Children&#039;s Health Archives - Page 4 of 4 - Active Healthcare

Air Quality, Asthma Triggers

President Barack Obama announced a plan earlier this month to reduce power plant emissions, a move that could improve air quality and greatly benefit asthma sufferers. The energy plan requires a reduction of power plant emissions in the U.S. by 32% by 2030. Obama said that these changes would help reduce 90,000 asthma attacks in children by 2030. The effect of air quality on asthma sufferers hits close to home for Obama—earlier this year he spoke about the fear he felt when his daughter Malia had an asthma attack when she was 4 years old.

Older coal-fired power plants that lack pollution control can emit sulfur dioxide, a known asthma trigger. Ground level ozone, considered “bad ozone,” is caused when pollutants from sources like cars and power plants chemically react with sunlight. High ground level zone levels can trigger asthma symptoms and are usually more of an issue in the summer because of high temperatures, high humidity and lighter winds. Urban areas can be even more problematic for asthma sufferers because of higher pollution levels.

In North Carolina, the ozone forecast season extends from April 1 to October 31. Asthma sufferers can monitor ozone levels by signing up for the Environmental Protection Agency’s EnviroFlash daily air quality forecasts. The forecast rates ozone and particle pollution levels on a scale from Code Green (Good) to Code Purple (Hazardous) as a way to help individuals sensitive to air quality, like asthma sufferers, decide if it’s safe to participate in outdoor activities.

Allergy and Asthma Safety at Summer Camp

July 2, 2015

Asthma Triggers, EpiPens

Photo from Shutterstock.

Camp memories last a lifetime – swimming in the lake, making crafts, having S’mores by the campfire, and making new friends. In order to keep these memories positive ones, parents should make sure children with insect or food allergies have an EpiPen (epinephrine auto-injector) available at camp. Anyone with a food allergy is at risk for anaphylaxis, and those with food allergies and asthma are at an even higher risk, which is why it’s so important to have epinephrine on hand.

Children should pack at least one EpiPen in case of an emergency, preferably two – one to keep with them at all times and one to leave with the camp nurse or a trained counselor. Campers that plan on canoeing or kayaking should pack their EpiPen in a Ziploc bag or a “dry bag” to keep it dry and secure since the epinephrine carrier tube isn’t waterproof.

Hot temperatures can reduce the effectiveness of EpiPens, but it can be hard to avoid the heat while at summer camp. Ideally, EpiPens are stored at room temperature (68-77 degrees), but they can be exposed to up to 86 degrees for short periods of time. On especially hot days, campers with EpiPens should try to find shade periodically and take breaks indoors. It’s not a good idea to use an ice pack in an attempt to keep an EpiPen cooler because extreme cold can also reduce the medicine’s effectiveness.

Campers with food or insect allergies that are exposed to these allergens should use an EpiPen immediately and go to the hospital for monitoring. It’s important to use an EpiPen right away, even if the affected individual doesn’t immediately exhibit symptoms.

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Children’s Lives Saved by 3-D Printer Technology

June 25, 2015

Asthma, Breathe EZ, Children's Health

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3-D printers are a unique type of technology since organizations are constantly finding new uses for the devices. What started as an almost novelty item has morphed into a useful tool to progress medical treatment – like these prosthetic limbs for a disabled dog. I recently learned about a wonderful way 3-D printers have been used to create splints in airways of children with tracheobronchomalacia (TBM). Children with TBM are often misdiagnosed as having treatment-resistant asthma, but TBM actually affects breathing by softening the windpipe, which eventually causes the airway to collapse, and leads to breathing failure. The condition is rare – affecting 1 in 2,200 babies, but most grow out of it by age 3. With pediatric TBM, the cartilage supporting the airway strengthens as children age, but in some severe cases, TBM can be life-threatening.

Researchers at the University of Michigan’s C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital created a 3-D printed splint to support the airways of children with TBM; three children participated in the study and are doing quite well with no complications from the treatment. Previously, the only way to treat severe cases of tracheobronchomalacia was through high-risk surgeries that often resulted in cardiac and respiratory arrest.

The 3-D printed device supports pediatric patients’ airways long enough so that eventually their airways strengthen on their own. The device is made of biodegradable polyester called polycaprolactone, and the body reabsorbs the device after about three years. Children using the device no longer needed ventilators; paralytic, narcotic and sedating drugs; and no longer had to be fed intravenously. Researchers are awaiting approval from the US Food and Drug Administration to move forward with establishing the 3-D splint as the go-to treatment for TBM.

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Saving a baby’s life with a 3-D laser printer, by Glenn Green, University of Michigan Health System

Pregnant Mothers of Boys Have Greater Risk of Gestational Diabetes

June 18, 2015

Children's Health, Diabetes, Women's Health

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Gestational diabetes can be a real source of stress and concern for mothers. On top of stocking up on supplies for the baby and pouring over parenting books, mothers with gestational diabetes also have to regularly check their blood sugar and be extra careful about their diet.

A new study found that a mother’s risk of developing gestational diabetes is actually affected by the baby’s gender. Dr. Baiju Shah, one of the authors of the study, said that a “male fetus leads to greater pregnancy-associated metabolic changes than a female fetus does.” In the study, researchers collected data from insurance records on about 643,000 women who had their first child between April 2000 and March 2010. Although the risk of developing gestational diabetes is greater with a boy, the study also showed that mothers with gestational diabetes carrying a girl had an increased risk of type 2 diabetes post-pregnancy. Gestational diabetes occurs as a result of combined underlying metabolic abnormalities that the mother has plus the metabolic changes that happen during pregnancy.

Gestational diabetes generally develops during the 24^th week of pregnancy, according to the Amercian Diabetes Association. As many as 9.2% of mothers develop gestational diabetes, and the condition develops when a mother’s body is unable to create and use all the insulin needed for pregnancy. Left untreated, gestational diabetes can be dangerous to the baby, increasing their risk of conditions like obesity, type 2 diabetes, and breathing problems. By working with a doctor to develop a treatment plan, mothers with gestational diabetes can greatly improve their health and the health of the baby.

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Childhood Trauma Linked to Increased Risk of Diabetes

May 21, 2015

Children's Health, Diabetes

Mental Health

Doctors don’t know the exact cause of type 1 diabetes, but a new study shows that childhood trauma is linked to an increased risk of developing type 1 diabetes. Researchers polled over 10,000 Swedish families and discovered that children who had experienced a trauma were nearly three times more likely to develop type 1 diabetes. Scientists questioned families about the occurrence of childhood stressors like divorce, illness or a death in the family. Researchers questioned families in southeast Sweden with children born between October 1997 and September 1999.

Dr. Johnny Ludvigsson, coauthor of the study, said that he’s not surprised by the results because of the “connections between the brain and immune system.” Doctors believe type 1 diabetes could be caused by genetics or environmental factors, like exposure to a virus. Type 1 diabetes develops when the body’s immune system starts destroying insulin-producing (islet) cells in the pancreas. After many islet cells are destroys, the body produces little to no insulin.

Although this study shows a link between a stressful childhood event and an increased risk of type 1 diabetes, it doesn’t prove that those events cause type 1 diabetes. Dr. David Marrero, president of health care and education at the American Diabetes Association, says that although you can’t say a childhood trauma was the direct result of your child developing diabetes, it’s worth making an effort to avoid exposing children to high stress events. Encouraging children to eat right and exercise frequently is also an important step in preventing type 2 diabetes.

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This Musician Can Soothe Your Asthma Blues

April 30, 2015

Asthma, Breathe EZ, Children's Health

Air Quality

Al Keith doesn’t want you down and out with the “asthma blues.” In fact, he’s so concerned about respiratory health, he produced a jazz and blues CD called “Asthma Blues” to educate asthmatics, their families and caregivers about how to have a successful asthma management plan. Al is a respiratory therapist based out of Chicago who understands that music is a powerful educational tool. He created CTK Clinical Consultants, LLC in 2002 as a way to build an “educational bridge between patients and physicians.”

Al’s songs were written based on the National Asthma Education and Prevention Program (NAEPP) guidelines. He sings about important components of an asthma management plan like how to identify asthma triggers, how to use a peak flow meter, and why it’s important to have a written asthma action plan. You can download Al’s album on iTunes, or on the Asthma Blues website, and enjoy songs like “Breathin’ Right,” Get Your Peak Flow On,” and “You Need an Action Plan.”

Additional Resources:

“CTK Clinical Consultants Cure the ‘Asthma Blues,’” Empowering Families

Hand Washing Dishes Could Reduce Asthma Risk for Children

March 12, 2015

Cleaning

Washing Hands with soap Dishwashers are not only a wonderful timesaving luxury, but they also give us the reassurance that our dishes are exceptionally clean. A new study revealed that there could be a downside to dishwashers making dishes “too clean”; the study found that hand washing dishes instead could lower your children’s risk of developing allergic conditions like asthma or eczema.

Researchers at Queen Silvia Children’s Hospital in Sweden quizzed parents of approximately 1,000 Swedish children, all 7 or 8 years old, about the children’s history of asthma, eczema and seasonal allergies. 12% of the families in the study hand washed dishes, and the children in those families had nearly half the risk of developing allergic conditions in comparison to children in families that used a dishwasher.

Hand washing dishes exposes children to more bacteria, which could actually be beneficial in strengthening their immune system, and could be the reason why they have a reduced risk of developing an allergic condition.

Local Schools Required to Provide Students with EpiPens

September 18, 2014

EpiPens

North Carolina students with allergies have reason to feel a bit more secure this fall. Effective Nov. 1, Governor Pat McCrory signed a law requiring K-12 schools to carry epinephrine autoinjectors (EpiPens) for students. Principals are also required to select at least one person at the school to be trained annually on how to identify allergic reactions and use EpiPens.

Although the state won’t fund the purchase of EpiPens, both public and private schools can apply to take part in a free distribution program called EpiPen4Schools. The program is run through Mylan Specialties and Bioridge Pharma, and participating schools can receive up to four EpiPens a year. Teachers can also receive training on recognizing allergy symptoms through advocacy groups like the Food and Allergy Research and Education (FARE) group.

In November 2013, President Obama signed the School Access to Emergency Epinephrine Law, which provides funding incentives for states with their own epinephrine laws.

Unraveling the Link Between Childhood Eczema and Asthma

August 21, 2014

Asthma, Breathe EZ, Children's Health