Cytomegalovirus ….saliva test for newborns!

Posted on June 3, 2011 by llpitlwp

Important news about CMV which can cause disabilities in newborns. Please consider joining stopcmv.org/

CMV saliva test for newborns

A new study has found that a simple saliva test can identify babies born with cytomegalovirus, CMV. Babies born with this common virus are at increased risk for hearing loss, vision loss or learning disabilities.

CMV is the most common congenital (present at birth) infection in the United States. Each year, about 40,000 babies are born with CMV infection. Most babies are not harmed by the virus, but some are. About 90% of babies who are infected with CMV have no symptoms at birth, and most parents aren’t aware that their children have it. However, about 10% to 15% of infected babies develop one or more lasting disabilities during the first few years of life. For this reason, all babies born with congenital CMV infection should have regular hearing and vision tests. An accurate newborn screening test would quickly identify those babies at risk.

According to Suresh Boppana, professor of pediatrics at the University of Alabama at Birmingham and lead author on the new study, somewhere between 20-40% of early childhood hearing loss probably is caused by CMV. The saliva test utilized in the new study, published Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine, was easy to perform and highly accurate. The researchers tested about 35,000 babies and the test was 97 percent accurate in identifying babies infected with the virus.

Newborns are screened for dozens of diseases and genetic disorders while still in the hospital. Dr. Boppana recognizes that adding another test to the current roster of newborn screening tests, which are determined by each state, will be no easy matter, but is optimistic.

Want to learn more about CMV? Please join us on Twitter for a live #pregnancychat on CMV on June 22nd at 12 noon, EST. We will be joined by Janelle Greenlee, President and Founder of Stop CMV – The CMV Action Network. StopCMV.org

Tags: Baby, CMV, cytomegalovirus, hearing loss, infant health, newborn screening

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Prenatal vitamins and autism risk…

Posted on May 28, 2011 by llpitlwp

FROM NEWS MOMS NEED:via The March of Dimes

Prenatal vitamins and autism risk

Use of prenatal vitamins before pregnancy and during the first month after conception may significantly reduce the risk of having a child with autism, according to a new study.

Researchers of the UC Davis MIND Institute interviewed approximately 700 families in California who have children aged 2-5 years who have been diagnosed with autism. They found that mothers who took the prenatal vitamins for three months before pregnancy or during the first month of pregnancy were only half as likely to have a child with autism as those who didn’t take them. For mothers who began taking them in the second month of pregnancy, there was no effect, however. This suggests that by the time most women learn they are pregnant, beginning to take the vitamins will provide little or no benefit in terms of autism. This underlines the importance of women taking prenatal vitamins when they’re just thinking about having a baby.

These findings appear to be especially relevant for genetically susceptible mothers and children. The study found an increased risk for women who had one of two particular gene mutations (MTHFR or COMT) who did not take prenatal vitamins early on (4.2 and 7.5 times greater risk, respectively)

This study, soon to be published in the July issue of the journal Epidemiology, is the first to report such findings. While the report is quite promising, further research is needed to confirm the results.

Tags: autism, COMT, MTHFR, prenatal vitamin

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Don’t give SimplyThick to premature babies….

Posted on May 23, 2011 by llpitlwp

Urgent message from MARCH OF DIMES!

“Don’t give SimplyThick to premature babies

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is urging parents not to give premature babies (babies born before 37 weeks of pregnancy) the thickening product called SimplyThick. The product may cause a life-threatening health problem called necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC). With NEC, tissue in the intestines gets inflamed and dies.

Some premature babies have trouble swallowing. SimplyThick is a product that’s added to breastmilk or formula to make it thicker. Health providers recommended SimplyThick because it helped premature babies swallow their food and keep it down, without spitting it up. SimplyThick was available from distributors and local pharmacies.

The FDA learned that some babies got sick with NEC after they were sent home on an eating plan that included SimplyThick. Sadly, some of these babies died. NEC most often happens early in a premature baby’s life while she is still in the hospital, not after she’s sent home. NEC is very dangerous to a baby’s health.

At this time, the FDA isn’t sure what about SimplyThick is making babies sick. The organization is actively looking into the link between SimplyThick and these illnesses and deaths.

In the meantime, the FDA urges parents to parents to stop using the product immediately, even if their babies don’t appear to be sick.

Call your baby’s health care provider if she shows any of these signs:

• bloated stomach

• greenish-tinged vomiting

• bloody stools

For more information on SimplyThick and the risk to premature babies, visit the FDA website.

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Recall of table-top chairs…

Posted on May 23, 2011 by llpitlwp

“Recall of table-top chairs

The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is urging consumers to stop using clip-on table-top chairs manufactured by phil&teds USA Inc. due to risk of serious injury due to multiple safety hazards. This caught my attention because we use one of these chairs for our grandchildren.

The “metoo” infant/toddler chair has a nylon fabric seat and a metal frame that clamps onto tables using two metal vise clamps. The upper part of each clamp rests on the table top and has either a rubber clamp pad on its underside or a rubber boot covering. Chairs affected by this warning do not have plastic spacers between the table clamps and the front horizontal metal bar. Chairs with plastic spacers between the table clamps and the front horizontal metal bar are under evaluation. The “metoo” chairs have been sold since May 2006 through phil&teds.com, Amazon.com, Buy Buy Baby, Target, ToysRUs and other retailers.

According to CPSC, the affected “metoo” chairs pose serious fall and amputation hazards to children. Children can suffer impact and head injuries when the chair detaches from the table and falls with them in it, and CPSC staff are aware of numerous incidents involving the chairs. Phil&teds has refused to agree to a national recall of their product that is acceptable to CPSC, and has offered a repair kit consisting of rubber boots to place on the upper clamp grips of the chairs. CPSC has not approved a repair kit for this product. For more information about the recall, click on this link.

Tags: child safety, clip-on chairs, high chairs, infant safety, metoo infant/toddler chair, table-top chairs

This entry was posted on Friday, May 20th, 2011 at 8:17 am and is filed under Baby, Hot Topics. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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Happy Mother’s Day….take care of yourselves!

Posted on May 7, 2011 by llpitlwp

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY !

I can think of no better way to say this than by sharing this message with all women…mothers or not…we all have mothers so if you are not one share it with one as your gift to her!

National Women’s Health Week

generations National Women’s Health Week kicks off on Mother’s Day, May 8th, a day when we are already focusing on the important women in our lives. Help celebrate your mom, your step-mom, your daughters and friends by helping them stay healthy.

The theme for 2011 is “It’s Your Time.” National Women’s Health Week empowers women to make their health a top priority. It also encourages them to take steps to improve their physical and mental health and lower their risks of certain diseases. Those steps include: getting regular physical exercise; eating a balanced nutritious diet; getting regular checkups with your health care provider; stopping smoking; wearing your seatbelt; getting enough sleep and managing stress.

This year, help empower women nationwide to make their health a priority by celebrating National Women’s Health Week and holding events in your local community. You can even register your activities on the National Women’s Health Week website and order free educational materials to distribute — including posters, bookmarks, prevention guides, brochures, and more! It’s easy — just go tohttp://www.womenshealth.gov/whw/my-account/register.cfm and follow the steps.

Help the women you love stay healthy. And have a wonderful Mother’s Day!

Tags: Mother’s Day, women’s health

MOD says “Thank you!”

Posted on May 2, 2011 by llpitlwp

There were many events across the United States this past weekend…here is the THANK YOU NOTE from the March of Dimes for those who walked with them.

“Thank you for walking with us!

This past weekend there were hundreds of March for Babies events across the United States. We are incredibly grateful to all of the thousands of individuals and family teams who laced up their sneakers and walked, strolled, ran or danced down the road to help raise funds so that one day, every baby will be born healthy.

Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!!!”

Tags: march for babies

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Strutting that stroller…

Posted on April 19, 2011 by llpitlwp

Finally it is Spring and time to get outside with your little ones…STROLLER SAFETY is essential so here are some pointers from the March of Dimes. Happy and safe strolling!

Dig out those strollers…

Springtime is here and many moms are enjoying the spring flowers blooming while taking long walks with their babies or toddlers. When you’re digging out and dusting off your strollers from your car trunk or garage make sure to also do a safety check on your strollers. Some helpful tips include:

1) Test the stroller safety brakes. If you need to stop on your walk use the safety brake.

2) Check all safety straps, harnesses and seat beats to see if they are secure and properly working.

3) Always use the safety harnesses, straps and seatbelts when your child is inside the stroller. Unexpected sidewalk and street bumps are likely to pop up.

4) Make sure your baby can lie flat on her back in their stroller for sleep position

5) Inspect the wheels and make sure they are operating properly and there are no loose hinges or screws.

6) Check weight limits to see if the stroller is still appropriate for your child’s age, height and weight and do not create seats for older children where there are not official stroller seats and seatbelts.

7) If in doubt about your stroller, call your stroller manufacturer with your questions or purchase a new stroller that is appropriate for your child’s height, weight and growth.

Do not hang excessive bags, backpacks on your handlebars of your stroller, it could tip over.

These simple tips can help mom and baby or toddler stay comfortable and safe for those strolls in the park. Happy spring!

Tags: stroller safety, tips for stroller safety

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Pain killers and birth defects

Posted on April 16, 2011 by llpitlwp

News from the March of Dimes about pain killers. If you are trying to become pregnant it is a good idea to check with your doctor regarding any medications that you take.

Better to be safe than sorry.

Pain killers and birth defects

Babies born to women who take opioid pain killers such as codeine, oxycodone or hydrocodone just before or in early pregnancy are at increased but modest risk of birth defects, according to a study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The study, recently published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, found 2-3 percent of mothers interviewed were treated with prescription opioid pain killers, or analgesics, just before or during early pregnancy. (The study did not examine illicit use of these medications.)

The most commonly used opioid meds reported by women were codeine and hydrocodone. Treatment with these pain killers was linked to several types of congenital heart defects as well as spina bifida, hydrocephaly, congenital glaucoma and gastroschisis, an abdominal wall defect. (The findings with some congenital heart defects also appeared in previous studies.) This study found that women who took prescription opioid medications just before or during early pregnancy had about two times the risk for having a baby with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (one of the most critical heart defects) as women who were not treated with them.

Congenital heart defects are the most common type of birth defect, affecting nearly 40,000 births in the United States each year. Many infants with congenital heart defects die in the first year of life, and infants who survive often require many surgeries, lengthy hospitalizations and a lifetime of treatment for related disabilities.

The studies lead author, Dr. Charyl S. Boussard, said , “It’s important to acknowledge that although there is an increased risk for some types of major birth defects from an exposure to opioid analgesics, that absolute risk for any individual woman is relatively modest. However, with very serious and life threatening birth defects like hypoplastic left heart syndrome, the prevention of even a small number of cases is very important.”

For more information on this study, click here. Always talk with your health care provider if you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy and you have taken or are considering taking any medication, whether prescription, over-the-counter or herbal.

Tags: birth defects, codeine, hydrocodone, hypoplastic left heart syndrome, opioids, oxycodone, pain killers, Pregnancy

This entry was posted on Wednesday, April 13th, 2011 at 9:37 am and is filed under Planning for Baby, Pregnancy. You can follow any responses to this entry t

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Baby showers, and “sprinkles”

Posted on April 10, 2011 by llpitlwp

“Baby showers, and sprinkles”

For me “Sprinkles” means cupcakes…delicious ones from Beverly Hills now with a store closer to home here in Chicago. But apparently there is another meaning…continue reading a post from the March of Dimes.

I guess I could serve Sprinkles to the guests …YUM!

“We were talking about baby showers the other day and how nice they are for first time moms, how hugely helpful they are in jump-starting the whole ”there’s a baby in the house!” transition.

The question came up about whether or not folks give showers for second babies. One gal thought not, because you already have a crib and gear and baby clothes. Another one said, “Hey, we can’t gyp this baby out of cute stuff just ‘cause he’s second in line!” A third said where she’s from they have showers for the second one, but they’re kind of toned down in the volume of gifts and the party is called a “sprinkle.” Cute! And my favorite response was from a gal who said where she’s from they have a party after the baby arrives called a “sip ‘n see.”

How ‘bout you? Do you attend second showers or sprinkles? What happens if the mom is pregnant with twins? Do you call it a downpour? Would triplets be a thunderstorm? Personally, I get a big kick out of these names and think that any support you can give a pregnant woman is a great idea. I mean really, who doesn’t need diapers and butt cream?

Tags: baby gifts, baby shower, Pregnancy, pregnant woman, sprinkle

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Alcohol awareness month…

Posted on April 6, 2011 by llpitlwp

Alcohol is not recommended in any amount while pregnant…here is what the March of Dimes has to say:

Alcohol awareness month

Lots of women are aware that heavy drinking during pregnancy can cause birth defects, but many do not realize that moderate or even light drinking also may harm their developing baby. In fact, no level of alcohol use during pregnancy has been proven safe – none.

Many folks think that a glass of wine is good for your heart, which may or may not be true, but it’s not good for a developing baby. Drinking alcohol during pregnancy can cause a wide range of physical and mental birth defects. The term “fetal alcohol spectrum disorders” (FASDs) is used to describe the many problems associated with exposure to alcohol before birth. Did you know that each year in the United States, up to 40,000 babies are born with FASDs? It’s such a shame because these problems are totally preventable – totally. It’s so simple, just don’t drink if you’re hoping to be or are pregnant. Isn’t a healthy baby worth waiting a few months for that glass of vino?

We’ve given tips before about partying without the booze and offer different recipes for drinks. We wanted to remind you of them during Alcohol Awareness Month. Take these suggestions to heart to keep your little one safe.

Tags: alcohol, alcohol awareness month, fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, fetal alcohol syndrome, Pregnancy

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Parenting in the Loop

Tag Archives: March of Dimes