Lifelines

Parenting plans are a valuable way for separated (married, divorced or unmarried) parents to work out when their child or children will be with each parent and how the children will be provided for financially. They are devised and put together in written form by the parents themselves with the help of a trained mediator, and are now seen by the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs as a useful method to prevent conflict escalations, which can often result in court maintenance applications. The Family Mediation Service provides free mediation for separated parents and operates in Dublin, Tallaght, Limerick, Cork, Galway, Athlone, Dundalk, Tralee, Wexford and Castlebar. Tel: 01-6344320.

A new approach to dealing with eating disorders involves bringing several family groups together for a week to 10 days so that they can support each other and challenge difficult behaviour with the support of others. It has been developed at the Eating Disorder Unit, at the Maudsley Hospital, in London. This and other therapies will be discussed at a oneday conference for volunteers of the eating disorder support group, Bodywhys. The conference will be held next Saturday in St John of God Hospital, Stillorgan, Co Dublin. Tel: 01-2834963 for more details. Meanwhile, Bodywhys has moved its support group meetings to The Friends Meeting House, 4/5 Eustace Street, Dublin 2. The meetings are held on the first and third Monday of every month at 7.30 p.m.

Scientists at the University of Calgary in Canada have confirmed what migraine sufferers have said for years - that the weather can trigger their condition. The researchers looked specifically at the links between migraine and the occurrence of Canadian Chinook winds, warm westerly winds which occur in Alberta, Canada. Dr Becker, one of the research team said: "Identifying trigger factors for migraine can help neurologists treat, manage and learn more about the causes of migraine." Overall, approximately 50 per cent of migraine sufferers say that certain weather conditions precipitate migraine attacks. (BBC Health News).

Breast screening is more likely to miss breast cancer if the woman has been taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT), according to an Australian study. Itis thought that the errors creep in because HRT could be making breast tissue more dense and harder to scan. One-hundred thousand women undergoing mammography were studied at La Trobe University in Melbourne, and a screening sensitivity of 64.8 was found in the HRT group compared to a 77.3 in the non-HRT group. False negative results (those which miss the existing cancer) were found to be 60 per cent more likely in women taking HRT. (BBC Health News)

Mind Yourself is a free introductory course on complementary medicine which runs for three consecutive Wednesdays in February at 6.30 p.m. at the Open Learning Centre, Central Library, Ilac Centre, Henry Street, Dublin 1. Homoeopathist Eleanor Sutherland will give the first talk on "Holistic Medicine in the Home" on February 9th. Tel: 01-8734333 for more details. www.altmedicine.com is a useful site for those interested in all forms of complementary treatments.

Hearing loss affects one in seven people and this figure rises to one in three in those over 60 and two in three in those over 70. Situations which first become difficult for those with hearing loss are social occasions such as dining out, going to the theatre or travelling with other people. Background noises can however be cut out with new hearing technologies such as the loop system. Sufferers also need help when it comes to everyday situations in the home such as watching television and hearing the phone and doorbell ring. Hearing help classes (which deal extensively with coping strategies and the different hearing technologies available) begin again in February in eight centres in Dublin and in Meath, Kildare, Kilkenny, Offaly, Clare, Galway, Mayo, Longford, Cavan and Monaghan. All sufferers with acquired hearing loss are welcome to attend. Contact the National Association for Deaf People on tel: 01 8723800 for more details.

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