For all of you who are out there braving the stores today – and those who will head on out to shop in the days to come – here is some information from Dr. Alan Nager, Head of the Division of Emergency and Transport Medicine at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, and an assistant professor of pediatrics at USC’s Keck School of Medicine.

It’s that time of the year when kids start making their holiday wish list, which of course includes toys and games. As parents, we need to carefully monitor the toys that our children receive to ensure that they are safe and age appropriate. But during the holiday season, we see too many children in the Emergency Department who are suffering from serious injuries caused by poorly made or inappropriate toys. Whether you’re buying or receiving toys, please make sure you follow the guidelines below to ensure a safe and happy holiday season. Read Dr. Nager’s guidelines …

It’s sniffly, snuffly sore-throat time. And with many experts now considering cold medicines for kids a no-no, you’re likely looking for a safe way to provide a little comfort. Bee M.D., a honey-based, USDA certified organic throat drop ($3.49 per 21-count bag; www.drugstore.com) is all that. Sweet and not at all medicinal tasting, these little drops in Natural Honey and Honey Lemon are both soothing and safe. With no artificial ingredients or preservatives, they’re like a hug for your throat.

The bag in my desk drawer was quickly depleted during a recent round of colds among my colleagues. Everyone who tried one seemed to need another!

Is Your Decaf Really That?

Caffeine, even in small amounts, has been connected with increased risk of low-birthweight babies when pregnant moms indulge. (See previous post.) If you’re filling your cup yourself, you know what’s what. But what about when you order out? D+CAF test strips are here to solve the mystery. Manufacturer Silver Lake Research, a California biotech company, analyzed 100 decaf coffee samples ordered between 3 p.m. and 9 p.m. at coffee houses and restaurants, and found that a whopping 25% were actually caffeinated. With their strips, $9.95 for a pack of 20, you can dip and know. If the “D” line on the strip is darker, you’ve got decaf. Available at natural food stores and www.caffeinetest.com.

Holiday Heartburn or Heart Attack?

Yes, you’re going to eat too much on Thursday. And some of you will be rewarded with an uncomfortable case of heartburn. But how do you know what you’re feeling isn’t a hidden heart attack? Experts from Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas point out these signs of trouble:

• breaking into a cold sweat
• pain moving from the chest into the jaw, shoulder or arms
• pain that worsens when you exert yourself
• rapid onset of fatigue
• shortness of breath
• turning pale
• symptoms not responding to antacid
• nausea and/or vomiting

If you experience any of these symptoms along with chest pain, get to your nearest emergency room. Quick medical attention is essential in cases of heart attack. Learn more … 

IKEA Blinds Recalled

IKEA is recalling IRIS and ALVINE Roman blinds following the April death of a 1-year-old girl who choked when she became tangled in the cord of a set of blinds hung near her playpen. The blinds were sold nationwide from July 2005 to June 2008. Customers can return them to any IKEA location for a full refund. Learn more about blind safety … 

Almost a third of older men will eventually have bones so fragile they fracture, and the time to prevent those fractures could be now, according to research out of the University of Auckland in New Zealand. Researchers found that men’s bones benefit from calcium supplements just as much as women’s – and women have long been advised to supplement daily to ward off osteoporosis.

Looking at healthy men ages 40 and up, the study found that those who took 1,200 mg of calcium daily improved their bone mineral density by 1 percent in just 6 months, and that the increase held for the entire two years of the study.

These men were also less likely to fall than those in the study taking a placebo.

Previous studies (most involving women) have suggested that calcium supplements might be linked to increased heart attack risk, and men taking calcium in this study did have greater risk of blood vessel issues, but researchers reported that these issues were rare.

Study authors called for further investigation into the calcium-heart risk question, and meanwhile suggest that calcium supplements might be a good investment for men who want to stay sturdy as they age. Their research was reported in the Nov. 10 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Learn more about osteoporosis in men … 

If you have family history of breast cancer, you face increased risk of developing it yourself. And new research shows this is true even among women who test negative for BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations.

The new research – out of the University of Toronto and presented at the American Association for Cancer Research’s International Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research Meeting Nov. 16-19 in Maryland – found women with family history of breast cancer but no sign of BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations faced at least a four-fold higher risk than did women with no family breast cancer history. “Family history” was defined as either two or more cases of breast cancer among close relatives under the age of 50 or three cases among close relatives at any age. Read on …

Lots of people call this “cold and flu season.” But if you have a new baby or toddler in the house, there’s something else to watch out for.

RSV, respiratory snycytial virus (pictured here), sends 100,000 to 125,000 U.S. kids to the hospital around this time of year, according to Deborah Lehman, associate director of pediatric infectious diseases at Cedars Sinai Medical Center. Most of those are under 6 months old. “We usually see our first cases at the beginning of November,” says Lehman, who tracks cases for Los Angeles County. The number increases through the holidays, peaks around the beginning of February, and falls off by about April or May. Read on …

Recall: Mylicon Infant Drops

Johnson and Johnson – Merck Consumer Pharmaceuticals is voluntarily recalling 12,000 units of Mylicon Gas Relief Dye Free drops (simethicone-antigas) non-staining, sold in 1-ounce plastic bottles after Oct. 5 nationwide. Some bottles could include metal fragments generated during the manufacturing process. The recall includes units with product code 71683791111-1, lot numbers SMF007 and SMF008, which can be found on the bottom of the product box and on the lower left sice of the sticker on the bottle. If you have the affected product in your home, and have given it to your baby and are concerned, contact your doctor right away. If you’ve purchased the product but not used it, contact the company at 800-222-9435 or www.mylicon.com for information on how to dispose of the product and obtain a refund.

How’s the Air Out There?

If you’re in Southern California, there’s a chance that the raging wildfires have at least a bit of smoke headed your way today. The CDC reminds families that children are more likely to be affected by smoke because of their developing airways, and because they breathe more air per pound than do adults. Check out your local air quality report in the newspaper, on TV, or at www.airnow.gov. If that advises you to stay indoors, keep windows and doors closed and run an air conditioner if you have one to keep your air as fresh as possible. And don’t vacuum when smoke levels are high, as that stirs up particles already inside your home. Find more information on wildfires …

Compassion to Beat Stress

Compassion meditation, a lesser-known branch of meditation centered on thoughts of selfless acts toward others, could reduce the body’s physical responses to stress, according to research from Emory University. And that could reduce incidence of major depression, heart disease and diabetes linked with that response. In the study, students taught compassion meditation techniques – secular, but based on a thousand-year-old Tibetan Buddhist practice – reduced both their bodies’ inflammation and emotional distress in response to a laboratory stress test. The researchers are planning to offer compassion meditation classes to patients at Emory Winship Cancer Institute based on the study results. Learn more …

If you’re into watching the big game (whatever game that may be), you might also want to watch out for your health, according to new research out of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.

Professors there found that people who are more personally and emotionally involved with a sports team had higher Body Mass Index (BMI) than less-enthused fans. That could be because those same diehard fans ate fast food more often and breakfast less often, had diets higher in fat that included fewer vegetables, and ate more refined grains than whole grains. Speaking of grain, committed fans were more likely to drink more alcoholic beverages.

All of this places the involved fan at greater risk for heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer and premature death than those who follow their team with less passion.

The research, presented at the Arkansas Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance Conference, was a small, initial study focusing only on the Arkansas area. Researchers are now seeking funding for a larger study to see if their results hold up nationwide.

Meanwhile, put down the super-size nachos and beer, and take a walk during the next commercials.