Children and Firearms
Dr. McAllister Publishes Research
Firearms are responsible for approximately 30,000 deaths each year in the United States, 4,000 of which are children. I became aware of these concerning statistics while I was a medical resident on active duty with the US Air Force in Dayton, Ohio. At that time I initiated a research project to identify how many of my patients lived in a home with a gun, and also to see if the firearms training (which includes safety training) which all members of the military receive translated into safer firearm practices at home.
The study continued in Ohio after I was transferred to a new base, and a group of non-military pediatricians also surveyed the civilian families in the areas. The completed study, Children and Firearms in the Home: A Southwestern Ohio Ambulatory Research Network (SOAR-Net) Study was published in the July-August 2007 issue of The Journal of the American Board of Family Practice. The study found that military families were more likely to have a gun in the house (28% of military families owned a gun compared to 18% of civilian families), and, despite extensive safety training, are just as likely to store it improperly (loaded or unlocked or both). We also found that pediatricians in that community were not very good about advising parents on gun safety.
Because of the risk of guns to children, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that guns be removed from homes in which children live if possible, or be stored safely (locked and unloaded) if they must remain in the house. Guns provide a great temptation to children and even if they are taught all of the appropriate safety rules, studies show that, given the opportunity, children find it too tempting to play with guns inappropriately.
I advises all parents who have a gun in the home to keep it locked and unloaded to protect children. Even if you do not own a firearm, parents should teach weapon safety to children, since they may encounter them at a friend's house or other unsupervised location.
The topic of gun ownership and gun safety can be controversial with individuals holding very strong opinions about their rights to have a gun in the home. I encourage all families to consider the safety of their children and the natural curiosity of children when deciding if they need a gun in their home, and on the best way to store the weapon if they do need to have it. |
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Probiotics
Little Germs That Are Good For You
We spend a lot of time trying to keep ourselves and our children away from bacteria. We clean and cook foods thoroughly, wash hands and use hand sanitizer, all to minimize the risk of infection. With all this care being spent in keeping bacteria away from us, you may find it strange to learn that at times I encourage parents to feed live bacteria to their children. These live bacteria are a specific type of healthy bacteria call "Probiotics".
We all have a large population of bacteria living in our intestines. These helpful bacteria (probiotics) assist us in digesting food, and are a necessary for us to absorb the nutrients we need to stay healthy. If this population of helpful bacteria gets disrupted, it can lead to malnutrition, fatigue, diarrhea, food allergies, anemia and a variety of other chronic problems. Some recent studies have shown that probiotic supplements are helpful in treating children with viral diarrheal diseases, preventing diarrhea from antibiotic treatment and soothing babies with colic.
Two species of bacteria have been tested and found to be both safe and effective for children and infants. They are Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria. You can purchase supplements with these healthy bacteria at health food stores or in the health food section of most supermarkets. These products usually come as packets of powder that can be sprinkled in formula or on food, or as capsules that can be swallowed whole by adults or split open and the contents sprinkled in formula or food for young children or infants. In fact some formulas (such as Good Start Natural Cultures) are prepared with these helpful bacteria already in them. The most common source of probiotics for most people is yogurt. Yogurt is a good source of these healthy bacteria, however if you are feeding yogurt to your children look closely at the label and make sure it states "live cultures" or "active cultures". Some yogurts (frequently those marketed for children) kill the bacteria before selling the product. Yogurt that does not have active cultures is still a good source of calcium and protein, but yogurt with active cultures provides those as well, plus all of the benefits of probiotics. |
Automatic Door Opener
One-Touch Opener Coming in August
You spoke up and we listened! We are excited to announce that in early August we are installing a one-touch automatic door opener to our front entrance. Two buttons, one outside and one in, can be pressed to automatically open the door. Families will no longer have to balance diaper bags, strollers, babies and children while trying to operate our heavy door.
Please keep your comments, both positive and negative, flowing in to us. It is our hope to continue to evolve Performance Pediatrics to meet the needs of the families we serve. |
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