Loud noise and language

Joan McGoon,

Nadi

I refer to Suliasi Bola’s ‘letter of the week’ and agree wholeheartedly.

Loud noise affects both children and adult’s learning ability and capability. Added to this are the various languages spoken due to the diverse cultural groups.

What chaos this must bring to these little ones’ minds and world as not only are they trying to process through ‘noise’, they are also having to process the diverse cultures around them through languages some of them are still trying to grasp (namely English, Hindi and iTaukei).

This challenges them in various ways in their cultural identities and intelligence, which is perfect for their growth, however, teachers need to be quite sensitive.

Having a huge class size as well, does not help the matter.

Maybe a further re-structuring could be done to lessen class sizes and match teachers with appropriate class sizes so our children can fully have their education enhanced.

Malnutrition

Neelz Singh

Lami

Malnutrition is a broad term which refers to both under nutrition and over nutrition. Statistics shows most of our children suffer from malnutrition.

It is directly responsible for many illnesses in children younger than five years and contributes indirectly to more than half of all deaths in children worldwide.

Our nation is at risk.

Signs and symptoms

Clinical signs and symptoms of protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) include the following:

Poor weight gain, slowing of linear growth, behavioural changes, irritability, apathy, decreased social responsiveness, anxiety, and attention deficits, lack of vitamins.

Children who are severely malnourished typically experience slow behavioural development, even mental retardation may occur.

The local fresh veggies and fruits should be implemented in out diet and need to care our children at most.

Prevention

The prevention of malnutrition in children starts with an emphasis on prenatal nutrition and good prenatal care. Promotion of breastfeeding is particularly crucial in both rural and urban areas where safe alternatives to human milk are unavailable.

Health care providers should also counsel parents on the appropriate introduction of nutritious supplemental foods. Prevention is better than cure.

Vinaka

Be prepared

Wise Muavono,

Lautoka

It’s difficult to accurately predict where, when and at what strength a tropical cyclone will strike.

As they often veer off-course, change their tracking speed and intensify or weaken suddenly.

You can’t stop a tropical cyclone, but you can take steps now to protect yourself and your family.

Assess your risks and know your home’s vulnerability to storm surge, flooding and wind. Everyone needs to be prepared for the unexpected.

Diwail rain

Sachida Rao,

Nausori

It was so pleasing to receive rain on Diwali day. A  huge blessing to the farming community of ours.

I say this because the dry spell had begun its toll on the farms and farmers were anticipating rain because of the positioning of the moon on Diwali night.

However, a lot of people complained on nature’s call to rain. To make it worse some of the radio presenters also joined the denunciation.

Maybe the heavens were saying that the fire crackers emit a lot of smoke that is causing the natural climate to change.

As a result, catastrophic events in the form of natural disasters occur. Terrifying images of Tropical Cyclone Winston are still traumatising.

The question is how can we become so naïve to continue to disturb the nature.

One may argue that the festival comes only once a year and children and adult likewise look forward for this occasion.

What about the future generation? I am pretty sure the amount of destruction done to the nature now will force the-then authority to impose complete bans on the production of fire crackers.

Do we have to learn the hard or should we  stage the platform for a win-win situation as commonly said?

Nature knows when to rain and when to shine. Let’s not dictate to nature, instead respect nature because it is naturally powerful.

For me, the spirit of Diwali  was never dampened because a lot of  eats did reach to my intended destinations under the umbrella.

Stress

Sukha Singh,

Labasa

I just like to know from people with earphones in their ears for long periods, if they feel stressed .

Mental health and help

Tukai Lagonilakeba,

Nadi

Three years ago a young man from a village in Nadi, who was wellknown for some degree of mental illness, was a loner who frequented the sidewalks in the hot sun around the Nadi Town boundaries.

He one day irresponsibly stabbed to death a young father who was returning from work at the Navakai Sewerage plant in Nadi.

It was done in broad daylight and an innocent family unnecessary lost their sole bread winner to someone with a mental illness.

We have two other men who also roam the towns of Nadi and Lautoka and one of them can be seen often in Suva, but returns to his village in Nadi.

They can be seen picking empty bottles on the streets and throwing it at cars, buses, trucks and sometimes at the public and tourist buses.

They can be seen in public wearing nothing on the top, but the elder of the two was subjected to some very good punching from members of the public when he attacked an innocent tourist who was waiting for the Denarau Yellow bus in front the Jack’s Shop earlier this year.

The younger of the two is a tall six feet skinny youth who can be seen every day in town, both with mental conditions.

A former elderly School teacher walks the road from Sauvunawai, Votulevu to Namaka every day.

He chooses to walk on one side of the road and he does not give a hoot or have any respect whatsoever for the many running vehicles.

He is a hazard and a risk to all road user, I am still amazed and surprised at how he is still alive today.

A girl may be the age of 15 frequently seen in Nadi Town every day asking and begging for money, she is rude and disrespectful to the general public. She utters vulgar insults to anyone who does not offer her a dime. She is a bit of cripple girl with a mental condition and lives at the back of the Legalega Assembly of God Church at Aerrow Town, Namaka.

They are all known to our Government workers and Police in Nadi and no one is doing a thing about it.

I would like to ask the Minister and Assistant Minister for Health together with the Minister for Women to please come and take them to the St Giles Hospital where they can be subjected to proper care and given the right medication.

Their rights are to proper health care are also protected in our 2013 Constitution.

They are mentally sick and they do genuinely need medical assistance.

Feedback:  jyotip@fijisun.com.fj