Dr. John's Health Matters
Welcome to Dr. John's Health Matters blog.
The articles posted here are from various sources who are duly acknowledged. I would appreciate being immediately notified, if any copywritten material needs to be removed. This blog is not intended to replace the qualified advice of a licensed health practitioner. Readers should exercise their own judgment. Enjoy, subscribe, participate and tell others :)
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Posts tagged "infant"
Monday, Aug 31st, 2009 ↓Home birth with midwife safe as hospital →
Aug 31, 2009 (Cbc.ca)—Giving birth at home with a registered midwife can be as safe as a hospital birth for the infant and the mom, according to a Canadian study released Monday.
Midwives provide round-the-clock care for women during pregnancy, childbirth and postpartum in hospitals, birthing centres and at the homes of women.
The rate of deaths was about two per 1,000 for planned home births involving midwives as well as deliveries in hospitals involving either midwives or doctors, the researchers found.
“Women planning birth at home experienced reduced risk for all obstetric interventions measured, and similar or reduced risk for adverse maternal outcomes,” such as electronic fetal monitoring and postpartum hemorrhage, Dr. Patricia Janssen from the University of British Columbia and her co-authors wrote in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.
For full article, see link above.
Tags: pregnant birth safety midwife hospital infant mom mother delivery fetal monitoring postpartum hemorrhage
Depression And Anxiety Affect Up To 15 Percent Of Preschoolers →
Aug 28, 2009 (Sciencedaily.com)—Almost 15 percent of preschoolers have atypically high levels of depression and anxiety, according to a new study published in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry. The five-year investigation also found that children with atypically high depression and anxiety levels are more likely to have mothers with a history of depression.
The study was conducted in Canada by an international team of researchers from the Université de Montréal, the Université Laval and McGill University, as well as Inserm (Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale) in France, Carnegie Mellon University in the U.S. and University College Dublin in Ireland.
“As early as the first year of life, there are indications that some children have more risks than others to develop high levels of depression and anxiety,” says first author Sylvana M. Côté, a professor at the Université de Montréal’s Department of Social and Preventive Medicine. “Difficult temperament at five months was the most important predictor of depression and anxiety in the children.”
As part of the investigation, the scientists annually evaluated a representative sample of pre-schoolers from five months to five years of age. All 1,758 children were born in Québec and mothers provided information during extensive interviews on behaviour and family members.
“We found that lifetime maternal depression was the second most important predictor of atypically high depressive and anxiety problems during preschool years,” stresses Dr. Côté. “Our study is the first to show that infant temperament and lifetime maternal depression can lead to a high trajectory of depressive and anxiety problems before school entry.”
“It is critical that preventive interventions be experimented with infants who risk developing depressive and anxiety disorders,” adds Dr. Côté. “Health professionals should target such high risk children at infancy, as well as their parents, to have a long-term impact on their well-being.”
For full article, see link above.
Tags: depression anxiety preschool child children kid risk temperament maernal emotion disorder infant well-being
Seizures up premature birth: Study →
Aug 24, 2009 (Presstv.com)—Women experiencing seizure attacks when pregnant are more likely to give birth to a premature or small infant, a new study finds.
Despite controversial studies regarding the impact of seizures on the newborn, the new study revealed that seizures are what contribute to the increased risk of complications in infants.
According to the study published in the Archives of Neurology, babies born to have low birth weight (weighing less than 2,500 grams) and be small for gestational age (having a birth weight below the 10th percentile for age).
Scientists claim seizures lead to adverse pregnancy outcomes through various mechanisms. Trauma caused by the attacks may rupture fetal membranes, increasing the risk of infection and early delivery.
Seizure attacks may also result in contractions in the uterus, leading to tension and acute injury, and subsequently to premature birth.
“Neonates born pre-term, of low birth weight and small for gestational age may be predisposed to diseases during infancy and later life, highlighting the significance of proper intervention strategies for prevention,” the authors stressed.
Scientists therefore urged physicians to control seizure attacks before pregnancy, improve sleep quality in women and teach them required strategies for coping with stress.
Tags: premature infant baby seizure mother small newborn complication birth weight pregnancy infection risk uterus tension injury sleep stress
Moms-to-be Warned Over Use Of Fetal Heart Rate Monitors →
Aug 21, 2009 (Sciencedaily.com)—Mums-to-be are being advised not to use personal monitors (Doppler devices) to listen to their baby’s heartbeat at home over fears that they may lead to delays in seeking help for reduced fetal movements.
In a recent article in the British Medical Journal, Dr Thomas Aust and colleagues from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Arrowe Park Hospital, Wirral describe the case of a 27 year old woman who presented to their labour ward 32 weeks into her first pregnancy with reduced fetal movements.
She had first noted a reduction in her baby’s activity two days earlier but had used her own Doppler device to listen to the heartbeat and reassured herself that everything was normal.
Further monitoring by the antenatal care team was not reassuring and the baby was delivered by Caesarean section later that evening. The baby remained on the special care baby unit for eight weeks and is making steady progress.
A hand-held Doppler device assesses the presence of fetal heart pulsations only at that moment, and it is used by midwives and obstetricians to check for viability or for intermittent monitoring during labour, explain the authors. In untrained hands it is more likely that blood flow through the placenta or the mother’s main blood vessels will be heard.
For full article see link above.
Are Ads Endangering Your Baby? →
Aug 20, 2009 (Mercola.com)—Guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) advise caretakers to put infants to sleep on their backs and to avoid loose bedding, soft sleeping surfaces and bed sharing in order to reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
But a new study finds that, contrary to these recommendations, magazines geared toward women ages 20 to 40 often portray infants in unsafe sleeping positions, which could give new parents the wrong idea.
The study examined almost 400 pictures of sleeping infants from 28 magazines, including Parenting, Pregnancy and Baby Talk. In most cases, media portrayals were not consistent with AAP recommendations for safe sleep practices.
Infants were photographed on their stomachs or sides 36 percent of the time, and 63 percent of the images depicted unsafe sleeping environments containing pillows, stuffed animals and blankets, or sharing a bed with an adult.
Tags: advertising risk baby infant sleeping position loose bedding SIDS environmnet pillow stuffed animal
Poor Sleep In Children May Have Prenatal Origins →
August 2, 2009 (Sciencedaily.com)—A new study found that alcohol consumption during pregnancy and small body size at birth predict poorer sleep and higher risk of sleep disturbances in 8-year-old children born at term. Findings are clinically significant, as poor sleep and sleep disturbances in children are associated with obesity, depressive symptoms, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and poor neurobehavioral functioning.
Results indicate that children exposed prenatally to alcohol were 2.5 times more likely to have a short sleep duration of 7.7 hours or less and 3.6 times more likely to have a low sleep efficiency of 77.2 percent or less across all nights, independent of body size at birth and current maternal alcohol use. Smaller body size at birth also was associated with poorer sleep and with a higher risk for clinically significant sleep disturbances among children born at term. More specifically, lower weight and shorter length at birth were associated with lower sleep efficiency, and a lower ponderal index (an indicator of fetal growth status) was associated with the presence of sleep disturbances. In addition, children with short sleep duration were more likely to have been born via Caesarean section than were children sleeping longer (23.1 percent versus 8.4 percent respectively).
According to principal investigator Katri Räikkönen, PhD, in the department of psychology at the University of Helsinki, Finland, even low levels of weekly prenatal exposure to alcohol have adverse effects on sleep quantity and quality during childhood.
“The results were in accordance with the fetal origins of health and disease hypothesis and the many studies that have shown that adverse fetal environment may have lifelong influences on health and behavior,” said Räikkönen. “However, this is among the few studies that have reported associations between birth variables and sleep quality and quantity among an otherwise healthy population of children.”
For full article see link above.
Tags: poor sleep disturbance alcohol childen chil infant pregancy weight prenatal caesarean risk behaviour
Bisphenol A detected in ‘BPA-free’ baby bottles →
July 31, 2009 (foodproductiondaily.com)—Baby bottles labelled as being free of bisphenol A (BPA) have been found to contain small amounts of the chemical, research from Canadian health authorities has revealed.
A study by Health Canada detected trace levels of the substance in baby bottles marketed as BPA-free. However, memos exchanged between agency officials characterized the findings in two brands as “high readings”.
But doubts have been expressed over the findings as producers of BPA-free bottles dismiss the findings as flawed and Health Canada said the BPA presence – which it believes poses no health threat - could be as a result of cross contamination during the bottle manufacturing process.
The Health Canada study was carried out on nine brands of non-polycarbonate bottles last year following the Canadian Government declaration that it would ban polycarbonate bottles on fears BPA was leaching into liquids.
The results, obtained by Canwest under a freedom of access request, found BPA in a polypropylene bottle “which should contain no BPA”, said a senior scientist. He recommended further tests be carried out on other brands. No brand names were released for fear of the commercial consequences.
For full article see link above.
Anesthesia in Young Kids Leads to Learning Disabilities →
July 30, 2009 (NaturalNews.com)— Exposure to anesthesia more than once before the age of three appears to significantly increase a person’s risk of developing learning disabilities in childhood, according to a study conducted by researchers from the Mayo Medical School and published in the journal Anesthesiology.
The researchers examined the medical records of all children born in one of five towns in Olmstead County, Minn., between the years of 1976 and 1982. They compared data on anesthesia exposure before the age of three and the diagnosis of a learning disability before the age of 19 in the 5,357 of these children who had lived in Olmstead County until at least the age of five.
Among children who had been exposed to anesthesia once before the age of three, the risk of learning abilities was the same as among children who had never been exposed. Two anesthesia exposures, however, increased the risk of learning disabilities by 59 percent, while three or more exposures increased the risk by 160 percent.
For full article see link above.
Tags: exposure anesthesia infant child learning disability development risk behaviour halothane
Drugs Expose Premature Babies to Chemicals →
July 22, 2009 (Mercola.com)—
Many liquid medications contain additives, some of which are thought to be toxic to small infants even in minute quantities. And when small infants are given several drugs a day, there is a potential that they may be given large doses of a specific additive as a consequence of treatment.
Researchers looked at the medication records of 38 preterm infants in a single hospital. During their in-patient stays, seven infants who had chronic lung disease were exposed to more than 20 additives, including ethanol and propylene glycol, which are both associated with brain damage.
Sources:
Reuters July 20, 2009Premature babies are often exposed to additives in their medications that could put them at risk of brain and lung damage.
Tags: drug additive infant baby premature brain damage risk danger toxic medication lung
Are We What Our Mothers Ate? →
July 21, 2009 (Sciencedaily.com)—Mothers’ health in the days and weeks prior to becoming pregnant may determine the health of offspring much later in life, according to results of studies reported at the annual meeting of the Society for the Study of Reproduction, which takes place July 18 to 22 at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh. These studies demonstrate that maternal nutrition, protein intake and level of fat in the diet may cause epigenetic changes in the developing fetus that can have long-term health consequences.
Too Much of a Sweet Thing? Maternal Diabetes and Embryo Development
The time between ovulation and conception may be a critical one for maternal and fetal health, according to Kelle Moley, M.D., Washington University School of Medicine. In mouse studies, she found that subtle differences in maternal metabolism had long-lasting effects. Indeed, when Dr. Moley transferred embryos from a diabetic mouse into a non-diabetic mouse shortly after egg implantation, she noted neural tube defects, heart defects, limb deformities and growth defects in offspring. These findings indicate that we may need to re-direct our ideas about maternal health to the time prior to pregnancy, she says.
For full article see link above.
Tags: diet nutrition pregnancy mother infant baby protein fat diabetes embryo development growth defect
Infants Should Be Screened For Hip Trouble →
July 17, 2009 (Sciencedaily.com)—Developmental hip dysplasia is the most common congenital defect in newborns. The condition occurs when a hip joint is shallow, unstable or when the joint is dislocated. Infants with the condition are often at risk of developing arthritis of the hip as a young adult. A new study published in the July 2009 issue of The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (JBJS) finds that screening all infants for hip dysplasia can significantly decrease their chance of developing early arthritis.
“This study systematically evaluated what we know about hip dysplasia to determine the best screening strategy for newborns,” said study author Susan Mahan, MD, Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgeon with Children’s Hospital in Boston and instructor in orthopaedic surgery at Harvard Medical School. “Our study confirms that pediatricians need to continue their current screening strategies for hip dysplasia. However, our findings refute a recent report from The United States Preventive Services Task Force that was unable to recommend screening strategies.”
For full article see link above.
Bottle-Feeding Moms Ignored - Healthy Kids and Pediatrics - Information on Children's Health produced by doctors →
July 15, 2009 (Therapytimes.com)—The lack of information and support for mothers who bottle-feed could put the health of their infants at risk, say British researchers who reviewed 23 studies that included more than 13,000 participants.
Most infants will receive some formula milk during their first year of life, even if their mothers have decided to breastfeed, said Dr. Rajalakshmi Lakshman and colleagues, from the University of Cambridge. Variations in bottle-feeding can have long-term health consequences for children, they noted.
Their review of published studies identified several common themes:
- Some mothers who bottle-fed — either because they couldn’t breastfeed or because they prefer to bottle-feed — experienced negative emotions such as guilt, worry about the impact on their baby, concern about health professionals’ opinions, uncertainty about how to proceed, a sense of failure and anger at feeling pressure to breastfeed.
- Some mothers said they didn’t receive enough information on correct bottle-feeding techniques, which made it difficult to make decisions about whether they should bottle-feed and left them unsure about proper feeding frequencies and quantities.
- It was common for mothers to make mistakes in bottle-feeding preparation. Incorrect preparation can increase the risk of infection, promote excessive weight gain or leave babies undernourished.
- Some mothers who bottle-fed felt that hospital midwives spent far more time with breastfeeding mothers.
The findings appear online July 14 in the journal Archives of Disease in Childhood.
It’s important to promote breastfeeding because it’s the healthiest option for both mother and baby, said the authors. But they added that it’s “also necessary to ensure that the needs of bottle-feeding mothers are met … Inadequate information and support for mothers who decide to bottle-feed may put the health of their babies at risk.”
If health-care professionals don’t provide correct information about bottle-feeding, mothers will seek help from family and friends, which may increase the risk of incorrect bottle-feeding practices being handed down, the researchers said.
— Robert Preidt
Tags: infant baby bottle fed emotion consquence children preparation technique undernourished breastfeeding
Two-Thirds of Parents Still Feeding Their Babies Dangerous Cough Medicines →
July 13, 2009 (NaturalNews.com)— Although nearly all parents have heard the warnings against giving over-the-counter (OTC) cold and cough medicines to young children, nearly two-thirds of them are still doing so, according to a study conducted by researchers from Harris Interactive and funded by the herbal pharmaceutical company Bionorica.
“It’s very concerning to me that so many parents are still giving their children these OTC cough and cold products with the possible associated dangers and the question of their effectiveness in children,” said family physician Marcela Dominguez of Mission Hospital Regional Medical Center.
OTC cold and cough medicines have never been tested in young children, and there is no evidence that they work in that age group. The risk of side effects is well documented, however, and these medications are a common cause of emergency room visits in children.
For full article see link above.
Fish oil during pregnancy may slash infant allergy →
July 9, 2009 (nutraingredients.com)—Supplements of omega-3-rich fish oils during pregnancy may reduce the risk of food allergy and eczema in children, according to a new study from Sweden.
The occurrence of eczema and food allergies was 16 and 13 per cent lower, respectively, in infants of mothers receiving the fish oil supplements during pregnancy and the early months of breast-feeding, compared to placebo, according to findings published in the journal Acta Paediatrica.
“This randomized placebo-controlled double-blind study shows that omega-3 supplementation during pregnancy and lactation may reduce the risk of developing allergic sensitization to egg, IgE-associated eczema and food allergy during the first year of life,” wrote the authors, led by Catrin Furuhjelm from Linkoping University.
For full article see link above.
Breastfeeding Babies Boosts Academic Achievements, GPA →
July 1, 2009 (Naturalnews.com)—Breastfeeding has long been known to be an important way mothers can help keep infants healthy. For example, according to the American College of Pediatrics, breastfeeding slashes the rate of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) during the first year of life (http://www.naturalnews.com/026239_S…) and it also reduces the risk of type-2 diabetes, leukemia, lymphomas and asthma in older children.
Now there’s another benefit to add to the list, this time for teens. A new study by American University (AU) professor Joseph Sabia and University of Colorado Denver professor Daniel Rees concludes breastfeeding leads to better academic achievement in high school and an increased likelihood of attending college.
For full article see link above.
