Experts are discovering that obesity can begin to take shape even before children enter elementary school. A recent study found that prolonged bottle-feeding can actually contribute to obesity in children. What’s “prolonged” defined as? According to the study, “The prevalence of obesity at 5.5 years was 22.9% in children who at 24 months were [still] using a bottle and was 16.1% in children who were not.”

Keep in mind that breast-feeding is considered to be the best choice for children’s health on all levels. According to the American Dietetic Association:

“Breastfeeding is associated with a reduced risk of otitis media, gastroenteritis, respiratory illness, sudden infant death syndrome, necrotizing enterocolitis (death of intestinal tissue), obesity, and hypertension. Breastfeeding is also associated with improved maternal outcomes, including a reduced risk of breast and ovarian cancer, type 2 diabetes, and postpartum depression.”

 In addition, mothers who breast-feed their babies also reduce their risk of vascular changes associated with future cardiovascular disease compared to mothers who do not breast-feed for at least three months.

If bottle-feeding is required, it should not go beyond 12-14 months. After that point, it is considered prolonged use and may contribute to the child being overweight or obese. Children who continue to use a bottle often consume larger amounts of calories than they need. Prolonged bottle use is also suspected as a cause of both iron deficiency and “baby-bottle tooth decay.” Children who are given a bottle at night are particularly liable to develop baby-bottle tooth decay.

Mothers are encouraged to breast-feed exclusively if possible and only use a bottle when necessary. However, as this study shows, that may not be enough to prevent their child from becoming overweight or obese (a whopping 16.5 percent of children were characterized as obese by age 5 1/2). Talk to your doctor about the best ways to ensure your child maintains a healthy weight as they age.

Source:  To Your Health November, 2011 (Vol. 05, Issue 11); www.toyourhealth.com

 By Sharon Kirkey, Postmedia NewsSeptember 21, 2011

Canadian scientists are working on a way to make older human eggs young again — and maybe even slow menopause — experiments that could make it easier for women in their 40s and perhaps beyond to have babies.

The answer may lie in a single vitamin.

 Toronto fertility doctors say their experiments in mice show that co-enzyme Q10 makes older mice produce more and healthier eggs. The doctors are now preparing to test the supplement on women 35 and older undergoing fertility treatments.

The work comes as women are pushing back motherhood ever later in life. Across Canada, pregnancies in women over 35 are increasing, and fertility clinics are seeing more women over 40. “Our mean age for patients first coming to see us is now 37,” said Dr. Robert Casper, medical director of the Toronto Centre for Advanced Reproductive Technology. Five years ago, it was 33.

 Not only do older women find it more difficult to get pregnant, they run an elevated risk of miscarrying or of conceiving embryos with chromosomal abnormalities that cause conditions such as Down syndrome.

A woman is born with all the eggs she will ever have, and by the time she reaches her late 30s, the quality of those eggs begins an irreversible slide. They have less chance of leading to a normal live birth.

 Eggs have 46 chromosomes to begin with, but they undergo a change when a woman ovulates. Each egg discards 23 of its own chromosomes and, if it’s fertilized, takes in 23 from the sperm cell to replace them. But this takes a lot of energy.

The energy in eggs, and essentially in all human cells, is produced by mitochondria, little power packs inside all our cells. But these weaken with age so that they don’t produce as much energy, resulting in a steady decline in tissue and organ function.

“Somebody who is 20 will have eggs with 20-year-old mitochondria in them, and somebody who’s 40 will have 40-year-old mitochondria that will produce less energy,” said Casper, professor in the division of reproductive sciences at the University of Toronto and a senior scientist at the Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute at Toronto’s Mount Sinai Hospital.

If there isn’t enough energy to separate the chromosomes properly, some get left behind. “They don’t get pulled out,” Casper explains. Extra chromosomes can lead to aneuploidy, an abnormal number of chromosomes, the stringlike structures that carry our genetic material.

“That’s why Down syndrome increases with age — it’s all an energy issue,” Casper said. “It’s not that there is anything wrong with the eggs, it’s just that the batteries have run down.”

Casper’s team has been studying mitochondria for years, trying to understand whether it’s possible to boost energy production in human eggs.  Together with Dr. Andrea Jurisicova, an associate professor in the department of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Toronto, the researchers originally tried injecting young mitochondria into old mouse eggs, using a preparation made from cord-blood stem cells, which are fetal cells, so that the old eggs would have young, healthy mitochondria.

The technique worked — it improved the quality of the eggs and the embryos. The problem was, the embryos had two different mitochondrial DNA — essentially, two different mothers. When Canada’s Assisted Human Reproduction Act outlawed mitochondrial gene replacement in 2004, Casper’s team abandoned that avenue of research.  Now they’re working on a different tack, using co-enzyme Q10.  Mitochondria need co-enzyme Q10 to make energy. The vitamin is also a powerful anti-oxidant that may prevent mitochondrial DNA damage, Casper said.

Co-enzyme Q10′s production by the body also decreases as we get older, starting around age 25.

“One of the theories about why we get old and die in the first place is that our cells just run out of energy — the mitochondria stop working properly and there’s just not enough energy for cellular function so organs start to fail,” Casper said. “A simple explanation could be that there’s not enough fuel from the co-Q10 around.”

In a pilot study using 52-week old mice — mid-life for a mouse, and the equivalent of 40 to 50 for a human — Casper’s team gave half the group co-enzyme Q10, and the other half a placebo. Next they compared eggs retrieved from both groups of mice with eggs from 10-week old mice.

“What we found was that just treating the mice with co-Q10 we got more eggs when we gave them fertility drugs,” Casper said. The nuclear spindles that pull the chromosomes apart were more like those in young eggs. The litter size was bigger, and the eggs from the vitamin-treated mice had improved mitochondrial function.  Even more surprising, when the researchers examined the mouse ovaries, there were significantly more egg follicles in the old mice treated with the co-Q10 — suggesting, Casper said, “that we actually were able to delay the onset of the equivalent of menopause in the mice.”

The glitch is that the mice were pre-treated for 18 weeks — the equivalent of 10 years or so relative to a human lifespan.

“We might be able to delay menopause, but it might take a decade of pre-treatment,” Casper said.

“The question is: how long do you have to give it, and can there be so much damage already in the mitochondria that it doesn’t make any difference?” Either way, it could take years of women taking the supplement to stave off menopause. “You’d probably have to have it in your cornflakes.”

The more immediate application might be in improving an older woman’s fertility by improving her egg quality.

When word got out about his early research on the Internet, women undergoing fertility treatments began taking co-enzyme Q10. Casper is now trying to recruit women over 35 for a study testing whether taking 600 mg daily of the supplement can lead to a higher number of chromosomally normal eggs.

The rub is that, as soon as the researchers explain the mouse results, none of the women want to be randomized to the placebo group, “especially if they’re 40.”  “They just want to move ahead and get going,” said Casper, who will be discussing his work Thursday — in a talk entitled “Can we rejuvenate old eggs?” — at the annual meeting of the Canadian Fertility and Andrology Society, the body representing Canada’s fertility doctors. As reported by Postmedia Monday, the meeting was originally closed to the media. The board has now decided to open the meeting to reporters.

The Toronto researchers need 50 women for their study; they’re up to 25 so far, after a year-and-a-half of trying.

If the mice experiments hold up in the clinical trials, the implications would be significant, Casper said. “Women could get pregnant easier when they’re older.”

It could also buoy calls for more single-embryo transfers. For years fertility clinics have been putting three, four or more embryos back into women over 40 in the hope that at least one would implant and a baby would result.

“It’s not so much that these women get multiple pregnancies,” Casper said. “Most of them still don’t get pregnant because they don’t have any normal eggs left.

“The only strategy we have right now to try to improve the pregnancy rates in older women is to induce multiple ovulation and get more eggs to work with, so there’s more chance there will be a normal one there.”

“If we could improve the percentage of normal eggs, you wouldn’t have to put back so many embryos.”

The other hope is that, “if we can increase the energy for chromosome separation, then we could eliminate Down syndrome and other chromosomal abnormalities,” said Casper.

Almost one in five births in Canada is to a mother over the age of the 35 — an age when the risks involved with childbirth and pregnancy start to increase. Mothers older than 40 are three times more likely to develop serious pregnancy-related complications such as gestational diabetes and hypertension compared to their younger counterparts, according to a report released last week by the Canadian Institute for Health Information.

skirkey@postmedia.com

Twitter.com/sharon_kirkey

© Copyright (c) Postmedia News

Smoking is such a well-known hazard to the mother that it only follows that it is also harmful to the baby. Yet hundreds of thousands of pregnant women still smoke. Second-hand smoke from smokers who live or work with pregnant women can also affect the foetus. Exposure to smoke can result in spontaneous abortion, preterm births, low-weight full-term babies, deformities and birth defects, and foetal and infant deaths.

* * *

A new review paper by University of Nottingham researchers found that secondhand smoke exposure increased the risk of stillbirth by 23 percent in nonsmoking pregnant women, compared with women who were not exposed to smoke at work or at home. Passive smoking also increased the risk of congenital birth defects by 13 percent. The authors noted that the baby’s father was the source of secondhand smoke exposure in five of the nineteen studies: “These results highlight the importance for smoking prevention and cessation to focus on the father in addition to the mother during the preconception period as well as during pregnancy.” Study author Jo Leonardi-Bee said in a press statement that further research is needed to determine whether paternal smoking affects pregnancy through the sidestream smoke that the mother inhales, or whether the father’s smoking affects his sperm development, or both. Source: http://www.healthland.time.com/2011/03/14/study-secondhand-smoke-increases-riskofstillbirth- birth-defects/

* * *

It’s not healthy to smoke during pregnancy but an estimated 12% to 24% of pregnant women continue to use tobacco, according to national data [PDF]. So if the existing evidence hasn’t convinced them to quit, perhaps this new study will: a researcher from the Loma Linda University School of Medicine reports that fetal exposure to nicotine may be associated with increased blood pressure among children once they grow up.

Granted, the study measured nicotine’s effects on rat fetuses rather than developing humans. But if the association holds up in people, we should be concerned about the hearts of babies born to smoking mothers.

Previous studies in humans has shown that children born to smoking mothers have suffer from damage to their vascular, or blood-vessel system, but it’s impossible to prove the correlation given confounding factors. So DaLiao Xiao, assistant research professor of basic sciences at Loma Linda set out to test the association in rats. In an experiment, he gave 12 pregnant rats a daily dose of intravenous nicotine and 13 different pregnant rats a saline placebo. He then monitored their offspring for up to five months for signs of heart damage or other circulation problems. At five months, the offspring of the rats who were given nicotine had two classic signs of heightened heart risk: increased oxidative stress and hypertension.

While we can’t extrapolate that people react the same way as rats — and we can’t extrapolate that a nicotine injection perfectly mirrors the real-world delivery of nicotine through smoking, nicotine gums or patches — the research does highlight how maternal smoking may lead to poor cardiovascular outcomes for children. Lighting up doesn’t just affect the mother-to-be, but those cigarettes could leave a lasting health legacy on her kids as well.

Meredith Melnick is a reporter at TIME. Find her on Twitter at @MeredithCM. You can also continue the discussion on TIME’s Facebook page and on Twitter at @TIME.

Read more: http://healthland.time.com/2011/07/21/why-pregnant-women-shouldnt-smoke/#ixzz1XHJtTWZj

* * *

Also:

Honein MA, Paulozzi LJ et al.“Family History, Maternal Smoking and Clubfoot: An Indication of a Gene-Environment Interaction.” American Journal of Epidemiology. 2000; 152(7): 658–665.

Wisborg K, Henriksen TB et al. “Smoking during pregnancy and hospitalization of the child.” Pediatrics (online version). (Oct. 1999); 104(4):e46. www.toyourhealth.com/mpacms/tyh/article.php?id=555.

Chung KC, Kowalski CP et al. “Maternal cigarette smoking during pregnancy and the risk of having a child with a cleft lip/palate.” Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. 2000; 105: 485–491. Source:  www.toyourhealth.com/mpacms/tyh/article.php?id=557.mpacms/tyh/article.php?id=557.

Man LX, Chang B. “Maternal cigarette smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of having a child with a congenital digital anomaly.” Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery. (January 2006);117(1): 301–308. Source: www.toyourhealth.com/mpacms/tyh/article.php?id=576

Pregnancy can have a profound effect on a woman’s body. The body changes due to the added weight of a child; which can induce back pain, loose ligaments and a poor center of gravity. Chiropractic care and comfortable, supportive footwear can benefit women in all stages of maternity.

According to the American Chiropractic Association, “During pregnancy, a woman’s center of gravity almost immediately begins to shift forward to the front of her pelvis…. As the baby grows in size, the woman’s weight is projected even farther forward, and the curvature of her lower back is increased, placing extra stress on the spinal disks. In compensation, the normal curvature of the upper spine increases, as well.

During pregnancy, misalignment of the spine and pelvis are common changes that women may experience. This will put stress on the lower back and midsection. Chiropractic manipulation to these areas of the body can help reduce discomfort and prepare women for childbirth. For mothers that are wary about consuming temporary pain-relievers during pregnancy, chiropractic adjustments can provide a solution.

As the baby grows inside the mother’s belly, more weight is added to her body, meaning more pressure on her feet. As a result, the medial longitudinal arches will drop, making the feet look bigger. Dropped or flat arches can be detrimental for other parts of the body. The knees, low back, and spine can become misaligned, inducing stress to these parts of the body.

Aside from receiving routine adjustments, pregnant women with fallen arches can help relieve pain by wearing comfortable and supportive shoes. Tennis shoes with a high medial arch support that can absorb shock help alleviate pain for pregnant women.

High heels are not recommended for pregnant women, as the potential for injury can be heightened when their center of gravity is off balance. According to a BBC News Health article, “High heels alter your posture, shorten your calf muscles and place increased pressure on your back and knees. In pregnancy this places extra pressure on your joints when they are already under strain – which can result in a host of foot, leg and back problems and could increase the likelihood of falls.”

High heels and ill-fitted shoes add stress to the body and disrupt the normal gait pattern even for women who are not pregnant. These types of shoes should be worn in moderation to avoid injury. Having a pair of comfortable shoes handy to slip into can prevent a night out from ending early.

Ill fitted shoes can have a harmful effect on women’s feet. According to Larry Keller, “Nine times more women develop problems from improperly fitting shoes than men, and nine out of 10 women wear shoes too small for their feet.”  Shoes that are too small can be rough on pressure points in the feet, creating calluses or painful bunions. Tight shoes disturb the gait pattern and can have a formidable effect on joints throughout the body.

Properly fitted shoes should leave space (around ½ inch) for the toes to have wiggle room. Women should shop for shoes during the afternoon, as the feet naturally expand during the day. Above all, shoes should be comfortable and supportive.

A chiropractor’s systematic approach and expertise of spinal manipulations provide an option for pain relief. This is especially beneficial for pregnant women seeking pain relief without risking harm to their baby.

Routinely visiting a chiropractor and making simple lifestyle adjustments can help relive pain from pregnancy. It can also help alleviate stress from everyday life. This could be as simple as opting for more supportive footwear. On your next visit with your chiropractor, ask how you can make changes to start living a more stress-free life!

1 American Chiropractic Association. (2011). Chiropractic Advice for Moms-to-Be. http://www.acatoday.org/content_css.cfm?CID=85

2 BBC News Health. (2010). Stiletto warning for pregnant women. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10309086

3 Keller, Larry. (2011). How to Stop Tight Shoes From Hurting. http://www.ehow.com/how_7718116_stop-tight-shoes-hurting.html

This was no small study: 59, 334 women served as participants, and results applied to women who consumed carbonated and non-carbonated soft drinks containing artificial sweeteners. Moreover, no relationship was noted between soft drink consumption and increased risk of preterm delivery in women who consumed sugar-sweetened soft drinks (either carbonated or non-carbonated).

American Journal of Clinical Nutrition September 2010 92: 3, p 626-633; First published online June 30, 2010. doi:10.3945/ajcn.2009.28968

[Source: http://www.toyourhealth.com/mpacms/tyh/article.php?id=1408]

Thanks for taking the time to share your stories and opinions!

I really want to add personal success/birth stories of my practice members and would love it if you would be willing to share what your experience was, particularly of receiving chiropractic care with me during your pregnancy. You can either write your story below andemail me at chiropractor@dccnet.com or go to the following link to download the attached .pdf Book 2 Request For Stories and fill it in and mail or scan it then email it back to me. I truly appreciate your response and I want you to know that you can share your story anonymously or I can use your name (full name, initials etc. you decide).

My pregnancy chiropractic experience: _____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Do you want your name published? ___ Yes ____ No.

If yes, please write exactly how you would like your name to be published in the book (i.e. D.M., Donna

M. or full name): ______________________________________________________________________.

Thank you once again for the opportunity to serve you, your family and friends – my life wouldn’t be the same without you!

Yours in health,

Dr. Stacey Rosenberg

Despite great technology, the United States has an infant mortality rate like that of a third world nation.  The procedure intensive approach to childbirth in the U.S. is believed to be a significant contributing factor.  A survey of 1,573 pregnant women reported significant interventions such as “regional analgesia (76%), ruptured membranes (65%), forceful pushing (75%), and cesarean sections (32%). The U.S. rate of cesarean sections in 2005 was the fourth highest among 25 countries. The epidural has many negative features. When used in labor it extends the length of time from 5 to 7 hrs, causes a raised temperature greater than 100.4 degrees C in 15-30% of infants and mothers, and produces a very sleepy baby at birth, irritable and with increased crying for 3 weeks.”

The statistics from research published this year highlight this tragedy:

·  In 1960 the U.S. ranked 12^th among other nations in infant mortality

·  By 2005 the U.S. infant mortality rate had fallen to 30^th  

·  In 2007,  31% of U.S. births were by cesarean section

·  Preterm births in the U.S. have also risen to 36%
Countries using fewer drugs and fewer invasive procedures like Finland and Sweden have the lowest infant mortality rates of industrialized countries.

Academy of breastfeeding medicine founder’s lecture 2009: Maternity care re-evaluated.

Breastfeed Med. 2010 Feb;5:3-8.

Klaus M, Klaus P.
Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, USA. phyllisklaus@sbcglobal.net

In the 1990s a rising tide of medical, surgical, and instrumental interventions served to make childbirth almost treated like a disease. This report supports a different approach to childbirth. A case and discussions of induction are presented. A national survey of 1,573 pregnant women throughout the United States was collected. Although most U.S. childbearing women are low risk, childbirth is “procedure intensive.” Women reported significant interventions such as regional analgesia (76%), ruptured membranes (65%), forceful pushing (75%), and cesarean sections (32%). The U.S. rate of cesarean sections in 2005 was the fourth highest among 25 countries. The epidural has many negative features. When used in labor it extends the length of time from 5 to 7 h, causes a raised temperature greater than 100.4 degrees C in 15-30% of infants and mothers, and produces a very sleepy baby at birth, irritable and with increased crying for 3 weeks. The three hormones that relieve pain are turned off by the epidural or a cesarean section. Maternal and infant mortality was doubled as a result of cesarean section. After cesarean sections, subsequent pregnancies have types of abnormal attachments of the placenta to the uterus. British physicians recommend normal birth, defined as labor that starts on its own and uses no analgesia, no inductions, no interventions, no epidurals, and no cesarean sections. The doula’s presence decreases labor length, significantly decreases cesarean sections, means less use of pain medicine, and gives greater breastfeeding rates.

Annual summary of vital statistics: 2007.

Pediatrics. 2010 Jan;125(1):4-15. Epub 2009 Dec 21.

Heron M, Sutton PD, Xu J, Ventura SJ, Strobino DM, Guyer B.
Division of Vital Statistics, National Center for Health Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Hyattsville, Maryland 20782, USA. mheron@cdc.gov

The number of births in the United States increased between 2006 and 2007 (preliminary estimate of 4,317,119) and is the highest ever recorded. Birth rates increased among all age groups (15 to 44 years); the increase among teenagers is contrary to a long-term pattern of decline during 1991-2005. The total fertility rate increased 1% in 2007 to 2122.5 births per 1000 women. This rate was above replacement level for the second consecutive year. The proportion of all births to unmarried women increased to 39.7% in 2007, up from 38.5% in 2006, with increases noted for all race and Hispanic-origin groups and within each age group of 15 years and older. In 2007, 31.8% of all births occurred by cesarean delivery, up 2% from 2006. Increases in cesarean delivery were noted for most age groups and for non-Hispanic white, non-Hispanic black, and Hispanic women. Multiple-birth rates, which rose rapidly over the last several decades, did not increase during 2005-2006. The 2007 preterm birth rate was 12.7%, a decline of 1% from 2006. The low-birth-weight rate also declined in 2007 to 8.2%. The infant mortality rate was 6.77 infant deaths per 1000 live births in 2007, which is not significantly different from the 2006 rate. Non-Hispanic black infants continued to have much higher rates than non-Hispanic white and Hispanic infants. States in the southeastern United States had the highest infant and fetal mortality rates. The United States continues to rank poorly in international comparisons of infant mortality. Life expectancy at birth reached a record high of 77.9 years in 2007. Crude death rates for children aged 1 to 19 years decreased by 2.5% between 2006 and 2007. Unintentional injuries and homicide were the first and second leading causes of death, respectively, accounting for 53.7% of all deaths to children and adolescents in 2007.

Behind international rankings of infant mortality: how the United States compares with Europe.

NCHS Data Brief. 2009 Nov;(23):1-8.

MacDorman MF, Mathews TJ.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Center for Health Statistics 3311 Toledo Road, Hyattsville, Maryland 20782, USA.

Infant mortality is an important indicator of the health of a nation, and the recent stagnation (since 2000) in the U.S. infant mortality rate has generated concern among researchers and policy makers. The percentage of preterm births in the United States has risen 36% since 1984 (1). In this report we compare infant mortality rates between the United States and Europe. We also compare two factors that determine the infant mortality rate-gestational age-specific infant mortality rates and the percentage of preterm births. U.S. data are from the Linked Birth/Infant Death Data Set (2,3), and European data for 2004 are from the recently published European Perinatal Health Report (4). We also examine requirements for reporting a live birth among countries to assess the possible effect of reporting differences on infant mortality data. All material appearing in this report is in the public domain and may be reproduced or copied without permission; citation as to source, however, is appreciated.

The challenge of infant mortality: have we reached a plateau?

Public Health Rep. 2009 Sep-Oct;124(5):670-81.

MacDorman MF, Mathews TJ.
Reproductive Statistics Branch, Division of Vital Statistics, National Center for Health Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 3311 Toledo Rd., Room 7318, Hyattsville, MD 20782, USA. mfm1@cdc.gov

OBJECTIVES: Infant mortality is a major indicator of the health of a nation. We analyzed recent patterns and trends in U.S. infant mortality, with an emphasis on two of the greatest challenges: (1) persistent racial and ethnic disparities and (2) the impact of preterm and low birthweight delivery.

METHODS: Data from the national linked birth/infant death datasets were used to compute infant mortality rates per 100,000 live births by cause of death (COD), and per 1,000 live births for all other variables. Infant mortality rates and other measures of infant health were analyzed and compared. Leading and preterm-related CODs, and international comparisons of infant mortality rates were also examined.

RESULTS: Despite the rapid decline in infant mortality during the 20th century, the U.S. infant mortality rate did not decline from 2000 to 2005, and declined only marginally in 2006. Racial and ethnic disparities in infant mortality have persisted and increased, as have the percentages of preterm and low birthweight deliveries. After decades of improvement, the infant mortality rate for very low birthweight infants remained unchanged from 2000 to 2005. Infant mortality rates from congenital malformations and sudden infant death syndrome declined; however, rates for preterm-related CODs increased. The U.S. international ranking in infant mortality fell from 12th place in 1960 to 30th place in 2005.

CONCLUSIONS: Infant mortality is a complex and multifactorial problem that has proved resistant to intervention efforts. Continued increases in preterm and low birthweight delivery present major challenges to further improvement in the infant mortality rate.

ChiroACCESS Article: http://www.chiroaccess.com/Articles/The-Deplorable-US-Infant-Mortality-Rate.aspx?id=0000155

This information is provided to you for use in conjunction with your clinical judgment and the specific needs of the patient.

The article was written by the combined efforts of the ChiroACCESS editorial staff and published on April 26, 2010

BIKING

When biking with a child on board, use a trailer – a rolling ride-along that hitches to the back end of a bike. It is a much safer option than a carrier, a “passenger” seat that sits directly on the bike, because of their added stability. I caution that carriers can decrease a bike’s stability, possibly causing it to topple and injure both the parent and child.

 To further ensure the child’s safety while biking, keep the following tips in mind:

•  The trailer must be equipped with a harness that can be placed over the child’s body. The harness should be complicated enough that the child cannot unhook it or wiggle out of it.
• A screen that covers the front of the trailer will add an extra line of protection against stray pebbles and other flying objects.
• Be sure to select a trailer that has large, bicycle-style tires, which will add stability and ease to your ride.
• Protect your child’s head with a sturdy, adjustable helmet that can be sized to fit properly. If the helmet rests too high, it will expose part of the child’s head, leaving it susceptible to injury.
• Bike only on smooth surfaces for optimal control.
• Only an experienced rider should attempt to bike with a child on-board at all. And even then, the rider should practice with a ride-along trailer for two weeks before riding with a real child – in an effort to get a feel for the strength and coordination necessary to manoeuvre the bike.

JOGGING

If you wish to go for a jog and bring your child along for the ride, the baby jogger is your best option. A baby jogger is a rolling pushcart that a parent can jog behind, using handlebars to manoeuvre. Here are some rules of thumb to consider:

• Make sure the handlebars of the jogger are both large and adjustable, so that they fit comfortably into your hands for complete control. The handlebars should be kept as upright as possible.
• Handbrakes and a locking mechanism are a necessity.
• Look for a jogger with a good shoulder harness to keep the child secure.
• Large, bicycle-style tires offer more control and stability.
• A screen over the front of the jogger adds to its safety by deflecting stray flying objects.
• Jog only on smooth surfaces.

WALKING OR HIKING

Backpack-Style and Front-Side Baby Carriers

For parents who prefer walking or hiking with their little ones, a backpack-style or front-side baby carrier could be for you. However, that there are risks involved with carrying an infant on your back in a backpack-style carrier as the cervical spine (neck) of a child less than one year old is not fully developed. It is important at that age that the head does not bob around. The backpack-type carrier is not ideal because the parent cannot watch to make sure the child’s head is stable. A front-side carrier is better for a very young child. I do not recommend carrying babies younger than three months in these types of carriers and only for short period of time as they may increase the risk of sponylolisthesis – small stress fractures in the vertebrae – due to the excessive compressive loads on the developing spine.

Think about the following:

• A backpack-style or front-side carrier decreases a parent’s stability when walking or hiking. It is critical that a parent gets into shape before attempting to use one of these products.
• Since these carriers will change the feel of walking or hiking quite a bit, beginner walkers or hikers should not use them.
• If using a backpack-style or front-side baby carrier, make sure to select one with wide straps for your shoulders and waist. This will help distribute the carrier’s weight evenly. The shoulder straps should fit comfortably over the centre of your collarbone.
• The carrier should include a harness to keep the child stable.
• Once you place the child in the carrier, check to make sure there is no bunching of material against the child’s body, particularly on the back, buttocks and spine. Isolated, uneven pressure like this can produce blisters or pain.

Baby Slings

The “baby sling” is becoming more and more popular for its versatility of positions and comfort. But if you wish to use a baby sling, keep in mind that it is intended only for very young infants and follows these tips:

• A baby can become very hot inside the sling, so be mindful of the temperature around you. Also, make certain the baby’s breathing is clear and unobstructed by the sling’s material.
• Never run or jog while carrying a baby in any backpack-style carrier, front-side carrier or baby sling. A baby’s body is not adjusted to the cyclic pattern that is a part of running and jogging. This motion can do damage to the baby’s neck, spine and/or brain.

TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF

Finally, don’t forget about your own health and comfort. When lifting a child to place him or her into a trailer or jogger, exercise caution. Don’t bend from the waist, but begin in a 3-point squat and implement a two-stage lift that consists of a) pulling the child up to your chest and then b) lifting straight up with your leg muscles. Stay as close to the car seat or trailer as possible and place the child into it without reaching, stretching or twisting. The further the child is from your body, the more strain you will place on your spine and musculoskeletal system.

For more information on preventing and treating back injuries in yourself and your child, contact Dr. Stacey Rosenberg at Gibsons Chiropractic (604) 886-7080 or your local family chiropractor.

Chiropractic Care for Children is Safe and Effective

The International Chiropractic Pediatric Association’s (ICPA) ground breaking study, “The Safety and Effectiveness of Pediatric Chiropractic: A Survey of Chiropractors and Parents in a Practice-Based Research Network,” was published in October 2009 in the prestigious, biomedical journal, Explore: The Journal of Science and Healing. The objective of this study was to describe the practice of pediatric chiropractic, including its safety and effectiveness.

 The results of the study determined that the indicated primary reason for chiropractic care of children was “wellness care.” The most common reasons for parents seeking symptom relief care were muscles conditions, ear, nose, throat, respiratory and digestive disorders. Out of 577 children, doctors reported only 3 adverse events. Out of 239 children, parents reported only two adverse events. These events were minor discomfort after the adjustment and were readily resolved with continued adjustments. All children remained under chiropractic care. Both parents and doctors indicated a high rate of improvement with respect to the children’s presenting complaints. In addition to these improvements, respondents reported better sleeping patterns, improvements in behaviour and improved immune system function while under chiropractic care.

 Dr. Joel Alcantara, ICPA Research Director and presenting author said, “This paper shows the preliminary results of the ICPA’s Children’s PBRN – Phase One. Phase two is well under way and we have initiated similar research pertinent to pregnancy. We are pleased that a major CAM Journal respects the importance of chiropractic care for children and we foresee greater collaboration with the CAM community on the importance of chiropractic care for children.”

Dr. Jeanne Ohm Executive Director of the ICPA says, “I am pleased to be affiliated with an organization dedicated to chiropractic family wellness research. It is wonderful to see research substantiating the safety of chiropractic care for children and the overwhelming satisfaction of parents with children under care.”

The ICPA is the oldest and largest pediatric organization in the chiropractic profession. Their mission is Research, Training and Public Education on behalf of family wellness. To find out more about chiropractic and children or to locate a doctor who cares for children visit www.icpa4kids.org

Reproduced with permission from: http://www.icpa4kids.com/Press_Releases/2009_Sept_Childrens_Phase_1_Press_Release_.html

Copyright © 2009 International Chiropractic Pediatric Association (ICPA) all rights reserved. All or part of this message may be retransmitted for information purposes, but may not be used for any communal purpose, posted on a website, or used in any non-ICPA publication (other than that of an ICPA affiliate) without the permission of the ICPA.