Can Vaccines Cause Peanut and Other Food Allergies?
Do Vaccines Cause Peanut and Other Food Allergies in Children? No child health topic is being more hotly debated in the United States right now than mandatory vaccinations — and the side effects, sometimes quite serious or deadly, that many parents believe are a direct result of vaccines given to infants and young children. Greater numbers of children than ever before are developing food allergies in the U.S., and parents are wondering if heavy vaccine schedules are to blame.
‘Rat-Bite Fever’ from Pet Rats Can Sicken or Even Kill, Says CDC Report
As pets go, most parents would agree that rats are not among the cutest (though we know some kids might disagree). It turns out there is a good reason not to cave in and get your child a pet rat, if that’s what he or she wants. A 10-year-old boy from San Diego, CA died in 2013 after being scratched by his pet rat, highlighting the risks from handling the pet rodents, according to a report recently released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Deadly Enterovirus D68 Now in 47 States
What Parents Can Do to Protect Their Children Nine American children died in recent weeks, who were infected in the 2014 enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) outbreak that has now spread to 47 states and the District of Columbia. So far, the viral strain has been detected in samples submitted for a total of nine children who died; many other samples from young children who are possibly infected with the virus continue to be tested.
Rising GI Infections in Children Linked to Heavy Antibiotic Use: CDC
Antibiotics prescribed by doctors are linked to rising numbers of serious bacterial infections that can cause severe diarrhea in children, according to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The study, recently published in the journal Pediatrics, found that 71 percent of Clostridium difficile infections in children 1 to 17 developed soon after the children took antibiotics prescribed in doctors’ offices to treat other conditions. Most of the children had gotten antibiotics to treat ear, sinus and upper respiratory infections. Previous studies had shown that 50 percent or more of antibiotic prescriptions are given to treat upper respiratory infections, which do not require antibiotics, according to the CDC.
Mommy, My Skin Hurts. I Don’t Feel Good.
Exposure to the sun is associated with all forms of skin cancer, but the most common type of skin cancer is basal skin cancer. Frequent severe sunburns and intense sun exposure in childhood increase the risk of basal cell skin cancer. Basal cell skin cancers usually appear on sun-exposed areas, most commonly the face and neck, but also on the trunk and legs. The fact that it is showing up in teens and people in their 20s is of great concern to dermatologists. The incidence of basal cell skin cancer in North America is going up by 10% a year.