Safety
Pediatric Trauma Centers for Children
Even the best trauma centers may not be best for children. A study in the August 2000 issue of the Journal of Trauma found that injured children have significantly higher survival rates (more than twi…
Windows 99: A Source of Pediatric Trauma in the Suburbs
Falls from windows are a known, common cause of injuries to children who live in cities, but nobody had really tracked this injury outside the urban setting -- until a 1study published September 2000.…
Check the Ingredients!
It's easy for the eyes to glaze over when looking at the long words listed in the ingredients of cough and cold medications. Learning to recognize a few words, though, is an important skill to learn (…
Dangers of Parental Smoking
Dr. Greene's take on parental smoking... (hint: don't do it!) A study in the August 2000 issue of the Archives of Disease in Childhood found that parents who smoke increase the risk of meningococcal m…
Booster Seats: Still Needed after Age 4?
The August 2000 electronic issue of Pediatrics contains a study that looked at how many kids age 4 to 9 years use booster seats in cars (only 27.7% -- only 10% by age 6). The authors asked the parents…
Sports and Head Injuries
We know that repeated head injuries can lead to long-term neurologic damage. What happens when kids play football or hockey? (more…)…
Neurologic Damage
Dr. Greene's perspective on neurologic damage in babies... For years, those who work with newborns have noticed neurologic abnormalities in babies who were exposed to cocaine while in the uterus. Thes…
Car Seat Safety
Parents and children alike look forward to four years and forty pounds when they no longer have to hassle with car seats. Even though experts (including me) recommend not using regular seat belts unti…
Safe Levels of Pesticide Exposure
154 pounds! This is an average person's weight often used for calculating safe levels of exposure to different chemicals. This may be fine for adults, but is unconscionable to use it when setting poli…
Pesticide Use and Children
Dr. Greene's take on pesticide use... Current federal government regulations on pesticides may not adequately protect children. A report released in April 2000 by Congress' investigative arm raised th…
The Dangers of Guns
Dr. Greene's take on children and guns... More than 8 million children in the United States live in homes with at least one unlocked gun, according to the April 2000 issue of the American Journal of P…
Driving and Teens
Dr. Greene's take on teenage driving... Teenage driving is a dangerous proposition, with fatal collisions the leading cause of death in 15-19 year olds. But getting teens together in a car multiplies …
Is Your Child Unrestrained?
Most of us would now look with horror if we saw a car speeding down the highway with an unrestrained baby crawling about. Thankfully, infant car seats have become the standard. But what about 4-year-o…
Effects of Alcohol and Pregnancy
The first trimester of pregnancy can be a vulnerable time. Some medicines taken during that period can have catastrophic effects on the baby. The third trimester is generally safer. Evidence published…
Baseball Technology Reduces Injuries
The biggest safety concern in baseball is getting hit with the ball. Traditional hardballs have cork centers that are wrapped in layers of wool. Safety baseballs have a polyurethane core and are the s…
Gun Safety – Too Many Kids Die
Half the homes in the United States contain firearms. Even if children don't have them in their own homes, they are likely to encounter them in the homes of neighbors and relatives. Firearm safety edu…
Raccoons Spreading Rabies Nationwise
Rabies is a horrible viral illness that attacks the brain. It is fatal unless rabies shots are given promptly, before symptoms appear. Transmitted through the saliva of rabid animals, rabies is spread…
Preventing Lyme Disease
The Lyme disease vaccine is not yet proven safe and effective for children under age 15, although the vaccine looks promising for children in studies currently underway. In the meantime the American A…
Children Deserve Support For Family Alcohol Abuse
More than one in four children in the United States now live with a family member who has an alcohol abuse problem, according to a report in the January 2000 issue of the American Journal of Public He…
All Natural Does Not Mean Risk Free!
Use of St. John's Wort to treat depression has skyrocketed over the last year, increasing by more than 2000%. St. John's Wort has become a multi-billion dollar industry. (more…)…