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Athletes and Steroids
On February 13 Roger Clemens testified before congress about his alleged use of steroids and Human Growth Hormone (HGH). Although Clemens denies that he ever used these substances, the Mitchell Report published on December 13 of last year clearly shows that the use if steroids by professional baseball players has been occurring. And, it's not just in baseball either. Professional football and basketball athletes, Olympic athletes, college athletes, and even high school athletes are using steroids to boost their performance. Unfortunately sports heroes are creating the impression that steroids are not only acceptable, but necessary to succeed at sports.
It is important that parents have a conversation (or multiple conversations) with their children involved in athletics about steroids. Children need to understand the risks of steroids including:
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Shrinking testicles and increased breast tissue in males
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Deepened voice, increased facial hair in females
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Increased risk of heart attack by increasing blood pressure and cholesterol, and possible effects on heart muscle
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Liver swelling, jaundice, and tumors
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Risk of tendon rupture and stunted growth in young athletes
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"Roid rage"/aggression, addiction, depression
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Balding, acne, stretch marks
Just as important as stressing the risks it is important to help children understand the benefits they get from sports. It's not just about winning but about health and fitness, competition, teamwork, and fun. Using steroids is contrary to all of these goals.
Fortunately, the use of steroids among teenagers appears to be dropping. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) Steroid use reached a high in 2003 (6.1% of adolescents admitted to using steroids at least once, 5.3% of female adolescents and 6.8% of males), but in 2005 the numbers had dropped to 4% overall, with 3.2% among females and 4.8% of males. Maybe our professional athletes should start looking towards teenagers as their role models! | |
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Adolescent Vaccinations Dr. McAllister published an article on Wicked Local that also ran in several town papers about recommended vaccinations for adolescents.
Fear of needles aside, vaccinations are the greatest success story in the public health history of this country and the world, and one of the most effective interventions that doctors are able to provide to protect the health of
individuals.
This article, as well as many others written by Dr. McAllister, can be found on our website: here. | |
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Constipation
Constipation is a very common problem among children, accounting for an estimated 3 to 5 percent of all visits to pediatricians. The peak prevalence is during the pre-school years in most studies, but it can affect children of all ages.
Bowel patterns vary from child to child just as they do in adults. What's normal for your child may be different from what's normal for another child. Most children have bowel movements 1 or 2 times a day. Other children may go 2 to 3 days or longer before passing a normal stool. Children with constipation have stools that are hard, dry, and difficult or painful to pass. These stools may occur daily or may be less frequent.
Although constipation can cause discomfort and pain, it's usually temporary and can be treated.
Constipation occurs for a variety of reasons, including:
Diet: Changes in diet, or not enough fiber or fluid in your child's diet, can cause constipation.
Illness: If your child is sick and loses his appetite; a change in his diet can throw off his system and cause him to be constipated.
Withholding: Your child may withhold his stool for different reasons. He may withhold to avoid pain from passing a hard stool, he may be dealing with issues about independence and control, or because he simply doesn't want to take a break from play.
Other changes: In general, any changes in your child's routine (such as traveling, hot weather, or stressful situations) may affect his overall health and how his bowels function.
If constipation isn't treated, it may get worse. The longer the stool stays inside the lower intestinal track, the larger, firmer, and drier it becomes. Then it becomes more difficult and painful to pass the stool. Your child may hold back his stool because of the pain. This creates a vicious cycle.
Constipation is rarely a problem in young infants, but when it is I suggest adding more juice or water to your baby's diet.
For older children I encourage parents to add more high-fiber foods to your child's diet (the amount of fiber a child needs daily is the number of grams equal to his age + 5) and encourage him to drink more water. In addition parents should encourage a regular toilet routine to help prevent constipation.
If these methods are not effective in treating your child's constipation you should make an appointment to bring him in for an evaluation and so we can start appropriate medical intervention. | |
