- News & Press Releases, PediatricsGeneral Page Tier 3BlogAs adults, we’ve all heard about the financial damage identity theft can do. But do we also need to worry about protecting our kids’ identities from thieves? A Growing Crime Approximately 140,000 identity frauds are committed against children each year. The rate of identity theft for children is 35 times higher than the rate for adults—and growing. In 2014, the Interstate Technology & Regulatory Council reported a 300 percent increase in calls related to child identity theft. Why Thieves Target Kids Child identity theft happens when someone steals a child’s personal information, often a Social Security number (SSN). The thief uses it to open credit cards, secure loans or engage in other criminal activity. How They Get Away With It Criminals can derail a child’s life in just three steps: The thief steals a child’s information. The thief uses data breaches/hacks, computer viruses or email phishing to access a child’s information, usually a SSN. The thief establishes a credit history. The thief typically tries to open an account with minimal credit history requirements—such as a cell phone, utility or unsecured credit card account—using the stolen SSN with a different name and date of birth. The thief builds up credit, and then cashes out. After the first account is set up, the thief can set up higher-value accounts, each account growing in size. When ready, the thief cuts ties with the identity, allowing any open accounts to go into default. The Impact on Children Most people are familiar with the financial cost of identity theft. There’s also a huge opportunity cost. Restoring a child’s identity can take years. In that time, child identity theft victims could be denied student loans, scholarships, internships, jobs, credit cards or housing. What You Can Do There’s a simple tool you can use to protect your child’s identity: a credit freeze. Maryland law requires that credit agencies allow parents to create a credit report for a child in order to freeze the account. The sooner you freeze your child’s credit, the lower the risk for identity theft. Why it works? Creditors cannot access an account that is frozen. Without a credit report to support an application, creditors are highly unlikely to approve and open an account for anyone who tries to use your child’s SSN. To freeze your child’s credit, submit a freeze request online or in writing to the credit agencies. Learn how to do it. Know the Warning Signs How can you tell if your child’s identity is stolen? If any of these red flags sound familiar, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) urges you to act immediately: Unusual calls, bills and offers for your child. You may receive calls from collection agencies. bills from credit card companies or service providers; credit card offers; or even bank account checks—all in your child’s name. Employment confirmation requests. The IRS, Social Security Administration or other government agency may ask to confirm that your child is employed, even though she is not or never has been. IRS notifications. The IRS may notify you that the information you filed for a dependent child is already listed on another filer’s tax return. Or, your child may receive a notice that he has failed to pay taxes on income that he never received. Denied benefits. If your child or your family is expecting to receive government benefits and is denied, it may be because another account is using your child’s SSN to receive benefits. Visit the FTC website to learn what to do. Learn more about protecting your child’s identity and about pediatrics at Anne Arundel Medical Center. Sources: Maryland Hospital Association; 2012 Child Identity Theft Report. Originally published Dec. 9, 2015. Last updated July 11, 2018.0
- Behavioral Health, PediatricsGeneral Page Tier 3BlogLately, it seems like everything that comes on the news is plagued with disaster and acts of violence. And on June 28, the violence hit our backyard when a gunman entered the Capital Gazette newsroom with a shotgun, killing five people and injuring two. Many struggle with what to say or what to do, while others struggle to bounce back and feel a sense of safety and normalcy. This is true for many adults, but it also applies to children. Vulnerable by nature, kids can respond to traumatic events in many ways. Some can seem more withdrawn and quiet, while others may have a delayed reaction and demonstrate a change in their behavior weeks or months later. Many will feel confused, afraid, worried and develop an aggravated sense of being in danger. Children will turn to adults for more information and help to understand what it means. When it comes to children and violence in the news, it is important for you as a parent or guardian to keep communicating with them and reassure them that they are safe. Discussion helps validate a child’s feelings and comforts them during a period of confusion and fear. Here are a few tips for talking to kids after a traumatic event: Allow them to express their feelings. Give them the opportunity to express their emotions through talking, writing, drawing or whatever creative method they feel most comfortable. Acknowledge their feelings and let them know it’s normal to feel sad or upset. But most importantly, listen to them. There is no need to pressure them to talk or get involved. Give them space and pay close attention for signs of distress. Be patient. Let them discuss other fears and concerns about unrelated issues. Children and youth do not always talk about their feelings and fears willingly. Keep an eye on clues that suggest they have something they want to talk to you about, like hovering around while you are doing something. If they are hovering more than normal, ask how they are doing. They may respond to knowing you care. Keep your explanations age-appropriate. Use their questions as your guide as to how much information you need to give them. Early elementary school: Young children need short, simple information that should reassure them and their safety. Late elementary and early middle school: Children will be more open to asking questions about whether they are safe. It is likely they may need your help separating reality from the “what ifs”. Late middle school and early high school: Adolescents will feel strongly about the causes of violence in society and will express their own opinions. They will share specific suggestions about how to make their environment safer and how to prevent tragedies in society. Talk to them about what they can do to become responsible citizens, for example: not providing building access to strangers, reporting strange activity, reporting threats, how to respond to an active shooter, etc. Keep it simple. Be basic and answer questions in a way they can understand. Avoid giving graphic details about tragic circumstances. Monitor TV and social media consumption. Try to watch the news with them. You may wish to limit their access so they have time away from reminders that trigger them reliving a traumatic experience. Don’t use labels. Be careful with blaming any particular cultural or ethnic group. Let children know that they are not to blame when bad things happen. Many influential speakers will attempt to scapegoat when it helps their agenda. This can obscure a child’s sense of safety for decades. Help them see the good. Help children identify good things, such as heroic actions, families who get together to share support and the assistance offered by others. Keep a normal routine. Keeping a regular schedule can be encouraging and promote physical health. Especially self-care routines, like preparing and eating healthy meals, getting enough sleep and exercising. Some children may require more active interventions, such as family counseling, if they were more directly affected by a traumatic experience. Be careful not to over-shield children. Everyone is bound to hear or see something that might be disappointing. Pretending that something didn’t happen or doesn’t exist can only make things worse. The best thing parents and guardians can do is to continue to support children, communicate with them and help them through challenges with love and kindness. Remind them that tragedy is not the norm and encourage them to be the best version of themselves by being forgiving and compassionate with others. When we care and look after each other as humans, we are bound to create more good than bad. Author Daniel Watkins is the nursing manager at Pathways, Anne Arundel Medical Center’s substance and mental health treatment facility. He can be reached at 410-573-5434. Ask questions, find resources and learn more at askAAMC.org/HealthyMinds.0
- Cancer Care, Men's Health, Women's HealthGeneral Page Tier 3BlogSkin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the United States, and it’s on the rise. Skin cancer can affect anyone at any age, with more than three-and-a-half million skin cancer cases diagnosed each year—that’s more than the incidence of breast, prostate, lung and colon cancers combined. Melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer, and it’s rising fastest among 25- to 29-year-olds. One in 50 people will be diagnosed with melanoma in their lifetime. Exposure to UV rays from tanning beds is a major risk factor for melanoma, along with your total sun exposure as a child and teenager. When caught early, it can almost always be cured. But left untreated, melanoma can become deadly. This cancer develops when pigment-producing cells grow and form a tumor, which can eventually spread to other parts of the body. Spot the Problem There would be fewer deaths from melanoma if people regularly took time to do a thorough skin exam. This means checking for moles from your scalp to the bottoms of your feet and even under your fingernails and toenails. If you find something unusual, have it checked even if you can’t trace any recent sun exposure. It’s not the sunburn you might have received on a recent vacation, but the exposure to sun earlier in your life that can affect your risk of getting skin cancer. Know Your ABCD and E’s When it comes to monitoring your moles, the Skin Cancer Foundation recommends you know your ABCD and E’s: A for Asymmetry: One half of the mole is different from the other half B for Border Irregularity: The edges are notched, uneven or blurred C for Color: The color is uneven. Shades of brown, tan and black are present D for Diameter: The diameter is greater than 6 millimeters (about the size of a pencil eraser) E for Evolving: There is change in size, color or shape over time, or additional symptoms like itching or bleeding start If you notice any of these, seek out your doctor’s advice. Protect Yourself It’s important to protect yourself from the sun when you are outdoors. Seek shade from 10am to 4pm and wear a wide-brimmed hat, UV-blocking sunglasses and protective clothing. Apply UV-blocking sunscreen with an SPF of 30 to all exposed skin every two hours. Those who develop melanoma have a three-fold risk of developing it again, so always be vigilant. If you have had melanoma, guidelines suggest you get screened every three to six months. About 80 percent of people who develop melanoma have local, curable disease if caught early. If you’re concerned about a mole, talk to your dermatologist about getting a melanoma screening, or ask your primary care doctor for more information about seeing a dermatologist. Check your risk of skin cancer with our free skin cancer risk assessment. Author By Glen Gibson, MD, surgical oncologist at Anne Arundel Medical Center. Originally published April 21, 2015. Last updated July 9, 2018.0
- Men's Health, Orthopedics, Senior Care, Women's HealthGeneral Page Tier 3BlogSometimes it’s hard for you to pinpoint the source of your pain when it comes to back and hip problems. This can lead to problems in diagnosis, and without the proper diagnosis, your treatment is often ineffective. It’s likely my hip causing me pain Most true hip problems are, surprisingly, felt in the groin. The common culprit is osteoarthritis in the hip joint. In addition to the groin pain, you’ll often experience: Pain when walking, pivoting and other physical activities. Relief when sitting, although you may have stiffness. Limping You’ll usually have a history of loss of motion at the hip, which can make it difficult for you to put on shoes and socks or to cut your toenails. You may also have difficulty getting in and out of cars, and going up and down steps. Your groin pain may extend down the front of the thigh as far as the knee. Hip arthritis may rarely present as knee pain rather than groin pain. But, if your pain radiates past your knee, there’s numbness or tingling in the leg, or weakness such as dragging your foot, hip arthritis is not the cause. It’s likely my back causing me pain When the pain is in the middle of the lower back, or when your back tightens up so that you can hardly move, there is generally no problem with the diagnosis. This is particularly true when the pain radiates into the leg, especially below the knee, and is associated with numbness, tingling or weakness. However, not all back symptoms are so straightforward. I often see patients with pain in one or the other buttock, and they almost always tell me they have a hip problem, but most of the time pain in the buttock actually originates in the lower spine. This is called referred pain, similar to when a heart attack patient complains of pain in the left arm. Your lower back can refer pain from an impinged nerve to both your buttocks and legs. And, where it refers the pain to depends on which joint in your spine is causing the issue. A lot of lower back problems that show as hip pain are caused by a herniated disc that presses on nerves in the spinal column. This produces pain known as sciatica, which you’ll often feel in the hip. You may have a herniated disc in your lower back if your pain: Shoots down your leg below the knee, with numbness, tingling or weakness. Becomes worse when you sit or bend. Improves when you stand or walk. Treatment Both back and hip pain may respond to anti-inflammatory medication like ibuprofen or naproxen. Physical therapy often helps back pain, and a lightweight back support may also be useful. If these initial measures fail to provide relief, targeted cortisone injections may be helpful. This is where a correct diagnosis is so important. You’ll often feel no relief if the wrong area is injected. If you’re experiencing back and neck pain, you can find out what factors may play a role and get recommendations for follow-up steps by taking a free back pain assessment at askAAMC.org/SpineHealth. Author Stephen Faust, MD, is the Co-Director of AAMC Orthopedics where he specializes in total joint replacements and spine care. You can reach his practice at 410-268-8862. Originally published October 9 , 2017. Last updated July 5, 2018.0
- OrthopedicsGeneral Page Tier 3BlogIf you’re suffering from a back condition and considering surgery, then chances are you’ve heard about laser spine surgery. TV and Internet ads suggest a quick, easy treatment for patients with chronic pain. The idea of a less invasive procedure to cure pain is very enticing. The marketing of laser surgery is so successful that my patients routinely ask about the use of lasers, despite limited medical evidence and their relative infrequent use in spine surgery. The truth is, laser spine surgery seen in ads usually refers to minimally invasive surgery or a spinal injection using a needle. Neither necessarily means a surgeon will use a laser. Newer techniques in spine surgery are less invasive. When possible, we attempt to preserve as much of the muscle, soft tissue and spinal anatomy as possible. Compared to traditional techniques, which require larger incisions, modern techniques – or minimally invasive surgery – allow for an easier initial recovery and can often be performed as a same-day surgery. No laser is involved. The use of lasers in surgery has been around for decades. In spine surgery, the use of lasers is only a small portion of procedures. Some surgeons will use a laser in spine surgery to remove tumors or tissue around a nerve. But most painful conditions of the spine involve degenerative conditions like arthritis — where a laser is rarely needed or effective. Medical research on the use of lasers for specific conditions, such as disc herniation, may be effective in some patients. However, this limited approach may not address the underlying cause of pain, such as spinal instability or deformity. Because of this, symptoms may return for some patients, requiring additional surgery to solve the problem. Evaluating your options for spine surgery If you’re evaluating surgical options for your condition, perhaps what’s more important than the technique is surgeon experience. You should seek a fellowship-trained surgeon and hospital that regularly perform both traditional and minimally invasive techniques in order to achieve the best result. Spine treatment is very individualized to specific symptoms and at times can be complicated. A thoughtful, experienced surgeon recommends the most appropriate treatment for each individual patient. Unfortunately, there isn’t a single, easy cure for back pain. If the treatment sounds too good to be true, it’s worth your time to get a second opinion before having spine surgery. Author Chad Patton, MD, is medical director of The Spine Center at AAMC and a spine surgeon with AAMC Orthopedics. To reach his practice, call 410-268-8862. Originally published May 30, 2017. Last updated June 18, 2018.0
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