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Actor Chad Lowe, 41, who won an Emmy for his role in Life Goes On, and his girlfriend, Kim Painter, are expecting a child together, according to People magazine. The baby girl is due in May. Lowe, who was married to Hilary Swank, has been dating Painter since January 2007. Lowe has also appeared in 24, ER and Melrose Place.

(2-03-09)

Molly Ringwald, 40, star of ABC Family's The Secret Life of the American Teenager, is expecting twins, according to People magazine. The babies will be the second and third for her and husband Panio Gianopoulos, 33. The couple's first child, Mathilda Ereni, is 5 years old. The babies are due in August. (2-03-09)

Bellies are not the only things that grow and swell during pregnancy. For most expecting women, swollen feet are a common side effect. It's essential to treat your feet right during pregnancy. Pampering feet helps ease swelling. And choosing shoes that are roomy, comfortable and provide adequate support is important for preventing pain.

To ease pregnancy-related foot discomfort, Dr. Oliver Zong of NYC FootCare (www.nycfootcare.com) recommends wearing an arch support to help support the extra weight your feet will be carrying, wearing athletic shoes with a roomy toe box and wearing support stockings to minimize foot and ankle swelling. According to the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons, during pregnancy your feet may grow a half to a full size permanently.

"The natural weight gain experienced during pregnancy alters a woman's center of gravity, changing her weight-bearing stance and adding pressure to the knees and feet," Dr. Zong says. "As women grow larger, the tendency to 'waddle', as opposed to walking, causes pronation of the feet, or a weakening of the arches commonly known as flat feet. Prolonged pronation can increase strain on the calves and the lower back."

If flat feet are left untreated, serious disorders such as Metatarsalgia (ball of foot pain) and Plantar Fasciitis, or intense heel pain can result. The condition can be avoided or treated, however, by wearing properly fitting footwear that provides extra arch support.

Dr. Zong recommends comfortable athletic shoes, as well as over-the-counter orthotics that support the arches. In addition, he offers the following tips for choosing the right shoe during pregnancy:

• Have your feet measured since it's not uncommon for them to increase in size during pregnancy.
• Avoid wearing heels. Find a comfortable shoe with wide toe room, cushioned insoles and arch support.
• Buy your shoes at the end of the day or after a long walk. This will ensure that you are being measured at a time when your feet have swelled.
• Avoid pointed-toe shoes. As your ligaments and tendons may become more lax during pregnancy, tight shoes can lead to wider feet, and possible development of bunions.

It's important to take special care of your feet when swelling persists, which often causes a lot of soreness. "I recommend to my patients to elevate feet as often as possible," Dr. Zong says. "It's very simple but can make a tremendous difference in alleviating foot pain." Additionally Dr. Zong recommends the following preventive steps for reducing swelling during pregnancy:

• Don't sit with your legs dangling in a chair for long periods of time without stretching or walking to promote circulation.
• Wear seamless socks or stockings that do not constrict circulation.
• Keep your diet well balanced and avoid sodium in order to keep fluid retention low.

(2-03-09)

Disneyland Resort guests can enhance the fun and value of their magical vacation with a special bonus: a free Disney Gift Card to use for food and merchandise purchases during their experience – just by staying at a Disneyland Resort on-site hotel.

Guests who stay at one of the three Disneyland Resort hotels – Disneyland Hotel, Disney's Paradise Pier Hotel and Disney's Grand Californian Hotel and Spa – receive a Disney Gift Card – $50 for a two-night stay, $100 for a three-night stay or $150 for a four-night stay. The gift cards are provided upon check-in and are available for use at any of the Disney-owned restaurants and stores located inside Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure theme parks, Disneyland Resort hotels and Downtown Disney. Travel must be completed by April 30.

Whether it's discovering whimsical Disney art at the Disneyland Hotel, stepping back in time to the golden days of California beachfronts at Disney's Paradise Pier Hotel or indulging the senses at Disney's Grand Californian Hotel and Spa, staying at any of the Resort hotels provides the Disney magic from check-in to check-out. Guests are steps away from two of the world's most famous theme parks and a vibrant dining and entertainment district.

Hotel guests also receive special benefits including "Magic Mornings," an exclusive early entry program for hotel guests into Fantasyland and Tomorrowland to enjoy popular attractions such as the Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage, Peter Pan's Flight, Dumbo the Flying Elephant and King Arthur Carrousel. In addition, guests are treated to up close and personal character greetings in the Disneyland Hotel lobby and can start each morning with an entertaining Disney Character breakfast at either property.

Hotel guests can also add a little character to their stay by reserving "Character Quarters" at the Disneyland Hotel. The new Character Quarters are connecting kids' rooms which feature two twin beds, flat screen televisions, vibrant furnishings, flooring and amenities created with Mickey Mouse and Disney Princess themes. By reserving a regular guest room with an attached Character Quarters room, guests are guaranteed connecting rooms, a popular request from families traveling with young children.

To add even more magic to their Disneyland Resort stay, adult guests can play like a kid with the "Everyone Plays for the Kid's Price" ticket program. The special winter and spring program features three-day or longer Disneyland Resort Park Hopper Tickets, good for admission to both theme parks.

For more information and to book a Disneyland Resort hotel room, guests can contact their local travel agent, visit www.disneyland.com or call 1-866-60-DISNEY.

(2-03-09)

Remuda Ranch Programs for Eating and Anxiety Disorders (www.remudaranch.com), the nation's leading eating disorder treatment center, reports there's a new pressure to look perfect while pregnant.

"With the media giving so much focus to pregnant celebrities, there's an increased pressure to look perfect and thin during pregnancy," says Dr. Brenda Woods, director of medical services at Remuda Ranch. "Our society's 'thin' ideal has crossed over to pregnant women. Many women are feeling the pressure to not gain too much weight during pregnancy and to lose their pregnancy weight very quickly. Also, it's important to note that adolescents with eating disorder histories are in their reproductive years."

Remuda Ranch lists some of the warning signs that a woman is suffering from an eating disorder while pregnant:

• Failure to gain weight while pregnant
• Poor fetal growth
• Exercise beyond what is healthy while pregnant.

If a woman is suffering from an eating disorder while pregnant, she faces many medical complications including low birth weight in the infant; possible neurological damage to the baby; increased Cesarean section rate; and increased miscarriage early in pregnancy.

"A woman with a history of an eating disorder may be more vulnerable during pregnancy," Dr. Woods says. "The emotional stressors of facing parenthood may push a woman with a history of an eating disorder back into those behaviors."

Normal weight gain is 25 to 40 pounds during pregnancy for a woman who is already at a healthy weight. The numbers range from 35 to 50 pounds for an underweight woman. These numbers can cause extreme anxiety for women with eating disorders.

"Women need to be educated about what's normal when pregnant," says Dr. Woods. "Doctors need to screen pregnant women for eating disorder beliefs and practices. Pregnancy is a great time to make changes that will not only help you, but also guarantee a better future for your child."

Learn more by reading:

• Pregorexia: When Women Strive to Be Super Thin During Pregnancy.

(2-03-09)

A new strategy developed in the Neonatal and Infant Feeding Disorders Program at Nationwide Children's Hospital is helping premature infants and other newborns with severe swallowing difficulties learn to feed on their own. According to a study appearing in the February issue of the Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, physicians at Nationwide Children's were able to help 15 out of 20 infants with severe feeding difficulties and airway concerns learn to feed by mouth. Successful feeders were sent home without the need for feeding tubes.

These infants were referred to the Neonatal and Infant Feeding Disorders Program for evaluation and management of their severe feeding concerns. Previous research has shown that nearly two out of 10 babies experience difficulty feeding, often resulting in significant medical bills and extended hospital stays. In the United States, approximately 13 percent of all infants, and 26 percent of premature infants, experience swallowing dysfunction.

Aside from the improved quality of life, this study resulted in an estimated savings of $1.8 million in health care costs for the participants related to gastric feeding tubes (G-tubes). It has been estimated that the health care costs for children on G-tubes is nearly $50,000 per patient for the first year, about the cost of one year's tuition at a major Ivy League university.

"Any infant that fails to feed orally is considered to have feeding difficulty," says Dr. Sudarshan Jadcherla, Nationwide Children's Hospital neonatologist and principal investigator in the Center for Perinatal Research, medical director of the Neonatal and Infant Feeding Disorders Program at Nationwide Children's and lead author of the study. Dr. Jadcherla is funded by the National Institutes of Health to study the mechanisms of feeding disorders in infants.

Symptoms of feeding difficulties include difficulty breathing, spluttering, coughing during and after feeds, aspiration, regurgitation, failure to coordinate sucking and swallowing with breathing and irritability during feeds. These feeding difficulties can be seen in patients with systemic illness and may relate to gastrointestinal, esophageal, behavioral, neurological, structural and cardiorespiratory origins.

Despite the range of symptoms or causes of feeding difficulty, the desired objective is the same, says Dr. Jadcherla, also an associate professor of Pediatrics at The Ohio State University College of Medicine. "For every baby diagnosed with a feeding disorder, the ultimate goal is full oral feeds," says Dr. Jadcherla.

Teaching newborns to transition early to oral feeds is imperative. "We can make the greatest impact during the first few months of their lives because this is when the largest transformation is going on in their behaviors and feeding skills," says Dr. Jadcherla. If infants don't develop appropriate pathways to feeding skills early on, it is less likely that they will develop them during their lifetime.

The babies that learned to feed orally in the study did so through approaches developed at the Newborn and Infant Disorders Program at Nationwide Children's Hospital. The program accelerates newborns' feeding skills through individualized, crib-side studies. To determine the underpinning of each newborn's feeding problem, the team uses a special feeding tube with advanced sensors to capture the rhythm of muscular contractions throughout the entire aero-digestive tract, beginning with the mouth and ending beyond the stomach. The signals from the tube are translated into a graphic form and are evaluated. Data is then shared with a multidisciplinary clinical team that collaborates to execute the individualized strategies for delivering effective nutrition, based on the baby's individual needs.

(2-03-09)

According to the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), there have been more than 150 residential fires that resulted in more than 200 deaths since Thanksgiving. These statistics have led the USFA and fire chiefs to declare the holiday season and start of the new year as one of the deadliest in recent memory.

As families look for ways to save money in these tough economic times, the concern over additional fire deaths and carbon monoxide poisonings from alternative heating sources is heightened. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is urging consumers to keep safety in mind when it comes to heating their homes this winter.

Home heating equipment is among the top causes of fires and CO poisonings. From 2003 through 2005, there was an annual average of 57,300 fires and 270 fire deaths associated with portable heaters, central heating systems and fireplaces and chimneys. There were also 68 deaths, on average, from carbon monoxide poisoning each year associated with these products.

CPSC urges consumers to:

• Schedule a professional inspection each year of all fuel-burning home heating systems, including furnaces, boilers, fireplaces, wood stoves, water heaters, chimneys, flues and vents.
• Take precautions when using space heaters, fireplaces or other heating sources to help stay warm this winter.
• Install smoke alarms and carbon monoxide (CO) alarms in the home and check that the batteries are fresh and working.

The year 2009 is just weeks old, yet there have already been dozens of deaths from fires in the home. Reports of residential fire deaths in January include:

• Eight people died including a mother, her boyfriend and her four sons age 6 months to 10 years old, in their Richland, N.Y., home. There were no smoke alarms in the home.
• A woman was killed in her Detroit home by a fire believed to have been caused by a space heater that was too close to a chair.
• Three people, including 13- and 15-year-old sisters and their older male relative, died in their Oklahoma home. Space heaters and an electric stove were being used for heat.

CPSC urges consumers to follow these home heating safety tips:

Space Heaters

• Place space heaters on a level, hard and nonflammable surface (such as a ceramic tile floor), not on rugs or carpets or near bedding or drapes. Keep the heater at least three feet from bedding, drapes, furniture and other flammable materials. Keep children and pets away from space heaters.
• To prevent the risk of fire, NEVER leave a space heater on when you go to sleep or place a space heater close to any sleeping person. Turn the heater off if you leave the area.
• Never use gasoline in a kerosene space heater. Even small amounts of gasoline mixed with kerosene can increase the risk of a fire.
• Use a space heater that has been tested to the latest safety standards and certified by a nationally-recognized testing laboratory. These heaters will have the most up-to-date safety features; older space heaters may not meet the newer safety standards. An unvented gas space heater that meets current safety standards will shut off if oxygen levels fall too low.
• Do not use portable propane space heaters indoors or in any confined space unless they are specifically designed for indoor use. Always follow the manufacturer's directions for proper use.

Fireplaces

• Have flues and chimneys inspected for leakage and blockage by creosote or debris.
• Open the fireplace damper before lighting a fire and keep it open until the ashes are cool. An open damper may help prevent build-up of poisonous gases inside the home.
• Store fireplace ashes in a fire resistant container and cover it with a lid. Keep the container outdoors and away from combustibles.

Stoves and Ovens

• Never use electric or gas stoves to heat the home. They are not intended for that purpose and can cause fires and CO poisoning.

(2-03-09)

Simple changes in diet and exercise can help relieve some of the frustrating symptoms of Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS), says a movement disorders specialist at UT Southwestern Medical Center.

"Sometimes the irresistible movements of this condition can be caused by something as simple as a nutritional deficiency," says Dr. Shilpa Chitnis, assistant professor of neurology at UT Southwestern.

RLS is characterized by overpowering, "antsy" urges to move the legs, particularly when sitting or lying down. The thrashing around can disrupt sleep and relationships. The arms or torso can also be involved.

There is no definitive test for RLS, but doctors can use a history of symptoms to diagnose the disorder, which affects up to 10 percent of the population, with about 3 percent experiencing severe symptoms.

If the condition is diagnosed, a physician can:

• Test for levels of ferritin, a molecule that stores iron, and prescribe supplementation if necessary.
• Identify correctable causes of neuropathy.
• Take a medical history to identify drugs, such as antihistamines or dopamine antagonists (e.g. metoclopramide), which might be worsening the condition.
• Recommend an exercise plan to reduce symptoms.
• Outline a healthful diet, including reduction of caffeine.
• Prescribe medications that might relieve symptoms.

(1-27-09)

A new study shows that women who take the epilepsy drug valproate while pregnant may significantly increase their child's risk of developing autism. The preliminary research was published in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

The ongoing study involves 632 children, nearly half of whom were exposed to epilepsy drugs during gestation. Of the children whose mothers took epilepsy drugs while pregnant, 64 were exposed to valproate, 44 to lamotrigine, 76 to carbamazepine and 65 to other epilepsy drugs. Of the 632 children in the study, nine have been diagnosed with autism and one has shown symptoms of the disorder. The children were tested at 1, 3 and 6 years old. Two-thirds of the children were 6 years old by the end of the study.

The study found seven of the children with autism had mothers who took an epilepsy drug while pregnant, four of those children were exposed to valproate, while a fifth child's mother took a combination of valproate and lamotrigine. The children whose mothers were given valproate during pregnancy were seven times more likely to develop autism compared to children whose mothers did not take an epilepsy drug while pregnant. This risk was not seen with the other epilepsy drugs. None of the children in the study had any known family history of autism.

"The potential risk for autism in this study was substantial for children whose mothers took valproate while pregnant, but more research needs to be done since these are early findings," says study author Dr. Gus Baker of the University of Liverpool in the United Kingdom. "However, women who take valproate while pregnant should be informed of the possible risks of autism and are encouraged to discuss them with their doctor. Those who are taking valproate should not stop their treatment without speaking to their doctor first."

Other studies have shown that valproate is more likely to cause birth defects than other epilepsy drugs.

Symptoms of autism include difficulty in language development, a lack of attention, social problems and the inability to understand other people's feelings.

For more information about the American Academy of Neurology, visit www.aan.com.

(1-27-09)

Some of Chicago's best-known professional athletes will receive honors at the 21st Annual Comcast SportsNet Sports Awards presented by Navistar to benefit the March of Dimes. The dinner will be held on Monday, February 9, 5 to 9 p.m. at the Hilton Chicago on S. Michigan Avenue. The emcee is Chicago radio legend Steve Dahl.

The honorees are top athletes from Chicago's professional teams who have made considerable contributions to their teams as well as the Chicago community. This year's honorees include John Danks (White Sox); Greg Olson (Chicago Bears); Brian McBride (Chicago Fire); Drew Gooden (Bulls); and a Chicago Cubs player TBD.

Bobby Hull, former Chicago Blackhawks left wing, is the "Lifetime Achievement Award" recipient. This year's "Farmers Insurance Inspirational Athlete" award winner is Stella McMillan, an 11-year-old congenital amputee, whose perseverance and determination earned her a spot in an outdoor adventure trip in Colorado with the Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center in 2007 where her enthusiasm inspired all. Stella excels at baseball, cycling, swimming, kayaking, golf, yoga, horseback riding and water skiing.

The 900-plus expected attendees for the event will also be able to participate in a silent auction featuring Chicago Cubs Dream Day tickets including batting practice, a chance to throw the first pitch at Wrigley Field, vacation packages including airfare, autographed jerseys of Lebron James and Wayne Gretsky, tickets for the White Sox Diamond Suite, a golf outing at Medinah Country Club, tickets to sports events, spa and dinner packages, hotel stays and more.

Celebrating its 21st anniversary, the Comcast SportsNet Sports Awards has raised more than $6 million for the March of Dimes over the past two decades. There's a reception at 5 p.m., followed by dinner at 6:30 p.m., and a live telecast of the awards ceremony at 7:30 p.m. on Comcast SportsNet. To learn more, visit www.csnsportsawards.com.

(1-27-09)