Hazards Exist for Kids' Eyes because of FLASH

Every now and then, we hear a false alarm about children’s eye safety.  It happened recently in China, when a major newspaper claimed a three-month-old infant had beenblinded by a flashbulb. But that’s “total bunk,” say experts, including Robert Hoffman, M.D., an ophthalmologist with Moran Eye Center.  (Parents may have heard that a flash bulb can sometimes reveal retinoblastoma, a rare cancer of the eye, if the child’s pupil appears to be opaque and white in a photo, but the camera only shows the damage, it has nothing to do with causing it.) 

Flash effects

Hoffman says that the eye injuries he sees in children are often preventable and caused by sheer lack of common sense. The old “don’t play with sharp things or someone’s eye will get poked out” is as true as it ever was. 

August is “Children’s Eye Safety Month,” so here’s his word on toys and other dangers that are regularly causing serious eye injuries in infants and teens:

• BB guns should come with eye protection. Since most do not, you need to buy protective eyewear for your kids and make sure they wear it.
• Airsoft pellet guns are not for kids. Hoffman has even treated children injured by parents who shoot the guns at them. The propulsion is significant and can cause blunt trauma to the eye—corneal abrasions, hyphema (bleeding in the front of the eye), and cataracts to name a few.  “I tell parents it’s the same as paint ball, where they do provide eye protection and people keep it on. I’d treat airsoft pellet guns the same way.”
• Every year Hoffman treats kids with devastating eye injuries caused by fireworks –ruptured globes (where the eyeball splits open), cataracts, serious cuts, and burns. If it shoots from a container, monitor and control it and keep the kids far away.  This year Hoffman cared for a two-year-old whose eye was severely injured by a bottle rocket.
• If you insist on giving kids sparklers, give them gloves and eye protection.  This is one area, Hoffman says, where parents commonly don’t spot the danger. “Did you know that if you used sparklers in an industrial setting, OSHA would require goggles and gloves? So think about the fact that we turn kids loose with sparklers while they’re wearing shorts and flipflops.”
• Another common cause of eye trauma is sports. Baseball and soccer present the most danger.  While a baseball can land square on an eye or the side of the head, a soccer ball can also cause eye trauma if the ball hits the side of the eye or the head.

What About Laser Pointers?

“Laser pointers are never a great idea for kids’ toys, but if you do let kids play with them just make sure they are labeled as low output—never more than 5 milliwatts,” says Hoffman. The FDA has regulated that aspect, so buy locally—never online. Tops that spin and emit laser beams are generally safe, but again—check to make sure they’re made in the U.S. and labeled as such. 

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Suicide Risk Factors and Suicide Prevention

Do people living at higher elevations have an increased rate of suicide? Is suicide risk in our DNA? Are men or women more likely to commit suicide?

Depression

University of Utah Health Care professor and suicidologist Doug Gray, M.D., addressed these and other questions regarding suicide during a recent presentation at the University Neuropsychiatric Institute.

According to Gray, between 2000 and 2010, the suicide rate among middle-age adults increased 28 percent, while suicide among men in their 50’s grew a staggering 48 percent. He explained these statistics were alarming given the fact that between 1990 and 2000, suicide rates in the U.S. had declined.

Of these national figures, the western region of the U.S. had the highest rate of suicide at 13.6 (per 100,000 people). Gray pointed to several studies that demonstrated higher suicide rates among those living in mountain states, and said findings come from research done by Perry Renshaw, M.D., and his research team at the University of Utah. Metabolic changes occur in the brain at high altitude that lead to treatment resistant depression for some people. The altitude threshold appears to be 2000 feet.

There is no question that genetics plays a role in suicide, as demonstrated in twin and adoption studies, Gray said, and pointed to Utah DNA studies being conducted by Hilary Coon, Ph.D. at the University of Utah. She is looking for genes that predispose for suicide. One large Utah family studied has suffered a total of 51 suicides over a number of generations.

Gray also pointed to a glaring difference between people who attempt suicide and people that complete. Attempters, he explained are 80-90 percent female, peak at 16 years old with high rates among the Hispanic population. In contrast, completers are 80-90% male, peak in the elderly population, and have higher rates among Caucasians.

Finally, Gray discussed prevention methods and advocated raising awareness and reducing the stigma around mental illness so more people will get help. He applauded the joint effort between the University of Utah and the VA MIRECC suicide research team to try and reduce the epidemic of veteran suicide. He highlighted efforts by Veterans Affairs to increase the national mental health workforce by 50 percent. He also reviewed creative new approaches in our community like UNI’s hotline and warmline programs, and their mobile community crisis team. He discussed Utah school prevention programs like “Hope for Tomorrow” by NAMI and “Project Hope” developed by Greg Hudnall in the Provo school district.

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Teeth Straightening

There are lots of “do it yourself” projects you can complete successfully with just a little time and effort. However, “do it yourself” braces is not one of them. Despite that, there are a rising number of videos on YouTube instructing on how to fix your teeth at home, and even more online sites selling braces kits for those who want straighter teeth but want to avoid the orthodontist.

teeth

“There's a common misconception in the general public that braces are simple — you push on the tooth and it moves where you want it,” says Jeffery Iverson, D.D.S., M.S., an assistant professor at the University of Utah School of Dentistry. “Orthodontics is very complex. Human physiology, occlusion, biomechanics, craniofacial growth and development, tooth size, shape and morphology, as well as the patient's overall lifelong dental health, must be taken into consideration.”

The most basic method of DIY braces is placing a rubber band around teeth in an attempt to move them together. While this may cause teeth to move, it can also cause a number of complications like tooth fracture, gum damage, root damage, tooth loss, or serious medical complications.

“Blood circulates just below the surface of the oral mucosa, and the placement of toxic, non-sterile items in the oral cavity can injure it and is a good recipe for infection,” says Iverson.  “These infections can spread through the blood or through facial spaces, and these infections could become life threatening.”

He has seen the damage a simple rubber band can do firsthand. “I saw a 12-year old patient during my residency that tried to close some spaces in her lower mandibular incisors using a rubber band,” Iverson says.  “X-ray evaluation revealed severe bone loss on the distal roots of the mandibular lateral incisors.”

The child ended up needing surgery to remove the rubber band, which had done lasting damage to her teeth.

Another option gaining popularity involves companies that will send consumers kits to take impressions of their teeth, and then will send them clear alignment devices. They claim the process is overseen by a qualified orthodontist and that the kits should only be used by those with a “mild” alignment problem. However, Iverson has his doubts.

“If overseen means a doctor looks at some pictures and impressions over the internet and the patient is never seen in the beginning, throughout treatment nor has the final result evaluated at completion, I could see multiple problems with that type of treatment,” he says.

Iverson also says treating even a mild alignment problem is more complex than simply taking teeth impressions and fitting a device. “In an orthodontic office every patient receives a set of orthodontic records, which include orthodontic x-rays,” he says. “I don’t see where these companies are providing an x-ray evaluation on their patients, so many potential problems could possibly be missed.”

There are also “black market” braces options available, which can cause even greater damage. The materials being used may not be sterile or may even be toxic. There is a chance they could come loose or be swallowed. Then there is the issue of removing them. “Removal of DIY braces can fracture the teeth or extract the teeth depending on the method of cementation,” says Iverson.

The bottom line? If you want straighter teeth, see an orthodontist — face to face.

“It takes a trained orthodontist to position the teeth in their correct positions so detrimental damage doesn't occur,” says Iverson.

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Confusion About Hand Sanitizer

Any parent knows that hand sanitizer can be a lifesaver when it comes to cleaning little hands, and eliminating germs on the go. However, they may not realize that it can pose a health threat to the very people they are trying to protect. 

sanitizer

Recently a six year old Georgia girl was rushed to the hospital after ingesting two to three pumps of hand sanitizer that left her seriously intoxicated. She wasn’t trying to get drunk; she just thought the strawberry scented sanitizer smelled good. Sherrie Pace of the Utah Poison Control Center says that is usually the case when hand sanitizer is ingested. “Some teens may be trying to get drunk, but the vast majority of hand sanitizer poison exposures in Utah are in kids under age 6 and are unintentional,” she says.

Hand sanitizer contains a high level of alcohol in order to kill germs – between 45 and 70 percent in most brands. In comparison, a typical alcoholic beverage contains between five and 12 percent alcohol.

As with other potential hazard, awareness is key. “Parents should be aware of the potential abuse of hand sanitizer,” says Pace. “If they buy a new bottle and it is gone very quickly, or comes up missing, it may be a red flag that someone is abusing the product.”

Pace also says that hand sanitizer should be treated as any other poison. “Keep it up and out of reach of small children.”

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Lunches for 3 Kid

Move over PB&J. Here are some quick and easy lunchbox makeovers that the kids are sure to love.

lunch

Tuna Apple Sandwich

Tired of boring tuna sandwiches? Add some crunch and a little zing with chunks of green apple.

Ingredients

5-ounce can of tuna, packed in water

1 green apple, peeled and cut into small cubes

1 tablespoon light mayonnaise

6 slices whole-wheat bread

Preparation

1. In a small bowl, mix tuna, apple and mayonnaise.
2. Spread mixture onto bread (makes three sandwiches).

Nutrition

Per serving (makes three): 250 calories; 4.5 g fat; 20 mg cholesterol; 530 mg sodium; 33 g carbohydrates; 6 g fiber; 20 g protein.

Quesadilla Surprise

Parents, one bite of this quesadilla, and you might pack your lunch, too. It’s sweet, creamy and a crowd-pleaser. 

Ingredients

2 large peaches, peeled and thinly sliced

1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped

1 teaspoon brown sugar

3 ounces Brie cheese, thinly sliced

4 whole-wheat tortillas

Cooking spray 

Preparation

1. In a bowl, combine peaches, chives and sugar.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.
3. Arrange one-fourth of the cheese and one-fourth of the peach mixture over half of each tortilla; fold tortillas in half.
4. Coat pan with cooking spray.
5. Place two quesadillas in pan, and cook until tortillas are lightly browned and crisp, about two minutes per side.
6. Remove from pan, and repeat with remaining quesadillas.
7. Cut each quesadilla into wedges.
8. Cool, then store in plastic wrap.

Nutrition

Per serving (makes 4 servings): 235 calories; 6 g fat; 8 g protein; 38 g carbohydrates; 1 g fiber; 21 mg cholesterol; 474 mg sodium.

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