BREAST-FEEDING CAN LIMIT MOM'S RISK OF HEART ATTACK, STROKES

You've heard before about how healthy breast-feeding is for your baby. But what if it could aid your long-term health, too?

The latest findings published Wednesday in the Journal of the American Heart Association suggest that breast-feeding could reduce a mother's risk for developing a heart attack and stroke later in her life. Specifically, the Chinese study discovered breast-feeding mothers lowered their heart disease or stroke risk by approximately 10 percent.

It's important to note that the study was just observational (i.e. no cause-and-effect conclusions are available).

While short-term health benefits have been known – think weight loss and lower cholesterol – the long-term effects haven't been clear when it comes to cardiovascular diseases in mothers. University of Oxford, the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking University researchers took into account data from 289,573 Chinese women, average age of 51, for the study. 

That data came from another study, where women (almost all were mothers, and none of them had cardiovascular disease) provided details regarding their reproductive history and lifestyle factors. There were 16,671 cases of coronary heart disease (including heart attacks) and 23,983 cases of stroke within eight years of follow-up. Mothers who breast-fed saw a 9 percent lower heart disease risk and an 8 percent lower stroke risk, all compared to those who had never breast-fed. Those who breast-fed for two years or more saw an 18 percent lower heart disease risk and 17 percent lower stroke risk.

Researchers accounted for cardiovascular disease risk factors like smoking, obesity and diabetes when putting together these results. Live Science notes the study couldn't account for factors like women's diet that might contribute to heart disease risk.

As for what researchers hope comes out of this? More breast-feeding.

"The findings should encourage more widespread breast-feeding for the benefit of the mother as well as the child," Zhengming Chen, senior study author and professor of epidemiology at the University of Oxford, said in a statement. "The study provides support for the World Health Organization's recommendation that mothers should breast-feed their babies exclusively for their first six months of life.

"Although there is increasing recognition of the importance of exclusive breast-feeding, genuine commitment from policy makers is needed to implement strategies in the healthcare system, communities and families and the work environment that promote and support every woman to breast-feed," the authors wrote.

REDUCING THE SPREAD OF ILLNESS IN CHILD CARE

Whenever children are together, there is a chance of spreading infections. This is especially true among infants and toddlers who are likely to use their hands to wipe their noses or rub their eyes and then handle toys or touch other children. These children then touch their noses and rub their eyes so the virus goes from the nose or eyes of one child by way of hands or toys to the next child who then rubs his own eyes or nose. And children get sick a lot in the first several years of life as their bodies are building immunity to infections.

In many child care facilities, the staff simply cannot care for a sick child due to space or staff limitations, although in others, the child can be kept comfortable and allowed to rest as needed in a separate area of the room where they have already exposed the other children. When waiting to be picked up, an ill child who is being excluded should be in a location when no contact occurs with those who have not already been exposed to their infection. Often, it is best for the child not to be moved to another space to prevent their illness from spreading throughout the facility and to maintain good supervision of the child. In some programs, a staff member who knows the child well and who is trained to care for ill children may care for the child to a space set aside for such care and where others will not be exposed. If the child requires minimal care for a condition that doesn't require exclusion, there may a place for the child to lie down while remaining within sight of a staff member when the child needs to rest. In some communities, special sick child care centers have been established for children with mild illnesses who cannot participate or need more care than the staff can provide in the child's usual care setting.

Even with all these prevention measures, it is likely that some infections will be spread in the child care center. For many of these infections, a child is contagious a day or more before he has symptoms. Be sure to wash your and your child's hands frequently. You never know when your child or another child is passing a virus or bacteria. Sometimes your child will become sick while at child care and need to go home. You will need to have a plan so someone can pick him up.

Fortunately, not all illnesses are contagious (e.g., ear infections). In these cases, there's no need to separate your sick child from the other children. Most medications can be scheduled to be given only at home. If your child needs medication during the day, be sure that the facility has clear procedures and staff who have training to give medication. Ask what they do to be sure they have the right child, receiving the right medication, at the right time, by the right route and in the right dose – and document each dose. 

Measures to Promote Good Hygiene in Child Care:

To reduce the risk of disease in child care settings as well as schools, the facility should meet certain criteria that promote good hygiene. For example:

• Are there sinks in every room, and are there separate sinks for preparing food and washing hands? Is food handled in areas separate from the toilets and diaper-changing tables?

• Are the toilets and sinks clean and readily available for the children and staff? Are disposable paper towels used so each child will use only his own towel and not share with others?

• Are toys that infants and toddlers put in their mouths sanitized before others can play with them?

• Are all doors and cabinet handles, drinking fountains, all surfaces in the toileting and diapering areas cleaned and disinfected at the end of every day?

• Are all changing tables and any potty chairs cleaned and disinfected after each use? 

• Are staff and other children fully immunized, especially against the flu?

• Is food brought in from home properly stored?  Is food prepared on site properly handled?

• Is breast milk labeled and stored correctly?

• Are children and their caregivers or teachers instructed to wash their hands throughout the day, including: 

  • When they arrive at the facility 

  • Before and after handling food, feeding a child, or eating 

  • After using the toilet, changing a diaper, or helping a child use the bathroom (Following a diaper change, the caregiver's and child's hands should be washed and the diaper-changing surfaces should be disinfected.) 

  • After helping a child wipe his nose or mouth or tending to a cut or sore 

  • After playing in sandboxes 

  • Before and after playing in water that is used by other children 

  • Before and after staff members give medicine to a child 

  • After handling wastebaskets or garbage 

  • After handling a pet or other animal

• Make sure your own child understands good hygiene and the importance of hand washing after using the toilet and before and after eating.

• Is health consultation available to deal with outbreaks or to review policies?

REDUCING THE SPREAD OF ILLNESS IN CHILDREN

Whenever children are together, there is a chance of spreading infections. This is especially true among infants and toddlers who are likely to use their hands to wipe their noses or rub their eyes and then handle toys or touch other children. These children then touch their noses and rub their eyes so the virus goes from the nose or eyes of one child by way of hands or toys to the next child who then rubs his own eyes or nose. And children get sick a lot in the first several years of life as their bodies are building immunity to infections.

In many child care facilities, the staff simply cannot care for a sick child due to space or staff limitations, although in others, the child can be kept comfortable and allowed to rest as needed in a separate area of the room where they have already exposed the other children. When waiting to be picked up, an ill child who is being excluded should be in a location when no contact occurs with those who have not already been exposed to their infection. Often, it is best for the child not to be moved to another space to prevent their illness from spreading throughout the facility and to maintain good supervision of the child. In some programs, a staff member who knows the child well and who is trained to care for ill children may care for the child to a space set aside for such care and where others will not be exposed. If the child requires minimal care for a condition that doesn't require exclusion, there may a place for the child to lie down while remaining within sight of a staff member when the child needs to rest. In some communities, special sick child care centers have been established for children with mild illnesses who cannot participate or need more care than the staff can provide in the child's usual care setting.

Even with all these prevention measures, it is likely that some infections will be spread in the child care center. For many of these infections, a child is contagious a day or more before he has symptoms. Be sure to wash your and your child's hands frequently. You never know when your child or another child is passing a virus or bacteria. Sometimes your child will become sick while at child care and need to go home. You will need to have a plan so someone can pick him up.

Fortunately, not all illnesses are contagious (e.g., ear infections). In these cases, there's no need to separate your sick child from the other children. Most medications can be scheduled to be given only at home. If your child needs medication during the day, be sure that the facility has clear procedures and staff who have training to give medication. Ask what they do to be sure they have the right child, receiving the right medication, at the right time, by the right route and in the right dose – and document each dose. 

Measures to Promote Good Hygiene in Child Care:

To reduce the risk of disease in child care settings as well as schools, the facility should meet certain criteria that promote good hygiene. For example:

• Are there sinks in every room, and are there separate sinks for preparing food and washing hands? Is food handled in areas separate from the toilets and diaper-changing tables?

• Are the toilets and sinks clean and readily available for the children and staff? Are disposable paper towels used so each child will use only his own towel and not share with others?

• Are toys that infants and toddlers put in their mouths sanitized before others can play with them?

• Are all doors and cabinet handles, drinking fountains, all surfaces in the toileting and diapering areas cleaned and disinfected at the end of every day?

• Are all changing tables and any potty chairs cleaned and disinfected after each use? 

• Are staff and other children fully immunized, especially against the flu?

• Is food brought in from home properly stored?  Is food prepared on site properly handled?

• Is breast milk labeled and stored correctly?

• Are children and their caregivers or teachers instructed to wash their hands throughout the day, including: 

  • When they arrive at the facility 

  • Before and after handling food, feeding a child, or eating 

  • After using the toilet, changing a diaper, or helping a child use the bathroom (Following a diaper change, the caregiver's and child's hands should be washed and the diaper-changing surfaces should be disinfected.) 

  • After helping a child wipe his nose or mouth or tending to a cut or sore 

  • After playing in sandboxes 

  • Before and after playing in water that is used by other children 

  • Before and after staff members give medicine to a child 

  • After handling wastebaskets or garbage 

  • After handling a pet or other animal

• Make sure your own child understands good hygiene and the importance of hand washing after using the toilet and before and after eating.

• Is health consultation available to deal with outbreaks or to review policies?