A study in the November Pediatrics adds to mounting evidence that the U.S. population is starved of an important nutrient—vitamin D. Based on the latest analysis of national data, roughly 20 percent of all children in this country fall below the blood level of vitamin D recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics (50 nmol/L).
And far more—two thirds—fall below 75 nmol/L, the level many people now believe should be the standard. A shocking 80 percent of Hispanic children and 92 percent of Black children fall short.
If not corrected, this deficiency will put an entire generation of children at greater risk. Full story »
by Childrens Hospital Boston staff on October 26, 2009
Last night, Frances Jensen, MD, senior associate in Neurology, was featured in a piece on 60 Minutes about the prevalence of epilepsy and the importance of funding research into its cure. Watch the piece here, then keep reading below as Jensen describes how epilepsy is often overlooked as a public health problem and how researchers like her are trying to stop it in its tracks. Also watch below as Jensen shows Katie Couric what an epilepsy looks like from a molecular perspective.
Last night, research by myself and my team was featured on 60 Minutes in a wonderful story about the impact that epilepsy has on the people with it and the challenges of getting the public – including the agencies that fund research – to pay the disease the attention it deserves.
I was excited to be part of this story because raising awareness about epilepsy is important on several fronts. Despite this disease being the third most common brain disorder (after stroke and dementia), the public, and even some health care providers, have little knowledge about it. Epilepsy is defined as repeated seizures, and this can happen at any point in a person’s lifetime due to an inherited condition, an illness or a brain injury of any kind. Seizures are due to out-of-control brain cell activity in a part(or even the whole) brain. Medications, and in severe cases even surgery, are needed to dampen this over-activity in order to prevent more seizures. Full story »
UPDATE: Watch the 60 Minutes piece and read Frances Jensen’s post about why funding epilepsy research is so important.
Don’t forget to watch 60 Minutes tonight, featuring the epilepsy research of Children’s Frances Jensen, MD. You can watch a preview here. If you use Twitter, please help us promote the episode by tweeting “http://bit.ly/1t2wdK – tune in to 60 Minutes to see Children’s Hospital docs talk about epilepsy.”
by Childrens Hospital Boston staff on October 25, 2009
On Friday Thrive welcomed its 100,000th visitor! We are enjoying giving you all of the latest in pediatric health information. Thanks to everyone out there who has been following us.
Here’s a quick look at what Thrive was up to last week.
UPDATE: Watch the 60 Minutes piece and read Frances Jensen’s post about why funding epilepsy research is so important.
Did you know that epilepsy affects over 3 million people in the United States? Despite the fact that it affects more people than Parkinson’s, cerebral palsy and multiple sclerosis combined, the disease and its causes remain stubbornly bewildering. Tomorrow, the news program 60 Minutes will feature the epilepsy research of Children’s Frances Jensen, MD. You can watch a preview here. If you use Twitter, please help us promote the episode by tweeting “http://bit.ly/1t2wdK – tune in to 60 Minutes this Sunday to see Children’s Hospital docs talk about epilepsy.”
One in five U.S. children had an influenza-like illness during the first 11 days of October, and most of those cases were probably pandemic H1N1 influenza, according to the CDC.
The Walt Disney Company has acknowledged that Baby Einstein does not teach anything nor does it promote better brain development in your infant. In the face of the scientific research and strong public advocacy on the part of the Campaign for a Commercial-free Childhood, they are offering a full refund to any parent who has bought a Baby Einstein DVD in the last five years. Full story »
Q:Where the Wild Things Are was one of my favorite books growing up and now my 5 and 7 year old kids love it too. I’m eager to see the movie but I’m not sure if I should take the kids with me. The trailer looks kind of dark and I’m not sure they’d “get” what’s really going on. What do you think?
-Wondering about Wild Things in Boston, MA Full story »
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A study in the November Pediatrics adds to mounting evidence that the U.S. population is starved of an important nutrient—vitamin D. Based on the latest analysis of national data, roughly 20 percent of all children in this country fall below the blood level of vitamin D recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics (50 nmol/L).
Other stories we’ve been reading:
Media expert Michael Rich, MD, MPH, director of the 
