Real life Rosie Revere Engineer and Ada Twist Scientist

One of Mabel’s best friends is Meme. Meme lives around the corner from us, the girls are only four months apart in age, I work with her mom (we are both #scimoms), and our families are friends.

Last year for the first day of school I surprised both girls with a copy of Ada Twist Scientist by Andrea Beatty and David Roberts. Both girls already had Rosie Revere Engineer and loved it, so the sequel was a good choice.

And it just so happens that Mabel looks a lot like Rosie and Meme looks a lot like Ada.

Source: https://www.andreabeaty.com/download-citizen-poster.html

So, it seemed logical to dress them up as Rosie and Ada!

I posted about making the no-sew Rosie Revere costume here.

Ada is wearing an old Tea Collection dress and her mom did her hair.

The pictures were awesome and the girls had fun dressing up.

(I tried really hard to get Nemo to dress up as Iggy, but even bribery would not entice him to participate!)

Afterwards, the girls went out to play and the moms chatted over coffee and laughed. Fun was had by all (even Nemo).

Science proves becoming a parent sucks the happiness out of life

Someone recently told me I changed 5 years ago, for the worse. I wondered what could have happened that would have turned me into a horrible person, when it dawned on me- 5 years ago I had a kid!

The reality of parenthood, Thanksgiving 2012

That was the end of sleep/sleeping in/getting enough sleep, having nice things, cleaning only your own poo, leisurely meals, peaceful car trips, etc. The lack of sleep alone is enough to make people irritable and irrational, never mind the crying. I think most parents would agree that having a kid was a profound, and possibly irreversible, life change.

Et voila! Science proves it.

It turns out parenthood is worse than divorce, unemployment — even the death of a partner

Life has its ups and downs, but parenthood is supposed to be among the most joyous. At least that’s what the movies and Target ads tell us.

In reality, it turns out that having a child can have a pretty strong negative impact on a person’s happiness, according to a new study published in the journal Demography. In fact, on average, the effect of a new baby on a person’s life in the first year is devastatingly bad — worse than divorce, worse than unemployment and worse even than the death of a partner.– The Washington Post

Parenthood is, in its way, worse than getting divorced, losing your job, or the death of a partner. Read it and weep (or perhaps I should say keep weeping if you’re already there).

I can’t imagine being a single parent, or not having the choice whether or not to have a child. Even at the lowest points, at least Mac and I could fall back on, “We got ourselves into this mess.”

It may be a choice to procreate, the end result may be positive, and parents may not choose to change anything, but parenting is freakin’ hard. Especially that first one.

So, on behalf of parents everywhere, apologies that we couldn’t be sunshine and roses when sleep-deprived and devoid of free time. Sincere thanks for folks who tolerated us and supported us during that transition.

Reading

This morning Nemo woke me with this book in his hand, asking me to read it. He climbed in, snuggled up, and we read.

We usually reserve reading for bed time, but perhaps because I was out last night and wasn’t home for bed time, he thought this was a good make-up session.

I do love reading to my kids. The cuddling, the funny voices, the read-alongs to the books they’ve mostly memorized, love it all. Even after an ordeal to get them ready for bed, we can set aside our differences and enjoy a story together.

Later in the day I read this interesting article from the NY Times Well Blog about the benefits of reading on young minds:

Source: New York Times Well Blog

The different levels of brain activation, he said, suggest that children who have more practice in developing those visual images, as they look at picture books and listen to stories, may develop skills that will help them make images and stories out of words later on…

Dr. Hutton speculated that the book may also be stimulating creativity in a way that cartoons and other screen-related entertainments may not.

“When we show them a video of a story, do we short circuit that process a little?” he asked. “Are we taking that job away from them? They’re not having to imagine the story; it’s just being fed to them.”

So enjoy reading to a kid! You get the quality time, the laughter, the snuggles, and they get all that and some brain development too.

West Nile Virus: What is it? Where is it? How to prevent it?

It’s become a yearly tradition- the first confirmed report of West Nile Virus in a mosquito.  The winner in New York State this year is Rockland County!!  They found their first positive mosquito just last week! So far this year there have not been any reported human cases, but it’s still early in the season.  Last year NY had 33 cases.  (Source)

I’ve written before about my not-so-illustrious research career, specifically the summer I spent working for my local county health department doing West Nile Virus (WNV) surveillance, here.  Back then, 2001, West Nile was an emerging disease.  The first cases had been reported in New York City in 1999, and each year subsequent had seen an increase in cases as the virus spread.  More than once that summer, I answered panicked phone calls from residents who found dead birds on their property and were fearful of disease.

As I did then, I hope this post will help allay fears, and educate readers about West Nile, what it is, how it spreads, how it’s monitored, and how you can help prevent it!

What is West Nile Virus?

The structure of the West Nile Virus, solved by a group at Purdue. (Source)

As the name implies, West Nile is a virus, of the genus flaviviruses (Dengue virus is in the same genus).  WNV can infect certain birds and mosquitoes as well as many mammals including humans and horses.  The virus is spread by mosquitoes the feed on infected animals and transmit it by feeding on uninfected animals.  WNV was first identified in Uguanda in the 1930s.  How it came to New York City in 1999 is unknown, however, “international travel of infected persons to New York, importation of infected birds or mosquitoes, or migration  of infected birds are all possibilities.” (Source, CDC) Since arriving in North America, WNV has spread over all of North America and Mexico.

How is it detected?

The virus can be detected in samples from infected animals (blood, tissues, etc), including mosquitoes.  The summer I worked for the health department, one of my primary tasks was to collect dead birds and send them to a state lab for testing to detect WNV.  Another was to trap mosquitoes (you can see the type of trap we used below), sort them by species (and gender, only females bite!), and pool them so they can be sent for testing.  Research conducted when WNV first emerged in the US showed that the density of dead crows correlated with the risk of WNV infecting humans (Source).  Thus, our collection and reporting on the species and location of dead birds was crucial.

Mosquito trap: the bucket contains fetid water (attractive to a gravid female mosquito looking for a place to lay her eggs), some dry ice (mimicking a the CO2 mammals exhale), a net, and a battery-operated fan.  The mosquitoes fly towards the water, the fan sucks them up into the net and keeps them there.  (Image Source)

What are the symptoms of WNV infection?

The vast majority of people (70-80%) who are infected with WNV will show no symptoms at all.  So, you may have already had it and your immune system fought it off without you even knowing you were sick.  The remaining ~20% may have flu-like symptoms- headache, body aches, joint pain, vomiting, diarrhea, or rash– and recover completely.  A very small percentage of people (less than 1%) will develop neurological condition- encephalitis or meningitis (the inflammation of the brain or its surrounding tissue).  The symptoms of the encephalitis/meningitis include headache, high fever, stiff neck, disorientation, coma, seizure, etc.  The neurological condition will prove fatal in about 10% of cases.

What are the treatments?

There is no vaccine against WNV for people (there is one for horses).  There is also no specific treatment for WNV, just over-the-counter pain relievers/fever reducers, and other supportive care (fluids, pain relief).

Who is at risk?

The elderly are most at risk, with most cases of WNV occurring in people over 60 years of age (Source).  Certain illness can make people more vulnerable to complications from WNV infection- those who are immune suppressed (organ transplant recipients, cancer patients, etc.).

Is West Nile Virus in my area?

So far this year, it’s still early in the season.  As I said above, NY just had their first positive mosquito. To view the CDC’s current map of West Nile Virus activity per state, click here.

West Nile Virus Activity by State – United States, 2014 (as of June 10, 2014) (Source)

As our climate continues to change, and warm, data show West Nile will continue to spread.

How does it spread?

The West Nile Virus is primarily spread through mosquito bites.  WNV is endemic in birds and spread vie mosquitoes in that population. Occasionally an infected mosquito bites a human and transmits the virus.  There have been reported cases of human to human transmission, but only through organ donation and blood transfusions.

Transmission cycle of West Nile Virus. (Source)

What can I do keep from getting WNV?

Clatsop County Oregon’s approach. (Source)

Long sleeves/pants/socks, insect repellent, and window screens can keep you from getting bitten.  You can also make it harder for mosquitoes to breed near you- avoid having ANY STANDING WATER on your property.  That includes birth baths, old tires (there are prime breeding grounds), wheel barrows, sand boxes, water tables, flower pots, tarps, any place water can accumulate, mosquitoes can lay their eggs.

When I worked for my local health department, we routinely kept our eyes out for sources of standing water and encouraged the public to notify us if they found a source.  We’d get calls about abandoned properties (with swimming pools, bird baths, etc) and go out to try and get homeowners and business owners to fix the problems. If you see a problem area, I’d encourage you to call your local health department. Also, if you find a dead bird- give them a call, they may want to send it for testing.

Washtenaw County Michigan’s approach. (Source)

The bottom line.

Chances of you or your kids getting sick from WNV are pretty slim.  That said, avoiding mosquito bites is the best way to keep yourself safe.  Keep yourself covered, keep mosquitoes out of your house, remove any sources of standing water on your property.

New Parenting Study Released

Friends have shared this on FB a lot, and I finally got around to reading it.  It’s short, funny, and worth a look.

“New Parenting Study Released” by Sarah Miller

A recent study has shown that if American parents read one more long-form think piece about parenting they will go fucking ape shit.

Source.

I have to say, as much as I post here about parenting studies, I don’t take many of them to heart.  Most of the studies really don’t even apply directly to how one should parent, they are merely spun by the media to imply that they do. My years of experience reading primary literature and my scientific training allow me to filter out all the noise and spin, and drill down to understand what the results mean for me and my kids.

I have friends on FB freaking out about BPA (to the point that one was ravaged with guilt for eating a bowl of canned soup while pregnant), vaccines, GMOs, etc.  It is to the point of ridiculousness.

I often have friends and family approach me for my ‘scientific opinion’ on something- ranging from biopsy results to whether or not the government and pharmaceutical companies have the cure for cancer and are conspiring to keep it from humanity.

When it comes to many studies (i.e. crying it out, BPA, GMOs, etc) I just say, “Don’t worry about it.”

There are bodies of work that allow scientists to come to a clear concensus- the safety and efficacy of vaccines, for example- but on a lot of other issues, there is no clear consensus.  The data aren’t there, the studies haven’t been done, conclusions cannot be drawn.

So, by and large my advice is, “Don’t worry about it.  Don’t kill yourself finding BPA-free everything, don’t bankrupt yourself buying GMO-free everything, don’t exhaust yourself getting up 1000 times a night, etc.”

We’re all gonna screw up our kids in one way or another, so just accept that fact and get on with your life.

What do you wonder? Nerdy Baby artwork for the young scientist in all of us.

I love Tiffany Ard’s Nerdy Baby artwork.  Her books and flashcards feature prominently on my Amazon wish list.

I follow her on Facebook and was in awe of the artwork she posted today.

Source: Tiffany Ard (Click on the image to see it full-size and read the text on the Nerdy Baby FB page)

What struck me most about it was the idea that there is wonder to be found everywhere, even in the seemingly mundane. And really, that wonder is science.

I’ve written before about how it’s not just make-believe that can spark the imagination.  The world around us if full of amazing things.  I love how Ms. Ard captures that with “What do you wonder?”

Turns out, lucky for us, that Zulily* is featuring several of Tiffany Ard’s prints on their sale site right now!

I picked up two of these prints- one for my daughter, and the other for her fabulous preschool teacher.

I also picked up this one for Nemo, who at 1.5 years already said, “Three, two, one, blastoff!”

How does a rocket go zoom? by Tiffany Ard

And this set of “Art Prints for Young Scientists.”

If the Zulily sale is over and you would like to order prints, or if you want a signed print, check out the Nerdy Baby Site.

Have fun inspiring your young scientist!

*Note- Zulily requires membership to shop.  Some of the links to Zulily in this post are referral links.  You can click here to join, referred by me.  However, you should know that if you join, and purchase something, I will get a $15 credit.  So, if you have a friend who is a member, have that person refer you and he/she will get the $15.  You can also join without a referral, but it usually isn’t instantly.

I’m so glad you asked.

Source: Refutations to Anti-Vaccine Memes.

 

If you want the less friendly, sarcastic version, click here.

Science: Ruining childhood since 1543

In a FB discussion a while ago it was implied by some (who don’t know me) that I’m a stick in the mud, dream crusher of a mother who didn’t “let” her kid believe in Disney princesses, unicorns, dragons, and Bubble Guppies- as in, my 3yo knows those things are pretend/make believe and it was horrible of me to disabuse her of the notion that cartoons actually exist.

If you know the origin of this image, and the person I should credit, please let me know.

Just because those things are pretend/make believe doesn’t mean she can’t enjoy playing make believe. She knows she can use her imagination to think up anything at all, not just what marketing execs at Disney want her to think about when she’s parked in front of the Disney Channel. I’m glad that when she plays princess, she just thinks up what kind of princess she wants to be- and isn’t just choosing which Disney princess to be.

However, what really gets me, what I fail to fathom, is the notion that only pretend things hold wonder.  Have you seen a Cheerio under a microscope?  What about a flower petal?  Salt? Hair? It’s pretty neat.

Examining whatever she could find under a microscope. Even boring stuff can be exciting when you magnify it 200 times.

The actual world, and all the things that actually exist within it are wondrous. Stars and comets, Princess Di and Queen Noor, dinosaurs and narwhals, Sally Ride and Jaques Cousteau- all real and all wonderful and all amazing and all more enthralling than anything Disney might insidiously market to my kid.

Disney has it’s whole “When you wish upon a star” mumbo jumbo, but it was pretty freakin’ awesome to stand in our driveway and watch the Minotaur rocket shoot across the New York sky as it launched from Wallops Air Force Base (click on the link to see the schedule of launches and the map of where the launches are visible).  To then run inside and watch videos of the launch from the ground, learn about rockets, figure out why it looked the way it looked in the sky, etc. was also awesome.  To have Mabel ask for pictures of the rocket launching to take for show and tell was awesome.  To spark her interest in space an space exploration was awesome.  Disney can’t top that.

Distinguishing the real from the make believe doesn’t steal her child-like wonder, it opens her child’s eyes to the wonder that is around her every day, even if most grownups are oblivious.

Take action now! Stand up for science and vaccines!

In Brief:  Anti-vaccination propagandists Age of Autism are going before Congress trying to do an end run around science so they can sue vaccine manufacturers for scientifically unsupported claims that vaccines cause autism (and a laundry list of other things).  If they succeed, we may all be screwed because the frivolous lawsuits will drive vaccine manufacturers out of the business- leaving us without access to life-saving vaccines.  Contact your Representative TODAY (11/7/13) and implore him/her to stand up for science and life-saving vaccines by not letting Age of Autism parade scientifically-unfounded propaganda in front of Congress unchallenged by facts and truth.  For more info, including how to find/contact your rep, go to Moms Who Vax.

You can also help spread the word by following Moms Who Vax on Twitter, or visiting the Carnival of Evidence-Based Parenting Facebook page.

_________________________________________________________

As you may have heard, Age of Autism is preparing to parade their anti-vaccine propaganda in front of Congress.  Today they are presenting at a Congressional briefing, soon, they will get an actual hearing in front of the US House of Representatives.

Why are they doing this?  They are trying to dismantle the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP, aka “Vaccine Court”) because that court looks at the decades of science and research proving the safety and efficacy of vaccines and the absence of a link between vaccines and the laundry list of issues Age of Autism claims vaccines cause (ADHD, autism, allergies, etc.)  Since the VICP relies of scientific evidence, parents who bring claims for autism are unable to be compensated by the fund.  Age of Autism is hoping that a jury of peers might be more easily duped than the VICP and agree to compensate families for conditions/reactions science has shown are not linked to vaccines.

If the anti-vaccine propagandists are successful, we could be in trouble.  Vaccine producers would be inundated with lawsuits for ‘injuries’ the VICP refuses to recognize due to lack of scientific evidence.  The VICP was created precisely to prevent this– prevent vaccine producers from leaving the vaccine market due to lawsuits, leaving our population without access to life-saving vaccines.

Let me reiterate- decades of science have shown that vaccines are safe and effective.  Adverse reactions to vaccines are real, but rare.  The risk of contracting a vaccine-preventable, life-threatening illness FAR outweighs the risk of vaccination.  Decades of study have found no credible evidence to link vaccines to autism (or the litany of other things Age of Autism claims).  

The VICP is crucial to provide compensation to those rare cases of adverse vaccine reactions while protecting our supply of life-saving vaccines.

So what can you do to stand up for science and vaccines?  Contact your Representative and tell him/her not to let Age of Autism spout propaganda in front of Congress!  Tell your Rep to learn the science, stand up for it, and keep vaccines available.

I contacted my rep, and you can see my letter below.  Feel free to use part/all of the text- even a form letter is better than nothing- when you call or email your Rep.  It’s crucial that this is done TODAY, November 7th as the Congressional briefing is today at noon.  The hearing will be held next month.

Stand up for science and for life-saving vaccines.

For more info, including how to reach your representative, go to Moms Who Vax.

Dear Congresswoman Lowey,
While we have not met personally, I have heard you speak several times. I know you are science-minded and well informed, I trust that this email will be me ‘preaching to the choir.’ 

I write to you today as a mother and a scientist.

As you may or may not know, Age of Autism, a group that dangerously misrepresents the safety and efficacy of vaccines is attempting to dismantle the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP aka Vaccine Court). Their hope is that a jury of their peers will be more easily swayed to disregard decades of science and research and award money to families that mistakenly claim their children developed autism due to vaccines.

The VICP was developed to protect vaccine manufacturers from frivolous lawsuits that in the 1980s nearly succeeded in companies ceasing to produce life-saving vaccines. The risks of vaccinations are real, hence the importance of having the VICP; however, those risks are minuscule compared to the dangers of contracting vaccine-preventable illnesses.

Please, stand up for science and life-saving vaccines. Send a staffer to the Congressional briefing being held TODAY by Age of Autism and counteract their anti-science, anti-vaccine rhetoric and propaganda. 

When Age of Autism holds its hearing in front of the House of Representatives, please, take them to task for their misrepresentation, rejection, and complete lack of scientific evidence. Protect our families and our children by sticking to the decades of scientific research that shows the safety and efficacy of vaccines. Please do not let them parade myths and untruths about vaccines in front of Congress.

I have included some useful links to additional information below.

Please reach out to be if there is anything I can add to help you or your staff combat this dangerous rhetoric.

Sincerely,
Momma, PhD

You might be a #scimom if…

You might be a sci-mom if you take your kid to the fair and all you can think of as she crawls through the Kiddiepillar is, “Is that a vulva?  Cloaca?  What do you call the back end of a caterpillar?”

And then you go look it up.  It’s technically the caterpillar’s anus.

It’s not too far off either.  Check out this figure from Caveney et al from The Journal of Experimental Biology (and a paper all about skipper caterpillars that can shoot their poop “over distances many times their body length”):

Source: Caveney et al. 1998

Did you know their poop is called “frass”?  No?  You didn’t know that?  Oh, well, now you do!