pelvic floor problems
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ommon pelvic floor disorders are urinary incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse and bowel incontinence. Many women are embarrassed to discuss these conditions with their doctors or they think their symptoms are a normal part of aging. In reality, effective noninvasive treatments exist that can alleviate the difficulties these disorders present. “One-third of all women and 50 percent of women over 55 are affected by pelvic floor disorders,” said Apurva B. Pancholy, M.D., a Memorial Hermann Southwest Hospital-affiliated physician who is board certified in female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery. This new medical specialty combines expertise in urology and gynecology to provide women with a more holistic approach and comprehensive care for conditions that cause pelvic pain and limit activity. The pelvic floor consists of the muscles, ligaments and connective tissue that support a woman’s pelvic organs, including the bladder, uterus, vagina, rectum and urethra. Common pelvic floor problems include urinary and bowel leakage, urgency and constipation, pelvic organ prolapse and sexual dysfunction, including vaginal dryness and painful intercourse. Patients with pelvic floor disorders can experience a single symptom or a range of symptoms.
Apurva B. Pancholy, M.D., shown here explaining a new treatment option for overactive bladder, is one of the few board-certified, fellowship-trained specialists in the Houston area in the emerging field of urogynecology. (Photo by Larry Pullen)
“Connective tissue can weaken with age, pregnancy and childbirth, menopause, a hysterectomy and obesity,” said Dr. Pancholy. “This is something we see more in older women, but it also can happen in younger patients.” In fact, Dr. Pancholy recently helped a 32-year-old mother of three and teacher who was suffering from urinary incontinence. “She is on her feet a lot and has infrequent bathroom breaks, so when she really needed to urinate, it was a problem,” explained Dr. Pancholy. “She worked with our dedicated pelvic floor physical therapist at Memorial Hermann Southwest, underwent behavioral therapy and began a low-dose medication. She’s now symptom-free and has full control of her bladder.” Noninvasive Therapies First
When treating pelvic floor disorders, Dr. Pancholy always begins with noninvasive therapies. Lifestyle modification, such as avoiding bladder-irritating beverages, often improves urinary incontinence. A plastic pessary, inserted into the vagina to support the bladder and urethra, can aid continence. Physical therapy identifies and strengthens weak muscles. Women with pelvic organ prolapse frequently report a feeling of pelvic pressure and something bulging from their vagina. Symptoms are worse at the end of the day if they stand for extended periods. A 58-year-old woman, who works in retail, gained relief from pelvic organ prolapse symptoms and is now able to empty her bladder after Dr. Pancholy prescribed pelvic floor rehabilitation for her.
“When the pelvic floor organs are not in their normal position, this causes other symptoms,” said Dr. Pancholy. “If the bladder is prolapsed, you can’t empty your bladder completely or you can experience urinary incontinence. Physical therapy focuses on the offending muscles to tackle two problems: improving organ function and treating prolapse.” Patients usually engage in pelvic floor physical therapy once weekly for eight weeks. They are encouraged to continue the exercises at home to retain muscle tone and strength. Minimally Invasive Treatments
If symptoms do not improve with physical and behavioral therapies and medications, patients still have minimally invasive outpatient surgical options. “With Memorial Hermann Southwest’s state-of-the-art imaging technology and outstanding surgical facilities, we provide the most current services available for the diagnosis and management of pelvic floor disorders,” said Dr. Pancholy. “This is part of the hospital’s commitment to women and to raising awareness so that no one has to live with pelvic floor disorders.” For a physician referral, call 713.456.5348.
COMMUNITY PROFILE
Newborns Receive Special Welcome During Children's Book Week
In celebration of Children’s Book Week, January 19-25, Fort Bend County Libraries (FBCL) will continue its annual tradition of welcoming newborns to the wonders of books. Every Fort Bend County baby born during this week may receive a special baby book bag, courtesy of the Friends of Fort Bend County Library. Each bag contains a book, a bib, a special certificate, a list of suggested reading for children, and information on parenting and on library services. These bags represent the library system’s commitment to providing library services for county residents throughout their lives, beginning at birth. “We hope to start every child born in hospitals in Fort Bend County on a successful road to life-long learning,” says Susan King, Coordinator of Youth Services for FBCL. “We distribute the baby book bags to babies born during that week at OakBend Medical Center in Richmond, Memorial Hermann Sugar Land Hospital, Houton’s Methodist Sugar Land Hospital, and to babies cared for at AccessHealth, but ALL Fort Bend County babies who are born
during Children’s Book Week are eligible to receive one, while supplies last.” Families of Fort Bend babies born at other locations during Children’s Book Week should call the Youth Services department, at (281) 341-2634, to receive their book bag. Parents may introduce infants to the library by bringing them to Mother Goose Time, a free weekly parent/infant activity program that takes place at many of the branches in the Fort Bend County library system. As the children mature, other programs are designed to interest older children. For more information, call the library’s Public Information Office at (281) 341-2677. "You can make positive deposits in your own economy every day by reading and listening to powerful, positive, life-changing content and by associating with encouraging and hope-building people." - Zig Ziglar
Support Literacy Sitting around a kitchen table in 1987, a few committed individuals recognized the crippling effect of illiteracy and how teaching reading, writing and speaking skills can change people’s lives by opening to them a world of opportunity. Their vision became Literacy Volunteers of Fort Bend County, doing business as Literacy Council of Fort Bend County (LCFBC), a nonprofit organization dedicated to combating illiteracy in Fort Bend County. For 26 years, LCFBC has strived to fill gaps in literacy services for people who are in need, have the capabilities to learn, and the desire to move forward in life. Literacy Council of Fort Bend | 12530 Emily Court | Sugar Land, Texas 77478 | www.ftbendliteracy.org | (281) 240-8181
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The Five Essential Components of Reading U.S. Department of Education
Reading with children and helping them practice specific reading components can dramatically improve their ability to read. Scientific research shows that there are five essential components of reading that children must be taught in order to learn to read. Adults can help children learn to be good readers by systematically practicing these five components: Recognizing and using individual sounds to create words, or phonemic awareness. Children need to be taught to hear sounds in words and that words are made up of the smallest parts of sound, or phonemes. Understanding the relationships between written letters and spoken sounds, or phonics. Children need to be taught the sounds individual printed letters and groups of letters make. Knowing the relationships between letters and sounds helps children to recognize familiar words accurately and automatically, and "decode" new words. Developing the ability to read a text accurately and quickly, or reading fluency. Children must learn to read words rapidly and accurately in order to understand what is read. When fluent readers read silently, they recognize words automatically. When fluent readers read aloud, they read effortlessly and with expression. Readers who are weak in fluency read slowly, word by word, focusing on decoding words instead of comprehending meaning. Learning the meaning and pronunciation of words, or vocabulary development. Children need to actively build and expand their knowledge of written and spoken words, what they mean and how they are used. Acquiring strategies to understand, remember and communicate what is read, or reading comprehension strategies. Children need to be taught comprehension strategies, or the steps good readers use to make sure they understand text. Students who are in control of their own reading comprehension become purposeful, active readers.
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“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go.� - Dr. Seuss, I Can Read With My Eyes Shut!
Family Reading Club Sponsored By the Fort Bend County Library The popularity of Fort Bend County Libraries’ Summer Reading Clubs for children, teens, and adults inspired the library system to add a similar program for families during the winter season. The Family Reading Club will begin on Sunday, January 19, and will continue for six weeks through March 1, at all branches in the Fort Bend County library system. This six-week program is designed to encourage families to read, learn, and have fun together. All Fort Bend County families are eligible to participate. “The best way to help children learn new words and to build a larger vocabulary is to talk and read with them,” says Susan King, Coordinator of Youth Services for the library system. “Children hear more new words when you read books to them.” Families that complete the program by reading 36 books or for 6 hours – 6 books per week or for 60 minutes per week – are eligible to receive a book bag for the family, and will have their name entered into a drawing for a $50 dining gift card, donated by the Friends of the Library. The drawing for the gift card will take place on March 3, and one winning family will be selected from each branch library. A single registration is required for each participating family. An adult (parent or guardian) is asked to register the family online by going to the library’s website (http://www.fortbend.lib.tx.us) and clicking on the “Family Reading Club Sign-Up” image, which will become available January 18. Families may also register at any of the libraries in the Fort Bend County library system. Upon registering, families will then
have their own online page on which to record their books or reading time. There is no charge to join the Family Reading Club. The program is sponsored by Fort Bend County Libraries and the Friends of the Library organizations that support the county library system. For more information, call the library’s Public Information Office at (281) 341-2677, or the Sienna branch library at (281) 238-2900.
Reading is Therapeutic According to Cristel Russell, a behavioral researcher, reading can help with any stress or turmoil occurring in your life. If you’re going through a break-up, or simply just need to relax, try a new book. www.siennaplantationnews.com
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Share Your Story 10 |
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THE MOST INTERESTING PEOPLE IN TEXAS (PERHAPS THE WORLD) LIVE IN SIENNA PLANTATION. Share your story in the upcoming monthly column, Neighbor News Send an email to mystory@siennaplantationnews.com with a brief description of your achievement, special event, occupation, vocation, cause, etc. A Community Magazines LLC representative will contact you with further details. Please share. We want to know. You must be a resident of Sienna Plantation to participate. Stories are selected for publication at the sole discretion of Community Magazines LLC. There will be no compensation or other remuneration. Direct questions or comments to Denise R. Williams, Publisher | Sienna Plantation News | (281) 778-9782 | communitynews@entouch
DEAR DOCTOR Sponsored by
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Dear Reader: Surveys show that 60% of people give up on their resolutions by July. However, those who make resolutions are more likely to succeed in a behavior change than those who do not. It is important to be specific in terms of your health care goals, and then outline a sustainable strategy. Also, do not hesitate to review and revise strategies and methods that are not working for you. As we get older, the adage “one size fits all” becomes less true. A good place to start would be to review chronic conditions you have, and how good you have been about following your doctor’s recommendations. Often, there is room for improvement. Next, review your family history for evidence of diseases that might have a genetic predisposition and assess whether there are measures you could take to reduce your own risk. Third, since early prevention is always a good strategy, make sure you are up to date on your screenings like mammograms and colonoscopies. Also update your Immunizations like shingles (very important), tetanus, and pneumonia. Along with general considerations, which apply regardless of age, like healthy eating, sleeping and exercise habits, the new year is a good time to decide to laugh more, stress less, and invest in positive relationships .
Dr. Faith Atai is a Geriatrician at the UT Health Science Center at Houston. She provides patient care at UT Physicians at Sienna Village. For more information on Geriatric services, please call (713) 486-1200.
Life happens, and doubtless each year will bring its own challenges. But we can resolve to come out on top regardless. Happy New Year! www.siennaplantationnews.com
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Overcoming Reading Struggles About 20% of school-aged children struggle to read. Some suffer from learning disabilities and dyslexia. Though children don’t complain about their vision, or they may have passed the school’s eye exam, some have undiagnosed vision problems. The vision screening exam at school only measures visual acuity, the ability to see items clearly. Reading requires vision skills beyond acuity. Reading mastery depends on visual fixation, the ability to follow a line of print without losing one’s place or skipping over words. Students must be able to switch their focus from the writing on the smartboard back to the notebook on their desk. Though each eye works independently, eyes are designed to work as a team. Without binocular fusion, blurred or double vision, eye fatigue, strain induced headaches, or confusion may be experienced. Convergence is the ability to turn the two eyes toward each other to look at a close object. School desk work is dependent on this skill. In an averaged size classroom, research estimates up to four children have untreated vision problems. Vision therapy has proven quite effective in treating readingrelated vision problems. It involves an individualized program of training
We focus on you, so you can focus on the more important things... Dr. Sonhui Chung & the staff of Eye Connection would like to invite you and your family to our office to meet Dr. Chung and the staff; you will also receive special savings on eyewear & eyecare products!
EYE CONNECTION for you and your family Glasses • Contact Lenses • LASIK Co-Management • Pediatrics
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If you're squinting at your computer screen or holding books closer or further away than normal, reading is no fun, especially if it results in headaches. Let Dr. Chung set you up with the proper contacts or glasses to allow you to enjoy reading again.
procedures designed to help a child acquire or sharpen vision skills that are necessary for reading. An annual eye examination by a medically-trained professional is the best way to determine total eye health. Eye Connection, located a few steps from HEB, offers therapeutic optometry specializing in working with pediatric populations. To schedule an appointment, call (281) 778-2020. "There is no friend as loyal as a book." - Ernest Hemingway
Family Day At The Library/ Día De La Familia En La Biblioteca In celebration of Children’s Book Week, January 19-25, and the Family Reading Club, January 19- March 1, Fort Bend County Libraries will present a variety of special programs for children and families at locations throughout the library system. On February 1, 2014 at 10:30 and 1:30 visit the Sienna Branch Library, located at 8411 Sienna Springs Blvd. “Research shows that children who are read to from an early age have a larger vocabulary and better language skills when they start school. They also have a greater interest in books,” says Susan King, Coordinator of Youth Services at Fort Bend County Libraries. “Children who want to have books read to them are more likely to want to learn to read. You can give your child a life-long advantage if you start now to develop a love for books and reading. Children who are good readers are usually the most successful learners. Reading is a good habit to start!”
Read Every Day Developing strong reading skills is an essential component of your child’s success in school now, and at work later in life. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), daily family reading routines help with children’s literacy development. The AAP calls reading skills “the foundation for children’s academic success,” and suggests that daily reading to children should begin by six months of age. Choose books your kids like so that they view reading as a treat rather than a chore.
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American high school students slip in global education rankings According to the U.S. Department of Education, American students' rankings in math have slipped from 24th to 29th compared to the last test in 2010. In science, they've gone from 19th to 22nd, and from 10th to 20th in reading. That drop is mostly due to surging performance from regions abroad, especially Asia. China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and Singapore are all ahead of the U.S., as are European countries like Poland, Finland and Holland, as well as neighbor Canada and Australia. In the study, money is not a predictor of performance. America
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spends more per student than all but five countries in the world. Neither were childhood poverty, diversity or high levels of immigration. Many countries featuring those attributes also scored high. Education expert and author of "The Smartest Kids in the World," says "We really have to decide as a country it is important for all kids to master rigorous concepts and learn to think." "Any book that helps a child form a habit of reading, to make reading one of his deep and continuing needs, is good for him." - Maya Angelou
BUSINESS DIRECTORY
Business Reviews SugarLandNetwork.com chris@sugarlandnetwork.com Child Care Colony Kids 7555 Highway 6 South, Missouri City (281) 499-2454 Churches Houston’s First Baptist Church 4309 Sienna Parkway, Missouri City www.houstonsfirst.org Dance Instruction Dance Works www.majestics.net danceworks@windstream.net Education Southminster School 4200 Cartwright Blvd, Missouri City (281) 261-8872 Eye Care Eye Connection 8880 Highway 6, Suite 200 Missouri City - (281) 778-2020 Home Theater/Audio/Video Installation Residential Audio Visual Angel Herrera – (713) 894-5724 www.residentialaudiovideo.com Healthcare Providers Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital 16651 Southwest Freeway, Sugar Land (713) 772-1200 Memorial Hermann Southwest (713) 456-500 memorialhermann.org Sugar Land Surgical Hospital 16906 Southwest Freeway, Sugar Land SugarLandSurgicalHospital.com UT Physicians at Sienna Village 8810 Highway 6, Suite 100 Missouri City – (713) 486-1200 www.UTPhysicians.com
Insurance State Farm Insurance - Shaffer Agency 6705 Highway 6, Missouri City www.robertshaffer.com Montessori Schools Grace Montessori – (281) 499-5656 3639 Glenn Lakes Ln, Missouri City www.mygracemontessori.com Office Suites Town Square Office Suites 2527 Texas Drive, Suite 300 Sugar Land - (281) 566-2500 Psychiatry (Adult, Child, Adolescent) Kevin Simmons, MD 4501 Cartwright Road, Suite 505 Missouri City (281) 849-8079 Real Estate Robert Cobb - Century 21 www.C21Sienna.com (713) 205-7778 Jenny Ferguson–Keller Williams Realty SW (832) 512-0358 jimjenferg@yahoo.com Montessori Schools Grace Montessori – (281) 499-5656 3639 Glenn Lakes Lane, Missouri City www.mygracemontessori.com Office Suites Town Square Office Suites 2527 Texas Drive, Suite 300 Sugar Land - (281) 566-2500
Psychiatry (Adult, Child, Adolescent) Kevin Simmons, MD 4501 Cartwright Road, Suite 505 Missouri City (281) 849-8079 Pet Care/Lodging Meadow Lake Pet Resort 13500 Furman Road, Houston (713) 413-1633 Sienna Plantation Animal Hospital See listing under Veterinary Care Pilates Scoop Pilates & Personal Training 8817 Highway 6, Suite 470 Missouri City - (281) 778-6801 Scrubs and Uniforms Texas Scrubs and Embroidery 5201 Highway 6 South, Missouri City (281) 969-7960 Speech Therapy Speech and Learning Center LLP www.speechandlearning.com (281) 403-2600 Veterinary Care Sienna Plantation Animal Hospital 9212 Sienna Ranch Road (281) 778-5244 Water Softening & Purification Systems R& S Service (281) 416-9353 www.rswaterservice.com
Support Local Business Locally owned businesses build strong communities by linking neighbors in a web of economic and social relationships. Source: Institute for Local Self Reliance
Texas Scrubs & Embroidery 5201 Highway 6 South Missouri City, Texas 77459
(Between Dulles and Murphy Road)
(281) 969-7960 www.texasscrubsandembroidery.com To advertise contact Denise R. Williams, Publisher | (281) 778-9782 | communitynews@entouch.net | www.siennaplantationews.com www.siennaplantationnews.com
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When you choose UT Physicians, you are selecting
individualized care from a team of more than 900 physicians ready to meet your medical needs. UT Physicians offers advanced technologies with a personalized touch at our flagship location in the
Texas Medical Center and a growing number of sites throughout the greater Houston area.
The faculty of The University of Texas Medical School at Houston
www.UTPhysicians.com 713-486-1200