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Four Loko May Be Gone, but Dangerous Alcohol Drinks Remain
Tweet Share on Facebook November 23, 2010 Comment (9)Caffeine and alcohol don't mix well, which is why the Food and Drug Administration has ordered the manufacturers of Four Loko, Core High Gravity, Moonshot, Joose, and Max to stop selling the amped-up drinks. According to the FDA, caffeine is an "unsafe food additive"—at least when it's mixed with a potent slug of alcohol.
The FDA's ban on caffeinated alcohol has been a long time brewing, but an incident in October, when nine students at Central Washington University ended up at the hospital after drinking Four Loko, might have pushed the FDA to act. The drink had 12 percent alcohol in each 23.5-ounce can; by the ounce, that's three times the amount as in a typical beer, and the alcohol equivalent of four glasses of wine. The drink comes in flavors like lemonade and watermelon. So it's no wonder that someone could down several and find himself in serious trouble.
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Ouch! How to Make Shots Less Painful for Kids
Tweet Share on Facebook November 17, 2010 Comment (1)No kid likes getting a shot, and for many children, the fear and pain surrounding immunizations can make them dread every doctor visit. But doctors can make children's shots less of an ordeal, and parents can borrow from their playbook to reduce the misery of shots.
A new study in Pediatrics detailing how doctors can make shots less miserable couldn't have come at a better time. My usually cheery second-grader fretted over whether she'd need a shot at the doctor's this morning, and was upset when she was told she would. I'd come armed with lollypops, since I'd read up on research saying that a bit of sugar just before the shot reduces pain, even in tiny babies. And I also had "The Brave Monkey Pirate," by Hayes Roberts, loaded on my iPhone for just this occasion. The story explains how Modi overcomes his fear of shots, with the help of his dad, a crab wizard, and a rock that transports him into the future. My daughter read it while waiting for the dreaded shot.
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Monkey See, Monkey Do: Teens Mimic Parents' Helmet-Wearing Habits
Tweet Share on Facebook November 15, 2010 Comment (2)Teenagers do pay attention to what adults do, at least when it comes to wearing motorcycle helmets. That's the news from a study in Pediatrics, which found that teenagers are more likely to suffer traumatic brain injuries in motorcycle crashes in states where helmets are required for motorcyclists under age 21, but not for adults.
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Dolphin Moms Do Best With Help From Female Friends
Tweet Share on Facebook November 3, 2010 Comment (2)Being a mom is hard work, as any mom can tell you. No doubt that's why dolphins rely on their female friends to improve their chances of producing healthy, happy baby dolphins.
Dolphins are social and intelligent, just like humans; they live in extended families and maintain long-term friendships. Now scientists report that female dolphins are more successful at reproduction if they had female friends or relatives who were good at calving, too.
