There are numerous benefits in raising young children with a dog in the family, says the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. However, hundreds of thousands of children are bitten by dogs every year, according to the US Centers for Disease Control. 1. Dogs are more than playmates for children. They help children develop […]
An Rx for swimming is what doctors order to keep young children active
May 19, 2019 by
True or false? Newborns are natural born swimmers. 1. Alas, false. Young infants do make hand and feet movements that resemble swimming when placed in water. And they do hold their breath and open their eyes when their heads accidentally slip underwater. However, infants’ heads are heavy for the size and weight of their bodies. […]
Car Seats / Safety / Kids
April 30, 2019 by
Installing children’s safety seats into cars is not child’s play. More than ninety percent of first-time parents make at least a minor error in installing seats, in positioning infants in seats, or in transitioning children to advanced seats as the children grow. An appropriate seat – optimally installed and correctly used – reduces the risk […]
Locking the door on measles!
April 13, 2019 by
Your family no longer has to travel overseas to come home with one souvenir you didn’t bargain for, a vaccine-preventable disease. Such “souvenirs” may be coming to visit you. Currently, measles is the prime example. 1. Measles, which had become a rarity in this country, is popping up all over. As of mid-April 2019, cases […]
Eating outdoors/ food safety / kids
April 7, 2019 by
Eating meals outdoors – at picnics, barbecues, tailgating parties and buffets – substantially increases your risk of getting an intestinal illness, says the US Centers for Disease Control. Moreover, infants and young children, due to their immature immune systems, are especially susceptible to such illnesses. 1. Pack a hand sanitizer. Soap and water are somewhat […]
Should children miss school for vacations?
March 17, 2019 by
You find a package to Disney World that seems almost perfect for your family: working parents with little leisure time for their children, one child in sixth grade, one in third. The package: off-season, reasonably priced, a good fit for your work schedules. But it means that your kids will miss three school days. To […]
Safe sleeping away from home
March 3, 2019 by
“Safe sleeping arrangements” should be at the top of your list when you plan nights away from home with your infants and young children, says the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). The safe sleeping practices you have developed at home are often difficult to duplicate in new surroundings. This may result in you making rash […]
Adults Getting Vaccinated Protects Children
February 9, 2019 by
Parents! Having your children optimally immunized against every vaccine-preventable disease may still not suffice to fully protect them from these diseases. Such protection may require that you, too, are immunized. 1. Experience has shown that there are optimum ages to administer vaccines to children and adults. It is the age before (1) the person is […]
Playground safety – a kid’s point of view
January 20, 2019 by
Hey Kids! Grownups need our help in keeping us kids happy, healthy and, especially, safe. True, nothing makes us happier (or safer) than staying home, lying on the floor and watching cartoons on TV. However, we kids are told that we need fresh air and exercise, like going to playgrounds to run around aimlessly and […]
Teaching Young Children to Cross Streets
January 5, 2019 by
Crossing streets is not child’s play. In simulated studies done at the University of Iowa, when compared to adults, 8% of 6-year-olds might be hit by cars when crossing streets. The percentage drops to 6% for 8-year-olds, and 2% for 12-year-olds. Adult street crossing skills are not reached until the age of fourteen. (To read […]
