The results of the new study "Juvenile Sexuality 2010" by the Federal Center for Health Education are available. Since 1980, the BZgA has been regularly examining the attitudes and behavior of 14 to 17-year-olds to sex education, sexuality and contraception. A total of 3.542 young people were interviewed for the new study, including 1014 girls and boys with a migration background. One of the key results of the study is that, compared to the last representative survey from 2005, German girls and boys are less likely to be sexually active at an early age and that they now use contraception better than ever the first time.

Since 1980, the Federal Center for Health Education (BZgA) has been regularly examining the attitudes and behavior of 14 to 17-year-old young people with regard to education, sexuality and contraception. No other study in Germany on this topic can look back on such a long comparison period. A total of 2010 young people were interviewed for the new study “Juvenile Sexuality 3.542”, including 1014 girls and boys with a migration background. The full results are now available.

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The pediatrician, pain and palliative medicine specialist Priv. Doz. Sven Gottschling from the Saarland University Hospital in Homburg / Saar treats children who suffer from severe pain due to diseases such as cancer, hereditary diseases or disabilities. When he can no longer get the pain of his little patients under control with conventional drugs, Gottschling has been prescribing dronabinol, the semi-synthetically produced main active ingredient of the cannabis plant, for five years. Sven Gottschling was awarded the 1st poster prize for the presentation of his case series at the German Pain and Palliative Day in Frankfurt / Main.

Noah is five years old. He was born with a serious heart defect, further complex malformations and a convulsive disorder. "Noah's diagnostic list is two pages," says Priv. Doz. Sven Gottschling, who has been looking after the little boy since 2007. Gottschling is one of the handful of paediatricians in Germany who also have additional training as pain and palliative medicine. He is head of the Center for Pediatric Pain Therapy and Palliative Medicine at the Saarland University Hospital.

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Applications in school education possible

In recent years there has been an increased public awareness that exercise is good for you, both physically and emotionally. So it is not surprising that sport and its positive effects are advertised in numerous initiatives. In addition, exercise is becoming more important again in school pedagogy. "Children who play a lot outside have better spatial awareness and are even better at math class": This is a common perception that many parents know. But is this statement true from a scientific point of view? Can scientists make statements about whether children automatically become mathematically smarter and achieve better school grades, for example in mathematics, when they move more? If that is the case, it would be a necessary consequence to support cognitive instruction through increased motor instruction!

A group of scientists led by Prof. Dr. Petra Jansen from the Institute for Sports Science at the University of Regensburg. In this context, the Regensburg researchers examined the influence of juggling on the mental rotation performance of adults and children (8-14 years of age). Mental rotation is the ability to imagine objects rotated. This task is an essential test procedure for recording the visual-spatial imagination. The results of the adult study were recently published in the International Journal of Sport Psychology.

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Current study with the participation of scientists from Tübingen

The Institute for Medical Psychology at the University of Tübingen and scientists from the University of Nijmegen have shown that neurofeedback is an evidence-based and therefore effective treatment option for children with attention deficit / hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In a study by the Dutch research institute "Brainclinics", which was published in the current issue of the journal "EEG and Clinical Neuroscience", the researchers carried out a meta-analysis of all 15 previously published studies on neurofeedback in ADHD. They were able to show that neurofeedback has large and clinically significant effects on the core symptoms of impulsivity and inattentiveness. With regard to the core symptom hyperactivity, moderate effects could be demonstrated. ADHD is the most widespread mental disorder in children and adolescents and some of those affected persist into adulthood.

Neurofeedback, also called EEG biofeedback, is a method that can be used to influence the activity of the brain in order to treat neurological or psychological disorders. It enables real-time feedback on brain activity, which is usually measured using an electroencephalogram (EEG). The aim of neurofeedback is that patients learn to suppress or produce brain activity that is associated with the pathophysiology of their disease. The treatment method was originally used for epilepsy and has also been tested in patients with ADHD since 1976. Today it is used for a variety of disorders. However, the scientific proof of the effectiveness of neurofeedback has not yet been sufficiently provided.

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Researchers of the UFZ were involved in improving the air in La Plata

More and more children worldwide are suffering from respiratory ailments. They cough, breathe heavily, or have asthma attacks. The most important external causes of these diseases had long been identified: pollution of the air by traffic and industry. But so far, these two factors could not be clearly delimited from each other and so selectively influenced.

Scientists at the Helmholtz Center for Environmental Research (UFZ) and the University of Leipzig have been working with colleagues at the University of La Plata in Argentina on this and are now proving that air pollution generated by industry has even more serious effects than vehicle emissions.

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Increased risk of later cardiovascular disease

If children are exposed to cigarette smoke, certain inflammatory and metabolic markers in the blood show changes that can increase the risk of arteriosclerosis and thus of cardiovascular diseases as they get older. These changes are already known in adults, but little has been known about them in children. The study by the scientists from Ulm and Stuttgart, which is published in the renowned European Heart Journal, now shows clear indications of biochemical changes caused by passive smoking as early as childhood.

In a cross-sectional study, the scientists analyzed blood values ​​of 383 fourth-graders from routine examinations by the observation health offices of the Baden-Württemberg state health department and related them to the results of a parent questionnaire. If the parents smoked more than 10 cigarettes a day, several inflammatory markers in the children's blood increased. On the other hand, certain metabolic markers that indicate functioning metabolic processes were reduced. "This accumulation of negative changes increases the children's risk of prematurely developing arteriosclerosis. Deposits (so-called plaque) form on the walls of the blood vessels, which tear under certain conditions on the surface and in the worst case a blood clot can form can lead to a heart attack," explains Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Koenig, senior author of the study and senior physician in the Clinic for Internal Medicine II (Medical Director: Prof. Dr. Vinzenz Hombach).

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BfR brochure informs about poisoning risks for children and first aid measures

What to do if a child accidentally drank dangerous household products? What, so it does not get that far? Words such as "drinking milk" or "making the child vomit" can, for example, have serious health consequences if harmlessly confused. Poisoning accidents must be treated properly - depending on the nature and severity of the poisoning. The brochure "Risk of poisoning in children" of the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) gives parents tips on what to do first when a child has been poisoned. It contains tips for safe storage of liquid barbecue lighters, drain cleaners or medicines, so that there is no danger to children. Important emergency phone numbers are also included as leaflets for dealing with poisoning in children. The brochure was developed in cooperation with the Giftnotruf Berlin and the Federal Working Group "More Safety for Children" and is now available free of charge from the BfR.

The biggest health risk for children is accidents. It falls in the first place, but poisoning is common. According to experts, the vast majority of these accidents would be avoidable if parents, educators, teachers were informed about the risks. The new BfR leaflet presents risks of poisoning for children that may be the source of chemical products, toys, medicines, plants and fungi. The leaflet not only contains tips for child-resistant storage of chemical products, but also tips that can save lives in an emergency. For example, if a child inadvertently drinks corrosive drain cleaner, you should give him tea, water or juice to drink, but under no circumstances trigger vomiting. In order to be able to seek medical advice as quickly as possible for further treatment, the brochure contains address lists of the German poison information centers and other emergency telephone numbers.

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Hyperactive children can take part in study

At the Institute of Medical Psychology and Behavioral Neurobiology at the University of Tübingen is one of the German Research Foundation (DFG) supported study conducted that examines the effectiveness of new treatments for children with attention deficit / hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This study is funded by the DFG with 1,2 million euros and carried out in parallel at the Universities of Mannheim / Heidelberg, Frankfurt, Göttingen and Tübingen.

ADHD is the most common psychiatric disorder of childhood and adolescence and maintained into adulthood in some of those affected. This disorder is generally treated with medication. As a complementary or alternative therapy Biofeedback has proven increasingly promising method in recent years. Here, children learn bodily functions that are impaired because of ADHD to regulate itself. A computer program logs them the critical parameters such. As muscle tension or the activity of their brains back, so that patients gradually learn to make the desired change itself. is the subject of the study, how this self-control leads to a reduction of the symptoms of hyperactivity, impulsivity and inattention.

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How do I train and care for my voice? - VBG gives practical tips

Anyone who has something to say needs their voice - whether in everyday life or in the world of work. The voice is an essential working tool, especially in service professions. But despite its great and growing importance, the care of the voice is often neglected - voice problems or even voice disorders can be the result.

But why do health problems such as persistent hoarseness occur? "As the stress on the voice increases, the regeneration time required decreases," explains Dr. Jens Petersen, occupational physician at the statutory accident insurance VBG. Scientists differentiate between work and individual factors that put a strain on the voice. Working factors include time pressure and annoying background noises. The individual factors include incorrect breathing technique or lifestyle habits such as smoking.

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Visit to the farm without stomach ache

Farms are popular excursion destinations for kindergarten groups and school classes, especially in summer. Sometimes, however, the excursion has undesirable consequences: the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) is repeatedly reported outbreaks of disease that are triggered by the consumption of raw milk during such excursions.

Raw milk can contain pathogens such as EHEC bacteria or Campylobacter. The bacteria cause infections that can lead to serious health problems, especially in young children.

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Vaccination - use the protection options

More than 2.300 disease cases, seven encephalitis, meningitis, 45 middle ear infections, pneumonia 51, two deaths, 15% of patients need to be treated in the hospital - this is the measles balance of the year 2006. "These figures underline that measles is not a harmless childhood disease and that one should take the vaccination," said Jörg Hacker, president of the Robert Koch Institute, on the occasion of the first National Impfkonferenz that begins in Mainz on 05.03.2009. In Mainz, a number of scientists from the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) are represented with lectures or presentations.

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