North Texas Minister Publishes Coloring Book for Grieving Children
FORT WORTH, Texas-A North Texas-based Christian minister has created and published an inspirational coloring book for children that can help them to understand and overcome grief and loss. In "Butterfly Wings," author Rev. Penny Stemley provides parents and professionals who work with kids with a gentle method for teaching young people about emotionally challenging concepts, such as death and traumatic life events.
Stemley published her book after being inspired by a young girl in her church congregation who was grieving the loss of a close family member. Based on a dream Stemley had several years prior, the book chronicles a queen's doubt and despair after the death of her king and her ultimate healing through the power of faith and love.
"In our world, there is much destruction and devastation," Stemley said. "As adults, it's difficult enough to deal with grief and loss. But how do we even begin to explain the subsequent emotions to a child? My prayer is that this book will offer a sense of hope and joy to anyone who reads it and that, even in the midst of sorrow, it will bring children to a place of peace and comfort."
With simple illustrations and easy-to-understand messaging, "Butterfly Wings" reaches out to all young people experiencing heartbreak or going through a traumatic life experience. The book presents readers with a creative and compassionate approach to processing hardships and progressively moving forward to a place of peace.
ISBN: 978-1-5127-7317-0 (paperback); 978-1-5127-7318-7 (electronic). Available at the WestBow Press Online Bookstore, Barnes & Noble, and Amazon.
NIAAA Alcohol Treatment Navigator Points the Way to Quality Treatment
A new online resource is now available to help people recognize and find high-quality care for alcohol use disorder, which affects more than 15 million adults in the United States. The Alcohol Treatment Navigator (available at https://alcoholtreatment.niaaa.nih.gov/) designed by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), part of the National Institutes of Health, is a comprehensive, yet easy-to-use tool to help individuals and their loved ones navigate the often-complicated process of choosing treatment for alcohol problems. With many treatment options available, the navigator makes the search easier by telling them what they need to know-and what they need to do-to find appropriate, quality care.
"We developed this tool to help address the alcohol 'treatment gap,'" said NIAAA Director George F. Koob, PhD "In any given year, less than 10 percent of individuals diagnosed with alcohol use disorder receive treatment, and many of them do not receive the type of care that best fits their needs. A big reason for that, we believe, is that people with alcohol use disorder often don't know where to turn for help. The Alcohol Treatment Navigator offers a comprehensive strategy to help people search for professionally-led, evidence-based alcohol treatment, which should improve their chances for success."
Infant Exposure to Pet and Pest Allergens May Reduce Asthma Risk
More than 8% of children in the United States currently have asthma, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Asthma is a chronic lung disease that inflames and narrows the airways. It causes recurring bouts of wheezing, chest tightness, shortness of breath, and coughing. Asthma can result in missed time from school and work, and is a major cause of pediatric emergency department visits and hospitalizations.
Studies have found that reducing allergens (substances that cause allergic reactions) at home can lessen asthma symptoms among children with asthma who are sensitive to those allergens. In contrast, findings from the Urban Environment and Childhood Asthma (URECA) study suggested that exposure to certain allergens and bacteria early in life, before asthma develops, may protect children from wheezing, a precursor of asthma, at age 3. Since 2005, URECA investigators have enrolled 560 newborns from Baltimore, Boston, New York City, and St. Louis who are at high risk for developing asthma because at least one parent has asthma or allergies. The ongoing study is funded by National Institutes of Health's National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
A new report from the URECA team evaluates the children through 7 years of age. The researchers had enough data to assess asthma status at age 7 for 442 of the children. Findings were published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. Of the 442 children, 130 (29%) had asthma at age 7. Higher levels of cockroach, mouse, and cat allergens in dust samples collected from the children's homes during the first 3 years of life (at age 3 months, 2 years, and 3 years) were linked to a lower risk of asthma at age 7. A similar association was seen for dog allergen, but it wasn't statistically significant, meaning it could be due to chance.
The researchers also found links between certain types of bacteria in the house dust and an asthma diagnosis by age 7. These findings support previous work suggesting that exposure to certain bacteria in early life might influence development of asthma. However, more research is needed to clarify this complex relationship. The investigators will continue to monitor the children. Ongoing studies by this group and others are aiming to pinpoint how environmental factors can influence development of asthma.
Researchers Turn to Creative Approaches to Battle Kidney Stones
National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded 2-year clinical trial will monitor effects of increased fluid intake on risk of stones. Can a high-tech water bottle help reduce the recurrence of kidney stones? What about a financial incentive? Those are questions researchers funded by the National Institutes of Health will seek to answer as they begin recruiting participants for a 2-year clinical trial at four sites across the country. Scientists will test whether using a smart water bottle that encourages people to drink more water, and therefore urinate, will reduce the recurrence of urinary stone disease, commonly referred to as kidney stones. The trial is supported by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, part of NIH.
The randomized trial, known as the Prevention of Urinary Stones with Hydration study, or PUSH, will enroll 1,642 people, half in an intervention group and half in a control group. The study's primary aim is to determine whether a program of financial incentives, receiving advice from a health coach, and using a smart water bottle will result in reduced risk of kidney stone recurrence over a 2-year period. The water bottle, called Hidrate Spark, monitors fluid consumption and connects to an app.