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Archive for the ‘childrens health’ Category

Ugh, earaches! They can keep your child and you up all night! A child’s tears caused by painful earaches can be heartbreaking. And, it seems that so little can be done to prevent and treat them, even with medication. Earaches come in all strengths and sizes and occur at all ages. As a writer of health articles involving children, I’ve previously written that by the age of three years, more than 70 percent of children will have had at least one episode of earache; and nearly a third of those will have had three or more! It may not surprise you, as a parent of young children, that earaches are the most common reason for a visit to a pediatrician. But, it may surprise you that earaches are also the most widespread reason for children under the age of five years to be taken by parents to see a chiropractor!

That’s right. There is an alternative treatment that is healthier for your child than the general treatment by pediatricians of a course of antibiotics for middle ear infection. In fact, advanced medical research has determined that this type of treatment is often imprudent because the basis for a child’s middle ear infection may not be due to bacteria. Antibiotics, as we all know, is only effective against bacterial pathogens so there can be no positive result by giving a child antibiotics. Antibiotics are tough enough on a child’s body when necessary, but given when they will not be effective in the least is a risky practice. Since middle ear infections can be generated by a virus, and viruses do not respond to antibiotics, children who are given antibiotics can actually develop chronic ear infections!

A pediatric chiropractor can determine whether or not a child’s inability to combat an earache or ear infection is generated by inflammation of the small nerves in the spine (called free nerve endings). An abnormal tension in the small muscles of the neck is created when these nerve endings are irritated, and such muscle tension can place pressure on the lymphatic drainage ducts. This results in inadequate drainage from inside the ear and prevents the child’s body from being able to naturally fight the problem.

If a chiropractor feels elevated tension in the neck and paraspinal muscles on the side with the earache, this is indicative of inadequate drainage of lymphatic ducts. In addition, the chiropractor will palpate to see which spinal vertebrae are either moderately out of alignment or not moving within their normal range, which may have been the result of any one of the variety of bangs, jolts and falls that almost all children experience in the early years of their life. Frequently, a short series of spinal adjustments and manipulation of the neck muscles can help to restore normal lymph drainage.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), ear infection in children accounts for at least 6 million courses of antibiotics are unnecessarily prescribed for the problem! So remember, if your child is suffering from an earache or an ear infection, contact a pediatric chiropractor who may be able to provide the the type of effective treatment necessary to end your child’s pain and discomfort naturally.

Technorati Tags: children's health issues, chiropractic care, chiropractor, ear infections, earaches, pediatric chiropractic

Sugar! A kid’s “high” that is legal…and lethal as far as future good health is concerned. I have been a chiropractor for over twenty-five years and have preached the gospel of a low-sugar, if not totally sugar-free, diet to my patients (for themselves and their children) for all of the years I’ve been in practice. But, even farther back than my graduate year of 1985, scientists have proven the “overpowering” power of sugar. In 1974 Anthony Sclafani, a Brooklyn College professor, found that lab rats were so drawn to the kids’ cereal, Froot Loops, that they would suppress their natural fear to eat in the exposed areas of their cages. (Death before sugar deprivation!?) Researchers using brain imagining technology found that foods high in sugar or fat activate the same reward system as cocaine and other drugs (most of them illegal), and can also set off the release of the neural chemical dopamine, which can cause the brain to override the biological brakes that prevent overeating, as well as other social and behavioral tendencies that natural “inhibitory” responses would prohibit.

So, even though I’m a “freedom first” kind of guy, I felt gratified to read about a group of parent in one North Philadelphia neighborhood, who have decided to “take on” the insidious sugar underworld that is creating, in plain sight, so many health problems for kids. In Elliot Ness fashion, but wearing bright-colored safety vests and walkie-talkies, they police certain fast food stores in the area that cater to children.

These parents have joined the national battle, begun by Michelle Obama, over the diets of children, and they are filled with the type of “fire” that can truly make a difference. That said, it must also be acknowledged that they are up against formidable forces — from economics to biology — all of which are playing out in Philadelphia, where the obesity rate is among the nation’s highest.

Beyond simply reducing calories, the Agriculture Department wants to change the content of federally subsidized school meals to meet new standards that would emphasize whole grains, vegetables and fruits and set tighter limits on sodium and fats, and encourage more dark green and orange vegetables, as well as fruits, whole grains and legumes.

Let’s face it, childhood teaches us what to eat, how to eat, when to eat and what food should taste like whether we are guided to enjoy healthy foods or left alone to grab a sugary, fatty snack of chips and soda pop before school.

So, I applaud the parental “sugar police” in North Philadelphia. May such passionate parental involvement be just the beginning of the end to childhood addiction to unhealthy food.

Technorati Tags: childhood nutrition, parents taking action for kids health, sugar and fats in kids diets, unhealthy food for kids

I am a pediatric chiropractor who is just about at the end of my rope when it comes to the unconscionable junk that is being offered to our children as “treats.” When I was a kid, my mom wouldn’t let me drink soda pop except on special occasions, like when we went to the movies or to the amusement park. Otherwise, we kids drank milk, and plenty of it! But, today’s kids, and teens in particular, face a more significant problem than “mere” sugary drinks. American kids are chugging energy drinks at an accelerated rate, and there is growing concern among health care professionals that the ingredients in these sugary-caffeine (so-called) beverages might be putting kids and teens at risk. The worst part about it is that the cauldron of ingredients that include dietary supplements such as vitamins and herbal extracts that are not easily monitored! And, it is for this very reason, the inclusion of vitamins and herbal extracts, that these beverages are classified as nutritional supplements and receive much less scrutiny and have fewer restrictions than both foods and drugs.

The damage that energy drinks are causing is measurable and of great concern. In a new report issued Monday, Florida pediatricians describe cases of seizures, delusions, heart problems and kidney or liver damage in children who had downed one or more non-alcoholic energy drinks. I am a great proponent of vitamins and supplements, but the manufacturers of energy drinks who are pawning off these non-nutritional and potential harmful drinks need to be shut down, as far as I’m concerned.

Parents, as always, it’s up to you to keep the “bad” stuff away from your kids. There are plenty of ways for your child to get “energy” that are healthy — like kinetic activity such as playing sports, running, riding a bicycle, etc. These drinks are a sugar/caffeine rush that will send your kids health down quickly!
Source: reuters.com

Technorati Tags: childrens health, dangers of energy drinks for kids, energy drinks, new study

Most of us, whether we are medical doctors, chiropractors, other health professionals, or laypeople know by now that one in three US children are obese. But, did you also know that studies have found that nearly one in five children becomes overweight or obese by age 6, and that more than half of obese children become overweight before the age of 2? And, if those statistics don’t shock you, try this: Nearly 6 percent of infants younger than six months are overweight today, up from 3.4 percent between 1980 and 2001. The “chubby baby” that, back in the day, epitomized good health (as opposed to malnutrition) is now a dangerous sign that childhood obesity is happening “from the start.”

First lady Michelle Obama, our country’s children’s health advocate, who released 70 goals as part of the government’s campaign against childhood obesity, said that panel found that women could help reduce childhood obesity by 1) maintaining a healthy weight when they become pregnant and 2) by breast-feeding their babies. “For the first time, the nation will have goals, benchmarks and measureable outcomes that will help us tackle the childhood obesity epidemic one child, one family and one community at a time,” Mrs. Obama said.

Obese and overweight children are at higher risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and other illnesses, and some public health experts say, if this trend isn’t remedied, children today may live shorter lives than their parents. Mrs. Obama said that the goal is to solve the problem so babies born today will come of age at a healthy weight. Of course, there’s much to be done, but the problem is urgent indeed. And, though over dozen federal agencies, including the Education, Agriculture, Health, Interior and Transportation departments, participated in the Childhood Obesity Task Force, it holds an “advisory only” position.

We can all become children’s health advocates by writing to our government representatives and letting them know that that we want action, in addition to advice, when it comes to the health of our country’s children, such as the proactive step that Congress has taken to begin the process of updating the guidelines for foods served in schools, including what is offered by vending machines.

Technorati Tags: breastfeeding, childhood obesity, Childhood Obesity Task Force, childrens health

Did you know that over the period of a decade, medication side effects have sent over half a million American children to outpatient clinics and emergency rooms annually? As a pediatric chiropractor who believes in a conservative, natural, drug-free chiropractic approach to children’s health whenever possible, I find that figure very disturbing. The statistic comes from a group of researchers at Children’s Hospital in Boston. Their findings were recently published in the journal Pediatrics. The study found that between the years 1995 and 2005, a total of 585,922 incidents of adverse drug events occurred annually among children 18 years and younger. Although most of these children received treatment at outpatient clinics, 22 percent resulted in a visit to a hospital emergency room.

The study analyzed data from the National Center for Health Statistics and found that as many as 13 outpatient visits per 1,000 children occur due to drug-related adverse events; an indication that medication complications are common in pediatric care. The greatest risk of medication side effects was discovered to be among children ages four and younger, accounting for approximately 43 percent of all events. The second highest risk was found to be among teens between the ages of 15 and 18 at a total of 23 percent.

For more valuable information regarding this important study, go to healthnews.com.

Technorati Tags: Children's Hosptial in Boston, drug-related adverse reaction, medication side effects

As a chiropractor I treat many children. Pediatric chiropractic can help boost a child’s immune system, get rid of headaches, improve gait and posture, and even help with bedwetting. Unfortunately, severe illness can’t always be prevented and sometimes children need special medical treatment in a hospital. If you’ve been with a hospitalized child then you know how frightening it can be for him or her. So I was thrilled to read that Mattel Children’s Hospital UCLA has a new mobile tool to deliver music therapy and help pediatric patients cope with the fear, isolation and pain associated with being in the hospital.

Music therapy is used to help alleviate pain, improve a young patient’s mood, stimulate movement and communication, calm anxieties and fears, promote relaxation, and make the hospital feel more like home. The Music Rx unit is a high-tech, interactive studio on wheels that includes everything necessary for music therapy, both in group settings and one-on-one. It holds a variety of instruments, including drums, keyboards and guitars, as well as Apple GarageBand software for recording music, a custom-built iPod docking station with 10 iPods to loan, and a large LCD screen that plays hundreds of music videos.

The Music Rx cart was donated to UCLA’s Child Life/Child Development Services department by the Children’s Cancer Association (CCA), with support from the Starlight Children’s Foundation. UCLA is one of first hospitals to participate in the CCA’s nationwide expansion of the Music Rx program, which began in Portland, Oregon. A CCA study of Music Rx showed that the program had a positive effect on a child’s mood, family bonding and pain scores, compared with those who did not receive the music therapy.

A second component of the Music Rx program features a live music element, with professional harpists, cellists, flautists and other community musicians playing soothing music in the pediatric hallways.

When children are seriously ill, they need more than conventional medicine. Music therapy may be the answer.

For more information, go to: medicalnewstoday

Technorati Tags: hospitalized children, Mattel Children's Hospital UCLA, music therapy

As a chiropractor and children’s health advocate I was very excited when I read the article in the New York Times this morning about the crackdown by the Food and Drug Administration on the sale of flavored cigarettes. The announcement was made by Dr. Margaret A. Hamburg, commissioner of food and drugs. The ban is intended to end the sale of tobacco products with chocolate, vanilla, clove and other flavorings that lure children and teenagers into smoking. The agency will study regulating menthol products and hinted that it might soon take action against the far larger market of flavored small cigars and cigarillos. “These flavored cigarettes are a gateway for many children and young adults to become regular smokers,” Dr. Hamburg said in announcing the ban.

Laws are required, and should be strenuously enforced, when there seems to be no conscience on the part of big business, especially when it comes to the health of our children. This ban is wonderful news as studies show that every day 3,600 children and teenagers start smoking and 1,100 become daily smokers.

Matthew L. Myers, president of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, hailed Tuesday’s announcement and said it clearly applied to flavored small cigars that are virtually identical to cigarettes. “The F.D.A. demonstrated that they’re serious about enforcing the ban on flavored cigarettes and serious about preventing tobacco companies from circumventing that ban with other tobacco products that appeal to children,” Mr. Myers said.

For the full article and sources, go to: nytimes.com

Technorati Tags: childrens health, flavored cigarettes, Food and Drug Administration