Community Magazine October 2010

To • • Health 68 Community magazine NEWFLU VACCINE RECOMMENDATIONS In addition to the recommendation to immunize kids over six months old with the flu vaccine, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) advises that special efforts be made to also administer this years’ vaccine to: members of their household; out-of-home care providers of children younger than five; children with high-risk conditions such as asthma, diabetes and neurological disorders; health care workers; and pregnant women. Two influenza vaccines were recommended last year, but only one trivalent vaccine is being made for the 2010-11 seasonal influenza vaccine schedule. The new vaccine includes the pandemic influenza A (H1N1) strain as well as two other strains of flu virus. AAP RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE 2010-2011 FLU SEASON: Under 6 months No influenza vaccine 6 Months to 9 Years Old Two doses administered more than four weeks apart, unless the child received the H1N1 vaccine during last year’s season, in which case only one dose is needed Over 9 Years Old One dose Children who are advised to receive two doses this year should receive the second dose at least four weeks after the first dose. COOKWARE, CARPETS…AND CHOLESTEROL? Perflorocarbons, which are found in many common household products, from non-stick cookware to stain-resistant carpets, to waterproof fabrics, were linked to a rise in cholesterol levels in children, the Archives of Pediatrics reports. Researchers looked at blood samples of more than 12,000 children, who lived in an area where the drinking water was contaminated with one type of perflorocarbon near a DuPont Chemical factory in Wood County, West Virgina. Children in the study, who were exposed to much higher levels than most Americans, were found to have clinically abnormal cholesterol levels. The study contends that more research is needed to determine health effects, if any, on lower levels of exposure to these widely used prolific chemicals. BEMINDFUL OF CONCUSSIONS Emergency room visits for concussion in kids aged 8 to 13 playing organized sports doubled between 1997 to 2007, and more than doubled for older teens, according to a study published in Pediatrics. New guidelines have been set for parents to be more keenly aware of what to do to avoid and treat concussions. A child should not go back to play on the same day he or she suffers a concussion. There is no medication or treatment proven to help concussions, other than rest – even homework, television and video games may worsen symptoms. The child should also be restricted from physical activity until there are no symptoms at rest or during exercise. Symptoms of a concussion generally resolve within about 7-10 days. Signs that the child is not getting better include worsening headaches, feeling lightheaded, sore joints, losing consciousness and vomiting. If the child has had multiple concussions over a period of time, doctors suggest they refrain from further sports activity. Concussions are most likely in football, basketball, soccer, ice hockey, bicycling, playground games and snow skiing. To reduce injuries, preventive steps such as using protective equipment should be taken. From 2001 to 2005, there were an estimated 502,000 emergency department visits for concussion among U.S. kids aged 8 to 19 – about half of which were sports-related – and 8-to 13-year-olds accounted for about one-third of the visits. IPODS HARMINGHEARING Hearing loss as a result of close proximity to loud music doubled among girls between 1985 and 2008 according to the Center for Hearing and Communication. The 24-year study, which included 8,710 girls averaging 16 years of age, also found that between 2001 and 2008, personal music player use among the girls rose four times as much. During that same period, hearing loss increased eight percent, and the proportion of girls with tinnitus (ringing, buzzing or hissing in the ears) nearly tripled, from 4.6 percent to 12.5 percent. Of the teens with tinnitus, 99.7 percent used in-ear music devices. Though the study focused only on girls, boys are not immune from the phenomenon. The Journal of Adolescent Health reports that one in three teenagers will lose a third of their hearing before their 30th birthday if their music earbuds are used for one hour a day, every day, at high volume.