South Dakota Editorial Roundup

Women can choose on their own to follow new guidelines

If you’re a woman in or nearing your 40s, you might be a little confused right now. For years, you might have been hearing that you need an annual mammogram starting at age 40.

But a recent report from the Preventive Services Task Force says routine mammograms aren’t necessary until you’re 50 if you have an average risk of breast cancer. In fact, the task force recommends the screening once every two years. The frequent screenings do more harm than good, the group said, causing unnecessary biopsies, anxiety and sometimes treatment.

The American Cancer Society, however, is sticking to its recommendation that women need to start having annual mammograms at age 40, saying that the screening saves lives. The former director of the National Institutes of Health also is advising women to ignore the new recommendations.

Do you insist on an annual mammogram even though you’re not at higher risk? Relieved that you don’t have to take that test as often or as soon, but then worry you might miss something before you turn 50?

Then there’s the worry that with the new guidelines, insurance companies will be less likely to pay for routine mammograms.

Talk about causing unnecessary anxiety.

Perhaps the best advice is that from Susan G. Komen for the Cure: Stay calm. This organization ... points out that there’s always been debate about what age routine mammograms should start.

These new guidelines from the task force are just that: guidelines. You can choose to follow them or ignore them. You and your doctor are the best judges of when you should start getting mammograms and how frequently.

You wouldn’t let blanket guidelines — no matter how credible the source — make your child’s health care decisions without talking to your doctor. Why should your mammograms be any different?

Aberdeen American News

Share in responsibility to keep kids away from TV

Quality day care providers were probably shocked by the survey results: Children in home-based day cares can spend as much as two hours a day in front of the television.

One local provider pointed out the very real and simple issue with television and children: “I hope it doesn’t go on that

much,” said Stacy Scheck at Daisy Day Care. “TV is not the way to teach our preschoolers.”

No, television isn’t the way to teach our children. Studies show that too much television leads to lethargic children, development issues and attention loss.

But to our local day care providers, we would say don’t be shocked, be comforted in the fact that most are doing a good job, parents will seek out your services and demand similar quality from others.

The key is parents. For parents, it’s easy to tell the good daycare provider from the bad — talk to your kids and pay attention. Leave the bad providers behind and find better services — that’s a parent’s responsibility.

And when you get home, share in the responsibility to keep children from getting too much television time. A second part of the study added more concern to the amount of television time children were getting — it’s reported children get the same or more television time at home.

Good day cares — in-home or those in centers — aren’t planting children in front of televisions for hours on end. Good day care providers interact with children, read, play and stimulate their senses; parents have the same role.

We should be concerned by the survey results but use them as a reminder that when the television goes off, young minds go on. And turning that young mind on is a responsibility we all share.

Rapid City Journal

Tags: cancer guidelines, aberdeen american news, children and tv, rapid city journal, opinion