News of Interest for Late-in-Life Moms November 19, 2007

In the news:

Vaccines Cut Disease Deaths by 99 Percent

Vaccines for 13 illnesses, most given in infancy and childhood, helped cut disease deaths by 99 percent, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
The study also reported that the number of cases of most vaccine-preventable diseases is at an all-time low.

Breastfeeding Cuts Food Allergy Risk

Research shows that breast-feeding for the first three months of life appears to help prevent children from developing food allergies.

Nicotine Byproduct Found in Babies of Smokers

Babies of smokers have levels of the nicotine byproduct cotinine that are five times higher than babies of non-smokers, researchers report.

Brain Development Found to be Slower in Children with ADHD

Children and teenagers with ADHD have developmental delays of up to three years in some regions of the brain, according to researchers at the National Institutes of Health's National Institute of Mental Health.