Exposure to air pollution and overuse of antibiotics may be important risk factors for childhood obesity, according to recent studies. The findings suggest that there’s more to the obesity equation than excess calories & lack of exercise.
With the recent shortages of drugs to treat ADHD, and changes in insurance coverage of these treatments, many families of children with this complex condition are searching for non-pharmaceutical alternatives. Homeopathy may not be top-of-mind for most primary care doctors, but it is worth considering.
Despite clear guidelines to the contrary, many doctors still expect that they must provide antibiotic prescriptions when parents or caregivers bring a child with a respiratory illness. Likewise, ,any parents will be disappointed, and even question a doctor’s judgment, if no antibiotics are offered. The result is a continued overuse of antibiotics and an inordinate rise in bacterial resistance, a need for stronger antibiotics, and the use of adult dosing to treat bacterial illness in pediatric patients. There are other non-antibiotic options that should be first line choices.
A high-profile international study of the impact of cell phones on childhood brain tumor risk is sending the signal that there is no “exposure-response relationship. However, some environmental health experts contend that significant safety concerns are hidden within the data.
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a dose of 1,200 IU per day, vitamin D3 reduced the incidence of Influenza A among a cohort of Japanese schoolchildren, but was associated with an increase in incidence of Influenza B, giving no overall advantage in preventing flu-associated illness.
Sublingual immunotherapy is a safe, highly effective alternative to injection-based treatments for managing allergies. Moreover, it enables primary care physicians to treat patients that they are currently referring out to specialists.
Analysis of data from more than 38,000 families suggests that maternal use of the popular antidepressant Wellbutrin (bupropion) during pregnancy correlates with a 3-fold greater risk of ADHD in children exposed to the drug in utero. The study is not definitive proof that bupropion causes ADHD. But author Roberto Figueroa says doctors need to be a lot more cautious with this, and any other drug that crosses the placenta.
Stimulants like Adderall and Ritalin may have more of an effect on parents and teachers than they do on the children with ADHD who take them.
Pound for pound children absorb more environmental toxins than adults, and they are also more vulnerable to adverse health effects of these exposures. Parents are desperate for help with environmental health problems, and green-minded physicians can play a vital role in ensuring healthier futures for the next generation.
A number of recent studies show that probiotic supplements and fermented dairy products can prevent or even treat colic, atopic dermatitis, and many other common allergic and infectious problems in infancy. Lactobacillus and bifidobacteria, the two main classes of “good bugs” can greatly improve the health of premature babies and those born via cesarean section. Plus, Perinatal Probiotics: A Research Review, and Choosing & Using Probiotics.
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