SWADDLING SECURES SAFE SLEEP
Studies show swaddling a baby will promote his staying on his back during sleep, a position judged safest for a resting child. The study also showed infants sleep with fewer awakenings when swaddled. The researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis noted in the journal Pediatrics sudden infant death syndrome incidents have decreased nearly 50 percent since the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended in 1992 that babies be placed on their backs to sleep. But when infants reach 2 months of age, about 20 percent of parents in the United States place them on their stomachs to sleep because they think this is a more comfortable position that promotes better sleep. "That's also the time when babies have enough strength and are big enough that they can escape from the typical 'burrito' wrap style of swaddling," said Dr. Claudia Gerard, clinical instructor in pediatrics and lead author of the paper. "But in other cultures where swaddling is practiced, it's common to continue swaddling babies until they are much older." The new research offers proof for the age-old belief that swaddled infants sleep better than unswaddled ones, eliminating the need to place them in a potentially unsafe sleeping position, Gerard said.
HOLIDAYS MAY BRING ON ANXIETY
The holiday season for people with anxiety disorders may be an especially stressful time of the year that can trigger panic attacks or acute social anxiety. Mental health specialists at the University of Michigan Health System encourage people to slow down and enjoy the season. Joseph Himle, associate director of the U-M Anxiety Disorders Program, says when anxiety interferes with everyday activities, it may be time to seek professional help. The serious kinds of anxiety fall into three broad categories: generalized anxiety disorder; panic disorder, and social anxiety disorder. People with generalized anxiety have difficulty controlling their worry. They also experience such symptoms as difficulty sleeping, feeling tense, keyed up or on edge or having problems with concentration or irritability. Panic disorder is characterized by sudden, unexpected surges of intense anxiety and fear. Often when people experience a panic attack, they may have rapid heart rate, difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, chest pain or discomfort, shakiness, sweating or dizziness. Social phobias are a common anxiety disorder. They affect approximately 13 percent of the population at some point in life. "Social anxiety is really centered around a fear that people are evaluating you in a negative way or judging you in an unflattering way," Himle said. These individuals may find it difficult to attend office parties or neighborhood get-togethers. "I think a gift we can all give ourselves during the holiday season is to take a little more time for rest, relaxation, satisfaction and to use this time to think about getting help if social anxiety, panic disorder or generalized anxiety are interfering with life," Himle said.
DRUG SHOWS PROMISE IN TREATING ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION
A new drug has shown promise as a treatment for erectile dysfunction. The drug, Levitra, was shown in a 10-week study to have a 92 percent success rate in the study participants, who reported improved erectile function. The study used flexible doses, adjusted to the individual patient's needs. In a one-year study, men taking Levitra were more than five times more likely to report success in maintaining erections than those not taking the drug. The men reported sexual success eight out of 10 times, scientists said. The drug, developed by Bayer and GlaxoSmithKline, has received a positive recommendation from the European Committee for Proprietary Medicinal Products. The new data was announced at the Fifth Congress of the European Society for Sexual and Impotence Research in Hamburg, Germany.
SKATER REACHES OUT TO CANCER PATIENTS
World figure skating champion and cancer survivor Scott Hamilton has launched a website to provide information to newly diagnosed cancer patients. The start of the website Chemocare.com marks Scott's five-year survival following his diagnosis with testicular cancer in 1997. The Olympic gold medallist and four-time world champion hopes his personal story will serve as an inspiration for others, and encourage patients to talk to their doctors about treatment side effects, such as anemia and fatigue. The Web site is a joint effort by Hamilton, The Cleveland Clinic, where he received cancer treatment, and Ortho Biotech Products. The site delves into a number of topics related to cancer, including chemotherapy and the possible side effects of the treatment.
(EDITORS: For more information about SWADDLING, contact Diane Williams at 314-286-0111 or [email protected]; about ANXIETY, contact Carrie Hagen at 734-764-2220 or [email protected]; about ERECTILE, contact Kaiva Klimanis at 212-884-4030 or [email protected]; about SKATER, call 216-444-4235.)
