Infant Health

Infant Health What is infancy? Infancy is generally the period from birth until age two years. It is a time of a lot of growth and change for children and families. This health topic covers some of the many issues related to infant care, including: [jump to sections on feeding, sleeping, safety and childcare below] This information is provided with full-term infants specifically in mind. It is not meant to provide all the information you need to care for your infant. Preterm infants (those born before the mother has been pregnant about 38 weeks) often have special needs. See the section below for more details on preterm infants. [jump to preterm section below] What are the best strategies for feeding my baby? Breastfeeding, also called nursing, is often the ideal source of nutrition for newborns and can be an easy, healthy, and inexpensive way for a mother to feed her child. Why is breastfeeding recommended? Breast milk contains a wide range of nutrients important for baby’s growth and health. In addition, recent NICHD-supported research also suggests that some of the specific fatty acids contained in breast milk play important roles in helping brain development. For example, two specific fatty acids, known as DHA and AA, may help increase infants’ cognitive skills. Breastfeeding is beneficial to the mother, too:        Nursing helps a woman’s body secrete hormones, causing her uterus to contract and heal. These hormones also postpone the restarting of menstruation.        Breastfeeding reduces the chance of postpartum depression, enhances mother-infant bonding, and can create a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction.        Some authorities believe that breastfeeding women have lower risks of developing breast and uterine cancers. How long should a mother breastfeed? According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Policy Statement on Breastfeeding, women who don’t have health problems should feed their infants only breast milk for at least the first six months of life. After this time, the AAP suggests that women try to continue to breastfeed for the first 12 months of life because of the benefits to both the mother and baby. The AAP recommends that infants who are weaned (meaning they are no longer breastfed) before 12 months of age should drink iron-fortified infant formula and not cow’s milk. Many types of infant formulas available in the United States are fortified with DHA and AA, and all formula available for preterm infants is fortified with these fatty acids. The AAP also suggests introducing solid foods at six months of age. The Academy recommends introducing single-ingredient foods one at a time for a several-day trial before adding a new food. During the first six months, water, juice, and other foods are generally unnecessary for breastfed infants. Infants should not have anything with fluoride, such as adult toothpaste, during their first six months, whether they are breast- or formula-fed. What is jaundice? Jaundice (jawn-DISS) is an illness that can cause a baby's skin, eyes, and mouth to turn a yellowish color. The yellow color is caused by a buildup of bilirubin, a substance that is produced in body during the normal process of breaking down old red blood cells and forming new ones. What causes jaundice? Normally the liver removes bilirubin from the body. But for many babies, in the first few days after birth the liver is not yet working at its full power. As a result, bilirubin level in the blood gets too high, causing the baby’s color to become slightly yellow. This is called jaundice. If your baby has jaundice, it usually does not mean that your baby has liver problems or a “bad liver.” In most cases, it just means that the baby’s liver is slower in removing bilirubin from the blood during the first few days after birth. How is jaundice treated? Although jaundice is common and is often not serious, all babies with jaundice need to be seen by a health care provider. Many babies need no treatment for jaundice. Their livers start to catch up quickly, usually within a few days after birth, and begin to remove bilirubin normally. For some babies, however, doctors prescribe photo-therapy—treatment using a special lamp—to help break down the bilirubin in their bodies. In some cases, high levels of bilirubin could cause brain injury. If your baby has jaundice, ask your health care provider how long his or her jaundice will last after leaving the hospital, and schedule a followup appointment as directed. If your baby’s jaundice lasts longer than expected, or an infant who did not have jaundice before starts to turn yellowish after going home, contact your health care provider right away. How can I help my child with sleep? Helping a child learn to fall asleep and stay asleep is one of the more challenging parts of infant care. Newborns tend to sleep or drowse for 16 to 20 hours a day. Their “internal clocks” are not yet set, so they sleep a lot both during the day and night. Newborns also have small stomachs, so they need to be awake for regular feedings. After a few months, babies usually begin to sleep in longer stretches at night and are awake for longer periods during the day. Practicing bedtime routines and putting your baby into the crib before he or she falls asleep can help build better sleep patterns. What is Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)? SIDS is the sudden, unexplained death of an infant younger than one year old. It is the leading cause of death in children between one month and one year of age. Health care providers don’t know exactly what causes SIDS, but they do know certain things can help reduce the risk of SIDS. How can parents reduce the risk of SIDS? The best way to reduce the risk of SIDS is to always place babies on their backs to sleep for naps and at night. Babies who sleep on their backs are less likely to die of SIDS than babies who sleep on their stomachs or sides. Placing your baby on his or her back to sleep, for naps and at night, is the number one way to reduce the risk of SIDS. What are some ways to keep my baby safe? Keeping your baby safe is one of the most important jobs for parents. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission publishes a booklet called The Safe Nursery (PDF – 603 KB) that provides information on a variety of potential hazards and ways to help keep your infant safe. What about safety for my infant in the car? In addition to safety at home, car seat safety is an important part of taking care of your child. The AAP publishes Car Safety Seats: A Guide for Families, which discusses what type of car seats are best at what ages and other important aspects of car seat safety. Each car seat is different so it is important to carefully review and follow the manufacturer’s instructions. What is hyperthermia and how can I prevent it in my child? The term hyperthermia (pronounced high-purr-THER-mee-yah) refers to heat-related illnesses—or those associated with exposure to high temperature in the environment, causing high body temperature. When the body is exposed to high temperatures, like on a hot day, the body normally cools itself using different mechanisms, such as heavy sweating and losing heat through the skin. But in certain situations, such as when inside a parked car when it is warm or humid, or in a desert climate where it is can be very hot and dry, sweating and other mechanisms may not be enough to cool high body heat. As a result, the body’s temperature rises quickly and may damage the brain and other organs in the body. Normal body temperature is 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit—Hyperthermia occurs when the body heats up to 104 degrees Fahrenheit. Body temperature of 107 degrees is usually fatal. Heat illnesses typically progress from “heat stress”—Physical and emotional stress at being in a hot environment; to “heat exhaustion”—characterized by dehydration, extreme thirst, and weakness/dizziness; to “heat stroke”—which may cause delirium, convulsions, coma, and death. In the last decade, deaths from hyperthermia have increased, especially among children and pets, mainly as a result of them being left alone in a car for even short periods of time. A child’s body is less effective at cooling itself than an adult body is, and adults can alter their environment by taking off clothes. Even when the outside temperature is at “room temperature” (about 72 degrees Fahrenheit), the temperature inside a car can increase to more than 100 degrees Fahrenheit in just 30 minutes. So, even when the weather is comfortable outside, children are at high risk for heat stroke and death from being left alone in a car. Parents and caregivers should never leave a child alone in a car, not even with the windows down, and not even for a minute. Parents and caregivers should also develop plans for leaving their car to ensure that everyone exits the car safely and no one is left in the car accidentally. If you see a child left alone in a parked car, you should call 911 to request emergency help—It could mean the difference between life and death for that child. What about child care for infants? For many parents and families, child care comes from someone other than the child’s mother. To understand how this type of care influences child development, the NICHD started the Study of Early Child Care and Youth Development (SECCYD) in 1991. The major goal of the study was to examine how differences in child care experiences relate to children’s social, emotional, intellectual, and language development, and to their physical growth and health. The study examined how quality, quantity, and type of child care setting affect children’s development. Specific findings from the Study include the following:        Higher quality care was associated with better child outcomes.        The number of hours in care mattered in terms of child outcomes to some degree.        The child care type or setting (child care home, child care center, etc.) had different effects on children at different ages.        Parent and family characteristics were more strongly linked to child development and child outcomes than any aspect of child care. The Study also developed a Positive Caregiving Checklist (PDF – 1.16 MB) that parents can use to examine the quality of care their child is receiving. Do preterm infants have special care needs? Preterm infants, also known as preemies, are babies born before the mother has completed 37 weeks of pregnancy (or on or before 259 days from the first day of the last menstrual period). Preterm infants often have special needs, even after they leave the hospital. Infants born only a few weeks preterm (between 34 and 37 weeks, or “late preterm”) often have special needs during the first two years of age. Preterm infants may need to spend time in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at the hospital until they are big and strong enough to go home. Preterm babies may also need special care even after leaving the NICU. You should talk to your health care provider about your infant’s specific care needs. NICHD

What is a Migraine?

Migraine

A migraine is a very painful type of headache. People who get migraines often describe the pain as pulsing

Migraine

A migraine is a very painful type of headache. People who get migraines often describe the pain as pulsing or throbbing in one area of the head. During migraines, people are very sensitive to light and sound. They may also become nauseated and vomit.

Migraine is three times more common in women than in men. Some people can tell when they are about to have a migraine because they see flashing lights or zigzag lines or they temporarily lose their vision.

Many things can trigger a migraine. These include

• Anxiety
• Stress
• Lack of food or sleep
• Exposure to light
• Hormonal changes (in women)

Doctors used to believe migraines were linked to the opening and narrowing of blood vessels in the head. Now they believe the cause is related to genes that control the activity of some brain cells. Medicines can help prevent migraine attacks or help relieve symptoms of attacks when they happen. For many people, treatments to relieve stress can also help.

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

or throbbing in one area of the head. During migraines, people are very sensitive to light and sound. They may also become nauseated and vomit.

Migraine is three times more common in women than in men. Some people can tell when they are about to have a migraine because they see flashing lights or zigzag lines or they temporarily lose their vision.

Many things can trigger a migraine. These include

• Anxiety
• Stress
• Lack of food or sleep
• Exposure to light
• Hormonal changes (in women)

Doctors used to believe migraines were linked to the opening and narrowing of blood vessels in the head. Now they believe the cause is related to genes that control the activity of some brain cells. Medicines can help prevent migraine attacks or help relieve symptoms of attacks when they happen. For many people, treatments to relieve stress can also help.

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)

What is PCOS?

PCOS is a condition in which a woman’s ovaries and, in some cases the adrenal glands, produce more androgens (a type of hormone) than normal.  High levels of these hormones interfere with the development and release of eggs as part of ovulation.  As a result, fluid-filled sacs or cysts can develop on the ovaries.

Because women with PCOS do not release eggs during ovulation, PCOS is the most common cause of female infertility.

How does PCOS affect fertility?

A woman's ovaries have follicles, which are tiny, fluid-filled sacs that hold the eggs. When an egg is mature, the follicle breaks open to release the egg so it can travel to the uterus for fertilization.

In women with PCOS, immature follicles bunch together to form large cysts or lumps. The eggs mature within the bunched follicles, but the follicles don't break open to release them.

As a result, women with PCOS often have menstrual irregularities, such as amenorrhea (they don’t get menstrual periods) or oligomenorrhea (they only have periods now and then). Because the eggs are not released, most women with PCOS have trouble getting pregnant.

What are the symptoms of PCOS?

In addition to infertility, women with PCOS may also have:

Pelvic pain

Hirsutism, or excess hair growth on the face, chest, stomach, thumbs, or toes

Male-pattern baldness or thinning hair

Acne, oily skin, or dandruff

Patches of thickened and dark brown or black skin

Also, women who are obese are more likely to have PCOS.

Although it is hard for women with PCOS to get pregnant, some do get pregnant, naturally or using assistive reproductive technology.  Women with PCOS are at higher risk for miscarriage if they do become pregnant.

Women with PCOS are also at higher risk for associated conditions, such as:

Diabetes

Metabolic syndrome—sometimes called a precursor to diabetes, this syndrome indicates that the body has trouble regulating its insulin

Cardiovascular disease—including heart disease and high blood pressure

What is the treatment for PCOS?

There is no cure for PCOS, but many of the symptoms can often be managed. It is important to have PCOS diagnosed and treated early to help prevent associated problems.

There are medications that can help control the symptoms, such as birth control pills to regulate menstruation, reduce androgen levels, and clear acne. Other medications can reduce cosmetic problems, such as hair growth, and control blood pressure and cholesterol.

Lifestyle changes such as regular exercise can aid weight loss and help reduce blood sugar levels and regulate insulin levels more effectively.  Weight loss can help lessen many of the health conditions associated with PCOS and can make symptoms be less severe or even disappear.

Surgical treatment may also be an option, but it is not recommended as the first course of treatment.

NICHD-funded research has also examined the effects of the anti-diabetes drug metformin on fertility in women with PCOS.  To learn more about this research, check out the news releases about PCOs.

How is PCOS diagnosed?

Your health care provider will take a medical history and do a pelvic exam to feel for cysts on your ovaries.  He or she may also do a vaginal ultrasound and recommend blood tests to measure hormone levels.

Other tests may include measuring levels of insulin, glucose, cholesterol, and triglycerides.

NIH

H1N1 Flu and Asthma

Nose Disorders

Also called: Nasal disorders

Whether it's large or small, button-like or beak-like, your nose is important to your health. It filters the air you breathe, removing dust, germs and irritants. It warms and moistens the air to keep your lungs and tubes that lead to them from drying out. Your nose also contains the nerve cells that help your sense of smell. When there is a problem with your nose, your whole body can suffer. For example, the stuffy nose of the common cold can make it hard for you to breathe, sleep or get comfortable.

Many problems besides the common cold can affect the nose. They include

• Deviated septum – a shifting of the wall that divides the nasal cavity into halves
• Nasal polyps – soft growths that develop on the lining of your nose or sinuses
• Nosebleeds
• Rhinitis – inflammation of the nose and sinuses sometimes caused by allergies. The main symptom is a runny nose

Medlineplus

Fertility Drugs

Fertility Drugs Impact on US Births

Six percent of US infants are now exposed to ovulation stimulation treatments.

Infertility medications that result in ovulation stimulation have been associated with high multiple birth rates and multiple births are associated with a range of complications for both the mother and the infant. Additionally, ovulation stimulation medications have also been linked to increased preterm delivery rates, even in singleton infants.

Ovulation stimulation medications are used in conjunction with assisted reproductive technologies or ART, such as in vitro fertilization. We know a fair amount about ART pregnancies and births, in part because of data that come from the National ART surveillance system maintained by CDC. Currently ~1% of births are conceived with ART.

Ovulation stimulation medications are often also used alone (without ART). There is currently no national tracking system for non-ART ovulation stimulation treatments, but it has been estimated their contribution to the birth cohort might be much higher than the ART contribution.

The current study used several sources of published data to develop models to estimate the likely contribution of non-ART ovulation treatments on multiple and singleton births in the United States.

The findings indicate that:

Nearly 32,000 US multiple-birth infants in 2005 were conceived using a non-ART ovulation treatment. These infants accounted for 22.8% of the total multiple births in the United States. Additionally, approximately 159,000 singleton infants in 2005 were conceived using a non-ART ovulation treatment.

Thus, in all, an estimated 191,000 US infants born in 2005 were the result of non-ART ovulation stimulation treatments.

These infants accounted for 4.6% (95% uncertainty range: 2.8%–7.1%) of the total US births.

Putting this in context with ART treatments:

• Non-ART ovulation stimulation is estimated to account for 3 and a half to 4 times as many infants as ART treatments.
• Together, ART and non-ART account for nearly 6% of US births annually.

CDC

Sodium

Americans Consume Too Much Sodium (Salt)

Sodium intake from processed and restaurant foods contributes to increased rates of high blood pressure, heart attack, and stroke. Decreasing sodium intake to within recommended limits could prevent thousands of deaths annually.

In recognition of February as American Heart Month, CDC is highlighting data about sodium. Americans consume too much sodium, ninety percent of which we consume in the form of salt. High sodium consumption raises blood pressure, and high blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke, the nation's first and third leading causes of death, respectively.

Research shows a dose-dependent relationship between consuming too much salt and elevated blood pressure. When salt intake is reduced, blood pressure begins decreasing for most people within a few days to weeks. Populations who consume diets low in salt do not experience the increase in blood pressure with age that is seen in most Western countries.

Sodium Consumption and the American Food Supply

We all need a small amount (e.g., between about180 mg and 500 mg per day) of sodium to keep our bodies working properly.

• The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend limiting sodium to less than 2,300 mg per day (about 1 tsp of table salt). The guidelines further recommend that specific populations (blacks, persons with high blood pressure, and middle-aged and older adults) consume no more than 1,500 mg per day (about 2/3 tsp of table salt).These specific populations account for nearly 70% of adults.
• The average daily sodium intake for Americans age 2 years and older is 3,436 mg.
• Since the 1970s, the amount of sodium in our food has increased, and we are eating more food each day than in the past.
• The majority of the sodium consumed is from processed and restaurant foods; only a small portion is used in cooking or added at the table.

Even if a person does not have high blood pressure they may still benefit from reducing the amount of sodium in their diet because the lower one's blood pressure in general, the lower the risk of heart disease and stroke. If manufacturers gradually reduced the amount of sodium in processed and prepared foods, the major sources of sodium in the food supply, public consumption of sodium could be reduced to safer levels with little or no individual behavior changes needed on the part of the consumer. Sodium intake from processed and restaurant foods contributes to high rates of high blood pressure, heart attack, and stroke. Because nearly 400,000 deaths each year are attributed to high blood pressure, decreasing sodium intake could prevent thousands of deaths annually. Other benefits of reduced sodium intake are reduced risk of gastro-esophageal cancer, reduced left ventricular (heart) mass and preserved bone mass.

CDC

Hib Vaccine Information

The Hib vaccine prevents Hib disease, which is caused by Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) bacteria and can cause serious illness in infants and children. Babies receive 2 or 3 doses of Hib vaccine (depending on vaccine type) by age 6 months and then receive a booster shot at age 12 through 15 months.

Hib vaccine had been in short supply in the US, but most licensed Hib vaccines are now available. Check your child's vaccination records to see if he or she has received all doses of Hib vaccine. If you're not sure, call your child's doctor, nurse, or clinic.

What Is Hib Disease and Is It Serious?

Hib bacteria (Haemophilus influenzae type b) spread through contact with mucus or droplets from the nose and throat of an infected person, often by coughing or sneezing. Most of the time, Hib is spread by people who have the bacteria in their noses and throats but who are not ill.

Before Hib vaccines, there were about 20,000 cases of invasive Hib disease each year in the US. Invasive disease means that germs invade parts of the body that are normally free from germs. When this happens, disease is usually very severe, causing hospitalization or even death. Before a Hib vaccine was available, Hib was the most common cause of bacterial meningitis in the US. About 12,000 children each year—most of them younger than 5 years of age—got Hib meningitis. Meningitis is just one of the invasive diseases that can be caused by Hib. Hib can also cause life-threatening infections that make it difficult to breathe, including epiglottitis (infection in the throat) and pneumonia (infection in the lungs). Other forms of invasive Hib disease include blood, bone, or joint infections.

Despite the success of Hib vaccine, parents need to remember the disease is still out there. Hib can be carried in the noses and throats of people who are not sick from the disease. These people can spread Hib bacteria to infants and children who are not protected by Hib vaccine. Vaccinating infants protects them at a time when they are most vulnerable to disease. If vaccination levels get too low in the United States, Hib disease could make a comeback.

How Can I Protect My Child from Hib Disease?

Hib vaccine prevents Hib disease. All children under 5 years of age should be vaccinated with Hib vaccine. There are two types of Hib vaccine for infants. With one vaccine, your child gets doses at 2, 4, and 6 months of age; with the other vaccine, your child gets doses at 2 and 4 months of age. All children need a booster shot at 12 through 15 months of age. You should check vaccination records to see if your child has received all doses of Hib vaccine. If unsure, you should call your child's doctor, nurse, or clinic.

Some brands of vaccine contain Hib along with other vaccines in a single shot. Hib vaccine can safely be combined with other vaccines to make these combination vaccines. Combination vaccines may be used for any or all doses given at 2, 4, and 6 months of age, known as the primary series. Combination vaccines can also be used for the booster dose. If combination vaccines are the only vaccines available to your child's healthcare provider, they should be used to complete the Hib series, even if this results in your child receiving additional doses of another vaccine. If your child misses a dose or gets behind schedule, the next dose should be given as soon as possible. There is no need to start over.

Call your child's healthcare provider if you have questions and to make sure your child has received all scheduled doses of Hib vaccine.

CDC

Information on Club Drugs

Club drugs are a pharmacologically heterogeneous group of psychoactive compounds that tend to be abused by teens and young adults at a nightclub, bar, rave, or trance scene. Gamma hydroxybutyrate (GHB), Rohypnol, and ketamine are some of the drugs in this group; so are MDMA (ecstasy) and methamphetamine.

• GHB (Xyrem) is a central nervous system (CNS) depressant that was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2002 for use in the treatment of narcolepsy (a sleep disorder). This approval came with severe restrictions, including its use only for the treatment of narcolepsy, and the requirement for a patient registry monitored by the FDA. GHB is also a metabolite of the inhibitory neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA); thus, it is found naturally in the brain, but at concentrations much lower than doses that are abused.
• Rohypnol (flunitrazepam) started appearing in the United States in the early 1990s. It is a benzodiazepine (chemically similar to Valium or Xanax), but it is not approved for medical use in this country, and its importation is banned.
• Ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic, mostly used in veterinary practice.

How are Club Drugs Abused?

Raves and trance events are generally night-long dances, often held in warehouses. Many who attend raves and trances do not use club drugs, but those who do may be attracted to their generally low cost and the intoxicating highs that are said to deepen the rave or trance experience.

• Rohypnol is usually taken orally, although there are reports that it can be ground up and snorted.
• GHB and Rohypnol have both been used to facilitate date rape (also known as “drug rape,” “acquaintance rape,” or “drug-assisted” assault). They can be colorless, tasteless, and odorless, and can be added to beverages and ingested unbeknownst to the victim. When mixed with alcohol, Rohypnol can incapacitate victims and prevent them from resisting sexual assault.
• GHB also has anabolic effects (it stimulates protein synthesis) and has been sought by bodybuilders to aid in fat reduction and muscle building.
• Ketamine is usually snorted or injected intramuscularly.

How do Club Drugs Affect the Brain?

• GHB acts on at least two sites in the brain: the GABAB receptor and a specific GHB binding site. At high doses, GHB's sedative effects may result in sleep, coma, or death. Rohypnol, like other benzodiazepines, acts at the GABAA receptor. It can produce anterograde amnesia, in which individuals may not remember events they experienced while under the influence of the drug.
• Ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic, so called because it distorts perceptions of sight and sound and produces feelings of detachment from the environment and self. Ketamine acts on a type of glutamate receptor (NMDA receptor) to produce its effects, similar to those of the drug PCP. Low-dose intoxication results in impaired attention, learning ability, and memory. At higher doses, ketamine can cause dreamlike states and hallucinations; and at higher doses still, ketamine can cause delirium and amnesia.

Addictive Potential

• Repeated use of GHB may lead to withdrawal effects, including insomnia, anxiety, tremors, and sweating. Severe withdrawal reactions have been reported among patients presenting from an overdose of GHB or related compounds, especially if other drugs or alcohol are involved.
• Like other benzodiazepines, chronic use of Rohypnol can produce tolerance and dependence.
• There have been reports of people binging on ketamine, a behavior that is similar to that seen in some cocaine- or amphetamine-dependent individuals. Ketamine users can develop signs of tolerance and cravings for the drug.

What Other Adverse Effects do Club Drugs Have on Health?

Uncertainties about the sources, chemicals, and possible contaminants used to manufacture many club drugs make it extremely difficult to determine toxicity and associated medical consequences.

• Coma and seizures can occur following use of GHB. Combined use with other drugs such as alcohol can result in nausea and breathing difficulties. GHB and two of its precursors, gamma butyrolactone (GBL) and butanediol (BD), have been involved in poisonings, overdoses, date rapes, and deaths.
• Rohypnol may be lethal when mixed with alcohol and/or other CNS depressants.
• Ketamine, in high doses, can cause impaired motor function, high blood pressure, and potentially fatal respiratory problems.

What Treatment Options Exist?

There is very little information in scientific literature about treatment for persons who abuse or are dependent upon club drugs.

• There are no GHB detection tests for use in emergency rooms, and as many clinicians are unfamiliar with the drug, many GHB incidents likely go undetected. According to case reports, however, patients who abuse GHB appear to present both a mixed picture of severe problems upon admission and good response to treatment, which often involves residential services.
• Treatment for Rohypnol follows accepted protocols for any benzodiazepine, which may consist of a 3- to 5-day inpatient detoxification program with 24-hour intensive medical monitoring and management of withdrawal symptoms, since withdrawal from benzodiazepines can be life-threatening.
• Patients with a ketamine overdose are managed through supportive care for acute symptoms, with special attention to cardiac and respiratory functions.

How Widespread is Club Drug Abuse?

Monitoring the Future (MTF) Survey

According to results of the 2007 MTF survey, 0.7 percent of students in the 8th grade reported past-year use of GHB, as did 0.6 percent and 0.9 percent of students in grades 10 and 12, respectively. This is consistent with use reported in 2006.

Past-year use of ketamine did not change significantly from 2006 to 2007—use was reported by 1.0 percent of 8th-graders, 0.8 percent of 10th-graders, and 1.3 percent of 12th-graders in 2007.

There was no significant change in the illicit use of Rohypnol from 2006 to 2007, according to 2007 MTF results, which report consistently low levels of Rohypnol use since the drug was added to the survey in 1996. Annual prevalence of use stands now at around 0.5 percent in all three grades surveyed.

NIDA

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What Is Cervical Cancer ?

Cancer is a disease in which cells in the body grow out of control. Cancer is always named for the part of the body where it starts, even if it spreads to other body parts later.

When cancer starts in the cervix, it is called cervical cancer. The cervix is the lower, narrow end of the uterus. Also known as the womb, the uterus is where a baby grows when a woman is pregnant. The cervix connects the upper part of the uterus to the vagina (the birth canal).

Cervical cancer is the easiest female cancer to prevent, with regular screening tests and follow-up. It also is highly curable when found and treated early.

Who gets cervical cancer?

All women are at risk for cervical cancer. It occurs most often in women over age 30. In 2005,*

11,999 women in the United States were told they had cervical cancer.

The most recent year for which statistics are currently available. U.S. Cancer Statistics Working Group. United States Cancer Statistics: 1999–2005 Incidence and Mortality Web-based Report. Atlanta (GA): Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and National Cancer Institute; 2009.

It is important to get tested for cervical cancer because 6 out of 10 cervical cancers occur in women who have never received a Pap test or have not been tested in the past five years.

The human papillomavirus (HPV), a common virus that can be passed from one person to another during sex, is the main cause of cervical cancer. At least half of sexually active people will have HPV at some point in their lives.

Keep in mind, many people will have an HPV infection at some time n their lives, but few women will get cervical cancer.

There are two tests that can help prevent cervical cancer or find it early:• The Pap test (or Pap smear) looks for precancers, cell changes on the cervix that might become cervical cancer if they are not treated.

• The HPV test looks for the virus that can cause these cell changes.

The Pap test is recommended for all women. Talk with your doctor, nurse, or other health care professional about whether the HPV test is right for you. Getting a Pap test regularly can find precancerous changes that can be treated, so that cervical cancer is prevented. And a Pap test can fi nd cervical cancer early, when treatment is most effective.

Inside Knowledge is an initiative that supports the Gynecologic Cancer Education and Awareness Act of 2005, or Johanna’s Law, which was unanimously passed by the U.S. House and Senate (109th Congress) in December of 2006, and signed into law by President George W. Bush on January 12, 2007.

CDC

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