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The Twilight film may not only entertain moviegoers. It also has the potential to encourage people to really believe in vampires, says a Purdue University mass media expert. "Research on paranormal beliefs shows that when a fictional story is successfully presented in a realistic way, it can move people to believe or at least move them away from disbelief and toward more uncertainty about the supernatural," says Glenn Sparks, a professor of communication.

Sparks has published several studies about the effects supernatural television shows have on the way people form and adjust their beliefs about the supernatural. "This reminds me of what happened with the 1973 film The Exorcist," Sparks says. "Many people said they had never considered demon possession before, but some of those who saw the movie began thinking it was a possible phenomenon."

In addition to realistic depictions increasing a person's belief in the supernatural, Sparks says the believability also is reinforced when the audience can relate to the characters. "Regarding any paranormal belief, when something is depicted as real but it really isn't, there is always some general concern about that because it blurs the line between reality and impossibility," Sparks says. "This is certainly more likely with this film's young teenage audience."

Twilight opened November 21 and is based on the popular book series by Stephenie Meyer. The story, which is a romance and thriller, is about a teenage girl who falls in love with a vampire. Part of the storyline highlights vampires who are capable of living among humans. The film is rated PG-13.

Sparks, who also studies the scary effects of movies, recommends that parents research films in advance by viewing descriptions of their violent content at www.kids-in-mind.com. The Web site also ranks sex, nudity and profanity.

(11-25-08)

According to new research conducted at Nationwide Children's Hospital, the burden of illness in children suffering from constipation, and the costs associated with this condition, are roughly of the same magnitude as those for asthma and attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

These findings are a result of a study involving gastroenterologists and researchers at Nationwide Children's to estimate the health care utilization and cost for children with constipation in the United States. The study, available online at PubMed.gov, is slated for publication in The Journal of Pediatrics in early 2009.

Using a nationally representative survey, clinicians and researchers analyzed data of children under 18 years of age who were diagnosed with constipation or prescribed a laxative over two consecutive years (2003 and 2004). Results showed that children with constipation used more health services than children without the condition, amounting to an additional cost of $3.9 billion each year for children with constipation. Despite this amplified cost impact and its prevalence during childhood, constipation has not received the amount of attention in public health campaigns that similarly occurring asthma and ADHD have.

"Despite being considered by many a relatively benign condition, childhood constipation has been shown to be associated with a significantly decreased quality of life," says the study's author, Dr. Carlo Di Lorenzo, chief of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition at Nationwide Children's and faculty member at The Ohio State University College of Medicine. "The day-to-day struggle caused by constipation can often be emotionally devastating, and can also have an impact on the overall health and well-being of affected children and their families."

Researchers and clinicians hope that health care utilization and cost estimates revealed in this study can boost awareness of childhood constipation, awareness that could result in earlier treatment.

"In many cases, constipation in children can be prevented or corrected through dietary and behavioral changes," says Dr. Hayat Mousa, a pediatric gastroenterologist at Nationwide Children's Hospital and a faculty member at The Ohio State University College of Medicine. "Parents should talk to their children about their bathroom habits and make sure they are having a bowel movement at least every other day. For mild cases of constipation, prune or apple juice, high-fiber cereal or over-the-counter softeners or laxatives made for children may help. If the problem persists, parents should seek the advice of a medical professional."

(11-25-08)

Co-parenting after divorce is always stressful and awkward, and rarely more so than during the Thanksgiving, Hanukkah and Christmas holidays. That's when tension or conflict between you and your ex-spouse threatens to undo your children's expectations of fun and a loving environment. Divorce Magazine and DivorceMagazine.com, which have provided first-rate divorce information and resources for more than 13 years, understand this – and have suggestions on how to make things easier.

"No divorcing person needs to be told how important their children are," says Dan Couvrette, the publisher and CEO of Divorce Magazine and DivorceMagazine.com. "But every divorcing person needs to be reminded of how their words and actions can negatively or positively affect their children."

Here are some issues you and your children may be worried about this holiday season:

• Which parent will have access to the children, and when?
• Will the children miss the other parent when they are with you?
• Will you or your spouse allow your bitterness or competition to infect the holiday spirit?
• Are the children afraid you'll see them as "disloyal" if they have fun at your ex's home?

Of course the holidays will never be the same from now on, but Divorce Magazine and DivorceMagazine.com offer a few general tips to make the best of the new situation:

1. Plan ahead. Having a secure schedule in place for when the children will be with whom will ease their anxiety and help any transitions between parents move smoothly.

2. Be civil, even kind. Let your ex have quality time with the children, and don't argue about it or interfere. They have as much right for time with the children as you do.

3. Don't say nasty things about the other parent. Parental alienation is always bad, and you don't want your children to feel guilty or conflicted about spending holiday time at your ex's house.

4. Sympathize. Your children may be very sad that their parents can't both be there to celebrate. Let them know it's OK to feel that way. Don't pressure them to act happy if they don't honestly feel it.

5. Have the best holiday you possibly can under the circumstances. Invite family and friends over, play games, watch holiday-themed movies, eat, drink and be merry. Show your children that whatever has happened to the family, you still love them and want to share holiday cheer with them.

(11-25-08)

With the holiday season approaching, a Cornell environmental analyst has made an illuminating discovery: Many Christmas light sets contain such high levels of lead that they exceed limits set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for windowsills or floors.

"Whether exposure to lead in Christmas lights affects blood lead levels in humans is unknown, though research increasingly shows that any exposure to lead – especially by children – is hazardous to health in that it is implicated in a wide range of health concerns," says Joseph Laquatra, a professor of design and environmental analysis in Cornell's College of Human Ecology, who led the study. "No standards exist for lead content in this product, and no protocols exist for conducting tests on it."

The study, conducted with Lelia M. Coyne, a chemist and certified lead risk assessor in Lincoln, Neb., and Mark R. Pierce, a Cornell extension associate in Laquatra's department, is published in the December issue of Journal of Environmental Health.

Researchers tested the lead levels of 10 sets of indoor/outdoor Christmas lights, some recently purchased in Nebraska and New York, others from the 1970s. The researchers found detectable levels of lead in all of them; and all were above EPA/HUD regulatory limits for equivalent areas of windowsills and floors. They also found no significant differences in lead levels among manufacturers, year of purchase or how many years the lights had been used.

Lead is used in the polyvinyl chloride (PVC) jacketing of the Christmas light cords to prevent them from cracking or crumbling and to make them resistant to heat, light and moisture damage, says Laquatra. Lead makes up 2 to 5 percent of PVC jacketing in different types of wires.

While some products are starting to have warning labels, there is no coordinated drive to encourage manufacturers to pursue alternatives, Laquatra says. "Consumers should be aware that lead is in all appliance cords," he says, noting that although American manufacturers have been moving away from using lead as a PVC stabilizer in the last five years, at present there is no way to know how much lead exists in jacketing or in various products without independent testing.

When it comes to Christmas lights, the researchers point out that lead could be ingested from hand-to-mouth contact after handling the lights; lead also can be released into the air during installation and removal. The researchers recommend that children not handle Christmas lights, and that anyone who does should wash their hands immediately after handling.

(11-25-08)

Many children have a new bicycle on their holiday wish lists. AAA reminds consumers that selecting the right size bike for children is critical to keeping them safe.

While holiday shoppers may be wooed by great bargains on bicycles during Black Friday sales, AAA warns that no matter how enticing the holiday sale, it's not worth putting a child in danger if the bicycle is not the proper size. Bicycles are associated with more childhood injuries than any other consumer product besides the automobile.

"The biggest mistake consumers make when selecting a child's bicycle is purchasing one too large and thinking the child will grow into it," says Jennifer Huebner, manager, AAA Traffic Safety Programs. "Parents would not put shoes five sizes too big on a child, because it would be difficult and dangerous to run and play. The same principle applies to bicycles. Oversized bikes are difficult for children to control and safely ride in addition to being uncomfortable."

Fit the Bike to the Child: To determine if a bicycle is the proper size, the child should be able to sit on the seat and balance the bicycle with the balls of both feet touching the ground without leaning to one side or the other. If the bicycle seat is in the lowest position, and a child cannot touch both feet to the ground, the bike is too large to be ridden safely.

Surprise Gift? Don't Guess the Size – Measure: It's best to have children sit on bikes prior to purchase to ensure they are the appropriate, safe size. But during the holiday season, children's bikes are frequently given as surprises. Consumers should not guess which bike size is correct. Instead, hit the holiday sales with the child's measurements and a tape measure in hand.

Before heading out to the stores, measure the child's inseam to the ground. When shopping, measure the distance from the top horizontal bar to the ground. This measurement should be an inch or two shorter than the child's inseam. When looking at girl's bikes, measure to where the top bar would be if it was designed like a boy's bicycle.

Be Sure to Brake for Safety: Size is not the only safety factor to consider. Children's bicycles typically have either hand brakes or coaster brakes (engaged when pedaling backwards). Avoid purchasing bikes with hand brakes for younger children. Wait until they develop greater strength in their hands and wrists and have large enough hands to easily engage the hand brake – which should occur around age 10.

Don't Forget a Helmet: Children should always wear a bicycle helmet when cycling, and it is required by law in many areas. Head injuries are a leading cause of death in bicycle crashes, but properly wearing a bicycle helmet has been shown to reduce the risk of head injury by up to 85 percent, according to the National Highways Traffic Safety Administration.

Just as children's bikes must be sized correctly for safety, so should their helmets. It's best for a child to try on a helmet before purchasing it, but if that's not possible, measure around the child's head at the forehead to determine which size helmet to purchase. Also, make sure the helmet is approved by looking for an ANSI or Snell Foundation sticker on the inside.

Before children take off on their new bikes, helmets must be fit properly to their heads. Helmets should sit level and low on the forehead with two finger-widths' space between the eyebrows and helmet. If the helmet is slightly large, insert the extra padding provided with the helmet. Straps should be adjusted to center the left buckle under the chin, have the side straps form a "V" shape under and slightly in front of the ears and provide a snug fit with only one or two fingers able to fit under the chin strap.

Be Ready for Safety on the Big Day: When the big day arrives and children receive their new bikes, the first thing many will want to do is take it out for a ride. Make sure it is ready to go by double checking that it's put together securely and additional safety equipment, such as training wheels, horns or lights, have been installed correctly in a safe location. Provide instruction to beginner cyclists away from traffic in a safe area, and take time to remind experienced cyclists of safety rules. AAA has safe bicycling tips available on the AAA Exchange at AAA.com/PublicAffairs.

(11-25-08)

High-profile celebrities such as Angelina Jolie and Madonna are often photographed traveling internationally, sometimes to underdeveloped countries, with their young children in tow. While they make traveling with children seem safe and easy, there are real dangers to consider when traveling to the underdeveloped and tropical regions of the world with young children.

"Depending on the final destination, there are certain vaccines that may be recommended to help keep children safe during travel," says Dr. Andrea Summer, member of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH) and associate professor of pediatrics at Medical University of South Carolina. "The most common infectious health threats to children traveling to underdeveloped, tropical regions of the world may result from exposure to contaminated food and water, and disease carrying insects. With the help of available destination-specific vaccines such as hepatitis A, typhoid fever and yellow fever, parents can feel more comfortable traveling with young children."

Aside from preventive vaccines, there are other precautions parents should take to ensure a safe trip for their children. For this reason, Dr. Summer offers tips to keep children safe:

• Animals: Very often children are drawn to animals. However, animals in developing countries are usually not required to have vaccines like they are in the United States and can carry a variety of transmittable diseases including rabies. For this reason it can be dangerous for children to have contact with animals.
• Mosquitoes: Insects such as mosquitoes are cause for concern in tropical areas because of the many diseases they can spread to humans, including Dengue fever and malaria, which are potentially fatal. There are many physical barriers parents can use to protect children, which include long pants and long sleeve shirts, bed nets and DEET-based repellents.
• Toxins: Parents should research if there will be toxins in developing countries that may not be considered toxins in the United States. Such toxins may include plants or flowers that contain poisons, insecticides, lead-based paints or rodent bait.
• Vaccines: Children should be up-to-date on all routine vaccines, including an annual flu shot, before international travel. Destination-specific vaccines may also be recommended.
• Water Safety: Parents need to provide children with the proper safety devices for water activities, such as life preservers. Underdeveloped and rural areas may not have these devices available.
• Motor Vehicle Safety: Because motor vehicle accidents are the top cause of child mortality during travel, parents are advised to bring a car seat or booster seat with them, since these may not always be available in developing countries. Parents should also consider traveling during the day, as many roads may be dangerous to travel at night.

"Prevention doesn't end when travelers return home," says Dr. Summer. "There are various post-travel symptoms, such as fever, persistent or bloody diarrhea and respiratory infections that parents should watch for in children, as they can be indicators of a more serious problem and require immediate medical attention."

(11-18-08)

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) appears to affect movement in boys more than it does in girls, according to a study published in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. ADHD is one of the most common mental disorders found in children. Symptoms include impulsiveness; hyperactivity, such as not being able to sit still; and inattention or constant daydreaming. Few studies have been done that compare ADHD and movement in both boys and girls.

Researchers tested the movement abilities of 132 boys and girls with ADHD and 136 without the disorder. The children were between the ages of 7 and 15 years and were tested for how fast and how well they could tap their toes, walk on their heels, maintain balance and keep a steady rhythm during a task compared to scores typical for their age.

The study found that girls with ADHD and the control group of children without ADHD were twice as likely to be able to control their movements for their age compared to boys with ADHD, who showed continued difficulties.

"Our findings suggest that the differences between boys and girls with ADHD show up not only in behavior and symptoms but also in development of movement control, likely because girls' brains mature earlier than boys' brains," says study author Dr. E. Mark Mahone with the Kennedy Krieger Institute and Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, Md.

"More studies related to ADHD and movement are needed that look at boys and girls separately and at younger ages," says Dr. Mahone.

For more information, visit www.aan.com.

(11-18-08)

For the first time, a new study links teen exposure to sexual content on television with pregnancy. In "Does Watching Sex on Television Predict Teen Pregnancy? Findings from a National Longitudinal Survey of Youth," researchers used data from a national survey of teens, ages 12 to 17, to assess whether exposure to television sexual content predicted subsequent pregnancy (girls), or responsibility for pregnancy (boys) over a three-year period.

The study found that teens exposed to high levels of televised sexual content (in the 90th percentile) were twice as likely to experience a pregnancy during the three-year period, compared to teens with lower levels of exposure (10th percentile). Limiting teen exposure to sex in the media and balancing portrayals of sex with information about possible negative consequences might reduce the risk of teen pregnancy, according to the study authors.

(11-11-08)

A new American Academy of Peditrics (AAP) policy statement recommends that all children, 6 months through age 18, receive an annual influenza vaccine. The policy statement expands the previous recommendations to include all school-aged children, the population most likely to contract the disease and need influenza-related medical care.

The policy statement, which mirrors a similar recommendation earlier this year by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), calls for all children to be immunized during the 2008-2009 influenza season. The policy statement also recommends that household contacts and out-of-home care providers of children with high-risk conditions and healthy children younger than age 5, pregnant women and health care professionals, also receive a flu vaccine each year. Influenza vaccine administration should begin as soon as the vaccine becomes available, and immunization efforts should continue until May 1.

(11-11-08)

Ever since Coco Chanel returned from a French yachting voyage with a suntan in 1920, women, men and even young teens have revered tanned skin as a sign of beauty and good health.

Yet, the truth about skin that is exposed to the sun's harmful UVA and UVB rays is just the opposite. Sun-damaged skin is prone to premature aging, causing wrinkles, uneven skin tone, enlarged pores and age spots. What's more, UV exposure is the leading cause of skin cancer, which strikes one million Americans each year – nearly double the number of all other cancers combined. Although many of these cancers are rarely life threatening, they all can be disfiguring if they need to be surgically removed from the face, shoulders, chest or other commonly exposed area. Melanoma, of course, is the deadliest skin cancer and it is thought to be almost exclusively caused by sun exposure or use of tanning beds.

Fortunately, "spray-on tans" are a new alternative to "baking" on a tan that can provide a realistic, natural-looking tan without any UV exposure at all. "Based on the available research, 'spray tans' are a safe alternative to any UV-based tanning process, because they color the skin using an FDA-approved compound called DHA that simply tints the dead skin cells at the very top layer of the epidermis," says Dr. Joshua Fox, founder of Advanced Dermatology, P.C. in New York and on Long Island, and a spokesman for the American Academy of Dermatology and the American Society of Dermatologic Surgery. While a "spray tan" does not actually fade, Dr. Fox points out, "it will disappear as the layer of skin is sloughed off – usually within a week."

Getting the word out remains a challenge. "Despite the fact that 'spray tans' provide all the aesthetic benefits of a suntan without the serious dangers, recent research suggests that many sun-worshippers and tanning bed fans are still not getting the message," says Dr. Fox. For example, a study completed at Northwestern University and published in the April edition of Archives of Dermatology analyzed the knowledge, attitudes and behavior of young adults regarding indoor tanning over the course of 12 years.

Researchers found that, between 1994 to 2007, the percentage of participants who knew that limiting tanning can help prevent melanoma actually decreased from 77 percent to 67 percent – a factor that coincided with an increase in the number of subjects who thought "having a tan looks better," from 69 percent in 1994 to 81 percent in 2007. "Perhaps the most surprising statistic of all is that tanning bed use has remained at around 26 to 27 percent between 1994 and 2007, despite the fact that we learned during this time period just how dangerous these tanning beds can be," Dr. Fox says.

In another recent study, researchers at Boston University Medical Center found that 44 percent of young adults surveyed had either used sunless tanning products like a "spray tan" over the preceding 12 months or had planned to use them over the following 12 months. Unfortunately, these self-tanners were also more likely to use a tanning bed than those who had not used the sunless method.

"There are certainly misconceptions and myths that still exist about the use of tanning beds, including the notion that the UVA rays in these machines are 'healthier' than UVB rays, but this is simply not the case," Dr. Fox says. "In fact, UVA rays have been shown to penetrate more deeply than UVB rays, which are the main culprits in a 'surface' sunburn," he says. UVA also promotes skin cancer, wrinkling and other bad effects on the skin.

(11-11-08)