Nit-picking

A new guideline published recently by the AAP suggests that kids should not be excluded from school simply because of nits. The consensus is that by excluding children from school, we are doing more harm to them than good. Nits (lice eggs) are "stuck" to a child's hair and, by their nature, are unable to move from child-to-child. Additionally, previous studies have shown that checking an entire school for lice is not terribly effective in controlling an outbreak. It does make sense to check children after a sleep over or summer camp, or something similar. As far as excluding an affected child from school, we'll have to see what happens with local policy. Treating head lice with OTC remedies (such as Nix or Rid) is usually quite effective, though sometimes there is resistance and a prescription strength medication is necessary. Additionally, many head lice treatments contain pesticides, and if you are concerned about this, there are other more natural type remedies available in the local health stores.

AAP Protect Tomorrow Video

Please watch this short but touching video on the importance of vaccines.

Branding Food Packages with Licensed Characters

An interesting study out of this month's Journal of Pediatrics looked at how putting characters (Mickey Mouse, Scooby-Doo, etc) onto food packages influenced the taste preferences of children between 4-6 years old. Not surprisingly, these characters substantially influenced the children, who showed a preference to the foods labeled with characters. The attraction was strongest when it came to energy-dense, nutrient-poor foods (such as fruit snacks). Two things seem pretty clear here, first, the FDA needs to restrict character branding of foods, especially junk foods. Second, if you are grocery shopping for your children, it may be best to avoid purchasing these types of foods, as it's clear a great majority of them are unhealthy.