The Colic Care^® Blog

More Problems from the FDA for Tylenol!

Here is yet another article I stumbled across.  This one is from Meg G. and can be found at AssociatedContent.com.  There is some good information in this article.  And as always, if you have any questions about any of this, please feel free to Ask Dr. Tara!

 

Is the 2010 Recall Worse Than the 1982 Tylenol Recall?

The Tylenol recall 2010 is an astronomically expensive endeavor for Johnson & Johnson. Not only is the recall expensive, it's also inconvenient and has caused many consumers to lose faith in the drug manufacturer. As the Tylenol recall has been expanded more than once, there are those that assume that the pharmaceutical company doesn't really know what's going on.

The 2010 recall has been compared to the one that happened in 1982. In 1982 an individual was responsible for tampering with the containers and placing deadly poison inside the medication bottles. The end result was that Johnson & Johnson had to deal with fatalities. It is because of that incident that we now have the tamper evident packaging on all medications.

In 1982 it only took the company 6 days to respond to consumer complaints. This time around it has taken them - get this - 20 months. Yep. That's right! Consumers have been complaining about a musty smell coming from the medicine for almost two years now. While the effects aren't said to be fatal, there are many who have gotten sick from taking the drugs.

The FDA is not too happy with the response from the company. In fact, CNN money reports that Johnson & Johnson has received a warning letter from the FDA. This means that the company has 15 days to respond to the letter and outline how they will keep the same thing from happening again. In addition the government can "withhold approval of requests for export certificates or approval of pending new drug applications" from the company if they aren't happy with the response.

A list of the products on the recall includes several Tylenol, Tylenol arthritis, Motrin, Rolaids, and children's products. You can visit the company's Web site for an exhaustive list of everything that is covered.

How are consumers going to respond to this incident? Are they going to have more faith in the company for taking care of the issues, similar to the 1982 recall or will people lose faith in the ability of the manufacturer to produce a safe and effective product?

In 1982 it was estimated that the cyanide poisonings would be the death of the company. Instead, people saw the response as socially responsible and the sales rebounded shortly after initial panic wore off.

2010 may be a different story. The Johnson & Johnson has been sitting on complaints for almost two years. They haven't done much other than a little testing here and there to rectify the problem. Now, the government is involved and that could be very, very bad news for the company.

Source:

Christian Science Monitor

CNN Money

Meg G.
Featured Business & Finance Contributor

 

You may recall from a previous article I did called "At least we know the FDA isn't biased..." where we discussed problems with Tylenol and acetaminophen.  It looks like things haven't changed.  Thanks for the information Meg!!

If you have any comments or questions, please feel free to leave them below, or contact me through our Ask Dr. Tara webpage.

More and More Families Skipping Vaccinations

Here is an article I came accross, courtesy of the Huffington Post, that I would really like to share with everyone.  The article was written by Dr. Bob Sears, a pediatrician and author.  I think you'll find it very interesting.

What to Do About All These Non-Vaccinating Families

by Dr. Bob Sears

Today's USA Today story on the increasing trend of vaccine refusal shared some interesting information, but fell short of actually providing useful or workable answers. The article cites a new CDC study that showed in 2003 only 22 percent of parents refused or delayed a vaccine for their child, whereas in 2008 this number soared to 39 percent.

For many years I believe the CDC has been trying to hide the fact that more and more parents are refusing or delaying vaccines. Why? Because if compliant parents hear that their neighbors or friends are questioning vaccines, they might start to think, "Hmm ... maybe I should begin to question vaccines as well. I think I'll start doing some research and educating myself about vaccines instead of just taking my doctor's word for it."

And this story tries to sugar-coat the issue as well, stating that "parents in 2008 had more opportunities to delay shots than they had five years earlier" because three new vaccines have been introduced. I don't by it. This implies that some children aren't receiving all their vaccines because some vaccines are new. I would look at it differently: More and more parents are beginning to question the vaccine schedule -- not just the new vaccines, but the manner in which so many are being given at a time. This trend has nothing to do with the new shots. Compliant parents wouldn't even question new shots anyway. And they wouldn't even be aware that their baby is getting a new shot because they wouldn't even ask. Again, the CDC doesn't want those parents who are being good little patients and getting all their shots, no questions asked, to start wondering why more and other parents are refusing.

Then the story turns to the measles epidemic that has "ravaged" the country. While measles can occasionally be severe and cause a fatality, the fact is that measles has remained the same in our country over the last decade -- about 100 to 150 cases each year, with NO increase and NO fatalities! If the CDC is going to convince parents to stop questioning vaccines, they'll need to come up with some better arguments than that.

Hey, I know! How about some new and expanded safety research! The only way non-compliant parents are going to stop worrying about vaccines is if we can give them the type of safety research they want: large-scale, prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled, long-term research. So, 20 years from now we'll have that research. But what do we do in the meantime?

Here's what the AAP says to do in their official policy (found on page eight of the Red Book, sitting in every single pediatrician's office in the country):

• Treat these parents with respect
• Listen to their concerns
• Clearly discuss the importance of vaccines and the risks of the diseases
• If the parents remain non-compliant, the doctor can serve these patient's needs by (and I quote) "developing a schedule of immunizations that does not require multiple injections at a single visit."
• "Continued refusal after adequate discussion (I continue to quote) SHOULD BE RESPECTED."

The number of physicians who actually follow the AAP's advice is dismally small. I've been creating a growing list of Vaccine Friendly Doctor's on my website who WILL listen and respect these patient's wishes and who will provide an alternative vaccine schedule for patients who want to vaccinate differently. But it's slow going. I just don't understand why the AAP would even bother making such a policy if they won't try to get their members to follow it.

Dr. Offit and many other physicians like him who believe we should NOT provide alternative schedules are actually MAKING THE PROBLEM WORSE. By kicking these patients out of their office and refusing to vaccinate these patients in a manner they will comply with, these doctors are leaving such babies unvaccinated. On the other hand, sometimes these doctors DO manage to talk (bully) their patients into starting their little two-month-old babies on the regular schedule. Most of these parents end up leaving such a doctor and going somewhere else.

In my humble (but outspoken) opinion, the ONLY way to increase vaccination rates in our country at this time is to provide alternative approaches that worried parents will feel more comfortable with. The PR campaign that the AAP and CDC are launching probably won't do a thing. That's because the campaign doesn't include new safety research. It isn't saying, "Hey, look America -- we've proven vaccines, and the schedule by which we give them, are perfectly safe!" Instead, it's saying "The diseases can be bad (which they can), so everybody get in line!" I just don't think that's going to work. That's using scare tactics, not education. By adopting the AAP policy of providing alternative schedules, more and more doctors can serve their patients and keep the vaccine-preventable diseases at bay.

Dr. Bob Sears
www.TheVaccineBook.com

 I hope you all found this article to be a good read.  I did.  If you have any questions or comments, please write them below.  I can't wait to hear from you!!

 

Physicians want Lincoln to push for healthier school lunches.

Helpful Tips about Vaccinations for your Baby

The most common question I see in my office is regarding vaccinations. My role is not to tell the parents what to do, but to provide information and ways to minimize the adverse effects that vaccinations can cause. Every child is different, and it is important to find a health care provider that can evaluate your individual risk. Below are a few suggestions that could help:

Alternative Schedules

• The amount of vaccinations that your child will receive has more than doubled in the past 35 years.
• Spreading out vaccinations can be helpful in theory, although no studies have been conducted regarding these types of schedules.
• Increases in autoimmune disease and asthma could be linked to multiple vaccinations.
• Talk with a provider about the risks and benefits of alternative schedules.

Avoid Daycare Until At Least 2 Years Old

• The highest risk of mortality is in infants under 2 years old, and exposure to meningitis causing organisms and pertussis is most deadly in this age range

Breastfeeding

• Breastfeeding provides protection against these same organisms that can cause death in infants.
• Breastfeeding during the vaccination can lessen pain.

Supplements

• Vitamin A increases response to vaccination and decreases adverse effects.
• Probiotics populate the GI tract and respiratory tract, decreasing chances of contracting disease and decreasing recovery time.
• Low levels Vitamin D are associated with autoimmune disease. Just 15 to 20 minutes of sunshine is equivalent to 200 glasses of milk.

Again, it is important to work with a knowledgeable health care provider if you are concerned with the current vaccination schedule. Vaccinations have, in many cases, reduced the occurrence of life threatening disease, and it is important that parents make fully informed choices regarding vaccinations.

As always, if you have any questions about this blog posting, or any other posting on our website, please feel free to Ask Dr. Tara. Or you can just make your comments below. Thanks for reading!!

Tips on Preventing Cavities

Cavities can become problematic for some children at a very young age. Cavities in children are truly a growing problem. As many as 28 percent of children ages 2 to 5 have cavities in their baby teeth, and children as young as 10 months old are getting multiple cavities in their baby teeth. In 2001, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) sponsored screening of 3rd grade children attending 26 New Hampshire public schools and found that 52% had tooth decay, or dental caries, and about 22% had untreated cavities.

It appears that there may be some genetic susceptibility, but there are things that you can do to prevent cavities. Tooth decay generally starts as a dark discoloration on the tooth, which can progress to holes, particularly in the rear teeth. After tooth decay has happened, parents and dentists are then faced with the difficult dilemma of fixing the teeth,  which can be traumatic for the child and usually requires general anesthesia for infants. Some of the suggestions below may help to prevent this from happening.

• Begin addressing oral hygiene as soon as teeth appear. In an infant, this means using something as simple as a washcloth to gently wipe the teeth after feedings.
• In older children (at least a year) begin using the fluoride-free, training toothpastes and an infant brush. Brushing should be done at least twice per day. Try to make it fun by singing a favorite song during the brushing so that the child begins to have a pleasant association with brushing.
• Bottle-feeding can increase the possibility of cavities.  This is particularly true if the child is allowed to have a bottle with sugary liquids, such as juice, for extended periods of time. Juices should be used very sparingly and should always be watered down by at least 50%. If the baby requires a bottle to go to bed, water should be used instead of milk or juice. Saliva decreases during the night and reduces the ability to wash the teeth, resulting in a build up of acid.
• Some nutrients may be helpful for cases where tooth decay has already begun. Talk to your health care provider about possible suggestions. Supporting the body’s immune system and making sure that proper nutrients are available are very important. Homeopathy can also help to support the body’s inherent healing processes. A great option is to use Xylitol—several studies have shown cavity prevention by utilizing this natural sweetener. The best results were from using chewing gum that was 100% Xylitol. Xylitol is one of the components of Colic Care^® that helps to give it a great taste.

I hope this article helps.  If you have any questions, comments or concerns regarding tooth decay or infant oral hygiene, please feel free to state them below in the comments section or you can just Ask Dr. Tara.

Ear Infections

One of the most frequent causes for visits to the pediatrician is the dreaded ear infection.  Unfortunately, antibiotics are still frequently prescribed, even though the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has made the recommendation for a “wait and see” approach. This is due to research that shows that antibiotics do not speed recovery time. In addition, antibiotics kill off the “good” bacteria that reside in our GI and respiratory tract, making us even more susceptible to illness. Not to mention the current problems with antibiotic resistant bacteria because of unnecessary antibiotic use.

Luckily, there are things that you can do to both treat and prevent ear infections.

• Upright feeding as much as possible. The eustachian tubes of infants are much shorter than adults, allowing fluid to accumulate and cause inflammation.  Feeding at a slight angle allows for more drainage and less accumulation.


• Use immune support as soon as baby starts to get the sniffles. Again, because of the shorter eustachian tubes, extra fluid due to a cold can increase the chances of eardrum inflammation. Great things to try include vitamin C, probiotics, larch tree, vitamin A, and Zinc. Of course you should work with a practitioner to determine the correct dosage for your infant.


• Ear drops. The same research that found that antibiotics were ineffective, also found that ear drops containing things such as garlic, mullein, and hypericum, were more effective than doing nothing and helped to relieve pain. However, you should be sure that the ear drum is intact before putting anything into the ear.


• Breastfeeding. Breastfeeding is protective both because of the immune components of the breast milk, as well as the larger motion of the jaw that an infant has to use (promoting movement in the eustachian tube area), as compared to using a bottle.


• Avoiding allergens. This can be food and/or environmental. Using a hepa filter, removing stuffed animals from the crib, and using a hypoallergenic laundry detergent may be helpful for sensitive infants. Food considerations - if breastfeeding, consider eliminating dairy and wheat, or other known food sensitivities.


• Homeopathy. Finding a qualified homeopathic practitioner can help with chronic ear infection conditions. During an acute phase, remedies like chamomile (extreme fussiness, better with fast rocking), pulsatilla (whimpering/whining, better being carried) or belladonna (extreme pain, red face, screaming) can be tried and are very safe and effective for infants.

It is unlikely that you will be able to avoid the occasional ear infection, but using the above tips will keep the frequency and duration to a minimum. Ear tubes should be a last resort if other avenues have been tried with no relief.

We would love to hear your thoughts or comments.  Just enter them below.  If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to Ask Dr. Tara. Good Luck!!

Battling Morning Sickness

Morning sickness is common in the first trimester, most likely due to fluctuating hormones. Occasionally, it progresses to a serious condition known as hyperemesis gravida, which causes the mother to become dangerously dehydrated. For the most part however, women who experience morning sickness have a mild version and will feel much better by the second trimester. In the mean time, what can you do to help?

• Small, frequent, meals containing a higher protein content. This seams to balance blood sugar and help with nausea.
• Keep crackers by the bed to eat first thing in the morning. Again, this helps to regulate blood sugar.
• Use teas or lozenges containing ginger. Ginger is a great antinausea spice and can make a big difference for some people.
• Try B6. The reason that B6 works is unclear in the medical community, but 25 mg, two times per day have been helpful for many moms. Be sure to check with your health care practitioner to determine the right dosage.
• Homeopathy is great for morning sickness. Some common remedies to consider are ipecac, arsenicum, phosphorus, nux vomica, sepia, pulsatilla, and tabacum. Any of these are well worth considering. A qualified practitioner can help you determine which one is best for your situation.

Morning sickness is one of the “not so fun” parts of pregnancy, but luckily, it will subside. Focusing on the exciting parts of becoming a parent can help, along with the above suggestions, will help to get you through the rough spots. Good Luck!!

If you have found other ways to deal with morning sickness that weren't listed here, please pass that information along to other mothers.  You can post your comments below.  And as always, if you have any questions about what you have just read, please feel free to Ask Dr. Tara.

Flu Fighters: The All Natural, Healthy Way

This winter will no doubt be a troubling flu season for everyone, especially kids.  Prevention is always the best option and I have included some helpful tips to make sure that your family has the best chance of avoiding the flu.

1. Wash your hands. This has no doubt had a bigger effect on germ transmission than anything else.  Friction is just as important as soap, so rub your hand vigorously under running water, and teach you kids to do the same.
2. Eat well and get rest.  This seems like a no brainer, but if your children do not eat their fruits and vegetables, they will be more susceptible to flu bugs. Don’t be afraid to tell them this.  Let them know that eating those foods will make them strong and keep them from getting sick.  To learn more about getting your kids to eat healthy, read Dr. Tara's article, “Broccoli is Gross!” - A mom's guide to healthy eating for kids, in The Colic Care® Blog.
3. Stay on probiotics the entire winter season. Probiotics are “friendly” bacteria that provide precursors for our immune system, among a host of other beneficial processes.
4. Consider herbal teas.  Make herbal teas made of lemon balm, avena, echinacea, etc. and try them on your kids. You never know, they may like the taste. Try adding some xylitol which has its own immune boosting effects, and is a natural sweetener.
5. Vitamin C.  The key to vitamin C is to keep a high level throughout the day, not a big dose at one time. It is water soluble, so it tends to exit the body quickly. A mere 250 to 500mg several times per day is much more effective at boosting the body’s immune response.  Emergen-C is a great option and tastes great for kids.
6. Visit a licensed naturopathic physician.   They can help you with dosing immune boosting nutrients, such as vitamin A and vitamin D. These are fat-soluble vitamins, which means that you can overdose on these, and you need a knowledgeable medical professional to help you determine what dosage is appropriate for your child.

Hopefully, this season will not be the pandemic that is predicted.  And following the above tips can help you avoid contracting any bugs that may be going around. Thanks for reading and don't forget to Ask Dr. Tara if you have any questions!!

Swine Flu: To vaccinate or not to vaccinate?

One of the most common questions I see in my office is concerning vaccinations. The fear-based campaign (on both sides!) has made it extremely difficult for parents to feel confident about decisions regarding how and when to vaccinate.  I believe in educated choices, and do everything I can to direct parents to information from both sides.  This is easier for vaccinations that have been used for several years, but what about new vaccines, such as the H1N1 (Swine Flu)?

With all new vaccines, the safety profile is the most concerning. When a similar “Swine flu” outbreak happened in the 70’s, the vaccine created caused a serious complication called “Guillian-Barre Syndrome” (ascending paralysis), and the actual flu virus was not the fatal pandemic they were expecting.  Besides complications (that are worse than the risk of contracting the flu), the other concerns would be what preservatives and “immune stimulators” will be in the vaccine. Much work has been done to eliminate mercury from most children’s vaccines, but flu vaccines are notorious for still using mercury as a preservative. I will be waiting to see what the ingredients contain, as well as what the safety trials show before making any recommendations.

Ultimately, there will not be enough vaccine for everybody, and their will be preference given for pregnant moms, children over 6 months, elderly, health care workers, and young adults (19-24).  So far, this flu has not been the deadly pandemic that they have predicted, and I will be treating this flu in the same way that I approach all disease—by supporting the body’s natural immune system. It is more effective to provide an inhospitable environment within the body for any bug, than it is to run around trying to find specific vaccines and medications to fight every bug that comes along. Our bodies have an amazing, built-in system to keep foreign invaders at bay, and the most effective therapy is anything that supports this system.    

If you have any questions about this article, or anything else for that matter, please feel free to Ask Dr. Tara!! 

Wearing Your Baby - Why Slings Can Be Helpful

If you spend any amount of time in a baby store, you will see a multitude of different types of “slings” that are designed to allow a hands-free approach to carrying your infant. What are the benefits of using a sling?

 

1. Slings mimic the womb environment

The first month after birth is often referred to as the “fourth trimester” because babies are still developing at a rate similar to the womb. They have been enclosed in a small, warm space, with limited stimuli, and are now in a bright, noisy, open, environment. This most likely contributes to fussiness and possibly colic. Being enclosed in a sling can make them feel more secure and mimics the environment of the womb thus soothing your baby.


2. Hands free for mom or dad

Having your baby in a sling can allow you to comfort your baby, while still going about your normal routine without having to deal with bulky carriers and strollers.


3. Promotes bonding

You infant will be happier while close to mom or dad, which fosters a good feeling for parents. The motion of the parent, as well as the shared body warmth and sounds of the parent’s heartbeat will calm babies. And we all know that parents are happy when their babies are happy!


4. Discrete breast-feeding

Slings can help to provide some privacy while nursing, which allows more freedom.

The hardest aspect of the sling is finding one that works for both you and your baby. There are many options, and the best way to find one that works is to talk to other parents and if possible, try several different varieties before investing in one. The right sling can give you several months of having a happier baby and being a happier parent.

What are your experiences with slings?  Pass on your wisdom by telling us your stories about wearing your baby has helped you. Or, if you have any questions about this article, or anything else, please feel free to Ask Dr. Tara !!