Bone
06 Mar 2008
Preventing burns from electric dental handpieces
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is warning dental professionals about serious patient injuries caused by poorly maintained electric dental handpieces. Some patients have experienced third degree burns that needed plastic surgery. The burns have occurred during tooth extraction, when cutting teeth and bone, and during other surgical procedures, but…
Children's health
05 Mar 2008
Confusion over lactose intolerance
There appears to be a trend for parents to diagnose their children as lactose intolerant without seeking medical advice. This has serious consequences for children, who may miss out on vital nutrients. Lactose intolerance is the inability to digest foods containing lactose, such as dairy products. People who have this…
Children's health
05 Mar 2008
Energetic toddlers growing up on milk and junk food
A recent study published in Nutrition & Dietetics found that Australian toddlers are consuming more energy than they need.1 This is an important finding, as excess energy intake can lead to overweight and obesity over time. Researchers from Sydney undertook an 18 month assessment of the diets of 429 children…
Bone
05 Mar 2008
Ototoxicity
Ototoxicity refers to chemical ear damage which causes hearing loss. It is associated with antibiotics, aspirin and anti-malarial medicines and chemicals.
Children's health
03 Mar 2008
Data show a decline in cystic fibrosis since introduction of prenatal carrier screening
A brief report in the February 28, 2008, New England Journal of Medicine, led by researchers at the New England Newborn Screening Program (NENSP) of the University of Massachusetts Medical School (UMMS), indicates a declining incidence of a genetic disease, providing what may be the first demonstration of a link…
Children's health
03 Mar 2008
Cockroaches a major health concern in schools and at home
Cockroaches spread nearly 33 different kinds of bacteria, six kinds of parasitic worms and at least seven other kinds of human pathogens. As cockroaches crawl through decaying matter or sewage, they turn into disease-carrying pests by picking up germs on the spines of their legs and bodies. The National Pest…
Children's health
03 Mar 2008
Adding therapy helps adolescents with depression not responding to SSRIs
For adolescents with depression not responding to an initial treatment with a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), switching medications and adding cognitive behavioural therapy resulted in an improvement in symptoms, compared to just changing medications, according to a study in the February 27 issue of JAMA: The Journal of the…
Blood
03 Mar 2008
Faster chemo technique increases survival in children with neuroblastoma
Chemotherapy given with shorter intervals between treatments than conventional chemotherapy increases survival rates by two thirds in children with high-risk neuroblastoma, according to a study published in the Lancet Oncology. The ten year trial co-ordinated in six countries by scientists from the Children’s Cancer and Leukaemia Group (CCLG), funded by…
Children's health
03 Mar 2008
Urine protein may be present before hypertension diagnosis in at-risk adolescents
A protein that is an early indicator of kidney dysfunction in adults may predict hypertension in black adolescents, Medical College of Georgia researchers have found. “Microalbuminuria, excessive amounts of albumin in the urine, is a common problem among diabetics,” says Dr. Gregory Harshfield, director of the Medical College of Georgia’s…
