Measles Cases On the Rise

More measles cases have been reported in the U.S. since Jan. 1, 2008 than during the same period in any year since 1996, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Between January 1 and July 31, 2008, 131 cases were reported to CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD). At least 15 patients, including four children younger than 15 months of age, were hospitalized. No deaths have been reported.

“Measles can be a severe, life-threatening illness,” said Dr. Anne Schuchat, director of NCIRD. “These cases and outbreaks serve as a reminder that measles can and still does occur in the United States.” Of the 131 patients, 112 were not vaccinated or had unknown vaccination status.

Click here to read more on the CDC website.

Parents Shape Their Kids’ Eating Habits

Providing fruits for snacks and serving vegetables at dinner can shape a preschooler’s eating patterns for his or her lifetime.

To combat the increasing problem of childhood obesity, researchers are studying how to get preschoolers to eat more fruits and vegetables. According to researchers at Washington University in St. Louis, one way is early home interventions–teaching parents how to create an environment where children reach for a banana instead of potato chips.

“When parents eat more fruits and vegetables, so do their children,” said Debra Haire-Joshu, Ph.D., a professor at the George Warren Brown School of Social Work. “When parents eat and give their children high fat snacks or soft drinks, children learn these eating patterns instead.”

Click here to read more on the Washington University in St. Louis website.

County Health Department Offers Back-to-School Immunizations

It’s not too late to get your child immunized for school.

The Orange County Health Department (OCHD) is offering immunizations on a first come, first served walk-in basis through August 30, 2008 at several sites. 

To find the site closest to you, call the OCHD at 407-836-2502. (Spanish, 407-836-2545.) Children must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.

Most Restaurant Kids’ Meals Are Too Fattening

Most restaurant kids’ meals have too many calories, according to the nonprofit Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), which recently released the results of a study of the nutritional quality of kids’ meals at 13 top restaurant chains.

Ninety-three percent of 1,474 possible choices at the 13 chains exceed 430 calories–an amount that is one third of what the Institute of Medicine recommends that children aged four through eight should consume in a day, according to the CSPI release.

“Parents want to feed their children healthy meals but America’s chain restaurants are setting parents up to fail,” said CSPI nutrition policy director Margo G. Wootan.

Click here to learn more about the healthiest options for your children.

Text Message Safety Warnings

Emergency room doctors, who have seen a rise in injuries related to text-messaging, warn that students need to be more cautious about the places and times they send them.

When young people are busy thinking about what to say in a text message and using their thumbs to type a message–at the same time they are moving around by foot, bicycle or car–they can get hurt. And so can others.

It is important for parents to provide guidelines and serve as good role models.

Click here to read the complete KidsHealth story.

Teen Smoking Linked to Access and Peer Pressure

Kids who can easily get hold of cigarettes and who have friends who smoke are more likely to start smoking than children who don’t, according to a study reported in the July/August issue of the “Annals of Family Medicine.”

The four-year study, funded by a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) grant, focused on 1,195 students ages 11 to 14 in Massachusetts.

As a result of the study, one author noted the factors should “raise a red flag and prompt (physicians) to talk with parents and kids about how to avoid smoking.”

Click here to read the study summary on the RWJF website.

Free Shots and Physicals at Back-to-School Event

The Orange Blossom Family Health Center has teamed up with the Christian Service Center, WellCare, the Orlando Magic, the Orange County Public School System, Orange County Library System and the City of Orlando to host a Back-to-School event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. August 2, 2008 at the Amway Arena, 600 W. Amelia St., Orlando.

In addition to physicals and immunizations, the event will feature information on community resources, health information, free school supplies, free haircuts, free backpacks and entertainment. Parents must bring their child’s shot record form to receive the immunizations.

Immunizations–Not Just For Kids

Although most parents are good about getting their children immunized, government officials say many adults aren’t up-to-date on their vaccines.

For example, according to federal data, only 2.1 percent of adults ages 18 to 64 are immunized against tetanus, diphtheria and whooping cough. As a result, up to 70,000 Americans die each year from diseases that could be prevented by vaccines. Congress is considering a plan to create a national vaccine program.

For more information, click here  to go to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation website.

Childhood Obesity A Top Concern for Parents

Childhood obesity now tops the list of parent concerns when it comes to children and health–up from third place in 2007, according to the results of a poll conducted by the University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health.

The National Poll “clearly shows that adults in America are very concerned about the problem of childhood obesity and its causes,” said Matthew M. Davis, M.D., M.A.P.P., director of the National Poll.

New to the list were bullying, Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and environmental toxins. Also making the overall list of top 10 health concerns for kids in 2008: Internet safety, abuse and neglect, sexually transmitted infections and lack of opportunities for physical activities for kids.

Click here to read more about the poll on the University of Michigan website.

Pay Attention to Your Child’s Food Cues

Parents of young children can help them develop healthy eating habits by watching the clues youngsters give at mealtime about their hunger and fullness. The American Dietetic Association offers these suggestions:

1. Serve a toddler or preschooler small helpings and let the child ask for more.

2. When he or she starts to play with food, becomes restless or sends a signal of “no more,” remove the food. Knowing what it feels like to be full–and when to stop eating–helps children learn not to overeat.

3. No more “clean plate club.” This practice may encourage overeating or a food aversion–habits that could set up a child for weight or eating problems later.