Tag Archive for 'Children'

Twenty percent of U.S. teens found to have high cholesterol levels

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Jana
on January 27, 2010
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Around one out of every five American teenagers have high cholesterol levels, according to federal health officials. Unfortunately, these high levels of cholesterol can lead to heart disease.

Obese children were found to be at the highest risk for abnormal “blood lipid” levels, with 43% testing outside the normal ranges, according to the report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Blood tests on 3,125 children were performed from 1999 to 2006 to obtain these results.

Lipids are the fatty substances in the blood that often lead to plaque build-up in the arteries and the early stages of heart disease. It is recommended that children with high lipid levels get counseling so they can improve their diet and exercise habits. Cholesterol drugs are also given to adults along with improved health habits. The CDC claims that around 1% of children have high cholesterol that is treatable with drugs.

LDL, or bad cholesterol, and HDL, good cholesterol, and triglycerides were measured in the study. Adults who have higher levels of LDL cholesterol and triglycerides are at an increased risk for heart attacks and strokes from heart disease. Studies have revealed that increased levels of the good kind of cholesterol can help get rid of harmful fats.

The CDC says that the leading cause of death for adults in the U.S. is heart disease, which causes around 630,000 deaths every year. Children and teenagers having high lipid levels are at a higher risk for developing heart disease when they become adults.

New figures reveal swine flu is especially dangerous for children

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Jana
on October 10, 2009
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On October 9, health officials reported that 76  children have died from the swine flu. This includes 16 new reports in the past week. This presents an ever increasing amount of evidence suggesting that this new virus, the H1N1, is unusually dangerous for children.

According to the CDC and Prevention Data, the seasonal flu kills between 46 and 88 children each year. At a press conference held Friday, October 9, Dr. Anne Schuchat said that since swine flu cases are rising, more deaths are very likely. She warned that 37 states are currently reporting widespread swine flu cases, which is up from 27 a week ago. Just one week ago, there were reports that indicated these cases might be leveling off and maybe even decreasing in some places of the U.S. Unfortunately, that turned out to be a short-lived trend.

Schuchat, who heads the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, says that they are unfortunately seeing more illnesses, hospitalizations, and more deaths.

All this said, the CDC officials report that states have ordered 3.7 million doses of swine flu vaccine for a campaign that started this week. So far, demand is outweighing supply. People who want the vaccine can begin by contacting their state or local health department to find out where to get it.

Also, health officials say more data is coming in from different clinical trials of the new vaccine, and there have been no serious side effects reported so far.

Early information from one study reveal that both seasonal and swine flu vaccines are effective when given at the same time. However, the government does not suggest that people get the nasal spray versions of each vaccine at the same time.

An exact report of all swine flu deaths and hospitalizations is not available from the CDC at this time, but current reports indicate that the infection has caused over 600 deaths and around 9000 or more hospitalizations since it first appeared in April.

Many American children lack vitamin D

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Jana
on August 3, 2009
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It has been discovered that millions of children in the U.S. have alarmingly low levels of vitamin D. According to two new studies that gave the first national assessment of the important nutrient in young Americans, this could potentially raise their risk for heart disease, bone problems, diabetes and other illnesses.

There is about 9 percent or 7.6 million adolescents and young adults, ranging in age from 1 to 21, who have such low vitamin D levels that they are considered deficient. Also, 61 percent – 50.8 million – have higher levels, but they are still too low, as stated by the analysis of federal data that was recently released.

Girls, adolescents and darker skin people are especially susceptible to low vitamin D levels. This was found after an analysis of a study on 6,000 children. One of the studies found that 59 percent of black teenage girls were deficient in vitamin D.

Some of the researchers believe the low levels are due to a combination of things. These include things such as children spending more time watching T.V. and playing video games instead of playing outside, using sunscreen and covering up whenever they go outside, and drinking soda and other drinks instead of milk and not consuming enough foods with vitamin D.

Get kids to bed earlier, to ward off obesity

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Jana
on May 10, 2009
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Everyone knows that diet and exercise are very effective ways to keep childhood obesity at bay. The latest research indicates that getting kids to go to bed earlier can help too. A study done by the University of Montreal showed that more than 25% of children who slept less than 10 hours a night were overweight by age 6, as compared to 15% who got 10 hours of sleep and only 10% who slept 11 hours. The difference may be from an increase in the production of a hormone that triggers appetite and a decrease in the hormone that decreases food intake – both resulting from loss of sleep. The good news for adults is that similar results were found in them as well.

Also, researchers in a Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center study found that kids who are overweight are possibly at an increased risk for chronic headaches. It was found that as kids lost weight, they came down with fewer headaches.

So what does a parent need to do? Well, first of all, urge your kids to get active by riding their bikes or getting involved in sports. As long as they are kept busy and active during the day, they’ll definitely be more ready to hit the sack at bedtime. Once they are in the habit of going to bed at a certain hour, they will be more tired and ready to go to bed at that time because their internal clock has changed.

Health coverage sluggish for N.C. kids

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Jana
on November 17, 2008
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The amount of children without insurance in North Carolina was already increasing by the thousands, as the economy plummeted this year. N.C. is now ranked number 6 in the U.S. for the amount of children lacking health insurance coverage. Surprisingly, most of these children, almost 300,000, lived with working parents.

Using data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the advocacy group Families USA released these results last week. These findings increased awareness of perplexing problems concerning how and when children visit doctors. Children with serious health situations such as appendicitis and brain tumors have had to wait to be treated  because they lacked insurance. In these cases, children had to suffer from diseases that could have easily been treated if they had been detected sooner. Meanwhile the cost of care continues to increase.

Numerous parents just do not know that their children are qualified to get health coverage. Almost two-thirds of the children without insurance in North Carolina are eligible for coverage under Medicaid or the state’s child health insurance program called N.C. Health Choice. Medicaid was created by the government to insure the poor, and Health Choice, which is funded by federal and state tax money, is accessible to families with low-income who are not eligible for Medicaid, because they make more money than Medicaid allows.

In summary, more information about insurance eligibility needs to be provided to low-income families who are in dire need of health insurance. Hopefully, this will prevent more children from having to suffer needlessly from devastating diseases.

U.S. has 9 million uninsured children

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Jana
on October 27, 2008
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A recent study on children without health insurance showed that in many cases, at least one of their parents is covered by insurance. More than 3 percent of were not insured: 1,380 of 39,588 children. In about 90 percent of cases, the insured parents of kids with no coverage had a private plan instead of government healthcare. Most of the uninsured children whose parents were covered came from low-or middle-income families. It was found that 25 percent were of Hispanic background. This indicates that private insurance is too expensive for many working families. In most of these low- or middle income families, it was found that it was the kid and not the parent that was insured. 

Unfortunately, there are 9 million children in the nation with no health insurance coverage. This lack of healthcare coverage for children can have severe consequences, such as going without medical care or prescription medications.

Researchers recommend increasing public outreach and retention efforts to keep eligible children enrolled in public insurance benefits. They also suggest expanding the “State Children’s Health Insurance Program” (SCHIP).   Expanding partial assistance programs was also recommended to help make private coverage more affordable for families who prefer coverage for everyone under one plan.

Double the vitamin D for kids

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Jana
on October 13, 2008
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According to the nation’s leading pediatricians group, children ranging from newborns to teens need double the normally suggested amount of vitamin D. The reason for this new advice is that evidence shows that it may assist in preventing some serious diseases. 

The American Academy of Pediatrics said that in order for children to get the newly recommended 400 units daily of vitamin D, daily vitamin supplements will be needed. The previous advice came in 2003 from the academy, who recommended 200 units back then. 

Infants on formula usually don’t need supplements because baby formula contains vitamin D, but the academy recommends breast-feeding for the first year of life, although breast milk is sometimes insufficient.

Even though most milk contains vitamin D, many children and teens don’t drink the recommended amount of four cups daily. Incredibly, cases of rickets, a bone disorder resulting from malnourishment accouring in the 1800’s, continues to occur.

Besides helping bones to stay strong, research suggests that vitamin D might reduce the chances of getting cancer, heart disease and diabetes. Unfortunately, it is not yet known how much vitamin D would be necessary to prevent disease, and the evidence is not conclusive.

As mentioned before, the government recommends 400 units for children. The same amount applies to adults up to age 70, and 600 units are suggested for those aged 71 and up.

Other than milk and fortified foods like cereal, vitamin D can be found in oily fish such as tuna, sardines and mackerel.

A vitamin D researcher at Oregon State University, Adrian Gombart, said that the new recommendations are safe but that the 400 units “is probably not enough.” His lab work using human tissue has revealed that vitamin D helps to increase amounts of a protein that kills bacteria. He even said that there are many experts that believe that as much as 800 to 1000 units daily would be better at fighting disease.

It is difficult to get enough vitamin D through diet alone. Sunlight is said to be the best source, because the body makes vitamin D when the sun reaches the skin.

Although 10 to 15 minutes in the sun without sunscreen a few times a week is enough for most people, those with darker skin or living in northern, less sunny areas need more. Since there is a risk of skin cancer from sunlight, vitamin D supplements are necessary during infancy, childhood and adolescence.

Trouble focusing in school? Check kids’ eyes first

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Jana
on September 12, 2008
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If your child is having trouble focusing in school, don’t assume that Ritalin will be the right fix. Eyes, ears and teeth should be checked out for any problems before medicine is brought into the picture.

Some parents have been happy with the progress their kids have made in school after doing eye exercises with a vision therapist.

Even though younger kids usually don’t complain about their eyes, parents need to know the symptoms of vision problems, even when the child has 20/20 vision. According to The American Optometry Association, parents should be concerned if their child frequently:

  • Uses his finger to keep his place when reading or loses his place while reading
  • Tends to avoid close work
  • Keeps reading material closer than normal
  • Tends to rub his eyes and gets headaches
  • Makes reversals when writing or reading
  • Has problems with hand-eye-body coordination when they throw a ball or ride a bike

Some children can’t keep their reading material in focus and their eyes get tired easily, so they frequently look up from what they are reading. Unfortunately, problems like this usually cause these children to be underachievers.

Children should get comprehensive eye exams, beginning at 6 months, 3 years and again when a child starts school, according to the eye association. Simple vision screenings often miss some of these problems. 

Likewise, the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association claims that some kids may pass a simple hearing screening but still have a hearing loss that comes and goes or gets worse.