Summer Brings Risk of Portable Pool Drowning for Children

A recent study conducted by investigators at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Ohio looked at the 209 drowning deaths that occurred in the U.S. between 2001 and 2009 in children under the age of 12 involving above-ground pools.

The research team, led by Dr. Gary A. Smith, director of the Center for Injury Research and Policy at the hospital, found that on average, one child drowns in a portable swimming pool every five days in the U.S. The investigators also noted that these deaths involve not only large, deep swimming pools, but also smaller, shallow ones.

Experts warn parents that even small, inflatable pools can also pose a serious risk to their child’s safety, so it is important to take precautions with any size pool; not only deep in-ground and above-ground pools.

Dr. Smith and his group of investigators also found that children under 5 years of age have the greatest risk of drowning, with almost 95 percent of the over 200 cases they detailed falling in that age range. For that reason, parents of young children should be extra cautious when their child is in the vicinity of any pool. According to the study, more than 40 percent of these drowning deaths occurred while the child was under adult supervision and about 39 percent occurred while there was no adult supervision. The remaining 18 percent of the 209 drowning deaths occurred as a result of a lapse in supervision.

The study used data taken from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, and will be published online in Pediatrics.

If your child’s drowning death was caused by another’s negligence, call or email the attorneys at Silberstein, Awad & Miklos, P.C. today for a free case evaluation. We have helped clients with Queens premises liability, Bronx premises liability, Brooklyn premises liability, Manhattan premises liability and Long Island premises liability matters.

Call toll-free 1-877-ASK4SAM

Breast Cancer Survival Less Likely for Obese or Overweight Women

A recent study presented at the 93^rd annual meeting of the Endocrine Society in Boston has found that obese and overweight women have a lesser chance of surviving breast cancer that is estrogen receptor-positive, in which estrogen fuels the progression of the cancer.

The analysis included roughly 4,000 women from a separate study who had been diagnosed with invasive breast cancer between 1995 and 2006. Researchers found that for women who were obese at the time of their diagnosis, meaning they had a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or above, the risk of dying from breast cancer was almost 70 percent higher than that of normal weight women. For women who were considered overweight when diagnosed, meaning they had a BMI of 25 to 29, the increased risk of not surviving their cancer was the same as that of obese women.

Researchers found that a possible cause for this drop in the rate of breast cancer survival is that in overweight and obese women, the levels of estrogen in the blood are higher. For this reason, overweight and obese women should perform self breast exams regularly, and their doctors should screen them accordingly to catch any early signs of breast cancer.

If you or a loved one has breast cancer malpractice questions in New York City or Long Island, call or email the medical malpractice attorneys at Silberstein, Awad & Miklos today. Our experienced malpractice attorneys have handled many cases involving delays in diagnosing and treating breast cancer. Call our New York City medical malpractice lawyers today for a free consultation.

Call us toll-free 1-877-ASK4SAM

Risk of Premature Birth Drops with Flu Shot

Many prominent organizations, including the March of Dimes, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Gynecologists and Obstetricians, recommend that women receive flu vaccinations while pregnant. In support of this recommendation, a recent study conducted by U.S. researchers has found that the risk of delivering prematurely, or before 37 weeks gestation, is significantly lowered when a woman receives a flu shot during flu season.

For the study, researchers analyzed data on more than 4,000 deliveries in Georgia from June of 2004 to September of 2006. Of the women involved in the study, roughly 15 percent had received a flu shot while pregnant.

Researchers found that for vaccinated women who gave birth during flu season, which is generally from October to May, the risk of premature delivery dropped by 40 percent. Women who had received a flu shot and delivered during peak flu season (January and February) were 72 percent less likely to give birth prematurely.

A link was also found between flu vaccination and a decreased risk of delivering a baby with a low birth weight during flu season, although no association was found outside of flu season.

Babies born prematurely have a significantly higher risk of complications at birth. If your child has suffered a birth injury that may have been preventable, call or email the medical malpractice attorneys at Silberstein, Awad & Miklos today for a free evaluation. We have helped clients with Queens birth injury, Brooklyn birth injury, Bronx birth injury, Manhattan birth injury and Long Island birth injury cases.