Is 35 the new 40?

Personally, I think this study is a little off. So many people are waiting to have children until they are in their late 30's these days. If they feel like they are already middle age, why would they wait so long? It just doesn't add up. I doubt all these people are having children and thinking they will be too old and unhealthy to raise them. What do you think?

FROM NBC: Is 35 the new 40? A study suggests these stressful times are making adults feel much older than they actually are. A study by the Philips Center for Health and Well-being finds 40 is no longer linked with middle age, rather many Americans feel they reach that milestone at age 35.

Their survey found more people in the 35 to 44 age bracket believe their health has changed for the worse. They go to the doctor more often, and report much more stress than their younger counterparts. Most cited worries about the economy and healthcare costs as their reasons for feeling older. The survey also found Americans are more likely to rank their health as better than it really is -- 39 percent thought the Y were overweight -- far lower the the two-thirds number found by the National Center for Health Statistics.

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

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13 month old dies after swallowing battery

A 13 month old swallowed a watch battery. It became toxic and causes severe bleeding, which lead to his death. That is a scary thought. I hate to think about something like this happening, but I thought you would appreciate the warning. Here's the story that ran on NBC:

FROM NBC: An Ohio baby dies suddenly after swallowing something most of us have around the house. Michelle Truett/Aidan's mom said, "I feel empty there is a hole that will never close up he was my baby and he was precious." At 13 months Aidan Truett was like any toddler, into everything and everything in his mouth.

Michelle Truett/Aidan's Mom: "I never would have thought in a million years that a battery could have been so deadly." Michelle and her husband Lonnie first knew something was wrong when Aidan had trouble eating. They would later learn it was because he'd swallowed a battery the size of a dime. Lonnie Truett/Aidan's dad: "It's not just the acid it's the current passing through the tissues." The combination caused severe bleeding that eventually lead to death. Michelle Truett: "I did CPR did my best but he was going very quick."

Michelle Truett: "I feel like his spirit is telling me I need to do this that other parents need to know so they don't feel what we feel." The Truett's keep Aidan's cremated remains close. Michelle wears a heart. Lonnie a cross. "It's engraved with his name." "We go on vacation we go to the store, he's right here with us." Aidan's story, his short life Michelle and Lonnie hope: a lesson for all. Lonnie Truett: "We just want other parents to know the dangers and if they have these get rid of them they're not worth your child's life."

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

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More Recalled Toys... Ugh!

Three years after the big lead toy debacle, and there is still no way to know whether the toys you are buying for your child contain toxic chemicals. This is ridiculous! The toys should be tested before they are put on store shelves instead of after a child gets sick!

FROM ABC: There is another warning tonight about products that could be a danger to your children. Once again, they come from China, this time in the form of jewelry made with a toxic metal. The government is investigating-- while stores-- including Walmart-- stop selling the suspect items.

They may look pretty.. but test results.. show certain pieces of children's jewelry.. contain alarming levels of the heavy metal cadmium. Ashland University Chemistry Professor Jeff Weidenhamer said, "Cadmium compared to lead is more toxic. It's a known carcinogen. It is highly toxic to adults and to children. There's recent research indicating that it affects the brain learning disabilities and loss of I.Q."

Some of the jewelry.. all made in China.. proved to be 80 to 90 per cent cadmium.. including best friends bracelets from claire's boutiques.. rudolph reindeer charms sold at a dollar store. and flip flop bracelets from wal-mart. Both Walmart and Claire's have pulled those items from shelves.

Weidenhamer said, "So it's a really significant toxin. It bio-accumulates in the body and it's a really nasty metal to put in jewelry." Experts say prices for cadmium have dropped.. making it a cheaper option in manufacturing.. not to mention.. using the heavy metal in children's jewelry is not * specifically* prohibited. China's product safety agency vows to examine the investigation's findings.

The U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission is launching an investigation.. of its own.. and circulating this warning to asian manufacturers.
Inez Tenebaum chairman, consumer product safety commission "I would highly encourage all of you to ensure that toy manufacturers and children's product manufacturers in your country are not substituting cadmium, antimony, barium in place of lead." What can parents do? Take all cheap costume jewelry *away* from their children.

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

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Watch out for some Kid's Movies

FROM NBC: New research finds children's movies continue to show characters engaging in unsafe behaviors -- like not wearing a seatbelt, life jacket or bike helmet. The study looked at 67 "G" and "PG" rated movies marketed to children.

About half the scenes showed unsafe behavior -- often without consequences. Researchers say parents may want to draw kids' attention to those movie scenes - and use it as an opportunity to talk about staying safe. In October 2009, the American Academy of Pediatrics published a policy statement on media violence that recommends parents actively monitor what their children are watching.

I noticed on Caillou the other day that the seat belts are not correct. It did bug me because I can just picture one of my kids saying, "but this is how Caillou does it." I have seen several Sesame Street episodes with three point harness car seats. They don't even make those anymore. I guess some of the shows were made so long ago that the safety standards have changed. Oh and when it comes to violence, it's crazy. The old Tom and Jerry cartoons and many of the new ones are so violent. I don't like how some cartoon characters call names like stupid and idiot. Why even make cartoons like that? It is not necessary and it's frustrating for parents!

The Impact of Media Violence:

Over the past 30 years there has been extensive research on the relationship between televised violence and violent behavior among youth. Longitudinal, cross-sectional, and experimental studies have all confirmed this correlation. Televised violence and the presence of television in American households have increased steadily over the years. In 1950, only 10% of American homes had a television. Today 99% of homes have televisions.

In fact, more families have televisions than telephones. Over half of all children have a television set in their bedrooms. This gives a greater opportunity for children to view programs without parental supervision. Studies reveal that children watch approximately 28 hours of television a week, more time than they spend in school. The typical American child will view more than 200,000 acts of violence, including more than 16,000 murders before age 18. Television programs display 812 violent acts per hour; children's programming, particularly cartoons, displays up to 20 violent acts hourly.

How does televised violence result in aggressive behavior? Some researchers have demonstrated that very young children will imitate aggressive acts on TV in their play with peers. Before age 4, children are unable to distinguish between fact and fantasy and may view violence as an ordinary occurrence. In general, violence on television and in movies often conveys a model of conflict resolution. It is efficient, frequent, and inconsequential. Heroes are violent, and, as such, are rewarded for their behavior. They become role models for youth.

It is "cool" to carry an automatic weapon and use it to knock off the "bad guys." The typical scenario of using violence for a righteous cause may translate in daily life into a justification for using violence to retaliate against perceived victimizers. Hence, vulnerable youth who have been victimized may be tempted to use violent means to solve problems. Unfortunately, there are few, if any, models of nonviolent conflict resolution in the media. Additionally, children who watch televised violence are desensitized to it. They may come to see violence as a fact of life and, over time, lose their ability to empathize with both the victim and the victimizer.

There are other, new forms of violence to which children and adolescents are exposed. In one recent study, it was demonstrated that 15% of music videos contain interpersonal violence. Still another new source of violent exposure is access to the Internet and video games. There is little data on the incidence of violence on the Internet; however, there is concern about sites that may advocate violence, provide information on the creation of explosive devices, or reveal how to acquire firearms. There is also little research on the impact of violent video games. We do know, however, that they are extensive and have a role-modeling capacity. The fact that the child gets to act out the violence, rather than to be a passive observer, as when viewing television or movies, is especially concerning to experts.

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

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Pets and Kids

FROM CNN: Mixing babies and animals in a household can be difficult, especially if your pet isn't used to having an infant around. If you're pregnant and you own a pet, what can you do to bring peace between man and beast? Stephanie Shain lives with her husband, Adam, two daughters, two dogs and five cats. Everyone needs attention.

So when she was pregnant with her youngest, Mia, she knew she had to get her animals used to the idea of having a new baby in the house. Because of her work with the humane society she knew animals handle change slowly. Two or three months out, start making those changes, so it's not a lot of changes all at once. That means setting up the baby's room in front of the pet, and if the pet isn't allowed in the room, keep the door shut. And know your pet. If your cat or dog is protective, try to wean yourself away, but let them know they are still loved. If you're primarily the one who walks the dog, have someone else walk the dog, if you're spending a lot of time playing with your cat every day, make sure that someone else starts playing with your cats.

And if you're pregnant and have a cat, experts say be aware of toxoplasmosis. a disease, caused by a parasite found in cat feces. It can cause birth defects. Doctors say the disease can be avoided by practicing good hygiene . Usually the recommendation is to get somebody else to change the litter box. Shain says taking precautions has paid off. Five-year-old Mia loves her fuzzy house mates and they seem happy to share the house with her.

Do you have a cat or dog? We have neither. We talk about getting a dog often. I am allergic to dogs and cats, but I had a dog growing up. So I am hoping I won't be miserable. We are planning on waiting 4 years. I am hoping my oldest, who would be 10, will have the motivation to care for the dog. What do you think? Do you have a pet?

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

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Vaccine Refusal

FROM NBC: Children whose parents opt not to get their kids the chickenpox vaccine are 9 times as likely as other kids to develop the disease. Researchers at Kaiser Permanente studied more than 500 children for the new study.

Among the 133 children who got the chickenpox, 5-percent had parents who declined the vaccine. Among children who did not develop the illness... just 0.6-percent of parents had declined the vaccine. Study authors say the number of parents who claim non-medical exemptions to school immunization requirements has risen significantly over the last decade. The study did not examine potential side effects of vaccines, which doctors say are generally mild.

FROM MEDICAL NET NEWS: Children of parents who refuse vaccines are nine times more likely to get chickenpox compared to fully immunized children, according to a new study led by a vaccine research team at Kaiser Permanente Colorado's Institute for Health Research. The study was published today in the January issue of the journal Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine.

Funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, this is the first study to examine the relationship between parental vaccine refusal and the risk of varicella infection in children, adding to the body of knowledge on the risk of vaccine refusal. The study used electronic health records of more than 86,000 children who were members of Kaiser Permanente Colorado between 1998 and 2008.

Varicella is one of the most commonly refused childhood vaccines, likely due to perceptions by parents and providers that chickenpox is the least severe of all vaccine-preventable diseases.

Childhood vaccinations have led to dramatic reductions in a number of serious childhood illnesses, but the number of parents refusing immunizations appears to be increasing in the United States. The study could not determine from the information available why parents elected to decline vaccines for their children. The study also did not evaluate the side effects of vaccines.

"Many parents question the need for vaccinations. This study provides evidence to counter the misperception among vaccine-refusing parents that their children are not at risk for potentially serious illness," said study lead author Jason Glanz, PhD, a senior scientist and epidemiologist at Kaiser Permanente's Institute for Health Research. "It also provides further information to pediatric health care providers to help them convey the benefits and risks of vaccines. This evidence should assist parents and doctors when having discussions about vaccines and help parents make more informed decisions."

Varicella is a highly contagious disease that causes a high fever, an itchy rash and red spots or blisters all over the body. The disease can pose a severe risk for children, especially those with bad eczema, cancer, HIV, or other immune-compromising conditions. It can also cause serious complications in pregnant women and newborns. Prior to the widespread use of the varicella vaccine in 1995, there were four million cases of varicella infection annually, resulting in more than 10,000 hospitalizations and 100 deaths per year in the U.S. Since then, immunization has reduced annual morbidity, mortality, and hospitalizations due to varicella by more than 80 percent.

The best way to prevent varicella is through vaccination. Most health experts recommend that all children 12 months of age and older who have not had chickenpox get one dose at 12 to 15 months and a second, booster dose at 4 to 6 years old. Adolescents and adults who are not already immune to the chickenpox virus need two doses at least 4 weeks apart. The varicella vaccine has been shown to be 95 percent effective in preventing moderate to severe infection, and 70 to 90 percent against mild infection.

"Varicella isn't necessarily a mild illness, and it's important for parents to know that choosing not to vaccinate their children not only places their child at risk for infection requiring medical care, but also places members of the community at risk. This study adds to the body of information showing that the benefits greatly outweigh the risks of this safe vaccine," Glanz said.

To assess the risk of varicella vaccine refusal, researchers reviewed the electronic health records of 86,993 children between the ages of 12 months and 8 years who were members of Kaiser Permanente Colorado between 1998 and 2008. First, investigators confirmed which children had varicella infections. Next, they verified whether parents had refused some or all varicella vaccines for their children.

The researchers found 133 physician-confirmed varicella cases that met the study's criteria. They compared these cases to 493 children of the same age and gender who were not infected with varicella. Based on this analysis, the researchers discovered that children of vaccine- refusing parents were nine times more likely to be infected with varicella than vaccinated children.

SOURCE Kaiser Permanente

I didn't have a bad case of chicken pox as a child. I remember itching, but I don't remember the disgusting pox part. I know people who refused the varicella vaccine for their kids, but I haven't heard of any of them getting the pox yet! Do you opt out of the varicella vaccine? Why or why not?

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

Not sure what to get your loved ones? Give a Skin Dimensions gift card! Surprise your loved ones with the choice of massages, facials, bareMinerals makeup, manicures, pedicures or let them choose products from a selection of over 25 national and international brands of skincare. Gift cards available in any denomination. Purchase at Skin Dimensions Day Spa, Skin Dimensions Boutique or online