Heather Johnson
On Monday, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) published its updated policy statement on circumcision in the most recent edition of the journal Pediatrics. In a move that shocked and angered intactivits — activists who oppose infant circumcision and support genital integrity for both males and females — throughout the country and around the world,… Continue reading Intactivists Respond To The 2012 AAP Circumcision Policy Statement [Op Ed]
A circumcision ban in Germany passed when a court in Cologne ruled that “the fundamental right of the child to bodily integrity outweighs the fundamental rights of the parents.” The court also added that “[t]he religious freedom of the parents and their right to educate their child would not be unacceptably compromised, if they were… Continue reading Circumcision Ban In Germany Heralded By Intactivists: An Interview With ERIC [Op Ed]
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has resolved to advise pediatricians to stop giving formula freebies including formula company gift bags, coupons, and industry-authored handouts to new parents of newborns and infants. Based on the stance that breastfeeding is the normal, physiologic way to feed human babies as well as on the research that concludes… Continue reading AAP Resolves To Eliminate Formula Freebies To New Babies And Parents
Breastfeeding mothers around the world are preparing to participate in The Big Latch On 2012 next week. The Big Latch On, an event that coincides with World Breastfeeding Week, involves mothers and their babies all breastfeeding at a set time. This year, The Big Latch On is scheduled for August 3 and 4. The aims… Continue reading The Big Latch On 2012 Breastfeeding Event Scheduled For August 3, 4
As someone who has worked in a number of libraries, I know that library porn can be a huge problem. Libraries do not want to block access to information, even if that information is pornography. At the same time, however, other patrons do not want to know that the creepy guy sitting at the corner… Continue reading Library Porn Leads To Privacy Screens On San Francisco Library Computers
Discount drug cards promise to help patients obtain prescription medications at a more affordable price, especially for individuals who lack medical prescription insurance. However, a Google search for “discount drug cards” yields dozens of results. How is the average person supposed to know which discount drug cards will provide the best savings? Edgar Dworsky, the… Continue reading Saving Money With Discount Drug Cards Is Sometimes Tricky
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is applauding the decision of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s (CPSC) to remove the magnetic toys known as Buckyballs from store shelves. Buckyballs, and the similar Buckycubes, are touted as stress relief magnetic desk toys for adults. However, the “toy” has come under fire recently after young children… Continue reading AAP Commends CPSC Decision To Ban Buckyballs
Bittylab, the maker of a line of baby bottles touted as mimicking a mother’s breast and breastfeeding, is currently dealing with the backlash from a failed Twitter advertising campaign. Bittylab produces bottles geared especially towards breastfeeding babies. According to the company website, the “Perfe-latch™ nipple extends upon suction to emulate the mechanics of breastfeeding and… Continue reading Bittylab Baby Bottle Sexist “Reclaim Your Wife” Advertising Campaign Fails
As reported yesterday, The Jim Henson Company, which created such characters and shows as The Muppets and Fraggle Rock, has renounced Chick-Fil-A and severed ties with the anti-gay company. In a statement, The Jim Henson Company announced: “The Jim Henson Company has celebrated and embraced diversity and inclusiveness for over fifty years and we have… Continue reading The Muppets Sever Ties With Anti-Gay Chick-Fil-A Via Facebook Meme From The Other 98%
A 35-year-old woman, Sarah Louise Catt, admitted in a Leeds Crown Court today that she aborted her own pregnancy by taking medication that she had allegedly purchased on the internet. She pleaded guilty to a charge under Section 58 of the 1861 Offences Against the Person Act, which, if convicted, carries a maximum life imprisonment… Continue reading Woman Admits To Aborting Pregnancy One Week Before Due Date
Due to concerns about Salmonella contamination, Cargill Meat Solutions in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced a recall yesterday of 29,339 pounds of fresh ground beef products. Cargill Meat Solutions is recalling 14 pound chub packages of “Grnd Beef Fine 85/15”, packed 3 chubs to approximate 42-pound… Continue reading Cargill Meat Solutions Recalls 29,339 Pounds Of Ground Beef For Salmonella Contamination
Pandemic experts have announced a new model for disease control that better takes into account the movement of people through airports throughout the United States, reports a press release from MIT Media Relations. In past pandemic models, the roles of certain airports were overestimated while the roles of other airports were underestimated. For example, it… Continue reading New Model For Pandemic Disease Control Announced For U.S. Airpoirts
Food insecurity affects obesity rates among children because mothers living with household food insecurity are more likely to engage in infant feeding styles such as restrictive feeding and pressuring feeding than mothers who are not food insecure, says a new study published in the August 2012 issue of the journal Pediatrics. According to the World… Continue reading Food Insecurity, Feeding Style Linked To Obesity
Women who use marijuana before pregnancy more than double their risk of giving birth to a premature baby, says a study conducted by researchers at the University of Adelaide and published in the journal PLoS ONE. According to previous research conducted by researchers at Tufts University, mothers who used marijuana as teenagers put their children… Continue reading Using Marijuana Before Pregnancy More Than Doubles The Risk Of Premature Birth, Says Study
Is a mass murderer like James Holmes, the suspect in the shooting at an Aurora, Colorado movie theater that killed 12 people and wounded 59 others, mentally ill or simply seeking revenge for perceived wrongs? Experts who study the motivation of mass murderers disagree on the answer. According to James Alan Fox, a criminal justice… Continue reading Was Mass Murderer James Holmes Mentally Ill Or Seeking Revenge? Experts Disagree
Getting an Olympic tattoo to celebrate her role in the 2012 Olympic torch relay is all the Jerri Peterson wanted. Little did she know that she should have asked her tattoo artist to consult a dictionary before permanently decorating her body with a misspelled Olympic tattoo. Peterson, 54, was selected to participate in the 2012… Continue reading Olympic Tattoo Spelling Mistake: Make Sure Your Artist Consults A Dictionary
Green technology company GreenSpacers announced a national campaign to promote the use of safer, more effective houseplants that are grown using hydroculture techniques. The campaign dubbed the Kickstarter campaign, which is headed by GreenSpacers founder and CEO Noah Berk, is aimed at homeowners in an attempt to create awareness of the benefits of the hydroculture… Continue reading Green Technology Company Uses Soil-Free Houseplants To Improve Air Quality Naturally
How exactly are breastfeeding and nut allergies related? Does breastfeeding cause nut allergies? Or do babies with a family history of nut allergies breastfeed for longer? These are the questions that food allergy experts are currently asking. In terms of recommendations for breastfeeding and nut allergies, groups such as the World Health Organisation (WHO) and… Continue reading Link Between Breastfeeding And Nut Allergies Questioned
That breast milk is best for babies is a widely known fact. Many infant formula manufacturers claim to be able to closely replicate the components of breast milk in their artificial baby milk. However, researchers have recently uncovered 100 components in breast milk that cannot be duplicated in the ingredients in formula. Levels of nutrients… Continue reading Breast Milk Contains Over 100 Ingredients Not Possible In Formula
Have it your way? Not at a Burger King in Mayfield Heights, Ohio. That is, unless your way includes someone standing in the lettuce on your burger. An employee at the Burger King recently posted a picture of himself standing in the lettuce bins at the restaurant. The photo was initially posted on 4Chan, a… Continue reading Burger King Employee Stands In Lettuce, Posts Picture On 4Chan, Gets Fired
Hyatt Corporation announced today that its hotels and resorts throughout the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean will begin offering healthier food choices on its children’s menus. The new innovative Hyatt menu, “For Kids By Kids,” provides more nutritious, fresh, and interactive foods geared towards children. Instead of more typical burgers, French fries, and chicken… Continue reading Hyatt To Offer Healthier Food Choices For Children With New “For Kids By Kids” Menu
Mitt Romney may disagree with a ban on formula freebies in hospitals, but breastfeeding advocates in Massachusetts can rejoice over a new decision on giving away free formula packs to new mothers. As of the beginning of July, all 49 maternity hospitals in the state had voluntarily eliminated the infant formula giveaways, reports CBS News.… Continue reading Mitt Romney Hates Breastfeeding, Disagrees With Ban On Infant Formula Freebies In Massachusetts Hospitals
Dog owners including the Mawaka family, the owners of Toby, a 6-year-old Boston terrier (pictured above), are suing Nestle Purina and several mega-stores after jerky treats from China sickened and killed their beloved pets. Recent complaints by pet owners and veterinarians implicated three top brands of chicken jerky treats in causing harm and even death… Continue reading Pet Owners Sue Over Jerky Treats Dog Deaths
Truvada, a pill available on the market since 2004 as a medication to treat individuals already infected with HIV, had been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as the first medication shown to reduce the risk of HIV infection. Produced by Gilead Sciences Inc., Truvada is a daily HIV pill that is a… Continue reading Truvada, Pill To Prevent HIV, Approved By FDA
According to a recent study published in the August 2012 issue of the journal Pediatrics, the HPV vaccine is effective in lowering rates of human papillomavirus (HPV) among young women. Furthermore, the HPV vaccine provides herd immunity, with rates of infection decreasing from 30.2 percent to 15.4 percent among the young women in the study… Continue reading HPV Vaccine Program In Australia To Take Herd-Immunity Approach
Participating on at least two sports a year would significantly reduce obesity rates among adolescents, says a new study published in the August 2012 issue of the journal Pediatrics. Obesity rates would further decrease if teenagers actively commuted, i.e., walked or biked, to school. That sports participation is inversely associated with weight and obesity among… Continue reading Sports, Walking To School Reduce Obesity Among Adolescents, Says Study
Amid recent criticism by researchers at the University of Queensland that argues that anti-bed-sharing policies are more dangerous than co-sleeping, a new study published in the August 2012 issue of the journal Pediatrics also concludes that co-sleeping in which a parents shares a sleeping surface with an infant can be done safely so long as… Continue reading Smoking, Alcohol, Overheating Dangerous To Co-Sleeping Babies, Says Study
Prenatal exposure to the chemical bisphenol A (BPA) has been linked to poorer behavior in children in previous studies. However, exposure to BPA in bisphenol-A-glycidyl-methacrylate-based dental composite is also linked to worse psychosocial outcomes in children, says a new study published in the August 2012 issue of the journal Pediatrics. In the present study conducted… Continue reading Exposure To BPA In Dental Work Linked To Psychosocial Problems In Children
Breastfeeding is best for babies, offering nutritional and immunological benefits unmatched by formula. Breastfeeding is also beneficial to women, protecting a mother against breast cancer as well as helping her lose her pregnancy weight faster. A new study published in the International Journal of Obesity also indicates that women who breastfed continue to keep the… Continue reading Breastfeeding Linked To Thinness, Even Decades Later
Turmeric (Curcuma longa) may benefit diabetes and heart patients by lowering insulin and triglyceride levels as well as by providing cardiovascular protection after cardiovascular by-pass surgery, announces a recent press release for Diabetes Support Supplements, a new dietary supplement from ProactiveLife. A new study from researchers at Pennsylvania State University (Penn State) and Chiang Mai… Continue reading Turmeric Improves Diabetes By Lowering Insulin Levels, Also Lowers Triglycerides And Improves Cardiovascular Health
Despite recent deaths of children in which the baby and the parent were sharing the same sleeping surface, anti-bed-sharing policies are more dangerous than co-sleeping, say researchers at the University of Queensland (UQ). According to the 2011 updated guidelines issued by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the AAP recommends against co-sleeping in which the… Continue reading Anti-Bed-Sharing Policies More Dangerous Than Co-Sleeping, Say UQ Researchers
Pure cocoa powder may lower the risk for cardiovascular problems among patients with type 2 diabetes, announces a recent press release for Diabetes Support Supplements, a new dietary supplement from ProactiveLife. Previous research has linked the consumption of pure cocoa powder with an improvement in several important cardiovascular risk factors and a likely reduction of… Continue reading Pure Cocoa Powder Reduces Cardiovascular Risk In Type 2 Diabetes Patients
Even the Ku Klux Klan (KKK), which many consider a hate group, condemns the activities of the Westboro Baptist Church as a meme currently making the rounds on Facebook reminds internet users. The meme, which is part news release and part commentary, reads: “News Release Disclaimer: NOTE: The Ku Klux Klan, LLC, has not or… Continue reading KKK Denounces The Westboro Baptist Church, Internet Meme Confirms
When the Supreme Court upheld the controversial health care reform two weeks ago, the National Retail Federation (NRF) expressed its intent to redouble its efforts to repeal the Affordable Healthcare Act, better known as ObamaCare. As House Republicans set out to vote on repealing health care reform today, the NRF remains vocal in its disagreement… Continue reading Retailers Fight To Repeal Health Care Reform
Diabetics who suffer from diabetic peripheral neuropathy may benefit from a new type of stem cell preparation, says a new study published in STEM CELLS Translational Medicine. Diabetic peripheral neuropathy, or nerve damage, causes pain or loss of feeling in the toes, feet, legs, hands, and arms among diabetic patients. About 70 percent of diabetes… Continue reading New Stem Cell Treatment Reduces Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy Inflammation, Benefit to Diabetics [Study]
High-risk premature babies who are born in hospitals with high-level neonatal intensive care units (high-level NICU) fare better than high-risk newborns born in other hospital settings, says a new study published in the August 2012 issue of the journal Pediatrics. Previous data has suggested that giving birth in a high-volume, high-technology hospital with a high-level… Continue reading Outcomes Better For Premature Babies At High-Level NICU Hospitals
The HPV vaccine has been effective in lowering rates of human papillomavirus (HPV) after the vaccination was licensed for use in the United States in June of 2006, says a new study published in the August 2012 issue of the journal Pediatrics. HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States, with… Continue reading HPV Vaccine Effective, Vaccination Offers Herd Immunity [Study]
Children who live with pet dogs have a decreased risk for respiratory tract infections than children who grow up without a furry friend, says a new study published in the August 2012 issue of the journal Pediatrics. Another recent asthma study presented at the 2012 General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology discovered that… Continue reading Risk For Respiratory Tract Infections Lowered In Children With Dogs [Study]
Babies who are born prematurely and who suffer from hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, after birth are at an increased risk for developmental delays, says a new study published in the August 2012 issue of the journal Pediatrics. That premature babies who are born between 32 and 35 weeks of gestation are at an increased… Continue reading Hypoglycemia Increases The Risk For Developmental Delays Among Premature Babies [Study]
Viewing smoking in movies aimed at child and family audiences does not appear to immediately impact beliefs about smoking in preadolescent children, says a new study published in the August 2012 issue of the journal Pediatrics. According to previous research published in The Lancet, viewing smoking in movies promoted smoking initiation among adolescents. In other… Continue reading Smoking In Movies Does Not Impact Kids Short-Term [Study]
Despite claims by manufacturers that 100 percent whey-protein partially hydrolyzed infant formula is a hypoallergenic alternative for babies who are allergic to milk or babies with existing milk allergy symptoms, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) concluded that such claims are not backed up by legitimate research, says a new article published in the August… Continue reading False Infant Formula Claims: FDA Concludes Whey-Protein Partially Hydrolyzed Baby Formulas Are Not Hypoallergenic
Pregnant women are frequently advised to limit their consumption of caffeine during pregnancy. However, prenatal exposure to caffeine does not increase the risk for behavioral problems in children, says a new study published in the August 2012 issue of the journal Pediatrics. In the study conducted by researchers at the Department of Psychology at Tilburg… Continue reading Craving Coffee? Caffeine During Pregnancy Not Linked To Behavioral Problems In Children
The policy of single embryo transfer for in vitro fertilization (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) procedures has decreased the perinatal mortality rate, says a study presented at the annual meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology held in Istanbul between July 1 and July 4, 2012. Perinatal deaths are defined as… Continue reading Single Embryo Transfer Policies Decrease Perinatal Mortality Rates
Abdellah Nhari, an imam in the northeastern Oujda region of Morocco, recently declared in a sermon that Mokhtar el-Ghzioui, the editor of the daily al-Ahdath al-Maghribia, should be put to death for his support of decriminalizing sex outside of marriage. Three of Morocco’s most prominent conservative clerics have also backed the call for death for… Continue reading Moroccan Imam Demands Death For Journalist, Morocco Sex Debate Rages
Over 250 breastfeeding mothers descended upon The Park Street Café in Bristol after another breastfeeding mother claims that she was verbally abused by a waitress for attempting to breastfeeding her daughter. As reported by The Sun, Kelly Schaecher, 28, from Clifton, Bristol, had been preparing to breastfeed her five-month-old daughter, Sasha, while eating at the… Continue reading Breastfeeding Flashmob Protest Bristol Cafe After Verbal Abuse By Waitress
Many people drink diet soda to lose weight or to avoid gaining weight. However, drinking diet soda can make you fat, leading to obesity and its associated problems, says a new study published in the June 2012 issue of FEMS Microbiology Ecology. Previous research has discovered a link between consuming diet soda and being overweight… Continue reading Diet Soda Leaves Your Gut Unsatisfied, Contributes To Obesity
Many Americans will find themselves barbecuing burgers, hot dogs, and brats this 4th of July. However, a danger might be lurking on your grill surface in the form of brush debris. According to a new report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), barbecuing during the 4th of July or any other time… Continue reading 4th Of July Dangers Lurk On Your Barbecue
Yesterday The Weather Channel Companies (TWCC) announced its upcoming acquisition of the rival online weather service, Weather Underground, which is also known as Wunderground, but fans of Weather Underground are less than thrilled. Weather Underground president Alan Steremberg was positive about the merger with The Weather Channel, stating “Weather Underground users can expect to see… Continue reading Stormy Skies: The Weather Channel Buys Weather Underground, Wunderground Fans Unhappy
Doctors who work in solo or small group practices and are and office-based feel that current health care reform is on the wrong track, says a recent survey conducted by Doctor Patient Medical Association Foundation (DPMA Foundation). The survey was conducted by fax and online between April 18, 2012 to May 22, 2012. Of the… Continue reading Will Your Doctor Quit? Doctors Pessimistic About Health Care Reform, Says New Survey
The Weather Channel Companies (TWCC) announced an agreement today to acquire Weather Underground, a leading provider of web-based weather data also known as Wunderground. In a press release, The Weather Channel Companies chairman and CEO David Kenny and Weather Underground president Alan Steremberg stated that the terms of the acquisition are not disclosed but that… Continue reading The Weather Channel Acquires Wunderground