A great tip: From the Sneaky Chef

We know that feeding your children nutritious foods at times can be very difficult. Some parents have indicated that they have very "picky eaters" and are looking for suggestions on what to feed their children. It can be a challenge on how to "sneak" those fruits and veggies into their daily meals.

Dr Jopling has recommended the book Sneaky Chef for years and author Missy Chase Lapine has been so gracious to let us post some of her recipes and ideas on our blog. She also has some great ideas about getting kids to play and sneak fitness into their daily activities.(more to come) Here are some great highlights along with several links to her website and blog. Stay tuned for a update each month on a fun and creative new idea from the Sneaky Chef .

http://www.sneakychef.com/

Tip of the week CLICK HERE

The Sneaky Chef also wanted our patients to know of a giveway that she has started today. Click on this link to enter to win a Vitamix blender

RECIPE

Mac & Cheese (Quick fixes for boxed macaroni & cheese)

There's not a kids' menu in the United States that doesn't offer some variation of macaroni and cheese - the favorite - if not the most popular - of American comfort foods. Kraft now sells more than one million boxes every day! The beauty, for the purposes of this book, of even the packaged version is that its cheesy creaminess offers ample opportunity for sneaky chefs to slip in extra nutrition that even the toughest little critics won't detect. Try to keep a straight face as your kids beg for more of these surprisingly healthy variations.

SNEAKY TIP: Yellow macaroni and cheese usually contains yellow food dye, whereas the white version does not. If your child insists on yellow, you can add a slice of yellow American or cheddar cheese and a dash of paprika to the white cheese sauce, which will help safely change the color to yellow without affecting the taste.

Each of the nutritional boosters listed here have been kid tested and have proven to be undetectable in taste, texture and color. Start by adding the least amount recommended of just one of the nutritional boosters listed below. Add a little more each time you serve this dish (which is served in our house every day!).

- 2 to 4 tablespoons White Puree (see Make-Ahead Recipe #4 below)

- 2 to 4 tablespoons Orange Puree (see Make-Ahead Recipe #2 below)

Prepare macaroni and cheese according to directions on package. Add White Puree into the cheese sauce, mixing until well blended. If sauce becomes too dry, simply add an extra tablespoon of milk and extra cheese

Prepare macaroni and cheese according to directions on package. Add Orange Puree into the cheese sauce, mixing until well blended. This one works best with an extra slice of American cheese or 1/4 cup of grated cheddar melted into the sauce to help mask the carrots, which have a bit more distinguishable taste, in the puree.

Make-Ahead Recipe #4: White Puree Makes about 2 cups of puree.

Double recipe if you want to store even more, which can be done in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or freeze 1/4 cup portions in sealed plastic bags or the small plastic containers. - 2 cups cauliflower, cut into florets - 2 small to medium zucchini, peeled and rough chopped - 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice - 1-2 tablespoons water, if necessary > Steam cauliflower in a vegetable steamer over 2 inches of water, using a tightly-covered pot, for about 10 to 12 minutes until very tender. Alternatively, place cauliflower in a microwave-safe bowl , cover with water, and microwave on high for 8 to 10 minutes until very tender. > While waiting for the cauliflower to finish steaming, start to pulse the raw peeled zucchini with the lemon juice only (no water at this point). Drain the cooked cauliflower. Working in batches if necessary, add it to the pulsed zucchini in the bowl of the food processor with one tablespoon of water. Puree on high until smooth. Stop occasionally and push contents from the top to the bottom. If necessary, use the second tablespoon of water to make a smooth (but not wet) puree.

Make-Ahead Recipe #2: Orange Puree This makes about 2 cups of puree. Double the recipe if you want to store another cup of puree. Store in refrigerator up to 3 days, or freeze one-quarter cup portions in sealed baggies or small plastic containers. - 1 medium sweet potato or yam, peeled and rough chopped; - 3 medium to large carrots, peeled and sliced into thick chunks; - 2-3 tablespoons water; In a medium pot, cover carrots and potatoes with cold water and boil for about 20 minutes until yams, and especially the carrots, are very tender. If the carrots aren't thoroughly cooked, they'll leave telltale little nuggets of vegetables, which will reveal their presence (a gigantic NO-NO for the sneaky chef).; Drain the potatoes and carrots and put them in the bowl of food processor with two tablespoons of water. Puree on high until smooth; no pieces of carrots or potatoes should remain. Stop occasionally to push the contents from the top to the bottom. If necessary, use the third tablespoon of water to make a smooth puree, but the less water the better.

**thanks to http://www.sneakychef.com/ for allowing us to post recipe and content

A Friendly Reminder....

Is your child entering kindergarten or junior high school this fall? Or is your child playing a school sport or attending some sort of summer camp? This is just a reminder that in all of these cases, your child will need to have had a physical within the past year! If you have not already scheduled your well child exam, you will want to call in as soon as possible as some of our doctors are already booked into July!**

Don't forget....let us know when you have your appointment scheduled for (either comment on our blog or on our Facebook page) and your name will be entered into a drawing to win and Ultra HD Flip Video Camera! You have until April 30th to enter!

**The American Academy of Pediatrics, as well as the physicians of Willow Creek Pediatrics recommend all children get ANNUAL well child exams!

Measles Update as of 4/8/2011

This is the most current information that we have from the Salt Lake Valley Health Department regarding the confirmed case of measles. We do routinely vacinate for MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) and if you are concerned please contact our office.

Salt Lake Valley Health Department has confirmed a case of measles in Salt Lake County. This is the first confirmed case of the disease in Utah since 2005 and the first in Salt Lake County since 1997. Individuals who have had close contact with the infected resident have been notified and encouraged to receive any necessary vaccinations. Measles causes fever, runny nose, cough and a rash all over the body. The virus is transmitted by respiratory droplets such as coughing, sneezing and/or direct contact to secretions from an infected person. Measles is so contagious that if one person has it, 90% of the people close to that person—if they are not immune—will also become infected. Measles is a vaccine-preventable disease. Children should get two doses of the vaccine and adults born after 1957 who may not have been immunized should contact their doctor to see if they need the vaccine. Measles vaccine, which has been commonly used for more than 50 years, can safely and effectively prevent this disease. This case indicates why it’s important for people to be protected against measles. People should have their health care providers review their immunization records and get vaccinated against the measles and other vaccine-preventable diseases as appropriate. Measles vaccine is available through primary care physicians and local health departments. The measles virus kills nearly 200,000 people around the world each year, but measles was considered eliminated in the United States more than 10 years ago.

Frequently Asked Questions
What is measles?
Measles is a serious disease caused by a virus. It is highly infectious and can be serious in infants, adults and pregnant woman.

What are the symptoms of Measles?
Measles may resemble a cold (cough, fever of 101 degrees or higher, runny nose, and red watery eyes. The rash usually begins a few days later, around the ears and hairline and spread to cover the face, trunk and arms. Sometimes people become very sensitive to light.

How soon do symptoms appear?
People generally become ill from measles 8-12 days after exposure to the virus. The average time from exposure to appearance of the rash is 14 days.

How is measles spread?
The virus is highly contagious, and is found in the nose and throat secretions of infected people. Direct contact with these secretions is usually exposure to a cough or sneeze of the infected person.

How long is it contagious?
People infected with measles are contagious 4 days before the rash and at least 4 days after the rash appears.

How is measles diagnosed?
It is diagnosed based on symptoms, and confirmed by a physician by checking for measles-specific antibodies in a person’s blood.

Who is at risk for measles?
Anyone can get the measles. Those at highest risk at children less then 15 months of age who are too young to receive the vaccine; people born in or after 1957, who lack proper documentation of measles immunity; people who have not been vaccinated; and person’s vaccinated before age one. It can cause complications such as pneumonia, ear infections, encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) and death.

How do you prevent measles from spreading?
Ensure that children are vaccinated at appropriate ages. People exposed to measles should check their immunization record; consult their physician or local health department to see if they need a protective vaccination. Be prepared to show documentation of vaccine to the Health Department People with measles should be separated from non-immune people. This includes exclusion from public setting such as day care cents, school, work, sports, retail, etc. Wash hands frequently, cover your mouth when sneezing or coughing (cough into your shoulder or elbow)

What about the vaccine? Measles vaccine is safe, however people with severe allergies to eggs or people with disorders that suppress the immune system should only receive the vaccine after consulting with their physician. Children with high fever should delay getting their vaccines until they are recovered. Women who are pregnant or who are consigning becoming pregnant in the next three months should postpone receiving the vaccine. It is a live vaccine.

The initial dose of the measles vaccine is recommended for children at 12 months of age and the second dose at 4-6 years of age. Two doses of the measles, mumps, rubella vaccine (MMR) are required for entry into Utah schools. Measles vaccine is also recommended for other groups, such as healthcare workers, international travelers, people born after 1957, and anyone without a previous history of vaccination or disease.

How do I clean?
The virus is susceptible to many disinfectants - 1% sodium hypochlorite, 70% ethanol, glutaraldehyde, formaldehyde The virus can also be inactivated by heat (30 min at 56° C) or light The virus can survive OUTSIDE HOST: Aerosol remains infective at least 30 minutes; short survival time (< 2 hours) on objects or surfaces.

We will continue to update this blog as information becomes avalible to us
**info from http://www.slvhealth.org/

Fact Friday: 2.4 million people swallow or have contact with poisonous substance

Each year, approximately 2.4 million people – more than half under age 6 – swallow or have contact with a poisonous substance. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has some important tips to prevent and to treat exposures to poison.

To poison proof your home: Most poisonings occur when parents or caregivers are home but not paying attention. The most dangerous potential poisons are medicines, cleaning products, antifreeze, windshield wiper fluid, pesticides, furniture polish, gasoline, kerosene and lamp oil. Be especially vigilant when there is a change in routine. Holidays, visits to and from grandparents’ homes, and other special events may bring greater risk of poisoning if the usual safeguards are defeated or not in place.

• Store medicine, cleaners, paints/varnishes and pesticides in their original packaging inlocked cabinets or containers, out of sight and reach of children.


• Install a safety latch – that locks when you close the door – on child-accessible cabinets containing harmful products.


• Purchase and keep all medicines in containers with safety caps. Discard unused medication.


• Never refer to medicine as “candy” or another appealing name.


• Check the label each time you give a child medicine to ensure proper dosage.


• Never place poisonous products in food or drink containers.


• Keep coal, wood or kerosene stoves in safe working order.


• Maintain working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

Treatment: If your child is unconscious, not breathing, or having convulsions or seizures due to poison contact or ingestion, call 911 or your local emergency number immediately. If your child has come in contact with poison, and has mild or no symptoms, call your poison control center at 1-800-222-1222

Different types and methods of poisoning require different, immediate treatment:

• Swallowed poison – Remove the item from the child, and have the child spit out any remaining substance. Do not make your child vomit. Do not use syrup of ipecac.


• Skin poison -- Remove the child’s clothes and rinse the skin with lukewarm water for at least 15 minutes.


• Eye poison -- Flush the child’s eye by holding the eyelid open and pouring a steady stream of room temperature water into the inner corner for 15 minutes.


• Poisonous fumes – Take the child outside or into fresh air immediately. If the child has stopped breathing, start cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and do not stop until the child breathes on his or her own, or until someone can take over. ©American Academy of Pediatrics 3/11 http://www.healthychildren.org/English/News/pages/Tips-for-Poison-Prevention-and-Treatment.aspx **info from AAP

During your spring cleaning this year, it is a great time to look very carefully at your house. If you have any questions please call your pediatrician.

Autism Awareness Month

April is Autism Awareness month. In order to highlight the growing need for concern and awareness about autism, the Autism Society has been celebrating National Autism Awareness Month since the 1970s. The United States recognizes April as a special opportunity for everyone to educate the public about autism and issues within the autism community.

What are autism spectrum disorders?

Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are a group of related brain-based disorders that affect a child's behavior, social, and communication skills. They include 3 of 5 disorders known as pervasive developmental disorders (PDDs). These are autistic disorder, Asperger syndrome, and PDD-not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS).

Autism spectrum disorders are lifelong conditions with no known cure. However, children with ASD can progress developmentally and learn new skills. Some children may improve so much that they no longer meet the criteria for ASD, although milder symptoms may often persist. **info from http://www.healthychildren.org/

OTHER sites

http://www.autism-society.org/ http://www.aap.org/healthtopics/autism.cfm

If you have any concerns about Autism, please contact our office to schedule an appointment with your physician.

Utah Food Allergy Network Easter Egg Hunt!

We love our friends over at UFAN and wanted to let you know of the upcoming event they have planned for kids. This is the FIRST annual Easter Egg Hunt. Date: Saturday, April 23, 2011 Promptly at 10:00 am. Location is Southwood Park 6150 S 725 E--All children ages 0-12 years old welcome! This is a food/candy-free event! All eggs will be filled with miscellaneous non-food items. They are requesting plastic egg and egg stuffer donations. AND....PLEASE RSVP to Maryann at maryann@utahfoodallergy.org or 801-792-1419 so they can plan for how many kids and appropriate ages!

Fact Friday: Helpful Links to Social Media and Kids II

Here are a few great links we thought we would add to yesterdays post! The more we know the better! http://www.thatsnotcool.com/ A great site for older teens that includes ways to communicate with peers when they experience online bulling that is "not cool" http://www.wiredkids.org/ A site for younger and older teens, as well as parents, with many suggestions on Internet safety. http://www.netsmartz.org/ A site focused on avoiding cyber bulling What sites do you have that help?...We would love to hear your suggestions-Have a great weekend! **site suggestions came from Contemporary Pediatrics