Inflammatory Breast Cancer

Do you do self-breast exams each month?

Most of you would probably answer, "sometimes." What if I told you the people who are meticulous about doing them aren't event protecting themselves from a very deadly form of breast cancer called Inflammatory Breast Cancer?

Seeing this special report could save the life of a mom you know. Inflammatory Breast Cancer (IBC) often can't be detected by a mammogram or self-breast exam. There is usually no lump. IBC is a very aggressive form of cancer and is often fatal within months. It is commonly misdiagnosed because the symptoms can be mild like a bruise on the breast or a red spot.

Here's a link to watch the story and see if you or someone you know has any of the symptoms.
Inflammatory Breast Cancer Video (3:52)

If you think you might have Inflammatory Breast Cancer, ask for a mammogram, ultrasound and biopsy as soon as possible. The Inflammatory Breast Cancer Research Foundation has more information on its website including pictures, inspiring stories and ways to donate to breast cancer research.

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

ADHD

My son was trying feverishly to pull up his pants, but he was in such a hurry he couldn't get them up.(the picture is not my son. I just thought it was cute) I was trying not to laugh and he noticed. He looked at me and said, "Mamma, it's not funny. I have to hurry or the ants will get back into my pants."

You guessed it. He was referring to the saying "You have ants in your pants." I am constantly telling my son this because he never stops moving. My husband never stops moving either. Seriously. He never stops moving. So, when my son started showing the same tendencies, I didn't think much of it. It is certainly a trait that has been passed down. But when is it more than that? When is it considered Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder?

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, ADHD is common. If your child is in a classroom with 25 kids, on average one of them will have this mental disorder. Would you medicate your child to help him/her concentrate in school? I've thought about this a long time and still have no answer. I've talked to people who are strongly against it and others who say the medication has changed their child's life for the good. I guess we all have to see what works for our families.

Remember, many children are hyperactive who do not have ADHD, so don't fret too much if you have a child who can't sit still. It could very well be normal. A complete evaluation by an expert is the only way to know for sure.

Children and Adults with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder or CHADD is a non profit organization that could give you the support the you need. It's always nice to hear from other parents who are going through the same thing.

So, what about medicating kids for ADHD? I have a friend who says the medication has made a wonderful difference in her son's life. He is doing much better in school. Others say it's wrong to medicate kids and they tout behavioral therapy.

For my son, turning off the television, looking him in the eye and reiterating things over and over seems to work. Well, sometimes it works!We'll see what happens when he gets into school.

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

Pink Eye

Pinning down a helpless baby and squirting junk into his eye is just mean. I feel so guilty. Oh Yes, it's our first bought with the contagious little infection called pink eye. Let me tell you, putting the medicine in a child's eye is harder than I thought. I gave up trying to put the medicine in my older son's eyes. I can't hold him down! And then I woke up with the stuff in my eyes. I'm not sure if any television viewers realized what it was or if they just thought the anchor was upset. Hmm, I am emotional.

What did I learn from this experience that can help you? Pink eye or conjunctivitis is usually caused by a bacteria or a virus, but can also be a form of allergies. If it's caused by a virus, there is no treatment. It just has to run its course. Bummer! There are two different kinds of antibiotics that are prescribed for pink eye infections. The usual drops are Vigamox, but you can also ask for Erythromycin in the ointment form. They both work the same way. The ointment seemed to work better on my baby because it stayed in his eye instead of dripping out. Pink eye caused by allergies can be solved with allergy eye drops like Patanol.

Pink eye symptoms:

• Red, irritated eye
• Itchy eyes
• Increased tearing
• Gritty feeling in the eyes
• Sensitivity to light
• Stickiness of the eyelids
• Swelling
  

Pink eye caused by infection/virus is highly contagious:

• Keep kids out of school
• Wash hand frequently
• Most importantly, Don't touch eyes!

I think the baby had pink eye infection because the antibiotic made a huge difference, but there's really no way for doctors to know what kind of pink eye they're seeing. According to Eyecaresource.com, the RPS Adeno Detector TM may soon be available to test the cause of pink eye. It works like a rapid strep test. Doctors would be able to use a tear sample to get results in just 10 minutes. Fantastic!

And kidshealth.org says, "If your child has pinkeye and starts to develop increased swelling, redness, and tenderness in the eyelids and around the eye, along with a fever, call your doctor. Those symptoms may mean the infection has started to spread beyond the conjunctiva and will require additional treatment." Unfortunately, the baby has started developing these symptoms. I guess we'll make one more trip to the pediatrician's office this month!

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

Question on Spanking Answered

Here's a follow-up I promised:

An anonymous blogger sent me this question last week after I posted an article on spanking:

Jen,

Interesting links you provided and great thought provokers. However the "Religious Tolerance" 'pro-spanking site' is a Reformed Protestant Christian perspective. What are the positions held by the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches on spanking? They are Christian and would likely have very interesting input.Both the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches are within the Peoria area... possibly their leadership would comment on this subject?Thanks for not shying away from challenging subjects.

So, I called the churches this week. Here's what I found:

Catholic Diocese of Peoria (Il): The Diocese would not respond. If you are not in the media business, just know, this is no surprise. I am often told from the diocese they don't have time to respond or can't find someone to answer my question.

So, I called another Catholic Diocese and got an interesting response:

Catholic Diocese of Savannah, Georgia:

The Catholic Church doesn’t have a specific policy or stance on spanking. I think the best response to the question of discipline can be found in the U.S. Catholic Bishops pastoral message to families entitled: “Follow the Way of Love”. On p. 21 of the small booklet it says: “When children are born, both mother and father are important in nurturing and forming them. …Children in the family share equal dignity as persons with the adults. They too are part of the covenant of mutuality. Parents can demonstrate this by treating children with respect, giving them responsibilities, listening seriously to their thoughts and feelings.”

In the section A Concluding Word they write: “Parents: not only do your children need discipline and love, they need the example of adults whose behavior demonstrates their caring. Put your children first in making decisions about family life.”

Spanking is a form of discipline that teaches children that the adult, the “bigger person” can control by abuse and hurting. The child then learns to wait to be big enough to do the same. That is the philosophy of many of the social workers I know and I believe it is true that children learn more from love, understanding and concern than they do from spanking or physical discipline. The Church understands the stresses that the family faces today and encourages parents to take advantage of the spiritual supports and community to be able to discipline with love and not violence.

There are some wonderful examples of how to raise peaceful and peacemaking children. Kathleen and Jim McGinnis have the institute for Peace and Justice with educational and parenting materials at www.ipj.com .

Naomi Drew offers a newsletter about peaceful parenting at www.learningpeace.com.

These would be some of the suggestions I would offer to parents regarding ideas for alternate forms of discipline that will help create loving and peaceful homes.

I hope this helps you a little. Please feel free to contact me if you need more information.

Sister Pat Brown, SSMN

Director of Family Life

Catholic Diocese of Savannah

All Saints Greek Orthodox Church in Peoria, Il:

"We are going to say we don't believe in spanking. It's a form of abuse."

And here's an interesting pro-spanking comment from Christianparents.net:

Parents should take note that the Bible never recommends "hitting" your child, it clearly states we are to use the "rod" of correction. (The fact that it is necessary to pause a moment while fetching the customary instrument of correction insures that parents will not lash out in anger, but administer correction in a controlled fashion.)

Proverbs 22:15 "Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him."

Proverbs 10:13 In the lips of him that hath understanding wisdom is found: but a rod is for the back of him that is void of understanding.

Proverbs 13:24 "He that spareth his rod hateth his son: but he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes."

Proverbs 23:13-14 "Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die. 14 Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell."

Prov 29:15 The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame. Some nimble "Christian" psychologists explain away the rod as a symbol for authority, and teach that you should never use anything but your hand to give a token swat to a misbehaving child. I have no doubt that the plain and most practical interpretation of Proverbs is parents should use the rod rather than to swat their children. I also believe the scriptural reference to the "rod" best corresponds to a switch or perhaps a flexible paddle.

I hope reading both sides on this issue helps you decide what's best for your family

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

Go Green with Kids

I was feeding my 10-month-old son the other day from food out of a plastic container. I was thinking about how much he is eating these days and wondering what to do with all these little plastic things. He probably goes through four a day! Granted, they're small and probably won't be a big burden on the environment. But still, four a day makes me feel a little guilty. I could always follow these guidelines for making baby food at home. That would eliminate the plastic containers.

You have to pay to recycle in my town. My husband and I talk about doing it, but haven't gotten around to it. Writing this down is good motivation.
I do wish I was more environmentally friendly. It's not like I'm against recycling. Why would you be? I just think I need to make it a priority.

Teaching my sons to be conscience of the environment might just be the way to make up for where I have been lacking. There are some websites dedicated to helping us as parents teach our kids some good, green habits: A Walk in the Woods, Bobbie Bigfoot, Kid's Air, and Eco kids.

Often times you hear "tips" on the news about how to be environmentally friendly, but I like to call most of them the "No Duh" suggestions. I found some not so common ways to be environmentally friendly like eating less red meat and installing a different shower head. Sounds strange? I thought so too, but the explanations make it all clear.

How do we teach our kids to go green? There are these new green schools. That's a huge undertaking, but some feel they're worth the cost. It's very interesting.

TheGreenOption.com is a website based out of Bloomington, Illinois. There are some easy ways to go green mentioned on the site like changing your make-up. It might make your skin look better too. Who knew?
Do you recycle?

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

Role of Dad

I recently offended a fellow journalist (who does a great job by the way) when I posted the "Welcome" blog and alluded to the idea that the "mom" does everything when it comes to kids. I said," I always get up with my kids. They always come to my side of the bed because I'm the mom."

I am so thrilled to say a dad was offended. After thinking about it, dads should be offended when people act like they don't take an active role in their kid's lives. I certainly didn't mean anything negative by the post, but I am glad to get the topic of "who should be getting up with the kids" on the table. It sounds trivial, but it can become a big deal in a household!

Here's what the offended father wrote:

"Your January 3rd "Welcome" post has me a bit concerned. You see, I'm the one that gets up with Tommy everyday. He comes to my side of the bed first because he knows it's time for "Daddy Breakfast" when he wake sup in the morning. Every weekday I get up early so I am out of the shower in time to get him dressed and fed, and then I take him to preschool. On the weekends, I get up with him so my wife can sleep as long as she wants - even if that means noon or later.

I know you didn't mean any harm by your post, and I concede that in most cases, your scenario is right and it's the Mom doing most, if not all of the work. But it isn't true all the time. More and more Dads are increasingly active in traditional "Mom" roles. We kiss boo-boos, we change diapers, we bring treats for class parties, we know all the words to the songs on the Curious George CD, and all the names of Thomas' engine friends. That doesn't even begin to address the small but growing number of stay at home Dads."

-Ahlthingsconsidered

I wrote the blog about moms and stereotypical Mr.Moms as tongue and cheek, but it is a good issue to discuss seriously.

Who gets up with the kids in your house? What scenario would be fair to both parents? Is it ever fair for the mom to be the only one who gets up with the kids in the middle of the night or in the morning?

I have to give my husband credit. He is a great dad. Yes, he is a deep sleeper, but if I wake him up, he always takes his turn with a crying child. Here's a picture of him spending 5 hours putting a toy kitchen together this Christmas. He works a lot of hours, but always makes time for his boys.

There are so many different roles a father can take. It seems to me, it's up to each individual family to determine what works best for them. My hope is that just bringing up this issue will help make your family dynamic a little stronger.

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

Autism and Vaccinations

Here we go again with the autism and vaccinations controversy. I know a lot of my friends go back and forth on this issue. It is so hard being a parent!

The latest Associated Press article says there's proof there is no link between autism and a preservative that used to be found in most childhood immunizations (thimerasol.) The A.P. says autism cases in California continue to climb. This, even after a vaccine preservative containing mercury --blamed by some for the neurological disorder-- was removed from routine childhood shots.

State health department researchers found the autism rate in children rose continuously from 1995 to 2007. The preservative hasn't been used in childhood vaccines since 2001, though it is used in some flu shots.

Doctors say the study adds to existing evidence against a link between exposure to the preservative (thimerosal) and the risk of autism. And they say the study should reassure parents that autism
isn't caused by vaccinations.

Results were published in January's issue of the journal Archives of General Psychiatry. The study did not explore why
there's been an increase in autism cases.

People who believe there is a link between vaccinations and autism point to those flu shots. They say there has been a big push for pregnant women to get flu shots in the last few years and babies as young as six months are now recommended to get it.

Personally, I don't want to be biased and say what I have decided to do with my family concerning the flu shot, but I will tell you about my experiences. My obstetrician recommended I get the flu shot when I was pregnant. My pediatrician's office recommended my baby get the shot at nine months old. However, my pediatrician pays extra to get the flu shot that does not contain thimerasol. When I asked her why, she said "to give the parents piece of mind."

I will email some people on both sides of this issue and encourage them to post their thoughts so you, as a parent, feel more informed. I know I can never hear enough opinions on this.

Yes, there is a link to autism

No, there is no link to autism
-NewsAnchorMom Jen

Saving Money

I cringe every time I open the fridge and see leftovers. They always seem to sit there until we throw them out. I cannot recall a time when we felt like eating the same thing two days in a row. Can you blame us? So, every few weeks I go on this mission to save money by not wasting any food.

This is a challenge when it comes to my four-year-old son. He asks me for a grilled cheese for lunch. I have two pieces of muenster cheese left in one package and a new package of cheddar cheese in the freezer. My son always has cheddar on his grilled cheese. I decide we are not wasting those last two pieces of white cheese just because he can be particular.

I hand him his sandwich. He takes a bite and says, “What’s this white stuff?” I explain to him that white cheese is just as good as cheddar and quickly exit the conversation. He eats about 3/4 of the sandwich and sets it on the table. Then he says, “Mom, this white cheese tastes like paper.” I about died. I forgot to remove the little white papers in between the cheese! The moral of the story? Be careful about where you scrimp and save!

Saving advice

has a great blog on how others are saving money when it comes to all that gift giving we do!

And here are 66 Ways to Save Money without feeding your kids paper for dinner!

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

Trans Fat Free

The dreaded onion debacle happened to me again. Why does McDonald's put onions on kid's cheese burgers and why can't I seem to remember that they do that?

I tried scraping off the onions to no avail and spent 10 minutes debating whether to stand in the long lunch line again as kids ran past me and stepped on my toes. That's when I no longer felt guilty for sneaking a sub sandwich into the play land for me. Sometimes I just can't eat the greasy, fried stuff.

That got me thinking, why hasn't McDonald's gotten rid of the trans fat in its food? Trans fat makes the food last longer and getting rid of it could change the taste.

Why are companies getting rid of this kind of fat? There is mounds of evidence that it builds plaque in your arteries and leads to heart disease. So does saturated fat, but trans fat is worse and seems to be the HOT new marketing technique.

I just finished a report on trans fat and I learned a lot that you, as a mom, should know. I went through a grocery store with a registered dietitian and we were both shocked when we really took the time to look at the nutrition labels.

We compared items with the bold "Og trans fat" on the front and the originals that contained trans fat. Most of the items with the big no trans fat marketing were just as bad for you, if not worse than the original versions.

Here are the facts:

• Og of trans fat does mean the product is healthier
• Trans fat free" does not necessarily mean no trans fat! Some products change the serving size to make the product have less than 0.5 g of trans fat (that's how low it has to be to say "Og trans fat")
• Many products that say Og trans fat have added (sometimes doubled) the amount of calories and sugar
• Trans fats can also be disguised as partially hydrogenated oils on the nutrition label
• The products that have really become a healthier option will replace the trans fat with things like soybean oil, sunflower oil, polyunsaturated fat, monounsaturated fat, olive oil, canola oil
  

  By the way, the McDonald's cheese burger has less than 0.5 grams of trans fat, but a whopping 28 grams of saturated fat. Does this mean the company will soon be advertising their cheese burgers as trans fat free?

  See the McDonald's nutrition information for your favorite food items.

  Read about the campaign to eliminate trans fat in all food.

Here's the video report I did on Trans fat marketing.(2:19)

-NewsAnchorMom Jen