RightHealth Daily Dose » kids

Poverty Leads To Shorter Stature, Even In Wealthy Countries

Steven — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 06:35:16 +0000

A new Canadian study shows that poverty during a child’s toddler years can lead to shorter stature by the time they reach kindergarten, regardless of hereditary factors. The researchers stress that although Canada is an industrialized country with a universal healthcare system and accessible daycare, the country still has health inequalities directly related to poverty, such as poor nutrition and housing, medical problems, such as asthma, that can lead to shorter stature. One of the shortcomings of this research is that it doesn’t address whether these children will “catch up” to their peers during adolescence, or by the time they reach adulthood.

Drug Companies Concede: No Cold Medicines For Children Under 4

Steven — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 19:12:59 +0000

It was just last week when the FDA rejected an immediate ban on cold and cough medications for young children, citing concerns that parents would instead give adult medicines to their kids, which could lead to serious side effects. Today, in a voluntary concession to pediatricians, drug companies are advising that children under 4 should not be given over-the-counter cold and cough drugs, in addition to antihistamines. These drugs can cause side effects ranging from hives, drowsiness, to unsteadiness. Leading pediatrics groups have been advocating the ban of these drugs because there is no evidence that they work for children under 6. US families spend over $286 million each year on these remedies, which lead to 7,000 emergency room visits per year due to side effects. Read more. Share your perspective.

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Kids, Peers, and Weight Perception

Steven — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 05:36:28 +0000

New research concurrently published by Montreal’s major medical centers in the International Journal of Obesity show that kids who are surrounded by peers and family who are overweight are more likely to misperceive their own weight. “When children’s parents and schoolmates are overweight or obese, their own overweight status may seem normal by comparison. The higher the BMI of their friends and family, the more kids are likely to underestimate their weight – a trend consistent for both sexes, regardless of the socioeconomic levels of their school or family,” said lead author Katerina Maximova. This is an important issue because “Accurately perceiving oneself as overweight or obese is an important cue to take action,” says Jennifer J. McGrath, director of the Pediatric Public Health Psychology Lab at Concordia University. Full story.

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