How to Bring Home a New Baby Without a Sibling Revolution
This topic is one of my favorite opportunities for laughing at myself. My first mistake was asking my older two children to meet 
our new baby at the hospital. Not only did they not want to go, they begged their father either to send back the baby or to leave us both at the hospital. Right away, I learned the value of letting the older siblings have their own feelings rather than forcing mine upon them. It was either that or knowing that they would act out in ways I’d rather not imagine. After all, what was in it for them? They now had to share a room, as well as the time and attention of their tired and cranky parents.
My challenge was to convince them that while having a new sister was non-negotiable, they could have some adventure along the way. They arranged and decorated their new room in an outlandish manner, complete with “BABY KEEP OUT” signs and booby traps, since baby couldn’t read. Their father logged in overtime on surprise excursions that Mom would never have approved of and that Baby would never enjoy. They acquired extra paid jobs around the house. They got special individual time with both of us, and we still managed to keep up with their busy lives. Luckily, their sister was irresistible and won them over in no time.
Child Health & Safety News Roundup: 04-02-2012 to 04-08-2012
Welcome to Pediatric Safety’s weekly “Child Health & Safety News Roundup”- a recap of the past week’s child health and safety news headlines from around the world.
Each day we use Twitter to communicate relevant and timely health and safety information to the parents, medical professionals and other caregivers who follow us. Occasionally we may miss something, but we think overall we’re doing a pretty good job of keeping you informed. But for our friends and colleagues who are not on Twitter (or who are but may have missed something), we offer you a recap of the past week’s top 20 news-worthy events.
- Cell Phone and Child Brain Cancer Study Flawed, Critics Say – they say cell phone use doubles risk of brain tumors http://t.co/h9J3mHa9 2012-04-08
- Helping Pediatric Asthma with Massage http://t.co/1u0JE7Zh parents giving massage can lower child’s stress & decrease freq of attacks 2012-04-08
- Md. health officials warn against unapproved pediatric cold medicine Baczol http://t.co/mPukWQg8 2012-04-08
- New studies support claim that ‘sugar is toxic’ | Fox News http://t.co/M9HROFH2 2012-04-08
- Nearly 1/2 of all U.S. preschool-age children don’t get outdoor exercise w/mom or dad at least once a day http://t.co/sIUGb1Fc 2012-04-08
PedSafe Headline of the Week:
Autism disorders affect 1 in 88 children, CDC says http://t.co/TuLIPNwj
- Scientists for the first time Link Rare Gene Mutations to Heightened Risk of Autism http://t.co/mrAirTIJ 2012-04-07
- Washington State officials declare whooping cough epidemic http://t.co/CXPBrcKi 2012-04-07
- Measles-Containing Vaccines not Assoc with Incr Risk of Febrile Seizures in Kids 4-6 YO -Study followed 86,000 kids http://t.co/Z8PnCcMh 2012-04-07
- Kids Beds – Safe, Fun And Practical | http://t.co/zd4e0YZl 2012-04-06
- Babies and spit up: is this normal? | Confessions of a Dr. Mom http://t.co/Dy8pkZ3J 2012-04-05
- Childbirth Takes Longer Than 50 Years Ago, Study Says http://t.co/peDiHt7r 2012-04-05
- Avoiding BPA Despite the Recent FDA Ruling Not To Ban | http://t.co/QHO4cPMx http://t.co/6aWnhnBq 2012-04-05
- Mothers with postpartum depression more likely to be in abusive relationship http://t.co/KOX6LM4g 2012-04-04
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society Releases First Issue of its New Journal http://t.co/kgLt3g4p 2012-04-04
- Just Dance 3 will donate $1 to Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals when you watch the video a http://t.co/VSeYjnWQ 2012-04-04
- Don’t Think Your Kid Needs A Bike Helmet? – 300,000 children were seriously injured on bikes last year http://t.co/uWDjTvQV 2012-04-03
- BPA, Flame Retardants & Toxic Jewelry | Healthy Child Healthy World http://t.co/7zbMIdCl 2012-04-03
- PVC: Unhealthy for Our Children’s Health and Schools | Healthy Child Healthy World http://t.co/9DVk3gPv 2012-04-02
- Florida’s heat deadly for kids left in vehicles http://t.co/t04vZE4j 1990-2010 60 children in FL died in vehicles – don’t forget them! 2012-04-02
What to Do if Your Child’s Teeth Get Injured
It’s inevitable that your child will fall or somehow injure himself at some point. Sometimes these accidents result in injuries to the mouth or teeth. How do you know when a trip to the dentist is warranted? How do you know if permanent damage has been done? Here are a few helpful hints on what to do to deal with this sometimes scary occurrence.
Always remain calm and assure your child that everything will be okay.- If there is bleeding present, place a clean piece of gauze over the site and have your child bite down or hold it place.
- Place a cold compress to reduce swelling.
- If the tooth is chipped, check the lips, gums and tongue for possibly embedded pieces.
- If a tooth is loose, have your child avoid movement of that tooth.
Any or all of theses occurrences warrant a trip to the dentist. There your dentist can assess and determine the best course of action. Loose, broken/chipped or otherwise injured teeth can often be repaired or stabilized. If permanent damage isn’t immediately apparent, it is often times difficult to determine if or when the trauma may result in something more extensive. In these cases, depending on the child’s age, children are put in a sort of holding pattern to determine the future vitality of the tooth. It can often take months or years for a trauma to manifest into future breaks or nerve damage.
If your child falls or is hit in the face but does not show any of these symptoms, the decision to go to the dentist may become questionable. First and foremost, we as parents know our children better than anyone. If you believe seeing your dentist is necessary, then go. I don’t know a single dentist who has ever been unwilling to take a look at a child after an injury no matter how minor. If you decide that your child does not need immediate attention, you should monitor the area at home or a few days. Symptoms may become evident later. If the area becomes painful, swollen or the teeth become discolored or loose, a trip to the dentist is recommended.
Chances are you won’t be able to prevent every fall or injury but here are a few precautions:
- Take childproofing steps that discourage slipups and soften those inevitable falls. Stash slippery throw rugs (and make sure all area rugs have non-skid pads or backing) and pad table edges and anything else that’s sharp.
- To cut down on trips and falls, let your cruising baby or fledgling walker practice those skills barefoot or in nonskid socks or slippers, when possible.
- Don’t let your child walk or run while holding toys or eating.
- Make sure your child has the proper protection while engaged in sports- i.e. athletic mouth guards and/or helmets.
Warning: Where’s Baby? Look Before You Lock Your Car!
As a former paramedic, I can tell you there are few
things as heart-wrenching as responding to an event dealing with a child. Especially those events that are preventable such as drowning, poisoning and the following. Please read.
This week the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) launched its first-ever national campaign to get the message out about the harmful and potentially fatal effects of leaving children in hot cars.
The Where’s baby? Look Before You Lock message asks all parents, grandparents, and other care-givers to be mindful when leaving your vehicle.
Cars heat up quickly – even with a window rolled down two inches, if the outside temperature is in the low 80s, the temperature inside a vehicle can reach deadly levels in just 10 minutes. Young children, those under 4 years old, are particularly at risk because their bodies overheat more easily.
So this campaign is a call-to-action for parents, families, and everyone who cares about the safety of children. As NHTSA Administrator David Strickland said, “While parents are the first line of defense when it comes to preventing heatstroke in hot cars, everyone in the community has a role to play in keeping kids safe.”
NHTSA also offers Hyperthermia Prevention Safety Tips:
- Never leave a baby or young child unattended in a vehicle—even if you leave the windows partly open or the air conditioning on.
- Make a habit of looking in the vehicle – front and back – before locking the door and walking away.
- Do things to remind yourself that a child is in the vehicle, such as:
- Writing yourself a note and putting it where you will see it when you leave the vehicle;
- Placing your purse, briefcase or something else you need in the back seat so that you will have to check the back when you leave the vehicle;
- Keeping an object in the car seat, such as a stuffed toy. When the child is buckled in, place the object where you’ll notice it when leaving the vehicle.
- If you see a child alone in a vehicle, call the police. If they are in distress due to heat, get them out as quickly as possible. Cool the child rapidly. Call 911 or your local emergency number immediately.
PS. Dogs left in cars can suffer the same fate as children.
How to Make Fast Food Healthier for Kids
Research shows that kids consume an average of 55 percent more calories when they eat out than when they eat at home. While you should limit fast food to an occasional treat, it’s not a nutritional disaster if you make healthy choices:
Child-size it.
Keep your kids’ portions under control by ordering the child-sized meals that were meant for them — and try one yourself. Just this one move will cut half the calories and fat from your meal. Or share one order of fries with two or three people. This way, you still get to enjoy a little fast food without a lot of calories. Still hungry? Order a side salad with low-cal dressing.
Balance it out.
Cut calories and increase nutrition by making some smart substitutions. Chowing down on a cheeseburger? Forget the fries and order a baked potato or salad instead. Can’t give up the fries? Order a grilled chicken salad instead of a burger.
Skip the extras.
Save major calories by saying no to toppings like cheese, bacon, mayo and special sauces on burgers; pepperoni, sausage and extra cheese on pizza; and bacon bits, tortilla chips, Chinese noodles and regular dressings on salads.
Water it down.
A large cola weighs in at 310 calories, all of which come from sugar. Regular and diet sodas also contain phosphorus, which can prevent kids’ bones from absorbing calcium. The best bet for the whole family: water.
