Bambini Pediatrics PC
April 2010
- Xylarex vs. Xylitol
- Can a DVD teach babies to talk?
- Time to toss the cod liver oil?
February 2010
- Beyond the Temporal Artery Thermometer
- Raise your child's IQ with a spoon
- Longevity tips from a real pro
- More concerns about Tylenol
- Clear out those sinuses
Food As Sunscreen
Some years ago, a little girl came to the office with a bad sunburn. The problem: it was early April, and she was outside only a few minutes! Months later, specialists determined that she had xeroderma pigmentosa (XP). Her family went on to set up an organization to educate and support others with rare photo-sensitivity disorders. Since that time, we have kept an eye out for natural ways to reduce sunburn risk.
Interestingly, a number of foods and supplements have been shown to help. These include: dark chocolate, broccoli sprout extract (rich in sulforafane), an extract from the polypodium fern (brand names Heliocare, Fernblock, others), lycopene (found in tomatoes and watermelon), pomegranate, green tea, and salmon.
The effects can be pretty dramatic. A single dose of Heliocare, for instance, can triple the amount of sun that one can tolerate all day. Unlike a sunscreen, it won't wash off, get in your eyes, or inhibit vitamin D production. For more information, come to the Holistic Moms Network talk in Rhinebeck on July 20th.
A Sustainable Way to Reduce Ear Infections?
Last month, a pharmaceutical representative dropped off some literature about a new product called Xylarex, a “medical food” that reduces ear infections in children by 39%. It’s safe (maybe a little gas or loose stool if child drank the whole bottle at once), tastes good (it’s actually a form of sugar), and bacteria do not become resistant to it like an antibiotic. Sounds great?
But, because it is a prescription product, it had to go through the FDA – a process that costs millions of dollars. And of course, the drug company wants to sell a bunch of it, so they hire a sales team. Not surprisingly, Xylarex is not cheap – about $100 for a month supply.
Being a “food” and not a drug, one would imagine that most HMOs are not going to make it easy to obtain it through insurance. Doctors will have to write letters, and that means that families will have to see the doctor for an appointment to discuss this – further adding to the cost.
As an odd coincidence, a few days before the rep dropped off the literature I had bought a one pound bag of xylitol -- the active ingredient in Xylarex (the other ingredient is flavoring) – at a local health food store. That 's enough to make about a six week supply of “homemade” Xylarex. It cost about $7. Do the math...
No Free Lunch
Last month, psychologists from the University of California reported the findings of a study tey performed on language acquisition. They enrolled 96 toddlers, 12 to 24 months-old. Basically, half of them got to watch a Baby Einstein DVD, and the rest didn’t. Six weeks later, the groups were compared, and no differences were found.
Interestingly, they found that when the parents watched the videos with their child, word acquisition was enhanced. Commenting on her findings in Time, the lead author stated, "For children under the age of 2, social interaction is key to their ability to learning something like words."
The Great Cod Liver Oil Debate One of the most hallowed pillars of traditional child-rearing came under attack about a year ago, and the dust has not settled. Dr. John Cannell, the well-respected authority on vitamin D, wrote an article that called into question the amounts of vitamin A found in most cod liver oils. His concern was that this amount of vitamin A, combined with what most children are getting through diet and multi-vitamin supplements, not only has some potential toxicity but counteracts the vitamin D – which we know that almost no one is getting enough of. The pot really got stirred when Dr. Joseph Mercola, a long-time advocate of cod liver oil and familiar name in natural health circles, wrote in support of Dr. Cannell’s remarks. Not surprisingly, the Weston Price Foundation fired back with a reiteration of their long-standing endorsement. Chris Masterjohn wrote a very thoughtful counter-argument as well. Even in the current issue of Wise Traditions, cod liver oil is called “the elixir that has stood the test of time.” So, what is a parent to do? Tough one. This last winter, I caved in and switched my 10 year-old kids to fish oil and gave them each 10,000 units of vitamin D once weekly, which is still below some recommendations out there. Katherine never really got sick. Joey has one bad cold. They were also on Juice Plus chewables for the first time, so I am not really sure where the credit really goes.
Taking Temps: The Best Way Yet
About two weeks ago, we purchased a non-contact infrared thermometer called the ThermoFocus. It ran about $60 on Amazon, $50 at Walmart. We've been comparing it, especially in infants with our $400 Exergen temporal artery thermometer, and the jury has reached its verdict: the Thermofocus prevails, especially in a child with a cold sweat. If you are thinking about buying a thermometer, this is the one to get in my opinion. Later this year, we may test out the Extech, which runs around $80.
Fish Really Is Brain Food
More evidence that omega-3 fatty acids improve brain function comes from a new South African study. 183 children, age 7 to 9 years-old, were randomly assigned to receive either fish-oil laced flour or placebo. After six months, the group receiving the fish-flour spread not only had higher blood levels of DHA and EPA, they also did better at spelling, word recognition, and word discrimination than the control group kids. How are your children doing in school? Are they getting enough omega-3?
Tagamet for Colds?
William Faloon, the editor of Life Extension Magazine, writes some great articles. His track record of going 27 years without a serious cold or flu is pretty impressive. What's his secret? In the January issue, he lists the 8 supplements he takes if he feels something coming on. What's first on the list? Tagamet! I have heard of using this to help get rid of stubborn wart viruses. So, it does make sense.
Lessons from a 108 year-old man
Forget about what a doctor tells you to eat, when a 108 year-old man speaks, we all should listen! A few weeks ago, Bernando LaPallo was interviewed by author Paul Nison. In the three part series, Bernando speaks not only about his diet but also mentions his simple recipe for skin care -- which gives him an appearance of a fellow forty years younger than his stated age.
Does Tylenol Cause Asthma?
Although this study was published back in 2008, I only just recently heard about it. Information about 205,000 children from 31 different countries was collected -- a massive undertaking. Results showed that for children who received paracetamol (the European term for acetaminophen) in the first year of life, there was a 46% increase in the risk of asthma at age 6-7. The risk for eczema was raised by 35%.
Should we stop giving Tylenol to infants? Depends on the circumstance. Not such a good idea after vaccines (see Dec 2009 blog). For teething, there are better ways to go. But for an infant with a 106 temp or who has already had a seizure from fever, it seems prudent to continue judicious use.
Hot Pepper Nose Spray
What will they think of next? Last month, a mom told me about a produt she saw advertised called Sinus Buster. The active ingredient is capsaicin -- the substance that makes red pepper hot. It is available not only at places like House of Nutrition but also most drugstores/ grocers. I personally have not tried it, and although I've mentioned it to several families with older children, so far there's been no takers.
Come on! What's a little hot pepper up the old schnoz? Let us know how well it works -- or how bad it stings...