Fast Food Contributes to Asthma, Eczema

We all know that our kids should be avoiding fast food heavy diets - in fact, we could probably stand to avoid the stuff too. Fast food is one of the largest contributors to the ongoing problem with childhood obesity, and we need to make sure that we are finding healthy dietary alternatives so that we are not relying the drive-through for all of our kids' meals.

Attribution: A_minor

On top of having a hand in childhood obesity, fast food is also being linked to other complications that reach far beyond a child's weight. A recent study concludes that there is a strong connection between eating fast food more than three times per week and a child's risk of suffering various allergy-related illnesses: asthma, eczema and rhinoconjunctivitis (runny nose/eyes). This research surveyed nearly half a million children around the world, and delivered some very interesting results. Additionally, this study indicates that we are likely to continue discovering new ways that fast food can negatively affect our health.

Here's an article from ThePediatrician.info that summarizes the study and also comments on some staggering statistics about childhood obesity. Remarking on what the study means for parenting, the article is a reminder that the behavior that we model for our children is going to be a major influence on their habits - dietary and otherwise. Hopefully this article will encourage us to be proactive in reversing the escalating trends of childhood obesity.

Should "Maggie" Go on a Diet?

I was rummaging through some old articles on health and pediatrics, and I stumbled upon this article. It's over a year old, but I think that it still raises some interesting questions about the societal responsibility we have in combating childhood obesity. The book is entitled Maggie Goes on a Diet and features a picture of a portly little girl looking into a mirror with a thinner version of herself looking back.

The book - aimed at children ages 4-8 - goes on to describe he measures that Maggie takes to try and lose weight, but also describes the experience that she has after she's lost it. The book says that she is "healthier" and "proud of herself" after she successfully loses the weight. Both of these facts would be relatively uncontested of someone who recently underwent a beneficial physical transformation - but the book goes on to suggest that "more people began to know her name" and that Maggie was "happier" with her new self. The book even says that since Maggie is now able to participate in sports, she is "popular" - something every young child wants to be.

But is the books young audience just, well, too young to be considering this material? No doubt, childhood obesity is a serious problem, and one that doesn't seem to be getting any better soft drinks and fast-food meals are becoming traditions in our day-to-day activities. But is this kind of literature a way to compromise the self-esteem of our children early in adolescence? Is it malicious for a book like this to appeal to a child's newly-budding sense of societal worth in an effort to scare them into fitness and health? Could it be possible that we are ascribing an unnecessarily negative connotation to the word 'diet'? Do the extreme health risks associated with childhood obesity warrant this blunt method of preventing it? Can the method itself really even be considered 'blunt'?

I don't suppose I know how I feel about little Maggie. The book simply had me thinking about how we do have an obligation to the welfare of our children, but is it the at the expense of ethical child-rearing? Maybe I'm just blowing this out of proportion, but I think that "Maggie" is something that arouses a lot of questions about how we should treat our youngsters.

Photo attribution: Jer Kunz

The Importance of Immunizing Your Kids

School starts again soon. While your children’s backpacks are now ready and you have already bought school supplies, it is also important for parents to get their kids’ immune system ready.

Going to school does not only mean attending classes and having homework, it also means more exposure to germs and other things.

In Texas for example, students are required to fulfill minimum vaccine requirements. Five new vaccination requirements were added in 2009 in order for schools to adhere to immunization practices of the Centers for Disease Control.

Immunization protects not only your child but all your loved ones as well. The CDC says that to keep everyone safe, it is of importance to have your children immunized. Of course, there is also a need for you to get vaccinations for preventable diseases. Aside from health concerns, getting your kids immunized will also save you money since prolonged illness can put a dent on your budget. Vaccines are covered by insurance anyway so you might as well get your kids vaccinated.

Children with vaccine-preventable disease are usually kept out of the school so as not to endanger other children. If this happens to your child, he or she will lose a few days or even weeks of class and this is most definitely a bad thing.

Another benefit of getting your child immunized is that it will protect your child from diseases that have caused thousands of deaths decades or centuries ago. Polio for example was once a feared disease in the United States but thanks to advances in medical science, there are no more reports of people having polio in the United States.

Vaccinations are safe and are only administered after they have been carefully reviewed by healthcare professionals. Some vaccines may cause a bit of discomfort though but this is only minimal.

One interesting thing about vaccines is that they do not only protect this generation but also future generations. According to CDC, vaccines have reduced the occurrence of dangerous diseases and in some cases have even eliminated many of these diseases. One good example is smallpox. Smallpox vaccinations were given to a generation of the world population and as a result, it eradicated the disease. Today, there is no more need for your kids to get vaccination for smallpox because smallpox no longer exists.

Experts say that if we keep vaccinating our children to protect them from deadly diseases, it is very possible that in the future, diseases such as measles or polio will no longer cripple our children. As will any injection you should contact your Plano Pediatrician if you have any questions or concerns regarding your child's immunizations.

School Anxiety in Kids: What Can You Do?

It’s not just college students who have a hard time dealing with school. Kids as young as 9 years old or even younger suffer from school anxiety too but it’s not just the usual kind of sadness that these children experience that is bothersome, the psychosomatic responses are quite alarming as well.  While some complain of headaches and stomach pain some become restless and later on very violent. 

Experts say that it is safe to say that there are always those days when we didn’t like going to school and that the idea of it just made us feel really depressed or anxious. What is interesting is that, it is not just you who experienced school anxiety. In fact, most kids do not realize that their peers may be experiencing the same thing too. This is normal but in some cases, the reaction of some kids is worse than others to the point that they develop extreme anxiety. Some of them even fear going to school but the more pressing question is, what causes school anxiety in kids? When something bad is going on and kids do not want to leave home even for a minute, they have a tendency to develop a certain kind of fear of going to school. In some cases, kids who suffer from school anxiety refuse to attend classes. Experts say, when this happens, intervention from the parents will not be enough because professional help is needed.

While some kids can have a bout of anxiety at any time while they are still at school, studies show that there are certain ages where anxiety pose to be more difficult to deal with. The first grade (Grade 1) according to researchers, with its transition from half day classes to full day ones while just glued to a desk the whole day can be quite exhausting for many kids. These are the times when kids are cranky and are usually overwhelmed by the drastic change. Another potential time to watch out for for parents is Grade 7 when they move from grade school to middle school. Social problems arise at this age because kids at ages 12 to 15 are just so painfully self-conscious. This feeling has been experienced by many adults but this is aggravated because kids at this age feel that everyone is judging them 24/7. Many kids often do not attend school because they have a pimple breakout thanks to changes in their hormones i.e. puberty. The challenge at this stage is to stand out and kids would want to stand out in a good way not someone who has acne or someone who is too fat.

Peer pressure is another issue that children have to deal with at this point of their lives. Everybody seems to want to fit in i.e. by smoking, kissing someone or having a beer, etc. This social pressure is worrisome but it is part of growing up. However, once your child no longer wants to go to school because of social pressure, it is time to call for help. Psychoanalysts for children say that it could be due to fear of growing up. 

Not attending school is a side effect of anxiety but aside from peer pressure and other social problems at school, what else could cause this? Something that is happening in a child’s family can be the culprit too, experts say. This may happen when the parents file for divorce or when one parent is terminally ill. These things make kids reluctant to leave their homes in hopes that them being there will stop bad things from happening. 

Kids and Allergies: Common Causes and Relief

It can take about a year to get sensitized to allergens if you are new to the south-central US. Allergies in kids particularly those who are new in the south-central US are quite common but even if they are common, parents should still be wary of them since it can be a rather irritating experience for your child.

With so many medications for allergies now available over-the-counter without the prescription of a pediatrician, many parents treat their children’s symptoms on their own especially when their kids get these allergies on a seasonal basis.

While treating your kids can be a fine idea sometimes giving them allergy medications is not enough. This means that every time your child suffers from allergic reactions, you should definitely pay the pediatrician a visit.

Here are a few allergy treatment dos and don’t’s that parents should remember:

You should ask your child’s pediatrician regarding OTC drugs you are planning to give your child and whether this is good for him or her. This is very important if you are thinking of giving your child an OTC medication you have never given to him or her before.

The best pediatricians of Plano can work up an assessment of your child’s allergies. Doing this will also give you peace of mind because your child’s allergies will be managed by a professional. This is only important however if your child is not getting any better is not getting relief from allergy medications.

According to experts, keeping track of your child’s daily pollen counts is a good idea so that you can determine what triggers the allergic reaction and which seasons meds for such a thing should be taken.

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What is Developmental Tests for Children?

As parents we all wonder what to expect with our child developmental stages. When should they start crawling, walking, talking and the other milestones we tend to concern ourselves with. Since children all development at a different pace, sometimes it's hard to compare with other children and classmates. As parents, we know our children better than anyone, if you suspect your child is not reaching their expected milestones with age appropriateness talk to your trusted pediatrician to find out about screening and testing.

There are four stages of development; infancy, preschool years, middle childhood years and adolescence. One major factor in the stages is proper nutrition, without serious problems can be caused in physical and intellectual development. One way to avoid this problem is stress the importance of breakfast, this is proven to reduce the chance significantly.

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