Tanned Teens Not Heeding Sun Protection Warnings

With skin cancer on the rise, prevention and detection measures are being touted as the way to avoid the potentially deadly illness. This message is most important for children and teens, because skin cancer is associated with excessive UV exposure before the age of 18. But a recent study indicates that preteens and teens are ignoring skin cancer prevention warnings.

At the American Academy of Dermatology's (AAD) Melanoma/Skin Cancer Detection and Prevention Month Press Conference in April, dermatologist Dr. James M. Spencer presented findings on the dangers of teens and tanning. Even though nearly half of all new cancers are skin cancers and close to 10,000 lives will be lost to skin cancer in 2003, teens don’t seem to be concerned about the effects of the sun’s harmful rays, according to current statistics.

A recent survey of more than 10,000 12- to 18-year-olds all over the United States found that only around 30 percent of youths surveyed used sunscreen on sunny days. Also, a vast majority had experienced at least one sunburn in the previous year.

Indoor tanning beds are a growing culprit in the fight for skin cancer awareness among teenagers, according to the AAD. Studies have shown that the UV emission spectrum of tanning beds is similar to the sun’s rays, but may have even higher levels of UVA, the harmful rays that cause skin damage.

A study by the American Academy of Dermatology found that almost 30 percent of people under 25 had used a tanning bed in the past year, more than half of whom were girls. "The incidence of indoor tanning is particularly troubling because it is so unnecessary," says Dr. Spencer. "It's not associated with playing sports or other outdoor activities, but is practiced solely for cosmetic reasons. Teenagers are intentionally putting their health at risk."

Although it still uncertain what causes teens to tan, most say they do it because they prefer the look of tanned skin. "Pressure to conform to cosmetic ideals presented in popular culture and advertising are powerful factors influencing the young," says Dr. Spencer. "These are pressures that can be changed." (5-27-03)

Raise Your Kids to Be Respectful Cyber Citizens

With all the time kids are spending online and on the Internet, it might be a good idea to make sure yours know how to be good cyber citizens. www.playitcybersafe.com, that offers tips for parents on ways to talk to their children about respect for creative works online and the importance of using the computer safely and responsibly.

"The Internet can seem like a free-for-all for children,” says Diane Smiroldo, vice president of public affairs for BSA. It is “a place without rules, and this can lead to trouble and sites not recommended for children, as well as illegal behavior like downloading copyrighted works including software, music and games," she says.

According to a study done at St. Louis University about behavioral development, says BSA, the 9 to 12 age range is a “very reasonable” age to try to tackle cyber ethics. Experts say this is the age range when children can begin to understand abstract concepts like privacy rights and can understand the consequences of their actions.

The BSA offers these five tips for parents who want to talk to their children about cyber ethics:

(5-20-03)

Researchers Smoke out the Truth Behind Teen Girls Longing to Be Thin

A study in Tobacco Control reveals that girls 12 to 15 who are concerned about being thin are four times as likely to take up smoking. Those girls who are not concerned about their weight are less likely to pick up the habit.

The study’s findings are based on telephone surveys of more than 250 girls in Massachusetts ages 12 to 15. In the first survey, the girls were asked to rate the value of being thin themselves on a scale of 0 to 10, with 10 being “extremely important.” They were all surveyed again four years later to see who had become a regular smoker.

The first survey shows that although only one in eight girls was overweight, almost three-quarters had tried to diet. Most of the girls did not think smoking was an effective way of controlling weight.

The second survey shows, however, that one in four girls had become a regular smoker. (For the study, an established smoker was defined as someone who had smoked more than 100 cigarettes.) A high value placed on thinness seems to determine who will become a smoker, say researchers.

The study does not use other factors, such as weight or depression, in its findings. The researchers suggest that the importance placed on being thin for adolescent girls may contribute to other unhealthy behaviors, such as smoking. (5-20-03)

Your Home: A Danger Zone for Children

Researchers of two new studies at the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center have found that home is the most common location for children to be injured in the United States and that most injuries resulting in a trip to the emergency room for children and adolescents occur at home. It also shows that residential injuries are a leading cause of death for this age group, especially for African Americans.

This study, presented at the Pediatric Academic Societies annual meeting, found the following:

  • Between 1985 and 1997, almost 3,000 children and preteens died each year as a result of unintentional injury at home.
  • Between 1993 and 1999, children and adolescents under age 20 made four million trips to emergency rooms in the United States.
  • Almost one in 10 emergency room visits for a residential injury was for a moderate or severe injury.

Dr. Lanphear’s study shows that nearly 70 percent of deaths in children and adolescents in the United States between 1985 and 1997 were the result of unintentional home injuries. African American children had a death rate that was twice as high as that of white children. Deaths were due, in descending order, to burns or fires, submersions or suffocations, poisonings and falls.

The study also shows that injury rates were greatest for children under 5 and for boys.

The second study found that residential injuries cause nearly 15 percent of all children’s and adolescents’ trips to the emergency room and almost 40 percent of unintentional injury visits between 1993 and 1999. The study shows that falls caused the most home injuries.

"Children's health is inextricably linked with housing," says Dr. Bruce Lanphear, director of the Children's Environmental Health Center at Cincinnati Children's. "Unfortunately, despite evidence that residential exposures have a dramatic impact on children's health, housing is largely ignored as a public health problem. Our research is aimed at making housing and the environment safe for children." (5-20-03)

Be True to Your School

If you’re thinking about changing your child’s school, you might want to reconsider. A child who frequently changes schools is more likely to have behavioral health problems than one who doesn’t, according to a new Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center study.

“Transitions can be so disruptive to children that parents need to weigh the potential academic benefit they may get versus the academic, social and emotional impact of making the transition,” says Dr. Mona Mansour, the study’s lead author. The increase in behavioral problems is true for all children, regardless of race, income, maternal education level or any other factor measured in the study.

The Cincinnati Children’s study, presented at the annual meeting of the Pediatric Academic Societies, involved more than 3,200 children between the ages of 5 and 14. The children were considered “school mobile” if they were 5 to 9 years old and attended two or more elementary schools, or 9 to 14 and had attended three or more schools. Their mothers determined behavior problems by answering questions like “he/she is disobedient” and “he/she has trouble getting along with other students” with “often true,” “sometimes true” or “not true.” The responses were then translated into a score, with higher points equaling more behavior problems.

School mobile children had higher scores of behavioral problems than those children who were not school mobile, reports Dr. Mansour. Although the study cannot state that school mobility causes behavioral problems, it does show that the two are definitely linked. The school mobile children were more likely to have non-married mothers, mothers with low-level school involvement and mothers with symptoms of depression. Also, their mothers had lower perceptions of school expectations than mothers of children who did not change schools often.

Many parents move their children from school to school because of financial reasons, residential moves or to find a school that better meets their children’s needs. The latter is especially true if the child already has behavioral problems. But what the parents don’t realize is that by trying to fix their child’s behavior problems, they could be making them worse.

Dr. Mansour recommends that health care providers talk more with parents about the impact of school changes on children. School districts, also, should consider the potential outcomes of school changes when they formulate their policies. Programs designed to reduce excessive school changes for children may have a positive impact on some children’s behavioral problems. (5-13-03)

Homeopathy Not Effective in Treating Asthma

Does homeopathy really work? Not to help children who have asthma, according to a new study in the journal Thorax.

Researchers studied more than 90 children ages 5 to 15 who had mild to moderate asthma, which was treated in the usual way with reliever or preventer inhalers. Classically trained homeopaths, who had been in practice for at least 10 years, also provided homeopathic remedies for the children in up to six sessions over the course of a year. Half the children were given dummy remedies (placebo) instead of homeopathy. Neither the children nor the practitioners knew who would receive which remedy.

Researchers found no evidence that homeopathy had any measurable impact on quality of life. The severity of symptoms lessened among children taking homeopathic remedies, but not to any extent that was significantly greater than placebo.

Homeopathic remedies are used by an estimated 15 percent of children with asthma in the United Kingdom, according to the authors. (5-6-03)

Weight Loss Medication Helps Obese Teens Take off the Pounds

Could medication help your overweight teen slim down? A new study of an FDA approved weight loss medication, sibutramine (brand name Meridia), has found that it can indeed help adolescents lose weight. Sibutramine works by increasing the levels of two neurotransmitters in the brain which affect appetite.

Researchers at the Weight and Eating Disorders Program of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine studied more than 80 teens between the ages of 13 and 18 who had an average body weight of 228 pounds.

They found that those who were treated for six months by behavior modification combined with sibutramine lost more than twice as much weight as those who received behavior modification plus placebo (sugar pill). Those receiving sibutramine also reported greater reductions in hunger.

Weight loss also was associated with improvements in insulin levels. A significant number of adolescents treated by sibutramine experienced increased blood pressure or pulse rate, which required reductions in the dose of medication.

“Adolescent obesity is becoming a national public health problem. The addition of sibutramine to a comprehensive behavioral program induced significantly more weight loss than did the behavioral program and placebo, “ says Dr. Robert Berkowitz, associate professor of psychiatry. "Further, during the second six months of the study, the teens who continued to receive both behavior modification and medication kept their weight off.”

The study appears in a recent issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association. (4-29-03)

Treating Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease May Reduce Need for Asthma Medications in Children

Children who suffer from both asthma and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) may require fewer asthma medications after receiving anti-GERD treatment, says a study published in the April issue of CHEST, the peer-reviewed journal of the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP). The study found that medically or surgically treating GERD in children with asthma reduced the need for total asthma medications by more than half.

The study, conducted at West Jefferson Medical Center, is the first of its kind to evaluate the effect of anti-GERD treatment using acid suppressing drugs called proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) on the requirement for asthma medications in older children with persistent moderate asthma.

During 12 months of observation, all patients in the study (ages 5 to 11) with GERD receiving anti- GERD treatment showed a more than 50 percent reduction in total asthma medications used, and specifically, a more than 50 percent reduction in bronchodilator use. In addition, 89 percent of patients with GERD required no treatment with inhaled corticosteroids, and no patients required use of leukotriene antagonists during the final six months of observation. Patients receiving no anti-GERD treatment showed no change in the use of total asthma medications.

"Children with persistent asthma often take the maximum amount of medications to maintain their asthma, yet they still end up in the emergency room on a regular basis," says Dr. Vikram Khoshoo, pediatric gastroenterologist at West Jefferson Medical Center, New Orleans, La "With anti-GERD treatments such as PPIs, we may help to lighten our patients' asthma regimens and eventually reduce the number of emergency room visits and school days missed." (4-29-03)

New York Open Forum Allows Teens to Talk About the Stress of Today's World

It's hard to escape the stress of today's world between the rigors of daily life combined with war, terrorism and more.

For teens who live in and around New York City, the World Trade Center counseling center in Long Island is hosting a weekly open forum to allow teens to express their experiences and feelings about the aftermath of September 11, the threat of terrorism, the war in Iraq and more.

Laurie Nadel, psychologist and author of Dancing With the Wind and who is also certified in stress management for domestic terrorism and weapons of mass destruction, will lead the forum.

The program will take place at the South Nassau Communities Hospital Family Center, Rockville Center, 310 Merrick Road, every Thursday from 4-5 p.m. For more information, call (516) 678-2700. (4-22-03)

Take a Break From the Tube During TV-Turnoff Week

Are your kids too tuned into the tube? Or for that matter – are you? If so, take a break during the annual TV-Turnoff Week 2003 (April 21-27), sponsored by nonprofit group, TV-Turnoff Network. The organization encourages children and adults to watch much less television in order to promote healthier lives and communities.

According to TV-Turnoff Network, a recent a recent Harris poll found more than 90 percent of Americans admit they have soft addictions – seemingly harmless habits like over-eating, compulsive shopping, watching too much TV or surfing the Internet for hours that take our time, zap our energy and keep us from creating a more meaningful life. The poll also found that more than a third said they watch too much TV, and more than half reported too much TV watching in children.

Soft addiction expert Judith Wright has teamed up with TV-Turnoff Week 2003 to encourage millions of children and adults to take a seven-day break from the television and rediscover that life can be more fun, rewarding and even relaxing when we do more and watch less. For many, the Week will become the springboard to making lasting change in their lives: watching less television, choosing what they watch more selectively and engaging in more screen-free activities.

"Families of school-age children that limit TV time report that their children achieve higher grades and social success," says Wright. "They also experience more family closeness, greater creativity and more interactive play at all levels of family involvement." Wright is the author of There Must Be More Than This: Finding More Life, Love, and Meaning By Overcoming Your Soft Addictions (Broadway, 2003).

During TV-Turnoff Week 2002 an estimated 6.4 million people took part in the event in more than 16,000 organized Turnoffs. The lengthy list of supporting organizations for 2003 includes a number of major groups, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Medical Association, National Education Association, Boys and Girls Clubs of America and many others.

For more information, log on to www.tvturnoff.org or www.theremustbemore.com. (4-22-03)

Calcium Consumption Affects Weight and Body Fat in Teen Girls

A new study presented at a recent American Society for Nutritional Sciences meeting suggests that girls who eat more calcium weigh less and have lower body fat.

The study looked at more than 300 girls ages 9 to 14. For three days, each girl recorded everything she ate and drank and any calcium or multivitamin supplements she took. A researcher recorded the girl's weight and the amount of fat just above the hipbone near the belly button. This skin fold thickness is a measure of abdominal fat.

As expected, girls who consumed more total calories and exercised less were heavier and had more body fat. However, when the researchers compared groups of girls at comparable age, height, level of maturation, calorie intake and exercise level, they found that girls who consumed more calcium on average weighed less than similar girls who consumed less calcium. It made very little difference if the calcium came solely from dairy products in the diet or from total calcium including supplementation.

It didn't take much calcium to make a difference. An increase in one serving of diary – a cup of milk or a thumb-sized piece of cheese, about 300 milligrams of calcium – was associated with 0.9 mm lower skin fold (about half an inch) and 1.9 pounds in lower weight. A similar increase in total calcium intake from all sources, including supplementation, was associated with a 0.9mm lower skin fold and a 2.1 pound lower weight.

These findings are consistent with other studies in 30- and 60-year-old women, as well as preschool children. They can be explained, says Dr. Novotny, by the fact that as calcium intake increases, the body increases its ability to break down fat and decreases fat synthesis. (4-15-03)

Single Parenthood Increases Risk of Hospitalization, Early Death in Parents, Children

A new study has found that being a single parent increases the risk of hospitalization and early death in mothers, fathers and children.

For a dissertation at Umeå University in Sweden, a researcher traced illness and mortality among about 700,000 mothers and fathers and nearly a million children during the 1990s.

The results indicate that single parenthood entails greater risks of serious ill health (requiring hospital care) and early mortality among mothers, fathers and children. Single mothers showed greater risks when compared with cohabitating mothers. Single fathers, with custody of their children, also had heightened mortality risks, but it was above all single fathers who did not live with their children and single men without children who showed the highest mortality risks.

The greatest rise in risk among both men and women was found in cases of mental illness, suicide and substance abuse. Growing up in a single-parent household seems to mean more than twice the risk of mental illness, suicide/attempted suicide and substance abuse, according to the study, and it was also associated with a lower level of education as an adult.

The researcher attributes some of the increased risk to the fact that single parents have poorer economic and social conditions on average and that a greater share of people with weak health are included in the group. (4-8-03)

Dining Together May Improve Adolescent Eating Habits

Eating together as a family may help your adolescent eat more healthfully, according to a new study in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association.

Researchers from the University of Minnesota found that children ages 11 to 18 who ate meals with their family consumed higher amounts of fruits, vegetables, grains and nutrient-dense foods than those who ate separately. Additionally, adolescents who consumed at least seven family meals per week ate less snack food than those who ate fewer family meals.

“Adolescence is a time of rapid change and development, and teenagers’ diets may not be well balanced in terms of all the minerals, vitamins and nutrients they need,” says Registered Dietitian and ADA Spokesperson Susan Moores. “This study is great proof that family meals can result in healthier dietary intakes for this group.”

The researchers also found that boys consumed more family meals than girls, as did middle school children compared with high school students. In addition, study results showed that Asian-American families, families whose mothers were not employed and families with higher socioeconomic status ate meals together more frequently. (4-01-03)

Sports Medicine Organization Warns Against Use of Ephedra

The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) is cautioning parents, coaches and youth sports governing organizations to be aware of the hazards of the use ephedra, the herbal supplement recently implicated in the death of Baltimore Orioles pitching prospect Steve Bechler, among youth.

The consumption of ephedra, also known as "ma huang," leads to increases in metabolism and in heart rate, according to ACSM. People who exercise and/or train for competition in sporting events are exposed to risk because ephedra may impair the body's ability to cool itself, thereby increasing the potential for heat-related illness during exercise, says the organization.

"Young people don't sweat as much as adults, so they don't have the same ability to naturally adjust their body temperatures while exercising," says ACSM President Edward T. Howley, Ph.D., FACSM. "ACSM is particularly concerned that products containing ephedra are so readily available to children and adolescents who may not be aware of these dangers."

Howley also notes young athletes often use ephedra for weight loss or to enhance athletic performance and are placing a greater emphasis on peak performance at an earlier age. "There are many factors which may negatively influence a young athlete's decision to use products containing ephedra," he says. "It is critical that we stress more appropriate methods of increasing physical fitness and gaining the competitive advantages they seek."

ACSM joins other concerned organizations that have publicly cautioned against the use of ephedra. Concern centers on increased risk of heart irregularities, disturbances of the central nervous system, gastrointestinal problems and stroke. Although some athletes may consume ephedra in an attempt to improve their athletic performance and reach physical goals, says the ACSM, the risks far outweigh any potential benefits. (4-01-03)

Get Kids Reading This Summer

Summer is coming and that means your kids get their much-awaited break from school. But is that good for their brains?

According to Reading Is Fundamental (RIF), the nation's oldest and largest children's and family literacy organization, experts agree that children who read during the summer gain reading skills, while those who do not often experience learning losses.

To help entice kids to keep their brains working this summer, RIF offers the following tips:

Reading Tips for Parents:

  • Combine activities with books: Encourage kids to read books about the activities they get involved in over the summer.
  • Visit the library: Help your child get their very own library card.
  • Lead by example: Show your kids how much fun you have reading!
  • Talk it up: Talk with your kids about what you read – it shows them reading is an exciting, important part of your life.
  • Help kids find time to read: When planning summer activities with children, remember to allow for time to read.
  • Relax the rules for summer: Let summer be a time when children can read what, when and how they please.
  • Have plenty of reading material around: Along with the usual storybooks, be sure to have newspapers, magazines and informational material on hand that might spark the interest of your young readers.
  • Use books to break the boredom: Get books that teach kids how to make or do something interesting this summer.
  • Read aloud with kids: Take your children to see a local storyteller or, better yet, be one yourself!

Reading Tips for Kids:

  • Go somewhere new: The place where you read a book can make the story even more meaningful.
  • Read around the house: See how much reading material can be found around the house without opening a book.
  • Take a trip through a book: Read about the places you are planning to go this summer before you get there.
  • Read books from A-Z: Let the alphabet help you make a summer reading list.
  • Keep a reading journal: Write about the books that you read in a summer reading journal.
  • Read aloud with adults: Adults need to read just as much as kids do. Read aloud with your parents before bedtime.
  • Start a book club: Starting a book club with your friends is a great way to share books and ideas.
  • Find a fun series: Find a series of books by an author who you enjoy.

For more information about RIF's Summer Reading Tips, call 877-RIF-READ, visit www.rif.org or e-mail dearrif@rif.org. (4-01-03)

CDC Activates Emergency Operations in Response to New Pneumonia-like Illness

In response to reports of increasing numbers of cases of an atypical pneumonia that the World Health Organization (WHO) has called Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) activated its emergency operations center on Friday, March 14.

As of March 19, WHO has received reports of 264 patients from 11 countries with suspected and probable SARS. Areas with reported local transmission include Hong Kong and Guangdong province, China; Hanoi, Vietnam and Singapore. More limited transmission has been reported in Taipei, Taiwan and Toronto, Canada. Eleven cases have been reported in the United States. The initial cases reported in Singapore, Taiwan and Toronto were among people who all had traveled to China.

Among patients reported worldwide as of March 19, the disease has been characterized by rapid onset of high fever, myalgia, chills, rigor and sore throat, followed by shortness of breath, cough and radiographic evidence of pneumonia. Of the 264 suspected and probable cases reported by WHO, nine (3 percent) people have died.

CDC has been working with the World Health Organization (WHO) since late February to investigate and confirm outbreaks of this severe form of pneumonia in Vietnam, Hong Kong and parts of China.

"The emergence of two clusters of this illness on the North American continent indicates the potential for travelers who have been in the affected areas of Southeast Asia to have been exposed to this serious syndrome," says Dr. Julie L. Gerberding, CDC director. "The World Health Organization has been leading a global effort, in which CDC is participating, to understand the cause of this illness and how to prevent its spread. We do know that it may progress rapidly and can be fatal. Therefore, we are instituting measures aimed at identifying potential cases among travelers returning to the United States and protecting the people with whom they may come into contact."

The WHO issued a global alert about the outbreak on March 12, cautioning that the severe respiratory illness may spread to hospital staff. (3-25-03)

Scholastic Releases Cover of New Harry Potter Book

Kids – and adults! – anxious to get their hands of the newest Harry Potter book are getting a sneak preview. Scholastic recently released the cover of the much-awaited Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

The cover art was created by Mary GrandPre, the illustrator of all four previous Harry Potter books. GrandPre has also illustrated such notable children's books as Pockets, The House of Wisdom and, most recently for Scholastic, Plum.

The cover is a portrait of 15-year-old Harry Potter holding his wand in front of a series of doors. It is drawn in tones of midnight blue, indigo and flame blue.

Scholastic recently announced that based on high pre-publication demand for the book, a second printing of 1.7 million copies has been added to the already unprecedented first printing of 6.8 million, bringing the total print run to 8.5 million copies. Scholastic has approximately 80 million copies in print of the first four Harry Potter books.

The book will be released June 21. (3-25-03)

Rap Music Linked to Risky Behavior in African-American Teen Girls

Risky behavior and a heightened incidence of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) among African-American teen girls may be linked to high exposure to rap music videos, according to a study in the March issue of the American Journal of Public Health.

Although there has been considerable concern about the themes and images expressed in rap music videos, there has been limited research on the impact of rap music videos on adolescents’ behavior, according to the article.

Researchers studied more than 500 unmarried African-American female adolescents from ages 14 to 18 for 12 months. The adolescents had to have been sexually active in the previous six months.

The researchers found that adolescents with high exposure to rap music (i.e. 14 hours or more per week) were three times more likely to hit a teacher and more than 2.5 times as likely to have been arrested, compared with their peers who had less exposure to rap music. Adolescents who frequently watched rap videos were also twice as likely to have multiple sexual partners and more than 1.5 times as likely to acquire an STD, use drugs and use alcohol during the 12-month study.

"At this stage in their socio-psychological development, adolescents want to be autonomous and independent from parental controls, an act that can be viewed as somewhat defiant,” says Gina M.Wingood, ScD, MPH, of the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University. “They may also be modeling what they see as the norm. They pattern themselves after their peers and the women they consider to be role models on the videos. On the other hand, it may be an attempt to defy the white mainstream popular culture. Since rap music is more ethnocentric, it is more closely associated with their social factors." (3-18-03)

Less Fit Teens More Likely to Have Precursor to Diabetes

A child who is overweight and unfit may already be on the road to developing insulin resistance, an early sign of diabetes, researchers reported at the American Heart Association's 43rd Annual Conference on Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology and Prevention.

Insulin sensitivity is a measure of how well the body responds to insulin, a hormone that transports carbohydrates from the blood into cells where they are turned into energy. High insulin sensitivity means the body is responding well to insulin. Low insulin sensitivity – also called insulin resistance – is often a precursor to diabetes.

The researchers studied more than 280 teenagers ages 14 to 18 and found that race and gender were related to insulin sensitivity, which was highest among white girls and lowest among black girls. In addition, boys had higher cardiovascular fitness than girls, as well as lower percent body fat.

When the researchers controlled for race and gender, they found that higher cardiovascular fitness and lower body fat were independently associated with greater insulin sensitivity. That finding suggests that improving fitness or reducing body fat could protect high-risk children, say the study authors.

Study authors recommend parents schedule at least an hour of sweat-inducing exercise into their children's afternoon activities. They say the study findings are important because they indicate that "every child can benefit from higher fitness and lower fatness."

The mystery of the early course of diabetes is getting a lot of attention now because the last two decades have seen an explosion in the number of teenagers with type 2 diabetes, a condition once called "adult-onset" diabetes because it was so rare in young people, he says. (3-11-03)

Online Workshop Educates Parents on Preventing Infections, Preparing for Bioterrorism

A new online workshop teaches Americans of every age how to prevent infections in all areas of life, from homes, businesses and classrooms to what to do if a bioterrorist strikes.

The Parents of Kids with Infectious Diseases (PKIDs) workshop is filled with vivid graphics, amazing facts and fun activities for any age. It is a train-the-trainer program offered free of charge to the nation's classrooms, employers, parents and coaches.

The workshop focuses on the following areas:

  • Why viruses and bacteria are so good at making us so sick.
  • How to prevent infections through standard precautions and immunizations.
  • Beware the blood: Fun ways to teach children standard precautions.
  • Make your own alcohol disinfectant handrub.
  • Why do state governments mandate immunizations?
  • How to prepare for a bioterrorist strike.
  • How to keep athletes of all ages safe from bloodborne and other infections.
  • Why the infected are stigmatized and what protections civil rights laws provide.

"The workshop is designed so anyone can use it to teach others about infectious disease – no teaching certificate is required!" says Trish Parnell, executive director of PKIDs, a national nonprofit organization that supports families touched by infectious diseases and educates the public about disease prevention. "Each section provides a detailed instructional text plus great hands-on learning activities for use in homes, schools and businesses."

The materials were developed in cooperation with leading physicians and public health educators to create an accurate and user-friendly program that is free to the public.

PKIDs' Infectious Disease Workshop can be downloaded or printed for free at www.pkids.org/idw.htm or it can be purchased on CD-ROM for $30 plus shipping and handling by calling 360-695-0293 or e-mailing pkids@pkids.org. (3-11-03)

Camp Teaches Teens About Professional Music Industry

Does your teen dream of being in a rock band? Starring in her own video? Playing a concert in front of a packed crowd? She can do it all at the Power Chord Academy 2003 music camps.

At Power Chord Academy, young musicians ages 12 to 18 play in a band, make a video, record a CD, meet a touring band, play a concert, as well as develop an unbridled understanding of the steps inherently necessary to succeed in the professional music industry today.

“Our program is quickly becoming the essential learning experience for teenage musicians who are serious about pursuing their dreams,” says Power Chord Academy Executive Director Bryan Wrzesinski.

This year's camps will be held at St. Xavier University in Chicago June 22-28 and Loyola Maramount University in Los Angeles July 20-26.

Power Chord Academy is currently accepting applications. For more information, please visit Power Chord Academy on the Web at www.powerchordacademy.com. (3-4-03)

Ecstasy Use by Teens Leveling Off, But Still a Concern

The number of teenagers using Ecstasy in America is finally leveling off, but the majority of adolescents - 13 million kids - still don't see great risk in trying the so-called "love drug," according to a national survey recently released by the Partnership for a Drug-Free America® (PDFA).

"Over the last few years, as overall teen drug use stabilized, Ecstasy was the one disturbing exception,” says Steve Pasierb, president and CEO of the Partnership. “Our latest reading of the Ecstasy market offers a more encouraging picture, but does not – and should not – suggest that we have turned the corner on this drug. We have not – not yet.”

The 2002 Partnership Attitude Tracking Study surveyed more than 7,000 teens across the country and found that:

  • One out of every nine teenagers in America has tried Ecstasy at least once in their lives,
  • Nine percent have used Ecstasy in the past year,
  • Five percent have used Ecstasy in the past month,
  • Thirty-five percent of teens who have attended “raves” have tried Ecstasy; just five percent of all other teens have tried the drug.

The survey did offer some promising news in that more teens agree that there's great risk in using Ecstasy regularly, getting hooked on the drug and in developing memory problems as a result of using it.

Chemically known as 3-4 methylenedioxymethamphetamine, or MDMA, Ecstasy is a synthetic, psychoactive drug with amphetamine-like and hallucinogenic properties. Taken orally in pill form, this Schedule I drug can be extremely dangerous, especially in high doses. The drug produces an intense and pleasurable high, while putting users at risk of dramatic increases in body temperature, muscle breakdown and kidney and cardiovascular system failure, as reported in some fatalities. (2-25-03)

Teens Drinking More Soft Drinks at School

Teens are drinking more soft drinks and less milk at school, according to a new report in a recent issue of General Dentistry.

Soft drink purchases by teens 12 to 19 years old at school increased 1,100 percent over the past 20 years, while dairy purchases have decreased by 30 percent, says Jonathan Shenkin, DDS, the author of the report. Shenkin also says that although federal regulations prohibit the sale of soft drinks to students during lunch hours in most schools, soft drink machines line hallways, which means the goods are accessible to students all day long.

These statistics alarm dentists, who agree pouring rights contracts, in which schools accept advertising and sales deals to boost finances, have helped boost the amount of cavities in teens, which is reverting the oral health of many teens to a pre-fluoride condition, according to Cindy Flanagan, DDS, FAGD, spokesperson for the Academy of General Dentistry.

Facts from the Academy of General Dentistry: Soft Drinks, Hard Consequences

  • Brown holes in front teeth
  • Receding puffy and red gums
  • Loss of teeth

How to Avoid Decay:

  • Drink only one serving size (8 ounces = 1 cup = the size of a fist)
  • Drink only with meals
  • Drink with a straw
  • Brush teeth after drinking
  • No toothbrush? Try rinsing with water or chew sugarless gum
  • Consume a balanced diet with more dairy products (2-18-03)

New Harry Potter Book to Break First-Printing Records in U.S.

Fans waiting for the next Harry Potter book shouldn't have any trouble getting a copy once it is released. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix will break all first-printing publishing records in the United States with an unprecedented first printing of 6.8 million copies Scholastic, Inc. has announced.

The book, scheduled for release on June 21, 2003 (mark your calendars!), is nearly 900 pages, more than 255,000 words and 38 chapters.

"The demand at retail and pre-orders by customers for the new Harry Potter book have been absolutely phenomenal," says Barbara Marcus, president of Scholastic Children's Books. "With this level of anticipation for J.K. Rowling's masterful new adventure, we want to make sure that all Harry Potter fans can get their copies on June 21."

Scholastic also announced a first printing of 350,000 copies of a Deluxe Edition of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix especially targeted to the Harry Potter collector's market. The Deluxe Edition will be designed with a full-case cloth cover with gold embossing which will slide into a special slip box. Priced at $60, the Deluxe Edition will have printed-end sheets and pages with special deckled edges.

When Scholastic released Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire in July 2000, it became the fastest-selling book in history. Within 48 hours, three million copies were sold and Scholastic went back to press for an additional three million immediately. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, in hardcover and paperback, has sold over 16 million copies since being released.

All four Harry Potter books published by Scholastic in the United States in hardcover and paperback have sold a total of nearly 80 million copies since September 1998, when the company first released Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. (2-18-03)

Cell Phones and Smoking in Teens

Are teenagers trading cigarettes for cell phones? A new study in the British Medical Journal says no.

Theories have suggested that the recent decline in teenage smoking is linked to the rise in mobile phone ownership.

Researchers in Finland surveyed more than 9000 teens to test whether mobile phones are competing with cigarettes for their weekly spending money.

They found that the amount of smoking increased in proportion to the use of mobile phones, and taking into account the amount of spending money did not change the association.

A high proportion of Finnish adolescents use mobile phones, but their use is associated with health endangering lifestyles indicated by smoking, say the authors. Although this association may not apply to countries where parents do not help pay for their children’s mobile phone costs as much as they do in Finland, the symbolic role of mobile phones and smoking in modern adolescent cultures needs to be studied, they conclude. (2-11-03)

Restricting Teens' Television Time May Backfire

If you're trying to keep your teen from watching certain TV programs, you may be surprised to know they're likely going to a friends' house to see the show, a new study suggests.

These teens also reported less positive attitudes toward their parents, according to the research.

"Unfortunately, parents' good intentions in restricting television viewing may actually backfire and contribute to them watching more of the programs they shouldn't see," says Amy Nathanson, author of the study and assistant professor of journalism and communication at The Ohio State University.

So what can you do? Her research suggests that parents who discuss issues related to television with their older children – rather than just restrict viewing – are more likely to influence what their children watch. The key, she says, is to discuss without lecturing.

"When parents talk to older children by asking questions and inviting dialogue and don't talk to them in a condescending or threatening way, they are more likely to see positive outcomes," Nathanson says.

Nathanson has conducted several studies on the subject, interviewing both teenagers and their parents about their TV viewing and their relationship. Her research has appeared in the journals, Human Communication Research and Media Psychology. (2-04-03)

Government to Test Drugs Prescribed to Kids, But Not Yet Tested in Kids

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has announced that 12 commonly-prescribed drugs will be tested for use in children beginning this year.

Once a drug has been approved for a particular use, physicians may prescribe it for other uses as they deem necessary. Many commonly-available drugs, although approved for use in adults, have never been tested specifically for use in children. The 12 drugs on the list are currently prescribed for children, but their safety and effectiveness has been established only in adults.

The drugs include:

  • Azithromycin – an antibiotic used to treat many different types of bacterial infections.
  • Baclofen – a muscle relaxant used to relieve the spasms, cramping and tightness of muscles caused by medical problems such as multiple sclerosis or certain injuries to the spine.
  • Bumetanide – used to reduce the swelling and fluid retention caused by various medical problems, including heart or liver disease. It also is used to treat high blood pressure. It causes the kidneys to get rid of unneeded water and salt from the body into the urine.
  • Dobutamine – a heart-stimulating drug.
  • Dopamine – used to treat Parkinson's disease and schizophrenia.
  • Furosemide – used to treat swelling and water retention.
  • Heparin – decreases the clotting ability of the blood and helps prevent harmful clots from forming in the blood vessels.
  • Lithium – treatment for bipolar disorder (extreme mood changes from depression or anger to elation).
  • Lorazepam – treatment for anxiety.
  • Rifampin – used in combination with other medications to treat tuberculosis and to treat carriers of meningitis-causing bacteria.
  • Sodium nitroprusside – a treatment for high blood pressure.
  • Spironolactone – a treatment for high blood pressure.

Each drug will undergo about two years of testing, followed by evaluation of test results by the FDA. The testing is called for in the Best Pharmaceuticals for Children Act (BPCA), which was signed into law by President Bush last year. The law provides for HHS agencies to sponsor pediatric tests of certain drugs already approved for marketing but never tested specifically for their effects in children. (1-28-03)

Most Backpack Injuries Due to Tripping

Did you know that the back is not the body part most commonly injured due to backpacks?

A new study in the January issue of Pediatrics found instead that most children were injured by tripping over the backpack, usually causing foot and ankle or wrist and elbow injuries.

Twenty-two percent of the group studied were hurt in the head or face (mostly lacerations). Injuries to the hand, an additional 14 percent, included punctured fingers from pencils and fractures from the backpack falling on their hand. Wrist and ankle sprains were also common, as were shoulder strains.

Back injuries made up 11 percent of the total, with lumbar strain being the most common back injury.

According to the study authors, telling children to keep backpacks off the floor and not to use them to hit each other could prevent more than 40 percent of backpack injuries. (1-28-03)

Advice to Slow Down Does Not Help Kids Who Stutter

"Slow down and relax!"

A new survey shows that this is exactly what most adults tell children who stutter, but leading experts say that strategy can aggravate the problem.

A national survey of 1,000 adults by the Stuttering Foundation found that nearly 90 percent said “slow down and relax” is exactly what they would tell a child who began to stutter. Yet such simplistic advice won’t help stop stuttering and may actually frustrate a child who stutters, say experts at the Stuttering Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the prevention and improved treatment of stuttering.

“Parents should realize that the way they react to stuttering plays an important role in the child’s speech development,” says Lisa Scott Trautman, Ph.D., assistant professor of speech-language pathology at The Florida State University. “If a child senses frustration and impatience when he speaks, his concerns about talking will increase.”

So what are parents to do?

  • Remain calm if you hear your child stutter.
  • Give the child your attention and listen carefully, allowing him to complete his sentence without interruption.
  • Talk in a slow, relaxed way yourself; this will be more effective than any criticism or advice to "try it again slowly."
  • Convey that you are listening to what your child says, not how she says it. This will build confidence and likely increase fluency.

For many young children, positive attitudes and reactions of parents and other family members are an effective way to encourage normal fluency. However, if stuttering lasts longer than six months or if it seems fairly severe or worsens, an evaluation by a speech therapist is recommended. The success rate is very high when children begin therapy between the ages of 2 and 5 years old.

For more information and a list of local resources, log on to the Stuttering Foundation Web site at www.stutteringhelp.org or call 1-800-992-9392. (1-21-03)

Being Involved in Your Kids' Lives May Help Them Avoid Smoking

How can you help your children fight peer pressure to smoke? A new study says that being involved in their lives – knowing about their friends, activities and how they're doing in school – can help them overcome peer pressure to start smoking.

The study, which appears in the December issue of Prevention Science, also confirmed two earlier findings. First, that children who are socially competent – who have the ability to exercise self-control and good judgment – and who have parents who monitor their behavior tend not to start smoking. Second, that the more widespread children think smoking is, the more likely they are to start.

While researchers have known that both peers and parents play an important role in whether young teens and preteens start smoking, they've known less about whether the effects of peer influence on starting smoking is affected by other factors, such as parents' involvement, children's adjustment to school and their degree of social competence. This study was able to begin addressing that issue.

Researchers surveyed more than 1000 students at four middle schools for the study. (1-21-03)

Nip Head Lice in the Bud

Sometimes parents get more than they bargained for when they travel to visit friends and relatives over the holidays. Head lice, an unfortunate part of raising children today, may have returned home along with the happy memories and yellow credit card slips.

The National Pediculosis Association (NPA) reminds parents to screen for head lice and their eggs (nits) before their children return to the classroom or to childcare after the holiday vacation. Getting lice "out of your hair" is not so difficult if families are prepared with accurate information and effective tools.

The NPA encourages routine screening, early detection and removal of lice and nits to minimize disruption, save money and, most importantly, protect against unnecessary and direct exposure to potentially harmful chemicals, many of which have no benefit because of lice resistance.

The NPA urges a manual and non-chemical approach using the LiceMeister®, comb especially for children who have other medical problems or mothers who may be pregnant or nursing.

Free educational downloads and a limited free offer for the NPA's "Critter Card" to help parents accurately identify head lice and nits are available at www.headlice.org. (1-14-03)

More Children Receiving Health Insurance

The number of children receiving health insurance is continuing to increase according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The CDC conducts an annual survey tracking health insurance and other health indicators for Americans.

The report found that the percent of American children with health insurance continued to increase in the first half of 2002, meaning that a half million more children are now covered by insurance than in the previous year. The improvement comes as more children rely on public coverage for their health care, including the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) created in 1997.

SCHIP is designed to help children without health insurance, many of whom come from working families with incomes too high to qualify for Medicaid but too low to afford private health insurance. There were 4.6 million children enrolled in SCHIP at some point during fiscal year 2001, the most recent year for which complete state data is available.

Overall, just more than 14 percent of the population was without health insurance coverage in the first half of 2002, about the same as in 2001, and down from about 15 percent in 1997.

Working-age adults were more likely than seniors or children to lack health insurance coverage, with 18.5 percent of those aged 18 to 64 without coverage. In early 2002, about one in three Hispanics lacked health insurance, a far greater percent than the non-Hispanic black population (16.4 percent) and non-Hispanic whites at 10.5 percent.

The complete report is available at www.cdc.gov/nchs. (1-14-03)

Preteens and Teens Watching Violent Movies

Do you know what movies your kids are watching? A new study found that a surprising number of young teenagers are watching extremely violent movies.

Researchers from the Norris Cotton Cancer Center at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Dartmouth Medical School and Dartmouth College surveyed a group of more than 5000 fifth through eighth-graders to see which of 50 randomly selected movies from the top 600 box office draws released from 1988 to 1999 they had seen.

From this sample of 600 movies, the researchers identified the 50 that contained the most violence. These movies, all R-rated and not meant to be seen by children, contained scenes depicting such things as sadistic rape, sodomy, brutal or ritualistic murders and cannibalism. On average, these especially violent movies were seen by 28 percent of the children.

The survey revealed that the most popular movies for fifth graders, who are usually about 10 years old, were I Know What You Did Last Summer and Scream, with both movies seen by more than 40 percent of those fifth graders surveyed. Both are rated R, indicating that the films are restricted for people under the age of 17.

Two other R movies, The General's Daughter and Natural Born Killers, were also seen by a surprising number of those surveyed. The General's Daughter, which contained a graphic and violent rape scene, was seen by 27 percent of the sample and by 20 percent of fifth graders. Natural Born Killers, portraying young lovers on a killing spree mixed with sex, was seen by 20 percent of the adolescents overall and by 13 percent of fifth graders.

The study appears in the December 2002 issue of the Journal of Adolescent Health. (1-07-03)

Teen Use of Drugs, Alcohol and Marijuana Down

A new government study reports that teens are using marijuana, cigarettes, alcohol and some club drugs less than they were last year.

The annual Monitoring the Future Survey, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, collects information from students across the United States in 8th, 10th and 12th grades.

In addition to finding an overall decline in drug use, the survey also found the use of MDMA (Ecstasy) showed significant declines for the first time after rising rapidly in recent years. LSD use declined sharply and significantly in all three grades, with rates at the lowest in the history of the survey among students in all three grades. Steroid use, however, remained stable from 2001 to 2002 in each grade.

The only significant increases in drug use were crack use by 10th graders in the past year and use of sedatives by 12th graders in the past year.

For the first time, the survey looked at the abuse of Oxycontin and Vicodin, prescription drugs used to relieve pain. Nonmedical use of Oxycontin in the past year was reported by 4 percent of 12th graders, and Vicodin use in the same time period was reported by 9.6 percent of 12th graders.

"Teen drug use is once again headed in the right direction – down," says John P. Walters, director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. "This survey confirms that our drug prevention efforts are working and that when we work together and push back, the drug problem gets smaller."

Significant declines in cigarette smoking also occurred in all three grade levels in 2002, continuing a steady and substantial decline in teen smoking that began after 1996 among 8th and 10th graders and after 1997 among 12th graders.

The use rates of alcohol in 8th and 10th graders are also at record lows in the history of the survey in those grades. Among 10th graders, the rate of binge drinking (five or more drinks in a row) in the past two weeks declined, as did the past-month rate of having been drunk.

To see the complete report, log on to www.nida.nih.gov/. (1-07-03)

New Software Helps Parents Discuss Drugs and Alcohol

Not sure how to broach the topic of drugs and alcohol with your kids? A Florida attorney has developed software to help such parents talk to their kids about this difficult topic.

Raymond G. Ferrero III, who has worked for nearly a decade representing adolescents and adults suffering from drug and alcohol abuse, developed the Drug CD because he says he was tired of getting involved too late in the process. "I always felt that if I could have reached a child or reached a parent before addiction became a problem within the family that somehow I could have done something positive," he says. "The Drug CD is my solution."

The double-CD set uses plain facts, a non-judgmental approach and an interactive format to educate and guide families into open dialogue about drugs and alcohol. The Drug CD includes:

  • Access to a nationwide directory of federally-endorsed treatment centers, searchable by state and zip code
  • Lessons in how to detect substance abuse at home, school and work
  • Digital (crime-lab) photographs to help identify today's most commonly abused drugs
  • Comprehensive interactive drug and alcohol reference guide
  • Eight video interviews with teens and parents who live with addiction and substance abuse
  • Answers and advice from three experts in the field
  • A searchable, clinical reference guide to drug use, abuse and addiction
  • Insight into the relationship between mental health issues and substance abuse
  • Expert advice on attention deficit disorder and ADHD children and drug abuse
  • Links to informative Web sites

For more information, log on to www.thedrugcd.com. (1-07-03)

"Brain Wave" Treatment Helps Children With ADHD

A new study has found that EEG biofeedback, a technique which teaches individuals to retrain electrical activity in their brains, is successful in relieving some symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children.

In a study which appears in a recent issue of Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback, researchers compared the effects of biofeedback therapy in 100 children with ADHD between 6 and 19, who were also receiving counseling and medication.

Researchers found that only those who received the biofeedback therapy retained the benefits of the counseling and medication after they stopped taking the medication.

According to a few previous studies, therapies that reduce the amount of "slow," or low-frequency, brainwaves and boost the number of "fast," or high-frequency, brain waves can relieve some symptoms of ADHD. Researchers also found that biofeedback was also the only treatment in the current study that significantly reduced the amount of slow brain waves in the children.

ADHD affects between 3 and 5 percent of school-aged children. Along with the main symptoms of hyperactivity and inattention, individuals with ADHD frequently suffer from anxiety and depression and may have learning disorders. (12-24-02)

Help for Vegan Parents

How can you raise your child to be a vegan in a non-vegan world? A new book published by VegFamily magazine will help vegan parents do just that.

Raising Vegan Children in a Non-Vegan World by Erin Pavlina, editor of VegFamily, offers advice on transitioning children to a vegan lifestyle, health and nutrition concerns, selecting veg-friendly schools and daycare centers, how to handle social situations, traveling advice, how to instill in children compassion for animals and the environment, as well as 32 kid-friendly recipes.

For more information or to purchase the book, visit www.VegFamily.com. (12-24-02)

Choose Safe Toys to Avoid Injuries This Christmas

What is your child getting from Santa this year? Prevent Blindness Ohio, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preventing blindness and preserving sight, reminds you to choose your gifts wisely to avoid having your child become an emergency room statistic.

In 2001, close to 10,000 children under the age of 14 were treated in U.S. hospital emergency rooms for eye injuries caused by toys and sporting equipment, according to Prevent Blindness Ohio. The total number of general toy-related injuries is much higher with an estimated 247,000 toy-related injuries in 2001, according to the organization.

These injuries can result from accidents (such as a child tripping over a toy that is left out), unintended misuse of the toy or an inherent flaw in the toy's design or material.

Prevent Blindness Ohio offers the following tips to make your holidays safer for your children:

  1. Inspect toys for safe construction. Products given to young children should be made of durable plastic or wood with no sharp edges or points.
  2. Toys should be able to withstand impact. Avoid purchasing toys with small parts for young children. Young children tend to put items in their mouths, increasing their risk of choking.
  3. Check your children's toys regularly for broken parts. Throw broken toys out immediately if they cannot be safely repaired. Older children often alter their toys and misuse them, making them unsafe. It is better to be vigilant, even with older children, so that serious eye injuries can be prevented.
  4. Read the instructions and suggested age level on the packaging. Assess whether the item is appropriate for the child's ability and age. Age labeling is provided not just for developmental reasons, but for safety reasons as well.
  5. Avoid toys that shoot projectiles, such as toy guns. They contribute to a large number of serious eye injuries and can rob children of their sight. Last year, there were close to 2,000 eye injuries in children under the age of 14 caused by toy weapons, BB guns, slingshots and other propelled toys.
  6. Look for the symbol ASTM F963. This indicates the product meets the national safety standards set by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM).
  7. Make recommendations to family members and friends about gifts that you feel are appropriate for your child.
  8. Remain aware of recalled products. Large toy retailers post regular notices of recalled toys usually at the front of the store. Take recalled products back to the store where they were purchased for a full refund. For further information on toy and product recalls, visit the U.S. Product Safety Commission Web site at www.cpsc.gov.

For a free fact sheet on tips for choosing toys and the most dangerous toys to children's eyes, call 1-800-301-2020. (12-17-02)

New Scans Help Kids Avoid Unnecessary Appendectomies

Some appendectomies may be unnecessary, and two types of scans can help doctors determine whether or not your child truly needs the surgery, according to new research in the December issue of Pediatrics.

Researchers looked at more than 1,300 children who were hospitalized with suspected appendicitis and found that ultrasonography (US) and computed tomography (CT) scans helped rule out appendicitis among the children who were difficult to diagnose. The children then avoided unnecessary appendectomies.

In addition, the scans revealed true appendicitis more quickly, reducing the risk of a perforated or "burst" appendix. Both perforation and negative appendectomy rates significantly declined in children after the protocol using US and CT was implemented. (12-10-02)

Survey Reveals More People Driving While on Drugs

More Americans are driving under the influence of illegal drugs, according to a new survey.

The National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), found that eight million people 12 or older reported driving under the influence of illegal drugs during 2001 – a 3.6 percent increase from 2000.

The report also showed that rates of driving while on drugs increased from 2000 to 2001 for young adults ages 18 to 34. Among adults 18 or older, those who were unemployed were more likely than full- or part-time workers to report driving under the influence of illegal drugs.

"Drugged driving is under-reported because it is under-recognized," says SAMHSA Administrator Charles Curie. "Young people, as well as parents, need to know that driving under the influence of any illegal drug is just as dangerous as driving under the influence of alcohol."

For more information, log on to www.DrugAbuseStatistics.samhsa.gov or call 1-800-729-6686. (12-10-02)

Joint-Custody Good for Kids as Long as Parents Don't Fight

A new study finds that joint-custody arrangements for children of divorced parents may be best for children, so long as there is not ongoing parental conflict.

The study, which appears in a recent issue of the Journal of Family Issues, looked at 59 children ages 6 to 12 and their divorced mothers.

Researchers found that without parental conflict, children in physical joint-custody arrangements showed fewer behavioral problems than children under the custody of a single parent. But when the former spouses had frequent disagreements, the children were likely to feel sad, actively intervene into the parental conflict and behave less cooperatively.

The results of this study also showed that children who reported becoming actively involved in their parents' divorce-related issues were more likely to exhibit more behavior problems.

While the study did show some advantages to dual-residence arrangements, Mo-Yee Lee, author of the study and associate professor of social work at Ohio State University, says the results showed that it is not the type of custody arrangement that matters most for children's well-being, but the degree of and the way parents address conflict between them.

The best thing divorced parents can do, Lee says, is set clear parent-child boundaries so that children are protected from disagreements and issues regarding the divorce. This allows children to have a better chance to establish appropriate distance for themselves regarding parental issues. (12-10-02)

Unsupervised Teens More Likely to Have Sex

Brace yourself for this one – a new study finds that if your teen is having sex, he's likely doing it under your roof.

A study appearing in the December issue of Pediatrics looked at 2000 high school students and found that 90 percent of sexually-active teens were having sex at home.

The study also found that youths who were unsupervised for 30 or more hours per week were more likely to be sexually active compared with those who were left alone for five hours a week or less. Those left unsupervised for more than five hours per week had more sexually transmitted diseases, particularly the boys.

Researchers also found that more than half of students had had sex on a weekday. (12-03-02)

Essay Contest Encourages Students to Imagine Future of Transportation

The U.S. Department of Transportation's Garrett A. Morgan Technology and Transportation Futures Program is sponsoring an essay contest for students in grades 1-12 to help generate interest in transportation and awareness of transportation’s needs for the future.

“Sometimes we don’t realize how important and interesting a subject is until we do a little research and organize our thoughts about it,” says U.S. Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta. “That’s what this essay contest is intended to accomplish. We want the best and brightest students from all over America to think about the important role transportation plays in our lives and to consider becoming transportation workers, managers and engineers.”

The overall theme of the contest is "Society, Technology and the Future of Transportation." There are categories for four age groups:

  • Students in grades 1 and 2 should focus on the Need for Transportation;
  • Students in grades 3 through 5 should focus on the Future of Transportation;
  • Students in grades 6 through 8 should focus on the Transportation Environment and Energy Concerns; and
  • Students in grades 9 through 12 should focus on Transportation Technology and Societal Changes.

All essays should address the future of transportation and its importance in society. Illustrations, such as art, photography, charts, tables and other graphics are encouraged. A panel of experts in transportation and education will judge the contest.

Contest information, rules, suggested essay lengths and instructions for submitting entries are on the Internet at http://education.dot.gov. The deadline for all submissions is March 15, 2003. Essays may be submitted electronically or by fax to 202-493-2288.

The Garrett A. Morgan Technology and Transportation Futures Program commemorates Garrett A. Morgan, a son of slaves and an African American who invented the traffic signal and gas mask. (12-03-02)

Teen Sex Related to Types of Friendships

It seems whether or not your preteen has sex as an adolescent could be determined by the company he keeps.

In a study in the journal Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health, researchers used data on more than 1600 children who were followed from the ages of 11 or 12 until the age of 15 or 16.

Researchers found that boys who had mostly female friends when they were preteens were more likely to have had sex by age 16 than were other boys. However, the same wasn't true for girls who as preteens had mostly male friends.

Results also showed that preteens with friends in higher grades were more likely to have sex at age 13 or 14. Going steady in early adolescence was also linked to having sex as a young teen.

The study also revealed that one out of three of the teens in the study had had sex by age 16 and 10 percent said they were sexually experienced by 13 or 14. Of these children, one in eight said they had had sex before ever going out on a date. (11-26-02)

Limiting Teen Driving May Reduce Their Risk of Car Accidents

Setting limits on your teen's driving privileges could save her life.

A study at the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development of a new program that teaches parents how to do just that found that the program greatly reduces the teens' chances of risky driving behavior that could lead to accidents.

Car accidents are the leading cause of death and injury among teenagers between the ages of 16 and 19. Research shows that when parents don't limit when, where and how frequently their teens can drive, teens' traffic violations and car accidents increase. Research also shows that although parents are in a prime position to influence their teens' driving behaviors, many parents are less involved than they could be.

Researchers recruited more than 450 teens and their parents to participate in the study when the teens received their driving permits.

Half of the families were enrolled in the Checkpoints program and half in a comparison group. The Checkpoints program includes a video, newsletters and a parent-teen driving agreement that are mailed to the families.

Families in the Checkpoints Program reported stricter teen driving limits under high-risk conditions when the teen got his or her license and three months later than did families in the comparison group. The study also found that driving restrictions imposed when teens were licensed was the best predictor of driving restrictions three months later. (11-19-02)

Perfectionism Tied to Eating Disorders

A new study has found that perfectionism may be a contributor to the development of eating disorders in girls.

In a study appearing in a recent issue of the International Journal of Eating Disorders, researchers looked at more than 150 girls ages 12 to 16 and then again when they were 14 to 18 and 20 to 24. Those who reported eating-disorder symptoms early on, such as being at least 15 percent underweight, preoccupied with dieting and some purging, and who went on to develop a full-blown clinical eating disorder as adults were usually perfectionists.

They felt they were failures if they didn't meet unattainable goals they set for themselves, not just body image goals but goals in general, says Julia Graber, a University of Florida psychology professor and one of the study's researchers.

"It may be that the body is the one thing they have more control over and so they meet those goals, even if they're extremely unhealthy, because they can't meet the unrealistic expectations they have for the rest of their lives," says Graber.

As many as 3.7 percent of women suffer from anorexia nervosa and as many as 4.2 percent are estimated to have bulimia in their lifetimes, according to the National Institute for Mental Health. (11-19-02)

New Approach to Arts Education Successful

Arts education is working in a pilot program which offers an integrated method of arts instruction.

The results of a five-year study of the program, called the Transforming Education Through the Arts Challenge (TETAC), shows that it is successfully adaptable to schools across the country -- rich or poor, urban, suburban or rural. More than 35 schools in eight states participated.

The method, which blends the best lessons learned from past studies on both arts education and curricular reform, focuses on collaborative lesson planning across disciplines around an "enduring idea," such as man's relationship to an unpredictable natural world or the concept that material things reveal the history, beliefs and values of a people.

Through workshops, site visits, university courses and mentoring, teachers developed the tools to fashion meaningful educational instruction in the arts that can be seamlessly integrated into other disciplines, enriching student understanding of the subject and meeting demanding curricular mandates at the same time.

Overall, schools able to incorporate the greatest number of TETAC elements into their programs saw the greatest rate of success in student learning. At these schools, fifth-graders, initially tested in third grade, showed an increase of as much as 42 points on an art assessment tool developed by the project.

In the results of a survey about the impact of TETAC on their students, 84 percent of teachers reported that their students have increased motivation to learn and engage in instructional activities; 86 percent stated that their students are able to make connections across different subject or content areas; and 79 percent believe their students express themselves through writing more effectively than students not taught using the TETAC approach.

The study, funded by The J. Paul Getty Trust, also points to significant benefits for teachers. (11-19-02)

Polaroid Offers Fun Slumber Party Ideas for Girls Using Popular i-Zone Camera

Girlfriends are an important part of a teen girl's life. That's the word from a new survey conducted by Polaroid.

The company surveyed 250 girls ages 12 to 17 and found that almost two-thirds view their female friendships as a "very important part of their life," while one in five girls views friendships with girlfriends as "absolutely the most important thing in their life." The survey also reveals that 80 percent of girls attend all-female get-togethers or slumber parties.

To celebrate the launch of its newest twist to the world's number-one selling camera among teens, the limited edition i-Zone Color Changing Instant Camera, Polaroid has created a campaign designed to help teen girls enhance their fun, girl-gathering moments. Called girlZone, the campaign teams up with well-known teen brands, such as leading sleepwear and loungewear company PJ Salvage, Cover Girl Cosmetics and Blockbuster, to develop and share ideas and tips that teens (or their parents) can use when planning a girl gathering.

The Color Changing Instant Camera uses a technology that allows the exterior to change color, from dark blue to light blue, based on an individual's body heat. The camera takes mini stamp-sized instant photos that can become photo stickers. Polaroid Fortune Film, developed exclusively for i-Zone-cameras, reveals funny sayings, fortunes or jokes on each picture as it is pulled from the camera. As the photo develops, the message slowly disappears.

Polaroid offers some fun ways to incorporate the new i-Zone into an overnight girl get-together.

  • Create a girlZone Scrapbook – Celebrate friends by taking i-Zone pictures of each of them. Dedicate one page of the scrapbook to each friend. Stick the picture in the center of the page and surround it with fun facts, stats and doodles that pertain to each girl.
  • Face Up! – Hold a Silly Faces or Celebrity Look-a-like contest. Document your funny faces or favorite celebrity smile using i-Zone pictures. The best photos win! Or give each other makeovers and take before and after photos.

The limited edition i-Zone Color Changing Instant Camera is available now through the holidays at leading mass-market, photo-specialty and select toy stores for $19.99. The i-Zone camera uses the exclusive Pocket Film, available in sticker, non-sticker and Fortune Film formats and sold separately for $5.99 (non-sticker) and $6.99 (sticker and Fortune Film). (11-19-02)

Scholastic Offers Tips on Shopping for Kids Online

Many parents will be shopping online to buy their children gifts for the holiday season, but how can you know what you're getting is a quality product and something your child will love? The Scholastic Store Online has some suggestions of the ABCs for buying fun and educational holiday gifts for kids.

A – A Trusted Store Online for Families: Knowing where to find high quality products for kids is just as important as knowing what to buy. Do your homework and search for a site that offers age-appropriate products with learning opportunities for children. It is important to find a store that offers products with learning benefits and kid appeal. Find sites that offer browsing and shopping options for quick and easy selections. Search for an online store that offers a great selection of the latest, top quality products at affordable prices.

B – Buy Great Gifts that Offer Fun and Learning: When children are absorbed in a wonderful book, a challenging CD-ROM game, video or interactive toy, they are also learning valuable lessons. This year, give the gift of reading! Early readers will love the new Clifford The Big Red Dog™ Deluxe Anniversary Edition by Norman Bridwell or Merry Christmas, Big Hungry Bear by Don and Audrey Wood. When I Grow Up I Want to Be Me by Sandra Magsamen is a great book for older girls, and the adventures of both Captain Underpants™ and Harry Potter™ are sure bets for boys.

C – Consider the Child's Age, Interests and Development: No two children are alike – every child has unique interests, likes and dislikes and varied levels of learning. To make holiday shopping a success, match the right product with the right child by considering age-appropriateness, the child's interests and the item's potential for learning and development.

The Scholastic Store Online offers a broad mix of merchandise carefully selected for its developmental appropriateness and kid appeal, with learning benefits endorsed by a panel of early childhood experts. (11-19-02)

Kids Can Name New Mars Rovers

No child has ever blasted into orbit, but now American children have a chance to do the next best thing. The LEGO Company and The Planetary Society in conjunction with NASA are sponsoring a contest allowing kids to compete to name the two spacecraft that will be sent to Mars as part of NASA's upcoming Mars Exploration Rover (MER) mission.

The rovers are slated to launch in June and July 2003 and land on Mars in January/February 2004.

"By involving children actively in the Mars' missions through the 'Name the Rovers' contest and with other related activities, we hope to help excite and inspire the next generation of space explorers," says Brad Justus, senior vice president of LEGO Company.

The Name the Rovers Contest is open to all students 5 to 18 years of age who are in grades K-12 in the United States. Submissions must include suggested names for both rovers and a 50 to 500 word essay justifying why the students believe the names should be chosen. It is intended that the Grand Prize winner's entry will be used to name the Mars Rovers. In addition, the Grand Prize includes a four-day/three-night expenses-paid trip for four to witness one of the launches of the newly-named rovers at Cape Canaveral, Florida.

Entries will be divided into three age groups: 5 to 7, 8 to 12 and 13 to 18, which will have its own age-appropriate requirements. Each submitted essay will be judged on originality, the quality of the essay, including justification for the names, and how the names best embody the spirit of the Mars Exploration Rover mission. Names associated with trademarked items, names of living persons or names used on previous NASA spacecraft will not be considered.

Students can send submissions in a variety of ways. Kids over age 13 can use an Online Entry Form located at the contest web site at www.nametherovers.org. If under age 13, kids must download and print the Official Entry Form and submit by mail. Completed entries must be sent to: NASA Name the Rovers Contest Entries, P.O. Box 4419, Blair, NE 68009-4419.

The contest is open for submissions beginning today through January 31, 2003. NASA will announce the contest winners prior to the launch of the rovers in the spring of 2003. (11-19-02)

Boys Who Mature Sexually at Early Age Less Likely to Be Obese

Girls who mature sexually earlier are more likely to be obese than other girls, and boys who mature sexually earlier are less likely to obese than other boys.

Those are the findings of a new study appearing in the November issue of Pediatrics.

Although previous studies have suggested that sexual maturity is associated with obesity in females, little was known about the relationship in boys until now.

The study assessed body stature and early sexual maturation in 1500 boys and 1500 girls. Researchers found that in boys, early developers were found to be significantly taller, but not heavier, than their average- or late-maturing counterparts. By comparison, early sexual maturity in girls was associated with both increased height and weight.

The study's author suggests the difference may be related to sexual maturity's differing influence on growth in weight and height in boys and girls. "During the growth process in boys, more energy may be devoted toward height than to the development of fat tissue, while early-maturing girls are more likely to store extra energy intake as fat tissue," says University of Illinois at Chicago nutritional epidemiologist Dr. Youfa Wang, author of the study. (11-12-02)

Kids Can Help Save Endangered Species Through Essay Contest

How can we save North America's endangered species? An essay contest sponsored by Mutual of Omaha will let kids decide.

Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom Kids' Summit 2003 essay contest encourages children ages 9 to 12 to write an essay explaining their idea for saving a threatened or endangered species. Mutual of Omaha will collect the essays, and one aspiring conservationist from each state will be selected to attend the Kids' Summit in Los Angeles on April 23-24, 2003.

The summit, the first of its kind anywhere, gathers child delegates from across the nation to discuss and learn about wildlife conservation. At the summit, one winning student from each state and the District of Columbia will present their conservation ideas to their peers and original Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom adventurers Gros and Jim Fowler. The Kids' Summit also features a VIP tour of the Los Angeles Zoo, activities at Universal Studios® and a "wild" welcome banquet where ambassadors get acquainted and get "up close and personal" with endangered animals.

And their ideas could become reality! Blake Wichtowski, a 2002 Kids' Summit delegate from New York, proposed special gardens of blue lupine plants to provide much-needed habitat for the endangered Karner Blue Butterfly. The Seneca Park Zoo in Rochester, N.Y., with financial support from Mutual of Omaha, is implementing his idea.

To enter, kids simply need to answer in an essay: "What threatened or endangered species in North America do you most want to save and how would you help save it?" For official rules and entry forms, students and their parents can log on to www.mutualofomaha.com, call 1-800-754-9542 or contact their local Mutual of Omaha representative. The Web site also has testimonials, photographs, teacher lesson plans and winning essays from Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom Kids' Summit 2002.

To be eligible, essays must range from 50 to 200 words with optional illustrations. All entries must be postmarked by February 7, 2003 and sent to: Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom Kids' Summit Essay Contest, P.O. Box 4320, Manhasset, N.Y. 11030-4320.

Wild Kingdom, the beloved television icon, is roaring back to life with the Kids' Summit essay contest and through the all-new Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom series on the Animal Planet network.

The series of six hour-long specials for the 2002-2003 television season covers six of the seven continents, with environments ranging from deserts below sea level in Africa to sub-freezing peaks in the Himalayas. The series focuses on a wide range of mammals, reptiles and amphibians and seeks out previously unknown and rare species. In addition, the new Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom features striking new graphics, narration by Alec Baldwin and an original orchestral score. (11-12-02)

Study Finds Most Children Not Immunized at Proper Ages

Has your child received the proper immunizations? A new study shows that only 9 percent of kids have received all recommended vaccines at the recommended ages.

Researchers, who reviewed the immunization records of more than 16,000 children, also found that nine out of 10 children had received at least one vaccine outside the recommended age range by the age of 2. Immunization timeliness is important in preventing disease outbreaks, protecting the health of young children and minimizing the need to repeat doses.

The study, which appears in the November issue of Pediatrics, also shows that children who lived in households with multiple children, who had mothers under the age of 30 and whose families used public health services and multiple vaccine providers, had an increased risk of missed or untimely vaccinations. (11-12-02)

Online Game for Kids Encourages Safe Exploration of the Internet

Want to introduce your kids to the value of the Internet in a "kid-friendly" atmosphere? Sign up for the annual CyberSafari, sponsored by Children's Web Surfing Alliance and PatentCafe's Kids Café.

CyberSurfari is a fun and educational Internet expedition where players explore more than 100 handpicked destination sites throughout the Internet. The contest is a safe way to show students, teachers and families valuable information that can be found on the Web and how to find it.

Players can register as a team or an individual and collect "treasure" by finding the answers to clues written by participating Outposts. To find the answer, the player must go to the Outpost's site to search for the answer. When the answer is found, the player enters a unique keycode to get credit for their discovery. Players can race to the finish or play at their own pace. The contest runs through January 10.

To register, log on to www.cybersurfari.org.

Last year, more than 12,000 school team players competed in CyberSurfari with family teams and individuals from 97 countries. (11-05-02)

Be Aware of Choking Hazards

According to a new report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 17,000 children under 14 were treated in emergency rooms for choking last year. The CDC is urging parents and caregivers to be aware of choking hazards, keep a watchful eye on their children when they eat or play and be familiar with ways to give first aid to a choking child.

Other statistics released in the report show that the rate of choking hospital visits are highest for children under 1 year and decrease as children grow older. Sixty percent of the more than 17,000 emergency room visits were associated with food items, just less than a third were associated with nonfood objects including coins, and in less than 10 percent of the episodes, the substance was unknown or unrecorded.

Candy was associated with 19 percent of these visits. Of these cases, two-thirds were related to hard candy and just more than 12 percent were related to other specified types such as chocolate candy, gummy candy, chewing gum, etc. The type of candy was not specified in the remaining 22 percent of cases.

Children choking run the risk of death, permanent brain damage caused by lack of oxygen or other complications associated with airway blockage. (11-05-02)

Study Finds Duct Tape Successful in Treating Warts

We all know that a little duct tape can fix almost anything, but get rid of warts?

A new study, appearing in the journal Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, has found that treating common warts by applying duct tape was more successful than cryotherapy – freezing them off with liquid nitrogen – a more common technique. The study looked at more than 50 patients ages 3 to 22.

Researchers say using duct tape has several advantages over cryotherapy such as being more practical, less expensive and less threatening to children because it is not painful.

Warts are a common pediatric complaint, occurring in 5 to 10 percent of all pediatric patients, according to the study. Warts are benign growths caused by the human papillomaviruses. The peak incidence is between the ages of 12 and 16 years. Although two-thirds of all warts in children will resolve spontaneously without treatment within two years, patients frequently request treatment to hasten the resolution. (10-29-02)

Keep Your Food Allergic Child Healthy This Halloween

If your child has food allergies, you need to be extra cautious about what she eats this Halloween.

Parents of children with food allergies need to implement additional strategies for keeping their trick-or-treaters safe once they've brought home their goodies, says the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN). Some create "trade banks" so allergen-containing candies can be traded for other treats, such as stickers or toys. Candies without ingredient labels are discarded or exchanged for "safe" treats.

Parents of children without food allergies can help by handing out only candies that have individualized labels, so allergic kids can determine whether the treat is safe to eat, says the FAAN. Keep in mind that ingredients can vary between different sizes of the same product, such as full-size candy bars and their miniature versions, which are not always labeled individually.

Food allergy affects an estimated six to seven million Americans, mostly children. Annually, allergic reactions account for 30,000 emergency room visits and between 150 to 200 deaths. Eight foods account for 90 percent of allergic reactions: peanuts, tree nuts (walnuts, almonds, cashews, pistachios, pecans, etc.), fish, shellfish, eggs, milk, soy and wheat, according to the FAAN.

For more information and to find out how to make allergy-safe "treats," log on to the FAAN Web site at http://www.foodallergy.org/. (10-29-02)

Prevent Unintentional Injuries

More than one million children ages 14 and under die from unintentional injuries each year, says a new report from SAFE KIDS Worldwide, an organization dedicated to promoting and educating children and adults about childhood safety.

The majority of these deaths are from traffic crashes, drownings, falls, fires and poisonings, according to the report.

SAFE KIDS offers this information and advice for parents to use in their efforts to prevent these accidents.

Traffic Crashes – Be sure to use safety belts, child safety seats and bike helmets. Safer cars and road design, tougher laws and enforcement efforts and better emergency treatment have also been instrumental.

Drownings – Widespread campaigns to educate parents about the need for close supervision around water and effective use of cardio-pulmonary resuscitation have helped reduce this risk. Regulations, such as those requiring four-sided pool fencing or the use of personal flotation devices, have also played a role.

Falls – Substandard housing, homes with exposed rooftops, steps with no railings and poor street conditions put children at high risk. In rural areas, children fall from trees or cliffs.

Fires – In industrialized nations, we must continue to advocate for more effective and comprehensive use of smoke alarms and sprinkler systems in all dwellings. In developing countries, culturally-appropriate interventions such as safer cooking methods and wide-spread education campaigns to prevent home fires are critical.

Poisonings – Most childhood deaths by poisoning are young children unable to distinguish between foods and toxins. The unintentional ingestion of medicines, chemicals or caustic cleaning agents by children has been declining in high-income countries, largely due to product safety regulations, effective education and better emergency response. (10-22-02)

The Sugar-free Candy Surprise

Children who gobble down lots of candy, especially sugar-free candy, on Halloween may develop a stomachache or diarrhea the next morning, say experts at Temple University. That’s because many sugar-free candies contain sorbitol, an artificial sweetener that can cause diarrhea, even in small doses. Therefore, it’s a good idea for parents to limit their children’s consumption of sugar-free candies this Halloween.

The question for many parents is, “What do you do with all that leftover candy?” Most surveys show the parents eat it. (Get your own costume!) However, say Temple University experts, if you decide to throw away the excess candy, make sure you don’t let your dog have access to it. Chocolate can make dogs very sick, causing diarrhea and dehydration, even death. (10-22-02)

Teaching Kindness Toward Animals May Help Reduce Violence

A little kindness goes a long way, especially when it comes to animals.

According to the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), all of the kids involved in the mass school shootings in recent years first “practiced” on animals.

Psychiatrists, FBI profilers and law enforcement officials have repeatedly documented that when people are cruel to animals, they are likely to turn that violence against humans, including classmates, spouses and children, in the future, says PETA. Many people hurt and kill because, as children, they never learned empathy – the ability to “put yourself in someone else’s shoes.”

So that's why PETA is urging parents to teach their children compassion for animals. PETA offers the following tips for teaching kindness to animals:

  • If you don’t live in one of the 19 states that require humane education in the classroom, ask your child’s school board to implement a formal program to teach compassion and respect for all life.
  • Read books to children that teach compassion, such as Lassie Come Home, My Friend Flicka, Black Beauty, Charlotte’s Web, Frederick, Blueberries for Sal and Make Way for Ducklings.
  • Report witnessed or suspected cruelty to animals to law enforcement authorities.
  • Lobby for tougher animal protection laws. Thirty-seven states and the District of Columbia now have felony cruelty to animals laws. Stronger laws to protect animals and strict enforcement of these laws send the message to your community that violence will not be tolerated.
  • Ask local law enforcement to develop a system of “cross-reporting” to help curb child, domestic and animal abuse. Animal abuse, which often goes hand-in-hand with child abuse, is often discovered earlier than domestic violence. Working together through cross-reporting, animal control agencies and social service workers can help one another gain information about possible neglect and abuse.
  • Encourage your child’s teacher to join PETA’s Teachers Network to stay informed of opportunities to promote humane education and to help animals in the classroom. Receive updates about teaching materials, classroom activities, book reviews, current legislation and suggestions for action.

To receive PETA’s free brochure Raising Kind Kids, write to 501 Front St., Norfolk, VA 23510 or e-mail info@peta.org. (10-15-02)

Have a Safe and Fun Halloween

Halloween is an exciting time of year for kids and to help ensure they have a safe holiday, here are some tips from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Los Angeles Fire Department.

All Dressed Up

  • Plan costumes that are bright and reflective. Make sure that shoes fit well and that costumes are short enough to prevent tripping, entanglement or contact with flame.
  • Consider adding reflective tape or striping to costumes and trick-or-treat bags for greater visibility.
  • Secure emergency identification (name, address, phone number) discreetly within Halloween attire or on a bracelet.
  • Because masks can limit or block eyesight, consider non-toxic makeup and decorative hats as safer alternatives.
  • When shopping for costumes, wigs and accessories, look for and purchase only those with a label clearly indicating they are flame resistant.
  • Obtain flashlights with fresh batteries for all children and their escorts.
  • Teach children to how call 9-1-1 (or their local emergency number) if they have an emergency or become lost. Remind them that 9-1-1 can be dialed free at any payphone.
  • Openly discuss appropriate and inappropriate behavior at Halloween time.

Pumpkin Carving

  • Small children should never carve pumpkins. Children can draw a face with markers, and then parents can do the cutting. Under parents' supervision, children ages 5 to 10 can carve with pumpkin cutters equipped with safety bars.
  • Votive candles are safest for candle-lit pumpkins.
  • Lighted pumpkins should be placed on a sturdy table, away from curtains and other flammable objects and should never be left unattended.

Healthy Halloween

  • A good meal prior to parties and trick-or-treating will discourage youngsters from filling up on Halloween treats.
  • Consider purchasing non-food treats for those who visit your home.
  • Wait until children are home to sort and check treats. Though tampering is rare, a responsible adult should closely examine all treats and throw away any spoiled, unwrapped or suspicious items.
  • Try to portion treats for the days following Halloween.
  • Although sharing is encouraged, make sure items that can cause choking (such as hard candies) are given only to those of an appropriate age.

Safe Trick-or-treating:

  • A parent or responsible adult should always accompany young children on their neighborhood rounds.

Remind Trick-or Treaters:

  • By using a flashlight, they can see and be seen by others.
  • Stay in a group and communicate where they will be going.
  • Only go to homes with a porch light on.
  • Remain on well-lit streets and always use the sidewalk.
  • If no sidewalk is available, walk at the farthest edge of the roadway facing traffic.
  • Never cut across yards or use alleys.
  • Never enter a stranger's home or car for a treat.
  • Obey all traffic and pedestrian regulations.
  • Always walk. Never run across a street.
  • Only cross the street as a group in established crosswalks (as recognized by local custom).
  • Remove any mask or item that will limit eyesight before crossing a street, driveway or alley.
  • Don't assume the right of way. Motorists may have trouble seeing trick-or-treaters. Just because one car stops, doesn't mean others will!
  • Never consume unwrapped food items or open beverages that may be offered.
  • Law enforcement authorities should be notified immediately of any suspicious or unlawful activity. (10-15-02)
Study Examines Brain Size in Children With ADHD

Why do children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have slightly smaller brains than kids without the disorder? Apparently, it's not due to medication.

A new study, appearing in a recent issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, compared more than 150 children and adolescents with ADHD – both medicated and unmedicated – and 139 children without the disorder.

The study confirms previous findings showing that the brains of children with ADHD tend to be smaller, and it reveals for the first time that stimulant medications, such as Ritalin, aren't affecting brain size. "Parents shouldn't be so concerned about the slight difference in brain volume among children with ADHD anyway, since this measurement doesn't have much meaning, " says Dr. F. Xavier Castellanos, professor at New York University School of Medicine who led the study.

The results show that children with ADHD undergo normal brain development, although the data isn't considered definitive. Brain development appeared normal and healthy among all the children who were studied over the 10-year period of the study.

While overall, researchers found that nearly all parts of the brain in children with ADHD were an average of 3 percent smaller, the cerebellum, however – a region in the back of the brain – was 6 percent smaller in the affected children compared to those without the disorder. This average difference was consistently observed in the ADHD children.

ADHD is the most common mental disorder in children, affecting 3 percent to 5 percent of school-aged children and is more common in boys than in girls, according to the National Institutes of Mental Health. Children with the disorder typically fidget and are unable to sit still and pay attention in class. They are easily distracted, have trouble playing quietly and may talk excessively, among other symptoms. (10-15-02)

Deck The Walls Sponsors Art Contest for Kids

Do you have a little Picasso in your household?

A new contest sponsored by Deck The Walls – a company which specializes in art, custom framing and design – in honor of National Art and Framing Month for kids ages 12 and younger may help you encourage his creativity.

To enter the Deck The Walls Kids Masterpiece Contest, children can submit the original piece of art or a reproduction of the art to: Deck The Walls Kids Masterpiece Contest, 12860 Hillcrest, Suite 220, Dallas, TX 75230. Official entry forms, which must accompany all entries, will be available at Deck The Walls locations nationwide or online at http://www.deckthewalls.com/. All entries must be received at the contest clearinghouse no later than November 15.

A panel of judges, including professional artists, will select one finalist from each state from which an entry is received. Finalists will have their artwork professionally framed by Deck The Walls using materials from the Framerica(R) Kid Stuf(TM) line. Selected entries will also be transferred to canvas courtesy of Old Grange Graphics. The Grand Prize winner and the winner's parents will receive a free trip to Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla., and nine national runners up will receive art activity books in addition to having their artwork framed.

State winners will be announced on November 22, and the public is invited to join the judges in selecting the Grand Prize winner and the nine runners-up by voting on their favorite entry at Deck The Walls locations and online through December 13. (10-15-02)

Study Examines Teachers, Police Officers and Others' Opinions on Teen Drinking

Educators, law enforcement officials, government officials and public health and prevention experts across the nation agree that drinking in 9- to 15-year-olds is a very serious problem that is happening at earlier ages than a decade ago, according to a new study which surveyed such experts.

The study, released by the "Leadership to Keep Children Alcohol Free," a coalition of 30 governor spouses, also found that 85 percent of the respondents agreed that these children can easily obtain alcohol, and 87 percent feel that childhood drinking leads to lifelong alcohol problems.

A vast majority also felt that young drinkers do more poorly in school, become sexually active more quickly and suffer health and emotional problems.

In addition to calling for more resources to prevent alcohol abuse, 72 percent favor limiting alcohol ads to kids and strongly encouraging entertainment to promote more positive anti-drinking messages.

For the complete findings, visit www.alcoholfreechildren.org. (10-15-02)

Viagra and Ecstasy – A Deadly Combination

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the sexual performance drug Viagra is showing up in club scenes and parties as part of a deadly drug cocktail.

Adolescents and young adults pay $25 to $30 a pill and mix it with alcohol or street drugs like Ecstasy, cocaine and amyl nitrate, says the AAP. Because drugs like Ecstasy increase desire but decrease sexual performance, youths try to offset this side effect with Viagra. Many do the same to compensate for the loss of performance that comes with depressants like alcohol.

However, says the AAP, Viagra is a drug, not an aphrodisiac and will do nothing for those with proper sexual functioning like most young men. Instead, the placebo effect probably is at work for those claiming increased performance.

Unprescribed use of Viagra poses many health concerns, says the AAP. First, any drug mixture threatens one's health, but more specifically, when combined with a street drug, the biological effects of Viagra can kill. Both drugs dilate blood vessels, which could cause a sudden drop in blood pressure and a subsequent heart attack or stroke.

Drugs obtained on the black market also pose an increased risk because they often are impure. They may contain unknown additives that can negatively react with a variety of substances, including other drugs. The resultant effects often are unpredictable and can be deadly. (10-08-02)

Handling a Not-so-great Report Card

What to do when your child's report card has a few more D's and C's than A's and B's?

Sylvan Learning Center offers the following tips:

  • Set expectations – Not every child will earn all A's, but that doesn't mean your child should strive for less. Talk with your child before the school year starts, and explain that you won't be upset if he doesn't bring home all A's – but that you will be upset if he doesn't try his hardest and doesn't ask for help.
  • Communicate with your child – Don't wait until report cards are issued to talk with your child about school and grades. Talk with her every night and every week about homework. Ask how she is doing in school and what subjects she finds challenging.
  • Discuss your child's performance with his teacher and/or guidance counselor – Your child's teacher and/or guidance counselor is the best source for information about your child's scholastic performance. Your child's teacher can recommend ways to help your child or point out difficulties he is having. His guidance counselor can provide progress reports between report cards or help set up additional parent-teacher conferences when necessary.
  • Set goals for improvement with your child – If your child is currently a C student, then setting a goal of getting all A's may not be reasonable. However, creating an improvement goal for each subject will help her work toward an attainable level for each class.
  • Establish a study plan with your child – Your child should keep a schedule of all classes, assignments and key dates (e.g., project deadlines, big exams, etc). As part of that schedule, she should include specific time for studying, projects and extracurricular activities. The more comprehensive the schedule, the more efficient your child will be in completing her homework and the better she'll do in school.
  • Seek outside help – Some children may need additional attention that can't be provided in school. Speak with your child's teacher about tutoring or supplemental education providers to help your child work toward better grades in school.
  • Praise your child's successes – Praise your child for what he is doing well, whether it's a specific academic subject or an extracurricular activity. If your child is not doing well in English, but loves to read the latest Harry Potter book, show him the connection between the two.

Sylvan Learning Center is the leading provider of supplemental education services to students of all ages and skill levels. With more than 20 years of experience and more than 900 centers located throughout North America, Sylvan Learning Center is the largest organization of its kind in the industry. (10-08-02)

Get the Facts on the Flu Vaccine

It's that time of year again – flu season! And this year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is encouraging parents to vaccinate their 6- to 23-month-old children because they are at substantially increased risk for flu-related hospitalizations.

The CDC is also encouraging household contacts and outside-the-home caretakers of children 0 to 23 months old to be vaccinated when feasible, as well as pregnant women who will be in the second or third trimester of pregnancy during the influenza season, as they are also at an increased risk for flu complications.

If you're breastfeeding, don't worry. The flu vaccine does not affect the safety of breastfeeding mothers or their infants, nor does it adversely affect the immune response, says the CDC.

When should you get your shot? For children less than 9 years old who are getting their first flu shot, they should be immunized in October, as they need a booster dose one month after the initial dose. Persons at high risk, such as pregnant women, should also aim to get their vaccination in October or earlier if possible. Other healthy persons should be vaccinated in November.

Flu vaccines have not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use among children younger than 6 months.

The influenza vaccine is the most effective way to protect against influenza disease and its many complications, according to the CDC. For more information, log on to the CDC's Flu Season Web page. (10-01-02)

Favored Child Status Not All It's Cracked up to Be

Being the favored child may not be such a great thing after all. A new study has found that children who are favored over their siblings, but who feel they don't deserve it, may have lower self-esteem.

The study, which appears in a recent issue of Family Psychology, looked at 135 children, about 12 years old, and their older siblings, about 15 years old.

Researchers, in general, found that when siblings perceive that such treatment of one of them is fair, each child is less prone to problems such as depression and anxiety and more likely to have higher self-worth.

Children agreed that younger siblings are more likely to get preferred maternal affection and preferred maternal and paternal control. In three-quarters of the cases of preferential treatment, the children said it was fair. Children did not simply consider parental behaviors in their favor as fair and those favoring their sibling as unfair, say the researchers.

"The key idea is that – contrary to the common assumption that children and adolescents suffer when they receive poorer treatment from a parent than a sibling and thrive when they receive preferred treatment – what's really important is whether children believe the parental treatment is fair or not," says Laurie Kramer, a researcher in the study and a professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. (10-01-02)

New Book Teaches Parents How to Keep Kids Safe Online

A new book can help you keep your kids safe from online predators.

Safety Monitor: How to Protect Your Kids Online by Detective Mike Sullivan provides hands-on, step-by-step, practical instructions for parents including how to set up a safe computer, supervise a child's Internet activity, how to spot and deal with problems and more.

Det. Sullivan is a 20-year veteran of law enforcement and a member of the Naperville, Illinois Police Department's Internet Crimes Unit, which is nationally recognized for its role in educating the public about safety on the Internet. Sullivan is also the co-creator of the SAFEKIDS program in conjunction with the Microsoft Corporation, which is a national course of instruction for children from the fourth to sixth grades on the dangers of the Internet.

"Years of experience have taught me and other members of the law enforcement community not only how to catch these online predators, but how families can take common-sense steps to protect themselves against predators," he says. (10-01-02)

Log on for Halloween Fun

Looking for a little Halloween fun to kick off October?

Visit one of the most popular holiday Web sites for kids and parents – Scary.com. You'll find amazing graphics and animation, scary tales, spooky activities, creepy songs to sing and much more.

The team also created Claus.com, which enables kids and their families to monitor Santa's whereabouts on Christmas Eve, check their naughty or nice rating and more. (10-01-02)

Kids From Affluent Families Face More Pressures, Leading to Increased Substance Abuse

Children from affluent families may be more susceptible to depression and more likely to smoke or use drugs and alcohol.

Researchers at Columbia University studied more than 300 sixth- and seventh-grade students whose families' annual income averaged more than $100,000. The 1999 national median income was $40,816, according to the U.S. Census.

Researchers found an unusually high incidence of depressive symptoms among the girls compared with national averages, a high occurrence of substance use among both boys and girls, a connection between distress levels and substance use and a tendency of peers to "actively approve" of substance use among boys.

The researchers say that pressures to achieve by parents and themselves may be partly to blame. "In upwardly mobile suburban communities, there is often a ubiquitous emphasis on ensuring that children secure admission to stellar colleges," say the researchers. "As a result, many youngsters feel highly driven to excel not only at academics but also at multiple extra-curricular activities, with these pressures beginning as early as the middle school years." (09-24-02)

Nine Hours of Sleep Key to Back-to-School Success

One of the best ways to get your student on the right track is to ensure she's getting enough sleep.

According to the National Center on Sleep Disorders Research (NCSDR) at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), children need at least nine hours of sleep each night on a regular basis for their health, safety and best performance in school and other activities. Inadequate sleep in children can lead to attention difficulties, easy frustration and difficulty controlling emotions.

To ensure parents and their children get a strong start this school year, the NHLBI and NCSDR are launching a "How I Get a Heap of Sleep" contest with Paws, Inc., the creative studio behind Garfield the Cat.

The contest invites children to tell Garfield – the Campaign's "spokescat" and "Star Sleeper" -- three things they do each night to help them get a good night's sleep, such as reading a story or taking a warm bath. Contest information and entry forms are available on the Campaign's Web site at http://starsleep.nhlbi.nih.gov and the Garfield Web site at www.Garfield.com.

Here are some tips from the NHLBI to make sure your "Star Sleeper" is getting enough shuteye:

  • Establish a regular bedtime and stick to it. Setting a regular bedtime and wake up time reinforces a child's biological clock, making it easier to fall asleep quickly and awake feeling fully rested and alert.
  • Eliminate distractions in your child's room. If there's a television or computer in the bedroom, establish another place where kids can use them.
  • Avoid feeding your child a big meal too close to bedtime. A heavy meal close to bedtime can keep a child awake at night.
  • Avoid sodas and other beverages with caffeine. Consuming anything with caffeine less than six hours before bedtime can interfere with a good night's sleep.
  • Build in quiet time before bedtime. Because the days are still long, children may want to go outside to play after dinner. But make sure they come back inside in enough time to allow some time to relax before bedtime.
  • Establish a relaxing bedtime routine. Is it a bath in the evening, followed by a book? Or the reverse? Try different routines; find out what works best, and stick to it.
  • Make sure the room is dark and quiet and the bed is comfortable. Use a nightlight if your child finds the dark scary.
  • Maintain a comfortable room temperature. Be sure the bedroom isn't too hot or too cold and that pajamas are comfortable and seasonal.

Additional information for parents – and teachers – as well as fun, interactive games with sleep messages for children are available on the Star Sleeper Web site. (09-24-02)

Get Your Child Excited About Writing

Looking for creative ways to get your child excited about writing? Try Sylvan Learning Center's free online writing journal and scrapbook.

Each week Sylvan Learning Center will post a new journal page featuring a suggested writing topic on their Web site at www.educate.com/activities. Parents and children can go to the site, print out the new page and start writing. At the end of 13 weeks, children can create a scrapbook with the series of unique journal entries about them and their family, finishing it with one of three journal covers posted online to be decorated.

With a personalized letter to the recipient, this scrapbook can be given as a holiday gift to the child's special family member or friend.

Sylvan Learning Center also has an online resource for parents and children with tips on writing, how to make learning math fun and much more. For tips and information, visit www.educate.com/tips.

Sylvan Learning Center is the leading provider of supplemental education services to students of all ages and skill levels. (09-24-02)

High Cholesterol in Young Girls Linked to Later Obesity

A new study has found that normal-weight 5- and 6-year-old girls with high cholesterol are more likely to become overweight or obese in later childhood.

Researchers of the study, which appears in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, looked at more than 270 children, none of whom were obese and who had both normal and high cholesterol levels, for six years beginning at the age of 5 or 6.

The researchers found that by the age of 11 or 12, almost half of girls who had high cholesterol levels were overweight or obese compared with just more than 20 percent of those with low cholesterol levels. There was no difference in boys. (09-24-02)

The Real Scoop on Ice Cream

Before serving up ice cream to your kids, consider what they're eating.

While ice cream is a great source of energy and calcium, it can also be loaded with fat and calories, say researchers at the Children's Nutrition Research Center at Baylor College of Medicine.

According to the Center, "regular" ice cream has about 16 to 20 grams of fat and about 300 to 350 calories per cup, and "premium" brands loaded with "goodies" like nuts and chocolate chunks often nearly double the fat – and calories – per cup. And "lite" and "low-fat" varieties don't save you much in fat or calories either.

Instead, the Center recommends parents look for "no sugar added" varieties, read food labels and keep a lid on the portion sizes served. (09-24-02)

Black Children Fare the Same in Single- or Two-Parent Homes

Black children fare just as well in single-parent homes as they do in two-parent homes finds a new study. This is just the opposite of previous studies of white children which show they do better in married-couple homes.

Researchers studied more than 1500 children ages 10 to 14 for more than a decade to determine how family structure, including cohabitation (living together out of marriage) and racial differences affected delinquency and math scores.

They found that black children in single-parent households did just as well as they would in two-parent homes in terms of math scores and delinquency problems.

According to the authors, in 2000, 22 percent of children in the United States lived with a single mother: Seventeen percent of white children lived with a single mother, compared with 49 percent of black children.

The study appears in a recent issue of Child Development. (09-17-02)

Bicycle Handlebars Can Cause Serious Internal Organ Injury to Kids

A new study from The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia has found that bicycle handlebars can be a danger to your children.

In non-motor vehicle-related bicycle crashes, as many as 80 percent of internal organ injuries are associated with handlebar impact, according to the study which appears in the September issue of the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine.

If a child begins to lose control of their bicycle and fall, the front wheel often rotates perpendicular to the child's body, causing them to land on the end of the handlebar, which can result in serious abdominal or pelvic organ injuries. Common injuries in a previous study were splenic, kidney, liver and pancreatic lacerations and contusions.

A retractable handlebar that absorbs the energy of the handlebar impact may be the solution to this injury mechanism, say the study authors. (09-17-02)

Kids Can Help Rescue Dogs Needed for Disaster Search Teams

We all remember what an important role search dogs played in the recovery efforts at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. But did you ever wonder where these dogs come from?

The nation's leading canine disaster search training organization, the National Disaster Search Dog Foundation (NDSDF), is dedicated to rescuing dogs, training them in disaster search and then pairing them with firefighter handlers.

After being bombarded with requests from schools after 9/11 as to how they could participate and learn more about search dogs, the organization has decided to launch a new program called "Everything's Going to the Dogs."

The program includes an information guide for teachers with lesson plans on topics dealing with grief, expressing compassion, responsibility for animals, empowerment, fund-raising and teamwork.

According to the organization, one-third of the dogs deployed to Ground Zero were NDSDF-trained. Gail Burneyko, a sixth-grade school teacher at the Memorial School in Union Beach, New Jersey, located directly across the bay from the World Trade Center, involved her students with the NDSDF after the kids unanimously voted that they wanted to help the dogs who were searching for people in the rubble at Ground Zero. The kids designed and created commemorative pins and donated the proceeds to the NDSDF.

"My students really related to the dogs they saw on the news each night and wanted to reach out to help them," says Burneyko. "In doing so, the students learned teamwork and had a way in which to channel their grief. The project was so successful that we've decided to make it an annual fund-raiser."

Teachers or parents interested in learning more about the "Everything's Going to the Dogs" program can contact NDSDF development coordinator, Fran Christiansen at (805) 646-1015 or visit http://www.searchdogsusa.com/. (09-17-02)

Teaching 9/11 as History

Now that 9/11 is a part of history, how are you and your child's teachers going to teach them about this life-changing event?

A new lesson plan, developed by leading educational experts and child psychologists from more than 20 organizations such as the Anti-Defamation League and Reading Rainbow, can help.

9/11 As History offers 16 age-appropriate lesson plans focusing on American values – building hope, encouraging dialogue and ultimately helping America's youth, tomorrow's leaders.

For more information or to download the lesson plans, log on to www.911ashistory.org. (09-17-02)

Forget the Score on Fair Play Day

Are you placing too much emphasis on winning and not enough on enjoying the sport or sports your child chooses to play?

Why not consider the philosophy of Fair Play developed by Scott Lancaster, senior director of youth football development for the NFL and author of a new book by the same title, Fair Play: Making Organized Sports a Great Experience for Your Kids .

The Fair Play philosophy strives to remove the negatives from youth sports programs. It eliminates the emphasis on winning and focuses instead on individual skill development, teamwork, sportsmanship and fun. Lancaster is working with the National PTA to spread the Fair Play message to parents, coaches and kids.

"Preconditioning children to value only final results in sports competitions robs them from having fun and learning new skills in a positive environment," says Lancaster. "Questions like 'Did you win? Did you get a hit?' and 'Did you score?' can be de-motivating for kids." Instead, he suggests that parents focus on their children's enjoyment, measuring success by what they learned and how they improved their skills.

On October 1, Lancaster is encouraging parents to forget the scoreboard and take at least five minutes with their kids to ask the following five questions:

  • What did you learn today?
  • Did you enjoy yourself?
  • Do you think you are playing better?
  • What do you hope to get out of your youth sports experience?
  • What would you like to see your coach change?

If kids answer negatively, saying for example that they are bored or are not improving or enjoying the game, parents will know that there are problems with the program, and it is time to approach the coach with suggestions for improving the experience. (09-17-02)

Joint Flexibility Linked to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Researchers at Johns Hopkins Children's Center have found that children and teens with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) are more likely to have hyper-flexible joints than those without CFS.

CFS is an often disabling condition with fatigue- and pain-related symptoms that can interfere with daily life and cause long absences from school.

Researchers in the study, published in the September issue of Pediatrics, examined more than 100 children over age 9 for joint hyper-mobility. Joint hyper-mobility was graded on the degree to which a patient could bend the pinkie finger back beyond 90 degrees; bend the thumb to touch the forearm; hyperextend the knee beyond 190 degrees; hyperextend the elbow beyond 190 degrees; and place the palms flat on the floor without bending the legs.

Those with CFS were three and a half times more likely to have hyper-flexible joints.

The authors caution that joint hyper-mobility alone is not a direct cause of the syndrome, but is an important factor to consider in the development of CFS. (09-17-02)

African-American and White Girls Have Less Physical Activity as Teens

A new study shows that both African-American and white girls significantly decrease their physical activity once they reach the teen years.

The study, published in a recent issue of The New England Journal of Medicine, looked at more than 2000 girls from the ages of 9 or 10 to 18 or 19 and found that more than half of African-American girls and more than a third of white girls said they had no regular leisure-time physical activity.

The scientists also found an association between lower levels of parental education and the decline in activity in white girls of all ages and in older African-American girls (ages 13 to 17). Higher body mass index (a measure of body weight adjusted for height) predicted a decline in activity among both racial groups. (09-17-02)

TV Linked to Youth Smoking

Here's another reason to turn off the tube. A study in the September issue of Pediatrics found that kids who watch TV are more likely to smoke.

Researchers found that those who watched five or more hours of TV per day were almost six times more likely to start smoking than those who watched less than two hours.

The study's authors say that efforts to reduce the amount of TV children watch may also reduce the number who start smoking. (09-17-02)

New Device Reduces Football-related Concussions

Football season is here again, and if you're like most moms, you probably worry about your kids getting hurt if they play the sport.

A new product, however, says it can reduce the incidence of concussions caused by football. Brain-Pad works by locking an athlete's lower jaw into a static and safe position, preventing it from slipping back and transmitting a blow to the base of the brain.

While most products decrease mobility or vision, say the manufacturers, Brain-Pad protects an athlete's brain and actually enhances performance. According to a recent study at Cheyney University, they say, Brain-Pad increased strength by as much as 24 percent. This is done by taking pressure off the nerves in the TMJ area and allowing the athletes to breathe while clenching their jaws.

The Brain-Pad retails for $19.95 and is available at more than 1,400 retail locations nationwide. For more information, log onto www.brain-pad.com. (09-10-02)

Stress May Contribute to Unhealthy Eating in Children

Stressed-out kids may be more likely to eat unhealthily according to the findings of a new study.

The study, presented recently at The British Psychological Society Division of Health Psychology Annual Conference, looked at 11- and 12-year-old children at more than 30 schools in London.

Researchers found that children experiencing greater stress tended to consume more fatty foods, less fruits and vegetables, indulge in more snacking and were less likely to eat breakfast.

The study authors suggest that stress in young people may contribute to the development of obesity by steering the diet in a more unhealthy direction. (09-10-02)

Tips on Talking With Kids About 9/11 Anniversary

Not sure how to talk to your kids about the approaching anniversary of September 11?

According to the National Mental Health Association (NMHA), talking to kids about their feelings is a good way to help them cope with their anxieties about September 11. Helping them take positive steps to work out those feelings is even better.

For example, recommends the NMHA, to deflect the anxiety of the day, kids could occupy themselves doing something positive for someone else. Volunteering at a pet shelter or nursing home could be a great class project or after-school activity. Planting trees on school grounds is another idea. See what ideas you can come up with together and help kids develop an action plan. Your decision to support them in the activity could be just what they need to deal with the anniversary of this tragic event.

The NMHA offers the following additional tips to help kids cope with the anniversary:

  • Talk to your kids about their feelings.
  • Plan ahead to keep them occupied on September 11.
  • Cut back on TV time and pay particular attention to what children are watching.
  • Take care of yourself. Remember that kids model adult behaviors.
  • Let them know that it's difficult for all of us to come to terms with what happened. (09-10-02)

Board Games Promote Quality Family Time

Looking for a fun way to spend quality time with your family? Why not play a board game?

Patch products, the manufacturer of a variety of games and toys including TriBond ®, Blurt ® and Mad Gab®, is challenging families across America to play a board game together for 20 minutes or more. The Million Minute Family Challenge is a grassroots effort encouraging interaction and communication among family and friends through playing board games.

Everyone can participate in the Million Minute Family Challenge by playing games and logging their minutes at www.millionminute.com. The Web site is filled with fun ideas on how to participate, games to play and educational information including the benefits of family time, the history of games and how to use games in the classroom. (09-10-02)

Teens More Likely to Quit Smoking if Parents Disapprove

The peer pressure that leads young people into bad habits like smoking may also be a factor in getting them to quit, suggests a new study examining the social influence on young smokers.

The study, in the September issue of Nicotine & Tobacco Research, followed more than 700 smokers for five years starting in their senior year of high school. The researchers focused on five factors that might influence smoking: peer pressure and parental approval, beliefs about smoking, rebelliousness, substance abuse and problem behaviors, social bonds (at school and with family and peers) and perceived health status.

After five years, of those who said they had quit and hadn't smoked in a year, issues such as rebelliousness, problem behaviors and perceived physical and mental health had no effect on whether or not they had quit smoking.

Among male participants, those from "broken homes" were less likely to have quit, as were those who had been offered cigarettes in high school. High school girls who'd been offered cigarettes did not show the same predisposition to still be smokers years later, even though they were more likely than boys to receive offers of cigarettes. The researchers also noted that this sex difference did not appear to be due to male smokers being more heavily addicted than female smokers.

Both male and female students who earned lower grades in high school were less likely to have quit. Females were less likely to have quit if they'd believed in high school that they couldn't resist the temptation to smoke.

The researchers also found that females were more likely to have quit if their parents had disapproved of their smoking during high school, but not necessarily if the parents were nonsmokers. They were also more likely to have quit if their high school friends were nonsmokers.

Parents who disapprove of their children's smoking, say the researchers, may be more likely to discuss smoking and use disciplinary actions against it, both of which limit children's ability to smoke and increase the likelihood that they'll eventually quit. Similarly, teens having fewer friends who smoke means having fewer smoking models as well as reduced access to cigarettes. (09-10-02)

Youth Marijuana Use Linked to Later Drug Abuse

The younger a child is when he tries marijuana, the more likely he is to use cocaine and heroin and become dependent on drugs as an adult. That's the finding of a new report recently issued by the U.S. Drug Czar and the administrator of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

The report, "Initiation of Marijuana Use: Trends, Patterns and Implications," found that more than half of adults age 26 or older who began using marijuana before they were 15 years old reported that they had used cocaine in their lifetime. More than nine percent reported they had used heroin and more than half reported non-medical use of psychotherapeutics. Increases in the likelihood of cocaine and heroin use and drug dependence are also apparent for those who began using marijuana at any later age.

Those who had previously used alcohol or cigarettes were also more likely to become new marijuana users. Among persons aged 12 to 25 who had never used marijuana, those who had smoked cigarettes were an estimated six times more likely than nonsmokers to initiate marijuana use within one year. Alcohol users were an estimated seven to nine times more likely than nonusers to start using marijuana within a year. Daily cigarette smoking was associated with a twofold increase in risk for starting to use marijuana. (09-10-02)

Teen Smoking Around the World

Using the first-ever global system to monitor youth tobacco use, a new report reveals that worldwide 14 percent of 13 to 15-year-olds smoke cigarettes. The number jumped to more than 17 percent in the U.S.

The Global Youth Tobacco Survey also found that a quarter of students who smoke tried their first cigarette by the age of 10 and that most young smokers want to quit.

According to the report, the highest rates of student cigarette smoking are in developing countries. More than one-third of students were current smokers in one of four countries: Chile, the Russian Federation, Ukraine and Northern Mariana Islands.

Other findings include:

  • 9.4 percent of smokers smoked six or more cigarettes per day.
  • 28 percent of students thought that boys who smoke have more friends.
  • Nearly 80 percent of students saw ads for cigarettes at sporting and other events.
  • More than 10 percent of students were offered free cigarettes by a tobacco company.
  • 17 percent of students owned an object with a cigarette brand logo.

The report was produced by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO), the Canadian Public Health Association (CPHA) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI). (09-10-02)

Depressed Teens at Higher Risk for Obesity

Depressed adolescents are more likely to be obese, say researchers of a new study appearing in the September issue of Pediatrics.

Researchers looked at a previous study of more than 9,000 teens and found that among those adolescents not yet obese at the beginning of the study, the odds of becoming obese in the next year were doubled if they were depressed. (09-10-02)

AAP Offers New Terrorism Site for Parents, Physicians

For parents looking for help on preparing for a disaster or the latest information on possible terrorist threats and their impact on children, they can find it on a new Web site created by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

The new site, located at www.aap.org/terrorism, was designed to aid pediatricians, parents, community leaders and others in preparing for and meeting children's needs during a disaster. It provides timely information about emerging health threats such as anthrax, smallpox and chemical agents, as well as existing research on the special needs of children. (09-10-02)

Purchasing a Computer for Your Student

As schools become increasingly digital, owning a computer is becoming almost as necessary as notebooks and pencils.

If you're trying to decide what type of computer to purchase for the student in your home or away at college, Dell suggests you first ask the following questions and offers the following answers:

  1. Who will be using the computer? For families with students in elementary school or high school or for students commuting to school while living at home, chances are that more than one family member will use a computer for things other than homework. The family should discuss the types of activities for which the computer will be used. Knowing this will help identify the components and software you will need to get the best system for your family.
  2. What is the right computer to take to college? Students should check with their college or university to see if there is a required or suggested configuration. Many universities require students to purchase a specific system and will offer discounts from certain manufacturers.
  3. Should I purchase a desktop or a notebook? If you are an on-the-go person who needs access to a computer throughout the day, then a notebook may be right for you. If space is a premium, consider a notebook or a small-form-factor desktop.
  4. What is the big deal about processors? The processor is the brain of the computer. The faster the processor, generally the faster functions are performed. It is recommended that you buy the fastest processor you can afford because new applications are being developed all of the time that will take more "brain power."
  5. How much memory do I need? Memory helps your processor run programs on the computer. More memory will generally help your computer run more smoothly and can give you the opportunity to run programs simultaneously. For many of today's machines, 256 megabytes of memory is the minimum requirement while 512 megabytes will likely last an entire college career. If you are an avid game player, additional memory will help support the graphics of your games.
  6. What exactly does the hard drive do? The hard drive is where your computer stores your precious documents, music files and photos. If you are a music fan and plan to store a lot of MP3s on your computer, then you should consider getting yourself a large hard drive.
  7. What about these "other" drives? Today's computers can read and write both CDs and DVDs. In order to determine if you should purchase one of these drives, first consider what your computer is being used for. Keep in mind that a DVD can hold much more information than a CD, but a CD has the perfect amount of space for everyday files and spreadsheets.
  8. Does size matter when choosing a monitor? Space is often limited on dorm room desks and a flat panel monitor may save you some room. Another option is to consider a notebook computer with a large display.
  9. Can a computer become my entertainment center? Yes! Today's systems can play movies and music and be outfitted with high-quality speakers. So instead of spending all that money on a new stereo receiver, CD player, VCR or DVD player, purchase a new computer and save yourself some time, money and space.
  10. What is it with all these cards? PC Cards play a large role in your computer, be it with sound, video or networking. The selection of sound and video cards depend greatly on what you are using your computer for. If your computer doubles as your entertainment center, then you should consider more advanced cards.
  11. Who do I turn to for service and support? If you plan to use the computer for several years, consider choosing a service plan that lasts as long as you plan to own it. Consider a warranty and service package that covers replacements of damaged parts.

For more information, please visit Dell at http://www.dell4me.com/. You can explore the latest desktop and notebook computers and learn more about Dell's exciting Back To School Sweepstakes. (09-10-02)

Schools Can Now Earn up to $60,000 Through General Mills Program

General Mills has added several new brands in its Box Tops for Education program, allowing schools to now earn up to $60,000 each year.

Box Tops for Education coupons are worth 10 cents each when schools collect them and send them to General Mills. The program awards cash, so schools are free to spend their money on whatever they want or need.

The addition of new brands doubles the number of products participating in the program, making more than 800 brands across 20 categories eligible.

The 2001-2002 school year was a record year for Box Tops for Education. Schools earned over $18.5 million, bringing the total amount of money which General Mills has given to schools to nearly $70 million since the launch of the program in 1996.

For a complete list of participating products or more information about Box Tops for Education, visit www.boxtops4education.com. (09-03-02)

National Geographic Site Great Tool for Kids, Parents

Looking for a great resource to help your kids out with their homework? Check out National Geographic's Web site.

Their Homework Help site provides kids in kindergarten through 12th grade with fast, relevant and useful information including facts about animals, history, science and geography, to name a few. The site also recently added the Merriam-Webster dictionary as a tool for looking up exotic terms.

National Geographic also has a site dedicated exclusively to parents with information such as safe surfing tips, family travel resources, family educational activities and much more. (09-03-02)

Reading Problems May Stem From Area of Brain Handling Phonetics

Children who are poor readers appear to have a disruption in the part of their brain involved in reading phonetically, according to a study funded by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD).

The study also found that children who read poorly but who do not receive any extra help or training eventually compensate for their disability by using other parts of the brain as backup systems for the impaired brain regions. Although most of these children eventually do learn to read, they never do so with the same fluency as do good readers. This is probably because the "backup" brain systems they use when reading apparently cannot process printed information as easily as can the brain systems primarily involved in reading.

"Our findings show that the impairment in the brains of children with reading disability persists into adulthood," says an author of the study, G. Reid Lyon, chief of NICHD's child development and behavior branch. "The findings provide compelling evidence that children with reading disabilities need to receive educational services to help them overcome their disabilities."

Before most poor readers can learn to read successfully, says Lyon, they need to learn that spoken words can be broken apart into smaller segments called phonemes. Next, they usually require training in phonics, "mapping" phonemes to the printed words on a page. Once children have mastered these steps, they can then receive training to help them read fluently and to comprehend what they read.(09-03-02)

New Watch-like Device Allows Diabetic Kids to Monitor Glucose

A new FDA-approved device allows diabetic children and teens to motor their glucose levels painlessly by wearing a wrist-watch-like device.

The GlucoWatch G2 Biographer, manufactured by Cygnus, Inc. of Redwood City, Calif., extracts fluid through the skin and then measures the glucose in the fluid. Once the device has been warmed up and calibrated through the use of a finger stick blood glucose test, it is capable of providing up to six painless glucose measurements per hour for 13 hours. The device sounds an alarm if the glucose reaches dangerous levels, alerting patients to a potential problem.

Currently the GlucoWatch measurements must be used along with finger stick blood tests to ensure accurate results.

"We are pleased that this new technology has now been shown to meet FDA's safety and effectiveness standards for children and teens with diabetes," says U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson. "Although it is not a replacement for standard finger stick blood tests, this device can help improve the quality of life of children with diabetes."

More than 150,000 children in the United States have diabetes. While there is no known cure, studies have shown that patients who regularly monitor and regulate their blood glucose levels have a lower incidence of complications from the disease. Uncontrolled diabetes can result in such serious outcomes as blindness, serious infection, amputation of limbs, coma and death.

For more information about the GlucoWatch, log onto www.glucowatch.com. (09-03-02)

Kids Easily Hooked on Nicotine

With just one puff of a cigarette, your child could get hooked on nicotine. That's the report from a new study which looked at more than 600 12- and 13-year-olds over 30 months.

Among more than 300 of the students who had ever tried tobacco, even just a puff, 40 percent reported symptoms of addiction. Among the more than 200 students who had inhaled, more than half reported symptoms of addiction. For teenage girls who got hooked, it only took an average of three weeks from when they started to smoke occasionally. Among the boys, half were hooked within six months of the start of occasional smoking. “Some of these kids were hooked within a few days of starting to smoke,” says Dr. Joseph DiFranza, a researcher in the study.

Perhaps even more surprising than the speed with which symptoms of addiction appeared was the very small amount of tobacco required, say the authors. Until now, scientists have always assumed that addiction does not begin until youths are smoking at least 10 cigarettes per day, but this study shows that just the opposite is true.

Youths who showed signs of being hooked were smoking an average of only two cigarettes per week, and in two-thirds of the students, addiction appeared prior to daily smoking, suggesting that addiction comes before tolerance to nicotine.

The authors say that children are different from adults when it comes to the effects of nicotine. Because the adolescent brain is still developing, they may be more vulnerable to addiction than adults. (09-03-02)

Smoking in Adolescents Linked to Seeing Other Students and Teachers Smoke

Is your child exposed to smoking at school either from teachers or other students? New studies suggest that may increase the chance that she'll start smoking herself.

In one study, researchers surveyed more than 6000 students ages 11-16 in England. They found that students in tutor groups with other students who smoked were more likely to smoke themselves.

In a second study, Danish researchers surveyed more than 1500 students ages 15 and 16 about whether they had seen or knew of teachers smoking during the school day.

Students’ exposure to teachers smoking outdoors on school premises was significantly associated with smoking behavior, but exposure to teachers smoking inside the school building was not. This suggests that teachers smoking a cigarette outdoors in the playground in front of students might be of greater importance than exposure to teachers smoking in the staff room. (09-03-02)

Rap Star Coolio Advises Kids to Carry Asthma Inhaler

Carrying your asthma inhaler has just become cool with the latest endorsement by rapper Coolio.

Coolio, himself an asthmatic, recently spoke to children and teens at the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology's (AAAAI) Patient Education for Asthma and Allergy Knowledge (PEAAK) program about the importance of carrying your inhaler.

"About 12 years ago, I was doing really bad, getting sick all the time," said Coolio. "I had lost control of the disease and had an episode. I couldn't breathe and passed out in the bathroom. I woke up on the floor and went outside and ended up pulling myself down the street to the hospital, and someone picked me up along the way and gave me a ride. It was pretty scary. After that, I got super serious about taking care of myself and went to see specialists and started taking medication.

"I've had my asthma under control for the last eight years with no emergency or hospital visits, just regular checkups," said Coolio. "I'm taking my medications. Today, I work out, I rap, I run around on stage, play basketball, swim, snowboard. I do everything."

Almost five million children have asthma, and it's important for them to carry an inhaler with them, or have it nearby, with a teacher or school nurse, according to AAAAI. Using medicine when needed is a key part of keeping asthma under control. For some children, that means using an inhaler once in a while. For others, it means taking regular, preventive medicine at home to help control their symptoms, like Coolio does.

Children are invited to share their stories with Coolio on how they manage their asthma by emailing him at coolio@aaaai.org. You can also read a complete interview with Coolio and see pictures of him talking to children about asthma in the Patients & Consumers section at http://www.aaaai.org/ . (09-03-02)

Is Your Child's Backpack Too Heavy?

How heavy is your child's backpack? According to the American Chiropractic Association (ACA), young children are suffering from back pain much earlier than previous generations, and the overweight backpack is a contributing factor.

According to Dr. Scott Bautch, past president of the ACA's Council on Occupational Health, a recent study conducted in Italy found that the average child carries a backpack that would be the equivalent of a 39-pound burden for a 176-pound man, or a 29-pound load for a 132-pound woman. Of those children carrying heavy backpacks to school, 60 percent had experienced back pain as a result.

What can you do? The ACA offers the following tips to help prevent the needless pain that backpack misuse could cause the students in your household:

  • Make sure your child's backpack weighs no more than five to 10 percent of his or her body weight. A heavier backpack will cause your child to bend forward in an attempt to support the weight on his or her back, rather than on the shoulders by the straps.
  • The backpack should never hang more than 4 inches below the waistline. A backpack that hangs too low increases the weight on the shoulders, causing your child to lean forward when walking.
  • A backpack with individualized compartments helps in positioning the contents most effectively. Make sure that pointy or bulky objects are packed away from the area that will rest on your child's back.
  • Bigger is not necessarily better. The more room there is in a backpack, the more your child will carry – and the heavier the backpack will be.
  • Urge your child to wear both shoulder straps. Lugging the backpack around by one strap can cause the disproportionate shift of weight to one side, leading to neck and muscle spasms, as well as low-back pain.
  • Wide, padded straps are very important. Non-padded straps are uncomfortable and can dig into your child's shoulders.
  • The shoulder straps should be adjustable so the backpack can be fitted to your child's body. Straps that are too loose can cause the backpack to dangle uncomfortably and cause spinal misalignment and pain.
  • If the backpack is still too heavy, talk to your child's teacher. Ask if your child could leave the heaviest books at school and bring home only lighter hand-out materials or workbooks.
  • Although the use of rollerpacks, or backpacks on wheels, has become popular in recent years, the ACA is now recommending that they be used cautiously and on a limited basis by only those students who are not physically able to carry a backpack. Some school districts have begun banning the use of rollerpacks because they clutter hallways, resulting in dangerous trips and falls.
  • Consider the ACA-endorsed Samsonite® Chiropak, an ergonomically-designed backpack built to ease much of the stress that carrying books can place on the body. Among other features, the Samsonite® Chiropak offers comfortable body-contact surfaces and an adjustable hip/waist belt. For more information or to order, visit http://www.samsonitecompanystores.com/ or http://www.ebags.com/. (09-03-02)

The Truth About Cats and Dogs

Think Fluffy and Spot are making your family sneeze? Think again! A new study says they may actually be keeping your child from developing common allergies.

A new study published in a recent issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association has found that children who grow up with dogs and cats in the home have a significantly reduced risk of developing common allergies.

The study looked at hundreds of children from birth to age 7. The children with two or more indoor dogs or cats in the home were half as likely to develop common allergies to things such as dust mites, cats, dogs, grass and ragweed.

For example, 15.5 percent of the children without a dog or cat in the home were allergic to cats compared to 11.6 percent with one cat or dog and 7.7 percent with two or more pets in their home. For dogs, 8.6 percent of children without a dog or cat in the home were allergic to dogs compared to 3.5 percent with one cat or dog and 2.6 percent with two or more pets in the home.

These children were also 45 percent less likely to have hyper-responsive and easily-irritated airways, a risk factor for asthma.

"The bottom line is that maybe part of the reason we have so many children with allergies and asthma is we live too clean a life," says Dr. Dennis R. Ownby, chief of the Medical College of Georgia Section of Allergy and Immunology and lead investigator on the study. "What happens when kids play with cats or dogs? The animals lick them. How many cute pictures like that have you seen? The lick is transferring a lot of Gram-negative bacteria and that may be changing the way the child's immune system responds in a way that helps protect against allergies." (09-03-02)

West Nile Virus Update

Worried about West Nile Virus (WNV)? iParenting has the latest update from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

According to the CDC, 371 human cases of WNV have been reported in the U.S., with more than half reported in Louisiana, which reports the highest number of cases at 171. Mississippi ranks second with 91 cases, followed by Texas with 28 and Illinois with 26. All other states have reported less than 12 cases each. Sixteen people have died from WNV this year.

WNV is spread through the bites of infected mosquitoes and can infect humans, horses, some birds and other animals. Most people who become infected with WNV will have either no symptoms or only mild ones. On rare occasions, WNV infection can result in a severe and sometimes fatal illness known as West Nile encephalitis (an inflammation of the brain). The risk of severe disease is higher for persons 50 years of age and older. There is no evidence to suggest that West Nile virus can be spread from person to person or from animal to person.

You can reduce your chance of contracting the disease by avoiding mosquito bites. Here are some tips from the CDC on how to avoid bites:

  • Apply insect repellent containing DEET (N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide) when you're outdoors. For safety information when using insect repellent, log on to the CDC's Insect Repellent Use and Safety Web site.
  • When possible, wear long-sleeved clothes and long pants treated with repellents containing permethrin or DEET since mosquitoes may bite through thin clothing. Do not apply repellents containing permethrin directly to exposed skin. If you spray your clothing, there is no need to spray repellent containing DEET on the skin under your clothing.
  • Consider staying indoors at dawn and in the early evening, which are peak mosquito biting times.
  • Place mosquito netting over infant carriers when you are outdoors with infants.
  • Install or repair window and door screens so that mosquitoes cannot get indoors.
  • To avoid helping mosquitoes breed in your environment, drain standing water. Routinely empty water from flowerpots, pet bowls, clogged rain gutters, swimming pool covers, discarded tires, buckets, barrels, cans and other items that collect water in which mosquitoes can lay eggs.
  • Check to see if there is an organized mosquito control program in your area.
  • Vitamin B and "ultrasonic" devices are NOT effective in preventing mosquito bites.

For more information about WNV and how to protect yourself, log on to the CDC's West Nile VirusWeb site. (08-27-02)

Chickenpox Vaccination Requirements Update

Do you know whether or not your child needs to be vaccinated for chickenpox before heading off to school? At least eight states have implemented vaccination requirements for chickenpox, also known as varicella, just since July.

Here is a list of the states who have added a requirement for the vaccine since July, according to the Immunization Action Coalition:

  • Hawaii - Required for daycare, elementary school, middle school and high school
  • Illinois - Required for daycare and elementary school only.
  • Michigan - As of Sept. 2, students entering elementary, middle or high school must be vaccinated. A previous law requires vaccinations for those entering daycare.
  • Mississippi - Required for daycare and elementary school only.
  • New Mexico - As of Sept. 2, students entering elementary school must be vaccinated. A previous law requires vaccinations for those entering daycare.
  • Pennsylvania - Students entering elementary, middle or high school must be vaccinated. A previous law requires vaccinations for those entering daycare.
  • Tennessee - Required for elementary school. A previous law requires vaccinations for those entering daycare.
  • Utah - Required for elementary school only.

Many more states have plans to implement vaccination requirements in the next few years, and many already require the vaccine. For more information and a complete table listing all states, log on to http://www.immunize.org/laws/varicel.htm. (08-27-02)

Bedwetting Linked to Neurological Development

Bedwetting is a daily struggle for many parents of preschool and school-age children. Now researchers say they may know what causes bedwetting in some children.

A new study published in the Archives of Disease in Childhood shows that nighttime wetting is likely to be caused by delayed neurological development, which researchers say can be predicted by a drawing test.

Researchers studied 34 children between the ages of 7 and 13 who wet the bed at least four times a week. All of the children had been treated with a synthetic version of the hormone vasopressin, which reduces urine production.

The children took a specially devised neuro-psychological test, which tests planning and organisational skills, problem solving and perceptual, motor, and memory functions by asking them to draw a linear figure from memory.

Children who did not respond to the synthetic version of vasopressin made significantly more errors than those who did respond. Eleven children made three or more mistakes in the copy and memory tasks; none of them had responded to synthetic vasopressin. The test allowed doctors to more accurately predict children’s responses to treatment.

To be continent at night requires appropriate nerve signaling between the visual cortex, the hypothalamus, the pituitary gland in the brain and the bladder, say the authors. This ensures the release of vasopressin from the pituitary gland at night as part of the natural body clock or circadian rhythm and the ability to wake if the bladder becomes full.

The authors suggest that as yet unspecified factors before and after birth at a crucial period of nerve development affect the appropriate growth of nerves in the mid-brain and hypothalamus, which are regulating urine production at night. (08-27-02)

Avoiding Milk Does Impact Children's Health

Milk really does do a body good. A new study has found that children who do not drink milk over the long term had significantly worse bone health and shorter stature than children who drank milk.

The study, recently published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, compared New Zealand children who were long-term "milk avoiders" with children who habitually drank milk by evaluating the daily calcium intake, bone mineral content, bone size, stature and skeletal size of both groups.

The non-milk-drinking children averaged 6 years of age, had typically begun to avoid milk soon after the age of 1 and had not consumed milk for almost three-quarters of their entire lives on average. Although all of these children were apparently healthy, a third were overweight or obese. They were also significantly shorter, had smaller bones and a lower total-body bone mineral content than the control group. Only four of the milk avoiders had adequate intakes of calcium, and 10 forearm fractures were reported – two and a half percent more than average.

The children who did not drink milk did so mostly because either family members did not drink milk, they did not like the taste or they experienced unpleasant side effects.

The authors conclude that children who avoided drinking milk in early life should increase their calcium intakes to satisfy the increased requirements for their growing skeletons. Parents of children who do not drink milk are advised to seek professional nutritional advice to help optimize their children's bone health. (08-27-02)

Parents Well-being Harmed by Caring for Child With Emotional Disorders

Parents of children with emotional disorders already know it's a tough task affecting everyone involved, but a new study now proves it.

Researchers at the Ohio State University have found that caring for children with emotional disorders can take a toll on the child's family, causing harm to the family's well-being. And, they say, the effects tend to worsen over time, suggesting that the families and caregivers of such children do not get used to caring for them.

For the study, the researchers surveyed caregivers of more than 150 children between ages 3 and 12 with emotional problems ranging from excessive shyness and paranoia to violent behavior. The researchers asked the caregiver to rate the level of stress, pleasure and responsibility they were feeling with regard to different aspects of their lives including work, home, relationships and physical health.

From the data, researchers found that child functioning and caregiver well-being affected each other. "How upset parents are about their own lives affected their child's behavior," says Theresa J. Early, assistant professor of social work at the Ohio State University. "And the child's behavior had an effect on the parents' overall well-being."

But over time, Early said, the effect of the child's behavior on the parents intensified and became more significant than the effect parental well-being had on the child. "It seems that caregivers do not become accustomed to their children's problems as they go along," Early said.

Based on their conclusions, the researchers recommend providing counseling and other kinds of support to families of children with emotional disorders. "It's not just the children with problems who need care, the people caring for them also need help," says Early. "Our mental health care services need to pay attention to the families of these kids because the family members are the primary caregivers."

The study appears in a recent issue of the Journal of Family Issues. (08-27-02)

Children Highly Exposed to Environmental Tobacco Smoke More Likely to Have Asthma

Children with high levels of tobacco smoke exposure are more likely to have moderate or severe asthma, says a study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

While it has long been known that involuntary exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) is linked to respiratory infections, middle ear disease and asthma, this study confirms that children with asthma who are exposed to ETS are more likely to have increased respiratory symptoms, increased school absences and decreased lung function.

The study, which is reported in the August edition of CHEST, the peer- reviewed journal of the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP), found children with a greater exposure to tobacco smoke were significantly more likely to have more severe asthma, as indicated by increased symptoms of coughing and wheezing, an increased number of respiratory illnesses and lung function that was eight percent lower than asthmatic children without smoke exposure.

"The results of this study are not surprising," said ACCP President Dr. Sidney Braman. "What is shocking is that these 523 children represent approximately 4.3 million U.S. children with asthma, making the no-smoking message to parents and caretakers of children with asthma even more compelling." (08-27-02)

Textbooks Available on CD for Blind or Learning Disabled Children

Soon children with visual impairments or severe learning disabilities will have the same access to textbooks as any other child.

Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic ® (RFB&D®) has announced the production of more than 6000 digitally-recorded educational titles on CD from popular books like Harry Potter to a variety of textbooks.

For more than 50 years, RFB&D, a nonprofit organization, has been the nation's largest educational library for students who are visually impaired or who have learning disabilities such as dyslexia. RFB&D boasts a collection of more than 91,000 accessible textbooks.

The new books are different, however, because they are read by volunteers who are experts in the subject area of the book. Other books are often scanned digitally to be played back in synthetic speech, which can often distort or mispronounce scientific, foreign and complex terminologies.

For more information or to purchase the CDs, call RFB&D at 866-RFBD-585 or visit RFB&D's award-winning accessible Web site at http://www.rfbd.org/ap.htm. (08-27-02)

New Evidence Linking Autism and MMR Vaccine

A new study conducted at Utah State University supports the idea that the MMR vaccine, which protects children from measles, mumps and rubella, may be linked to autism.

Researchers looked at the blood of more than 200 children, more than half of whom suffered from autism, and found a significant increase in the number of MMR antibodies in those with autism.

The measles part of the vaccine caused an immune response against measles in 75 of the autistic children and no response was observed in the children without autism. More than 90 percent of those 75 children also tested positive for antibodies believed to be associated with the disorder.

Dr. Vijendra Singh, who conducted the study, believes this anti-body response, which attacks the brain, may be the cause of autism.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a small study in 1998 of 12 children also raised the question of a connection between the MMR vaccine and autism. Until now, other larger studies, however, have found no link.

Because of the lack of scientific evidence, CDC does continue to recommend two doses of MMR vaccine for all children. (08-20-02)

Study Aims to Teach "TV Literacy" to Kids

A major research program at Oregon State University (OSU) has found that changing children's attitudes about TV may be easier – and more effective – than directly trying to change their viewing habits.

"It's kind of a new strategy," said Larry Rosenkoetter, an associate professor in the department of psychology at OSU. "If we can't get industry to tone down the violence on television, then we need to provide kids with greater 'TV literacy' so that they understand what they are seeing and make wise viewing choices."

Rosenkoetter and his wife, Sharon Rosenkoetter, are conducting a study of more than 400 third- and fourth-grade students who they are providing with a curriculum that helps them learn what is appropriate and inappropriate and logical and illogical on TV.

"In an animated show, when someone gets pushed off a 20-story building and bounces right back up, we ask the children if that would happen in real life," says Sharon Rosenkoetter.

"One of the most effective moments came when a police officer told the children that he hadn't shot a criminal in his 15 years on the force," adds Larry Rosenkoetter. "This came as quite a surprise to the children and made them question the reality of what they see on TV."

When the Rosenkoetters examined the data from the first year of their study, they found that, overall, students who received the lessons in the OSU project were watching fewer television shows containing violence by the end of the year, compared both with control subjects and with their own previous viewing patterns.

Among girls, there was a dramatic reduction. Boys, as a group, however, continued to watch violence-packed shows such as Batman, Digimon and Dragon Ball Z, at about the same rate as before.

But in follow-up interviews, the level of reported violence and aggression on the playground and in the classroom dropped significantly for the boys – and especially for the more aggressive boys, the researchers found.

"You know, we're not against television," says Sharon Rosenkoetter. "It's our basic belief that all TV teaches. Television can be a great educational tool, but children need to learn the difference between junk food TV and nutritious TV. Good television gives you something useful for life. Junk food TV can be unhealthy, or it can just give you empty calories that aren't harmful, but the viewer ends up wasting three or four hours of every day. For young children, such a loss is tragic because those lost hours are times for learning new concepts, growing healthy bodies and having fun with friends." (08-20-02)

Mix It Up With Mott's and Milk

Mott's Apple Sauce and the National Diary Council are challenging kids to get creative in the kitchen for a chance at a $5000 college scholarship and a family trip for four to New York City.

“Just start with a glass of cold milk, add Mott’s® Apple Sauce or Mott’s Fruitsations® and your favorite mix-ins, shake it up and gulp it down – it’s easy and a lot of fun for kids,” says Kara Spencer, associate product manager.

Finding creative inspiration for mix-in ideas is as simple as a quick kitchen scavenger hunt – just open the fridge and dig through the cupboards. Ingredients like mini-marshmallows, cereal, crumbled cookies or graham crackers, fresh fruit, flavored syrups or ice cream toppings and even powdered drink mixes are delicious and easy ways to flavor white milk.

Plus, the combination of Mott's and milk helps kids get the calcium and nutrients they need. According to Mott's, one single-serve container of Mott’s® Apple Sauce is nutritionally equivalent to one serving of fruit.

To make mixing it with milk even more fun, kids can visit the Kid’s Club section of www.whymilk.com for an online party-planning guide. It has everything they'll need to throw a party for their friends, complete with invitations, games, milk mix-in ideas and recipes.

For complete contest entry information and rules, visit www.whymilk.com or send a request via e-mail to mixitwithmilk@webershandwick.com or via mail to: Mix It With Milk™ ‘n Mott’s® Contest, c/o A. Gerlt, Suite 1000, 676 N. St. Clair, Chicago, IL 60611. (08-20-02)

Provide Your Child With Calcium Through Fun Hershey Drinks

Is your child getting enough calcium?

According to the National Institutes of Health, calcium is the single nutrient most likely to be missing from the American diet, and the government has identified low calcium intake as one of the priority nutritional problems in the United States.

In order to reduce health risks associated with low calcium intake, Morningstar Foods is offering parents a fun, new solution – Hershey's Milks with 67 percent more calcium. Hershey's Milks include a variety of flavored milks including strawberry and chocolate (in 2 percent reduced fat and fat free varieties) and Hershey's Milkshake.

Hershey's recommends serving up flavored milk or milkshakes for breakfast. According to Hershey's, a recent study from the University of Vermont indicates that children (ages 5 to 11) and adolescents (ages 12 to 17) who drink flavored milk, despite the perception that flavored milk is not a healthy option, reduce the intake of added sugars and total fat.

Strawberry and chocolate milks are very popular with kids and provide higher calcium and eight essential nutrients needed to optimize calcium intake, such as vitamin D and protein, says Hersheys. (08-20-02)

New Product Stops Itching Caused by Bites

During the summer, it's nearly impossible to avoid a mosquito bite. The manufacturer of a new product says while it can't stop the bug from biting, it can stop the bite from itching.

The ItchZapper is a hand-held device that works by heating the bite. The heat causes the breakdown of the toxic proteins below the skin and stops the release of histamine by the body, which is what causes itching and swelling. Computer chips in the battery-powered ItchZapper provide the unit's heat tip with just the right amount of time and the temperature needed to break down the insect protein.

For more information, log on to www.itchzapper.com. (08-20-02)

Birth Weight, Social Class Affect Cognitive Abilities

A child's birth weight and social class may strongly impact his cognitive skills, says a new study in the British Medical Journal.

In the study, which examined more than 10,000 children, all cognitive tests and educational achievements improved significantly with increasing birth weight.

Social class had a strong effect on math scores, with those children from high classes attaining higher scores.

The association between math score and social class seemed to strengthen with age, while the association with birth weight remained similar with age. (08-20-02)

Too Much Fluoride?

The debate on whether or not to use fluoridated water continues.

The New York State Coalition Opposed to Fluoridation says one-fourth of U.S. schoolchildren display fluorosed (white-spotted, yellow, brown-stained or pitted) teeth, and about two percent could be too embarrassed to smile due to fluoride-treated water.

According to Canadian dentistry professor and expert Hardy Limeback, fluorosis is defined as excessive exposure to fluoride which causes white and brown spots on the teeth.

The study looked at 12- to 14-year-olds who drank fluoridated water, but who never received fluoride drops or tablets. (08-13-02)

What's in Your Child's Lunch?

As your child heads back to school this fall, now's a great time to make sure what is in his lunchbox is healthy.

Whole Foods Market, the world's largest natural and organic supermarket, offers the below tips for packing a lunch full of nutrition, variety and flavor but without the hydrogenated fats, excess calories and artificial ingredients.

  • Examine food labels. By examining labels, parents can discover:
    • An item's ingredients, including partially-hydrogenated fats, unnecessary additives, preservatives, artificial colors and sweeteners.
    • Calorie, fat, fiber, sodium and sugar content.
    • Reasonable portion sizes. For example, one small bag of potato chips may be more than one serving.
  • For the main course, give them something besides peanut butter and jelly. Alternatives such as wrap sandwiches, mini pizzas made on bagels or English muffins, colorful pasta salad with vegetables or a steaming thermos of soup are easy to prepare in advance and offer a welcome change to the standard sandwich. By preparing the meal themselves, parents will know exactly what and how much their child is eating.
  • Include seasonal fresh fruits and veggies. Fresh, organic apples or oranges can be sliced ahead of time. Under its signature Whole Kids line, Whole Foods Market offers pre-packaged organic apples that are the perfect size for children. If your little one needs some coaxing to eat veggies, a small container of hummus or ranch dressing is the perfect mate to a bag of bite-size carrots, green pepper strips, cucumber slices and cherry tomatoes. Other options include frozen grapes, melon chunks and banana slices.
  • Beverages - Many kids cannot resist the temptation of chocolate milk or soda when given money to buy their drink at school. A wide variety of juice boxes and sodas are available but many are full of added sugar, artificial sweeteners and artificial colorings, not to mention caffeine. As with the entire lunchbox, read the labels to see how much added sugar is really in that juice. Whole Kids juice boxes, however, are available in organic grape or apple and contain 100 percent pure, organic fruit juice. An economical alternative to a prepackaged beverage is to fill a small thermos with juice, water, milk, soy milk or juice diluted with a bit of sparkling water.
  • Finally, to keep lunch fresh, pack in a small, reusable cooler bag or insulated container to reduce waste and ensure that items stay fresh and cool. A reusable, frozen ice pack will keep perishable contents cold and fresh until lunch.

Visit http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/ for additional tips and recipe ideas.

Canada Science and Technology Museum Showcases Safety Turtle

Many of Canada's most important scientific and technological innovations over the past 100 years are on display indefinitely in the Innovation Canada exhibition that opened July 1, 2002 at the Canada Science and Technology Museum in Ottawa.

Among them is Safety Turtle, a product designed to protect small children from water immersion, the leading cause of accidental death of children 4 and under. Safety Turtle is advocated as a "last line of defense" for children near a water hazard.

Safety Turtle consists of Turtle wristbands, locked securely on the wrists of one or more children, and base station(s) that alarm when a Turtle enters water.

For more information on Safety Turtle, log on to www.safetyturtle.com. For information on the Innovation Canada exhibition, visit www.science-tech.nmstc.ca/english/whatson/innovation.cfm. (08-13-02)

When to Keep Your Child Home From School

When is your child too sick to go to school? A Temple University pediatrician says there are three symptoms to look for.

“High fever, diarrhea or vomiting are the three symptoms that should keep a child out of school,” says Dr. David Fleece, a primary care pediatrician at Temple University Children’s Medical Center. “Children who are sent to school with these symptoms can have a contagious infection and need rest in order to recover.” (08-13-02)

Tics Common in Kids

Does your child have a tic – such as an abnormal shoulder shrug, eye blink or facial grimace? A new study appearing in the August issue of Pediatrics found that tics are more common than previously thought.

The study's authors watched more than 500 schoolchildren over eight months and found that almost a quarter of the children had a motor tic at least once over that period of time. Most of the tics were mild, observed on only one occasion and were not accompanied by problem behaviors.

In addition, the researchers witnessed more tics over the winter months, although it's not they're not sure why. (08-06-02)

Herbie Hydrant Helps Scare Off Intruders

With the recent media coverage of child kidnappings and abductions, parents are becoming increasingly concerned about their own children. A new product called Herbie Hydrant – originally designed for fire safety – can also help parents educate and safeguard their child in the event of an intrusion into their home.

Herbie Hydrant is a red hydrant-shaped electronic unit that sits by a child's bed on a battery-charging unit. Once lifted, Herbie Hydrant has a flashlight that shines, a loud alarm that sounds and strobe lights that flash. The aim is to alert parents to an emergency and scare off intruders.

Herbie Hydrant also comes with an informative kit of safety education accessories, including a colorful booklet of home safety preparedness tips for kids and adults. For home intrusion safety tips, log on to www.herbiehydrant.com/intrusion.php.

To see if your home is protected against intruders, take this online Home Security Survey offered by SecurityPro, a provider of security and access technology for homes. Log on to www.SecurityPro.com and click on "Take Our Home Security Survey."

For more information or to order Herbie Hydrant, log on to www.herbiehydrant.com. (07-30-02)

Get Rid of the Television

Preschoolers are at risk for obesity – especially if they have a television set in their bedroom, say researchers from Colombia University and Bassett Healthcare in Cooperstown, N.Y. Their study of 2,761 white, black and Hispanic low-income adults who had preschool children found that children with a TV set in their bedroom watched 4.8 hours more of TV or videotapes per week than those without. (07-16-02)

McDonald's Now Offering Mom-Approved Snacks

McDonald's will now offer three of the country's most popular kids treats: DANNON Danimals drinkable low-fat yogurt, plus General Mills Go-GURT portable yogurt and Fruit Roll-Ups fruit snacks.

"These great-tasting, fun snacks are some of the best-loved kids' brands on the market. They are kid-demanded and mom-approved," says Richard Yoo, director of marketing, McDonald's USA.

Specially packaged with colorful Ronald McDonald graphics, the treats include two General Mills products: Ronald's Strawberry Splash Go-GURT – a spoonless, tube yogurt that is a good source of calcium – and Strawberry Sensation Fruit Roll-Ups snacks made with real fruit and an excellent source of vitamin C, plus Danimals Drinkable Strawberry Explosion from Dannon, providing a strong bones combo of calcium and vitamin D.

"McDonald's has always been about providing choices for our customers. These new treats are an excellent nutrient package for youngsters," says Ann Rusniak, registered dietitian, McDonald's Corporation. "The two yogurt snacks, Go-GURT and Danimals Drinkable, provide a good source of calcium, and the Fruit Roll-Ups fruit snacks provide 25 percent of the daily value of vitamin C. As a mom and a registered dietitian, I know the importance of having this type of nutrient value in a snack food that kids enjoy."

McDonald's Kids' Treats are available as an additional purchase with a McDonald's Happy Meal or Mighty Kids Meal or as an a-la-carte snack any time of the day. Suggested retail prices for the new Kids' Treats are 69 cents for Danimals Drinkable, 59 cents for Go-GURT and 39 cents for Fruit Roll-Ups. The Kids' Treat Menu is a limited time offer. (Prices and participation based on independent operator decision.)

McDonald's is the leading global foodservice retailer with more than 29,000 restaurants serving nearly 46 million people each day in 121 countries. Approximately 80 percent of all McDonald's restaurants worldwide are owned and operated by independent franchisees. (07-12-02)

New Advocacy Group Requests Food Facts Information on Recipes

When Shelley Lowenstein's daughter was diagnosed with Type 1 Juvenile Diabetes a year ago, she realized that eating in her family would never be the same. This led to her founding Per Serving, a consumer advocacy group working to promote the inclusion of nutritional information along with printed recipes in food magazines, newspapers, news services, Web sites and ultimately, cookbooks. "Per Serving is asking America’s food editors to provide the nutrition facts for all the recipes they print," says Lowenstein. "Publishing a recipe is an endorsement, an invitation to 'try this at home.' We think it is good journalism to tell consumers the whole story so they can make informed food choices for their particular families and individual needs."

Though progress is slow, and numerous editors with whom she as initiated contact haven't responded to her request, Lowenstein is committed to the Per Serving mission. "Having food facts on recipes will not be the 'silver bullet' that changes eating behaviors. Americans must take responsibility for adopting a healthy lifestyle," she says. "Still, the former Surgeon General has pointed out the need for greater public and private efforts to remove the barriers that make it difficult to follow healthy diet and activity recommendations. The Per Serving coalition believes that having the nutrition facts on published recipes could eliminate one such barrier." For more information, go to www.per-serving.org. (07-02-02)

Stress Urinary Incontinence: Millions of Women Suffer In Silence
National Survey Shows Lack Of Knowledge And Communication Forces Women To Live With Discomfort And Embarrassment

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – A recent survey of more than 1,000 American women conducted by HarrisInteractive for the National Association For Continence (NAFC) found significant misconceptions and low awareness about stress urinary incontinence. The number of sufferers of stress incontinence – the involuntary leakage of urine brought on by abdominal “stress” or pressure as a result of laughing, coughing, sneezing, physical activity – is difficult to quantify because most women do not seek treatment. Yet the survey showed that the problem affects nearly one third of American women over the age of 18.

The NAFC survey examined current attitudes and awareness of stress incontinence among sufferers as well as women in general. NAFC found that very few women recognize stress incontinence as a legitimate medical condition. Eight out of 10 women mistakenly thought that the symptoms were a normal part of aging.

“Involuntary urine leakage can strike women in the prime of their lives. Whether a woman is 30 or 60, she needs to be made aware of the fact that urine leakage is not normal. Urine leakage at any age is not acceptable,” said Nancy Muller, executive director of the National Association For Continence. “Unfortunately, because the onset of symptoms is often gradual, many women learn to adjust and only wait until their symptoms become truly unbearable before seeking any help.”

Stress urinary incontinence is the most common form of urinary incontinence. It is a condition that primarily affects women. One quarter of the women surveyed, age 18 and older, reported experiencing leakage symptoms in the past month. Previous research suggested that the prevalence might be as high as one third of American women over the age of 18.

Other key findings are:

  • Women mistakenly indicated that having too much sex and drinking too much water puts them at risk for developing these symptoms.
  • Over half believe that stress incontinence symptoms affect only women over 50
  • 40 percent of women with the condition reported that they began experiencing symptoms before age 40.
  • One in three women are not aware that the primary cause of stress incontinence is childbirth.

For more information about stress urinary incontinence, women can call 1-800 BLADDER (1-800-252-3337) or visit the National Association For Continence Web site at www.nafc.org. (07-02-02)

Summer Shoes Cause Pain In Feet, Knees And Back

Women’s summer shoes are all the rage right now – from heels to wedges. But what many women don’t realize is that those uncomfortable summer shoes can cause pain in the feet, knees, and back, as well as serious injuries, including fractures and sprains, says Dr. Howard Palamarchuk, a podiatrist at Temple University's School of Podiatric Medicine.

“Many women think foot pain is normal and that once you break shoes in they become comfortable, but that’s completely false,” Palamarchuk explains. “There is no such thing as breaking shoes in. Many women like the look of summer shoes, but if they’re uncomfortable, that’s a bad sign. It’s only a matter of time before these women experience pain in other areas of the body, from the feet to the knees and back.” (06-26-02)

Stick To Public Firework Displays, Says Temple Burn Doctor

The fourth of July is quickly approaching and that means one thing: fireworks. Dr. Bill Hughes, director of Temple University Hospital’s Burn Center, recommends that people go to a public firework display instead of setting off their own.

“Adults who do not have fireworks training and unsupervised children who set off fireworks are putting themselves and bystanders at risk for injuries,” Hughes says. “Burns to the hands, fingers or legs are serious and can result in blindness or amputation. And some injuries from fireworks and the fires they cause can be fatal. It’s best for everyone, children and adults, to go to a public display.” (06-26-02)

Breakfast Choice May Affect Day-To-Day Reliability Of ADHD Medication, New Study Suggests

FORT WASHINGTON, Pa. – For individuals taking medication to treat attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), what they eat for breakfast may affect the day-to-day reliability of the medication itself, a new study suggests.

Research from the CAFÉ (Concerta, Adderall XR, Food Evaluation) study demonstrates that blood levels of individuals taking a single daily dose of CONCERTA® (methylphenidate HCl) Cll are not affected by what they eat for breakfast, enabling a consistent therapeutic effect. In contrast, early levels of Adderall XRTM (extended-release mixed amphetamine salts) would be significantly decreased during school or work depending on what the person eats each morning. The study, published in the July issue of Current Medical Research and Opinion, also suggests that the effect or lack of effect of food may be linked to the delivery system of the particular medication.

The study compared the effect of a high-fat breakfast on blood levels following a morning dose of the two once-daily extended-release ADHD stimulant medications. CONCERTA is an extended-release OROS® formulation of methylphendate HCl that controls ADHD symptoms effectively through 12 hours. Adderall XR is an extended-release bead formulation of dextroamphetamine and amphetamine salts that provides long-acting control of ADHD symptoms.

Once-daily extended release stimulants provide an initial dose of medication shortly after being taken in the morning. The rest of the medication is then released gradually throughout the day. Consistency in the first four to eight hours of delivery and absorption is essential to reduce variability in blood levels and ensure that patients have the best opportunity to receive the full benefits of the medication. Significant effects of food may alter therapeutic efficacy (i.e., improvements in attention, behavior), and therefore, the reliability of the medication. "Because breakfast diets may change every day, an extended-release stimulant medication with a delivery system susceptible to alteration by food may result in clinically-relevant, day-to-day fluctuations in blood levels, which may affect the medication's desired improvement on symptoms of ADHD," explained Cathy Gelotte, Ph.D., Executive Director, Medical and Regulatory Product Development, McNeil Consumer & Specialty Pharmaceuticals. (06-26-02)

Consumers Advised To Avoid Raw Or Steamed Gulf Of Mexico Shellfish

WASHINGTON – Consumers should avoid raw or lightly steamed shellfish harvested from the Gulf of Mexico during warmer months, unless they have been processed to kill deadly bacteria, according to the nonprofit Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI). Already this year, shellfish contaminated with Vibrio vulnificus bacteria have been blamed for six illnesses and four deaths. Officials report that V. vulnificus in Gulf of Mexico shellfish beds reached dangerous levels in April, thanks to unseasonably warm waters. That could portend a particularly deadly summer, says CSPI.

“This is a life-or-death issue for many consumers, because Vibrio vulnificus can cause a fatal blood infection,” said CSPI attorney Charlotte Christin. V. vulnificus-tainted shellfish are particularly dangerous to consumers with underlying health conditions. “Health officials have known about this hazard for more than a decade but – because of industry opposition – have not implemented effective measures to prevent it. The Food and Drug Administration’s inaction, in effect, sentences between 15 and 20 Americans to death each year,” Christin said.

Four years ago CSPI petitioned the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to require treatment of Gulf Coast oysters to make them safe for raw consumption. Although the FDA has published the CSPI petition for comment and has repeatedly said this petition is a top priority, the agency has never acted on it. Meanwhile, the FDA estimates that illnesses caused by V. vulnificus cost the economy more than $120 million annually, an amount that far exceeds the $50-million annual revenues of the Gulf Coast shellfish industry. Despite the well-documented human and economic toll of V. vulnificus, the FDA seems more concerned with placating Gulf Coast legislators and their industry constituents than it is with protecting consumers, CSPI says.

Years of government inaction prompted CSPI to launch its Serving Safer Shellfish (SSS) campaign in July 2001. The SSS campaign is designed to alert consumers and seafood businesses about safer alternatives – raw shellfish harvested from cold waters or Gulf Coast shellfish that have been processed to kill the deadly bacteria. Today more than 50 restaurants, retailers, and wholesalers nationwide have taken the SSS pledge not to market raw, unprocessed Gulf Coast oysters.

“Our SSS members realize that by serving and selling only safe shellfish, they are protecting their customers and enhancing their business reputations,” Christin said. (06-26-02)

New Tests Confirm Acrylamide In American Foods
Snack Chips, French Fries Show Highest Levels Of Known Carcinogen CSPI Calls On FDA To Test More Food

Popular American brands of snack chips and French fries contain disturbingly high levels of acrylamide, according to new laboratory tests commissioned by the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI). The tests were conducted by the same Swedish government scientists that two months ago first discovered the cancer-causing chemical in certain fried and baked starchy foods. CSPI’s tests included several popular brands of snack chips, taco shells, French fries, and breakfast cereals – the kinds of foods that were initially shown to have some of the highest acrylamide levels.

June 25 was the first day of a three-day closed meeting in Geneva of experts convened by the World Health Organization (WHO) to discuss the health ramifications of the acrylamide discovery, which has since been confirmed by the British, Swiss, and Norwegian governments. The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) though, has been standing on the sidelines of what is fast becoming a major global debate, according to CSPI, which today called on the agency to treat acrylamide with greater seriousness.

“The FDA has been strangely silent about acrylamide,” CSPI executive director Michael F. Jacobson said. “It should be advising consumers to avoid or cut back on the most contaminated and least nutritious foods while more testing is done across the food supply. The FDA also should be intensively investigating ways of preventing the formation of this carcinogen.”

Fast-food French fries showed the highest levels of acrylamide among the foods CSPI had tested, with large orders containing 39 to 72 micrograms. One-ounce portions of Pringles potato crisps contained about 25 micrograms, with corn-based Fritos and Tostitos containing half that amount or less. Regular and Honey Nut Cheerios contained 6 or 7 micrograms of the carcinogenic substance.

The amount of acrylamide in a large order of fast-food French fries is at least 300 times more than what the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency allows in a glass of water. Acrylamide is sometimes used in water-treatment facilities.

“I estimate that acrylamide causes several thousand cancers per year in Americans,” said Clark University research professor Dale Hattis. Hattis, an expert in risk analysis, based his estimate on standard EPA projections of risks from animal studies and limited sampling of acrylamide levels in Swedish and American foods.

Acrylamide forms as a result of unknown chemical reactions during high-temperature baking or frying. Raw or even boiled potatoes test negative for the chemical. CSPI today urged the FDA to inform the public of the risks from acrylamide in different foods, and to work with industry and academia to understand how acrylamide is formed and how to prevent its formation.

“There has long been reason for Americans to eat less greasy French fries and snack chips,” Jacobson said. “Acrylamide is yet another reason to eat less of those foods.”

A California attorney has formally demanded that McDonald’s and Burger King place a cancer warning on their French fries, as required by the state’s Proposition 65. Burger King faces a legal deadline of late June and McDonald’s of early July to respond. (06-25-02)

Find more information on this research here.

Dr. Toy’s Award-Winning Products For Kid’s Vacation And Travel Time Now Available

“What can I do now?” is the familiar wail of kids to their parents after school, on weekends and all summer long. Dr. Toy responds with her timely, award-winning, list of positive and fun products. Dr. Toy’s Best Children’s Vacation Products for 2002 is the right “Rx” for summertime fun for babies, toddlers, preschoolers and older children. This report presents a careful selection from among many hundreds of innovative products from dozens of companies.

Dr. Toy’s perfect solution to summertime doldrums is instantly available now on the Worldwide Internet (www.drtoy.com) and by mail. Parents can request the list of new, developmentally appropriate and fun products that develop active, creative and educational skills. Write Dr. Toy for a free copy of the report, and ask questions about play and toys for the feature “Ask Dr. Toy.” Include a SASE # 10 envelope (self-addressed stamped) to: Dr. Toy, the Institute for Childhood Resources, 268 Bush St., San Francisco, CA 94104.

Stevanne Auerbach, Ph.D./Dr. Toy, child development specialist, cautions, “Parents must plan, prepare, and shop ahead for their children’s leisure time. Not only pack sunscreen and hats, but take along toys, books and games to keep your little ones safe while in the home, car, or on the plane and at your destination.” These great products will help all parents to overcome the challenge of finding innovative, fun and interesting things for their kids to do,” says Dr. Toy. Dr. Toy’s selections help parents offer a healthy balance of positive activities for travel, skill-building, physical development, hobbies, crafts and year-round at-home creativity. Loads of ideas to make summer enjoyable are only a few moments away. Dr. Toy’s report reduces the time it takes to locate new, developmental and innovative products designed to help children be happily productive. Dr. Toy searches for products that are: (1) Safe. (2) Well-designed. (3) Skill building. (4) Challenging. (5) Reasonable cost and (6) Fun!

Parents can "surf" Dr. Toy’s Guide to obtain plenty of information about hundreds of great products available from large to small companies from all over the world. Parents can receive specific guidance on her Web site at any time in the features “Dr. Toy’s Rx” and “Ask Dr. Toy” containing information on a whole range of subjects. Additional information is found in her three books on toys and play. (06-25-02)

Vaccination Recommendations

Confused about what vaccinations your child should and shouldn't have? The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recently issued several new guidelines regarding immunizations for children.

First, they do not recommend small pox vaccine for the general public, including children and teens. According to the AAP, the vaccine has not yet been tested on children, and they believe it is not worth exposure to the side effects as long as there is no immediate danger of a smallpox outbreak.

They are, however, recommending that all children ages 6 to 23 months get a flu vaccine this year. The vaccine will be offered beginning in October.

According to AAP, there is also no longer a shortage of the tetanus-diphtheria (Td) vaccine, which prevents a neurologic disease known as lockjaw and a life-threatening respiratory illness. Pediatricians will now begin giving the immunization again routinely. (6-21-02)

Parents of Children with Special Needs: Summer Camps Resource Now Available Online

ALEXANDRIA, VA – An online list of summer camps for children with special needs is available from the National Association of Children's Hospitals and Related Institutions (NACHRI). The camps are sponsored by or affiliated with children's hospitals throughout the United States and British Columbia.

The day and overnight camps are summer havens for children with a wide range of special needs, such as asthma, diabetes, cancer, burns, transplants, brain injuries, amputations, sickle cell anemia, epilepsy and more.

One of the most extensive of its kind, the list of more than 120 camps is organized by state, and can be accessed with the following link: http://www.childrenshospitals.net/nachri/news/summercamps.html

"All children should have an opportunity to experience a summer camp," says Lawrence A. McAndrews, president and CEO of NACHRI. "These camps offer a place where kids can just be kids." (06-20-02)

Quench Your Thirst With Water This Summer

Summer heat and activity can place significant demands on our bodies. Drinking water can help alleviate heat-related problems, says Dr. Inyanga Mack, associate professor of Family and Community Medicine at Temple.

“Many health conditions are related to not drinking as much water as we should. Although people drink a variety of fluids – coffee, tea, soda, juice – many don’t drink enough water.” Mack offers 10 good reasons to drink up this summer.

Water:

  • Nourishes every cell in the body.
  • Helps to prevent dehydration.
  • Keeps the kidneys healthy and allows them to work more efficiently.
  • Decreases the risk of developing kidney stones and infections.
  • Provides a healthy alternative to sugary soft drinks and iced-teas.
  • Helps maintain normal blood pressure levels in people with low blood pressure.
  • Restores fluids lost through exercise.
  • Keeps the body from becoming overheated, especially for the elderly.
  • Energizes the body.
  • Helps reduce fatigue in athletes. (06-11-02)

Oprah Introduces Safety Turtle

During a water hazard segment on the Oprah Winfrey Show, Oprah introduced Safety Turtle as a "new device to help protect your child from drowning in a pool." Holding a red turtle wristband, she told viewers: "The parent has a base monitor and the child wears this little turtle wristband. The alarm will sound off if your child falls into the water."

Turtle wristbands lock securely on the wrists of children. Unlike most other pool alarms, Safety Turtle protects when a pool is in use; works with spas, ponds and other fresh water hazards; and is fully portable. Good Housekeeping says: "Safety Turtle works well." Safety Turtle works well with dogs too.

For more information, contact Terrapin Communications or visit the Web site www.safetyturtle.com. (05-31-02)

Juvenile Product Manufacturer’s Association Disseminates $10,000 In Academic Scholarships

MT. LAUREL, N.J. – The Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association (JPMA) recently announced the winners of their annual scholarship program. JPMA distributed five, $2,000 scholarships to children of JPMA member company employees, in their pursuit of excellence in higher education.

The awards are based on scholastic achievement and future potential, leadership and participation in school and community activities, work experience, career aspirations and goals.

The winners of the 2001 Scholarship Program include: Joshua L. Baker, Evenflo; Linda Butkovic, Kushies Baby Products; Kristin Gregoire, Fisher-Price; Matthew S. Leister, Graco Children's Products; and Jessica Marzolf, Fisher-Price.

"The scholarship from the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association will help provide the education I am enjoying at Penn State," said Matthew S. Leister. "Because of your generosity, my education can continue at Penn State, enabling me to be a more productive citizen in today's changing world."

The Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association, Inc. is a national trade organization of more than 400 companies in the United States, Canada and Mexico. These companies manufacture and/or import infant products such as cribs, car seats, strollers, bedding, and a wide range of accessories and decorative items.

For more information about the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association, contact JPMA at 17000 Commerce Parkway, Ste. C, Mt. Laurel, NJ 08054; phone: 856-638-0420; fax: 856-439-0525; E-mail: jpma@ahint.com or visit www.jpma.org. (06-11-02)

Money Management International Survey Shows The Average Consumer Plans To Spend Under $50 On Father's Day This Year

A recent survey conducted by Money Management International (MMI) determined that 44 percent of females and 48 percent of the males polled said their primary gift to Dad this year would be spending time with him. Of those who plan to purchase a gift, 69 percent of the females and 60 percent of the males plan to spend under $50 on Father's Day.

  • Father's Day may be more important to Dad than we think – 59 percent of those polled believe their father places only moderate or minimal importance on Father's Day. However, 51 percent of the dads who participated in the survey said Father's Day is extremely important to them.
  • 57 percent anticipate spending the same amount on Father's Day as they did on Mother's Day, yet 22 percent anticipate spending less.
  • 86 percent plan to use cash to make their Father's Day purchases.

"Father's Day is certainly important, but spending time with dad could be the best gift of all," said Rudy Cavazos, director of Corporate and Media Relations for MMI. "Barbecuing in the backyard, an early morning fishing trip or playing dad's favorite board or sports game would probably make dad just as happy as if you had spent a fortune. We are glad to see more people planning to use cash rather than credit." Cavazos advises that if you do use a credit card for Father's Day expenses, be sure to have a plan for paying it off within 30 days.

The Father's Day spending survey of 786 consumers was conducted from May 17 to June 3, 2002 through an online poll conducted by Consumer Credit Counseling Services.

Money Management International (MMI) is the nation's largest non-profit, full-service credit counseling agency, providing confidential financial guidance, counseling and debt management assistance to consumers for over 44 years. MMI helps consumers trim their expenses, develop a spending plan and repay debts. Counseling is available by appointment in branch offices and 24/7 by telephone and Internet. Services are available in English or Spanish. To learn more, call 800-762-2271 or visit their Web site at www.moneymanagement.org. (06-04-02)

13-Year-Old's Death Linked Directly To Internet Chat Room – Suddenly, Software4Parents.com Urging Parents to “Spy” Doesn't Seem so Bad

SOUTHAMPTON, Penn. – The town of Dansbury, Conn. is mourning the loss of 13-year-old Christina Long, a grade-A student and cheerleader. Sadly, Christina was leading a dual life, routinely conducting sexual chats with older men she met in Internet chat rooms. May 17, she agreed to meet with 25-year-old Saul Dos Reis, who is now faced with her murder, resulting from that encounter. The risk of Internet chat rooms is not fully understood by all parents. Even in light of several Internet predator kidnappings, and now the first chat room child murder, many parents think that this cannot happen to them. In reality, however, a recent study by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children found that 1 in 5 children have been sexually solicited online.

For the past year, Software4Parents.com has been trying, with the help of news media, to create awareness about the dangers of unmonitored Internet use. Up until this point, there had been many kidnappings and close calls, but this is the first death linked directly to a chat room meeting. Did you know there is software that can be installed on your computer that is completely invisible, yet it will record each and every e-mail or instant message that you send? Thousands of parents are finding out about this type of software, thanks to Software4Parents.com. The Web site has recently been featured in The Wall Street Journal, The Christian Science Monitor, on The Montel Williams Show, and many other national newspapers.

In the past, parents' biggest fear about the Internet and their children was pornography. In light of recent high-profile Internet-predator cases, this attitude is changing. “It is no longer sufficient to block your kids from porn and think that your Internet safety responsibilities are being fulfilled, “ said Joshua Finer, President of Software4Parents.com. He added, “Parents see their kids sending instant messages back and forth all evening, and many really have no idea with whom or what they are talking about!”

One of the most nationally publicized Internet predator cases occurred over this past New Years, where Alicia Kozakiewicz was somehow lured from her Pittsburgh home and later found tied to an Internet Predator's bed in Herndon, Va. It was reported that she first made contact with this predator via Instant Messages. After the ordeal, the thankful mother had a few things to say about the Internet:

“No matter how you feel about your child or how trusting you are that what's going on is innocent, check it, check it and double-check it – or don't have [the Internet] at all,” urged Mary Kozakiewicz.

“I hope Christina Long's murder and extensive media coverage can help build awareness of the dangers present on the Internet. Kids these days know far more about computers than their parents, and many parents are really out of the loop. We tell parents each and every day to monitor their kids Internet use – however, not everyone always likes the thought of this. Hopefully the extreme outcome of this case will help build awareness, and avoid terrible events like this from happening in the future,” said Finer. (05-29-02)

Summer Warning: Don't Leave Children in Cars

Toting two toddlers while running errands – strapping them in and out of their car seats – it's not easy. But mothers we talked to said they'd never leave their kids in a locked car, even for a few minutes.

"If I had to leave them in the car... I would never do that," says Maudy Adura, a mother of two. "I would stay home and don't do whatever I had to do."

William and Michele Puckett would never leave their twin boys in a locked car either. But three years ago, the couple's first son Bryan died of hyperthermia when the family's babysitter left him locked in the car on a hot summer day.

"We want caregivers and parents to understand that you can never leave a child alone in a vehicle, not for a few minutes, not at all," says Michele Puckett.

The Pucketts have joined with General Motors and the National Safe Kids Campaign to raise awareness about kids left alone in cars and to educate parents and caregivers.

"Parents should never leave an unlocked vehicle in front of their house," says Heather Paul of the National Safe Kids Campaign. "Unfortunately kids do think of the car as a playground and between videos and toys it is a fun place. But it is a place that should be supervised at all times – so lock those cars."

Research by General Motors found that, while awareness of the issue has increased – child fatalities of this kind have not decreased.

"The inside of the car can get heated up depending on the intensity of the sun," says Elizabeth A. Lowery of General Motors. "So, it's very important that people have to be aware that it doesn't have to be an extreme heat condition in order for this to occur."

Safety experts say extreme heat affects infants and children much more quickly than adults. Parents need to be aware that children's bodies are much more fragile than adults and even a matter of minutes in an overheated car can cause severe injury, even death. (06-04-02)

Type Of Skin Cancer Affects Low-Risk Groups

Signs of skin cancer often appear on areas of the body commonly exposed to the sun, but melanoma can appear in places you don’t think about – including the hands, feet and under nails. “It is the most common type of melanoma for African Americans, Asians and Hispanics,” says Dr. Rajani Katta, an assistant professor of dermatology at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. “Melanoma usually occurs in people who are very fair-skinned or who burn easily, but this subtype does not seem to be related to sun exposure.” It starts out as a flat, dark mole and rarely shows symptoms in early stages. It may also appear as a streak or dark spot under the nails and can expand from under the nail. According to Dr. Katta, the cancer can spread internally, however, if detected early, it can be successfully treated. (06-04-02)

New Clues For Parkinson’s and Schizophrenia Discovered

Acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter for the human brain, may be one reason why addicts smoke, and could be key to developing new approaches to treatment for schizophrenia and Parkinson’s disease. “It’s just like turning on a garden hose in the back of the house to water plants in the front of the house,” says Dr. John A. Dani, a professor in the division of neuroscience at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. “We found that there is a ‘valve’ that controls the release of dopamine in the target.” Scientists sliced brain tissue in mice, and inserted a probe into the brain to measure dopamine release. Findings showed that if the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors were inhibited, dopamine release fell by 80 percent. (06-04-02)

Promises, Promises

Marketers of three popular belts that promise weight loss and "six-pack abs" through direct electrical stimulation of muscles are finding out how serious the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) can be. Federal regulators filed suits in federal court, seeking to stop television, print and Internet advertisements and also to secure refunds for people who bought the belts.

The US Food and Drug Administration has approved only a small handful of muscle stimulation devices. These products are sold over-the-counter or with a prescription, and can be used by athletes or patients undergoing physical rehabilitation. Unlike the questionable belts, these products are backed by scientific proof that they can improve the efficiency of muscle contractions.

The FTC’s “Project Absurd” targets Fast Abs, Ab Tronic and AB Energizer. (06-04-02)

Drink Wine. Fight Colds.

Wine drinkers are less likely to suffer from the common cold. That’s what a Harvard School of Public Health researcher and his colleagues from the University of Santiago de Compostela and the University Hospital of the Canary Islands say. They had 4,272 male and female teachers at five Spanish universities keep daily diaries about runny noses, sneezing, nasal congestion, headaches, chills, sore throats, coughs and malaise for one year.

The results: Participants who drank more than 14 glasses of wine each week had a 40 percent reduction in colds compared with non-drinkers. The benefits were more apparent with red wine and no reduction was recorded in people who drank other alcoholic beverages. (06-04-02)

Some Organic Foods Contain Pesticides

Pesticides are present in organic foods, but much less often than in other foods, say researchers from an independent research and education organization in Eugene, Ore. Their study shows that organic fruits and vegetables contain pesticides one-third as often as traditionally grown foods.

If you’re wondering how pesticides are getting into organic foods, look no further than the soil. The plants can absorb DDT, a banned chemical that is still present in some soils years after farmers have stopped using it. (06-04-02)

Celebrate Vitamin E's 80th Birthday – Summer Is A Great Time To Begin Healthy "E"ating With "E"asy Tips

Vitamin E celebrates its 80th birthday this year. And despite the numerous reports about the health benefits of vitamin E, we still aren't getting enough in our diets. A recent analysis by Tufts University provides a sobering look at where adult Americans get their vitamin E. Most of what we're getting now comes from foods like white bread, cookies and donuts, which provide very little vitamin E and other nutrients.

According to the National Academy of Sciences, adults need 15 milligrams of vitamin E daily, specifically in the alpha-tocopheral form – the type the body best uses. It further recommends that we get this essential antioxidant from natural sources, such as food, to meet our daily needs. The key is to know which foods to choose. Most Americans only get about half of the recommended intake of vitamin E.

Of the many foods that provide the alpha-tocopherol form of vitamin E, almonds lead the pack – a handful (one ounce) provides half of what we need every day. Trailing behind are foods like hazelnuts, avocados and mangos.

According to research, the antioxidant vitamin E may have a number of health benefits, including:

  • It defends cells against damage;
  • It may reduce oxidative stress, helping head off complications of diabetes, reduce the rate of aging, lower cancer risk, boost immunity and slow the progression of Alzheimer's;
  • It may also slow the progress of LDL cholesterol in the arteries and prevent blood cells from sticking to each other and clogging blood vessels.

For more information on vitamin E, visit www.GetYourE.org. And for almond recipes and information, visit www.AlmondsAreIn.com. (06-04-02)

Novel Pairing Of Cleaning Techniques Can Offer Relief From Cockroach Allergens, Study Finds

Temple researchers have found that the novel pairing of two cleaning methods can be effective in reducing the level of cockroach allergens in inner city homes. To date, effective, practical methods of eliminating cockroach allergen – a main cause of asthma in the inner city – are lacking.

Researchers found that over a six-month period the combination of Supercleaning – a method used in lead-abatement programs which involves detergent steam cleaning homes – with conventional pest-control methods such as traps and sprays, rapidly reduced allergen levels as well as cockroach populations.

“In the first week, major cockroach allergen levels were reduced by as much as 93 percent while the cockroach population was reduced by 88 percent,” explains Dr. Steven Kelsen, lead investigator of the study. “These findings could lead to a useful, new approach for asthma sufferers in the inner city.”

Results from this study were presented May 19 at the annual meeting of the American Thoracic Society. (06-04-02)

What Pizza Really Delivers

Plain, unadorned cheese pizza packs about a half a day's worth of saturated fat in a typical quarter-pie serving. Move beyond plain old cheese and the news just gets worse, says the nonprofit Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI).

Consider that:

  • Just one slice of Domino's Hand Tossed Pepperoni is the equivalent of a McDonald's Egg McMuffin.
  • Just one slice of Pizza Hut's Stuffed Crust Meat Lover's pizza packs the wallop of a McDonald's Quarter Pounder.
  • Just one slice of Pizza Hut's Big New Yorker Sausage pizza does more damage than a McDonald's Big Mac.

But while most people wouldn't unwrap and eat a second Quarter Pounder or Big Mac, many people reach for a second, third, or even a fourth slice of their favorite pizza. One thing is clear from CSPI's pizza study, published in the June issue of its Nutrition Action Healthletter and in a new book, Restaurant Confidential (Workman, 2002): The fistfuls of cheese and meat on pizzas deserve some blame for America's clogged arteries and bulging waistlines.

For instance, just two greasy slices of Pizza Hut's Stuffed Crust Pepperoni Lover's pizza deliver more than 800 calories and about a day's worth of saturated fat and sodium. Four slices of that pizza provide almost two days' worth of saturated fat.

Pizza is a $30 billion-a-year industry in the United States. The seemingly infinite variety of crusts, sizes, and toppings means dramatic differences in the calorie, fat, and sodium stats for a given slice. But in a survey of the major pizza chains, only three pizzas qualified for CSPI's "Best Bite" ratings: Pizza Hut's Hand Tossed Veggie Lover's, Papa John's Original Crust Garden Special, and Domino's Hand Tossed Cheese ordered with half the cheese – a pizza which isn't even on Domino's menu. Modest servings (about a quarter of a large pie) of those three pizzas contain only about a quarter of a day's worth of saturated fat and about 500 calories.

The single best thing you can do to improve your pizza is to get it with less cheese.

"More cheese on your pizza means more crust in your arteries," says CSPI nutritionist and study director Jayne G. Hurley. "The saturated fat in the carpet of cheese is one of pizza's biggest problems – adding fatty meats just makes matters worse. But any pizzeria worth its sauce should happily accommodate a request for half the cheese."

Among CSPI's findings and recommendations:

  • Order a half-the-cheese pizza. Vegetable toppings are lowest in calories and richest in nutrients (but be careful at Domino's, where a Vegi pizza may have “extra cheese.”)
  • Chicken and ham are a second best. Pepperoni is usually better than sausage, pork and beef.
  • Avoid "Stuffed Crust," the innovation that injects cheese into the pizza's crust. "You need cheese stuffed into a pizza crust like you need reverse liposuction to force more fat under your skin," says Hurley.
  • Steer clear of multi-meat combos with names like Meatsa (Little Caesars), All the Meats (Papa John's), and Meatzza (Domino's). "Combine a multi-meat with a stuffed crust, and the Pizza Hut Stuffed Crust Meat Lover's is born," says Hurley. "It's the worst of both worlds, with about a day's worth of sodium and saturated fat in just two slices."
  • Apart from salads, steer clear of pizza chains' typical side orders, like breadsticks, Buffalo wings and cheesy bread. "Cheesy bread? To go alongside an entree that's mostly bread and cheese? Please!" Hurley said.

CSPI analyzed 15 kinds of pizza from 36 pizzerias in Washington, Chicago and Los Angeles, and used company information from four chains, Pizza Hut, Domino's Little Caesars, and Papa John's for dozens of other pizzas. California Pizza Kitchen and Pizzeria Uno do not provide nutrition information for their pizzas. (After the June Nutrition Action Healthletter went to press, Pizza Hut posted different numbers on its Web site for its Stuffed Crust line.) (05-17-02)

How Safe Is Your Home?

The US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reports that, despite recalls, millions of U.S. households are still harboring dangerous or defective products. In two cases, portable playpens recalled in 1993 were blamed for deaths in 2001.

CPCS officials remind parents that manufacturers usually provide free repairs or new items to replace the recalled product. A complete listing of recalled items can be found at www.cpcs.gov or (800) 638-2772. (05-28-02)

All New Muppets

If you have a soft spot in your heart for Miss Piggy and Kermit, you’ll love the latest brainchild from Jim Henson Television and Fox TV. Though it’s just in the planning stages, the all-new Muppet series will contain a cast of original characters that you and your child won’t want to miss. (05-28-02)

Kid-Friendly Fire Safety

It's a product firefighter Mike Lucas wishes he didn't have to invent. But, a fire tragedy, years ago led Lucas on a mission to create a product called Herbie Hydrant that would help in similar disasters all over the world. While fighting a residential fire in Vail's Gate, N.Y., Lucas and his fellow firefighters sought desperately to find two small children lost in the burning home. When the children were finally found, they had died from smoke inhalation. Lucas says this haunting experience, one that is shared all too often by firefighters across the nation, led him to take action. With no previous invention or product development experience, Lucas set forth the arduous task of bringing Herbie Hydrant to life – soon to be followed by Holly Hydrant.

Herbie HydrantHerbie Hydrant is already receiving rave reviews from some of the top product development experts nationwide. Out of more than 550 entries, the product was named Best Consumer Electronics Product in the prestigious Hammacher Schlemmer Invention Contest.

Herbie Hydrant is a kid-friendly, multi-dimensional unit designed to be perched beside a child's bed. In the event of a fire or other emergency, children are taught to grab Herbie to help them find their way to safety. Once lifted from the mounted base, Herbie's flashlight shines, an alarm bellows and strobe lights flash. Additionally, the unit's digital timer begins, letting emergency personnel know how long the child may have been exposed to the smoke. There is even a storage compartment where pertinent medical records of the child can be kept for quick reference by rescuers. If a child is not able to make it out of the fire, the lights and alarm aid the firefighters in locating the child. Herbie Hydrant retails for $59.95 and is available by calling Get Herbie, Inc.: (888) 580-SAFE (7233) or by ordering directly at www.herbiehydrant.com or www.getherbie.com. Herbie will also be available in retail outlets nationwide in the months to come. In keeping with Lucas' original intention, portions of all proceeds from Herbie Hydrant will be donated to the Burn Centers of America. (05-28-02)

The Dangers of Infant Formula

If you’re storing opened containers of formula at room temperature, you may be putting your baby at risk. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warn that in rare instances, powdered infant formula can cause serious infections.

Contrary to popular belief, powdered formula is not sterile. Storing opened containers at room temperature may encourage the growth of harmful bacteria. In 2001, a premature infant died in a Tennessee hospital after a powdered formula exposed the baby to bacteria that caused meningitis and death.

While the greatest concern revolves around premature infants in a healthcare setting, to be safe, always use proper handling when it comes to infant formula. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions. (05-28-01)

Travel Sippy Cups You Won’t Mind Losing!

The First Years introduces Take&Toss Spill-Proof Cups to make “on-the-go” a little less frustrating when it comes to beverages. “Kids habitually lose spill-proof cups, which are expensive to replace,” says Jennifer Marino, vice president of brand equity and marketing communications at The First Years. “Take&Toss semi-disposable cups are inexpensive enough that if one is left at a restaurant or falls out of a stroller, it’s not as troubling for parents.” The Take&Toss line also includes semi-disposable snack cups. Both are available at mass merchandisers, supermarkets and drug stores. For more information, go to www.thefirstyears.com. (05-28-02)

Kids of All Ages Are Invited To Cinemark’s “Summer Movie Clubhouse”

PLANO, Texas – Participating Cinemark Theatres across the United States will make this summer fun and cool with the “Summer Movie Clubhouse.” The “Clubhouse” will bring some of Hollywood’s recent G and PG favorites to the theatre on selected mornings this summer. Admission will be just fifty cents in advance or $1.00 at the door. A “Summer Pass” to the Clubhouse is also available for $5.00 to all 10 movies.

“This is a great way for summer programs, daycare centers and other groups to have an inexpensive and fun outing,” states Terrell Falk, Vice President, Marketing for Cinemark USA, Inc. “We’ve done this program for many years and it always is very popular.”

Movies for the “Clubhouse” series may include “Shrek,” “Jimmy Neutron Boy Genius,” “Rugrats in Paris,” “Chicken Run,” “Charlotte’s Web,” and/or “Anastasia.” Information on the “Summer Movie Clubhouse” can be found at the Cinemark Web site.

Cinemark USA, Inc., operates 278 theatres and 3,014 screens currently in 33 states in the United States, and internationally. (05-03-02)

Free Teleclass: “How To Get What You Want From Your Man Anytime!”

GLENDALE, Calif. – Susan Sheppard, Relationship Coach and founder of Essence Coaching, will conduct a free one-hour teleclass for anyone interested in learning a strategy for relationship that really works. The class is open to both men and women and will be conducted via telephone bridge line at 8 p.m. Eastern time on Tuesday May 21, 2002 and weekly thereafter until everyone who expresses interest is served. The call is limited to 30 participants. Register is required due to phone line limitations so sign up online at her Web site http://www.susansheppard.com.

The call focuses on what it takes to create and maintain a hot, mutually satisfying man/woman relationship. Her strategy encompasses, mutual respect, self-esteem, recognition of the differences between men and women, sex, and how to ask for and get whatever you want from your partner. Her delivery is straight, powerful, entertaining and extremely functional. Susan is committed to decreasing the country's divorce rate and stopping infidelity before it happens. She is looking for people who want to rekindle the passion in their relationship even if the embers are dying. (05-15-02)


Spring Clean Your Marriage

HOUSTON – Do the sexy scenarios on Sex and the City have you wishing for the single life?

Maybe your marriage needs some spring-cleaning.

“Maintaining a successful marriage takes constant care, just like your home,” said Mr. Bob Beck, a clinical social worker and director of the couples therapy program at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. “Every spring and summer you clean your home and make necessary repairs. How often do you do that with your relationship?”

Beck has counseled couples for more than 30 years. Since then, the world has changed from one where the husband usually was the primary breadwinner and the wife stayed at home with the kids, to one where dual-career marriages are standard and wives and husbands struggle with the decision whether to have kids at all. But Beck says the basic stressors on a marriage haven’t changed.

“Even after 30 years, the problems that seem to hurt a marriage are work and kids,” Beck said. “Couples can get so caught up with their other commitments that their marriage gets lost in the process.”

Like cleaning your home, Beck recommends giving your marriage a once-over to see what might be cluttering it.

Ten signs that your marriage needs a “spring cleaning”:

  • You frequently feel disappointment when you are with your spouse.
  • You seem to dread coming home at the end of the day.
  • You are sleeping in a separate bed.
  • You often fantasize about relationships with other people.
  • You observe other couples as being more loving than you or your spouse.
  • You seldom, if ever, spend time talking about your feelings for one another.
  • You spend little time alone together.
  • Your sexual relationship is either non-existent or very infrequent.
  • You’ve not vacationed alone together for as long as you can remember.

“While any one of these issues may signal stress in your marriage, if you have three or more, it may be time to seek professional help from a marriage counselor,” Beck said. (05-15-02)


Drug Interactions Education Effort Targets Latinos

WASHINGTON -- The Council on Family Health (CFH), in partnership with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the National Consumers League (NCL), has introduced a new Spanish-language guide (Interacciones de medicamentos: Lo que usted debe saber) to help people avoid drug interactions or other potential problems when taking medicines. The three groups joined forces in 2000 to provide this critical information to English-language audiences.

"It is important for everyone -- English and Spanish speakers alike -- to be aware that drug interactions can be caused by medicines, certain medical conditions or even some foods and beverages," says CFH President Robert G. Donovan. "We are pleased to offer this booklet to help Latinos take action to stop drug interactions."

The guide explains the different types of drug interactions, includes questions to ask health care professionals and stresses the importance of reading medicine labels and package inserts where such warning information is outlined. The pamphlet also contains a chart of drug interaction warnings for some common types of nonprescription medicines.

Donovan advises: "It is important to always read and follow medicine labels and find out as much as you can about the medicines you take. Always tell your health professionals about all medicines -- prescription and nonprescription -- and dietary supplements you take.

"Remember, information can and does change on the medicine label. Ingredients in products also can change, so read the medicine label each time you use a medication. If you have questions or have problems reading or understanding the label, ask a doctor, pharmacist or other health care professional for help," says Donovan.

The Spanish-language pamphlet is also being distributed by the U.S. Federal Consumer Information Center to organizations serving Latino communities.

Copies of the CFH drug interactions pamphlets -- English and Spanish -- are available on CFH’s Web site at www.cfhinfo.org or by sending a self-addressed, stamped, 6"x 9" envelope to: Council on Family Health, Drug Interactions (please specify English or Spanish), 1150 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 1200-B, Washington, DC 20036. (05-08-02)


Tips For Preventing Childhood Obesity

“Parents who try to keep their children in shape face many challenges such fast food, soda and juices, television, computer and video games,” says Dr. Denise Salerno, a pediatrician who specializes in childhood obesity at Temple University Children’s Medical Center. “Parents should encourage healthy eating habits and regular activity in their children as early as possible. Healthy snacks and food choices should begin when children start eating solid foods.”

Salerno says the whole family should lead an active lifestyle. “Children learn by example and if the whole family is physically active, the child will naturally follow the family’s lead.” Salerno can discuss ways to keep children active and how inactivity and unhealthy eating can affect a child’s life. (05-07-02)


Root Canals … Gulp … They're Not As Bad As You Think

It’s the butt of a thousand jokes and the fear of millions, but according to Dr. John Esposito of Temple's School of Dentistry, root canal treatment is not something people should be afraid of … seriously.

“One of the biggest misconceptions about root canal treatment is that it’s excruciatingly painful, almost akin to torture,” he says. “But thanks to modern techniques, root canals are not as painful as people think, and they’re a lot better than the alternative which is tooth extraction.”

According to Esposito, even though approximately 14 million of the procedures are performed every year in the U.S., many of the people who joke about the pain aren’t even sure what a root canal treatment involves. Esposito can explain what is involved and debunk other common misconceptions about root canal treatment. As a special bonus, Esposito has offered to perform a root canal on any member of the media interested in covering this story. (05-07-02)


Have You Had Your Iron Today?

Lack of iron can do more than make you tired. It could affect your baby’s language and motor skills, say researchers from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Their study recorded iron levels in the umbilical cord blood of 278 newborns. Children with the lowest iron levels scored low on language assessments and were almost five times more likely to score poorly on fine motor skills tests.

Remember to take your prenatal vitamins and eat a healthy, balanced diet. You will more than likely be tested for iron deficiency at some point in your pregnancy. If your doctor prescribes or suggests iron supplements, it’s not just for your own good; it’s for Baby’s good, too. (04-30-02)


New Clues For Parkinson’s, Schizophrenia Discovered

HOUSTON -- Acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter for the human brain, may be one reason why addicts smoke, and could be key to developing new approaches to treatment for schizophrenia and Parkinson’s disease. “It’s just like turning on a garden hose in the back of the house to water plants in the front of the house,” said Dr. John A. Dani, a professor in the division of neuroscience at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. “We found that there is a ‘valve’ that controls the release of dopamine in the target.” Scientists sliced brain tissue in mice, and inserted a probe into the brain to measure dopamine release. Findings showed that if the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors were inhibited, dopamine release fell by 80 percent. (04-30-02)


Calcium-Boosting Carbohydrate Studied

HOUSTON -- A study at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston is testing whether a carbohydrate, inulin, can help growing kids absorb more calcium and build stronger bones. “In a previous study, inulin supplements increased the calcium adolescent girls absorbed by nearly 80 milligrams or 18 percent,” said Dr. Steven Abrams, professor of pediatrics at Baylor. Children, ages 9 to12, enrolled in the study are given calcium fortified orange juice or milk containing a small amount of a flavorless inulin powder, or a placebo, every day for one year. The study includes periodic body composition tests, including bone density and percent-body fat scans, and calcium balance studies. (04-30-02)


Type Of Skin Cancer Affects Low-Risk Groups

HOUSTON -- Signs of skin cancer often appear on areas of the body commonly exposed to the sun, but melanoma can appear in places you don’t think about -- including the hands, feet and under nails. “It is the most common type of melanoma for African Americans, Asians and Hispanics,” said Dr. Rajani Katta, an assistant professor of dermatology at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. “Melanoma usually occurs in people who are very fair-skinned or who burn easily, but this subtype does not seem to be related to sun exposure.” It starts out as a flat, dark mole and rarely shows symptoms in early stages. It may also appear as a streak or dark spot under the nails and can expand from under the nail. According to Katta, the cancer can spread internally, however, if detected early, it can be successfully treated. (04-30-02)


Eating Disorder Treatment Works, According To Research Findings

PHILADELPHIA -- The Renfrew Center Foundation has announced findings that show near elimination of symptoms of anorexia and bulimia during residential treatment for eating disorders. Moreover, of the women who participated in the research, a significant majority maintained their reduction in eating disordered behaviors several months or years after treatment.

Findings were based on more than a decade of research involving more than 2,000 women and adolescent girls, age 14 to 62, who were admitted to residential treatment at facilities operated by The Renfrew Center, the nation’s leading organization for the treatment of eating disorders.

In its report, entitled "Eating Disorder Treatment Outcomes: Making an Impact," The Renfrew Center Foundation indicated that symptomatic behaviors virtually disappeared in residential treatment. Furthermore, the report showed that since 1994, average overall weight gain for anorexic patients was 9.17 pounds. And for all patients, test scores on depression, bulimic attitudes and anorexic attitudes decreased significantly during the course of treatment.

The report also shows that, in general, women maintain most of the gains they achieve during residential treatment. Among those who participated in one follow-up study, 82.7 percent who were diagnosed originally as anorexic no longer met full diagnostic criteria for the disorder one or more years after discharge. On average, these women reported an overall weight gain of 9.4 pounds since leaving treatment. In the same study, 61 percent of the participants who carried an admission diagnosis of bulimia no longer met full diagnostic criteria for that disorder at the time of follow-up.

Despite widespread attention to eating disorders in popular media, little formalized research has been conducted into the effectiveness of residential treatment. William N. Davis, Ph.D., vice president of research for The Renfrew Center Foundation, and a pioneer in the treatment of eating disorders says, "The Renfrew outcome studies are truly exciting. They strongly suggest that many women suffering from severe eating disorders can make substantial and sustainable steps toward recovery during residential treatment."

Dr. Davis cautions that the results of the follow-up studies are based only on information received from those women who chose to provide it. "As yet, we can’t say for certain that the same successes would be reported by women who did not respond to the follow-up survey, and we’re not certain that the measurements we used successfully captured all aspects of eating disorders."

After reviewing the research, Kathryn Zerbe, M.D., professor of psychiatry at Oregon Health Sciences University, commented, "Even when you recognize the limitations of these studies the results are significant. Now we can say that 1) eating disorder symptoms can be significantly reduced with inpatient treatment, and 2) treatment success can be maintained over time. Patients and their family members will find hope and encouragement in learning that residential treatment has proven effective."

The ongoing studies were designed to provide helpful information to the general public and to healthcare professionals, as well as to serve as a tool in improving treatment programs. In the future, The Renfrew Center Foundation plans on expanding its outcome research to investigate the impact of a variety of treatments on women with eating disorders.

The Renfrew Center Foundation is a tax-exempt, non-profit organization dedicated to advancing the education, research and treatment of eating disorders. The Foundation is supported by private donations and funding from The Renfrew Center, the nation’s first freestanding facility exclusively dedicated to the treatment of women with eating disorders. The Renfrew Center operates residential and outpatient facilities in Philadelphia, PA, and in Fort Lauderdale, FL, and outpatient facilities in New York City, Northern New Jersey, Southern Connecticut, Miami, FL and Bryn Mawr, PA. (04-22-02)


Random House Children’s Books Announces The Re-launch Of Teachers@Random, An Extensive Online Resource Center For Teachers

NEW YORK -- Random House Children's Books proudly announces the re-launch of Teachers@Random, an online resource center for teachers of all grade levels. Random House Children's Books has been at the forefront in providing educators with useful online supplemental materials-for free-since 1997. The current site receives an average of 128,657 unique visitors each month. After extensive research by Media Management Services, Inc., a leading U.S. educational consulting, program development, and data services organization, the site has been redesigned to better serve its users.

"We at Random House Children's Books want to offer teachers the best materials to support the important work that they do," remarked Theresa M. Borzumato, Executive Director, School and Library Marketing. "We had the first comprehensive free trade publisher site for teachers when we first launched, and with this updated site, we continue to be the forerunner in giving teachers what they need to meet core curriculum standards."

The updated site will now include over 150 printer-friendly Teachers Guides for books by such popular authors as Christopher Paul Curtis, Gary Paulsen, and Philip Pullman; each categorized by title, theme, subject, and time period. A comprehensive planning calendar will allow teachers to plan seasonal themes and holidays with appropriate books for their students. Also included are expanded author biographies ideal for classroom author studies, as well as various educational resources. These resources include: an extensive listing of educational distributors, an index of links to related sites, a comprehensive list of Accelerated Reader titles, and information on booking author appearances and the Random House Children's Books eBook program.

Seventy-six percent of educators are using the Internet on a daily basis and the majority of teachers today are using the Internet as a teaching tool in the classroom. Teachers@Random has been re-created to provide teachers with useful, practical information and teaching tools in an accessible new format. Following its re-launch this month, Teachers@Random will be continually updated with the most current titles and author information. The site can be accessed by visiting www.randomhouse.com/teachers.

Random House Children's Books is a division of Random House, Inc., whose parent company is Bertelsmann AG. (04-22-02)


New Olestra Complaints Bring Total Close To 20,000 -- More Than All Other Food Additive Complaints In History Combined

WASHINGTON -- The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) today forwarded to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) more than 200 new complaints of adverse reactions from consumers who had eaten snack foods containing the indigestible fat substitute olestra. With close to 20,000 reports forwarded to the agency from both CSPI and olestra developer Procter & Gamble, the FDA has logged more complaints about olestra than it has about all other food additives in history combined.

The new batch of complaints comes on the heels of Procter & Gamble’s sale of the Cincinnati, Ohio, factory that manufactures olestra and reports that Frito-Lay is pulling its Wow!-brand chips from some grocers’ shelves in an unusual “reverse market test.” Frito-Lay’s Wow! Chips reportedly have eaten into sales of low-fat Baked Lay’s chips, which are olestra-free. (Frito-Lay pays P&G a licensing fee to use the synthetic fat in Wow! chips.)

The FDA greenlighted olestra for use in snack foods in 1996, but sales of first-place Wow! Chips and P&G’s Fat Free Pringles, the second-place olestra-containing snack line, have dropped steeply since their late-‘90s peaks.

“Olestra may be circling the drain, but even with its dwindling market share, olestra is causing far too much pain, embarrassment, and inconvenience, ” CSPI executive director Michael F. Jacobson said. “That this product was ever allowed on the market at all will go down in history as one of the biggest blunders at the FDA.”

The victims’ cases forwarded today by CSPI are brimming with grisly reports of diarrhea, fecal incontinence, cramping, bleeding, and yellow-orange oil in toilet bowls and in underwear. Several of the victims required hospitalization, surgery, or other invasive or expensive procedures like colonoscopies.

Other victims reported fecal incontinence while driving, shopping, exercising, dining out, or at other inconvenient or potentially dangerous times. Some parents reported their children had potty “accidents” after eating olestra chips, including one mother who said her son soiled four sets of clothing in three hours. One groomsman reported fainting and vomiting at a wedding after eating Fat Free Pringles. Another man required emergency room treatment after complaining of “violent” vomiting and “projectile” bowel movements after eating Wow! chips.

In a letter to the FDA accompanying the latest adverse-reaction reports, Jacobson called on the agency to require Procter & Gamble to disclose to the FDA consumer complaints that it has received since January 2001. In 1996, the company agreed to make such periodic disclosures, but it has not done so in more than a year. Jacobson also urged the FDA to make the warning labels on olestra-containing snacks more prominent and to reject requests by P&G and Frito-Lay to delete the present warning label. (04-17-02)


Thousands of Parents Secretly Reading Kids E-mail, Chat Is it Spying? Is it Necessary? Many Disagree.

SOUTHAMPTON, Penn. -- Did you know there is software that can be installed on your computer that is completely invisible, yet it will record each and every e-mail or instant message that you send? Thousands of parents are finding out about this type of software, due to a new website called Software4Parents.com. The Web site has recently been featured in The Wall Street Journal, The Christian Science Monitor, on The Montel Williams Show, and many other national newspapers.

"In the past, parents’ biggest fear about the Internet and their children was pornography. In light of recent high-profile Internet-predator cases, this attitude is changing. It is no longer sufficient to block your kids from porn and think that your Internet safety responsibilities are being fulfilled, " said Joshua Finer, President of Software4Parents.com He added "Parents see their kids sending instant messages back and forth all evening, and many really have no idea with whom or what they are talking about!"

One of the most recent Internet predator cases occurred over this past New Years, where Alicia Kozakiewicz was somehow lured from her Pittsburgh home and later found tied to an Internet Predator’s bed in Herndon, Va. It was reported that she first made contact with this predator via Instant Messages. After the ordeal, the thankful mother had a few things to say about the Internet:

"No matter how you feel about your child or how trusting you are that what's going on is innocent, check it, check it and double-check it -- or don't have [the Internet] at all, " urged Mary Kozakiewicz. Of course many people disagree with monitoring their child’s Internet activities.

They typically feel that it is a violation of the child’s trust, and generally not a good approach to Internet safety. However, would they be willing to argue this with Mary Kozakiewicz, after her recent ordeal?

"I hope Alicia Kozakiewicz’s ordeal and extensive media coverage can help build awareness of the dangers present on the Internet. Kids these days know far more about computers than their parents, and many parents are really out of the loop.

We tell parents each and every day to monitor their kids Internet use however, not everyone always likes the thought of this. This time, it is not us doing the urging it is the mother of a very lucky young girl who can testify first hand, " said Joshua. (04-13-02)


Ford and Jamie Lee Curtis Host Missing Children’s Reunion: Renew “Commitment To Kids”

NEW YORK -- With 2002 marking the 20th anniversary of the passage of the Missing Children’s Act, Ford and actress Jamie Lee Curtis today hosted a reunion at the FBI's New York headquarters to reunite previously missing children with the officers who found them.

The reunion kicked off this year's "Commitment to Kids" program -- a child identification effort that aims to reduce the number of missing children each year. The program is a second-year partnership among Blue Oval Certified Ford dealers, Curtis and the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC).

Also participating in the reunion were John Walsh, NCMEC co-founder, America’s Most Wanted host and father of an abducted child; Ray Kelly, New York police commissioner and Kevin Donovan, assistant FBI director and head of the New York City office.

“Blue Oval Certification signifies a Ford dealer's commitment to serve customers,” said Jim O’Connor, Ford Division president. “The Commitment to Kids program is a unique way our dealers are serving their communities.”

>From April 9 through June 16, parents can bring their children to participating Blue Oval Certified Ford dealerships and receive free child safety ID kits.

"Helping Ford dealers spread the word about child safety and draw attention to the staggering number of children reported missing each year really has hit home for me," said Curtis. “As a parent, I’m proud to be part of this effort to protect kids -- our most valuable asset.”

Statistics indicate that 34 percent of parents do not know their child’s exact height, weight and eye color -- information critical to expediting the return of a missing child. Each child's physical description information will be recorded in the ID kit along with a photograph and set of fingerprints.

“A few minutes on a weekend can give parents peace of mind and law enforcement a valuable tool if a child is missing,” said Walsh. “Ford's Commitment to Kids program enables us to reach thousands of communities with safety ID kits that should be in every parent's hands.”

According to FBI data, missing children reports in 2001 dropped to 725,000 -- about 2,000 per day -- the lowest annual total in a decade. Statistics show that community education and prevention programs, like Commitment to Kids, help reduce the number of missing children.

Last summer, Blue Oval Certified Ford dealers distributed more than 450,000 child ID kits nationwide. Ford expects that number to reach nearly one million this year.

Ford's Blue Oval Certified program helps ensure customers receive a best-in-class dealership experience. Certified dealers must meet stringent customer satisfaction criteria and demonstrate processes that deliver convenient customer service. Since launching the program, Ford's customer sales satisfaction has increased 19 percent and service satisfaction is up 11 percent.

For dates and dealer locations of “Commitment to Kids” events, parents can call 1-866-BLUEOVAL or log onto www.blueoval.fordvehicles.com. (04-09-02)


Breast Cancer Has No Link to Electromagnetic Fields

Your microwave, computer and other electrical appliances are not putting you at risk for breast cancer, according to researchers from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, Wash. They looked at 813 women with breast cancer and 793 women without, analyzing each woman’s exposure to electromagnetic fields (EMF). Their conclusion: There is no correlation between EMF and breast cancer. (03-26-02)


How Much Is Too Much? Learn How Alcohol Affects Health On National Alcohol Screening Day

“How much is too much?” Trying to figure out the risks and benefits associated with alcohol use is not easy as current research is often confusing and sometimes contradictory. One week alcohol raises your risk of breast cancer -- the next week it doesn't. One week drinking red wine is good for you -- the next week the results are murky. Drinking helps maintain cognitive ability, but too much hastens dementia. How does the average person know what to do?

In order to help individuals get the facts on alcohol, an estimated 2,000 sites across the country will participate in National Alcohol Screening Day (NASD), an education and screening program held on Thursday, April 11, 2002.

By attending one of the free, anonymous screenings, area residents will hear an educational presentation on alcohol problems, complete a written self-test, and have the opportunity to talk privately with a health professional. An educational video, pamphlets, brochures and flyers will be available, as well as referrals to local treatment and support resources for those who need further evaluation.

For most adults, moderate alcohol use -- up to two drinks per day for men and one drink per day for women and older people -- causes few if any problems. (One drink equals one 12-ounce bottle of beer or wine cooler, one 5-ounce glass of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof distilled spirits.) But if you have a family history of alcohol abuse, are taking certain over-the-counter or prescription medications, are pregnant or trying to become pregnant, or have medical conditions that can be made worse by drinking then any alcohol use may lead to significant health problems and sometimes even death.

“Although most individuals who drink do so safely, many people are unaware of the negative effects alcohol can have on health. The goal of National Alcohol Screening Day is to educate the public on the potential risks associated with drinking. Through education, awareness and understanding individuals can make informed decisions about their drinking behaviors,” says Douglas Jacobs, MD, Executive Director of Screening for Mental Health.

National Alcohol Screening Day, held in April as part of Alcohol Awareness Month, is a program of the nonprofit Screening for Mental Health in collaboration with the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) and Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP). Last April’s National Alcohol Screening Day drew more than 52,000 people.

To find a nearby screening site, area residents can call 1-800-405-9200 or visit SMH’s Web page at www.mentalheathscreening.org. (03-13-02)


Minimally-Invasive Treatment Available for Uterine Fibroids

Uterine fibroids are a major public health issue and the most frequent indication for hysterectomy in pre-menopausal women. Of the 600,000 hysterectomies performed annually in the United States, 1/3 of these are due to fibroids.

While two-thirds of American women (66 percent) are generally knowledgeable about uterine fibroids, one of the most common medical conditions experienced by women in their age 35-50, only 1 percent know about one of the most significant developments in the treatment of uterine fibroids, according to results of a national survey of women released today by the Society of Cardiovascular & Interventional Radiology (SCVIR).

The treatment, called Uterine Fibroid Embolization, gives women an important, minimally-invasive treatment option to hysterectomy and other invasive surgeries -- with less risk and less pain. UFE is performed by interventional radiologists, doctors who specialize in targeted, image-guided treatments. By blocking the blood flow to the fibroids and causing them to shrink, the treatment is approximately 90 percent successful alleviating the heavy bleeding and painful periods that are associated with fibroids.

Uterine Fibroid Embolization is a major advancement in women's health and, for many women, could make hysterectomies a thing of the past. Although it is widely available throughout the U.S. and covered by most insurance carriers, few women know about this treatment option. That is why the Society of Cardiovascular & Interventional Radiology is launching a national health education campaign to ensure that women are informed about this treatment option. Most women with symptomatic fibroids are candidates for UFE and should obtain a consult with an interventional radiologist to determine whether UFE is a treatment option for them. For more information about UFE, visit www.uterinefibroids.org.

UFE usually requires a hospital stay of one night. Many women resume light activities in a few days and the majority of women are able to return to normal activities within one week. This is dramatically shorter that the recovery time hysterectomy, which includes 3 to 4 days in the hospital and a 6-week recovery time. (03-12-02)


“Credit Where Credit Is Due” Tax Booklet Offers Maximum Tax Benefit To Working Families

WASHINGTON -- The National Women's Law Center (NWLC) has created a tax booklet aimed at working parents, outlining four of the federal tax breaks available to them to help pay for child and dependent care expenses, reduce their taxes, or increase their tax refunds. The publication, "Credit Where Credit Is Due," was created with funding from the American Business Collaboration (ABC), a ground-breaking collaboration of leading U.S. companies working together to improve the quality of dependent care and to create a work environment that is positive for employees and productive for businesses.

The booklet is designed to inform individuals about four tax breaks in the federal income tax code: the Dependent Care Tax Credit, the Child Tax Credit, the Earned Income Tax Credit, and the Dependent Care Assistance Program. The information provided in the publication can help individuals determine their eligibility to receive the tax assistance these provisions offer for tax year 2001, provide an idea of the amount of tax assistance the individual can expect to receive and how to claim it, and answer some other questions about these tax breaks. The booklet is not intended to provide legal assistance but to help individuals understand their eligibility for tax breaks.

The booklet is available online here. (03-06-02)


Another Reason Not To Smoke

Women who smoke during pregnancy increase their children’s risk of developing type 2 diabetes and obesity, say researchers from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden.

The study reports that women who smoked more than 10 cigarettes a day increased their children’s risk of diabetes by more than 4 times the rate of children born to non-smoking mothers. In addition, children of smokers were up to 38 percent more likely than children of non-smokers to become obese.

There is hope for quitting: Researchers at State University of New York at Stonybrook report that pregnant women who use nicotine patches are more likely to stop smoking successfully. Perhaps most encouraging is their conclusion that pregnant when who smoke can use the patch without any compromise to fetal well-being. (02-26-02)


The FDA Approves First Radiopharmaceutical Product To Treat Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma

WASHINGTON – The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Zevalin, the first drug to include a monoclonal antibody to be combined with a radioactive chemical. Zevalin, manufactured by IDEC Pharmaceuticals Corp. of San Diego, Calif., must be used with Rituxan, another drug already approved.

Zevalin and Rituxan target white blood cells (B-cells), including the malignant B cells involved in Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, and results in shrinkage of the tumor.

Two multi-center trials were performed to show the drug’s safety. Fifty-four patients that were not responding to chemotherapy or Rituxan were used in the first trial. Seventy-four percent responded to the drug. In the second trial, 143 patients that were no longer responding to chemotherapy and had not been on Rituxan participated. Eighty percent responded vs. 56 percent for Rituxan. More studies are being performed by IDEC.

A small amount of patients involved in the clinical trials experienced hemorrhages, some fatal, and life-threatening infections. Because of this, Zevalin is only approved for patients who do not respond to other treatments. (02-21-02)


National Poison Prevention Week Is March 17-23

In observance of National Poison Prevention Week (March 17-23), the Council on Family Health (CFH) urges Americans to know the new nationwide toll-free number for poison control centers. To help spread the word about this life-saving resource, CFH is offering free of charge its popular emergency telephone stickers, printed with the new telephone number.

“When time is of the essence, having emergency telephone numbers in plain sight can save lives,” says Robert G. Donovan, president of the Council.

Emergency stickers (two per household) are available at no charge by sending a self-addressed, stamped envelope to: Council on Family Health, “Emergency Stickers,” 1150 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 1200-B, Washington, DC 20036. Companies and organizations may order bulk quantities (up to 50) on CFH’s web site at www.cfhinfo.org.

The Council on Family is a nonprofit organization established more than 30 years ago, dedicated to educating consumers about the proper use of nonprescription and prescription medicines and dietary supplements, home safety, and personal health. (02-21-02)


Diabetes And Heart Disease – A Deadly Combination Needing A Team Approach

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- A new study published in the latest issue of Endocrine Practice, the medical journal of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE), shows that heart surgery patients with diabetes benefit from a standardized protocol and the involvement of an endocrinologist, who is the diabetes specialist.

A study entitled “Description and Evaluation of a Glycemic Management Protocol for Patients with Diabetes Undergoing Heart Surgery ” provides findings of 58 patients, half with and half without the use of the standardized protocol in a community hospital.

The study shows that with teamwork involving the cardiovascular surgeon, nurses, pathologist, endocrinologist and other qualified diabetes management personnel, glucose levels for diabetic cardiac surgery patients can be better controlled. Previous studies have shown that when blood sugar is better controlled during surgery complications are more likely to be avoided.

“Diabetes and heart disease many times go hand-in-hand. Heart surgery patients with diabetes are more likely have complications such as postoperative wound infection, prolonged hospital stay, increase of death and stroke,” stated Susan S. Braithwaite, MD, FACE the study’s author.

AACE is a professional medical organization with over 3,900 members in the United States and 74 other countries. Founded in 1991, AACE is dedicated to the optimal care of patients with endocrine problems. AACE initiatives inform the public about endocrine diseases. AACE also conducts continuing education programs for clinical endocrinologists, physicians whose advanced, specialized training enables them to be experts in the care of endocrine disease, such as diabetes, thyroid disorders, growth hormone deficiency, osteoporosis, cholesterol disorders, hypertension and obesity.

For further information on diabetes and other endocrine disorders, PATIENTS FIRST, or AACE guidelines visit the AACE Web site at http://www.aace.com. (02-19-02)


Kids Eat More When Served Heaping Helpings

HOUSTON -- Keeping kids' mealtime portions under control could be helping the pint size diners avoid super-sized appetites and whopper waistlines.

In a study of how serving sizes affect the food intake of young children, Baylor College of Medicine researcher Dr. Jennifer Fisher found that preschool children ate 25 percent more macaroni and cheese on days their lunch plates contained a "double order" of this kids' favorite.

And, because they didn’t compensate for the extra entree calories by cutting back on other foods served with lunch, their total lunchtime calories jumped by 15 percent.

"These findings suggest that regular exposure to 'super-sized' portions encourages overeating among children," said Fisher, a behavioral nutrition researcher with the USDA/ARS Children’s Nutrition Research Center at Baylor. "These finding are also a warning flag, because we know that families today eat out much more often than in the past and that away-from-home portions keep getting larger." (02-19-02)


National Heart Defect Awareness Day Aims To Give Valentine’s Day A New Take On Love

YARDELY, Pa. -- Valentine’s Day and hearts are eternally linked. A group of dedicated parents, patients, family members and friends, along with doctors, nurses and social workers are hoping an annual “heart” holiday will help them raise awareness about the most common birth defect in the United States congenital heart defects.

State and local government officials have proclaimed February 14, 2002 as “Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Day.”

Jeanne Imperati of Connecticut, herself the mother of a child with a congenital heart defect, in 1999 conceived the idea for an annual awareness day to reduce childhood deaths, and increase funding to support congenital heart defect related causes and cures.

An estimated one in every 100 children born in the United States each year have a malformed heart, making it the most common birth defect.

“An untold number of children are put at risk each year due to a lack of early screening for congenital heart defects and childhood onset heart disease,” said Mona Barmash of Yardley, Pa., the founder of the Congenital Heart Information Network (CHIN), which sponsors the national awareness day. “Few people realize more babies are born with congenital heart defects approximately 40,000 than with bifida, Down’s syndrome and HIV, combined. Yet, heart defects are sometimes overlooked and not routinely diagnosed in newborns.”

C.H.I.N. was launched in 1996 as an international non-profit organization that provides reliable information, support services and resources to families of children with congenital and acquired heart disease, adults with congenital heart defects, and the professionals who work with them. The all-volunteer organization supports www.tchin.org, which each month receives thousands of visitors. The site’s support groups and discussion forums serve approximately 2,500 people worldwide.

“Valentine’s Day is the perfect day to draw attention to congenital heart defects,” said Barmash, who is the mother of a college student with complex congenital heart defects. “We all see these perfect decorative hearts at Valentine’s Day. But for parents and families of kids with heart defects, these hearts mean so much more.”

Local coordinators nationwide are planning activities in recognition of Congenital Heart Defect Awareness Day 2002. For more information on what’s happening visit http://www.tchin.org/media.htm, or send an email to mb@tchin.org. (02-12-02)


Women Aren’t Following Mammogram Guidelines

Women in the United States aren’t being screened for breast cancer at necessary rates, according to Boston researchers. The result: Fewer cancers are being detected in early stages.

The team looked at 60,000 women who received mammograms in the 1990s. They found that half of those women waited until age 50 to have their first screening. Yet, the American Cancer Society recommends breast cancer screenings begin at 40. (01-29-02)


Dye-Free, Liquid Pain Reliever

McNeil Consumer Healthcare, maker of Children's Motrin, has announced the introduction of the first over-the-counter line of dye-free, liquid pain relievers and fever reducers for children.

Children's Motrin Non-Staining Dye-Free products give new treatment options to parents whose children may be sensitive or allergic to gluten, casein or dyes. The new line includes two fever reducer/pain reliever products with the same active ingredient and berry flavor as the current Children's Motrin line. (01-22-02)


Nasal Spray Vaccine

A nasal spray flu vaccine has shown to be a safe and effective means of protecting against the influenza virus in children, according to an ongoing study.

Researchers are beginning the fourth year of a six-year nasal-flu vaccine study in Temple, Texas that will involve immunizing 15,000 children. After vaccination, the illness rates are then compared to those in surrounding areas, including Bryan-College Station, Austin and Waco. Findings showed that vaccine recipients had no increased risk for getting any acute respiratory illness in the first two weeks following vaccination. The pivotal trial in preschool children found the vaccine to be 91 percent effective in preventing culture-positive illness, and this data still stands. In school age children, the vaccine is showing 75 to 85 percent protection against influenza. (01-22-02)


Eye Protection Crucial In The Winter Sun: Warning Signs To Indicate Optical Overexposure And Ways To Protect The Eyes

WASHINGTON -- This winter, while most Americans will remember to bundle up in their winter coats, hats, gloves and boots, many will overlook protecting one of their most precious body part -- their eyes. Wearing protective eyewear in the winter is especially critical since snow glare and hazy sun can do serious damage to unprotected eyes.

The fact is that glare of the winter sun is so powerful it can actually burn your eye. In addition, the higher you get above sea level, the less filtration of radiation there is. Due to the reflective nature of the snow, there is a risk of up to 85 percent of the UV rays of the sun being reflected upward. In addition to the risks to the eyes themselves, skiers affected at high altitudes may fail to see their descent and thereby sustain orthopedic injuries.

These UV rays are believed to contribute to various eye diseases such as cataracts, macular degeneration, and photokeratitis (sunburn of the eyes -- an injury that can take up to a week to heal). One may also experience blurred vision, change in color vision or difficulty seeing at night. People at high risk for eye disease from UV exposure include those who work long hours outdoors, those who take medications such as birth control pills, sulfa drugs, diuretics and tranquilizers and those with retinal disorders.

"A frequent problem for skiers, snowmobilers, and others who spend a lot of time in the intense reflected light of snow is 'snow blindness'," Dr. Susan Taub of The Taub Eye Clinic and the Better Vision Institute. "This condition, which can damage the cornea for up to a week, causes eye pain, extreme sensitivity to light and the sensation of having sand in your eye."

With the sun lower in the sky during the winter months, it is crucial to take extra precautions to protect the eyes from its harmful rays. While sunwear has been a popular and fashionable accessory for years, protective eyewear is especially critical now as scientists point out the rapid deterioration of the Earth's ozone layer and subsequent increased amount of harmful UV rays.

Doctors and experts recommend that sun eyewear should block out 100 percent of UV radiation and that the lenses are gray or brown. Polarized and anti-reflective lenses are particularly good for the winter outdoor enthusiast. Polarized lenses in particular are the best at blocking the glare that can cause eyestrain and fatigue.

In addition to taking the preventive steps above when in the presence of sunlight, the optimal way to protect yourself from eye disease and ensure healthy vision is to simply have a regular eye exam. While it is recommended that adults have an eye exam at least every other year, it is especially important to see an ophthalmologist or optometrist for an eye exam if any of the aforementioned symptoms occur. Children are particularly susceptible to eye disease from UV radiation, as they tend to spend more time outdoors. Doctors recommend that children have an eye exam every six months to a year.

To receive a free brochure on eye health and protecting one's eyes, consumers may call 1-800-424-8422 or visit www.checkyearly.com.

The Vision Council of America is a nonprofit trade association representing the optical industry. VCA is available to supply reporters with industry statistics, product for photo shoots and expert spokespeople. (01-07-02)


For more news, click here.