The 1992 "Back to Sleep" campaign by the American Academy of Pediatrics, aimed at preventing sudden infant death syndrome in infants, has been highly successful. It convinced parents of the vital importance of putting newborns and infants to sleep on their backs.
But that position is for when they're sleeping and unsupervised, says the American Physical Therapy Assn. A national survey of 400 pediatric physical and occupational therapists by the children's health advocacy group Pathways Awareness found that two-thirds of therapists reported increases in motor delays in infants who spend too much time on their backs.
"We have seen first-hand what the lack of tummy time can mean for a baby: developmental, cognitive, and organizational skills delays, eye-tracking problems, and behavioral issues, to name just some complications," said association spokeswoman Judy Towne Jennings from Fairfield, Ohio, in a news release. "New parents are told of the importance of babies sleeping on their backs to avoid SIDS, but they are not always informed about the importance of tummy time."
It's not just when they're asleep that babies are on their backs. What with car seats, infant carriers, strollers and swings, the new generation of babies spend much of their awake time locked into a variety of protective containers -- on their backs.
Time on their stomachs promotes muscle development and helps avoid flat areas on the backs of heads. So regularly get the little tykes out of those convenient containers and get down on the floor with them. The association offers a brochure to show new parents when and how to introduce a variety of healthful positions.
For parents whose teen years played out against the soundtrack of "Stayin' Alive," the Foundation for Child Development may have some shocking news: your teenage kids are doing a better job of stayin' alive than you did.
Compared with their late-baby boomer parents -- those born between 1955 and 1964 -- teenagers in the early part of this decade were much less likely to die from accidents, violence or disease. They were also much less likely to engage in risky behaviors such as taking drugs, binge drinking, getting pregnant or engaging in violent crime. And the "echo boomers" -- those born in the late 1980s and early '90s, frequently to boomer parents -- are more likely than their late-boomer parents were to be active participants in school, jobs and community institutions.
The authors of the Child Well-Being Index of 2008 surmise that the late boomers, who "saw up-close the risky behavior of their cohorts," decided they wanted better for their kids. That, in turn, "led parents to more closely monitor the behavior of their adolescent children." Much as it's maligned, that "helicopter parenting" seems to have worked to keep more of Generation Y healthy and safe than their parents had been. Besides, many echo-boomers were probably so busy padding their college applications in anticipation of the fierce competition that they had little time to drink, take drugs or have sex.
But all that disco dancing seems to have made their boomer parents a good deal more fit than teens in 2003-05: In 1973-75, 5.74% of teens were overweight. By 2003-05, overweight kids made up 17.6% of the teen population in the U.S.
The well-being index was released today -- a composite of health, education and economic statistics that track the ups and downs of American kids. The Foundation for Child Development has been tallying the well-being index since 1975, when the Bee Gees and KC & the Sunshine Band topped the charts.
The new NBC reality show "The Baby Borrowers" aims to give teen-age couples a close-up look at the realities of parenting. A couple cares for a stranger's children, from babies to toddlers, over the course of three weeks, on camera. However instructive it might be for the teens to learn about potty training, some child health experts say the show should be canned because of the harm it may do.
The national advocacy group for young children, Zero to Three, released a statement recently saying that the show could endanger the borrowed babies, who must live with strangers -- and perhaps incompetent ones at that -- for several days. " 'Baby Borrowers' may have a catchy theme, but it exploits young children with potential harmful consequences," says a statement from Zero to Three. "This is no social experiment. It is an extremely misguided endeavor that puts at risk our most vulnerable citizens, young children who need our love and protection."
Today, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry weighed in with a statement saying the show could cause the babies distress and anxiety. Moreover, the group says, the baby borrowing concept may be copied by others. But without the protection provided by TV cameras and on-site nannies, teen-age caretakers and strangers may be more likely to abuse or neglect infants. "A child's sense of security should not be gambled with," says AACAP President Robert Hendren.
NBC responded that the borrowed babies are well-cared for. They must be six months old and undergo psychological evaluation to make sure they do not have intense separation anxiety. The baby's real parents live next-door, can watch on closed-circuit TV and can visit at any time, says an NBC spokesperson. A nanny is also on the premises.
"The producers of 'The Baby Borrowers' took all the necessary precautions to ensure the safety and welfare of the children participating in the series," NBC said in a statement. "The environment was carefully controlled, and the children were properly care for at all times."
Seems to me the borrowed babies probably are safe and well-cared for. But this social experiment doesn't reflect the reality of teen parenting, either. Real teen parenting isn't nearly so entertaining.
Sure, in honor of Father's Day, we could recommend that all the dads out there eat more vegetables and fewer burgers, that they have their blood pressure checked, that they take their medications, that they exercise more. And we could even put this well-worn message in the overly earnest, and easily ignored, do-it-for-your-family format.
But know what? Dads are adults. They don't need to be told what to do.
Let's check out dad blogs instead. There's ...
Cynical Dad, whose post "Hannah Montana is a gateway drug" recalls his decision to let his 5-year-old daughter, Zoey, watch Hannah Montana. He had no problems with the Vanity Fair spread understand, but from the TV show, his kid went to the pop star's YouTube videos, then "High School Musical" numbers and other Radio Disney songs. "And now," he says, "my daughter dances like a stripper."
Joeprah, a stay-at-home father who describes, in a serial post, his early years of daddom. "I thought the 'Bagel Club' would be a playgroup where parents could watch their children play with other kids all while socializing with other parental units. Wrong. I found that the 'Bagel Club' was a forum for women to engage in gossip, gripe about their husbands, and inevitably talk about their pregnancies."
And there's Freaked-Out Fathers, whose author writes in a recent post, "Well, I guess I should be writing about serious things like parenthood, behavior modification of male role modelling. But it's a holiday weekend and I just don't feel like it." That's the spirit! (And besides, this site is worth checking out for the cheese-rolling video alone.)
So break out the fishing-lure bedecked greeting cards! Bring on the golf-themed novelty gifts! Pay homage to the wisdom, forbearance and overall father-liness of fathers! Then if you want to give, or receive, the earnest health message, check out this men's health quiz from the CDC. Really, it's the best you can do. No one likes a nag.
Tami Dennis, who takes the word "skeptic" to previously uncharted territory, is editor of The Times' Health section. She's adamant that pitches promoting awareness days, weeks or months are, by their nature, non-stories. And, because she's an adult, she refuses to use words like "veggies," "tummy" and "yummy."
Rosie Mestel, Health section deputy editor, studied genetics before abandoning flies, fungi and DNA for health/medical writing. Her hero is the biologist Ernst Haeckel, whose jellyfish paintings inspired snazzy chandeliers. Her favorite toast-spread is Marmite, a British delicacy made of yeast extract. Her least-favorite word is "millenniums."
Susan Brink has made health and medicine her beat for 26 of her 28 years in the business. She’s covered a wide range of disease and health policy stories, and is always on the lookout for fresh angles. Few things make her happier than busting through preconceived notions to give readers an accurate view of people behaving as…well, real people.
Melissa Healy is a staff writer for the Health section reporting from Washington D.C. Healy's a veteran of The Times' National staff, having covered the Pentagon, Congress, poverty and social welfare, the environment, and the White House before shifting to Health in 2003. She writes frequently about mental health and human behavior, about federal health policy, prescription medication and ethics in medicine. More wonk than wellness freak, Healy chooses to believe in the health benefits of coffee and wine, and considers water a better work-out medium than beverage.
After a brief stint as a sports writer, Shari Roan turned to health journalism and has covered the topic for The Times for 18 years. She is the author of three books and the mother of two daughters, both teenagers who refer to her as a "health freak." She likes to jog, watch baseball and is very happy that dark chocolate contains some health benefit.
Jeannine Stein writes about fitness, sports medicine and obesity for the Health section. She’s a gym rat from way back and never met an elliptical trainer she didn’t like. Well, maybe one or two. She tempers exercise with a steady diet of reality television because she believes it’s all about balance.
Assn. A national survey of 400 pediatric physical and occupational therapists by the children's health advocacy group Pathways Awareness found that two-thirds of therapists reported increases in motor delays in infants who spend too much time on their backs.
