Three-quarters of middle schools have vending machines where snacks and sugared drinks are sold, a new study finds. The research demonstrates that there are vending machines in most middle schools, and “that those vending machines don’t always have the healthiest choices,” said study author Amy Virus, a registered dietitian with the Center for Obesity Research and Education at Temple University in Philadelphia.

My Take?

Parents, do you suffer from fever phobia? Have you ever:

• Awakened a sleeping child to take his or her temperature?

• Chased down a running, giggling but slightly feverish child with a dose of Tylenol?

• Forced a whimpering, shivering, miserable child to endure a sponge bath?

If you answered yes to those questions, you may have fever phobia – a common malady, first named by exasperated physicians who care for children back in the 1980s. 

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Go online to find cheaper contact lenses? Use a dental school for anything you need done to your teeth? Negotiate with doctors and hospitals if the bill is too high? These are just a few of six great ideas on how to save money on drugs and doctors.

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WebMD Health News is reporting that mMore Americans are getting flu shots – but still far too few, the CDC reports. So, when are you planning to get yours? And, if not, why not?

My Take?

ABC News is reporting, that with flu season less than a month away, it isn’t too soon to take steps to protect yourself from influenza. And, since the flu can knock you out for a couple of weeks, catching it can be a setback. Simply watching out for co-workers who have it probably won’t be enough, as they can contract the flu and pass it along well before symptoms show up.

My Take?

Lots of youngsters on your street? Watch out: Flu may strike your community sooner and harder than it hits the hip singles neighborhood down the road. Flu-shot season begins this month, and for the first time vaccination is being pushed for virtually all children — not just those under 5.

My Take?

Now, the argument should be over. This study effectively puts the nail in the coffin to the now disproven theory that the MMR vaccine is associated with or causes autism. Period.

My Take?

Reuters Health is reporting that most parents find it acceptable to be told about their child’s weight status, and the feedback has “minimal” adverse effects for most families, according to researchers from the UK.

My Take?

Here’s one simple way to keep your children healthy: Ban the TV in their bedroom.

My Take?

The market for baby-brain DVDs – titles like “Baby Einstein,” “Brainy Baby” and others that make up what’s been called the “Baby Genius Edutainment Complex” – is huge. Parents spend hundreds of millions every year on videos that are marketed as giving tots a leg up in the IQ. Should they?

My Take?

Baby sign language sounds ludicrous to many adults, especially young adults, at least before they have babies. But, when they have kids, it sounds much more reasonable to them. When you first hear about baby sign language, like me, you’re likely to say, “That’s completely insane. Why would you teach a baby who can hopefully hear perfectly well how to speak sign language?” 

My Take?

Reuters Health has a story about a new study showing that parents who want their preschoolers to eat their fruits and vegetables should probably practice what they preach. In a study of more than 1,300 families, researchers found that when parents boosted their own consumption of fruits and vegetables, so did their young children.

My Take?