Health Headlines
Written by Allison Tong
Household Cleaners Still Pose Risk for Children
Household cleaners are still posing a risk to toddlers and preschoolers,
Drug Therapy, Switching Schools Effective for ADHD
Parents say that drug therapy and switching schools are among the most helpful treatments for children with ADHD (attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder), according to a new survey by Consumer Reports. Out of the 900 parents who had children with ADHD, 67 percent said drug therapy is most helpful, followed by 45 percent who said switching to a better school helped. Consumer Reports found that most families with children with ADHD turned to medication—around 84 percent had used them at some point. According to the parents surveyed, children who took medications had slightly better outcomes, citing better academic performance, social relationships and behavior. Although medication was rated the strategy most helpful in managing the condition, only 52 percent of parents agreed strongly that if they had to do it over again, they would go the medication route and 44 percent wished there was another way to help their child.
To Prevent Injuries, Car Seats Should Stay in Car
Car seats should stay in the car to avoid injuries in babies, according to a new study in the journal Pediatrics. The study showed that almost 9,000 infants go to the emergency room every year for seat-related injuries that happen outside the car. From 2003 to 2007, about 2,000 babies in the sample—about 43,500 across the U.S., the authors estimated—were brought to the ER for a car seat injury. Most the injuries occurred when the babies fell out of their car seat or were in the seat when it fell off a table, counter or shopping car. If the seat has to come out of the car, the author of the study recommends that parents make sure their babies are always strapped in.
Drinking and Eating During Labor Recommended
Recent research supports the idea that women who are at a low risk for requiring general anesthetic should be free to eat and drink during labor, an idea that Lamaze educators have been supporting for a long time. Recent research reviews in the Cochrane Library, a publication of the Cochrane Collaboration, an international organization that evaluates medical research, also supports reinforces this finding. Restricting oral intake during labor originates from concerns for safety if a woman needs to have a cesarean delivery. However, new research reveals that even for women who ultimately require surgery, modern anesthesia protocols minimize any risks. Other research suggests that fasting for patients with planned surgeries may even translate into weakened immunity and slower recovery time.
Early Puberty May Be Linked to Obesity
A study, published in the journal Pediatrics, showed that by age 7, 10.4 percent of white girls had breast development at a high enough level to be considered onset of puberty, compared with 23.4 percent of black girls and 14.9 percent of Latino girls. By age 8, 18.3 percent of whites were considered in puberty, compared with 42.9 percent of blacks and 30.9 percent of Latinos. The percentages were higher than in a similar study in 1997 on earlier puberty in girls. Obesity seems to be the likeliest cause considering fat cells can produce estrogen. In January, the Orange County Register pointed out that the proportion of obese school-age children nationally has gone from about 5 percent in 1980 to 17 percent.
Sources: www.msnbc.com, www.consumerreportshealth.org, www.lamaze.org, www.ocregister.com