When presented in a child's language, yoga can help counter the stress experienced by young people living in a hurry-up world!

Read how fostering cooperation and compassion—instead of opposition—is a great gift to give our children.

http://www.yogajournal.com/lifestyle/210

The Journal of the American Medical Association published a study this week that addresses the use of antiobiotics as a treatment for ear infections.  Researchers found little difference in the recovery time of children who were given antibiotics versus those who were not prescribed antiobiotics.  They also noted that side effects such as rashes and diarrhea can occur as side effects. 

http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/11/16/antibiotics.ear.infections/index.html?hpt=C2

A previous study, also published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, found that the "wait and see approach" was just as effective for treating ear infections as antiobiotic prescription.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/09/12/eveningnews/main2002974.shtml

 

A study published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine has found that babies exposed to antibiotics in utero have an increased risk of allergic diseases such as eczema, asthma and hay fever.  The prevelence of allergic diseases has increased dramatically in the developed world over the last 50 years.  This increase mirrors the increase in antibiotic use, thereby reducing exposure to microbes early in life.  Because the immune system develops in utero, factors that modify exposure to microbes may have a long term impact on the risk of developing these allergic diseases.  One of these factors is antibiotic exposure.

http://ajrccm.atsjournals.org/cgi/content/full/166/6/827

North Carolina State researchers have found that younger children are 50% more likely to received a diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).  These children were often born right before the kindergarten cutoff date.  It is suspected that small differences in age can result in huge differences in development, resulting in children who have a difficult time paying attention for extended periods of time.  The really sad part is that a lot of these kids have been prescribed medications that were not necessary as they were misdiagnosed with ADHD. 

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38740077/ns/health-kids_and_parenting

As a chiropractor, I always cringe when I watch grown men getting bodychecked in hockey. I think about how all of these little injuries accumulate and can result in a lot of damage to soft tissues over time. I ask you to think about an 11 or 12-year-old player being bodychecked. Their bodies are not fully developed and just cannot easily sustain that type of repeated trauma. Thank goodness somebody has looked into this on a scientific level, this information is invaluable for those who establish hockey guidelines for children. See the link below to view the CBC's take on this study:

http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2010/06/08/body-check-hockey-pee-wee.html

There are many side effects to smoking including increased risk of cancer, emphysema, heart disease and many more. A new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association reports that secondhand smoke can have deleterious effects to those around it. Researchers found that young children living in smoking households tend to get more cavities. The study, involving 3,500 children ages 4 to 11, concluded that the incidence of cavities in deciduous teeth among children exposed to smoke daily was almost double that of children from nonsmoking households.

There are many factors that can increase the risk of disease when exposed to secondhand smoke. Scientists believe that cigarette smoke lowers the immune response, which allows bacteria to proliferate. Another theory for the increased incidence of cavities is that smoke irritates nasal passages, which leads to mouth breathing. When children breathe through their mouth, it becomes dry and there is less saliva, which counteracts lactic acid build up. Therefore, lactic acid levels are higher in the mouth, which leads to cavities.
Smoking is a difficult habit to quit, but the positive effects start almost immediately. Your health improves with each minute that you do not smoke. If choosing to increase your health and quality of life is not important enough to decide to quit smoking, then maybe the health of your children will emphasize the need to quit. If quitting smoking is not an option, try not to smoke when others are in close proximity.

There are many successful smoking cessation programs and treatments, including acupuncture and hypnotherapy. Talk with others who have quit smoking, it may provide the motivation that you need. The most important aspect that leads to a successful smoking cessation program is the personal desire to quit.

Did you know that there are almost 5,000 injuries reported each year from backpack usage? According to the journal Pediatrics (2003), the majority of these injuries are caused by carrying a backpack (59%), followed by tripping (28%) and getting hit (13%) by backpacks. For the most part, these injuries can be prevented by teaching our children proper backpack safety techniques.

• Distribute the weight evenly with the biggest, heaviest items in the rear of the backpack, nearest your back.
• Wear both shoulder straps unless the pack is designed for use on one shoulder. When children carry a heavy backpack using one strap, it creates an imbalance which can lead to neck and muscle spasms, lower back pain and improper walking patterns.
• Choose backpacks with heavily padded shoulder straps. The shoulder straps prevent excessive compression on the shoulder joints and collar bone.
• Choose a backpack with a lumbar cushion, which will evenly distribute the weight and help maintain an upright standing posture.
• Lift the pack correctly, making sure to bend at the knees.
• Carry only what is needed with the backpack weighing less than 15% of the child's weight.

By following these simple rules, children can help to prevent spinal damage.

Although there are no long-term studies to determine the effects of repetitive, excessive weight on the back, we do know that it affects posture and muscular balance. When the backpack weighs greater than 15% of the child's weight, the student must lean forward to maintain balance, which causes postural changes. The child's chest muscles tighten, shoulders roll forward, and they cannot breathe correctly. The lower back is forced to take on the excessive weight. It even changes the length of their walk because they must take smaller steps to maintain balance.

Talk with your child or children regarding backpack safety. The more knowledge we share with them, the healthier they will become as they grow. Make sure you are checking the contents of their backpack occasionally. By only carrying necessary items, children are in less danger of injury. And set a good example by implementing these rules to the loads that you are carrying.

A sign in one chiropractor's office states, "Go ahead and leave your kids at home so they can feel as good as you do when they grow up." The sign is blunt but true. Many problems that we experience as adults can be traced back to incidences during our childhood, for example, the birthing process, learning to walk, falling off bikes, and bumping into things.

During the birthing process, there are tremendous stresses placed on the head and neck of a newborn. When the bones, muscles, and ligaments undergo this stress, many things can happen in the body. Infants may only sleep for short periods of time, are irritable, or feed poorly because they are uncomfortable in a certain feeding position. These are all signs that their body was stressed too much during birth.

Another sign that they are not comfortable or something is not correct in their body is infantile colic, which usually occurs around three to four months of age. It means an otherwise healthy infant who exhibits persistent, forceful crying for no apparent reason. The crying usually continues for several hours each day, most of the days of the week. When parents attempt to calm the child by feeding, holding, changing their diaper, or rocking them, it has little to no effect on the child. These infants typically respond well to chiropractic care. In a study conducted with children affected by colic, 316 infants with colic were evaluated by a chiropractor and adjusted. Improvement was noted within a two week period in 94 percent of the infants treated. On average, improvement was seen in three treatments.

Chiropractic care is an important part of the health care team for overall improvement of your child's well being.