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Show park city parent fall 2011 Advice from a pediatrician Children may resist your efforts to keep them healthy, safe and productive, but creating the right habits is the key to success. 'Dr. Monica Schaffer Summit Pediatrics use to reduce or prevent asthma symptoms during fall and winter respiratory virus outbreaks. Healthy Hint* Be sure your child is getting Be sure your kids are protect- sufficient sleep! Preschoolers ed against vaccine-preventable need about 12 hours per night, diseases. Twelve year oids need school-aged kids need 11 hours a tetanus/pertussis booster prior per night, and teens need around to entering 7th grade. A second 8 1/2 hours per night. Lack of varicella vaccine is recommend- sleep has been linked with poor ed for all children by kindergarten school performance, behavior entry. Families new to Park City problems, and even obesity. from other states should check To prep your child's brain and their child's Hepatitis A status. body for a demanding day, start Teens should ask their doctor him off with a hearty breakfast about the meningitis and cervi- that contains elements from each cal cancer vaccines. Stay tuned food group. If you're not typically for the release of this year's flu in a Julia Child mood at 6 a.m., vaccine, which should be avail- plan ahead and think outside the able by early fall. It comes in two (cereal) box. For example, spoon forms: nasal spray and injection. some yogurt and fruit in the The injectable vaccine consists of blender to whip up a quick and killed virus; no matter what claims healthful smoothie in the mornyou may hear it is NOT capable of ing. Create an instant quiche or causing the flu. The nasal spray frittata from dinner leftovers sauconsists of weakened live virus. teed with eggs. Bake and freeze It is reserved for healthy people some whole grain muffins to zap over age two. for a hot treat before catching Parents of children with se- the bus. For those on the go, a vere food allergies should be sure toasted whole grain English mufthey have current prescription fin with melted low-fat cheese, epinephrine pens for both home or a banana and granola bar are and school use; the shelf-life speedy but satisfying morning wanes after one year, so check meals. the expiration date periodically. To avoid the onslaught of Talk to your child's doctor about cold and flu illness, teach your developing a written plan to im- child to wash his hands frequently plement emergency treatment in (hand sanitizer is fine), and advise the event of an accidental inges- him to never touch her face. Be tion, thereby reducing the risk of sure to charge the immune sysa serious allergic reaction. tem daily by encouraging plenty In anticipation of the up- of sleep plus a varied and healthy coming cold and flu season, kids diet. . ^ : with asthma or a chronic cough should be sure their prescription Safety Suggestions inhalers are current. Do you need Your child's backpack should an updated rescue inhaler for have wide, padded shoulder "just-in-case" school use? Also, straps and a waist belt for exnow's the time to institute daily tra support. Teach him to pack asthma controller medication the heaviest objects toward the back of his pack, thereby maintaining his center of gravity more proximally. Be sure that he carries the weight evenly distributed on both shoulders. If the backpack's weight exceeds 10-15 percent of your child's body weight, you must reconsider the load. For those carpooling to and from school, tweens should stay in the back seat until age 13 (much to my 12-year-old daughter's chagrin). Kids shorter than 4 feet 9 inches should ride in a booster seat to avoid nasty shoulder-belt injuries to the neck (much to my 8-year-old daughter's chagrin). Better alive than popular, right? After School Advice If your kids are like mine, they often return home famished, but with their lunch boxes nearly untouched. Provide a small afterschool snack that includes each food group. Allow a brief respite, and then launch into homework. Prepare a quiet place for homework, free of distractions. The TV should be off and texting should be kept to a bare minimum. Be available to help, but don't complete his work for him. Review homework assignments nightly for accuracy, and to keep tabs on what he's learning. Make it clear that you don't expect perfection, but you do expect his very best work. Take advantage of Park City's myriad of activities to offer your child a productive alternative to the after-school rut of TV and video games. However, limit activities to two or three per semester. Allow sufficient free time for schoolwork, down time, and regular sit-down family meals. The Park Record • 18 - * : - " • - ) - V . K ; . .<?-"•". - • - , - - - « • • Nutrition for Kids 1. Fish provides proteip and Us oils aid brain development. To avoid environmental toxins, buy smaller fish or wild-caught in' stead of farm-raised. Also try fish oil supplements. 2. Legumes (beans and peas) have high fiber content. 3. Fruits and Veggies - Fat a rainbow selection including green, yellow, orange, red, blue and purple fruits and vegetables. Buy local produce when possible. H. Nuts and seeds provide essential falty acids (EFAs), vitamin E, protein and minerals. Olives are also rich in beneficial oils. i. Whole grains contain fiber, complex carbohydrates, minerals and B vitamins. 6. Limit sugar intake. Artificial sweeteners arc not a better alternative. 7. Avoid processed food. 8. Do not skip meals; cat regularly, but do not overeat. 9. Drink plenty of water. 10. Feeding children a variety of foods when young decreases the risk of developing allergies. |