Utah Valley Pediatrics strives to keep parents up to date on the latest health topics and advisories. Our newsletter covers medicine changes and news, pediatric news, seasonal and age specific topics and what's new at Utah Valley Pediatrics.
Archives
Winter 2010
Vol. 3 Issue 4
Medicine Changes and News
Recent H1N1 Vaccine Recalls Are Nothing to Fear
Lack of Evidence That Special Diets Help Autistic Children
Seasonal and Age Specific
The 123's of Cold and Flu Relief
Don't Give Up On Getting Your Kids to Wash Their Hands
How to Raise Money Savvy Children
Parents Aren't the Only Ones Who Need to be Organized
Is Caffeine Good For Your Child?
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Kevin Moffitt
Administrator
801-373-8930
Katie Jenkins
HR Manager
801-373-8930
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Medicine Changes and News
Recent H1N1 Vaccine Recalls Are Nothing to Fear
In light of the two recent H1N1 vaccine recalls some parents might be concerned about safety. However, the FDA and the CDC have determined that children who received the vaccine are not in any danger. The vaccines were recalled because they had lost some of their potency, not because of safety concerns.
Lack of Evidence That Special Diets Help Autistic Children
It is not uncommon for parents of autistic children to place their children on special diets to help manage behavioral problems. However, a new report published in the journal "Pediatrics" says that there is no evidence to support the idea that restrictive diets are helpful.
At issue is whether or not children with autism suffer from a digestive problem sometimes called "leaky gut" or "autistic enterocolitis." Some people believe that many of autistic children's behavior problems are reactions to the pain caused by autistic enterocolitis. A diet free from casein (a protein found in cow's milk and cheese) and gluten is said to help alleviate some of the pain and improve behavior problems. The theory originated with a now discredited study by Dr. Andrew Wakefield.
The report in "Pediatrics" states that given the available medical research there is no evidence to establish the existence of autistic enterocolitis. The study did confirm that certain stomach issues are linked to autism-like behaviors but did not find any research that supported the idea that restrictive diets were helpful. Given the lack of research in the area, the report calls for more research into the connection between autism and digestive problems and whether or not special diets might help.
Pediatric News
The 123's of Cold and Flu Relief
You are that mom who follows her kids around the playground with a bottle of hand sanitizer, but some how your child still managed to come down with a bug. What now? With new restrictions on using over-the-counter cold and flu medications on children many parents are at a loss on how to help their children.
Luckily these seven simple suggestions can help ease some of your child's symptoms.
Don't Give Up On Getting Your Kids to Wash Their Hands
After telling your kids to wash their hands for the umpteenth time today it can be tempting to throw in the towel. But don't give up! It is an important lesson that can help protect your child and your entire family. Hand washing is still the best way to prevent the spreading of germs.
People most often get sick when they touch something contaminated by germs and then touch their eyes, nose or mouth. Once the germs are on your hands, they can be spread to other surfaces and infect other people. You can break the cycle by washing those germs off your hands before they can cause any problems. Washing your hands can help prevent the spread of everything from the common cold to meningitis, bronchiolitis, influenza, hepatitis A, and most types of infectious diarrhea.
Money, Money, Money
For many families money is a little tight right now. And while parents may have a clear understanding of why the family needs to cut back, explaining it to your children can be a little harder. Here are some tips that can make it a little easier.
How to Raise Money Savvy Children
You send your children to school five days a week, but chances are they aren't learning one of the most basic skills they will need to succeed in life — how to manage money. So how can you make sure that when your children embark on adulthood they know how to balance a budget, manage credit, and set financial priorities?
Parents Aren't the Only Ones Who Need to be Organized
January is the perfect time to get life in order, and the same idea applies to your children. Learning organizational skills will help your child develop a greater sense of independence and confidence. Organized children are more likely to complete homework more quickly, finish chores as expected, and have more time to play and relax. Need help getting your child organized? Here are some tips!
Creating Good Sleep Habits
Sleep is essential to the well being of everybody in a family, but anybody with a newborn can tell you that good sleep habits aren't something we are born with. It is our job to teach our children how to go to sleep and stay asleep. The key to raising well-rested children is to remain consistent in establishing healthy routines that encourage sleep.
Different age groups typically have their own unique sleep issues. Below are some tips on how much sleep children need and how to help them sleep. Keep in mind that how much sleep a child needs varies from child to child. The key is to learn how to read your child to see if they are getting enough sleep. Ironically, tired children don't act tired the same way we do — instead they can become hyper, disagreeable, and exhibit extremes in behavior.
Video Games for Homework?
High drop out rates have caused many educators to look for new ways to reach today's wired generation. At the forefront of this movement is Quest to Learn (Q2L), a school based entirely on games-based learning. Instead of textbooks and lectures, students learn by engaging in computer-driven role-playing games and interactive quests.
Video games are used to teach things like English, math, and science through solving puzzles and completing video game challenges. For example, one class teaches geography by having students act as location scouts for a mock reality-TV show. Students are required to do things like research different climate zones and create digital maps. At the end of the class they submit their multimedia pitches to a TV producer.
The school also doesn't hand out grades like traditional schools; instead, students reach the next level, just like at the end of a video game.
Healthy Snack Ideas
When kids get home from school, they usually head straight to the kitchen for a snack. With childhood obesity on the rise, it's important to make it easy for kids to eat healthy snacks rather than stocking up on sugary foods. These late-afternoon snacks help kids recharge after a long day at school, which can help them focus on homework and other after-school activities.
Here are some quick, simple after-school snack suggestions:
Is Caffeine Good For Your Child?
Caffeine is everywhere. It is in everything from a cup of coffee to cold medicine to a can of soda. But is it good for our children?
Caffeine is a drug that stimulates the central nervous system. At high levels it can cause jitteriness, nervousness, upset stomachs, headaches, difficulty concentrating and sleeping, and increased heart rate and blood pressure. Caffeine can also aggravate heart problems or nervous disorders, and cause withdrawal symptoms like headaches, muscle aches, temporary depression, and irritability.
Parents have to be extra careful with how much caffeine their children are consuming because children are more vulnerable to the effects of caffeine — typically the lower the body weight the more sensitive somebody is to caffeine. Some experts recommend that children consume less than 45 milligrams of caffeine a day — equivalent to a can of soda or four milk chocolate bars.
Your best bet is to cut caffeine from your child's diet entirely. So where do you start?
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