As the parent of 4 children ranging from 5 to 12 years old, I know how challenging it is to promote healthy eating. Good nutrition is one of those things we know we need to pay attention to, but sometimes it can get shoved aside as we deal with the business of daily life.
Our children's future eating habits, and consequently their health, are based on what they learn now. Our role as parents is to help shape this awareness of nutrition and healthy eating. We can't control what our children are exposed to when they're not at home, but we can teach them to develop an appreciation for good, nutritious foods.
Some Basic Tips for Focusing on Good Nutrition
Eat meals together. Sit at the table and enjoy the food. Try to serve nutritious meals--minimize the fast food on paper plates. Mealtime should be pleasant and easy going.D Don't force children to clean their plates or finish a food they don't like. Associating discipline with food sets the stage for emotional eating. Allowing a child to stop eating when he's hungry teaches him to listen to his body's needs and will help reduce overeating.
· If a child doesn't like a new food, don't force him to eat it. Quietly find a way to introduce the food another time. Tastes change over time as do eating preferences--if you continue to offer a wide variety of foods, your child is more likely to expand her list of foods she'll eat. Just last week, our daughter Cate decided that she now likes milk and green beans - foods that she used to "hate."
· Don't use sweets or salty processed snacks as a reward. No more "Be a good boy and we'll stop at McDonalds for fries." Offer treats and rewards like a new book or outing to a favorite place.
· If you need a refresher on nutrition, see www.choosemyplate.gov for recommendations and tips for parents.
Get Children Involved In The Foods They EatEncourage children to help with menu planning, grocery shopping, and food preparation. When children help prepare meals they develop an interest in the food. Talk about the food, read the nutritional labels and make it a learning experience. Talk as you shop; "what's fresh today?" "These squash look really nice and colorful, how about we buy these." "What would you like for dinner tomorrow night, chicken or fish?" Even the youngest child can help with meal preparation in some fashion. Michael, my five year old, loves to stand on a chair and help me make pancakes by pouring in the measured ingredients. Toddlers can help by washing a bunch of carrots and this is a great environment to teach an older child how to properly use a kitchen knife.
Change your family's snacking habits. Dad can't eat potato chips 24/7 and expect to deny them to the kids. Buy healthy snack foods and make them available to children. Slice veggies and put them in bags, ready to be eaten without preparation. Stock fruits and veggies in the front of the refrigerator. Move chips, sweets and other less-healthy foods to higher shelves, put them in containers, or stop buying them all together. If you're a soft drink family, transition to vitamin waters or all natural fruit juices (no sugars added). Offer up water on a regular basis--and let them see you drinking it as well.If your family is fond of fried foods, sweets and salty snacks, you'll want to take it slow. Gradually reduce one item at a time so your children barely notice. Developing healthy eating habits can be done successfully--it just takes time.
Do you have any tips on getting children to eat nutritious meals?
More Information:
Healthy Eating Suggestions (Link to: http://kidshealth.org/parent/nutrition_center/healthy_eating/food_labels.html#)
Understanding Nutrition Labels, Video (Link: http://bcove.me/nq9hn96t)Children and Junk Food (Link: http://www.childsafetyblog.org/2012/11/children-and-junk-food.html)
Go, Slow, Whoa - Teens and Food (Link: http://teenshealth.org/teen/food_fitness/nutrition/go_slow_whoa.html )]]>
As part of a nationwide effort to raise awareness of the dangers of distracted driving and to help teens (and everyone) make safer driving decisions, I and other attorneys from MichieHamlett have been making safety presentations to schools in the area for the past several years.
Teens, who are inexperienced drivers and often passengers in cars being driven by other inexperienced drivers, are particularly at risk. Traffic crashes are now the leading cause of death for this age group. The vast majority of teen crashes are caused by some type of driver distractions. As a trial attorney with nearly 15 years of practice, I have personally seen many senseless traffic tragedies involving teens and how these tragedies devastate families and communities. And, as you know, many adults are guilty of distracted driving, which further subjects our children, and us, to danger on the road.Most people don't know that distracted driving was the 2009 word of the year chosen by Webster's Dictionary. Unfortunately, this is no passing fad. Distracted driving has become a trend with deadly, real consequences.
Why do so many people participate in this dangerous behavior? With more technology now than ever, driver distractions have risen to unprecedented levels. We live in a world where people expect instant, real-time information 24 hours a day and those desires don't stop just because they get behind the wheel. Drivers simply do not realize - or choose to ignore - the danger they create when they take their eyes off the road, their hands off the wheel, and their focus off driving.
For those who think they can do two things at once, think about this: According to a study by Carnegie Mellon, driving while using a cell phone reduces the amount of brain activity associated with driving by 37 percent. Can you really afford to lose that much brainpower? It is effectively equivalent to driving under the influence of alcohol. Driving is an activity that requires your full attention and focus in order to keep yourself and others safe.
This is a national problem. No one is immune from the dangers of distracted driving. So please remember: One text or call could wreck it all.
Ten Tips on How to Stop Driving Distracted:
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As part of brain injury awareness month, we have been featuring a series of articles to educate readers about how to prevent and treat concussions in children. We were also fortunate to have Donna Broshek, who is a neuropsychologist and the Associate Director of the UVA Health System's Brain Injury and Sports Concussion Institute, film a public service announcement with us. You can see the PSA here. Happily, Donna also agreed to write a blog post for us. Please join me in thanking Donna for all of her help in educating us about this important topic, and keep reading for her post:
As Bryan noted in Kids and Concussions, Part 2, Virginia passed a state law that became effective in July 2011 that requires that public schools develop a protocol for identifying and managing sports concussions, as well as providing education to students and parents. This legislation has been very important in increasing awareness of sports concussions and keeping kids safe. The Virginia Board of Education Guidelines For Policies on Concussions in Student-Athletes incorporated key aspects of safe management:
1) Any athlete suspected of having a concussion should be removed from play and evaluated by a health care provider with experience in sports concussion.
2) The student must obtain written medical clearance before being allowed to resume physical activity.
3) Return to physical activity must occur in a gradual supervised manner - various levels of physical activity are introduced gradually while concussion symptoms are monitored. If symptoms increase or return, the student-athlete returns to a lower level of activity until their symptoms get better.
An important issue for parents to know is that this law only applies to public schools. Private schools are not covered, although many such schools do have good concussion policies. Of particular importance is that private youth leagues, such as elite soccer organizations or lacrosse travel teams, are not required to have concussion policies since they are not covered by the state legislation. It is even more important for parents to be able to recognize signs of concussion in their children and respond by seeking appropriate care when their children are not covered under the state law.
What parents can do:
1) During the month of March, the Concussion Recognition and Response™ Coach and Parent Version phone app can be downloaded free of charge on iPhone, iPad, iTouch, and Android platforms. The app was developed in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and provides step by step guidance in identifying symptoms and seeking medical evaluation. The app also has information on monitoring symptoms at home and suggestions for school.
2) Parents can insist that coaches of independent sports leagues develop a concussion policy that mirrors the one established by the state for public schools.
3) Parents can lobby their legislators to fix this loophole in the state law so that any private leagues using public sports fields are required to follow the same policies as public schools.
4) It is better to err on the side of conservative concussion management in youths as the developing brain is more vulnerable to concussions and concussion symptoms last longer in kids and teens. If in doubt, sit them out!
Donna K. Broshek, Ph.D.
Clinical Neuropsychologist
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Four Ways To Help Keep Your Child Safe
Bruised egos, broken bones and concussions are the biggest risks children face in sports--at an age and almost any sport. As parents we can lessen our safety concerns by becoming informed, engaged and in communication with our children, the schools and their coaches.
1) Educate yourself. Learn what a concussion is, its symptoms and what you can do to help your child or teen reduce the chances of a traumatic brain injury. For valuable resources see my first article, What Parents Need to Know About Concussions, Part 1.
2) Ask questions. Is your school system in compliance with the 2011 Virginia Student Athlete Protection Act? This bill established the Virginia Board of Education Guidelines For Policies on Concussions in Student-Athletes, requiring specific protocols for sports, protective gear and training.
Talk to the coach, school administration, league representative and anyone else who is involved in your child's sports. How knowledgeable are they about concussions? Ask to see a copy of the school or league's training manual for coaches and parent volunteers.
b) Check to see that helmets and equipment are up to date, in good repair and certified, if applicable.
c) Are athletes given any materials on safety, sportsmanship and injury? Are parents given materials on concussions?
3) Talk to your children. Talk about peer pressure and well-meaning adults who say, "tough it out" after an injury. Explain in age-appropriate language what a concussion is and the dangers from returning to play too quickly. Talk from a place of love and concern about why their physical health is more important than playing when injured. Talk about the long-term effects of concussions.
4) Get involved. Your level of involvement may depend on your child's age. High school football players aren't as comfortable with mom around as they were when they were children. There are ways to become a 'team parent'--from volunteering with fundraisers and parents' groups to sitting on advisory committees. Attend games and practices (for younger children), show your support for the team and get to know your child's coaches.
Your involvement as the parent of a young athlete is vital--it shows you care about your child's participation and safety. And, should an accident occur you're right there and able to see what happened and to take an active role in your child's recovery from a concussion.In my next article we'll talk about how to prepare your child to play team sports.
Resources:
Parents' vigilance can head off kids' concussion risk (http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2012/09/29/concussion-kids-cantu/1581173/)
The CDC Parent/ Athlete Concussion Information Sheet (http://www.cdc.gov/concussion/headsup/pdf/Parent_Athlete_Info_Sheet-a.pdf)
MomsTEAM.com (http://www.momsteam.com) - Helpful website for sports moms and dads.
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Your role as a parent is to both protect and encourage your child in the world. It's a tough balance--you want your child to play sports and other recreational activities and you want them to be safe. By learning about concussions, the symptoms and how to prevent concussions, parents can help keep their kids safe.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, every year over 207,000 children are treated in emergency departments for sports-related concussions and other TBIs. The highest occurrence is for youth between the ages of 5-18.
What Is a Concussion?
A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury, or TBI, caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head. Concussions can also occur from a blow to the body that causes the head to move rapidly back and forth. Excessive shaking can cause a concussion. Even a seemingly mild bump or blow to the head can be cause for concern and require medical attention.
A concussion may last for a short time or it can produce symptoms that last for days or weeks. While symptoms may appear mild, in some cases the injury can result in significant, lasting impairments.
While these should not be considered the absolute indicators of a concussion, they are signs that your child should seek medical attention:
· Headache or neck pain
· Nausea or vomiting
· Ringing in ears
· Dizziness
· Confusion
· Temporary loss of consciousness or forgetting the incident
For more complete details on symptoms and what you should do, see this info sheet from The Mayo Clinic. (http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/concussion/DS00320/METHOD=print)
What To Do If You Think Your Child Has a Concussion
The first thing to do is call your child's physician. He or she will give you advice on whether to seek immediate medical treatment or to wait and observe your child for a day or two. Some symptoms may not appear immediately so you need to pay careful attention for a number of days after the injury.
Take notes--it's always helpful for doctors if you can provide a history of an accident. Was he hit in the head? Did she lose consciousness? For how long? Write down symptoms and any comments your child makes that may indicate signs of brain injury. For example, is your child confused about the day or time, or complaining of head pain or dizziness? The more information you can share with the doctor the better.
Try to keep your child calm during this initial period. Discourage too much physical movement and other strenuous or stressful events. Remember it's always better to call the doctor if you're concerned.
Some Statistics on Concussions
· Children from birth to 9 years of age are most often injured during playground activities or while riding a bike.
(http://www.cdc.gov/concussion/sports/facts.html)
If your child falls off his bike, bumps her head or is injured in a soccer game, he or she could suffer a concussion. Concussions can be serious if left untreated. Seek medical attention and keep a close eye on your child for the next few days--the doctor will give you suggestions on what to look for and what to do in the following days and weeks.
It's important that you share information about the injury with teachers and coaches, if your child is in athletics, and ask them to help you watch for any potential signs of brain trauma.
And, as Donna Broshek advises in our PSA - when in doubt, sit them out.
In our next article we'll talk about what parents can do to help prevent concussions.
Helpful Resources for Parents:
Concussions- The Kids Health Blog (http://kidshealth.org/kid/ill_injure/aches/concussion.html# ) - Easy to read article describing concussions and the symptoms.
Concussion and Mild TBI (http://www.cdc.gov/Concussion/) The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides a wealth of resources on concussions.
Moms Team-Concussion Signs and Symptoms (http://www.momsteam.com/health-safety/concussion-signs-and-symptoms-physical-cognitive-emotional-sleep-related) Online source for youth sports parents.
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- Use a good, sturdy cutting board. Keep it from slipping by using a board with non-slip feet, or put a wet towel or non-slip mat underneath.
- Never cut food that you're holding in your hand - place it and cut it on the cutting board..
- Keep knives sharp - dull knives are more likely to slip and accidentally cause an injury
- Secure the food with your opposite hand, and tuck your fingers to form a "claw" - your fingers should be straight up and down and can be used to guide the knife. Here's a picture of the technique.
- Use a cutting board with plenty of space, and try to keep the tip of the knife in contact with the board as you chop.
- Keep knives away from the edge of a counter top, and if a knife falls DO NOT try to catch it.
- A good tool for kids to use at first is a double handled half moon knife (Mezzaluna). This can only be used for chopping, but its design keeps stray fingers out of the way of the blade.
- Always have adult supervision until you're completely comfortable that a child can use a knife safely.
Here's a good video that does a good job showing these techniques. Stay safe and have fun cooking with your kids.
Last post I wrote about the importance of keeping guns secured away from unsupervised children, and referenced a great article by the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services entitled Gun Safety. It talks about the frightening statistics regarding kids and firearms, and also sets out the basic rules regarding safely storing and locking up guns.
It also raises an important issue that I don't see discussed very often - the importance of teaching children the difference between fantasy play and reality. Part of the wonder of kids is their incredible imaginations. The bedroom of our four year old, Cate, is in a finished attic. It's set up like a loft, and there's no door so you can hear everything she's doing from the second floor. One of my favorite things to do is simply listen to her play. She creates these intricate characters and scenarios - truly in her own little world. Likewise Michael, our five year old, happily spends hours playing on the floor with his cars and Lego's. He will also pretend to use and shoot guns - whether it be cops and robbers or some other type of game with his sisters or his friends. We don't forbid him from playing these games, but we have friends in our neighborhood who are staunchly opposed to guns and absolutely forbid any type of play involving guns. It doesn't matter - their sons still fashion sticks, pencils or whatever into pretend guns - it's just what some kids do.
But what happens, god forbid, if an unsupervised child who's never been exposed to a real gun comes across one. Perhaps playing hide and seek on a play date he comes across a box in a closet. Or opens a drawer in a bedside table. Or is able to open the gun case in the house of a parent who hunts. This is a situation where it's critical for a child needs to understand the difference between reality and make believe. With a real gun, someone who is shot doesn't come back to life like a cartoon character - the consequences are literally a matter of life or death.
So, talk to your kids about the difference between fantasy and reality - when watching TV, reading a book, or when playing with them. As with anything you teach your kids, the concept is best reenforced with repetition - not in a way that scares or browbeats them, but so that it's fun and challenging. Above all, make sure your kids know never to touch a real gun, and if they or their friends ever come across one they should stop, don't touch and immediately find an adult. No matter how you feel about guns, when it comes to unsupervised kids, this is something we can all agree on. Stay safe.
Posted by Marianne Frederick
Every day throughout the United States, children arrive at emergency rooms for scald burn treatment. The major cause is contact with hot liquids, steam or hot foods. SafeKids USA says "90 percent of non-tap water scalds are caused during cooking or drinking hot liquids." According to Shriners Hospitals for Children, "approximately 65 percent of children under age 4 hospitalized for burn injuries were scalded by hot liquids and 20 percent of those for contact burns." www.shrinershospitalsforchildren.org/en/Education/BurnAwareness/HomeSafety.aspx
The majority of thermal burns to children under 14 years old are caused by contact with room heaters, ovens and ranges, clothing irons, gasoline, fireworks, hair curlers and curling irons. During the past 13 years, an average of 496 children each year died from unintentional fire or burn injury. According to the Shriners' "Be Burn Aware" 2013 campaign, approximately 66 percent of electrical burn injuries in children ages 12 and younger are associated with household electrical cords and extension cords; and wall electrical outlet burns account for an additional 14 percent of electrical burn injuries.
Here are some tips to help avoid scald injuries to children:
And, to keep kids safe in the kitchen:
And, in case of a fire or burn emergency, Call 911 Immediately!
]]>There is lots of web content on the internet about gun safety when it comes to children, and a great, comprehensive document I've found is by the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services. It's entitled simply Gun Safety, and, if you have kids or if you own guns, I highly recommend that you read it.
A few of its initial recommendations:
§ Unload and lock up guns
§ Lock and store ammunition separately
§ Hide keys where kids can't find them
§ Gun safe's are best, but gun locks/trigger locks can also be effective when used correctly.
These suggestions are pretty self evident, but the article also contains helpful suggestions for how to teach children the difference between reality and fantasy play, and also separate tips for parents who own guns and parents who don't. In my next posts, we'll talk further about those topics.
]]>On January 30, a recall was issued for 300 Natart Chelsea Three-Drawer Children's Dressers Model 3033, by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) in cooperation with the manufacturer, Gemme Juvenile, Inc., of Princeville, Quebec, Canada. The recall affects only 300 children's dressers and is due to a safety hazard. The hazard: The dresser can tip over and entrap a child.
In fact, one such dresser did tip over, entrap and suffocate a two-year old toddler from Barrington, Illinois. The child attempted to climb onto an open lower drawer in order to reach the second dresser drawer, which caused the dresser to tip over on the child. The recall notice says, "When the dresser drawers are pulled all the way out and then the additional weight of a young child is applied, the dresser's center of gravity can be altered and result in instability of the product [the dresser] and consequently tip over." http://www.cpsc.gov/en/Recalls/2013/Natart-Chelsea-Dressers-Recalled-By-Gemme-Juvenile-To-Reduce-Tip-Over-Hazard-Death-of-Toddler-Reported/.
There are so many questions--and while any conscientious manufacturer would suffer from such an experience, I ask once again, why don't manufacturers know within a reasonable range what can happen before releasing their products to the children's furniture marketplace? Are children's furniture products no longer being tested for safety before being imported to the U.S.? This particular dresser, according to the CPSC notice of recall, was manufactured before the May 2009 voluntary industry standard was issued. So, one might ask why didn't the manufacturer recall the dressers when the voluntary industry standard changed?
This is a terrible reminder to parents of young children: Accidents with young children can happen very fast and toddlers should never be left alone. Young children need supervision.
The recalled children's dressers were sold at Furniture Kidz and juvenile specialty stores and on line by Baby.com from January 2005 to December 2010 for from $600 to $900. If you have one of these, immediately stop using the dresser and remove it from your children's access. Retrofit kits with wall anchor straps to keep the dresser from tipping are now being offered by the manufacturer for free, and consumers can contact the company by calling toll-free 1-855-364-2619 from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday.
The CPSC would like everyone to know: "Every two weeks a child dies when a piece of furniture or a television falls on them." All TVs and furniture should be anchored to prevent tipping.
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]]>Winter temperatures have arrived all over the U.S. On the East Coast we are now in the teens and below-- and the flu "epidemic" is in full swing. Teachers are cautioning students to cough into their sleeves if they don't have a tissue. Appointments for some primary care providers can only be obtained two weeks out...we ask them to call if there are any cancellations.
Even though the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) definitely termed the flu an epidemic, health news correspondents continue to debate whether or not the flu has reached epidemic proportions in the U.S. this year. Our entire household has had it even though we got our flu shots! Our doc says it would have been worse had we not received the flu shot. We are simply glad our bouts with it have subsided for now, and we hope that if the flu arrives at your household, you are able to manage it without too much distress. Here are a few more flu-wise precautions:
If the flu bug should arrive at your home, we sincerely hope your family's experience will be a mild one!
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Today, throughout
At this time, 47 states in the continental
Parents and caregivers need to take this year's flu epidemic seriously. There are several types of flu: Influenza A has been typed in 79% of the specimens and seems to be the heavy hitter with two and possibly three different strains. Influenza B accounts for approximately 20% of the flu specimens which have been typed across the country for the first week of January. http://www.cdc.gov/flu/weekly/
If you and your children (older than 6 months old) have not gotten flu shots, there is still flu vaccine available. CDC says the current flu vaccine is at least 60 percent effective against the flu (CDC, January 11, 2013, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report). You can still get the flu even if you get the shot, but, in Dr. Farley's opinion, you may get a less virulent version. You still may be able to get the flu shot from your primary care physician, but you also may need to make a phone call or two to locate a source of the vaccine in your area if your primary care provider doesn't have it. It's still not too late to be vaccinated and to gain some protection against the flu.
With this year's flu, fever is usually present, chills are possible, along with headache and moderate-to-severe body aches and fatigue. Rapid onset of symptoms is characteristic of this year's flu with a 3-to-6 hour incubation period. It feels like a cold coming on, only stronger. Coughs are dry and unproductive, and sore throats are less common, according to the Associated Press ("Do You really Have Flu?", The Daily News Record, January 14, 2013, Associated Press,
Children are getting the flu in inordinate proportions, so parents need to watch out for symptoms and keep kids home from school if a fever is present! Sanjay Gupta, MD, (of CNN) recommends that parents also make sure to "Wash, wash, wash hands!", not just a cursory rinsing of little hands under water but rub them together with real soap, real water--not just hand-sanitizer for a good two minutes. Gupta says he sings the happy birthday song with his children twice while they are washing their hands, and devotes at least two full minutes to hand-washing each time!
This flu is a bad bug, so we hope those who follow ChildSafetyBlog.org take heed and pass on the precautions that could help keep you and your family from getting it.
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Posted by Marianne Frederick
"Children don't need to be in a car to be hurt by one" is a phrase that has percolated in my mind over the past week. Where we live in Virginia, I see at least one young child in a car not buckled in a seatbelt or safely protected by a booster seat, perhaps once a week. I rarely, if ever, see young children turned around facing backward in the backseat. Often I want to say something to the drivers--in a thoughtful way--but offering free advice about a hot-button issue like seatbelts or booster seats can elicit a hostile response. So we will continue to raise the issue in ChildSafetyBlog. Here, we are probably as sensitive to this issue as many people who see young adult drivers texting or adults simply using their phone, while driving. Yet, in our view, parents who transport children by car without at least fastening seatbelts or protecting them in a booster seat are clearly not using their best judgment.
To be protected very young children should remain in a rear-facing car seat until they are at least 20 pounds in weight and a year old. Babies can be vulnerable to head and spine injuries in the case of a car crash, if their car seats are not rear facing. Some parents are concerned that their children may sustain leg injuries if their seats face backward, but thus far, there is no evidence of kids receiving leg injuries because their car seats were facing the back.
We were surprised to learn recently that many parents have actually given up booster seats for children between the ages 4 and 8--even though children can sustain serious injuries without booster seats. Booster seats are especially helpful because the child is raised to a height where the seat belt fits properly across lap and chest. Strapping children snugly in their seats is also a key to safety. If parents loosen the straps for any reason, they need to remember before they go on their way, to tighten them again. One more caution to parents and caregivers is to make sure when you send your child in someone else's car, that the driver has your child's booster seat to use for your child. You might even think about purchasing an extra, basic booster seat to use for this purpose.
Back to the earlier statement, kids don't need to be in cars to be hurt by them. Backing over children is still a terrible tragedy no parent or caregiver should ever experience. The statistics are shocking: Fatal backing accidents kill at least 228 people every year -- 110 of them are children under age 10 -- and injure 17,000.[1] We have passed the end of 2012, and Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood, who pushed back the deadline to publish the new rules for car manufacturers, promised this would be done by the end of the year. The new rules would mandate new manufacturing requirements to improve the visibility behind passenger vehicles and help prevent fatal backing crashes. We want to know why this hasn't happened? The response of "added costs to the auto industry"-in light of their current profits--is no longer a viable excuse! So we say, "How about it, Ray? Let's get it done!"
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