An interesting study published by The American Medical Association strongly suggests that some allergies occur when babies are sensitized by foods passed along in breast milk. In order for a food allergy to develop, the person must be exposed (sensitized) to the food in some form. For example, many children who have peanut allergies have their […]
It appears that we can add a reduced asthma risk to the growing list of benefits of breast feeding. A recent Australian study strongly suggests a decreased incidence of asthma in babies breast fed for at least 4 months. The study involved 2,602 infants and followed their asthma-related health for 6 years. An important outcome of this […]
The documented benefits of breast-feeding are well known by most expectant and new parents. Yet, a new study just released in the Archives of Disease in Childhood, suggests even more good news about breast-fed babies…a reduced chance of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Perhaps the strongest message was the emphasis on sleeping position, reminding parents that […]
A recently published article in the journal Pediatrics reminds us all that heat stress from enclosed vehicles can cause significant temperature rise and put infants & children at risk for hyperthermia. The effects of high internal automobile temperatures takes young lives every year in the U.S. In 2016, the number of deaths from heat stroke rose […]
A well established study suggests that tap water accounts for 7-17% of all scald burns requiring hospitalization in children. Toddlers and pre-school children were the most frequent victims. In this study, 45% of the scalding injuries occurred when the unsupervised victim or peer turned on the tap water. Home testing of bath water temperatures was […]
The importance of child safety in vehicles cannot be ignored. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA,) 1 in 3 children (under the age of 13) killed in car crashes died as a result of being unrestrained at the time of impact. The NHTSA has specific guidelines regarding child seats in automobiles. The […]
Protecting our children from burns remains an important part of home safety. A 6-year long study from the Department of Surgery at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, looked at causes of pediatric burns and their outcomes. The study included 449 pediatric burn victims under the age of 16. The average was just […]
During my 18 years as a CPR instructor I have seen new guidelines come and go. They appear about every 5-6 years and are often accompanied by declarations of “new and improved.” For the thousands of parents I have worked with over the years, new and improved is only meaningful if it translates into “Can […]
As the weather heats up in Southern California, so does the risk of drowning. Drowning is the second leading cause of fatalities in the pediatric population and, as we know, too many of these events occur in the presence of a parent or care provider. Our overriding emphasis should be focused on primary prevention. Should […]
Up until 2003, the The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) was advising that parents keep a 1-ounce bottle of syrup of ipecac in the home to induce vomiting if it was feared a child had swallowed a poisonous substance. Ipecac was recommended for use only on the advice of a doctor or poison control center. In […]