Don’t rely on at-home test for Alzheimer’s
Dear Dr. Donohue: My husband forgets everything. Is there a way I can check him for Alzheimer’s? — K.R.
Answer: Have your husband draw the outline of a circular clock. Then tell him to add the hands of the clock at a time specified by you, say 9:20. The clock test is a reliable indicator of mental function.
A second test is for you to give the names of three items out loud. Let three minutes pass and ask your husband to repeat those items. I must admit, when testing, I write down the items so I remember what I said.
Any mistake on the clock test indicates that mental processing is not at peak performance.
Recalling just one of the three cited items gives a person a passing grade for brain function.
There is no test that identifies Alzheimer’s with certitude, but an evaluation by a trained professional carries much more weight than home tests in predicting the presence of Alzheimer’s disease. What will you do if your husband fails these tests? My point is that it would save you time and possible error to have the family doctor evaluate your husband.
The Alzheimer’s pamphlet discusses this devastating disease more fully.
Readers can obtain a copy by writing: Dr. Donohue — No. 903W, Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. Enclose a check or money order (no cash) for $4.50 U.S./$6.50 Canada with the recipient’s printed name and address. Please allow four weeks for delivery.
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Dear Dr. Donohue: My 7-year-old daughter has underarm and pubic hair. She also has body odor. I found some information on the Internet about precocious puberty. Should I be concerned about it? — C.B.
Answer: For girls, the first signs of puberty are small breast buds that normally appear between the ages of 8 and 13. I am fairly sure she must have them. Menstrual periods arrive about two or two and a half years later. Pubic hair (and underarm hair) is seen between the ages of 9 and 13. (Body odor comes from a change in the composition of sweat and oil glands that occurs along with puberty.)
You should take your daughter to a doctor. When puberty comes too early, the child does not attain his or her genetically programmed height. Puberty causes the growth zones of bones to close. Furthermore, in some instances precocious puberty results from ovarian or adrenal gland tumors or thyroid problems — another reason to see the doctor.
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Dear Dr. Donohue: Will you please describe a sitz bath for me? I have hemorrhoids and understand it helps ease the pain. — O.N.
Answer: Sitting in a tub of warm water constitutes a sitz bath. Squatting is even better. It permits the warm water to bathe the inflamed and swollen hemorrhoidal veins.
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