Costco Connection

and confused after receiving a diagnosis.

• Recognize that it may take time to find the medications and dosages that work.

• Always respect the individual’s need for privacy.

Additional focus: trauma

A second platform for Mental Health America during this awareness initiative is called Healing Trauma’s Invisible Wounds.

Until recently, trauma survivors were largely unrecognized by the formal treatment system. The costs of trauma and its aftermath to victims and society were not well documented. Inadvertently, treatment systems may have frequently retraumatized individuals and failed to understand the impact of traumatic experiences on their general and mental health.

A traumatizing experience can happen to an individual at any age, or to an entire community. The most common causes of trauma include:

• Living under threat

• Childhood sexual, physical or emotional abuse or neglect

• Experiencing violence

• Being bullied

• Living through a natural disaster, war or other form of upheaval

• Serving in combat

• Witnessing something terrible happen
to another person or group of people
The good news is that the invisible
wounds caused by traumatic experiences can
heal. With the proper treatment, support and
self-care, recovery is possible.

As a society, we are just beginning to deal with trauma—bringing it out of the shadows, finding new ways of healing its wounds and casting off the shame that prevents trauma survivors from seeking help.

Mental Health America can help those in need find treatment, support groups, medication information and more on its website, www.mentalhealthamerica.net. If you or someone you know is in crisis, please call your local crisis center or 1-800-273-TALK (8255) to reach a 24-hour crisis center.

—David Wight

MEDIA BAKERY

PAID ADVER TISEMEN T

ready to
potty train?
Is your little one

LOOK FOR THE SIGNS!

• Stays dry through naps.

• Sits on the potty.

• Wakes up dry in the morning.

• Knows when it’s time to go.

5 TIPS FOR SURVIVING POTTY TRAINING

1. Be consistent. This means making a plan and sticking to it, whether you’re at home or on the town.

2. Be patient. Every child trains differently, and you need to recognize what works and doesn’t work for your own child. If you pressure your toddler to potty train, he might resist, causing bigger troubles down the road.

The CDC estimates that 1. 5 million adults have RA, which is two to three times more common in women. While OA is generally discovered later in life, RA is often discovered earlier, says Wei. The 30s and 40s are prime years for diagnosis.

There is no singular test for RA, so doctors use a combination of physical history and examination, blood tests and X-ray imaging to make a diagnosis. Thanks to emerging science concerning RA biomark-ers—biological clues to the existence and extent of RA disease activity—sophisticated blood tests can now aid in the detection and management of RA, says Mease.

As recently as the 1980s, RA patients routinely received gold injections as a primary form of treatment. Today, the gold standard for RA treatments is disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs and biological therapies— protein-based prescription medications that fight the abnormalities that cause RA.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 45

While RA can’t be cured, between 10 and
25 percent of RA patients reach remission. In
remission, the disease is inactive and patients
don’t experience symptoms, but must continue
taking medication and remain under a doctor’s
care. When RA is caught early, patients have a
better chance of reaching remission, says
Mease. “Remission doesn’t happen for every-
one,” he notes. “But when it does, patients are
overwhelmed by how good they feel.”
Bonuccelli is one of the lucky ones—the
RA that caused him years of pain and swelling
is now in remission. Daily medications
(Enbrel and methotrexate) and regular blood
work will continue to help manage and moni-
tor the disease. But for now, his RA symptoms
are a thing of the past, and this band teacher
is once again marching to the beat of life. C

Costco member Malia Jacobson is a freelance journalist who writes frequently about health topics.

3. Don’t cave in to peer pressure.

No matter what people tell you, remember, it’s your child. You know what would work best for your tot. Ask friends and family to respect your potty plan.

4. Expect setbacks. Even if you’ve had weeks of success at the potty, your child may experience accidents. A variety of things can upset your child’s routine, causing setbacks. If that’s the case, wait until life is calmer before you restart your potty training efforts.

5. Make it fun. If potty training feels like a chore for you, it’ll feel that way for your child too. Make it fun by using Pull-Ups® Training Pants, reading potty books or doing the Potty Dance.

RESOURCE LIST For more information about arthritis, visit these websites.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: www.cdc.gov/arthritis
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases:
www.niams.nih.gov/health_info/arthritis
Arthritis Foundation: www.arthritis.org
Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center: www.hopkins-arthritis.org