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Preparing your child for a flu vaccination

Submitted by Staff on Wed, 2009-11-11 11:52
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by Children's Hospital Boston staff on November 10, 2009

 

Most children have some fear of needles and may get scared before a vaccination. You might think the best way to handle this anxiety is to avoid telling your child about a vaccination ahead of time. But, like usual, honesty is the best strategy. Here, Child Life specialists offer tips and techniques for preparing your child for vaccination.

Before the vaccination

A new eco-perspective on preventing an epidemic: How H1N1 compares to SARS and the Nipah virus

Submitted by Staff on Tue, 2009-11-10 09:49
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by Children's Hospital Boston staff on November 9, 2009

Sometimes the best perspectives come from far away places and few places are farther from Boston than Singapore, a small yet highly developed island nation in southeast Asia where I spent much of October.

The distance between Boston and Singapore is more than geographic, however. While I was away, H1N1 reclaimed the national spotlight back home. Not a day went by without mention of it in the news. It became the topic of conversation among doctors and patients everywhere. Well, almost everywhere.

While everyone in Singapore knew of H1N1, it was hardly the hot topic it had become in the States. During my stay, the main paper in Singapore ran just one article on H1N1 informing its readership that the first vaccine doses wouldn’t arrive for several more weeks.

Kids Cereals Have 85% More Sugar & 65% Less Fiber

Submitted by Staff on Tue, 2009-10-27 10:49
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A new study has confirmed what many Parents have long suspected ... most breakfast cereals advertised to kids are filled with sugar and are low on fiber.

Cereals marketed to kids have 85% more sugar, 65% less fiber and 60% more sodium than those aimed at adults.  This comes from a report by Yale University’s Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity.

 

The content of popular cereals were analyzed using a nutrient profiling system and data was reviewed on how cereals are marketed to kids. Findings released this past weekend revealed that:

•The least nutritious cereals are often the most heavily marketed to children, such as Reese’s Puffs, Corn Pops, Lucky Charms, Cinnamon Toast Crunch and Cap’n Crunch.

•Most major cereal companies have products that are nutritionally good for consumption, but not many of those are advertised to children.

•Companies have reduced sugar content of kids’ cereals, on average from 3½ teaspoons to 3 teaspoons of sugar a serving.

•Average preschoolers see about 642 TV cereal ads a year; most for cereals with the worst nutrition ratings. Cereal companies spend over $156 million a year marketing to children.

Smart Choices Food Labeling Program Halted by FDA

Submitted by Staff on Mon, 2009-10-26 09:51
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We are extremely happy to announce that the FDA has stepped in and addressed the Smart Choices food labels that have been hitting shelves.  A food industry group is voluntarily halting promotion of its "nutrition" labeling program after the FDA suggested that their labeling could mislead consumers.  We informed you about this program when it first was introduced, with our grave concerns over this labeling. http://www.ziggityzoom.com/parentsguide/content/smart-choices-food-label...

The Smart Choices program, which includes nine major companies such as Kellogg's, Kraft Foods and General Mills, has been highly critized for handing its green seal to processed foods that are high in sugar, such as Froot Loops and Cracker Jack snack foods.

The FDA is working to define the criteria manufacturers must meet to make certain nutritional claims on product fronts.  Stay tuned, we will keep you updated here on ZiggityZoom.com.

Tips to Help Prevent Getting the H1N1 Swine Flu

Submitted by sharon on Wed, 2009-10-07 11:46
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With the threat of the Swine Flu swirling in the air, parents need to do whatever they can to help themselves and their children from getting the flu or, at the very least, minimizing the flu if it does affect your family.

The only portals of entry of the H1N1 virus are the nostrils and mouth/throat. In a global epidemic of this nature,  it’s almost impossible not coming into contact with H1N1 in spite of all precautions. Contact with H1N1 is not so much of a problem as proliferation is. 

Her are some Tips to stop the proliferation and Protect your Family.

  • Frequent Hand Washing.  This is probably one of the most important habits you can encourage your family to do.
  • Hands Off Face.  Continually remind your family to keep their hands away from their face.  This is a habit we all have but with conscious effort we can certainly minimize it.
  • Salt Water Gargles.  Gargle with a salt water solution in the moring and evening.  This helps to keep any virus from proliferating.
  • Nasal Saline Spray.  Use a saline spray to flush nasal passages at least once a day.  Blow nose well afterwards.
  • Vitamin C and Yogurt.  Eat foods plentiful in vitamin C and also eat Yogurt, both will increase your immunity to colds and viruses.  For better Vitamin C absorption, also take Zinc.
  • Drink Warm Liquids.  Drink plenty of warm liquids, such as tea and soup. Warm drinks help flush viruses from the throat into the stomach, where viruses can no longer survive.
  • Plenty of Rest.  Our bodies need rest to keep our immunity strong, so this is especially important during flu seasons.

 

Teach Children Proper Hand Washing to Avoid Swine Flu and Other Illnesses

Submitted by Staff on Sun, 2009-09-20 15:13
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The most important thing you can do to fight againt getting the Swine Flu is to teach your family, and all children you come in contact with,  proper hand washing.  Many kids have already been doing this as a regular part of normal hygiene but there are many who do not, primarily because they haven't been taught or have no good parental example.

I'm sorry to say that I know plenty of adults that don't take the time to do good hand washing, on a regular basis. Yes, they swish a little water onto their hands and that's it.  But with proper instruction, we can do something positive about spreading germs this flu season. It's a proven fact that we all touch our faces all during the day ... rub our eyes, scratch our nose, touch our lip. And hand-to-face contact is one of the ways we contract illnesses.  Germs can enter the body through breaks in the skin or through membranes of the eyes, mouth and nose.

So ... How should we Teach Children to Wash Hands ?

  • Wet Hands.  Soap Hands. And wash for 10 seconds.  You can tell them to count to 20 or say the alphabet to figure out if they have washed long enough.
  • Rinse Hands well.
  • Dry Hands well, using a paper towel if one is available.
  • Use the paper towel to turn off the faucet.
  • Throw paper towel in trash.

Give kids a good demonstration so they truly understand.  Explain that we get colds and coughs from other people, and other kids, when we don't wash our hands thoroughly.  Let them know that this is one way that germs get spread.

Great Site for Checking Toxic Chemicals Before Buying Kids Products and Toys

Submitted by sharon on Sat, 2009-09-19 10:41
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We are very excited to let you know about a site we just discovered called Healthy Stuff.  It's a site that gives you immediate access to research done on Children's products and Toys, including car seats.  The site is extremely easy to use and the information is presented in a simple coding system with graphics even a child could understand.  It shows which products contain lead, arsenic, cadmium, chlorine, mercury and bromine and to what degree it is present in that product.

At HealthyStuff.org you can search by product, by brand or level of concern, for example, your concern of lead in a product. There's even a spot to "tweet" the results you've found so you can quickly share the info with your contacts and friends.

It is certainly no wonder that so many developmental problems are increasing in children and that cancer is a constant threat.  But with this website, we all can benefit by choosing products and toys for our children and grandchildren that we know have the least amount of toxic chemicals.  Please be sure to spread this info on to friends and family. HealthyStuff.org

Kids Walk to Cure Juvenile Diabetes

Submitted by Staff on Thu, 2009-09-03 12:48
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Although the national Walk to Cure Diabetes is held in October this year, schools are encouraged by the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation to hold a Kids Walk to Cure Diabetes anytime during the school year in their area.  This is such a good opportunity for kids to learn about a childhood disease and to know that they can really participate and do something about helping to find a cure.

JDRF is the world leader of  research trying to find a cure for type 1 diabetes.  This organization sets the global agenda for diabetes research, and is the largest charitable funder and advocate of diabetes science worldwide.

If your child has Juvenile Diabetes or you are a teacher, try to interest your school in organizing a Kids Walk, which they can do through a local JDRF chapter. And if you don't already know the signs or symptoms of type 1 diabetes, these are things to look for, as the disease strikes quickly and should be diagnosed as soon as possible after it develops. 

Free Screening For Early Detection of Type 1 Diabetes

Submitted by Staff on Mon, 2009-07-27 21:47
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It has long been a known fact that if a child has a blood relative with type 1 diabetes, that they are more  likely to develop type 1 diabetes themselves.

Now, through Diabetes TrialNet, a simple blood test can determine whether your child is at risk for type 1 Diabetes up to a decade before symptoms appear.also known as Juvenile Diabetes. Also known as Juvenile diabetes, type 1 diabetes can't be prevented or cured, but early detection and advance treatment can lessen the severity and even save lives.

TrialNet is a network of 18 Clinical Centers working in cooperation with screening sites throughout the United States, Canada, Finland, United Kingdom, Italy, Germany, Australia, and New Zealand. This network is dedicated to the study, prevention, and early treatment of type 1 diabetes.

For parents who would like to participate in a screening for the earliest signs of type 1 diabetes in children, but do not live near a TrialNet site, screening test kits are available from TrialNet. The test kit can be taken to a local doctor’s office or lab to collect a blood sample, which is then sent to TrialNet’s central laboratory for analysis.

The following relatives may be screened at no charge to determine their risk:

    * relatives between 1 and 45 years of age who have a sibling, child, or parent with type 1 diabetes
    * relatives between 1 and 20 years of age who have cousin, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, half sibling or grandparent with type 1 diabetes

For more information: http://www.diabetestrialnet.org

Healthy Food Portions and Choices for Your Kids

Submitted by Staff on Fri, 2009-04-24 10:22
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Cheese Puffs, Chocolate Cake, Soda Pop, and Milkshakes- Are These the Things Our Little Boys and Girls are Made Of? Do you remember the original Willy Wonka Movie? There is a scene where the winners of the Golden Tickets enter the fantastic world of Willy Wonka’s Factory to find every imaginable and unimaginable candy creation. Even the river is filled with melted chocolate. It is a place that every child’s candy is within reach.

But the kids that eat, and eat, and eat every sweet they pass end up with a problem and are eliminated from the contest. The only boy left is the one with self control who follows the directions. Now imagine being your child and going through every aisle in a grocery store and seeing all of the colorful and fun looking foods. Wow, I bet it is a bit like seeing all of those treats in Willy Wonka’s factory. A bit overwhelming for most kids at first glance. Who blames them- the colorful, fun shaped, sugary foods are very enticing. Your child begs for the sugary cereal pops and frosted pop tarts and Sunny D Drink. What is a parent to do?

Well here are 10 tips to help you make healthy food choices for your kids and serve them age-appropriate food portions.

• Serve Fresh Fruits and Vegetables at Every Meal (or frozen) • Serve Water Regularly and Limit the Amount of Milk and Juice a child drinks each day

• Serve Wheat or White Wheat Bread and Brown Rice or Whole Wheat Pasta instead of White Bread or Rice.

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