Health Advisory for Lung Disease Associated with Vaping  

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You may have heard the news, but the CDC recently released an advisory warning of a new, severe pulmonary disease associated with the use of e-cigarette products. Over 200 cases across 25 states have been reported, with patients experiencing respiratory and/or other symptoms, such as cough, shortness of breath, chest pain, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, and fever.

“Vaping” (or e-cigarette usage) is especially harmful to young people, yet it’s on the rise among children and teenagers. In 2018, use of e-cigarettes rose 80% among high school students and 50% among middle school students from the year prior, with 3.6 million teenagers reporting the use of the devices.

This dangerous new lung disease isn’t the only reason to prevent vaping among adolescents— vaping also increases potential harm to brain development and the likelihood of future cigarette smoking. Read more 

Dealing With Cyberbullying  

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Alyssa, a freelance writer. I write articles on education and students life, shared with Healthy Lombard that the Internet has become an inseparable part of modern life as it provides much faster and easier access to needed data and also convenient means to connect with other people. While the advantages are obvious for everyone, many people may suffer from the negative phenomena brought to life by the rise of online social media use. According to Cyberbullying Research Center, almost every fourth teen in the US was bullied or harassed online and the rate continues to increase. Cyberbullies like to keep the anonymity and their primary goal is to harm or frighten their victims and make them feel depressed and powerless because of the more public nature of this type of abusing people. You must be aware and ready to prevent psychological harm to your child especially if he/she belongs to one of the vulnerable groups. In fact, no one is immune from online harassment but belonging to a minority group may be a ground for biases and subsequent cyberbullying. Youth with learning disabilities or other special needs and those who are perceived as “different” based on their race, religion, social status or any other aspect of their personality often find themselves exposed to this threat. Read more 

Study Pinpoints When Teenagers Fall out of Love with Nature  

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Children & Nature Newsletter shared that young people’s connection to nature drops sharply from the age of 11 and doesn’t recover until they are 30 – with significant implications for their engagement with pro-environmental behaviors like recycling or buying eco-friendly products.

These are the findings of a new study from the University of Derby, in partnership with the University of Exeter, Natural England, Historic England, the National Trust, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and The Wildlife Trusts.

The study, led by Miles Richardson, Professor of Human Factors and Nature Connectedness at the University, analyzed survey responses from almost 4,000 adults and children. Participants rated the extent to which they agreed or disagreed with the following statements, to determine their level of nature connectedness:

  1. I always find beauty in nature
  2. I always treat nature with respect
  3. Being in nature makes me very happy
  4. Spending time in nature is very important to me
  5. I find being in nature really amazing
  6. I feel part of nature

Read more 

Cyberbullying – A Widespread Problem  

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Broadbandsearch.net has recently published a post on cyberbullying statistics that has been updated with all the latest info and data for 2019.  This is useful since widespread internet access is an exceptionally positive development for education and access to information, but it can also open the door for a lot of negative and otherwise unsavory behavior. An online presence comes with some risks one opens oneself to, and an extra level of care that needs to be applied to any information one supplies about themselves. You never know who is going to use your personal information to target and harass you.

Bullying is an issue that has always existed, not only among children, but also adults, and technology has made it possible for bullies to reach their victims in new ways. People you know or complete strangers can reach you with hurtful words, threats, and other forms of abuse via cyberbullying. This is a real problem that is only growing, with statistics showing that 34% of people report that they’ve been a victim of cyberbullying in their lifetime.

Thankfully, there are ways to curb, avoid, and minimize instances of cyberbullying and its effects. The most important step is to seek help when it happens, and not allow the bully to silence you. There are authorities that deal with this issue and you should never face this alone. Read more 

1Climb, adidas Build Walls for Boys & Girls Clubs  

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Nate Mitka shared with Children and Nature network that with his ascent of the Dawn Wall in 2015, Kevin Jorgeson made climbing history. And it seems the Californian climber continues to push the climbing envelope beyond Yosemite Valley.  1Climb, a nonprofit Jorgeson co-founded to introduce kids to climbing, recently announced an initiative to build 10 climbing walls in Boys & Girls Clubs across the U.S.

The partnership hopes to introduce 100,000 kids in urban areas to their first climb. According to the plan, 1Climb intends to build climbing walls in L.A., Chicago, and New York City to help thousands of urban youths access climbing by the end of 2019. And, it intends to open the six more in 2020.

“Our belief is that through sport, we have the power to change lives and this partnership is a perfect example that brings those words to life,” said Stephen Dowling, VP of marketing at Adidas Outdoor. “We are incredibly excited to partner with 1Climb in order to bring the benefits of the outdoors to the city, building climbing walls to break down social barriers, and create an equal starting line for tens and thousands of girls and boys across America.” Read more 

Tidying up: when clutter takes its mental toll  

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Carolyn Wass, MSW Behavioral Health Navigator, asks in the Edwards Elmhurst Health’s blog, 

“Have you noticed that, when a room is cleared of clutter, you feel mentally clear?”

It’s an interesting connection. The current trend toward decluttering one’s space inspired by Marie Kondo’s book and Netflix show, “Tidying Up With Marie Kondo,” is a healthy step toward better mental health. Clear homes, clear minds.

You might not think twice (or even notice) the clutter building up in your home. Junk mail piled up on the counter, bottles and cups and toiletries covering the bathroom counter. Piles of books that don’t fit on shelves gathering dust on the floor. Unused gift or shopping bags stacked on a side table. Knick-knacks everywhere.

These are the situations Kondo urges people to pick apart, mindfully sift through the stuff to decide what “sparks joy,” and toss the rest.

After all, too much clutter can make it difficult to be happy in your own home (or workplace). When there are four loads of laundry piled up and the kids’ toys are taking over every room, it’s hard to relax or concentrate on daily tasks. That’s when anxiety, frustration, irritation, distraction or depression can take hold. Read more 

New Data on Autism Spectrum Disorder in 4-Year-Old Children  

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CDC scientists published a report on the prevalence and characteristics of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) among 4-year-old children. This report is based on information from the Early Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network. Early ADDM is a subset of the broader ADDM Network, which has been doing ASD surveillance among 8-year-old children since 2000.

In this report, published in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) Surveillance Summaries, scientists analyzed information from the health and/or education records of preschool-aged children. Identifying children with ASD early helps families get access to services in their communities. This report provides valuable information on progress made toward early identification of children with ASD and informs providers, particularly public schools, of upcoming service needs. The data in this report demonstrate a continued need to identify children with ASD sooner and refer them to early intervention. Read more 

W.H.O. Says Limited or No Screen Time for Children Under 5  

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By Emily S. Rueb  wrote for the New York Times that in a new set of guidelines, the World Health Organization said that infants under 1 year old should not be exposed to electronic screens and that children between the ages of 2 and 4 should not have more than one hour of “sedentary screen time” each day.

Limiting, and in some cases eliminating, screen time for children under the age of 5 will result in healthier adults, the organization, a United Nations health agency announced.

But taking away iPads and other electronic devices is only part of the solution, the researchers said. Children under 5 should also get more exercise and sleep in order to develop better habits that will stave off obesity and diseases in adolescence and adulthood, the guidelines said.“Achieving health for all means doing what is best for health right from the beginning of people’s lives,” Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the director-general of the W.H.O., said in a statement. “Early childhood is a period of rapid development and a time when family lifestyle patterns can be adapted to boost health gains.” Read more 

Urge Your Elected Official to Cosponsor the FASTER Act!  

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Nearly 32 million Americans live with food allergies and related disorders. These diseases affect their health and quality of life.

That’s why Congresswoman Doris Matsui introduced the Food Allergy Safety, Treatment, Education, and Research (FASTER) Act (H.R. 2117) to improve the health and safety of those living with food allergies and related disorders.  The introduction of the FASTER Actis the culmination of more than a year of legislator education, policy refinement and advocacy by FARE, resulting in legislation that will improve the lives of the millions of Americans with food allergies.

The FASTER Act would:

  • Collect national information on Americans’ exposure to food allergens and the prevalence of food allergies for specific allergens.
  • Update allergen labeling laws to include “sesame” and add new labeling requirements for additional allergens as new scientific evidence emerges.
  • Expand current guidance on patient experience data to include food allergies.
  • Study the economic costs of food allergies.

Read more