Avoiding tight hairstyles helps prevent alopecia.
MIAMI BEACH -- Physicians can prevent traction alopecia in children through early intervention, according to Dr. Heather Woolery-Lloyd. Although physicians can treat inflammation with topical steroids, the clinical focus should be counseling patients and parents about prevention of future damage. "I would like to see an increase...

Answering parents' questions about DEET, 'natural' repellents.
MIAMI BEACH -- Children's insect repellent products that contain alternative ingredients marketed as "natural" are becoming more widely available, and parents have plenty of questions about their use, Dr. Elizabeth Connelly said at the annual Masters of Pediatrics conference sponsored by the University of Miami. Efficacy varies...

FDA requests recall of Xiadafil VIP tabs.
FDA requested that SEI Pharmaceuticals of Miami recall all Xiadafil VIP Tabs sold in eight-tablet bottles (Lot # 6K029) or blister cards of two tablets (Lot # 6K029-SEI) because these products contain a potentially harmful, undeclared ingredient that may dangerously affect a person's blood pressure and can cause other...

Because we really are a college town.
Take Amar Agha, a 27-year-old Long Island, N.Y., native who came to Sarasota by way of Chicago and chose to get his M.B.A. at USF Sarasota-Manatee because, he says, "it's the best school in the region." A graduate assistant with a full course load, he works full-time (also at...

Dengue hitting U.S., mostly in Texas and Florida.
MIAMI -- From 1977 to 2004, there were 3,806 suspected cases of dengue imported to the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Many more cases probably go unreported each year because surveillance in the United States is passive and relies on physicians...

Company Watch - American Airlines.
Feb 4, 2008 American Airlines Pilots Rebuffed. Federal mediators have rejected a union request to referee the labor contract talks between American Airlines and its pilots. The union said late Wednesday that it got written notice of the decision from the National Mediation Board. Lloyd Hill, president...

Medication mistakes, misdiagnoses top list of likely errors in managing ADHD.
MIAMI BEACH -- To avoid mistakes in the management of a child with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, consider the patient's receptive language age, comorbidities such as depression, and medication to protect a young child when a parent is very intolerant of behavior, a neurodevelopmental pediatric specialist recommends. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder...

Art outside the box: Haitian painter Edouard Duval Carrie revels in magical realism as he explores such themes as the clash of cultures in the Caribbean and the melding of religions in Voodoo.
[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The name "Haiti" comes from an indigenous word meaning "mountainous land," for its rugged geography that always leads to the sea. It is the birthplace of artist Edouard Duval Carrie, who through his works has created a world of Caribbean myths and a series of...

Squirt Swims with the Stars.
Squirt Swims with the Stars Michael Stephens Privately Published 9031 SW 122 Avenue, #210, Miami, FL 33186 No ISBN, $7.99 www.squirtthewhale.com Squirt Swims with the Stars is the first in a forthcoming series of children's picturebooks based on the...

Jeb Bush and his cronies have provoked a church-state showdown in Florida with national ramifications.
Dade County, Fla., is home to almost 200 religious schools. According to the Florida Department of Education's data from the 2006-2007 school year, an array of denominations and faith perspectives is represented. Forty-five schools are affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church, but many other spiritual traditions answered...