Adolescent girls who go through puberty early and have parents who do not nurture them, communicate with them, or have knowledge of their activities appear more likely to display aggressive behavior, according to a report in the August issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.
Early puberty in girls is related to conduct problems, delinquency and substance use, according to background information in the article. Many of these problems persist through adolescence and into early adulthood.
“As adults, early-maturing girls demonstrate lower academic and occupational achievement and report lower relationship quality and life satisfaction,” the authors write. “It is thus important to identify protective factors that may mitigate negative effects of early maturation on girls’ adjustment.”
Sylvie Mrug, Ph.D., of the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and colleagues interviewed 330 fifth-grade girls (average age 11) and their parents from three metropolitan areas.
The girls reported how often they engaged in aggressive behavior, such as hitting, teasing and spreading rumors to hurt others; whether they displayed delinquency (fighting at school, getting injured in a fight or inflicting injuries); how often their mother was affectionate and how often they did things together; whether their parents had talked to them about violence, tobacco and sex; and whether and when they had started their periods. Parents responded to seven items measuring the extent to which they knew their child’s friends and how he or she spent her free time.
One-fourth of the girls had matured early, defined as beginning their period one year before the average age for females of their racial and ethnic group. Those who did were more likely to be delinquent, but not aggressive. However, those who matured early and also had low levels of parental nurturance, communication and knowledge were more likely to be aggressive. “Also, early maturation only predicted physical aggression when combined with low maternal nurturance,” the authors write.
Early-maturing girls may be at higher risk of aggression or delinquency because they are more likely to be accepted by and form relationships with older boys, who are more likely than younger children to engage in undesirable behaviors, the authors note.
“Parental nurturance may decrease girls’ susceptibility to negative peer influence,” they write. “Also, parental nurturance may help girls cope with challenges associated with early puberty. By listening to their daughters’ difficulties and providing support and encouragement, nurturing parents can help them develop better coping skills and diffuse negative emotions that might otherwise manifest as aggression.”
Parental communication and knowledge may also protect girls from aggressive behavior, they continue. “By discussing difficult peer situations (e.g., provocation, peer pressure) and ways of dealing with them, parents may help their daughters develop a repertoire of adaptive responses that will minimize the need for inappropriate (i.e., aggressive) behavior,” they write. “In addition, knowing how their daughters spend free time may help parents identify and prevent negative peer and other influences.”
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Showing posts with label study. Show all posts
Showing posts with label study. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
STUDY: Less Time Spent in Rapid Eye Movement Sleep Associated With Being Overweight Among Children & Teens
Children and teens who get less sleep, especially those who spend less time in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, may be more likely to be overweight, according to a report in the August issue of Archives of General Psychiatry.
The obesity rate has more than tripled among children aged 6 to 11 years in the past 30 years, and approximately 17 percent of U.S. adolescents are now overweight or obese, according to background information in the article. Obesity results from an imbalance between calorie intake and energy expenditure from physical activity, but little is known about other factors that can alter this balance. A number of studies have documented an association between fewer hours of sleep and higher body mass index (BMI) in both adults and children.
Xianchen Liu, M.D., Ph.D., of the Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, Pittsburgh, and colleagues studied 335 children and adolescents age 7 to 17 years (average age 10.8). For three consecutive nights, participants’ sleep was monitored through polysomnography, which assesses total sleep time, time spent in REM, the time it takes to fall asleep and other variables. Weight and height were measured to calculate BMI.
A total of 49 participants (14.6 percent) were at risk for becoming overweight and 45 (13.4 percent) were overweight. Compared with children at a normal weight, those who were overweight slept about 22 minutes less per night and had lower sleep efficiency (percentage of time in bed that an individual is asleep), shorter REM sleep, less eye activity during REM sleep and a longer wait before the first REM period.
After adjusting for other related factors, one hour less of total sleep was associated with two-fold increased odds of being overweight and one hour less of REM sleep was associated with three-fold increased odds.
“Although the precise mechanisms are currently under investigation, the association between short sleep duration and overweight may be attributed to the interaction of behavioral and biological changes as a result of sleep deprivation,” the authors write. Sleep loss causes changes in hormone levels that may affect hunger, and also provides an individual with more waking hours in which to eat. In addition, sleep loss contributes to fatigue the following day, which may decrease physical activity and calorie expenditure.
“Given the fact that the prevalence of overweight among children and adolescents continues to increase and chronic sleep insufficiency becomes more prevalent in modern society, family- and school-based sleep interventions that aim to enhance sleep hygiene and increase sleep duration may have important public health implications for the prevention and intervention of obesity and type 2 diabetes in children,” the authors conclude. “
Furthermore, our results demonstrate an important relationship between REM sleep and high BMI and obesity, suggesting that the short sleep–obesity association may be attributed to reduced REM sleep time and decreased activity during REM sleep.”
The obesity rate has more than tripled among children aged 6 to 11 years in the past 30 years, and approximately 17 percent of U.S. adolescents are now overweight or obese, according to background information in the article. Obesity results from an imbalance between calorie intake and energy expenditure from physical activity, but little is known about other factors that can alter this balance. A number of studies have documented an association between fewer hours of sleep and higher body mass index (BMI) in both adults and children.
Xianchen Liu, M.D., Ph.D., of the Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic, Pittsburgh, and colleagues studied 335 children and adolescents age 7 to 17 years (average age 10.8). For three consecutive nights, participants’ sleep was monitored through polysomnography, which assesses total sleep time, time spent in REM, the time it takes to fall asleep and other variables. Weight and height were measured to calculate BMI.
A total of 49 participants (14.6 percent) were at risk for becoming overweight and 45 (13.4 percent) were overweight. Compared with children at a normal weight, those who were overweight slept about 22 minutes less per night and had lower sleep efficiency (percentage of time in bed that an individual is asleep), shorter REM sleep, less eye activity during REM sleep and a longer wait before the first REM period.
After adjusting for other related factors, one hour less of total sleep was associated with two-fold increased odds of being overweight and one hour less of REM sleep was associated with three-fold increased odds.
“Although the precise mechanisms are currently under investigation, the association between short sleep duration and overweight may be attributed to the interaction of behavioral and biological changes as a result of sleep deprivation,” the authors write. Sleep loss causes changes in hormone levels that may affect hunger, and also provides an individual with more waking hours in which to eat. In addition, sleep loss contributes to fatigue the following day, which may decrease physical activity and calorie expenditure.
“Given the fact that the prevalence of overweight among children and adolescents continues to increase and chronic sleep insufficiency becomes more prevalent in modern society, family- and school-based sleep interventions that aim to enhance sleep hygiene and increase sleep duration may have important public health implications for the prevention and intervention of obesity and type 2 diabetes in children,” the authors conclude. “
Furthermore, our results demonstrate an important relationship between REM sleep and high BMI and obesity, suggesting that the short sleep–obesity association may be attributed to reduced REM sleep time and decreased activity during REM sleep.”
STUDY: U.S. Immigrant Childfren May Be Less Physically Active Than US-Born Children
Immigrant children in the United States appear to be less physically active and less likely to participate in sports than U.S.–born children, according to a report in the August issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
“Because of a dramatic increase in the prevalence of childhood obesity and diabetes mellitus during the past two decades, physical activity has assumed an increasingly prominent role in disease prevention and health promotion efforts in the United States and is considered one of the 10 leading health indicators for the nation,” according to background information in the article. This has resulted in a closer monitoring of physical activity and sedentary behavior levels in children and adults in the U.S.
With immigrants now accounting for 12.6 percent of the total U.S. population, “it is important to know how patterns of physical activity, inactivity and sedentary behaviors for this increasing segment of the population differ from those of the majority native population,” the authors note.
Gopal K. Singh, Ph.D., of the Health Resources and Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Rockville, Maryland., and colleagues analyzed data from the 2003 National Survey of Children’s Health, a telephone survey measuring regular physical activity, inactivity, television watching and lack of sports participation in U.S. children.
Of the total participants, more than 11 percent of U.S. children were found to be physically inactive, while 73.5 percent engaged in physical activity three or more days per week.
More than 42 percent of children did not participate in sports and 17 percent watched three or more hours of television per day.
“Physical inactivity and sedentary behaviors varied widely among children in various ethnic-immigrant groups,” the authors write. “For example, 22.5 percent of immigrant Hispanic children were physically inactive compared with 9.5 percent of U.S.-born white children with U.S.-born parents.” Immigrant children were more likely to be physically inactive and less likely to participate in sports than native children; “they were, however, less likely to watch television three or more hours per day than native children, although the nativity gap narrowed with increasing acculturation levels.”
“Given the health benefits of physical activity, continued higher physical inactivity and lower activity levels in immigrant children are likely to reduce their overall health advantage over U.S.-born populations during adulthood,” the authors conclude. “To reduce disparities in childhood physical activity, health education programs designed to promote physical activity should target not only children from socially disadvantaged households and neighborhoods but also children in immigrant families.”
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“Because of a dramatic increase in the prevalence of childhood obesity and diabetes mellitus during the past two decades, physical activity has assumed an increasingly prominent role in disease prevention and health promotion efforts in the United States and is considered one of the 10 leading health indicators for the nation,” according to background information in the article. This has resulted in a closer monitoring of physical activity and sedentary behavior levels in children and adults in the U.S.
With immigrants now accounting for 12.6 percent of the total U.S. population, “it is important to know how patterns of physical activity, inactivity and sedentary behaviors for this increasing segment of the population differ from those of the majority native population,” the authors note.
Gopal K. Singh, Ph.D., of the Health Resources and Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Rockville, Maryland., and colleagues analyzed data from the 2003 National Survey of Children’s Health, a telephone survey measuring regular physical activity, inactivity, television watching and lack of sports participation in U.S. children.
Of the total participants, more than 11 percent of U.S. children were found to be physically inactive, while 73.5 percent engaged in physical activity three or more days per week.
More than 42 percent of children did not participate in sports and 17 percent watched three or more hours of television per day.
“Physical inactivity and sedentary behaviors varied widely among children in various ethnic-immigrant groups,” the authors write. “For example, 22.5 percent of immigrant Hispanic children were physically inactive compared with 9.5 percent of U.S.-born white children with U.S.-born parents.” Immigrant children were more likely to be physically inactive and less likely to participate in sports than native children; “they were, however, less likely to watch television three or more hours per day than native children, although the nativity gap narrowed with increasing acculturation levels.”
“Given the health benefits of physical activity, continued higher physical inactivity and lower activity levels in immigrant children are likely to reduce their overall health advantage over U.S.-born populations during adulthood,” the authors conclude. “To reduce disparities in childhood physical activity, health education programs designed to promote physical activity should target not only children from socially disadvantaged households and neighborhoods but also children in immigrant families.”
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Thursday, July 17, 2008
Start of a Baby Boom???
More babies were born in the United States last year than ever before, according to a report by the National Center for Health Statistics. About 4,315,000 children were born in 2007, that is 15,000 more births than the peak time of the baby boom in 1950s.
Years leading up to 2007 showed slight increases in the number of births, not the substantial growth of the baby boom years, which were 1946 through 1964, according to the statistics.
To read the complete report visit http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr56/nvsr56_21.htm
Years leading up to 2007 showed slight increases in the number of births, not the substantial growth of the baby boom years, which were 1946 through 1964, according to the statistics.
To read the complete report visit http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr56/nvsr56_21.htm
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
STUDY: Asthma Attacks Early in Pregnancy Put Baby at Greater Risk of Birth Defects
Uncontrolled asthma during the first trimester of pregnancy greatly increases the risk of birth defects in babies, according to new research recently published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.
Canadian researchers Lucie Blais, PhD, and Amelie Forget, MSc, concluded that women who had an asthma flare-up in the first three months of pregnancy were 48 percent more likely to have a baby with at least one congenital defect than asthmatic mothers who did not have a flare-up in the first trimester. The rate of birth defects among the children of mothers who experienced a flare-up was 12.8 percent, versus a rate of 8.9 percent for mothers with better-controlled asthma, according to study data. In total, researchers analyzed more than 4,300 pregnancies through health care and pharmacy records.
The findings underscore the need to keep asthma well-managed throughout pregnancy, but especially in the first trimester – a crucial period for fetal development.
The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) recommends all pregnant women with a history of asthma consult with an allergist/immunologist to ensure the asthma is well-controlled.
When a pregnant woman has trouble breathing, as during an asthma attack, both mother and fetus can experience a drop in the level of oxygen in their blood. A fetus needs a consistent supply of blood for normal growth and survival. Pregnant women, like all asthma patients, should avoid common asthma triggers such as house dust mites, animal dander and smoke, according to the AAAAI. An allergist/immunologist can prescribe safe and effective medications for controlling asthma during pregnancy. To learn more about asthma and pregnancy or to find an allergist/immunologist in your area, visit http://www.aaaai.org/
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Canadian researchers Lucie Blais, PhD, and Amelie Forget, MSc, concluded that women who had an asthma flare-up in the first three months of pregnancy were 48 percent more likely to have a baby with at least one congenital defect than asthmatic mothers who did not have a flare-up in the first trimester. The rate of birth defects among the children of mothers who experienced a flare-up was 12.8 percent, versus a rate of 8.9 percent for mothers with better-controlled asthma, according to study data. In total, researchers analyzed more than 4,300 pregnancies through health care and pharmacy records.
The findings underscore the need to keep asthma well-managed throughout pregnancy, but especially in the first trimester – a crucial period for fetal development.
The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) recommends all pregnant women with a history of asthma consult with an allergist/immunologist to ensure the asthma is well-controlled.
When a pregnant woman has trouble breathing, as during an asthma attack, both mother and fetus can experience a drop in the level of oxygen in their blood. A fetus needs a consistent supply of blood for normal growth and survival. Pregnant women, like all asthma patients, should avoid common asthma triggers such as house dust mites, animal dander and smoke, according to the AAAAI. An allergist/immunologist can prescribe safe and effective medications for controlling asthma during pregnancy. To learn more about asthma and pregnancy or to find an allergist/immunologist in your area, visit http://www.aaaai.org/
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Tuesday, June 17, 2008
STUDY: Government Finds Gaps in Breastfeeding Support at American Hospitals & Birthing Centers
Many birth facilities in the United States are not providing maternity care that is fully supportive of breastfeeding, according to a study in today′s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Reports a publication of the U. S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Research has shown that what happens in the hospital or birth center plays a crucial role in establishing breastfeeding and helping mothers to continue breastfeeding after leaving the birth facility.
The study, “Breastfeeding-Related Maternity Care Practices among Hospitals and Birth Centers – United States, 2007,” analyzed responses from nearly 2,700 birth facilities in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. It asked birth facilities about their practices and policies in caring for women who choose to breastfeed their newborns. The practices were scored on a scale from 0 to 100 points.
The study found that hospitals and birth centers in many southern states scored lower in practices supportive of breastfeeding compared to other regions of the nation, with average total maternity practice scores ranging from 48 to 58.
Western and New England states generally had higher scores compared to other parts of the country.
Vermont and New Hampshire tied for the highest overall maternity practice scores (81), followed by Maine (77) and Oregon (74). (Massachusetts was not mentioned in the governmental press release.)
In addition, Oregon, Maine, and Vermont report that more than 75 percent of children were ever breastfed.
The study reported scores related to seven aspects of maternity care.
Nationally, the average facility score was 63 for key maternity practices in infant nutrition and care.
Out of a possible 100 points, the national scores were: labor and delivery, 60; breastfeeding assistance, 80; mother-newborn contact, 70; postpartum feeding, 77; breastfeeding support after hospital discharge, 40; nurse/birth attendant breastfeeding training and education, 51; and structural and organizational quality, 66.
The study also found that mean total scores combining all seven categories of practice varied significantly among states – ranging from a score of 48 in Arkansas to 81 in both New Hampshire and Vermont.
“These findings underscore the importance of improving the way hospitals and birth centers provide assistance, encouragement and support for breastfeeding,” said Laurence Grummer-Strawn, Ph.D., chief of the nutrition branch in CDC′s Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity. “We have a great deal of work to do to accomplish our national objectives related to breastfeeding, and birth facilities can make a huge contribution to this effort.”
National Healthy People 2010 objectives call for 75 percent of new mothers to initiate breastfeeding, 50 percent to continue for six months, and 25 percent to continue for one year. In addition, the national objectives have a goal for 40 percent of mothers to breastfeed exclusively for three months, and 17 percent of women to breastfeed exclusively for six months.
Studies show that both babies and mothers gain many benefits from breastfeeding. Breast milk contains antibodies that can protect infants from bacterial and viral infections. Breastfed babies are also less likely to become overweight compared to formula-fed babies. Research also indicates that women who breastfeed may have lower rates of diabetes and breast or ovarian cancers than women who don′t breastfeed.
For general information about breastfeeding, visit www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding
Research has shown that what happens in the hospital or birth center plays a crucial role in establishing breastfeeding and helping mothers to continue breastfeeding after leaving the birth facility.
The study, “Breastfeeding-Related Maternity Care Practices among Hospitals and Birth Centers – United States, 2007,” analyzed responses from nearly 2,700 birth facilities in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. It asked birth facilities about their practices and policies in caring for women who choose to breastfeed their newborns. The practices were scored on a scale from 0 to 100 points.
The study found that hospitals and birth centers in many southern states scored lower in practices supportive of breastfeeding compared to other regions of the nation, with average total maternity practice scores ranging from 48 to 58.
Western and New England states generally had higher scores compared to other parts of the country.
Vermont and New Hampshire tied for the highest overall maternity practice scores (81), followed by Maine (77) and Oregon (74). (Massachusetts was not mentioned in the governmental press release.)
In addition, Oregon, Maine, and Vermont report that more than 75 percent of children were ever breastfed.
The study reported scores related to seven aspects of maternity care.
Nationally, the average facility score was 63 for key maternity practices in infant nutrition and care.
Out of a possible 100 points, the national scores were: labor and delivery, 60; breastfeeding assistance, 80; mother-newborn contact, 70; postpartum feeding, 77; breastfeeding support after hospital discharge, 40; nurse/birth attendant breastfeeding training and education, 51; and structural and organizational quality, 66.
The study also found that mean total scores combining all seven categories of practice varied significantly among states – ranging from a score of 48 in Arkansas to 81 in both New Hampshire and Vermont.
“These findings underscore the importance of improving the way hospitals and birth centers provide assistance, encouragement and support for breastfeeding,” said Laurence Grummer-Strawn, Ph.D., chief of the nutrition branch in CDC′s Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity and Obesity. “We have a great deal of work to do to accomplish our national objectives related to breastfeeding, and birth facilities can make a huge contribution to this effort.”
National Healthy People 2010 objectives call for 75 percent of new mothers to initiate breastfeeding, 50 percent to continue for six months, and 25 percent to continue for one year. In addition, the national objectives have a goal for 40 percent of mothers to breastfeed exclusively for three months, and 17 percent of women to breastfeed exclusively for six months.
Studies show that both babies and mothers gain many benefits from breastfeeding. Breast milk contains antibodies that can protect infants from bacterial and viral infections. Breastfed babies are also less likely to become overweight compared to formula-fed babies. Research also indicates that women who breastfeed may have lower rates of diabetes and breast or ovarian cancers than women who don′t breastfeed.
For general information about breastfeeding, visit www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding
Monday, June 16, 2008
STUDY: Disinfecting School Classrooms Keep Kids in School
As schools are closing up for the summer, here is an interesting, although obvious study to most moms, reported in the June issue of Pediatrics, the peer-reviewed, scientific journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics ...
"Regular disinfection of elementary school classrooms can reduce the number of kids who stay home sick, according to the study, “Reducing Absenteeism From Gastrointestinal and Respiratory Illness in Elementary School Students: A Randomized, Controlled Trial of an Infection-Control Intervention.”
Researchers equipped elementary school teachers in Ohio with disinfecting wipes to clean the students’ desks every day after lunch, and students were instructed to use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer several times a day.
In these classrooms, 16 percent of students stayed home with a gastrointestinal illness during the study period, compared to 24 percent of students in classrooms who did not receive the extra sanitation. There was no difference between the two groups in absenteeism due to respiratory illness.
Researchers also detected less norovirus on computer mice, desks and drinking fountains in the intervention classrooms compared to the control group."
Source: Pediatrics
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Thus another reason to pack anti-bacterial spray in your child's backpack Or suggest your tween or teen to keep one in their lockers during the school year...
"Regular disinfection of elementary school classrooms can reduce the number of kids who stay home sick, according to the study, “Reducing Absenteeism From Gastrointestinal and Respiratory Illness in Elementary School Students: A Randomized, Controlled Trial of an Infection-Control Intervention.”
Researchers equipped elementary school teachers in Ohio with disinfecting wipes to clean the students’ desks every day after lunch, and students were instructed to use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer several times a day.
In these classrooms, 16 percent of students stayed home with a gastrointestinal illness during the study period, compared to 24 percent of students in classrooms who did not receive the extra sanitation. There was no difference between the two groups in absenteeism due to respiratory illness.
Researchers also detected less norovirus on computer mice, desks and drinking fountains in the intervention classrooms compared to the control group."
Source: Pediatrics
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Thus another reason to pack anti-bacterial spray in your child's backpack Or suggest your tween or teen to keep one in their lockers during the school year...
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
STUDY: St. John's Wort Does Not Appear To Have an Impact on the Symptoms of ADHD in Children or Teens
From the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine and the National Institutes of Health comes a study on St John's wort and the treatment of children with ADHD...
"According to the National Institute of Mental Health at NIH, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) affects 3 to 5 percent of children in the United States and it is one of the most common mental disorders that develop in children. NIMH states that children with ADHD have impaired functioning in multiple settings, including home, school, and in relationships with peers. Children with chronic conditions like ADHD are reported to have higher rates of complementary and alternative medicine use and may turn to dietary and herbal supplements such as St. John's wort. However, according to authors of a new NCCAM-funded study, St. John's wort does not appear to have an impact on the symptoms of ADHD in children and adolescents.
Researchers at Bastyr University conducted an 8-week randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial of St. John's wort among a volunteer sample of 54 children aged 6 to17 years with ADHD. Participants were randomly assigned to receive 300 mg of Hypericum perforatum (St. John's wort) standardized to 0.3 percent hypericin—an active ingredient in St. John's wort—or placebo 3 times daily for 8 weeks. The participants were evaluated for changes in inattentiveness and hyperactivity from baseline at weeks 1, 2, 4, 6, and 8.
While symptom improvement was noted in both the treatment and the placebo groups, the data suggest that St. John's wort had no additional benefit beyond that of placebo for treating symptoms of ADHD.
This study used a preparation of St. John's wort with a standardized hypericin content. However the researchers note that studies involving St. John's wort also standardized to hyperforin—another active ingredient in St. John's wort—could be beneficial. Hyperforin is believed to inhibit reuptake of key brain chemicals—serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. The authors note that hyperforin is highly unstable and can become inactive quickly. The researchers believe that if a St. John's wort product with a higher and more stable hyperforin content became available, it would be worthy of further investigation in ADHD.
References: Weber W, Vander Stoep A, McCarty RL, et al. Hypericum perforatum (St. John's Wort) for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in Children and Adolescents. JAMA. 2008;299(22):2633–2641.
"According to the National Institute of Mental Health at NIH, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) affects 3 to 5 percent of children in the United States and it is one of the most common mental disorders that develop in children. NIMH states that children with ADHD have impaired functioning in multiple settings, including home, school, and in relationships with peers. Children with chronic conditions like ADHD are reported to have higher rates of complementary and alternative medicine use and may turn to dietary and herbal supplements such as St. John's wort. However, according to authors of a new NCCAM-funded study, St. John's wort does not appear to have an impact on the symptoms of ADHD in children and adolescents.
Researchers at Bastyr University conducted an 8-week randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial of St. John's wort among a volunteer sample of 54 children aged 6 to17 years with ADHD. Participants were randomly assigned to receive 300 mg of Hypericum perforatum (St. John's wort) standardized to 0.3 percent hypericin—an active ingredient in St. John's wort—or placebo 3 times daily for 8 weeks. The participants were evaluated for changes in inattentiveness and hyperactivity from baseline at weeks 1, 2, 4, 6, and 8.
While symptom improvement was noted in both the treatment and the placebo groups, the data suggest that St. John's wort had no additional benefit beyond that of placebo for treating symptoms of ADHD.
This study used a preparation of St. John's wort with a standardized hypericin content. However the researchers note that studies involving St. John's wort also standardized to hyperforin—another active ingredient in St. John's wort—could be beneficial. Hyperforin is believed to inhibit reuptake of key brain chemicals—serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. The authors note that hyperforin is highly unstable and can become inactive quickly. The researchers believe that if a St. John's wort product with a higher and more stable hyperforin content became available, it would be worthy of further investigation in ADHD.
References: Weber W, Vander Stoep A, McCarty RL, et al. Hypericum perforatum (St. John's Wort) for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in Children and Adolescents. JAMA. 2008;299(22):2633–2641.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
American Academy of Pediatrics: Bunk Bed Injuries Send Thousands to Emergency Rooms
From the June issue of Pediatrics, the peer-reviewed, scientific journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics ... comes a warning about bunk beds and injuries.
"Every year, an average of 35,790 children suffer non-fatal injuries related to bunk beds, according to an examination of 16 years of injury surveillance data. The study, “Bunk Bed-Related Injuries Among Children and Adolescents Treated in Emergency Departments in the United States, 1990-2005,” found a total of 572,580 children and adolescents 21 years and younger were treated in emergency rooms for bunk bed-related injuries.
Children younger than 6 suffered the majority of injuries, with significant injury rates also seen among college-aged students. Roughly 60 percent of the injuries occurred in males.
Lacerations were the most common type of injury (29.6 percent) followed by contusions and abrasions (24 percent) and fractures (19.9 percent).
Roughly 72 percent of the injuries were caused by falls.
Over a quarter of the injuries were to the head and neck.
In an estimated 2.9 percent of cases, the patient was hospitalized, transferred to another hospital or held for additional observation.
The authors suggest increased efforts are needed to prevent bunk-bed injuries among children, adolescents and young adults."
Source: Pediatrics
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"Every year, an average of 35,790 children suffer non-fatal injuries related to bunk beds, according to an examination of 16 years of injury surveillance data. The study, “Bunk Bed-Related Injuries Among Children and Adolescents Treated in Emergency Departments in the United States, 1990-2005,” found a total of 572,580 children and adolescents 21 years and younger were treated in emergency rooms for bunk bed-related injuries.
Children younger than 6 suffered the majority of injuries, with significant injury rates also seen among college-aged students. Roughly 60 percent of the injuries occurred in males.
Lacerations were the most common type of injury (29.6 percent) followed by contusions and abrasions (24 percent) and fractures (19.9 percent).
Roughly 72 percent of the injuries were caused by falls.
Over a quarter of the injuries were to the head and neck.
In an estimated 2.9 percent of cases, the patient was hospitalized, transferred to another hospital or held for additional observation.
The authors suggest increased efforts are needed to prevent bunk-bed injuries among children, adolescents and young adults."
Source: Pediatrics
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Friday, June 6, 2008
STUDY: Low Birth Weight Associated with Autism, Especially in Girls
From the June issue of Pediatrics, the peer-reviewed, scientific journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics ... comes a new study about autism.
"Low birth weight was associated with a 2.3-fold increased risk for autism, with the strongest association seen among low birth weight girls.
In the study, “Birth Weight and Gestational Age Characteristics of Children With Autism, Including a Comparison With Other Developmental Disabilities,” researchers examined the records of 565 children with autism born in Atlanta, Ga., from 1986 to 1993, and matched them to a control group. They found the risk for autism was consistently higher for low birth weight girls than for low birth weight boys.
For all low birth weight children, the risk of cerebral palsy, mental retardation, hearing loss or vision impairment was higher than the risk of autism.
Researchers hypothesize that some girls are more likely than boys to require a prenatal insult, such as reduced growth or preterm birth, in the causal pathway leading to autism."
Source: Pediatrics
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