Children's Health

DD's JRA has flared up again, her foot is hurting, causing limping, and her knee is swollen.--read more

Dear Everyone,--read more

My littlest one (age 4) has always seemed so prone to illness. She catches bugs more often, she gets sicker and weaker, and she stays sicker longer. --read more

If your young child has been receiving Merck's ProQuad vaccine sequence--a four-in-one covering measles, mumps, rubella and varicella (chicken pox)--she may need to move to the separate shots. Merck is having manufacturing troubles:

Merck said Thursday that its ProQuad vaccine, which protects against measles, mumps and rubella as well as chickenpox, won't be available from about July until at least year's end.

"It's too early to say at this point whether new (ProQuad) supplies will be available in 2008," said Mary Elizabeth Blake, spokeswoman for Merck's vaccines division.

However, the drugmaker expects to have plenty of two separate vaccines that cover the same diseases: Varivax, for chickenpox, and M-M-R II, for measles, mumps and rubella.

The federal government recommends children get each of those shots twice, once at age 12 months to 15 months and again between ages four and six years old, or — when available — they can receive the ProQuad vaccine twice.

Last year, the government recommended the second chickenpox shot because of outbreaks among schoolchildren, apparently due to waning potency of the vaccine.

...which is why we didn't bother with chicken pox vaccination in the first place, but hey.

The main take-away from this is, instead of two ProQuad shots, your child will now have to get two MMR shots and two Varivax shots.

Hey kids! It's another blog tour!

This time around it's "A Running Start: How Play, Physical Activity and Free Time Create a Successful Child" by Rae Pica. She's the founder of Moving and Learning, and an advocate for children's physical activity for its own sake--not for the sake of awards.

My own relationship with exercise and movement has been long and problematic. I've been sharing with you my struggles with cardiac rehab these last months (by the way, I graduate next Wednesday), and if I've gotten anything out of it, it's in a much greater awareness of my body and what it needs and wants. I wish I'd gotten that from physical education in my girlhood, and I hope Josie and Lou learn it now instead of when they're old and gray like me.

And that's why I'm happy they sent me this book on the blog tour! Because I know zip about this stuff--or I think I do. I'm finding out that I know more than I thought I did.

For instance, one of the reasons we homeschool is that school culture today over-emphasize early academics and doesn't give kids enough downtime--time to just stare at the ceiling--or time to run and play. Guess what! Rae agrees, and while she doesn't endorse homeschooling, she's got plenty of criticism for the way we have schools set up:

[W]ith the implementation of No Child Left Behind, seatwork and high-stakes testing became the norm. As a result, recess and physical education--play and physical activity in the schools--are in danger of disappearing.

At the same time...[c]hildren were being enrolled in more and more organized activities, and childhood itself became an exercise in goal attainment. Achievement came to supersede play...

My hope is that "A Running Start" will prompt a shift back in the other direction toward play and the recognition that:

• especially in childhood, the process is more important than the product
• having fun is more beneficial to a child than winning
• trying one's best *because* it's fun prompts children to stick with it and motivates them to improve their skills
• enjoying learning is more important than learning to regurgitate what a teacher feeds in.

I think I love you, Rae Pica.

This is a book for anyone who wants to give their children a real head start on a healthy life--not to create superkids, but happy and healthy kids. She gives advice on picking team sports and reassurance that letting a kid "do nothing" is just as important if not more important than running them back and forth to endless activities. I'm so happy to see this message out there.

Looking for connections in behavioral disorders and a milk protein allergy.--read more

It's interesting this came up, I just got a bracelet-making kit in the mail promoting this very vaccine: Merck is lobbying the states to require HPV vaccinations for girls.

Merck & Co. is helping bankroll efforts to pass state laws requiring girls as young as 11 or 12 to receive the drugmaker's new vaccine against the sexually transmitted cervical-cancer virus.

Some conservatives and parents'-rights groups say such a requirement would encourage premarital sex and interfere with the way they raise their children, and they say Merck's push for such laws is underhanded. But the company said its lobbying efforts have been above-board. ...

Gardasil, approved by the federal government in June, protects girls and women against strains of the human papillomavirus, or HPV, that are responsible for most cases of cervical cancer. A government advisory panel has recommended that all girls get the shots at 11 and 12, before they are likely to be sexually active.

But no state has yet to add Gardasil to the list of vaccinations youngsters must have under law to be enrolled in school.

I am, as always, against states legislating this sort of thing; vaccination is a decision parents should be making for children, not the state. However I am supportive of this particular vaccine.

We're selective (and delayed) vaxers in our house. The kids didn't get the chicken pox vaccine; they did get the MMR and polio vaccines. And when the time comes I'll definitely be getting the girls vaccinated for HepB and HPV.

The argument that vaccinating against HPV somehow encourages premarital sex is ridiculous. I just can't imagine a girl saying to herself, "Well! Things sure are heating up in the back seat here with Jimmy! Guess I better cool things down or I might get HPV since Daddy wouldn't let me be vaccinated!" Because I remember being 17 and being hot and bothered enough that nothing else really mattered all that much. (And no, there was no Jimmy, nor a back seat, more's the pity. I just sat around by myself being hot and bothered.)

Not only that, but there's no guarantee that if Jimmy marries the girl before she has sex with him that he hasn't had premarital sex himself--and then passes on HPV to his virginal wife. Punishing your daughter by potentially giving her cervical cancer if she has sex--at any point in her life--seems, well, not really all that loving an attitude for a parent to take.

The bracelet? Josie's wearing it. In two years, she'll get that vaccine. I may or may not be here when she's a grown woman, but wherever I am I want to know that I did right by her--and I want her to know it, too. If a vaccine can stop her from getting cervical cancer, you bet I want her to have it.

New poll: Do you intend to vaccinate your daughter against HPV?--read more

Looking to see how well this surgery option lasts once they grow up and if any complications have arised from it. Can anyone tell me what you have learned if anything from doctors at your end about urthera reimplantation "Inside" and "Outside" methods of open surgery? I am leaning towards the reimplantaion "Inside" method, but it can cause bladder spasms and possible problems urinating afterwards. My son is three and I can't bear him being in pain. His surgery is scheduled for Jan. 26th. Do you know of any males that have had this procedure done at a young age and are now adults? Also has anyone known of anyone to have the deflux procedure with the deflux in their system for over six years or more? Also has anyone had a child on Bactrim for over four years? Thanks for blessing me with your wisdom and help!!--read more

Dear Friends,
Hi finetune8 here again and it's the anniversary of my son's VCUG and ultrasound tests. Which means, I am going carzy trying to find the ideal surgery situation for my son. He is three now so he is stronger but his right kidney is smaller then his left and still shows Grade 4 reflux. Based on my research and many questions to various doctors, Deflux is NOT the best option for Grade 4 or 5 reflux. Please note concerned parents that have children with reflux, the BEST doctor I am told to have deflux procedure done is with Dr. Kirsch at Georgia Pediatric Urology. He is teaching doctors around the states how to do the deflux procedure. --read more

I'm against fluoridated water, which makes me a crackpot apparently. The argument against me is that fluoridation is a good way to make sure that poor people get fluoride for their teeth, and that fluoride doesn't hurt you if you ingest it. I say bollocks to that; fluoride is toxic when swallowed, and I don't like being medicated against my will.

Guess what? The American Dental Association are crackpots too, now that they've released a member advisory that fluoridated water should not be mixed into concentrated formula or foods intended for babies one year and younger. Their problem with it is the ingested fluoride will damage infant teeth.

How long have we known this? Since 1997.

--Is the sexy costume thing for women driving you nuts this Halloween? If you don't mind four-letter words, this fake commercial for Girls's Costume Warehouse is hysterical. Again: THERE ARE FOUR LETTER WORDS IN THE COMMERCIAL. If this is a problem for you, or you're at work, don't click. And the whole costume thing makes me crazy. "Sexy pope! Sexy lobster!" [via]

--The ozone hole over the Antarctic is bigger than ever. Human-produced gases are destroying the ozone that protects us from the deadlier forms of solar radiation. yay team. [via]

--The Sierra Club reminds parents to watch out for lead in Halloween toys and props. Hat tip to Asha.

--And while we're on the subject of children's health, mumps is on the rise in the US, with nearly 6,000 cases reported this year. The average age was 22, and the majority of cases were in women. Calls for vaccinating against mumps more aggressively are out, which leads me to ask: do you vaccinate your kids?

Hey, if you want a shot at winning one of two copies of The Complete Organic Pregnancy be sure to enter by the end of today.

--And on that note, some news pregnant girls may wish to skip: Premature births responsible for many more infant deaths than previously thought.

Scientists now say a third of infant deaths are due to premature births — a much larger percentage than previously thought. ...The revised statistic may lead to greater efforts to counsel pregnant women about taking care of themselves and avoiding actions that can lead to preterm births — such as smoking and drug use.

It also may help organizations lobbying for more research into why some women who follow medical advice still have preterm babies. The March of Dimes is advocating to expand federal research into preterm labor and delivery and the care and treatment of premature infants.

--Doing animal studies? Check out The Macaulay Library and its huge collection of animal pictures, videos and sound--some in surround sound!
It's the world's largest collection, and it's free.

--Maybe it's time to bring back Saturday morning cartoons and ditch the rest of the week's TV? Weekday TV watching hurts schoolwork, according to a new study. Weekend TV watching doesn't seem to matter.

Today's good stuff:

--Fellow Portland blogger Get Rich Slowly summarizes an Ask Metafilter post on when it pays to make stuff from scratch. (I think they miss the point about knitting socks from scratch; it's not just the superior materials and fit, it's an enjoyable hobby that results in something useful.)

--Eliminating Lead Poisoning over at Treehugger talks about the new point of care testing device that turns testing for lead poisoning into a simple finger stick with results in three minutes. This could revolutionize public health.

--8 Ways to Save for a Quick Emergency Fund. Pretty self-explanatory. via.

To All Needing Info On Kidney Reflux,
HI! This is finetune8 writing a long overdue follow up on my first post begging for info on surgery. We decided to wait on my son having the surgery.
In regards to my son, he is a little over 2 1/2 years old. He has been on a daily antibiotic since the day he was born, now (Bactrim.) Being that he was born with the worst grade in one kidney, as he has gotten older the over flow from the right has given him reflux in the left but at a lower grade. I got three doctor opinions as to whether at age 2 he should have the surgery. I got one resounding NO from his primary doctor (who wrote the book used in Colleges on reflux), I got one resounding Yes from a Duke doctor, and the third doctor's opinion from another well-known hospital was sitting on the fence but felt waiting would be better. Since in my son's case he has never had an infection (thanks to the grace of God) we felt it would be in his best interest to see if he will out grow it. --read more

Great! NOW we find out that ultrasound can affect brain development:

When pregnant mice were exposed to ultrasound, a small number of nerve cells in the developing brains of their fetuses failed to extend correctly in the cerebral cortex.

"Our study in mice does not mean that use of ultrasound on human fetuses for appropriate diagnostic and medical purposes should be abandoned," said lead researcher Pasko Rakic, chairman of the neurobiology department at Yale University School of Medicine.

However, he added in a telephone interview, women should avoid unnecessary ultrasound scans until more research has been done.

We don't know what ultrasounds do to human brain tissue. But if you don't need one, don't get one.

I dunno, maybe in this time of shrinking recesses and portable Nintendo this study is needed. Study shows benefits of kids' playtime:--read more

Well, NOW what are we supposed to do?

Contrary to popular belief, humid air does not relieve the coughing and wheezing of croup in children, a new study shows.--read more

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Does your kid get constant ear infections? It may be "slime" in the middle ear:--read more

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Not if you're giving it to them to get them to sleep, anyway:

An antihistamine most commonly sold as Benadryl does little to help infants sleep through the night even though parents and some doctors think it does, according to a study published on Monday. ..--read more

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DD's visit to the eye doctor today gave us good news, feels like the first good news I've gotten in weeks! DD's eyesight is improving!

She has a mild case of amblyopia. She has mild astigmatism and farsightedness moreso in one eye that the other, causing the weaker eye to start "giving up" which we don't want. The doctor's assistant called it "an eye that hasn't learned how to see". Her right eye is her strong eye, the left one the weak one. For a year now she's been wearing eyeglasses to correct her vision, and it's working.--read more

If you were around this year last time you may remember that we dealt with finding that our youngest (now 3) had ureteral reflux, meaning that urine backs up from the bladder into the kidneys. Whoops, wrong way!--read more

Yay! The nation's largest beverage distributors have agreed to stop selling soft drinks in public schools:

The agreement was announced Wednesday by the William J. Clinton Foundation and will also likely apply to many private and parochial schools.

"This is a bold step forward in the struggle to help 35 million young people lead healthier lives," former President Clinton said at a news conference. "This one policy can add years and years and years to the lives of a very large number of young people."

Under the agreement, the companies also have agreed to sell only water, unsweetened juice and low-fat milks to elementary and middle schools. Diet sodas would be sold only to high schools.

Kids drink way too much soda at home; they shouldn't be getting it at school too. There's nothing good about a regular diet of soda, diet or otherwise.

Half-million liquid-filled baby teethers recalled:

Six styles of teethers may be contaminated with the Pseudomonas aeruginosa or the Pseudomonas putida bacteria in the liquid, manufacturer The First Years Inc. said in a statement. If the teether is punctured and the liquid ingested, the bacteria can cause serious illness in children.

The teethers were recalled from both Canada and the U.S. They are:

• Disney Days of Hunny Soft Cool Ring Teether, style number Y1447
• Disney Soft Cool Ring Teether, style number Y1470 or Y1490
• Sesame Beginnings Chill and Chew Teether, style number Y3095
• First Years Cool Animal Teether, style number Y1473
• First Years Floating Friends Teether, style number Y1474

They were sold from July 2005 through January 2006. Call 866-725-4407, or visit http://www.thefirstyears.com or http://www.fda.gov.

The American College of Chest Physicians says there's no evidence over-the-counter cough medicines work, and that they may actually make things worse with children. I'm not so much with the standard medicine, as my cardiologist can tell you, and that goes double for most cough and cold medicines.

When things are really bad for an adult here we dose them with a little Nyquil if they can't sleep and for children we've found that Eldertussin not only helps with coughs but DOES seem to resolve a lot of the underlying problems. It actually seems to shorten the amount of time the girls suffer a cold or cough. Otherwise we tend to let things run their course. You have a fever for a reason, you're coughing for a reason. Let your body do what it needs to do.

Categories: cough, medicine, children, alternative

Get out for theirs. This means all of you in abusive relationships. Watching their mothers get beaten has serious mental health consequences for children:

The researchers, led by Dr. Andrea L. Hazen of the Child and Adolescent Services Research Center in San Diego, based their conclusions on data collected from 2020 U.S. families who had been investigated by Child Protective Services for suspected child abuse or neglect.

They found that mothers who said they'd been seriously abused by their partner -- beaten, choked or threatened with a weapon -- generally reported more emotional and behavioral problems in their 4- to 14-year-old children.

A mother's own behavior did play a role in this association, the study found. That is, women who were physically abused were more likely than other women to be aggressive toward their children or to use physical punishment, and this partially explained the higher rates of depression, anxiety and aggressive behavior among their children.

However, there was still a clear effect of simply witnessing abuse, Hazen and her colleagues found.

So if you're thinking it's okay because, really, he doesn't hit or threaten the kids, just you--it's NOT okay. You are doing your children no favors. Do whatever you have to do to get out. You can do it. Women do it every day, women no braver than you and with no more resources than you.

My two year old son was born with kidney reflux of the right kidney grade 5 which is the worst and (