ParentLife Blog

Holiday Safety Tips

Thanksgiving is just over a week away and many families are already putting up their Christmas decorations! The holidays are an exciting time of year for kids, and to help ensure they have a safe holiday season, here are some tips from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). 

Trees

• When purchasing an artificial tree, look for the label "Fire Resistant."
• When purchasing a live tree, check for freshness. A fresh tree is green, needles are hard to pull from branches, and when bent between your fingers, needles do not break. The trunk butt of a fresh tree is sticky with resin, and when tapped on the ground, the tree should not lose many needles.
• When setting up a tree at home, place it away from fireplaces, radiators, or portable heaters. Place the tree out of the way of traffic and do not block doorways.
• Cut a few inches off the trunk of your tree to expose the fresh wood. This allows for better water absorption and will help to keep your tree from drying out and becoming a fire hazard.
• Be sure to keep the stand filled with water, because heated rooms can dry live trees out rapidly.

Lights

• Check all tree lights — even if you have just purchased them — before hanging them on your tree. Make sure all the bulbs work and that there are no frayed wires, broken sockets, or loose connections.
• Never use electric lights on a metallic tree. The tree can become charged with electricity from faulty lights, and a person touching a branch could be electrocuted.
• Before using lights outdoors, check labels to be sure they have been certified for outdoor use.  To hold lights in place, string them through hooks or insulated staples, not nails or tacks. Never pull or tug lights to remove them.
• Plug all outdoor electric decorations into circuits with ground fault circuit interrupters to avoid potential shocks.
• Turn off all lights when you go to bed or leave the house. The lights could short out and start a fire.

Decorations

• Use only non-combustible or flame-resistant materials to trim a tree. Choose tinsel or artificial icicles of plastic or nonleaded metals.
• Never use lighted candles on a tree or near other evergreens. Always use non-flammable holders, and place candles where they will not be knocked down.
• In homes with small children, take special care to avoid decorations that are sharp or breakable. Keep trimmings with small removable parts out of the reach of children to prevent them from swallowing or inhaling small pieces. Avoid trimmings that resemble candy or food that may tempt a young child to eat them.
• Wear gloves to avoid eye and skin irritation while decorating with spun glass "angel hair." Follow container directions carefully to avoid lung irritation while decorating with artificial snow sprays.
• Remove all wrapping papers, bags, paper, ribbons, and bows from tree and fireplace areas after gifts are opened. These items can pose suffocation and choking hazards to a small child or can cause a fire if near flame.

 

2009 - American Academy of Pediatrics

Stay tuned to the blog for even more safety tips from the AAP next week!

National Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Have you been seeing pink this October? That's because October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Other than skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in the United States. It is the second leading cause of death in women, after lung cancer. Chances are ... you or someone you love has been impacted by breast cancer in some way. Amy Heeg is a woman who has been directly impacted by breast cancer, but she is a survivor!. Here is her story.

I was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 36. Until then, my biggest fears were my teenage son driving and how I would be turning 40 soon. Now turning 40 is a blessing.

It was July 2007, and I was still nursing my youngest when I noticed that my milk supply was decreasing on one side and there was a lump. The doctor didn't think there was anything to worry about, but just to be sure, he recommended an ultrasound.

He wasn't worried because I was 36 years old, didn't smoke or drink, led an active lifestyle, had nursed all of my children, and there was no history of breast cancer in my family. I got several ultrasounds and then a mammogram. Finally, the doctor said I needed to have a biopsy. The lump in my throat got bigger.

My mass was estimated to be about 4 cm in size, so the only real option was a mastectomy. On September 12, 2007— amidst tears of fear and amazing peace that only God could have provided me, I was rolled into surgery. A few weeks later I was officially given the news that the cancer had moved into my bones, with possible spots in my liver and ovaries. I was officially stage IV, with a husband, four children, and an entire life to fight for.

I’m 38 now, and my motivation is simple. I want to live. I want to see my children graduate, and get their first job. I want to see them get married and meet my grandchildren. I want to grow old with my husband.

I want women to understand that breast cancer is not an older women’s disease. Forty is not the magic number.

People continue to ask me where I find my strength, and my answer is God and my family and friends. I will walk in the Breast Cancer 3-Day and will continue to walk until a cure is found or I cease to breathe.

Amy Heeg — Howell, Michigan

Want to know more about breast cancer prevention and detection? Don't miss the article "Breast Cancer Awareness" in the October 2009 issue of ParentLife or visit www.cancer.org.

And don't forget! Early detection is so important! Be sure to see your doctor at the first sign or feeling that something might be wrong.

Childhood Obesity Awareness Month

The month of September is quickly drawing to a close, but we couldn't let it get by without bringing your attention to the problem of childhood obesity. September is Childhood Obesity Awareness Month – a perfect opportunity to evaluate your child's diet, exercise, and medical conditions that may cause weight gain and health issues. Childhood is the ideal time to instill healthy, positive habits that will last a lifetime.

Dr. Anatoly Belilovsky, a renowned New York pediatrician with more than 20 years experience advising parents on child weight issues, offers some fun ways that your family can stay active on the weekends — an important victory in the battle of childhood obesity.

• Hiking is great. Hikes ending in a picnic are better. You can set the place, but not the time, for the picnic, this way there will be less tendency to slack off. (If you know where the food is, you will go there faster. If you know when, you may be tempted to whine away the time). Many areas have bike trails and urban hiking works just as well as the country variety.
• Pick-up soccer games need only two participants, one ball, and something to mark off a goal on the ground. You can play in an 8-by-12-foot space and have a blast doing it. There a plenty of games to keep everyone occupied in a park.
• Visit local museums, botanical gardens, or fairs. Tap into resources and events happening in the area.
• Go on a GPS scavenger hunt. Walk the path alone with "reward" items (obviously something of no value to a casual passersby -- like a note of congratulations, or a certificate redeemable only from you). Mark GPS waypoints wherever you drop them. Give the GPS unit to the kids and have them find the items. Remember the GPS is only accurate to about 20 feet! No GPS? Take photos at waypoints with your phone and send them to your kids' phones, see if they can figure out the locations!
• Go on a foxhunt. Put an old remote control into a recess so it is not easily visible. Put a rock on the buttons so it is constantly transmitting (it will put out a flashing infrared signal). Most cameras will see the infrared easily -- have the kids find the remote! This one works best indoors or outdoors in dim light.

What are some fun ways that your family stays active? Share your suggestions with us?

Smiles Across America

Tooth decay is considered the most common chronic childhood disease—five times more common than asthma—according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The department also reports that more than 51 million school hours are lost each year to dental-related illness. Fortunately, good oral health habits can keep tooth decay at bay.
 
To help teach students and parents this important lesson, Trident has partnered with Smiles Across America (SAA), a program that links schools and dental care providers to help fight untreated oral disease. The company’s support has enabled SAA to double the number of children it cares for and expand services for more children in underserved communities. 

The following are some great oral care tips for both parents and children to practice.

• Brush twice a day, after breakfast and before bedtime, to remove food particles and plaque. Plaque causes tooth decay and gum disease.
 
• Use a soft toothbrush so you don’t scratch teeth or gums.
 
• Brush both the teeth and gums, especially the areas where teeth and gums meet, and the chewing surfaces of teeth.
 
• Always brush after eating candy and other sugary or starchy snacks, and after drinking sugary sodas and juices.
 
• Adults should supervise tooth brushing, giving a second brushing after kids have brushed to make sure teeth are clean.
 
• Floss every day to remove food and plaque from between teeth and under gums. If plaque is not removed, it can harden into tartar—a hard, yellow buildup.
 
• Visit the dentist every six months to one year for cleanings and checkups, beginning at age 1, when baby teeth are coming in.

Have you been able to establish a good oral care routine with your family?

 
 

Safe Volume Headphones Recall

In our September 2009 issue, we recommended Safe Volume Headphones by iHearSafe. We have just been informed that these headphones are no longer being sold due to a voluntary recall. For all of the recall details, please visit www.ihearsafe.com and click on "Recall Information." We apologize for the inconvenience!

For more details about the recall, please view the following press release.

iHearSafePressRelease.doc

Window Covering Recall

Keeping children safe is one of our top priorities. One child-safety area many parents often overlook are the danger of window blind cords. If not kept out of a child's reach, window cords can pose a strangulation hazard.

Just a few weeks ago, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced several recalls related to several different brands of Roman Shades. Many of the shades were sold exclusively at Target, Pottery Barn Kids, and IKEA. For more information about these recalls and others, visit www.Recalls.gov.

 

Upward Sports -- Winners for a Lifetime

Our September 2009 issue of ParentLife initially included an article featuring Upward™ Sports. However, due to a need to create advertising space, we had to pull the article at the last minute. In the process of trying to meet the fast-approaching deadline, we failed to remove the mention of the Upward Sports article on the cover and the Table of Contents. We apologize for the confusion this created!

We are thrilled to be publishing the article on the blog today!

If you combine the ever-growing obesity crisis among children in the United States and the win-at-all-costs mentality that most children are exposed to, it is easy to lose hope in a child’s desire to participate in sports. However, there is an option that keeps kids active through instructional practices and games that ultimately can improve a child’s overall physical health. This same opportunity provides a fun, positive atmosphere for children to grow in a sport they love while also learning about Jesus Christ. Specifically designed for K5 through 6th grade boys and girls, Upward sports leagues provide children in this country, and around the world, with this unique sports experience.

Intense Competition
Everyone agrees that sports and physical activity are good for children. However, instead of being an enjoyable, healthy activity, organized sports can become a dreaded, stress-filled experience for children. This can be the result of an overemphasis on winning, age-inappropriate expectations, excessive criticism, inappropriate use of discipline, rejection, disapproval of skill level and performance, lack of support for effort and achievement, and use of coarse language. Unfortunately, these conditions are too common in many of today’s children’s sports leagues.

A Different Program
Upward™ Unlimited is an international nonprofit children’s sports organization designed to give children and their families a positive sports experience. To fulfill their mission, Upward partners with evangelical churches across the country. By working with and training local churches, over half a million children will participate in Upward this year.

Giving children the opportunity to learn and grow through participating in games they love is one of the most rewarding aspects of conducting a league. Unlike traditional sports programs, Upward programs are structured so children participate in practices and games without league standings. Characteristics such as sportsmanship, kindness, and character are valued as winning qualities. Coaches primarily focus on ministering to children and their families instead of game strategy. Teams are arranged in a substitution system where all players are allowed equal playing time and equal opportunity for improvement. In Upward Basketball, churches are trained to give every child a chance to play at least half of the game and an opportunity to be in the starting lineup. In Upward Cheerleading, squads do not use negative language in the cheers but cheer for both teams.

To further the “Every Child Is a Winner” philosophy, Upward coaches encourage each player with a game-day star award following each game that builds self-esteem and team spirit. Additionally, instead of focusing on a win/lose strategy, importance is shifted to the attitudes and efforts of each child on the team.

Upward also operates on a one practice, one game a week agenda in an effort to maximize the family schedule, allowing participants to spend more time tending to other family activities. When a new league is formed, Upward provides coaches and volunteers with skills, drills, and practice outlines. Coaches also are prepared with guides containing a Scripture learning verse and devotions for practices and games. In addition, the referee will lead all sports teams in prayer in the center of the field or court at the beginning of each game. 

For a pdf of the full version of this article, click here: UpwardArticle.pdf

Has your child participated in Upward Sports? Tell us and other ParentLife readers about it by leaving us a comment.

Back to School -- Healthy

Our staff came across the following information from Dr. Stuart Fischer about how to eat healthy as a family during the back-to-school season, especially when a parent is struggling with weight issues. 

Tell the Truth

Be a great role model and tell the truth. Sit the family down for a heart-to-heart talk where the overweight parent should freely admit to the child that they are not a healthy weight and that some of their food choices have not been ideal. The parent should offer hope on how they will make healthy changes together – letting the children see how their lives can improve as a result.
 
Discover Your Personal Myths
The biggest issue in the weight-loss process for the parents is addressing “personal myths” – the excuses that people give themselves to rationalize their behavior. Once the parent recognizes these are excuses, they can move on to make the right choices for their family.
 
Make a Plan
The next step is to make a plan, keeping in mind that losing weight is actually quite simple. Work off more calories than you eat. Set a realistic weight-loss goal (no more than 2 pounds per week). Make a plan on how to incorporate more exercise in everyone’s day-to-day routine. Exercising two to three times a week is ideal at the beginning.
 
Cook and Shop Together
As a family, figure out what and how much you want to eat per day for your first week, then crunch the numbers and come up with a menu. There are tons of great healthy recipes online. Go shopping with your child and explain what foods are healthy. Teach kids to avoid “empty calories,” high-calorie foods with little to no nutritional content such as soda, sugary desserts, fast food, or potato chips.
 
Act on Other Issues
Everyone overeats for different reasons. Identify some of the issues causing them to eat, and then take mini-steps to change their behavior.
 
Reward, Reward, Reward
As the weight starts to come off, reward yourself in ways OTHER than food. It could be a new lip gloss, haircut, tickets for a game or play, outfit, purse, backpack, etc. Reward frequently but not lightly. A great time for a smaller reward would be after two weeks if everyone has been sticking to the plan and are on track for their weight-loss goals.
 
This is a great time to focus on good health for your sake and that of your child.  A new study shows that overweight and obese students are performing worse in school than their physically fit counterparts, jeopardizing their professional future as well as their health. For more information on Dr. Fischer and the celebrity consultants, please go to www.parkavenuediet.com.
 

Cooking Therapy

Flour flying, sticky dough on their tiny fingers and the almost-comical strategically placed sprinkles; these are all joys of baking with kids. It is even more special when the purpose for baking goes beyond learning to make a batch of cookies to actually enabling the kids to be able to once again have use of their hands.
 
This is what is being done at ALYN Hospital — the leading rehabilitative pediatric hospital in the Middle East. ALYN prides itself on the mission of being able to help treat any child, regardless of race, religion or ethnicity — a rarity in this war-torn region. The doctors and specialists at ALYN are constantly evolving effective, creative and fun ways to rehabilitate the children – such as their breakthrough with cooking therapy.

The act of creating these pastries is not only fun for the children, but targets the muscles and motor functions they so desperately need to grow as independent adults.  In this photo, Marwa, a chef superstar at ALYN, who is slowly regaining the use of her body with every cookie, cake and pie she makes.
 
The ParentLife team thought cooking therapy was a very unique concept and we wanted to share it with you. Our team is committed to providing help for parents of children with special needs. We do our best to cover at least one special needs topic in each issue of ParentLife.

What other unique kinds of therapies have you heard of? Has your child participated in cooking therapy or another unique therapy? Tell us about it!

Enjoy the Pool -- Safely!

Check out the AAP Web site for other tips on water safety and the TIPP home page for injury prevention tips for your children at all ages and stages of development.

Where have you taken your kids to swim this summer?

Pregnancy Complications

As you probably already know from my post a week or two ago, we are about to celebrate my little boy's first birthday this Saturday! But one year ago yesterday actually marked the beginning of the events leading up to his arrival. I experienced a complication in my pregnancy called preeclampsia.

Preeclampsia is a disorder that occurs during pregnancy and the postpartum period. According to the Preeclampsia Foundation, preeclampsia affects at least 5 to 8 percent of all pregnancies.

Some of the symptoms of preeclampsia include the following.

• High blood pressure (140/90 or higher)
• Excess protein in the urine
• Severe headaches
• Vision changes
• Sudden weight gain
• Swelling (especially in the face and hands)

Most of the time, preeclampsia only modestly increases blood pressure, but if left untreated, it can lead to serious (possibly fatal) complications for you and your baby. The only cure is delivery of the baby. The disorder is actually responsible for 15% of premature births in the United States every year. (Be sure not to miss our article on prematurity coming up in the December 2009 issue of ParentLife.)

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, be sure to talk to your doctor. Check out the Mayo Clinic's tips for preparing for your doctor visit for helpful questions to ask.

There is no way to prevent preeclampsia. In order to take the best care of yourself and your baby, be sure to seek early and regular prenatal care.

My sweet little boy, Jack, was delivered exactly one month earlier than expected and spent about a week in the NICU, but he is now so happy and healthy (thanks to an awesome medical team). You would never know he had such a difficult start.

 If you are an expectant parent, be sure to check out ParentLife's monthly department "On the Way." Our goal is to provide you with practical and encouraging information to help you during your pregnancy. What kind of information would you like to see in our "On the Way" deparmtent? Leave us a comment and let us know. We'd love to hear from you!

Fireworks Safety

Each Independence Day, thousands of people, most often children and teens, are injured while using consumer fireworks. Despite the dangers of fireworks, few people understand the associated risks — devastating burns, other injuries, fires, and even death. Consider the following facts.

• The risk of fireworks injury was two-and-a-half times as high for children ages 5-9 or 10-14 as for the general population.
• On Independence Day in a typical year, more U.S. fires are reported than on any other day, and fireworks account for half of those fires, more than any other cause of fires.
• In 2006, fireworks caused an estimated 32,600 reported fires, including 1,700 total structure fires, 600 vehicle fires, and 30,300 outside and other fires. These fires resulted in an estimated 6 civilian deaths, 70 civilian injuries and $34 million in direct property damage.
• In 2007, U.S. hospital emergency rooms treated an estimated 9,800 people for fireworks related injuries; 56 percent of 2007 emergency room fireworks-related injuries were to the extremities and 36 percent were to the head.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is a member of the Alliance to Stop Consumer Fireworks, a group of health and safety organizations, coordinated by National Fire Protection Association, that urges the public to avoid the use of consumer fireworks and instead, to enjoy displays of fireworks conducted by trained professionals.

Do you see fireworks displays each year as part of your Independence Day festivities?

Lawnmower Safety

Using a lawn mower is as routine as bike riding or barbeques during summer months. But people can find themselves in terrifying situations with these seemingly safe household machines. In fact, 200,000 people – 16,000 of them children – are injured in lawn mower-related accidents each year, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reports. Most injuries are caused by careless use and can be prevented by following a few simple safety tips.
 
“Power lawn mowers are dangerous adult tools, but many children, and sometimes adults unfortunately, see them as toys,” said ASPS President John Canady, MD. “Lawn mowing can be dangerous to the operator as well as those nearby if proper safety precautions aren’t taken.”
 
The following tips will help prevent lawn mower-related injuries:

• Children should be at least 12 years old before they operate any lawn mower and at least 16 years old for a ride-on mower.
• Children should never be passengers on ride-on mowers.
• Always wear sturdy shoes while mowing – not sandals.
• Young children should be at a safe distance from the mowing area.
• Pick up stones, toys, and debris first from the lawn to prevent injuries from flying objects.
• Always wear eye and hearing protection.
• Use a mower with a control that stops it from moving forward if the handle is released.
• Never pull backward or mow in reverse unless absolutely necessary – always look for others behind you when you do.
• Start and refuel mowers outdoors – not in a garage. Refuel with the motor turned off and cool.
• Blade settings should be set by an adult only.
• Wait for blades to stop completely before removing the grass catcher, unclogging the discharge chute, or crossing gravel roads. (As a safety feature, some newer models have a blade/brake clutch that stops the blade each time the operator releases the handle.)

To read the AAP policy statement, “Lawn Mower-Related Injuries to Children,” click here.

This information is sponsored by a coalition of the following organizations: American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), the American Society of Maxillofacial Surgeons (ASMS), the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), and the American Society for Reconstructive Microsurgery (ASRM).

What chores do you involve your children in during the summer?

Fun in the Sun -- Safely!

Do you remember what if feels like to be sunburned? Miserable! That memory of the pain of sunburn is enough to remind me to slather on the sunscreen when I know I am going to be out in the sun for prolonged periods of time. However, I am occasionally reminded that sunburns can happen anytime of year and even on cloudy days. I forgot the sunscreen once this baseball season on what started out as a cloudy, rainy day. By the end of the game I had gotten my share of sun!

As you head outside this summer, here are some sun safety tips from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) for your kids:

Babies Under 6 Months

• Avoid sun exposure and dress infants in lightweight long pants, long-sleeved shirts, and brimmed hats that shade the neck to prevent sunburn.
• When adequate clothing and shade are not available, parents can apply a minimal amount of suncreen with at least 15 SPF (sun protection factor) to small areas, such as the infant's face and the back of the hands.
• If an infant gets sunburn, apply cold compresses to the affected area.

For Young Children

• Apply sunscreen at least 30 minutes before going outside.
• Use sunscreen even on cloudy days.
• The SPF should be at least 15 and protect against UVA and UVB rays.

For Older Children

• The first, and best, line of defense against the sun is covering up. Wear a hat with a three-inch brim or a bill facing forward, sunglasses (look for sunglasses that block 99-100% of ultraviolet rays), and cotton clothing with a tight weave.
• Stay in the shade whenever possible and limit sun exposure during the peak intensity hours — between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.
• Use a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or greater. Be sure to apply enough sunscreen — about one ounce per sitting for a young adult.
• Reapply sunscreen every two hours or after swimming or sweating.

How do you plan to have fun in the sun this summer?

One Good Thing for the McDougals by Bill Conger

Greg and Diane McDougal, who are featured in the May issue of ParentLife, are learning to let go and let God. Over the last several years, the Christian couple has endured the faith-testing challenge of their children’s health problems. Three of their four kids have cystic fibrosis, but the story began with their first child, Jeffrey. He was born with a hole in his intestinal tract and nearly died. The members of First Baptist Church Mt. Juliet, Tennessee, rallied behind the scared mom and dad. 

“Almost every one that showed up told us, ‘Listen, you’re doing the one good thing. You just take care of your son. We’ll take care of everything else,’ and they did just that. Now, God is reminding us of that to show us this picture of how He wants us to do the one good thing, and that is to go and be shameless about telling of the redeeming power of Jesus Christ in our lives, and He’ll take care of everything else.”

Through divine provision, the McDougals special allergen-free home is now two-thirds of the way complete with the plumbing, most of the hardwood flooring, and several other essentials in place.

“The house is His,” McDougal affirms. “He’s the one that’s raised it up. In His good time, He’ll finish it. In the meantime, we’re just doing what He’s given us to do.”

For the McDougals, that job is a calling to fulltime music ministry. In January, the family packed into an RV and left the Nashville area with a handful of concert dates. Three and a half months later, their journeys have taken them to Virginia, Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana, Arkansas, Texas, and Oklahoma.

“We’re just going and telling, taking a guitar and a song and using it to get in the door and share a testimony of how God has taken a couple of knuckle-headed kids that used to never pay Him any attention at all and worked miracles in our lives.”

Their children have enjoyed a better time with their health after a tough struggle last year. “We’ve been doing really well,” McDougal said.

The family is spending time off during most of May, but they’re still hitting the road to sing at churches on the weekends. The McDougals will return to touring across parts of the south and west for the summer. Greg says, “We’re learning a whole lot about each other, and a whole lot about Him, and stewardship, and making the most of every day.”

For more of the McDougal's amazing story, check out "A Carpenter's Mission" in the May 2009 issue of ParentLife.
 

Food Allergies

Did you know that the majority of food allergies show up during the first year of life? My little boy just turned 10 months old this week and has has not shown any signs of food allergies yet. Hopefully that means we will not have to deal with this potentially life-threatening health issue. But many, many families struggle with food allergies on a daily basis.

An allergy to peanuts is one of the scariest food allergies. Nearly half of the 150 deaths attributed to food allergies each year in the U.S. are caused by peanut allergies according to Duke University. Do you have a child with an allergy to peanuts? Then here is some information you need to know.

New research is showing that a medically suprvised daily dose of peanuts may help children with peanut allergies greatly increase their tolerance to the food. This new treatment involves giving the child tiny daily doses of peanuts (starting around one-thousandth of a peanut) and slowly increasing to about 15 peanuts per day. The results are very promising. For more information, be sure to read "Treatment for Peanut Allergies Shows Promise" by Tara Parker-Pope. As always, consult with your pediatrician first before undertaking any new treatment option.

Also be sure to check out the article "Growth Spurts: Birth to 12 Months — On the Lookout" in the May 2009 issue of ParentLife. It will help you learn the signs that indicate possible food allergies.

Guard Against Sports Injuries

It's that time of year again when the weather is getting warmer and kids are filling soccer fields and baseball diamonds for spring sports. Do you know how to prevent sports injuries in your kids? Here are some great tips brought to you by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

Injury Risks
All sports have a risk of injury. In general, the more contact in a sport, the greater the risk of injury.

Most injuries occur to ligaments (connect bones together), tendons (connect muscles to bones) and muscles. Only about 5 percent of sports injuries involve broken bones. However, the areas where bones grow in children are at more risk of injury during the rapid phases of growth. In a growing child, point tenderness over a bone should be evaluated further by a medical provider even if minimal swelling or limitation in motion is appreciated.

Most frequent sports injuries are sprains (injuries to ligaments) and strains (injuries to muscles), caused when an abnormal stress is placed on tendons, joints, bones and muscle. As always, contact your pediatrician if you have additional questions or concerns.

To reduce injury:
•    Wear the right gear. Players should wear appropriate and properly fit protective equipment such as pads (neck, shoulder, elbow, chest, knee, shin), helmets, mouthpieces, face guards, protective cups, and/or eyewear. Young athletes should not assume that protective gear will protect them from performing more dangerous or risky activities.
•    Strengthen muscles. Conditioning exercises before games and during practice strengthens muscles used in play.
•    Increase flexibility. Stretching exercises before and after games or practice can increase flexibility.
•    Use the proper technique. This should be reinforced during the playing season.
•    Take breaks. Rest periods during practice and games can reduce injuries and prevent heat illness.
•    Play safe. Strict rules against headfirst sliding (baseball and softball), spearing (football), and body checking (ice hockey) should be enforced.
•    Stop the activity if there is pain.
•    Avoid heat injury. Drink plenty of fluids before, during and after exercise or play; decrease or stop practices or competitions during high heat/humidity periods; wear light clothing.

The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 60,000 pediatricians focused on the care of children. Check out their great Parenting Corner for the latest medical information for your child.

Are your kids playing a sport this spring?

Be Prepared for Disaster

In the last week, tornadoes have ripped through several areas of the Southeast, leaving a path of destruction. Nearby in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, hundreds of homes were destroyed or damaged. Events like these beg the question: Are you prepared in case of emergency?

The American Red Cross is committed to help families be prepared for emergencies of any kind that strike unexpectedly. The Red Cross urges families to prepare an emergency supply kit filled with three days of supplies to have on hand in case of emergency. Families also should make a plan of where to meet in case of emergency. In general, families should talk through what to do in case of the unexpected.

Please read Andrew Greer's "Ready or Not: Are You Prepared for an Emergency?" in the April 2009 ParentLife for more information about preparing your family for disaster.

What steps have you taken to prepare your family?

Spring Is Here ... And So Are Allergies!

Allergies oftentimes flare up in the early spring as flowers bloom and spring back to life. However, so many kids struggle with food allergies, asthma, or other conditions that are not seasonal but are a constant concern for families.

A great resource for those who struggle with allergies of any kind is the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology. They help answer important questions such as Does my child have a food allergy or an intolerance to certain foods? Or Does my child have a cold, seasonal allergy, or is he developing asthma?

Also check out their drug reference guide and even search for an allergist or immunologist near you.

Do you or your kids struggle with allergies? Did you struggle to reach the correct diagnosis and to daily manage allergies?

Child Abuse Prevention Month

In 1983, and each year since, April has been declared Child Abuse Prevention Month. It is a time to raise awareness on types of abuse, how to get help, and steps to take to prevent abuse and neglect. The Child Welfare Information Gateway is a great information site provided as a service of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

For your church, we endorse MinistrySafe as a resource to help churches in the area of Sexual Abuse Awareness. MinistrySafe offers child sexual abuse awareness training, policies and procedures, applications forms, reference check forms, interview forms, and instructional documents for churches.

We also endorse backgroundchecks.com for background screenings. Churches can receive discounts on screenings when they register here. 

What are ways that you have taken steps to educate your kids about child abuse? Has your church taken steps to guard against abuse?

World Autism Awareness Day

April 2 has been recognized as World Autism Awareness Day. One great resource for information about Autism is the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). Check out their page for World Autism Awareness Day for answers to your common questions about Autism.


Do you have a child with Autism or one of the Autism Spectrum Disorders? What are the sources of information you use and find helpful?

Poison Prevention

My 8-month-old, Jack, just recently began crawling which has turned our calm, orderly world completely upside-down. I'd like to say my husband and I were completely prepared and had the entire house child-proofed already, but I'm afraid that's not the case. So as soon as we realized Jack was mobile, we dedicated a weekend to child-proofing the house as much as possible.

Jack is also teething, therefore everything (and I really do mean everything) goes straight into his mouth. So one of the most important aspects of child-proofing for us at the moment is poison prevention. Check out the following poison prevention tips from the American Association of Poison Control Centers.

Store Poisons Safely.

• Store medicines and household products locked up, where children cannot see or reach them.
• Store poisons in their original containers.
• Use child-resistant packaging. But remember -- nothing is child-proof!
  

Use Poisons Safely.

• Read the label. Follow the directions on medicines and products.
• Are children around? Take the product or medicine with you to answer the door or the phone.
• Lock products and medicines up after using them.
• Is it medicine? Call it medicine, not candy.
• Children learn by imitation. Take your medicines where children can't watch.
  

Teach Children to Ask First.
Poisons can look like food or drink. Teach children to ask an adult before eating or drinking anything!

If you think someone has been poisoned, call your poison center right away at 1-800-222-1222.

Peanut Butter Recall

If you are a fan of peanut butter, you certainly took notice when the peanut product recall information was hitting the airways. Unfortunately, when the press stopped reporting the recall information, many people assumed the recall was over. There have been new peanut product recalls as recently as last week. Do you know where to go to find the latest information on food recalls?

The U.S. Food & Drug Administration is responsible for issuing recalls on both food and medical products, as well as products that can impact your health, such as cosmetics and other beauty products. Their product recall page keeps an open list of all recalls, market withdrawals, and safety alerts from the last 60 days. There also is a searchable database of past recalls.

The peanut product recalls have been so widespread, the FDA has developed a separate page for all peanut product recall information. This page includes a history of the problem, a searchable listing of all products that have been recalled, and contact information if you need to follow up. On this page, you also can sign up for recall alerts via e-mail or follow e-mail alerts via RSS feeds, Twitter, or their blog.

Has the salmonella outbreak in peanut products impacted you or someone you know?

Latest Product Recall Information

Yesterday the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with Infantino, announced a voluntary recall of the following products: Lil' Chef Set, Activity Stacker, and Tag Along Chime Trio. The infant toys have blue metallic fabric that can detach from the toy, posing a choking hazard to young children. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed. The firm has received 45 reports of the metallic fabric detaching from the toys. No injuries have been reported. Visit the CPSC Web site for the complete recall information.