Kids Health

STUDY UNLIKELY

admin — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 08:49:50 +0000

To pin that down, Glueck noted, researchers would have to follow a large group of screened children for decades into adulthood, and compare them to a group who’d been randomly assigned to forgo screening as kids.

“It’s very unlikely a study like that would ever be done,” Glueck said.

There’s also a question of expense, since the cost of screening all children for high cholesterol adds up, for an uncertain benefit. And if a child were to be put on a cholesterol-lowering statin, no one is sure what the potential side effects of early and long-term use might be.

That’s one reason the USPSTF did not come down on the side of universal screening.

According to Glueck, most children with high cholesterol could be treated with a healthier diet. It’s estimated that about 15 to 20 children out of every 300 U.S. kids may have high cholesterol that’s related to diet and lifestyle.

A smaller proportion — about one in every 300 to 500 children — have an inherited form of high cholesterol called familial hypercholesterolemia. That causes high LDL levels starting early in life, and often leads to heart disease by the time a person is in his 40s or 50s.

Those kids may be placed on statins.

Nutrition for kids

admin — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 08:47:08 +0000

Nutrition for kids is based on the same principles as nutrition for adults. Everyone needs the same types of nutrients — such as vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, protein and fat. What’s different about nutrition for kids, however, is the amount of specific nutrients needed at different ages.

HEART DISEASE, STROKE, DIABETES

admin — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 08:41:34 +0000

The study, reported in the Journal of Pediatrics, included 852 school students who, at an average age of 12, had their cholesterol, blood pressure, triglycerides and weight measured. They were reassessed 26 years later — as were their parents, who were 66 years old, on average.

In nearly half of the families — 47 percent — a parent had suffered a heart attack, stroke or needed a procedure to clear blocked heart arteries by the end of the study period. In 37 percent, a parent had developed diabetes.

Overall, Glueck’s team found, parents were about twice as likely to suffer early heart disease or stroke (age 60 or younger) when their child had had high blood pressure at age 12.

Parents’ odds of cardiovascular problems at any age were also higher when their child had had high levels of “bad” LDL cholesterol or triglycerides.

And when children were overweight, their parents’ odds of developing diabetes or high blood pressure doubled.

In an earlier study, Glueck’s team had found that childhood test results also predicted the kids’ own risks of developing heart problems, diabetes and high blood pressure by their late-30s.

All of that suggests that childhood screenings can help predict future risks — in kids and parents. But there is no hard evidence that screening children actually cuts their odds of diabetes or cardiovascular disease in the long run.

Where do your children go for health care?

admin — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 08:12:21 +0000

If your child is enrolled in Children’s Medicaid, you may be required to enroll in a managed care plan, or you may bring your child to any provider who accepts Children’s Medicaid. If your child is enrolled in Child Health Plus, you will be given a list of providers near you. The provider may be a single doctor, group practice of several doctors, or community health center. If it is a group practice, you will be asked to choose a doctor for your child. Either way, you will be getting the personal health care that your child deserves!

Kid’s Health

admin — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 08:06:39 +0000

Your child’s health includes physical, mental and social well-being. Most parents know the basics of keeping children healthy, like offering them healthy foods, making sure they get enough sleep and exercise and insuring their safety. It is also important for children to get regular checkups with their health care provider. These visits are a chance to check your child’s development. They are also a good time to catch or prevent problems.