Latest news with #SIDS
CTV News
8 hours ago
- Health
- CTV News
‘Grief doesn't go away': A mother's journey through loss and grief
27 years after losing her infant son, Tania Chomyk says the pain of grief never truly disappears, but it can transform. Warning: This story deals with themes around infant death and grieving. Twenty-seven years after losing her infant son to Sudden Unexplained Death Syndrome (SIDS), Tania Chomyk says the pain of grief never truly disappears, but it can transform. Her son, Danylo, was six months old when he died in his sleep in 1998. The cause was linked to an underlying heart rhythm abnormality. 'It was a very shattering moment … a kind of moment that just steals your breath away,' Chomyk said in an interview with CTV Your Morning on Friday. 'It's something that caught me completely off guard.' Now a life transition expert and grief educator, Chomyk has years of experience in education and mental health leadership, helping people deal with grief, or supporting those who carry it. 'Grief is universal, and it's also very personal, and there is no timeline,' she said. 'Grief doesn't go away. It just transforms into something else.' Chomyk says in her upcoming book, 'Bringing Light to Loss: Redefining Grief to Reclaim Hope and Meaning,' she offers practical advice on dealing with grief and getting the strength to rebuild your life. 'There's all kinds of stages of grief that one is going to go through, and they come back, and it changes over time,' she said. What to do and what not to do Chomyk says in the immediate aftermath of someone's loss, it's important to avoid comments like: 'If you need me, let me know' 'They're in a better place now' 'This was all part of God's plan' 'When you're going through acute grief, those are not the things that you want to hear, but in time, you'll appreciate the significance of what they mean,' she said. 'Time, they say, heals all wounds, but it's what you do with that time and how you continue to carry forward with it.' Instead, she says there are small gestures we can do to support grieving people, like: Saying simple honest words, 'I'm not sure what to say but I'm here for you' Spending personal time with them and ask what would make them feel good Sharing stories of their loved one who passed Helping out with errands With files from CTV Your Morning
Daily Mirror
9 hours ago
- Climate
- Daily Mirror
Doctor's important advice about keeping babies safe during heatwave
It's incredibly important to try to keep babies cool and hydrated during a heatwave. A doctor has now shared some important advice all parents should take note of Parts of the UK are currently facing the fourth heatwave of the summer so far, with temperatures expecting to rise as high as 34C. Met Office Deputy Chief Meteorologist Tom Crabtree said: "Warmth is the focus in the forecast in the first half of this week, with temperatures likely to peak on Tuesday around the mid-30s, but remaining above average in the second half of the week, particularly further to the southeast. "The exception to the widely warm conditions will be northwest Scotland on Monday, where showers will be more frequent. Warmth will develop there from Tuesday with temperatures peaking in the mid to high 20s." And while some people enjoy the summer heat, for others, especially those who are vulnerable, it can be incredibly stressful. Heatwaves can pose significant risks to healths, including dehydration, heat exhaustion and heatstroke. And for those who have babies, they need to take extra precautions. According to a GP known as Doctor Barbara on TikTok, changing one thing in your baby's room can "reduce the risk of SIDS [Sudden Infant Death Syndrome] by up to 70%", and prevent them overheating. The health professional recommended using a fan pointing away from your baby, circulating air in the room. Doctor Barbara recommended parents have a room thermometer, and ideally keep temperatures "between 16 and 20 degrees Celsius". You can help try to reach this by blocking the heat during the day. "So keep your curtains closed, your blinds closed, but keep your windows open and your doors open where you can," she added. If you want to check on your baby, you can use the back of your hand on their chest and their upper back. Doctor Barbara continued: "If they're sweaty or clammy, please remove a layer." If the room is 26C and above, "babies can sleep in their nappies alone," according to the GP. You also need to keep your baby hydrated. Breastfed babies don't need water, but you might find they want feeding more regularly. "If your baby is formula-fed you can give them a small amount of cool, boiled water. If they're over six months and you've introduced solids, you don't need to boil the water," she added. In addition, the GP advised to be careful of hot cars, and making sure the vehicle is cool before bringing your baby in. If you're using a pram, she urged not to cover it with blankets or cloths. The NHS recommends attaching a parasol or sunshade to your baby's pushchair to keep them out of direct sunlight. But covering the pram itself can lead to overheating. The NHS adds: "Keep your child's bedroom cool during the day by closing blinds or curtains. You can also use a fan to circulate the air in the room. Do not aim the fan directly at your child as this could make them dehydrated. "Keep nightwear and bedclothes to a minimum. Your baby can just wear a nappy. If they're hot or sweaty, remove one or more layers of bedclothes. "A nursery thermometer will help you monitor the temperature of your baby's room. Your baby will sleep most comfortably when their room is between 16C and 20C. You can also keep the door of your baby's room open and open their bedroom window (if it's safe to do so)." You should ask for an urgent GP appointment or call 111 if your child seems drowsy, they are breathing quickly or have a fast heart rate, no tears come when they cry, or they have a soft spot on their head that sinks inwards. You should also be aware if your child has fewer wet nappies than normal.
eNCA
a day ago
- Politics
- eNCA
Four days left to square the circle on global plastic pollution treaty
GENEVA - Countries remained at loggerheads on Monday over how to tackle plastic pollution, with only four days left to craft a landmark global treaty on reining in the ever-growing scourge. While plastic has transformed modern life, plastic pollution poses an increasing threat to the environment and the human body -- and every day the garbage accumulates on land and in the oceans. The 184 countries meeting at the United Nations to sculpt a first international accord setting out the way forward return to the negotiating table after a day off on Sunday to reflect on their differences. AFP | Dibyangshu SARKAR The first week of talks in Geneva fell behind schedule and failed to produce a clear text, with states still deeply divided at square one: the purpose and scope of the treaty they started negotiating two and a half years ago. Last week, working groups met on technical topics ranging from the design of plastic to waste management, production, financing for recycling, plastic reuse, and funding waste collection in developing countries. They also discussed molecules and chemical additives that pose environmental and health risks. - Rival camps - A nebulous cluster of mostly oil-producing states calling themselves the Like-Minded Group -- including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Russia, Iran, and Malaysia -- want the treaty to focus primarily on waste management. AFP | Sylvie HUSSON, Christophe THALABOT The United States and India are also close to this club. At the other end of the spectrum, a growing faction calling themselves the "ambitious" group want radical action written into the treaty, including measures to curb the damage caused by plastic garbage, such as phasing out the most dangerous chemicals. Plastic pollution is so ubiquitous that microplastics have been found on the highest mountain peaks, in the deepest ocean trench and scattered throughout almost every part of the human body. The ambitious group wants a clause reining in plastic production, which is set to triple by 2060. The club brings together the European Union, many African and Latin American countries, Australia, Britain, Switzerland and Canada. AFP | Olivier MORIN It also includes island micro-nations drowning in plastic trash they did little to produce and have little capacity to deal with. Palau, speaking for 39 small island developing states (SIDS), said the treaty had to deal with removing the plastic garbage "already choking our oceans". "SIDS will not stand by while our future is bartered away in a stalemate," and "this brinkmanship has a real price: a dying ocean," the Micronesian archipelago said. - Consensus 'delusion' - The treaty is set to be settled by universal consensus, but with countries far apart, the lowest-ambition countries are quite comfortable not budging, observers said. AFP | Nicholas SHEARMAN "We risk having a meaningless treaty without any binding global rules like bans and phase-outs. This is unacceptable," Eirik Lindebjerg, global plastics adviser for the World Wide Fund for Nature, told AFP. "Expecting any meaningful outcome to this process through consensus is a delusion. With the time remaining, the ambitious governments must come together as a majority to finalise the treaty text and prepare to agree it through a vote." Without touching on whether ambitious countries would ultimately abandon consensus and go for a vote, the EU's environment commissioner Jessika Roswall, due in Geneva on Monday, urged countries to speed up negotiations and not "miss this historic opportunity". The draft treaty has ballooned from 22 to 35 pages -- with the number of brackets in the text going up near five-fold to almost 1,500 as countries insert a blizzard of conflicting wishes and ideas. In total, 70 ministers and around 30 senior government officials are expected in Geneva from Tuesday onwards and could perhaps help break the deadlock. by Isabel Malsang
Int'l Business Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Int'l Business Times
Four Days Left To Square The Circle On Global Plastic Pollution Treaty
Countries remained at loggerheads Monday over how to tackle plastic pollution, with only four days left to craft a landmark global treaty on reining in the ever-growing scourge. While plastic has transformed modern life, plastic pollution poses an increasing threat to the environment and the human body -- and every day the garbage accumulates on land and in the oceans. The 184 countries meeting at the United Nations to sculpt a first international accord setting out the way forward return to the negotiating table after a day off Sunday to reflect on their differences. The first week of talks in Geneva fell behind schedule and failed to produce a clear text, with states still deeply divided at square one: the purpose and scope of the treaty they started negotiating two and a half years ago. Last week, working groups met on technical topics ranging from the design of plastic to waste management, production, financing for recycling, plastic reuse, and funding waste collection in developing countries. They also discussed molecules and chemical additives that pose environmental and health risks. A nebulous cluster of mostly oil-producing states calling themselves the Like-Minded Group -- including Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Russia, Iran, and Malaysia -- want the treaty to focus primarily on waste management. The United States and India are also close to this club. At the other end of the spectrum, a growing faction calling themselves the "ambitious" group want radical action written into the treaty, including measures to curb the damage caused by plastic garbage, such as phasing out the most dangerous chemicals. Plastic pollution is so ubiquitous that microplastics have been found on the highest mountain peaks, in the deepest ocean trench and scattered throughout almost every part of the human body. The ambitious group wants a clause reining in plastic production, which is set to triple by 2060. The club brings together the European Union, many African and Latin American countries, Australia, Britain, Switzerland and Canada. It also includes island micro-nations drowning in plastic trash they did little to produce and have little capacity to deal with. Palau, speaking for 39 small island developing states (SIDS), said the treaty had to deal with removing the plastic garbage "already choking our oceans". "SIDS will not stand by while our future is bartered away in a stalemate," and "this brinkmanship has a real price: a dying ocean," the Micronesian archipelago said. The treaty is set to be settled by universal consensus; but with countries far apart, the lowest-ambition countries are quite comfortable not budging, observers said. "We risk having a meaningless treaty without any binding global rules like bans and phase-outs. This is unacceptable," Eirik Lindebjerg, global plastics adviser for the World Wide Fund for Nature, told AFP. "Expecting any meaningful outcome to this process through consensus is a delusion. With the time remaining, the ambitious governments must come together as a majority to finalise the treaty text and prepare to agree it through a vote." Without touching on whether ambitious countries would ultimately abandon consensus and go for a vote, the EU's environment commissioner Jessika Roswall, due in Geneva on Monday, urged countries to speed up negotiations and not "miss this historic opportunity". The draft treaty has ballooned from 22 to 35 pages -- with the number of brackets in the text going up near five-fold to almost 1,500 as countries insert a blizzard of conflicting wishes and ideas. In total, 70 ministers and around 30 senior government officials are expected in Geneva from Tuesday onwards and could perhaps help break the deadlock. Women sorting through plastic waste in Pekanbaru, Indonesia AFP Countries are trying to negotiate a groundbreaking international treaty on combating plastic pollution AFP Global plastics production could almost triple between 2019 and 2060 AFP Workers pack food containers made with virgin plastics at a factory on the outskirts of Kolkata, India AFP
Borneo Post
2 days ago
- Business
- Borneo Post
Minister calls to preserve handcrafted works, safeguard Iban heritage
Lee (centre) receives a memento from Benika, while other committee members look on. MIRI (Aug 11): The Iban community, especially women, have been urged to protect their rich tradition of crafting handmade handicrafts – creations that carry far greater cultural and artistic value than mass-produced items. Sarawak Transport Minister Dato Sri Lee Kim Shin said the rapid advancement of machines and faster production methods has made it increasingly difficult for the Orang Ulu community, including the Iban, to sustain traditional craftsmanship. 'If we fail to protect this cultural heritage, both present and future generations will lose it,' he cautioned. Lee, also the Senadin assemblyman, stressed that handcrafted works are one-of-a-kind, often fetching higher prices because of their uniqueness and the skill required to produce them. 'Most products today are machine-made, but handicrafts created by hand have their own uniqueness and are valued more highly,' he said during the Serakup Indu Dayak Sarawak (SIDS) Miri fundraising dinner here yesterday. He noted that in the past, the Orang Ulu and the Iban communities relied solely on manual skills to create their works – a painstaking process that significantly enhanced the value of each item. 'This is an industry worth focusing on, one that celebrates traditional craftsmanship and distinctive designs. It is important that we pass these skills to the younger generation,' he said. Lee also pointed out that handmade items have the potential to command higher prices when marketed online, with the opportunity to reach international buyers. Thus, he called on the older generations to pass down their knowledge and skills to the youth so these traditions continue to thrive. Lee also encouraged the Iban community to promote and preserve their traditional food-making methods, including using bamboo to cook signature delicacies. 'I hope to see SIDS Miri organise a food festival that showcases the Iban's unique way of making traditional food one day,' he said. At the same event, Lee announced a RM10,000 grant to SIDS Miri to support its activities throughout the year. Also present at the dinner was SIDS Miri chairlady Benika Angi. Handicrafts Iban community lead Lee Kim Shin
