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Archive for: Parents and Children

Natural Treatment Options for Summer Cold and Flu

Posted by gesund on Monday, May 30th, 2011 | Comments (0)

The last thing that anyone thinks about in the summer is getting a cold. But, cold viruses don’t know a season so you can still be the victim of one when the weather gets warm. Here are some ways to naturally treat them.

A sniffle or cough can be bothersome in the summertime. The first thought is that it is allergic rhinitis. Consulting a doctor can help you determine if you are suffering from allergies or if you have been bitten by the cold bug. Treatment is different so you want to be sure that you are fighting back in the right way.

What Are the Symptoms of a Summer Cold or Flu?

The symptoms are very similar for a winter cold or flu. You may present with a stuffy nose, cough, sore throat, sneezing and/or chest congestion. With the flu, there is also the addition of a possible fever, fatigue and a general malaise that can go on for days.

Before you reach for medicine, try using natural remedies first. For one thing, viruses have no cure. What you are treating are the symptoms and not the disease itself. Antibiotics don’t work against viruses and overuse of them can lower their efficacy.

Treatments

A cold and the flu will resolve itself in several days or a week or two. Treatment options can reduce the severity of the symptoms and the duration of the condition. Boosting the immunity can help also, and helps prevent future colds and flu symptoms.

  • Neti pot – Nasal congestion can lead to sore throat and sleepless nights. Using the warm water can wash out bacteria from the nasal passages and help shrink swollen membranes.
  • Humidifier – Dry air can make a dry and itchy nose worse. Adding moisture to the air can reduce your cold symptoms. Try a cool mist humidifier.
  • Herbal remedies – There are over-the-counter remedies like Zicam and Airborne that contain zinc, Echinacea and vitamin C to help boost your immunity. Take them when you are exposed to cold viruses at work or at home to help you to avoid contracting a cold. Some are used at the first sign of a cold to reduce the duration.
  • Wash your hands often – The first line of defense against disease is hand washing. It can reduce germs on your hands that can be transmitted to mucus membranes of the eyes, nose and mouth.
  • Rest – Most of us continue to work at present levels when we get sick. Rest like sleep gives the body a chance to recharge and repair itself. Allow yourself a couple more hours to sleep and take breaks during your day to avoid overexertion which can make your symptoms feel worse.

Have you been bitten by the cold bug? There are some ways that you can naturally help yourself to feel better.

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Categories : Cold and Flu, School Age
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Delicious Dinner Ideas for Kids with Lactose Intolerance

Posted by gesund on Sunday, May 15th, 2011 | Comments (0)

Some of us are born with a problem called lactose intolerance. It means that we have a tough time eating dairy products. If your child has been diagnosed, here are some ways that they can still enjoy delicious meals.

What is Lactose Intolerance?

Lactose intolerance means that the body displays a negative reaction to the sugar lactose. Lactose is found in milk and other dairy products like cheese and yogurt. Because the body lacks the enzymes to break it down, it has to be eliminated. The experience of this can be quite uncomfortable.

Those who are lactose intolerant often find out after repeatedly eating dairy products and suffering the ill effects. This includes diarrhea, abdominal cramping, nausea, bloating and gas. It can occur anywhere from 30 minutes to two hours after eating a dairy product.

If you’ve ever thought about it, this can eliminate a lot of foods from your dietary list. It also means reading a lot of food labels to see what contains any form of dairy and what does not. For children, this can mean watching their friends enjoy pizza and knowing that they can’t have any or it will make them feel really bad.

Healthy Delicious Dinners

But, there is another way. Kids can enjoy some of the same foods that their friends eat but without the lactose sugar that can make them feel sick. It takes a bit of creative thinking, but it will be beneficial to your child and the entire family.

Other members of the family need to watch what they buy when there is a lactose intolerant child in the house. Any dairy products need to be clearly labeled so the child doesn’t eat them.

This is also an opportunity to get your kids involved in cooking in the kitchen. You are not only having fun but showing them how to create meals that they love that won’t hurt them.

Here are some ideas for lactose-free dinner meals.

  • Macaroni and cheese – Who doesn’t love Mac and Cheese? Instead of using regular milk to make the cheese sauce, try plain soy milk. There is a product on the market called nutritional yeast. It has a nutty flavor and the consistency of a powder, and can be used as a kind of thickener for sauces instead of cheese. It can also be added to cheese substitutes for better flavor.
  • Pizza – Pizza is an incredible food and your children will probably want to eat it. You can use or make your own pizza dough for the crust. Since cheese is out of the question for a topping, create a cheese sauce using soy milk and nutritional yeast. Add pizza sauce to your dough and then cover with your dairy-free cheese sauce. Top with your favorite toppings and bake.
  • Lasagna – Your cheese sauce will come in handy again. There is also dairy-free ricotta cheese to add as a filler between the layers. Don’t forget to add your favorite pasta sauce and meat or vegetables to the layers of the lasagna.

Just because your kids can’t eat dairy, doesn’t mean they can’t still eat delicious foods. Try these examples above.

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Categories : Recipes, School Age
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Nutrition and the Healthy Child

Posted by gesund on Sunday, May 15th, 2011 | Comments (0)

We are what we eat, and that includes our children. The food and snacks they put into their bodies each day are what make up their cells and fuel their energy.  Healthy eating aimed at children is designed to increase their energy, their health and their potential for a healthy life as they grow older.

The US Department of Agriculture publishes the Food Guide Pyramid to promote healthy eating in children over six years.  This is a general guideline for daily food choices and not a strict listing.  The main emphasis is on the five major food groups and it emphasizes a decreased amount of fat, oils, sweets and salt.

Many people find the Food Pyramid helpful for standardized guidelines but others find it difficult to understand and follow.  Some theorize that this is the cause of obesity epidemic in children.  However, this is an easy explanation for a much more complex problem that involves a lack of education about the need for good nutrition, adequate exercise and a lower number of television hours for children.

Nutrition and the healthy child requires a few guidelines.  Children should eat a variety of foods.  This includes vegetables and fruits as well as nuts and seeds.  Children usually are able to eat enough processed foods filled with sugar and artificial colors and flavors.

Healthy eating aimed at children also includes balancing the foods they eat with physical activity.  School systems have declining budgets and physical education programs are being drastically slashed.  Even recess is being cut in some areas of the country.  If a child doesn’t participate in a school sport then it’s likely they’ll go from sitting at their school desk all day to sitting and studying and then in front of the television at night.

Nutrition and the healthy child means that parents help to chose a diet that has enough whole wheat grains, vegetables and fruit.  This should be the basis of the foods that they eat.  The majority of their food should consist of those three food groups. And it should be low in fats, saturated fats, trans fats and cholesterol.

Sugar is a favorite food group of both children and adults but eaten in moderate to large amounts it can do damage to your health, immune system and weight.  Because sugar and salt is a favorite of children and adults – and because children require good role models in the home – both children and adults should refrain from over eating from these foods.

A healthy child also requires the minerals and vitamins that their growing bodies need – such as calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc and complete proteins.   Another aspect of using the Food Pyramid to judge healthy eating aimed at children is that the serving sizes may be confusing.  A serving of meat is actually 1-2 ounces so with a ¼ pound hamburger they’ve eating 2-3 servings of meat in one meal.

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Categories : Balanced Diet, School Age
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Healthy Eating Tips for Kids

Posted by gesund on Friday, April 15th, 2011 | Comments (0)

Healthy eating for both adults and kids isn’t as tricky as you might think.  It does require energy and the understanding that parents are in charge.  Parents are able to create the rules but the child has ultimate control over what they put into their mouths.

Healthy eating should be enforced for the child and the whole family.  Children thrive and learn through role models.  If they are being told one thing, and their parents are doing quite the opposite, they will mimic the parents.  It’s the old “Do what I say and not what I do” theory.  It just isn’t practical and it doesn’t work.

That said, your first task is to establish a routine.  It may be difficult at first but sitting down together for breakfast, lunch and dinner together goes a long way toward developing healthy eating habits.  And eating together as a family has also been found to help children build good character as well.

The trick to this task is to be consistent.  Children need routine in their lives; just as they thrive on a consistent bedtime routine they also do well with a consistent meal time habit.  That meal time habit should include fruit for dessert after dinner and a way to integrate vegetables each day through salads, steamed vegetables and included in the main course.

Some parents, seeking a way to reward their children for their good works, will offer candy or ice cream for work well done.  Instead parents should offer other rewards such as their attention – hugs, kisses and smiles – and your time.  Children learn habits around their behavior.  In other words when children grow up they learn to reward themselves with food each time something goes right in their lives or comfort themselves with food when things go wrong.

Parents can help to develop healthy eating habits in kids and adults by stopping the arguments about sugar and processed food snacks before they start.  Leave these snacks at the store.  They aren’t helpful to either of you.

When kids are thirsty use water.  If they crave flavored water use a squirt from a real lemon or lime.  Add ice and you have a great drink with flavor, nutritionally needed by your body and is cheap.

Kids are highly influenced by radio, tv and their friends.  When they are begging for sugary, high fat foods they probably learned about them from their friends and the media.  It will take persistence, diligence and good role models at home to overcome the influence of people outside the family.  The grass is always greener on the opposite side of the fence – even for parents.  Those snacks may look good but they don’t fit into healthy eating habits for kids and adults.

It may seem counter-intuitive, but watching television doesn’t fit into a program for healthy eating habits for kids or adults either.  How does television affect your eating habits?  Sitting in front of the television encourages snacking and definitely doesn’t expend any calories from exercise.

Part of having healthy eating habits includes spending time together as a family.  Eating together is important but eating at home consistently is really important.  It is so much more difficult to have healthy eating habits when faced with appetizers, fried foods and desserts that no one has to prepare.

Eating at home requires a bit of planning and smart grocery shopping.  Before leaving for the store make out a menu and prepare a list from the menu.  Leave the high fat, high salt, high processed foods off the list and out of the house.  You will be thankful at 10 pm when you are craving the potato chips and they aren’t there to tempt you or the kids.

When you do go shopping find substitutes for the high calorie snacks because snack time will come and without food in the fridge the kids will be left to eat whatever they find.  Keep plenty of seasonal fruit cut, cleaned and cubed so kids can reach into the fridge and grab a handful of grapes, cantaloupe or watermelon.  An apple core slicer will be a hit to slice and dice an apple quickly.  With a spoonful of peanut butter the kids will think they’ve bitten into a carmel apple.

Try getting your kids involved in the meal planning, grocery shopping and snack plans.  If the kids are involved they’ll have a vested interested in making the process work.  When you are beginning healthy eating tips for kids don’t expect them to like something new immediately.  Introduce things slowly and encourage them to keep trying.  Show them a good example by eating them yourself!

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Categories : Balanced Diet, School Age
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What to Do If Your Ears Become Infected from Piercings

Posted by gesund on Monday, February 28th, 2011 | Comments (0)

While people get their ears pierced every day, it is not uncommon for infections to occur. Even from a small opening, bacteria entering the body are a serious thing which requires immediate attention. Here are some steps that you can take to clear up an infection from ear piercing.

When you decide to have your ears pierced, know that there is risk involved. Many don’t think about it because it is such a simple procedure, but you are introducing a foreign object into your body. Whether the earring is 24-karat gold or surgical steel, it is still not part of your natural tissue.

The lobe is different from the cartilaginous portion of the ear when it comes to incidence of infection. Most piercings take place in the lobe of the ear. The blood supply here is rich. When piercings are done further up the ear, the blood supply is not as good in the cartilage. It needs to pull blood from nearby vessels. This can create a more extensive infection if it occurs here.

Dealing with an Infection

But, even with precautions an infection can still occur. Clearing it up as soon as possible is best to avoid pain.

  • Remove the earring – This is advised when the ear is not newly pierced. If it is, removing the piercing can seal the infection in the ear tissue. This can stem the source of the infection.
  • Cover the ear in a solution of salt – Using balanced salt solution or Epsom salts will flush the wound and promote healing. Do this at least twice a day.
  • Squeeze the ear – This might be painful, but it is necessary to remove any pus and bacteria from the ear that is forming there. Constantly removing infected fluid and irrigating with salt solution will clean it out.
  • Use warm compresses – It will bring more blood supply to the area to speed healing. Try it twice a day for several minutes. Be sure to completely dry the ear afterwards. Bacteria love moist places and you don’t want to spread the infection.
  • Apply antibiotic ointment – This ointment can seal the wounds and keep other bacteria out. Just apply a small amount around both sides of your ear.
  • Still turn your earrings daily – The infection has interrupted the healing process. As it is stopped, the ear will recommence closing. Turning the studs will prevent the tissue from attaching to the piercing.
  • See a doctor – If the infection seems to be getting worse instead of better after a few days of at-home treatment, seek medical attention. A doctor can take a look and prescribe an oral antibiotic for more aggressive bugs.

An infection doesn’t have to stop you from enjoying pierced ears. Wear pure metal earrings to avoid allergic reactions that can contribute to an increased risk of infection.

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Categories : School Age, Women
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Fit Kids for Life

Posted by gesund on Tuesday, February 8th, 2011 | Comments (0)

Have you ever heard a kid say that they were bored? It takes constant stimulation to keep them motivated. And, to keep them fit for life, it will take just that if you don’t want boredom to set in.

This nation is facing an epidemic. Obesity has not only taken over the lives of adults but children as well. Technology in part has helped us to become a society that sits rather than moves. This is good for the electronics industry but bad for a healthy long life.

And, if adults aren’t moving about, how are kids going to be expected to? They follow the example set for them. Let’s break the cycle of a sedentary lifestyle and teach our kids how to be fit for life.

Here are some ways that you can get your kids up off the couch and moving each and every day.

  • Do something you love – For anyone this is the biggest boost to motivation. If you try an activity and it doesn’t work for you, then don’t be afraid to try something else. Kids will be quick to tell you that they don’t like something and probably won’t do it again. Ask them what activities they like to do and strive to choose one each day to participate in. When you like what you do, it feels natural to do it all the time.
  • Don’t think of physical activity as exercise – Instead of saying “Let’s go exercise,” say “Let’s go have fun.” Exercise sounds like work. Make it fun and kids will forget to be bored and just enjoy themselves. It could be as simple as shooting hoops in the driveway after dinner or riding bikes in the park after school.
  • Exercise with your kids – It’s easy to sit back and tell your kids what to do, but what kind of example would that be? Get going with them. Ride bikes together; hike in the woods; play kickball in the backyard. Before you know it, you’ll feel like a kid again. Not only is your child staying motivated but you are as well.
  • Invite their friends along – Exercise is great when you have a partner. If you are getting up a pick-up game of basketball, invite your kids’ friends to participate. Activities like this are more fun when you have lots of people. Form a neighborhood team or get involved with a church team. This promotes competitiveness and keeps kids motivated to get moving.
  • Set goals – If your child is a little bit heavier than others their age, the goal could be to slim down a bit. Goals give us something to work towards, a motivation for staying fit. Kids can be motivated by the same types of things as adults.

Want to keep your kid fit and break the epidemic of obesity? Use these ideas to make it happen.

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Categories : Fitness, School Age
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Fun Summer Workouts for the Whole Family

Posted by gesund on Tuesday, January 18th, 2011 | Comments (0)

Summertime is all about feeling the sun on your face and getting some fresh air. But, many people stay inside and miss out on what nature has to offer. Here are some fun ways that you and the family can get out there and get healthy.

Even better than enjoying a summer day is enjoying it with someone else. As parents we try to send the kids outside but may not go out ourselves. The sun is for everyone and you can have even more fun outdoors.

Getting Outdoors

Create a family activity day at least once a week. This is the time when all of the family spends time together sharing a fun activity outdoors. The name of the game is injecting some physical activity into your day.

Let everyone choose a fun activity that they like. Place them on a list. Each time you have an activity day, take one suggestion from the list. But, what activities can you do as a family that will be rewarding physically and mentally?

Here are some summer workouts that you can begin with.

  • Bicycling – If everyone doesn’t know how to ride a bike, this is the perfect time to learn. Bike riding builds up the leg muscles and also your cardiovascular fitness. You can ride and talk about your day. Go to the park and have a leisurely ride.
  • Basketball – All you need for this is a hoop and a ball. Have a family pick-up game after dinner or after work. You can divide into teams and play for points. Even better, play games to see who has to do the most chores that week.
  • Hiking – Explore your outside world with your family. Even though you are having fun and exploring, you are burning tons of calories on a hike. And, you get to learn about nature. Combine it with a camping trip for a fun weekend getaway.
  • Swimming – You don’t even have to have your own pool. If there is a neighborhood pool or one at the gym, use it. Doing laps is an easy way to gain muscle tone all over your body while you have fun. Take a water aerobics class as a family. There is no shock to your joints so it benefits both young and old alike. Parents can finally keep up with their kids.
  • Backyard games – One of the often neglected parts of the house is the back yard. Act like a kid again. Play kickball, volleyball, soccer, flag football and many other games that will make you sweat and give you great memories to hold on to.

There are lots of activities that the family can do this summer to gain fitness and have some fun. Start with those above and add to the list.

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Categories : Parents and Children, Sports
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Healthy Bones and Teenagers

Posted by gesund on Tuesday, December 28th, 2010 | Comments (0)

As we age, our bones lose mass due to a loss in calcium. This mineral is important for proper bone growth in the first place. If you are missing proper nutrients during your developmental years, like the teenage years, it can affect the rest of your life.

Did you know that 90 percent of adult bone growth occurs by age seventeen? Your teen years are very important in more ways than one. You are setting yourself up for life with the type of bone you are creating when you are young. Strong bones will literally carry you through to a more stable and balanced life from the inside out.

But, the dilemma is that many teens don’t make the necessary choices to create the healthiest bones possible for their adult life. It takes exercise, proper diet and also healthy habits to cultivate calcium-rich bone. Unfortunately teens aren’t thinking about healthy bones necessarily, and many teens don’t consume enough calcium in their diets.

This is what happens in the body. Calcium is needed for different reactions in the body, especially in the conduction of electrical impulses across muscle and nerve fibers. The body takes the calcium it needs from the bones.

On a daily basis, this calcium needs to be replenished to make up for what the body needs. When the supply is not adequate to meet the demand, the bones get weak and brittle. As a teen, you may not see this happening, but it will be noticeable as you age.

Start healthy now. Here are some ways that teens can increase their calcium intake for healthier bones now and in the future.

  • Eat or drink more dairy – Dairy products contain a lot of calcium. Even if you are self-conscious about your weight, opting for low-fat varieties of milk, cheese and yogurt will still boost your daily calcium intake.
  • Eat more veggies – Green is great when it comes to vegetables. Try all the dark leafy greens until you find one you like. They include broccoli, spinach, cabbage, greens and the like. If you don’t like them cooked, try raw broccoli with dip and a fresh spinach salad with cheese.
  • Exercise – Weight-bearing activities increase the density and hardness of bones. Many student athletes suffer from stress fractures when they play sports. Part of this could be due to the lack of sufficient calcium in the diet. Include high impact sports like basketball, soccer, volleyball and running. Also include weight training in your regimen to increase strength.

It takes a variety of activities as well as a healthy intake of calcium to improve the look and support of bones. Your bones for the rest of your life are molded during the teen years. Make healthy choices to stay strong as you age.

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Categories : College Age, Food and Nutrition
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Healthy Snacks for the Whole Family

Posted by gesund on Wednesday, December 8th, 2010 | Comments (0)

Living healthy is not just for adults, but everyone. Even if one person needs to lose weight in a family, the entire group can benefit from eating a bit better. Here are some ideas for healthy snacks for the family.

Snacking is necessary. Many think that snacking is what kills your diet and ruins all of your hard work, but that is not the truth. In fact, many eating plans encourage snacking.

Eating three meals a day is a thing of the past. When you eat several small meals each day, your metabolism is stoked all day and you burn more calories. More calories burned equals more weight lost.

Snacks play an integral part in this equation. By eating a little something mid-morning and mid-afternoon, you keep the hunger at bay. If you can get out ahead of those hunger pains, they you will always feel satisfied and never deprived.

Snacking helps to curb overeating. If you ate breakfast at nine and are waiting until one o’clock for lunch, you will be mighty hungry by the time you get to eat. Having a small snack in between helps you to eat less at lunch because you aren’t as hungry. You can portion sizes better than if you were ravenous.

Healthy Snack Ideas

Here are some healthy snack ideas that you can buy or make at home to satisfy everyone’s needs.

  • Veggies and dip – This is a snack that you can chomp on while watching the basketball play-offs or a scary movie. Choose your favorite raw vegetables and use fat free veggie dip or even hummus to add flavor to your snack.
  • Fruit – Fruit is a great idea. For one, it helps to curb the sweet tooth with its natural sweetness. Eating whole fruit also provides more fiber for your diet. Fiber keeps you feeling full and satisfied longer that eating a candy bar for a snack. If you want, invest in a food dehydrator and create easy-to-carry dried fruit snacks to eat whenever you need a boost.
  • Boiled eggs – They are not just for breakfast. Carry a couple with you on a long trip. They are packed with protein. Protein at every meal, particularly breakfast, will fight the cravings better than anything.
  • Trail Mix – Make this at home and carry it anywhere. Store bought is okay but it can contain extra calories or ingredients that you don’t like. Homemade trail mix only contains what you like. Fix enough for a week at a time and store. Try peanuts, granola, dried fruit, raisins, almonds, dark chocolate pieces and seeds.

The simplest snacks are sometimes the best. It doesn’t take much to fill you up and keep you going between meals. Snacking healthy can benefit the whole family.

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Categories : Food and Nutrition, Parents and Children
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How to Prevent Ticks

Posted by gesund on Friday, October 15th, 2010 | Comments (0)

When the weather gets warmer, the insects get moving. The heat is ripe for creatures like ticks to start showing up in the grass and on you. Here are some ways to prevent ticks from ruining your summer.

With growing deer populations, ticks that carry Lyme disease are more prevalent than ever. When you are out and about enjoying the sunshine, be careful. While Lyme disease doesn’t immediately prove fatal and can resolve itself in most cases given enough time, it can become serious.

Practical Tips to Keep Ticks at Bay

For those who are wondering about ticks, here are some facts. They are actually related to arachnids – spiders. They have eight legs and can be as small as the head of a pin or a sesame seed. Most have round bodies with distinctive markings and small heads.

Ticks do not fly. While this is good news for those who don’t like insects, they still pose a problem. These pesky critters love to hang about in tall grass, on hanging branches, shrubs and other vegetation. When you walk by and brush low-hanging leaves, they simply move on over to you without the slightest interruption.

Now, for the tips:

  • Stay on the path – Sticking to the asphalt roads and stone paths of trails can keep your contact with ticks to a minimum. If you must leave the trail, look for areas where the grass is not overgrown for your trek.
  • Wear light-colored clothing – Since ticks are so small, they can disappear like a needle in a haystack. White, khaki, beige or pale colors can make seeing these small black dots a lot easier. Ticks are so tiny that they are rarely felt when they transfer to your clothing or skin. The best way to catch them is by visual inspection.
  • Wear socks and close-toed shoes – Ticks can hide in places on your body that you don’t think to check regularly: between toes, on ankles, under arms and behind knees. Since it is the lower leg that mostly makes contact with grasses, white socks can keep them away from your feet and also stop them from slipping down into your shoes.
  • Wear bug repellent – Ticks won’t want to stay long if you are protected with something that can kill them. Spray your clothing and exposed skin with a bug spray containing DEET. Test a small area of clothing first to be sure that it won’t stain before general application.
  • Perform a comprehensive scan of your body – After being outside all day, check over your body as soon as you get inside. Use a mirror of the help of another person to be sure you have not missed any areas.

Summer brings fun but also ticks. Here are some practical ways to keep them away from you.

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Categories : At Home, School Age
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Hot Cars and Kids

Posted by gesund on Monday, August 30th, 2010 | Comments (0)

Heating and cooling systems within such a small body are also not fully regulated. While their bodies heat up faster, they can also cool off a lot slower than an adult. This can pose problems on a car ride on a hot day.

Tips to Help Prevent Vehicular Hyperthermia

If hot cars and kids is a concern for you, here are some suggestions to prevent trouble.

  • Be aware of where your child is – Some fatalities have been due to the parent not realizing that the child was still in the car. If you are transporting your child to school but usually don’t, ask your spouse to call you and remind you to drop the child off at school or daycare. Place the car seat behind the passenger seat so that you can see your child in the rear view mirror.
  • Don’t leave a child in the car alone at any time – Even if you are running into the gas station or back into the house for a moment, take your child with you. Heat comes through car windows and quickly heats the interior. Air conditioning doesn’t prevent a child’s body temperature from rising when the car is idling.
  • Keep the car locked – Toddlers can open doors or use keyless entry devices to get into a car. Once inside, getting out may be harder to accomplish. In hot weather they may fall asleep inside without anyone else being the wiser.
  • The car is not a play area – Don’t encourage your child to play in a car so they don’t get used to it.
  • Check the car before leaving it – Most of us are in a hurry and hop out of the car without even looking back. Check your vehicle before moving on. This way, you can see if your child is in the backseat.
  • Set reminders – If you are dropping off your child at school, set an alarmed reminder on your phone to keep you on track. You can also have someone else keep you accountable for your child when the weather gets hot.

Do you have children? Then nothing is more important to you then their wellbeing. Prevent hot cars and kids from becoming an issue with the suggestions above.

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Categories : At Home, Infant
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Immunization Reactions in Babies

Posted by gesund on Monday, August 30th, 2010 | Comments (0)

Immunizations are a part of life. It is what has made the difference between life and death for so many children in the world. But, reactions during the process are not uncommon. Here are some you might see.

Immunizations are given to protect the health of a child. Starting at birth, kids are vaccinated against certain common illnesses that at one time caused fatalities. In many cases, a dead inactivated form of the virus in question is given to the child so that the body can create antibodies to it.

There are no cures for viruses. We just have to treat the symptoms. Vaccinations can reduce the incidence of these diseases ever occurring to your child.

Side Effects

Whenever you take your child to get an immunization, they make you aware of the risks and potential reactions your child might have. Most are mild and related to the process.

  • Headaches – Your child may develop a headache from certain vaccinations. For a baby this may be characterized by high-pitched crying. Doctors recommend using over-the-counter pain relievers such as Tylenol to ease the pain.
  • Injection site reaction – There can also be a localized reaction on the skin at the point of injection. This can include swelling, redness, rash and pain. Again you can give them Tylenol for the pain. A soothing bath may also stop the swelling.
  • Fever – A child may also experience fever from one or more of their vaccinations. A cool bath can make them feel better when they are hot. Cool compresses on their forehead may help break the fever as well.
  • Diarrhea – If this occurs, try giving your baby more fluids. Babies that breastfeed often will feed more after reactions to immunizations. If they are not breastfed and can’t keep down formula, try Pedialyte to replenish fluid levels in the body. Sometimes, plain water in the bottle can work to introduce more fluids back into the body. Let your doctor know if your baby starts to get dehydrated.

If there is a reaction to the immunization it will occur usually within one to three days after the injection. Fussy crying that can’t be soothed is a sign. Call your doctor and let them know what is going on. They can advise what dosage of pain reliever to give your child based on their age and medical history.

Serious side effects are not common. Vaccinations are safe and have been tested. If your child suffers from many allergies, however, be sure to make your doctor aware before vaccinations occur. If an adjustment needs to be made they can do so, but the chances of anything overly serious happening as a result of being vaccinated are rare.

Vaccinations are necessary to keep baby healthy as they grow. Sometimes, babies can have adverse reactions to the injections. Here are some ways to alleviate the symptoms.

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Categories : At Home, Infant
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gesund Treatments

gesund is all about keeping you healthy and feeling great. We invite you to take some time to learn about the huge diversity of services at gesund including naturopathic medicine, diagnostic testing, detoxification, chiropractic, massage, acupuncture and constitutional hydrotherapy.

Where to Find Us

gesund

638 Church Street
Toronto, ON M4Y 2G3

Phone: (416) 913-5170
URL: http://gesund.ca