Parenting | Family Resource

Stick to the Vaccination Schedule

No one likes to drag their child to the doctor and watch them cry as they’re stuck with needles. In fact, it can be tempting to put off a vaccination rather that watch your child suffer. But as a parent, you have to remember that these vaccinations are protecting them from much worse suffering.

Young children don’t think ahead. They may never have seen a really sick person and may not understand the concept. So if you try to explain why they’re getting shots, they simply won’t understand the significance.

As an adult, you do understand the significance. Vaccines protect your child against an array of horrible diseases. They are one of the chief reasons why child mortality rates have dropped significantly over the past several decades.

Polio killed more than 3,000 people during the height of the 1952 epidemic. Yet thanks to the polio vaccine invented by Jonas Salk, polio as an infectious disease has been all but eliminated in the USA and other Western nations. Children who have been vaccinated on schedule are fully protected from this and other dread diseases.

It’s vitally important that your children receive their vaccinations as close as possible to the doctor’s schedule. This schedule keeps your kids fully protected.

How to Help Your Kids Through the Process

You should, of course, explain to your children why they’re getting vaccinated. But don’t expect them to understand or accept the process. Many adults are still terrified of getting shots, so your kids are likely to scream and kick and try to talk their way out of their doctor visits.

The most effective approach is loving firmness. Once you’ve explained why they need their shots, make it clear that they will be getting those shots no matter how much of a fuss they make. And offer a reward, like a new toy or an ice cream treat, on the way home from the doctor.

Filed Under: Child Care, Parenting Tagged With: Infectious disease, Jonas Salk, United States, Vaccination

Dealing with Alzheimer Patients

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Ageing is an inevitable process. With ageing, humans are forced to face a number of health and mental disorders. Alzheimer is one of such mental disorders that are known to affect people as they grow older. Although, one can see Alzheimer affecting young people as well but the chances of being affected by Alzheimer increase with age. Alzheimer is known to affect women more as compared with men. There are two third of women that are affected by the disease.

When a person gets affected by Alzheimer, his/her metal abilities start to get affected over time. The memory of Alzheimer patients gets affected so badly that if they remember something at one time, they totally forget that thing at another time. Loss of memory at intervals; sometimes for short intervals and sometimes for long intervals has many risks associated with it. The loss of memory does not become a problem only for the patient but becomes an issue and a reason to be concerned about for the direct relatives of the patient. Statistics show that a large number of deaths are attributed to the dementia.

So, if someone in the family is suffering from memory loss diseases like Alzheimer then it becomes mandatory for the family members to be very careful about the activities of that person. Family members should not let the patient go out alone, should keep monitoring the patient when he is in the bath, must not let him use knives etc. Sometimes, the condition of the Alzheimer patients get so worsen that it becomes impossible for the family members to after the patients. At such points, they may decide to leave the patient in the special nursing homes where full care and support is available for the Alzheimer patients.

Filed Under: Medical Care, Parenting Tagged With: Alzheimer, Alzheimer's disease, Conditions and Diseases, Health, Memory loss, Neurological Disorders, Nursing home, Patient

The Dangers of Botulism

Food poisoning, as a rule, is very unpleasant but not life-threatening. Most people have suffered food poisoning at some point as represented by the “24-hour flu.”

Botulism is the fatal exception to this rule. The botulism bacteria themselves are not poisonous. But as they grow they produce an incredibly powerful toxin that can kill anywhere from 18 hours to 8 days after consumption. Botulism toxin is so potent that if you touch a finger to it and then touch your finger to your lips, you may get enough to kill you. It’s estimated that 16 ounces (2 cups) of this toxin would be enough to kill everyone on Earth.

Botulism in older children and adults is caused by eating food contaminated by botulism toxin. Since botulism bacteria thrive in airless, low-acid environments, most such cases are a result of insufficiently heated home-canned food or incompletely fermented foods such as homemade pickles or sauerkraut.

Infant botulism is another matter. Since an infant’s digestive tract is not fully developed, botulism bacteria can actually live in a baby’s intestine and produce toxin, which sickens the baby over a period of time. Therefore it’s vital to limit your baby’s exposure to the bacteria. One known cause of botulism infection is honey – the botulism spores are often found in honey, and while they’re no risk to adults, babies under one year of age should not eat raw honey under any circumstances.

Early Warning Signs of Infant Botulism

The first symptom of infant botulism is constipation, followed by loss of appetite or difficulty with feeding, weakness and listlessness. Eventually the infection causes partial or full paralysis.

When treated in a hospital, fewer than 1 percent of infant botulism cases cause the death of the child, but if left untreated, death is almost inevitable. So it’s imperative to get treatment for your baby if they show any of the above symptoms.

Filed Under: Child Care, Medical Care, Parenting Tagged With: Botulinum toxin, Botulism, Toxin

Raw Milk for Allergic Children

Are your children lactose intolerant or allergic to milk? These reactions in children are frequently caused by drinkin pasteurized cow’s milk. Fortunately there is another option out there for your kids!

Milk allergies are caused by the body’s bad reaction to certain proteins in the milk. An allergic child’s immune system mistakes these proteins for dangerous invaders, and goes on high alert to destroy them. This overreaction of the immune system causes the allergy symptoms, which include rashes, itchy nose and eyes, and swelling around the mouth.

Lactose intolerance is an inability to break down the sugar in milk, causing a variety of digestive issues. Symptoms include stomach pains, bloating, nausea and diarrhea, usually starting about 15 minutes to 1 hour after drinking milk.

Raw cow’s milk is less likely to cause allergy problems than pasteurized milk. In its natural state, milk is full of enzymes and friendly bacteria that help us digest the milk by partially breaking it down for us. Remember, milk is designed by the cow as a perfect food for her babies… and it’s packed full of those little helpers to make it easier for her calves to digest.

When the milk is heated for pasteurization, these helpers are killed or deactivated by the cooking process. As a result, your children have to digest what’s left without their help. Many children who suffer from lactose intolerance or milk allergies can safely drink raw milk.

How to Introduce Raw Milk to Your Kids

Since you don’t want to cause your children unnecessary pain, it’s best to start with a very small amount of raw milk and monitor them closely. Most children experience greatly reduced symptoms and many have no symptoms at all when drinking raw milk as opposed to the pasteurized stuff. There is also a taste difference, so it may take a few tries for your kids to adapt to the taste of raw milk.

Filed Under: Child Care, Parenting Tagged With: Lactose intolerance, Milk, Raw milk

Finding a Raw Milk Supplier

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If your children are lactose intolerant or suffer from mild milk allergies, you should try switching them to raw milk instead of the pasteurized stuff available at the grocery store. Raw milk is far easier for little stomachs to digest, and kids who can’t safely drink pasteurized milk may have no trouble with raw milk.

The draconian health and safety laws governing dairies makes acquiring raw milk difficult. During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, dairying in the USA was often conducted under horribly unsanitary conditions. Milk was often so badly contaminated that it was a major factor in infant mortality rates of the time.

The government was faced with two options: require the dairies to clean up their operations, or require them to pasteurize their milk: thus killing the bacteria that flourished in these environments. They chose the latter option. Since that time, cleanliness laws have been passed that also require dairies to have a sanitary working environment, and raw milk is now a safe option. Unfortunately, laws forbidding the sale of raw milk remain in place.

How to Legally Buy Raw Milk

So how can you buy raw milk without breaking the law? Most states have a loophole allowing a person who owns a dairy animal to drink the milk raw himself – he simply can’t sell that milk to anyone else.

So small dairies often sell “cow shares” to consumers who want raw milk. You pay the dairy owner for, say, 1/20th of a cow, and he supplies you with raw milk from that cow. Since you are technically an owner of the cow you can legally get the milk.

To be safe, check on your state and local laws before you pursue this course… and confirm that the dairy is certified Grade A, which means it meets rigorous sanitary standards. Then you’ll know the milk you give to your kids is perfectly healthy!

Filed Under: Child Care, Parenting Tagged With: Dairy, Milk, Pasteurization, Raw milk

What to Do if Your Child Eats Bugs

Kids will eat the strangest things. And few things can match a parent’s horror at seeing their child eat a squirming, LIVE critter.

Fortunately, most bugs are perfectly harmless. It seems disgusting to us, but most cultures at one time or another made bugs part of their regular diet. Ants, grubs, beetles and other insects are generally not harmful to eat. Earthworms are also nonpoisonous.

The brown garden snail, a menace to gardens throughout California, is in fact the same snail known by the French as “escargot.” It was brought to the USA in the mid 19th century, where it escaped captivity and has thrived in California backyards ever since. If your catch your child eating these, perhaps he or she is a budding gourmet!

Despite their relative healthiness, you should definitely discourage bug-eating in your children. While they may not be poisonous, many larger insects such as grasshoppers can carry parasites (bugs in bugs!) and should not be eaten raw. Besides, bug eating is not exactly acceptable in the USA and will cause social problems if allowed to continue.

If, in addition to eating bugs, your child eats things like dirt, soap and other nonfood items, she may have a condition called ‘pica.’ Talk to your pediatrician right away to resolve this issue. It’s possible that your child has a nutritional deficiency that can be fixed by giving her a daily multivitamin.

What To Do On the Spot

If your child eats a bug or other small crawling critter and you see enough to identify it, call your local Poison Control and confirm that it was not a dangerous bug. Your pediatrician can also advise you.

Obviously, you should let your child know that his behavior is unacceptable. Perhaps it’s time for a flat rule – no eating anything that’s not provided by a parent or other responsible adult.

Filed Under: Medical Care, Parenting Tagged With: California, Insect, United States

Dressing Children for Winter

To keep your kids safe yet allow them to enjoy winter activities like sledding, skating and the occasional snowball fight, you need to pay a little extra attention to their clothes. Your child’s winter clothing should keep them warm, yet not be so heavy and restrictive that they’ll be tempted to shed layers as they move around.

Cotton is not the best choice for winter weather. It tends to soak up sweat quickly (think towels) and once cotton is wet it loses all value as an insulator. Wool or polyester is a much better bet during cold weather.

In extreme cold, start with a set of thermal underwear – tight but not too tight. Top that off with a wool sweater and fleece pants. Then add a water-resistant layer on top to keep your children warm and dry.

Much of a child’s body heat is lost from the top of his head and from his feet. Thus, a warm cap (again, preferably wool) and wool socks under sturdy waterproof boots are ideal. If the cap doesn’t cover your child’s ears, outfit them with earmuffs or ear warmers as well.

Teach Your Children Safe Winter Behavior

Your kids should be on the lookout for the early symptoms of frostbite: numbness and tingling in their hands, feet and face. Teach them to stomp their feet, wiggle fingers and toes, and rub nose and cheeks at the first sign of trouble. If this doesn’t get rid of the numbness your child should go inside immediately and warm up.

On a very cold day, particularly if it’s windy out, exposed bits of skin can develop frostbite with shocking speed. Have your children watch for yellow-gray patches on their skin, and if these appear, they should immediately go inside and summon an adult. If this happens, cover the patch with warm (98-105 degree) water until the skin thaws, then contact your doctor.

Filed Under: Child Care, Parenting Tagged With: Child, Clothing, Weather, Wool

Basic First Aid Kit Necessities

Every mother should have a basic first aid kit in her home and in her car. There are certain basic first aid kit necessities that will cover just about any emergency should it arise. Instead of trying to create two separate first aid kits with different items, simply make them both the same. In fact, it may be simpler to just buy the kits already prepared. Whether you build your own or purchase them prepackaged, here are the necessary items to make your first aid kits complete.

A good first aid kit should include items for the personal safety of the one rendering aid as well as items to address the injury or illness. Therefore, start with personal necessities. Those items would include at least five pairs of surgical gloves, one pair of safety goggles and one CPR microshield. If anyone who would be using the first aid kit has a latex allergy, make sure that the gloves included in your kit are non-latex. Although safety goggles and a CPR microshield may seem strange, remember that the kit in your car could be used to help a stranger.

The necessary items in the kit will be used to render first aid for minor cuts and injuries as well as larger ones. Therefore, the kit should include various sizes of adhesive bandages, butterfly bandages, 2X2 and 4X4 gauze pads and medical tape. It should also include an elastic bandage, and a gauze roll. A Mylar survival blanket should be in the kit, too. Also include tweezers, alcohol pads, wound irrigation solution, hand sanitizer, triple antibiotic ointment, aspirin or pain reliever, anti-nausea and anti-diarrhea medicine, a thermometer, finger splints and a resealable plastic bag.

If anyone in your family requires prescription medication, like insulin or heart medication, it’s a good idea to include some back-up medication in each kit, too. Since medicines expire, remember to update your first aid kit regularly.

Filed Under: Medical Care, Parenting Tagged With: Cardiopulmonary resuscitation, First aid, First aid kit, Prescription drug

Dress for the Weather to Keep Kids Healthy

Over dressing or under dressing a child can lead to preventable illness and discomfort for a little one who can’t dress him or herself. Dress for the weather to keep kids healthy. That means anticipating changes in the weather as well.

In some places, the weather can change within the hour. Therefore dressing for the weather will take some planning and preparation. Winter is typically thought of as the season where weather related illnesses will befall a child. In some cases, it could be that the child simply isn’t prepared for rain, sudden temperature drops, and even ice and snow. Layers are a great way to make sure the child is snug. The child can add and remove clothing without much effort. If the weather will be wet, a pair of rubber boots will keep the feet warm and dry. There are many fun colors and prints that make wearing this bulky footwear fun. If waterproofing your child is just one more thing to keep up with, check with outdoors and camping stores. Many rain coats come with little compression bags that compactly carry a raincoat that easily fits in a backpack. These kinds of raincoats also make great little windbreakers.

It’s important that kids are dressed for the summer weather, too. Kids will run and play. An overdressed child can overheat and suffer dehydration. On the other hand, make sure the child is not over exposed to the sun. If the little one is fair complected, tanks may not be the best style. If your child insists, then put sunscreen on him or her, even on school days. Remind your children to drink plenty of water during warm weather. Also, make sure they wear the proper shoes for the proper activities. Little girls love flip flops. Don’t give in to that if the child will be running, climbing or playing in tall grass or wooded areas. Even closed summer shoes can be fun.

Filed Under: Child Care, Parenting Tagged With: Clothing, Footwear, Weather

Safe Food Options for a Healthy Child

Our food tastes and choices are developed early in life. Therefore, it’s best to start your kids out right as soon as they start eating regular food. Safe food options for a healthy child are not nearly as hard to achieve as many would have us believe.

Safe and healthy do not have to be organic if that is a budget concern. It’s about avoiding junk food, fast food, sugar and fat. We all love those kinds of foods, but adults have a choice. Children may not. Try to steer them away from that early on.

Work to provide a balanced diet that is low in fat and big on fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains. If you start here and stay here, then you have a better chance of your kid developing a lifelong taste for these things. These whole foods are full of natural vitamins and fiber. They’ll work to eliminate toxins from your child’s body as well as give them the vitamins and nutrition they need to grow and be healthy.

Go for low fat meats and dairy products. Organic is always better, but if it isn’t possible, make sure no growth hormones or antibiotics were used in the production of animal foods. By broiling meats and fish, the fats will naturally drain off into the broiling pan.

If you have to go through the fast food drive through, substitute apples or other fruit for fries. Order water or juice instead of soda. However, avoid juice that is mostly water and sugar. Keep candy and chips to a minimum. Some kids think carrots and apples are fun because they can be dipped in sauces or peanut butter.

If it all seems psychologically impossible to achieve, then involve your children in the preparation of the food. That makes it fun, and they also have control over their food while learning about healthy eating.

Filed Under: Child Care, Parenting Tagged With: Diet food, Food, Wine tasting descriptors