healthy children Archives - Amazing Health Advances

Fentanyl Poisonings Among U.S. Children Increase Sharply Over Eight Years

The AHA! Team — Mon, 05 May 2025 05:30:14 +0000

Taylor & Francis Group via News-Medical – Incidents of children in the U.S. being poisoned by the synthetic opioid fentanyl “increased and became more severe”, a new study reveals. Launched today as Congress continues to review the HALT Fentanyl Act, the research follows an analysis of nonfatal fentanyl pediatric (aged 0-19) exposures reported to poison centers in 49 U.S. states from 2015 through to 2023. In total, some 3,009 cases were detailed across the eight-year period. In 2023 alone, 44.6% were life-threatening incidents in which there was extreme harm that could have resulted in death if not treated – an increase of these severe cases from 15.9% in 2015. The majority (81.7%) of patients aged 0–12 were exposed unintentionally. Most patients (65.7%) aged 13–19 were noted as having used fentanyl intentionally for nonmedical purposes. Most incidents (1,771) were in youth aged 13–19 (58.9%), compared with 1,238 cases (41.1%) involving children aged 0-12. Males accounted for 58.5% (1,754) of all cases and females 41.5% (1,244). The peer-reviewed findings are published in The American Journal of Drug And Alcohol Abuse, as the U.S. continues to battle a severe opioid crisis “driven by fentanyl use”. Fentanyl with co-use of psychostimulants has come to define the “fourth wave” of the opioid crisis. Counterfeit pills containing fentanyl “flood the illicit market”. And in recent years, seven out of every ten counterfeit pills seized contained a potentially deadly amount of fentanyl. Since 2021, there have been over 70,000 synthetic opioid-related deaths per year; although the latest, provisional data shows such deaths are decreasing. It is understood that friends are a major source of prescription pills among adolescents and social media, too, is commonly used to purchase drugs from strangers. Various drugs not directly purchased from a pharmacy can be adulterated with fentanyl. Increased prevention, treatment, and harm reduction Driven by a “lack of focus on nonfatal overdose and how pediatric populations are being affected,” the expert team found exposures increased over the eight years. Among those aged 0-12 this was by 924.3%. For 13- to 19-year-olds there was a 1,506% increase. Lead author Dr. Joseph Palamar, from the Department of Population Health, at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, in New York, says their results demonstrate the need for “increased prevention, treatment, and harm reduction”. “We can’t forget that kids are also at risk during this opioid crisis,” explains Dr. Palamar, who is also Deputy Director of the National Drug Early Warning Network (NDEWS). “Parents need to be aware that teens can purchase pills via apps that are sold as Adderall or Xanax but actually contain fentanyl. “Parents and others, too, need to be careful to not leave fentanyl, whether licit or illicit, out in the open around unsupervised children. “Even second-hand exposure to paraphernalia or baggies can contain small amounts of fentanyl can be lethal to youngsters. “Children may touch or ingest such items out of curiosity, through a lack of a sense of danger, or even imitation of a parent who uses. Even used fentanyl patches can lead to accidental or intentional poisonings among pediatric populations.” Co-author Dr. Joshua Black, Senior Scientist at Rocky Mountain Poison & Drug Safety, a Division of Denver Health and Hospital Authority, adds: “Parents and peers need to be able to promptly detect signs and symptoms of opioid overdose-including looking pale, slow or no breathing, coma, sometimes constricted pupils-and know when to seek help. Contact a poison center “We encourage people to contact a poison center if they suspect a poisoning (1-800-222-1222) or call 911 if someone collapses, has a seizure, has trouble breathing, or can’t be awakened following drug use. “Having naloxone available can reverse the potential overdose from opioids. Bystanders are present in about 40% of illicit opioid-related deaths so it is essential for bystanders to be able to respond.” Fellow co-author Dr. Linda Cottler, Director of NDEWS, from the Department of Epidemiology, College of Public Health and Health Professions, College of Medicine, University of Florida, further recommends for parents and health care providers to “be aware of the importance of receiving training about these drugs and what they do and what they look like, and how to caution teens about the dangers of friends and siblings sharing diverted drugs”. Limitations of the research, includes that the data source used only captures a portion of fentanyl-related poisonings. “There is a lack of systematic collection of data on nonfatal exposures, and a major limitation is that most people who are exposed or overdose do not contact poison centers,” the authors report. Research reported in this press release was supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health under award numbers U01DA051126 and R01DA057289. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health. Source: Taylor & Francis Group Journal reference: Palamar, J. J., et al. (2025). Nonfatal pediatric fentanyl exposures reported to US poison centers, 2015–2023. The American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse. doi.org/10.1080/00952990.2025.245748. To read the original article click here.

The post Fentanyl Poisonings Among U.S. Children Increase Sharply Over Eight Years appeared first on Amazing Health Advances.

Chest Pain in Children and Adolescents

The AHA! Team — Wed, 26 Feb 2025 06:11:28 +0000

Jennifer S. Li, MD via Duke Health – Chest pain is a common complaint in children and adolescents. Chest pain is often perceived as “heart pain” both to children and their parents, and it can cause a lot of distress. However, chest pain in children is very rarely due to a heart problem and most often arises from a less worrisome source. Jennifer S. Li, MD, a Duke pediatric cardiologist, discusses common causes of chest pain in children What causes chest pain? Chest pain in children and adolescents is common but is generally benign. However, chest pain with exercise or that is associated with fast heart beat, dizziness, or fainting can indicate a heart problem. Many structures located in the chest can cause or contribute to chest pain. Among these are the muscles, tendons, cartilage, or bones of the chest, lungs, heart, gastrointestinal system, and nerves. A problem in any one of these areas can cause chest pain. How often is chest pain due to a heart problem? In older adults, chest pain is frequently due to a heart problem. This is because heart disease mostly strikes older people. In kids, chest pain is very rarely due to a heart problem. A prospective study in 50 children referred to a cardiology clinic showed that 76% had pain from the muscles, bones, or cartilage; 12% had exercise-induced asthma; 8% had pain from gastrointestinal causes; and 4% had pain due to psychogenic causes. Another study of 3700 children without previously known heart problems found a low incidence of heart problems (1%). What about the kid who dies on the playing field? While a lot of media attention is given to cases of sudden cardiac death in kids playing sports, these are extremely rare events among the millions of children and adolescents who participate in athletics. Many instances are related to previously undiagnosed underlying heart conditions. Because of this, it’s important and necessary to have your child complete a sports physical before participating in competitive athletics. Sometimes underlying conditions related to sudden cardiac death have genetic factors, so a careful family history is also an important part of the pre-sports evaluation. What are some common causes of chest pain? Some common causes include: Musculoskeletal: This is usually related to muscle strain or heavy lifting. Costrochondritis: Inflammation of the cartilage around the junction of the ribs to the breastbone. Precordial Catch Syndrome: Sharp stabbing chest pain below the breast that lasts a few seconds and is worsened by taking a deep breath. It may be due to a pinched nerve. Asthma: This is frequently a cause of exercise-induced chest pain. Gastroesophageal Reflux: Usually burning pain worsened while lying down after eating. Anxiety: Typically related to stress or excessive worry. What are some heart-related causes of chest pain? Several cardiac problems have the potential to cause chest pain. Some of these include: Left ventricular outflow tract obstruction (blockage of the outflow of the heart to the body): a heart murmur is present. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: usually an inherited condition causing a thickened heart muscle. Anomalous coronary arteries: coronary artery arising off of the wrong sinus, causing chest pain with exercise. Rhythm disturbances: chest pain is typically associated with the feeling of the heart beating too fast. Pericarditis: inflammation of the lining of the heart often preceded by a viral illness. What are some worrisome symptoms of a heart-related cause of chest pain? Chest pain with exercise, associated with irregular or fast heart beat, or associated with dizziness or syncope (fainting) are symptoms that can indicate a serious heart problem. Chest pain in someone with a first-degree relative who has a history of sudden death or cardiomyopathy should be evaluated. Chest pain that occurs at rest without other associated symptoms is not typically due to a heart problem. What is the usual evaluation that is performed? A careful history and physical examination are necessary and can usually identify the cause for the chest pain. Sometimes laboratory studies may be needed such as an electrocardiogram, an echocardiogram, or an exercise stress test. To read the original article click here.

The post Chest Pain in Children and Adolescents appeared first on Amazing Health Advances.

How To Manage Parent Guilt, Burn-Out & Fatigue

The AHA! Team — Fri, 07 Jun 2024 08:45:29 +0000

Dr. Caroline Leaf – In this podcast (episode #499) and blog, I talk to Hettie, a concerned mother, about balancing work and play time with her children, especially as a homeschooling mom. This is part of a series I am doing on questions you submitted for my new book on children’s mental health. This was Hettie’s question: “I’m part of an avid homeschooling community. Homeschooling moms like me tend to be “always on; always teaching.” It can lead to schooling burnout, and it does! How can we give ourselves and our children a better balance between working our brain, resting our brain, and letting our brain play?” First, it is important to understand that, as parents and guardians, we deserve to rest! This is especially the case if we are homeschooling our children as — in this case, we are not just parents but educators as well. Work-life balance is not just important for our children. We cannot give our best and be there for our children if we are overwhelmed, burnt out and running on empty. This is something I have spoken of on my podcast before, which I call the “oxygen mask principle”. As parents, we need to help ourselves before we can effectively help our children, which includes scheduling in periods of self-care so that our minds, brains and bodies have time to rest and recharge. We need to recognize that although the mind is infinite, the brain is finite, and it needs rest to function well. We can only give our best when we are rested, which is why it is so important that we learn how to be okay with doing nothing as parents. (This takes some practice, especially if you constantly feel the need to do something!) It is important to remember that our children pick up on our emotions and behaviors. If we are stressed out, overwhelmed or upset because we have not given ourselves enough time to rest and reboot, then this can affect our children’s mental health and performance. On the other hand, when we take the time to invest in our self-care as parents, and we explain to our children why this is important, we teach them an invaluable life-skill. This, in turn, will help them learn how to build and maintain their own resilience as both children and adults. Finding the right work-play-rest balance is not just something we should teach our children. It is something we need to model in our own lives. As mentioned, children observe us and pick up on our feelings and behaviors. This means that we do and say, or what we don’t do or say, can affect their wellbeing as well. So, taking care of ourselves and our mental health is not just a “nice” thing to do. It is imperative if we want our children to grow up understanding that life is about balance and that their health is important. For more on parenting and children’s mental health, listen to my podcast (episode #499). Podcast Highlights 3:36 The challenges of homeschooling & balancing work and rest 4:35, 6:47 The importance of self-care as a parent 7:45 How burnout affects the mind-brain-body connection 13:34 How our mood & emotions can affect our children 18:00 Tips to maintain a good work-life balance as a parent 21:30 The importance of teaching our children about mental health & self-care from youth This podcast and blog are for educational purposes only and are not intended as medical advice. We always encourage each person to make the decision that seems best for their situation with the guidance of a medical professional. To read the original article click here.

The post How To Manage Parent Guilt, Burn-Out & Fatigue appeared first on Amazing Health Advances.

Screen Time No Child’s Play

AHA Publisher — Fri, 24 Jan 2020 08:00:07 +0000

University of Queensland via EurekAlert – Experts are urging parents to brush up on national guidelines following a rapid rise in screen time on electronic devices for children under 2. A University of Queensland study found some young children might average 50 minutes per day, where the national guidelines called for zero screen time in children under the age of two. UQ School of Public Health lead author Associate Professor Leigh Tooth said the guidelines were there to give children the best start in life. “We were surprised to see the rapid increase in screen time from the first month of infancy,” Dr Tooth said. “Children are spending almost an hour per day in front of a screen before they turn one.” Dr Tooth’s study showed screen time quickly increased with age before plateauing around three years, at an average of 94 minutes per weekday. Screen time only fell into line with national guidelines when children moved into childcare and school, while weekends continued to spike well above the guidelines. The Australian government, World Health Organization and other international bodies promote the same guidelines of zero screen time under two years. “We need to let people know that young children should not be in front of a screen for long periods because there is emerging evidence this could be detrimental to their development and growth,” she said. “Screen time represents a missed opportunity where children could be practising and mastering a developmental skill, like skipping and jumping, over being sedentary and transfixed to a screen. “This is particularly important in children under two who should not be spending any time in front of a screen.” The study showed mothers whose children exceeded the screen time guidelines experienced factors like financial stress, had high amounts of leisure time or allowed electronic devices in the bedroom. “It’s very easy to use screen time with children because there are so many child-friendly apps and games developed for young children and parents,” Dr Tooth said. “If you give a child an iPad for 30 minutes then they’re going to be transfixed – you can understand why parents give their children access to screens.” Dr Tooth said the potential negative implications far outweighed any perceived benefits of the easy distraction tools. “The fear is that it is these early years where the most negative impact on health and development can occur,” she said. “Parents need to be made aware of the national guidelines in their antenatal visits or during a follow-up appointment with their GP. “The guidelines are there for a reason, and that is to protect your baby’s health and development.” To read the original article click here.

The post Screen Time No Child’s Play appeared first on Amazing Health Advances.