Mothers Who Eat Peanuts During Pregnancy Lower Risk of Peanut Allergy in Children. A new study by doctors in Boston Children's Hospital show that increased consumption of peanuts by pregnant mothers lower risk of peanut allergy in their babies.
American Academy of Pediatrics Endorses Ban on Sale of Unpasteurized Milk. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released a policy statement strongly recommending that pregnant women, infants and young children should avoid raw or unpasteurized milk and milk products and only consume pasteurized products.
They also endorse the ban on the sale of unpasteurized milk and milk products in the same statement. Milk is pasteurized to get rid of disease causing pathogens such as E. coli, Salmonella and Campylobacter. Pasteurization is a process where milk is heated at a temperature of 72°C (161°F) for 15 seconds then immediately cooled. Another similar process is Ultra-high temperature processing (UHT) where the milk is exposed to a temperature of 138°C (280°F) for a minimum of two seconds. Studies have shown that there is no difference in the levels of proteins, carbohydrates, calcium, vitamins and enzymes in both pasteurized and unpasteurized milk. Increased Pediatric Ingestion Related Injuries Due to Neodymium Supermagnets.
The rise in popularity in the use of neodymium magnets as desktop ornaments and toys have lead to a rise in ingestion related injuries for toddlers and preteens.
In a study presented at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) National Conference and Exhibition in Orlando, 2,700 ingestions were observed over a ten year period and it was revealed that ninety four of the cases involved magnet ingestion. The study also revealed that cases of magnet ingestion increased in the last three years of the study with the age of patients ranged from 7 months to 13 years. Neodymium magnets are the most powerful magnets around.
A neodymium magnet a few cubic centimeters small can cause bodily harm from pinching to even causing broken bones. Magnets have been a popular accessory for preteens where they use the magnetic property to simulate a tongue stud, nose ring, or earring. Neodymium-iron-boron, or "super" magnets, became available in the early 2000s in toys, jewelry and other novelty items. Children With Mental Health Disorders More Likely To Be Identified As Bullies. Among school-aged children, bullying is a growing problem and concern for parents and teachers.
It is defined as "an unwanted, aggressive behavior among school aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. Re-Evaluating The Marshmallow Test By Factoring In Reliability of Test Environment. The marshmallow test is regarded as one of the most successful behavioral experiments.
In the test, a marshmallow was offered to a child; for brevity, consider a male child. If the child could control himself from eating the marshmallow, he was told that he would be given two instead of one. The test lies on how long the child can resist from eating the marshmallow. The marshmallow test began in Stanford University at the Bing Nursery School and was conducted in 1972 led by psychologist Walter Mischel.
There were earlier tests similar to this conducted in the late 1960s but it was the test done with the students at Bing Nursery School in 1972 that proved to be the landmark experiment. Study Looks At Importance of Bicycle Helmets For Children In Mitigating Impact and Crush Injuries. A bicycle helmet helps in protecting the head of a cyclist from injuries caused by falls and impacts.
Unlike a motorcycle helmet that encloses the whole head, a bike helmet is lightweight and well ventilated. Riding a bicycle is an aerobic activity which increases body temperature significantly. The head should be properly cooled down and temperature regulated since complications such as fainting spells and dizziness may occur. Despite the obvious protection that a bike helmet can offer, there are still ongoing debates on whether bike helmet use should be mandatory or optional.
Women Exposed To Herbicide Atrazine 80% More Likely Of Having Children With Rare Nasal Disorder, Choanal Atresia. Choanal Atrasia is a rare congenital disorder where the back of the infant's nasal passage is blocked.
This area of the nasal system is called the choana. Although rare, with 1 out of 7,000 births having this disorder, choanal atrasia is the most popular of nasal disorders among infants. Choanal atrasia may affect only one nostril or both. Babies with both nostrils blocked tend to cry a lot because it is only when they cry that they are able to breath through their mouths. During delivery, these babies have difficulty breathing and immediately needs assistance and even resuscitation. For some babies who have learned to mouth-breathe, the disorder becomes a problem when they sleep as they revert to nose breathing in that stage.
Choanal atrasia may be detected by physical examination and medical imaging techniques such as CAT scans, endoscopy, and x-rays. Study: Exposure to herbicide may increase risk of rare disorder. MIT News: Studying The Zebrafish To Understand Autism And Other Human Brain Disorders. Autism is a disorder that affects the brain's normal development of social and communication skills.
It is a developmental disorder that manifests itself in the first three years of a person. Autism affects information processing in the brain by altering how nerve cells and their synapses connect and organize each other. The causes of autism are still unknown. Research seem to point to genetic factors but scientists find it to complex a disorder to be certain of its cause. Autism affects boys three to four times more often than girls. Some suspected but unproven causes for autism are: DietDigestive tract changesMercury poisoningThe body's inability to properly use vitamins and mineralsVaccine sensitivityFishing for answers to autism puzzleFish cannot display symptoms of autism, schizophrenia or other human brain disorders.
The findings should help researchers pinpoint genes for further study in mammals, says Sive, a professor of biology and associate dean of MIT’s School of Science. Studying The Causes Of Food Allergies in Children. A food allergy is a condition where the body's immune system mistakenly identifies a food ingredient as harmful to the body.
Thinking that the body is under attack, the immune system triggers an allergic reaction. These reactions can range from mild to severe. Some may be fatal if left untreated. Being food intolerant such as lactose intolerance is not an allergy. Low Public Awareness on Danger of Swallowing Magnets. Parents of small children should be aware of the dangers of the swallowing of magnets.
Most kids accidentally swallow small objects. Most of the time, this is harmless and can pass through the body unimpeded. But magnets pose a danger specially when another magnet or metal is also ingested afterwards. The two objects may stick together inside the body between tissues (usually in the digestive system) and cause a blockage or fistula. This requires general surgery to correct. Magnets are being used by children (even up to 15 year olds) as a fashion accessory to simulate a tongue piercing by placing magnets on opposite ends of the tongue.
Warning to parents over magnet danger to children The first case involved an 18-month-old child who had swallowed 10 small magnetic spheres and the second involved an eight-year-old who had swallowed two 2-cm long magnetic strips. Lancet Queen's Medical CentreMagnet ingestion in children—a potentially sticky issue?