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MELATONIN: IS IT SAFE? PAGE
37
M AY
W E B M D.C O M
2019
TREVOR NOAH
THE DAILY SHOW’ S
RAISES HIS VOICE TO HELP OTHERS
PAGE 31
CUT YOUR RISK FOR FALLS • DADS GET THE BABY BLUES, TOO • SKIN CARE GIFTS FOR MOM
WEBMD MAGAZINE
Contents M AY 2 0 1 9
“THE BODY HAS
A FASCINATING
WAY OF KNOWING
WHAT YOU NEED,
EVEN IF YOU
IGNORE IT.”
FEATURES
SAM JONES / TRUNK ARCHIVE
31 VOICE LESSONS 41 THE MIND OF A 2-YEAR-OLD
The Daily Show ’s Trevor Noah bounces 37 HOMING IN ON MELATONIN You might be surprised at how smart and
back after vocal cord surgery How safe is this hormone? sophisticated kids are at this age
1
W E B M D.C O M
WEBMD MAGAZINE
Contents M AY 2 0 1 9
15 17 51
30 46 CHECKUP
28
51 C
UTTING EDGE
New research on osteoporosis
52 E XPERT Q&A
The meaning behind “naturally derived”
53 W
HO’S WHO
An intro to rheumatologists
54 C
ONDITION FOCUS
The scoop on chronic fatigue syndrome
45
55 H
EALTH SMARTS
Are you at risk of falling?
FAMILY 57 B
Y THE NUMBERS
Facts and stats on strokes
22 R ELATIONSHIPS
Research on how quality 58 Q
UIZ
LIVING time with your children FOOD Test your knowledge of hepatitis C
now pays off later 59 I NSIGHT
EALTHY SPACES
10 H 45 G
OOD FOR YOU Who should—and shouldn’t—take
19
23 P REGNANCY
The mental health Tips for tart and an aspirin a day
Five habits you can
benefits of spending tasty rhubarb
break now for your
time in green places 46 3 WAYS: SALADS
baby’s health
60
ORK WISE
11 W Toss a satisfying entree
24 B ABY
The harm in checking
work email after hours
BEAUTY The perils of 48 B
UILD A BETTER
baby walkers Mastering meatloaf
OMEN’S HEALTH
12 W 16 SKIN CARE 49 FOOD 101
How stress can put you The versatility of 25 K IDS’ HEALTH
The wonders of
at risk for diabetes coconut oil A simple way to curb
mollusks
vision problems
13 M IND MATTERS 17 EXPERT PICKS
26 T EEN HEALTH
New knowledge on
brain anatomy
Gifts for moms
Warnings on teens IN EVERY ISSUE
18 D ERM Q&A
and marijuana 3 EDITOR’S NOTE
14 M EN’S HEALTH Scar facts
Dads and the 19 B EAUTY SMARTS 28 PARENTING 5 U PFRONT
baby blues A cheat sheet How to instill kindness News about teen vaping,
15 F ITNESS on masks in kids sleep, and more
Working out during your 30 P ET HEALTH 60 TAKE 10
period A guide to animal
ON THE COVER Josh Gad’s tips for
prosthetics managing anxiety
2
W E B M D.C O M
E d i t o r ’s N o t e
FROM THE WEBMD TEAM
What advice about healthy
habits do you give your kids?
I’ve quickly learned that advice
shared with toddlers needs to be
simple and fun. We talk and sing
about what we can do to keep
our bodies strong, brains smart,
and hearts happy. Daniel the
DANI SIEGEL Tiger also helps sell the message ANNIC JOBIN
WebMD Director, Editorial WebMD Executive
when Mommy and Daddy aren’t Director, News &
Development Operations
convincing enough. Partnerships
I have always encouraged
my son to get outside
F
or our cover star, The Daily Show and play and to eat meals
SHERA COLLINS
host Trevor Noah, helping impover- that include lean protein, WebMD Video Producer
ished children have a better chance vegetables, fruit, and I try to teach my kids that you
at life is one of his most important water in order to power his don’t have to be the “best” at
missions. As we learn in this issue, he something to enjoy it. You can
body. Keeping the fridge
enjoy gymnastics even if you
credits his own success from growing stocked with healthy
don’t make the team; you can run, even if you
up poor in South Africa to where he is choices went a long way in haven’t won a race. I was too self-conscious as a
now in part to his mother and the advice helping him develop good kid to do sports that I wasn’t great at. I wish I’d just
she gave him. As a parent, that’s always learned to enjoy them!
eating habits.
heartwarming to hear. We give our kids
lots of pointers and hope they listen to
at least a small portion of it. When it
comes to health, leading by example Blog Makeover
is always a good way to go. But as par-
ents, we can’t help offering our words Check out the fresh, new look of
of wisdom as well! For this issue, we WebMD Blogs! With more images
asked our staff what they pass along to and improved navigation, the new
P H O T O G R A P H Y: S H A R O N S U H ; S T Y L I N G : M I N D Y S A A D
their own children. design makes it easier than ever to
dive into your favorite content. Our
blogs feature expert perspectives
and inspiring patient stories on a
Kristy Hammam variety of condition and wellness
Editor in Chief topics. Visit blogs.webmd.com.
kristy@webmd.com
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T I M E LY T O P I C S
Up f r o n t NEWS YOU CAN USE
Dear Mom
M O T H E R ’ S D AY
This month, many people honor the millions of
American women who have delivered and raised
children. Motherhood gives back, too, with a few
health advantages also worth celebrating.
4% TO 12% 50%
Percentage by Percentage by which
11% 26%
which a woman’s ovarian cancer risk
odds of living into is lowered among
her 90s increases Percentage by which a woman’s risk for type women who’ve had
if she gives birth 2 diabetes goes down for each 12 months she children compared Percentage by which women can lower their
to her first child breastfeeds. Her risk for breast cancer drops to those who haven’t risk for multiple sclerosis by giving birth to one
after age 25. by 4.3% for each year of breastfeeding. given birth. child. Having four children cuts the risk by 80%.
G ET T Y I M AG ES
5
W E B M D.C O M
Upfront
IN THE NEWS
Sleep supplement safety
Melatonin. You’ve likely heard of this popular supplement—maybe you’re among the more than 3 million
adults who take it (some half-million children do, too). But what do you really know about this hormone,
marketed to aid sleep, cure insomnia, curb jet lag, and more? “A lot of people just take it right before they
go to bed as if it were a sleeping pill. It’s not that simple,” one of our experts explains. Some research does
show benefits and general safety with short-term use for some people—but long-term effects for just about
COLLEEN everybody are less well-known, and concerns about kids are real.
PARETTY
One indication is the alarming spike in calls to poison centers in the
Editorial Director,
colleen@ last few years about melatonin use or misuse. Our report, “Homing
webmd.com in on Melatonin” (page 37), lays out what researchers know about
this hormone—and what they don’t, which on balance is a lot. Read
this before you give melatonin a try or give it to your kids, and check
in with your doctor for help with dosage and timing. A better night’s
sleep and your health are worth the extra effort. —
45%
Percentage of
adults ages 50
DEPRESSION FOG
Poor thinking skills and serious depression often go hand-in-hand.
While researchers once thought that depression could cause a
WOMEN:
DON’T WAIT
Heart attacks are just
to 64 who decline in thinking skills, a new study says otherwise. People who
worry they as common for women
have a first-degree relative with major depressive disorder, but do
won’t be able as men, and fast
not have depression themselves, perform more poorly on thinking
to afford health
skills tests than people without a family history of depression. treatment makes all the
insurance in
That was the result of an analysis of 54 studies of more than 8,000 difference. Yet women
retirement.
first-degree relatives of people with major depressive disorder. The
SOURCE: National Poll wait 37 minutes longer
on Healthy Aging
finding suggests that weak thinking skills could be a risk factor for
to call for help when
depression rather than a consequence of it.
SOURCE: JAMA they have one. The
delay could be because
pain in the chest and
left arm are the most
recognized signs, but
those symptoms are
more common in men.
Women, on the other
hand, often feel back,
shoulder, or stomach
pain during a
G ET T Y I M AG ES
heart attack.
SOURCE: European Heart Journal: Acute
Cardiovascular Care
6
W E B M D.C O M
Upfront Upfront
CANCER-CLOT SPINACH BOOST LUCK OF THE DNA
CONNECTION Do you prefer your spinach hidden in How do some people live to 100 relatively disease-free? It
a smoothie rather than on your plate? could be in your DNA. Researchers studied DNA floating
In the year leading up
Good, because that’s the best way to get its in the bloodstream—not the DNA inside cells—of people
to a cancer diagnosis, antioxidant effects. Spinach is packed with
in their 20s, their 70s, and both healthy and unhealthy
older adults have an the antioxidant lutein, which can reduce
inflammation in the body. Food scientists 100-somethings. The DNA developed irregularities with
increased risk of stroke
prepared spinach in many different ways— age, which the researchers saw in the samples from the
and heart attack,
boiled, baked into a lasagna, fried, served
folks in their 70s and the unhealthy centenarians. But the
particularly the kind raw in a salad, and blended into juices
DNA of the healthy centenarians looked more like that of
caused by a blood clot, and smoothies. Heat destroyed the lutein.
Blending the raw leaves released the most the 20-somethings than that of the other old-timers. The
according to a study
lutein for the body to absorb. Fat in the finding could help researchers understand what makes
of nearly 750,000
smoothie, from milk or yogurt, makes the
some people live longer—and better—than others.
people. This discovery lutein easier for the body to soak up.
SOURCE: Aging Cell
suggests that cancer, SOURCE: Food Chemistry
SCHOOL VS. SLEEP
especially advanced-
$1 BILLION
stage cancers and
lung and colon cancer TEEN VAPING ON THE RISE 14% Teenagers are chronically sleep-deprived. Going to bed earlier
Percentage of high isn’t the solution. The biological clock determines when people
at any stage, could Teen vapers are on the rise. More than one in three school seniors who report fall asleep. For teens, like it or not, that’s later at night. So, when a
increase risk for these
high school seniors have vaped in the last month. That binge drinking in the last Seattle school district pushed high school start times 55 minutes Annual cost of injuries caused by
clots. People who have two weeks. That’s having
number was just above one in five last year. They say the later, kids got 34 extra minutes of sleep every night, without animals—that includes everything from
a heart attack or stroke, five or more drinks in a changing their bedtime, and their grades went up by nearly 5%. dog bites to bee stings.
devices are easier to get this year, too. More than 20% row. That’s down from SOURCE: Trauma Surgery and Acute Care Open
the researchers say, SOURCE: Science Advances
of teen vapers say they have vaped nicotine, compared almost 17% in 2017.
should make sure they
to 11% last year. But teens may not know what they are SOURCE: University of Michigan
A DRINK A DAY PAIN TRICK
are up to date with their
vaping. The most popular devices don’t offer nicotine-
cancer screenings.
Gently stroking babies
SOURCE: Blood
free options, and some labels are inaccurate.
WEIGHTY The heart benefits of moderate drinking before medically
MATTERS
SOURCE: University of Michigan
may apply to people with heart failure, too. necessary painful
Among 393 people with heart failure, the procedures, such as the
8,986
Obesity causes nearly ones who drank seven or fewer alcoholic heel stick test shortly
one in 25 cancers drinks per week outlived those who didn’t after birth, reduces
worldwide, including drink at all. Limited drinking could increase brain activity associated
breast, colorectal, good cholesterol and improve blood sugar with pain during the
Number of children
esophageal, and control. Natural chemicals in beer and procedure. The perfect
and adolescents
pancreatic. Weight wine called polyphenols might increase the stroke for pain reduction,
who died between
1999 and 2016 from might also contribute body’s concentration of nitric oxide, which researchers found in an
prescription and illicit is important for blood vessel health. The experiment, covers 3
to gallbladder, liver, and
opioid poisonings— benefits came from just one drink a day. The centimeters (a little more
ovarian cancers and
G ET T Y I M AG ES
an increase of findings aren’t a free pass for heavy drinking, than 1 inch) of a baby’s
multiple myeloma.
almost 30%. which has many health consequences. skin per second.
SOURCE: CA: A Cancer Journal
SOURCE: JAMA SOURCE: JAMA
for Clinicians SOURCE: Cell Press
7 8
W E B M D.C O M W E B M D.C O M
Upfront
SLEEP THE LONELIEST
NUMBERS
AWAY THE Three out of four people feel seriously
CRAVINGS lonely at any given time, according to
a study of healthy people ages 27 to
Sleep quality and weight
101. Loneliness peaks in the 20s, 50s,
regulation are tightly
and late 80s.
linked. In fact, just one
SOURCE: International Psychogeriatrics
lost night of sleep makes
junk food more desirable,
KEEP IT CLEAN
according to an MRI study
of lean, healthy men’s
brains when offered
“Is that stethoscope
junk food after a good
clean, Doc?” A
night’s sleep and after a
new study finds
sleepless night.
that the tool is a
SOURCE: Canadian Medical
Association Journal
breeding ground
for infection-
causing bacteria,
including staphylococcus,
TAKE THEM OUT the source of staph
An estimated 1 million annual outpatient and emergency room visits
infections.
are a result of serious eye infections from sleeping in contacts.
SOURCE: Infection Control
and Hospital Epidemiology
SOURCE: Annals of Emergency Medicine
GO MED
What makes the Mediterranean diet so good for your heart? In a 12-year
study of nearly 26,000 women, those who stuck most closely to the diet
were up to 28% less likely to have a heart attack or stroke. They also had
lower levels of inflammation, better blood sugar control, and less body
fat. The Mediterranean diet emphasizes vegetables, fruits, whole grains,
legumes, and nuts; swaps butter for healthy fats such as olive and canola
oils; substitutes spices for salt; reduces red meat to a few times a month;
G ET T Y I M AG ES
and includes fish or poultry at least twice a week.
SOURCE: JAMA
9
W E B M D.C O M
H E A LT H Y H A B I T S
Living MEANINGFUL CHANGE
Green
RESEARCHERS AT THE INSTITUTE FOR GLOBAL HEALTH IN BARCELONA
H E A LT H Y S PAC E S
TRACKED 6,500 ADULTS AGES 45 TO 68 FOR 10 YEARS. During that
Is Good
time, the middle-aged and older adults took tests that measured
short-term memory, reasoning, and vocabulary. Then the researchers
used satellite images to measure the greenness of each person’s
neighborhood. The people who lived in the greenest areas showed
WHETHER IT’S THE UNTAMED the slowest decline in thinking skills over time. It could be, the
WILDERNESS OR A NEIGHBORHOOD researchers say, that green spaces promote healthy behavior.
PARK, SPENDING TIME IN GREEN Spending more time in these places—especially exercising,
G ET T Y I M AG ES
PL ACES IS GOOD FOR YOUR socializing, or just releasing stress—might help preserve thinking
MENTAL WELL-BEING skills as you age. —SONYA COLLINS
10
W E B M D.C O MLiving Search for the slideshow How to Break
Your Phone Habit at WebMD.com.
boundaries have largely been dissolved, enabling
employers and employees to remain tethered on an
electronic leash.
In one 2016 study of 365 adults, Belkin and her
colleagues found that, on average, employees spend
about one full extra day per week checking work-related
email outside of normal office hours. Some respondents
reported checking it as many as 40 additional hours.
Regardless of how much time they spent actually
responding to them, the mere expectation by their
employer to keep an eye on electronic messages
boosted an employee’s emotional exhaustion by
requiring cognitively taxing “micro-role transitions
between work and non-work domains.”
“Even if employees make a conscious choice not
to respond while they are with their family, there is
always a chronic stressor in the back of their mind,”
Belkin says. “You are either checking messages or
you are thinking about checking them.”
In a follow-up study published in July, the
researchers surveyed 142 full-time employees, as
well as their bosses and romantic partners. The
more their boss expected them to check electronic
messages after hours, the more anxiety and less
relationship satisfaction their partner felt.
“Unlike the employee, the significant other is rela-
tively powerless to take direct action,” the authors note,
calling partner impact an underreported and “insidious
Marriage Killer?
downside” of electronic communication.
Belkin, who frequently checks electronic messages
WORK WISE
after hours herself, acknowledges that in the internet
age it’s hard not to. But she says employees can take
several steps to protect their time—and relationships:
NEW RESEARCH SUGGESTS MONITORING WORK EMAILS AFTER HOURS
CAN HARM PARTNERS’ HEALTH AND RELATIONSHIP SATISFACTION • Ask your employer to establish a rotating
on-call schedule, designating certain days or times
BY Lisa Marshall
that people must monitor electronic messages.
REVIEWED BY Patricia A. Farrell, PhD, WebMD Medical Reviewer
• Ask your employer to specify in emails whether
WORRIED THAT YOUR AFTER-HOURS WORK EMAILS ARE DRIVING A WEDGE
immediate action is necessary or if a response
BETWEEN YOU AND YOUR SIGNIFICANT OTHER? You’re probably right, new
can wait until work hours (often employees think
research confirms.
they have to respond immediately when it’s not
“We found that the more people check their work email, the more
really necessary).
anxious they feel and the less satisfaction they feel with their overall health
and marital relationship,” said Liuba Belkin, PhD, associate professor of • Establish strict, no-email times in which you
management at Lehigh University and co-author of the studies. “We also turn off your phone. (Research shows that the mere
found that this anxiety and lack of satisfaction spills over to partners.” presence of a smartphone in the room can reduce
Belkin notes that in the past, strict physical boundaries existed focus.) “Just not even having it in the vicinity
between work and home life. But in the age of smartphones, those during family time can help a lot,” says Belkin.
BY THE NUMBERS
8 65% 55%
Percentage of employees
G ET T Y I M AG ES
Number of hours per week, who believe their company Percentage of employees
on average, that employees has high expectations who have a hard time
monitor work emails outside of them to monitor work detaching from work
of office hours. emails after hours. after hours.
11
W E B M D.C O MLiving
Reason to Relax
W O M E N ’S H E A LT H
A NEW STUDY SUGGESTS STRESS PUTS WOMEN AT RISK OF DEVELOPING DIABETES
BY Kara Mayer Robinson
REVIEWED BY Brunilda Nazario, MD, WebMD Senior Medical Editor
Looking for a doctor?
Use WebMD’s Physician
Directory. Go to
WebMD.com/findadoctor.
A STUDY FROM THE AMERICAN HEART a known diabetes risk factor. And it can
ASSOCIATION FINDS THAT OLDER WOMEN trigger anxiety, depression, and mental
with mounting stress were almost twice as health problems, which make it harder
likely than women with little or no stress to to take good care of yourself. If you don’t
develop diabetes. eat well and exercise, you’re more likely to
When you’re stressed, your body makes develop diabetes.
more hormones such as cortisol, growth According to the study, both acute and
hormone, glucagon, and adrenaline, chronic stress bump up your risk. Acute
which make your blood sugar levels go stress is when you suddenly find yourself
up, explains Nadia Ali, MD, an integrative in a traumatic or negative situation, like
medicine doctor in Wayne, Pennsylvania. losing your job or having a serious accident.
This can lead to insulin resistance, which Chronic stress happens over a long period of
can trigger diabetes. time, such as when you have ongoing prob-
Stress also raises your blood pressure, lems with work, finances, or relationships.
ASK YOUR DOCTOR
YOUR DOCTOR Q How does Q Do I have Q What lifestyle Q Should I see
CAN HELP YOU
UNDERSTAND
stress affect an underlying choices do you a therapist?
YOUR RISK AND my body? medical recommend? Your doctor can
RECOMMEND
Your doctor may condition that If you’re feeling help you decide
STRATEGIES needs to be
TO COPE run tests to see stressed, your if it’s best to get
WITH STRESS. how stress affects monitored? doctor may professional
NADIA ALI, your insulin level, Your doctor can suggest specific help—and help
MD, SUGGESTS insulin resistance, changes to your you find it.
identify if there’s
STARTING
WITH THESE
and inflammation. something else at diet and exercise
QUESTIONS. play and help you program.
manage it.Search for the quiz How
Living Your Brain Works: Myths
and Facts at WebMD.com.
Know Your Own Mind
M I N D M AT T E R S
A NEW STUDY REVEALS VARYING HUMAN EXPERIENCES MAY ALTER THE ANATOMY OF THE INDIVIDUAL BRAIN,
MAKING YOURS—OVER TIME—AS IDENTIFIABLE AS A FINGERPRINT
BY L auren Paige Kennedy REVIEWED BY Neha Pathak, MD, WebMD Medical Editor
UNTIL RECENTLY, SCIENTISTS BELIEVED THAT HUMAN BRAINS WERE He and his team studied 200 healthy people who underwent
ANATOMICALLY INDISTINGUISHABLE. However, one recent study MRI brain scans three times over the course of two years. They
from the University of Edinburgh suggests men, on average, have evaluated more than 450 features of brain anatomy, including
slightly higher brain volume than women, even when corrected for volumes of gray and white matter, total brain volume, and
body size—although researchers are hard-pressed to identify exactly thickness of the cortex—with interesting conclusions.
which specific substructures within the brain might hold this extra Jäncke notes that people with special skills, such as
volume. And women, on average, have thicker cortices than men, competitive chess players and professional athletes, showed
which are associated with higher cognitive test scores. unique characteristics in the regions of the brain that
But examining a typical brain and being able to identify one control for such gifts, clearly distinguishing them from the
from another based solely on its structure? Scientists didn’t average person.
think it possible. He adds that even short-term experiences—such as
That notion is changing now with a new study conducted by breaking an arm, resulting in its temporary immobility—can
a team of researchers at the University of Zurich (UZH). “We also alter the brain’s physical characteristics, with a reduction
were able to confirm that the structure of people’s brains is very in the thickness of the brain’s cortex in the specific areas
individual,” says the study’s author, Lutz Jäncke, a UZH professor of responsible for controlling that arm. “We suspect those
neuropsychology. Jäncke says his team’s research shows a combi- experiences that have an effect on the brain interact with the
G ET T Y I M AG ES
nation of genetic and non-genetic influences affect not only brain genetic makeup, so that over the course of years every person
functioning but also individual anatomy. develops a completely individual brain anatomy,” Jäncke says.
13
W E B M D.C O MLiving
Baby Blues
M E N ’S H E A LT H
NEW FATHERS DEVELOP DEPRESSION AT TWICE
Search for the article
THE RATE OF OTHER MEN
10 Tips for New Dads
BY M att McMillen REVIEWED BY Michael W. Smith, MD, WebMD Chief Medical Editor at WebMD.com.
DEPRESSION IN NEW DADS CAN HAVE LASTING more invested in their relationships and family QUESTIONS
CONSEQUENCES FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY. A study compared to men whose testosterone remains
by British researchers, released in December, high. However, if it gets too low, depression
FOR YOUR
revealed that fathers with postpartum risk rises. “You want it to be somewhere in the DOCTOR
depression raise daughters with higher risk of middle,” says Saxbe.
Q Am I depressed?
developing depression as teens. It’s too soon to say whether testosterone-
Though researchers have begun to catch up replacement therapy might help new fathers The symptoms of depression
with the reality of postpartum depression among avoid or recover from depression. Another vary but often center around
men, the public remains largely unaware despite unknown: Whether changes in testosterone levels loss: loss of energy, loss of
the numbers of men affected, says psychologist could be used to help predict which fathers-to-be hope, loss of self-esteem,
Darby Saxbe, PhD, an assistant professor of psy- have an elevated risk of depression, a complicated loss of interest (including
chology at the University of Southern California. disease that has many causes and triggers. interest in your newborn).
“About 10% of new dads become depressed,” But, Saxbe says, men can help themselves,
says Saxbe. “That’s about twice the rate of either to reduce their risk of depression or to help Q Do I need treatment?
depression among other men.” them feel better when they become depressed: Self-care is essential, but
Why new dads—or moms, for that matter your depression may require
—become depressed remains incompletely Maintain your social life. Stay close to loved outside help, which may
understood, but Saxbe’s own research indicates ones. Strong friendships and family relation- include cognitive behavioral
that the most masculine of hormones—testoster- ships provide invaluable support as you adapt to therapy, an effective type of
one—plays a role. In a study published in 2017, your new role. talk therapy, and/or anti-
Saxbe reported that men with lower levels of depressant medication.
testosterone were more likely to have symptoms Stay active. Join a gym, play sports with
of depression, like feelings of helplessness, friends, or find some other way to work out Q How long will
troubled sleep, faded interest in work and in regularly. Exercise improves your mood and may this last?
activities they once liked, and a rise in irritability, help balance your hormone levels.
anxiety, and anger, to name just a few. That varies from man to
Saxbe says that men’s testosterone levels man, and, unfortunately,
Sleep. Tricky when you have a new baby, sleep
fluctuate over the course of pregnancy and postpartum depression
is nevertheless essential to your mental health.
during the postpartum period, and a drop can may raise your risk of more
Nap when the baby sleeps, catch up on week-
have some positive effects. Men with lower depression down the road.
ends, do whatever it takes to prevent or reduce a
testosterone levels are less aggressive and feel sleep deficit.
Q How might this affect
my family?
Your depression may boost
the likelihood that your chil-
dren will develop behavioral
and emotional problems as
early as age 4, especially if
mom’s depressed as well or
there’s parental conflict in
the home.
G ET T Y I M AG ES
14
W E B M D.C O MSearch for the slideshow 13
Living Ways to Get Rid of Your Period
Cramps at WebMD.com.
Business As Usual
FITNESS
SHOULD YOU SKIP WORKING OUT WHEN YOUR PERIOD COMES?
4 TIPS
NO WAY, SAYS OUR EXPERT. HERE’S WHY. EXERCISE IS GOOD FOR
YOU, EVEN DURING YOUR
BY K ara Mayer Robinson
PERIOD. TRY THESE TIPS
REVIEWED BY Brunilda Nazario, MD, WebMD Senior Medical Editor FROM SHERRY ROSS,
MD, TO MAKE IT AS
UGH, THESE CRAMPS MAKE ME WANT TO CURL UP time to try a new form of training, especially if SEAMLESS AS POSSIBLE.
1.
ON THE COUCH. IT’S BEST IF I SKIP THE GYM TODAY. it’s high-intensity). Yoga and Pilates are good GET COMFY
If this is you every 28 days or so, think again. choices when you have your period because Dress comfortably
Working out during your period can actually they give you more energy and minimize and keep it simple.
help you feel good. “Exercise is helpful for cramps and bloating, says Ross. “My other Pick fabrics like nylon,
spandex, and polyester,
many of those disruptive and annoying period favorites are brisk walking, jogging, swimming, which are comfy, non-
symptoms,” says Sherry Ross, MD, OB/GYN and the elliptical machine,” she says. absorbent, and flexible.
at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in
Santa Monica.
For starters, exercise eases mood swings,
Equip yourself
Hook yourself up with the right products. “Wearing 2. ADD BREATHING
EXERCISES
Do breathing exercises
lower back pain, and cramps. It can minimize a sanitary pad could be bulky and messy,” says Ross. before you work out. Not
bloating, water retention, weight gain, and Try a tampon or menstrual cup. If your flow is only will this ease you into
fatigue. “The feel-good and mood-boosting heavy, back it up with a thick panty liner. exercise, it can help with
endorphins and serotonin also help ease depres- Put in a new tampon before your workout anxiety, depression, and
sion, social withdrawal, and stress experienced emotional roadblocks.
and change it immediately after. No time for a
3.
during certain times of the month,” Ross says. post-workout shower? Apply a feminine vaginal TAKE CARE
wipe to the outside of your vagina to remove Make sure you’re well
Smart moves unwanted bacteria. hydrated before, during,
Unless you’re losing a lot of blood, feeling When you’re not working out, take ibuprofen and after your workout. If
dehydrated, dizzy, weak, depleted, or sick, it’s you have to stop midway
and apply a hot water bottle to your stomach. This
to change a tampon or
better to continue your routine and work out can soothe your cramps and headaches so you can sanitary napkin, do it.
rather than stay on the couch, says Ross. But get moving later.
you may need a few strategies to keep you
going when you’re not feeling up to snuff.
“Listen to your body,” says Ross. If you feel tired,
weak, nauseous, and dizzy, take a day off. But try 4. TUNE IN
Listen to your body.
Don’t pressure yourself or
If you have heavy bleeding and cramping, try to be active at least 30 to 45 minutes, four to seven
G ET T Y I M AG ES
overexert yourself. Lean
gentle, safe activities. Swap your high-octane times a week, she says—“It may be the best way in to your strengths and
gym workout for a long walk. Instead of rock to avoid physical and emotional upheaval” during weaknesses—and know
climbing, try yoga (and now probably isn’t the your period. when to say when.
15
W E B M D.C O MBEHIND THE SCIENCE
Beauty INSIDE OUT
Coconut
COCONUT OIL ISN’T JUST MAKING WAVES AS A GOOD-FOR-YOU FOOD.
SKIN CARE
The natural ingredient, made of fatty acids including bacteria-blocking linoleic
acid and moisture-boosting lauric acid, is also a beauty basic that works
Cure-All
wonders on most skin and hair types. “If you have very dry skin, use it on top of
a humectant to lock in hydration,” says Michelle Henry, MD, a New York City
dermatologist. However, use caution if you have an oily or sensitive complexion
as coconut oil can lead to blocked pores or irritation and, in some people, skin
TRY COCONUT OIL AS A FACE
allergies. Dandruff or flaky scalp got you down? Use the oil in the evening as
WASH, HAIR CONDITIONER, AND
G ET T Y I M AG ES
a hair treatment that you can leave in or rinse out, adds Rhonda Klein, MD, a
MUCH MORE
dermatologist in Westport, Connecticut. “Some people even swear by coconut
oil as a lubricant for shaving,” she adds. —AY R E N JAC KSO N - CA N N A DY
16
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h in
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W E B M D.C O M
17
W E B M D.C O MBeauty
Search for the article
Scars and Your Skin
at WebMD.com.
Scar
Q Can over-the-counter creams and treatments make a scar
DERM Q&A
look better?
KORMEILI There’s conflicting data about most products. There’s no
Treatments
concrete evidence that vitamins applied topically, like vitamin E or C,
can improve wound healing. Silicone sheets may help with wounds
that tend to get raised, but they do little for wounds that heal with
depression or icepick marks.
CONGRATULATIONS—YOU HAVE A SCAR. THAT’S A SIGN
YOUR BODY IS DOING WHAT IT’S SUPPOSED TO.
Q How do dermatologists treat scars?
KORMEILI No two scars are the same, so we use a variety of creams,
BUT TREATMENTS CAN HELP MINIMIZE ITS APPEARANCE.
injections, and lasers based on their appearance. I may use one
BY K ara Mayer Robinson type of laser to treat the redness, one type of laser to treat the white
REVIEWED BY Mohiba K. Tareen, MD, WebMD Medical Reviewer line, and inject it with PRP (platelet-rich plasma) or cortisone to
guide the healing process. For surgeries, we use the best sutures and
surgical techniques to minimize scarring. I use a protocol of creams
A SCAR IS YOUR BODY’S WAY OF HEALING A WOUND. It creates
for burns to guide the healing process.
new collagen to repair damaged tissue from an injury. But
because it’s different from collagen you were born with, it may Q What’s the newest innovation in treatment?
look and feel different. It may be raised, depressed, white, red, KORMEILI There’s a great deal of research for skin-care products
brown, pink, or silver. with peptides. Some peptides may help generate new collagen,
While a scar may be a good conversation starter—“I fell off my which helps wounds heal. Because most over-the-counter
bike when I was 5!”—sometimes it’s better not to have a reminder cosmetic products aren’t under FDA control, it’s hard to know
of what you’ve been through. We asked Tanya Kormeili, MD, a which have the best effect.
dermatologist in Santa Monica, California, to shed light on scars
Q When should I see a doctor?
and explain how to minimize their appearance.
KORMEILI When you have a medical issue with your skin or
Q What causes most scars? something isn’t healing, see a doctor. If you have acne, get med-
KORMEILI Scars are the direct result of injury to the skin, usu- ical treatment before it scars you. If you burn yourself, have a
ally down to at least the dermis, or second level. Surgery, burns, dermatologist help. Ask for surgical scar treatment after surgery.
or injuries from accidents can do that. Some types of acne, like It’s less expensive to get professional help early than to wait until
deep lesions, can also cause scarring. the damage is permanent to find a solution.
AN OUNCE OF PREVENTION
STOP A SCAR BEFORE HANDS OFF. Don’t pick KEEP IT CLEAN. Take good COVER UP. Keep your GET HELP. If your scar isn’t
G ET T Y I M AG ES
IT SETTLES IN WITH at your scabs or acne. care of your injury. If you scar covered to boost the healing well, get profes-
THESE TIPS FROM Nail marks and repeated don’t keep the area clean, healing process. Avoid sional help. A dermatologist
DERMATOLOGIST trauma can cause it may become infected. exposing a fresh scar to will take a look to see what
TANYA KORMEILI, MD. more scarring. the sun. it needs to get better.
18
W E B M D.C O MBeauty Sign up for the Skin & Beauty
Newsletter at WebMD.com.
also reduces shine and helps the pores Mask, $45, to quench dehydrated EXPERT PICK: Bae likes the AHAs packed
look smaller. skin. “The second ingredient is sodium in the Aveeno Positively Radiant
hyaluronic, a derivative of hyaluronic MaxGlow Peel Off Exfoliating Face
EXPERT PICK: Dobos likes Glamglow acid—a humectant that can hold 1,000 Mask, $10.
Supermud Clearing Treatment, $59. times its weight in water and draw mois-
It contains a blend of kaolin clay and ture into the skin.” SKIN COMPLAINT: SENSITIVITY AND
exfoliating alpha and beta hydroxy acids IRRITATION
to keep pores clear and soften skin. SKIN COMPLAINT: DULLNESS Ingredients to look for: anti-
Ingredients to look for: alpha hydroxy inflammatory agents
SKIN COMPLAINT: DRYNESS acids, vitamin C
Ingredients to look for: hyaluronic acid, Masks packed with soothing ingredients
glycerin A layer of dulling skin cells can cause a can help calm irritation and redness as
lackluster complexion, so the gentle exfo- long as you opt for mild, gentle formulas.
“Masks in general are especially good at liating benefits of alpha hydroxy acids “Masks can be great after certain laser
hydrating,” Dobos says. “And sheet masks (AHAs) like glycolic, lactic, and citric procedures,” Bae says. “The hydrating
are especially efficient at moisturizing. They acids can slough away the surface cells and cooling benefits can help heal the
increase the amount of time hydrating ingre- and reveal fresher skin, explains Yoon- skin after a procedure.”
dients come into contact with your skin—the Soo Cindy Bae, MD, a board-certified Celebrity facialist Joanna Vargas
fibers have an occlusive quality and hold dermatologist in New York City and a says one of the best options comes
moisture in longer.” Another perk of hydrating clinical assistant professor of dermatol- straight from the kitchen. She mixes
masks is that they help plump fine lines, Jacob ogy at the New York University School of 2 tablespoons oatmeal, 1 tablespoon
says, so they have an anti-aging effect. Medicine. She also suggests looking for honey, 1 tablespoon Greek yogurt, and
vitamin C as an ingredient because it will 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar as a
EXPERT PICK: Dobos recommends Glow affect the production of melanin to help natural anti-inflammatory remedy for
Recipe Watermelon Glow Sleeping brighten and even skin pigmentation. any skin type.
Continued on page 21
Behind the Mask
THE SCOOP
BEAUT Y SMARTS
BROW-ZING
WHEN IT COMES TO SHAPING UP YOUR BROWS, YOU HAVE PLENTY OF OPTIONS.
HERE’S YOUR CHEAT SHEET TO FINDING THE BEST FACIAL MASK FOR YOUR SKIN CONCERNS—
HERE’S HOW TO FIND THE BEST ONE FOR YOU.
STRAIGHT FROM THE PROS
WAXING TWEEZING THREADING MICROBLADING
BY L iesa Goins REVIEWED BY Mohiba K. Tareen, MD, WebMD Medical Reviewer
Pros: In a hurry? This Pros: For a straight Pros: Threading, Pros: Microblading,
is the quickest way to and crisp brow line, in which a string is which is essentially
clean up your brows. tweezing is the way used to pull out facial a semi-permanent
ONCE A BEHIND-CLOSED-DOORS The attention masks are getting may how to find the right option for you based “You’re able to remove to go. Tweezers can hairs individually or tattoo, helps fill in
BEAUTY RITUAL, masking has be new, but they’ve been an essential part on your concern. Where you decide to wear a good amount of hair grasp thick or thin in small groups, can any brow holes or
become something that celebrities, of a skin-care regimen since selfies have your mask, though, is totally up to you. all at once, and it comes hairs with unrivaled be just as precise gaps. “This method,
including Bella Hadid and Lady had hieroglyphics for captions. “Although out from the root,” says precision. as tweezing if done which lasts six
celebrity brow artist correctly. It’s also months to one year,
Gaga, broadcast on social media— masks have been around for centuries, SKIN COMPLAINT: OILINESS AND and expert Giselle Soto. Cons: Tweezing can one of the most is great if you’re an
and even wear during flights. manufacturers have now developed newer BREAKOUTS be tedious as you affordable options ‘on the go’ person
“I think masks have become so technologies and newer skin-care ingredi- Ingredient to look for: Kaolin clay Cons: Waxing may can only tweeze for brow shaping. because you won’t
popular because in today’s world it’s ents, so patients are finding that masks can cause redness—and one hair at a time. need to worry about
all about instant gratification and be an effective way to deliver ingredients to “Clay masks are good for anyone who has sometimes swelling— Therefore, if you self- Cons: On top of being taking an extra 20 to
depending on the tweeze, you may find one of the most 25 minutes filling in
self-care,” says Carolyn Jacob, MD, the skin,” says Rajani Katta, MD, a derma- acne concerns or oily skin because kaolin sensitivity of your yourself shaping your painful options for your eyebrows with
a dermatologist in Chicago and tologist in Houston and a clinical professor absorbs sebum from the skin,” says Kelly skin. Unfortunately, eyebrows in the mirror brow grooming, a makeup,” says Soto.
an associate clinical instructor at of dermatology at the University of Texas Dobos, a cosmetics chemist in Cleveland. waxing isn’t an option for nearly an hour. license or certification
Northwestern School of Medicine. McGovern Medical School in Houston. “Sebum plugs up pores and is the food for for any individual is not required to Cons: Results vary
“In as little as 10 minutes we can “Plus, they’re just fun to use.” bacteria, which cause the inflammation who uses doctor do threading. by skin type. Risks
prescribed skin include potential scar
G ET T Y I M AG ES
feel like we are doing something With their popularity comes an over- and destruction of the follicle in acne and tissue and future
medications or over-
good for ourselves while getting whelming array of choices. Since there are acne scarring,” Jacob adds. So targeting the-counter products follicle damage.
the satisfaction of doing something so many formulas designed to treat just sebum at the source helps stop the cycle of such as Accutane,
good for our skin.” about any skin complaint, we asked experts breakouts. Plus, absorbing oil from the skin Retin-A, or a retinol.
19 20
W E B M D.C O M W E B M D.C O MBeauty
Continued from page 20
AISLE DO
NO MATTER YOUR SKIN GOALS, YOU ALWAYS
NEED TO FOLLOW DIRECTIONS. CUTICLE
CARE
EXPERT PICK: Jacob says the thermal BOTTOM LINE TO SCORE A PRO MANICURE AT
HOME, START BY SPRUCING UP YOUR
spring water in the Avène Soothing No matter your skin goals, you always
CUTICLES. TAKE YOUR NAILS FROM
Sheet Mask, $9.50, is a soothing staple need to follow directions, Katta says: “EH” TO EXTRA SPECIAL WITH THESE
for softening and calming skin. “While masks can help increase the EXPERT-APPROVED PRODUCTS.
Since most of us have some combination penetration of active ingredients into
of skin complaints, Dobos suggests a the skin, that means that if they’re not
multi-masking strategy—applying mask used correctly they can also increase your PRODUCT PICK
formulas targeted to different zones of risk of irritation and redness.” Take note SPA RITUAL
the skin. So apply a hydrating mask to of instructions on how long to leave the CUTI-CLEAN ($17)
the cheeks that tend to be drier and a clay mask on and how to remove it to ensure “This makes the skin soft
and easy to push, and it
mask to the oilier areas of the nose and you’ll have skin you’ll want to show off
also helps with any staining
chin, for example. once you are unmasked. on the nail plate. Bonus:
Spa Ritual is vegan, so
everything is super natural.”
Kimmie Kyees manicurist,
St. Petersburg, Florida
DIRTY SECRET
“I don’t wash my pillowcases frequently. How bad is that?”
PRODUCT PICK
WELEDA SKIN FOOD
HAND CREAM ($13)
“Rich and beeswax-based,
this is a great product for
the driest areas of skin like
hands, feet, elbows, and
knees. It’s thick but glides
on perfectly and just works.
Plus, it smells divine.”
Erica Marton
celebrity manicurist,
St. Petersburg, Florida
PRODUCT PICK
AGING FACTORS FRESH FACE VASELINE JELLY ($4)
“I believe four factors aside from genetics “Washing your face morning and night can help ”This really is one of the
contribute to unwanted aging changes—pollution, combat the issues connected to pillowcase best moisturizers money
irritants, light, and climate. Pillowcases collect debris. Before bed, make sure your skin is free can buy, and it keeps the
irritating dust mites and other pollution particles of makeup and dirt from your environment and skin barrier healthy. It
in the air, two factors linked to signs of aging. Plus, do a gentle cleanse first thing when you wake also doubles as a wound
up to ensure you’re removing any residue from healer for scrapes on the
multiple studies show that pollution particles are a
your pillowcase.” go and is an amazing
major cause of wrinkles and age spots.“
cuticle softener.”
Mona Gohara, MD
FLIP AND SWAP LINEN LINEUP associate clinical professor of
“I suggest turning over your pillowcase every “Some people may develop red pimples due to dermatology, Yale University
other day and using a new one every fourth day. irritation from bed linens. In this case, consider
Washing in a detergent that helps remove dust switching to a 400-thread count cotton, sateen,
G ET T Y I M AG ES
mites is also key. I like All Free Clear because it or silk case to prevent friction that can irritate
doesn’t contain irritating dyes or fragrances.” these breakouts.” THE OPINIONS EXPRESSED IN THIS SECTION ARE OF
THE EXPERTS AND ARE NOT THE OPINIONS OF WEBMD.
WEBMD DOES NOT ENDORSE ANY SPECIFIC PRODUCT,
—Loretta Ciraldo, MD, dermatologist, Miami SERVICE, OR TREATMENT.
21
W E B M D.C O MH E A LT H Y T O G E T H E R
Fa m i l y SMARTER LIVING
Quality
HARVARD RESEARCHERS ASKED NEARLY 4,000 MIDDLE-AGE ADULTS TO
R E L AT I O N S H I P S
ASSESS AND SCORE THEIR CHILDHOOD RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEIR
PARENTS—did they spend quality time with you? Were they there for
Time
you when you needed them? Did they understand your worries and
problems? Did they teach you about life? Then they evaluated how well
the adults felt they were doing in their own lives. They learned that
depression and substance abuse occurred much less frequently among
PROVIDE YOUR CHILDREN WITH WARMTH adults whose parents had been more loving, affectionate, supportive,
G ET T Y I M AG ES
AND ATTENTION TO HELP THEM and communicative. In fact, their children grew up much more likely
FLOURISH THROUGHOUT THEIR LIVES to thrive emotionally, psychologically, and socially. The lesson: Spend
quality time with your children now, and, this research reveals, they will
continue to benefit long after they leave your nest. — M AT T M c M I L L E N
22
W E B M D.C O MFa m i l y
Search for the slideshow
Looking and Feeling Your
Breaking Bad
Best During Pregnancy at
WebMD.com.
PREGNANCY
THESE FIVE BAD HABITS COULD THREATEN YOUR PREGNANCY AND UNDERMINE YOUR
BABY’S FUTURE HEALTH—HERE’S HOW TO BREAK THEM
BY Stephanie Watson REVIEWED BY Nivin C.S. Todd, MD, WebMD Medical Reviewer
BAD HABITS ARE HARD TO BREAK, BUT PREGNANCY IS A Pregnant women need just 200 to 300 extra
POWERFUL MOTIVATOR. These five behaviors pose risks calories per day. Too much weight gain can lead BY THE
to your baby—and you. to high blood pressure, gestational diabetes, NUMBERS
25
and a larger than normal baby. It also increases
Smoking your child’s risk of being overweight or obese
Smoking is unhealthy at any stage of life, but in adulthood.
especially when you’re breathing for two. This bad “Women should track their own weight during
habit has been linked to miscarriage, birth defects, pregnancy to make sure they’re not excessively
to
35
and premature birth. gaining,” says Wendy Bennett, MD, associate
Pregnant women are “incredibly good at quitting”
POUNDS
professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins Medicine.
because they’re so motivated, says Michelle Moniz, Adjust your diet and exercise as needed to keep
MD, assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology weight gain under control.
at the University of Michigan. Counseling, group
therapy, and medications can help you stop. Bingeing on sugar How much women
Smoking pot is risky, too. Marijuana and other You and your baby need sugar (glucose) for should gain if they
street drugs (like heroin and ecstasy) can contribute fuel. Yet eating too much sugar—or starchy started their pregnancy
to miscarriage, stillbirth, birth defects, and a host of foods like bread and pasta that your body turns at a healthy weight.
other pregnancy complications. into sugar—contributes to weight gain and Those who start out
overweight should
gestational diabetes.
gain less, about 15 to
Drinking alcohol Moms with gestational diabetes deliver large 25 pounds.
Each drink you consume travels through the umbilical babies who have a higher risk for type 2 diabetes
46%
cord to your baby. In large amounts, alcohol can cause when they grow up. Talk to a dietitian if you’re
a collection of physical and intellectual disabilities concerned about your pregnancy diet.
known as fetal alcohol spectrum disorders.
You might have heard European women enjoy the Being a couch potato
occasional glass of wine during pregnancy, but Moniz Your larger size is no reason to stop moving. In Percentage of smokers
cautions that any alcohol is a bad idea. fact, exercise helps you stay at a healthy weight and who quit just before or
“There is no known safe amount of alcohol in relieves pregnancy symptoms like constipation and during their pregnancy.
pregnancy,” she says. Ideally, cut back even earlier, back pain.
150
before you are trying to conceive. Staying in shape can also make labor less laborious.
“Exercise is one way to prepare your body, and your
Overeating baby, for the process,” Moniz says. Just avoid lying
Pregnancy never justifies calorie overload. “You on your back late in pregnancy and engaging in
might be eating for two, but one of you is the size of a activities—like horseback riding or contact sports— How many minutes
gummy bear,” Moniz says. that could lead to a fall or other injury. of moderate-intensity
exercise pregnant
women need
each week.
87%
Percentage of women
who drank alcohol before
their pregnancy but
G ET T Y I M AG ES
stopped drinking once
they were pregnant.Fa m i l y
Don’t Walk
BABY
DESPITE WARNINGS AGAINST BABY WALKERS, SOME FAMILIES STILL USE THEM.
HERE’S A LOOK AT WHY THEY’RE DANGEROUS.
Search for the article
BY Erin O’Donnell REVIEWED BY Hansa Bhargava, MD, WebMD Senior Medical Editor Baby Safety at
WebMD.com.
4 TIPS
PARENTS MAY BE
TEMPTED TO PURCHASE
BABY WALKERS “TO
KEEP THEIR CHILDREN
CHALLENGED, HAPPY,
AND ENGAGED,” SAYS
GARY A. SMITH, MD,
DrPH. HERE ARE BETTER
WAYS TO KEEP YOUR
LITTLE ONE OCCUPIED
AND INJURY-FREE.
1. TUMMY
TIME
Smith is a fan of placing
your infant on her belly on
the floor for short periods.
This gives her practice
lifting her head, rolling
over, pushing up on her
IT SEEMS LIKE A FUN IDEA: Sitting your infant Product Safety Commission (CPSC) led compa- hands and knees, and
even starting to crawl.
in a baby walker to give him a new way to scoot nies to make wheeled walkers wider than typical
2.
around your home. But a recent study found doorways, or to manufacture them with a brake STATIONARY
that an estimated 2,000 babies visit emergency that halts the wheels if they drop over the edge ACTIVITY CENTERS
rooms each year with walker-related injuries— of a step. The CPSC added stricter standards These toys are usually
often to the head and neck—after toppling in 2010, preventing companies from importing shaped like traditional
baby walkers but lack
down stairs. walkers without those safety features. wheels and keep your
Even when they’re on level ground, walk- Although these rules reduced the number of infant in one spot. The
ers allow young babies to reach hot stoves, injuries, babies are still getting hurt. “The thing seats often swivel or allow
steaming mugs of coffee, appliance cords, and that gets my attention is that there’s a very high baby to bounce around.
poisons, or to fall into pools before they fully proportion of really severe injuries,” Smith says.
understand these dangers, explains Gary A.
Smith, MD, DrPH, director of the Center for
These include skull fractures, concussions, and
burns to the head and neck. Strong babies can
3. PLAYPENS
To keep baby
contained for a little
Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide override the brake to push themselves down while, consider a playpen
Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, who stairs, and walkers zip around at lightning (sometimes called a
“play yard”). Never leave
led the study on walker injuries. speed. “A child can move up to four feet a sec- baby in a mesh-sided
“The device is inherently dangerous by ond in a mobile baby walker,” says Smith. playpen with the side
design, and for that reason simply shouldn’t Smith acknowledges that well-meaning lowered, though. And if
be on the market,” Smith says. The American parents use walkers because they want to keep the playpen has a raised
changing table insert,
Academy of Pediatrics has called for a ban their infants stimulated and entertained. They
remove it before putting
on the manufacture and sale of baby walkers, believe babies will be safe if they just super- baby in to play.
which are still sold in the U.S. vise them closely. (They might also think that
Smith’s research does reveal some good
news—the number of walker-related injuries
walkers will help babies learn to walk, which
is untrue, he adds.) But Smith says he has met 4. HIGH
CHAIRS
Need to keep baby busy
has declined dramatically since 1990, when attentive, conscientious parents who were while you make dinner?
more than 20,000 children visited emergency stunned by their child’s walker accident. “It The American Academy
G ET T Y I M AG ES
rooms due to walkers. In the following decade, doesn’t matter if you’re standing right there,” of Pediatrics suggests
companies began making stationary activity he says. “Kids are going to move so quickly strapping older babies into
a high chair to play with
centers without wheels. And voluntary federal that you don’t have time to react before they’re
toys placed on the tray.
standards established in 1997 by the Consumer down the stairs.”
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