Study: ADHD Linked to Pesticides (CNN.com)

May 17, 2010 7:10 a.m. EDT

(Health.com) — Children exposed to higher levels of a type of pesticide found in trace amounts on commercially grown fruit and vegetables are more likely to have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder than children with less exposure, a nationwide study suggests.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• Kids with above-average levels of a common pesticide byproduct had twice ADHD risk
• Direct cause-and-effect link “really hard to establish,” expert says
• Study is first to examine the effects of pesticide exposure in population at large

Full story: www.CNN.com

Brain Injury — What every parent should know!

School sports, outdoor recreational activities such as bike riding and skateboarding, and even the prom could pose a serious threat to children’s health and well-being this spring and summer.

All of these activities sometimes result in accidents that cause traumatic brain injury (TBI). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, TBI is a leading cause of death and disability for young people between the ages of 15 and 24. In addition, TBI impacts approximately 475,000 children ages 0 to 14 every year.

“March is Brain Injury Awareness Month, an excellent time to focus on brain injury awareness and prevention,” says Gary Pace, Ph.D., BCBA-D, Senior Vice President of May Institute’s Neurorehabilitative Services and Supervising Psychologist for the Institute’s school for children and adolescents with brain injury. The school offers the following information for parents.

About Brain Injury

There are two types of brain injury − traumatic or non-traumatic brain injury – both of which occur after birth. Many cases of brain injury go undetected and untreated for years prior to diagnosis. Every year, athletes die on the playing field because of an undetected brain injury.

Traumatic brain injury is caused by an external force such as a motor vehicle or sports-related accident, assault, child abuse, or falls. Adolescents, young adults, and the elderly are at the greatest risk for traumatic brain injury. Non-traumatic brain injury can be caused by strokes, brain tumors, pediatric AIDS, meningitis, infection, substance abuse, neurological disease, or other illnesses and diseases.

Common Symptoms of a Brain Injury

Brain injury may affect an individual’s ability to function well at work, school, home, and in other settings, causing difficulties in the following areas:

• Cognitive: memory loss, organizational difficulties, speech and/or communication problems, difficulty in reasoning and problem-solving
• Behavioral: impulsiveness, aggression, and decline in social skills
• Physical: impairment or changes in vision, hearing, coordination, balance, or muscle tone

Brain Injury Prevention

There are a number of ways that adults can protect children from brain injury. Children should receive instruction on street safety at an early age (“stop, look, and listen before you cross the street”). They should wear properly fitted helmets during sporting and recreational activities, including riding bicycles, tricycles, scooters, and skateboards; rollerblading, skiing, and snowboarding; playing football, baseball, hockey, soccer, and other impact sports. Riders should use trails and other designated areas for biking, and avoid busy streets. Car seats and seat belts are essential. Children under 12 years of age and/or those who weigh less than 100 pounds should ride in the back seat of a motor vehicle.

Treatment and Recovery

Individuals who receive prompt diagnosis and treatment for a brain injury often make great progress in regaining skills following a trauma or illness. Treatment for children and adolescents should include rehabilitation and special education services through a multidisciplinary team of professionals, such as licensed psychologists, physical and occupational specialists, and teachers trained specifically in the treatment of brain injury. Residential services can also be useful for those who need additional care.

Programs such as May Institute’s May Center for Education and Neurorehabilitation utilize applied behavior analysis (ABA) to treat individuals with brain injury. ABA is a methodology, or framework, that applies scientific interventions to address behavioral needs and skill development. ABA facilitates the development of language, social interactions, and independent living by applying basic behavioral practices. Hundreds of scientific studies have shown that ABA is the most effective method to teach children and adolescents with neurological problems.

Source: May Institute Press Release ~ March 11, 2010

Low Serotonin levels cause SIDS

At last! Researchers may have solved the mystery of what causes some babies die of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

Levels of serotonin, which regulate a baby’s sleep, heart rate and breathing, were 26 percent lower in the brainstems of babies who died of SIDS than in those of babies who died of other causes, the study says.

Serotonin normally helps babies respond to high carbon-dioxide levels during sleep by helping them wake up and shift their head position to get fresh air.

Currently, there is no test to determine which infants may be at risk for SIDS. To avoid the risk of SIDS, parents should make sure that babies can breathe uninhibited during sleep: Place babies on their backs to avoid their rolling over, don’t over-bundle the baby, and don’t leave loose bedding or stuffed toys in the crib.

To read the rest of this article, click here…

Too much sitting?

Everyone knows that exercise is good for you. For decades, scientists have studied the benefits of moving your body. But what about the opposite end of the activity spectrum: the many hours we spend sitting?

According to an article posted on USAToday.com, too much sitting is not the same as too little exercise.

“The body’s idling state is very, very unhealthy,” says James Levine, an endocrinologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. “Much like a Ferrari, the human is meant to move.”

Several studies show:
~ Every hour spent watching TV (an activity that usually involves sitting) was associated with an 18% increase in heart disease deaths.

~ The more people sat, for any reason, the more likely they were to die of heart disease within 12 years — even if they were slim and exercised regularly.

Bottom line? Sitting kills.

But exactly how much time in a recliner or office chair is dangerous? Scientists can’t say yet. Though study results are coming in quickly, “we’re a long way from having the volume of scientific evidence we would ideally have before issuing a set of guidelines,” says Russell Pate, an exercise physiologist at the University of South Carolina-Columbia.

To read the rest of this article, click here…

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