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Kids who are prescribed multiple medications are at risk of deadly drug interactions.
School Kids Need Supervision After Classes End
 By Dennis Thompson
HealthDay Reporter
MONDAY, Aug. 27, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Everyone worries about drug abuse among children, but a hidden danger for some kids rests in prescription medicines intended to help them, a new study warns.
Some children and teenagers who are prescribed multiple medications are at risk of drug interactions that could literally stop their heart, according to the report.
"We found that about 1 in 12 kids using two or more medications together were potentially at risk for a major drug interaction," said lead researcher Dima Qato, an assistant professor with the University of Illinois at Chicago's College of Pharmacy.
Most of the potential drug interactions detected in the study can create dangerous heart rhythms called arrhythmias, which might lead to sudden cardiac death, Qato explained.
Teenage girls were most at risk for these interactions, which most often involved the combination of a long-term antidepressant and a shorter-term medication like a nonopioid pain reliever, an antibiotic or an anti-nausea drug, Qato said.
She noted that the problem is probably even larger than observed in the study, since the researchers relied on data regarding prescription medication use.
"We actually likely underestimate the prevalence of this problem because it's limited to prescription drugs. Many short-term medications like naproxen [such as Aleve] are available over the counter," Qato said.
For the study, researchers reviewed federal survey data regarding prescription medication use by more than 23,000 children aged 19 and younger.
The investigators found that nearly 1 in 5 kids uses prescription medications. The use of prescription medications was highest among teen girls (28 percent), and boys aged 6 to 12 (26.5 percent).
About 7.5 percent of kids reported using two or more prescription medications at the same time.
Qato and her colleagues then referred to a prescription drug database to check whether the medications prescribed to kids could potentially create dangerous drug interactions.
About 8 percent of kids taking multiple prescription medications are at risk for a dangerous drug interaction, the researchers concluded.
Teenage girls were nearly three times as likely as boys to be taking a dangerous combination of drugs, 18 percent versus less than 7 percent.
The difference was largely due to the use of antidepressants in combination with prescription NSAIDs, anti-nausea drugs and asthma medication, researchers found.
Most dangerous interactions could cause fast and chaotic heart rhythms that might trigger fainting spells or seizures, Qato said. In the worst cases, these rhythms could cause the heart to stop beating altogether.
The findings were published online Aug. 27 in the journal Pediatrics.
"Extrapolating these data to the population at large, the message is that nearly 1 of every 100 children in the U.S. is potentially exposed to dangerous combinations of prescription drugs," said Dr. David Katz, director of the Yale University Prevention Research Center in New Haven, Conn. He was not involved with the study.
It can be tough to get a handle on the short-term and long-term medications a kid has been prescribed, Qato added.
"The way these kids use health care, they often go to retail clinics sometimes or emergency rooms. Their primary care doctor may not be aware of all the medications they're on, particularly if they're on them for a week or two," Qato said.
Katz said that better systems are needed to track kids' prescriptions and check them for potential drug interactions.
"But the bigger problem is almost certainly our highly medicalized culture, and use of medication when other options are preferable," Katz continued. "As the opioid crisis so vividly indicates, our society relies routinely on potentially dangerous drugs for many conditions -- mental and physical -- better treated by other means."
Expanded use of EKG and heart health screening among school-age kids also could help, "especially with asthmatics and athletes who are more vulnerable to sudden cardiac death," Qato said. "We want to make sure drugs are not increasing that risk, particularly drug combinations."
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SOURCES: Dima Qato, Pharm.D., M.P.H., Ph.D., assistant professor, University of Illinois at Chicago's College of Pharmacy; David Katz, M.D., director, Yale University Prevention Research Center, New Haven, Conn.; Aug. 27, 2018, Pediatrics, online
Newborns' Immune Systems Ramp Up After Birth
Changes in a newborn's immune system have been difficult to assess because doing so has relied on samples taken from the umbilical cord immediately after birth. In this study, researchers used a new immune cell analysis technique to follow 100 premature and full-term babies for their first few weeks of life.FRIDAY, Aug. 24, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- A baby's immune system kicks into high gear immediately after birth, a new study finds.
"This is the first time we've pinned down how the human immune system adapts itself to birth and the new environment," said researcher Petter Brodin. He is with the Science for Life Laboratory and the department of women's and children's health at Karolinska Institute, in Sweden.
"We saw drastic changes in the babies' immune system between each sampling, which shows that it is highly dynamic early in life," Brodin said in an institute news release.
"If we can monitor the development of the immune system and steer it in different directions, we make it possible to prevent autoimmune diseases and allergies, which are partly related to the development of the immune system, and to even develop better vaccines, tailored to the neonatal immune system," he explained.
"What surprised us was how similar the changes were amongst babies," Brodin said. "It seems as if all babies follow one and the same pattern, with their immune systems responding with exactly the same sequence of dramatic changes. It's almost like a well-choreographed dance, a practiced routine."
The study was published Aug. 23 in the journal Cell.
"Many of these diseases can definitely be traced back to how a baby is born and how its immune system adapts to the external environment," Brodin said. "What we're bringing to the table is the specific changes in the immune system that underlie this. It's a piece of the puzzle that was formerly missing."
-- Robert Preidt
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SOURCE: Karolinska Institute, news release, Aug. 23, 2018
College Grades Low? Try a Different Seat in the Classroom
British researchers examined students' reasons for choosing certain seats during a lecture and found that many preferred sitting with their friends. Others wanted to either attract or avoid the lecturer's attention.FRIDAY, Aug. 24, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Students headed off to college will soon be spending many hours in cavernous lecture halls, and new research suggests that where they sit may help predict their final grade.
Some selected seats that enabled them to see and hear the lecturer clearly, while others favored seats that made them less anxious because they could easily leave them, the researchers found.
Groups of friends who sat together tended to get similar grades, the findings showed. And students who sat alone at the edges tended to have lower-than-average grades.
But the study only found an association and could not prove cause and effect.
Still, these findings could be used by lecturers to help anxious students and to encourage interaction between students, according to the study authors.
The report was published online Aug. 21 in FEBS Open Bio.
"Interaction is a key part of learning and knowing who the students are interacting with can be a great benefit when designing activities," lead author David Smith, from Sheffield Hallam University, in England, said in a journal news release.
-- Robert Preidt
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SOURCE: FEBS Open Bio, news release, Aug. 22, 2018
Put Good Health on Your Child's Back-to-School Checklist
FRIDAY, Aug. 24, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Parents should include medical checkups, updated health records and safety training on kids' back-to-school checklists, a group of emergency physicians advises.
"We all know about reading, writing and arithmetic. Let's consider adding a fourth 'R' for parents -- establishing routine healthy behaviors," Dr. Paul Kivela, president of the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP), said in a college news release.
"Now is the perfect time to catch up on doctor visits and update your child's health information. Taking these actions, before an emergency occurs, can help avoid a trip to the ER and possibly save your child's life," he said.
The ACEP says:
Organize your child's health history records and emergency medical contact information, and complete a consent-to-treat form, which authorizes medical treatment. Give copies to the school nurse and day care providers. List prescription medications, medical problems, previous surgeries and family history.
If your child has a health condition, such as asthma or food allergies, work with the school nurse and other care providers to develop action plans.
Take your child for medical and dental check-ups before school starts, or as soon as possible. Also consider vision and hearing tests, and a sports check-up if your child is involved in athletics.
If your child walks to school or to a bus stop, review the route with them and highlight potential hazards.
If your child drives to school, stress the need to obey all laws, wear seat belts, and not to text while driving.
In addition, ACEP says, ensure your child knows how to call for help in an emergency. Teach him or her when to call 911 and to give the operator their name, address and brief description of the emergency. Emergency contact numbers should be posted next to all telephones in the home.
-- Robert Preidt
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SOURCE: American College of Emergency Physicians, news release, August 2018
Here's Food for Thought -- and School Success
Research shows that children who have a nutritious breakfast have better concentration, more energy and do better in school, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).SATURDAY, Aug. 25, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Want to help your kids succeed at school? Watch what they eat.
Some schools provide breakfast. If your kids' school does not, make sure they eat a breakfast at home that includes some protein.
Hunger can impair classroom performance. Many children qualify for free or lower-priced food at school. Forms can be filled out at the school office.
Many school districts have plans that enable parents to pay for their children's meals through an online account. With this approach, kids have a card they swipe at the register.
If your school sends cafeteria menus home and/or posts them online, use that information to pack lunch on days when the main course is one your child doesn't like. Find out if your school has a la carte choices in addition to the standard menu.
When packing a drink, choose water, juice or low-fat dairy products instead of soda. Each 12-ounce soda contains about 10 teaspoons of sugar and 150 calories. Drinking just one can of soda a day increases a child's risk of obesity by 60 percent.
Find out what foods and drinks are available at school outside the cafeteria -- for example, in vending machines, school stores, snack carts and fundraisers.
-- Robert Preidt
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SOURCE: American Academy of Pediatrics, news release
School Kids Need Supervision After Classes End
SUNDAY, Aug. 26, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- As parents send their kids back to school, they need to remember the school day includes the hours before and after classes, a leading pediatrician's group says.
Children in grade school and middle school require supervision, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). An adult should be available to get them ready and off to school in the morning, and to supervise them after they come home from school.
If another family member is taking care of your child before and/or after school, make it clear to them that they need to follow your rules about schedules, discipline and homework, the academy said in a news release.
In general, children aged 11 to 12 should not be at home alone after school, but that is the age when parents can start to consider the child's maturity level and other circumstances (such as neighborhood safety) to make that decision, child experts say.
If another adult isn't available to supervise children at home after school, parents should arrange to supervise their children from a distance. Kids should have a set time when they are expected to arrive home and should check in with a neighbor or with a parent by phone or video chat.
If your child is in an after-school program, ask about staff training. The program should have a high staff-to-child ratio, trained staff to deal with any health issues and emergencies, and the rooms and the playground should be safe, according to the AAP.
Good homework and study habits after school are also important. Schedule enough time for homework, and make sure children have a space in their bedroom or another part of the home that is quiet and free of distractions.
Have a rule that the TV and other electronic devices are off during homework time. Be available to help, but never do a child's homework, the AAP advises.
In high school, some teachers ask students to submit homework electronically and perform other tasks on a computer. If your child doesn't have access to a computer or the internet at home, work with teachers and school administration to make other arrangements.
-- Robert Preidt
Copyright © 2018 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
SOURCE: American Academy of Pediatrics, news release, August 2018
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