Early intervention to stop stuttering

What do Winston Churchill and James Earl Jones have in common besides a deep voice and a robust stature? They were both stutterers. As were King George VI, actor Bruce Willis and golfer-turned-broadcaster Ken Venturi.

Stuttering that lasts for six or more months affects about 5 percent of children and is thought to happen because of a combination of genetics, neurophysiology, developmental problems and family environment. Fortunately, stuttering fades for about 50 percent of 4- and 5-year-olds. But that doesn’t mean that you should just think of it as a passing phase.

Research shows that early intervention, as young as age 3, is the best route, even if your child eventually may overcome the disability. That’s because helping reprogram the brain’s speech patterns as soon as possible can prevent stuttering from becoming an emotional and social handicap – or a permanent condition. The frustration that young kids feel when they can’t express themselves is great enough without any impediments; add stuttering, and it can amplify those feelings. Furthermore, if a child stutters at age 5, there’s a 50-50 chance it will persist into adulthood.

So if your child stutters, don’t worry, but do talk with a speech therapist. And consider adopting some of the most effective therapeutic techniques: Reduce competing sounds from TV, music and other people; speak more slowly when talking with your child; allow for pauses between talking and taking turns talking; let your child finish a thought no matter how long it takes; and teach your child relaxed breathing techniques.

Banned ingredients in supplements

Last summer, we reported that the Food and Drug Administration had recalled 27 dietary supplements containing banned ingredients. That’s good work, but, alas, it wasn’t very effective.

A new report in JAMA, the Journal of the American Medical Association, reveals that tests on those 27 recalled supplements show 60 percent still contain the same or similar banned ingredients. JAMA is calling for more enforcement muscle for the agency, which has been hampered by budget cuts. We say great idea. But in the meantime, it’s up to you to avoid these risky products:

1. Read labels. They don’t always list the true ingredients, but it’s a good place to start. Watch out for sibutramine (a discontinued weight-loss drug that causes heart problems) or phenolphthalein (a known carcinogen).

2. Pay attention to side effects. Two anabolic steroids (dymethazine and methasterone) have shown up in a product (but not on the label) claiming to be a vitamin B supplement. Women report missed periods and facial hair; men experience fatigue and impotence. If you’re taking something that makes you feel “off,” stop. Call your doc and the FDA.

3. Want to really get rid of excess weight and build muscle? Go for at least 30 minutes of physical activity daily, heading for 10,000 steps; eat up to nine servings of fruits and veggies every day; and get around eight hours of sleep a night.

It’s never too late or too little

In “On Golden Pond,” when Norman Thayer (Henry Fonda) went fishing for trout and rowed his boat, he was doing his best to fight off encroaching cognitive problems. And he had it right. A new study out of Canada illustrates just how good for the brain any activity or exercise can be.

Researchers divided around 50 people ages 64 to 76 into three groups, and measured their cognitive skills. One group was then assigned high-intensity exercises to increase lower-body strength and aerobic capacity. A second focused on high-intensity upper-body strength-building and aerobic training; and a third did lower-intensity gross motor activities, such as tossing or kicking a ball, balancing on one foot (with a chair if needed), and our favorite, walking. After working out three times a week for eight weeks, all three groups showed equal improvement in their brain’s executive functioning, such as task-switching, planning and working memory. So, whatever your age or physical abilities, here are our recommendations:

1. Begin doing what you can (talk with your doc). Comfortable with a 60-minute walk? Great! Over time, increase speed and distance. If you’re better off doing chair-based exercises, get into it! Slowly increase reps and add variations to your routine.

2. Aim to break a sweat. It means you’re using your muscles, increasing respiration and clearing out toxins. All brain candy!

3. Stay engaged by joining a group walk or exercise class. Enlist friends to join you. For more support, check out www.sharecare.com.

Taking a double shot for shingles and pneumonia

Brian Roberts, a point guard for the New Orleans Pelicans, hits double free throws around 90 percent of the time. While that might not be enough to turn around a losing season (last year the team had 34 wins, 48 losses), anyone 60-plus who gets a double-shot vaccination against shingles and pneumonia is likely to have a winning record.

These two vaccines offer important protection, but many docs administer them one at a time. Often, that means that you end up getting only one of the vaccines: In 2010, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that about 60 percent of adults 60-plus have had the pneumonia vaccine, but only around 14 percent have had the shingles vaccine. That’s a shame, because you can get both vaccines at the same time without worrying about compromising the effectiveness of either.

Without the vaccine (between ages 60-85) there’s a 33 percent chance you’ll get shingles; over 85, it goes up to 50 percent. Fortunately, for folks 60-69, the vaccine cuts the risk of shingles by 64 percent. And if you do get the vaccine and still get shingles, the condition is much less painful – and it is painful – and chances are it won’t last more than three weeks. The pneumococcal vaccine is effective for 60 percent to 80 percent of those over 65.

So talk to your doc about getting the pneumonia vaccine PPSV23 (it covers 23 strains) along with Zostavax for shingles. You qualify for Zostavax if you’re 60-plus, even if you have already had shingles. The pneumonia vaccine can be given to kids as young as 2.

While I was sleeping ...

In “While You Were Sleeping,” Lucy (Sandra Bullock) falls in love with one brother while pretending to be the fiance of another who, for much of the movie, is in a coma. It’s a great romantic comedy. But in the real world, mixing sleep and sex can have serious consequences.

Sexsomnia – engaging in sexual activity while asleep and having no memory of it at all – is a recognized sleep disorder that can trigger everything from fondling to intercourse and occasionally aggressive and even potentially illegal behavior. Most people who suffer from it have other sleep problems as well, such as night terrors, REM-sleep disorders or sleepwalking. It also may be associated with conditions such as sleep apnea. Sexsomnia is almost three times more common in men than women.

During REM sleep, when you dream, your brain neurons light up like you’re awake, but your muscles are paralyzed. But during sexsomnia, you’re in a dream state and you can move around. No one is sure why this happens, but one study found that 16 percent of folks with sexsomnia admitted to using recreational drugs; that’s around twice the number of people with other sleep disorders (but not sexsomnia) who admit to taking them.

The good news: For 90 percent of people with sleepwalking/arousal or REM disorders, taking the tranquilizer clonazepam provides relief. So if you or your bedmate has sexsomnia, or any other sleep disorder, talk to a sleep specialist. There are solutions. Your good health depends on getting sound, restful sleep.

This story was originally published November 25, 2014 at 9:19 AM with the headline "Early intervention to stop stuttering."