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TURKS & CAICOS SUN
NOVEMBER 18TH, 2017 – NOVEMBER 25TH, 2017
LOCAL NEWS
Is it Strep Throat? By Dr. Marsha Barnett Many times, when persons have a sore throat and are seen by the doctor, as a reflex they may ask about it being strep. Strep throat is a bacterial infection that causes inflammation and pain in the throat caused by a bacterium called streptococcus. Strep throat can affect children and adults of all ages. However, it’s especially common in children between the ages of 5 and 15 years. Symptoms of Strep Throat Some people experience mild symptoms like mild pain to the throat and discomfort when swallowing. However, other persons may have severe throat pain, headache, fever, chills, lethargy and general malaise. The symptoms of strep throat typically develop within five days of exposure to the bacteria. Not all sore throats are a result of a strep infection. A sore throat can be caused by other bacteria as well and, most commonly, viral infections are the cause of a painful throat. If, however, the sore throat lasts more than two days, your throat looks swollen, red and has white patches, you develop difficulty swallowing or breathing or have a fever that will not break, you should see your doctor. How Can I Know For Sure?
Your doctor will examine your throat, look for swollen lymph nodes, do a full respiratory examination and ask about other symptoms. If a strep throat is suspected, a rapid strep test can be done in the office. Of course, this tests only for that specific bacteria and so your doctor may opt to treat with antibiotics even if the test comes back negative if clinically she thinks you are having a bacterial infection or if blood tests are done in office to suggest that a bacterium is the problem. In certain cases, it might be very important to rule out a strep infection, and as such, if the office test is negative but your physician is very suspicious of a strep infection, a throat swab may be taken and sent to a lab for culture. This tends to pick up a few positive results that were not found in office but results take a few days to come back. Treating Strep Throat If you’re diagnosed with strep throat, your doctor will prescribe an antibiotic to treat the infection. It’s important that you finish your antibiotic treatment course to completely clear the infection. Some people stop taking their medication when symptoms improve, which can trigger a relapse and can also cause them to infect other persons when they think they are better but still harboring the bacteria. Your doctor may
also suggest pain and fever reducers, gargles and other medications geared at improving any additional symptoms you may be experiencing. Potential Complications o f Strep Throat When treated, the symptoms will improve within a few days and the infections usually clears in a week or two. The big deal with a strep infection however is that, if left untreated, complications can ensue. The infection can spread along the respiratory tract Dr. Marsha Barnett and lead to abscesses around the tonsils, a sinus infection, ear infections months or even a few years to go away! The possible complications of and even penetrate the mastoid bone in the skull! The long-term sequelae a strep throat are really the reason aren’t limited to the respiratory why it is important to complete your tract however, as untreated strep is course of antibiotics. This is also why notorious for causing rheumatic fever if your doctor believes you are having which is an inflammatory disease a bacterial infection, she will tend to that affects the joints, the heart, and choose an antibiotic that covers strep, the skin. If this occurs, long term whether or not the test was done or heart valve damage usually results it came back negative. If your strep and antibiotics are indicated until the throat symptoms don’t improve within age of 21. An untreated strep throat 48 - 72 hours of taking your antibiotic, can also lead to kidney disease called revisit your doctor. glomerulonephritis. Even the skin can be affected by the streptococcal bacteria. *Dr. Marsha Barnett is a general A red rash can erupt days after the practitioner who also specializes infection called scarlet fever but this in dermatology. For questions usually resolves as the bacteria clears or comments, please contact at over a week or so. Rarely however, a drmarshabarnett@gmail.com or at type of psoriasis can also appear after Associated Medical Practices - 9464242. the infection and this usually takes
Seven Stars Foundation donates 10 iPads to SNAP Centre to help special needs children By Todeline Defralien The Seven Stars foundation has purchased ten iPads and have programmed all of them with the Prologue2go application for the SNAP Centre to assist the children with their educational development. The presentation took place at the SNAP Centre in Providenciales, on Friday, November 10th, 2017. Officials from Seven Stars Resort stated that after speaking with the teachers, it was brought to their attention about an application called Prologue2go,which is an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) assistive technology tool that can help children dealing with a range of speech challenges better communicate and express their needs. Proloquo2Go’s easy to use touch-based functions make it a useful assistive technology for ages five and up. Special Needs Teacher KeishaAnn Shaw told media houses, “With the new Ipads it reduces the tantrums. Many times children are unable to communicate their wants and needs, so they will throw tantrums and that’s how we feel even in our own state. When we’re not able to express ourselves we feel overwhelmed. This is what the app is supposed to do and we are extremely grateful to Seven Stars for giving us ten steps forward.” Currently there are 12 students on roll at the SNAP Centre. Director of Special Needs, Ms. Betty-Ann Been added. “These children have special needs, so these Ipads will assist them in building their abilities to communicate better. We
Pictured here are Seven Stars General Manager Grant Noble, Seven Stars Resort Team, Teachers, a student of the Snap Centre and Representatives from the Snap Centre and Minister of Health, Hon. Edwin Astwood would like to say thank you to Seven damage from Hurricane Irma and Stars for coming through for us and this prevented the students from giving our children the opportunity attending school. The Seven Stars to grow and develop to their full foundation went in and assessed the potential and also for the renovations building and advised the Ministry that that was done here since the passage they will renovate the Snap Centre to of Irma and Maria, the renovating of have it ready for the kids to attend the school and the separation of the their regular school schedule. To class room that we’ll be able to provide date, all of the renovations have been individualize sessions for some of our completed, with additional classrooms children that require one-on-one.” for the students and teachers to be Hon. Edwin Astwood, the comfortable. Minister of Health, Agriculture “The SNAP Centre offers an and Human Services thanked the individualize education program and Seven Stars for being an example for what we aim to do is to meet the needs companies that are operating here of each child. The Centre also caters in the Turks and Caicos Islands. He to children with different abilities, so added that Government cannot do it there are certain teaching strategies alone and he is happy that Seven Stars that must be done in a specific area. partnered with the SNAP Centre in Some children will not function well something that is so much needed and in a larger group and some children the ten iPads will go such a long way need that one-to-one all the time in for the students. order for us to make progress. These The Snap Centre had major rooms allow us to do that. There are no
sound distractions in terms of another class room so we are able to maintain the child’s attention throughout the teaching learning process,” Shaw explained. General Manager of Seven Star Resort Grant Noble, said:“We’ve been involved with the SNAP Centre for four to five years and after the hurricane they had severe damage and we sent our team down to fix that but we’ve also donated all of the computers that they have here and this is going to be an ongoing project. This is a lifetime project for as long as it’s needed I cannot think of anything more worthwhile than this. We have fund raising dinners at Seven Stars on a regular basis so we will continue to do this.” . SNAP Center (Special Needs Association of Providenciales) located in Kew Town, Providenciales provides intellectual and life skills opportunities for children and young persons with disabilities between the ages 4-24 years. SNAP caters to a range of disabilities including, but not limited to Autism Spectrum Disorder, Intellectual Disability, Developmental Coordination Disorder, Speech/ Language Disorder and Learning Disorders. The Center’s goal is selfdetermination for each child where possible allowing them to grow to their full potential. Individual Education Plans are designed for each student with the involvement of the parents, teachers, and a member of the Special Needs Unit management team along with the student where possible.