Category: Pediatric

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Pediatric

Healthy Eating Habits for Kids

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With childhood obesity in North America tripling over the past 20 years, what kids are eating has become a major concern. Here are some ideas to help establish a pattern for a healthy lifestyle:

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Teach your children how to eat right.

1. Do set a good example for your child to copy. Share mealtimes and eat the same healthy foods.

2. Do discourage snacking on sweets and fatty foods. Keep plenty of healthy foods, such as fruits, raw vegetables, low-fat crackers, and yogurt, around for children to eat between meals.

3. Do allow children to follow their natural appetites when deciding how much to eat.

4. Do encourage children to enjoy fruits and vegetables by giving them a variety from an early age.

5. Don’t give skim or 1-percent-fat milk to children under the age of 5 unless your doctor prescribes it; at this stage, children need the extra calories in whole milk.

6. Do ask children to help prepare meals. If parents rely mostly on convenience foods, children may not learn to enjoy cooking.

7. Don’t add unnecessary sugar to drinks and foods.

8. Don’t accustom children to extra salt by adding it to food or placing the shaker on the table.

9. Don’t give whole nuts to children under the age of 5, who may choke on them. Peanut butter and chopped nuts are fine as long as the child is not allergic to them.

10. Don’t force children to eat more than they want.

11. Don’t use food as a bribe.

12. Don’t make children feel guilty about eating any type of food.

Easy, Healthful Snacks
Stock up on healthful snacks that children and teenagers can nibble on throughout the day.
Breads and crackers with spreads such as peanut butter, low-fat cheese, canned tuna or sardines, and lean cold cuts.

Rice cakes and whole-grain crackers or breadsticks.

Fresh and dried fruits.

Yogurt.

Sticks of carrot, celery, or other raw vegetables, and cherry tomatoes with nutritious dips.

Plain popcorn.

Breakfast cereals.

Water, milk, or fruit juice.

From:Foods That Harm, Foods That Heal

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Pediatric

Ways to Calm a Cough Of Your Chield

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Coughing is one of the most disturbing sounds a parent can hear. It is uncomfortable, tires a child, worries the parents, and robs the entire family of sleep. Yet, a cough is an essential defense mechanism to keep the lungs clear of viruses, bacterial, and other foreign objects.

What causes a child to cough?
Under normal conditions, the lining of the respiratory tract, from the nose to the lungs, continuously traps dust, viruses, bacteria, and other pollutants on a thin coat of mucus (children normally make about a pint a day). Tiny hairlike structures called cilia act like little brooms to keep this mucus and its foreign contents flowing out of the respiratory tract. When children get a respiratory tract infection, the cilia become disabled disrupting nature’s cleaning system. Coughing takes over for the inactivated cilia to help keep the airway clean. The cells of the respiratory tract compensate by producing more thick mucus to defend themselves from an invading germ.

A cough can be best handled in three ways.
The first is to stop all cigarette smoking in the house. By now, anyone with children who smokes and reads these columns should be trying to quit or at the very least smoking outside! Cigarette smoke is an irritant that not only paralyzes the cilia but causes the respiratory cells to produce more mucus. A second way to make the mucus thinner and soothe irritated respiratory cells is to use water in one form or another. So when our mom told us to drink plenty of water when we were sick, she was right!

A third way is to add water directly to a child’s inflamed respiratory tract by putting more moisture in the air. This can be accomplished by using a cool mist humidifier. These devices spin water into tiny droplets propelling them into the room where they eventually land on the child’s respiratory cells making the mucus less sticky. (The newer ultrasonic humidifiers produce a cool mist of a even smaller particle size that land farther down the respiratory tract.) Another benefit of more moisture in the air is that viruses survive better when the humidity is low. That might help explain why Influenza viruses show up more during the winter months when our air has less humidity.

Some parents wonder why pediatricians usually suggest the cool mist humidifier rather than the old standby – hot steam. Cool mist has more moisture than heated water and is more effective in reducing the swelling of inflamed, congested respiratory membranes. In addition, cool mist is better at thinning out the thick secretions that cause the youngster to cough. Furthermore, heated vaporizers pose a safety hazard with the risk of accidental burns or over warming the child.

If a child is wheezing or has asthma, use of cool mist therapy could make the problem worse. Call the child’s physician if the wheezing does not respond to usual treatments. In addition, humidifiers if not cleaned properly can act as incubators for viruses and bacteria present in the air.

The following guidelines will help parents get the most benefit from the humidifier:-

• Only use water – never add medications to the humidifier. Medicines (such as Vicks vaporub eucalyptus oil, etc.) do not help, only smell up the room, and may foul up a perfectly good humidifier. Unless advised by the child’s doctor, medications in the humidifier are unnecessary.

• Set the vaporizer several feet away from the child but not blowing directly onto a youngster’s face. Even if the humidifier blows away from the child, their clothes may become damp so check them frequently and change them as often as necessary.

• Use it primarily at night or naptime. Turn the humidifier on about ten minutes before putting the child to bed. Running the humidifier when the child is not in the room is unnecessary.

Working properly, the humidifier should put out an easily visible column of mist. Do not allow the room to become so we that water drips down the walls and windows; this will encourage the growth of molds.

When filling the humidifier, remove any remaining water and refill with fresh water. When not in use, dry the humidifier before putting it away.

Clean the humidifier thoroughly after each use. Mold can grow in the unit and throw off spores that can wreak havoc with an allergy prone child. Most units come with cleaning instructions. If the model does not have cleaning directions, use the following guidelines:

(1) remove any remaining water in the reservoir

(2) Add one-half cup of household bleach to one gallon of water in the reservoir

(3) Cover the mist port with a cloth towel

(4) Turn on the humidifier for 30 minutes

(5) Remove Water in the reservoir

(6) Rinse the reservoir throughout with water

(7) Repeat the procedure every third day.

Source:kidsgrowth.com

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Ailmemts & Remedies Pediatric

Laryngomalacia: A noisy problem!

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Laryngomalacia is the most common cause of “noisy breathing” in babies after the newborn period. This disorder may become obvious as early as the first two weeks of life, with noisy, raspy breathing while taking a breath in . At first the noise simply sounds like nasal congestion, but it occurs without nasal secretions. This type of “noisy breathing” is known as stridor and has a high pitched, harsh quality. The stridor is usually absent with the child is at rest and becomes more prominent when the infant is lying on his/her back, crying, feeding,excited or has a cold. The stridor usually is at it’s worst around six months and then gradually improves. Most children are symptom free by 24 months.

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The cause of laryngomalacia is not clearly understood. What is known about the condition is that the epiglottits which protects the airway when the child feeds also partially obstructs the airway during breathing. The partial obstruction is the source of “noise” with breathing.

Children with laryngomalacia will do better at a 30 degree angle, or by positioning their heads to relieve or reduce the obstruction. The child should also be held in an upright position for 30 minutes after feeding and never fed lying down. Crying exacerbates the obstruction and work of breathing; a pacifier may be useful to calm an agitated infant.

Characteristics of laryngomalacia include:

Starts in the first two months of life (but not at birth)
Occurs when the child is breathing in
Becomes worse with crying, upper respiratory tract infections, laying in the supine (on back) position*
Usually gets worse before it gets better
Child may have retractions (sucking in of the skin above or below the ribs when breathing in)
There is no cyanosis (blue color of the skin)
The baby is otherwise happy and thriving
Treatment is simple but nerve-racking — waiting for the child to out grow the condition while explaining to family, friends, and passerbys that there is really nothing wrong with your noisy breathing baby. It is rare that this abnormality causes any serious problems. The stress is on the parent listening to this noisy breathing as the infant is experiencing little problems. In time, the cartilage that supports tissues around the throat and airway become stronger which helps resolve the problem. Most children grow out of laryngomalacia by one year of age and nearly all children eventually outgrow the condition.

Laryngomalacia a not a dangerous condition and will not interfere with the child’s growth and development. No treatment is necessary, although some parents have found that cool visit from a vaporizer helps eases the child’s noisy breathing. Only in very severe (are rare) cases, or when there is a simultaneous upper respiratory infection, does the condition require treatment. Holding the child in the prone position (stomach down) and comforting and soothing him/her to slow the breathing are almost always sufficient to handle an episode. The most important thing is to calm the child, in order to stop the crying, as crying makes the problem much worse. If a parent is in doubt about their child’s noisy breathing, they should have him/her looked at, but hospitalization for Laryngomalacia is very rare.

*In some instances, doctors may recommend that babies with laryngomalacia be placed on their stomachs to sleep instead of their backs, as long as the bedding is not soft. Parents of children with laryngomalacia should always talk to the baby’s doctor if they are unsure about the best sleep position for their baby.

Source:kidsgrowth.com

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Pediatric

Is there a way to help your child avoid the common cold?

In the late 19th century Sir William Osler, one of the founding doctors of the Johns Hopkins Medical School, said that colds should be treated with contempt. It’s not known if Dr. Osler was suffering from a cold at the time, but this fact is known – we all get them from time to time and some kids get more than their share. It is nearly impossible for your child to avoid catching a cold. Adults average 2 to 3 colds per year and children 6 to 10, depending on their age and exposure. Youngsters are particularly susceptible to colds because of their close contact with other children, they have yet to learn good personal hygiene, such as hand washing and covering coughs and sneezes, and they constantly have their hands in their mouth and nose.

Yet, there are some things that can be done to reduce the frequency of colds in children (and adults, as well). First, parents should get to know their enemy, how we are infected, and if we can discover any weaknesses in our opponent. Second, parents should do all they can to keep their child’s immune system strong.

The enemy is one of over 100 different viruses, with strange sounding names like rhinovirus and adenovirus. The viruses first contaminate the hands of a child or adult with a cold as a result of nose blowing, covering sneezes, and touching the nose. The virus also contaminates objects (particularly toys) and surfaces in the environment of the cold sufferer. Casual contact transfers the virus to the hands of a non-infected child or adult, who then infects his or her self by touching their nose or rubbing their eyes (virus deposited in the eye promptly goes down the tear duct into the nose). Touching contaminated toys and surfaces, where they can survive up to three hours, can also pick up the virus. Less often, an adult or child can be infected when they breathe virus-containing droplets that were recently expelled in coughs and sneezes by an infected person (did you know that airborne droplets can travel up to 25 feet?).

Once infected, it takes only 8-12 hours for the viruses to begin multiplying and another 10-12 hours for cold symptoms to begin. Therefore, the only defense against the virus is to prevent this uninvited guest from entering the body in the first place.


Teach Your Kids to Wash Their Hands. 80% of all infectious disease could be eliminated by more frequent and proper hand washing with soap and water. This is the first line of defense against colds. It takes lots of soap, hot water, and 15 seconds of scrubbing to do any good. Remind your kids that they should never put their hands in their eyes or to their nose without washing them first.

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Encourage your kids to use tissue instead cloth handkerchiefs Handkerchiefs catch and retain the viruses. Encourage your youngster to use paper facial tissue instead, and then throw them away immediately after each use. And remember to remind them to wash your hands after blowing your nose. Infectious disease specialists encourage parents to tell their kids to “blow, throw and wash” theory. After they blow their nose, be sure that they throw the tissue away…don’t carry it around… and then, wash your hands.

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Reduce your child’s social life. If you know that there is a high incidence of colds in your community, try to keep your child’s contact with other children to a minimum. Limit your youngster’s time they spend with infected kids.

Get some fresh air During the cold season, kids tend to stay indoors and the germs spread faster this way. By opening windows and doors for a few minutes, and allowing air to circulate, you can push out airborne viruses. Viruses love stagnant air.

Help keep your child’s nasal passages clear Artificial heating tends to be very drying, so consider using a humidifier in the home to keep their air moist enough so as not to dry out the mucus membranes of the nose. Likewise, an air filter in an indoor environment, especially a HEPA type filter, can help remove airborne dust and germs.

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Eliminate Cigarette Smoke from Your Child‘s Environment Children exposed to passive cigarette smoke will get five times the number of colds when compared to youngsters who live in a smoke-free home.

Get Plenty of Sleep Our moms were right on when they encouraged us to get enough sleep. Although researchers have not directly proven that sleep deprivation causes more colds, some studies have sleep loss of three to four hours can cause a 50 percent decline in immune response.

When possible avoid closed-in spaces. Airplanes are virus-breading grounds. Cold viruses can’t escape these poorly ventilated areas. In addition, these areas are notorious for providing low humidity. This dries our mucous membranes that normally trap and dispose of viral invaders. A closed in space is just one more opportunity for the virus to spread to your child.

Source:kidsgrowth.com

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Healthy Tips Pediatric

Children’s snacks: Don’t ban them, plan them!

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When your child gets the munchies, be prepared to offer up that quick-and-healthy fix. Here is some helpful information to promote health on the go.

Snacking is a major pastime for many American children   so much so that nearly one-fourth of kids’ daily energy intake comes from nibbling between meals.

Much of this nibbling is on prepackaged snack foods, which are high in calories and low in nutrients. The popularity of these fattening treats may be one of the factors responsible for the country’s childhood-obesity epidemic.

But snacking itself isn’t necessarily bad. The content of your child’s snacks is what’s most important. Providing healthy snack choices now will help your children learn to make healthy food choices in the future.

Snacks are essential

Young children actually need snacks. Their stomachs are small, so they often can’t get all the nutrients they need in a day through meals alone. They need smaller portions of food more often. A good rule of thumb for toddler serving sizes is about 1 tablespoon of food for each year of age. You can always give them more if they’re still hungry.

Children’s growth rates slow down after their first birthday. Because they need fewer calories at this time, they tend to eat less. Continue to provide healthy food choices for meals and snacks. Don’t get upset or force children to clean their plates.

Certain foods may cause choking in younger children. Avoid feeding raw vegetables, popcorn, nuts or peanuts, and dried fruits  such as raisins  to children under 3. Quarter hot dogs lengthwise and then cut into small pieces. Slice grapes in half.

Don’t spoil your dinner

Children who attend child care may not be hungry at the family mealtime if their caregivers serve them a late afternoon snack. Consider asking your child care provider to not offer a snack too late. If your child is frequently in child care until 6 p.m. or later, you may even pack an evening meal for him or her to eat at 4:30 p.m., before going home. Then your child can have a healthy snack at home during the family dinnertime.

Fruit juice: Friend or foe?

Children often prefer fruit juice to water or fresh fruit because juice tastes better to them. And many parents see no problem with allowing their children to drink almost unlimited amounts juice, since juice is promoted as a good source of nutrition.

Although juice does contain some healthy nutrients, it’s high in calories and it may contribute to weight gain and tooth decay if consumed in excess. Some juice drinks, even those with 100 percent juice, have more calories than sugary carbonated beverages do. Juice also lacks the healthy fiber that whole fruit has.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children drink no more than two 6-ounce servings of fruit juice a day. Consider juices fortified with calcium, especially if your child shies away from milk and dairy products.

Sugar attacks teeth

Sugary snacks, including sugared soft drinks and fruit juices, can cause cavities. Bacteria in the mouth convert sugar to a type of acid that eats away at tooth enamel. This acid continues to damage teeth for at least 20 minutes.

Gooey and sticky sweets usually result in the most damage because they spend more time in your mouth. Allowing toddlers to sip juice all day long gives their teeth a sugar bath that lasts the entire day.

Expanding choices

Once children begin attending school, their food options expand beyond what you choose to buy at the grocery store. But you still have some control over what’s in the refrigerator for their after-school snack. They’ll typically grab whatever’s close and easy.

If cookies are available, they’ll eat cookies. If there are no cookies, fresh fruits and raw vegetables will sound much more appealing. Try to have a selection of vegetables already cut up and ready to eat in the refrigerator.

Other healthy choices may include:

Microwave popcorn

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Low-fat or fat-free milk, cheese or yogurt

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Low-sugar, whole-grain cereals

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Sugar-filled beverages

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Keep an eye on what your children are drinking as well. By the age of 14, a third of American girls and more than half the boys are drinking at least three 8-ounce servings of sweetened soft drinks daily.

When checking the sugar and calorie contents on soft drinks, keep in mind that every 20-ounce bottle contains 2.5 servings. That means a soft drink that contains 100 calories per serving provides you with 250 calories if you drink the entire bottle.

Nutrition labels: Reading between the lines

You’ve probably seen a lot of food products labeled low-fat, reduced-fat, reduced-calorie, light, sugar-free or fat-free. Be careful when evaluating these nutrition claims, and check the nutrition label to find out the whole story.

Sometimes what appears to be healthy really isn’t. For example, foods marketed as low-fat or fat-free can still be high in calories, and most snack foods are naturally “cholesterol-free,” but they can still be very high in fat, saturated fat and sugar.

Combat TV ads

Kids may clamor for the latest fad snack food, especially if they see it advertised on television. Limiting the number of hours your children watch TV can reduce your children’s exposure to these ads. It may also help reduce their risk of obesity.

Children who watch more than five hours of television a day are more than four times as likely to be obese as those watching less than two hours a day. Children typically become more physically active when parents limit recreational screen time   including televisions, computers and video games   to no more than two hours a day.

Eating in front of the television is a bad habit for any age group. People tend to eat much more than they realize during these episodes of mindless munching.

Snack-time tips

It’s not always easy to persuade your children to eat healthy snacks. Try experimenting with the following techniques to promote snack-time health:

*Offer similar choices. For example, don’t say: “Do you want ice cream or do you want pretzels?” Instead, offer comparable choices, such as regular or frozen yogurt, celery or carrots, graham crackers or soda crackers, apples or oranges.
*Provide variety. Select snacks from a variety of food groups. If you serve the same snacks repeatedly, your children might get bored and ask for unhealthy snacks instead.
*Be creative. Dress up fruits and vegetables for maximum appeal. Prepare celery with peanut butter, for example, or carrots with low-fat dip. Offer crackers with several varieties of cheeses. Cut vegetables in different ways to make them visually interesting.

Healthy eating

Don’t forget to be a good role model for your children. You can’t expect them to be content with broccoli and low-fat milk when you’re washing down your potato chips with a quart of sugary carbonation.

Your children’s snacking habits aren’t going to change overnight, but look for positive changes over weeks and months. Teaching your children to make healthy snack choices today will reap your whole family an entire lifetime of benefits.

Source:   MayoClinic.com

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