GURU POORNIMA is sacred for many reasons: this day, the seeker who suffers from the delusion that the objective world is as real as himself is guided into the Truth; this day, those who have not felt the urge to explore the Reality are inspired to seek the spring of Bliss inside them; this day, disciples offer gratitude at the feet of the preceptor for the gift of light. When the Sun rises, the world is blessed with heat and light. When the Guru blesses, the pupil gets peace and joy.  
Baba

Divine Discourse 19.07.1979,

From time to time, we see children and young adults who present to doctors all over India in a condition that was earlier eminently treatable but is now beyond the hope of full recovery.

 In the Western world, frequent examinations are carried out on children to detect any heart ailment. Even in our country, the state and central governments have methods in place for the early detection of heart ailments in children.

In spite of such measures, doctors feel very sad to see children in their first and second decades of life who are either incurable or may need heart or lung transplantation to address their health issues, which were once eminently treatable in the natural history of the disease.

Warning Signs Parents and Teachers Should Know: Parents and teachers should know what symptoms should alert them to seek a medical opinion.

The following warning signs should never be ignored:

• Frequent spells of bluish discoloration of the skin and lips (cyanosis) in an infant. This is a very alarming sign, and the child has to be rushed to a pediatrician.

• Rapid breathing.

• Feeding difficulty or refusal to take feeds.

• Poor weight gain.

• Profuse sweating on the scalp and head while having feeds. If the mother notices this degree of undue sweating, she must take the child to a doctor.

• A toddler squatting down after walking a few steps to regain breath, as this may indicate a serious heart ailment.

• Attacks of fainting.

• Fatigue.

• Swelling of the feet or legs.

• Distension of the abdomen due to accumulation of free fluid.

A doctor may find a heart murmur and order a few tests to identify the exact diagnosis.

Monitoring Growth

Schools and homes must know the predicted growth charts for various ages of childhood as a part of monitoring physical milestones. These charts are readily available at Primary Health Centers (PHCs) and can also be downloaded from reliable health websites.

If parents or teachers notice poor weight gain or delayed growth, the child should undergo a comprehensive medical evaluation by a qualified doctor.

Diagnosis and Treatment

Once these children are evaluated, simple tests such as echocardiography, which are widely available across the length and breadth of the country, are enough to make a reasonable diagnosis. The doctor may add further evaluation and outline the treatment. These days, many heart ailments may be permanently cured without any operation.

 However, a small number of children will need open-heart surgery. Many hospitals under the state and central governments, as well as NGOs, have good facilities to treat these children.

It is imperative that every child undergoes routine medical examination on a periodic basis.

Can Congenital Heart Disease Be Prevented?

The following are proven ways of preventing heart disease in children:

• Giving schoolgirls a booster dose of the rubella vaccine.

• Avoiding radiation during the early weeks of pregnancy.

• Avoiding unnecessary self-medication with over-the-counter drugs purchased from a medical shop.

All mothers must undergo a TIFFA (Targeted Imaging for Fetal Anomalies) scan during the antenatal period to identify structural and functional abnormalities in the fetus. The various options available will be discussed with the family in the best interest of the unborn.

 Please remember that human rights apply to the unborn as well. Ethical and moral points must be discussed in addition to the possible interventions needed if the pregnancy is allowed to continue.

Conclusion: 

A healthy base of the demographic pyramid results in a productive country. Early detection, timely treatment, and preventive measures can save countless young lives and ensure that children grow into healthy and productive adults.

During the 1973 Summer Course at Brindavan, Bangalore, Swamy said,  “There is a lot of difference between a teacher and a guru. A teacher transmits what he has learnt in return for a reward, whereas a guru, through his grace, (1) enters your heart, broadens it, and (2) looks after your practice and progress by giving you the necessary support and strength.

Swamy has often said that He gives us what we ask so that one day we ask for what He really has come to give us - the knowledge of Divinity that is latent in each one of us. And He did it with Love, universal Love. A Love that does not differentiate based on caste, creed, religion or economic status. A Love that is seen in action. One of the manifestations of that Love is the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences. He allowed us staff and volunteers to participate in this noble endeavour and get His blessings and the blessings of the countless patients that benefit from what the hospital offers to them - highest quality treatment without the added load of financial burden on the patients or their families. As Swamy put it, we have the opportunity to earn a ‘double promotion’.

When devotees tried to make a distinction between work and Swamy’s work, Swamy would often correct them and say that all work is Sai’s work and that doing our work sincerely is verily the sadhana we need to do to earn His Grace. 

Once a professor in His university told Swamy that he wanted to stop teaching to concentrate on doing sadhana to earn liberation. Swamy told him that if he made a distinction between his professional work and sadhana for the sake of attaining liberation, liberation would not be granted even in 1000 births! 

On another occasion, a staff member of one of His Institutions told Him that he wanted to do some other sadhana other than his work and singing bhajans. Swamy simply told him that these two were all that was required to please Him. ‘Man mein Ram, hath mein kaam’ He would often tell us - Keep doing work with the Lord’s name on the mind and lips.

As we celebrate the sacred occasion of Guru Poornima, let us pray that our Sadguru continues to illuminate our lives with the profound truths He shared. May He bestow upon us the fortitude to pursue the spiritual treasures He came to offer and the dedication to carry out His divine will.

A 45-year-old man came to the Ophthalmology Department of SSSIHMS, Prasanthigram, for a routine cataract check-up because he had gradually developed painless blurring of vision in both eyes. During a careful examination of the back of his eyes, we noticed an unusual creamy-white appearance of the retinal blood vessels. This rare finding, called Lipemia Retinalis, can be a sign of extremely high fat levels in the blood.

 The patient was immediately advised to undergo further medical evaluation. Tests showed that his blood fat (triglyceride) level was more than 35 times (7090mg/dl)  the normal value (< 200 mg/dl ), along with poorly controlled diabetes. Early diagnosis allowed him to receive timely treatment from a team of specialists, helping to reduce the risk of serious health problems such as inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis), heart disease, and stroke.

 With proper treatment, his blood fat levels came under control, and the abnormal white appearance of the retinal blood vessels gradually returned to normal. After successful cataract surgery, his vision improved significantly to 6/9 in both eyes.

 This case highlights the importance of a thorough and regular eye examination. Sometimes, an eye check-up can reveal hidden health problems affecting the whole body, like diabetes (sugar), hypertension (BP), dyslipidemia (high fat), even before other symptoms appear. It reminds us that the eyes are truly a window to overall health, and that careful examination by an ophthalmologist can help save not only vision but also lives.

RARE PHOTOGRAPH OF BHAGAWAN SRI SATHYA SAI BABA IN THE HOSPITAL