plus 3, Smoking During Pregnancy, Lead Exposure Raise ADHD Risk in Kids - YAHOO!

Smoking During Pregnancy, Lead Exposure Raise ADHD Risk in Kids - YAHOO!
Eye Doc Who Called Patient Fat May Lose License - Eyewitness News
City Council Approves Pregnancy Center Bill - Wbaltv.com
City Hall Pregnancy Center Bill Passes - WJZ

Smoking During Pregnancy, Lead Exposure Raise ADHD Risk in Kids - YAHOO!

Posted: 23 Nov 2009 06:44 PM PST

MONDAY, Nov. 23 (HealthDay News) -- Children whose mothers smoked during pregnancy or who were exposed to lead have more than double the risk of having attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) as other children, new research shows.

And with exposure to both cigarettes and lead, the chances of having ADHD soared. Children whose mothers smoked during pregnancy and whose blood showed signs of lead exposure had eight times the risk of having ADHD.

"When you have both exposures, there is a synergistic effect," said study author Dr. Tanya Froehlich, a developmental and behavioral pediatric specialist and an assistant professor of pediatrics at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center.

The researchers concluded that about 38 percent of ADHD cases among children aged 8 to 15 in the United States may be caused by prenatal exposure to tobacco smoke, while 25 percent of ADHD cases are due to lead exposure, according to the study in the Nov. 23 online issue of Pediatrics.

Froehlich and her colleagues used data on 2,588 children aged 8 to 15 from around the nation who took part in the 2001-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Tobacco exposure was assessed by asking mothers if they smoked during pregnancy, while lead concentrations were measured by a blood test.

About 8.7 percent of children met the criteria for ADHD, which is marked by inattentiveness, difficulty focusing, impulsivity and hyperactivity, according to the study. The ADHD group included 16.8 percent of children whose mothers smoked during pregnancy, compared to 6.6 percent of children whose mothers did not smoke.

Lead exposure was divided into three groups: low, medium and high. About 5.2 percent of children who had the lowest lead blood levels had ADHD. About 9.1 percent of children in the middle range had ADHD, while 13.6 percent of children in the highest third had ADHD, the researchers found.

About 28.6 percent of children who were exposed to both prenatal smoking and who had higher blood lead concentrations had ADHD, Froehlich said.

Researchers did not find a strong link between exposure to secondhand cigarette smoke during childhood and ADHD.

Alarmingly, even children in the upper third had lead exposure levels lower than what the federal government considers "elevated." The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention considers levels of 10 micrograms per deciliter "actionable," Froehlich said. In the study, children in the upper third had blood lead levels that were 1.3 micrograms per deciliter or greater; children in the middle group had levels between 0.9 and 1.3 micrograms per deciliter.

Previous research has shown lead is toxic to children's brains and is associated with lower IQs and hyperactivity in children.

"There is no such thing as a 'safe' level of lead," said Dr. Andrew Adesman, chief of developmental and behavioral pediatrics at Schneider Children's Hospital in New Hyde Park, N.Y. "We know the lower the lead level, the better. This is an interesting and important study in that it looks at the combined effects of lead and prenatal cigarette exposure."

Though much remains unknown about the specific causes of ADHD, "we have long believed ADHD is at least in large part due to abnormalities of dopamine in the brain," Adesman said. Previous research has shown lead exposure and cigarette smoking may alter the brain's metabolism of dopamine.

About 250,000 U.S. children aged 1 to 5 have blood lead levels greater than 10 micrograms of lead per deciliter of blood, according to the CDC. Though blood lead levels have generally dropped in recent years, children, particularly those in poor, inner-city neighborhoods, may still be exposed to lead from peeling paint in old buildings. Leaded paint was banned for most residential uses in the United States in 1978.

Children may also ingest lead from old water pipes, soil and toys. In the last few years there have been multiple recalls, some by major toy manufacturers such as Mattel and Fisher-Price, of products manufactured in China that contained unsafe levels of lead.

"Lead is out there, and we need to take precautions, such as making sure we keep kids away from peeling paint and make sure they practice good hand washing before they eat if they are playing in the soil," Froehlich said.

In addition, good nutrition, including making sure children have adequate levels of iron and calcium, can also protect from lead exposure. Children with iron and calcium deficiencies absorb more lead than children with better diets, Froehlich explained.

More information

The American Academy of Pediatrics has tips on preventing lead exposure.

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Eye Doc Who Called Patient Fat May Lose License - Eyewitness News

Posted: 23 Nov 2009 10:15 AM PST

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - A North Carolina doctor could lose his medical license after a patient complained he made cutting criticisms, including telling her she was fat. The News & Observer of Raleigh reported the North Carolina Medical Board will decide if Dr. Earl Sunderhaus of Asheville overstepped the bounds of professional decency.

The eye doctor's patient complained Sunderhaus poked her thigh and told her she is fat, and also scolded her as irresponsible for being unemployed and relying on taxpayers to pay for another pregnancy.

Sunderhaus admitted he told the patient that her thick thighs and diabetes could cause her to go blind.

He made his points again by writing the patient, Gov. Beverly Perdue and blasting the medical board.

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Information from: The News & Observer, http://www.newsobserver.com

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City Council Approves Pregnancy Center Bill - Wbaltv.com

Posted: 23 Nov 2009 08:31 PM PST

Legislation Forces 'Truth In Advertising,' Planned Parenthood Says

POSTED: 11:32 pm EST November 23, 2009
UPDATED: 11:43 pm EST November 23, 2009

BALTIMORE -- Baltimore's City Council has passed ground breaking and controversial legislation about pregnancy centers.

The new law requires the city's pregnancy help centers post signs advertising that they do not provide abortion or birth control referrals.

The controversial measure is the first of its kind in the country.

"This is a very small thing that makes sure women have info when they need it. I think advocates on both sides have overblown this issue," Council President Stephanie Rawlings-Blake said.

Planned Parenthood said it brought the issue to the attention of Blake.

"We have federal, state research here in Baltimore that shows that there are issues with women walking into these centers and receiving misinformation and being dissuaded," said Keiran Havens, of Planned Parenthood of Maryland.

The centers provide essentials like diapers, vitamins and baby clothes to pregnant women in need.

Their supporters are angered by the suggestion that they have a hidden agenda. They point to disclaimers about abortion that are currently included in pregnancy center paperwork.

"For the first time in the U.S., we have an elected body of officials that stated that pregnancy centers lie and deceive women," Maryland Right To Life member Jeff Meister said.

"I think it makes them look sneaky, and we've maintained for a number of years that Planned Parenthood is sneaky. The way they have hidden from women the other options besides abortion," activist Bill Wingard said.

Now, pregnancy centers will be fined if found to be improperly displaying abortion and birth control disclaimers.

Planned Parenthood said the issue is enforcing truth in advertising.

"In a situation of crisis, women need good, scientific, accurate information and when they walk into a pregnancy center that says 'pregnant, need help?' They think they're going to get all the information that they need," said Julia Nickles, of Planned Parenthood of Maryland.

If centers are found in violation of the measure they will be fined $150.

The bill next goes to the mayor for her signature.

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City Hall Pregnancy Center Bill Passes - WJZ

Posted: 23 Nov 2009 08:17 PM PST

While the mayor was in court Monday, the city council was back at City Hall making history. Monday night, the council made a landmark decision concerning pregnancy centers, a decision that could impact cities across the country. Kelly McPherson explains why some call this new law harassment.

Just three councilmembers voted no to the limited pregnancy center bill that requires all pregnancy centers that do not offer abortion information post signs in English and Spanish to that effect.

For weeks, the centers and the Catholic church have called the bill harassment.

"It's aimed at one particular group of people, that is mostly volunteer, non-profit groups, not Catholic, who are seeking to help women bring their babies to term. That should not be a crime. That should not be suspect," said Archbishop Edwin O'Brien.

"We make it very clear up front that we don't perform them, nor do we refer for them. And we also won't tell them where to go to get one," said Carol Clews, Center for Pregnancy Concerns.

Supporters of this legislation say it's about truth in advertising for women in Baltimore, but those with pro-life groups say this is specifically to give a bad name to centers that don't support abortion.

"The intent of that is to put pregnancy centers out of business," said Jeff Meister, Maryland Right to Life. "I hate to use the words `out of business,' because they're charities; they're not a business."

Planned Parenthood has advocated the bill, citing nationwide research of women getting censored information at these centers.

"What we do know is researchers who have gone in and acted as though they are pregnant have been told misinformation," said Keiren Havens, Planned Parenthood of Maryland.

"It's a simple sign that you can make on your computer and printer in five minutes. It doesn't say anything other than what is true about the centers," said City Council President Stephanie Rawlings-Blake.

The mayor is expected to sign this bill. It will go into effect 30 days after she signs it. Violators will be fined $150.

Both sides of the debate are turning their attention to Montgomery County, where a similar law is being discussed.

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