Watch out for BPA in sealants

FROM NBC: A new study finds dental sealants commonly used to prevent cavities may expose children to BPA, a controversial chemical thought to be linked with health problems.

Researchers found that materials used in sealants can break down into b-p-a when coming into contact with saliva. BPA levels can spike to 88-times higher than normal right after a dental sealing -- but then quickly drop off.

Doctors aren't sure how much of the chemicals are absorbed into the body -- but believe sealants cause far less exposure than plastics used in bottles and beverage cans. They say the benefits of dental sealants outweigh the possible risks from BPA exposure.

Still, if your child is exposed to BPA from multiple sources, you can see how he/she could easily be exposed to too much! I would prefer no BPA. How about you?

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

Are you having an acne emergency? Soderstrom Skin Institute can help. We treat acne seriously and in most cases will see you within a week. Evening and Saturday appointments are available. Call 309-674-SKIN and make your appointment today.

Tips for Empty Nesters

I cannot imagine how hard it will be for me to let my kids go to college. It seems so far away, but time is really flying. I can't believe Labor Day Weekend is over. :( What beautiful weather. We truly enjoyed it.

Guest Post: Dr. Joy Miller

Letting go of College Freshmen…The transition

Walking a fine line between interest and intrusion? August-September are the transitional months for college students leaving their homes and moving to their “new home” at their chosen college campus. For many parents this is the first exposure to “letting go,” not only psychologically but also physically. This is the time we learn to guide and support our sons and daughters from a distance. Adding to the difficulties, parents may soon realize that they may be financially supporting their child’s education, but are not privy to accessing any information about their child at their university.

Many parents have become frustrated when they are unable to access information concerning grades, student progress, or even legal offenses occurring on campuses. After the radical college days of the late 60’s and early 70’s, many boomers pushed for legislation to protect their college records. In 1974 the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act was passed which limited the information that could be accessed by parents of students. Now many of these same boomers who supported this legislation in the mid 70’s, are finding themselves frustrated when they are unable to access information about their college student.

Colleges are sensing the frustration and are addressing parents issues by keeping parents in touch through newsletters discussing issues that pertain to parents and their student. Many universities are routinely sending newspapers to parent’s residences and trying to get parents involved in events on campus. Many colleges are setting up web sites for parents to access information about commonly asked questions and answers. But, there are ways to assist your student at college even if you are far away.

Here are some suggestions that were offered from a college counselor at Lehigh University:
· Help your child with problem solving. You can assist your son or daughter by helping them learn to solve their own problems (I know this one is a rough suggestion!)
. Instead of giving advise, try using open ended questioning that would elicit your student’s own insightful answers
. Now is the time to use key phrases like “It sounds like you have some concerns, what are you going to do about it?” “What ideas do you have to address this problem?” “Perhaps you should try working on it for a few days and if you can’t find a solution we could talk about it in a couple of days.” Remember you are “there” for your student by listening, and assisting their development of skills needed in later life.
· State your concerns. It is important that you be honest and tell your child your concerns, whether it is about their lack of studying, or concerns with drinking or partying. It is important to make a point without lecturing or preaching. It is essential that you state your concerns directly and be open about any conditions you may have about areas of concern.
· Don’t overburden them with your emotions. The transition is difficult for you and your student. Reach out and talk to a friend or counselor about your feelings of separation. It is important that your student knows that you care, but not that you can’t survive without them.
· Take advantage of e-mail. What a wonderful way to dialogue with your child. You can connect when you find free time and it is much cheaper than phone service. And of course, it is much faster than snail-mail. But, don’t forget the importance of sending a card or package through the mail—students love getting surprises in their college mail box.
· Find a time to connect. For those of us who love hearing our child’s voice, it is important to establish a mutually agreeable night for telephone calls. Many parents typically use Sunday nights as check-in nights. Whatever you establish, it helps everyone by knowing there is a set time to reconnect and update each other.

Just a quick suggestion for empty nesters: First of all, realize that your feelings of separation and loss are very normal. Accept the feelings and reach out and talk to other empty nesters to gain support. Secondly, focus on your goals that have not been attained. Now you have the time to look at your own life and accomplish some of those things that you put off. These as an opportunity to grow and look at your own dreams and make them happen.

Dr. Joy Miller is an internationally known licensed psychotherapist, professional trainer and author. You can find more articles from Dr. Joy at JoyMiller.com

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

Are you having an acne emergency? Soderstrom Skin Institute can help. We treat acne seriously and in most cases will see you within a week. Evening and Saturday appointments are available. Call 309-674-SKIN and make your appointment today.

Answers about Miscarriage/Down Syndrome

It is so aggravating and upsetting for women when they have a miscarriage. Most of the time they never get a reason for it. It would be amazing to find out why things go wrong with pregnancies and if there is something that can be down to prevent it. What if older women who have babies could take this protein to give them a better chance of having a healthy baby? That would be amazing!!

FROM NBC: Older women are far more likely to have a miscarriage or a baby with Down Syndrome, but the cause has always been a mystery. But now British scientists say the key appears to be a protein which declines as women age.

Lynn and Nigel Condliffe already had their son Jack when, unplanned, Lynn got pregnant with Emily. She was nearly 46, at high risk of having a Down Syndrome baby. She didn't even have a test because any new child would be precious to them.

But after giving birth, it was still a blow.

Lynn Condliffe: "It was a shock, but more so for Nigel. I just saw Nigel's face when the doctor came in and his face just dropped. So that sort of made me that little bit stronger. You just have to cope."

The risk of having a Down Syndrome baby like Emily rises sharply as mothers get old.

At 25, the risk is only one in every 13-hundred live births. By the age of 35, it rises to one in every 365, and by 45, it's one in every 30 live births.

Now what scientists at Newscastle have done is to discover why all the women produce eggs that lead to Down Syndrome, miscarriages and infertility. It's all to do with the genetic material in the eggs, the chromosomes, showing up as red in the microscope. They don't behave normally as the egg divides because there isn't enough of a protein called cohesin.

Mary Herbert/Newscastle University:
"The chromosomes will struggle to align themselves properly before they divide. And therefore, when they divide, some will go in the wrong direction or they'll get trapped in the middle instead of going cleanly to the left or to the right they will get trapped."

"What they've done in laboratory is a piece of basic biology, figuring out what goes wrong in cells as they grow into eggs. That's a long-long way from any kind of treatment for miscarriage or infertility or from tackling Down Syndrome. But in the long run, that's the potential.

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

Are you having an acne emergency? Soderstrom Skin Institute can help. We treat acne seriously and in most cases will see you within a week. Evening and Saturday appointments are available. Call 309-674-SKIN and make your appointment today.

Happy 1st Birthday Baby!

Heavy Backpacks

I kind of think my first grader's backpack is a little too large for his body. I wasn't with him when he picked it out. However, it is not heavy. He just carries a folder and some papers in it at this point. If he starts taking heavy books home, we may have to get a different one. I think a lot of the backpacks aimed at young kids are too big for their bodies. Did you pay special attention to which backpack your child would be wearing this year?

FROM NBC:It's back to school time and that means kids are stuffing their backpacks with books and supplies. But doctors say those weighted-down bags could cause lasting health problems for children. The Raiszadeh sisters will be headed back to school soon. But their father will be keeping a close eye on how they're carrying their school supplies. Dr. Ramin Raiszadeh: "This is a backpack that's actually perfectly worn."

Dr. Raiszadeh is an orthopedic spine surgeon. He says kids should only be carrying 10 to 15 percent of their body weight in their backpacks. The consequences can be painful. Dr. Ramin Raiszadeh: "The backpack can not only just cause the back pain, it can cause shoulder pain. It can cause mid-back pain." Other concerns: muscle spasms, sway back, leg pain, and in the most serious cases disk degeneration. Backpacks can also exacerbate underlying problems that need to be treated.

Dr. Ramin Raiszadeh: "Whenever you have prolonged, protracted back pain, it's something more significant than just backpack use." Dr. Raiszadeh says usually pain can be treated by reducing the weight and wearing backpacks correctly. Straps should be worn on both shoulders to spread the weight evenly. They should be padded, two inches wide, and fit snugly. Ramin Raiszadeh: "It should be exactly worn as such, but it's way low."

This is an example of what not to do. the backpack shouldn't hang down past the child's lower back. the doctor says the best option is this to pull your stuff in a backpack with wheels. The doctor says one of the most common questions he gets from parents is, "can a backpack cause scoliosis, or a curvature of the spine?" Doctor Raiszadeh says there are no studies that show that's a problem.

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

Are you having an acne emergency? Soderstrom Skin Institute can help. We treat acne seriously and in most cases will see you within a week. Evening and Saturday appointments are available. Call 309-674-SKIN and make your appointment today.