Fact Friday - Boating Safety

We are sure many of you have some fun boating trip planned throughout the summer! Sometimes it can be very easy to "forget" about safety when you are having such a good time in the boat! Here are a few reminders from the American Academy of Pediatrics on boating safety:

Children should wear life jackets at all times when on boats or near bodies of water.

Make sure the life jacket is the right size for your child. The jacket should not be loose. It should always be worn as instructed with all straps belted.

Blow-up water wings, toys, rafts and air mattresses should not be used as life jackets or personal flotation devices. Adults should wear life jackets for their own protection, and to set a good example.

Adolescents and adults should be warned of the dangers of boating when under the influence of alcohol, drugs, and even some prescription medications.

For the full article and many more great tips on boating safety, click here.

As always, if you ever have questions regarding life jackets or boating safety, please feel free to contact the office!

AAP:Guide to Dental Health

At Willow Creek Pediatrics we not only care about your child's health but taking care of your children's teeth. Recently, the AAP had some great suggestions on pediatric dental health. If you need a referral for a good dentist, please contact your pediatrician.

A Guide To Children's Dental Health Tooth decay is the number-one dental problem among preschoolers, but it can be prevented. Starting children with good dental habits from an early age will help them grow up with healthy smiles. The following is important information about how to care for your child’s teeth from birth to 24 months of age and beyond.Baby Teeth Are Important!Tooth decay can develop as soon as the first tooth appears. It’s important to care for your child’s baby teeth because they act as placeholders for adult teeth. If baby teeth are lost too early, the teeth that are left may move and not leave any room for the adult teeth to come in. And tooth decay in baby teeth can be painful and cause health problems like infections, which can at times be life-threatening. It can also lead to teasing and speech development problems.How To Care For Your Child’s TeethBirth To 12 Months•Good dental habits should begin before the first tooth appears. After feedings, gently brush your baby’s gums using water on a baby toothbrush that has soft bristles. Or wipe them with a clean washcloth.
•Ask about fluoride. After the first tooth appears, ask your child’s doctor if your baby is getting enough fluoride. Many experts recommend using a fluoride-free toothpaste before the age of 2, but check with your child’s doctor or dentist first.
•Schedule your baby’s well-child visits. During these visits your child’s doctor will check your baby’s mouth.
•Schedule a dental checkup. If your baby is at high risk for tooth decay, your child’s doctor will recommend that your baby see a dentist.12 To 24 Months•Brush! Brush your child’s teeth 2 times a day using water on a baby toothbrush that has soft bristles. The best times are after breakfast and before bed.
•Limit juice. Make sure your child doesn’t drink more than 1 small cup of juice each day and only at mealtimes.
•Consult with your child’s dentist or doctor about sucking habits. Sucking too strongly on a pacifier, a thumb, or fingers can affect the shape of the mouth and how the top and bottom teeth line up. This is called your child’s “bite.” Ask your child’s dentist or doctor to help you look for changes in your child’s bite and how to help your child ease out of his sucking habit.
•Schedule a dental checkup. Take your child for a dental checkup if he has not had one.24 Months•Brush! Help your child brush her teeth 2 times a day with a child-sized toothbrush that has soft bristles. There are brushes designed to address the different needs of children at all ages, ensuring that you can select a toothbrush that is appropriate for your child. Encourage her to brush her teeth on her own. However, to make sure your child’s teeth are clean, you should brush them again. If your child doesn’t want her teeth brushed, it may help to turn it into a game. For example, the toothbrush can look upstairs and downstairs in the mouth for missing treasure in the teeth.
•Use fluoride toothpaste. You can start using fluoride toothpaste, which helps prevent cavities. Teach your child not to swallow it. Use a pea-sized amount or less and smear the paste into the bristles. Swallowing too much fluoride toothpaste can make white or brown spots on your child’s adult teeth. If your child doesn’t like the taste of the toothpaste, try another flavor or use plain water.
•Floss. You can begin flossing your child’s teeth as soon as 2 teeth touch each other. But not all children need their teeth flossed at this age, so check with your dentist first.
•Schedule a dental checkup..

Take your child for a dental checkup at least once a year.
Eating and Tooth DecayParents, especially if they have a history of cavities, can pass germs that cause cavities and gum disease if they share food or drinks with their children. Germs can also be spread when parents lick their children’s spoon, fork, or pacifier. This is why it is important for parents to not share food or drinks with their children. The following are other ways parents can help prevent tooth decay in their babies and children:

•If you put your child to bed with a bottle, fill it only with water.
•If your child drinks from a bottle or sippy cup, make sure to fill it only with water when it’s not mealtime.
•If your child wants a snack, offer a healthy snack like fruits or vegetables. (To avoid choking, make sure anything you give your child is soft, easy to swallow, and cut into small pieces no larger than one-half inch.) Avoid sweet or sticky snacks like candy, cookies, or Fruit Roll-Ups. There is sugar in foods like crackers and chips too. They should only be eaten at mealtime.
•If your child is thirsty, give him water or milk. If your child drinks milk at bedtime, make sure to clean his teeth afterward. Don’t let your child sip drinks that have sugar and acid, like juices, sports drinks, flavored drinks, lemonade, soda pop, or flavored teas.
Thanks to the AAP for some great suggestions
**info from http://www.healthychildren.org/
**full article http://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/teething-tooth-care/Pages/A-Guide-to-Childrens-Dental-Health.aspx

FACT FRIDAY: Tips for Sports Injury Prevention From the AAP

More American children are competing in sports than ever before. Sports help children and adolescents keep their bodies fit and feel good about themselves. However, there are some important injury prevention tips that can help parents promote a safe, optimal sports experience for their child.

Injury Risks
All sports have a risk of injury. In general, the more contact in a sport, the greater the risk of injury. However, most injuries in young athletes are due to overuse.

Most injuries occur to ligaments (connect bones together), tendons (connect muscles to bones) and muscles. Only about 5 percent of sports injuries involve broken bones. However, the areas where bones grow in children are at more risk of injury during the rapid phases of growth. In a growing child, point tenderness over a bone should be evaluated further by a medical provider even if there is minimal swelling or limitation in motion.

Most frequent sports injuries are sprains (injuries to ligaments) and strains (injuries to muscles), caused when an abnormal stress is placed on tendons, joints, bones and muscle. Contact your pediatrician if you have additional questions or concerns.

To reduce the risk of injury:
•Time off. Plan to have at least 1 day off per week form a particular sport to allow the body to recover.
•Wear the right gear. Players should wear appropriate and properly fit protective equipment such as pads (neck, shoulder, elbow, chest, knee, shin), helmets, mouthpieces, face guards, protective cups, and/or eyewear. Young athletes should not assume that protective gear will protect them from performing more dangerous or risky activities.
•Strengthen muscles. Conditioning exercises before games and during practice strengthens muscles used in play.
•Increase flexibility. Stretching exercises before and after games or practice can increase flexibility.
•Use the proper technique. This should be reinforced during the playing season.
•Take breaks. Rest periods during practice and games can reduce injuries and prevent heat illness.
•Play safe. Strict rules against headfirst sliding (baseball and softball), spearing (football), and body checking (ice hockey) should be enforced.
•Stop the activity if there is pain.
•Avoid heat injury by drinking plenty of fluids before, during and after exercise or play; decrease or stop practices or competitions during high heat/humidity periods; wear light clothing.
Sports-Related Emotional Stress
The pressure to win can cause significant emotional stress for a child. Sadly, many coaches and parents consider winning the most important aspect of sports. Young athletes should be judged on effort, sportsmanship and hard work. They should be rewarded for trying hard and for improving their skills rather than punished or criticized for losing a game or competition.

**info from APP and click here for more information on this article http://www.healthychildren.org/English/News/pages/Tips-for-Sports-Injury-Prevention

AAP-Letter about Nuclear Crisis and Japan Earthquake

Our hearts go out to everyone that has been affected by the Earthquake in Japan. We know that it may have been family or friends that have experienced this horrible disaster. We also know that many people are concerned about the radiation level in the United States. Dr Lynch received this letter from the AAP yesterday about the concerns of the Nuclear Crisis. Please read below and look at the wonderful links at the bottom of this article.

Japan Earthquake and Nuclear Crisis March 16, 2011 From: AAP Executive Committee

The AAP conveys its heartfelt sympathies to everyone affected by the earthquakes, tsunami and resulting nuclear power plant crisis in Japan. The AAP has contacted the Japan Pediatric Society and offered to provide support. We have heard from members that parents in the U.S. have questions about radiation. Federal and state agencies have been monitoring air and water in the U.S. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has stated that currently there is no health risk for radiation exposure to U.S. residents from events in Japan. People in the U.S. need not be concerned about additional health risks as a result of this disaster. They should not use countermeasures such as potassium iodide unless advised to by local or federal health authorities. Previous disasters and the current events in Japan can serve as a reminder of the importance of disaster planning for health care providers, families, and communities. Improving day-to-day emergency readiness begins with personal and family preparedness. AAP members should develop their own plans and talk with parents about family emergency preparedness. As pediatricians, we know that images and news accounts of disasters can be extremely distressing, especially for children. You can help by encouraging parents and caregivers to minimize children's access to the media. Remember that if parents are watching, listening, or viewing news media, children are also being exposed. Encourage parents to ask questions about what children have already heard and answer their questions in an age-appropriate manner, while assuring them about their safety. For more information on responding to parents' concerns, including a tip sheet you may post or e-mail to patients, visit healthychildren.org.
Additional References
Links: CDC Information http://www.bt.cdc.gov/radiation/ http://emergency.cdc.gov/radiation/ki.asp
AAP Children and Disasters Web site http://www.aap.org/disasters/index.com
Helping Children Understand and Cope with Disasters http://www.aap.org/disasters/adjustment.com
Radiation Disasters in Children http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/pediatrics;111/6/1455
We will keep you updated if any information that we receive.

Where is your info coming from?

This past week I was looking into purchasing a new camera so --I googled it. Last week, I needed directions to a new restaurant--I searched the Internet for it. Tomorrow I am sure I will look up the current movie reviews by looking at my good old reliable "Fandango". No matter where our information comes from we need to make sure that we are educating ourselves with GOOD information.
We know that we live in a new day in age where people use computers, smart phones, or IPads to look up all different type of information. I am sure MOST of us have "googled" a diagnosis or a prescription to see more information on it. We want to make sure that you are getting your information from correct sources. Generally speaking, most information found with .EDU or .ORG should be a reliable health source, along with the AAP and CDC. Here are a few websites that we recommend:

http://www.healthychildren.org/ (AAP Symptom checker)
http://www.aap.org/ (American Acedemy Pediatrics)
http://autismcouncilofutah.org/
http://www.cpsc.org/

Thanks to Dr Jopling for providing this arcicle that was published in Jan 2011

LONDON (Reuters) - The number of people looking for health information online is set to soar as workers return from holiday breaks, but few will check where the information comes from, according to an international survey on Tuesday.
A report by researchers at the London School of Economics (LSE) commissioned by the private healthcare firm Bupa said that with smartphones and tablet computers set to outsell personal computers by 2012, more health information is available online and there are more ways to access it than ever before.
The Bupa Health Pulse survey questioned more than 12,000 people in Australia, Brazil, Britain, China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Mexico, Russia, Spain and the United States and found that 81 percent of those with internet access use it to search for advice about health, medicines or medical conditions.
Russians search for health advice the most on the internet, followed by China, India, Mexico and Brazil. The French search for online health information the least, according to the survey's findings.
It also found that 68 percent of those who have access have used the internet to look for information about specific medicines and nearly 4 in 10 use it to look for other patients' experiences of a condition.
"New technologies are helping more people around the world to find out more about their health and to make better informed decisions. However, people need to make sure that the information they find will make them better, not worse," said David McDaid, a senior research fellow at the LSE.
In Britain, where Bupa predicted there would be 40 million hits on health websites this week as people make New Year's resolutions after their Christmas break, experts warned that much online health content is unchecked and people would struggle to know what to trust.
The survey found that of the 73 percent of Britons who say they go online for health information, more than six in 10 look for information about medicines and more than half of them, or 58 percent, use the information to self diagnose.
Yet only a quarter of people say they check where their online advice has come from.
"Relying on dodgy information can easily lead to people taking risks with inappropriate tests and treatments, wasting money and causing unnecessary worry," said Annabel Bentley, a medical director at Bupa.
"Equally, people may check online and dismiss serious symptoms when they should get advice from a doctor."

As you seek parenting or medical information on your own, we can recommend books, web sites and local organizations or services. Please feel free to contact us to help you get your "GOOD" information for your child.

Allergies and Asthma: What Every Parent Needs to Know

Allergies and asthma often start in childhood and continue throughout life. Asthma is the most common chronic disorder in childhood, currently affecting about 6.2 million Americans under age 18. And 70 percent to 80 percent of school-aged children with asthma also have allergies. Although neither can be cured, with proper care allergies and asthma can usually be kept under control. The new book Allergies and Asthma: What Every Parent Needs to Know is an invaluable resource for parents and caregivers trying to cope with the challenges of childhood asthma and allergies. First published 10 years ago,(by the AAP) this well-organized guide covers such topics as
•Identifying allergies and asthma
•Preventing attacks
•Minimizing triggers and avoiding allergens
•Choosing medications wisely
•Explaining allergies to young children
•Helping children of all ages manage symptoms
•What to do if a potentially life-threatening allergic reaction or asthma attack occurs

Allergies and Asthma now provides updated information on allergies—including the latest findings on food allergies and treatments—along with new approaches for monitoring asthma control, with expanded recommendations for children. The second edition provides new guidance on medications, new recommendations on patient education in settings beyond the physician’s office, and new advice for controlling environmental factors that can cause asthma symptoms.

Being a mom of two children with asthma and allergies I already have ordered this book and can't wait to read it. We are not sponsoring this book, but wanted to give you some new information and tell you of a new resource available to parents. The doctors at Willow Creek approve recommendations from the AAP.
--Remember to schedule your yearly Asthma exam with your pediatrician and if you have any questions about this please feel free to call our office.
**info by AAP

21 Healthy NEW YEAR'S resolutions for kids

Can you believe that 2011 is right around the corner? It is that time of the year again to start thinking about the new year, new goals and reflect on the past year. The following New Year tips are from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). There are some great tips to start showing children how to make goals and to stick with them. Here are just a few ideas....

Preschoolers

-I will clean up my toys and put them where they belong.
-I will brush my teeth twice a day, and wash my hands after going to the bathroom and before eating.
-I won’t tease dogs or other pets – even friendly ones. I will avoid being bitten by keeping my fingers and face away from their mouths.

Kids, 5- to 12-years-old

-I will drink 2% milk and water three times each day, and limit soda and fruit drinks to once each day.
-I will apply sunscreen before I go outdoors on bright sunny days. I will try to stay in the shade whenever possible and wear a hat and sunglasses, especially when I’m playing sports.
-I will try to find a sport (like basketball or soccer) or an activity (like playing tag, jumping rope, dancing or riding my bike) that I like and do it at least three times a week!
-I will always wear a helmet when bicycling.
-I will wear my seat belt every time I get in a car. I’ll sit in the back seat and use a booster seat until I am tall enough to use a lap/shoulder seat belt.
-I’ll be nice to other kids. I’ll be friendly to kids who need friends – like someone who is shy, or is new to my school
-I’ll never give out personal information such as my name, home address, school name or telephone number on the Internet. Also, I’ll never send a picture of myself to someone I chat with on the computer without my parent’s permission.

Kids, 13-years-old and up

-I will eat at least one fruit and one vegetable every day, and I will limit the amount of soda I drink to one glass daily.
-I will take care of my body through physical activity and nutrition.
-I will choose non-violent television shows and video games, and I will spend only one to two hours each day – at the most – on these activities.
-I will help out in my community – through volunteering, working with community groups or by joining a group that helps people in need.
-When I feel angry or stressed out, I will take a break and find constructive ways to deal with the stress, such as exercising, reading, writing in a journal or discussing my problem with a parent or friend.
-When faced with a difficult decision, I will talk about my choices with an adult whom I can trust. -When I notice my friends are struggling or engaging in risky behaviors, I will talk with a trusted adult and attempt to find a way that I can help them.
-I will be careful about whom I choose to date, and always treat the other person with respect and without coercion or violence. I will expect the same good behavior in return.
-I will resist peer pressure to try drugs and alcohol.
-I agree not to use a cell phone or text message while driving and to always use a seat belt.

**American Academy of Pediatrics, 12/10