Infant plagiocephaly: everything new is well forgotten old.

There was a time when absolutely all babies used to sleep on their backs. Placing babies on their backs started most likely when people did not know how to write. It was a tradition. Why do traditions exist? Supposedly, only for one reason: to change them. Placing babies to sleep on the back did not escape the challenge of time, and several decades ago, someone brilliant decided that the best position for babies to sleep was on their bellies. That was a change, revolutionary in its courage and boldness. It was not as revolutionary as the polio vaccine, but something new challenged a tradition. Two generations of pediatricians knew only one infant sleeping position - on the belly. 

It turned out that our grandparents and great grandparents, and before them, Moses, Sarah, and Abraham were correct in placing their babies for sleep on the backs. Maybe they have known something we discovered only in the 1990s - belly sleeping was often responsible for sudden infant death. Thousands of infants died because the "progressive" doctors changed the old habit by placing babies to sleep on their bellies. However, following the discovery that sleeping on the backs was much safer, pediatricians started the "back to sleep" campaign, and in a mere decade, it almost succeeded. Nowadays, most nurses and doctors do their best to change the habits of their patient's parents, who inherited them from their parents. This change led to the rediscovery of a disease called "infant plagiocephaly."

Plagiocephaly is the flattening of the baby's naturally soft skull caused by the pressure of sleeping in one position combined with a low amount of vitamin D in the mother's diet during her pregnancy, making babies skull even more pliable. When babies slept on their bellies, their heads were randomly turned to one side, avoiding constant pressure on one side and an asymmetrical flattening of the face. Since the "back to sleep" campaign required placing babies on their backs, many babies developed flattened backs of their heads. 

This disease epidemic caused enormous alarm among pediatricians. A new industry arose to deal with it when companies began manufacturing infant helmets. Hundreds of scientific articles discussed the origin of this new disease and ways to treat it. Many doctors earned their professorship publishing them. Pediatric neurosurgeons developed surgical procedures for correcting anesthetically molded infant's skulls shapes. 

We could have avoided all of this if the same pediatricians had asked their grandmothers about plagiocephaly or read seemingly ancient textbooks of pediatrics written when their grandparents were young. They would have made an astonishing discovery that infant plagiocephaly is as old as the world. They would have learned that plagiocephaly was very common and did not alarm pediatricians back then because they knew that the head deformity would disappear once babies began to roll and sit. The pressure of the rapidly growing brain on still moldable skull bones would gradually make the head round again. And that using helmets is a waste of money because helmets work no better than time itself.

Sergey Shushunov, MD

The new coronavirus is not going to end mankind

Forget about global warming, international terrorism, SARS virus, or being kidnapped on your way to work. 

We have a new scarecrow: previously unknown coronavirus from China. The real question is: how bad is it?

According to the data from China as of February 9, 2020, there were about 800 deaths among 38,000 people diagnosed with coronavirus or a 2% mortality rate. 2% is scary, but the keyword in a previous sentence is "diagnosed". The illness with coronavirus starts just like the common cold and in the majority of people, it ends like a common cold. Runny nose, mild fever, cough, and this is it. The number of people whose disease does not progress to a severe form is tens of times larger than the number of people who feel bad enough to be tested. In reality, the mortality rate from this virus is probably only a small fraction of one percent. A fraction of 1% is also bad, but it is not much worse than a mortality rate of the influenza epidemic, which claimed around 60,000 lives during winter 2017-2018 in the US alone. 

What makes this virus so scary is the fear of the unknown on one hand and the media, which blows it out of proportion, on the other. It is not unlike the fear of Martians. We don't know Martians, but we, just in case are afraid of them. However, I would rather be afraid of reporters.

Sergey Shushunov, MD

Selecting baby cereals

Baby cereal is one of the first foods introduced to babies. Cereals are nearly ideal infant transitional foods. Cereals are very convenient. Cereals can be prepared to have a consistency close to the thickness of milk or formula, which can be thickened as the baby gets older, add another source of nutrition, have fiber, which is an essential component of gut health. One of the most common cereals is rice.

What makes rice cereal so attractive? Nothing, for the babies. However, rice is technologically easier than other grains for manufacturers to turn into cereals, making them very popular.

Before selecting a baby cereal, the most crucial question parents should ask is: What is the nutritional value of rice? Well, it is an excellent source of two "nutrients": starch and arsenic. The amount of protein in rice in comparison to other grains is negligible. 

The nutritional value of starch is well known: it is the most common source of empty calories, meaning that your baby can't grow well when fed rice cereal. 

What about arsenic? This problem of high arsenic content in rice is much more significant than low protein content. Due to rice being grown and cultivated, arsenic accumulates in rice at several times higher concentrations than other foods. Arsenic is a known carcinogen and adversely affects memory, intelligence, the heart, reproductive system, and skin.

There is one advantage of rice over some other cereals - rice does not contain gluten, a protein found in many grains, including wheat. Gluten in the form of wheat has been one of the most important protein sources for humans for about seven thousand years, but only recently has gluten become a source of widespread concern due to the fear of gluten intolerance. The fear of gluten intolerance is based mainly on mass media hysteria propagated by publicity-looking journalists and bloggers, scientifically unfounded articles, and gossip. 

Regardless of whether gluten fear is real or not, living without worry is much healthier than with it. One of the best substitutes for rice in gluten-sensitive or gluten-scared people is buckwheat. Buckwheat has no gluten, is loaded with protein and minerals, which give it this dark color. All protein reach grains have darker colors due to higher mineral content. The minerals in grains are bound to proteins, which means that colored grains are rich in protein.

Try to follow this rule: select grains of other colors than white, such as buckwheat, barley, oats, and quinoa, depending on the absence or presence of the fear of gluten.

Sergey Shushunov, MD

Mosquito bites itch may be more than just an annoyance

Everyone tuned in to the news media already knows about Zika spread by mosquitoes and the risk of fetal complications among pregnant women infected. 

Unfortunately, much more severe diseases such as Chikungunya and Dengue fever are also spread by mosquitoes.

New animal research suggests that itching and swelling at the site of mosquito bites allow the virus to replicate faster, than when no itching and swelling are present. This means that in addition to mosquito repellents, using anti-inflammatory creams and sprays post-exposure may help reduce the risk of acquiring a mosquito-borne viral infection. This finding has not been confirmed in human studies, but when used sparingly, anti-inflammatory creams and sprays have no serious side effects. It may be a good extra measure to start applying them at the sites of bites right away, rather than waiting for swelling and itching to set in.

Sergey Shushunov, MD

Wheezing and antibiotics. Is it connected?

Children of preschool age who develop wheezing during viral respiratory illness are often diagnosed with Reactive Airway Disease and receive treatment with medications, usually inhaled to reduce inflammation and decrease the narrowing of the airways. Some parents demand antibiotics to treat viral illnesses of their children, thinking that it may shorten the duration of the illness or prevent complications and pediatricians sometimes comply, usually prescribing amoxicillin or something similar, just to keep parents happy.

It has been suggested several years ago that wheezing in some young children may, in fact, be associated with a specific bacteria. However, it was not clear what pediatricians should do about it.  Now pediatricians may have some clues. A small study published in December 2015 demonstrated a dramatic decrease in the duration of wheezing episodes in small children treated with antibiotic azithromycin.  

It is important to keep in mind that while both, azithromycin and amoxicillin are antibiotics, their chemical structure and effect on bacteria and the human body are very different, meaning that using any antibiotic to treat wheeze may do more harm than help.

Exclusive breast feeding and food allergies in babies

There is a well-supported notion that exclusive breastfeeding prevents the development of food allergies in infants. 

However, this rule, just like any other has exceptions. Even exclusively breastfed infants can develop food allergies. The most common culprits are peanuts and cow's milk protein. Egg and wheat proteins can also cause a problem.  This happens when nursing mothers use products containing milk, peanuts, egg, and wheat in their diet when large particles of allergy-causing proteins find their way to breast milk. Just like with any food allergy, the most common manifestation is atopic dermatitis. Some infants may develop chronic diarrhea and colic-like abdominal pain. More severe manifestations, including life-threatening, are rare. The issue of indirect infant exposure to a variety of food allergens via breast milk is quite complex. 

There is evidence, that maternal consumption of peanuts during breastfeeding may actually prevent the sensitization of children to peanuts. Why in some mothers peanut consumption can cause allergies in babies while preventing the same in others? There is no good answer. 

Obviously, something is missing in our knowledge about food allergen transmission and sensitization at a very early age.

Sergey Shushunov, MD

Swaddling danger

What can make us feel more comfortable than hugging and snuggling? We all need this simple expression of love and affection. It calms us down. It makes us feel worry-free. All mammals hug and snuggle. Even snakes and birds snuggle. The reason behind it is the way the mammals, birds, and snakes develop after conception – in a confined, space of a uterus or an eggshell. We carry this need through our lives, but it is the strongest in early infancy. I doubt that a crying baby can become “spoiled” by being picked up and held tightly every time. The problem is that we can’t do it every time a baby cries. We decided to cheat on nature and invented swaddling. Swaddling is hugging and snuggling surrogate. It is known forever to work wonders for upset babies. Swaddling a baby is not hard, but it has a few tricks. In older times swaddling was a skill passed down from generation to generation. Now young parents don’t have anyone around to learn it from. The gap was filled by a multitude of companies offering swaddling garments, which require less effort and fewer skills than a blanked.

There is a small but significant difference between a baby blanket used for swaddling and swaddling garments: the fasteners. All baby garments designed to make swaddling easy use some form of fasteners, such as snaps or velcro. This could make them more dangerous with improper use. An article published by the Journal of Pediatrics in January 2014 described 36 serious incidents, including deaths, reported to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, which was attributed to improper swaddling. In two-thirds of incidents a swaddling garment was used. The number of unreported incidents is probably many times higher.

Swaddling is good if done right – parents need to be educated on how to do it. There are risks regardless of what is used, higher with a garment and lower with a blanket. Informed and educated decision on what to use and how to use seems to be the key to safely and happily sleeping babies and parents as well.

Genetically modified food. Is it really that bad?

Almost all living creatures we use for our benefit have been genetically modified. Think of 500 breeds of dogs, some ugly as hell, 7000 varieties of apples, many of which are inedible, and 80,000 of corn. It took 10,000 years or, putting it in perspective, 400 generations of humans to breed and produce this incredible number of genetically butchered plant and animal species until someone only recently realized it could be done much more straightforward and with more precision.

Genetic engineering is a form of breeding. Clean, thoughtful, and precise – just like robotic surgery. Genetically modified organisms have their genes replaced forcefully rather than by chance of selective breeding, without waiting for one generation after another, with full knowledge of what genes should be changed to give us the result we want. Genetic engineering relies on taking a desirable gene from another animal or plant and placing it precisely in the right part of the chromosome - no waiting for several generations to see the results, no unpredictable characteristics in the offspring.

Here is the best thing: DNA is 100% digestible. Once genetically modified food passes our stomachs, the DNA derived from genetically modified foods turns into the same mixture of amino acids and carbs derived from any other food source. It gets absorbed into the bloodstream, just like amino acids and carbs derived from other molecules consumed with food.

Sergey Shushunov, MD

Antibiotics overkill ?

Did you know that American children 10 years and younger are 50% more likely to be treated with oral antibiotics than children of the same age in the United Kingdom? This is a conclusion of the study published by the journal “Pharmacotherapy” in December 2013 following an analysis of 160,000 charts from each country. Another interesting fact discovered was 5 times higher total cost of prescribed antibiotics within the same groups of children in the United States in comparison with the United Kingdom. The study raises a lot of questions. What drives this discrepancy in usage? Parental pressure? Malpractice pressure? Pharmaceutical companies, making exuberant profits in the American market?

The difference is striking.

Sergei Shushunov, MD

Recent research on infant colic

An article published in the NEUROLOGY journal in 2012 points to a link between parental migraine and colic in babies. Parents suffering from migraines were more likely to have babies with colic. Migraine, just like colic is likely triggered by vasoactive substances present in the body in unbalanced quantities. In some adults, migraine manifests in not just a severe headache, but also in abdominal cramping - just what appears to be happening in colic babies. This article indirectly supports the use of vasoactive compounds, such as anethole, a component of fennel seed oil, used to formulate Pediacalm, colic remedy from Lev Laboratories, to treat baby colic.

Sergei Shushunov, MD

New Research on Vitamin D

The current recommendation on the dose of vitamin D of 400 units daily for children living far away from the equator (Europe, USA, Canada) will certainly be changed. More research is indicating that a low blood level of vitamin D is associated with a large number of otherwise unrelated diseases and conditions. The most recent data shows that a low level of vitamin D in the blood of children at the age of one year is associated with a higher level of food allergies. The incidence of food allergies among children living close to the equator and having sufficient exposure to ultraviolet radiation was almost 4 times lower than in children living in a temperate climate. Waiting for recommendations to increase the daily dose of vitamin D does not make sense - it may take years to be approved and published.

Sergei Shushunov, MD

Cerebral Concussions in Children

Brain (cerebral) concussions, otherwise called "mild traumatic brain injuries" in children are attracting more attention these days due to proliferation of research in this area.
Concussions can lead to long term problems involving cognitive functions - poor memory, attention span, learning and also behavioral changes. Diagnosis of concussion is usually based on a history of trauma and neurological evaluation. Headache, nausea, vomiting, poor balance, dizziness, being dazed are very obvious signs.
Less noticeable problems include sensitivity to light and noise, numbness, feeling tired, slow responses to questions.
Old treatment of brain concussion was physical rest - including bed rest in case of dizziness and vomiting. Now days in addition to physical rest doctors also advise to have so called "cognitive" rest - the avoidance of all activities that could increase brain metabolic rate and blood flow. The cognitive rest means forgoing video games, board games, and computers, studying, reading as well as avoiding noisy, busy and stressful environments.

Sergei Shushunov, MD

Treating ADHD Naturally

Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder can be a devastating problem to control in young kids. It can affect their behavior in school and at home, making it difficult to socialize properly and complete tasks. Today there are many prescription drugs on the market prescribed to kids diagnosed with ADHD, but these medications can come with risky side effects. Psychostimulants such as Adderall, Dexedrine, Desoxyn, Ritalin and Focalin are ADHD medications that have been around the longest. These stimulant medications unfortunately can be referred to as the street drug known as “speed.” While lots of doctors try to claim that these medications are effective for treating ADHD, it is unsettling to know that people actually use these medications illegally for drug use. Furthermore, in about 70% of children with ADHD, these stimulant medications’ effects may not be long lasting, causing the threat of addiction. If you want to treat your child’s ADHD naturally, consider Timeout. It is a proprietary blend of rhodiola and motherwort extracts. These herbs have been studied closely in the treatment of ADHD and can greatly improve ADHD symptoms. This natural treatment does not have any of the side effects traditional stimulant medications come with. It helps to increase mental performance and stabilizes mood. Order Timeout today for a safe and effective natural remedy to help your child control their ADHD symptoms.

QuickLyte: The Herbal Diarrhea Remedy

Diarrhea is not only a very uncomfortable for a child to deal with, but it also can be a very serious problem leading to dehydration if not treated. One of the most common causes of diarrhea in infants is rotavirus. New rotavirus vaccine offers great protection, but just as an old vaccine it can cause life threatening intestinal blockage called intussusception.  Besides, this vaccine does not protect infants against all other causes of infectious diarrhea. Conventional treatment of diarrhea is based on rehydration. Medication to slow down bowel function in infants can lead to life threatening complications. Lev Laboratories developed formulation for diarrhea, QuickLyte, is made up of a mixture of glucose, electrolytes, and tormentil root extract, known for effectively and most important safely reducing diarrhea in infants and adults. This formulation is packaged in foil-lined packets in powder form that is easily mixed with 8 oz of water. The tormentil root extract found in our QuickLyte formula can greatly reduce the severity, as well as the duration of diarrhea. Its effectiveness has been clinically-proven. Furthermore, QuickLyte works by improving the electrolyte and water balance in the body, which helps to shorten the duration of diarrhea. There are no known side effects from QuickLyte, so you can be sure it is safe for your children. It has a yummy natural fruit flavor that suits children of all ages! By using QuickLyte, you can eliminate the trouble of having to schedule a doctor’s appointment, or a trip to the E.R. QuickLyte eliminates the stress and anxiety of trying to treat diarrhea. Try QuickLyte the next time your little one is suffering from diarrhea and you are sure to see a positive improvement!

Timeout for ADHD

Alternative treatments for ADHD can be the best option for some kids struggling with the disorder. Natural remedies for ADHD come with virtually no side effects and are very safe.

Timeout is an alternative treatment made from a proprietary blend of extracts of motherwort and rhodiola combined with syrup water along with natural fructose and stevia to naturally sweeten the mixture. Motherwort and rhodiola have documented, beneficial effects on the Central Nervous system and are completely safe.

The motherwart plant has a calming, sedative effect, as well as anti-anxiety characteristics. This is very helpful in treating ADHD, as being calm really influences the ability to be able to focus. Motherwart has a calming effect that is just as strong as the calming effect felt from the well-known anti-anxiety plant valerian root, but does not come with the possible side effects associated with prolonged use of valerian root.

The other main element in Timeout, rhodiola, is a popular plant used in traditional Eastern medicine, like Tibetan and Chinese medicines, and in Scandinavian and Russian medicines as well.

Rhodiola belongs to the adaptogenic plant category. These plants differ from stimulant plants because their extracts help cells utilize energy with more efficiency by producing energy carrying chemicals, whereas stimulants work by producing cells that consume large amounts of energy. This means that adaptogenic plants like rhodiola help more in the nourishment of the cells, and particularly, with brain cells.

There have been studies showing that rhodiola activates neurotransmitter activity in the Central Nervous system, which may affect the availability of serotonin, norepinephrine, dopamine and acetylcholine in brain cells. Clinical and laboratory research strongly supports the use of rhodiola in treating ADHD. Just a single dose of this plant extract has antidepressant, anti-anxiety and performance enhancing affects. It can also help with learning skills like memorization, and helps in adjusting to stressful environments. And unlike stimulants, rhodiola helps to improve heart function by preventing abnormal heartbeats. This can be attributed to effective energy utilization of the heart cells.

If you’re struggling to help treat a child with ADHD, consider Timeout. Its natural formula is safe and has proven beneficial effects which may be the perfect treatment for a child with ADHD.

Causes for Colicky Infants

There are various theories about colic in babies, so there does not seem to be one single cause that medical experts can agree on for colic. Regardless, there is lots of evidence to suggest that colic is caused for different reasons in babies. It seems that when certain possible factors occur simultaneously, babies are likely to experience the colic pain and discomfort.

1. The digestive system in newborns is immature, as it has never processed food before. Therefore, infants’ gastrointestinal system is just learning how to function at birth. The muscles that assist in digestion have not developed the proper rhythm for efficiently pushing food through the digestive tract. In addition, infants do not have a sufficient built up amount of probiotics, or bacterial flora that develops over time to help with digestion. Once babies have built up enough of this bacterial flora, they are likely to outgrow their colic within about their first six months.

2. Also, mothers who are lactating could consumer certain foods containing chemicals or allergens that, for some babies, results in colic symptoms and an upset digestive system. When lactating, trace amounts of elements of cruciferous vegetables and other gas producing foods could be passed to the infant from breast milk, causing bloating and gas for the baby.

3. Finally, it is common for infants to swallow air when crying or eating, which makes their gas and bloating worse. This adds to their discomfort and assists in colic.

It is very likely that because infants have such immature nervous systems, they could easily become overwhelmed when exposed to new and unfamiliar sights and sounds. For these infants who are more overloaded with these new sights and sounds, their fussiness, colic, and difficulty being able to nap or sleep through the night, becomes an issue. Usually, infants have a higher chance of being colicky and fussy if they are exposed to an overwhelming amount of activities, like errands, the television, phones, visitors, etc.

While there is no single cause for colic, this information can be helpful in discovering the causes of a fussy, colicky baby. Read more about the PediaCalm™ - Baby Colic Remedy.

Understanding ADHD in Children

ADHD, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, is a behavioral disorder that creates abnormal levels of inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity. These symptoms can really affect a child’s day-to-day activities.

About a century ago, ADHD was considered a disorder, which caused unruly behavior and hyperactivity, mostly observed in boys. Then, it was noticed that in children recovering from the viral brain infection known as encephalitis, attention dysfunction and conduct behavior issues were frequently occurring. However, some children who were never diagnosed with encephalitis also showed these kinds of systems and were then labeled to have “Minimum or Minimal Brain Dysfunction.” This title, including other terms, such as, “hyperkinetic syndrome” were given to children before the 1970s, that today we would state as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

Today, about 3-9% of young people in the country have been affected by ADHD. Interestingly, there is about a 3:1 boy to girl ratio with ADHD. While the disorder is usually associated with children, ADHD also affects many adults. It is estimated that about half of all children diagnosed with ADHD do not fully outgrow the disorder, as 3-5% of adults over the age of 20 have the disorder.

In regards to treatment, about 3.5 million adolescents between the ages of 3 and 19 have been subscribed psychostimulant medication. As a child ages, hyperactivity may decrease yet lingering hyperactive symptoms will still affect the child’s life as an adult. Struggling with time management, quality sleep, frustration and self-motivation are some of the symptoms that can affect adults who, was diagnosed with ADHD as children.

Luckily, there is a variety of medications as well as natural, alternative treatments for ADHD available today. It is important to learn about these various treatments and try the ones you feel would be the best options for your child. With the right treatment, ADHD can be effectively controlled and your child can live a normal, healthy life! For more information, visit Timeout – Attention Deficit Remedy

Pertussis and Measles vacinations

Pediatricians in the United States are seriously concerned over the increasing rates of pertussis and measles among children. For example, the number of cases of pertussis among American children increased three folds in the past 10 years. This trend is attributed to the declining rates of immunization among children. 

Both pertussis and measles used to be among the most common causes of death among children prior to the introduction of vaccines. It has been estimated that during the past 100 years vaccines saved about 300,000,000 lives worldwide. Collective memories of the horrors of having these diseases, thanks to the vaccines have disappeared. 

As a result, pediatricians have a difficult time convincing parents of the importance of vaccinations. Some parents don’t trust the medical community and think that chances of developing complications following vaccinations are higher than the chances of contracting pertussis or measles and some 

Herd immunity is a well know epidemiological phenomenon, which is responsible for the community to be protected for as long as something like 90-95% of the people in the community are immune. If the percentage of immune the population drops to below 90%, the effect of herd immunity disappears. In other words, if everyone in a given community expects everyone else, except themselves to do the right thing, the community has a good chance of losing the herd immunity effect and exposing children to devastating illnesses. 

The problem is complicated by the fact that immunity against pertussis is gone by the age of 40 and adults traveling abroad can acquire pertussis and bring it back to their families unknowingly. Pertussis in adults has a mild manifestation and may go undiagnosed and untreated. There are a small number of children for whom, illnesses immunization is contraindicated, this is usually due to some underlying chronic and serious conditions. Ideally, these are the children who should rely on herd immunity for their protection.

Sergei Shushunov, MD

Probiotic supplements do not reduce frequency of middle ear infections in infants

112 children ages 7 to13 months who received commercially available preparation of probiotics named Streptococcus thermophilus, Streptococcus salivarius and Lactobacillus rhamnosus had similar number of  ear infections as 112 children who received no probiotic supplementation.

This is a disappointing, but not unanticipated finding. Because breast milk contains probiotics and breast milk diet is associated with lower incidence of ear infections, inferring that adding probiotics to artificial baby formula may reduce incidence of ear infections was a stretch. Besides probiotics breast milk contains antibodies against many bugs and other compounds with antibacterial and antiviral properties, most likely responsible for this particular health benefit of breast milk.

Sergei Shushunov, MD