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How To Recognize and Prevent CO Poisoning

Many people are aware of the threat posed by carbon monoxide, or CO. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, at least 430 people die from accidental CO poisoning in the United States each year, while the Canada Safety Council notes that carbon monoxide is the leading cause of fatal poisonings throughout North America. The CDC points out that instances of CO poisoning are entirely preventable, which might surprise many of the estimated tens of thousands of people in the United States who visit emergency rooms to be treated for CO poisoning each year. Learning to recognize signs of CO poisoning and how to prevent it can help people avoid its harmful effects and potentially save lives. Recognizing CO poisoning. The National Center for Environmental Health says that breathing CO can cause a variety of symptoms, including headache, dizziness, vomiting or nausea. Infants, the elderly and people with chronic heart disease, anemia or breathing problems are more likely to get sick from CO exposure than children, adults and people without the aforementioned conditions. How can I prevent CO poisoning? Even those people who do not lose their lives to moderate or severe CO poisoning can suffer long-term health consequences, including an increased risk of heart disease, as a result of their exposure. So it behooves everyone to take steps to prevent CO poisoning from occurring. Do not run a motor vehicle, generator, pressure washer or any gasoline-powered engine within 20 feet of an open window, door or vent. The exhaust from such items can vent into enclosed areas, increasing the risk of CO exposure. Do not leave motor vehicles running in enclosed or partially enclosed spaces, such as a garage. Do not run generators, pressure washers or gasoline-powered engines inside basements, garages or other enclosed structures, even if windows are open. Do not operate charcoal grills, hibachis, lanterns or portable camping stoves indoors or insides tents or campers. CO poisoning can cause very serious consequences, including death. Fortunately, all instances of CO poisoning can be prevented.

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Parents

Tips For Tackling Picky Eaters

Many a parent understands the problems posed by picky eaters. Dinner table confrontations over vegetables can try parents’ patience, and kids busy refusing to eat their broccoli may not be getting all the vitamins and minerals they need to grow up healthy and strong. Recognizing that parents sometimes face an uphill battle when confronted with picky eaters, the American Heart Association offers the following tips. Let kids pitch in on prep. The AHA recommends allowing picky eaters to help shop for groceries and prepare meals. Youngsters who pitch in may be more invested in their meals and therefore more likely to eat them. Steer clear of unhealthy foods. Kids imitate their parents’ behaviors, and that extends to the foods mom and dad eat. Parents who set bad examples by eating unhealthy meals and snacks may find it especially difficult to convince youngsters to forgo pizza and potato chips in favor of healthy fare. In addition, kids can’t sneak unhealthy snacks if such snacks are nowhere to be found. Avoid sugary drinks, such as soda, in favor of water or 100 percent juice as well. Stick to a snack schedule. The AHA advises that many kids like routine and will grow accustomed to eating at certain times. When parents and kids stick to a snack schedule, the AHA suggests kids are likely to eat what they’re given. Choose healthy snacks, ideally incorporating two food groups. Add healthy foods to dishes kids already like. Another way to get picky eaters to embrace healthy foods is to introduce such foods into dishes kids already like. For example, add antioxidant-rich blueberries to pancakes. Kids might like that extra burst of flavor, and parents can rest easy knowing kids are eating something healthy. Don’t be afraid to serve the occasional bowl of ice cream or brownie. When eaten in moderation, foods that are not often associated with nutrition, such as ice cream and baked goods, don’t pose much of a threat. In addition, if kids’ diets never include such indulgences, the AHA notes that youngsters are more likely to overindulge when they do get their hands on forbidden foods, such as at birthday parties or other special events.

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Parentown KidSmart

STEAM Books Make Great Gifts for children This Holiday Season

Add joy to the holiday season with exciting books for kids. Think about choices focusing on STEAM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) that encourage the pursuit for knowledge and offer opportunities for immersive learning experiences. Here are a few fun ideas. Ultimate Book of Knowledge Packed with information, “DK Children’s Encyclopedia” explains virtually everything! Each entry features a key topic explained in a visual way with fun facts and cross-references, revealing the links between subjects. Covering arts, people, history, Earth, nature, science, technology, space and the human body, this is an essential reference book for children who wants to discover as much as possible about the world around them. Cool Coding Kids can learn to code games and use Scratch with “Star Wars Coding Projects,” a visual guide that shows readers everything they need to know to create cool computer projects, animations and games. Readers can build a game where they navigate a spaceship through an asteroid belt, as well as a jetpack simulation game. Kids can share projects with friends and challenge them to beat their scores. Each project consists of simple, illustrated steps. Nature Up-Close A visual reference for kids that explores the natural world in stunning detail, “Explanatorium of Nature,” created in association with the Smithsonian Institution, is the first in a brand-new book series. Through close-ups and cross-sections, exploded images, X-rays and more, the book explores everything from fruit to flies, coral to clouds, and mountains to mammals – and is a nice tool for curious minds to find out how things work and why they exist. Virtual Reality Created in association with an educational virtual reality company, “Virtual Reality” explores the history of VR and includes an app download for five VR experiences and a cardboard viewer with stickers to make it your own. Kids can come face-to-face with a T. rex, look inside a volcano, explore the Roman Colosseum, hop aboard the International Space Station and peek under the surface of a pond. DIY Everything Using freely available software, “3D Printing Projects” provides inspiration and step-by-step visual instruction for simple builds and complicated pieces, from small treasure boxes to chess sets and model cars. This how-to guide covers such subjects as designing, scanning, modeling, digital sculpting, slicing and printing. Information on the 3D printing revolution and the science behind how it works is also included. This holiday season, give the gift of knowledge and fun, with great books that explore the world.

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Parentown KidShape

Want healthier kids? Get a pet!

f youngsters have been eyeing fuzzy kittens or boisterous puppies at nearby shelters or pet stores, parents may want to give in to those cries for a family pet. Pets are added responsibilities, but the health benefits associated with pet ownership may be well worth the investment of time and effort. Caring for a pet is sometimes viewed as a childhood rite of passage, but there’s much more to the experience than just learning responsibility. Experts say a child’s emotional, cognitive, physical and social development can be enhanced through interaction with a family pet. Studies continue, but the effects of family pets on children was heavily researched by developmental psychologist Gail F. Melson in 2003. Melson looked at literature on child-animal relationships and found that children who had pets were better able to understand biology and children who could turn to pets for unconditional emotional support were less anxious and withdrawn than their peers without family pets. Data from a small study conducted by researchers at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University reported that adolescents who had animal experience were more likely to see themselves as important contributors to communities and more likely to take on leadership roles. Pets can also help children develop into well-rounded individuals. Playing with a pet requires children to engage in physical activity and can help stimulate motor skills. An English study conducted in 2010 and published in the “American Journal of Public Health” found that children from dog-owning families spent more time in light or moderate to vigorous physical activity and recorded higher levels of activity counts per minute than kids whose families did not own a dog. Pets may help with allergies and respiratory ailments as well. A 2012 study by the American Academy of Pediatrics discovered that children who have early contact with cats and dogs have fewer respiratory infections and ear infections and need shorter courses of antibiotics than children who have not had contact with pets. A study from Dennis Ownby, M.D., a pediatrician and head of the allergy and immunology department of the Medical College of Georgia, found that having multiple pets decreases a child’s risk of developing certain allergies. He found that the children who were exposed to two or more dogs or cats as babies were less than half as likely to develop common allergies as kids who had no pets in the home. Pets also may foster social interactions, which can benefit children who are shy. Inviting others over to meet pets can help children make friends and find others with similar interests. Children may also confide in pets, which can help develop their self esteem.

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Parentown KidSmart

KidSmart |

As we become increasingly reliant on digital content available on-demand, what happens to our repositories for printed material? The answer may be simpler than you think: Libraries aren’t just about books anymore. Most have shifted focus from their book collections to the communities they serve and adjusted their designs to match. Library-sponsored programs, such as children’s reading hours and job-search assistance sessions, are bolstering many branches’ outreach and education efforts. A 2016 library use study from the Pew Research Center indicates an increase in the number of people visiting libraries for educational purposes: 27 percent of library users said they’d attended classes, programs or lectures at their local institutions, a 10 percent increase from 2015. But the breadth of events a modern library can host relies upon the physical space within each building, which is why a major part of this change comes in the form of reconfigured spaces. To accommodate shifts in usage, library systems have been improving their physical structures. For example, marquee projects by renowned architects have reinvigorated the Washington, D.C., Public Library system, with 15 completed remodels (two of which were designed by the pairing of Adjaye Associates and the Freelon Group, of National Museum of African- American History & Culture fame). Six more library upgrades are currently on the horizon in D.C., including a renovation and addition to Ludwig Mies van der Rohe’s Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library. An architectural team comprised of Martinez + Johnson Architecture and Mecanoo will modernize that facility, aiming to improve overall transparency and visibility while adding amenities such as a café, a roof terrace event space and spaces for music production and fabrication. The end goal, according to D.C. Public Library, is to position the library as an engine for social improvement as opposed to simply being a place to pick up or drop off a book. To learn more about how libraries are changing in communities nationwide, visit Topic Architecture. Even as new digital technologies emerge, modern libraries will always remain home to large holdings of printed material. Many collections have already expanded to include e-reader versions of popular titles, music and video on a variety of media. The latest design improvements to libraries make them not only enjoyable venues for reading, but also welcoming places to build community.

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Parentown KidShape

KidShape | Concentrated juice consumption

Today’s youth continue to battle obesity. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the percentage of obese children in the United States has more than tripled since the 1970s. Roughly one in five school-aged children is obese. Obese children and adults are at a higher risk for chronic health conditions such as asthma, bone and joint problems, Type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Although many factors can contribute to obesity among children, researchers with the American Academy of Pediatrics are now warning parents that fruit juice can be a contributor. In suggestions that overwrite previous recommendations from 2006 in which the AAP said children between the ages of 6 months and 6 years could have up to six ounces of fruit juice a day, fruit juice is no longer recommended for children under the age of 1year old. Plus, health experts say that older children should choose whole fruit sources in lieu of fruit juices whenever possible. According to the article “Reducing Childhood Obesity by Eliminating 100 Percent Fruit Juice,” authored by Janet Wojcicki, PhD, MPH, and Melvin Heyman, MD, MPH, and published in the American Journal of Public Health, excessive fruit juice consumption is associated with increased risk for obesity. There also is recent scientific evidence that sucrose consumption without the corresponding fiber is associated with metabolic syndrome, liver injury and obesity. Obesity is not the only risk associated with fruit juice. Although fruit juice in moderation can be a nutritious beverage, drinking juice from a bottle can lead to nursing bottle dental caries. Also, “toddler’s diarrhea” has been associated with juice consumption, particularly in juice with a high fructose to glucose ratio, according to data published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition. Many health experts are concerned by excessive fruit juice consumption that can lead to an increased caloric intake and obesity. AAP researchers suggest parents of young children mash up fresh fruit instead of giving them juice. Water, milk and breast milk/formula should be the main liquid for children. Older children can have limited amounts of 100 percent fruit juice, but should be steered toward other low-calorie drinks instead.   

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Parentown KidSmart

Facts and Myths about Germs at School

Everybody seems to have an opinion about germs — what causes them, where they’re located, how to avoid them — especially when it comes to children. Experts say that American children miss 22 million days of school annually due to colds, flu and other infections. “Avoiding germs at schools isn’t as simple as just washing your hands in the bathroom or sneezing into your sleeve,” says Charles Gerba, Ph.D., professor of microbiology and environmental sciences at the University of Arizona. “Germs are on everything kids touch in the classroom, as well as around the hallways, cafeteria and playground.” With this in mind, it is important to separate facts from myths about germs in schools. • Fact: Desks Are Among the Most Germ-Prone Items. It’s true! Students spend most of the day at their desks — sneezes, coughs and all — and, in some schools, they often switch classrooms and share desks with others. At the end of the day, students bring home that cocktail of germs to their families. • Myth: Any Hand Sanitizer Will Do. According to research from the University of Colorado at Boulder, people carry an average of 3,200 bacteria on their hands. While most hand sanitizers are 99.9 percent effective at killing germs, some only last for a few minutes or until the application dries on the skin. Therefore, parents should consider applying hand sanitizers for their children that last throughout the day, such as Zoono’s GermFree24, which is proven to last for 24 hours on skin and is available as both a foam and a spray. • Fact: Germs Can Affect Kids Outside the Classroom. Germs in schools aren’t just isolated to classrooms. They are everywhere, including cafeteria trays, playground jungle gyms and sports equipment. In fact, the Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine found 63 percent of gym equipment is contaminated with rhinovirus, which causes the common cold. Reminding children to wash their hands before and after using these items (and wiping them down) will go a long way toward preventing sickness. • Myth: Sticking Things in Your Mouth Is Child’s Play. Sure, curiosity might drive preschoolers to stick items in their mouths that don’t belong. However, older students who nervously chew on pen caps, especially ones they borrow from classmates, or on their own fingernails during tough tests, are susceptible to picking up the germs that are traversing through school. • Fact: Backpacks Carry More Than Just Books. Backpacks go everywhere ­— to classrooms, inside lockers, in the cafeteria, in locker rooms — and collect various germs throughout the day. Periodically clean backpacks inside and out. And make sure lunches and other food items, as well as gym clothes, are packed in separate bags to avoid cross-contamination of germs. • Myth: Sharing Is Always Caring. Just about every school supply — from pens and pencils to headphones to sport jerseys — can be a vehicle for harmful bacteria. Make sure children are armed with their own items, including mechanical pencils, to avoid using the classroom’s pencil sharpener, and avoid sharing their supplies with classmates. When it comes to germs, separating myths from facts can help you have a happier, healthier school year.

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Parents

Back-to-School Checklist for Parents of Children Living With Asthma

School-aged kids who catch colds or the flu from their classmates can quickly spread those colds to their family members, who then might spread the colds further when they go to work. Preventing the spread of colds and flu at school is a team effort that requires the assistance of not just parents, but also teachers and students. Still, parents might be the first line of defense when it comes to preventing the spread of cold and flu at school. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 38 million school days are lost to the flu each year. Those lost days can affect students who miss lesson plans, but also affect parents, who often must take days off from work to tend to their sick children. While there’s no way for parents to guarantee their children won’t catch a cold or the flu this school year, they can take various preventive measures to increase kids’ chances of staying healthy and achieving perfect attendance. • Make sure kids are immunized and that their immunizations are current. Vaccinations bolster kids’ immune systems. That’s important, as kids’ immune systems are naturally less mature than adults’, making them more vulnerable to germs and viruses. The CDC recommends that adults and children receive their flu vaccinations in October, while noting that such vaccinations can be administered as late as January and still prove effective. The CDC also recommends that adults and children receive flu vaccinations each year. Additional vaccinations may not need to be administered as often, but parents should still ensure kids are up-to-date with their shots. • Make sure kids wash their hands. Kids often catch colds by rubbing their hands that have been exposed to cold virus germs on their noses or eyes. To prevent that, parents can teach kids to wash to their hands thoroughly, including scrubbing the backs of their hands, between their fingers and around their fingernails. Kids should know to wash their hands regularly, but especially after they use the bathroom and before they eat, drink or touch their mouths, noses or eyes. • Keep kids home when they are ill. Parents don’t want their children to miss school, but kids who are suffering from colds or flu should be kept home. This prevents the spread of colds and flu to classmates and teachers, and time to rest at home may help youngsters recover more quickly. • Teach kids to avoid common germ spots. Germs can be lurking anywhere, but some spots seem to make more welcome homes for germs than others. Studies have shown that kids were most likely to encounter germs in schools on water fountain spigots and on plastic cafeteria trays. Teach kids to never put their mouths on fountains and to avoid eating any food that might fall onto their trays in the cafeteria. School-aged children are susceptible to colds and flu when spending time in the classroom. But parents can reduce their youngsters’ cold and flu risks in various ways.

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