Monthly Archives: March 2011

Teenagers and Alcohol…

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NOTEWORTHY WEDNESDAY!

“Parents teach their children how to swim, how to ride a bicycle and how to drive. Should they also teach their teenagers how to drink responsibly?

The volatile issue is seldom discussed at alcohol-awareness programs. But some parents do quietly allow their teens to have wine or beer at home occasionally, figuring that kids who drink in moderation with their family may be less likely to binge on their own.

Research also suggests that alcohol can do long-term harm to developing brains. In the late teens and early 20s, the brain is developing its adult shape, pruning away unused connections and forming permanent pathways, particularly in areas involved in planning, decision-making and impulse control.

Brain scans have shown that heavy drinking—20 drinks or more a month—in adolescents can create changes in the frontal cortex, the hippocampus and white matter, leading to decreased cognitive function, executive function, memory, attention and spatial skills, researchers at the University of California-San Diego wrote in the Journal of Clinical EEG and Neuroscience in 2009.

via Should Parents Let Their Teenage Children Drink at Home? – WSJ.com.”

Teenage drinking…what do you think is the role of parents in educating their teenagers about alcohol use ?

This issue was one that I faced a few years back and I chose to be very proactive in alcohol use education.

What I knew to be true was:

  • that alcohol was in the high school world as were drugs.
  • there were parents who were allowing parties at their homes and were taking away the keys so that kids could not leave and drive.
  • my thoughts about this were pretty plain and simple … they were acting irresponsibly and encouraging alcohol abuse.

The high schools at the time were asking athletes to sign a pledge stating that they would not engage in alcohol use and drugs while they were playing competitive sports. However, there was no way to enforce this requirement as there was no drug testing…the kids and parents knew this so the pledge was essentially worthless.

I was only aware of one high school in our sports conference whose football team players were randomly drug screened. This screening program was paid for by a private sponsor so it was not coming out of the pockets of local taxpayers. It was featured in Newsweek at the time and was considered controversial.  At least there was some “teeth” in the pledge and athletes were held accountable. The program was not a punitive one…students were offered counseling if they tested positive for illegal substance.

So what was my approach to teenage alcohol?

Well, I knew first hand about alcoholism and the havoc that it plays on families…one of my maternal uncles suffered from this disease. He was a “father figure” in my family and had stopped drinking after retirement. He spoke freely about his problems with alcohol.

I decided it was time for field trip to the local liquor store with my teenagers . What we found was very enlightening.

There of course was the beer that most teenagers drink but then there was an entire aisle devoted to “teenage tastes“.

In that aisle we found, wine coolers, pre-mixed drinks, mudslides, lemon drops…all the sweet tasting beverages which seem to satisfy the teenage “sweet tooth” along with their desire to experiment with alcohol.

So what did we discuss afterwards…

  • the  seriousness of drinking
  • the responsibilities of drinking.
  • the effects of drinking “shots” such as vodka vs. the “juice and milkshake” type drinks
  • mixing alcohol and beer
  • the legality of drinking before age 21
  • the health effects of drinking

I told my kids that they would probably have to make choices about alcohol use.

I told them that they should feel comfortable asking me questions at any time.

I told them I would answer their questions and then give them my opinion.

I told them if they ever found themselves in a “situation” while they were out that they could call me or their dad and we would pick them up no questions asked.

I told them we would discuss the “situation” the next day when we were all rested.

I told them that I wanted them to promise to “NEVER DRINK AND DRIVE”  or allow anyone to drive them who had been drinking this included parents.

I warned them of driving home from babysitting jobs with a parent that had been drinking.

The things that I do know for sure about this serious issue:

  • teenage drinking is a problem that is not going away.
  • parents need to decide what their stance is prior to the high school years
  • they need to figure out how they will help their kids make serious choices

This could make a “life and death” difference.

Migraine drug ups risk for oral birth defects

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“The Food and Drug Administration said new data shows expecting mothers taking the drug, sold generically and as Johnson & Johnson’s Topamax, are about 20 times more likely to have their infants develop cleft lips or cleft palate deformities than those who are not treated.

via FDA: migraine drug ups risk for oral birth defects | Reuters.”

Daylight Savings and Your Child’s Sleep…

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via:http://www.flickr.com/photos/cookylidaes/
I am a fan of “Sleepy Planet“. Here are their tips for transitioning your children to Daylight Savings Time.
When your children sleep well so can you.
Spring Ahead Without
Falling Behind on Sleep
Daylight Savings This Sunday, March 13

Here’s how to help your little one transition to the new time change smoothly.  Before bed, turn clocks ahead 1 hour.  If your child normally sleeps till 6:30 AM, the next morning she will likely sleep till 7:30 AM.  Her entire schedule – naps and bedtime – will then shift one hour later.

If you’re happy about this change, great!  Just protect her room from too much light in the early morning, and use white noise so she won’t wake with the birds.

If you’d rather help your child get back to her usual schedule, try the following:
1.  Put your child down at her regular bedtime, say 7:30 PM, on Saturday night.
2. Set your alarm for 6:30 AM (according to the new clock) and wake your child at this time.  To her, it will feel like it’s 5:30 AM, but don’t worry.  She’ll be tired, but she’ll adjust.
3.  If your child naps, put her down at her normal nap time according to the new clock and resume a normal schedule from there.  Don’t allow her to nap longer than usual.
4.  On Sunday night, put her down at her usual bedtime according to the new time.Although the clocks are shifting later, this is the time of year when morning light is intense and bright – and when little springtime birdies start their songs very early!  So remember to protect your child’s environment by making sure no morning light peeks in to wake him before he’s ready (such as by using blackout shades), and protect him against potentially disruptive sounds, too (such as by using an air purifier or sound machine).For more information about early wakings, check out our book, 

The Sleepeasy Solution – or email sleep@sleepyplanet.com to set up a consult.

The 5-Second Rule ….or the Common Sense Rule???

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Pacifiers and the 5-Second Rule

Here is the word on the 5-Second Rule.

  • It is just not a good idea to eat anything that has fallen on the floor
  • or to give a pacifier back to a child after it has landed on the floor without washing it.

We are back to the “COMMON SENSE” Rule here. As much as we would like to believe it would be okay it is not.

Also cleaning a pacifier off in your own mouth falls under the “YUK” Rule.

“Q. You know the five-second rule for dropped food? Is it really safe if you pick it up in time?

A. “The five-second rule probably should become the zero-second rule,” said Dr. Roy M. Gulick, chief of the division of infectious diseases at Weill Cornell Medical College. “Eating dropped food poses a risk for ingestion of bacteria and subsequent gastrointestinal disease, and the time the food sits on the floor does not change the risk.”

via The 5-Second Rule – NYTimes.com.”

“Binky Buzz” and Suri Cruise…

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Lets here it for Hollywood again …Suri Cruise and her pacifier.

What is all the fuss?

Is five years old  too old for healthy pacifier use???

What we know…pacifiers soothe and comfort. Toddlers may use them as “transitional objects” to lower their stress levels.  So why not…since they cannot clearly express themselves and talk it out, let them soothe with sucking.

BENEFITS:

  • Analgesia
  • For pre-term infants it may shorten their hospital stays
  • SIDS- may reduce the risk of sudden infant death – the reason is not fully understood but it may help maintain the infant’s airway, may prevent them from rolling on to their stomachs, provide increased arousal, decreases gastro-intestinal reflux and sleep apnea

COMPLICATIONS:

  • Breastfeeding- pacifiers may interfere with the establishment of early breastfeeding, however can be used for oral training in infants.
  • Dental health-dentists recommend that pacifiers not be used after 4 years of age and possibly earlier.
  • Infection- ear, dental, respiratory, and gastro-intestinal
  • Risks outweigh benefits generally after 10 months of age and risks increase after age 2..

RECOMMENDATIONS for pacifier use:

  • Analgesia
  • Decrease incidence of SIDS
  • Avoid until breastfeeding is well established

As parents we have to make many decisions pacifier use  is just one of them. You and your child will work it out.

If your child uses a “binky” there is always the dilemma of how to “get rid of them” .

HOW TO  GET RID OF THE “BINKY”:

(not necessarily what I would do)

  • Make it taste nasty
  • Give it away
  • Take it away gradually
  • Lose it
  • Read books about it
  • Let your child decide

One story struck me…a mom tied each of her child’s binky to a balloon and let her child release them into to the air to go to other babies in “heaven”. She took pictures of this milestone. ( I know, what about the environment and the balloons?) I am open to other suggestions.

Try to deal with these milestones with the least amount of stress and trauma…in the scheme of things it is no big thing!

Thanks  Suri…

How do you deal with pacifier problems??

When is it too old for the Men’s Locker Room???

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Noteworthy Wednesday!

via: Flickr: Heather Poole

I went swimming at the Y.M.C.A. Later, in the men’s locker room, a father walked in with his daughter. Occasionally, this happens with babies or toddlers, but the girl was 7 or 8. He put her in a shower stall while he showered, and left her there while he shaved and flossed. Then he brought her to the lockers, where they changed. I was appalled. What do you make of this?

via Too Old for the Men’s Locker Room – Social Q’s – NYTimes.com.

This question appeared in the Sunday NYTimes and it truly raised questions for me.

I have often thought about this dilemma especially when I see kids out for the day with their dads.

Interestingly, I don’t always think about this when I see kids with their moms!

But  back to dad and the “Y” locker room. This scene raises concerns for me…granted, I have not visited a men’s locker room but the women’s locker room is certainly an experience. Some women walk around naked, others cover-up as best they can…they usually do not spend any unnecessary time in the locker room…shower, change, pack up and leave. When young children are with their moms, from my observations, they get changed and leave in fairly short order most of the time.

For me, it seems this dad took entirely too much time while his daughter was hanging out in the men’s locker room.

My own “yuk” feeling is coming to the surface here. Exposing children to other naked adults, personally, makes me uncomfortable. I would have to think of another way of doing my toilette if I were in a similar situation.

  • What do you do when your opposite-sex child has to use a public restroom?
  • At what age should children be allowed to use the public restroom by themselves?
  • What public restrooms would make you think twice about letting your child use it without accompaniment?
  • More importantly…what do you teach them ahead of time to “protect” them.?
  • Do you teach your boys the same as you teach your girls?
  • Is this more of a “Dad Dilemma” than a “Mom Moment”?

Like I said, I used the “YUK” feeling factor to help me in these situations.

My feeling is by 7 or 8 years of age many kids have been in some type of locker room situation at school but “Y” locker rooms of the opposite sex seem to be an altogether different story.

It would be interesting to hear other responses to this issue and how parents deal with this common life situation.

Sudden Cardiac Death In Young Athletes

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“I received a question via iPhone App from a mother who was concerned about the recent discussions in both the media and in the medical community surrounding sudden cardiac death (SCD) in young athletes.

Each year between 10–12 million kids in the U.S. participate in sports.  The tragedy of a sudden death in an otherwise  “presumably healthy” child causes not only sadness, but concern as to how the death might have been prevented. Doctors are often asked, “isn’t there a test or something to prevent this? “.

Depending on the studies I have read, the sudden cardiac death of a child or adolescent accounts for about 100 deaths a year in the U.S.  The prevalence rate for sudden cardiac death is 1:100,000- 200,000 and is higher among males than females.  Statistics show that 90% of these sudden deaths occur immediately post training or competition with football and basketball having the highest incidence.

via Sudden Cardiac Death In Young Athletes | The Kid’s Doctor: Your Partner in Parenting.”

This is such a sad event…a young athlete dying at a game or practice.

I have read too many of these stories over the past few years and am wondering why there is no heart screening for athletes.

Well, it seems that money is the problem…since this happens to a very small number of student athletes it is not cost effective to require an EKG or cardiac ultrasound as a medical clearance to participation in competitive sports, which could possibly detect a heart abnormality.

This is a sad but true fact and even though these tests could prevent a “sudden death”I believe they will not be required any time soon.

So it seems that it is up to parents to protect their children and provide these screenings at their own expense.

If you are interested in this problematic issue go to http://www.parentheartwatch.org/IntheNews.aspx and get up to date information about what is being done about creating solutions for this tragic situation.

Japan halts vaccines after deaths of 4 children

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News from Japan regarding vaccines that are commonly used in the U.S. Pfizer is cooperating.

TOKYO -Japan has temporarily stopped using vaccines from U.S. drugmaker Pfizer Inc. and Sanofi-Aventis SA of France while it investigates the deaths of four children who were inoculated, the health ministry said Monday.

The decision to halt the vaccines against pneumonia, some types of meningitis and other infections was made Saturday. The government is hearing from experts at a meeting Tuesday, the health ministry said.

The four children, from under six months to 2 years old, died between March 2 and March 4. The deaths occurred the same day to three days after the vaccines were administered, the ministry said.

via Japan halts vaccines after deaths of 4 children.

Skippy Peanut Butter Recalled for Salmonella – Parenting.com

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Check your pantry before you pack another lunchbox. Unilever, in cooperation with the FDA, has issued a limited recall of Skippy Reduced Fat Creamy Peanut Butter Spread and Skippy Reduced Fat Super Chunk Peanut Butter Spread, because it may be contaminated with Salmonella. The recalled product was sold in the following 16 states: Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Wisconsin.

The recalled product, which comes in 16.3 oz plastic jars, is as follows:

•        UPCs: 048001006812 and 048001006782 (located on the side of the jar’s label below the bar code.)

•        Best-If-Used-By Dates: MAY1612LR1, MAY1712LR1, MAY1812LR1, MAY1912LR1, MAY2012LR1 and MAY2112LR1 (Stamped on the lid of the jar.)

via Skippy Peanut Butter Recalled for Salmonella – Parenting.com.

Protecting Your Device From The Dangers of…Toddler Hands – Parenting.com

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Toddler Techie...

Protect your phone and other devices from your toddler techie…you cannot be too careful. These kids are clever and computer fearless. Here is an article you need to read.

If you read yesterday’s post on the little girl who accidentally spent $1,400 on her mom’s iPhone, it gave pause for thought on the various ways we can better protect our phones – and our bank accounts. If an 8-year-old can do that much damage, imagine what a toddler with little inquisitive fingers and a blissful obliviousness could do.

Luckily, there are a few options available for addressing this exact quandary. First, double check the parental controls that are built-into your device’s operating system. The iPhone 4 in particular has controls that let you to restrict access to certain apps, browsers, iTunes and more. A website called iPhone and Kids has a helpful guide which takes you through setting these controls.

via Protecting Your Device From The Dangers of…Toddler Hands – Parenting.com.

 

BubCap is my recommendation for those of you with i-Phones.