Page 4 - HealthBeat December 2015

health bits
LITTLE ROCK — Arkansas Children’s Hospital admitted an average of two children each week with all-terrain vehicle injuries in 2014, accord- ing to new data released recently. Many more children were treated in emergency depart- ments and family-physician offices statewide.
The Arkansas Infant and Child Death Review Program studies cases of unexpected death to children from birth to age 17. The program’s findings underscore the importance of proper use of ATVs and safety gear.
“We have reviewed cases where the use of an ATV contributed to the death of even very young children,” said Dr. Pamela Tabor, director of the Arkansas Infant and Child Death Review Pro- gram. “There’s is no reason that these deaths — and injuries that require emergency treatment — can’t be prevented.”
From 2009 to 2013, Arkansas had the nation’s highest ATV-related death rate for children 17
and younger. ATVs, also called four-wheelers, are popular among youth and teens, especially those living in rural areas.
As the popularity of ATVs has risen, so, too, has the number of deaths and injuries to people of all ages who use them. Nationally, children under age 16 account for 23 percent of deaths and injuries related to ATV use.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recom- mends that children younger than 16 do not ride ATVs. However, safety precautions can help re- duce the risk of serious injury or death to riders of any age.
“In the ATV-related deaths reviewed by our local [Infant and Child Death Review] teams, safety gear was either insufficient or absent, which could have made the difference between life and death,” Tabor said. “If helmets reduce the risk of death or traumatic brain injuries that much, every family should own and use them.”
[ THE LATEST ]
4, 440
THE NUMBER OF BABIES BORN WITH A CLEFT LIP WITH OR WITHOUT A CLEFT PALATE EACH YEAR IN THE U.S.
SOURCE: THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION
[ TERMS ]
Rickettsialpox: This is a disease spread by a mite that lives on mice and causes a rash on the body similar to chickenpox. Rickettsialpox is caused by the bacterial organism Rickettsia akari and is commonly found in the United States in New York City and other big-city areas. The organism has also been identified in South Africa, Korea and Russia. The disease begins as a firm, painless red lump (nodule) that forms at the site of the mite bite. The nodule develops into a fluid-filled blister that bursts and crusts over. This lump may be large — almost up to an inch wide.
SOURCE: THE UNITED STATES NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE
A ‘stressful’ history lesson
Born in 1907, Hungarian physician Hans Selye is credited with coining the medical term “stress” in 1936. While studying medicine at the German Medi- cal School in Prague, Selye, at the age of 17, observed that patients suffering from various diseases had a tendency to exhibit identical signs and symp- toms. According to the American Institute of Stress, Selye tested animals with
various physical and emotional stimuli, noting that, regardless of the stimuli, the animals all exhibited the same pathologic changes, namely enlargement of the adrenals, shrink- age of lymphoid tissue and ulcerations of the stomach. Selye would go on to discover the general adaptation syndrome, which he described as the body’s response to the demands placed on it. The syndrome indicated how stressful situations induced involuntary hormonal responses that contributed to a host of negative side ef- fects — including high blood pressure and arteriosclero-
sis — that are still associated with stress today.
Study of ATV-related childhood deaths suggests need for safety gear
[ DID YOU KNOW?]
Research indicates that people who laugh a lot are much healthier and may live longer than those who don’t find time to chuckle. A good deep belly laugh can provide your body and mind with a great workout. Dr. Lee Berk at the Loma Linda School of Public Health in California found that laughing lowers levels of stress hormones and strengthens the immune system. The organization Laughter Works, which teaches people how and why to laugh, says laughter can cause blood pressure to drop, blood to become oxygenated and endorphins to kick in, which can improve mood. And that’s just the beginning. Laughing can help reduce stress and promote stronger relationships between people who laugh to- gether. Data indicates that children around the age of 6 laugh the most, laughing roughly 300 times per day, while adults average only 15 to 100 laughs per day.
— Courtesy of Metro Creative
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— Courtesy of Metro Creative