Archive for the ‘Kid’s Health’ Category

What You Must Consider in Choosing a Toy

February 10th, 2011 >> Kid's Health

Kids find toys a great need. You may also find it helpful when comforting your child who is in tantrums or just to keep him busy while you do household chores. However, the smallest of these toys can even cause a greater danger. This explains why it is vital that you keep an eye on your child as he plays with toys that have detachable small parts. Better play with him instead, this can be a sort of bonding with your kid.

Safety First

When choosing a toy to buy, consider the safety of your child first. A toy may be on trend, colorful and attractive just like how toys usually look but think of the possible dangers they may cause. Family physicians recommend that you consider the basics in toy safety.

Sharp-Edged Toys

Though toys are usually made of plastics, it may have rough and sharp edges that may cut your child’s delicate skin. Take time to check on the toys before you place them in your cart right away. It is not only a small wound on the hands that you want to prevent but also injuries on more delicate body parts like the eyes.

Keep The Wrong Toys Out of the Toddler’s Reach

A certain toy must be age-appropriate. Toys intended for bigger kids must be placed in boxes that the toddlers won’t find or get hold of. A badminton racket must be seen hanging on the wall rather than placed scattered on the floor. Your little kid might hurt himself with it and even his playmates.

Choose the Sturdy Toys

Kids are experimental even in playing with their toys. They love removing the small parts and see what happens next when they do so until their toys become ruined and go straight to the trash. Pick the sturdy ones or those that do not have small parts that can cause choking. Little kids love to place something inside their mouth. There are a large number of cases of choking among this age group. Also, avoid those toys that have loose ribbons and strings that may get tangled around your child’s neck.

Buy What is Age-Appropriate

Toys are labeled to what age group they are most suitable. This will help prevent the dangers of choking and injuries among your little kids. Also, the developmental stage is a consideration in choosing a toy. For example, a toddler at the age of one can’t tow a big cart and a 4 year-old kid won’t be interested in playing rattles anymore. It is also important that precaution be made in choosing shooting objects or toys and those that are electrically operated. Read the label and educate yourself about articles on a kid’s developmental stages that discuss what toy fits certain age group such as toddlers and pre-schoolers.

Choose Non-toxic and Washable Toys

Little kids, especially toddlers, have this urge to put things inside their mouth. This explains why it is important that toys are maintained clean and free from dirt. Lead-containing toys must also be avoided to prevent its toxic effects to your child. Lead toxicity may be affect brain development and can even cause kidney disease.

Best Tips For Mom: Keeping Your Kids Healthy

November 8th, 2010 >> Kid's Health

All moms are overprotective with their kids. They would do anything to maintain their health. Children have lower immune system than adults and are prone to getting sick. With appropriate steps and practice, keeping them healthy isn’t much difficult to do. With proper nutrition, living a healthy lifestyle in a clean environment, ensuring safety and regular check-ups, your children can achieve grow and develop at the maximum.

Tips For Kid’s Health

  • Be updated with your child’s immunization. Vaccines can protect your child from diseases. Prevention is always better than cure. You’ll definitely be spending less with immunization than treating your child from measles, chicken pox and, hepatitis and other preventable diseases.
  • The nutrient requirement differs in every age group of children. It’s best to consult with your pediatrician which is best for your children. Generally, for growing kids, they need to eat three main meals with snacks in between. Food should be less in sugar but high in fat, carbohydrates and protein. Eating nutritious snacks is necessary. Most moms complain of having difficulty feeding their child. This is a challenge to make food appetizing, pleasing yet nutritious for them.
  • Ensure that the home is safe for children to play. Guard stairs to keep them from falling. When the floor is wet, wipe them dry immediately to prevent slips and falls. Keep chemicals and cleaners away from children’s reach. Kids are curious beings and would touch everything they see. Allow them to explore and play around but make sure to watch them often.
  • Prepare meals cleanly and cook thoroughly. Wash fruits and vegetables properly. Avoid raw foods because these may cause upset stomach to children. Always provide them with clean water to avoid diarrhea. Milk and juices should always be pasteurized.
  • During meal time, keep distractions to a minimum. Turn off the television and make them stop playing video games. This will make them focus on eating. It’s also a way of disciplining them and making them understand that meal time should be done at the dining table with family members.
  • Always clean your home. This will create a cleaner environment for children. Change the curtains, linens and rags as often as possible. This will prevent the build up of dust mites. If you have pets at home, supervise your children when playing. This can avoid accidents.
  • Teach your children frequent hand washing. Wash before and after eating, after playing with animals and after using the toilet. This will prevent spread of infection which will make your children sick.
  • Remind your children not to share utensils, eating and drinking objects from school mates. They can acquire diseases when they use other things.
  • Visit their pediatrician regularly to check their growth. Supplements may be given to help when there’s deficiency.
  • These are helpful tips to guide moms in promoting health to their children. They don’t need to spend much on multivitamins and supplements. Supply only what’s needed and live a healthy lifestyle. This will ensure the safety and health of your kids making you a happy and worry-free mom.

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Health of Your Home Is The Health of Your Kids

July 16th, 2010 >> Kid's Health

Kids spent most of their time at home. Even if they are up-to-date with their immunization schedule and are religiously taking their vitamins, when your home is not healthy and clean, you can still make them prone to get sick. There are just lots of things that can be found in the home. The family goes in and out of the house and can definitely bring all the microorganisms inside. You may not be particular with it but by creating a healthy home, you’ll definitely make your children healthy.

Manage Your Pets

Humans are social beings and being engaged to pets is normal. An emotional attachment is formed since pets are really caring to their masters. Although pets could give joy to humans, they could also cause sickness especially to the young ones. In studies, a number of cases have allergies to cats. Allergens are highly found in their secretions like saliva and urine. Aside from triggering an allergy, animals most often carry parasites that can cause diarrhea and vomiting. If you can’t do away with pets, proper cleaning is necessary. The house should be vacuumed with the ability to sweep in allergens. Always wash hands before eating and after touching the pets. Don’t allow them to lick your children.

Maintain The Temperature of Refrigerator

There are some people who are not aware of the appropriate temperature of the ref. The refrigerator should be at normal range of temperature which is 0°C to 5°C. When it’s higher, food can’t be preserved and spoilage can occur. When children consume spoiled food, they might get abdominal pain, diarrhea and vomiting. Always make sure that the fridge door is close. Instruct children not to leave the door open.

Keep Harmful Chemicals

A lot of children have been rushed to the hospital due to poisoning. Always keep cleaning agents, insect killers and other solutions out of their reach. This will avoid children from playing and ingesting them.

Allow Circulation of Air

Home that is warm and damp will definitely be thriving place for dust mites. During the day, open the windows to allow air to circulate. Circulating air will get rid of odors from molds, cooked food and trash. It’s believed that with good ventilation, dust mites are decreased.

Very Shiny May Not Mean Healthy

Cleaners that make the surfaces of the kitchen shiny may not be healthy after all. These cleaners are just too strong and may cause irritation to children when they come in contact with the surface. When there’s children at home, make sure that all products are safe for them. For cleaning, bicarbonate soda are safe and naturally effective. It’s a great deodorizer too. You can also make use of vinegar or lemon juice as safer options.

It’s not enough to sweep the home, mop then and dust areas. By keeping things organize and promoting a healthy home, you can ensure the safety and health of your kids. Use natural products as much as possible. Maintain the coziness of your home with compromising health.

Things You Must Have For Your Kid’s Safety

January 26th, 2010 >> Kid's Health

There are many words to describe a child. He may be naturally active, curious and restless that often cause you to lose your patience and extremely anxious of what injuries he may get. This is normal though among kids especially to the “Impossible Toddlers”. They don’t care much about their safety and health that they usually end up with certain injuries such as wounds and bruises. Having something on hand to treat these possible conditions your kid may get will help in treating it the soonest time possible.

Contact Numbers

Know the nearest poison control facility in your location. 80 percent of poisoning cases happen among children ages 5 and below. It is important that you keep a number in your personal directory, on your fridge and even in the phonebook of your cellphones. These facilities are usually open twenty-four hours offering prompt services to save your child from the complications that may arise after ingesting several tablets of candy-like medicines. If the child is unconscious upon ingestion of poisonous substances, you may call 911. However, if the child is alert and awake, you may call on the local poison control facility which is the nearest to your location. Also, it is important that you keep over-the-counter anti-poison agents such as ipecac syrup and know how to use it on your child.

Pain Medications

Over-the-counter pain medications such as acetaminophen, naproxen and the like must be available in your medicine kit. However, be careful with the doses since what is needed by an adult may be too much for your little kid. Also, know the medications you must not give when the child is already taking other drugs. Example, if your child took paracetamol for fever, acetaminophen for pain may not be necessary since the said drug already has both analgesic (for pain management) and antipyretic (for fever) properties.

Dressing Materials

Since your child may be prone to getting injured and suffer from scrapes and incised wounds, having bandages together with a bandage scissor, cotton balls, an antiseptic and dressing tape is very important. An antiseptic solution may come in various forms such as solutions and ointments. Remember, you must be ready to dress a wound anytime. Bandages of different sizes may be necessary to apply on cuts or wounds that need compression or to hold a dressing in place.

Treatment for Itchiness

Various creams are available in pharmacies to treat itchiness due to insect bites or allergies. The more popular one is calamine lotion which can soothe skin irritation fast. Also, hydrocortisone creams are used for rashes that are due to dermatitis or allergic reaction. However, if your child shows systemic or generalized signs and symptoms such as difficulty breathing, he needs to be brought to a hospital facility immediately.

Cold and Hot Packs

Bumps and bruises are not new to a kid. It is important that you always keep a cold pack in your refrigerator. Also, some packs can be used for both hot and cold application. The length of time both are applied on an injury is usually 15 to 20 minutes. However, it varies on the type of injury your child is suffering from. For more information read articles on hot and cold application as first aid measures.