Thursday, October 28, 2010
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Young kids trust adults despite evidence to the contrary
USA Today
A Study: By Robert Preidt, HealthDay
Very young children are extraordinarily trusting of
what adults tell them, even if there is repeated
evidence to the contrary, finds a new study.
In what may be little surprise to many parents, Unive-
rsity of Virginia researchers found that 3-year-olds
placed more trust in information they are told than
information conveyed to them without words.
In this study, an adult showed children a red and a
yellow cup and then hid a sticker under the red cup.
Some children were told (incorrectly) that the sticker
was under the yellow cup, while other children saw
the adult place an arrow on the yellow cup without
saying anything. The children were told they could
look under one cup and keep the sticker if they
found it. The experiment was repeated eight times
with pairs of different colored cups.
The children who saw the adult place the arrow on
the incorrect cup quickly learned not to trust this
sign. But those who heard the adult say the sticker
was under a certain cup continued to believe that's
where they would find the sticker. Of those 16
children, nine never once found the sticker in eight
tries. (At the end of the game, all the children were
given stickers, whether they found them or not.)
The study appears in the journal Psychological
Science.
"Children have developed a specific bias to believe
what they're told. It's sort of a shortcut to keep them
from having to evaluate what people say. It's useful
because most of the time parents and caregivers tell
children things that they believe to be true," study
author Vikram K. Jaswal said in a journal news
release.
A Study: By Robert Preidt, HealthDay
Very young children are extraordinarily trusting of
what adults tell them, even if there is repeated
evidence to the contrary, finds a new study.
In what may be little surprise to many parents, Unive-
rsity of Virginia researchers found that 3-year-olds
placed more trust in information they are told than
information conveyed to them without words.
In this study, an adult showed children a red and a
yellow cup and then hid a sticker under the red cup.
Some children were told (incorrectly) that the sticker
was under the yellow cup, while other children saw
the adult place an arrow on the yellow cup without
saying anything. The children were told they could
look under one cup and keep the sticker if they
found it. The experiment was repeated eight times
with pairs of different colored cups.
The children who saw the adult place the arrow on
the incorrect cup quickly learned not to trust this
sign. But those who heard the adult say the sticker
was under a certain cup continued to believe that's
where they would find the sticker. Of those 16
children, nine never once found the sticker in eight
tries. (At the end of the game, all the children were
given stickers, whether they found them or not.)
The study appears in the journal Psychological
Science.
"Children have developed a specific bias to believe
what they're told. It's sort of a shortcut to keep them
from having to evaluate what people say. It's useful
because most of the time parents and caregivers tell
children things that they believe to be true," study
author Vikram K. Jaswal said in a journal news
release.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Let's talk about kids health
Last year was the first year of BMI testing done for the 1st grade at the Baker School and at all DY schools.
The results give us a snap shot of the health status of our children at one point in time last year. I personally feel that the testing gives us valuable data in which we should commence discussions about our communities health, our attitudes and what if anything can we do to affect change if we beleive change needs to occur.
Please email this site with your thoughts in an effort to open up some dialog about this important discussion.
Within MA the rate of overweight and obese children is approx. 30% to 33%!
The results give us a snap shot of the health status of our children at one point in time last year. I personally feel that the testing gives us valuable data in which we should commence discussions about our communities health, our attitudes and what if anything can we do to affect change if we beleive change needs to occur.
Please email this site with your thoughts in an effort to open up some dialog about this important discussion.
Within MA the rate of overweight and obese children is approx. 30% to 33%!
Chocolate Milk Debate Rages On
Can chocolate milk really be healthy? An ad campaign promoting flavored milk in school lunch programs has some parents mooing in discontent.
Read the attached link and perhaps it isn't as bad as we think!
Read the attached link and perhaps it isn't as bad as we think!
Saturday, September 11, 2010
30% of overweight Americans think they're in normal range
See link to get full article. Recognizing obesity seems to be an important first step!
"Dr. Mitchell Roslin, chief of obesity surgery at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, noted that "when (Dr. Everett Coop, surgeon general in the 1980s) wrote 'Shape Up America,' he said the biggest health problem facing America was not AIDS, not cancer, it's obesity and a sedentary lifestyle. Since then ... we've seen nothing but a rise in obesity despite all of these efforts that have gone on now since the 1980s."
"The American public knows this but it's hard and it's something that they're not quite ready to do," Corso added. "This wake-up call still isn't ringing as loudly as it could."
"Dr. Mitchell Roslin, chief of obesity surgery at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, noted that "when (Dr. Everett Coop, surgeon general in the 1980s) wrote 'Shape Up America,' he said the biggest health problem facing America was not AIDS, not cancer, it's obesity and a sedentary lifestyle. Since then ... we've seen nothing but a rise in obesity despite all of these efforts that have gone on now since the 1980s."
"The American public knows this but it's hard and it's something that they're not quite ready to do," Corso added. "This wake-up call still isn't ringing as loudly as it could."
Friday, September 10, 2010
Over one-third of MA students overweight/obese
WBZ News
9/8/2010
6:05 pm
State public health officials say that more than one-third of the students in 80 Massachusetts school districts are overweight or obese.
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health released a study Wednesday of more than 100,000 students which found that 17.3 percent were obese and 16.9 percent were overweight.
The percentage of students overweight or obese ranged from a low of 9.6 percent in Arlington to a high of 46.6 percent in Lawrence.
The study measured students in the first, fourth, seventh and 10th grades. In all four grade levels measured, more boys were overweight or obese than girls.
The study was part of the state’s Mass in Motion initiative which tries to promote wellness and prevent obesity in Massachusetts.
9/8/2010
6:05 pm
State public health officials say that more than one-third of the students in 80 Massachusetts school districts are overweight or obese.
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health released a study Wednesday of more than 100,000 students which found that 17.3 percent were obese and 16.9 percent were overweight.
The percentage of students overweight or obese ranged from a low of 9.6 percent in Arlington to a high of 46.6 percent in Lawrence.
The study measured students in the first, fourth, seventh and 10th grades. In all four grade levels measured, more boys were overweight or obese than girls.
The study was part of the state’s Mass in Motion initiative which tries to promote wellness and prevent obesity in Massachusetts.
Monday, August 30, 2010
ER visits for concussions soar among kid athletes
– Concussion-Care Guidelines .By LINDSEY TANNER, AP Medical Writer Lindsey Tanner, Ap Medical Writer – Mon Aug 30, 3:31 am ET
CHICAGO – Emergency room visits for school-age athletes with concussions has skyrocketed in recent years, suggesting the intensity of kids' sports has increased along with awareness of head injuries.
The findings in a study of national data don't necessarily mean that concussions are on the rise. However, many children aren't taken for medical treatment, so the numbers are likely only a snapshot of a much bigger problem, doctors say.
"It definitely is a disturbing trend," said lead author Dr. Lisa Bakhos, an ER physician in Neptune, N.J.
The study examined concussions in organized youth sports involving ages 8 to 19. ER visits for 14- to 19-year-olds more than tripled, from about 7,000 in 1997 to nearly 22,000 in 2007. Among ages 8 to 13, visits doubled, from 3,800 to almost 8,000.
While awareness has increased, many parents, coaches and players still don't understand how serious concussions can be, Bakhos said. Many often seem less concerned with the injury than with how soon kids can return to sports.
"They want to know if they can play tomorrow, and you're just like, 'No!'" she said. "It's not just as simple as get up, shake it off and you'll be fine.
"If they're not treated properly, with rest, then they can have long-term problems," Bakhos said. Those include learning difficulties, memory problems and chronic headaches.
The study appears in Pediatrics, published online Monday, along with a report about sports-related concussions from the American Academy of Pediatrics' sports medicine council.
A concussion means the brain has been jostled. Symptoms aren't always obvious. There usually is no loss of consciousness. And a concussion doesn't show up on an imaging scan unless there is bruising or bleeding.
Symptoms can include headache, nausea, dizziness and trouble concentrating, and may last about a week. Sometimes it can take months to recover.
Potential concussions should not be "toughed out," say the authors of the Pediatrics report. Affected athletes should always be examined by a doctor or someone else with medical expertise.
Treatment is mainly rest — both physically and mentally, avoiding activities that require concentration and focus. That may mean reducing schoolwork or staying home. Video games, computer use and TV can worsen symptoms and should be avoided, the academy report says. Some doctors advise against aspirin and similar painkillers right after a head injury because they might raise the risk for brain bleeding.
Above all, anyone with a concussion should not return to sports or other physical exertion until their symptoms have disappeared.
"If you go back in too early, that can be devastating," said Dr. Kevin Walter, co-author of the report and a concussions specialist at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. Resuming sports too soon risks another concussion that could be deadly or cause permanent brain damage, he said.
A concussion should not be dismissed as "not a big deal," Walter said. "In my mind, how the hell can a brain injury not be big deal?" he said.
Sports-related concussions have made recent headlines because of research about brain damage, depression and memory problems including Alzheimer's disease in retired NFL players who had repeat concussions.
Researchers believe young athletes may be more vulnerable than adults to lasting damage from these head injuries because their brains are still developing. Several states have adopted or are considering tougher limits on when athletes can resume play after a concussion, as have some schools, amateur leagues and the NFL.
Dr. Michael Koester, chairman of a sports medicine committee at the National Federation of State High School Associations, said young athletes increasingly are playing and practicing year-round to stay competitive, a trend that increases chances for injury.
Evan Nolte, 16, a top high school basketball player in Atlanta, says the injuries "are more serious than people think."
Evan hit his head hard on the floor during a tournament earlier this year when he dived for a ball and another player landed on top of him. He didn't think he had a concussion, and only sat out several minutes before returning to the game.
A few days later, he was elbowed in the head in another game. Evan sat out the rest of the game, feeling disoriented. His doctor diagnosed a concussion the next day and told him to avoid sports for a few weeks. When Evan had trouble focusing in class, and complained that his head was spinning, his parents took him to Children's Healthcare of Atlanta's concussion clinic.
The clinic is among an increasing number of centers nationwide that use computerized or written tests to measure mental function after concussions. Evan's results showed some deficits. His scores improved after several days, but it took him about a month to feel 100 percent.
Now he's back to training. At 6-feet-7, Evan plays competitively 10 months of the year and plans to play in college. Coaches from top schools have already shown interest.
CHICAGO – Emergency room visits for school-age athletes with concussions has skyrocketed in recent years, suggesting the intensity of kids' sports has increased along with awareness of head injuries.
The findings in a study of national data don't necessarily mean that concussions are on the rise. However, many children aren't taken for medical treatment, so the numbers are likely only a snapshot of a much bigger problem, doctors say.
"It definitely is a disturbing trend," said lead author Dr. Lisa Bakhos, an ER physician in Neptune, N.J.
The study examined concussions in organized youth sports involving ages 8 to 19. ER visits for 14- to 19-year-olds more than tripled, from about 7,000 in 1997 to nearly 22,000 in 2007. Among ages 8 to 13, visits doubled, from 3,800 to almost 8,000.
While awareness has increased, many parents, coaches and players still don't understand how serious concussions can be, Bakhos said. Many often seem less concerned with the injury than with how soon kids can return to sports.
"They want to know if they can play tomorrow, and you're just like, 'No!'" she said. "It's not just as simple as get up, shake it off and you'll be fine.
"If they're not treated properly, with rest, then they can have long-term problems," Bakhos said. Those include learning difficulties, memory problems and chronic headaches.
The study appears in Pediatrics, published online Monday, along with a report about sports-related concussions from the American Academy of Pediatrics' sports medicine council.
A concussion means the brain has been jostled. Symptoms aren't always obvious. There usually is no loss of consciousness. And a concussion doesn't show up on an imaging scan unless there is bruising or bleeding.
Symptoms can include headache, nausea, dizziness and trouble concentrating, and may last about a week. Sometimes it can take months to recover.
Potential concussions should not be "toughed out," say the authors of the Pediatrics report. Affected athletes should always be examined by a doctor or someone else with medical expertise.
Treatment is mainly rest — both physically and mentally, avoiding activities that require concentration and focus. That may mean reducing schoolwork or staying home. Video games, computer use and TV can worsen symptoms and should be avoided, the academy report says. Some doctors advise against aspirin and similar painkillers right after a head injury because they might raise the risk for brain bleeding.
Above all, anyone with a concussion should not return to sports or other physical exertion until their symptoms have disappeared.
"If you go back in too early, that can be devastating," said Dr. Kevin Walter, co-author of the report and a concussions specialist at Children's Hospital of Wisconsin in Milwaukee. Resuming sports too soon risks another concussion that could be deadly or cause permanent brain damage, he said.
A concussion should not be dismissed as "not a big deal," Walter said. "In my mind, how the hell can a brain injury not be big deal?" he said.
Sports-related concussions have made recent headlines because of research about brain damage, depression and memory problems including Alzheimer's disease in retired NFL players who had repeat concussions.
Researchers believe young athletes may be more vulnerable than adults to lasting damage from these head injuries because their brains are still developing. Several states have adopted or are considering tougher limits on when athletes can resume play after a concussion, as have some schools, amateur leagues and the NFL.
Dr. Michael Koester, chairman of a sports medicine committee at the National Federation of State High School Associations, said young athletes increasingly are playing and practicing year-round to stay competitive, a trend that increases chances for injury.
Evan Nolte, 16, a top high school basketball player in Atlanta, says the injuries "are more serious than people think."
Evan hit his head hard on the floor during a tournament earlier this year when he dived for a ball and another player landed on top of him. He didn't think he had a concussion, and only sat out several minutes before returning to the game.
A few days later, he was elbowed in the head in another game. Evan sat out the rest of the game, feeling disoriented. His doctor diagnosed a concussion the next day and told him to avoid sports for a few weeks. When Evan had trouble focusing in class, and complained that his head was spinning, his parents took him to Children's Healthcare of Atlanta's concussion clinic.
The clinic is among an increasing number of centers nationwide that use computerized or written tests to measure mental function after concussions. Evan's results showed some deficits. His scores improved after several days, but it took him about a month to feel 100 percent.
Now he's back to training. At 6-feet-7, Evan plays competitively 10 months of the year and plans to play in college. Coaches from top schools have already shown interest.
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