These four popular asthma drugs Advair, Foradil, Serevent, and Symbicort received new warning labels from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in February 2010. The FDA warns asthma suffers to avoid using these medicines as a sole or long-term means of symptom control. These asthma medicines are in the long-acting beta agonists (LABAs) class of drugs. If you, or your child, is using one of these drugs as a sole means of controlling asthma symptoms you should contact the prescribing physician immediately. The FDA warns that regular use of any of these four asthma medications can increase the severity of asthma. Ultimately, the long-term sole use of LABAs to control asthma symptoms can lead to hospitalizations and even the death of some asthma sufferers.

Will a newly developed blood test affect the adoption world? Will this blood test enable matches to occur sooner between pregnant women considering an adoption plan with parents who hope to adopt? There are parents who want to know the sex of their baby prior to birth for decorating and naming purposes. There are others who want to know because some genetic conditions only affect one gender. Many potential adoptive parents are seeking a gender specific adoption. This gender requirement usually prevents these potential adoptive parents from matching prior to the second trimester. However, researchers in the Netherlands found that their testing method was100 percent accurate in determining fetal sex among nearly 200 pregnant women by as early as seven weeks gestation. .

Even after a decade of fostering teenage girls, and nearly 70 years on earth, I can still experience “firsts” in my life. This morning a teenage boy pulled a gun on me while I was escorting my 17 year old foster daughter into my vehicle. This young lady has been living in my home since she was 11 years old. Just this past year, she has lost her mind. I have noticed this phenomenon happening with other teenagers as their eighteenth birthdays approach. Of course, it all started over a boy.

Some serious discussion was going on last week over at the yahoo adoption scams blog about agencies that charge outrageous fees for special needs adoptions. A particular situation started the conversation. Frankly, it is one of the most expensive domestic special needs adoptions I have seen. For those of you adopted special needs children internationally, it may seem like a drop in the bucket. An agency was attempting to find a match for a baby girl due in March of 2010. Prenatal testing had determined that the baby would be born with Spina Bifida.

The Mayo Clinic publishes many helpful articles for parents and for those who suffer with chronic illness. That is why I subscribe to their weekly electronic newsletter. Recently they published a quick reference guide fever resource on their website. Parents of infants always get worried when their new baby develops a fever. I have been known the contact the doctor’s office only to be told to administer some acetaminophen and give it 24 hours to run its course. While fever is a sign of illness, it is not always dangerous. The fever is a sign that the body is fighting infection. So when should you call the doctor? If your infant less than 3 months old develops a fever higher than 100.4-degrees Fahrenheit taken rectally you should all the doctor, even if no other symptoms are present.