Baby Health UK Adopts New Growth Charts Based on Breastfed Babies
| Baby Health UK Adopts New Growth Charts Based on Breastfed Babies By Colleen Hurley, RD, Certified Kids Nutrition SpecialistAll newborn babies have their growth rates graphed on birth charts for the first few years of life. This charting method has worked relatively well, with one exception. The glaring difference when using birth charts has been with breastfed babies as they do no typically gain weight at a similar rate of babies who are formula fed. At last, the UK is the first to adopt a new birth chart method to compensate for this discrepancy.The World Health Organization (WHO) has worked hard over the past few to encourage the use of growth charts that include healthy weights for breastfed babies. Utilizing the WHO recommendations, the Royal College of Pediatrics and Child Health created new growth measurement charts to replace the previously used method based on bottle fed babies.Research has consistently shown that breastfed babies gain weight at a healthier rate than their bottle fed counterparts and are less likely to become obese in adulthood. Parents of all newborns are given Personal Child Health Records which will now include the new charts that will establish breastfeeding as the norm. Not only will the charts help parents and healthcare professional indentify obesity risk, they will also help reassure parents of breastfed babies who tend to gain weigh at a slower rate. The UK Department of Health recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of life as breast milk provides all the nutrients a baby needs. Breastfeeding should continue beyond 6 months along with the introduction of solid foods. The birth charts continue with the Department of Healths commitment to increasing Englands breastfeeding rates. The new birth charts cover babies until four years of age as part of the Personal Child Health Records which have also been revamped to include one and two year reviews plus breastfeeding support services. The charts and other educational material can be viewed at: http://www.rcpch.ac.uk. |
| Child Health BBC News Reports Concerns over Older Mother Trend By Colleen Hurley, RD, Certified Kids Nutrition SpecialistThere is a growing trend in the new millennia and that is women having babies much later in life. Although, as Mum Mums recently reported, fertility later in life is equated with a familial longer life expectancy; health risks during pregnancy do increase with age. There is new concern that this trend may lead to high risk pregnancy complications. The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recently published evidence about the medical risks of pregnancy for older mums. The college set up an expert panel to research the topic once current statistics revealed that the number of older mothers has reached record levels. Many doctors are concerned by the fact that many women are unaware of just how rapidly fertility declines after 35 years of age. The success rate of a live birth for each IVF (in vitro fertilization) cycle is about 31% for a woman under 35; yet that rate drops to 5% for women over 42. Other experts argue, however, that advances in medical technology can keep up with the trend. Later maternal age may also bring a different set of implications as health services may not be able to handle the increasing number of high risk expecting women. Even though most pregnancies result in a healthy baby, the expert panel says older women run the risk of serious adverse conditions such as gestational diabetes. The experts also feel that Hollywood is influencing women as well with the growing number of older celebrity mums; noting the media does not report the complications of these pregnancies.The major risks noted by the college for later in life pregnancies are preeclampsia, or elevated blood pressure, and diabetes yet some experts claim that pregnancy has never been safer due to medical progress. Focusing on the medical risks leaves out the vast societal changes that have taken place over the past few decades that are urging this trend and shaping womens lives. There are now greater career opportunities for women along with the expectation of financial independence. |
| Child Nutrition - For Food Allergic Kids, Parents and Schools Step Up By Colleen Hurley, RD, certified Kids Nutrition SpecialistThere has undoubtedly been an increase in the numbers of children with food allergies over the past several years. While it may not necessarily mean greater numbers of children are effected, improvements in means of diagnosis along with increased awareness by physicians and healthcare providers has helped to bring previously undiagnosed allergies to light. Despite the increased awareness, there is still much to learn about coping with food allergies, especially those that are life threatening. A recent survey attempted to find out just how much people do know. Three percent of household in the US are affected by a life-threatening food allergy according to the C.S. Mott Childrens Hospital National Poll on Childrens Health. Despite that knowledge, little is known about what the average family with severe food allergies experiences, how accepting parents are of the measures schools must take to protect these children, and what exactly schools are doing to manage the problem. The National Poll on Childrens Health surveyed parents with children aged 0-13 about food allergies and what their schools and daycare centers are doing accommodate their food allergic children. According to the poll, the most common accommodation is a ban on food or treats from home. One half of elementary schools were reported as having this policy, along with two-thirds of preschools and day care centers. Previously, parents of non-food allergic children found these accommodations inconvenient, but the new survey found that more parents are accepting of the schools’ policies to help protect other children. Nearly one half of parents reported not feeling inconvenienced, yet another two thirds reported not being comfortable with the accommodations. This raises concerns for educators, policy makers, and clinicians as this parental unwillingess may present a barrier for bringing the policies to other schools or daycare centers.Additional accommodations made by schools include separate eating areas for food-allergic children, required or posted food allergy plans, and special classroom assignments. Nearly one half of parents reported their schools have special staff training for food allergies. While there is a lot more that needs to be done to protect children with a life threatening food allergy, the survey provides a glimmer of hope that progress is indeed being made. |