Dr. Howard Smith Reports

Vidcast: https://youtu.be/lbn-vkUlfL8

The earlier a deaf child regains sensitivity to sounds, the greater are the chances for that child to master spoken language.  Ear surgeons and audiologists at Chicago’s Lurie Children’s Hospital report their experience with 219 severely hearing-challenged children undergoing implantation of so-called bionic ears before 3 years of age.

Of the group, some 39 infants received their cochlear implants before the age of 12 months.  These early implanted babies as a group tolerated the surgery well and showed spectacular progress with their language acquisition.  

They developed the ability to understand spoken words one year earlier than children implanted after 18 to 24 months of age.  In contrast, children implanted after 2 years of age were less likely to completely master verbal language and required gestural or sign language.

Every state now has universal hearing screening to promptly identify the 1 plus kids in 1000 with significant hearing loss.  The earlier a child’s hearing can be brought to a useful level with medical therapy, hearing aids, or surgery that may include a cochlear implant, the greater is the opportunity for that child to develop useful communication skills.

Currently, cochlear implants are only approved for children 12 months or older.  Studies such as this one will allow us to push the envelope and improve the chances that every child born with a hearing loss will develop skills on a par with their normal hearing classmates.

#deafness #cochlearimplant #hearing #verballanguage, signlanguage # hearingaids #healthnews

Hoff, Stephen Ryan, Maura, Thomas, Denise, Tournis, Elizabeth, Kenny, Hannah, Hajduk, John, Young, Nancy M. Safety and Effectiveness of Cochlear Implantation of Young Children, Including Those With Complicating Conditions. Otology and Neurotology, 2019 DOI: 10.1097/MAO.0000000000002156

Vidcast: https://youtu.be/lbn-vkUlfL8

The earlier a deaf child regains sensitivity to sounds, the greater are the chances for that child to master spoken language.  Ear surgeons and audiologists at Chicago’s Lurie Children’s Hospital report their experience with 219 severely hearing-challenged children undergoing implantation of so-called bionic ears before 3 years of age.

Of the group, some 39 infants received their cochlear implants before the age of 12 months.  These early implanted babies as a group tolerated the surgery well and showed spectacular progress with their language acquisition.  

They developed the ability to understand spoken words one year earlier than children implanted after 18 to 24 months of age.  In contrast, children implanted after 2 years of age were less likely to completely master verbal language and required gestural or sign language.

Every state now has universal hearing screening to promptly identify the 1 plus kids in 1000 with significant hearing loss.  The earlier a child’s hearing can be brought to a useful level with medical therapy, hearing aids, or surgery that may include a cochlear implant, the greater is the opportunity for that child to develop useful communication skills.

Currently, cochlear implants are only approved for children 12 months or older.  Studies such as this one will allow us to push the envelope and improve the chances that every child born with a hearing loss will develop skills on a par with their normal hearing classmates.

#deafness #cochlearimplant #hearing #verballanguage, signlanguage # hearingaids #healthnews

Hoff, Stephen Ryan, Maura, Thomas, Denise, Tournis, Elizabeth, Kenny, Hannah, Hajduk, John, Young, Nancy M. Safety and Effectiveness of Cochlear Implantation of Young Children, Including Those With Complicating Conditions. Otology and Neurotology, 2019 DOI: 10.1097/MAO.0000000000002156

Vidcast: https://youtu.be/bLgAUHPUvnk

Using popular mouthwashes may cause your blood pressure to jump up significantly.  Dentists and cardiologists at the University of Texas report that the antibacterial agent in mouthwash, chlorhexidine, prevents the normal oral bacteria from metabolizing ingested nitrates into the nitric oxide that plays a key role in normalizing blood pressure.

The investigators recruited subjects from the faculty, staff, and student populations in order to study their oral bacteria, oral nitrites, and blood pressures before, during, and after their use of mouthwash.  The subjects used Peridex mouthwash twice daily for 7 days.

Use of the mouthwash and tongue cleaning significantly elevated both the systolic and the diastolic blood pressures as it depressed counts of oral bacteria and the concentration of nitric oxide.  Parameters returned to baseline 3 days following mouthwash discontinuation.

This study is an additional reason why so-called therapeutic mouthwashes containing anti-bacterial agents should be avoided except on the express recommendation of your dentist or periodontist.

#mouthwash #chlorhexidine #nitric oxide #hypertension #healthnews

Tribble GD, Angelov N, Weltman R, Wang B-Y, Eswaran SV, Gay IC, Parthasarathy K, Dao D-HV, Richardson KN, Ismail NM, Sharina IG, Hyde ER, Ajami NJ, Petrosino JF and Bryan NS (2019) Frequency of Tongue Cleaning Impacts the Human Tongue Microbiome Composition and Enterosalivary Circulation of Nitrate. Front. Cell. Infect. Microbiol. 9:39. doi: 10.3389/fcimb.2019.00039

Vidcast: https://youtu.be/bLgAUHPUvnk

Using popular mouthwashes may cause your blood pressure to jump up significantly.  Dentists and cardiologists at the University of Texas report that the antibacterial agent in mouthwash, chlorhexidine, prevents the normal oral bacteria from metabolizing ingested nitrates into the nitric oxide that plays a key role in normalizing blood pressure.

The investigators recruited subjects from the faculty, staff, and student populations in order to study their oral bacteria, oral nitrites, and blood pressures before, during, and after their use of mouthwash.  The subjects used Peridex mouthwash twice daily for 7 days.

Use of the mouthwash and tongue cleaning significantly elevated both the systolic and the diastolic blood pressures as it depressed counts of oral bacteria and the concentration of nitric oxide.  Parameters returned to baseline 3 days following mouthwash discontinuation.

This study is an additional reason why so-called therapeutic mouthwashes containing anti-bacterial agents should be avoided except on the express recommendation of your dentist or periodontist.

#mouthwash #chlorhexidine #nitric oxide #hypertension #healthnews

Tribble GD, Angelov N, Weltman R, Wang B-Y, Eswaran SV, Gay IC, Parthasarathy K, Dao D-HV, Richardson KN, Ismail NM, Sharina IG, Hyde ER, Ajami NJ, Petrosino JF and Bryan NS (2019) Frequency of Tongue Cleaning Impacts the Human Tongue Microbiome Composition and Enterosalivary Circulation of Nitrate. Front. Cell. Infect. Microbiol. 9:39. doi: 10.3389/fcimb.2019.00039

Vidcast: https://youtu.be/aIKf40gEBrc

There’s a national campaign to stop children from smoking or vaping, and the FDA now announces that many, MANY retail outlets are simply not doing their part.  The federal watchdog agency regularly inspects these establishments, issues warnings to violators, and eventually triggers the prosecution of scofflaws.

Let’s look at the perp list.  In terms of percentage of stores in violation, the petroleum company stores including Exxon-Mobil, Citgo, Sunoco, BP, and Marathon top the list at about 40% unlawfully selling these dangerous and addictive products to our kids.  The largest drug store chain illegally selling is Walgreen’s-Duane Reade, and 22% of their outlets were caught.  About 20% of Walmart, Family Dollar, Kroger, and Circle K stores were selling to kids and violating the law.

We the public can stop these national companies from preying on our children.  Go on social media and barrage these companies’ accounts with your anger.  Also, complain about company policies to your local stores even if they themselves weren’t cited. 

We all know the evils of tobacco as a carcinogen and killer of lung function, but we are only just learning about the toxicity of vaping and the role of e-cigarettes as gateways to cigarettes.  Pushing nicotine, a drug as addictive as heroin and a habit as as difficult to kick, is simply criminal and not worthy of our nation.

#tobacco #cigarettes #ecigarettes #vaping #conveniencestores #drugstores #healthnews

https://www.fda.gov/ICECI/EnforcementActions/WarningLetters/Tobacco/default.htm#recent

https://www.medpagetoday.com/primarycare/smoking/78356

Vidcast: https://youtu.be/aIKf40gEBrc

There’s a national campaign to stop children from smoking or vaping, and the FDA now announces that many, MANY retail outlets are simply not doing their part.  The federal watchdog agency regularly inspects these establishments, issues warnings to violators, and eventually triggers the prosecution of scofflaws.

Let’s look at the perp list.  In terms of percentage of stores in violation, the petroleum company stores including Exxon-Mobil, Citgo, Sunoco, BP, and Marathon top the list at about 40% unlawfully selling these dangerous and addictive products to our kids.  The largest drug store chain illegally selling is Walgreen’s-Duane Reade, and 22% of their outlets were caught.  About 20% of Walmart, Family Dollar, Kroger, and Circle K stores were selling to kids and violating the law.

We the public can stop these national companies from preying on our children.  Go on social media and barrage these companies’ accounts with your anger.  Also, complain about company policies to your local stores even if they themselves weren’t cited. 

We all know the evils of tobacco as a carcinogen and killer of lung function, but we are only just learning about the toxicity of vaping and the role of e-cigarettes as gateways to cigarettes.  Pushing nicotine, a drug as addictive as heroin and a habit as as difficult to kick, is simply criminal and not worthy of our nation.

#tobacco #cigarettes #ecigarettes #vaping #conveniencestores #drugstores #healthnews

https://www.fda.gov/ICECI/EnforcementActions/WarningLetters/Tobacco/default.htm#recent

https://www.medpagetoday.com/primarycare/smoking/78356

Vidcast: https://youtu.be/EWIAn6hx8D8

Ok anti-vaxxers, listen up!  The MMR vaccine that protects your children against the ravages of measles, mumps, and rubella does not, let me repeat, DOES NOT not increase your child’s risk of autism.

A huge study of more than 600,000 Danish children and more than 5 million person-years of surveillance revealed that vaccinated children were actually 7% less likely to develop autism compared with unvaccinated kids.

What more can I say.  There is no compelling evidence than this or any other vaccine currently available and recommended by public health officials can do anything but protect your child and protect your community by preventing the transmission of disease to others whose immunity may be impaired due to illness or age.

#autism #vaccine #MMR, measles #mumps #rubella #vaccinesafety #healthnews

Anders Hviid, Jørgen Vinsløv Hansen, Morten Frisch, Mads Melbye. Measles, Mumps, Rubella Vaccination and Autism. Annals of Internal Medicine, 2019; DOI: 10.7326/M18-2101

Saad B. Omer, Inci Yildirim. Further Evidence of MMR Vaccine Safety: Scientific and Communications Considerations. Annals of Internal Medicine, 2019; DOI: 10.7326/M19-0596

Vidcast: https://youtu.be/EWIAn6hx8D8

Ok anti-vaxxers, listen up!  The MMR vaccine that protects your children against the ravages of measles, mumps, and rubella does not, let me repeat, DOES NOT not increase your child’s risk of autism.

A huge study of more than 600,000 Danish children and more than 5 million person-years of surveillance revealed that vaccinated children were actually 7% less likely to develop autism compared with unvaccinated kids.

What more can I say.  There is no compelling evidence than this or any other vaccine currently available and recommended by public health officials can do anything but protect your child and protect your community by preventing the transmission of disease to others whose immunity may be impaired due to illness or age.

#autism #vaccine #MMR, measles #mumps #rubella #vaccinesafety #healthnews

Anders Hviid, Jørgen Vinsløv Hansen, Morten Frisch, Mads Melbye. Measles, Mumps, Rubella Vaccination and Autism. Annals of Internal Medicine, 2019; DOI: 10.7326/M18-2101

Saad B. Omer, Inci Yildirim. Further Evidence of MMR Vaccine Safety: Scientific and Communications Considerations. Annals of Internal Medicine, 2019; DOI: 10.7326/M19-0596

Vidcast: https://youtu.be/PTaQhgCWsPw

If you burn your candle at both ends during the week and think that you can catch up on sleep over the weekend, think again!  A study from the University of Colorado shows that you won’t catch up on sleep and that your irregular sleep pattern will torpedo your glucose metabolism and internal time clock.

The study assigned health young adults to one of three groups: a group with only 5 hours of sleep at night with no weekend catch-up; a group with only 5 hours of sleep for 5 nights followed by the chance to snooze forever on the weekend; and a control group who slept 9 hours each night.  The researchers studied the subjects’ sleep patterns via sleep studies, their weight gain, insulin sensitivity, and body circadian rhythms.

The results revealed that the sleep-deprived group only recaptured a little more than one hour of the more than 12 hours of lost sleep when they were able to sleep in over the weekend.  Of even more importance, they could never recapture all the lost critical deep or slow wave sleep.  They gained more weight than the well-rested group and suffered reduced insulin sensitivity, a risk factor for diabetes.

So..... to avoid flogging your body, try to get 8 or 9 hours of sleep a day on a regular basis.  Those weekend hours on the couch won’t repay your sleep debt, and they rob your loved ones of your sterling presence.

#sleepdeprivation #weekendsleep #insulinsensitivity #deepsleep #healthnews

Christopher M. Depner, Edward L. Melanson, Robert H. Eckel, Janet K. Snell-Bergeon, Leigh Perreault, Bryan C. Bergman, Janine A. Higgins, Molly K. Guerin, Ellen R. Stothard, Sarah J. Morton, Kenneth P. Wright. Ad libitum Weekend Recovery Sleep Fails to Prevent Metabolic Dysregulation during a Repeating Pattern of Insufficient Sleep and Weekend Recovery Sleep. Current Biology, 2019; DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2019.01.069

Vidcast: https://youtu.be/PTaQhgCWsPw

If you burn your candle at both ends during the week and think that you can catch up on sleep over the weekend, think again!  A study from the University of Colorado shows that you won’t catch up on sleep and that your irregular sleep pattern will torpedo your glucose metabolism and internal time clock.

The study assigned health young adults to one of three groups: a group with only 5 hours of sleep at night with no weekend catch-up; a group with only 5 hours of sleep for 5 nights followed by the chance to snooze forever on the weekend; and a control group who slept 9 hours each night.  The researchers studied the subjects’ sleep patterns via sleep studies, their weight gain, insulin sensitivity, and body circadian rhythms.

The results revealed that the sleep-deprived group only recaptured a little more than one hour of the more than 12 hours of lost sleep when they were able to sleep in over the weekend.  Of even more importance, they could never recapture all the lost critical deep or slow wave sleep.  They gained more weight than the well-rested group and suffered reduced insulin sensitivity, a risk factor for diabetes.

So..... to avoid flogging your body, try to get 8 or 9 hours of sleep a day on a regular basis.  Those weekend hours on the couch won’t repay your sleep debt, and they rob your loved ones of your sterling presence.

#sleepdeprivation #weekendsleep #insulinsensitivity #deepsleep #healthnews

Christopher M. Depner, Edward L. Melanson, Robert H. Eckel, Janet K. Snell-Bergeon, Leigh Perreault, Bryan C. Bergman, Janine A. Higgins, Molly K. Guerin, Ellen R. Stothard, Sarah J. Morton, Kenneth P. Wright. Ad libitum Weekend Recovery Sleep Fails to Prevent Metabolic Dysregulation during a Repeating Pattern of Insufficient Sleep and Weekend Recovery Sleep. Current Biology, 2019; DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2019.01.069