Showing posts with label Health. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Health. Show all posts

Tuesday, February 18, 2020

[INFO] About COVID-19

There is some information provided by YOKE about COVID-19 in Japan.

Multilingual information by CLAIR


http://www.clair.or.jp/j/multiculture/tool_library/tools/114526.html?fbclid=IwAR2_sMGjg7vd14mQF-ZeaZTNkqfaXEOQBkORz2TKmSqhTT_7JB-FM1ymdhE

Click the orange button to download the files (a folder that contains all the files in Korean, English, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, Burmese, Portuguese, Vietnamese, French, Tagalog, Nepali, German, Thai, Spanish, Indonesian, Easy Japanese will be downloaded)

Japan Visitor Hotline

http://www.mlit.go.jp/kankocho/news08_000311.html
(press release in Japanese)

050-3816-2787
24/7, English, Chinese, Korean and Japanese
For emergencies (Illness or accidents), in case of disaster or for general sightseeing information


Announcement by the city of Yokohama in easy Japanese

https://www.city.yokohama.lg.jp/lang/residents/ej/daiji/soudan.html

Thursday, September 5, 2019

[HEALTH] Visual and Audio Checkup for 3 Years Olds


Some of you might have received this letter from the city of Yokohama. This is an announcement for the visual and audio checkup for three-year-old children (turning four this before next April). It says from this fiscal year (or school year/ from April to March in Japan),  they pulled down the target age from four to three, so if you have a four-year-old(s) and a three-year-old(s), you receive the letter for both (or all) of them this year. 

If your child(ren) is already enrolled in a school (nursery or kindergarten), you will receive the checkup questionnaire sheet through your school (between September 2019 and January 2010). 

If your child(ren) stays at home or goes to school outside Yokohama, contact the Children's Health Council Center (the address and the number on the bottom of the left side page). They'll ask your child(ren)'s name, birthdate, address to send the questionnaire after October 2019. Then you are supposed to sent it back in two weeks. They'll enclose a return envelop so you won't need to pay for the postal stamps.

If they judge that your child(ren) needs more detailed checkup, they'll send you another letter (and the checkup will be free of charge) . If not, you will receive nothing. 


The page about the checkup on the website of the city of Yokohama (though they only talk about four year olds). 



Wednesday, June 13, 2018

[LIVING TIPS] How to Call the Ambulance



Hodogaya International Mothers Gathering "Piccolo" held a workshop to learn Child First Aid on June 12th, 2018.  They hold this every year around this time, inviting local fire bureau officers, to learn how to use the AED and how to do the CPR.

When your family member or someone in the street collapses, first thing you do is to see if the person is conscious or not. If not, then you check s/he is breathing or not. If not, you call for an ambulance and start the CPR, and use the AED if necessary.

However, if you don't speak much Japanese, you may not be able to understand what the person on the emergency phone is asking or to tell him/her the situation. 

For more information about the emergency call system etc., you can read the guide for ambulance services by the Fire and Disaster Management Agency.  

So, here are some basic questions/answers in Japanese you may need to remember when you call an ambulance. 

The emergency number in Japan is 119. 

Then you will be asked if it's a fire or medical emergency.
Officer: 火事ですか、救急ですか?Kaji desuka? Kyukyu desuka?
You: 火事です。Kaji desu.(There is a fire.)  or  救急です。Kyukyu desu. (It's a medical emergency).

Remember your Jyusyo (address) in Japanese.

Officer: どこですか?Doko desuka? (Where is it?)  
住所を教えてください。Jyusyo wo oshiete kudasai. (Please give me your address.)

You: (when you are at home) 住所は横浜市XXXX区XXX123です。Jyusyo ha Yokohama shi, XXXX -ku, XXX 123 desu. (My address is ...). 
In case you are somewhere else and you don't know the exact address, you can give them some landmarks around you. 
XXの近くにいます。XX no chikaku ni imasu. (I am near XX.)

*ATTENTION: In Japanese, we start from the prefecture or the city and end with the street/land number etc. Prefecture=県Ken Ward= 区Ku, City=市Shi, Town=町Cho/Machi

Explain what has happened.

Officer: どうしましたか?Dou shimashita ka? (What has happened?)
You: 
(My husband is unconscious.)
私の夫の意識がありません。Watashi no otto no ishiki ga arimasen.
(My child is choked with something.)
私の子供が何かのどにつまらせました。Watashi no kodomo ga nanika nodo ni tsumarasemashita.
(XX is not breathing.)
XXは息をしていません。XX ha iki wo shite imasen.
(XX has gone into spasm.)
XXはけいれんしています。XX ha keiren shite imasu.
(XX is injured.)
XXはけがをしました。ZZ ha kega wo shimashita.

Give your name and number.

Officer: あなたの名前を教えてください。Anata no o namae wo oshiete kudasai. (Please give me your name.) 
You: 私の名前はXXXです。Watashi no namae ha XXX desu. (My name is XXX.)

Officer: 電話番号を教えてください。Den bangou wo oshiete kudasai. (Please give me your phone number.)





Tuesday, December 19, 2017

[HEALTH] Be Careful of Mosquito-borne Infections


*This is an announcement through YOKE.

If you are traveling to South Asia, South-East Asia, Central America or South America during the holidays, please read through this leaflet about mosquito-borne infections.


Happy holidays!

Tuesday, September 5, 2017

[SHOPPING] Mammies Hours Project

We would like to introduce you Mommies Hours Project, which is for sick children and their family and friends.

Official website:
https://www.mammies-hours.com/home-english
FB page
https://www.facebook.com/mammieshours/

Here's the message from the founder (English translation follows):




自身の経験をもとに、市販されていないカテーテルケースを販売しています。I am selling CV catherter cases, which are not sold at stores, through my own experience.

マミーズアワーズショップは、病気と闘う子どもたちと家族を応援するショッピングサイトです。市販で流通していないカテーテルケースを始め、長期療養が必要な子どもたちの生活の中で、現状保護者が手作りで制作するほかないものをクローズアップして販売しています。
Mommies Hours Shop is an online shopping site to support children fighting against sickness and their families. I am selling items like CV catheter cases, which are not easily found at stores, and items that necessary for sick children who need long treatment, but caretakers have to make by themselves in the current situation (where they can't find any at stores).



子どものお見舞い品について
About gifts for sick kids
マミーズアワーズショップでカテーテルケースをお買い求めいただくお客様のほとんどが、長期療養を余儀なくされているお子様の保護者の方々です。
マミーズアワーズショップの提案する「子供のお見舞い品」は、子供が闘病したからこそ気づいた本当に欲しいものを提案しています。
患児を持つ家族以外の「優しい誰か」からプレゼントしてあげていただきたいなと考えております。

収益金の一部を病気と闘う子どもたちと家族が宿泊する施設に寄付します。・・・「ちょっとだけ、だけど・・・ずっと」をキャッチフレーズに、長いスパンでこの活動を行えたらと考えております。
Most of the customers who purchase the catheter cases at Mommies Hours Shop are caretakers of sick children who have to get through long treatment. 
I propose "gifts for sick kids", that I found really helpful through my experience with sick children. I also donate a part of the profit to lodging facilities for sick children and their family. I would like to continue this project under a motto "A little bit (of time and effort)...but for good". 


*様々な方面にバックアップなどの協力要請をしましたが、現状個人で運営するほか方法がなく、息子の闘病中に病院にて個人でサイトを制作し、このマミーズアワーズプロジェクトを立ち上げました。当サイトはサイト制作や写真撮影、商品制作に至るまで、すべて個人で行っております。(縫製作業スタッフ1名のみ在籍しております)。

Although I asked around support in various fields, there's no way but to run the project by myself at the moment. I created the website alone at the hospital where my son had medical treatment and started this Mommies Hours Project. The updates, photo shooting and production of the items are all done by one person, except for a sewing crew. 

Thursday, October 27, 2016

[HEALTH] Immunization (Vaccination) Information in Yokohama

Here're some links to vaccination information by the city of Yokohama.

Health and Social Welfare Bureau of the city of Yokohama(横浜市保健所)

Vaccination info page (Chinese versions available from this page):
http://www.city.yokohama.lg.jp/kenko/hokenjo/genre/kansensyo/vaccination.html

Guide to Vaccinations for Children 

Vaccination medical questionnaire 

BCG Vaccination Questionnaire




FYI
Multilingual information of Immunization
http://www.city.yokohama.lg.jp/kenko/hokenjo/genre/kansensyo/language/language.html

*Unfortunately, the information in the link above has not been updated for a while (now children can get polio vaccination at local clinics, not at the Health and Social Welfare bureau).

Wednesday, July 6, 2016

[IMCY ACTIVITY REPORT] AED and First Aid Lesson in Hodogaya 2016

Hodogaya International Lounge, with the cooperation of Hodogaya ward and Fire Station, held  an AED lesson for foreign families this year again.



You can see two popular types of the AED. There may be patches and a cable for young children (under 8 years old, the cable is equipped with an electricity-adjuster) in the AED box. Even if there aren't you can use ones for adult. For young children, you stick a patch on the chest and the other on the back. Be sure that the person is not wet and to remove all the metal belongings (accessories, underwear with metallic wire etc.) before applying the electric shock, or the person can get burnt around them. There are also groves to prevent infection in the AED box.


For young children, you use two fingers to apply CPR. AED should be applied after trying CPR. 
When you find something wrong with your baby, hit his/her feet and see if s/he reacts. If s/he gives no reaction, get ready to call 119. To see if s/he is breathing properly, see if his/her belly moves up and down for about 10 seconds. If no, you may need to apply CPR. CPR should be "strongly, quickly and without recess" till the ambulance arrives (the average time is in 7 minutes). 


Choking: when your baby was choked, hold your baby with his/her head down (maybe you can sit on a chair), and beat his/her back with your palm like pushing the choking stuff out. 

The fire station staff told us that we should open the door before calling 119 because once you start CPR, you can't stop until the ambulance arrives. And it is important to attend emergency management workshops regularly because we may forget as time goes by.

We would like to show our deep gratitude to Hodogaya International Lounge, Hodogaya Fire Station and Hodogaya ward for having provided us this opportunity.



Here are reactions from some of the participants:

     Becoming a new parent has made me feel a lot of joy and happiness, but also a lot of worry for all the expected and unexpected that might happen.  Things you hope will never happen to your little one (like choking hazards or just stopping breathing for some reason) might occur any time.  Knowing exactly what to do in case of such an emergency might be essential for saving your baby’s or child’s life.   Today’s lecture at Hodogaya International corner was aimed on performing the first aid on an unconscious baby or a child and was not only very informative, but also with a lot of practical hands on experience.  Every participant got to perform heart massage with use of AED on a real size doll, as well as first aid for choking hazards. 
     So even my fear for an emergency is still there I feel more confident of my abilities giving my baby the first aid she might need one day.  Today’s lecture was also a very nice opportunity to get to know and get in touch with other mothers and their babies living in the area and share some interesting information with each other.  And I would like to say Thank you to all who arranged such a great event.
-Ms.T (a mom of a baby girl)


     It was my first time to attend any kind of rescue lessons.I actually see that some places have AED ready to use, but I never knew how to use one.   Especially, when you are living with a small child, there always is a fear that these little lives are just so small and helpless.  Whenever my little boy is sick, or bump his head somewhere, I really feel scared that there always are risks.
     I decided to attend this AED lessons, hoping that this might be helpful one day if any accident occur,or if nothing happens(well, it’s the best thing), but I can still feel confident that I have knowledge to save lives.After learning how to deal with AEDs, or correct ways to help choking children from a professional rescue team, I feel glad to know the correct method, that I won't feel confused when something actually happens.  I think every moms should have this knowledge, it really made me feel better and confident in taking full responsibility to my child's life.
     Also, this gathering was a really good place to communicate with other moms in Yokohama.
-Ms. E (a mom of a boy, and #2 on the way)

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

[HEALTH] IMCY Pediatrician List


Open Google Map

This is the map which shows the pediatricians that IMCY members are using. This map is based on the information of IMCY member by questionnaire, facebook comments and so on.

Red marker shows the hospitals used with English.
Yellow markers show the ones used with both English and Japanese.

This map does not guarantee the usage of English in each hospital. Please take the information by your own responsibility.

Friday, August 22, 2014

[HEALTH] The City of Yokohama: Cancer Check-up for Women

Aiming at early discovery and treatment for cancers, the city of Yokohama provides citizens cancer screening services. You may have received this letter in the photo or a free coupon for screening.

Please scroll down to read the brief explanation of what is written in each document in the photo above.

*Please remember that fiscal year starts in April in Japan. So "this year" may mean from April this year (to March next year).


Monday, August 4, 2014

[HEALTH] Herpangina Epidemic Alert in Kanagawa July~ 2014

Herpangina is also known as mouth blisters. This summer, some local governments have put an alert on Herpangina.

The website of Kanagawa Prefectural Institute of Public Health
http://www.eiken.pref.kanagawa.jp/003_center/0005_ryukou/herpangina/140731_herpangina.html

*Screenshot from the webpage above.









In the page, it is described that Herpangina brings about a high fever and blisters in the throat. There's the epidemic in summer just like Hand Foot Mouth Disease and many of the patients are young children. The virus is infected by cough and sneeze, or by broken blisters and excrements. So please wash hands well when you get home or after changing diapers.

Friday, February 28, 2014

[HEALTH] PM2.5 Alert Information (by the City of Yokohama)

Not only pollen (that causes hay fever) and Asian Dust, the PM2.5 density increases in this season.

In this page, we can see if the PM2.5 high density alert is announced or not.
「現在、PM2.5高濃度予報等はありません」:Now there is NOT PM2.5 high density alert etc.
*Sorry, we don't know what sentence is used when it's on alert since we haven't seen it yet.
http://www.city.yokohama.lg.jp/kankyo/mamoru/kanshi/pm25open/

When the alert is on,
1) we should avoid going outside without inevitable reasons
2) we should not do any sports outside for a long time
3) try to minimize the ventilation of the house/room
4) pay attention to those who suffer respiratory diseases, young children and elderly people

The alert will be announced at around 8 o'clock according to the measurement of 5, 6 and 7 o'clock in the morning.

Wednesday, July 31, 2013

[HEALTH] HFMD Outbreak July 2013

The number of patient report of Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease (HFMD) has reached alert level in all the wards except Tsurumi in Yokohama (17/18 wards) in the mid-July, 2013. 31.5% of the reported patients are 1 year-olds.

The most popular virus this time is CA6, whose symptoms tend to be bigger spots (rash) not limited to hand, foot and mouth.

To avoid the infection, we should wash our hands regularly and pay attention when dealing with diapers and toilette trashes.

Source: Yokohama Health and Welfare Bureau (in Japanese)

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

[LIFE] How To Maintain Your Air Conditioner

One of my friends told me that her air conditioner didn't produce enough cool wind, so I asked her if she had cleaned it up.

Yes, air conditioners need cleaning. And the first thing you should check when you have problem with your air condoner is if it's cleaned or not.

There are various models and the latest ones don't require cleaning but they do it by themselves.

 For example, this is one of our air conditioner. It's  a DAIKIN 2012 model and they don't require cleaning often. It automatically cleans the dust or dries up inside if we set it (Yes, we must set it using a remote).

フィルター掃除: Filter Cleaning
内部クリーン: Inside Cleaning (reduce molds and bad smell by drying)
The spec guide advises that "Filter Cleaning" should be done everyday.

 When I open the front panel, it looks like this. If they need cleaning (the streamer unit, the dust box and the dust brush), they let us know by blinking each lamp.
 This is another one which is rather old (Mitsubishi).
 We can see the filters and they need to be cleaned once a month using a vacuum cleaner. These filters are removable, so please get them off and vacuum.

If they're really dirty/oily, you can prepare a warm water with some drops of neutral detergent in a bucket soak, rinse and dry.
CAUTION: Please don't put back the wet filters to the air conditioner!

Inside, we can see it's dirty but can't reach... in this case, we need to call the professional...

Air conditioner cleaning (エアコンクリーニング)costs about 8000~12000yen per machine. Discount available for the second and more machines at the same time. The easiest way is to ask 家電量販店 household electrical appliance retailer such as Yodobashi, Bic, Kojima, Yamada etc... where you bought the conditioner (if possible).  The leading house cleaning company Duskin also offers air conditioner cleaning.

*Please note that these are just two examples. There are various models and each of them has different way of maintaining... Please have someone to translate the specification guide of your air conditioner.

After the earthquake, we are asked to save electricity. The government recommend that we set the temperature of air conditioner to 28 degrees C or use an electric fan (or a circulator) if possible. And switching off the air conditioner often doesn't save electricity, because it uses a lot of energy to boot. But we should keep the room temperature at about 28 C for our health!!


Here I embed the Electricity Usage Status gadget by TEPCO. 
電力使用状況お知らせブログパーツ|政府の節電ポータルサイト「節電.go.jp」