Educations Toys Ideas!

The holidays are upon us and the last thing anyone needs is more "stuff", so here's a link to a post on Not Just Cute with educational gift guides to find a purposeful gift that encourages your child to learn through play. What kind of education gifts do you love? Happy Shopping and hopefully these ideas will help!

 **Info from www.notjustcute.blogspot.com

*Picture from www.imaginationsoup.net

Parents urged to use Caution : Bumbo Baby Seats

We wanted to make sure you know about the most current recalls and warnings to protect your child. For more information click on www.saferproducts.gov

Serious Head Injuries to Infants Continue Due to Falls from Bumbo Baby Seats Used on Elevated Surfaces Injuries occurring despite previous recall warning; parents urged to use caution

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Due to the serious risk of injury to babies, CPSC and Bumbo International Trust of South Africa ("Bumbo International") are urging parents and caregivers to never place Bumbo Baby Seats on tables, countertops, chairs or other raised surfaces. Infants aged 3-10 months old have fallen out of the Bumbo seat and suffered skull fractures and other injuries.
CPSC and Bumbo International are aware of at least 45 incidents in which infants fell out of a Bumbo seat while it was being used on an elevated surface which occurred after an October 25, 2007 voluntary recall of the product. The recall required that new warnings be placed on the seat to deter elevated usage of the product. Since the recall, CPSC and Bumbo International have learned that 17 of those infants, ages 3-10 months, suffered skull fractures. These incidents and injuries involved both recalled Bumbo seats and Bumbo seats sold after the recall with the additional on-product warnings.
CPSC and Bumbo International are also aware of an additional 50 reports of infants falling or maneuvering out of Bumbo seats used on the floor and at unknown elevations. These incidents include two reports of skull fractures and one report of a concussion that occurred when babies fell out of Bumbo seats used on the floor. These injuries reportedly occurred when the infants struck their heads on hard flooring, or in one case, on a nearby toy.
The Bumbo seat is labeled and marketed to help infants sit in an upright position as soon as they can support their head. The product warnings state that the seat "may not prevent release of your baby in the event of vigorous movement." Infants as young as 3 months can fall or escape from the seat by arching backward, leaning forward or sideways or rocking.
At the time of the 2007 recall announcement, CPSC was aware of 28 falls from the product, three of which resulted in skull fractures to infants who fell or maneuvered out of the product used on an elevated surface. CPSC and Bumbo International are now aware of at least 46 falls from Bumbo seats used on elevated surfaces that occurred prior to the 2007 recall, resulting in 14 skull fractures, two concussions and one incident of a broken limb.
Approximately 3.85 million Bumbo seats have been sold in the United States since 2003. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) is still interested in receiving incident or injury reports that are either directly related to this product alert or involve a different hazard with the same product. Please tell us about your experience with the product on www.saferproducts.gov 
info from : http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml12/12047.html

Black Friday: Toy tips and warnings before you buy

As you begin your shopping this holiday season we hope you keep a few things in mind. "Safety and Quality"

SAFETEY:
The consumer advocate's report, released Tuesday, found just over a dozen toys on store shelves that violate federal safety standards. Some had unsafe levels of lead or chemicals called phthalates, and others contained small parts that young children could choke on. Government figures show 34 toy recalls in fiscal year 2011 -- down from 46 recalls the previous year; 50 in 2009 and 172 in 2008. Recalls related to lead were down from 19 in 2008 to four this past year.To read the full article and see the list of "unsafe" toys click HERE and for the full list click HERE.
QUALITY:

Babies rely primarily on their 5 senses (seeing, smelling, hearing, touching, and—yes—tasting) to play and explore. If you keep this concept in mind, it will serve you well when selecting the best toys for your baby.

• Eye catching. Babies typically prefer objects with bright colors, high contrast, simple designs, and clear lines.
• Shakes, rattles, and rolls. Your baby’s exploratory efforts will be rewarded with both sounds and movement.
• Touchy feely. Remember to let your baby explore various textures. Think soft, smooth, fluffy, and fuzzy.
• Holds its own. Look for toys that will be easy to hold so your baby can get a good grasp.
• Drool resistant. As soon as they’re able, babies use their mouths to explore their world. Fortunately, there are plenty of baby toys today designed with this in mind.
• Stands up under pressure…not to mention all of the pushing, pulling, dropping, and smushing that baby toys are inevitably subjected to.

Be Pro-Active

When it comes to toys (and, ultimately, learning), active play always wins out over passive entertainment such as watching a TV. Although your newborn certainly won’t be getting a full-fledged workout just yet, she’ll be moving more in a matter of mere months. As she does, offer her toys that she can reach for and hold, look at, listen to, wave, shake, chew on, make noise with, and more. An activity mat that you put on the floor can make an excellent fitness center for your new baby as she learns about the textures and sounds of different objects as well as works on her depth perception skills by trying to grab such items as hanging rings and plastic mirrors.

The Perfect Fit

Finally, be sure to offer toys to your baby that are at an appropriate level for her development. While you may love the idea of building Legos together, she won’t yet have the required dexterity (or self-control to avoid eating the pieces) to make them a good fit. If a toy is too advanced (or too simplistic) for a child, they will quickly lose interest or get frustrated.
**info from The Boston Globe/Associated Press
**info from http://www.healthychildren.org/

Happy Thanksgiving

The Willow Creek office WILL be open on Thanksgiving day, November 24, for Willow Creek and Draper patients! We have a doctor on call to see patients with URGENT problems only! We will book patients in consecutive order and will stay until the latest scheduled appointment, so call first thing in the morning if your child needs to be seen to be sure to get an appointment! Our phones will turn on at 9:30 am.

We will also be open the day after Thanksgiving. We will have a few doctors in the office to see sick patients. This will be treated as a regular day with regular office hours for the Willow Creek office!

 

This time of the year makes us all reflect on the many thanks we have. Here are just a few things we are thankful for:

 

Dr. Steve Lynch--.Health, Love, Family (two legged and four legged) and compassionate friends!

Valerie (nurse)-- Good Health!

Jan (front office)--My awesome family and grand kids

Shaylyn (front office coordinator)--My family

Dr Ryan Donnelley--Thankful that my wife is still pregnant (24 weeks along with preterm labor on bed rest) and for my kids and for my new job with great patients and staff.

Traci (nurse)--My family and my patients

Trishell (front office)--My family....and that we are all healthy and happy

Dr. Jim Memmott--Thankful for my great family and for a great job and my amazing patients.

Margie (office coordinator)--A great job with amazing physicians and staff, good health, and great family and friends.

Kari (front office)--I can think of hundreds of things from one day to the next. Today is breathing, smiling,living and loving.  I can not begin to express how grateful I am for every day!

Mandy (nurse/blogger)--My two boys and a great husband, my family who is my life, my health and my children's healthy and an amazing job that I love and work with such amazing people and patients!

Dr. Joe Jopling--Thankful for family and good health. Especially when we work in an industry like this, it makes me appreciate good health even more.

 

The staff and doctors of Willow Creek would like to wish all of our patients and their families and happy and safe Thanksgiving week!

 

Adding "greens" to your Thanksgiving Table

We hope you are all enjoying a wonderful week of Thanksgiving. Dr Jopling found this great article about adding "green's" to your Thanksgiving table. It's not easy being green — particularly at the Thanksgiving table. Unless you're a snap bean forced into an arranged marriage with a can of cream of mushroom soup, green vegetables get short shrift on America's day of giving thanks. To read the full article click HERE.

We also know many of you travel during this time of the year and wanted to remind you to buckle up your little ones. For a few reminder tips click HERE and HERE.

Have a wonderful week and coming up this week--"What our staff is thankful for!"

Successful Parenting Class & Tech Tip

Thank you so much to Amanda Morgan for a very successful course of parenting classes. We had such a great turn out and learned so much! Remember to check out Amanda at her blog NotJustCute and let us know if you interested in attending any of her Parenting classes. She will be doing more after the first of the year.

Tech Tip: Dr Lynch found this great "App" and wanted to share it. It is called Infant Risk Center Mobile Application at www.infantrisk.com  It is a app from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. It is based on Medications and Mothers' Milk by Thomas Hale. One benefit it has is it tells you which drugs are safe during pregnancy and during breastfeeding. We promise to give you information and we receive it and thought this was great. Do you have a great "App" that you love?...Let us know!
**Info from www.aapnew.org

Varicella-related deaths in US children plummet thanks to vaccine

Dr Lynch recently found this article and wanted to share it with you.

                         

The use of the varicella (chickenpox) vaccine in the U.S. since 1995 has reduced the death rate from this disease by 97 percent among children and adolescents, according to an analysis of data from the National Center for Health Statistics from 1990-2007.  Because deaths from varicella are relatively few, the major benefit of the vaccine is considered to be the reduction in lost work and medical care associated with cases and severe complications. Varicella deaths are a powerful reminder of the importance of vaccines for prevention. For most of the time period since 1995, a one-dose vaccine was used for children. Since 2006, a two-dose regimen has been recommended. This could possibly eliminate deaths altogether in this age group from the disease in the future. The full article can be read in th August 2011 issue of Pediatrics called  , “Near Elimination of Varicella Deaths in the US Following Implementation of the Childhood Vaccination Program."

Here is some basic information about the Chicken Pox vaccine and why it is important.

Why get vaccinated?

Chickenpox (also called varicella) is a common childhood disease. It is usually mild, but it can be serious, especially in young infants and adults.

• It causes a rash, itching, fever, and tiredness.
• It can lead to severe skin infection, scars, pneumonia, brain damage, or death.
• The chickenpox virus can be spread from person to person through the air, or by contact with fluid from chickenpox blisters.
• A person who has had chickenpox can get a painful rash called shingles years later.
• Before the vaccine, about 11,000 people were hospitalized for chickenpox each year in the United States.
• Before the vaccine, about 100 people died each year as a result of chickenpox in the United States.

Chickenpox vaccine can prevent chickenpox.

Most people who get chickenpox vaccine will not get chickenpox. But if someone who has been vaccinated does get chickenpox, it is usually very mild. They will have fewer blisters, are less likely to have a fever, and will recover faster.

Who should get chickenpox vaccine and when?

Children who have never had chickenpox should get 2 doses of chickenpox vaccine at these ages:

• 1st Dose: 12-15 months of age
• 2nd Dose: 4-6 years of age (may be given earlier, if at least 3 months after the 1st dose) 

To read more about the chicken pox vaccine please click HERE for the full article.
**info from http://www.aapnews.org/, http://www.healthychildren.org/ and http://www.cdc.gov/

Fact Friday :Children's exposure to soda ads doubled from 2008 to 2010

American children and teenagers are seeing far more soda advertising than before, with blacks and Hispanics the major targets as marketers have expanded online, according to a study released Monday.
The report from the Yale University Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity also said many fruit and energy drinks, which are popular with teens, have as much added sugar and as many calories as regular soda.
"Our children are being assaulted by these drinks that are high in sugar and low in nutrition," said Yale's Kelly Brownell, co-author of the report. "The companies are marketing them in highly aggressive ways." To read the full story click HERE. It is very shocking and eye opening. As a reminder American Academy of Pediatrics said such highly caffeinated beverages are not appropriate for children and adolescents. Here are some quick facts about sugary drinks. It is a great reminder!
Sodas
A 12-ounce can of full-calorie soda typically contains 10 1/2 teaspoons of sugar.
Fruit drinks
An 8-ounce serving of a full-calorie fruit drink has 110 calories and 7 teaspoons of sugar, the same amount found in an 8-ounce serving of a full-calorie soda or energy drink.
Some fruit drink packages are covered with images of real fruit, even though the drinks might contain no more than 5 percent real fruit juice. The ingredients are water and high-fructose corn syrup, or in some cases "real sugar," such as cane sugar.
Iced teas, sports drinks, flavored waters
Full-calorie versions of these drinks typically contain 3 to 5 teaspoons of sugar per 8-ounce serving.
Despite their high sugar content, more than half of sugary drinks and energy drinks market positive ingredients on their packages, and 64 percent feature their "all-natural" or "real" ingredients.

**Info from The Yale University Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity
**Info from AAP

Impact Test now at Willow Creek

We are now offering the IMPACT TEST for evaluation of concussions. The Impact Test is a computerized test used by many professional and collegiate athletes and is felt to be the state of the art to evaluate for concussions and determine when athletes can return to play. We would suggest that athletes greater than ten years of age take a baseline test, then if they do get a head injury a post concussion test can given to evaluate the seriousness of their injury. Please ask your doctor for more information, and as always, make sure your child is evaluated by his or her doctor if he or she has any signs of a concussion.

 

So what is a Concussion

 

A concussion is any injury to the brain that disrupts normal brain function on a temporary or permanent basis. Concussions are typically caused by a blow or jolt to the head. The following is information from the American Academy of Pediatrics about concussions, including guidance on treatment and prevention.

When do concussions occur?

Concussions can happen in any sport but more often occur in collision sports, such as football, rugby, or ice hockey. They also are common in contact sports that don’t require helmets, such as soccer, basketball, wrestling, and lacrosse. However, a concussion can also occur from a collision with the ground; a wall; a goalpost; or a ball that has been thrown, hit, or kicked. Many concussions also occur outside organized sports. For example, a child riding a bike or skateboard can fall down and bump his head on the street or an obstacle.

Symptoms

The symptoms of a concussion range from subtle to obvious and usually happen right after the injury but may take hours to days to show up. Athletes who have had concussions may report feeling normal before their brain has fully recovered. With most concussions, the player is not knocked out or unconscious.
Symptoms of a concussion include the following:

• Headache
• Nausea or vomiting
• Dizziness or balance problems
• Double or blurry vision
• Sensitivity to light
• Sensitivity to noise
• Feeling dazed or stunned
• Feeling mentally “foggy”
• Trouble concentrating
• Trouble remembering
• Confused or forgetful about recent events
• Slow to answer questions
• Changes in mood—irritable, sad, emotional, nervous
• Drowsiness
• Sleeping more or less than usual
• Trouble falling asleep
• What to do if you suspect a concussion

All concussions are serious, and all athletes with suspected concussions should not return to play until they see a doctor. A doctor can confirm the diagnosis of concussion; determine the need for any specialized tests, such as CT scan, MRI, or neuropsychological tests; and decide if it is OK for the athlete to return to play. Prematurely returning to play after a concussion can lead to another concussion or even death. An athlete with a history of concussion may be more susceptible to another injury than an athlete with no history of concussion.
No one knows how many concussions are too many before permanent damage occurs. Repeated concussions are particularly worrisome, especially if each one takes longer to resolve or if a repeat concussion occurs from a light blow. The doctor needs to know about all prior concussions, including those that occurred outside of a sports setting, in order to make proper recommendations regarding return to play and future sports participation.

Treatment

The best treatment for a concussion is complete rest from all physical and mental activity. Children should be monitored often, but there is no need for wake-up checks during sleep. Loud music, computer, and TV should be limited or stopped if they increase the symptoms. School attendance and work may need to be modified with tests and projects postponed. Students need to be excused from gym class or recess activities. Any worsening of concussion symptoms or changes in behavior (eg, agitation, grogginess, disorientation) should be immediately reported to your doctor.

Returning to physical activity

Recovery time from concussion is variable based on the individual, the severity of the concussion, and the history of prior concussions. An athlete may feel better and want to return to play before their brain has completely recovered. Given the uncertain and unpredictable time frame for recovery, all sports activity should be suspended until symptoms have completely resolved at rest. At this point, a stepwise return to physical activity can begin if the athlete’s doctor says it’s OK. The stepwise plan should be progressive and individualized. Having an athletic trainer involved in monitoring this plan can be very helpful. It is important to pay close attention to worsening symptoms (like increasing headache, nausea, or dizziness). Any concussion-related symptoms that return with exertion are a clear indicator that the concussion has not healed. Final clearance to return to full activity should also be at the direction of a physician.

Prevention

Not all concussions can be prevented, but some may be avoided. Helmets should be worn for any riding activities (like horseback, all terrain vehicle [ATV], motorbike, bike, skateboard, or snowboard) or contact sports (like football, hockey, or lacrosse). Helmets should fit appropriately and be in good condition. Athletes should be taught safe playing techniques and to follow the rules of the game. Most importantly, every athlete needs to know how crucial it is to let their coach, athletic trainer, or parent know if they have hit their head or have symptoms of a head injury—even if it means stopping play. Never ignore a head injury, no matter how minor.
“When in Doubt, Sit Them Out!"

**INFO from the AAP and click here to read the full article

Web INFO: Why it is smart to be bilingual

The brain’s real super-food may be learning new languages.

It has been only two years since Utah legislators secured funding to experiment with immersion education, but already the state has 51 programs up and running. Fourteen more are set to take off this fall. By 2014, educators hope to have 30,000 of Utah's students signed up."Our main goal is to mainstream immersion," said Gregg Roberts, the world language specialist at the Utah State Office of Education. "In the past, it has been a boutique program for elite private schools. We want to make that option available to all parents." In the meantime, other states are taking note. Utah is the first in the nation to develop standardized immersion curriculum. In June, representatives from Arizona, California, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland and North and South Carolina dropped in to take a peek at the state's program. "Utah is leading the nation in immersion education," said Myriam Met, deputy director of the National Foreign Language Center in Maryland. "I'm in awe of what you're doing for your children and your communities."( Info By Elizabeth Stuart, Deseret News Published: Wednesday, July 7, 2010)

Dr. Jopling found this great article on the web and thought it was great to share
.

On a sweltering August morning, in a classroom overlooking New York’s Hudson River, a group of 3-year-olds are rolling sticky rice balls in chocolate sprinkles, as a teacher guides them completely in Mandarin.

This is just one toddler learning game at the total--immersion language summer camp run by the primary school Bilingual Buds, which offers a year-round curriculum in Mandarin as well as Spanish (at a New Jersey campus) for kids as young as 2. Bilingualism, of course, can be a leg up for college admission and a résumé burnisher. But a growing body of research now offers a further rationale: the regular, high-level use of more than one language may actually improve early brain development.

According to several different studies, command of two or more languages bolsters the ability to focus in the face of distraction, decide between competing alternatives, and disregard irrelevant information. These essential skills are grouped together, known in brain terms as “executive function.” The research suggests they develop ahead of time in bilingual children, and are already evident in kids as young as 3 or 4.

While no one has yet identified the exact mechanism by which bilingualism boosts brain development, the advantage likely stems from the bilingual’s need to continually select the right language for a given situation. According to Ellen Bialystok, a professor at York University in Toronto and a leading researcher in the field, this constant selecting process is strenuous exercise for the brain and involves processes beyond those required for monolingual speech, resulting in an extra stash of mental acuity, or, in Bialy-stok’s terms, a “cognitive reserve.”

Bilingual education, commonplace in many countries, is a growing trend across the United States, with 440 elementary schools (up from virtually none in 1970) offering immersion study in Spanish, Mandarin, and French, in that order of popularity.

For parents whose toddlers can’t read Tolstoy in the original Russian, the research does offer some comfort: Tamar Gollan, a professor at University of California, San Diego, has found a vocabulary gap between children who speak only one language and those who grow up with more. On average, the more languages spoken, the smaller the vocabulary in each one. Gollan’s research suggests that while that gap narrows as children grow, it does not close completely.

The rule of thumb for improving in any language is simple practice. “The more you use it, the better off you are,” Gollan says. “Vocabulary tests, SATs, GREs—those are tests that probe the absolute limits of your ability, and that’s where we find that bilinguals have the disadvantage, where you know the word but you just can’t get it out.”

Gollan believes this deficit can be compensated for with extra study. A more complicated question is how and whether bilingualism may interact with other cognitive issues that can appear in early childhood, specifically attention disorders, says Bialystok. Because attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is linked to compromised executive functioning, it is unclear what impact learning a second language—which calls upon exactly these executive skills—might have on children with this condition. Research on this question is underway.

Some of the most valuable mental perks of bilingualism can’t be measured at all, of course. To speak more than one language is to inherit a global consciousness that opens the mind to more than one culture or way of life.

Bilinguals also appear to be better at learning new languages than monolinguals. London-based writer Clarisse Lehmann spent her early childhood in Switzerland speaking French. At 6, she learned English. Later she learned Spanish, German, and, during three years spent living in Tokyo, Japanese.

“There’s a witty humor in English that has a different sensibility in French,” she says. “And in Japanese, there’s no sarcasm. When I tried, it would be ‘We don’t understand what you’re trying to say.’?”

With five languages under her belt—and a working familiarity with Latin and Greek as well—Lehmann finally considers herself sufficiently multilingual. “Enough, enough!” she says. “I don’t want to learn any more languages.”

What are your thoughts on this in our schools? Does anyone have an experience good or bad that they would mind letting us know so we can all keep making good informed decisions for our children?

*first Part of  article from By Elizabeth Stuart, Deseret News

**article from: Casey Schwartz is a graduate of Brown University and has a master's degree in psychodynamic neuroscience from University College London. She has previously written for The New York Sun and ABC News. She is currently working on a book about the brain world.

Web Info: Average Child collects 7,000 calories from candy Halloween Night

Dr Jopling found this great article on the web. The average U.S. child collects between 3,500 and 7,000 calories from candy on Halloween night, a public heath expert estimates. Donna Arnett, head of the department of epidemiology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Public Health, said a 100-pound child who consumed 7,000 calories would have to walk for nearly 44 hours or play full-court basketball for 14.5 hours to burn those calories

To read the full article from this "scary" article read here .If you ever find a great article let us know and we will send it out.