“No need ever to wear shoes in our resort,” says the ad for an idyllic, upscale, family-friendly tropical beach resort. Alas, if only true! Footwear – plus other precautions – is essential at all beaches, at home and in the tropics, with tropical beaches requiring some extra precautions. Call it sand pollution. Researchers have known […]
Keeping Kids Healthy When Swimming
July 21, 2008 by
Swimming: The source of many illnesses Most kids’ favorite summer activity is swimming, no matter if it’s splashing in a small backyard pool, or on the beach of a five-star resort. But the reality is that no fun activity is totally safe and healthy. For information on water safety, see TenTips: Waterfront. For avoiding illnesses […]
The Sun is No Friend of Children
July 16, 2008 by
The sun does to skin what tobacco smoke does to lungs. Both produce progressive, cumulative, and irreversible tissue damage, often culminating in very serious health issues many decades later. But it need not happen. There are positive rays of sunshine, too: information on how to neutralize the harmful effects. Here is what you should know: […]
Families at Altitude: How Not to Feel Low When You Are Up High
June 11, 2008 by
Visiting Mexico City: 7,550 feet. Viewing the Grand Canyon: 8,000 feet. Skiing in Colorado: 8,000 feet (with some slopes going higher.) Driving up Pike’s Peak: 14,000 feet. At these elevations most children run circles around their huffing and puffing parents. But some children will show symptoms of acute mountain sickness (AMS), and a rare child […]
Enjoying Tempting Food in Exotic Countries and Not Regretting It Later!
April 26, 2008 by
1. Wash your hands frequently and before you eat. While this is hardly breaking news, compliance remains poor. Proper hand hygiene (it’s no longer called hand washing) interrupts transmission of most diarrhea-causing micro-organisms. Such organisms abound in areas of poor sanitation. You acquire organisms via your hands, by touching doorknobs and money, and by shaking […]
Healthy Air Travel for Infants
April 24, 2008 by
There is nothing novel about infants traveling by air. They have been doing so since time immemorial, long before adults. Legend has it that they were “delivered” by storks, and were never the worse for their trips. Of course, stork flights skimmed rooftops, eliminating concerns of high altitude and accompanying ear issues, dehydration, and excessive […]
