Spreading awareness in the hope of creating a better world for our children’s future…

December 1 is World AIDS Day.

When I was a student studying about AIDS, I remember watching a documentary about it.  Although it had been around for quite a while, it was only being discovered in the west in the 1980s.  When it first presented, the doctors were stumped.  They were observing young males with lesions from a variety of conditions that normally affect immunocompromised individuals.  Doctors were returning to their medical text books looking in vain for a diagnosis.

Because AIDS was first seen in gay men, it became a stigma that only gay men were susceptible to AIDS.  By the time I learned about AIDS in the late 1990s, AIDS had become more common in heterosexuals than it was in homosexuals, but still the stigma existed among gay men.  Even the signs and symptoms that identified AIDS in the 1980s were no longer the same by the late 1990s.

It isn’t AIDS that kills an individual.  From what I remember learning at the time, what AIDS does is that it compromises an individual’s immunity and leaves them defenseless against normal, everyday infections that don’t normally affect a healthy individual - at least, not in a life-threatening manner.  For instance, a person with AIDS can die from catching the common cold.

It’s funny because I have a very distinct memory of watching a documentary about AIDS which described how the virus affected a patient’s immune system and it went something along the lines of this:

In a normal infection, the body attempts to purge the virus or bacteria by producing antibodies.  Antibodies are made specifically to a specific virus or bacteria and no other.  It is almost like a lock and key system, where the antibodies are the key that fit into the lock of the bacteria.  The unique and deadly thing about HIV is that it keeps changing the locks so the antibodies that the body makes are no longer effective against it.  Then the body makes new antibodies to fit the new lock but by that time, the virus has already changed shape again and the new antibodies don’t work.  The body continually makes antibodies until it is exhausted. 

But the newer literature states that HIV specifically attacks important cells in an individual’s immune system that are important for protecting the body against infections - such as helper T cells, macrophages and the dendritic cells. 

The management for HIV has always been prevention and treatment.  The idea for a cure had long been given up on until a recent bone marrow transplant patient was “cured” of HIV.  Although the “cure” is not conclusive and may not be a viable option for HIV patients currently, it does appear to be a promising light at the end of a rather dim tunnel.

Click here for more information about the World Aids Campaign.

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Another reason why I’m glad I breastfeed Gavin…

Last month, Canada took the plunge and banned baby bottles made with bisphenol A:

“The Government of Canada led by Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper, newly re-elected last week, will immediately draft the world’s first regulations to prohibit the importation, sale and advertising of plastic baby bottles that contain the chemical bisphenol A.”

Considering that all the major baby bottle makers (Avent, The First Years, Dr Brown’s, Evenflo, Gerber and Playtex) have all been found to leach bisphenol A in quantities deemed harmful, I think this ban has had an enormous effect on the industry of baby bottles.  Incidentally, Dr Brown’s was shown to be the worst of the lot.  Here is a summary of the findings:

• Popular brands Avent, Disney/The First Years, Dr. Brown’s, Evenflo, Gerber, and Playtex market baby bottles that leach bisphenol A when heated;
• The laboratory tests detected between 5-8 ng/ml (parts per billion) bisphenol A leached from all bottles when heated;
• Based on over 150 peer-reviewed journal articles on bisphenol A, we conclude that the amount leaching from heated bottles is within the range shown to cause harm in animal studies and is therefore a health concern for infants;
• Dr. Brown’s brand bottles had the overall highest levels of bisphenol A leaching, while Avent brand bottles had the overall lowest levels of leaching in U.S. bottles; Canadian results differ. The levels of bisphenol A leaching increased dramatically when the bottles were heated, with highest concentrations reported from Dr. Brown’s brand bottles. These findings are significant as baby bottles are often heated, and/or very warm liquids are poured into bottles;
• Heating bottles to 80°C provides evidence of leaching when bottles are heated; heating to 80°C has been found to simulate 60–100 bottle washings and normal wear and use conditions;

What’s the issue with bisphenol A in baby bottles?

“BPA, a synthetic sex hormone that mimics estrogen, is used to make hard polycarbonate plastic. Ninety-five percent of all baby bottles on the market are made with bisphenol A. The results of the U.S. study show that, when new bottles are heated, those manufactured by Avent, Evenflo, Dr. Brown’s and Disney/First Years leached between 4.7 – 8.3 parts per billion of bisphenol A. Recent research on animals shows that bisphenol A can be harmful by disrupting development at doses below these levels.”

Bisphenol A has been found to affect future fertility of infants, cause behavioural problems, and increases risk of developing breast and prostate cancer later in life.

If you search online, you will still find a lot of reassurance that although bottles made with bisphenol A do leach, they are safe to use.  Naturally manufacturers of bisphenol A products, e.g. Tupperware, have issued statements reassuring the safety of their products, including those containing bishenol A (although it should be added that not all Tupperware products contain bisphenol A).  Even the FDA has concluded that the “trace amounts of bisphenol A leaching from bottles is not a threat to infants or adults”.

All the same, whenever there is controversy over the safety of a product, I believe it is always best to err on the side of caution.  Earlier this year, I switched the plastic bottles I was using to store Gavin’s water to the stainless steel Klean Kanteen bottles recommended to me by my BFF.  Ironically, I was still drinking from polycarbonate bottles myself up until yesterday, although I wouldn’t let Gavin have any water from it.  It was only when I read about the possible linkage to birth defects and miscarriages that I really sat up and took notice about drinking from polycarbonate bottles myself.

So what are the options if you can’t use plastic bottles?

Ideal Bite recommends Biter Bottles, Sigg (aluminum), Klean Kanteen (stainless steel), Nalgene made from HDPE, or glass bottles insulated with neoprene bottle totes (which provide some protection against possible breakage).  You can find these brands on Reusablebags.com and Nubius Organics.  I can’t say I’ve seen glass bottles being sold these days but VOSS retails their water in reusable glass bottles, although I don’t know how much one bottle of this designer water costs.

Although I use Klean Kanteen for Gavin, one of the downsides to this bottle is that it is heavy.  Hubby used to grumble about Gavin’s go-bag being very heavy and I’ve realised that the bottle contributes significantly to the added weight.  A lighter alternative is an aluminum bottle, like those made by Sigg. 

One of the things to be aware of with aluminum bottles is that aluminum is neurotoxic so most of the bottles made with it have an internal coating to prevent contact between the liquids and the aluminum.  Sigg bottles are coated with a water-based liner that is not affected by dents in the bottle, acidic beverages or carbonated drinks. 

The only problem with the metal bottles is that they cannot carry hot liquids as the container becomes too hot to hold.  Although they do have thermal insulated models which you can use if you need to carry hot liquids.  Alternatively, Nalgene HDPE claims to have a wide temperature tolerance so these are also a good alternative.

As for baby bottle alternatives, you can look at Born Free, Green to Grow, ThinkBaby on Nubius Organics which are all free from bisphenol A.

Update (29/11/08):  Dr Brown’s do have glass bottles and bottles that are free from bisphenol A as mentioned by Steve in the comments below.

For a more comprehensive list of baby and children’s bottles that are free from bisphenol A, please visit Safe Mama.

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Mobile phones may be the cigarettes of our children’s generation.  As a child, I grew up in a smoke-filled house.  I’m also pretty sure that my Dad smoked while my mother was pregnant with me.  Back then, they didn’t know the effects of smoking on the health of an unborn child or to that of children.  Although I do recall seeing anti-smoking advertisements on TV from an age as early as three or four years old, the negative effects of smoking were slow to sink into my childish brain.

Now, we know better.  We don’t smoke in front of our kids.  Some parents have the sense and ability to quit smoking altogether for the sake of the children.  We avoid smokey places and we elect to sit in the non-smoking sections of the restaurants we eat in.  Smoking, although it still occurs, is now a widely accepted threat to children and a danger we strive to protect our children from - whatever the cost.

In recent years, the boom of mobile phones, portable computers, and other wireless electronics has increased exponentially.  Although the negative effects of the radiation from these devices to adults have been quite controversial, the effects of the radiation causing cancer in children is beginning to raise the alarm bells.  Because children’s brains and nervous systems are still developing, their heads are smaller and their skulls thinner, the radiation penetrates deeper into their brains.  The danger diminishes beyond the age of 20.

It was recommended that children use mobile phones and cordless devices only in emergencies.  They also recommended the use of headsets and a focus on texting (SMS) rather than calling.  With Wifi-enabled computers, they recommended that children use desktops where the transmitter is further away (some 20cm) and the radiation levels only about 1% that of a mobile phone, rather than laptops which are usually placed on the lap (where the transmitter is 2cm away) where the radiation levels are roughly equivalent to that of a mobile phone.

Looks like good old fashion is the way to go…

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Contrary to what you might have thought, this post isn’t about potential nut allergies with Nutella - which is one of the reasons why some parents avoid feeding their children Nutella.  Unfortunately, Nutella contains something else that is equally damaging not only to children but to adults as well - trans fats.

A recent comment to this blog has prompted me to do a little more research on the negative effects of trans-fats/partially hydrogenated oils.  Being a regular consumer of peanut butter and Nutella (and also feeding Gavin this stuff), I realise this is something I really needed to look into because many peanut butter formulations contain partially hydrogenated oils and Nutella contains dangerously high levels of trans-fats.  My BFF also wisened me up on this topic some time back when I mentioned that Gavin was into peanut butter by suggesting I look for organic peanut butter that did not use hydrogenated oils.

I have heard about trans-fats and the recommendations to eliminate it from our diet, or at the very least, reduce consumption of it, but I confess I haven’t exactly done very much about it.

What are trans-fats?

Trans-fats occur naturally and in small amounts in some dairy products and meat.  It can be manufactured artificially through partial hydrogenation of oils. 

What’s bad about trans-fats?

Trans-fats has been linked with a significantly increased risk of coronary heart disease; it lowers good cholesterol (HDL) and increases bad cholesterol (LDL).  It is believed to be even worse than saturated fats.

Looks like my recent decision to purchase a multi-functional blender capable of producing nut butters (demonstrated in the video below) as part of a move towards healthier living was a good plan. 

With all the food scares we keep reading in the news, I think the sooner we start incorporating whole foods into our diet, the better.

For more information on Trans-fats and healthier living, this is a great article: Revealing Trans Fats.  Part of the recommendation to reduce childhood obesity and the dangers it ensues is to reduce trans fats consumption - especially from the diets of our children.

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I took Gavin to see the doctor today to get his final injection - the MMR booster shot.  Thankfully, this is the last injection he will have until he starts going to school.  It is worth noting that the MMR booster shot has a 5% incidence of fever in the first 24 hours which can be managed with paracetamol.

At 19 months, Gavin’s memory serves him too well.  As a result, his cooperation in the doctor’s office was extremely poor today.  Although he was quite cheerful and happy in the waiting room, his disposition crumbled within a minute of entering the doctor’s office.  We couldn’t weigh him and the doctor didn’t even bother trying to measure his height or head circumference.  Since Gavin looked healthy and well, I guess he didn’t think it too important to get the measurements. 

Dr Lam figured it was better to get everything over and done with since Gavin was already howling and wailing, screaming to get out of the office well before the needle had come out of the cupboard.  Unfortunately, nothing could distract Gavin this time.  Not even his Thomas and Friends trains could keep him happy.  I made an animal balloon for him and it didn’t cheer him up.  Even the promise of ice cream (incidentally, there is now a Baskin Robbins outlet opposite Starbucks in Pantai Medical Center) had no effect. 

I did eventually discover a trick that brought the smiles and laughs back - pumping up one of the animal balloons, then letting Gavin pull the balloon off the pump and exclaiming in surprise when all the air escaped.  Gavin was so tickled by this trick that he kept laughing and squealing, “More, more, more!”  We only discovered the trick while we were waiting to pay for the appointment, so I’m not sure if it would have worked as well inside the doctor’s office, though.

I had originally wanted to check a couple of points with the doctor before the injection, knowing Gavin would be upset and wailing to leave the room after the injection was done.  Unfortunately, the wailing began even before he knew he was getting an injection so it didn’t matter whether I spoke to the doctor before or after the jab. 

With Gavin making a regular habit of spitting out food, and, occasionally, choking on it, we wanted to confirm that there was no problem with his swallowing abilities.  Although I couldn’t really hear the doctor above the distracting wails coming from Gavin, I did managed to catch this much - if a child has problems swallowing, you would notice him drooling excessively.  Since this is not the case with Gavin (also because he is thriving too well to be having swallowing problems), we can safely assume that he spits his food out because the taste doesn’t agree with him.

The other question my SIL posed was the fact that Gavin would often stand very close to the TV when it is on.  Apparently, there was an article in the papers recently that said that one of the signs that a child has trouble with his eyesight is the habit of watching TV up close.  Although Gavin occasionally walks up to the TV, I don’t think it is at all related to eyesight problems - at least, not yet.  Since hubby is long-sighted and I am short-sighted, it is very likely that Gavin may be genetically predisposed to either long- or short-sightedness.

If you are concerned about your toddler’s eyes, you can see an eye specialist to get it checked.  Dr Lam recommends going to see a paediatric eye specialist - I never knew they got so specialised.  In Kuala Lumpur, there are two.  Again, I didn’t catch the full details because I had to listen above a wailing Gavin, but I caught this much: one is located in Megah Medical Specialist Center and the other is located in Midvalley Center Point.

Poor Gavin…  At least this is the last time we’ll have to traumatise him with injections until he’s old enough to understand why he needs to have them.

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The king of fruits, the Durian has often been known as the fruit that “tastes like heaven and smells like hell”.  A rich source of vitamin B and C, the durian also contains fiber.  It is also believed to be a good food source for pregnant women, although I’m not too sure why.  At any rate, since I enjoyed eating this fruit, I didn’t really question the merits of eating it while pregnant.  Perhaps it was because I didn’t want the hubby to discover a reason why I shouldn’t eat the fruit since he can’t stand the smell of it.

They say that babies can develop a taste preference even while in the womb because they can taste flavours from the foods their mothers eat.  Since I consumed considerable quantities of durian during my pregnancy, I had a strong suspicion that Gavin might like durians.

Recently, my FIL bought some durians home and we tested my hypothesis.  It would appear in this instance that Gavin has again demonstrated his genetic similarities to Daddy because he rejected the durian after the first taste (much to Daddy’s relief since it now means that Mummy is the only one who likes durians so he won’t have to tolerate it in our house once we move into our new place).

Well, my MIL hasn’t given up her quest to educate Gavin in the art of durian consumption so I guess you can watch this space…

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While on holiday at Tanjong Jara, I discovered a remedy for mosquito bites that I never knew was so effective.  Okay, okay, so say that I discovered it is incorrect.  It was one of the hubby’s teachers from school who told it to him first, although my cousin did tell me a long time ago that she found this rather effective against mosquito bites.

So what is it?

Toothpaste.

Yup.  It really works.  And fast, too!  I had a couple of bites, too, so I tried it on myself.

According to the hubby’s teacher it’s got to do with the fact that toothpaste is alkaline and it helps to neutralise the acidity of the bite and that helps to stop the itch.  I was trying to verify this information and based on a writer on eHow it is due to the fluoride in toothpaste that acts as an antihistamine which takes away the itch. 

So does that mean that if I use a non-fluoridated toothpaste, it won’t work?  Interesting… I’ll have to test out this hypothesis.

Nevertheless, I thought this was a good remedy to pass on, especially for anyone who’s got a toddler with an itchy mosquito bite. 

When Gavin was a baby, he never seem to be bothered by the itchiness from the mosquito bites he received - or perhaps it did bother him but he just never had the manual dexterity to scratch at them.  Now that he’s a toddler, they bother him to no end and sometimes he’ll wake up in the middle of the night crying because he’s so itchy. 

When the hubby was hunting around for a balm to soothe the bites at Tanjong Jara, he discovered that most of the usual ointments we use (Mopiko and Tiger Balm) aren’t suitable for children aged below two.  In fact, they’re potentially very dangerous because they can cause fits (or so the MSDS sheets say). 

So there you go… the next time your toddler is fussing over an itchy mosquito bite, you already have a simple remedy on hand.

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