Will You Allow Your Teen to Smoke E-Cigarettes?
In December 2016, the U.S. Surgeon General released a report about e-cigarette use among teens. This was in response to news that e-cigarette use among youths has increased by 900 percent between 2011 and 2015. Although e-cigarettes were placed under FDA oversight earlier in 2016, health experts remain concerned about their effects on teens. E-cigarette Risks Researchers are finally reaching some answers about the safety of using e-cigarettes. Government agencies, the American Lung Association, and prominent medical research centers have been studying e-cigarette effects since the devices were introduced about a decade ago. They have announced some solid conclusions. The main ingredient in e-cigarettes is nicotine, along with various chemicals and flavorings. When smoked (vaped), the liquid in the cartridge turns to vapor and the nicotine and chemicals are inhaled. The consequences are as follows: When used, e-cigarettes send a rush of nicotine and other harmful chemicals into the lungs. E-cigarettes, which were originally billed as a safe alternative for tobacco smoking, actually deliver the same addictive chemical – nicotine. Nicotine has been proven over many years of research to harm teens’ brain development, raise blood pressure and heart rate, and produce cravings for more and more of the chemical. Rather than discouraging teens from smoking, e-cigarettes actually encourage teens to turn to using more tobacco products. Talk to Your Teens Here are some recommendations for conversations you can have with your teens about e-cigarettes. Raise the subject in general terms at first. Offer the idea that the best prevention against smoking or vaping is not to start. Talk about staying healthy, including avoiding addictive substances like nicotine in any form. If they’ve started, make a plan. Help your teens quit through some simple steps: Set goals like using one less e-cigarette per day or setting vape-free days. Encourage them to recognize and avoid triggers like using after dinner or while out with certain friends. Teach them how to distract themselves from cravings by diverting their thoughts to other subjects. Encourage them to stay busy with healthy activities they enjoy. For even more information about the potential dangers of E-Cigarette use, contact the physicians at Pediatrics today!
Your Child with Atopic Dermatitis/Eczema
Atopic dermatitis is one of the most common forms of eczema. This chronic itchy rash often persists throughout childhood and perhaps also into adulthood. It is caused by a combination of genetic inheritance and environmental triggers. If your child has been diagnosed with atopic dermatitis, you can help prevent or reduce the number of outbreaks. Block the Most Common Triggers Managing this condition will take time and observation to detect the situations or substances that cause atopic dermatitis to flare up. Together with your doctor, your child and other family members, you can establish a routine. The goal is to diminish the effects of these common triggers, such as when the temperature changes, so your child can be as comfortable as possible. Dry skin: Keep your child’s skin hydrated. Have him use mild, neutral pH soaps like Dove (the unscented white bar) for washing. Follow with creams such as Moisturel, Aveeno, Curel, or Purpose, among others. Irritants: Avoid dressing your child in scratchy, tight clothing. Stick with light-weight, breathable fabrics. Watch out for common household products like laundry detergents and surface cleaning products. If you notice a pattern of outbreaks after their use, remove them from your shopping list. Sweating: Sweating is a natural irritant to children with atopic dermatitis. Make sure your child wears only lightweight clothes to bed and keep a moderate room temperature throughout the home. After your child has been playing or exercising, cool her off with a cool shower or bath, and be sure she moisturizes afterward. Allergens: Dust mites, pet dander, and seasonal pollens are common triggers. For starters, keep pets off your child’s bed, encase the mattress in a cover, and avoid using down bedding. Also, vacuuming the floors frequently is another effective practice.
Preventing Obesity in Your Children
Does a Healthy Diet for My Preschooler Include Fat?
Dietary recommendations tend to change over the years as more research is done into foods and ways the human body uses and stores them. You may be surprised to learn that some preschool diet “no-no’s” are now back on the recommended list. The Latest on Fats Fats should be included in your preschooler’s diet, says the American Academy of Pediatrics. For years, it was thought that fat was the cause of rising numbers of obese children and adults, but this concept has been laid to rest. Fats are a healthy part of the diet and are critical for normal growth and brain development. Healthy fats like olive oil, coconut oil, avocado and butter should be used in cooking to make food more flavorful. In addition, protein foods containing fats (like salmon, yogurt, and whole milk) should be part of a balanced diet. The fats that do need to be eliminated from the diet are trans fats found in heavily processed foods. Look for “partially hydrogenated oils” or “vegetable shortening” on food labels, and avoid those foods. Healthy Uses of Fats A balanced meal for your preschooler might include a protein like fish or chicken that is prepared with olive oil or butter, along with a serving of roasted sweet potato with a pat of butter and a green vegetable that is sautéed or topped with a healthy fat. A small serving of fresh cut-up vegetables and a fruit dessert round out the menu. Snacks and Fat You may have discovered that your child is not satisfied for long after a snack of processed foods relatively high in sugar and salt but labeled low- or non-fat. A better alternative is to select foods that contain healthy fats (cheese, nut butters, hummus, yogurt) in combination, such as: Apple slices dipped in peanut or almond butter Cheese cubes with wheat crackers Hummus with raw vegetables Yogurt and fresh fruit We welcome your questions about balanced, healthy diets and your preschooler’s eating habits! Give us a call or discuss the subject with your health care provider when you visit Pediatric Care Centers.
How Much Food Does Your Child Need?
Many times, parents will ask us at Pediatric Care Centers just how much food and fluids their child needs. They may be concerned that children are eating and drinking either too much or too little based on body weight, appearance, and comparison with other children. While children may have different nutritional needs based on their body type and activity levels, there are some general guidelines you can use to help you determine if they are out of balance. These charts give U.S. Department of Agriculture Guidelines for daily calorie needs and food quantities. However, remember that these are approximations across large segments of the population. Talk with your pediatrician for more information and results of your children’s regular checkups to give you a more comprehensive picture of their overall health. Adapted from: https://www.healthychildren.org/English/healthy-living/nutrition/Pages/Energy-In-Recommended-Food-Drink-Amounts-for-Children.aspx
All About Healthy Snacks for Kids
All of us at Pediatric Care Centers realize that snacks can have a significant impact in children’s diets. Snacks can be a positive or negative contribution to your child’s nutritional balance. Whether your child is one who looks forward to healthy meals or one who saves his enthusiasm only for snacks, you can make the most of snack times with some of these tips and tricks. Avoid prepackaged, processed snacks. These foods, while often popular with children, tend to have more salt and sugar than recommended without delivering nutrients that support growth and development. Pair up foods for greater snack appeal. Instead of offering just grapes for snack, try pairing them with cheese, carrot sticks with hummus, peanut butter with whole wheat breads or crackers. Tempt children to eat healthy snacks through interesting colors and shapes. Offer brightly colored fruits and vegetables – berries, fresh green beans, cucumber rings, carrot sticks, apple and pear slices with colorful skins, tangerine segments, or broccoli florets, to name a few. Offer snack trade-offs to give children more say in their preferences for texture and ease of eating – applesauce instead of apple slices, crackers instead of bread, flavored milk instead of regular milk, for example. Involve your children in appreciation of foods. Take them for field trips to a farm or farmer’s markets to experience the wide array of healthy foods available to them and the people involved in producing them. It’s not always easy to enforce a diet completely free of processed foods. Adding a little of their favorites mixed in with more nutritious choices can make snack time more fun. Don’t be afraid to add a few chocolate chips, nuts or soy nuts, pretzels, or graham crackers along with fruits, vegetables and healthy dairy to your children’s snack options. We’re always happy to discuss children’s diets during their routine check-ups. Be sure to bring up your concerns or ask for helpful dietary tips whenever you visit with us at Pediatric Care Centers!
Pediatric Care Centers Featured on Jacksonville’s BUZZ Website
Pediatric Care Centers was recently featured on the Jacksonville BUZZ website to promote our new Healthy Habit Program. Click here to read the article and stay tuned for the follow-up story!
Choking Episodes: Prevention and Emergency Care
One of the most frightening experiences for parents occurs when their child chokes on some food or small toy. At Pediatric Care Centers, we understand that these episodes can happen at any time, and not always when emergency medical care is immediately available. That’s why we advise that parents take preventive measures whenever possible. Younger children especially are prone to putting objects in their mouth with little awareness of how inhaling it may be a danger. They also are more likely to choke on foods that are not cut small enough for them to handle. For those reasons, we have these tips for parents. Tips to Prevent Choking Be alert for small objects – beads, balloons, toy parts, bolts and screws, etc. – in the small child’s environment. Make it a habit to do a “sweep” through the child’s bedroom or playroom daily to ensure these objects are out of reach. Follow package warnings when buying toys. Look for warning labels that small parts, beads, dowels, and other objects are part of the toy’s make-up. Reserve such toys for older children. Limit your child’s possibility of choking while eating: cut carrots, meat, popcorn, grapes and other foods in very small pieces the child can easily eat without choking. Cut hot dogs in half. Avoid rushing children through meals, having them eat while walking, or encouraging belly laughs or high jinks while eating. Choking First Aid If a choking episode occurs, parents may be ill-equipped to respond appropriately. The child may exhibit panic, gasping, wheezing, collapsing, turning blue and other symptoms. Slapping the child on the back or trying to reach down his throat to retrieve the object may be parents’ first response. These measures may make the situation worse. If choking occurs, the order of correct responses is to (1) call 911 or have someone call for you, (2) administer the Heimlich (abdominal thrusts) maneuver. We recommend that parents take online or hands-on classes in CPR and Heimlich maneuver for children. Even if a choking event never occurs, such knowledge can give you higher awareness and the confidence that you are prepared if an emergency arises. Look for classes in your area given by the Red Cross or American Heart Association, community colleges, adult education in local public schools or other resources. At Pediatrics, we strive to educate all of our families and prepare them for any situation. If you have more questions about choking first aid for babies and children, contact us. We’ll be happy to provide more information about emergency first aid classes in our area.
Taking Medications at School: Tips for Parents
Whenever your children are on medications they must take during school hours, it’s a time when parents need to closely coordinate with school officials. At Pediatric Care Centers, we are prepared to assist parents and teachers/administrators with answers to medication questions and concerns. Strict guidelines have been set for school officials on how they are to handle students’ medications. As parents, you play an essential role in coordinating a smooth transition between home and school where medications need to be given in a safe way, as prescribed. Here are tips for helping to coordinate your child’s course of medications. Schools must receive medications in their original bottles, so ask your pharmacist to split the medication between a home supply and a school supply bottle. Both should be clearly labeled with name, date, schedule of dosage, and other details. Make sure you, as parent or adult caregiver, hand off the medication to the school officials in person. Do not have your child make the hand-over. You will need to present the school with your doctor’s signed authorization, as well as sign a parent’s authorization. The doctor’s authorization should include all details about times to administer medications, dosage, over how many days they should be given, possible side effects and other necessary details. If your child has a chronic disease that requires medication “as needed” or during an emergency, consult with the school nurse and administration on how your child will receive medications properly at school, during sporting events, or on field trips. Be sure that you give the first dose of the medication before it is administered at school. Watch over the next 12-24 hours for signs of reaction to the medication. Be sure to call us if you have any concerns. Do not have your children carry and administer their own medications. We want all of our young patients requiring medications to receive them in a safe, timely way. We are available by phone to advise caregivers at home and staff at school about your children and their medications.
News on Flu Season 2016-2017
Flu season has now arrived, and here at Pediatric Care Centers we are again recommending that your children receive flu vaccine to protect them from this common ailment. But unlike previous years, we now no longer recommend the nasal spray form of flu vaccine. Results of an important study were announced in May 2016 after experts compared the results of flu vaccine given by shots versus nasal spray between 2013 and 2016. The study showed the nasal spray was much less effective in preventing cases of the flu in children. We strongly encourage your child to receive the flu vaccine to prevent symptoms including respiratory illness combined with nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. These symptoms can be severe in children. Our current recommendations for flu season include the following, in accord with the recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Children aged 6 months and above should be vaccinated with flu shots. In children 6 months to 9 years, they should receive one dose if they’ve previously received two or more doses before July 1, 2016. If they’re received fewer than two doses during that period, we recommend they receive two doses. Children 9 years and older require only one dose. We also recommend that pregnant women receive the flu shot, which should provide protection for the mother and her baby. Children with chronic diseases like asthma and sickle cell anemia should also receive flu shots this season, as should their caregivers and family members. We welcome your calls to discuss your concerns about flu and flu prevention for your children. We will be providing flu shots at all of our offices this fall and into 2017, when the 2016-2017 season ends. Please give us a call at your convenience to schedule an appointment for flu shots.