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<p>This weekend, August 9 and 10, Sound Medicine, the award-winning weekly Public Radio program hosted by Barbara Lewis, will cover cholesterol medication for children, steroid use among athletes, a new stretching machine for the Olympics, and counseling for war veterans.</p>

This Week on Sound Medicine — August 10

Beatrice Golomb, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor of medicine at the University of California, San Diego, and Rachel Vreeman, M.D., assistant professor of pediatrics at the Indiana University School of Medicine, will respond to the recommendation by the American Academy of Pediatrics that some children as young as 8 years receive cholesterol lowering drugs. This is based on findings that show that damage leading to heart disease, the nation’s leading killer, begins early in life. Research also shows that cholesterol drugs are generally safe for children.

An analysis of more than two dozen studies of human growth hormone concludes that drug-induced muscles may look impressive, but they don’t perform better. Alan Rogol M.D., Ph.D., professor of clinical pediatrics at the University of Virginia, an expert on steroids, will comment on steroid use and the Olympics.

Independent producer Kenny Malone will report on the Powerstretch, a new stretching machine making its debut at the Beijing Olympics. This machine boasts the ability to perform 20 minutes worth of stretches in just 3 minutes and reportedly will have people touching their toes again…. and again. The stretching is literally done by motors, a feature, the inventor says, that actually makes this the safest stretching ever.

About 300,000 of those who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan are estimated to have anxiety or post-traumatic stress, a recent private study said. Clinical psychologist Barbara Romberg, Ph.D., will explain her new organization, “Give An Hour,” which encourages mental health professionals to donate one-hour per week to counsel returning vets from Iraq and Afghanistan. In this week’s Sound Medicine Checkup, Jeremy Shere investigates why mosquitoes bite some people more than others.

Archived editions of Sound Medicine as well as other helpful information can be found at http://www.soundmedicine.iu.edu.

Sound Medicine is underwritten by Clarian Health, and IU Medical Group; Jeremy Shere’s “Check-Up” is underwritten by IUPUI.