Community Magazine November 2008

82 Community magazine FANS LOWER SIDS RISK Using a fan to circulate air lowered the risk of sudden in- fant death syndrome (SIDS) by 72 percent according to a study of nearly 500 babies published in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine. The exact causes of SIDS, which is char- acterized by the sudden death of an otherwise healthy infant, are not known, yet the phenomenon is the leading cause of death in infants aged 1 month to 1 year. Experts maintain that the best ad- vice for preventing SIDS is placing babies on their backs to sleep.. Experts also recommend a firm mattress, removing toys and pillows from cribs, and keeping infants from getting too warm.. COLDREMEDIES INEFFECTIVE FOR KIDS The makers of cold and cough medicines voluntarily agreed to stop marketing over-the-counter remedies to children under four. The move comes two years after the Baltimore Health Commis- sioner and a group of leading pediatricians petitioned the U.S. Food and Drug Administration saying the products are not effective in young children and could cause harm. Most incidents of harm in- volve accidental overdoses by 2- or 3-year-olds. Syrups from brands such as Triaminic and Robitussin with labels saying “Do Not Use” for children under 4 are currently being shipped to stores. Older packages – that have no warning – are likely to remain on store shelves for several months during the transition. Last fall, a fed- eral advisory panel recommended that the remedies not be given to children under 6, and found no evidence that they are effective in children under 12. STATES ASK COMPANIES TO PULL BPA The chemical bisphenol A (BPA), found in soft plastics, was the subject of concern in letters sent recently by Attorneys general to 11 companies that make baby bottles and formula containers. Though the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has ten- tatively concluded that BPA is safe, this conclusion has drawn criticism for not recognizing research that shows a link between BPA and heart disease and di- abetes. A preliminary study released by the Journal of the American Medical Association suggested that adults exposed to higher amounts of the chemical were more likely to report having heart disease and diabetes. The Attorneys general asked the manufac- turers to discontinue the use of BPA in baby products since they may be harmful to infants. Experts advise consumers to avoid plastic containers imprinted with the recycling number 7, as many of those contain BPA. CONFUSIONOVER FLU VACCINE FOR KIDS Getting a flu shot is an annual rite of passage – or at least should be, according to some U.S. health officials. This year, for the first time, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended that all children aged six months through 18 years receive the flu vaccine. However, a new study published in the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine suggests that the flu shot doesn’t necessarily protect children from illness. The research found that kids who got immunized did not get the flu at lower rates than unvaccinated kids, and that immunized youngsters were just as likely to be hospitalized or to visit the doctor as kids who never received the vaccine. In light of the new study, many New Jersey parents are fuming over a first-in- the-nation law requiring vaccination as a condition for attending preschools and day-care centers, contending that this should be the parents’ decision, not the state’s. Experts are also warning parents against deciding to skip the flu shot this year pointing out that study results will vary depending on which populations are studied, which vaccine is used and how many subjects are included. In this study, most of the children received the injected vaccine, but recent studies have shown that the nasal spray, known as FluMist, appears to be better at protecting youngsters from influenza. EXOTIC PETSMAKE KIDS SICK Reptiles, monkeys, rodents and other exotic pets shouldn’t be welcomed in homes with babies, toddlers or people with immune- system problems according to a report published in the journal Pediatrics which listed a battery of nasty diseases linked to un- conventional pets. The report’s authors called for more awareness about the increased risks of exposure to nontraditional pets and animals in public settings, such as petting zoos, for infants, chil- dren under age 5, and patients suffering immune-system problems. Potential effects of exposure range from allergies to the spread of infectious diseases, they said. 6% of all spo- radic salmonella in- fections in the US – about 74,000 cases annually – are the result of direct or in- direct contact with reptiles or amphibians. To • junior's • Health