Health Bits
More Shots for Your Kids
Your children may need more shots this year. Due to recent whooping cough outbreaks, some children ages 7 to 10 and ages 13 to 18 should get the vaccine that protects against that illness (as well as tetanus and diphtheria). Kids need the shot if they’ve never had the vaccine or you’re not sure they did. That’s one of several changes in immunization advice from the American Academy of Pediatrics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and American Academy of Family Physicians.Teens ages 16 to 18 should get a booster shot of the vaccine that helps head off certain types of meningitis. And a better pneumococcal vaccine shields infants and young children from more strains of bacteria that cause meningitis, pneumonia and other ailments. For details, see your doctor or visit aap.org/immunization.
TV and Video Games Affect Attention
Playing video games and watching TV raise a risk for later attention problems in kids, a
study says. Researchers looked at how much time 1,323 grade-school children spent
watching TV and playing video games during the week. The risk for attention problems was
67 percent higher among those who spent more than two hours a day in front of the TV,
gaming, or both, Pediatrics reports. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that kids
spend no more than two hours a day watching TV and playing video games.
Some Kids Never Quit Snacking
American kids are snacking on salty chips,
candy and other junk food more than ever,
according to a new study. Snacking
accounts for up to 27 percent of kids’ daily
calorie intake. The Health Affairs research
involved more than 31,000 children. The
upswing in snacking has occurred as
childhood obesity has risen.
The result: Millions of U.S. children face an increased risk for high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes. The study suggests a trend in which some children snack almost continuously throughout the day. The researchers say these findings raise concerns that American children are moving toward a dysfunctional eating pattern. Unhealthy weight gain may result.