ADHD & Pesticides Connection?

Protecting Children from Pesticides

A study in the journal Pediatrics associates the potential of exposure to pesticides with cases of ADHD in the U.S. and Canada. An estimated 4.5 million children ages 5 to 17 have been diagnosed with ADHD in the US alone, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).


Research indicates that exposure to pesticides used on foods such as frozen blueberries, fresh strawberries and celery, appears to be a potential contributor in increasing the chances that children will be diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD.


In the ADHD study led by Maryse Bouchard, researchers at the University of Montreal and Harvard University studied the levels of pesticide residue in the urine of more than 1,139 children ages 8 to 15, 119 of whom were diagnosed with ADHD. The children with highest levels of diakyl phosphates, the breakdown products of organophosphate pesticides, were 93 percent more likely to have the disorder than those with undetectable levels. The exact causes of ADHD are still unknown. Bouchard stressed that while her analysis is the first to peg pesticides as a potential contributor to ADHD, the study proves only an association and not a direct causal link.

Developing Healthy Habits

Washing fresh produce before eating is a healthy habit. You can reduce and often eliminate residues if they are present on fresh fruits and vegetables by following these simple tips:


    * Wash produce with large amounts of cold or warm tap water, and scrub with a brush when appropriate; Either use a vegetable brush or clean cloth to scrub firmer produce like melons and cucumbers.

    * Some people swear by vinegar, and use one part vinegar to three parts water. This is great for removing bacteria, and may help break down wax, too.

    * There are many commercial fruit cleaners available on the market, some of which are made up of 100% natural produce – normally some form of citric acid. These claim to remove wax, pesticides and 99.9% of bacteria (including e.coli, salmonella, Staphylococcus aureus, etc). If you avoid the ammonia-based products, and opt for these natural ones, they are safe, leave no smell or taste.

    * Remember to use a dry clean cloth or towel on your produce after to remove further pesticides.

    * Peeling fruits and vegetables is often the best way to substantially reduce the pesticide load, especially from apples, which are the most contaminated of all the fruits and vegetables. Pears, nectarines and peaches can also be peeled, as can many vegetables.

    * Throw away the outer leaves of leafy vegetables such as lettuce and cabbage.

    * The best way to avoid pesticides and herbicides in our food supply is to buy organically grown food.

- Shielding kids from pesticides: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- The 12 most contaminated foods : The Dirty Dozen 

* * *

Featured Condtion/Disease: Jaundice

We are featuring a childhood/infant disease or condition informational post every other Friday.  Today's topic is Jaundice.

Definition

Jaundice is the yellow color seen in the skin of many newborns. It happens when a chemical called bilirubin builds up in the baby’s blood. Jaundice can occur in babies of any race or ethnicity, regardless of skin color. Low levels of bilirubin are not a problem, but a few babies have too much jaundice. If not treated, high levels of bilirubin can cause brain damage and a life-long condition called kernicterus. Yet, early detection and management of jaundice can prevent kernicterus. At a minimum, babies should be assessed for jaundice every 8 to 12 hours in the first 48 hours of life and again before 5 days of age.

Signs


Ask your pediatrician to see your baby the day you call, if your baby

• Is very yellow or orange (skin color changes start from the head and spread to the toes)
• Is hard to wake up or will not sleep at all
• Is not breastfeeding or sucking from a bottle well
• Is very fussy
• Does not have enough wet or dirty diapers

Get emergency medical help if your baby

• Is crying inconsolably or with a high pitchIs arched like a bow (the head or neck and heels are bent backward and the body forward)
• Has a stiff, limp, or floppy body
• Has strange eye movements

More Information

To get more information about Jaundice, go here.


*Most of the information provided here is from the CDC site, click here to visit their site.
 

Medicaid Area Offices Accommodate Hearing Impaired

Medicaid Offices for Hearing-Impaired Beneficiaries

The Florida Association of the Deaf, Inc. (FAD) recently published a press release on Florida Medicaid Area Offices for beneficiaries who are hearing-impaired and need access to Medicaid services.

Florida Medicaid, a form of health insurance, is a state and federal partnership overseen by the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA). Thirteen Medicaid Area Offices are set up throughout the state dedicated to assist beneficiaries. Each area office has a contact person and telephone number to help those beneficiaries who are hearing-impaired.

Medicaid Areas Office Contact Names and telephones numbers are listed here, alphabetically, for Pasco and the surrounding counties:

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Hernando: Area Number 3B, Tommy Ellis @ 352-840-5735
Hillsborough: Area Number 6, Scott Henjum @ 813-350-4830 &

Dondra Smith @ 813-350-4846
Pasco: Area Number 5, Gayle Ninis @ 727-552-1925

Pinellas: Area Number 5, Gayle Ninis @ 727-552-1925

Polk: Area Number 6, Scott Henjum @ 813-350-4830 &

Dondra Smith @ 813-350-4846
Sumter: Area Number 3B, Tommy Ellis @ 352-840-5735
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Beneficiary Services are free. You can call or have a family member call for you. To learn more about offerings and assistance, click here to view ACHA's Beneficiary Services section.

Pasco and Pinellas counties are represented by Medicaid Area Office Number 5. For more details, click on either (1) the AHCA Area Office map, or (2) MyFlorida Medicaid link. Then choose "Area Number 5".

Additionally, a few groups and links that provide support for the disabled:

Florida Association of the Deaf, Inc. (FAD) - provides services and important information about Medicaid and interpreters. Follow FAD through Facebook, or Twitter at deaFAD.
Florida Telecommunications Relay, Inc. (FTRI)- offers Florida Relay Service (711), providing a connection link with those who use standard telephone equipment
Florida 2-1-1 Network - dialing 211 is easy access to community human services information, with either a landline or cell phone, and available to every person in Florida.
Deaf Services Bureau - assistance for those in West Central Florida.

Florida Medicaid Program - Medicaid information provided through the Florida Health Finder Network web site.

Florida Health Finder - web site that connects Floridians with health care information.

Information has been provided by FAD inc., ACHA, and FTRI.

Teens and Drug Abuse - Information to make healthier decisions

Teen Drug Abuse Help At Your Fingertips

The National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) statistics show a decrease in teen drug use. Despite this good news, there will be kids who will get sucked into abusing drugs. Steering clear of these dangers can be a difficult thing.

NIDA's Teen web site, teens.drugabuse.gov, is a very good resource. It delivers science-based facts about how drugs affect the brain and body to arm kids with better information to make healthy decisions.

One helpful feature is their Sara Bellum Blog. It shares the latest research and news with teens in a non-preachy manner. It gives teens a way to communicate their thoughts about drugs. Visitors can leave their own comments. A glossary on the web site is available to look up unfamiliar terms.

The theme this year for the National Drug Facts Week is "Shatter The Myths", November 8-14, 2010. Find out more details about it on the NIDA Teen web site.

Teens need to be educated about the dangers of drugs in order to make good decisions. The NIDA web site is just one more tool in the arsenal to fight drug abuse.

Information has been provided by Your U.S. Government Blog, GovGab, and the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

Featured Condtion/Disease: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

We are featuring a childhood/infant disease or condition informational post every other Friday.  Today's topic is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

Definition

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) makes it difficult for children to control their behavior and stay focused. ADHD is usually diagnosed when children first go to school, a time when they must sit for longer periods and pay attention in class. Parents are often aware years earlier that their child has a problem.
Having ADHD doesn't mean your child has a problem with intelligence or ability to reason. Children with ADHD usually have normal or above-normal intelligence, and many are gifted.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) used to be called Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), but that term isn't really used any more. Today the term ADHD is used with an add-on comment of "with the hyperactivity" or "without hyperactivity." The differences are related to the fidgety behavior or ”hyperactivity“ some children have. Hyperactivity is more than just being "active." It is activity much greater than children typically have. Below are the types of ADHD.

• Inattentive type: Many children with ADHD have problems paying attention. Children with the inattentive type of ADHD often:
  
  
  
  
  • Don't pay close attention to details and make careless mistakes.
  • Cannot focus on the same task for long.
  • Don't follow through on instructions or finish schoolwork or chores.
  • Cannot organize tasks and activities well.
  • Get distracted easily.
  • Often lose things such as toys, school work and books.
• Hyperactive-impulsive type: Being more active than other children is probably the most visible sign of ADHD. The hyperactive child is "always on the go." As he or she gets older, the activity level may go down. These children are also impulsive, meaning they often act before thinking, like running across the street without looking. Hyperactivity and impulsivity tend to go together. Children with the hyperactive-impulsive type of ADHD often may:
  
  
  
  
  • Fidget and squirm more than other children.
  • Have a hard time staying in their seats.
  • Run around or climb constantly or when they are told not to.
  • Have trouble playing quietly.
  • Talk too much.
  • Blurt out answers before questions have been completed.
  • Have trouble waiting their turn.
  • Interrupt others when they're talking.
  • Butt in on the games others are playing.
• Combined type: Children with the combined type of ADHD have symptoms of both these types described above. They have problems with paying attention, with hyperactivity and with controlling their impulses. Of course, from time to time, all children are inattentive, impulsive and too active. With children who have ADHD though, these behaviors are the rule, not the exception. 

Signs

Inattention: This includes children who have trouble keeping their minds on what they are doing and often skip from one activity to the next without completing anything. They don't pay attention to details and often make mistakes. They have problems organizing and planning and often lose or misplace their schoolwork, pens, toys or other things. Hyperactivity: Hyperactive children always seem to be in motion. Sitting still seems nearly impossible. They may dash around, wriggle in their seats, roam around the room or talk without stopping. They wiggle their feet or tap their pencils. They are often restless, bouncing around from one activity to the next or trying to do several things at once. Impulsivity: These children often blurt out answers before questions have been completed. They have difficulty waiting for their turn. They often butt into conversations or games. They get into fights for little or no reason.

More Information


To get more information about Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), click here.

*Most of the information provided here is from the Teach More/Love More site, click here to visit their site.

Featured Condtion/Disease: Cystic Fibrosis

We are featuring a childhood/infant disease or condition informational post every other Friday.  Today's topic is Cystic Fibrosis.

Definition
Cystic fibrosis affects the cells that produce your body's secretions (body fluids other than blood) such mucus, sweat, saliva and digestive juices (stomach acid). Normally, these secretions are thin and slippery, but in children with cystic fibrosis, a defective gene causes the secretions to become thick and sticky. The thick mucus can clog the lungs and cause breathing problems. Mucus also can create a block in the pancreas (organ in the body) and other parts of the body causing stomach problems and difficulty digesting food.

Cystic fibrosis, a life-threatening disease, can cause severe lung damage and malnutrition (lack of necessary minerals and vitamins from foods). It is not contagious. Each child with cystic fibrosis is affected differently. Some children with cystic fibrosis are in good or even excellent health. Others are so severely limited by the disease that they may need to be hospitalized or cannot attend school regularly. Exercise is very good for these children, helping to loosen the mucus that clogs the lungs and increasing the ability to breathe deeply. Some children may tire more easily than other children.

In hot weather or when exercising, your child should be encouraged to eat salty snacks and drink extra fluids -- about 6-12 ounces of fluid every 20-30 minutes. Avoid caffeinated drinks such as colas because they can increase fluid loss (www.cff.org). Early identification is important in helping your child to maintain good health. The "sweat test" is the one most often used to determine if a child has cystic fibrosis. This simple and painless procedure measures the salt in a child's sweat. A high salt level indicates cystic fibrosis. 


Common Signs


Children with cystic fibrosis can have any of these symptoms:

• Frequent pneumonia.
• Diarrhea
  
  
  
  
  (http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/diarrhea_ez/index.htm)
  and/or greasy, bulky stools.
• Poor weight gain.
• Cough lasting more than a month.
• Shortness of breath.
• Constant upset stomach.
• Very salty-tasting skin, often noticed by parents when they kiss their child.

Keep in mind that symptoms are very different from child to child. There are more than 1,000 different types of the gene that causes cystic fibrosis.

More Information

To get more information about Cystic Fibrosis, click here.

*Most of the information provided here is from the Teach More/Love More site, click here to visit their site.

Low-Cost Dental Healthcare

 HEALTHY SMILE, HEALTHY BODY

The Florida Dental Association has organized 213 dental practices which will provide free or low cost care. To find more information about this program, visit the Smile Florida Organization web site*.

If you meet certain requirements and fall below a certain level of income, you may be eligible for these low cost dental services.  To locate a low cost provider that meets your needs, click here to access the 2010 Dental Care Resource Guide and dental providers by county.

The links below will refer qualified applicants with specific needs to providers of free dental work:

• Good Samaritan Health Clinic of Pasco Inc.

• Dentistry from the Heart (each February)

* Provided by the Florida Department of Children and Families.