Dr. Steve: Tuesday

Do you have a question for Dr. Steve, CLICK HERE

7:00am Segment Info:
If you've ever had a really stuffy nose you probably noticed that those over the counter cold medicines don't do much to help you breathe. Now the FDA agrees. They say there's little proof that phenylephrine. The active ingredient in those medicines can open your nasal passages. The agency says most of the studies were done in the 60's and 70's. Were small and poorly designed. In fact, seven out of 14 studies of the drug did not show a significant improvement in nasal airflow at the currently used dosage.

Phenylephrine is now behind the counter in drug stores. You don't need a prescription, but you have to ask for it... Right?

In 2006 congress passed that law to prevent people from buying too much because it was being used to make methamphetamine. Critics say the reason phenylephrine isn't effective is because the dose that's currently available over the counter, 10mg, is too low. They're calling for a large-scale study looking at different doses to see if it's actually effective. The FDA is reviewing this closely and I’ll let you know if they make any recommendations.

There's a disturbing report card for public schools.

According to a new report from the health department the number of teen rapes in city high schools is up 34 percent. The survey of 8000 kids grades 9 to 12 found about seven and a half percent of public high school kids in 2005 said they were forced to have sex or were raped. That's up from 5 point 6 percent in 2001. You should know that higher number is in line with the national average. But it's a concerning trend.

Thought school violence was down?

It is, in fact, school violence overall school violence is down some 20 percent from 2003 to 2005. But this is violence that takes place after school. The number of violent acts on dates is up to about 50 percent. And the number of kids carrying weapons to school is about 7 percent. With 8 percent saying they were threatened or injured with a weapon at school. This problem is not unique to New York Public Schools. Experts say the numbers are in line with the national average, and they're probably higher because these incidents are often under reported.

8:00am Ask The Doctor Segment Info:
You've heard the reports that many of those over the counter cough medicines do little to stop a cough. Why not try a little honey? A new study finds a teaspoon of honey before bed seems to calm children's coughs and help them sleep better. This is no joke. The study was performed at Pennsylvania State University's College of Medicine and it relied on parent's reports of their child's symptoms. In the study, the folk remedy did better than cough medicine or no treatment at all.

How does it work?

They don't know for sure, but it may be that the honey coats and soothes an irritated throat. Recently federal health officials warned that over-the-counter cough and cold medicines shouldn't be used in children younger than 6, and manufacturers are taking some products for babies off the market. Remember though, honey should not be given to children under age 1 because of a rare but serious risk of botulism.

Speaking of kids, it seems more kids have peanut allergies these days.

That's right, and they're starting a lot sooner. Researchers say allergies to peanuts and other foods are showing up in children at younger ages than ever before and they don't know why. In a study of 140 children with peanut allergies, the median age of the first allergic reaction was 14 months compared to 24 months, 10 to 20 years ago. Because of this experts say you may want to wait before introducing peanuts or peanut products to kids at risk for allergies.

What's the right age?

The American Academy of pediatrics recommends that children with a family history of allergies avoid peanuts until age 3 and for good reason, when kids are older, it can be easier to manage bad reactions medically. They can speak to you. They can tell you right away if their mouths feel funny or if they notice anything abnormal. Among the 12 million Americans with food allergies, nearly 2 million are allergic to peanuts. Fortunately, about 20 percent outgrow it, but as many as one-third of people with peanut allergies have severe reactions such as trouble breathing, a drop in blood pressure and gastrointestinal problems.