Don't Prescribe Steroids For Wheezing

Via MSNBC: Steroids do not help wheezing kids, studies say

Revisiting The Hygiene Hypothesis

NYT: Babies Know: A Little Dirt Is Good for You

Dr. Ruebush deplores the current fetish for the hundreds of antibacterial products that convey a false sense of security and may actually foster the development of antibiotic-resistant, disease-causing bacteria. Plain soap and water are all that are needed to become clean, she noted.

“I certainly recommend washing your hands after using the bathroom, before eating, after changing a diaper, before and after handling food,” and whenever they’re visibly soiled, she wrote. When no running water is available and cleaning hands is essential, she suggests an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

Dr. Weinstock goes even further. “Children should be allowed to go barefoot in the dirt, play in the dirt, and not have to wash their hands when they come in to eat,” he said. He and Dr. Elliott pointed out that children who grow up on farms and are frequently exposed to worms and other organisms from farm animals are much less likely to develop allergies and autoimmune diseases.

Also helpful, he said, is to “let kids have two dogs and a cat,” which will expose them to intestinal worms that can promote a healthy immune system.

First, Do No Harm

Don't let grandma rub Vicks on children under two.

See MSNBC: There’s the rub: Vicks might make kids sicker

College Admissions Confessions

Admissions officers are just as whimsical as anyone else. See the DailyBeast: Dirty Secrets of College Admissions

But in reading it I thought how is it any different in how some students pick a school? I picked my college because I liked their colors.

That Teenage Feeling

USNews: How to Deploy the Amazing Power of the Teen Brain

...experts now are realizing that the popular parental response—to coddle teens in an attempt to shield them from every harm—actually may be counterproductive.

This is why I call my parenting style "boundaries for failure".

Another Reason To Breast Feed

Better lung function later in life.

See MSNBC: Better lungs for kids fed from breast, not bottle

"The physical exercise caused by suckling at the breast — about six times daily on average for more than 4 months — may result in increased lung capacity and increased airflow in breast-fed children compared with bottle-fed children," Dr. Ikechukwu U. Ogbuanu

Pregnancy And Caffeine

Study in mice indicates potential problems with two cups of coffee worth of caffeine.

See: A Low Dose Of Caffeine When Pregnant May Damage The Heart Of Offspring For A Lifetime