Ever hear the phrase; “Use your head!” uttered in a some what disparaging tone from an equally annoyed caregiver, such as your mother?  Well, I don’t think she had in mind literally “using your head” the way increasing young people seem to be using their heads, when it comes to beating and banging said head into what ever is around, like the swimming pool, or the pavement, or into bats and balls that may be flying about.  Yes, according to data from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety commission, there have been more head injuries seen in emergency rooms in 2009 compared to 2008; more head injuries to the tune of 95,000 more, which is a huge number.  The ones to discuss here include water-related injuries, biking-related head injuries, and baseball and softball-related head injuries.  The water-related head injuries more than doubled, going from 11,000 to almost 29,000, while the biking-related head injuries went up almost 15,000, and the ball-related injuries went up over 11,000.  So what was the growing contributor to bike head injuries?  Cell phone use, which increased the number of concussions, lacerations and fractures.  The water-related head injuries saw an increase in diving into shallow water, running along the side of the pools, and rough playing near pools.  So, how do you to teach your progeny, who hopefully still have  heads, to “use that head” wisely?  For bike riders, don’t use the cell phone while riding, wear helmets, obey traffic signals, avoid uneven surfaces, and wear bright clothing and reflectors at night.  For water safety, be sure to avoid diving in shallow areas, have backyard pools fenced and gated, avoid alcohol consumption during water-related activities, avoid dangerous rough play.  Teach your kids to use their heads in the right way, and give the little noggin a hug.  I’m Dr. Greta McFarland.

Topic #2

Could weight problems and cavities be related in the preschooler age? A preliminary study from the University at Buffalo in New York, and reported at the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting in San Diego, says this may be a combined trend.  They looked at 65 preschoolers, aged 2 to 5 years who sought treatment for their cavities in baby teeth.  All these kids needed to be put to sleep to get their teeth fixed.  These kids had a rate of overweight and obesity higher than the national average.  Almost ¾ of the kids had higher calorie intake than the normal, which should be about 1200 calories for preschoolers.  This study didn’t look at diet histories, so we don’t know what choices of foods were made, but it is interesting that of the kids with severe cavities, more of them were overweight and obese.  Reminder time:  cavities are just infections of the teeth, with bacteria that can eat away the tooth enamel.  Some families are more prone to these bacteria.  This is why everyone should brush and floss regularly.  Some dentists suggest parents should brush a child’s teeth until age 7 or 8, though it is good to let the child brush either before or after, also, to practice the technique.  Especially, brush after eating sticky foods.  Avoid sipping on sugary drinks throughout the day.  If your family has a tendency towards cavities, check with your dentist or doctor about using a fluoride varnish.  Be sure your child is getting fluoride either in the drinking water or as a vitamin.  Stay tuned for future studies that may tell us if kids who need a lot of dental work actually drink more juice or sugary drinks or eat more processed foods.  In the meantime, try to steer your kids towards the 5 vegetables and fruits, 3 milks, and 2 proteins, and have the cookies, candies, and other sweets, just periodically.  Give that kid a hug as you brush those pearly whites.  I’m Dr. Greta McFarland.

Topic #3

Are you nosy about your teen?  Enter concerns for good bone growth and your girl’s menstrual periods.  Remember healthy bones mean calcium intake, with 3 servings of milk a day, or calcium sources, like fortified orange juice, soy products, spinach, fish like sardines, molasses, oatmeal, and certain legumes.  Vitamin D is essential for bones, so needs to come from fortified milk, sun, or vitamins.  But how do we know if our young ladies have healthy bones?  An article by Dr. Lawrence Nelson in the May issue of Contemporary Pediatrics tells us we should pay more attention to our young ladies’ menstrual periods.  He says we should consider it a vital sign, like weight, height, blood pressure and temperature.  Now, it is known that most girls should be starting to blossom by age 13 years of age, should start menstruating by age 15 years, and will have their periods become regular by 2 years after starting.  If any of these things haven’t occurred, tell your doctor, as this can mean there isn’t enough estrogen.  If there isn’t enough estrogen to have regular periods, there may not be enough estrogen to make good bones, and if a young woman doesn’t make good bones in the teen years, she may be at a higher risk for other healthy problems.  So things to discuss and monitor with and for your teen girls:  1) Keep yearly doctor visits so the girl’s development is being followed.  A late start can mean certain conditions that need evaluation.  2) Watch diet closely for good sources of calcium, vitamin D and iron.  Twelve to 1300 mg of calcium is recommended a day.  3) An hour of physical exercise a day, with muscle and bone strengthening at least 3 times a week is recommended.  Yes, when it comes to keeping track of basic vital signs like your girl’s menstrual periods, figure out how to be a little nosy, until she is safe, and give her a hug.  I’m Dr. Greta McFarland.