Children Not Getting Enough Vitamin D3-Study

According to a recent study children in the USA are not getting enough vitamin-D during the Summer months.

Researchers found that only children with fair, white skin living in the northern United States do, and if no sunscreen is used.

Experts believed that everyday outdoor exposure to the sun was sufficient to give people the recommended daily dose.

Researchers wanted to know if that type of exposure was enough to give children 600 iu per day.

Data from a survey of nearly 10,000 people including 2000 children were examined. They used a skin-type scale which placed them into categories based on skin complexion and tolerance to sunlight.

There were six categories ranging from type 1 ( very fair, usually burns, difficulty tanning) to type 6 (black, never burns, tans easily).

The results of the study showed that only the fair skin children (type 2) were able to achieve the minimum recommended daily dose of vitamin D3 from the sun.

Children with skin type 3-4 may achieve the recommended daily requirements, but without the use of sunscreen.

The children with the darker skin ( type V and type VI) may never achieve optimal production.

Read the report

Childhood Obesity Needs Medical Intervention

In a survey of 2,179 Americans including 728 parents, only 54% said they would consider it very important to seek medical attention for an overweight or obese child.

More than 80% said it was important to seek help for symptoms of asthma and diabetes.
More that 70% said they would do so for learning disability.

The survey shows that many parents would not seek medical intervention for childhood obesity, but would do so for the problems associated with it.


Of those who took the survey:
1-80% of the parents said they were best suited to prevent obesity in the child.
2- 83% said they look to schools for assistance.
3- More than 90% said they would take their child to a doctor for weight related issues if the teacher said the child had a health problem.

Only 54% consider it very important to seek the help of a doctor.

Childhood obesity has tripled in the last 30 years and parents lack of understanding of its seriousness is a major concern.

Based on the results of the survey, for childhood obesity to be treated, parents and teachers need to be educated not only in mangaging weight, but in knowing when medical intervention is necessary.

There is an affordable way to learn weight control and management at home.
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Early Exposure To Molds Linked To Childhood Asthma

According to a recent research study, infants' exposure to molds play a role in childhood asthma.
Researchers analyzed data over 7 years on 176 children. It was an allergy and air pollution study using the environmental relative moldiness index (ERMI).

RESULT- According to the report, 31 of the 176 children were asthmatic at age 7.
Children living in a high ERMI home at age 1 had twice the risk of developing asthma as children who lived in an ERMI home of less that 5'2. A high ERMI is one with an ERMI value of 5.2 or more.

There was no link between children living in a high ERMI home at age 7 and asthma at age 7.
The findings indicate that exposure to molds in infancy can lead to the disorder in childhood.

Risk of Autism in Siblings Higher Than Thought - US News and World Report

Risk of Autism in Siblings Higher Than Thought - US News and World Report

Not Enough Children Participate In Clinical Trials

To improve the participation rates ofchildren in clinical trials researchers and institutions need to do more.

According to a recent report only 30% of FDA approved medications have been studied on children.

One reason given was parents lack of awareness of the opportunities for their children.

As the report said only 16 % of adults know of opportunities for their children; although, 68% know about opportunities for themselves.

Researchers and institutions are taking the blame for not doing a good enough job to increase parents awareness.

To help pediatricians explain to parents the importance of children's involvement in medical research and to increase their awareness there is a webite:
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/childrenandclinicalstudies/index.php








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