February 25,2019
1) Severe stress is associated with shorter telomere length in children who lose a father during childhood. Dr. Mitchell and colleagues looked at this topic in the Journal Pediatrics in July of 2017. The stress of losing a father causes a 14% reduction in telomere tail length. If you remember, telomeres protect your DNA from damage and are associated with reduced all cause mortality and morbidity.
What this data tells me is that we need to be extra sensitive to children during periods of significant stress. Offering counseling, meditation and prayer can combat the telomere loss and protect the child. Nurture them.
2) Milk protein intolerant children continue to increase in volume. If your child is diagnosed with milk intolerance (not milk allergy) in the newborn period, be very careful when you reintroduce dairy products. Our clinic has found that the vast majority do well from a GI perspective at a year of age when consuming milk or cheese, but fair poorly when it comes to congestion, skin rashes, sleep snoring, enlarged tonsils, ear infections and asthma. We do not recommend reintroducing dairy until age 2 years and start with cooked cheese and high quality yogurt. When reintroducing a non allergic but intolerant food watch for systemic reactions like eczema, keratosis pillars, diarrhea, constipation, congestion, wheezing, ear infections and mood changes. If you note these negative changes, remove the offending food. Remember that dairy is not necessary for human existence, where vegetables, fiber and fruit are.
3) Cars are a major cause of death in America. Keep your infants/toddlers facing backward as long as possible even past 2 years old. Older kids should be in a 5 point restraining device for as long as possible as well. Avoid letting children ride in the front passenger seat for as long as possible as that is a much riskier location for accidents. Legally a 5 year old can ride in the front seat in NC. What !!!!! Don't do it. Aim for 13 + before allowing this to occur and maybe longer if your child is immature or of smaller stature.
4) Continue the daily education of your children when to comes to owning their behavior and tempering expectations. Happy way to live.
Dr. M
