It’s true. Obesity in children is rising in numbers. And it’s very likely that the era of television and computer games have greatly contributed to the increased generation of fat kids. Everyone knows that an overweight child may face problems far worse than an adolescent would, especially with normal weight peers. And eventually they will encounter higher rates of health consequences, such as heart disease and cancer later in life that could lower their life expectancy. While adults may seem overzealous about trying to lose weight, kids don’t necessarily have to follow methods intended for grown-ups. There are a number of weight-control guidelines that are specifically targeted for children—ways to empower families to join the battle against the bulge.
It’s always best to begin early. The well-being of a child begins as early as conception. Women who are pregnant are advised to maintain a healthy weight gain. Breast milk is considered to be the ideal form of infant nutrition. Some studies show that breastfeeding is associated with a reduced risk of pediatric overweight than formula-feeding. One of the reasons is that formula-fed infants have increased insulin concentration in their blood which stimulate more deposition of fat tissue(1).
Parents and older siblings can teach kids to make healthy choices. For example, encourage children to eat pizza with vegetable toppings instead of meat toppings, or consume whole grain bun over white bread, or get pasta instead of French fries. Try going an extra mile by using corn oil, or olive oil when frying. But don’t become too obsessed—some parents put their children too early on a low-fat diet. Children under two years actually need some amount of fat in their diet for the development of the nervous system. Once they reach over the age of two years, encourage them to drink low-fat milk. Experts say that consuming a liter of milk a day is getting a large amount of saturated fat. Saturated fats contain saturated fatty acids which is directly associated with cardiovascular risk factors. The protein content in the milk is still the same. So there is nothing to worry about inadequate nutrients needed for growth.
Lastly, set a good example. Don’t just tell them what to do, show them the same healthy habits. Kick the kids out of the house. Take them to exercise on a regular basis. Exercise doesn’t always have to be a structured program. Encourage them to play—outdoors. Biking, running and even walking can burn off calories and excess weight. It may also increase metabolism for as long as 18 hours after working out. Kid’s TV/computer time should also be limited. The least thing that we would allow our children is to live a sedentary lifestyle.
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Helping a Child Cope With a Difficult Event
In this day and age, it’s becoming harder and harder to shield our children from the harsh realities of the world. Even if we manage to protect them from the dark side of the internet and bad events on the news, they’re still liable to hear about things at school or from their friends. In the end, as hard as we try to keep them protected, there’s just no getting around it. The untroubled innocence of childhood cannot last.
Disturbing news events are one thing. But when a traumatic event happens to a child or one of his or her family members, it becomes even more difficult to shield that child from the truth. Fortunately, many children tend to be resilient, but this is by no means always true. For example, one young child may respond to a death in the extended family as if it’s no big deal, while another may be deeply disturbed by the specter of death.
The key to helping children through these times is to take a balanced approach. We have to accept that there are only so many things we can do to protect our children from reality. And in the end, as they grow older it no longer makes sense to protect them. In order to grow into functioning members of society, young people have to acquire a familiarity with how the world works—and that includes all the bad things along with the good.
Until your child is ready to cope with difficult events, you might want to keep these techniques in mind:
1.Set a good example: Children learn by imitation. If you put up a calm and caring exterior, your child is likely to follow suit.
2.Keep things stable: As much as possible, try to provide your child with a very stable home environment. Kids are reassured by routine and familiarity, so try to give them these things as much as you can.
3.Keep communication open: Children are sometimes reluctant to talk about things, but this is an important aspect of their growth. If possible, try to encourage your children to talk about their feelings.
4.Don’t try to have all the answers: There are some things in the world that just can’t be explained, and this is especially true when it comes to things like natural disasters and the actions of bad people. If you can’t explain something, don’t be afraid to tell your child that there is no good reason why that event occurred.
5.Consider outside help: If your child can’t seem to get over the event, it may be that he or she has Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. In this case, the child should be brought to a mental health professional as soon as possible.
Disturbing news events are one thing. But when a traumatic event happens to a child or one of his or her family members, it becomes even more difficult to shield that child from the truth. Fortunately, many children tend to be resilient, but this is by no means always true. For example, one young child may respond to a death in the extended family as if it’s no big deal, while another may be deeply disturbed by the specter of death.
The key to helping children through these times is to take a balanced approach. We have to accept that there are only so many things we can do to protect our children from reality. And in the end, as they grow older it no longer makes sense to protect them. In order to grow into functioning members of society, young people have to acquire a familiarity with how the world works—and that includes all the bad things along with the good.
Until your child is ready to cope with difficult events, you might want to keep these techniques in mind:
1.Set a good example: Children learn by imitation. If you put up a calm and caring exterior, your child is likely to follow suit.
2.Keep things stable: As much as possible, try to provide your child with a very stable home environment. Kids are reassured by routine and familiarity, so try to give them these things as much as you can.
3.Keep communication open: Children are sometimes reluctant to talk about things, but this is an important aspect of their growth. If possible, try to encourage your children to talk about their feelings.
4.Don’t try to have all the answers: There are some things in the world that just can’t be explained, and this is especially true when it comes to things like natural disasters and the actions of bad people. If you can’t explain something, don’t be afraid to tell your child that there is no good reason why that event occurred.
5.Consider outside help: If your child can’t seem to get over the event, it may be that he or she has Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. In this case, the child should be brought to a mental health professional as soon as possible.
How to Make Kids Eat Vegetables
As parents, we try to give our kids healthy diets, but unfortunately this is not always as easy as it should be. Kids like their sweets, and they don’t have much patience for foods that, while being healthy, may not taste so great. You can even try to explain to them why they should eat certain things, but they’re not likely to listen to reason. As adults, we’re capable of making smart decisions about what’s healthy and what’s not, but kids don’t think this way. They like things that taste good.
And children do need vegetables. According to most government authorities, children need to have around three or four servings per day, and it’s best if these servings include multiple types of vegetables. If you’ve been having trouble getting your children to follow these guidelines, don’t give up. Here are some tips to keep in mind:
Start early: Studies have shown that the earlier kids start eating vegetables, the more likely they are to enjoy eating vegetables later on. In fact, according to one study, this starts even when the child is in the womb. Mothers who eat vegetables when pregnant and, later, when breastfeeding are more likely to raise kids who enjoy eating vegetables.
Have persistence: Other studies have shown that, while children may reject vegetables at first, the more time they try a given vegetable the more they will accept it. So even if your child insists on being stubborn about eating that broccoli, keep serving it, and he or she will eventually come around.
Make vegetables more fun: There are many ways to make eating vegetables more than just a boring chore. For example, serve multiple different colors of vegetables, and encourage your child to “eat the rainbow” on a daily basis. In fact, this is a good practice for all of us.
Eat what you serve: We cannot overestimate the importance of setting a positive example. If you encourage your child to eat a certain food but don’t consume it yourself, this is obviously not the best form of encouragement. Rather than having different meals for parents and children, eat as a family. Everyone should get the same foods.
Let the child participate: Many young children will jump at the opportunity to make grown-up decisions such as what vegetables to have for dinner. Try collaborating with your child on the food decisions. Let your child help plan meals based on the healthy food pyramid, and make whatever tweaks to the meal that you think are necessary.
And children do need vegetables. According to most government authorities, children need to have around three or four servings per day, and it’s best if these servings include multiple types of vegetables. If you’ve been having trouble getting your children to follow these guidelines, don’t give up. Here are some tips to keep in mind:
Start early: Studies have shown that the earlier kids start eating vegetables, the more likely they are to enjoy eating vegetables later on. In fact, according to one study, this starts even when the child is in the womb. Mothers who eat vegetables when pregnant and, later, when breastfeeding are more likely to raise kids who enjoy eating vegetables.
Have persistence: Other studies have shown that, while children may reject vegetables at first, the more time they try a given vegetable the more they will accept it. So even if your child insists on being stubborn about eating that broccoli, keep serving it, and he or she will eventually come around.
Make vegetables more fun: There are many ways to make eating vegetables more than just a boring chore. For example, serve multiple different colors of vegetables, and encourage your child to “eat the rainbow” on a daily basis. In fact, this is a good practice for all of us.
Eat what you serve: We cannot overestimate the importance of setting a positive example. If you encourage your child to eat a certain food but don’t consume it yourself, this is obviously not the best form of encouragement. Rather than having different meals for parents and children, eat as a family. Everyone should get the same foods.
Let the child participate: Many young children will jump at the opportunity to make grown-up decisions such as what vegetables to have for dinner. Try collaborating with your child on the food decisions. Let your child help plan meals based on the healthy food pyramid, and make whatever tweaks to the meal that you think are necessary.
Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Prevention
How to Tell if Your Child is Properly NourishedSudden Infant Death Syndrome, better known as SIDS, is one of the scariest health risks that new parents have to face. The condition is made all the more terrifying because we know very little about why it happens, but the good news is that advancing medical research is finally starting to shed light on the causes and risk factors associated with SIDS, and it’s now becoming much clearer what parents can do to keep their babies safe.
What is SIDS?
One of the defining features of SIDS is that it is unexpected and often unexplained. Other potentially fatal inflictions that affect young babies have their own names. SIDS is by nature more difficult to classify. It happens to children from all ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds, and it apparently occurs everywhere in the world. It happens without warning, and it often happens while the child is sleeping, so that many parents don’t even realize that it has occurred until hours later.
For still unexplained reasons, SIDS seems to occur less frequently to children under the age of one month. It happens most frequently to children aged two to four months. From four months on, incidence steadily drops until bottoming out at around two years old. For children under one year old, it is the most common cause of death.
What causes SIDS?
Again, SIDS is still by nature a mysterious illness. However, theories abound about what could cause the condition, and a number of potentially hazardous risk factors have been identified. All of the following factors have been proposed, some more credibly than others, as potential contributors to SIDS:
• overheating
• soft bedding, pillows, blankets, or toys where the baby sleeps
• substance abuse in the mother during pregnancy
• smoking during pregnancy or the presence of second-hand smoke in the home
• premature birth
• a maternal age younger than 20
• more health in the pregnant mother
• lying on the stomach
• abnormalities or underdevelopment in the section of the brain that controls breathing
• co-sleeping
• low levels of oxygen in the blood
Although some of these things may be contributing factors, it’s important to note that many cases of SIDS probably have multiple combined factors, and some may be caused by things that we don’t yet know about. In fact, in many cases of SIDS it is impossible to identify the exact cause. Parents of a child who dies of SIDS often blame themselves and wonder if there was anything they should have done different. But while these negative feelings are certainly understandable, they’re usually not justified. Parents in this situation should seek a professional to help them worth through their feelings.
Reducing SIDS risk
Given the fact that many cases of SIDS appear completely random, preventing this condition can be difficult. However, researchers have begun to identify very definitive actions that you can take to reduce your child’s risk.
One of the most important factors is sleeping position. A growing body of research has shown that SIDS occurs much more frequently to babies who are not sleeping on their backs, and “Back to Sleep” campaigns have already greatly reduced SIDS frequency in several countries.
There are a few ideas about why babies who sleep on their stomachs or sides are more prone to SIDS. One idea is that sleeping on the stomach causes the baby to “rebreathe”—that is, to keep breathing in the exhaled air so that the baby doesn’t get enough oxygen. In other cases, stomach sleeping may lead to the baby being smothered in the bedding.
In addition to back sleeping, doctors recommend that parents take the following precautions to prevent SIDS:
• Breastfeeding: A few studies have shown that babies who are breastfed have lower SIDS risk.
• Firm surfaces: Softer and fluffier surfaces have been shown to increase the risk of SIDS. Make sure your baby sleeps on a relatively firm surface with no soft objects within reach.
• Not overheating: Make sure the room temperature is comfortable.
• Avoid drugs and alcohol: All drugs and alcohol should be avoided during pregnancy, and there should be no second-hand smoke in the household after the baby is born.
• Regular check-ups: Have your doctor check your baby’s health on a regular basis.
• No co-sleeping: You can keep the crib or bassinet in the room where you sleep, but co-sleeping has been shown to increase SIDS risk.
What is SIDS?
One of the defining features of SIDS is that it is unexpected and often unexplained. Other potentially fatal inflictions that affect young babies have their own names. SIDS is by nature more difficult to classify. It happens to children from all ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds, and it apparently occurs everywhere in the world. It happens without warning, and it often happens while the child is sleeping, so that many parents don’t even realize that it has occurred until hours later.
For still unexplained reasons, SIDS seems to occur less frequently to children under the age of one month. It happens most frequently to children aged two to four months. From four months on, incidence steadily drops until bottoming out at around two years old. For children under one year old, it is the most common cause of death.
What causes SIDS?
Again, SIDS is still by nature a mysterious illness. However, theories abound about what could cause the condition, and a number of potentially hazardous risk factors have been identified. All of the following factors have been proposed, some more credibly than others, as potential contributors to SIDS:
• overheating
• soft bedding, pillows, blankets, or toys where the baby sleeps
• substance abuse in the mother during pregnancy
• smoking during pregnancy or the presence of second-hand smoke in the home
• premature birth
• a maternal age younger than 20
• more health in the pregnant mother
• lying on the stomach
• abnormalities or underdevelopment in the section of the brain that controls breathing
• co-sleeping
• low levels of oxygen in the blood
Although some of these things may be contributing factors, it’s important to note that many cases of SIDS probably have multiple combined factors, and some may be caused by things that we don’t yet know about. In fact, in many cases of SIDS it is impossible to identify the exact cause. Parents of a child who dies of SIDS often blame themselves and wonder if there was anything they should have done different. But while these negative feelings are certainly understandable, they’re usually not justified. Parents in this situation should seek a professional to help them worth through their feelings.
Reducing SIDS risk
Given the fact that many cases of SIDS appear completely random, preventing this condition can be difficult. However, researchers have begun to identify very definitive actions that you can take to reduce your child’s risk.
One of the most important factors is sleeping position. A growing body of research has shown that SIDS occurs much more frequently to babies who are not sleeping on their backs, and “Back to Sleep” campaigns have already greatly reduced SIDS frequency in several countries.
There are a few ideas about why babies who sleep on their stomachs or sides are more prone to SIDS. One idea is that sleeping on the stomach causes the baby to “rebreathe”—that is, to keep breathing in the exhaled air so that the baby doesn’t get enough oxygen. In other cases, stomach sleeping may lead to the baby being smothered in the bedding.
In addition to back sleeping, doctors recommend that parents take the following precautions to prevent SIDS:
• Breastfeeding: A few studies have shown that babies who are breastfed have lower SIDS risk.
• Firm surfaces: Softer and fluffier surfaces have been shown to increase the risk of SIDS. Make sure your baby sleeps on a relatively firm surface with no soft objects within reach.
• Not overheating: Make sure the room temperature is comfortable.
• Avoid drugs and alcohol: All drugs and alcohol should be avoided during pregnancy, and there should be no second-hand smoke in the household after the baby is born.
• Regular check-ups: Have your doctor check your baby’s health on a regular basis.
• No co-sleeping: You can keep the crib or bassinet in the room where you sleep, but co-sleeping has been shown to increase SIDS risk.
How to Tell if Your Child has ADHD
The latest statistics show that over 4 million kids in the United States have been diagnosed with Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and of course there are millions more worldwide. While ADHD has often gotten a bad rap as a trendy diagnosis that is handed out a little too easily, there is no denying the fact that it’s a legitimate disorder that can have truly negative effects on people who are afflicted.
There are actually some potential benefits to mild cases of ADHD, but as any parent of a child who has a particularly bad case of the disorder knows, ADHD can also be highly disruptive. It can lead to behavioral problems, poor school performance, and even delayed emotional and social development. To make matters worse, this issue is still not widely understood, which means that kids with ADHD often fail to receive the help they need, and this can severely set them back in life.
Diagnosing ADHD can be a real challenge for parents and medical professionals. Every child is different, and every case of ADHD is particular to each child. In other words, no two cases are the same, and doctors often have trouble identifying cases in a definitive way. However, if your child has had trouble fitting in, has boundless energy, seems to have difficulty focusing at school, and can’t seem to sit still for long enough to focus on anything, there’s a good chance that he or she has a case of ADHD.
ADHD in the early years
Anecdotes abound about mothers of ADHD children who remember their unborn babies kicking unusually frequently in the womb, but these stories have yet to be backed by real research. In most cases, ADHD symptoms begin to form noticeably during the preschool years. Symptoms may be present earlier than that, but social and school settings really tend to bring them out.
At this early age, kids with ADHD may confound their preschool and early primary school teachers. They often have trouble following directions, don’t learn as quickly as the other kids, don’t share or play nicely, and don’t get along with the other kids. In some cases, ADHD behaviors can even take the form of aggression toward other kids. Unless a teacher or parent recognizes what is happening, a child of preschool age may already begin to face the negative consequences of ADHD in the form of punishment and ostracization.
ADHD in older children
The signs of ADHD usually become much more apparent during the early years of primary school, usually soon after the child begins to attend school full-time. While you can tell a lot about a child by how he or she behaves in the home, ADHD behaviors become much more troublesome at school, which is why the condition usually isn’t diagnosed until a child is between ages 7 and 12. When a child reaches these ages, the most common symptoms include:
• difficulty following directions and listening;
• trouble paying attention or sitting through the long hours of class;
• absentmindedness, forgetfulness, and frequently losing things;
• unwillingness to do homework;
• talking too much, even during quiet times;
• excessive fidgeting;
• constant restlessness;
• frequent complaining;
• difficulty sharing, taking turns with other kids, or waiting in lines.
When a child reaches adolescence, untreated ADHD can create even further problems, sometimes leading to low self-esteem, social isolation, depression, and other conditions such as eating disorders. At the same time, persistent poor school performance can set the child back academically, and if he or she does not receive treatment soon, it could have repercussions throughout life. Many ADHD kids end up joining the rebellious crowd at school, which can lead to drug use, teen sex, and other reckless behaviors.
How to handle ADHD
Every child gets hyper sometimes. And in general, a moderate amount of hyperactive behavior is just part of childhood. But when a child’s hyperactivity becomes detrimental to important aspects of life, it’s time to do something about it. Don’t worry if your child just seems to have a lot of energy. Do worry if these behaviors seem to have long-term negative effects.
If you think your child may have ADHD, then it’s time to consult with your doctor about evaluation and potential treatment options. There are many options for dealing with ADHD, and not all of them involve medication. In any case, it can’t hurt to know the choices that are available to you.
There are actually some potential benefits to mild cases of ADHD, but as any parent of a child who has a particularly bad case of the disorder knows, ADHD can also be highly disruptive. It can lead to behavioral problems, poor school performance, and even delayed emotional and social development. To make matters worse, this issue is still not widely understood, which means that kids with ADHD often fail to receive the help they need, and this can severely set them back in life.
Diagnosing ADHD can be a real challenge for parents and medical professionals. Every child is different, and every case of ADHD is particular to each child. In other words, no two cases are the same, and doctors often have trouble identifying cases in a definitive way. However, if your child has had trouble fitting in, has boundless energy, seems to have difficulty focusing at school, and can’t seem to sit still for long enough to focus on anything, there’s a good chance that he or she has a case of ADHD.
ADHD in the early years
Anecdotes abound about mothers of ADHD children who remember their unborn babies kicking unusually frequently in the womb, but these stories have yet to be backed by real research. In most cases, ADHD symptoms begin to form noticeably during the preschool years. Symptoms may be present earlier than that, but social and school settings really tend to bring them out.
At this early age, kids with ADHD may confound their preschool and early primary school teachers. They often have trouble following directions, don’t learn as quickly as the other kids, don’t share or play nicely, and don’t get along with the other kids. In some cases, ADHD behaviors can even take the form of aggression toward other kids. Unless a teacher or parent recognizes what is happening, a child of preschool age may already begin to face the negative consequences of ADHD in the form of punishment and ostracization.
ADHD in older children
The signs of ADHD usually become much more apparent during the early years of primary school, usually soon after the child begins to attend school full-time. While you can tell a lot about a child by how he or she behaves in the home, ADHD behaviors become much more troublesome at school, which is why the condition usually isn’t diagnosed until a child is between ages 7 and 12. When a child reaches these ages, the most common symptoms include:
• difficulty following directions and listening;
• trouble paying attention or sitting through the long hours of class;
• absentmindedness, forgetfulness, and frequently losing things;
• unwillingness to do homework;
• talking too much, even during quiet times;
• excessive fidgeting;
• constant restlessness;
• frequent complaining;
• difficulty sharing, taking turns with other kids, or waiting in lines.
When a child reaches adolescence, untreated ADHD can create even further problems, sometimes leading to low self-esteem, social isolation, depression, and other conditions such as eating disorders. At the same time, persistent poor school performance can set the child back academically, and if he or she does not receive treatment soon, it could have repercussions throughout life. Many ADHD kids end up joining the rebellious crowd at school, which can lead to drug use, teen sex, and other reckless behaviors.
How to handle ADHD
Every child gets hyper sometimes. And in general, a moderate amount of hyperactive behavior is just part of childhood. But when a child’s hyperactivity becomes detrimental to important aspects of life, it’s time to do something about it. Don’t worry if your child just seems to have a lot of energy. Do worry if these behaviors seem to have long-term negative effects.
If you think your child may have ADHD, then it’s time to consult with your doctor about evaluation and potential treatment options. There are many options for dealing with ADHD, and not all of them involve medication. In any case, it can’t hurt to know the choices that are available to you.
How to Help Your Child Eat Healthy
Among the biggest problems that mothers face and share is how to get their children to eat healthy food, such as vegetables. What makes it even harder is the abundance of junk food or greasy fast food. For some reason, children seem to have a natural dislike for anything green and leafy or stringy, and the high-fat, high-cholesterol items are much more delicious. It is no wonder why many meal times become a stressful battleground, with parents withholding privileges or doting out punishments in response to a child’s refusal to finish his vegetables.
But there must be an easier way to get kids to eat healthy food minus the nightly World War that happens around the dining table. Some simple positive-reinforcement tips that do not prohibit anything but offer an alternative may help you make sure your child gets the nutrients he needs:
1. Set a good example. Nobody can underestimate the power of imitation. A child, no matter what age, instinctively wants to imitate adults, even if he shows every sign of wanting to be independent. Usually, a child who sees his parents enjoying vegetables will want to eat them more than a kid whose mom always forces him to eat without actually eating much of them herself. Instead, when he sees his parents savoring the healthy types of food, he will wind up curious enough to try it himself. If he spits it out, do not despair. There are still other ways to get him to eat healthy options.
2. Find delicious ways to cook vegetables, such as cream soups or disguised in sandwiches. Many mothers vow by this strategy, of cooking vegetables such as broccoli or squash in a yummy cream soup. Some moms even add coloring to remove the greenish hue that children normally steer away from. Other moms recommend mixing up sandwich fillings, such as using green apple for an added tart to a peanut butter sandwich instead of using sugar-rich jellies.
3. Pay attention to the kind of vegetables or vegetable-rich food that he does enjoy. Some kids like carrot sticks dipped in different dips and sauces, while others like onions on pizzas and those in tacos. You can encourage them to eat more variety of food in order to make sure they get enough vegetables. In the same vein, do not be afraid to experiment. Some families that enjoy Chinese or other Asian cuisine might find their children enjoying spring rolls. These crispy fried rolls usually come with vegetables finely chopped inside, and you can easily learn how to cook them from recipes on the Internet, cooking magazines, or cooking channels on TV.
4. Stock up on fruit juice in the home. This will not only give your child enough nutrients from fruit, it will also discourage him from drinking sugar-laden colas and sodas. Also, encourage them from a young age to drink a lot of water. A child who is used to drinking water at every meal will most likely be satisfied with it even in the absence of a sweet drink.
5. Include whole-grain items on your grocery list. This can be in the form of muesli and other whole-wheat cereals, instead of the sugar-coated cereals that kids naturally love. To sweeten the cereal, add bits of sliced fruit to the breakfast bowl, or add wheat germ on top of the cereal for an added dose of fiber. Nuts and seeds can also easily replace chips, since they offer the same chewy enjoyment. If the child is not too keen to make the switch, you can offer a closer alternative in the form of homemade popcorn. Many brands of microwave popcorn are very easy to prepare.
These are just basic things to help you get started in encouraging your child to eat healthy food options. Once you get used to these in your daily routine, you can very easily find more creative ways to get around the problem, and before you know it, you will have a very well-nourished child who voluntarily picks the healthier alternative when given a choice. After all, that is the long-term goal. It is not simply to make sure they eat healthy when your eye is on them, but more importantly, you want to know that even when they eat in school, they will know better than to survive on chips, candy, and soda.
But there must be an easier way to get kids to eat healthy food minus the nightly World War that happens around the dining table. Some simple positive-reinforcement tips that do not prohibit anything but offer an alternative may help you make sure your child gets the nutrients he needs:
1. Set a good example. Nobody can underestimate the power of imitation. A child, no matter what age, instinctively wants to imitate adults, even if he shows every sign of wanting to be independent. Usually, a child who sees his parents enjoying vegetables will want to eat them more than a kid whose mom always forces him to eat without actually eating much of them herself. Instead, when he sees his parents savoring the healthy types of food, he will wind up curious enough to try it himself. If he spits it out, do not despair. There are still other ways to get him to eat healthy options.
2. Find delicious ways to cook vegetables, such as cream soups or disguised in sandwiches. Many mothers vow by this strategy, of cooking vegetables such as broccoli or squash in a yummy cream soup. Some moms even add coloring to remove the greenish hue that children normally steer away from. Other moms recommend mixing up sandwich fillings, such as using green apple for an added tart to a peanut butter sandwich instead of using sugar-rich jellies.
3. Pay attention to the kind of vegetables or vegetable-rich food that he does enjoy. Some kids like carrot sticks dipped in different dips and sauces, while others like onions on pizzas and those in tacos. You can encourage them to eat more variety of food in order to make sure they get enough vegetables. In the same vein, do not be afraid to experiment. Some families that enjoy Chinese or other Asian cuisine might find their children enjoying spring rolls. These crispy fried rolls usually come with vegetables finely chopped inside, and you can easily learn how to cook them from recipes on the Internet, cooking magazines, or cooking channels on TV.
4. Stock up on fruit juice in the home. This will not only give your child enough nutrients from fruit, it will also discourage him from drinking sugar-laden colas and sodas. Also, encourage them from a young age to drink a lot of water. A child who is used to drinking water at every meal will most likely be satisfied with it even in the absence of a sweet drink.
5. Include whole-grain items on your grocery list. This can be in the form of muesli and other whole-wheat cereals, instead of the sugar-coated cereals that kids naturally love. To sweeten the cereal, add bits of sliced fruit to the breakfast bowl, or add wheat germ on top of the cereal for an added dose of fiber. Nuts and seeds can also easily replace chips, since they offer the same chewy enjoyment. If the child is not too keen to make the switch, you can offer a closer alternative in the form of homemade popcorn. Many brands of microwave popcorn are very easy to prepare.
These are just basic things to help you get started in encouraging your child to eat healthy food options. Once you get used to these in your daily routine, you can very easily find more creative ways to get around the problem, and before you know it, you will have a very well-nourished child who voluntarily picks the healthier alternative when given a choice. After all, that is the long-term goal. It is not simply to make sure they eat healthy when your eye is on them, but more importantly, you want to know that even when they eat in school, they will know better than to survive on chips, candy, and soda.
Babies Can Sleep Through the Night
When a woman has a baby below one year old, you would naturally expect the mother to look bedraggled, with dark, nasty eye bags below her eyes every day of the week. Sometimes she may even be very difficult to converse with. This is because an infant would normally have several feeding times during the night, and in the morning she still would not be able to nap sufficiently because of all the chores she needs to do. This is a complete recipe for a snappish, moody mom, who would bite at the slightest prodding from a sometimes-insensitive husband. This highlights how important sleep is to any person, from a baby to any full-grown adult. After all, lack of sleep always makes a person cranky, exhausted, and lazy, and sometimes it may even cause serious damage to other organs in the body.
But there is good news! Recent studies have observed ways on how babies are actually able to sleep for at least five hour a night straight by the age of two months, and longer past that age. That means it is possible for a new mom to get a good night’s sleep, and have enough energy to face the rest of her responsibilities during the day. And this is very important, since she needs her precious energy to be able to give her best to the infant himself as well as to the rest of the family. After all, the house runs by her hands, and if those hands are tired, anyone can guess what state the household will be in!
The first thing being described in pediatricians’ study on infant sleep is that they sleep better when they are on a routine during the day. By routine, it means they have a relatively fixed pattern of feeding, playing, and sleeping. Instead of the normal way that babies wake up, then play, then feed to fall asleep, they propose a different routine wherein the baby feeds upon waking up, then spends some time awake, and then sleeps with no prop needed. This pattern will result in a baby that automatically sleeps for a stretch of five hours after the last cycle of feed, play, sleep comes to a close at the end of the day.
A second principle needed for a baby to develop this sleep pattern is the idea of full feedings. Full feedings means that the baby nurses until he is full, instead of falling asleep halfway and then asking for more ten minutes later. The first principle of an altered cycle schedule greatly facilitates this, since the baby feeds upon first waking up, which means he is not likely to fall asleep too soon. After all, infants tend to sleep so much of the time, and if he does, the mom will wind up waiting for the next hunger cry to come, which cannot be predicted. This way, he gets a full tummy and will usually last an hour or two before needing another feeding.
The last and another important principle at work why the baby will be able to sleep through the night is that it was not given a sleep prop during the day. A sleep prop is anything that helps a baby fall asleep. It could be rocking, patting, a lullaby, or even a milk bottle or a pacifier. What happens is that the baby gets used to falling asleep by himself, so that if by any chance he stirs during the night, he is perfectly able to fall back to sleep without needing to rouse mom or dad. This is in contrast to a baby who wakes up and then cries because he needs to be rocked back to sleep or he lost his pacifier and could not find it. This is definitely happy news for parents who would gladly appreciate the added hours of sleep!
Once these principles are understood and developed into the baby’s schedule, the mom, and even the dad, can be sure she herself will get sufficient rest. Baby’s happy sleeping patterns will automatically translate to a more relaxed mother with a sharp focus on the things she needs to accomplish for the day, even leaving her with enough time to dote on her husband.
But there is good news! Recent studies have observed ways on how babies are actually able to sleep for at least five hour a night straight by the age of two months, and longer past that age. That means it is possible for a new mom to get a good night’s sleep, and have enough energy to face the rest of her responsibilities during the day. And this is very important, since she needs her precious energy to be able to give her best to the infant himself as well as to the rest of the family. After all, the house runs by her hands, and if those hands are tired, anyone can guess what state the household will be in!
The first thing being described in pediatricians’ study on infant sleep is that they sleep better when they are on a routine during the day. By routine, it means they have a relatively fixed pattern of feeding, playing, and sleeping. Instead of the normal way that babies wake up, then play, then feed to fall asleep, they propose a different routine wherein the baby feeds upon waking up, then spends some time awake, and then sleeps with no prop needed. This pattern will result in a baby that automatically sleeps for a stretch of five hours after the last cycle of feed, play, sleep comes to a close at the end of the day.
A second principle needed for a baby to develop this sleep pattern is the idea of full feedings. Full feedings means that the baby nurses until he is full, instead of falling asleep halfway and then asking for more ten minutes later. The first principle of an altered cycle schedule greatly facilitates this, since the baby feeds upon first waking up, which means he is not likely to fall asleep too soon. After all, infants tend to sleep so much of the time, and if he does, the mom will wind up waiting for the next hunger cry to come, which cannot be predicted. This way, he gets a full tummy and will usually last an hour or two before needing another feeding.
The last and another important principle at work why the baby will be able to sleep through the night is that it was not given a sleep prop during the day. A sleep prop is anything that helps a baby fall asleep. It could be rocking, patting, a lullaby, or even a milk bottle or a pacifier. What happens is that the baby gets used to falling asleep by himself, so that if by any chance he stirs during the night, he is perfectly able to fall back to sleep without needing to rouse mom or dad. This is in contrast to a baby who wakes up and then cries because he needs to be rocked back to sleep or he lost his pacifier and could not find it. This is definitely happy news for parents who would gladly appreciate the added hours of sleep!
Once these principles are understood and developed into the baby’s schedule, the mom, and even the dad, can be sure she herself will get sufficient rest. Baby’s happy sleeping patterns will automatically translate to a more relaxed mother with a sharp focus on the things she needs to accomplish for the day, even leaving her with enough time to dote on her husband.
How Words Can Affect Your Child’s Health
Many parents are overly concerned about the food that their children eat, and rightly so, because proper nutrition cannot be overemphasized. But few of them are aware that the words they speak and the way they say them actually has tremendous impact on a child’s overall health. Sure, most people would agree that words can have an impact on a child’s emotional heath, but how can it affect the physical health? It may be indirect, but the effects have repercussions that you certainly would not want your child to suffer from.
Some ways in which words can affect a child’s health are the following:
1. Negative comments about his physical appearance may be factors behind future eating disorders. Many children in the US today are suffering from eating disorders, and most of their parents are not even aware of it. An indirect link has been observed between the last few years of the high incidence of obesity among children. Is it possible that the parents became too conscious and kept scolding their kids’ eating habits? This kind of behavior can trigger a sense of loss of self-esteem on the child, and later on manifest as a dislike of eating or wanting to be slim so that he will be considered handsome or for a little girl to feel pretty.
2. A constant barrage of angry words tends to eat away at a child’s confidence, and some children find comfort in food. Nobody can really explain how emotional eating develops, but a link may be found in a baby’s attachment to his feeding bottle prior to being weaned or to a security blanket. The attachment, for some reason, gets transferred to food, perhaps because food does give us a sense of comfort. Once this dependence is formed, it is very difficult to change or remove.
3. A harsh encounter with a child right before bedtime can trigger nightmares and result in poor rest for the child. If the stressful situations continue, he may even have trouble falling asleep, causing a possible variety of sicknesses due to the lowered immunity from lack of rest and sleep.
4. An overall ugly environment in the home would sometimes trigger a child to want to spend time away from mommy or daddy and instead enjoy the company of his friends. Once that happens, you no longer have any influence on his choice of food. More often than not, a child younger than a teenager would gravitate towards junk food in the absence of a responsible adult. An even if you are around, once you have come across as somebody they do not want to listen to, you will no longer have influence in developing healthy eating habits.
5. A child who always hears his parents tell him he is useless will eventually believe it. And once anyone believes there is no use to his life, he would also tend to be lax with taking care of his body. Could there be a link between the many kids experimenting with drugs and cigarettes at a very early age, to the way that the parents built up their self-image to be? After all, when a child feels he is not worth much, he would not be conscious anymore about taking good care of his body.
These are but a few examples of how negative words can have a strong effect on a child’s overall health. The reason why they were highlighted here is that they are very often the natural inclination of human parents, while positive words sometimes have to be forced out of us. As such, we need to understand that part of the problem of kids’ health these days may perhaps be because of the words coming out of our mouths that speak volumes into the hearts of our children.
Some ways in which words can affect a child’s health are the following:
1. Negative comments about his physical appearance may be factors behind future eating disorders. Many children in the US today are suffering from eating disorders, and most of their parents are not even aware of it. An indirect link has been observed between the last few years of the high incidence of obesity among children. Is it possible that the parents became too conscious and kept scolding their kids’ eating habits? This kind of behavior can trigger a sense of loss of self-esteem on the child, and later on manifest as a dislike of eating or wanting to be slim so that he will be considered handsome or for a little girl to feel pretty.
2. A constant barrage of angry words tends to eat away at a child’s confidence, and some children find comfort in food. Nobody can really explain how emotional eating develops, but a link may be found in a baby’s attachment to his feeding bottle prior to being weaned or to a security blanket. The attachment, for some reason, gets transferred to food, perhaps because food does give us a sense of comfort. Once this dependence is formed, it is very difficult to change or remove.
3. A harsh encounter with a child right before bedtime can trigger nightmares and result in poor rest for the child. If the stressful situations continue, he may even have trouble falling asleep, causing a possible variety of sicknesses due to the lowered immunity from lack of rest and sleep.
4. An overall ugly environment in the home would sometimes trigger a child to want to spend time away from mommy or daddy and instead enjoy the company of his friends. Once that happens, you no longer have any influence on his choice of food. More often than not, a child younger than a teenager would gravitate towards junk food in the absence of a responsible adult. An even if you are around, once you have come across as somebody they do not want to listen to, you will no longer have influence in developing healthy eating habits.
5. A child who always hears his parents tell him he is useless will eventually believe it. And once anyone believes there is no use to his life, he would also tend to be lax with taking care of his body. Could there be a link between the many kids experimenting with drugs and cigarettes at a very early age, to the way that the parents built up their self-image to be? After all, when a child feels he is not worth much, he would not be conscious anymore about taking good care of his body.
These are but a few examples of how negative words can have a strong effect on a child’s overall health. The reason why they were highlighted here is that they are very often the natural inclination of human parents, while positive words sometimes have to be forced out of us. As such, we need to understand that part of the problem of kids’ health these days may perhaps be because of the words coming out of our mouths that speak volumes into the hearts of our children.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Plastic Surgery Recuperation
It is rather a slow process that define the its acuteness from patient to patient as for some recovery out of a simple ache in the muscle or bone of the body might takes a shape of great discomfort for another so is its definition to the doctor for its treatment therapy. In order to define the condition of liposuction for example where tightening and elevation falls under the purview of different sections i.e. from mild to moderate and all the way to acute pain and discomfort but its recuperation is performed by prescribing specific kind of medications to the patient so that the disease might not resurface again in the near future. The same conditions is for other forms of plastic surgery performed to deliver the best out of therapies by the experts such as breast augmentation or abdominoplasty etc.
With experts diagnosing the nature of the healing period for a specific patient, in initial stages it for at least two days demands assistance from a doctor who has performed the operation over the patient. In recuperation process there are experienced a large amount of approximations done by a doctor where even a doctor isn’t sure as to when a wound will heal or a patient will show a positive outlook to him. In eyelid surgery the patient utilizes wearing sunglasses in scorching heat for 2-4 days after the surgery as direct exposure might harm its healing process overtime.
A make-up wears for certain skin grafting procedure performed by dermatologists after the surgery with assurance to let the patient move freely in a cosmopolitan society. Immediate recuperation is hard-to-achieve for to walk comfortably in the public where facelift surgical process demands in between 8-14 days of healing of the face to get back those killing looks. In yesteryears patients with the help of recuperation processes where unable to get their body organs healed instantly as there was a dearth of sophisticated medical equipments but today with special techniques and understanding of the skin types with deep analyses performed over the cells available for a specific patient, recuperation is possible as quick as possible with dark marks and stretch marks completely gone forever and with no repetition of the same syndrome ever again in the near future.
If a second post-operative regime is maintained by a doctor for a patient than the patient must starts with slow routine as not to give so much of the pressure in order to avoid bleeding. Swelling and bruising are also another factors to bear in mind along with bleeding as rigorous activities again done is catastrophic for the patient who cannot simply handle the pressure. Predominantly for many forms of sports contact and weight-lifting regimes are allowed after one month of doctor’s prescription. The recuperation package for the treatment includes necessary instructions along with critical care recovery of the disease and nursing of the human body etc.
The patient has to ensure that before buying such recuperation packages they should bear its cost in mind first then just blindly following the contents and wasting the hard earned money out of it. Plastic and cosmetic surgery also comes along with an option of traveling from one place to another. The prying eyes of your acquaintance are taken good care about if outperformed well. There are certain easily available tips for the home recuperation procedures which are handy and easily assessable. Home recuperation involves less unwanted stress of traveling every now and then and thus helps in doing less strenuous activities.
With experts diagnosing the nature of the healing period for a specific patient, in initial stages it for at least two days demands assistance from a doctor who has performed the operation over the patient. In recuperation process there are experienced a large amount of approximations done by a doctor where even a doctor isn’t sure as to when a wound will heal or a patient will show a positive outlook to him. In eyelid surgery the patient utilizes wearing sunglasses in scorching heat for 2-4 days after the surgery as direct exposure might harm its healing process overtime.
A make-up wears for certain skin grafting procedure performed by dermatologists after the surgery with assurance to let the patient move freely in a cosmopolitan society. Immediate recuperation is hard-to-achieve for to walk comfortably in the public where facelift surgical process demands in between 8-14 days of healing of the face to get back those killing looks. In yesteryears patients with the help of recuperation processes where unable to get their body organs healed instantly as there was a dearth of sophisticated medical equipments but today with special techniques and understanding of the skin types with deep analyses performed over the cells available for a specific patient, recuperation is possible as quick as possible with dark marks and stretch marks completely gone forever and with no repetition of the same syndrome ever again in the near future.
If a second post-operative regime is maintained by a doctor for a patient than the patient must starts with slow routine as not to give so much of the pressure in order to avoid bleeding. Swelling and bruising are also another factors to bear in mind along with bleeding as rigorous activities again done is catastrophic for the patient who cannot simply handle the pressure. Predominantly for many forms of sports contact and weight-lifting regimes are allowed after one month of doctor’s prescription. The recuperation package for the treatment includes necessary instructions along with critical care recovery of the disease and nursing of the human body etc.
The patient has to ensure that before buying such recuperation packages they should bear its cost in mind first then just blindly following the contents and wasting the hard earned money out of it. Plastic and cosmetic surgery also comes along with an option of traveling from one place to another. The prying eyes of your acquaintance are taken good care about if outperformed well. There are certain easily available tips for the home recuperation procedures which are handy and easily assessable. Home recuperation involves less unwanted stress of traveling every now and then and thus helps in doing less strenuous activities.
Cosmetic Surgery Aftercare
The chosen plastic surgeon takes responsibilities of overall after-effects of the surgery and assures of the healing of the scars, stretches or other pigmentations popping up over the skin surface frustrating the patient to undergo the treatment again in the near future eating away their respected pockets because usually plastic or cosmetic surgeries are very expensive and their affects over the skin are projected to identify the difference in the looks better then the normal conditions previously. It thus in turn demands aftercare so that no more errors might sustain to have a glowing and supple skin surface.
It’s the cosmetic consultant’s duty to ensure about the full recovery and providing guarantee in return with any such privacy by the patient. The aftercare plans are developed and designed to customize those special and specific criteria of the clients who faith blindly over such modes of quick results. There is a fixed price tag attached to the surgical procedure individually tailored according to the requirements in the domestic marketing strategies.
The cosmetic aftercare is entourage in order to resume the working as well as social possibilities in limited time period. If they are taking longer spans then they might even be discarded by the client easily with less hassle. The camouflage must ensure that the aftercare shouldn’t leave any swelling to the skin, giving disgusting bruises and skin discoloration to the delicate surface that happens due to surgery done soon after. Certain aftercare packages fails to ruin the make-up and other forms of covering of the facial skin that happens after grafting of the skin surface and breaks in the scorching heat or even sometimes melts if exposed directly to any form of heat.
The aftercare of the plastic surgery should definitely be physically safe under purview of the normal activities. With incision marks visibly present after the surgery the temporary cosmetic aftercare takes it toll with major drawbacks including destroying of the skin acutely. The confidence and ease is appointed by the teens especially who are desperate to camouflage their skin with no more marks. Until the stitches are properly removed the incision lines cannot be hidden under the skin surface as normal under plastic surgeries.
Aftercare will certainly hide them beneath presenting a clean and clear projection of that sparkling and glossy skin. Derma-abrasion or peeling of the dead skin with a chemical by cosmetologists’ causes the cast to occur over the delicate skin surface but if the round crust is formed then even aftercare camouflaging procedures are undone and canceled until next visit by a patient till it’s absolutely being cleaned with the help of other handy factors. Standard aftercare make-up are easily available at the departmental stores and cosmetic shops both for men as well as for women and it too is safe and sound as recommended by the dermatologists to protect the skin from harmful virus and bacterial infections over the skin type after the surgical treatment because slight openings at the surgery area causes bacteria to make heaven inside and thus causes future contingencies.
The applicators should be clean when you buy along with any aftercare solution or product from the domestic market. There are mainly three categorizations of aftercare: contouring; concealing and correcting of the color to match with the skin type. The color is neutralized for yellowish and reddened foreign skins. The highlights and shadowing of the wrinkles and stretch marks from the skin are the prime objective of utilizing aftercare of cosmetic surgery. Concealers should be opaque and waterproof.
It’s the cosmetic consultant’s duty to ensure about the full recovery and providing guarantee in return with any such privacy by the patient. The aftercare plans are developed and designed to customize those special and specific criteria of the clients who faith blindly over such modes of quick results. There is a fixed price tag attached to the surgical procedure individually tailored according to the requirements in the domestic marketing strategies.
The cosmetic aftercare is entourage in order to resume the working as well as social possibilities in limited time period. If they are taking longer spans then they might even be discarded by the client easily with less hassle. The camouflage must ensure that the aftercare shouldn’t leave any swelling to the skin, giving disgusting bruises and skin discoloration to the delicate surface that happens due to surgery done soon after. Certain aftercare packages fails to ruin the make-up and other forms of covering of the facial skin that happens after grafting of the skin surface and breaks in the scorching heat or even sometimes melts if exposed directly to any form of heat.
The aftercare of the plastic surgery should definitely be physically safe under purview of the normal activities. With incision marks visibly present after the surgery the temporary cosmetic aftercare takes it toll with major drawbacks including destroying of the skin acutely. The confidence and ease is appointed by the teens especially who are desperate to camouflage their skin with no more marks. Until the stitches are properly removed the incision lines cannot be hidden under the skin surface as normal under plastic surgeries.
Aftercare will certainly hide them beneath presenting a clean and clear projection of that sparkling and glossy skin. Derma-abrasion or peeling of the dead skin with a chemical by cosmetologists’ causes the cast to occur over the delicate skin surface but if the round crust is formed then even aftercare camouflaging procedures are undone and canceled until next visit by a patient till it’s absolutely being cleaned with the help of other handy factors. Standard aftercare make-up are easily available at the departmental stores and cosmetic shops both for men as well as for women and it too is safe and sound as recommended by the dermatologists to protect the skin from harmful virus and bacterial infections over the skin type after the surgical treatment because slight openings at the surgery area causes bacteria to make heaven inside and thus causes future contingencies.
The applicators should be clean when you buy along with any aftercare solution or product from the domestic market. There are mainly three categorizations of aftercare: contouring; concealing and correcting of the color to match with the skin type. The color is neutralized for yellowish and reddened foreign skins. The highlights and shadowing of the wrinkles and stretch marks from the skin are the prime objective of utilizing aftercare of cosmetic surgery. Concealers should be opaque and waterproof.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
