QA &
safe riding
A
rizona’s wide open spaces promise all kinds of recreational fun, but one unfortunate result is accidents involving all-terrain vehicles, or ATVs. Even though the American Academy of Pediatrics advises against allowing children younger than 16 to ride the vehicles, the fact is ATVing is popular among many families and that leaves lots of kids at risk, says Tracey Fejt, R.N., injury prevention coordinator and outreach manager for Banner Children’s at Cardon Children’s Medical Center in Mesa. In 2010 alone, ATV-related accidents killed eight people, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services, resulting in hospital stays for 500 others and emergency room visits for another 1,900. While those figures don’t indicate how many victims were children, Fejt says the message is the same for all ages: Take safety precautions, and take them seriously. “We know families ride ATVs,” she says. “We just want them to do it safely.” The Southwest Alliance for Recreational Safety, of which Fejt is a founding member, makes the following recommendations: • Require each family member to take a class about ATV safety (classes are offered by the Arizona Fish and Game) • Always have adults supervise children • Never allow children to ride a vehicle driven by another child • Keep ATVs off paved roads; the tires are designed for dirt • Always wear safety equipment, especially a helmet; other recommended gear includes riding boots, a chest protector, elbow pads, gloves and motorcycle pants with built-in padding • TK totalkid.azcentral.com
Diabetes risk
Q:
I've heard diabetes is on the rise in children. What can families do to prevent these diseases?
Maria Corazon Hizon, M.D.
Maria Corazon Hizon, M.D. Pediatric endocrinologist at Banner Thunderbird Medical Center and a Banner Children’s specialist
A:
Research shows childhood obesity is leading to more cases of Type 2 diabetes mellitus, but the good news is that lifestyle modification can reverse this unfortunate trend. Diabetes can be caused by the body’s inability to produce enough insulin or the body’s inability to use insulin due to insulin resistance, which leads to hyperglycemia. Type 2 diabetes is associated with accelerated weight gain and inactivity, but a healthy diet and exercise can prevent this condition. I always discuss healthy lifestyle changes with my patients’ families, alerting them to the risk of eating high carbohydrate, fatty foods and the importance of protein and portion control. I emphasize this is about teamwork, I avoid the word "obesity” and I urge families to give kids support. Lifestyle changes are hard to do alone. As for Type 1 diabetes, which primarily affects children whose bodies do not produce insulin, researchers are studying prevention methods. Nevertheless, it's evident that exercise and healthy eating habits go a long way, a good reminder in light of Nov. 14 being World Diabetes Day. • TK
Chronic cough
Q:
Should I be concerned about my child’s frequent cough?
Jacqueline May Carter, M.D.
Jacqueline May Carter, M.D., Banner Health Clinic
A:
Coughing is the body’s natural way of clearing the airway of an irritant, and an isolated cough once in a while is normal. But a cough that lasts longer than six weeks is a chronic condition that a doctor should assess. The biggest help in pinpointing the cause of the cough is the child’s medical history: circumstances surrounding when the cough first began, the time of day it occurs, how long it’s lasted and other symptoms. Generally, chronic coughs result from these three conditions: • Allergic rhinitis, an allergic reaction to dust, pollution, pollen or other irritant that irritates the nose or upper sinuses. Symptoms include a runny nose, itchy eyes and “wet” cough; • Early asthma, a condition not always accompanied by wheezing. It may feature a “dry” cough and no other symptoms; and • Reflux disease, or heartburn, which is caused by stomach acid coming up the throat. Associated with obesity, reflux happens more at night and may cause hoarseness or coughing the next day." • TK
TOTALKID
‹5›