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Thursday, July 15, 2010
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Check out this interesting article in the New York Times about all of the microbes that live on and in our bodies. You may be aware now of probiotics, but that may be just the tip of the iceberg in our understanding of the normal flora in our intestines. Beware, the opening vignette discusses fecal transplantation, but if you can fight through it, there are lots of fascinating questions raised by this research.
Friday, July 09, 2010
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On June 23 at 3:54 pm, Leigh and I welcomed our newest baby boy into the world – Callum Byron Straughn weighed in at 8 pounds, 9 ounces, and measured 20 3/4 inches long. Considering that my oldest son Walt weighed 10 pounds, 2 ounces when he was born, Baby C seems like a little guy! Mom and baby have been wonderful and healthy, but word to the wise for you experienced moms out there – with your next baby, make sure you get your epidural in time, because things can happen pretty fast. I am back at work, and I am grateful to return to my easier day job. While on paternity leave, it was my primary responsibility to chase around the three big brothers! For more info on the name “Callum,” check out Nameberry; as I reported a while back, it was our favorite baby name website.
Monday, June 21, 2010
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Happy Father's Day wishes to all of the daddies of Forest Lane Pediatrics. Check out this interesting article from the New York Times about the challenges dads face in balancing work and home life. My take home message: us dads do more at home than we used to, but we don't get enough credit! Moms may have a different interpretation of the article, however...
Friday, June 18, 2010
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We are thrilled to announce the opening of the new tower for our Medical City Children's Hospital today. Although we have had the full capabilities and function of a true children's hospital for a long time, we have not had a dedicated facility until now. It is a beatiful building with lots of family-friendly features, as well as state-of-the-art surroundings for our most critically ill patients. We hope your child stays well so that you can come check it out just for fun.
Monday, June 14, 2010
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There are a mind-boggling array of choices when it comes to sunscreens. Adding to the complication and confusion are growing health concerns about some of the ingredients in common sunscreens. Much of this is still controversial, but ingredients such as oxybenzone, parabens, and vitamin A are felt to be potentially harmful when used frequently on the skin, especially in our young and more vulnerable children. The Environmental Working Group provides the most comprehensive and in-depth report that I have seen, and they have just released their list of the Best Beach and Sport Sunscreens for 2010. They also provide information about all of the individual ingredients and their safety. At this time, the safest ingredients are the mineral (non-nanoparticle) sunblocks zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, and avobenzone is felt to be the safest among the chemical sunscreens.
Friday, June 11, 2010
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I have been stockpiling blog ideas for a few weeks in hopes of producing more lengthy commentaries, but it is time to just post a bunch of "quick hits." As baby #4 quickly approaches, maybe this is my form of "nesting."
"The Risks of Parenting While Plugged In" -- a cool New York Times article about texting while parenting.
Nurture Shock by Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman -- a fascinating book about how the conventional wisdom of various aspects of child-rearing may be wrong. A very fascinating book, highly recommended, 5 stars. Dr. Mitchell has read it and loved it too!
Can Dirt Do a Little Good? -- a great Wall Street Journal article discussing the documentary "Babies" and the interesting concept of the hygiene hypothesis. My wife and I saw "Babies" and really enjoyed it -- catch it quick while it is still in the theaters. (I know what you are thinking, don't I get my fill of babies at work and at home???)
ImageGently.org -- increasing awareness about the increased sensitivity of children to the dose of radiation from commonly used CT scans and x-rays.
Cord Blood Donation at Medical City Dallas -- did you know that since 2006, any baby born here at Medical City Dallas has had the option of donating their cord blood to the public cord blood bank?
Enjoy!
Monday, May 24, 2010
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The American Academy of Pediatrics has issued a revised policy statement regarding the prevention of drowning. The Washington Post has a nice summary here, but I would encourage you to read the full statement in Pediatrics here, especially if you have a pool or hot tub at home. This statement now allows that children between ages 1 and 4 who are developmentally ready may benefit from swimming lessons. Previously, the AAP had advised no swim lessons under age 4, reasoning that there was no proof that swimming lessons for younger kids prevented drowning, that lessons might provide a false sense of security, and that lessons might reduce a child's natural fear of the water and encourage them to go in without supervision. New data have emerged from small studies indicating that swimming lessons in the 1-4 year age group did decrease the rate of drowning death. The policy statement also draws attention to other less recognized hazards: drain entrapment and hair entanglement in regular pools or hot tubs, and the drowning risk in portable or inflatable pools. If you have a pool at home, I would encourage you to review the safety of the pool and its surroundings. There are many specific recommendations and resources in the AAP policy statement. Ultimately, there is no substitute for close and constant supervision when your young children are around the water.
Friday, May 21, 2010
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So, a Honda Odyssey is the way we roll, but this video makes me a little jealous of the Toyota Sienna...
Friday, May 14, 2010
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I was on vacation when this article ran in the paper, so I missed the chance to self-promote. Better late than never, check out this article from May 4 regarding advice from pediatricians about keeping your kids healthy. Along with Dr. Joel Steinberg, a professor at UT Southwestern, and Dr. David Goff, a Fort Worth pediatrician, I was interviewed (by e-mail) for this story.
They also have a new Mom's Blog on the DallasNews.com website -- looks like a wide variety of parenting topics are being addressed here. Check it out!
Monday, April 12, 2010
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An entertaining article in the New York Times this week discusses the travails of head lice in kids. It turns out that head lice are pretty harmless little critters, but they give all of us the "ick" feeling. Many of the traditional treatments are quite harsh, and even toxic, and the lice have become increasingly resistant. Thankfully, there are some new less toxic treatment options available. Additionally, for families who can't handle the "ick factor," there are companies who will come out to your house and do the nitpicking for you. My favorite quote from entomologist Dr. Richard J. Pollack: The only way to get head lice is by direct head-to-head contact. The silver lining is a kid with lice is a kid with very close friends."
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