Barb's Daily Dose

Measles

I was just talking to a reporter about the recent increase in Measles cases. This is one of those highly contagious infectious diseases that has been just under the radar for years, but recently has increased dramatically. Most people under 40 haven't seen a case of measles and don't know anyone who had measles. If you're over 50, chances are that you had measles or knew someone else who couldn't go to school for a week while recovering from measles. 

Contaminated Water and Mental Illness

Is it possible that early exposure to water contaminated with PCE's (tetrachloroethylene) can cause mental illness? 

A recent study of over 1500 people from Cape Cod, Massachusetts found that people who had long term exposure to contaminated water were much more likely to be bi-polar and have depression. That's scary and would keep me up at night, especially since I used to spend my summers on Cape Cod as a child.

How Much Calcium Do You Need?

How Much Calcium do You have Each Day from Milk, Yogurt, Cheese or Supplements?

This is the question I always ask my patients during their annual exam.  No matter if they're 19, 39 or 59, most answer the same way.  Maybe they have a little milk in their coffee or cereal, some yogurt a few times a week, and maybe some cheese now and then.  Broccoli and spinach are thrown in once in awhile.  It all adds up, but it doesn't make the grade.  

Whooping Cough on the Rise

In Washington State, there is currently and epidemic of whooping cough.  There have been 640 case reported there in the first 3 months of the year, compared to only 93 the year before.

Whooping cough is also known as pertussis and can be serious and even life threatening in babies. The reason that there's a new epidemic is that we think that people's immunity to it decreases over time.

Dental X-rays and Brain Tumors

I just read today that the risk of developing a type of brain tumor is 4.9 times greater if you had a certain type of dental x-ray as a child.  The researchers also found that people who had had Bitewing Dental X-rays ever in their life were twice as likely to have a brain tumor. I just had my bitewing x-rays 6 months ago, OMG!

Tobacco Exposure in Childhood Raises COPD Risk in Adulthood

I found this interesting article on the American Academy of Nurse Practitioner's (AANP) website:  Tobacco Exposure in Childhood Raises COPD Risk in Adulthood.

Children exposed to tobacco smoke may be at significantly increased risk of developing chronic pulmonary obstructive disorder (COPD) in adulthood, new research suggests.

Autistic Children's GI Systems are Different

A recent study found that children who are autistic had a different type of bacteria in their gastro-intestinal system.  The bacteria, Sutterella, can cause inflammation, which can lead to symptoms that are difficult to treat. Autistic children may have more difficulty communicating that their stomachs hurt and become more frustrated when they're not understood. This can lead to behavior problems.

Obesity Rates Lowering in Schools

Is it possible that obesity rates are really coming down like numbers on the scale? Well, at least in one study in New York City. The Centers for Disease control found that the rate of obesity for kids in elementary and middle school dropped by 5.5%. From 21.9% to 20.7%.  That's still 1 in 5 kids, but awareness increases and parents, educators and corporations take notice, I know that we can reduce it further.  

Gut Bacteria in Autistic Children Differ From Non-autistic Children

Individuals with severe autism often suffer from another problem as well: gastrointestinal disturbances.  The underlying reason for this apparent link is unknown, but a study in mBio this week reveals that the guts of autistic children differ from other children in at least one important way:  many children with autism harbor a genus of bacteria in their guts that non-autistic children do not.

Can Autism Be Derailed? Researchers Say Maybe

Featured on AANP SmartBrief, February 21, 2012, Written by Michelle Diament

Signs of autism are evident in children as young as 6 months but take time to unfold, a development researchers said could lead to opportunities to intervene before the disorder makes its full mark.

The finding comes from research on 92 infants considered at high-risk for autism because each had an older sibling with the developmental disorder.