SUNDAY STAR, 21 JULY 2019
BRAIN HEALTH
The hidden pain
By NGEH CHEE YEN
ACCORDING to an article in
Multiple Sclerosis Journal last year
titled A nationwide epidemiological
study on the prevalence of multiple
sclerosis and neuromyelitis optica
spectrum disorder with important
multi-ethnic differences in Malaysia,
the prevalence and incidence of
multiple sclerosis (MS) in the
country has increased.
The nationwide, local hospital-
based study showed prevalence of
MS to be 2.73 to 3.26 per 100,000
people, which roughly translates to
around 1,000 MS patients in
Malaysia. It mainly affects youth
and is prevalent across all races,
especially among women between
the ages of 20 and 40.
MS is an autoimmune disease of
the central nervous system, made
up of the eyes, brain and spinal
cord. It is characterised by
recurring attacks of inflammation
by the body’s own immune cells
on various parts of the central
nervous system. These attacks
then leave scars around the
central nervous system.
A spokesperson from MS Society
Malaysia explains, “In MS, the
insulating coating around nerve
fibres, called myelin, is damaged.
Myelin is necessary for the
transmission of nerve impulses
through nerve fibres.”
If damage to the myelin is
minimal, nerve impulses travel
with minor interruptions.
However, if the damage is severe,
nerve impulses may be completely
disrupted and the nerve fibres
themselves can be damaged.
From the core
Dr Shanthi Viswanathan,
consultant neurologist at Kuala
Lumpur Hospital’s Neurology
Department, says MS symptoms
are unpredictable and can vary
from one person to another,
adding that no two MS patients are
the same.
MS can cause a variety of
physical, mental and psychological
symptoms. These symptoms
include:
l Numbness or weakness of
limbs
Efforts in identifying the root
The exact cause of multiple
sclerosis (MS) is not known.
However, Dr Shanthi
Viswanathan, consultant
neurologist at Kuala Lumpur
Hospital’s Neurology
Department, says it is thought
to be multifactorial because of
a complex relationship
between genetics and
environmental factors.
She says, “MS is not
inherited in the conventional
manner and the risk of MS in
the general population is quite
low. For example, it occurs in
less than 2% of the offspring of
affected parents.”
Nevertheless, there are still
certain factors that increase
l Numbness of the face
l Blurring of vision and other
visual problems such as double
vision
l Unsteady gait
l Balance and speech problems
l Bladder and bowel complaints
l Fatigue and tremors
l Problems with cognition such
as attention, concentration and
problem solving
Patients with MS can have
symptoms and signs that come and
go (attacks or relapses), and some
symptoms may worsen over time.
Dr Shanthi says the relapsing
remitting type of MS occurs in most
MS patients. “Initially, the
symptoms recover completely in
the beginning phase of the disease.
But, as time goes on, the symptoms
may get worse and patients will
move into a more progressive type
of disease. However, some patients
may have the progressive type of
disease from the very beginning.”
A toll on the soul
Most people do not understand
the extent of the pain MS patients
suffer. In a society where your
worth is built on self-sustainability,
it can be devastating to be so fully
dependent on other people for
reasons that are not their fault.
Dr Shanthi says, “Patients may
also experience anxiety about the
disease, feel an inability to cope and
even suffer from depression,
psychosis and emotional
instability.”
MS incapacitates its patients and
can relapse at any time. When this
happens, the patient is unable to
carry out his daily responsibilities,
which in turn takes a toll on his
mental health.
MS Society Malaysia presents
some aspects that commonly affect
MS patients:
l Mental – A significant number
of MS patients live with depression
and anxiety
l Social – Because some MS
patients may look normal on the
outside, it is difficult to make people
understand what they truly face
l Emotional – Lack of
acceptance even by one’s own
family members can drain MS
the risk of developing MS,
such as:
l Genetic susceptibility to
Human Leukocyte antigen
allele DRB1*1501
l Association with certain
infections, such as the Epstein
Barr virus infection
l Obesity
l Low vitamin D, possibly
from lack of sunlight exposure,
ultraviolet radiation and
latitude
l Smoking
MS is also more prevalent
in temperate regions such as
the United States, Europe,
Scandinavia, Australia and
New Zealand.
MS incapacitates its patients and can relapse at any time, which can take a heavy toll on their physical and
mental health.
patients emotionally
l Physical – When patients are
physically challenged (i.e. in a
wheelchair), even getting to a
hospital for a follow-up is a big
challenge
MS’ progression is also tightly
linked to loss of income. The Global
MS Employment Report 2016 by
the MS International Federation
showed that 62% of patients with
MS reported that fatigue prevented
them from staying employed.
Other factors include difficulty
moving, unpredictable workload
and weakness.
Help is there if you seek it
While rare in Malaysia, it is
encouraging to see global and local
improvement in the availability of
treatment in the form of disease-
modifying drugs for MS patients.
Dr Shanthi says, “There are now
15 United States Food and Drug
Administration-approved drugs
with many more in the pipeline for
both relapsing and other
progressive types of MS. From
Finding comfort in shared life experiences
Diagnosed with multiple
sclerosis (MS) in 2012, Eliza
Bakhtiar, 26, still lives with
the condition, but strives to
make the best out of it.
She says, “Fatigue and
exhaustion plagued most of
my days, which caused me to
develop mood swings. There
were days where I would
wake up hoping to make the
best of my days but knowing I
couldn’t.”
Employment has also
become an issue for her, as
MS relapses come with little
to no warning. Eliza says that
while her condition nearly
isolated her socially, she is
thankful that she had a few
these drugs, a number of
injectable, oral and intravenous
drugs are available in Malaysia.”
However, she adds that even
though access to treatments
through the public and private
sectors have improved, the high
costs of these treatments still
makes it difficult for a significant
number of patients to gain access,
both in the public and private
sectors. Therefore, it is important
that national-level strategies are
put into place so patients can
gain access to much-needed
treatments.
Besides medical support, MS
patients can also find help in non-
governmental organisations, such
as the MS Society Malaysia, which
is a support network to help
patients with MS deal with its
challenges. The society also
strives to promote awareness and
advocacy work to improve access
to treatments.
As MS societies are mainly
located in major cities, patients in
less urban areas can reach out to
these communities through the
Internet and social media to
friends who were understanding
of her situation. She says, “The
best way to cope with social
isolation is by informing my
classmates and colleagues about
my condition.”
Eliza considers herself lucky to
be correctly diagnosed with MS
from her first MRI scans. While
her initial medications were not
compatible and gave her constant
flu- and fever-like symptoms, she
is grateful to be under the care of
neurology specialists at a hospital
in Terengganu.
Despite being labelled as lazy
or cursed, Eliza finds that keeping
a positive mindset and reaching
out to other people with invisible
diseases helps her cope with her
ensure they are surrounded by
supportive and like-minded peers.
The path to acceptance
Patients with MS deserve our
support and understanding,
especially in terms of daily living,
work and their ability to cope
with social and economic
challenges.
Dr Shanthi has some
encouragement for people living
with MS. “Maintain a positive
outlook. Have hope and continue
to study, work and travel if you
are able to. Learn to accept the
disease and work with your
family, friends, neurologists and
other healthcare professionals to
get the very best out of your
health.”
She also advises patients to
undergo regular follow-ups and
medications as well as maintain a
healthy lifestyle. Patients can also
seek support from local and
international MS communities as
well as healthcare providers to
better understand and cope with
the disease.
condition. “It brings me
comfort to know that there are
others who know what it is
like.”
To those who have never
heard of MS, she advises them
to think about how it effects its
sufferers. “Simply sit, talk,
listen and acknowledge.”
To her peers with MS, she
has words of encouragement,
“It’s okay to reach out for help
and know you are not alone.
There are ways to make the
best out of living with MS, even
if it’s just by sharing your
experiences of living with it.
It’s better to speak up than
keep quiet, as that will help
spread awareness, too.”
8 Brain Health
TURMERIC has been used for thousands of
years in India for both culinary and healing
purposes in Ayurvedic medicine. Besides
being used as the main ingredient in curry
powder, Ayurveda practitioners in the past
have included turmeric in medicines to
treat an array of ailments, from arthritic
pain to digestive and even skin troubles.
The compound with healing properties in
turmeric is called curcumin. More than
4,000 scientific publications focused on
curcumin in the past decade have shown
that it has positive effects on certain aspects
of health.
Long recognised for its anti-inflammatory
properties and antioxidant activity,
scientists have hypothesised that curcumin
might be able to combat the inflammation
and free radical damage associated with
several brain diseases. There is also
evidence that curcumin could modulate
multiple target proteins in pathways that
had been associated with the pathogenesis
of conditions such as dementia.
Many clinical types of research on
humans have used an extremely high
dosage of curcumin, some as much as 100
teaspoons a day of pure turmeric powder to
study its effects on different ailments. This
is because curcumin absorption by the
body is poor.
Moreover, curcumin is only available in
limited amounts in turmeric; around 3% by
weight. Thus, high doses of turmeric
powder are required to observe tangible
benefits. Such a large amount of turmeric
cannot be reasonably consumed daily,
especially long-term.
Thanks to new technology and
innovation, the absorption problem of
curcumin is in the past. A Japanese
company developed an innovative
curcumin formulation called Theracurmin,
which greatly enhances the absorption of
curcumin.
Dr Gary Small of the UCLA Longevity
Center in the United States and several of
his colleagues tested curcumin on 40 adults
aged between 51 and 84, all of whom had
mild memory problems. The participants
SUNDAY STAR, 21 JULY 2019
Turmeric compound
for good health
improvements in mood, unlike those who Theracurmin provides more curcumin than
took the placebo. 100 teaspoons of turmeric powder. It is
What’s more, participants who took important to take enough curcumin on daily
The compound with healing curcumin also had lower levels of beta- basis to protect ourselves from modern
properties in turmeric is amyloid and tau in their diseases.
hypothalamus and
called curcumin. More than amygdala regions in This article is brought to you by the panel
4,000 scientific publications their brains, which pharmacists of Cambert (M) Sdn Bhd.
play key roles in
focused on curcumin in the memory and n For details, call 03-5638 3660 (Monday to
past decade have shown emotion. Friday, 9am to 5pm) or email enquiry@
Six hundred cambert.com.my. Alternatively, visit
that curcumin has positive miligrams of your nearest pharmacy.
effects on certain aspects
of health.
were randomly sorted into two groups.
For 18 months, one group took 90mg
of a bioavailable form of
curcumin twice daily, while the
other group took a placebo. At the
study baseline, all participants
underwent standard cognitive
tests, which were repeated
every six months throughout
the study, as well as at the
end of the study.
Results revealed that the
subjects who took curcumin
twice daily demonstrated a
28% improvement in memory
tests over the course of the study,
while those who took the placebo
showed no significant memory
improvements. Subjects who received
curcumin also experienced slight
SUNDAY STAR, 21 JULY 2019 9
10 Brain Health
The throbbing
in your head
HEADACHES may be a common
ailment, but it is not widely
known that there are different
kinds of headaches. Dr Loh Pei
Kee, consultant neurologist at Ara
Damansara Medical Centre,
breaks down headaches into two
categories – primary and
secondary.
Primary headaches are the
most common form of headache.
Some common subtypes include
tension-type headaches,
migraines and trigeminal
autonomic cephalalgias (TACs).
Tension-type headaches are
usually “band-like”, fairly diffused
and often mildly to moderately
painful.
Migraine is more severe, with
the headache commonly
throbbing over one side of the
head and associated with nausea
or vomiting and sensitivity to
light and noise. TACs are
characterised by attacks of
moderate to severe unilateral
pain in the head and face,
commonly associated with
symptoms such as nasal
congestion, eyelid swelling,
lacrimation and ptosis.
Secondary headaches occur
when external sources cause the
headache. Dr Loh classifies them
as:
l Trauma-related headaches,
which are caused by trauma to
the head and neck.
l Vascular-related headaches,
which stem from issues involving
the blood vessels, including
aneurysms, arteriovenous
Know when it is more than a funny turn
IT is a scary experience to see a
child having a funny turn because
it may mimic a seizure. Although it
is understandable for parents to
panic in such a situation, Dr
Sangita Dharshini Terumalay,
consultant paediatrician and
neurologist at Subang Jaya Medical
Centre, advises them to stay calm.
“People often mistake all funny
turns in children as seizures.
However, not all funny turns are
seizures. To determine if it is a
cause for concern, doctors need to
know what happened before and
during the event. To do that,
doctors need eyewitness accounts
to make a correct diagnosis in any
child presenting with a possible
seizure,” she stresses.
According to Dr Sangita, as
everyone usually carries a
smartphone, the best possible step
would be if the witnesses can
record the child having a fit as it
will then help the healthcare
professional view the occurrence
first-hand.
“By the time a child is brought in
for examination, the child would
be fine and hence it becomes more
challenging to diagnose a seizure,
especially in the absence of witness
accounts. Knowing the details of
the event is also important because
we do not want to give anti-seizure
medication to a child who had a
non-epileptic phenomenon.
Incorrectly diagnosing epilepsy
can have adverse effects on a
child’s schooling and social life,”
she adds.
The cause for fits, faints and
Dr Loh Pei Kee.
malformation, inflammation of
the blood vessels or arteritis,
artery dissection and
haemorrhagic strokes.
l Non-vascular-related
headaches, which comprise a
broader scope and can be caused
by tumours, increased or low
cerebrospinal fluid pressure or
inflammatory processes.
l Headaches attributed to
infection, which include
intracranial or systemic
infections.
l Headaches caused by a
substance or its withdrawal, or
analgesia overuse.
l Headaches caused by other
disorders, which include
disorders of the eyes, ear, nose,
neck and oral cavity.
Dr Sangita Dharshini Terumalay.
funny turns can range from simple
tantrums resulting in breath-
holding spells to something more
serious such as seizures. Seizures
are transient clinical events that
result from the abnormal,
excessive activity of a set of
cerebral neurons. Epilepsy is a
neurological condition that affects
the central nervous system and is
usually diagnosed after someone
has had at least two seizures.
Funny turns are essentially non-
epileptic events that may mimic
epilepsy. The manifestations of
funny turns differ according to
age. “Infants may have single or
repeated jerks in their sleep,
known as sleep myoclonus, or
shuddering attacks that can be
precipitated by feeding. Both these
phenomena are not seizures.
Separating normal from
abnormal
Because everyone has
experienced a headache in his
lifetime, it is easy to brush it off as
something trivial. However, Dr Loh
says that it is dangerous to believe
that all headaches can be ignored.
She says, “Most people don’t take
headaches as seriously as other
conditions such as chest pain. This
is because people relate chest pain
to heart attacks, whereas
headaches may be caused by stress
or lack of sleep. Thus, they do not
usually recognise whether a
headache is normal or not.”
Dr Loh lists some red flags and
associated symptoms that people
should look out for when
experiencing a headache, as some
symptoms may point to something
more dangerous.
l Sudden onset of the worst
headache the patient has
experienced
l Progressive or recurring daily
headaches
l Age of onset is above 50 or
below five years old
l Fever
l Drowsiness
l Presence of focal neurologic
symptoms such as visual
disturbance, limb weakness or
numbness, slurring of speech and
incoordination
l Vomiting and nausea
l Pain worsens on exertion such
as coughing and sneezing, or when
it is more painful to lie down
“For toddlers, a possible cause of
funny turns that can be mistaken
for seizures are breath-holding
spells. This is usually triggered by
a trivial injury or emotional upset.
Older children can experience
psychogenic non-epileptic seizures
(PNES). While they may present as
convulsions and can easily be
misdiagnosed as epilepsy, there
can be distinguishing features to
differentiate the two. Is is also
important to diagnose PNES as
it may stem from a particularly
stressful trigger that needs to be
looked into,” adds Dr Sangita.
Digging deep
Based on the witness account,
healthcare professionals might
advise further tests to diagnose
the root cause of the fit, including
blood tests, electroencephalograms
(EEGs) or MRI scans of the brain.
Dr Sangita says, “A conclusive
diagnosis is reached by collating
the history of the patient,
examining and reviewing the test
results. If the results point towards
epilepsy, treatment is started.”
Better safe than sorry
If a child is diagnosed
with epilepsy, there are
treatments that can control
the seizures. Your paediatric
neurologist would start a
suitable anti-seizure drug
based on the epilepsy
syndrome diagnosed. There
are other modes of
than sit
l Onset during pregnancy
If these symptoms occur, Dr
Loh’s advice is to see a doctor
immediately to ensure it is not
something more serious. “Even if
you do not experience any of these
symptoms, if your headaches are
prolonged and so frequent that
they start to interfere with your
work and social life, you should
still see a doctor to try and reduce
the frequency of your headaches
for better quality of life.”
Get a second opinion
According to Dr Loh, not all
headaches need to be medically
treated. There are some ways you
can reduce the occurrence of some
primary headaches. More
importantly, you need to make sure
it is not a secondary headache.
She says, “Sometimes,
headaches, especially primary
ones, are caused by external
triggers. Therefore, try to identify
and avoid these triggers, which
may include lifestyle changes such
as avoiding certain food, reducing
stress and getting enough sleep.”
However, she notes that we
treatment that can be considered
if seizures are not controlled
through medications, namely
epilepsy surgery, ketogenic diet
and vagal nerve stimulation.
“It is very important to know
what to do when a child is having
a seizure. We like to call this
‘seizure first aid’. For starters, do
not panic, and immediately call
for help. The child must then be
put in a lateral position by lying
them on their side. Do not put
anything inside the child’s
mouth,” Dr Sangita advises.
Most seizures occur for a short
duration, however, a seizure
can sometimes be prolonged
and result in irreversible brain
damage. Other complications of
uncontrolled seizures are
SUNDAY STAR, 21 JULY 2019
cannot rely solely on lifestyle
adjustments to resolve our
headaches and occasionally may
need to resort to medication.
Headaches often go undertreated
because people do not see it as
life-threatening, but the lack of
treatment can lead to other
problems such as deteriorating
quality of life.
On the other end of the
spectrum, unusual and prolonged
headaches may be a sign of more
serious conditions such as
tumours or abnormalities in the
blood vessels, which can lead to
something life-threatening. The
dysfunction of the brain can also
potentially affect movement,
vision, speech, sensation and
balance.
“If you notice that your
headaches are unusual or
prolonged, see a doctor for early
treatment as it could mean
something more dangerous.
As for parents, if your child
frequently needs painkillers, it
is best to send him to a doctor
for further examination,” says
Dr Loh.
n For more information, call
03-5639 1212.
learning difficulties and
behavioural problems.
Hence, it is important to take
your child for a thorough check-up
if the caregiver suspects a fit, faint
or funny turn, just to be sure, and
start treatment immediately if it is
indeed epilepsy.
n For more information, call
03-5639 1212.
SUNDAY STAR, 21 JULY 2019
Focus on
mental
health
LAST year, 29% of Malaysians
were found to be suffering
from depression and anxiety
disorders compared with 12%
in 2011 (according to the
National Health and Morbidity
Survey). Depression and anxiety
are expected to be the largest
health problems by 2020. There
are various contributing factors
for this epidemic, one of which
can be unregulated
neurotransmitters.
Neurotransmitters are
important. They play a major
role in our everyday lives and
functions. They determine how
we feel, motivate us to be
productive and help us grieve.
Neurotransmitters are chemical
messengers that relay
information between neurons
via electrical signals.
Each neurotransmitter has a
different function. Dopamine
regulates the feeling of pleasure
and is usually released when
one is feeling rewarded.
Serotonin helps regulate stress,
mood, sleep and memory. These
neurotransmitters determine
the psychological well-being of
an individual and any
imbalance in the proportion of
these neurotransmitters in
relation to each other may affect
his mood, hormone balances,
sleep, blood glucose/insulin
levels, pain perception, appetite
and cognitive function.
According to Harvard Health
Publishing, it is indicated that
people with depression have
reduced serotonin transmission.
Additionally, it was found that
individuals with a higher risk of
suicide had lower levels of
serotonin.
The importance of effectively
assessing and treating mood
disorders cannot be overstated.
Objectivity is a key element to
the therapeutic approach.
Currently, the standard of care
dictates that a trial-and-error
pharmaceutical approach be
taken with each patient based
on both self and clinician
assessments.
However, without
information yielded from
objective clinical testing such as
the Advanced Neurotransmitter
Profile (malaysialaboratory.com/
advanced-neurotransmitters),
choosing the most effective
treatment for each patient with
a mood disorder continues to be
a challenge. While this may
Brain Health 11
DHA for better brain development
AS a parent, have you ever wished behaviour. The study found that the Recommended daily intake of
you could do more for your child’s group that received supplementation omega-3 for different age groups
future? You can start by helping improved in all measures, with
them in their education and stay the highest improvement observed Age Recommended omega-3 EPA
ahead in their studies. in reading capabilities. group + DHA intake (mg)
A 2012 study in the UK titled These capabilities are important 2 to 4 100 to 150
Docosahexaenoic acid for reading, for children’s future
cognition and behavior in children educational and 4 to 6 150 to 200
aged 7-9 years: a occupational prowess. The 6 to 10 200 to 250
randomized, controlled fact is, omega-3 DHA for Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of
trial (the DOLAB growth is important the United Nations
Study) published not only for babies
in Plos One and toddlers, but
showed that schoolchildren as
supplementation well. However,
with omega-3 DHA schoolchildren can
helped improve the be really picky with
These reading and foods, as are babies
neurotransmitters behaviour of
underperforming
and toddlers.
There are easy solutions
determine the children in mainstream primary available to this problem.
psychological schools.
The study involved a group of
Suitable omega-3 supplements for
children should be:
well-being of an schoolchildren between seven and 10 l Attractive
individual and any years old. These children were
physically healthy but
l Delicious
l Do not look like capsules or
imbalance in the underperforming in school. They tablets
proportion of these were split into two groups, where
one was given daily supplementation
l Without fishy odours
neurotransmitters in of omega-3 DHA and the other a This article is brought to you by
relation to each other placebo for 16 weeks. Nature’s Way.
After 16 weeks, the children
may affect his mood, underwent practical measures of n For more information, call
hormone balances, reading, working memory and 03-7932 2128.
sleep, blood glucose/
insulin levels, pain
perception, appetite
and cognitive
function.
prove effective for some
patients, the potential for harm
during those interim treatment
failures is a real concern for
clinicians and patients alike.
Thus, the need for a proper
neurotransmitter test is crucial.
Targeted neurotransmitter
testing such as the one
mentioned above can help
healthcare practitioners achieve
a diagnostic edge beyond the
traditional psychological
inventory by identifying
specific imbalances in
neurotransmitter levels. Based
on neurotransmitter test results,
practitioners can identify
specific biochemical
heterogeneities for each
particular patient, and
objectively monitor therapeutic
responses during and after
intervention.
Mental healthcare
practitioners will work with you
to find the best tests for your
unique condition, interpret the
results of the tests and how to
formulate effective solutions
using evidence based nutritional
medicine.
This article is brought to you by
WellLab.
n For more information, call
03-2727 7434 or email
laboratory@psychology.com.my
12 Brain Health
Is brain health
affected by
social media?
SOCIAL media has become part of our lives.
Social media provides a platform for the
world to come together to connect, celebrate
and even educate. Teenagers are constantly
on their phone, computer or iPad because of
social media.
In a study published in Psychological
Science in 2016, researchers found that
certain regions of the adolescent brain
become activated by “likes” on social media,
sometimes causing them to want to use
social media more.
The National Health and Morbidity Survey
2017, found that the state of mental health
among students aged between 13 and 17 is
concerning, with 6.9% of those surveyed
having attempted suicide one or more times,
and 10% having seriously considered suicide
during the past 12 months from when the
survey was conducted. This begs the
question – how many of these cases can be
attributed to social media use?
Insomnia and sleep deprivation
A study titled Association Between
Insomnia and Social Network Site Use in
Indonesian Adolescents indicated that
insomnia was associated with social media
use, particularly the duration and reason of
use. In another British study published in the
Journal of Youth Studies, one-fifth of teens
said that they “almost always” wake up
during the night to check their social media.
Teens spend hours on these sites,
jeopardising their sleep, which can lead to
moodiness, overeating, anxiety and
depression. Teens need more sleep than
adults, so logging into social media in the
middle of the night not only affects their
mental well-being, but also their physical
health.
Anxiety
Teens are often emotionally invested in
their social media profiles and feel pressured
to have perfect pictures and well-written
posts. There is also a lot of time and effort
that goes into deciphering the unspoken rules
and cultures of each media platform, which,
as a result, can add pressure on teens that
develops into feelings of anxiety.
To top that off, cyberbullying and other
negative online behaviours only add to the
hostility of social media.
Depression
In a study published in Computers in
Human Behaviour, it was discovered that the
use of multiple social media sites is more
strongly associated with depression
compared with the amount of time spent
Teens are often emotionally invested in their social media profile and feel pressured to have
perfect pictures and well-written posts. This can lead to anxiety and even depression, in
some cases.
online. According to the study, people who
used more than seven social media
platforms were three more times at risk of
depression than people who used two or
fewer sites.
Social media sites such as Facebook,
Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat are filled
with harsh judgements and comparisons
that teens have to navigate or set
expectations of a lifestyle that teens may not
be able to meet. Couple that with low self-
esteem and insecurity, social media can lead
teenagers down a dark rabbit hole of
depression.
A teenager’s brain develops a lot during
adolescence and it is important that parents
understand the impact social media sites
Early childhood
development crucial
CHILD development typically refers to the
growth of the child’s cognitive, emotional,
physical, motor and social skills.
Heguru education believes in the “Start
Early” principle. Effectively stimulating your
child’s brain is crucial during her early years
as it will prove to have long-term benefits for
development.
Most early education programmes are
traditionally focused on the development of
the left hemisphere of the brain, known as
the “logic and language brain”. However, not
everyone is aware that during the golden
period before three years of age, the right
hemisphere of the brain, also known as the
“image brain”, sees rapid development.
Heguru strives to enhance the potential of
your child’s right hemisphere of the brain
from as early as six months up to primary
level, as it believes it will create
immeasurable value to the child’s dynamic
learning abilities, which can be further
explored during this precious phase of their
lives.
Research reveals that children begin to
learn at birth and confirms that the first five
years are significant to brain development,
as its architecture is beginning to be built.
This is when the brain is most open to
experiences that form the foundation for
organisational development and function
and impacts how children develop their
learning skills, social and emotional abilities.
Hence, effectively stimulating your child’s
brain during their early years is crucial.
Originally from Japan and developed for
more than 30 years, Heguru is an
evolutionary learning programme for
children from the age of six months up to the
primary level. Heguru’s certified instructors
employ over 60 fun and fast-paced activities,
including flash cards, memory activities and
challenging puzzles, to best stimulate a
child’s brain and promote development.
SUNDAY STAR, 21 JULY 2019
have on their children’s mental health. For
this reason, it is vital to establish guidelines
and help your teen navigate social media
responsibly and safely.
Communicate with your teens and ask
questions that can give you insight into their
social medial lives. Give them enough space
so they feel comfortable with you as
micromanaging can backfire. Model healthy
social media behaviour.
When parents set boundaries and stick to
their own rules, teens learn an important
lesson about self-care and setting limits.
Connection is key when it comes to
parenting teens in this modern world,
especially when dealing with their mental
well-being.
Children are placed in a fun-filled learning
environment with the aim of unlocking their
innate potential and dynamic learning
abilities, such as photographic memory, high-
speed processing ability, analytical thinking
and good morals. Ultimately, they are
nurtured to be positive and confident
individuals with accelerated learning pace
that can allow them to excel.
It is Heguru’s vision to assist parents in
developing and nurturing their child’s innate
potential. Since 2009, Heguru has gained
widespread recognition from Malaysian
parents for its uniqueness and quality and
has received awards from local parenting
magazines for its development programme.
Give your child a chance to realise her
hidden talent. Start early and get the right
brain education as every child is a genius in
Heguru.
n For more information, call 03-2287 2168
(Kuala Lumpur), 03-5879 9769 (Puchong),
07-557 7188 (Johor Baru) or 04-638 3617
(Bayan Lepas), email info@heguru.com.my
or visit www.heguru.com.my