The Importance of Proper Diagnosis and Recovery Time With Concussions

 

Concussions
Image: webmd.com

A private-practice pediatrician with more than three decades of relevant experience, Lloyd Takao. MD, maintains and provides care from his office in Orinda, California spanning issues such as asthma and ADHD. Emphasizing 24/7 emergency response at his patient-centered practice, Dr. Lloyd Takao provides care for issues such as concussions, which are of rising concern affecting young people in or out of sports nationwide.

With the long-term impact of repeated head injuries on cognitive and physical functioning well-documented, concussions can occur from a variety of causes, including whiplash, forceful shaking, blows, and rapid neck and head rotation. Often occurring without a loss of consciousness, traumatic brain injuries may go unrecognized on the playground or athletic field.

In cases of a suspected concussion, the first step involves evaluating symptoms and testing cognitive function. Other aspects of physical performance looked at include reaction times, balance, memory retention, and overall motor coordination. Symptoms may subside within hours or weeks, but this does not mean that it is safe to resume normal athletic activities. “Brain rest” that avoids physical exertion, homework studies, school tests, and computer monitors, will help clear many symptoms.

A standard return-to-contact protocol mandates that injured athletes are both cleared by a concussion-management-trained physician and wait at least 10 days from the date of injury before returning to the field.

AAP Releases New Guidebook for Parents of Infants and Toddlers

 

American Academy of Pediatrics
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A pediatric physician operating in California for more than 35 years, Lloyd Takao, MD, sees between 18-22 patients per day at his private practice. Outside of his everyday clinical work, Dr. Lloyd Takao is a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

It’s common for first-time parents to have many questions about caring for their newborn babies. Rather than rely on word-of-mouth advice or Internet searches, parents can turn to a new comprehensive guide developed by the AAP and renowned child care expert Dr. Tanya Altmann. The book, Baby and Toddler Basics: Expert Answers to Parents’ Top 150 Questions, is presented in a question-and-answer format so that parents can find reliable, accurate answers just as quickly as they could perform an Internet search. The book covers myriad topics relevant to parents of children up to age 3, from safe sleep and breastfeeding to temper tantrums and vaccinations.

Backed by the AAP, Dr. Altmann is an assistant clinical professor at Mattel’s Children’s Hospital at UCLA and the author of numerous parenting books.

Diagnosing and Treating Generalized Anxiety Disorder in Adolescents

 

Anxiety Disorder
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A pediatric physician for more than 40 years, Lloyd Takao, MD, has run a private practice in Orinda, California for most of his career. Dr. Lloyd Takao treats young patients with a range of conditions, including children and teenagers struggling with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).

Generalized anxiety disorder presents as persistent, excessive fear and worry. People suffering from GAD – as many as 25 percent of teenagers – experience muscle tension, difficulty sleeping, stomach aches and irritability; they often worry about things that haven’t happened, and about the people in their lives.

To be diagnosed with GAD, a child must encounter these symptoms in addition to feelings of anxiousness. Their feelings differ from someone experiencing regular unease in that their apprehension lasts a long time, doesn’t have a clear instigator, and remains even when they are not being tested or evaluated in any way.

Therapy from a medical specialist like Dr. Takao is a good way to help young people deal with their anxiety. The doctor helps them understand why they are struggling, and why their anxiety over a specific issue may be unfounded. The patients also learn long-term methods for identifying and calming the thoughts that make them feel anxious.

A Summer Camp For Kids With Asthma

Lloyd Takao

A former member of the board of directors for the Children’s Hospital Oakland, Dr. Lloyd Takao sees more than 15-20 patients each day at his private pediatric practice in Orinda, California. Lloyd Takao, MD specializes in treating children with asthma. He spent time on the board of directors for the American Lung Association (ALA) at the local, state, and national levels, and is responsible for establishing the first Breathe Easy Day Camp in Alameda County.

Breathe Easy Day Camp is a four-day camp designed to help children with asthma gain skills in managing the respiratory illness, while still offering the usual amenities of a summer camp – cabins, swimming pools, arts and crafts, and sports fields. Camps are held throughout the United States in partnership with ALA and local organizations.

The Alameda County camp has taken place annually since 1984 at Camp Arroyo. It has been supported by local non-profit organizations such as Kerry’s Kids, the Asthma Coalition of Alameda County, and the Taylor Family Foundation, a fundraising collective with the goal of enhancing the quality of life for Northern California children living with chronic illnesses and developmental disabilities. Mindy Benson, a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner with the Children’s Hospital Oakland, has been the camp’s director for the past 12 years.

Potential Consequences of Not Vaccinating a Child

Vaccinating a Child
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Lloyd Takao, MD, heads an independent pediatrics practice located in Orinda, California. There, Dr. Lloyd Takao advises parents on various important measures to protect their children’s health, including vaccinations.

In recent years, some parents have been choosing not to have their children receive doctor-recommended vaccines, or to delay the administration of these vaccines. Health experts warn that this can have a number of negative consequences for the child.

First of all, the child will be vulnerable to sicknesses normal childhood vaccines could have prevented, many of which can lead to major health consequences or even death. Should an outbreak of one of these diseases occur in a community, it may be too late for the child to receive the vaccine and be adequately protected.

Parents should also keep in mind that the child’s vaccination’s status must be disclosed to schools. Should instances of the disease occur within the area, school administrators might require that the child stay home, causing him or her to miss out on classes and social events.

Additionally, a child who has not received vaccines may need to undergo additional testing and evaluation by medical professionals should he or she fall ill. This is because doctors cannot rule out certain diseases that they could for a child who received his or her vaccines. The unvaccinated child might even need to be treated in isolation, since a potential infection could put infants and others in the area at risk.

Great Snorkeling Spots in Southern California

Snorkeling
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Lloyd Takao, MD, has operated a private medical practice in the East Bay area of California for more than three decades. Outside his professional life, Dr. Lloyd Takao enjoys outdoor leisure activities such as snorkeling.

Snorkeling is a wonderful marine activity that sometimes takes tourists around the world. While there are renowned international locations that boast impressive underwater views, for Californians, there are hidden gems right in their backyard that also provide great snorkeling experiences. Here are two of them.

La Jolla is a great location for family-friendly snorkeling excursions. Situated near San Diego, the waters, which are some of the clearest in Southern California, are suited for beginners and children. La Jolla Shores is also a great spot to get a close-up view of leopard sharks, which are harmless to humans and swim near shore in the late summer months.

Laguna Beach is another wonderful snorkeling spot. It also boasts clear waters, particularly within the Heisler Park Ecological Reserve. One can take tours to Seal Rock, where both kayaking and snorkeling experiences are available. When the conditions are ideal, you can even swim alongside colonies of California sea lions.

Ukulele Buying for Beginners

 

Ukulele
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Dr. Lloyd Takao serves as a family physician serving individuals in the greater Orinda, California area. Outside his professional life, Dr. Lloyd Takao enjoys several leisure activities, including playing the ukulele.

For beginning ukulele players, it’s important to to understand what one gets for the money when buying a ukulele. For those interested in learning, it’s entirely possible to purchase an affordable instrument without breaking the bank.

The cheaper ukuleles typically range around the $50 price point, and the price goes up from there, with some ukuleles being very expensive. For the beginner, anywhere between the $50 and $200 range is acceptable. These instruments produce a good sound and aren’t prohibitively expensive.

The more expensive ukuleles are typically constructed with real, solid wood instead of a laminate or plastic body. Different woods produce sounds in different ways, and use of the more exotic woods are what drive the price up on more expensive instruments. The pricier models also tend to have more handmade or custom components, such as pearl inlays and the like.

There are lots of factors that determine the price of a ukulele. But for the beginner, the less-expensive models aren’t significantly inferior and are more than capable for beginners.

Concussions in Infants and Young Children

 

Concussion
Image: WebMD.com

Lloyd Takao, MD, is a family physician in Orinda, California. He provides a hands-on approach to his patients, taking advice calls seven days a week and administering his own shots and procedures. As part of his practice, Lloyd Takao, MD, is well versed in caring for infants and young children.

A concussion is a closed head injury typically caused by a strong blow to the head, a fall, or hard shaking. When a child experiences a concussion, symptoms can vary from vision problems to loss of consciousness. Many of the effects are temporary and go away with time, but sometimes they can be more severe.

When a head injury happens–and for a few week afterwards–signs to watch for include slurred or confused speech, lethargic behavior, vision problems, balance issues, vomiting, and pupils that are unequally dilated. For infants who aren’t talking or walking yet, check the soft spots on the skull for bumps. Trouble feeding and very high-pitched cries are also indicators of a concussion.

If any of these symptoms are present or if you are worried about the seriousness of the head injury in any way, call your pediatrician as soon as possible. Should the child lose consciousness, go directly to the emergency room. If the loss of consciousness is accompanied by convulsions and/or irregular breathing, call 911 and do not move the child unless he or she is in danger of further injury.

Learning Disorders and Their Effects

Learning Disabilities
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Lloyd Takao, MD, has practiced as a pediatrician in the Orinda, California, area for 30 years. In addition to helping patients who are feeling sick or have minor injuries, Dr. Lloyd Takao consults with children and their families who are dealing with a variety of struggles, including learning disabilities.

Parents whose child experiences ongoing problems with schoolwork may become concerned that their child might have a learning disability. For instance, they might notice that the child seems to have difficulty telling different letters and numbers apart, or that he or she has trouble focusing on instructions or remembering information. If parents suspect a learning disorder is contributing to their child’s performance in school, it’s important that they seek help for the child, as learning disabilities can have a number of negative long-term effects. Dr Lloyd Takao can help differentiate when this happens.

Of course, one of the most obvious effects of a learning disability is poor grades and not keeping up with peers in certain respects. However, learning disorders can cause psychological problems as well. For instance, children who have a disability might begin to think that they are stupid because they have difficulty mastering certain skills in school. However, many children with learning disabilities are actually very smart; they simply might have different brain wiring that affects the way they learn and their academic achievement. To understand how they learn best becomes very important. They might be constantly told that they are not trying hard enough, a factor that can hurt self-esteem and make them less interested in trying in school. Fortunately, an evaluation and specialized treatment plan can go a long way in helping these children and ensuring their long-term well-being and success.

UCSF’s Medical Curriculum

As associate clinical professor of pediatrics, Lloyd Takao, MD, teaches in the Foundations of Medical Care Program through the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). With the help of such experienced faculty members as Dr. Lloyd Takao, UCSF provides a four-year curriculum that prepares up-and-coming physicians for the sorts of clinical challenges they’ll face over the course of their careers.

The first year of medical instruction at UCSF includes three core courses that focus on patient care, organ systems, and metabolism and nutrition. During the second year, patient care remains a key part of the curriculum, which also expands to include important matters ranging from immunity to malignancies.

During their third year at UCSF, medical students gain hands-on clinical and clerkship experience. Moreover, during the summer, they undergo advanced clinical studies, which carry on into their fourth and final year.

For more information about the UCSF medical program and its faculty, prospective students can visit the university’s website at http://www.meded.ucsf.edu.