A roundup of recent newspaper stories about children's health...
Monday, March 12:
Study:
Kids Need Help Before Adolescence
According to survey of San Mateo County adolescents, early intervention
is the key to reducing the alcohol, drug, violence, and sexual health
issues that high school students say they face every day. County health
experts noted that programs in middle and elementary school are needed
to help students tackle the issues they'll encounter later on. (SF Examiner,
2/28/07, by Carpenter)
New
Hope
for Smallest Transplant Patients
Doctors can transplant organs safely in babies even if the organ
is of a different blood type, experts say. Babies up to 2 years old have
not developed the antibodies that would reject an organ due to blood type,
and the United Network for Organ Sharing notes that this discovery may
lead to fewer children dying while waiting for an organ transplant. (AP,
3/5/07, by Neergaard)
Congress
Creates Caucus to Promote Philanthropy
The House of Representatives has announced the establishment
of a bipartisan caucus dedicated to nonprofits and philanthropic foundations.
The organizers say the caucus will work to better educate representatives
on the special needs of nonprofits. (Examiner, 3/5/07, by Sietzen)
Debunking
the Promiscuity Myth
Doctors say that much of the national debate surrounding whether
preteen girls should be vaccinated against HPV, a virus that can cause
cervical cancer, is based on a misconception that girls must be promiscuous
in order to get the virus. Although HPV is sexually transmitted, it is
common enough that women with one partner may be at risk, experts say.
(NY Times, 3/6/07, by Grady)
Study: Kids
in Stressful Environments Get Sick More Often
Researchers have found that children who face chronic stress,
such as parental conflicts or violence in the home, are more likely to
have fevers than other children. (Reuters, 3/6/07, by Dunham)
More
Teens Resort to Surgery for Obesity
The number of teens who undergo surgery to lose weight has tripled
since 2000. Doctors emphasize that the surgeries should only be used as
a last resort for teens, especially because the psychological effects
of extreme weight loss are not well understood. (AP, 3/6/07)
ADHD
Medications Increase Worldwide
A new study shows that the use of medications to treat ADHD has
tripled worldwide since 1993. This finding contradicts previous assumptions
that ADHD, which is characterized by poor concentration and impulsiveness
in children, was diagnosed primarily in the U.S. (MediaNews, 3/6/07, by
Mason)
Governor
Discusses Anti-Gang Measures
Governor Schwarzenegger met recently with law enforcement officials
to discuss proposals for increasing state support and coordination of
anti-gang programs. Some of the proposals included prohibiting gang members
from congregating in certain areas, and forcing paroled gang members to
wear locating devices. (Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, 3/6/07, by Edwards)
Surgeon
General: Rates of Teen Drinking Too High
Surgeon General Kenneth Moritsugu says that alcohol use among
teenagers is widespread, and that as many as 7.2 million teens nationwide
are considered binge drinkers. Noting new research that indicates alcohol
use may disrupt brain development in young drinkers, Moritsugu encourages
parents to step in to stop the behavior. (AP, 3/6/07)
Caring
for Siblings of Children with Eating Disorders
Many children can feel somewhat abandoned when their parents
focus attention on helping another sibling that is sick, experts say.
This New York Times article describes how the problem is made worse
for siblings of children with eating disorders, because of the constant
reminders of the disease. (NY Times, 3/6/07, by Brown)
Senator
Proposes Increase in Child Health Care Funding
A Montana senator has proposed an additional $50 billion over
five years in funding for the State Children's Health Insurance Program
(SCHIP). Governors of 11 states have pressured the president for a similar
increase, saying their SCHIP programs would have to be cut without it.
The program covers children from families whose incomes are above the
Medicaid threshold but still may not be able to afford insurance on their
own. (SF Chronicle, 3/6/07, by Jalonick)
Medication
Errors Most Likely in Children
A new study has found that young children are most likely to
be victims of surgery-related medication mistakes. Researchers attributed
the mistakes to poor communication between the surgery staff and recovery
staff. (NY Times, 3/7/07, by McNeil)
Too
Few Kids with Asthma Get Flu Shots
A recent study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
indicates that only 3 in 10 children with asthma get flu shots each year.
Researchers say it is especially important for asthmatic children to get
flu shots, because they are at a higher risk for complications of the
flu, such as pneumonia or acute respiratory disease. (AP, 3/8/0 , by Stobbe)
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