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Studies have shown that language development varies between the sexes, with males generally gaining language skills at a slower rate. Prenatal testosterone is known to influence fetal neurodevelopment, and preliminary studies have suggested that the hormone is associated with language delay.  Researchers from the U of Western Australia explored this issue in a large cohort of children.  They collected umbilical cord blood samples from 861 randomly selected births and measures the bioavailable testosterone levels.  As expected the males had a much higher level of testosterone in the umbilical cord blood than the females. For the following three years the parents completed an Infant Monitoring Questionnaire annually that measured communication (language), gross-motor, fine-motor, adaptive and social development.
As previously reported in other studies, a greater proportion of males had greater communication delay at all three assessments stages.  In addition to the language deficits, males were more likely to have delays in fine-motor function and personal-social skills at age 3.  Conversely, females exposed to the highest levels of testosterone had a reduced likelihood of having a language delay at that age.
This study suggests that high prenatal testosterone levels are a risk factor for language delay in male children.  In contrast to the increased risk for delay in males, higher levels of testosterone appeared to reduce the risk of language delay among females.
Males exposed to the highest testosterone levels were more than twice as likely to have a language delay at age 3, according to Andrew Whitehouse, PhD, of the University of Western Australia in Perth, and colleagues.
“These data suggest that high prenatal testosterone levels are a risk factor for language delay in males, but may be a protective factor for females,” according to Whitehouse.   “Replication of these findings is essential, and may help refine our understanding of the level of testosterone that is associated with a detrimental effect on language development in boys.”  The researchers expected the results in males but found it difficult to explain the protective effect in females.
They speculated that it might have to do with sex differences in how the brain lateralizes function across left and right hemispheres.
Source reference:
Whitehouse A, et al “Sex-specific associations between umbilical cord blood testosterone levels and language delay in early childhood” J Child Psychol Psychiatry 2012; DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-7610.2011.02523.x.
 

You’ve heard it before, but it’s a cliché that has earned its place: breast cancer knows no boundaries.  It affects all women – of all ethnicities, young or old, blue collar and professional.  Cancer doesn’t care where you worship, who you love, or how you vote.  Over 30 years ago I served for 13 years as the first executive director of a Chicago based breast cancer support organization called Y-ME.   Today, the Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization is the largest breast cancer support organization in the U.S.
Recent news has had breast cancer organizations  answering a few questions about their political agenda.   For Y-ME,  the answer is: they don’t have one.  Instead, they have a mission, and a simple one: to assure that no one faces breast cancer alone.  No one.  They do this through the 24/7/365 toll-free hotline (1-800-221-2141).  They also have a website.
Y-ME does not care about your color, your insurance, your background, your voting record.  They care that you need someone to talk to, someone who understands.  When you have questions about breast cancer, you need information you can count on from someone you can trust.
The women who staff the Y-ME Hotline are a microcosm of all women and they all have been diagnosed with breast cancer at some time in their lives!!.   They are trained to provide easy-to-understand information about the complex topic of breast cancer diagnosis and treatment.   They are trained not to let their personal biases affect their job or their opinion of the women they speak to through the Hotline.
If the current political flap has you concerned, remember, there are others out there who truly are lifelines for women with breast cancer and I hope you continue to support them!.

Last weekend I noticed a billboard on the highway that read:   Obesity is a disease, it is not a choice!   Nice way to avoid responsibility–put the blame elsewhere.   This billboard was promoting a weight loss program (not a bad idea, but a misleading headline!)  Remember the days when the main excuse for weight gain was “it’s a hormonal problem, I can’t do anything about it”  or “it’s in my genes”.   Yes , there are some hormonal issues (e.g. hypothyroidism)  and genetics  that can predispose you to  weight gain.    However, the rise in obesity and its associated health problems far surpasses the number of people who have a hormonal or genetic problem!
In a recent Chicago Tribune interview given by Dr. Donald Lloyd-Jones at Northwestern University about heart disease ( a major outcome of obesity), he points out that “your lifestyle and behavior choices can trump much of genetics.”    As far as thyroid conditions, the number of people with thyroid problems averages about 16% of the population.   And some thyroid conditions actually make you lose weight.
In 2020 in the US, 83 percent of men and 72 percent of women will be overweight or obese. Currently, 72 percent of men and 63 percent of women are overweight or obese (people who are overweight have a BMI of 25 to 29, people who are obese have a BMI of 30 or greater).  Obesity is a huge factor when it come to diabetes risk.  In 2020, 77 percent of men and 53 percent of women will have dysglycemia (either diabetes or pre-diabetes). Currently, 62 percent of men and 43 percent of women have dysglycemia.
“We’ve been dealing with the obesity trend for the past three decades, but the impact we project on blood sugar is a true shock,” said Donald Lloyd-Jones, MD, chair and associate professor of preventive medicine at Feinberg. “Those are some really scary numbers. When blood sugar goes up like that all of the complications of diabetes come into play.”
Less than five percent of Americans currently are considered to have ideal cardiovascular health. The modest six percent improvement in cardiovascular health that is projected for 2020 means better cholesterol and blood pressure numbers for Americans and fewer smokers. Improvements in treatment and control of cholesterol and blood pressure with medication and declines in smoking would partially account for this small boost, but they wouldn’t be enough to offset the weight and diabetes problems Americans face. Projected improvements in diet and physical activity also contribute to the six percent projection, but the absolute increase in Americans who consume ideal diets will remain less than two percent by 2020, if current trends continue.
“Since the 1960s cardiovascular disease death rates have substantially decreased, but if the weight and dysglycemia trends continue to grow past 2020, we are in danger of seeing those overall numbers start to reverse,” Mark Huffman, a cardiologist at Northwestern, said.  Achieving a healthy weight through diet and physical activity is the best way most Americans can improve their cardiovascular health, besides quitting smoking.
Just remember, you can have a bowl of cereal in the morning or a chocolate covered donut.    It’s your choice…not some disease.
 

Pfizer Inc. announced today that it has voluntarily recalled 14 lots of Lo/Ovral®-28 (norgestrel and ethinyl estradiol)Tablets and 14 lots of Norgestrel and Ethinyl Estradiol Tablets (generic) for customers in the U.S. market. An investigation by Pfizer found that some blister packs may contain an inexact count of inert or active ingredient tablets and that the tablets may be out of sequence. The cause was identified and corrected immediately.
As a result of this packaging error, the daily regimen for these oral contraceptives may be incorrect and could leave women without adequate contraception, and at risk for unintended pregnancy. These packaging defects do not pose any immediate health risks. However, consumers exposed to affected packaging should begin using a non-hormonal form of contraception immediately. Patients who have the affected product (lot numbers available by clicking here) should notify their physician and return the product to the pharmacy.
These products are packaged in blister packs containing 21 tablets of active ingredients and seven tablets of inert ingredients. Correct dosing of this product is important in avoiding the associated risks of an unplanned pregnancy. Any adverse events that may be related to the use of these products should be reported to Akrimax Medical Information at 1-877-509-3935 (8 AM to 7 PM Mon-Fri CST) or to FDA’s Med Watch Program either online, by regular mail or by fax.