Birth Order Health - Kent Ninomiya
Wednesday, January 23rd, 2008Kent Ninomiya - I don’t usually site other writers’ work directly but I came across an article that was just too interesting to pass up. Check out an article by Sarah Robbins from Prevention. It talks about how birth order can impact your health. My initial reaction was to laugh it off, but read on and you may find some points to ponder: Your oldest child is running for class president; the baby is running away from home. Birth order theories of personality make great cocktail party fodder. Just don’t try them on the psychologist standing near the hors d’oeuvres table — experts have been arguing for years about whether family position can account for kids’ personality differences, and there’s no resolution in sight. But your oldest child has allergies? Your youngest broke yet another bone? Now you’re talking.Surprise: There’s increasing evidence that your place in the family lineup can have an impact on your physical health — sometimes small, but in some cases substantial. Of course, there’s nothing you (or your spouse or kids) can do to change your birth order. But you can make sure to enjoy the benefits that come with it — and steer clear of the risks. Here, a birth order-based cheat sheet to help you and your loved ones beat your odds of allergies, asthma, accidents, and more.FirstbornThe Good News: A study in Science magazine showed that firstborns score an average of 3 points higher on IQ tests than their younger siblings. And being brainy goes along with better health, found a study from the University of Glasgow that suggests children who scored higher on IQ tests were less likely to develop coronary heart disease and some cancers.Watch For:Allergies and asthma: In a review of over 50 studies, researchers found that oldest kids are more likely to suffer from allergies, hay fever, eczema, and even asthma. The reason might be that firstborns are overprotected: Many are exposed to few bacteria or viruses until they start school, while younger siblings battle the bugs older sibs bring home — and therefore may develop stronger immune systems.Check to see if “colds” are actually allergies: If someone is constantly congested or sneezy, remember that allergies are the real culprit in about half of chronic sinus infections. “An allergy’s most prominent symptom is an itchy nose — not a runny nose,” says Amal Assa’ad, MD, a professor of allergy and immunology at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. “And allergies don’t come with fevers, aches, or chills.”Testicular cancer: A study from the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm found that firstborn men have a greater risk of testicular cancer. The eldest is typically exposed to higher estrogen levels in the womb than later-born sibs — which may up his risk of disease.Keep an eye out: This relatively rare cancer can strike men as young as in their teens but is curable if found at an early stage. If your husband’s family has a history of this disease, the American Cancer Society suggests monthly self-exams, after a warm bath or shower.Middle ChildThe Good News: Your risk of gum disease is 5% lower, probably because your immune system got an early workout from the germs your older brother or sister brought home and is better able to dispatch oral bacteria.Watch For:Depression: “Middle children tend to have lower self-esteem than first- or last-borns, perhaps because parents are busy with the other kids,” says Frank J. Sulloway, PhD, author of Born to Rebel. A University of Wisconsin study found that parents spent less money and nearly 10% less time caring for them, compared with older or younger kids. And a University of Pennsylvania study found middle kids reported significantly more depressive symptoms.Make sure second-born isn’t second-class:”Kids who think they don’t get enough attention may feel down or defeated, so tack on extra time for the middle,” says Jennifer Hartstein, PsyD, a psychologist at the Child and Family Institute of the St. Luke’s and Roosevelt Hospitals in New York City. “If you’re running to the supermarket, ask your middle child to come along.”Chronic fatigue syndrome:Preliminary research from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey suggests that middle kids are slightly more likely to suffer from CFS than their younger or older siblings.Know the signs: If you feel exhausted for 6 months, and rest doesn’t help, you may have CFS; for children and adolescents, it’s 3 months. “Remember, healthy kids don’t make excuses so they can skip trips to theme parks or sleepovers,” says Donnica Moore, MD, president of the Sapphire Women’s Health Group in Far Hills, NJ.Minimize your risk:Experts say CFS may be triggered by an infection — so good hygiene, staying current with vaccines, and healthy eating may offer you protection.YoungestThe Good News: Your risk of allergies is lower, thanks to those hand-me-down germs. Another benefit of being the baby: In Italian research, young adults who grew up with older siblings were 10% less likely to develop Hodgkin’s disease than only children.Watch For:Accidentsand preventable diseases: A 2005 study of childhood accidents at a Jerusalem ER found that kids with three or more siblings were 50% more likely to be injured than those from smaller families. When parents are spread thin and supervision gets lax, other important protections can fall by the wayside, too: A study of London-born children found their odds of being vaccinated decreased 20% for each additional child in the family.Be vigilant:Vaccinate your kids — and talk with your doctor about whether you should roll up your own sleeve. You may benefit from shots that weren’t available when you were younger and may need boosters for others.Risky behavior:Youngest kids go through puberty 3 months earlier on average than their older siblings, according to one analysis of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth. “Early puberty can cause an increase in risk taking,” says lead author Joseph Rodgers, PhD, of the University of Oklahoma. Youngest children start having sex about 2 months earlier than their older brothers and sisters; they’re also more likely to smoke cigarettes.Communicate: “Dabbling in risky behavior is part of being a teen,” says Hartstein. “So ask questions — and don’t shy away from any they may ask. Peer pressure is real, but parents have a huge protective influence, too.”
