Healthy U — August 2017

A special edition of the Times Record

Kids First BACK TO SCHOOL: Staying healthy all year

Volume 1, Edition 7, August 2017

Facility has something to ‘Bost’ about Are sodas — and caffeine — dangerous for kids?

HEALTHYU Contents VOLUME 1, EDITION 7 | AUGUST 2017

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Something to ‘Bost’ about Program gets children on track with development

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Access to the area’s leading medical providers by category so readers can easily find contacts for their areas of need.

Healthy children, happy school year

Back to school with allergies, asthma Understand what causes problems when your child is away from home

about

Eating right, getting plenty of rest the key, local doctor says

HEALTHYU Healthy U is a monthly publication of the Times Record, focusing on issues of health and wellness for the River Valley area. It publishes the third Saturday of every month. For more information: ccosta@swtimes.com

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Publisher Crystal Costa Editor Mardi Taylor Contributing Writers Carole Medlock, Madison Pitsch Photographers Brian Sanderford, Jamie Mitchell Production Manager Christy Morrison ADVERTISING Sales Manager Julie Newman

When your family needs back-to-school vaccinations, or school or sports physicals, we’ve got you covered. We’re also here to treat illnesses and injuries for your whole family. Our convenient locations are staffed by kid-friendly physicians. To make an appointment, call 479-782-CARE (2273) and ask about same-day appointments.

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Summit Pediatric Clinic 209 Pointer Trail West, Van Buren Alma Family Medical Clinic 937 Highway 64 East, Alma Sparks Clinic Family Medicine 2010 Chestnut, Suite H, Van Buren Van Buren Family Medical Clinic 209 Pointer Trail West, Van Buren Spiro Family Medical Clinic 702 West Broadway, Spiro

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A cycle of

CRAM, CRAVE, CRASH Casey Seidenberg | Special to The Washington Post

Picture this typical scene in an American household: A teenager studying in his room wanders into the kitchen hoping for both a distraction and a snack that might give him energy for the hours of work he has ahead. He reaches for a bowl of ice cream, a soda or an energy drink, trusting the sugar and

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caffeine will get him through the next few hours of essay writing and fact cramming.

Do those snacks actually help?

Of course not; after a short interval of feeling energetic, the teenager grows irritable, possibly even jittery. He is less able to focus. He might even be more anxious than before, both

chemically from the caffeine and sugar (which are stimulants) and because he is worried about his renewed low energy and lack of focus. How will he get it all done?

It’s human nature to reach for sugar, carbohydrates or caffeine when lacking energy or feeling anxious. “When we

feel stressed, we seek foods that are going to comfort us immediately, but often those foods lead to surges and crashes in hormones and blood sugar that increase our susceptibility to new stresses,” says David Ludwig, a professor of pediatrics and nutrition at Harvard University and a researcher at

Boston Children’s Hospital.

Caffeine, one of the more common substances people rely on for energy, does its job by blocking a chemical that calms the brain. When this chemical is blocked, stress hormones increase, often exacerbating existing anxiety.

Caffeine can cause fragmented sleep and insomnia, as it can remain in the body for up to seven hours. In a 2010 study in the Journal of Pediatrics, 75 percent of children surveyed consumed caffeine on a daily basis, and the more they consumed, the less they slept. Lack of sleep can inhibit children’s performance on a test the next day and how well they focus in class, retain information, and deal with everyday stress and social pressures.

Sugar is another substance that triggers the hormone surges and crashes that Ludwig describes. When processed sugar enters the body, it rushes into the bloodstream, giving us the desired blast of energy, but then our bodies produce insulin to decrease the blood sugar.

This dramatic drop from high to low blood sugar triggers our bodies to release the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline.

Children, already anxious about their homework, do not need additional stress hormones.

Thankfully, there are alternatives. Specific amino acids (parts of proteins) ignite certain neurotransmitters in the brain that make us feel happy and focused. The foods you eat affect which neurotransmitters will be present in your brain.

For instance, eating protein (specifically the amino acid tyrosine, found in salmon, eggs, turkey and red meat) helps the body produce norepinephrine

and dopamine, both promoting brain alertness and activity, which are certainly beneficial to a kid studying for exams.

Omega-3 fatty acids found in salmon, walnuts and flaxseed have also been shown to help with stress management.

Joe Hibbelin of the National Institutes of Health has spent decades studying the connection between omega-3s and emotional health. “You can either be good at weathering stress, or you can be brittle,” he explained. “And omega-3s make your stress system more flexible.”

B vitamins found in avocados, eggs and beans support

our nervous system and give us long-lasting energy. Blueberries have an antioxidant called anthocyanin that has been shown to calm nerves.

Vitamin C, found in leafy greens and citrus, helps control spikes in cortisol. Magnesium calms our nerves, heart and muscles.

I know it is unrealistic to expect teenagers to reach for salmon or leafy greens in the height of test stress, but we parents can at least feed our kids dinners containing foods such as these.

The more protein, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins and minerals they have in their bodies,

the better equipped they will be to deal with stress. We can also offer them a bowl of blueberries, a handful of almonds, or guacamole and chips as studybreak snacks instead of that energy drink.

Now let’s try this again. Picture the following scenario and see if you’d rather identify with it: Your child is done studying, and everyone is getting a great night’s sleep.

Seidenberg is co-founder of Nourish Schools, a Washington, D.C.-based nutrition education company, and co-author of “The Super Food Cards,” a collection of healthful recipes and advice.

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BACK-TO-SCHOOL

with allergies, asthma

By More Content Now

There are lots of things kids get excited about when they go back to school. From brand new lunch boxes loaded with pudding cups, to shiny 64-packs of crayons and catching up with friends they

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haven’t seen for a while, anticipation is in the air.

But if you’re a parent of one of the 28 million children who suffer from allergies, or one of the 7.1 million children who have asthma, sending kids back to school can cause anxious moments.

“Many parents look forward to their child returning to the classroom,” said allergist Janna Tuck, spokesperson for the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. “But for parents of children with allergies or asthma, school raises questions about

conditions that can’t be controlled or monitored.

They want to make sure their child is safe, has adequate resources and that systems are in place if they have an asthma or allergy attack.”

By following these suggestions from the ACAAI, you can help ensure your child has a safe, fun start to the school year.

Know their triggers.

Students with pets at home can bring pet dander into school.

Other common allergens such as pollen and dust will definitely find their way into the classroom.

If your child suddenly develops a runny nose, has difficulty breathing or comes home with a rash, it may be related to classroom triggers.

Check with your allergist if previously unseen symptoms occur or if existing symptoms worsen.

Make an appointment with an allergist. If you

think your child might have allergies or asthma, making an appointment with a board-certified allergist is the first step to accurately developing a game plan. An allergist can determine what’s

causing your child’s symptoms, as well as provide guidance to help both of you cope with allergies and asthma.

Through prescribing medication and creating treatment plans, your allergist can provide the care that leads to fewer school absences.

Talk to your child about lunch time. Younger

children especially might be excited to share food with friends or try new things on the lunch menu. If your child has a food allergy, it’s important they know why they cannot eat certain things or share food. If your child is prescribed an epinephrine auto injector, make sure the staff is trained in how to use it, and knows where your child’s is located.

Meet with the school.

This is one of the biggest steps in preparing for the new school year.

Your child’s teachers, coaches, school nurse and principal should all be informed about your child’s asthma and/or allergies, and what medications they carry with them. All 50 states have laws allowing children to carry their needed medication. If your child is

old enough, teach them how to use their epinephrine auto injector or rescue inhaler. Make sure they understand warning signs and symptoms, what precautions to take and who to talk to if a reaction develops.

Talk with your child’s friends and other parents. Communication

is always a good policy when it comes to managing your child’s allergies and asthma. Talking to your child’s friends, or asking their parents to talk to their children about asthma and allergies, adds another layer of support. This is important for social reasons, as the more your child’s friends and classmates understand allergies and asthma, the less chance your child will feel isolated.

It can be a challenge to keep your kids free from allergy and asthma triggers. To help get you started on developing an action plan and find an allergist in your area check out the ACAAI allergist locator tool.

The ACAAI website has lots of resources to ensure your child has a safe and enjoyable school year.

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Babies coo over homemade food Casey Seidenberg The Washington Post

A

s a parent of three kids ages preschool to teen, I look back and realize just how important — and, frankly, how simple — feeding my kids was when they were babies and toddlers. I had so much more control back then. I was in charge of all of their meals, of every fragment of food that entered their world. They were too small to sidle up to a school snack bar, be influenced by their best friends; indeed, they hardly ever ate a meal that I didn’t prepare.

It has been shown that children tend to form long-term likings for certain foods and flavors based on their earliest years of eating, and infants tend to be more amenable to trying new foods than their scarcely senior toddler and preschool siblings. These are all good reasons we should feed our babies fresh, delicious, real food from the moment they first seize a spoon.

Homemade baby food is generally more nutritious and tastier than commercially processed food if it is fresh and made from whole foods and nothing else. When cooked in bulk, it is cheaper than commercial options. And you can control the quality of ingredients when you make your own. Seems like homemade baby food is a no-brainer.

Oh wait, it takes time! This is true, but just like any meal, some homemade baby food is better than none. So try making a little bit and see how it goes. In fact, mashed fresh avocado or banana would make a perfect first food, with no cooking required.

How will you know whether your baby is ready for solid 8

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foods? According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, she may be ready if she shows interest in the solid food around her, can sit up with support, is able to turn her head to refuse food and has doubled her birth weight (usually at about 4 to 6 months). Always consult your pediatrician, as babies grow at different rates.

How to make your own Vegetables and fruits

• Steam vegetables or fruits. (Chop larger foods into one-inch pieces.)

• Puree in a food processor

or blender. A fancy baby food maker is not necessary; any variety of food processor or blender will do the job.

• Add water to achieve desired consistency for baby’s age and stage.

• If making in bulk, freeze individual servings in ice cube trays, covered with wax paper and then aluminum foil, or freezer wrap (up to three months).

Whole grains

• Grind ¼ cup brown rice, millet or oatmeal in a blender for 1 minute.

• Boil 1 cup of water. Reduce

heat to low and add grain.

• Cover and let simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

• Serve, refrigerate (two to three days) or freeze (up to one month) in ice cube trays.

Meats

• Grind cooked chicken, fish or meat in a food processor or blender and refrigerate (one to two days). Babies should be 7-8 months before eating most poultry, meat and fish.

• Serve alone or mix with pureed vegetables or cooked grains.

Homemade stock • Homemade stock is full of vitamins and minerals. It aids digestion and builds bones.

• Mix homemade chicken or vegetable stock into baby’s

cereal or vegetables to liquefy and add nutrition.

• Babies can drink homemade vegetable stock from a bottle after the age of 9 months.

Worried about allergies?

Introduce one food at a time, and wait at least four days before introducing another.

Common problem foods: cow’s milk, eggs, wheat, soy, nuts, shellfish and artificial additives. Shellfish and honey should be avoided until at least a year.

— Seidenberg is co-founder of Nourish Schools, a Washington-based nutrition education company, and co-author of “The Super Food Cards,” a collection of healthful recipes and advice.

QA &

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Want healthy kids? Let them play in the mud.

Feed them allergenic foods. And get a dog.

By B. Brett Finlay and Marie-Claire Arrieta, Washington Post

I

f you read about children’s health, you’ve heard a lot of this before: Microbes, vilified because they cause infectious diseases, can be beneficial to a child’s well-being. Our society’s penchant for hypercleanliness is actually making our children less healthy and more prone to allergies.

But microbiologists B. Brett Findlay and MarieClaire Arrieta make that case with an unusually convincing display of evidence — as well as historical anecdotes and a parent-friendly sense of humor — in their new book, “Let Them Eat Dirt: Saving Your Child from an Oversanitized World.”

They lay out the 19thcentury discoveries that identified microbes — germs! — as dangerous carriers of diseases, and the discoveries of the past two decades that have shown us how vital microbes are to our very existence.

Then they translate that

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evidence into accessible, understandable advice.

They explain about avoiding the unnecessary use of antibiotics, and they advocate exposing your children to the great, messy outdoors.

Their guide to transitioning babies to solid foods warns: “Don’t delay the introduction of allergenic foods. Offer peanuts, soy, shellfish, etc. ... between four and seven months of age.” This is followed by an entertaining recitation of what babies eat in other countries, concluding, “The next time your child refuses to eat something you offer, remind her that she should be thankful she’s not in Tibet, where babies eat barley flour mixed with yak butter tea!”

Get a pet, they say, if you can take care of one. Specifically, get a dog instead of a cat, because a cat will probably spend more time indoors and not be very effusive, while a dog has to be taken out for walks a couple of times a day and will come inside and jump on you and lick your face. (“Bring on the slobberfest!” cries one section’s title.) Yes, the authors

acknowledge that people can develop allergies to dogs.

But “dogs keep us dirtier,” they say, “and as we have come to learn, kids benefit from this kind of exposure early on.”

Probably the fastestreading and most fun chapter is the Q&A, for which Findlay and Arrieta polled parents to come up with a list of cleanliness-related questions: When should children wash their hands? What kind of soap? Should I let people hold my baby? Are sandboxes unsanitary?

Is antibiotic ointment necessary when treating scratches and cuts?

Is it safe for a child to put something in his mouth after it’s been dropped on the ground? And so on.

(From the answer to the last question: A recent Swedish study found that babies whose parents clean the pacifier by sucking on it get fewer allergies than those whose parents rinse the pacifier in tap water. On the other hand, the pacifiersucking parent may pass on cavity-inducing microbes. The takeaway: Life is complicated.)

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DeDe Glover, a teacher at BOST, uses flash cards as she works with Nicholih Rodriguez, while Josiah Monzom plays in the background. [BRIAN D. SANDERFORD/TIMES RECORD]

10

Something to ‘Bost’ about A

By Carole Medlock Contributing writer

Program helps children get on track with development AUGUST 2017

HEALTHYU

local preschool is helping children with developmental delays make progress in their areas of need, so they may start school at a developmentally appropriate level.

Bost Hand In Hand Child Development Center provides preschool intervention for children from six weeks to five years old experiencing delays physically, cognitively and socially, said Ferba O’Kelley, co-director of Children’s Services for Bost Inc. O’Kelley said most children at the center have been diagnosed with a developmental delay that is non-specific, but that may be identified at a later time.

“Our intention isn’t to diag- available for children receiving nose, but to intervene to see care at the center. Therapists if we can arrest that delay and are part of the Bost organization then to help them progress for- that come to the child develward,” O’Kelley said. opment center to work with The children’s program children who need them. focuses on medical treatment Sandy Chamberlain, cofor developmendirector of tal delays, but the “Our intention isn’t Children’s Serday treatment serto diagnose, but to vices for Bost Inc., vices — sometimes intervene to see if we said therapists also called “dayhabili- can arrest that delay work with children t a t i o n ” — a r e and then to help them and their families delivered in a progress forward.” outside the school structured classday setting when room setting with Ferba O’Kelley necessary. an educational Because the component, O’Kelley said. The program is categorized as a program differs from other pre- medical-type program, a docschool programs because there tor’s prescription is necessary is a focus on developing skills for a child to be considered for on each child’s particular skill enrollment. However, Chamlevel which is most times not berlain said parents can call age appropriate. and inquire about the program Therapeutic services includ- and then take the information ing occupational, speech, to their pediatrician or priand physical therapy, as well mary care physician to discuss as mental health services are whether a referral would be

Sandy Chamberlain, LPN, CCM. Co-Director Children’s Services

Ferba O’Kelley, MSE. Co-Director Children’s Services BOST

BOST

appropriate for their child.

Once a child is referred, certified special education professionals conduct testing in the areas of motor development, communication, cognition, adaptive skills (self-help), and

social development, Chamberlain said. Testing must reveal significant delays in two areas of development for a child to qualify for the preschool intervention services, she said.

Testing results also form a basis for the type of therapy that will

be recommended for children eligible for the program.

Chamberlain said it can take anywhere from 30 to 45 days from the time a prescription is written for a child to start at the facility, and all children served by the care facility must have Arkansas Medicaid to be accepted.

O’Kelley said eligibility for the program is re-evaluated for every student every year. She said many students no longer meet eligibility requirements after one year, and even more are dismissed after two years.

Only a few stay at the facility from 6 weeks to 5 years, O’Kelley said.

Chamberlain said Bost staff works with parents to transition children into other child care facilities or the public school system when they are no longer eligible for the Hand In Hand program, but may still be in need of special services.

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COMMON CHILDHOOD AILMENTS

By Madison Pitsch

Black Eyes and Bruises

Contributing Writer

Kids are known for their unbridled sense of curiosity. Unfortunately, this curiosity can get kids into a lot of germs and put them at risk of injury. Fortunately, most ailments are easily treatable at home and can be prevented by following a few simple steps.

Bruises, or contusions, are caused by the break of a small blood vessel beneath the skin. Bruises start with a red color, transition to bluish-purple, transition to greenish-yellow and finally heal. To aid with the healing process, ice the bruise and elevate it above your heart to get the blood moving.

Colds Bloody Noses Colds and sore throats are some of the most common ailments among kids.

Colds are typically spread through close contact with others who are infected with the virus. Although a cold only lasts for seven to 10 days, the symptoms can be widespread. Symptoms include sore throat, runny nose, coughing, sneezing, headaches and body aches. Preventing a cold is as easy as avoiding close contact with infected people, washing hands frequently and not touching your eyes, nose and mouth. While there is no cure for a cold, there are things one can do to make themself feel better, including extra rest and plenty of fluids.

Croup Croup is a common virus among kids that starts like a cold but develops into more croup-like symptoms. The croup virus causes airways to swell, making it difficult to breathe. This agitation of the voicebox and windpipe may lead to a child developing the trademark “barking” cough associated with croup. To treat croup, it helps to breathe moist air.

Set up a humidifier or fill a bathroom with steam and stay there for about 10 minutes. Breathing cool air also helps to soothe the irritation.

Ear infections Ear infections are usually caused as a result of other illnesses like a cold or flu.

Ear infections are typically accompanied by swelling of the ears, nose and throat and by drainage from the ear. To ease the pain, try a warm washcloth over the infected ear. Ear infections also can be treated by either waiting it out or by antibiotics. If you choose to wait out the infection, consult your doctor.

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Keep children healthy all year long Local doctor says eating right, getting plenty of rest among the keys

Bloody noses can be the result of various things, including nose picking, colds or allergies and dry heated air.

If a nosebleed is caused by an injury, see a doctor. To stop nosebleeds, sit up and tip your head forward. Pinch just below the bony part of your nose and hold the pressure for about 10 minutes. Avoid blowing, picking or rubbing your nose as to prevent it from bleeding more.

Dehydration Arkansas summers can be relentlessly hot, and that heat can continue into the new school year. Dehydration in children is especially common because their body is not yet capable of regulating internal temperatures.

Mild dehydration symptoms include a dry or sticky mouth, eyes that look sunken, few or no tears when crying, urinating less or fewer wet diapers and the softspot of a baby’s head appearing sunken in. To remedy dehydration, try to drink at least 4 ounces of water for every 15 minutes outside.

Try to give children a snack rich with salt and potassium, like pretzels, goldfish crackers, cheese sticks or fruit, every 30-45 minutes to protect against electrolyte loss. Increase hydration by making homemade popsicles and gelato with fresh fruit. Skip sugary drinks like pop and sports drinks, which are not meant for children's’ bodies. Mothers who are breastfeeding also need to remain hydrated in order to ensure hydration in breast milk production.

By Carole Medlock Contributing writer

As students return to school, there are several basic steps that can be taken to ensure that kids stay healthy and are ready to learn.

From a holistic perspective, Dr. Thanh Le, MD, said a good night’s rest and ample hydration can go a long way in keeping kids healthy.

Le is a family medical practitioner at Alma Family Medical Clinic.

“Eat right and drink often.

With those common steps (most

students) should be healthy and do well at school,” Le said. In addition, he said a good night’s rest is needed and will help a student’s body and brain recover from their daily activities.

Le recommended that kids get at least eight to nine hours of sleep each night.

Students should eat breakfast every day, Le said. Some suggestions for a healthy breakfast include a cup of milk, whole grain cereals, and fruit.

Energy drinks, that have become

popular in recent years, should be avoided for several reasons.

Le said that energy drinks are not only high in sugar, which can increase a child’s risk of unhealthy weight gain, but they have a very high caffeine content, which can put students at risk for arrhythmia, an irregular heart rhythm.

Signature coffee drinks, which have also become popular with school-age children, are less menacing, but Le said it is a good idea to always look at the nutritional information, including particulars on calorie content.

He added that in place of caffeine drinks, a good night’s rest will provide students the energy they need to help them get through their day.

Another health concern as school starts can be heat-related illness for those students who are involved in activities that practice outside in the summer heat.

Le said because temperatures in July, August and even September can be high, it is important to pay close attention to water intake during those times.

“The recommendation is (to drink) eight glasses of water a day, but most people don’t,” Le said.

He said when in high heat situations, a student should drink every hour or so being mindful of the symptoms for heat stroke or heat exhaustion which can include nausea and dizziness. Le said not to ignore symptoms, but to alert an adult and seek rest and hydration to avoid a serious heat related illness.

He added that while drinks like Gatorade can help with the replenishment of electrolytes and potassium that can be lost during physical activity, the downside is that they contain

sugars and calories that students may not need. Le touted water as the best option for hydration.

As school resumes and students encounter other students, another health issue can be communicable disease, or disease that spreads from person to person by direct or indirect contact.

Le said the common cold is easily passed from one student to another, and later in the year influenza can become a concern; but basic hygiene including thorough hand-washing covering one’s mouth while sneezing or coughing can help limit the spread of either.

Le elaborated, saying influenza can be a dangerous disease that needs to be contained. He recommended receiving a flu shot to prevent the spread of the disease, saying the benefits outweigh the risk.

Le also advised parents and students to be proactive in making sure childhood vaccinations are up to date based on recommendations by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention prescribed by age.

“If you don’t vaccinate your children, you put other children at risk. You can hurt those who are most vulnerable to disease,” Le said.

Le said at the first sign of not feeling well, a student should alert a teacher or their school nurse. With a temperature of higher than 100.4, that student should be sent home for rest and fever reducing medicine.

If a fever persists or new symptoms develop, Le said a student should make an appointment and see a doctor.

Le stressed that healthy eating, ample rest and hydration are essential tools in keeping kids healthy as they return to school.

EASY, HEALTHY SNACKS

By Madison Pitsch

Fruit Pops

Contributing Writer

Making healthy food an option has not always been the easiest task. These healthy snacks make it easy and fun to choose the better option. Wash it all down with a fun twist on your regular glass of water and your child will be on the way to a healthier life.

Put fruit like blueberries, cut up strawberries, cut up kiwis and cut up tangerine oranges into a popsicle mold. Fill the mold with coconut water and let freeze. Popsicles should freeze overnight or until solid.

Source: www.foodiefun.net

Fro-Yo Buttons Celery Snails and Caterpillar To Make Snails: Fill celery stalk with peanut butter or cream cheese. To make shell, slice apple, orange, kiwi, cucumber, etc.into rounds. Place the rounds upright on the peanut butter or cream cheese. To make eyes, attach candy eyes to an upright cashew with peanut butter.

To Make Caterpillars: Fill celery stalk with peanut butter or cream cheese. Place grape tomatoes, grapes or blueberries on the peanut butter or cream cheese. To attach candy eyes, use peanut butter or cream cheese.

Fill a zip top bag with your favorite kind of nonfat Greek yogurt. Snip a corner of the bag and pipe yogurt onto a cookie sheet. Freeze until solid, then serve.

Source: www.ladybehindthecurtain.com

Pear Pinwheels Cover a tortilla with shredded cheddar cheese. Cover the cheese with pear slice. Sprinkle cheese over the pear slices and microwave for 30 seconds, or until the cheese melts.

After the cheese has melted, roll up the tortilla and slice into rounds.

Source: www.keyingredient.com

Source: www.womansday.com

Water

Butterfly Snack Bags

Fruity Water: Freeze pureed fruit or fruit juice in ice cube trays. Once frozen, add to water. Alternatively, add frozen fruit (like frozen blueberries) for fruity flavor.

Citrus Water: Slice fruit like lemons or oranges to add to water. Cucumbers work well, too.

Herbal Water: Add chopped or whole herbs and spices like ginger, basil or mint.

Fill half of a small snack zip top bag with grapes. Move grapes to one side and fill the other half with goldfish snack crackers. Seal bag and pinch in between the grapes and crackers with a clothespin. To finish, glue a cheese stick to the back of the clothespin. To make the butterfly, glue googly eyes to the front of the clothespin and glue pipe cleaners on for the antennae.

Source: United Healthcare

Source: menumusings.blogspot.com

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Cotton swabs cause thousands of ear injuries each year, study finds JoAnne Viviano More Content Now

W

hen Vidya Raman’s son complained of water in his ear after a shower, she did something many mothers do. She grabbed a cotton swab.

But her pre-teen son jerked when she inserted the swab. Her son cried and there was blood in his ear.

The boy’s eardrum had been perforated.

“This minor thing, this minor accident, resulted in a major thing,” said Raman, of Northwest Columbus, Ohio.

Injuries such as this are common, according to a new study that shows an average of 34 children visit emergency departments every day with ear injuries caused by cotton swabs.

In 73 percent of cases, children or caregivers were attempting to clean their ears with swabs, a practice that doctors say is dangerous.

There is a misconception that cotton swabs are the perfect tool for cleaning the ear canal, said Dr. Kris Jatana, an associate professor at Ohio State University’s Wexner Medical Center and an otolaryngologist at Nationwide Children’s Hospital.

“We see several patients a day in my clinic alone that clean their ears in the home setting and use cotton-tip applicators to do so,” said Jatana, one of the study’s authors. “Unfortunately, this results in a lot of injury, particularly in younger children.”

The study reviewed U.S. emergency department data from 1990 to 2010 and found 263,338 ear injuries attributed to cotton swab use.

The report, recently published in the Journal of Pediatrics last month, shows that the youngest children had the highest rate of injury: 32.2 injuries per 100,000 children ages 0 to 3, compared with 21.7 injuries per 100,000 for ages 4 to 7, and 10.3 per 100,000 for ages 8 to 17.

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In 77 percent of cases, children handled the cotton swab themselves.

The most common injury was eardrum perforation and a foreign object in the ear.

“These injuries are all preventable, and despite all the warning labels that many manufacturers put on products, it seems there still persists a misconception,” Jatana said. “Our hope is, through educational efforts, that we can help reduce these injuries across the United States.”

Dr. Erika Kube, an emergency physician who works for Mid-Ohio Emergency Services and OhioHealth, said parents should leave ear wax alone.

“Ear wax is normal and is supposed to be in your ear,” she said. “It serves an antimicrobial purpose and helps to keep the ear canal dry, so it’s not harmful.”

Researchers suggest more visible warnings on packaging, posting fliers at primary care facilities, airing public service announcements and cautioning new mothers against using cotton swabs to clean their children’s ears.

The study was done at the Center for Injury Research and Policy at the Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, the Ohio State University College of Medicine and the Department of Pediatric Otolaryngology — Head and Neck Surgery at Nationwide Children’s and Wexner Medical Center at Ohio State University.

It was limited by the lack of details in some emergency department reports and authors say that the number and severity of injuries likely is higher because only children who visited emergency departments were analyzed. Further, data was not available for years past 2010.

Raman said she isn’t taking any more chances. The family doesn’t use cotton swaps for cleaning their ears.

“The consequences are high,” Raman said. “You think it’s not a big deal, but it can be.”

Using an alternative to cotton swabs may help prevent injury. [MORE CONTENT NOW]

Student Health: Recommended vaccines for college-bound kids

Melissa Erickson

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long with the extra-long bedsheets and a laptop computer, be sure your collegebound child is completely covered when she heads off to school. In addition to dorm room essentials, college students need specific inoculations, too.

“Vaccination requirements are legislated not by the federal government but established by each state. All have slightly different requirements,” said Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious-disease specialist at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine.

A discrepancy in vaccinations will most likely come up if your child attends an out-of-state school.

“If you live in Massachusetts but go to school in Iowa, you must follow the Iowa regulations,” said Schaffner, a professor of preventive medicine at Vanderbilt.

“Just like you would take your car in for a winter tuneup, consider a pre-college doctor’s visit to be sure your child is up to date,” Schaffner said.

In college, kids live in a semi-enclosed environment.

“They live together, go to class together, enjoy recreation, visit sports and bars together. They’re romantic. They’re close together intimately day-to-day for months at a time. It’s an ideal environment for infection to spread,” Schaffner said.

Fifty years ago, outbreaks of communicable diseases were much more common on college campuses, but less so today because of a healthy acceptance of the advantages of immunizations, Schaffner said.

Around the country, small pockets of people with anti-vaccine beliefs have been blamed for recent outbreaks, including the almost 50 cases of measles in unvaccinated Somali-American children in Hennepin, Ramsey and Crow Wing counties, Minnesota. The so-called anti-vax movement “has not had a major impact among college kids,” Schaffner said. “It’s a small problem &#8212; not zero but not large.”

In addition to the common vaccines often required by colleges such as measles, mumps, rubella varicella (or chickenpox) and a tetanus booster, colleges are increasingly recommending additional vaccines:

outbreaks have occurred on college campuses, every adolescent should be vaccinated for bacterial meningitis, Schaffner said. It’s a four-part vaccine that is universally recommended, he said.

Seasonal flu vaccine

While not required, the flu vaccine is highly recommended and most colleges will provide it, Schaffner said.

“Students need to seek it out and get it,” he said.

Meningitis B “Flu can readily spread between friends and Used occasionally and classmates and can be often at personal discre- dangerous to others who tion, the meningitis B have underlying health vaccine protects against a problems.” separate strain of meninWhen parents ask gitis and one that parents whether their child should often believe their chil- be vaccinated, Schaffner dren are protected against has a solid response: “If with the meningococcal the health department conjugate vaccine. says it’s advisable, get up and go to the front of the Whooping cough line.” vaccine booster

Called Tdap, the booster protects against tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis, or whooping cough.

If a child missed a booster shot around 11 or 12, the CDC recommends one before college. Whooping cough, a cough that lasts longer than two weeks Hepatitis B along with other symptoms, is still hanging Given in three to four around. Last year more shots over a six-month than 20,000 cases were period, the vaccine is reported, according to the recommended for all ado- CDC. In 2012, the number lescents. “Most colleges was over 48,000, the peak want it. The hepatitis B year since 1955. virus is a sexually transmitted infection. It’s HPV vaccine frequently recommended strongly, and some The human papil(colleges) have it as a lomavirus vaccine is requirement,” Schaffner recommended for teens and young adults who said. did not start or finish the Meningococcal HPV vaccine series at age 11 or 12. HPV is commonly conjugate vaccine spread through sexual Because some small activity.

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Casey Seidenberg The Washington Post

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very September, I find myself writing an article about my kids falling off the nutritional wagon. Our summers are less structured than the school year, peppered with more outside influences, fewer rules, and much easier access to ice cream, sugary drinks and candy. I know I am not alone, yet I also know that now is the time to corral it back in.

Our corralling this year has to do with sodas — those sugary sweet soft drinks made with carbonated water, flavorings and chemical additives.

Soda just hadn’t been a concern in our house until this summer. We Dozens of empty coke bottles. PROVIDED PHOTO never bought it, we never ordered it at restaurants, and my kids never asked for it. Yet this summer, soda seemed to be lurking around every corner and, boy, did it beckon.

My sons claim that this summer they opened “a can of happiness,” as the Coke advertisements promise. I think they opened Pandora’s box. moodiness, headaches, addictive drug and can Here is the dark truth allergies and a suppressed affect the developing behind that liquid candy. immune system. brains of children. Chil4. The artificial food dren shouldn’t consume c o l o r i n g s , a r t i f i c i a l any caffeine, yet a typi10 reasons flavors, artificial sweet- cal soda provides 35 to 38 to skip soda eners, MSG and citric milligrams of caffeine per acid in soda have been 12-ounce can. Diet sodas 1. The vast majority of shown to cause disruptive often contain more, as sodas have no nutritional behaviors such as aggres- do certain brands such as value, at all. Zip, zero, sion and ADHD, lack of Mountain Dew and Pepsi nada. focus and abnormal brain One. 2. Soda is high in sugar function.

7. Soda drinkers are and calories, which lead 5. Soda can cause heart more likely to be lacking to obesity, diabetes and disease. A Harvard study in calcium, magnesium blood sugar imbalances. found that one daily and many vitamins. Kids 3. Weight issues aside, 12-ounce serving of regu- who drink soda often eat the excessive sugar in lar soda increases the risk fewer whole foods. Drinksoda has many damaging of cardiovascular disease ing soda triggers the body effects such as decreased by 19 percent. to produce insulin that brain function, fatigue, 6 . C a f f e i n e i s a n then triggers the body to

The dark truth about kids and sodas

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crave more sugar. When a child fills up on sugar and other unhealthful foods, he consumes fewer healthful ones.

8. Sodas are dehydrating. They are diuretics just like coffee, tea and alcohol. Our little athletes certainly need to hydrate, and whether children play sports or not, water is essential for every function of their bodies.

9. Soda weakens kidneys and the liver. The high levels of phosphoric acid in sodas have been linked to kidney stones and other renal problems, with diet soda most likely

to have a negative effect on kidney function. The sugar and high fructose corn syrup in soda place pressure on the liver.

10. Sodas contribute to tooth decay. The sugar causes cavities and the acids deteriorate tooth enamel. Dentists have reported significant enamel loss on the front teeth of teenagers who regularly drink sodas.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, teenagers and young adults are the biggest consumers of soft drinks. This is not good! A teenager’s body is smaller

than an adult’s and still developing, therefore more susceptible to the chemicals, sugar and caffeine found in soft drinks.

Here’s something for your kids to think about: Researchers at the University of California at San Francisco estimate that “slapping a penny-perounce tax on sweetened drinks would prevent nearly 100,000 cases of heart disease, 8,000 strokes, and 26,000 deaths over the next decade.”

And potentially prevent 240,000 cases of diabetes per year. The tax could generate an estimated $13 billion yearly tax revenue and perhaps also “save the public $17 billion over the next decade in health carerelated expenses due to the decline of obesity-related diseases.”

So our family is going to curb soda again. As loudly as it beckons my boys and as tempting as it is to many people, it doesn’t seem like a can (or box) worth opening.

—Seidenberg is cofounder of Nourish Schools, a Washington, D.C.-based nutrition education company, and author of “The Super Food Cards,” a collection of healthful recipes and advice.

Is caffeine safe for kids?

Melissa Erickson More Content Now

also increase your blood pressure,” said Ann Condon Meyers, dietitian at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. “If you are a teenager with a pre-existing heart condition this may cause a cardiac infarction, or heart attack. In teenagers, there are some rare genetic heart conditions which can predispose a teen to this event by an overdose of caffeine or very strenuous exercise.

Unfortunately, some of these pre-existing heart conditions are never diagnosed in children until such a life-threatening event occurs.

“Caffeine is now classified as a toxic drug and has negative effects on the behavior and mood of teenagers with other mental disorders,” Meyers said.

Possibly the most popular stimulant, caffeine has been linked to a number of harmful health effects in children, including effects on the developing neurologic and cardiovascular systems, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Just like adults, kids reach for caffeinated bevHow can caffeine erages in the belief they turn deadly? will give them a boost of energy.

“Because caffeine is a “Beverage manufacturstimulant, it increases ers put caffeine in drinks your heart rate and can not because we need it but

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ost adults think nothing of grabbing a cup of coffee, soda or even an energy drink, but how safe is caffeine for children? The death of a 16-year-old last spring due to a “caffeine-induced cardiac event” spotlights the dangers of caffeinated beverages for young people.

The South Carolina boy consumed three caffeinated beverages in just two hours, which led to a deadly overdose, according to the coroner.

While the tragedy was “extremely uncommon,” there’s no reason a child needs to be drinking caffeine.

“Teens do not need caffeine,” said Dr. Shan Yin, medical director, Drug and Poison Information Center, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center.

Normally, “caffeine is very safe. Millions of people drink it every day and have no problems,” Yin said.

A safe limit of caffeine for adults is 400 milligrams a day, or about four 8-ounce cups of coffee, or two Starbucks grandes, according to the Food and Drug Administration.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children do not consume caffeine, and in a 2011 report urged parents to keep children and teens away from energy drinks because of high levels of caffeine.

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because once we consume caffeine, we feel poorly when the effects wear off. This is why adults feel that their morning dose of coffee is needed to wake them up when in actuality, the sleepy feeling/ irritable feeling is due to a lack of sleep and/or the effects of the drug caffeine wearing off,” Meyers said.

Other sources of energy One of the best way kids can feel more energized throughout the day is to get more sleep, Yin said.

“Talk to your kids about avoiding the peer pressure they may feel about drinking caffeinated beverages,” he said.

“Energy comes from having a healthy body which receives regular exercise and good nutrition,” Meyers said. “Lack of energy generally comes from a sedentary lifestyle, poor nutrition and a lack of sleep in children, teens and adults. Instead of drinks with caffeine, children and teens should consume water and cow milk beverages.”

Last word of caution: “When teens are mixing alcoholic beverages with energy drinks, the effects of the two drugs can exacerbate the effects of irritability and put the teen at even greater risk for an overdose of alcohol,” Meyers said.

I have ringing in my ears and have heard that it is often associated with hearing loss. Is this true?

Nearly 50 million American adults deal with tinnitus, or ringing in the ears and up to 90% of people with tinnitus have some level of noise induced hearQVO TW[[ <PI\¼[ WVM W]\ WN M^MZa Å ^M WN ][ ¸ UMIV ing if you don’t have tinnitus yourself, you probably know someone who does.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Jerry Richards, ACA, BC-HIS Graham Hearing 1005 Lexington Ave. Fort Smith 479-783-5250 2708 N. Broadway Poteau, OK 918-649-0223

)VL _PQTM \PMZM IZM UIVa LQ‫ ٺ‬MZMV\ KI][M[ WN \QVVQ \][ ¸ XPa[QKIT QVR]Za UMLQKQVM[ IVL KPZWVQK LQ[MI[M ¸ UIVa XMWXTM _QTT \MTT aW] \PI\ \PMQZ \QVVQ\][ [\IZ\ ed after being exposed to loud noises like going to a loud concert, construction noise, or shooting without hearing protection.

Exposure to loud noise is one of the leading causes of hearing loss. This type of hearing loss, called noise-induced hearing loss, is so common it has its own acronym, NIHL. Thus, it shouldn’t be surprising that 90 percent of people with tinnitus also deal with some level of noise-induced hearing loss. Moreover, the two often go hand in hand.

Our new Muse, and Halo 2 Synergy hearing aids have our proven tinnitus relief technology built into them, so if you’re dealing with tinnitus or noise-induced hearing loss, or both, you owe it to yourself to have your hearing tested and see if this is the solution for you!

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TEAMWORK

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Healthy eating behaviors to model for kids

By Melissa Erickson More Content Now

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arents are role models for their children, who imitate their actions from smiling to the way they speak and even their gestures.

The same goes for eating.

If parents model good eating habits, their children are more likely to be healthful eaters.

“Role modeling plays a significant role in developing both good and bad eating habits for kids,” said registered dietician Jennifer Glockner, creator of “Teddy Tries a Veggie,” a nutrition e-book for kids. “A child definitely picks up on parents’ attitudes about food. Kids learn by observation.

If parents sit down to breakfast, kids will adapt that behavior. If parents are excited about eating broccoli, kids are more apt to try broccoli. If parents reach for the cookie jar instead of grabbing an apple, kids will mimic.”

To raise healthful eaters, Glockner offers the following tips: Take meals together Family meals are really important for several reasons. They facilitate bonding and connectedness in a family. They also provide an opportunity to model healthy eating habits. For example, family meals are a great time to eliminate distractions such as phones and TV, which lead to mindless eating.

“In addition, several studies have shown that more frequent family meals decrease the risk of childhood obesity,” Glockner said.

Remember that family meals don’t have to be elaborate or AUGUST 2017

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FREEPIK.COM

at dinner time. “They can be a simple breakfast or breakfast for dinner,” she said.

Set ground rules Mealtime shouldn’t be a battle, but parents should rely on some rules. “Select rules that actually improve eating habits rather than ones that foster unhealthy habits,” Glockner said.

Parents need to provide food and it should be up to the kids to decide what and how much to eat from the choices given.

Kids should not have “special” food but eat whatever the rest of the family eats, Glockner said.

No clean-plate club “Cleaning the plate is not a good rule and doesn’t lead to healthy eating behavior. Kids need to learn to listen to hunger cues and satiety signals. Kids should stop eating when they feel full.

Being forced to clean the plate beyond that point may lead to

overeating,” Glockner said.

Broaden taste buds “If kids only like limited foods such as chicken nuggets and pizza, start with small changes to make these foods healthier.

For example, try baking the nuggets instead of frying them.

Make the pizza healthier by trying whole grain crusts (or ones made from beans or veggies like cauliflower). Add lots of veggies to the pizza,” Glockner said.

“A child definitely picks up on parents’ attitudes about food. ... If parents sit down to breakfast, kids will adapt that behavior. If parents are excited about eating broccoli, kids are more apt to try broccoli. If parents reach for the cookie jar instead of grabbing an apple, kids will mimic.”

Jennifer Glockner

Since many kids like pasta, use whole grain pasta or ones made from spiralized veggies including squash and beets, she said.

Treat them An occasional dessert as part of a healthy eating pattern is OK, but try to reserve cakes and cookies to special occasions and holidays. “Eliminating dessert completely may backfire,” Glockner said. Some tips: • Just a small portion may satisfy a child’s craving.

• Try baking healthier versions of favorite desserts at home. For example, substitute half of the butter or oil in a recipe with unsweetened apple sauce or avocado.

• Encourage kids to eat fresh, seasonal fruit routinely as dessert.

It can be prepared in fun ways like fresh fruit ice pops, smoothies, yogurt parfaits, fruit kebabs and fruit cookies made with sliced fruit and nut or seed butter in between.

Bost, Inc.

Providing services and support children and adults with disabilities and their families since 1959.

Six ways to sneak veggies into kids’ meals More Content Now

Struggling with getting your kids to eat vegetables? Research shows it can take up to 15 attempts before a child enjoys a new food. While you keep on trying to introduce new flavors, you can ensure even picky kids get their daily dose of veggies with these six simple cooking hacks: • Steam cauliflower and puree.

Fold into mashed potatoes before serving.

• Finely shred zucchini and layer into lasagna and other casseroles before baking.

• Chop mushrooms and brown with ground beef before making tacos or sloppy Joes.

Proud of our past, poised for our future, Bost is here when you need us.

• Add a dollop of unseasoned pumpkin puree to spaghetti or macand-cheese sauce.

• Blend spinach into a blueberry smoothie and the dark color will mask the green.

• Add a container of carrot baby food to pizza sauce before making that pie.

www.bost.org 479.478.5577 HEALTHYU

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Why parents may be packing on pounds Your child's leftovers could be adding calories to your diet

&

What services are offered for children at Bost?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

StatePoint

A pizza crust here, a chicken nugget there.

Can eating leftovers off your child’s plate really add up? The answer is yes. Eighty-one percent of parents with kids under 18 admit to eating off their kids’ plates before, during or after a meal. What’s more, one in three say they eat less healthfully now than they did before they became a parent, according to a new survey conducted on behalf of Nutrisystem by Harris Poll.

Some of the top foods moms are guilty of eating off their kids’ plates are chicken nuggets, pizza crust, French fries, potato chips, mac and cheese, pancakes and cupcakes.

“While those few bites may seem inconsequential, the extra calories can really add up over time, and may be detrimental to weight maintenance and weight loss efforts,” says Courtney McCormick, corporate dietitian

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at Nutrisystem.

On average, eating those leftovers on your child’s plate once a day for one week can add up to more than 400 additional calories. Nibbling at that rate equals nearly six pounds per year!

To help parents make healthier choices, McCormick is offering the following tips.

• Eat mindfully. Be aware of just how much food you’re picking from your child’s plate.

Include this food in your daily calorie count and rethink your eating throughout the rest of the day. Consider forgoing a snack or eating less at a meal.

• Reassess your child’s portions. If your child consistently has leftovers, reassess portions.

Look at your child’s hands for guidance — protein such as meat, fish and chicken should be the size of their palm; fruits and veggies should be the size of two palms; healthy fats like cheese, nut butters and avocado

HEALTHYU

should be the size of their thumb (from knuckle to tip); and pasta, rice and other grains should be the size of their fist.

• Be picky. If you do find yourself grabbing leftovers, go for the less caloric choices. For example, opt for the blueberries and carrots instead of the chicken nuggets.

• Save it for later. If you feel the urge to eat leftovers because you can’t stand to see food get wasted, then save your child’s leftovers and serve it to them later as a snack or meal.

• Eat while they eat.

If you’re picking at your child’s plate because you’re hungry, then try to have your own healthful snack or meal to eat while your child is eating. Make sure you choose items for your diet rather than just select the same foods your child is eating.

More wellness tips can be found on Nutrisystem’s blog “The Leaf,” at leaf.nutrisystem.com.

James Maginot Assistant Executive Director Bost 1801 South 74th Street, Fort Smith, AR 479-478-5600

Our Hand-in-Hand preschool is certified as a Developmental Day Treatment Center (DDTCS) by the State of Arkansas. Low staff to student ratios make it possible for Certified Teachers and Child Development Associates/Aides (CDAs) to provide special instruction through daily skill sessions and specialized services. Hand-in-Hand program services include: • Developmental Day Treatment Services • Early Intervention / Early Childhood Educational Services • Speech, Occupational, and Physical therapy by licensed therapist • Van Transportation to and from the preschool • Service Coordinator services • Standardized Testing/Evaluation Services • Nutritiously Balanced Meals

What are the qualifying diagnosis to receive services in the Bost children’s program?

• • • • •

A low birth weight or premature birth An illness beginning at or shortly after birth The presence of a chronic illness which interferes with normal stage of development A medical diagnosis such as: Mental Retardation, Epilepsy, Cerebral Palsy, Autism, and Developmental Delays Failure to thrive

Are therapy services offered at Bost?

Yes, we offer speech therapy, physical therapy, and occupational therapy.

How do I enroll my child?

Children who have a valid Arkansas Medicaid card may be referred to the Preschool program by anyone who believes a child ages 6 weeks to 5 years may have a developmental delay.

The family will then be advised to contact their pediatrician, who will write a prescription for the services he/she believes the child may need. Once the prescription has been obtained and it is determined that the child meets admission eligibility criteria, the child will begin recieving services. This will include developmental services and may also include speech, occupational, and/or physical therapies. For further questions, please contact:

Sandy Chamberlain

Ferba O’Kelley

Phone: 479.478.5555 Fax: 479.478.5560 schamberlain@bost.org

Phone: 479-478-5563 Fax: 479-478-5560 fokelley@bost.org

Dangers of thirdhand smoke Study offers a new worry for families of smokers

By Carmen Heredia Rodriguez Kaiser Health News

Michael Miller, 44, does what most smokers do to protect his sons and daughter from the fumes of his Marlboro Ultra Lights. He takes it outside.

After his 7 a.m. coffee, he walks out of his home in Cincinnati to smoke his first cigarette of the day. Then, as a branch manager of a road safety construction company, he smokes dozens more on street curbs.

The tobacco never appears when Miller is coaching on the baseball or football field, or when he’s in the car with his children.

But when he’s alone on the road, he sometimes rolls the windows down and lights up.

“I know (cigarettes are) bad,” Miller said. “I know I need to quit.”

New findings highlight the scientific community’s efforts to identify potential dangers of another byproduct of cigarettes that may slip past Miller’s precautions and affect his kids: “thirdhand smoke.”

A recent study in the journal Tobacco Control found high levels of nicotine on the hands of children of smokers, raising concerns about thirdhand smoke, a name given to the nicotine and chemical residue left behind from cigarette and cigar smoke that can cling to skin, hair, clothes, rugs and walls. This thin film can be picked up by touch or released back into the air when disturbed.

The researchers examined 25 children who arrived at an emergency room with breathing problems associated with secondhand smoke exposure.

They discovered the average level of nicotine on the children’s hands was more than three times higher than the level of nicotine

found on the hands of nonsmoking adults who live with smokers. They said nicotine on the skin of a nonsmoker is a good proxy to measure exposure to thirdhand smoke.

“Because nicotine is specific to tobacco, its presence on children’s hands may serve as a proxy of tobacco smoke pollution in their immediate environment,” the researchers wrote.

They also found that all but one of the children had detectable levels in their saliva of cotinine, a biomarker for exposure to nicotine. All of the children in the study had parents who smoked but did not smoke themselves. The high nicotine readings on the kids’ hands, coupled with the “light smoking” habits of the majority of their parents, signaled to lead author E. Melinda Mahabee-Gittens that these toxins could have arrived from a source other than direct access to cigarette smoke.

“Clearly they’re getting it from somewhere, and perhaps it may be this thirdhand smoke connection,” said Mahabee-Gittens, an emergency room physician at

Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center.

Children face a higher risk of developing health complications from thirdhand smoke than adults. Infants tend to spend more time indoors and can be surrounded by contaminated objects like rugs and blankets, according to a 2004 study written by Georg Matt, a professor of psychology at San Diego State University who co-authored the study and has researched thirdhand smoke. An infant’s propensity to place their hands in their mouth increases the likelihood of the young ingesting the toxic residue.

Thirdhand smoke can linger in an area long after a cigarette or cigar is snuffed out — for up to five years, Matt said.

“Tobacco smoke doesn’t go up in the air and it disappears and it’s gone,” Matt said. “That’s the illusion.”

The negative health consequences of secondhand smoke are well-established.

Researchers at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that since 1964 at least 2.5 million

nonsmokers have died of diseases linked to their exposure to cigarette smoke.

In contrast, research on thirdhand smoke gained popularity only a decade ago, but multiple studies suggest the mix of toxins can lead to adverse health outcomes. An animal model simulating thirdhandsmoke-contaminated homes found the chemicals harmed mice’s livers, lungs and healing abilities. A separate 2010 study showed thirdhand smoke mixed with nitrous acid — a gas sometimes emitted from leaky gas stoves — can form cancer-causing chemical compounds. These toxins have also been shown to damage human DNA. “All in all, I think the evidence that we’ve gathered is basically pointing to potentially high levels of risk to young children and toddlers, and also expectant mothers,” Anwer Mujeeb, program officer for the TobaccoRelated Disease Research Program.

Unfortunately, removing thirdhand smoke from a child’s environment is no easy task.

The variety of compounds that

make up cigarette residue react to cleaning products differently, Matt said, making it difficult to purge a space of pollutants.

Governments and agencies across the nation have attempted to curb the threat of smoke exposure by implementing tobacco bans. Forty-one states and the District of Columbia have implemented local smoke-free laws, according to the lobbying group Americans for Nonsmokers’ Rights.

Although the majority of these laws are meant to address secondhand smoke exposure, an unintended benefit of the ordinances is a reduction in thirdhand smoke, said Stanton Glantz, professor of medicine and director of the Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education at University of California-San Francisco.

Reynolds American Inc., the second-largest tobacco company in the United States, declined to comment on the study. The Altria Group, the leading U.S. cigarette manufacturer, did not respond to requests for comment.

Mujeeb said more work must be done to better understand the risks of thirdhand smoke.

Researchers still do not know the threshold of exposure that leads to harm. Other potential pollutants in the environment need to be identified as well to “properly characterize the risk of thirdhand smoke,” he said.

Miller is skeptical of the threat thirdhand smoke poses to his family, but he is determined to quit smoking this year on his 45th birthday in July. With the help of medicine, he hopes to break the habit his kids remind him is proven to kill.

“I think there’s far worse things that are going on than any tar on my hands,” he said.

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HEALTH & WELLNESS DIRECTORY 3505 S. 79th Street Fort Smith, AR 479-709-8686

BEHAVIORAL MEDICINE Sparks Behavioral Health 1500 Dodson Ave. Fort Smith, AR 72901 479-709-7455

Mercy Convenient Care – Zero Street 1400 Zero Street Fort Smith, AR 479-573-3082

Mercy Clinic Behavioral Health 2713 S. 74th St., Ste. 203 Fort Smith, AR 479-573-3130

CARDIOLOGY Cardiology Center at Sparks 1500 Dodson Ave., Ste. 60 Fort Smith, AR 72901 479-709-7325 Mercy Clinic Cardiology - Phoenix Ave. 6101 Phoenix Ave., Ste. 401 Fort Smith, AR 479-573-3042 Mercy Clinic Cardiology - Rogers Ave. 7001 Rogers Ave. Fort Smith, AR 479-314-4650

Mercy Clinic Cardiothoracic & Vascular Surgery 7001 Rogers Ave., St. 401 Fort Smith, AR 479-452-1188

Sparks Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, Inc. 600 Lexington Ave. Fort Smith, AR 72901 479-709-7025

CONVENIENT CARE Mercy Convenient Care – River Valley 22

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Surgical Associates of Fort Smith - Sparks 923 Lexington Ave. Fort Smith, AR 72901 479-709-73504

DISABILITY SERVICES

EAR, NOSE & THROAT Sparks Ear, Nose & Throat Center – West 1500 Dodson Ave., Ste. 260 Fort Smith, AR 72901 479-573-7985

ENDOCRINOLOGY Sparks Thyroid and Endocrinology 4700 Kelley Hwy. Fort Smith, AR 72904 479-709-7460

FAMILY MEDICINE

Bost 1801 South 74th Street, Fort Smith, AR 479-478-5600

DERMATOLOGY

CARDIOTHORACIC & VASCULAR

CARDIOVASCULAR SURGERY

COSMETIC SURGERY

Dentures Today - Sallisaw 1290 W. Mentzer Ave. Sallisaw, OK 918-775-5775

Johnson Dermatology 5921 Riley Park Dr. Fort Smith, AR 479-649-3376

DENTISTRY

Dentures Today - Fort Smith 2307 So. Zero #103 Fort Smith, AR 479-646-4499 Dentures Today - Van Buren 2308 Fayetteville Road # 1600 Van Buren, AR 479-474-7600

HEALTHYU

Alma Family Medical Clinic - Sparks 937 Highway 64 East Alma, AR 72921 479-632-3855 CarePlus - Sparks 14 Gothic Ridge Rd. Van Buren, AR 72956 479-471-0011 Cornerstone Family Medical Clinic - Sparks 14 Gothic Ridge Road Van Buren, AR 72956 479-474-1100 Greenwood Family Medical Clinic - Sparks 1480 West Center Street Greenwood, AR 72936 479-996-5585 SouthPointe Family Practice - Sparks 3808 Gary Street Fort Smith, AR 72903 479-709-7120 Sparks Clinic Family Medicine 2010 Chestnut, Suite H Van Buren, AR 72956 479-471-4280

Sparks Clinic Family Medicine 6100 Massard Road Fort Smith, AR 72916 479-709-7250 Sparks Clinic Family Practice 4700 Kelley Hwy. Fort Smith, AR 72904 479-573-7990 Sparks Plaza Family Practice 1500 Dodson Ave., Ste. 195 Fort Smith, AR 72901 479-573-7910 Sparks Fort Smith Family Practice 1500 Dodson Ave., Ste. 175 Fort Smith, AR 72902 479-573-7840 Sparks Family Medicine – South 8600 South 36th Terrace Fort Smith, AR 72908 479-709-7465 Sparks Medical Clinic 5428 Ellsworth Road Fort Smith, AR 72903 479-709-7440 Spiro Family Medical Clinic - Sparks 702 West Broadway Spiro, OK 74959 918-962-2442 Van Buren Family Medical Clinic - Sparks 209 Pointer Trail West Van Buren, AR 72956 479-474-3399

Fort Smith, AR 479-221-9922

Mansfield, AR 479-928-4404

Mercy Clinic Primary Care – Paris 500 E. Academy Paris, AR 479-963-5421

Mercy Clinic Family Medicine – Poteau 2110 N. Broadway Poteau, AR 918-647-7416

Mercy Clinic McAuley Family Medicine 3420 S. 74th Street Fort Smith, AR 479-573-3740

Mercy Clinic Family Medicine – Rice Road 2074 Rice Road Waldron, AR 479-637-0250

Mercy Clinic Family Medicine – Charleston 107 S. Logan Charleston, AR 479-573-3120 Mercy Clinic Family Medicine – Ozark 201 S. 70th Street Ozark, AR 479-667-1590 Mercy Clinic Family Medicine – Van Buren 2800 Fayetteville Road Van Buren, AR 479-314-4000 Mercy Family Medicine – Waldron 1341 W. 6th Street Waldron, AR 479-637-2136

GASTROENTEROLOGY Gastroenterology Center - Sparks 1001 Towson Ave., Ste. 100 Fort Smith, AR 72901 479-709-7430

GENERAL SURGERY Arkansas Surgical Group - Sparks 1500 Dodson Ave., Ste. 250 Fort Smith, AR 72901 479-573-7940 Surgical Associates of Fort Smith - Sparks 923 Lexington Ave. Fort Smith, AR 72901 479-709-7350

GERIATRICS

Mercy Family Medicine – Booneville 128 Daniel Ave. Booneville, AR 479-675-2455

Adult Medicine Specialists - Sparks 1120 Lexington Ave. Fort Smith, AR 72901 479-709-7260

Mercy Family Medicine – Cedarville 708 Pirates Way Cedarville, AR 479-235-3025

SeniorCare Behavioral Health - Sparks 1001 Towson Ave. Fort Smith, AR 72901 479-441-5601

Mercy Clinic Primary Care – Cliff Drive 3700 Cliff Drive Fort Smith, AR 479-259-9286

Mercy Family Medicine – Magazine 351B E. Priddy Street Magazine, AR 479-969-8768

Mercy Clinic Primary Care – Free Ferry 1000 Waldron Road

Mercy Family Medicine – Mansfield 100 N. Walnut, St A

HEARING

Beltone 1100 Lexington Ave Fort Smith, AR 479-782-5858

HEALTH & WELLNESS DIRECTORY HEARING

Graham Hearing Graham Hearing Services, Inc. 1005 Lexington Ave. Fort Smith, AR 479-783-5250

Center For Hearing 4300 Rogers Ave., Ste. #15 Fort Smith, AR 479-785-3277

HEMATOLOGY/ ONCOLOGY Sparks Clinic Cancer Center 1001 Towson Ave. Ste. 300 Fort Smith, AR 72901 479-709-7435 Sparks Radiation Treatment Center 1502 Dodson Ave. Fort Smith, AR 72901 479-709-7190 Mercy Clinic Oncology 7001 Rogers Ave., Ste. 200 Fort Smith, AR 479-314-7490 Mercy Radiation Oncology 7301 Rogers Ave. Fort Smith, AR 479-314-7545

INFECTIOUS DISEASE Sparks Center for Infectious Disease 1001 Towson Ave., Ste. 200 Fort Smith, AR 72901 479-709-7447

INTERNAL MEDICINE Adult Medicine Specialists – Sparks

1120 Lexington Ave. Fort Smith, AR 72901 479-709-7260 Sparks Plaza Internal Medicine 1500 Dodson Ave., Ste. 180 Fort Smith, AR 72901 479-573-7820 Mercy Clinic Primary Care – Cliff Drive 3700 Cliff Drive Fort Smith, AR 479-259-9286 Mercy Clinic Primary Care – Sallisaw 1015 E. Choctaw Ave. Sallisaw, OK 918-774-0034

INTERNAL MEDICINE & PEDIATRICS Mercy Clinic Internal Medicine & Pediatrics 7800 Dallas Street Fort Smith, AR 479-314-4940

INTERVENTIONAL PAIN MANAGEMENT Mercy Clinic Interventional Pain Management 3501 W.E. Knight Drive Fort Smith, AR 479-709-6755

NEPHROLOGY Renal Care Associates Sparks 1500 Dodson Ave., Ste. 280 Fort Smith, AR 72901 479-709-7480

Mercy Clinic Neurology 7303 Rogers Ave., Ste. 101 Fort Smith, AR 479-314-7590

NEUROSURGERY Mercy Clinic Neurosurgery 2713 S. 74th Street, Ste. 301 Fort Smith, AR 479-573-3723

OBSTETRICS/ GYNECOLOGY Mercy Clinic OB/GYN 7001 Rogers Ave., Ste. 403 Fort Smith, AR 479-785-2229

OCCUPATIONAL MEDICINE Sparks Occupational Medicine 8600 South 36th Terrace Fort Smith, AR 72908 479-709-7422

PODIATRY Mercy Clinic Podiatry – River Valley 3501 W.E. Knight Drive Fort Smith, AR 479-709-6700

PULMONOLOGY Sparks Clinic Lung Center 1001 Towson Ave., Ste. 400 Fort Smith, AR 72901 479-709-7433 Mercy Clinic Pulmonology 7303 Rogers Ave., Ste. 302 Fort Smith, AR 479-314-4620

SENIOR CARE

ORTHOPEDICS Mercy Clinic Orthopedics – River Valley 3501 W.E. Knight Drive Fort Smith, AR 479-709-6700

Grace at Home 2613 Market Trace Fort Smith, AR 72908 479-242-2273

Sparks Pediatrics 5428 Ellsworth Road Fort Smith, AR 72903 479-709-7337

NEUROLOGY Sparks Clinic Neurology 3808 Gary Street Fort Smith, AR 72903 479-709-7050

Mercy Clinic Pediatrics 3224 S. 70th Street Fort Smith, AR 479-314-4810

PLASTIC & RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY Mercy Clinic Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery

7001 Rogers Ave., Ste. 200 Fort Smith, AR 479-314-8917

SPORTS MEDICINE Mercy Clinic Sports Medicine 3501 W.E. Knight Drive Fort Smith, AR 479-709-6700

SURGERY Mercy Clinic General Surgery 2713 S. 74th Street Fort Smith, AR 479-573-3101

THERAPY SERVICES Sparks Outpatient Physical, Speech & Occupational Therapy 624 Towson, Ste. B Fort Smith, AR 72901 479-441-5361 Sparks–Van Buren Outpatient Physical Therapy Pulmonary Rehab 2020 Chestnut Van Buren, AR 72956 479-471-4545

WOMEN’S SERVICES Sparks Obstetrics & Gynecology 1500 Dodson Ave., Ste. 230 Fort Smith, AR 72901 479-709-7490 The Women’s Center Sparks 1500 Dodson Ave., Ste. 140 Fort Smith, AR 72901 479-709-1913

WOUND CARE Sparks Wound Care & Hyperbaric Center 1001 Towson Ave. Fort Smith, AR 72901 479-441-5078 Mercy Wound Care & Hyperbaric Center 7306 Rogers Ave. Fort Smith, AR 479-314-2804

UROLOGY

PEDIATRICS

Summit Pediatric Clinic - Sparks 209 Pointer Trail West Van Buren, AR 72956 479-474-3399

Sparks Neurology Center 1504 Dodson Ave. Fort Smith, AR 72901 479-709-7175

2717 S. 74th Street Fort Smith, AR 479-573-3799

Peachtree Village Retirement & Assisted Living Community 1500 Fresno Fort Smith, AR 72901 479-785-5544

Sparks Urology Group 5500 Ellsworth Road Fort Smith, AR 72903 479-709-7295

COMING UP....

ALL ABOUT MEN’S HEALTH healthy

SLEEP DISORDERS Sparks Sleep Disorders Center 1001 Towson Ave. Fort Smith, AR 72901 479-441-5255 Mercy Clinic Sleep Medicine

NEXT EDITION: SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 16TH

living well in the river valley

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AUGUST 2017

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Have a healthy school year.

Mercy Kids is here in Fort Smith to keep children healthy, so they can focus on being happy. Our pediatric providers work as a team to provide the care your child needs, when they need it. And with MyMercy, you can access your childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s health information and even print forms for school 24/7, so you can spend more time with your Mercy Kid.

Find a doctor near you at mercy.net/FortSmithKids

Every child. Every need. Every day.

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AUGUST 2017

HEALTHYU