Check your veggie bins. A salmonella outbreak that has infected more than 500 people in the United States and Canada has been traced back to onions grown in California. Thomson International Inc. of Bakersfield, California is recalling Red, Yellow, White, and Sweet Yellow Onions shipped from May 1, 2020 through the present. 

onion recall

The onions are being recalled because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella, an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as arterial infections (i.e., infected aneurysms), endocarditis and arthritis.

Onions were distributed to wholesalers, restaurants, and retail stores in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Canada.

The onions were distributed in 5 lbs. carton. 10 lbs. carton. 25 lbs. carton. 40 lbs. carton, 50 lbs. carton. bulk, 2 lb. mesh sacks, and 3 lb. mesh sacks, 5 lb. mesh sacks, 10 lb. mesh sacks 25 lbs. mesh sacks, 50 lbs. mesh sacks under the brand names Thomson  Premium, TLC Thomson International, Tender Loving Care, El Competitor, Hartley’s Best, Onions 52, Majestic, Imperial Fresh, Kroger, Utah Onions and Food Lion.

Consumers, restaurants, and retailers should not eat, sell, or serve red, white, yellow, or sweet onions from Thomson International, Inc. or products containing such onions. If you cannot tell if your onion is from Thomson International Inc., or your food product contains such onions, you should not eat, sell, or serve it, and should throw it out.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, along with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is investigating a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Newport infections that may be linked to these onions, so Thomson International is recalling the onions out of an abundance of caution.  As of now no specific source of contamination or contaminated shipment has been identified, and FDA is also investigating other potential sources of contamination and has not yet reached a final conclusion.

Infections have been reported in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Indiana, Illinois, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

Consumers who have any Red, Yellow, White, and Sweet Yellow Onions under the above brand names, or who cannot tell if their onions are from Thomson International, should immediately discard these products and disinfect any surfaces that came into contact with the onions.

—Jennifer Swartvagher

Featured photo: FDA

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Have you ever wondered how a baby’s brain works in the first few days of life? Within hours of birth, a baby’s gaze is drawn to faces. Now a new study shows that the brains of babies as young as six days old appear to be hardwired for the specialized tasks of seeing faces and places. 

Newborn baby

The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) published the findings of psychologists at Emory University. Their work provides the earliest peek yet into the visual cortex of newborns, using harmless functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).

“We’re investigating a fundamental question of where knowledge comes from by homing in on ‘nature versus nature,'” says Daniel Dilks, associate professor of psychology, and senior author of the study. “What do we come into the world with and what do we gain by experience?”

“We’ve shown that a baby’s brain is more adult-like than many people might assume,” adds Frederik Kamps, who led the study as a PhD candidate at Emory. “Much of the scaffolding for the human visual cortex is already in place, along with the patterns of brain activity, although the patterns are not as strong compared to those of adults.”

By understanding how a baby’s brain is organized may help  answer questions when something goes wrong. Dilks says. “For example, if the face network in a newborn’s visual cortex was not well-connected, that might be a biomarker for disorders associated with an aversion to eye contact. By diagnosing the problem earlier, we could intervene earlier and take advantage of the incredible malleability of the infant brain.”

In previous studies, scientists have found that the visual cortex in adults is made up of two regions that work together to process faces along with another two that work to process places. More recent studies have shown that the visual cortex in children is differentiated into these face and place networks by as yound as four-months-old.

In this recent study, 30 infants, ranging in age from six days to 57 days, participated in the experiments while asleep. “We needed to get closer to the date of birth in order to better understand if we are born with this differentiation in our brains or if it’s molded by experience,” Dilks says.

“Getting fMRI data from a newborn is a new frontier in neuroimaging,” Kamps says. “The scanner is like a giant camera and you need the participant’s head to be still in order to get high quality images. A baby that is asleep is a baby that’s willing to lie still.” During scanning, the subjects were wrapped in an inflatable “super swaddler,” a papoose-like device that serves as a stabilizer while also making the baby feel secure.

To serve as controls, 24 adults were scanned in a resting state, awake but not stimulated by anything in particular. The scanner captured intrinsic fluctuations of the brain for both the infants and adults.

The results showed the two regions of the visual cortex associated with face processing fired in sync in the infants, as did the two networks associated with places. The infant patterns were similar to those of the adult participants, although not quite as strong. “That finding suggests that there is room for these networks to keep getting fine-tuned as infants mature into adulthood,” Kamps says.

“We can see that the face networks and the place networks of the brain are hooked up and talking to each other within days of birth,” Dilks says. “They are essentially awaiting the relevant information. The next questions to ask are how and when these two functions become fully developed.”

—Jennifer Swartvagher

Featured photo: Tim Bish on Unsplash

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According to new research, babies born into bilingual families are better at switching their attention from one task to another compared with infants from homes where only one language is spoken. The study, led by Anglia Ruskin University (ARU), used eye-tracking technology to record the gaze of 102 infants carrying out a variety of tasks. Scientists found that those from bilingual homes are able to change their focus “more quickly and more frequently” than those from monolingual homes.

Baby reading with dad

The researchers studied babies between the ages of seven and nine months, half from bilingual homes and half from monolingual homes, to rule out any benefits gained from being able to speak a second language, often referred to as the “bilingual advantage.” Instead, the study focused on the effects of growing up simply hearing two or more languages.

Dr Dean D’Souza, Senior Lecturer in Psychology at ARU said, “Bilingual environments may be more variable and unpredictable than monolingual environments — and therefore more challenging to learn in. We know that babies can easily acquire multiple languages, so we wanted to investigate how they manage it. Our research suggests that babies in bilingual homes adapt to their more complex environment by seeking out additional information.”

When shown two pictures side by side, infants from bilingual homes shifted attention from one picture to another more frequently than infants from monolingual homes, suggesting these babies were exploring more of their environment.The study also found that when a new picture appeared on the screen, babies from bilingual homes were 33% faster at redirecting their attention towards the new picture.

D’Souza added, “Scanning their surroundings faster and more frequently might help the infants in a number of ways. For example, redirecting attention from a toy to a speaker’s mouth could help infants to match ambiguous speech sounds with mouth movements.”

The researchers are currently investigating whether this faster and more frequent switching in infancy can have a longer lasting developmental impact.

The findings were published in the journal Royal Society Open Science.

—Jennifer Swartvagher

Featured photo: Picsea on Unsplash

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The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently issued a food safety alert for Fresh Express Sunflower Crisp Chopped Salad Kits related to a multi-state E. coli O157:H7 outbreak. The CDC is investigating the outbreak and isn’t sure if it’s connected to the current Salinas, California romaine lettuce recall.

The affected salad kits have a lot code beginning with Z, “best before” dates up to and including Dec. 7, 2019 and the UPC code 0 71279 30906 4. You can find this information printed on the upper right corner of the bag.

What should you do if you have the salad? To start with, don’t eat it. Throw the salad away and sanitize anything that touched it. This means you need to thoroughly clean your fridge, countertop or anything else that may have come in contact with the salad.

As of now, there are eight diagnosed E. coli infections related to this outbreak across three states. Three of the eight people infected have been hospitalized, one with hemolytic uremic syndrome—a type of kidney failure related to this type of infection.

—Erica Loop

Featured photo: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

 

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The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a “Food Safety Alert” for blackberries linked to a hepatitis A outbreak. The initial recall included fresh conventional (non-organic) blackberries purchased between Sep. 9- 30, 2019 from Fresh Thyme Farmers Market.

According to the CDC’s latest update, the outbreak is ongoing and has impacted consumers in six states. Anyone who purchased the affected blackberries during the Sep. 9 through 30 time-frame and froze the fruit should through the berries out immediately.

photo: Magova via Pexels

As of Dec. 2, 2019, the states affected by the berries include Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska and Wisconsin, with 16 cases of hepatitis A reported. While nine hospitalizations have occurred, there are currently no deaths due to the recalled blackberries.

The CDC is still investigating the outbreak. Even though the 16 current reported illnesses started between Oct. 8 and Nov. 15, 2019, it can take between two and seven weeks after exposure for symptoms to appear. Common symptoms of hepatitis A include yellow skin/eyes, upset stomach, stomach pain, vomiting, fever, dark urine, light-colored stools, diarrhea, joint pain and fatigue.

If you have the affected blackberries, from Fresh Thyme Farmers Market (sold between Sep. 9-30) or have frozen the berries, throw them away. Consumers who have already eaten the affected berries, or think they may have eaten them, and are not vaccinated against hepatitis A should contact their medical provider.

—Erica Loop

 

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Building blocks are an absolutely essential plaything in every baby’s toy box. Aside from offering hours of child-directed fun, they do wonders for building spatial awareness, motor development, language and problem-solving skills. Read on to discover why Lovevery’s Block Set is only one you’ll need.

More than 20 ways to play and learn!
Expertly crafted for infinite play potential, The Block Set is both comprehensive and flexible in its design. The system consists of 70 wood pieces in a variety of shapes and a rainbow of beautiful hues. From cubes, planks, and geometric shapes, to solid wood people, wheels, and threading blocks, The Block Set has everything your child needs to grow into a lifelong learner.

The Lovevery Block Set is simple yet sophisticated with research-driven tools for your child’s developing brain. Babies, tots, and kids can stack, sort, roll, count and categorize while connecting the dots between basic concepts. What’s more, a stage-based guide packed with 20+ developmental activities and with clear and actionable instructions provides a logical map for inspiring learning through play.

Grows with your child
The Block Set by Lovevery is intended to become your family’s favorite box of open-ended amusement. The fun begins at 18 months when baby can use its modular features to discover cause and effect, gravity, and velocity. As your child grows, so does the potential for play. You might find your little one building a city, acting out a story, or challenging their creativity and confidence by physically engaging with the blocks. Watch your little one mix and match activities as they advance. When ready, your child can follow a sequence of steps and transform the set’s compact wooden storage box into a charming pull car.

The name of the game is experimentation with this set. And it lasts well beyond the first four years of your child’s development. Learning activities range to meet every stage of your child’s growth. The blocks are all made to last and crafted using 100% child-safe materials, including FSC-certified sustainably harvested wood with water-based non-toxic finishes.

Supports early childhood development
The magic of childhood is captured in this timeless toy set. In addition to being simply fun, it’s designed under the guiding principles of the Montessori method of teaching. Moreover, the Block Set can help little kids grasp STEM concepts like math, physics and engineering. Whether your child is leading their own play or following your lead, they can unknowingly be practicing everything from higher-order planning to hand-eye coordination.

Your child might start out examining and categorizing the blocks or fitting them together spatially. Then, engage in pattern play and explore connections. Next, you might overhear the wooden friends talking about feelings. Or spy your child investigating how things balance or topple over. Your child’s development and imagination may flourish as they create and learn.

Want to learn more? The Block Set makes a great gift and is available at lovevery.com for $90. Lovevery also has a subscription program of age-based Play Kits that are delivered by developmental stages and span from newborn to 24 months. Check them out!

—Whitney Harris

photos: Lovevery

Put down your summer fruit salad. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently announced an alert following a Salmonella outbreak linked to Cavi brand whole, fresh papayas.

The CDC traced an eight-state Salmonella outbreak, including Connecticut, Florida, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Texas, back to the fruit. As of now there are 71 reported illnesses, with 27 hospitalizations.

According to the CDC, reports of illnesses related to this specific outbreak started in mid-January. With illness onset dates ranging from Jan. 14 through Jun. 16, the CDC is still investigating the issue.

If you have a Cavi brand papaya, or think you do, don’t eat it. Throw the fruit away immediately. The same goes for fruit salads, smoothies or any other recipe with a Cavi papaya in it. The CDC recommends washing and sanitizing all surfaces the papaya touched by following these steps.

—Erica Loop

Featured photo: Burst via Shopify

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The dinosaurs are roaring back to life at Universal Studios as Jurassic World The Ride is set to reopen this summer. While we don’t know a ton about the revamped attraction, Universal Studios just released a teaser trailer and it looks like the stuff dinosaur nightmares are made of!

According to a press release from Universal Studios, the new Jurassic World The Ride will feature newly-themed environments and add some new dinosaurs featured in the Jurassic World films. It will also be themed around a new storyline that draws from the way the park is designed in both Jurassic World films and will take place on the day the Indominus rex escapes. You can sneak the preview below.

Everything from the rafts to the iconic gateway that visitors enter through—and of course the dinosaurs—has been reimagined by a dream team of park designers and Academy Award-winning special-effects visionaries at Industrial Light & Magic. The ride queue will also feature new videos that feature facts and information about the dinosaurs within the ride.

Near the end of the trailer, we also see that the aquatic Mosasaurus makes an appearance in her natural habitat––a three million gallon glass encased Aquarium Observatory tank. Hold on to your butts!

photo: Courtesy of Universal Studios Hollywood

 

The ride isn’t the only thing getting a makeover. The kids’ Dino Play area where young fans to little to ride will inevitably be spending their time, adding more hand-on activities, like excavations and investigating giant dinosaur fossils. You’ll also be able to enjoy The Raptor Encounter area will be adding velociraptor Blue along with other raptors for photo opps.

There is no official date yet, but Jurassic World The Ride will reopen summer 2019.

—Shahrzad Warkentin & Karly Wood

 

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A while back, I was talking to a friend and she brought up her concerns about her 8-year-old daughter. This 8-year old has begun displaying bullying behaviors, pushing her younger siblings and taking things from them.

My friend was devastated and couldn’t understand why her daughter was behaving this way. But I had some my own thoughts about why her daughter had begun treating her siblings poorly.

Investigating the Source of the Behavior

Personally, I don’t believe that there are any truly “bad” kids. There are definitely children who make bad decisions and I fully stand behind efforts to curb things like teen violence—but I believe all children can learn to manage and overcome negative behaviors.

In the case of my friend’s daughter, I was acquainted with the girl and my own daughters had often been babysitters. My girls had never reported signs of bullying to me, so I asked my friend when her daughter started to act out, which was about a month after school started.

Since my children had attended the same school my friend’s daughter was currently at, I had a pretty good idea of what was happening. At this K-5 school, recess was held in two waves, with the kindergarteners, first graders and second graders being released to play at the same time. (The kindergarteners had their own area.) After that, the third graders up to the fifth graders were released for recess.

While for us adults, a couple of years difference isn’t much, but for children, one to three years of age difference can be an unimaginable chasm that can result in bullying.

Talking about Bullying

When I explained to my friend that I suspected that her daughter was being bullied at school and that was why she was being aggressive to her siblings, my friend wasn’t sure what to do. Here’s what I recommended she take as next steps:

Talk to her daughter.

If there is ever going to be a behavioral change, it was critical that my friend talk to her daughter about her actions. However, with the context that her daughter might also be bullied at school, my friend was able to approach the conversation more receptive to her daughter’s reasoning and feelings.

Contact her teacher and principal.

With much of the problem originating from her daughter’s time at school, it was essential that my friend talk to her daughter’s teacher and the principal. One of the solutions reached was to add two more lunch monitors to curb any bullying on the playground.

Sit down with her other kids.

Taking time to reassure her two other children and help them feel heard can do a lot toward not creating another pair of bullies who take their frustrations out on others.

It’s been a few years since my friend first spoke to me and her daughter, with plenty of parental and school support as well as work with a child psychologist to learn better coping strategies, has really turned a corner in how she treats others.

Cindy Price would like to say she's a parenting expert but she knows better than to do that. As a parent educator and writer for over 15 years, she's well-aware how quickly parenting practices evolve. Family is her greatest joy and she hopes her writing can help make families stronger.