Heena Sharma Blog

A daily dose of caffeine may safely boost the brain development and lung function in premature babies , according to researchers, including one of Indian origin. In neonatal intensive care units, or NICUs, premature babies born under 29 weeks are given a daily dose of caffeine to ensure the best possible start to life, said researchers from the University of Calgary in Canada. The study, published in the journal Pediatrics, shows the earlier the dose of caffeine can be given, the better. "Caffeine is the most commonly used drug in the NICU after antibiotics," said Abhay Lodha, an associate professor at the University of Calgary. "It's important that we understand the long-term effects of caffeine as a treatment and ensure these babies are not only surviving, but have quality of life down the road," Lodha said. He collaborated with researchers from the University of British Columbia and Mount Sinai Hospital to analyse data from 26 NICUs ac

If you think sucking your baby's pacifier to clean it and then popping it in your child's mouth is gross, think again! Turns out, doing so may benefit their health. The research was presented at the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology 2018 Annual Scientific Meeting and suggested a link between parental sucking on a pacifier and a lower allergic response among young children. Researchers stated that parents may be passing healthy oral bacteria in their saliva that in turn affected the early development of their child's immune system. The study is believed to the first of its kind to evaluate the association between pacifier cleaning methods and the antibody Immunoglobulin E, or IgE. IgE is linked to the development of allergies and asthma . The researchers interviewed 128 mothers of infants multiple times over a period of 18 months and asked how they cleaned their child's pacifier. Read Complete Article Business Standard