Debunking more pediatric myths

By BRUCE EPSTEIN

© St. Petersburg Times, published March 1, 2001

The dictionary defines a myth as an unfounded popular belief that has developed over the years about something or someone. They are usually passed on from generation to generation and persist until replaced by knowledge or fact. Recently, this column presented 15 of the most common pediatric myths. Here are more common myths that continue to linger on in the folklore of parenting.

11. Going outside with wet hair can cause a cold. Viruses, not water, drafts or cold weather, cause colds.

12. Feeding infants cereal at night makes them sleep longer. Research has consistently shown that giving solids before bedtime will not change the age at which an infant will start sleeping through the night. Most babies will not develop a dependable sleep cycle until somewhere between 3 and 6 months of age. When a child sleeps through the night is more dependent on how he is put to sleep, where he is put to sleep and how parents respond when he does wake up at night. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Nutrition, cereal and other solids should not be started until 4 to 6 months of age in order to reduce the risk of allergies.

13. Acne is caused by not washing your face. Acne is not related to dirt on the skin or greasy foods. It is caused by inflammation under the skin. Keeping the face clean is always good, but scrubbing could make acne worse.

14. If acne is not caused by dirt, then it is caused by chocolate and other foods in the adolescent's diet. This is one of the oldest myths. Extensive scientific studies have not found a single connection between diet and acne. In other words, chocolate, french fries, pizza and other fast foods do not cause acne. It does make sense to limit fatty foods to prevent obesity and cardiovascular disease, however. Studies have shown that foods with a high iodine content (such as shellfish) may aggravate existing acne, but do not cause it.

15. When children crack their knuckles, it will cause arthritis. There is no evidence that cracking joints will impair joint development or lead to arthritis. That annoying popping sound is caused by the breaking of the vacuum in the joint, and bubbles of nitrogen gas form in the joint fluid. The cracking noise happens when those bubbles collapse.

16. Children's aspirin is best for treating children's fevers. Taking aspirin is not recommended anymore for children unless recommended by the youngster's doctor. Aspirin has been linked to serious medical problems such as Reye's syndrome.

17. Going barefoot causes flat feet. Going barefoot is probably best for kids. It allows their feet to develop naturally. There is no evidence that children's feet develop any differently with or without shoes. The only real reason kids should wear shoes is to protect their feet from injury and cuts.

18. Don't give milk when a baby has a cold because it will increase mucus production. Many parents think that drinking milk when a child has a cold will increase mucus production in the respiratory tract. A number of recent studies have concluded that there is no association between milk intake and the amount of respiratory tract mucus produced during a cold. Children need milk for both protein and calcium, and to withdraw such an important food item during a cold makes no sense. (Milk allergies, on the other hand, may produce a stuffy or runny nose.)

19. Rubbing the skin with alcohol will help bring down a child's fever. This widely held belief could make the child sicker. Alcohol evaporates so quickly that it can bring on chills, which signal the body to raise its temperature even higher. Furthermore, there have been cases of alcohol intoxication if too much is applied and it is absorbed into the skin of a child. Remember that fever is a symptom, not a disease. In fact, fever maybe helpful in fighting infections. If the fever is making your child not feel well, the doctor may advise you to help her feel better by giving acetaminophen or ibuprofen.

20. Putting a baby to sleep on its back increases the chance that it will choke if it spits up at night. Babies are now put to sleep on their backs instead of stomachs to prevent sudden infant death syndrome. Many grandparents, who did just the opposite with their children, worry about their grandchildren spitting up and choking while sleeping on their backs. In all the research studies done on infant sleep position and SIDS (and there have been a ton of them), there have been no incidents of babies choking on "spit up" in their sleep.

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