Grandchildren are some of life’s greatest treasures. Martha and I have 14 grandchildren. Like many of you, we try to step in to help whenever we can. You may be happy to chip in for everything from baby carriers, tricycles and rebounders to school tuition. But you may not have given as much thought to… Continue reading Investing in Your Grandkids’ Future Starts in the Kitchen
Category: Children’s Health
A Later Risk for Childhood Cancer Survivors
Adults who survive childhood cancer have a higher risk of cardiovascular disease than the general population, yet they are 80% more likely to be undertreated for several cardiovascular risk factors: hypertension (also called high blood pressure), diabetes and high cholesterol, according to new research, The report was published on June 8 in Journal of the… Continue reading A Later Risk for Childhood Cancer Survivors
Childhood Abuse and High Cholesterol
A new study found risk factors for heart disease and stroke were higher among adults who said they experienced childhood abuse and varied by race and gender. However, those who described their family life as well-managed and had family members involved in their lives during childhood were less likely to have increased cardiovascular risk factors… Continue reading Childhood Abuse and High Cholesterol
Racial Disparities Found in Pediatric Asthma Care
Black children with asthma accessed community health centers (CHCs) less than white children, while Latino children (who prefer to speak either English or Spanish) were more likely to visit CHCs for acute, chronic, and preventive care overall, according to a new, large study. The pattern of low clinic utilization by Black children was accompanied by… Continue reading Racial Disparities Found in Pediatric Asthma Care
Help for Kids with Peanut Allergies
A clinical trial has found that giving peanut oral immunotherapy to highly peanut-allergic children ages 1 to 3 years safely desensitized most of them to peanuts and induced remission of peanut allergy in one-fifth. The immunotherapy consisted of a daily oral dose of peanut flour for 2.5 years. Remission was defined as being able to… Continue reading Help for Kids with Peanut Allergies
Parental Smoking and RA in Children
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic disease that causes pain and swelling in the joints. It’s an autoimmune disorder, in which the immune system mistakenly attacks your own healthy joint tissues. Experts don’t know what causes the disease, but genes, environmental factors, and sex hormones are thought to play a role. Smoking cigarettes is a… Continue reading Parental Smoking and RA in Children
Avoiding Halloween Candy Overload
Ah, Halloween, the festival of costumes – and candy. Most people have fond childhood memories of traipsing through neighborhood streets and coming home with as much candy as they could eat, and a lot more than they should have consumed. But the holiday looks very different from a parent’s point of view. They’re concerned about… Continue reading Avoiding Halloween Candy Overload
A Promising Discovery for Childhood Cancer?
Researchers have devised a new plan of attack against a group of deadly childhood brain cancers collectively called diffuse midline gliomas (DMG), including diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG), thalamic glioma and spinal cord glioma. Scientists at the National Institutes of Health (NIH); Stanford University, California; and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, identified two drugs that worked… Continue reading A Promising Discovery for Childhood Cancer?
Most American Kids Lack Cardio Fitness
Nearly 60% of American children do not have healthy cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), a key measure of physical fitness and overall health, according to “Cardiorespiratory Fitness in Youth – An Important Marker of Health,” a new Scientific Statement from the American Heart Association (AHA), published in the Association’s flagship journal Circulation. CRF, also referred to as… Continue reading Most American Kids Lack Cardio Fitness
How to Prevent Childhood Drownings
Drowning is one of the leading causes of childhood deaths. In children under the age of four, only birth defects claim more lives. In accidental deaths of children under the age of 15, it’s second only to car accidents. Knowing these sobering statistics is the first step in battling these preventable tragedies. I spoke with… Continue reading How to Prevent Childhood Drownings
Parking Lot Safety for Kids
A study from the University of Alabama at Birmingham shows an alarming need for adult supervision in parking lots, with 67 percent of children observed not having supervision at some point between the vehicle’s parking and the child’s entering the building. “Children are unpredictable,” said David Schwebel, Ph.D., associate dean for research in the UAB… Continue reading Parking Lot Safety for Kids
Immunotherapy Better than Chemotherapy for Some Kids with Leukemia
Researchers have found that treatment with an immunotherapy drug is superior to standard chemotherapy for children with leukemia that has relapsed. The findings, based on a clinical trial, focused on the immunotherapy drug blinatumomab. Subjects in the trial were children and young adults with high- or intermediate-risk B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) that has relapsed.… Continue reading Immunotherapy Better than Chemotherapy for Some Kids with Leukemia
Peanut Allergy: A New Medication for Children
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the first drug to treat peanut allergy in children. The remedy, Palforzia, mitigates allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, that may occur with accidental exposure to peanuts. According to an FDA news release, treatment with Palforzia may begin in individuals ages 4 through 17 years with a confirmed… Continue reading Peanut Allergy: A New Medication for Children
17 Percent of Food-Allergic Children also Have Sesame Allergy
Investigators at the National Institutes of Health (NIH)have found that sesame allergy is common among children with other food allergies, occurring in an estimated 17% of this population. In addition, the scientists have found that sesame antibody testing—whose utility has been controversial—accurately predicts whether a child with food allergy is allergic to sesame. The research… Continue reading 17 Percent of Food-Allergic Children also Have Sesame Allergy
Ten Tips for School Lunches That Will Keep Kids Happy and Healthy
Between classes and practices, lunchtime is a highlight of most kids’ day. Whether homemade or store bought, favorite school lunches can power your student through the day. So be sure that what you’re sending to school is good for your young scholar. “Foodborne illnesses strike young and old,” said Mitzi Baum, CEO of Stop Foodborne… Continue reading Ten Tips for School Lunches That Will Keep Kids Happy and Healthy
Pollution Linked to Greater Number of Newborns Taken to Intensive Care Units
Infants born to women exposed to high levels of air pollution in the week before delivery are more likely to be admitted to a newborn intensive care unit (NICU), suggests an analysis by researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). According to a NIH news release, the researchers found that depending on the type… Continue reading Pollution Linked to Greater Number of Newborns Taken to Intensive Care Units
Enhancing the Quality of Life for Patients with Spinal Muscular Atrophy
Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) is the umbrella term for a group of genetic disorders that cause muscle weakness. (For a full explanation of SMA, see this thirdAGE article.) Although some types of SMA can be fatal, people with other types of SMA typically live at least until into childhood and may even have normal life expectancies.… Continue reading Enhancing the Quality of Life for Patients with Spinal Muscular Atrophy
What You Need to Know about Spinal Muscular Atrophy
Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a heartbreaking genetic disorder that usually occurs in infancy. Sometimes, though, the condition, characterized by weakness and wasting muscle, isn’t detected until adulthood. According to the U.S. Library of Medicine, SMA is usually most severe in muscles near the center of the body; it is less severe in muscles away… Continue reading What You Need to Know about Spinal Muscular Atrophy