Archives for October 2009

Kids of all ages love Bunk Beds and Loft Beds because they offer more floor space, a little adventure, and a cozy nest for sleeping. Bunk Beds, futon bunks, and ladders are now available online so they are easier than ever to purchase. Bunk beds help even the most lackadaisical kids to get at least a moment of exercise.

Climbing up and down the ladder of a bunk bed helps build strength in the arms and legs, gives a brief cardiovascular boost, and helps kids develop better muscular coordination. Rather than taking up space in a kids room with two beds placed on either side of the room across from each other, install a bunk bed instead and open up that extra space to be used for playing, studying, or storage.

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Lack of adequate health care may have contributed to the deaths of some 17,000 US children over the past two decades, according to a study released by the Johns Hopkins Children's Center. he research, to be published Friday in the Journal of Public Health, was compiled from more than 23 million hospital records from 37 states between 1988 and 2005.

The study concluded that children without health insurance are far more likely to succumb to their illnesses than those with medical coverage. 'If you are a child without insurance, if you're seriously ill and end up in the hospital, you are 60 per cent more likely to die than the sick child in the next town who has insurance,' said Fizan Abdullah, lead writer of the study and a pediatric surgeon at Hopkins.

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Experts said Tuesday that parents could teach their children to clean their mouths and teeth even before they start teething.  Armasastra Bahar, a dental expert, said most children in Indonesia began to brush their teeth when they were 6 years old. "They should be taught to brush their teeth earlier," he said. "Parents can begin teaching them the importance of brushing teeth by cleaning their baby's gums with soft wet washcloths after feeding them. This makes them comfortable and familiar with having clean mouths," said Armasastra in a talk show on the importance of toothbrushing. When babies begin to grow teeth, parents can brush them with fingers or baby toothbrushes, he added. "Growing up, they will get used to having clean teeth and mouths. They will likely build toothbrushing habits," Armasastra said.

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At least one in five U.S. children aged 1 to 11 don't get enough vitamin D and could be at risk for a variety of health problems including weak bones, the most recent national analysis suggests.By a looser measure, almost 90 percent of black children that age and 80 percent of Hispanic kids could be vitamin D deficient — "astounding numbers" that should serve as a call to action, said Dr. Jonathan Mansbach, lead author of the new analysis and a researcher at Harvard Medical School and Children's Hospital in Boston.

The findings add to mounting evidence about vitamin D deficiency in children, teens and adults, a concern because of recent studies suggesting the vitamin might help prevent serious diseases, including infections, diabetes and even some cancers.While hard evidence showing that low levels of vitamin D lead to disease or that high levels prevent it is lacking, it's a burgeoning area of research.

First Lady Michelle Obama hosted a “Healthy Kids Fair” on the South Lawn at The White House, accompanied by about 100 parents and children from local elementary schools. The first lady’s goal was to introduce fun activities and good, healthy food to the younger generation hoping for children to change their habits young.

She explains in her speech, “Right now one in three children in this country are overweight or obese. And as I've said many times before, if we think we're dealing with a serious health problem now, you know, then we project out to five, 10, 20 years from now when we see these rates increase and all the illnesses that result from obesity, whether it's high blood pressure, or heart disease, cancer.
And believe it or not, which is a very surprising thing, medical experts are now warning that for the first time in the history of this nation, we're headed for the next generation being on track to have a shorter life span than us. That's the way we're going right now.

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Kids today eat more and exercise less than the last generation, and this is poised to continue unless something changes. One of the best things you can do for your children’s health is to get them moving and teach them the value of physical activity. Numerous studies have shown that regular childhood exercise is one of the leading indicators of good, lifelong health habits.

If you were an active child who loved playing sports and on the playground, you probably still do something to stay in shape today - but do you involve your children in these activities? If not, you are not doing all you can to prepare your children to lead healthy, adult lives. Show your children you care about exercise – take them with you on walks. They may not want to start jogging right away, but if you take your toddlers on short walks with you now, they will get used to the idea of exercising.

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The good news is immunization rates are at their highest ever. The bad news? An estimated 24 million children at risk still don't have access to life-saving vaccines.

But back to the good (since that's our specialty). A new assessment released Wednesday by the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF and the World Bank reveals that a record 106 million infants in 2008 were immunized.

That means more children than ever before are getting a running start in life with vaccines against the measles, whopping cough (pertussis), tetanus, meningitis, diphtheria and even HPV. UNICEF says measles deaths alone fell worldwide by 74 percent between 2000 and 2007.

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Standing in the bright midday sun Saturday at North Bay Village's only bayfront park, Andrey Caro watched as his 9-year-old son and a dozen other boys ran across a grassy field on their way to a nearby tent.

``He was a little chubby,'' Caro said. ``So three weeks ago, I put him in boxing.''

North Bay Village police Det. Lisa Gittner, who heads the local Police Athletic Activities League, would say Caro is on the right track. Keeping kids fit and occupied with sports shows responsible parenting -- which is why she and Treasure Island Elementary School held the city's first health fair at West Drive Park.

Gittner, who works with students at the school, said that few of the city's residents even know about the 6-month-old park -- and even fewer attend it frequently. Hosting a day in the park with tug of war games and martial arts demonstrations was one way to get them out of their condos and into the sun.

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There are times when I wonder whether we’re really living in the 21st century. I’ve been having that feeling a lot recently, observing other parents (both online and off) discuss whether or not getting the H1N1 “Swine Flu” vaccine for their kids is a good idea.

I’m going to put it to you straight: Unless your child has a specific condition that makes it a bad idea for them to have the vaccine (and your pediatrician should be able to tell you if that’s the case), yes, you absolutely should get him/her vaccinated against H1N1. One of those conditions is a severe allergy to eggs, because in years past, all flu vaccines were based in egg serum. This year, some vaccine production will use a cell-culture process instead and thus be safe for those with egg allergies; your pediatrician might be able to help ensure that a dose of that variety is available for your child if necessary.

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She was screaming even before I laid her down. Sarah's always been wary of people wearing lab coats. I held her little arms while the nurse grabbed her kicking legs and jabbed the needle into her chubby upper thigh.

I winced, but it was over in an instant. And after a few cuddles, my 20-month-old had forgotten it had ever happened. We'll be at the doctor's office again in mid-November for another round. Next time: the swine flu or H1N1 vaccine.

Yes, I'm one of those parents. I vaccinate my kids. It seems as if refusing to do so has become the new chic thing among parents up in arms about vaccines in general, not just the seasonal and swine flu varieties.

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