What parents need to teach their cellphone-weilding tweens.

My 10-year-old’s phone is his prized possession. He texts with his cousins and grandparents, he plays games on it, and he keeps in contact with me. But I do wonder: should i know his password? Should I be reading his texts? Is there a right way to do this?

Giving your kids cellphones can be a mixed blessing. Yes, your children are easier to reach, but it’s also brand new territory for parents. We’re all searching for a universal set of guidelines that will alleviate our concerns about everything from the siren call of the internet to skyrocketing data and texting bills. Smart phones are the tools many of us – parents and tweens alike – now use to navigate our social lives.

Unchartered territory
Kathy Buckworth, Toronto mother of four and the author of I Am So the Boss of You, says parents are scrambling. “We can’t say ‘when I was a kid, this is what my parents did.’ It’s the Wild West out there, and we are making it up as we go along.”

One mother’s 18-point iPhone contract to her son became an online viral sensation earlier this year because it did exactly that – she outlined a clear set of rules for an area of modern child rearing where there seems to be a lack of consensus. The contract dictated when and where her 13-year-old was allowed to use the phone, required him to always pick up or text back when his parents were trying to contact him, and said that his parents were to know his password.

Buckworth thinks the contract went overboard. “Guidelines are good, but if you don’t trust your kids to have a phone, then don’t give them a phone,” she says.

How to set rules
Before you replicate that contract for your child, experts suggest parents ask themselves what they want to accomplish and avoid. Alex Russell, a clinical psychologist in Toronto specializing in kids and teens, says that fears of extra charges, cyberbullying and too much screen time are valid, but parents shouldn’t overprotect their kids with inflexible rules. “Sure, you want to prevent them from making catastrophic errors, but [dealing with] natural consequences is how they learn. If they aren’t ready for the responsibility, then maybe that’s a sign to wait.” A strict contract, he says, establishes a bad dynamic, in which a child is more worried about what their parents think than being a responsible phone user. “It can lead to them lying and finding ways to evade Mom and Dad’s rules,” he says.

But this doesn’t mean there are no rules at all. Set guidelines as part of an ongoing conversation with your child, even if the rules are different from other families’ rules, or different for each sibling. You may want to set a monetary or total text limit, and require kids to pay for any overages on the monthly plan.

In the Buckworth family, there are expectations about behaviour, and cellphones are no different. “The phone rules fall into the same house rules about expenses, etiquette and bedtime,” says Buckworth.

Don’t snoop
When my 10- and 13-year-old sons leave their phones lying around, I am extremely tempted to read their texts, but Russell says i should resist the impulse. “You wouldn’t spy on their face-to-face conversations with friends,” he points out. “And you wouldn’t want your spouse or kids snooping on your phone. There are other ways to ask about their lives.”

Model the behaviour you want to see
The most important thing is for parents to model good cellphone behaviour, too. These days, we grown-ups can have just as hard a time putting down the phone as our kids do, whether we’re checking Facebook or Twitter, Instagramming, or multi-tasking work emails during dinner.

Buckworth admits she doesn’t always set the right tone with her own phone use, either. “We’re working through our own set of rules while trying to establish theirs.” Parents should see this as an opportunity to teach kids how to use a device with which they’re going to have a lifelong relationship.

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Wondering what your tween is up to on Facebook? Check our etiquette guide to befriending your child on social-networking websites.

If your kids spend more time on social-media sites than going to school, you’re not alone: A recent StatsCan report says 98 percent of older teens are online, and Facebook and Twitter are among the net’s most-visited sites. (You probably have your own accounts set up too.) The huge popularity of the sites and the amount of time your kid spends surfing and chatting raises questions: Should you follow and friend your tween? How do you monitor your kids on social-networking sites? We found five tips for doing it right.

Don’t think you have to be friends If your child is under 13, friend them on Facebook, follow them on Twitter and absolutely monitor what they’re doing online. If you have a teen who refuses your friend request, don’t worry, says Judy Arnall, a Calgary-based parenting expert and author of soon-to-be-released Plugged-In Parenting. “After 13 they want to individuate from their parents. They want their door closed and they don’t want you in their Facebook circle. They want their privacy and that’s OK—it’s part of that stage.”

Shut up and lurk Nothing’s as public as the Internet, and to tweens and teens, that means one thing: they don’t want to be seen with mom and dad. Some parents try to be too much of a pal, posting comments on their child’s wall and joining in on conversations, says Louise Fox, an etiquette expert in Toronto. “But that’s too public and embarrassing.” Arnall agrees, suggesting you stay mum. “It’s like when you’re carpooling and the kids are talking and you just listen and pick up on what’s going on,” she says. “Don’t be an active participant and hopefully they’ll forget you’re there.”

Don’t give too much information Watching what you post on your own page is important—especially when it comes to photos. Fox’s rule is to never post pictures of anyone before telling them—and that includes uploading your favourite photo of your kid’s bare bum on the beach when he as three. Lead by example and make sure you practise what you preach.

Think about privacy What if your kid is the one posting inappropriate information, foul language, photos of themselves partying or bullying comments? Talk to your child offline and set ground rules, says Fox. “Be honest. Explain that you can see it’s a great tool and remind them that schools, employers and financial institutions (for example) might look at that information.” And, she says, talk to your kids about bullying and how others might feel if they’re ganged up on online. Finally, familiarize yourself with Facebook’s privacy settings and make sure your tween’s are appropriate. Then double-check what’s out there from time to time by Googleing your child. This is also a great way check up on them if they refuse to friend you, says Arnall. “You’re seeing what’s available to the public and that’s what’s really important.”

If in doubt, ask for help Be aware of what your kids can contribute to this conversation—they’re probably much more familiar with this technology than you are. “This generation knows more in some areas that we do,” Arnall says. If you tap into your child’s Internet expertise, she’ll probably give you valuable tips and will be much more open to your suggestions regarding privacy and safety online.

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原文出处：http://www.todaysparent.com/family/parenting/facebook-etiquette-for-parents/ 收起阅读 »

Now that childhood has gone high-tech, some parents are left feeling guilty about all that screen time.

When my first child was born, I declined all offers of electronic baby toys that flash and squeak at the bash of a button. I had this quaint idea that wooden spoons, crayons and books — you know, the traditional stuff — were all we needed. And then, a year in, we faced our first trans-atlantic flight, and I learned very fast that Sophie the Giraffe has nothing on an iPhone. Anyone who’s watched the viral YouTube films of gurgling babies sliding their chubby little fingers across a touch screen knows how intuitive it is. With easy-to-use interfaces, it’s little wonder toddlers take to touch-screen technology and tablets so easily.

Three years on, we’ve had a second child, purchased two iPads, gone through five iPhones (toddlers love lobbing things), and accumulated enough battery-operated tat to fill a toy shop. It’s not that I’ve abandoned fresh air for free apps, or that my children, now two and four, get Peppa Pig over a paintbrush, but reality sometimes calls for the iNanny (crack-of-dawn wake-ups spring to mind). It’s how a lot of parents use the iPad, I bet. Just in from the daycare dash, Dad is cooking dinner while Mom is sorting socks and unpacking lunches, and so the sprogs get 20 minutes of showtime. Everything in moderation, right?

“Any time there is a massive shift in the tools of life, we don’t know what impact it will have,” says Michaela Wooldridge, a psychology PhD candidate at the University of British Columbia, who is researching how technology affects infant and toddler development. “Because these devices are so new, and technology is changing so fast, we haven’t had time to evaluate long-term outcomes.”

Setting screen-time limits, whether it’s TV or tablets, is something almost every parent of a school-age child grapples with, but the debate is beginning at younger and younger ages. The first iPads were released in 2010; many toddlers are what’s called “digital natives.” They have never known a world without them. The Canadian Paediatric Society’s most recent guidelines, updated in 2013, essentially discourage all “screen-based activities” (including tablets and smartphones) for children younger than two years old, and recommend two hours or less of “recreational” screen time a day for school-age kids.

Prying an iPad away from a child obsessed with it is familiar territory for many of us. Toronto mom Hayley Chiaramonte sees the creative value of cult games like “Minecraft,” but is concerned by her eight-year-old daughter’s fixation with the game.

“She’s totally unresponsive when she’s on the iPad. It’s as if she leaves us for another planet,” she says. Together, they have set some ground rules about when she can and cannot use it. “For her, the worst thing in the world is losing her iPad privileges.”

Wooldridge says that experts don’t yet know whether children born three years ago, let’s say, are destined to be even more tech obsessed than an eight-year-old whose early years did not include multiple portable devices. “Infants and toddlers have been completely unrepresented in the research because it wasn’t until recently that they were even considered to be consumers.” But a child’s character and interests will play a part in how drawn they are to media, as will parental habits, she adds.

A 2013 study from Common Sense Media, an American non-profit that studies the effects of media and technology on young users, found that 38 percent of US kids younger than two are using tablets or smartphones — possibly even before they can string a sentence together. (This is up from 10 percent in 2011.) By the age of eight, 72 percent of children have used a smartphone, tablet or similar mobile device.

Based on reports from families, Wooldridge hypothesizes that parents and caregivers are citing “education” as the primary objective when granting screen time to babies and toddlers. “The reality is that when you ask parents how the devices are being used, it is mostly to occupy or distract the child,” she says.

Some families may limit tablets to 20 minutes while stuck in the supermarket cart or during a car trip, while others use them as an in-house babysitter to occupy the kids for hours at a time.

“We’re trying to find out what factors are influencing that variability,” says Wooldridge, pointing to socio-economics, cultural background, parent age and parent education as possible predictors.

But plonking an iPad in a three-year-old’s lap — without a person there to give the experience a human side — probably won’t offer much that is positive, she says. We can praise the latest and greatest apps, and make an argument that screen time is important for kids growing up in today’s tech-filled world, but kids still need to be guided.

“The way infants and toddlers develop and learn is through social interaction, and the device itself can’t provide that. They still need the adult mediating it,” Wooldridge says. “Otherwise, it just becomes a distractor: something they can touch and manipulate. They can get lights, get sounds, and get something talking to them.”

Lisa Guernsey struggled with the topic of technology and what was appropriate for her two daughters, now 11 and nine, so much that she decided to write a book about it, titled Screen Time. Guernsey, who works as a journalist and directs an early education policy program in Washington, DC, tells parents to look at what she calls the three Cs — content, context and child — when making media choices. “Instead of simply saying, ‘Is screen media bad or good for our kids?’ we have to consider the content on the screen, the context in which media is used and your child’s own personal needs,” she says. With the three Cs in mind, media can be a springboard for conversation, discovery and open-ended play. Guernsey explains that some of the positive experiences come when you open up a device with your child, learn how it works, and engage with it together. This could simply mean asking your child questions about the animals in the virtual zoo he’s creating while you unload the dishwasher.

Then come the moments when you want (or need) to pour yourself a cup of tea or glass of wine and read the newspaper. The iPad makes that possible. But there is no reason why a tablet cannot be occupier at one point in the day and a conversation starter at another, says Guernsey.

“As long as we’re maintaining a healthy ratio between moments of non-interaction and interaction, then I think we’re doing just fine.” Used thoughtfully, responsibly and as part of a range of experiences with your child, technology can be an effective tool, says Wooldridge — no need to feel guilty. But, as with any other tool, there is an appropriate time and place for it be introduced based on a child’s developmental capacity. “These devices are not benign,” she adds. “No technology is benign.” What niggles at many of us is the idea that the iPad is somehow replacing a richer experience for our children, like playing chess, climbing a tree or having a meaningful conversation with a parent. Is children’s creativity being sapped, much too soon, by video games and virtual worlds?

It’s not an either-or situation, says Jason Krogh, CEO of Sago Sago, a Canadian company that designs apps for kids. “It’s as if the point of comparison is that you’re going to have a fully engaged conversation with your child as the alternative to them playing with the iPad,” he says. “But we all live in a world where that is not always possible.”

His four-year-old daughter enjoys talking to her vintage Playmobil pieces as much as she does stomping in puddles and serving up animated tea parties on the iPad. There is a time and a place for each activity. Krogh curates apps for his daughter in the same way he might vet the shows she watches and the books she reads. “A children’s book can be good or bad, a children’s toy can be good or bad, and the same applies for any technology-based experience.” He advises parents to be wary of apps with grand educational claims, and to focus more on what’s fun and imaginative. “I’m very much of the belief that what kids need more of is play.” Krogh sites his daughter’s favourite game, Toca Tea Party (from Swedish app developer Toca Boca), as a good example of the app as a toy. “It’s not trying to control the whole experience, but instead acts as a prop for creative play.”

His company’s app “Mini Doodlecast,” a digital painting program that uses the microphone to record what your child is saying while they draw, falls into the category of apps that are fun for kids and parents to use together, because it invites conversation and sparks ideas, says Krogh.

Many of us think of screen time and smartphones as a solitary thing, but Guernsey agrees with Krogh’s take. She would also like to see different types of games and innovative ways of using our devices. “We need to change that by demanding media that promotes social interaction and promotes looking up, and not being so zoomed in,” she says.

It’s exactly that eerily focused zone of concentration that makes the iPad a perfect occupier on long-haul flights, daunting car trips and rainy days at home.

“There’s no mess, the kids are quiet and parents have time to themselves,” says Calgary parenting expert Judy Arnall. “Those are some pretty addictive features.” Arnall recognizes the appeal and convenience of hand-held technology. However, she argues, relying on these devices deprives our kids of any chance at boredom, and boredom is what inspires and enables creativity. “It gives kids time to just sit and think with no distractions — something that we adults struggle to do. We need to model to our kids that it’s OK to do nothing sometimes.”

Do you have fond childhood memories of daydreaming as you gaze out the window of the family station wagon during long road trips? It’s possible that your kids may not — because they’re watching TV or playing on the iPad in the backseat instead.

It does seem to be a double-edged sword. When children are getting antsy in a long lineup or at a restaurant, handing over the iPad is a quick way to pacify them before other patrons start judging us for their whining. Then again, parents also feel like slackers parent for using expensive technology to solve an age-old parenting dilemma, instead of turning it into a teachable moment about practising patience. Without the iPad, says Arnall, your kid might have invented a game for himself, engaged in conversation with grown-ups at the table or started folding napkins into airplanes (and that’s a good thing).

I can’t be the only mother who often falls into the “do as I say, not as I do” school of parenting, as I subtly send a text from the breakfast table. It’s up to us, as parents and caregivers, to teach our children to use the tools of our culture mindfully, and that begins with knowing when to switch them off ourselves. How can I expect my children to focus on one thing at a time if I rarely do? Technology is part of children’s daily lives (both at home and at school), but the way that it’s embedded in their lives is something that we, as parents, still have some control over.

“Set some ground rules with your kids,” advises Arnall. “Block off periods in the day when there is no technology.” This applies as much to parents as it does to children. “Setting your own boundaries is what teaches kids to set their boundaries.”

“The tools only have the power we give them,” echoes Wooldridge.

For now, I’m turning the power off — and resolving to disconnect more often. My kids have been glued to their screens for a tad too long, and so have I. We all need some fresh air.

中文翻译：
本文地址：http://www.wjbb.com/know/944
原文出处：http://www.todaysparent.com/family/parenting/tablet-keep-your-child-occupied-lazy-parenting/ 收起阅读 »

Relax rookie parents—here’s your no-stress list. You’re welcome!

As a first-time mom, it’s hard not to worry about everything your baby does or doesn’t do. You’ve heard it before, every child develops differently, but that’s hardly enough to satisfy all your questions and concerns. The good news? Here are five common reasons why first-time moms worry, and the evidence for why they shouldn’t.

1 The amount of time that a baby is at the breast
Before your baby is born, you may read that newborns feed for about 20 to 40 minutes at each breast, every two to three hours. You may have friends who swear by these numbers, or even keep track of the time that their baby is at the breast. Then, your baby is born and will not feed for more than five to ten minutes at a time. It’s easy to worry that your baby isn’t getting enough nourishment. However, the length of time that a baby is at the breast is not a good indicator of how much milk they received. If your baby is gaining weight and producing adequate wet diapers in a day, you shouldn’t worry. Your flow may be fast, or your baby may not be much of a comfort feeder. Be thankful that your days (and nights!) are not spent breastfeeding.


2 “Spoiling” a baby by holding them too much
The most important thing that you can teach your child in the first two years of their life is that they are loved and supported. The world is a scary place, full of new sights and sounds for a newborn, and your baby needs to be held when she’s crying, kissed when she’s scared, and loved no matter what. Positive attachment with a caregiver early on in life can give children the tools to cope with stressful situations as a child and also later on in life. The next time someone tries to tell you that you’re spoiling your baby by holding them, tell them to read this article released by the Canadian Paediatric Society entitled “The promise of the early years: How long should children wait?”


3 When a baby first rolls over/crawls
Development in general varies so much in the first year and a half of life. However there are some early developmental guidelines to help physicians screen for many different medical concerns. When it comes to rolling, the ability for a baby to roll from front to back at about four months is relatively important as it demonstrates core body strength. But rolling from back to stomach doesn’t seem to matter; some babies just don’t like to do it. There are no specific guidelines as to when a baby should crawl simply because some babies never crawl—some bum-scoot, some army-crawl, and some actually go straight to walking. So, your non-crawler may become an early walker!

4 Early speech development and first words
If your 12-month-old has yet to say their first word, there is no need to panic. There are many other things to look for: Are they babbling? Do they point and grunt for what they want? Do they wave hello/goodbye or shake their head no? Do they use any baby sign language? These are all early signs of expressive language and usually mean that words are on their way. Most paediatricians will not diagnose a language delay or label a child as a “late talker” until 18 months to two years of age. This is because there’s no correlation between expressive language at one year and future success in school. If you are at all concerned about your child’s language skills or milestones in general, contact your physician and your local childhood speech therapist for suggestions.

5 Screen time for toddlers
In today’s day and age, technology is all around us, from TV, to tablets to smartphones. We know that too much is not a good thing, but who decides how much is too much? Currently, the Canadian Paediatric Society still recommends limiting screen time to one to two hours per day. However, most available studies are on passive screen time where a child is placed in front of a screen without interaction. There are limited studies on active screen time involving games and activities on an iPad, but those that are available show that a little time may not be a future concern. In fact, who’s to say that a little “educational” screen time is not beneficial? The bottom line is, like most things in life, moderation is key.

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Keep your family healthy with these nutritious choices.


Colder temperatures, shorter days and the hustle and bustle of winter festivities can also mean bouts of the cold or flu. Here are some superhero foods that will keep your family healthy and the sniffles at bay.

Mushrooms
Whether you’re talking button, crimini or shiitake, mushrooms are amazing immune boosters! Mushrooms are rich in a type of polysaccharide called beta glucan, which has the ability to “activate” the immune system and help prevent infections. It regulates white blood cells and keeps them in a highly prepared state so they are ready to attack any invaders. Mushrooms are also rich in vitamins, polyphenols, sterols and zinc, which all keep our immune systems healthy and strong.

Ways to eat more mushrooms
• Mushrooms make the best pizza toppers! Add a mixture of different varieties to your next pizza pie.
• Add crimini and shiitake mushrooms to stir-fries
• Add button mushrooms to omelettes for an immune system-boost at breakfast
• Make burgers out of grilled Portobello caps

Kiwi fruit
This sweet, green fruit is jam-packed with antioxidants vitamins C and E. Vitamin C is powerful. It not only helps get rid of a cold or flu, but is essential to preventing it in the first place. Vitamin C increases the production of antibodies and white blood cells, which help fight against infection. Vitamin E is required for the production of immunoglobulins. These act as our bodies’ own personal bodyguards as they destroy all those pathogens that try to do us harm.

Ways to eat more kiwi fruit
• Peel, dice and stir into yogurt
• Cut into cubes and combine with other berries to make a fruit cup
• Toss into your family’s favourite salad
• Eat it all by itself with a spoon!

Yogurt
Yogurt is rich in probiotic cultures, which are essential for immune health. Approximately 80% of our immune system resides in the gut, so in order to keep our immune system strong we need to keep our intestinal system healthy with probiotics. Probiotics are live microorganisms (good bacteria) that help to fight off all the bad bacteria. They also help fight illness by increasing the number of virus-fighting cells.

Ways to eat more yogurt
• Blend yogurt with frozen strawberries, banana and almond milk into a frothy shake
• Mix with spices and seasonings to make a veggie dip
• Stir a cup of greek yogurt with frozen blueberries to make an instant blueberry frozen yogurt
• Layer with salsa, shredded lettuce, diced veggies and cheese for healthy spin on a nacho layer lip
• Dollop greek yogurt on top of your fave chili recipe

Pumpkin seeds
These delicious seeds are rich in immune boosting vitamin E, zinc and essential fatty acids, including the anti-inflammatory, antioxidant omega-3. Zinc helps to increase the production of infection-fighting white blood cells and T cells.

Ways to eat more pumpkin seeds
• Toast up some seeds and sprinkle on salads or creamy soups for an immune-boosting crunch
• Mix seeds with dried blackcurrants, dried cranberries and other seeds and nuts for an on-the-go trail mix
• Add pumpkin seeds to breakfast cereals or mix with oats, coconut oil and maple syrup for a homemade granola

Garlic
Garlic is nature’s antibiotic. It’s antibacterial, anti-viral, anti-fungal, and anti-oxidant properties help to not only fight infection, but to ward off sickness in the first place. Garlic contains sulfur-based organic compounds, which give garlic its funky order and help boost the immune system.

Ways to eat more garlic
• Blend 1-2 cloves garlic with 2 cups cooked chick peas, olive oil, lemon and sea salt to make a delicious hummus – can be eaten with pita triangles, crackers or veggie sticks.
• Finely mince garlic and mix with diced tomatoes and freshly chopped basil, then spread on top of whole-wheat pita Top the mixture with grated mozzarella cheese and bake for a mini pizza.
• Cut a baguette into 1-inch slices, brush with olive oil and toast in the oven until crispy. When done, take a whole garlic clove and rub across the top of each slice for instant garlic bread.
• Finely mince garlic and mix into greek yogurt along with grated cucumber and dill for a quick tzatziki or dipping sauce.

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原文出处：http://www.todaysparent.com/family/family-health/5-foods-that-fight-colds-and-flu/ 收起阅读 »

We’ve uncovered the best cold and flu tips, tricks and strategies for soothing your little patients, no matter what bugs winter sends your way.

RUNNY NOSE

What’s happening? Your child’s nose runs because it’s trying to wash away germs. (Sometimes, cold outdoor air is all it takes to trigger more blood flow — and, consequently, guck — in your kid’s nose.)

Five-star strategies:
1. Drink lots of water to loosen snot and make it easier to drain.
2. Gently clear out gunk with a suction bulb or tube (a.k.a. snot sucker).
3. Clean the nose with a soft, saline-treated wipe.
4. Sit with little ones in a steamy bathroom before bedtime to ease stuffiness.

Mom to the rescue: “We use an over-the-counter vapour saline spray that coats the inside of the nose to keep it moist, but not wet, which helps clear my son’s nose and make it easier for him to breathe.” — Melissa Sheldrick, Missassauga, Ont.
Note: Stay away from medicated decongestant sprays — they may worsen the stuffiness and aren’t safe for young kids.
The doc weighs in: Some kids’ noses seem to run all winter long. Is there anything you can do, besides stock up on tissue? “It depends on the degree to which it disturbs the child,” says Henry Ukpeh, a paediatrician in Trail, BC. “If an otherwise healthy child is running around and eating well, leave it alone; it will go away on its own.”

Tip 1: Your kid’s nose may get sore from weeks of wiping. Relieve it with balm you use on lips. Use your finger to apply, and wipe the balm with a clean cloth before and after.
Tip 2: Having trouble teaching your child to blow her nose? Get her to try moving a cotton ball with only nose air (keeping her mouth closed). Then, gently press one nostril closed so she’s blowing out the other. She’ll get it!
You’re wondering: Is it OK for kids to eat snot? Yep — one scientist theorizes that snot snacking may even strengthen immunity, by letting our bodies know what types of pathogens are in our environment. It definitely won’t hurt your kid to munch on a booger or two, but try to discourage it, since nose-dipped fingers can spread viruses and, of course, it grosses people out.

FLU AND FEVER


What’s happening? If your child has caught influenza — a respiratory virus, not to be confused with those gastrointestinal bugs commonly referred to as the stomach flu — she’s not a happy camper. She may have fever, chills, aches and pains, plus cold-like symptoms. Younger children can also have vomiting and diarrhea from influenza. “With the flu, you tend to be more sick than with the common cold,” says Bunmi Fatoye, medical officer of health for the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority. “You have extreme fatigue — you just want to lie down and not do anything.” She may feel feverish and achy for two to four days, and it may take up to two weeks to recover completely.

Five-star strategies:
1. Give acetaminophen for a fever that’s making your child uncomfortable. If she won’t take it by mouth, use a children’s suppository.
2. Rest is best! Tuck your child in with a favourite blanket or stuffie, and offer up lots of TLC.
3. If her tummy is queasy, a children’s anti-nausea medication or suppository can help her keep food down. Try non-greasy, bland foods like saltine crackers and clear liquids.
4. Don’t put her in a cool bath for fever — it may make your child shiver, raising her body temperature. Instead, set the room temperature to 20°C and dress her lightly.

Tip: After your child has a bout of vomiting or diarrhea, mix three ounces of water with a small pinch of salt and a small pinch of sugar, and give it to your child a few sips at a time. The salt replenishes what was lost, and the sugar helps the salt get absorbed.
Mom to the rescue: “I make chicken noodle soup with garlic and ginger. This seems to help a lot.” — Anne De Groot, Toronto
Note: Chicken soup is thought to be anti-inflammatory, as well as a comfort food. The warmth loosens congestion and eases sore throats, and the fluid helps keep kids hydrated.
The doc weighs in: When a child has diarrhea or vomiting, he can get dangerously dehydrated in just a few hours, depending on his size, whether he’s vomiting a little bit, or can’t keep anything down at all. Reduced urine, dry tears, loose skin, dry heaves and a dry mouth are all urgent signs. “You have to seek medical advice at that point,” says Ukpeh.

CHAPPED LIPS


What’s happening? It’s not a virus, but still a painful side effect of winter: Your child’s lips and the skin around his mouth are dry and sore, and constant lip-licking makes it worse. First, pump up the fluids to keep skin hydrated, then prevent more moisture loss by coating lips with anolin creams, coconut oil or balms. (Beware of the tasty ones — the flavours may convince him to put it on, but he may lick more as a result!) Apply these barriers at bedtime so they have more time to work their magic.
Mom to the rescue: “Zinc diaper cream is awesome on chapped lips for an overnight application.” — Khrysta Pilkington, Ottawa

SORE THROAT


What’s happening? Inflammation makes your child’s throat feel scratchy or painful, especially when she swallows. Blame it (usually) on a viral infection.

Five-star strategies:
1. Give acetaminophen to lessen the pain.
2. Use a humidifier at night to keep the air moist (disinfect it and change the water every day so mould and bacteria don’t grow). Humidifiers help with other cold symptoms, like stuffiness, too.
3. Have your child gargle with warm salt water, if she can do this without swallowing.
4. Suck away soreness: Try a frozen fruit pop. Children older than six can suck a throat lozenge or hard candy, too.
5. Drink warm liquids to increase blood flow to the area and help with discomfort. Lemon and honey are soothing for sore throats. (Remember that honey isn’t safe for kids younger than one year old.)

Mom to the rescue: “For sore throats, I give a marshmallow! It works almost instantly.” — Lindsay Wirth, Calgary
The doc weighs in: Most of the time, it’s a virus making your child’s throat sore, so it just has to run its course. But how do you know if it’s a strep infection instead? “It becomes incapacitating,” says Ukpeh. In other words, your kid is too sick and uncomfortable to participate in regular activities. Signs include difficulty eating or drinking, a fever or swollen glands, which often appear before the sore throat. Ukpeh notes that swollen glands should be checked out, even if the throat isn’t sore.

COUGH

What’s happening? Your kid is coughing because her airway is irritated or full of phlegm. A productive cough (wet and gunky) helps her clear mucus, so don’t try to suppress it. A dry cough can mean there’s leftover irritation from a cold.

Five-star strategies:
1. Try chewable vitamin-C supplements and vitamin-C-rich foods, like citrus fruit or orange juice. These may shorten colds.
2. For kids older than one year, give half a teaspoon of pasteurized honey (which has virus-fighting properties) before bed.
3. For kids older than two, a medicated rub on the chest and neck at bedtime has been shown to help with night coughing.
4. A warm bath or shower can loosen congestion and ease the airway.

Mom to the rescue: “I put a few drops of organic oil of oregano [available from health stores and some pharmacies] on the sole of each foot and rub it in when my kids get a cough from a cold. Then I put socks on their feet for the night.” — Larissa Vormittag, Calgary
The doc weighs in: Remember those cough syrups we all took as kids? They’re essentially useless and may cause harm, say medical experts. If your little one is suffering a dry cough, it may be irritation from a cold virus that’s come and gone and, in most cases, you can just wait it out if your child seems fine otherwise. But there’s a chance that a persistent dry cough indicates asthma, especially if a parent or sibling has asthma, eczema or hay fever (they’re all linked). Be sure to have your child checked out if the coughing goes on for weeks, wakes your child at night and is worsened by physical activity.

WHEN TO SEE THE DOCTOR

If your child has trouble breathing, or is feverish and hard to wake up, get medical attention right away. You should also call the doctor if your child is refusing to eat or drink, or has a fever that makes him miserable (no matter what the temperature) but won’t respond to acetaminophen; reaches 38.6°C and keeps rising; or lasts more than a couple of days. If your baby is younger than three months old, you’re safest calling the doc for any fever.

What if you aren’t sure what’s wrong but your gut says there’s a problem? “If you feel, ‘I can’t put my finger on it, but this is just not right,’ it’s best to get the child checked.

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Here’s what you need to know about your baby’s first illness—whether it’s a cold, flu or something more.

Every parent remembers the stress of their baby’s first illness. For Heather Brion, it was when her son, Adrian, was about six months old. “He had a fever and a cough and cried inconsolably,” says the Kingston, Ont., mom. “His paediatrician diagnosed a mild case of influenza, and I felt awful because there wasn’t much I could do. I sat up all night listening to him sniffle.”

About one in three infants will need a doctor’s care during an influenza infection, but not every illness needs medical attention. Sometimes, though, it’s hard for a new parent to know how serious things are. Remember: You know your baby’s temperament best, and if you feel like something is wrong, bring him—along with a list of concerns—to your doctor or the emergency room. (If your child is younger than six months old, have any fever checked out by a doctor.)

“My son couldn’t be soothed, and didn’t even want to nurse to calm down. That’s how I knew something was wrong,” says Brion. “My only regret is the nerve-racking hours before I called the doctor. That call may not have been necessary for him health-wise, but it calmed me down enough to look after him with confidence—even though I still slept beside his crib.”

If your little one isn’t feeling well, and serious conditions have been ruled out, your task is simply to get through a few days with a cranky, uncomfortable baby. But that’s a lot more work than it sounds. Here’s how to cope:

Expect clinginess

Extra cuddles may be the unexpected sweet side of your babe’s first illness—but having her attached to you all day long quickly becomes exhausting. Use your front carrier in the house and try to get out for a stroll in the fresh air, if you can. (Your arms and your mind need a break to make it through what may feel like a sanity-testing week.)

Sleep easy

Even when she’s snoozing, you’re likely to be repeatedly jarred awake by worry over her breathing or discomfort. Andrea Da Silva, a Toronto mom of two, always slept next to her kids in her bed when they were sick, so they both got the rest they needed. “If they were congested, I would sleep propped up with pillows behind me and hold them on my chest, so their nasal passages could clear,” she says.

Eat well

We all become crankier if we’re not fuelling up regularly. Your baby may have trouble drinking, but try to feed her often, and stock up on easy, healthy snacks for yourself. “I’d drink lots of ginger tea and make something easy I could eat over several days, like chicken soup with parsnips and carrots. I’d purée it for the baby, and add noodles for me,” says Da Silva.

Ask for help

If you don’t have friends or family nearby, see if a babysitter or neighbour can come by so you can grab a couple hours of shut-eye (don’t tackle housework! It can wait). You and your partner can swap shifts soothing your little patient, and take advantage of grocery-delivery services or takeout meals to save your energy.

Symptoms may last up to seven days, and while it’s a stressful time, the majority of children soldier through without complications. Their immune systems will be better prepared to deal with other infections, which leads to milder bouts of illness in the future (or prevents them altogether). “The hardest part is the first couple of days,” says Brion. “By the end of the week, I was tired, but he was in great shape, and I think we both came out of it a little stronger. I will definitely feel more confident next time around.”

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Q: Our 13-year-old daughter has always been afraid of needles. When she got the chicken pox vaccine, she screamed and hid under the exam table, but eventually agreed to have the shot. As a result of that shot, she developed the skin infection cellulitis and now will not consent to get the HPV vaccine. She has even refused to have a dental filling, and the cavity has become so large she needs a root canal.

A: The majority of children experience significant fears while growing up. If these fears persist, become irrational and disrupt normal behaviours, they are called phobias, and the feared object (or even thinking about that object) can trigger tummy aches, headaches, breathing problems and other physical complaints. It’s called the fight-or-flight response, and most of us have encountered it in our lives. But your daughter’s phobia is affecting her health, so it needs to be addressed.

Your family doctor can put you in contact with a specialist in desensitization and cognitive behavioural therapy techniques, which can help your daughter learn to cope with her fear of needles. The therapist will gradually introduce the thought of a needle: first maybe just imagining one, then seeing a picture, then having a wrapped needle in the room. She’ll also be taught relaxation techniques to use when she begins to feel panicky during these sessions, and taught to understand how her thoughts are making her fearful. For example, she may believe that every time she gets a shot she will contract cellulitis; the sessions will help her learn that although this is a possible complication, it is very rare.

The coping skills your daughter will learn through this kind of therapy will help her throughout life. Maybe I’ll even meet her in medical school someday!

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Whether you’re planning a family trip abroad, or just across the border, here’s how you need to prepare for a safe and healthy holiday.

When Lisa Murphy and her husband, Rich, set off from their Toronto home to see the world for six months last year, they knew there was a chance they might get sick — and they were kind of OK with that. Of greater concern was whether their two children, nine-year-old Rowan and seven-year-old Margaret, would pick up a bug somewhere overseas.

“As a family, we’d only gone on camping vacations and to all-inclusive resorts where we never had any health issues,” Murphy says. But now the family was headed off to Vietnam, Cambodia, India, China, Brazil and Peru, putting themselves in the path of everything from travellers’ diarrhea to malaria and hepatitis.

“Health is the biggest issue for any family holiday,” says Rohan Bissoondath, medical director of Preventous Collaborative Health in Calgary. But that doesn’t mean you need to stay home, he says. It just pays to be prepared. Whether you’ll be wandering a Turkish bazaar or simply soaking up the sun on a beach in the Caribbean, Bissoondath recommends taking a trip to a travel clinic, or your family doctor, to find out which shots are recommended for your destination. “Ideally, you should book an appointment as soon as you have a confirmed itinerary,” he says. “But, we get everything from ‘We’re thinking of travelling in a year,’ to ‘We’re on our way to the airport.’ It’s never too late to go, although it’s important to know that it takes two weeks for most vaccines to kick in completely.”

Vaccines and medicines

Murphy and her family visited a travel clinic well before their departure date, since some of the shots they needed, such as hepatitis B, had to be spaced out over several months. “We gave the nurse at the clinic a list of our destinations, and she outlined which shots and medications we’d need and when,” Murphy says. “We were also given prescriptions for drugs we could take in case we got sick while we were away.” The whole family received a hepatitis B vaccine, and took a course of Dukoral, an oral vaccine that o ffers some protection against travellers’ diarrhea. They also picked up some altitude sickness medicine, extra antibiotics in case of severe stomach bugs, and malaria pills. Children are especially at risk for malaria, but there are medications that are safe for all ages — they can even be crushed into baby formula or food.

Most vaccines are safe for children, although not always for very young infants. For instance, vaccines for hepatitis A are not given to children younger than a year old. “Some vaccines aren’t recommended under a certain age because they don’t build adequate antibodies, and children may still have maternal antibodies as well, making the vaccines ine ffective,” says Stacy Fowler, a nurse manager at Jema International Travel Clinic in St. John’s.

Meanwhile, children may need an accelerated vaccine schedule if they’re going to miss a shot while they’re away. A good example is the Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR) vaccine, says Fowler, which is recommended for children ages six months and up if they’re travelling (the MMR vaccine normally isn’t administered to Canadians until age one). “ The key is to make sure children are fully protected while they’re away from home,” she says. “ Then they just resume their normal immunization schedule when they return.”

Tummy upsets

No matter where you’re headed, the most common illness families face is tummy upset, says Fowler. “Just eating food your body isn’t used to, as well as being exposed to viruses, parasites or bacteria, can lead to diarrhea,” she says. “And while adults usually get over it fairly quickly, children tend to get sicker and are more likely to become dehydrated.” When Bissoondath travels with his three daughters, he takes every possible precaution against stomach bugs, including wiping down the plane. “I’m meticulous about hand washing and using antibacterial hand spray — I do it all, including cleaning off touch screens and arm rests,” he says. “Yes, it’s good for kids to be exposed to germs and develop immuni ty, but not on the plane at the beginning of a holiday.”

Food safety

Then there’s the issue of finding food that’s safe to eat once you reach your destination. When Fowler travelled to Cuba with her two children, they left the resort to enjoy the local fare. “Part of the experience of travel is seeing the culture and trying the food,” she says. But Fowler follows the rule of only eating foods that have been boiled, peeled or cooked, and makes sure all drinks come sealed in a bottle or can. She also packs extra foods she knows her kids will eat in emergencies, such as instant oatmeal, trail mix and a jar of peanut butter.

Initially, Murphy and her family avoided street food during their travels, but found that in some countries, such as China, the o fferings from street vendors were fresher and tastier than what they’d find in a restaurant. “Each country presented di fferent food challenges,” Murphy says. “In Peru, there wasn’t a ton of variety, and many things were fried, so shopping in markets for fruit and vegetables we could peel came in handy. In China, Vietnam and Cambodia, meals were inexpensive and there were lots of healthy vegetable dishes that the kids liked. Overall, we found that choosing busier, visibly cleaner restaurants increased the likelihood that the food was fresh.” For backup, Murphy also gave her kids multivitamins. “I actually wish we had brought more vitamins with us because it was hard to find them abroad — most of the ones we found were liquids, which the kids didn’t like.”

Find a doctor

Despite all of Murphy’s precautions, no one made it through the entire trip without getting sick. Fortunately, nothing was too serious. Margaret had a little altitude sickness a fter an overnight bus ride to Cuzco, Peru, and both Margaret and Rich got a few ear infections, which they’re prone to at the best of times. “In India, the kids got fevers, and Rich and I had a nasty tummy bug that took several weeks to sort out,” Murphy says. “We took the antibiotics that we had brought with us, but when they didn’t help, we went to a local doctor that our hotel recommended. Doctors and private clinics are readily available in most major cities, and we found the service fast and efficient — and getting prescriptions filled was a breeze.”

Bissoondath recommends researching internationally recognized hospitals at your travel destination, and how to contact them, ahead of time, in case of emergencies. He also says investing in travel insurance that covers your flight home is a must.

“It’s such a great thing to travel as a family,” says Bissoondath. “As long as you’re prepared, you’ll have a rewarding and memorable holiday.”

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Why are kids these days immunized against chicken pox? What you need to know about the varicella vaccine.

Somewhere between 12 and 15 months, your toddler’s doctor will likely recommend vaccinating your child against varicella — more commonly known as chicken pox. While this vaccine is still optional, for many families it’s become part of the routine vaccination schedule, often administered with the measles, mumps and rubella vaccines. Almost nine out of 10 times, the vaccine prevents kids who are exposed to chicken pox from catching the extremely contagious infection.

This particular shot wasn’t available when you were a child: it was only introduced in Canada in 1998. But between 2000 and 2007, provinces and territories started picking up the tab for one dose. Today, six also cover the recommended second dose (given either at 18 months or four to six years, depending on where you live).

You may remember your own childhood bout with chicken pox as a rite of passage. Maybe it wasn’t that big of a deal, or maybe you were totally miserable and covered in spots that ended up scarring. Some parents theorize that if they weren’t vaccinated, why should they subject their kid to an optional shot? But it’s worth reconsidering. Children with a typical case of chicken pox break out in 300 to 500 itchy blisters, and may come down with a fever, headache, sore throat and tummy ache.

Taking a week off work to care for a sick kid is no small matter for most working parents. Chicken pox is contagious from 48 hours before the rash appears until all the pox are crusted over — usually about five to seven days. Beware that chicken pox can also appear in multiple waves. Plus, if your vaccinated kid does end up catching it, his or her case will likely be much more mild (less than 50 pox). The shot sharply reduces the odds of severe illness by 95 percent and other uncommon (but serious) complications.

“Before immunization, about 1,700 to 2,200 kids per year across the country would be admitted to hospital with chicken pox,” explains Joan Robinson, chair of the Canadian Paediatric Society’s Infectious Diseases and Immunization Committee. (Those numbers have since dropped dramatically — by 2008, chicken-pox-related hospitalizations had declined by 88 percent in provinces where widespread immunization was first adopted.) Another rationale for vaccinating? It cuts down on transmission of the virus to vulnerable individuals, like pregnant women and newborns. (Infants are far more prone to very severe infection, and the vaccine isn’t effective for them, because of their immature immune systems.)

The most common side effect of the vaccine is a short-lived swelling and soreness around the spot where the needle went in. The Canadian Paediatric Society suggests a dose of acetaminophen to ease symptoms. (This is controversial, however — some doctors caution against giving acetaminophen or ibuprofen because some research has hinted it may make the vaccine less effective.) There’s also a tiny risk of a serious allergic reaction to one of the vaccine ingredients, such as the antibiotic neomycin, “but that’s very treatable,” Robinson reassures.

Matt James and his wife didn’t debate vaccinating their daughters, now six and 10, against varicella as toddlers. “I’m in favour of doing what we need to do to make our kids the healthiest they can possibly be,” the Toronto dad says. His younger daughter has avoided getting chicken pox entirely, despite being exposed. And while his older daughter did catch it, James is convinced her symptoms would’ve been much worse had she not been vaccinated. “We didn’t even pick up on it,” he says. “We sent her to school and one of the teachers said, ‘she’s got chicken pox.’ She wasn’t very itchy, and the bumps were just tiny specks.”

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原文出处：http://www.todaysparent.com/toddler/toddler-health/what-you-need-to-know-about-the-chicken-pox-vaccine/ 收起阅读 »