Winter Illnesses

I know hand washing is the best way to prevent kids from getting sick this time of year, but when they are in school and traveling for the holidays, it seems inevitable they will get some sort of virus. So my question is:

When do you keep your kids home from school?

1. Runny nose

2. Cough

3. Fever

4. Infection

I would love to hear your thoughts on this! I always struggle with this!

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

Methodist Medical Center's new online healthcare program, MyMethodist eHealth, is a proud sponsor of this blog post. MyMethodist eHealth is the secure link to your doctor's office that lets you request appointments, order prescription refills, update your personal health record, and more. Sign up for MyMethodist eHealth here.

Selecting a Babysitter

From Medstar: It's a dilemma many parents face - you're ready for a date night with your spouse, but not sure how to select the right sitter.

Janet Banister uses a babysitter a few times a month. Her kids are all under the age of nine, so she's pretty picky when it comes to hiring one. Experts say that's the right attitude to have.

Tracey Flowers said, "I definitely think parents should have no hesitation in asking, you know, how many jobs the babysitter's had, what ages of the children that they have had experience with, hands on. What are their certifications?" Flowers suggests conducting your own interview. Ask for references and if you're feeling uncomfortable about the sitter, go with your gut.

Tracey Flowers said, "How would you handle anything else? You're not gonna, if you've got that gnawing hesitation, then maybe this isn't the right babysitter." Since Janet's children are young, she does some extra prep work before her sitter arrives.

Janet Banister said, "The food is already cooked and ready to serve or I feed them. I have them bathed before the babysitter comes over." Leaving a checklist for the babysitter is also important. include things like contact names and numbers, instructions about your children's routines, and even fill out and leave an emergency medical consent form. Sitter talking
to kids having these precautions in place can give you peace of mind while you're away from home.

Experts say parents should also look at a potential babysitter's energy level. if there's not a lot of excitement during an initial meeting, there won't be much for your children either.

In 2007, there were 24.8 million children five and under living in the U.S. as the holidays near, many parents of young children will need the services of a babysitter. Parents need to do an interview, ask for references and set ground rules before agreeing to hire a sitter.

This is a big problem at my house. My kids do not like strangers. So we either have to keep paying a babysitter every couple weeks or we don't have one. However, we do have parents who love to watch the kids. Unfortunately they live several hours away. So, the dilemma continues at my house. I think when they get a little older they won't be so scared of new people and they will remember the babysitter, even if she only comes once every three months. That's my hope at least!

Do you have a babysitter? How often do you go out? And how much do you pay your sitter?

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

Methodist Medical Center's new online healthcare program, MyMethodist eHealth, is a proud sponsor of this blog post. MyMethodist eHealth is the secure link to your doctor's office that lets you request appointments, order prescription refills, update your personal health record, and more. Sign up for MyMethodist eHealth here.

Visiting Santa

So my five-year-old saw the new ad on this page with Santa Claus and asked me what that was all about. He said, "That's what Santa looks like?" I said, "Yes. Why? You don't think it looks like him?"

He slowly tip toes over to me and whispers in my ear, "I think his hair looks kind of weird. Shhh, he might hear me!" I explained to him that was the white part of his hat, not his hair. He gave a big relieved sigh and said, "Okay, lets go see Santa this weekend so I can tell him what's on my list." I am excited because there probably won't be a line at the Tot Spot, it's free and the owner-Tracy said it was fine if we bring out camera to take pictures. My kids get really anxious with the mall Santa because it's such a big production. Hopefully this will go better!

Kids! He cracks me up. Just yesterday he wanted to know if Rudolph was real. I said -Yes, he leads Santa's sleigh. He said, "Oh, I am so glad. I thought maybe that was just a story." I felt really guilty lying to him. Does anyone else struggle with this? I guarantee you he will remember that I lied to him about this. He has a great memory!

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

Methodist Medical Center's new online healthcare program, MyMethodist eHealth, is a proud sponsor of this blog post. MyMethodist eHealth is the secure link to your doctor's office that lets you request appointments, order prescription refills, update your personal health record, and more. Sign up for MyMethodist eHealth here.

Media Bad for Kids

I am surprised to learn kids these days spend more time in media--like the T.V. and computer--than most of us spend at work! We have tried to limit the T.V. watching, but it seems to be getting worse at our house instead of better!

From CNN: A warning to parents -- You may want to pry your child's fingers off the remote. A new study finds watching too much TV or playing video games can have a negative impact on your child's health. Kids watching TV, playing video games, surfing the Internet- harmless pastimes? Or dangerous distractions? " Those have public health and health consequences for children, in terms of obesity, beginning to smoke, beginning sexual activity, academic achievement, drug and alcohol use."

Bioethicist Ezekiel Emanuel, brother of president-elect Barack Obama's chief of staff Rahm Emanuel, is a lead researcher on a study by the National Institutes of Health and other groups, detailing media's effects on children."

As little as eight hours a week, begin to show, give you this negative health outcome. The average kid in the united states spends about 45 hours a week in media." The findings were culled from nearly 200 studies conducted over 30 years, with more than 80-percent revealing negative outcomes. " A large number of these associations is simply the number of hours watched, separate from the content and what's actually on television, or in the Internet. just simply time."

Psychiatrist Charles Sophy contends media is ok for kids, in moderation, "We need the media. There is a good point to it. So limit it and watch what your child is watching." Dr. Emanuel and the nonprofit group Common Sense Media, which backed the study, agree parents should take a more active role in limiting their kids' exposure, but insist the government also needs to intervene."

There's no research on new digital media - cell phones, ipods, the Internet - and it's real impact on kids' health so there needs to be a whole new set of research on that. Second, there oughta be media education and media literacy in every school in the united states."

Until that happens, the president elect has a word of advice for parents, "We're going to have to turn off our TV sets and we're going to have to put away our video games."

We just bought new DVD players for the car. The old one we had wasn't working. Now, every time we get in the car we have to argue about whether the T.V. should be on. I think I am going to have to take it out unless we are going on a long trip. IMO, we don't need to be watching it on the five minute trip to school! This is a good reminder to me to limit the cartoons at my house.

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

Methodist Medical Center's new online healthcare program, MyMethodist eHealth, is a proud sponsor of this blog post. MyMethodist eHealth is the secure link to your doctor's office that lets you request appointments, order prescription refills, update your personal health record, and more. Sign up for MyMethodist eHealth here.

Chuck E. Cheese's Germs

Momlogic did its own investigation to find out what kinds of germs are lurking at Chuck E. Cheeses. They tested several restaurants in California and found some pretty gross stuff.

From Momlogic:

Found on Yellow Bus Ride: Serratia Rubidaea. A rare cause of respiratory tract infections, wound and blood infections.

Found on table:Enterobacter sakazakii.Can cause necrotizing enterocolitis, bacteremia, and infant meningitis. Although most documented cases involve infants, infections have been found in adults as well.

Found on play mat: Klebsiella pneumoniae.Causes urinary tract infections, wound and bloodstream infections and pneumonia.

We called Chuck E Cheese's headquarters in Irving, Texas, and spoke to company spokesperson Brenda Holloway about what we found. Here's what she had to say:

"We clean and sanitize our games every night with an antibacterial sanitizing solution called Sterbac Blue. We try to inspect and maintain during the day as well. We have a large amount of kids who come through here, and with them, a large amount of bacteria. We try to keep up with it."

After getting the results from Dr. Germ we were so freaked out that we went straight to momlogic's pediatrician (and mom of two) Dr. Cara Natterson to find out what this mean for our kids ... and us. Here's what Dr. Cara had to say:

"It's worth noting that one of the bacteria found on high chairs and tables -- enterobacter sakazakii -- can cause serious infection in a young infant. This is yet another reminder that if you are tempted to take your newborn baby out of the house, a crowded restaurant is not the place to go.

Chuck E. Cheese's is really just an example of a kid-destination, a place designed to combine dining and family fun. Though the results of this study are specific to Chuck E. Cheese's, the idea is to apply the concept to kid restaurants that double as play spaces. Given the runny-nosed populations that flock here, I don't think anyone will be too surprised to find that bacteria lurk in these types of establishments.

As a mom, these bacteria sound alarming and scary. But as a doctor, I haven't ever seen a serious or life-threatening infection that can be clearly traced back to a kid-friendly restaurant.
So take this all with a grain of salt. Personally, I almost never take my kids to these places, so that when I do it is a major treat. And I pretty much stay away during the cold and flu season."

So how can you protect your children (and yourself!) from picking up bacteria at kid-oriented restaurants? Here are Dr. Cara's top five tips:

1. Hand washing, hand washing, hand washing!Make sure your kids wash their hands before they eat. And it's fine to use hand sanitizers or wipes to clean off the table surface or high chair--but thorough rubbing is necessary. Don't just splatter on the Purell.
If they play after the meal, have them wash again before going home. This is especially important for thumb or finger suckers and nose pickers.
2. WipesWipes are a great second line of defense, but really shouldn't be used in lieu of hand washing. Still, if there's no bathroom, wipe the hands thoroughly.
Also use wipes if the table (or especially the high chair) looks gross.
For babies, you can buy disposable plastic high chair tray covers that tape onto the tray and keep your child's food a lot cleaner. These are very easy to find in most grocery stores.
3. Avoid crowded kid play spaces during cold and flu seasonThis is not a news flash -- when a place is crowded with kids who have runny noses and coughs, you want to keep yours out of the mix.
4. Bring your own toys-Crayons, matchbox-sized cars, and legos are good examples of toys that you can keep in your purse or diaper bag and pull out for your child when things get a little boring. At a place like Chuck E. Cheese's, crayons don't compete with rides. But there are plenty of other restaurants where having your own distraction helps.
5. Remember, timing is everything. I like to take my kids out when they are hungry, or time their snacks so that they'll want to eat when they arrive. That way, the likelihood of play before eating (and getting germs from toys on the hands) goes down.

I try to bring anti-bacterial wipes with me to wipe down the table and high chair-no matter where we are eating. I think McDonald's play land is just as bad, if not worse. I have had to crawl up there several times to get my son. Let me tell you, it is not clean. I thought about taking wipes up there with me because it was so nasty. But what other option do you have? These kid friendly establishments are convenient and easy and it's so nice to sit and talk to friends while the kids play. It's a great break for me. It's too bad it's so gross!

Do you go to Chuck E. Cheeses and/or McDonald's playland or do you avoid it because of the germs?

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

Methodist Medical Center's new online healthcare program, MyMethodist eHealth, is a proud sponsor of this blog post. MyMethodist eHealth is the secure link to your doctor's office that lets you request appointments, order prescription refills, update your personal health record, and more. Sign up for MyMethodist eHealth here.

Will your child be good at sports?

There is a new saliva test to find out whether your child will be good at sports. You simply swab the inside of their mouth (ages 1-8) and send it off to a company to test the DNA. It costs $149 and is supposed to predict whether your child has the potential to be a star athlete.

Geneticists interviewed by CNN say there's no way to tell which genes would make kids good athletes because there are simply too many genes. Atlas Sports Genetics responded by saying, "People are misunderstanding what this tool is. We already know that it takes ten years at least to develop into an Olympian. Our testing can help start that process."

I have been thinking about this today and whether or not I would be willing to have this test performed on my kids. I am thinking not because family members already have expectations of the boys that may or may not come true. I wouldn't want to put pressure on them like that. That's just me.

Would you have this test performed on your kids?

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

Methodist Medical Center's new online healthcare program, MyMethodist eHealth, is a proud sponsor of this blog post. MyMethodist eHealth is the secure link to your doctor's office that lets you request appointments, order prescription refills, update your personal health record, and more. Sign up for MyMethodist eHealth here.

Raising Kids Who Care

The December issue of Reader’s Digest has a story on how to raise kids who care.
Here are two ways featured in the article:

-Start them young: A mother from Darien, Connecticut got her 3 children involved in various volunteer organizations through Kids Care Clubs when her oldest was just 10 years old (now 20). They all took different paths, but they carried those lessons throughout their adolescence and are each still involved with volunteer work.

-Involve their friends: A mother from Lake Oswego, Oregon attended a mother-daughter meeting of the National Charity League in an attempt to have more quality time with her two young children. The kids didn’t go willingly, but once they knew their friends were involved, they felt more comfortable. The eldest child, now 23, is in her second year with Teach for America. She remembers that her peer involvement from when she was younger made the experience fun and cool.

Here's the link to the article.

I do talk to my kids about donating toys and other things to the needy. I get so aggravated when they don't take good care of them and there are certainly toys that have hardly been used. I remember my five-year-old giving me this old, beat up toy that was from McDonald's and he was like, "Okay, mom. I found a toy we can give to the kids who don't have any." He was so sad to see it go. I was trying not to giggly and let him know this toy was junk. I just smiled and said, "Thanks for being so generous." I need to do more of that!

How do you teach your kids to care?

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

Methodist Medical Center's new online healthcare program, MyMethodist eHealth, is a proud sponsor of this blog post. MyMethodist eHealth is the secure link to your doctor's office that lets you request appointments, order prescription refills, update your personal health record, and more. Sign up for MyMethodist eHealth here.

Public Toilets Update

Remember a few weeks ago we talked about how you have to lift your child up to the sink to wash their hands when using public restrooms? I thought you might enjoy this follow up. A mom was actually so mad about this inconvenience she created a product she is now selling to make bathrooms more kid friendly. It seems there's a product for just about anything these days!

Hi Jen, I was doing research this morning and I found your website/blog about how most restrooms are not child friendly, especially when it comes to hand washing. I wanted to let you and all of the parents know that I have done something to fix this problem. 4 years ago I was at a book reading at Barnes and Noble with my 2 children, who were 2 and 3 years old at the time. When it was finished all of us moms took our children to the restroom and every one of us complained about having to lift up our children to reach the sink.

I came home and told my husband about my experience and decided to do something about it! My company Step ‘n Wash manufactures the first and only self-retracting step for public restrooms. Step ‘n Wash has been installed in almost 400 businesses across the USA and Canada including SeaWorld, Borders Books, Whole Foods plus many airports, zoos, aquariums and churches. http://www.stepnwash.com/ Thanks for your time!! Joi Joi Sumpton

What do you think?

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

Methodist Medical Center's new online healthcare program, MyMethodist eHealth, is a proud sponsor of this blog post. MyMethodist eHealth is the secure link to your doctor's office that lets you request appointments, order prescription refills, update your personal health record, and more. Sign up for MyMethodist eHealth here.

Pregnancy and Infant Loss

A Message from Share-Pregnancy and Infant Loss Support:

As the calendar turns, autumn and winter days and events are still ahead of us. And as you look forward, you may find the upcoming holidays a difficult time. Always listen to your heart as to how you want to handle these days. What may surprise you is the anticipation may be harder for you than the actual day of the event. However you choose, or choose not, to spend these days, remember it is your decision.

There is a pregnancy and infant loss group in Peoria, Illinois and I found them in several other cities nationwide. If you live in town, here's the information for the next meeting:

Sunday, December 21

4:00p.m.

Grace & Peace Lutheran Church

7611 N. Knoxville Ave.

Peoria, IL 61614

(309) 694-2610

If you have lost a child and you do not live in the area, here's the link to the national network to find a group close to you.

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

Methodist Medical Center's new online healthcare program, MyMethodist eHealth, is a proud sponsor of this blog post. MyMethodist eHealth is the secure link to your doctor's office that lets you request appointments, order prescription refills, update your personal health record, and more. Sign up for MyMethodist eHealth here.

Autism during the Holidays

Even if your kids don't have autism, these tips might help you avoid a meltdown this holiday season!

From Associated Content: Autistic children thrive on schedules. When their schedules are changed, even the slightest, it could mean that the day is going to be filled with meltdowns. Autistic children can have a hard time dealing with the holidays. The holidays usually bring several changes in an autistic child's schedule. Here are some ways you can survive the holidays with your autistic child and still keep to a schedule:

Holidays mean changes in your autistic child's school routine. They may have half days, or no school at all. This will mean a huge change in your autistic child's schedule. Granted they have the weekends off from school each week, but this will be for a longer period.

1. To help your autistic child cope with the holiday from school, you will need to plan several activities to keep them busy.



2. You might want to stick to the same wake up time.



3. Go about your normal routine for a school day as much as possible. This will help your autistic child deal with the time off from school.



4. Holidays will bring many visitors to your house. This can make your autistic child feel nervous if they are not used to lots of people coming by. This can also mean a change in their normal daily schedule.



5. To make this change of schedule easier on your autistic child consider having guests over at one certain time, instead of people dropping in at different times of the day. This will allow you to prepare the child. They will know when to expect the guests.



6. The holidays can mean many different outings. These can interfere with your autistic child's normal schedule. This does not mean you have to pass them up. You simply need to plan for them. Tell your autistic child about the outing in advance. Talk with them about what the outing will entail.



7. If the outing is something you do not think your autistic child will enjoy, see if you can find someone to watch them. This will help to avoid unnecessary meltdowns and stress for you both.

Personally, I think all parents can relate to some extent. Kids with autism just have a more exaggerated reaction to the changes. I know my son is less shy when I talk to him ahead of time about what to expect. He likes to know who will be there and how he is expected to act when we arrive. Visiting relatives can be uncomfortable for adults. It's no different for kids!

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

Methodist Medical Center's new online healthcare program, MyMethodist eHealth, is a proud sponsor of this blog post. MyMethodist eHealth is the secure link to your doctor's office that lets you request appointments, order prescription refills, update your personal health record, and more. Sign up for MyMethodist eHealth here.