A BARBERSHOP singer was this week bannedby docs from clicking his fingers to music afterdeveloping repetitive strain injury in his hand.Stephen Amer, 33, left, whose band TestostaTones play in Bradwell, Norfolk, was told herisked long-term joint damage.

RSI affects one in 50 Brits,causing limb and join pain.Here KATE WIGHTON looks atthe causes of RSI and how tocut risk.TEXTING AND TWEETING: Thiscan lead to wrist, shoulderand neck pain. Clenchingand unclenching fists,shrugging shoulders,spreading fingers androtating wrists all help.COMPUTERS: Set up the

computer so you are not sitting awkwardlyor straining to see the screen because badposture increases RSI problems. Your eyesshould be level with the top of the screenand you should be able to touch it withyour fingertips as you reach out.Short screen breaks also help. And to easehand and wrist pain, reach out your rightarm, with palm down,and grab the wrist withyour left hand then pullit outwards.DIY: Rest if you feel painor numbness. Do stretches.GETTING JIGGY: Obese loverscan strain their wrists support-ing themselves during sex. Docsrecommend exercise to strengthenthe wrist (not that sort).

STOPTRAVELSICKNESS RUININGEASTERTRIPS

MUMS JOIN FORCES TO RAISE AWARENESS OF RARE LUNG DISEASE

SOME kids take a favourite toyeverywhere . . . but Lenny Yuleand Hope Campbell can’t goanywhere without their ownoxygen tanks.Both suffer from a rare lungdisease which means they haveto be hooked up 24 hours a day.But a chance meeting in a hospitalwaiting room has meant their mumshave forged a close bond — and nowthey plan to support other families.Hope’s mum Ali, a student midwifefrom Drumoyne, Glasgow, explained:“At first, I just focused on her beingalive, as this condition does kill. Ithought, ‘it doesn’t matter if she hasto have oxygen — at least she’s alive’.“But then I did worry how she’d beable to live a normal life. How couldshe go swimming or manage schoolif she needed oxygen constantly?“But now I’ve met Lenny andhis mum Edel I can see how

By MARIA CROCE

much is possible. Lenny goes toschool and even enjoys Thai boxing.“It’s given me hope for the future.And now we want to help others.”As Lenny, eight, and 18-month-oldHope play on fairground rides at Brae-head shopping centre, they’re just likeother youngsters.The brave pair don’t let their tanksget in the way of fun.Lenny pulls his around on a trolleyhe’s customised with stickers, whileHope relies on Ali to move heroxygen.Ali, 31, and Edel, 36,from Linwood, Renfrews-hire, got chatting last yearwhile waiting at YorkhillSick Children’s Hospital inGlasgow.They discovered both theirkids suffer from children’sinterstitial lung disease(ChILD) — a group

of conditions affect-

ing the tissues of the lungs. It’sthought only around 50 to 60 kidshave a form of this disease in the UK.Lenny began vomiting as a babyand tests revealed ChILD — althoughdoctors don’t know what caused it.The pressure on his chest hasslowed his growth.Hope’s bronchiolitis obliterans — aform of ChILD — was caused by avirus she caught as a baby.Only around 15 children in the UKhave the same problem.Ali, pictured left, and Edel don’tknow how many years their childrenwill need extra oxygen. But as Aliwatches Lenny happily playingand sees what he’s alreadyachieved, it’s given her hope.And now the brave mumwants to help other familiesaffected by the condition.Ali first made contact withmums Carlee Gilbert, from Eng-

land, and Catriona Rogers,from Northern Ireland, on

the internet and they’ve formed thenon-profit organisation ChILD (Lung)Foundation UK.Ali explained: “There was no sup-port or information for parents, so weinspired one another to start a groupto raise awareness, support familiesand raise funds.“Eventually we hope there will beresearch and improved diagnosis tests.We want to offer grants for equipmentand provide oxygen abroad so child-ren with ChILD can go on holiday.“I’d felt very isolated when Hopewas first diagnosed.“At first I was angry. It just seemedso unfair. But I don’t say, ‘Why me?’any more.“I’ve accepted it now and it’s helpedhaving the support of other mums.”Ali and husband Danny, 41, havetwo other daughters, Jemma, seven,and five-year-old Emily.Danny has an 18-year-old son froma previous relationship.Ali said: “Edel’s already been

through everything I’m facing so she’sbeen a massive help.” Edel and hus-band David also have a four-year-olddaughter Libby, who is healthy.Edel said: “Doctors said Lennywould never be an athlete — but heswims and does Thai boxing.“Maybe he’s not going to take partin the Olympics but he loves sport.“Every milestone, from his firststeps to going to school, has made usmore positive, but we need to find outmore about the condition so we canhelp all the children coping with it.”Q A fund-raising event for the ChILD (Lung)Foundation UK is being held on May 29 at TheKnights of Columba Club in Renfrew. Brae-head Shopping Centre has donated £100 tothe fund but raffle prizes are needed. Go towww.childlungfoundation.org for information.

Didyouknow..

ASTRAINSPOTTER’SGUIDE

CHILDREN’S Interstitial LungDisease is a group of conditionsaffecting babies and children.It decreases lung function due toinflammation, leading to reducedlevels of oxygen in the blood.Symptoms include vomiting, fastor laboured breathing, abnormalwheezing or sounds in the lungs,and recurrent pneumonia, bronchi-olitis and coughs.Sometimes children are affectedfollowing illness.There may also be a genetic link.

DANCING On Ice champ HayleyTamaddon revealed this week how shebattled motion sickness to beat rivals tothe coveted title.The ex Emmerdale star, 33, pictured leftwith her skating partner Daniel Whiston,wore anti-sickness bands to battle hernausea while performing soaringhighwire routines for the ITV show.But for many Brits, it takes a lot lessthan racing across an ice rink to makethem feel queasy.Millions will be struck with travelsickness when they head off for thisweekend’s Easter break.Here Sun doctor CAROL COOPERexplains how to beat it. She says:

“Sickness can strike just minutes into thejourney. And it’s common.“Around a quarter of all adults developthe typical symptoms of sweating,feeling sick and vomiting.“With kids, it’s nearer to 40 per cent,according to a survey from the RAC. Soit’s really no wonder the little ones keepasking, ‘Are we there yet?’“Motion sickness can run in families andit’s more common in women.“Short journeys are just as likely tocause motion sickness. On long trips,you eventually adapt. But it’s not a

reason to keep driving, becausetiredness raises the risk of accidents.“Nausea comes about because roughmovement disturbs the organ of balancein the inner ear – the so-calledvestibular system.“You can’t always make a turbulentjourney smooth but you can reducesymptoms by making sure there’s amatch between what you see and thesignals from the organ of balance.“If both these senses tell you you’removing, then you’re much less likely tofeel sick. Choose a window seat and

look out at stable objects instead ofreading, playing hand-held games orwatching the in-flight movie.“Distraction tactics help – play cargames like pub cricket, or listen tomusic. Stuffiness can make thingsworse, so keep a window open forsome fresh air.“And don’t travel on an emptystomach, as hunger pangs cantrigger nausea. Take a packet ofginger biscuits on the trip – researchshows ginger works better than someanti-sickness pills. But it’s worth

considering some of theover-the-counter remedies too.“My own favourite is Stugeron(cinnarizine) because it’s chewableand suitable for adults and childrenaged five and over. There are manyothers – just ask your pharmacist.“For those who prefer drug-free relief,acupressure bands such as Sea-Bandscan do the trick.“But make sure you buy enough pairsbecause you do have to use bothbands, as I discovered on a ferrywhen my twins had to share.”

FUN . . . but Hopeand Lenny mayneed tanks forever

FACTFILE

PISTACHIO nuts willprotect your ticker,say scientists.Researchers inTurkey studied 33men who ateunsalted pistachionuts as part of theirdiet for four weeks.The volunteers wereshown to havelower glucose andcholesterol levelsafter theexperiment.The research teambelieve thebeneficial effectcomes from thehigh concentrationof “good fats” inthe food.

BRAVE. . . Hope& Lennyas babies

70 Thursday, April 1, 2010 1S