The Mom Column

Studies say that the protection we receive from the whooping cough vaccine can wear off in only 5 to 10 years.  This vaccine protects us from the highly contagious illness known as pertussis.  Many adults do not think of re-immunizing themselves against disease like this.  Unfortunately unlike our children, we do not have requirements regarding vaccines.

According to AAFP:
A recent national survey revealed that more than three-quarters of adults (76 percent) didn’t know or didn’t think that whooping cough remains widespread in the United States. Many adults (61 percent) are not even aware that there is a vaccine for whooping cough. 

What exactly is whooping cough?  Whooping cough, also known as pertussis, is a very contagious respiratory disease causing a persistent hacking cough.  When inhaling you may hear a loud 'whooping' sound.  Thus, the name whooping cough.  It can last for three months and lead to pneumonia.  Symptoms are runny nose, congestion, fever, and severe coughing attacks.  1 in 250 people with whooping cough can develop encephalopathy.  In even rarer cases, pertussis can be deadly.

The American Academy of Family Physicians recommends talking to your doctor about keeping up with the Tdap booster vaccine.

The FDA is concerned about new flavored dissolvable tobacco products and comparing them to candy.  The FDA claims these may appeal to kids and younger adults.

From NBC:
The FDA's Center for Tobacco Products wrote to R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., maker of Camel cigarettes, and the smaller Star Scientific Inc. on Monday voicing concern over smokeless products that are consumed like breath mints but made from finely milled tobacco.

Are you somebody who reaches for the Bengay or IcyHot when you or your child is sore as a result of sore muscles?  Sure, these sports creams have been around for what seems like forever and are fairly harmless, right?  That isn't exactly true.  Think twice before doing this the next time.

Most of these sports creams contain the ingredient called methyl salicylate.  In large amounts (through the skin) this can cause bleeding, heart arrhythmias, and damage to the liver.

Arielle Newman, a 17-year-old cross country runner at Notre Dame Academy in New York died from an overdose of sports creams.  Although rare, experts say this is very real and suggest the following:

• Follow the label directions.  For instance the label on Bengay says do not use more than 3-4 times a day.
• Use occasionally and not regularly.  These products build up in the body.
• Only use a small amount and only when you absolutely need it.  
• Do not apply to an open wound or broken skin.
• Do not use on children.

  See more of Arielle Newman's story here.

I have to say this really shocked me.  Teen heroin use and teen deaths from heroin use are on the rise, experts say.  Dealers are making heroin cheaper and more powerful.  Experts say a small bag of heroin is usually less expensive than buying a six pack of beer.  Some teenagers are saying that they don't think they can get addicted because they believe it is less dangerous as they are snorting it and not injecting it and believe it is a 'purer' form.  Another scary fact is that the users are getting younger.  Experimenting is starting as young as middle school.  So what can you do?

• Know the warning signs of teen drug abuse. Warning Signs of Teenage Drug Abuse
• Talk to your teen and be involved in their life.  
• Know your teen's friends.  
• Keep your teen busy with activities.  
• Keep yourself informed about teens and drugs.  
• Make family time.  Remember the family dinner table?
• Be a good role model.

Other Terms for heroin:  Smack, dope, mud, black tar, big H, junk, brown sugar

Good Books to Read:

The Teen Code: How to Talk to Them about Sex, Drugs, and Everything Else--Teenagers Reveal What Works Best

How to Talk to Teens About Really Important Things: Specific Questions and Answers and Useful Things to Say

How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk

How to Say it to Teens

Getting Through to Your Kids

The joy of relaxing in a warm tub of bubbling water is heaven.  That is until you think about the risks associated with hot tubs.  Below are a few of the infections you can acquire from that heavenly tub of water:

• Hot Tub Folliculitis (Hot Tub Rash) - Red itchy bumps and blisters.  Skin infections and open sores can increase your risk of this rash.
• Genital Herpes - Genital Herpes can live up to 4.5 hours on a plastic seat.
• Hot Tub Lung - Bacteria rises into the air as the bubbles come to the surface and burst.  Breathing this in can cause an infection or allergic reaction resulting in cough, fever and chills, shortness of breath, fatigue, and tightness in your chest.  This can be serious and even fatal.
• Legionnaires' Disease - Similar to Hot Tub Lung but much more serious causing death in 5-30 percent of cases.

The FDA is warning the public about a counterfeit version of Alli that is being sold on the Internet.  The counterfeit version contains sibutramine instead of orlistat and the dosing directions on this package is three times the regular daily dose.  Find more information regarding this and what you can do at the FDA web site here.

With all the news about H1N1 and pneumonia I thought I would post this little tidbit about green tea and pneumonia.

A study published in the September 2009 American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that Japanese woman who drank even a small amount of green tea had a lower risk of developing pneumonia, and get this, those who drank five or more cups a day may be cutting their risk by 47 percent.  The journal goes on to explain that drinking a single cup of green tea daily could cut the risk of dying from pneumonia by 41 percent. Researchers say that the compounds in green tea can destroy or inhibit the growth of viruses and other microorganisms that cause pneumonia.  It is also noted that this study was found to be true in women only, and not men.

I guess it is just another reason for us to be drinking green tea.

More details on this study can be found here.

This is an old story but worth revisiting as I am sure many kids still have this toy in the closet or for the matter we all probably have some sort of magnet in our house.  A few years back there were reports about the dangers of Magnetix, a toy with round marble-like magnets.  Toddlers were swallowing these and dying because the magnets can attract to each other inside the body and block off or perforate the intestines.  Here is the story that ran on NBC:

From NBC:  A 20-month-old boy died after he swallowed magnets that twisted his small intestine and created a blockage, federal officials said. Three other children, between the ages of 3 and 8, suffered intestinal perforations that required surgery and hospitalization in intensive care. And a 5-year-old boy inhaled two magnets that had to be surgically removed from his lungs.

The last place we all want to be is in a public bathroom.  I know I avoid them like the plague.  The thought of what is lurking in there gives me the heebie-jeebies.  I do what I can to avoid touching anything and get in and out as quickly as possible.

Despite how we all feel about public bathrooms, studies have shown that the chance of catching something is about the same as you would in any other public place.  Of course the door handles and faucets are covered with germs like streptococcus, hepatitis, and the common cold to name a few, but as long as you practice regular handwashing, these shouldn't cause too much of a problem.

The actual toilet seats are what scares the most of us.  The thought of things like STDs crawling the seat is enough to make you neurotic.  If it makes you feel better, studies have shown that most disease-causing organisms can only live a short time on a toilet seat and in order to acquire one of these types of infections the germs need to get into your body through either a cut in your buttock or into your urethral or genital tract.  Thinking about it this way makes it seem very unlikely.

According to Abigail Salyers, Ph.D., President of The American Society for Microbiology,  "To my knowledge, no one has ever acquired an STD on the toilet seat -- unless they were having sex on the toilet seat!"


A bigger problem is when flushing the toilet.  According to Dr. Oz, "Every toilet flush creates an unseen mist detected at head height and can travel up to 15 feet away from the toilet bowl-known as the "Aerosol Effect".  Dr. Oz suggests closing the toilet lid before flushing.  In public restrooms this is not always an option.  Your best bet is to open the stall door before flushing so that you can make a quick escape.


All in all what it comes down to is good handwashing.

As a mom of a child with asthma and allergies I am always looking out for natural ways to help my child deal with this condition.  Recently I learned a little tidbit about oranges that may help sufferers with asthma and allergies.  According to a study by the British National Health Service, apples and oranges can help to reduce the frequency of allergy and asthma symptoms.  The study shows that drinking a glass of orange juice everyday was not proven to prevent every attack, but was found to reduce the wheezing.  Further studies found the reason for this decrease in wheezing is contributed to an enzyme called quercetin found in the fruit.  Quercetin is an antioxidant flavonoid compound that blocks hyalouronidase.  Hyaluronidase is what causes the swelling in the nasal passages.  Maybe the old saying, "An apple a day keeps the doctor away" wasn't that far off.

What is sexting?  According to Wikipedia, sexting is the act of sending sexually explicit messages or photos electronically, primarily between mobile phones.

Sexting is a very common thing in the teen world.  Teens do not think much of this thinking it is harmless fun.  Kids today have grown up with a much different view on privacy than previous generations.  Everything is out there for everyone to see.  We see this with Facebook, My Space, and other social networking sites.  Take notice next time you are on one of these sites of how many teenagers have their sites open.  Unfortunately they do not see the seriousness of being an open book.

These images are being spread around schools.  Just think about how fast one image can be sent right through a school and beyond, it only takes minutes.  That image is there to stay.  It will be there when they apply for colleges, for their first interview, and for all of life's other important moments.  It will never be deleted.

Sadly, these images can be used in malicious ways.  Last year the Today Show aired a story about a 17-year-old teenager who committed suicide after an image she sent to her boyfriend was forwarded on to other girls.  These girls taunted her calling her names like slut and whore.  Read more about this store here.

There was a story recently in Illinois about a 12-year-old boy and 13-year-old girl who sexted each other images of themselves naked.  Both of them were charged with child exploitation and and child pornography.  If these charges go through, both of these children could be required to register as sex offenders.

Last April an 18-year-old teenager sent a naked image of his then 16-year-old girlfriend she had given him to her friends and family after they had an argument.  He was charged with sending child pornography and is now registered as a sex offender next to the same people who have raped and molested kids.

Don't think your teen is texting?  According to PC's N Dreams here are the statistics:

• 20% of teenagers overall
• 22% of teen girls
• 18% of teen boys
• 11% of young teen girls ages 13-16

• 39% of all teenagers
• 37% of teen girls
• 40% of teen boys

Teenagers and parents need to start taking this more seriously.  Teens need to be taught the consequences. Parents need to talk to their kids and schools need to provide more real life education about this.  Parents should also be monitoring their kid's cell phone usage.  This is a real part of life now and it is time we face it and deal with it.

UPDATE:  Ann Curry talks with momlogic.com about sexting and how kids and parents think nothing of it or parents don't realize kids are sexting.  See this here.

Welcome to The Mom Column.  I have started this blog because I am a firm believer that the more you know as a mom, the better off we are.  That old saying "knowledge is power" is so true when it comes to raising kids and taking care of a family.  Moms have a tough job.  The world is full of obstacles.  There are a lot of things we cannot control.  But, the more we know, the more we can try to do our best to help.  I will be adding to this blog regularly with information I feel is important to us, as moms.  Knowledge is power!
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