Latest news with #Birch
Toronto Star
2 days ago
- Health
- Toronto Star
‘She could have died.' Alberta mother feared the worst for 4-month-old with measles
Months after fearing she would lose her baby girl to measles, Morgan Birch says she wants Canadians to educate themselves more about the importance of vaccines. Birch's daughter, Kimie Fukuta-Birch, was too young to be eligible for the vaccine, which is not routinely given to children under a year old. But she feels her baby would not have been infected if more people around her had received the vaccine.
Winnipeg Free Press
2 days ago
- Health
- Winnipeg Free Press
‘She could have died.' Alberta mother feared the worst for 4-month-old with measles
Months after fearing she would lose her baby girl to measles, Morgan Birch says she wants Canadians to educate themselves more about the importance of vaccines. Birch's daughter, Kimie Fukuta-Birch, was too young to be eligible for the vaccine, which is not routinely given to children under a year old. But she feels her baby would not have been infected if more people around her had received the vaccine. 'Basically as parents it's your responsibility to educate yourself with the help of your pediatrician and health-care professionals,' she said. 'I feel this was completely preventable.' Birch, who lives in Fort Saskatchewan, Alta., said she is also worried that her daughter may suffer long-term health complications as a result of her getting measles at such a young age. 'It's not just that parent or child who it affected when they don't vaccinate, there's a whole other population that needs to be protected by vaccines.' Birch isn't certain where her daughter got infected, but said she took her out in the Fort Saskatchewan community before she got sick. Alberta has become a hot spot for measles, with the province reporting nearly 1,380 infections since the beginning of March. This is more than the total number of cases reported in the United States. Ontario has also reported more than 2,270 infections since an outbreak began last fall. Alberta's immunization rates against measles for children fall below the recommended rate of 95 per cent that scientists say is needed to prevent the illness from spreading. The province's 2024 data shows that by age two, 80 per cent of children received one dose of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, and 68 per cent received both doses. Alberta's vaccination schedule for the two-part shot calls for the first dose at 12 months and the second at 18 months. But even by age seven, only 71.6 per cent had received both doses, provincial data shows. However, it's not the only province with low immunization rates against measles among children. Three out of the four Atlantic provinces told The Canadian Press they also had immunization rates below the 95-per-cent threshold, while one province, Newfoundland and Labrador, has not responded to requests for its data. Last week, Dr. Kimberley Barker, regional medical officer of health for Sussex, N.B., said measles cases were rising due to factors such as vaccine hesitancy. In some cases, she said parents are too busy and may underestimate the seriousness or risk of infection. Barker said officials are ramping up immunization campaigns when schools start in September to make it easier for kids with busy parents to get vaccinated. Other provinces are also making it easier to get immunized through walk-in clinics, community health centres and health-care providers. Birch explained how the consequences could be severe for those who don't follow recommendations from their local public health officials and doctors. She recalled that before her daughter's bout of measles, she was a happy baby. But it took a month for Kimie to recover from the infection. And although she is now back to her 'happy self,' Birch said she seems to be falling sick more than she used to. 'Her immune system has to be built up again.' Overall, Canada has a total of 3,822 confirmed measles cases from Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan, as of July 5. New Brunswick has confirmed 14 cases. Shelly Bolotin, director of the Centre for Vaccine Preventable Diseases at the University of Toronto, said the first does of the measles vaccine is usually given at 12 months. But children as young as six months can also be given the shot if they are travelling or living in an area with an outbreak. Although, she added those children who receive a dose at six months will still need to receive two subsequent doses. 'As people are going out of town and taking trips — if they are going to measles endemic areas — they can protect their infant if they're a minimum of six months old,' Bolotin said, adding it takes up to two weeks for the vaccination to take effect. Bolotin said the incubation period for measles is up to three weeks from the time a person is exposed to the disease until they start experiencing symptoms. Measles infects the immune cells, erasing a lot of the previous immunity and leaving the person susceptible to other bacterial and viral infections for several years, she said. 'The technical term is measles immune amnesia.' Children who recover from measles can experience other infections more frequently because they have lost this immunity and don't realize that this is a long-term effect of measles infection, she noted. There is also a rare and fatal form of neurological deterioration — subacute sclerosing panencephalitis — that happens in four to 11 in every 100,000 cases, she said. This disorder occurs when measles remains in the body latently, she added. Some of the symptoms include behavioural changes, cognitive decline, jerks, and seizures,with the onset of the disease being late childhood or adolescence. 'Canada worked very, very hard to eliminate measles, and we achieved measles elimination in 1998 which means the World Health Organization has recognized that it wasn't circulating regularly in our country, and now we're at risk of losing that,' Bolotin said. 'And that would be a shame.' Wednesdays Columnist Jen Zoratti looks at what's next in arts, life and pop culture. Dr. Anna Banerji, associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Toronto, said some children suffer from complications after measles such as pneumonia, hepatitis or encephalitis. Measles can also cause deafness and blindness, especially if the child is malnourished. After recovering from a bout of infection, Banerji said some children have temporary low immunity. 'It can take a while to recover,' she said. Meanwhile, Birch said she will carry the heartbreak, frustration and feeling of helplessness as she watched her four-month-old daughter fight measles. 'She could have died,' she said of her daughter. 'A lot of kids died from measles back before there were preventive measures in place.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 22, 2025.
Hamilton Spectator
2 days ago
- Health
- Hamilton Spectator
‘She could have died.' Alberta mother feared the worst for 4-month-old with measles
Months after fearing she would lose her baby girl to measles, Morgan Birch says she wants Canadians to educate themselves more about the importance of vaccines. Birch's daughter, Kimie Fukuta-Birch, was too young to be eligible for the vaccine, which is not routinely given to children under a year old. But she feels her baby would not have been infected if more people around her had received the vaccine. 'Basically as parents it's your responsibility to educate yourself with the help of your pediatrician and health-care professionals,' she said. 'I feel this was completely preventable.' Birch, who lives in Fort Saskatchewan, Alta., said she is also worried that her daughter may suffer long-term health complications as a result of her getting measles at such a young age. 'It's not just that parent or child who it affected when they don't vaccinate, there's a whole other population that needs to be protected by vaccines.' Birch isn't certain where her daughter got infected, but said she took her out in the Fort Saskatchewan community before she got sick. Alberta has become a hot spot for measles, with the province reporting nearly 1,380 infections since the beginning of March. This is more than the total number of cases reported in the United States. Ontario has also reported more than 2,270 infections since an outbreak began last fall. Alberta's immunization rates against measles for children fall below the recommended rate of 95 per cent that scientists say is needed to prevent the illness from spreading. The province's 2024 data shows that by age two, 80 per cent of children received one dose of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, and 68 per cent received both doses. Alberta's vaccination schedule for the two-part shot calls for the first dose at 12 months and the second at 18 months. But even by age seven, only 71.6 per cent had received both doses, provincial data shows. However, it's not the only province with low immunization rates against measles among children. Three out of the four Atlantic provinces told The Canadian Press they also had immunization rates below the 95-per-cent threshold, while one province, Newfoundland and Labrador, has not responded to requests for its data. Last week, Dr. Kimberley Barker, regional medical officer of health for Sussex, N.B., said measles cases were rising due to factors such as vaccine hesitancy. In some cases, she said parents are too busy and may underestimate the seriousness or risk of infection. Barker said officials are ramping up immunization campaigns when schools start in September to make it easier for kids with busy parents to get vaccinated. Other provinces are also making it easier to get immunized through walk-in clinics, community health centres and health-care providers. Birch explained how the consequences could be severe for those who don't follow recommendations from their local public health officials and doctors. She recalled that before her daughter's bout of measles, she was a happy baby. But it took a month for Kimie to recover from the infection. And although she is now back to her 'happy self,' Birch said she seems to be falling sick more than she used to. 'Her immune system has to be built up again.' Overall, Canada has a total of 3,822 confirmed measles cases from Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan, as of July 5. New Brunswick has confirmed 14 cases. Shelly Bolotin, director of the Centre for Vaccine Preventable Diseases at the University of Toronto, said the first does of the measles vaccine is usually given at 12 months. But children as young as six months can also be given the shot if they are travelling or living in an area with an outbreak. Although, she added those children who receive a dose at six months will still need to receive two subsequent doses. 'As people are going out of town and taking trips — if they are going to measles endemic areas — they can protect their infant if they're a minimum of six months old,' Bolotin said, adding it takes up to two weeks for the vaccination to take effect. Bolotin said the incubation period for measles is up to three weeks from the time a person is exposed to the disease until they start experiencing symptoms. Measles infects the immune cells, erasing a lot of the previous immunity and leaving the person susceptible to other bacterial and viral infections for several years, she said. 'The technical term is measles immune amnesia.' Children who recover from measles can experience other infections more frequently because they have lost this immunity and don't realize that this is a long-term effect of measles infection, she noted. There is also a rare and fatal form of neurological deterioration — subacute sclerosing panencephalitis — that happens in four to 11 in every 100,000 cases, she said. This disorder occurs when measles remains in the body latently, she added. Some of the symptoms include behavioural changes, cognitive decline, jerks, and seizures,with the onset of the disease being late childhood or adolescence. 'Canada worked very, very hard to eliminate measles, and we achieved measles elimination in 1998 which means the World Health Organization has recognized that it wasn't circulating regularly in our country, and now we're at risk of losing that,' Bolotin said. 'And that would be a shame.' Dr. Anna Banerji, associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Toronto, said some children suffer from complications after measles such as pneumonia, hepatitis or encephalitis. Measles can also cause deafness and blindness, especially if the child is malnourished. After recovering from a bout of infection, Banerji said some children have temporary low immunity. 'It can take a while to recover,' she said. Meanwhile, Birch said she will carry the heartbreak, frustration and feeling of helplessness as she watched her four-month-old daughter fight measles. 'She could have died,' she said of her daughter. 'A lot of kids died from measles back before there were preventive measures in place.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 22, 2025.
Tom's Guide
5 days ago
- Health
- Tom's Guide
Birch Plush Organic Mattress Topper review: natural, responsive support for all sleep positions
Launched back in 2019, Birch is a sub-brand of the luxury mattress company Helix. The Helix team, responsible for some of this year's best mattresses on the market, created Birch to build natural and sustainable sleep products, that use organic materials. The all-natural brand's signature bed topper, the Birch Plush Organic Mattress Topper, has been on my radar since I joined the review team back in 2023, and I recently got the chance to test it out. This year's best mattress toppers guide is full of memory foam options, so I was eager to see if Birch's bed topper would be the first latex topper to make the cut. To find out, I put a full-sized Birch Plush Organic Mattress Topper on a memory foam mattress and slept on it for two weeks. Here's my experience. The Birch Plush Organic Mattress Topper is made from a 2" thick layer of natural latex and an organic cotton cover. According to the brand, the Plush Organic Topper is "crafted from breathable, natural and organic materials". Type: Talalay latexDepth: 2" Cover: Organic cottonCorner straps: NoTrial period: 100 nightsWarranty: 10-year warranty Starting MSRP: from $372 at Birch So, who is this mattress topper for? Well, let's get the obvious out of the way: eco-conscious (and health-conscious) shoppers who want a sustainable sleep product made from clean, non-toxic materials. But what's it like to sleep on? Well, as a side and back sleeper, I need something soft enough to soothe my shoulders when side sleeping but firm enough to support my lumbar region when sleeping on my back. Thanks to the spongy-yet-firm latex, I slept comfortable in both sleep positions. However, don't expect the mattress topper to live up to its "Plush" title. I must admit, I was not surprised to find it was not as soft as the name suggested, as latex is known to be on the firmer side. That isn't to say it's uncomfortable, though. In fact, it made my quicksand-y memory foam bed more responsive and less stifling, so it's a perfect choice for restless sleepers who need ease of movement when switching sleep positions. The latex topper is also a good choice for anyone who feels trapped by the sink-in softness of their memory foam bed. The 2" height is thick enough to transform any bed, but thin enough not to add too much height to any mattresses over 14". That said, the design does have a few shortcomings. Firstly, there are no anchor straps to keep the Plush Organic Mattress Topper in place on your bed. Secondly, the soft-touch organic cotton cover is non-removable and spot clean only. While the bed topper would have benefitted from these features, it kept clean and never shifted the whole time I was testing it thanks to a fitted mattress protector and sheet. As for price and deals, a queen-size Plush Organic Mattress Topper is $532 at MSRP, but it's usually $399 thanks to a regular 25% discount. Yes, it's a premium price, but it's made from premium materials and comes with two pretty generous benefits: a 100-night sleep trial and 10-year warranty. The Birch Plush Organic Matress Topper uses premium organic materials, so it's only natural (no pun intended) that it would have a luxury price tag. However, if you consider that the average queen latex bed topper is $575, a queen Birch's usual $399 price (thanks to a regular mattress sale) is relatively affordable. You can also find a 20-25% discount on the topper in the Helix mattress sale. Here are both the MSRPs and sale prices for the The Birch Plush Organic Mattress Topper in all available sizes: Plus, it's a cost-effective alternative to the best organic mattresses (which typically has an average price of $1,665 for a queen) or Naturepedic's latex topper (whose $749 queen price was listed as a drawback in the Naturepedic Adagio Organic Latex Mattress Topper review.) Despite the cheaper price, the Birch matches Naturepedic's benefits: free shipping, a 10-year warranty, and 100-night sleep trial. Considering that the average topper trial is 30 nights and the average warranty is around three to five years, the Birch Plush Organic Mattress Topper boasts the generous extras you would typically find for full-fledged mattresses. Birch Plush Organic Mattress Topper: twin was $279 now $372 at BirchThe Birch Plush Organic Mattress Topper is available in six sizes at both Birch and Helix: twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, and Cal king. Both Helix and Birch shoppers can regularly enjoy a 20% or 25% discount, which reduces a queen to $399, plus free shipping, a 100-night sleep trial, and a 10-year warranty. A major draw of the Birch Plush Organic Mattress Topper is that it's free from polyurethane-based foams and uses responsibly-sourced materials with Global Organic Latex Standard (GOLS) and GREENGUARD Gold certifications. However, I feel it would be very remiss of me not to point out some discrepancies between the website and the leaflet in the box. In the leaflet, the mattress topper is billed as being Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) certified with no mention of the GOLS certification. It also describes the latex as the Talalay variety and mentions Fair Trade cotton, organic wool, and certifications from the eco-INSTITUT and Forest Stewardship Council. The website's description, meanwhile, boasts about the GOLS and GREENGUARD Gold Certified only, so it's safe to assume the mattress topper has now switched to Dunlop latex as Talalay's production process means it's disqualified from a GOLS certification. (For more information on the differences between the two, take a look at my Dunlop vs Talalay latex breakdown.) Eco-credentials and mattress certifications aside, this is still a sustainable, responsibly-sourced latex bed topper with premium, high-quality materials. While the the non-removable cover has no anchor straps and can only be spot-cleaned, this wasn't a deal breaker for me as it stayed clean and steady with a fitted sheet and a good mattress protector. I slept on a full-size Plush Organic Mattress Topper for two weeks, testing it with a focus on three key areas in line with our mattress methodology: support and comfort, temperature regulation and ease of set-up. Like the best mattresses in a box, the Birch Plush Organic arrives at your doorstep compressed, rolled-up, and wrapped in plastic. This makes shipping easier, but it does mean you'll need to unbox it and wait for it to expand — which is why it's strange that the leaflet in the box included no set-up instructions or expansion wait time. As I've unboxed plenty of mattresses and mattress toppers in my time as a tester, I found the set-up to be pretty easy. (Although, the topper was plastic-wrapped extremely tight.) However, If you're unfamiliar with the unboxing process, you may find it a little confusing without instructions via leaflet or website, so I suggest you checkout our guide on how to set up a mattress in a box. It would have been nice to have an indication of how long it takes to expand as all bed toppers differ, but it reached its full height 10 minutes after unboxing. Even though you could probably sleep on the Birch topper straight away, I left it on the floor overnight before I slept on it, just in case. Thanks to the natural materials, there's no nasty off-gassing you usually detect when unboxing memory foam toppers. Instead, you get the sweet, earthy smell of latex that's often compared to cupcakes or pastry dough. Score: 4.5 out of 5 I put the Birch Plush Organic Mattress Topper on a the memory foam bed I tested for the EGOHOME Black 12" Memory Foam Mattress review. I genuinely liked the bed and even added it to the best cheap mattress guide, but a major complaint was that the slow-moving foam surface was difficult to change sleep position on. Thankfully, the Birch Organic Plush Mattress Topper solved that problem with its quick-response spongy latex foam. It's responsive foam was flexible enough to give against my pressure points when side sleeping, but firm and durable enough to keep my back and hips upright and spine properly aligned when back sleeping. Despite its name, however, this is not a plush mattress topper. Talalay latex is the plushest form of natural latex, but I doubt the Birch topper uses this anymore due to the GOLS certification (see the above Design & Materials section for more information on this) so can only assume it uses the firmer Dunlop. Score: 4 out of 5 Latex is often boasted to be breathable and cooling, and while the former is true, the latter is more complicated. While latex can boost airflow to help regulate temperature, it isn't cooling per se. This distinction was shown when I slept cool and comfortable during milder weather, but slept hot and humid during a heatwave when my bedroom was close to 85°F in the night. Once testing was over, I switched my breathable non-cooling mattress protector with a cooling one (the one I reviewed for the Brooklyn Bedding Luxury Cooling Mattress Protector review 2025 in case you're wondering) and slept much cooler throughout the warm weather. Score: 4 out of 5 The 1,500+ reviews on the Birch website for the Plush Organic Mattress Topper are mostly glowing, with an overall rating of 4.6 stars. Positive reviews praise the great quality, support (some even claiming it alleviated their back pain) and balanced comfort that allows them to sleep on top of the mattress rather than sinking into it. Only a small percentage of customers wrote a negative review, with the less favorable reviews mentioning that they thought it would be thicker and plusher. While I have to point out that the 2" thickness is made clear throughout the website's description, I can see why customer's may be disappointed with the firmness considering "Plush" is in in the topper's title. If you're looking for a high-quality mattress topper that uses certified-organic and natural materials, then the Birch Plush Organic mattress topper is a supportive, comfortable and relatively affordable option. It supported me while both side and back sleeping, and gave me that bouncy easy of movement that you often can't get from even the best memory foam mattresses and toppers. A queen may have a $399 tag, but it's still cheaper than some organic latex mattress toppers and beds on the market. Plus, the 100-night sleep trial and 10-year warranty is outstanding for a mattress topper. That said, it's not as plush as the title suggests, so anyone looking to add super soft cushioning to a hard bed should look elsewhere. Also, despite its promise of a a cool night's sleep, the latex won't be cooling enough for those sleep chronically hot or experience night sweats. ✅ You're eco-conscious: GOLS and GREENGAURD Gold certifications show that this mattress topper is sustainable and responsibly sourced. ✅ You hate that memory foam feel: While sink-in soft memory foam can give you that "quicksand" feeling, the latex foam is quick to bounce back after pressure is applied. ✅ You're a back, side, or restless sleeper: The spongy but firm latex supplies enough support for most sleep positions, especially back and side sleepers, and easy of movement for those who toss and turn. ❌You're expecting it to be plush: Yes, despite its name, this is not a plush mattress topper. It's comfortable and supportive, but not super soft at all. ❌ You experience night sweats or always sleep hot: While latex is temperature-regulating, it's not cooling and no match against heatwaves. ❌You're on a budget: Despite it being relatively cheap compared to other latex toppers on the market, it's still premium priced and not for tight budgets. The Naturepedic 2" Adagio Mattress Topper is another latex topper that we tried. It's a lot more expensive than the Birch (and less frequently discounted, too) meaning a twin Adagio is more expensive than a Birch queen. Despite the higher price tag, this is still a good option if you want an organic latex topper that's actually plush and, as our tester put it, "marshmallowy" soft. Learn more in our Naturepedic Adagio Organic Latex Mattress Topper review. Like the Birch, the Saatva High-Density Foam Mattress Topper features a moisture-wicking organic cotton cover, but it also has anchor straps and an antimicrobial treatment. It's not as sustainable and natural as the Birch as it included memory foam, but at $245 for a queen, it offers cheaper luxury. Learn more in our Saatva Foam Mattress Topper review. The Panda Bamboo Memory Foam Mattress Topper may not feature natural latex or organic cotton, but it does harness the breathable, antibacterial power of a hypoallergenic bamboo cover. It doesn't come in a twin XL though (bad news for most college students), but it offers plenty of body-molding comfort for side sleepers. Learn more in our Panda Bamboo Memory Foam Mattress Topper review.
Scotsman
5 days ago
- Business
- Scotsman
The "dreamlike" island guest house that serves the country's best breakfast
The AA named its top B&Bs in the UK, and one in a popular Scottish island took home the 'Best Breakfast' accolade. Roskhill House in the village of Dunvegan on the Isle of Skye, was given the Best Breakfast award, out of a range of B&Bs in the UK, at the event which took place earlier this month. Award categories at the AA Awards included: AA Inn of the Year, AA Restaurant with Rooms of the Year and AA Bed and Breakfast of the Year, with winners selected from each of the three nations. From the wild coasts of the Outer Hebrides to the surrounds of historic Bath, the winning B&Bs highlight the diversity and richness of the UK hospitality scene. Picture: Roskhill House The AA team had this to say about Roskhill House's breakfast: 'Begin your day at Roskhill House with a carefully curated breakfast where quality, freshness, and locally sourced ingredients take centre stage. 'Enjoy a generous selection that includes eggs from their own happy hens, seasonal fruits, yogurt, and Scottish vegetarian cheeses. Savour a variety of baked delights such as oatcakes, fresh breads, homemade cinnamon buns, cakes, seeded banana bread, muffins, and sourdough toast. 'Accompaniments include local honey, their own marmalade, and a range of homemade jams. To complement your breakfast, they serve expertly roasted coffee from Birch in Portree and a thoughtfully chosen selection of teas from Shibui in Edinburgh.' Of the overall awards, Simon Numphud, managing director at AA Hotel & Hospitality Services, said: 'These awards shine a light on the brilliant people and places that make Britain's B&B scene truly world class. 'Whether it's a warm welcome in Scotland, a design-led retreat in England, or a culinary gem in Wales, this year's winners represent everything that's special about independent UK hospitality. 'They go beyond offering a bed for the night - they offer character, comfort and care that stays with you long after check-out.' Roskhill House is a four star, five bedroom guesthouse on the ever-popular Isle of Skye. It's a former croft house that dates back to 1890 and is run by Martin Sutherland and Charles Harper. The house has a range of top reviews online, with one reviewer calling it 'dream-like' and others commenting on the cleanliness, pausing Martin and Charles and complimenting them on the breakfast. Find out more about Roskhill House via their website. You can see all AA rated placed on their website.
