Health & Lifestyle •

Doctors Recommend Restricted Screen Time For Children

October 28, 2016 By Kevin Kopas Leave a Comment

In today’s technological world, humans have become dependent on smartphones and tablets for a multitude of purposes. Parents even use these devices to keep their children preoccupied or to entertain them. Researchers agree there are pros and cons to children using technology, but the American Academy of Pediatrics has set new limitations on how much screen time children should be getting.

In the AAP national conference that was held earlier this month, the 10,000 pediatricians in attendance discussed how much screen time should be allotted for different age groups. Previously, the AAP recommended no more than two hours of screen time for children older than two, but have decided that this is too broad.

“It doesn’t make sense to make a blanket statement of screen time anymore,” said Dr. Yolanda Reid Chasiakos.

Part of the reason for redefining and assessing how much screen time children should be exposed to is because of the variety of technology there is. In the past, it was just television, but now there’s computers, smartphones, and tablets that all need to be considered when discussing how much time children should be allowed to look at the screens.

The AAP now recommends that children ages two to five should receive no more than one hour a day of screen time. As for children over the age of six, pediatricians have recommended that parents partake in a Family Media Use Plan to determine how much time their children should interact with screens. It’s also important to note that children younger than 18 months should receive no screen time other than video chatting.

For the two to five year old range, the AAP also recommends that parents watch whatever program their children is viewing with them. This way, parents can explain the content and apply it to their children’s lives.

For all ages, it’s recommended that only “high-quality” programming be viewed. A few examples the AAP gives as high-quality programming is PBS and Sesame Workshop. The AAP also states that media use should be used to enhance creativity, and be used as a tool of learning.

Jenny Radesky MD, the lead author of the policy statement, “Media and Young Minds,” reminded parents that too much media use can in fact be harmful. According to Radesky, excessive screen time can cut into the crucial time that children need for play, rest, learning, and interacting with other people.

As for toddlers and infants, the AAP recommends only video chatting, because this can help increase language in children.

One of the biggest teaching points being stressed is that parents monitor what their children are viewing and interacting with, and to also have open communication about why it’s important to set time boundaries on these technological devices.

For the most part, it’s not screen time in itself that is negative; it’s what’s on the screen. Studies have been conducted to figure out what causes positive outcomes and what causes negative outcomes of different programs, but such research is still in early stages. However, three new academic documents will be released in November that explore the topic of media use in children.

Resources: http://whnt.com/2016/10/23/new-screen-time-rules-for-kids-by-doctors/

http://www.wsj.com/articles/banning-tablets-is-best-for-children-1477245370

https://www.aap.org/en-us/about-the-aap/aap-press-room/Pages/American-Academy-of-Pediatrics-Announces-New-Recommendations-for-Childrens-Media-Use.aspx?nfstatus=401&nftoken=00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000&nfstatusdescription=ERROR:%20No%20local%20token

More Recalls Due To Possible Listeria Infection

October 23, 2016 By Kevin Kopas Leave a Comment

Those that like to indulge in ice cream or eat energy bars may have their products recalled due to a potential listeria contamination, reported CNN. Several stores have been joining the recall list that is linked to the Aspen Hills, Inc.’s recall of cookie dough products.

Publix issued a recall the week of October 13^th, stating that their cookie dough ice cream sold in stores spanning from Florida to Tennessee and more must be recalled. The packages have a sell by date of May 27, 2017, states CNN.

Nutrisystem, LLC is also part of the recall. They voluntarily recalled all Nutricrush Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bars that were manufactured by Noble Foods, Inc. The bar has cookie dough that was supplied by a third party, which advertised that there might be a potential listeria contamination, says The Morning Call.

The product recall for Nutrisystem is not as widespread as the ice cream. In fact, they say there were only 455 cases that were delivered to ShopRite and Hannaford stores in select states, reports The Morning Call. Some of these cases were also sold online through Walmart.com and Amazon.com.

According to the FDA, the recall affects the five-count bar cartons from Nutrisystem. They have an enjoy by date of August 22, 2017.

The recall from Nutrisystem was issued out of caution, even though they have no illnesses reported with their recall, states The Morning Call.

There was another recall from Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream Co, Inc. that involved more than 4,000 one-gallon cartons and more than 5,000 pints of ice cream containing cookie dough products. Heaps of Love peanut butter cookie dough and their Sticks and Stones flavors were part of the recall. The company is also recalling their three-gallon cartons of Baked Bear, reports CNN.

In an unrelated recall, Nestle USA, Inc. issued a recall of their Drumstick Club 16-count variety pack as well as their 24-count vanilla box after they too received positive test results for listeria contamination.

The Contamination

The contamination came from Aspen Hills. They had first announced that their no-egg chocolate chip cookie dough product may contain listeria and that prompted a federal investigation as well as manufacturer recalls. It was what prompted the first Blue Bell Ice Cream recall, which was expanded in October.

Since this recall began, Blue Bunny has also issued their recall, reports CNN. All of these products were distributed in multiple states; therefore, consumers are urged to check the FDA website to see which dates and UPC codes are part of the recall.

What Is Listeria?

Listeria monocytogenes is an organism that might cause a severe infection in even healthy adults. For those with compromised immune systems, the elderly, and small children, it can be fatal, reports The FDA. The infection can create short-term symptoms including high fever, headache, stiffness, nausea and vomiting, stomach pains, and diarrhea. For pregnant women, there is a high risk of miscarriage and stillbirth.

The infection causes about 260 deaths and 1,600 illnesses in the United States each year, reports CNN.

WHO Says Zika Virus Rising Rapidly In Asia

October 14, 2016 By Kevin Kopas Leave a Comment

In 2016, at least 258 Zika cases were detected in a one-week time span in Singapore. Previously the record for Zika cases in Singapore had been zero.

No deaths have ever been reported in direct relation to the Zika virus claims Dr. Li Ailan, director for health security and emergencies at WHO’s Western Pacific regional office.

Dr. Li believes that Zika will continue to spread in certain regions and that health officials are now preparing for greater complications, globally.

Official word from the Singaporean Minister for Health Gan Kim Yong states: “Over time, we expect Zika cases to emerge from more areas.”

This is a foreboding prediction for a virus that has already proven to be capable of spreading quickly, a virus not yet fully understood, and an epidemic in the making.

Although the symptoms of the Zika virus are generally mild in adults, its prevalence and dire effects on children has raised an international alarm.

The Zika virus is responsible for a rare medical condition known as microcephaly, a syndrome that causes babies to be born with smaller-than-average heads while in some cases the child’s brain may not develop normally.

Scientists in the Zika forests of Uganda first discovered the virus in a captured rhesus monkey in 1947. Researchers identified Zika in human hosts in 1952. The first large-scale outbreak of Zika was on the Pacific Island of Yap in 2007.

Researchers state that the patterns of transmission of the virus for those who travel in Zika-affected regions such as Africa and South America are of primary concern.

After decades of attempting to control the spread of another virus, Dengue fever, data shows that controlling the propagation of mosquito larvae should be the first stage tackled towards the prevention of a prolonged, future outbreak. Science has yet to fully achieve this foolproof, first step though.

Concerned over the entire process of successfully controlling the spread of the Zika virus, WHO Director General Margaret Chan stated in a recent address to a Western Pacific gathering, “Is this weak surveillance (of the Zika virus) an indication of population-wide immunity, or proof that the virus has somehow acquired greater epidemic potential?”

The Western Pacific region (which includes Australia, Cambodia, China, and Japan,) is the second most Zika-affected region on the globe. Almost a third of its 27 countries have reported Zika cases since 2007.

One worry for researchers and scientists studying the Zika virus is the high number of people who currently live in areas of the world where Zika may be very difficult to detect, develop an appropriate prevention methodology for, or deliver needed medical response to before the virus is further transmitted.

Recent studies are showing that Bangladesh, Vietnam, and the Philippines are hotspots for potential epidemics due to limited resources for both mosquito – breeding prevention and quick response, health services.

Today at least 65 nations have an ongoing Zika-transmission status.

Over two billion humans worldwide could be at risk of contracting the Zika virus.

Nuts and Eggs May Not Create Allergies in Infants

October 6, 2016 By Kevin Kopas Leave a Comment

Common doctor recommendations may go against new findings regarding nut and egg allergies in infants. New research has come out suggesting that early introduction to nuts and eggs may reduce the incidences of allergies in babies and children as they get older. These new findings are still not widely supported by doctors and many still do not encourage the introduction of eggs and nuts to babies younger than 2 or 3 years old.

Early Introduction

Studies found that introducing nuts and eggs as early as 4 months old actually reduced the incidences of allergy later on, compared to babies who were introduced at a later age. Just a spoonful of eggs between the ages of 4 and 6 months led to a 46 percent reduction in allergies, as opposed to waiting later.

The findings regarding nuts revealed even more startling results. Babies introduced to peanuts between the ages of 4 and 11 months had a 71 percent reduction in the incidences of allergic reactions.

Research from these findings suggests that perhaps nuts and eggs should be among the first solid foods introduced to babies as a way of preventing these allergies. However, most doctors are still not encouraging the early introduction of these foods. Infant feeding advice may need to be altered to reflect these findings.

Complementing Research and Findings

In fact, many foods were found not to impact the development of autoimmune disorders like type 1 diabetes. Even though the introduction of foods like nuts and eggs may not eliminate allergies, they may not necessarily cause them either.

The average breastfeeding schedule American women are at least 6 months. Solid foods are generally introduced at just 4 months. It may be a good idea to introduce nuts and eggs in the first of the solid foods a baby tries. Most babies do not develop food allergies, and as a result, research doesn’t suggest exercising extreme caution when introducing these foods.

Furthermore, research also supports the theory that early introduction to eggs and nuts can possibly develop tolerance to these foods in young children and babies. The development of stronger tolerance may help children to tolerate other foods better as well, in addition to reducing the possibility of allergies to nuts and eggs later in life.

Changing Direction

If nothing more, research is suggesting that the sensitivity to certain foods as possible causes for the development of allergies may not be a serious concern for most babies and children. Research, however, fails to suggest just how much of these foods babies should receive at any given age. For most children, consulting a doctor before the introduction of these foods is still a good idea. Although research is revealing these foods to be not as harmful as once believed, caution should still be exercised.

Nuts and eggs for babies were once believed not to be recommended according to prior medical beliefs. However, new research is suggesting otherwise. Although introducing these foods under the age of 2 or 3 is still not widely supported by most doctors, research may continue to develop evidence that these foods are acceptable as first foods and perhaps should be among the first foods introduced to infants. Research is even supportive of the introduction of these foods possibly helping to produce a greater tolerance to these types of foods.

The American South Lags Behind in CPR Training

October 2, 2016 By Kevin Kopas Leave a Comment

Experts have determined that roughly 350,000 people experience cardiac arrest each year. Of that total, about seven to nine percent of people survive the life-threatening experience. Many survive because someone on the scene happens to know CPR and can deliver the life-saving procedure until emergency help arrives on the scene. Administering CPR can double someone’s chances of survival. Yet those percentages of survival rates decrease when you view some areas of the country. For instance, in the American South, there is less likelihood that someone will survive their ordeal as fewer people are trained to perform CPR, and there appears to be significantly less opportunity for training.

Rural Counties at Risk

Researchers studied the number of bystander-performed CPR and discovered that there was a lower incidence in southern counties in rural areas. Because these counties are rural, there is an increased need for CPR as it requires emergency units more time to reach the patient and get them to a hospital. Extended CPR could save lives, but few people in these regions acquire the training. Another school of thought suggests that in urban areas there is simply more likelihood of being in the proximity of someone who knows how to perform CPR. The problem for rural regions of the South is that there is an increased need for CPR as a high percentage of people, comparatively speaking, are at risk for cardiac arrest.

Finding Solutions

To initiate more training, the states and counties in question will have to involve various agencies and local communities. Many states are adding CPR training to high school curriculums as a graduation requirement. This could help the situation; yet, it is only part of the solution. Many have suggested that online CPR training should be promoted. However, in rural areas where there are only dial-up speeds are available, online training is difficult and very near impossible in impoverished pockets of rural counties. Communities, therefore, will need to address this training need and come up with some creative means for disseminating the vital CPR training. Libraries as well as community colleges are a couple places that could offer training sessions, but populations still need to be convinced of the importance of the training in order to commit and attend training sessions. Naturally, funding this training will also be an issue, especially for impoverished communities already struggling with the costs of health-related expenses.

CPR Training and Minorities

Studies have found that minorities in the South like African Americans and Hispanics are the least likely to have experienced CPR training. Many of the counties in question are predominantly made up of minority populations. The healthcare community is looking for ways to shore up the gap and get CPR training to these populations. Funding is always an issue, but so is the geography of these regions; people are more spread out than in cities and finding a convenient location to host training for rural areas can be difficult. Even so, examining these figures is important as it tells CPR training planners where to focus so they can begin to step up their efforts and get CPR to these regions where it appears to be needed most.

Because CPR saves lives, many communities in the South are beginning to address the problem. Medical researchers believe that it stands to reason: if more people are trained to perform this life-saving measure, more lives will be saved.