Epidemic of children with preventable illnesses reported

Warnings from the Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool of an epidemic of children having wholly preventable illnesses form the basis of tonight’s BBC1 Panorama documentary “Spoilt Rotten”.

This harsh reality was surmised by Alder Hey’s medical director, Dr Steve Ryan, who suggested that “people are starting to say maybe this is a generation where children will be dying before their parents”.

That horrendous thought is based on medical statistics from the hospital:

• Over half of the 1,000 annual dental operations are on children under the age of six, often with severe, preventable tooth decay.
• Up to 1,000 children each year are admitted to hospital because of the effects of their parents’ passive smoking.
• Obesity rates in both children and adults is increasing rapidly, up from 5,056 in 2007-087 to 8,085 for 2008-09.

Dr Ryan continued, “I think that we’ve never been here before. We’ve never faced this epidemic. It didn’t happen in history. There were cholera epidemics, measles epidemics, whooping cough epidemics…(this) is subtle. It is in the background. But it’s massive.”

The Panorama programme can be seen tonight (Tuesday 13 April) at 9pm, or alternatively on BBC iPlayer.

Pennsylvania parents reminded of safe haven law

Pennsylvania’s Department of Public Welfare yesterday reminded expectant and new parents that the State has a “Safe Haven” law which allows them legally and confidentially to ‘turn over’ unwanted infants to any hospital, up to 28 days old, as an alternative to abandonment.

While it sounds a very harsh way of putting things, it’s much kinder to both mother and baby in a situation where they feel they simply cannot keep the child, to be able to hand the baby, unharmed, to a responsible organisation without fear of prosecution.
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Final Harry Potter book to be sent to hundreds of hospitalised children

On July 21st, thousands of children in American hospitals undergoing life-saving treatment, including chemotherapy and bone marrow transplants, will be treated to the final instalment of Harry Potter.

The Hope for Henry Foundation will deliver thousands of print and CD versions of the book, as well as hosting Harry Potter themed parties at the hospitals, complete with gift bags, trivia contests, readings, and other activities.

The audiobook of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, read by Jim Dale, will be given to children too sick or too young to read the 784 pages of this much-anticipated book.

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1 in 8 campaign launches to bring parents and premature babies closer together

According to research, only 18% of parents of premature or ill babies in special care know how to recognise their babies distress signals, and are able to comfort them.

Today sees the launch of the 1 in 8 campaign – supported by Fairy Non Bio, and BLISS, the premature baby charity – a groundbreaking research project that will look at new techniques to help parents be more involved in their baby’s care from day one.

As the name suggests, 1 in 8 babies in the UK are born premature or sick, and often the most natural instincts of a parent, to hold and soothe their child, are made difficult or uncomfortable in these situations due to being surrounded by medical equipment and complicated procedures.

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