Health Tips for August 18

Health Tip: Talking to Your Doctor About How to Lose Weight

It may seem intimidating to approach your doctor for advice about how to lose weight.

Here are some pointers to get you started, courtesy of the American Academy of Family Physicians:

* Ask your doctor for any available pamphlets or brochures about weight loss, diet and exercise.
* Have your doctor measure your body mass index and waist circumference, and talk about your results and what they mean to your health.
* Talk to your doctor about your exercise regimen and diet, and what changes you can make to help you to lose weight.
* Consider how much change and effort you are willing to make before you talk to your doctor.
* Ask if there are any specialists who can help you, such as dieticians, nutritionists or physical trainers.

Health Tip: Facts About Febrile Seizures

When a child has a seizure that's related to a fever, it's called a febrile seizure.

Here are some facts for parents on febrile seizures, courtesy of the American Academy of Family Physicians:

* While febrile seizures can be very frightening to watch, they are rarely harmful to children.
* Febrile seizures do not cause brain damage, and will not cause your child to swallow his or her tongue.
* Febrile seizures -- even repeated ones -- do not mean your child has epilepsy.
* These seizures typically last only a few minutes (rarely more than 10) and will subside on their own. Contact your doctor if the seizure lasts longer than 10 minutes.
* If your child has had one febrile seizure, the chances of her having another one are between 25 percent and 30 percent. Most children do not have multiple febrile seizures.
* Your child should be checked by your family doctor after a seizure to be sure that a fever was the only cause.