I was seventeen when my father passed away, and my brothers were 14, 12 and 10. My mother was 40 and so was my dad. A near impossible situation for any family to deal with. There really is no right way to deal with this, because everyone handles grief differently. Truthfully, it put tremendous strain on our family, almost to the point of collapse. But through the strength of my mother, we pulled through, and became stronger than we started. Each of my brothers and I dealt with the loss in our own way. I had good friends, sports and fishing to distract my thoughts. But mostly, it was the sense of wanting to protect my younger brothers, making sure they were safe. Like my father would have done. I still think about him every day. You never really get over something like that. I was writing something the other day, that I thought I would share. So here it goes.

I wasn’t sure why I wanted to write this, or even where to begin. I have so many emotions bottled up. Sometimes I wonder if I’m bordering on insanity. There isn’t a day that passes when I don’t think about it. Some days I’m brought to tears at the drop of a hat. Most of the time it feels like I was there just yesterday. How has so much time slipped away. So many events, milestones, special occasions, all great days in my life, but all having a missing component.

More than 18 years have passed since that day, Tuesday June 5th, 1990 to be exact. The day started like any other day. I was a junior in high school, and beginning final exams. I woke up for school, went through my usual routine getting ready, and headed downstairs. I turned for the rec room, as I usually did, to see how he was doing. As soon as I entered the room, a feeling of emptiness sucked the emotions out of my body. There he was, lying in a hospital bed, motionless and pale. A bit of mucus had run out of his mouth and onto his lip. An unbelievable knot formed in my stomach, almost dropping me to my knees. I froze for a moment, or longer, I’m not really sure. I think I actually went into some form of shock. Everything after that was a blur. The one thing I was sure of, my father’s ten year battle with brain cancer was over. He was born February 27th, 1950. Forty years, and his journey was over.

I remember walking into the family room. My mom had been sleeping on the couch. She had spent many nights down there, making sure he was comfortable. The only thing that came out of my mouth was, “Mom, I think something is wrong with dad”. Even though we knew this day was coming, you can never be fully prepared for the feelings that hit you, right in the chest. I remember calling my friends to tell them I couldn’t drive them to school that morning. After hanging up the phone, I was sitting on my bed. That’s when I heard it, the most painful thing I had ever had to listen to. I could hear my younger brothers crying in their bedrooms as my mother told them what had happened. Perhaps that is where my feeling of insanity comes from.

Going back to school can be stressful for kids. They’ve had all summer to have fun, but now they have to focus on learning. A little pick me up can do wonders for their attitude toward school.

1. Start with a good breakfast.

There’s a reason why “breakfast is the most important meal of the day” is such a cliche. It’s true. If your family consistently has trouble making time for breakfast in the morning, try getting up a bit earlier. It may be hard for both you and the kids to get used to, but it means you can get a decent breakfast into them. And maybe even feed yourself.

2. Pack a note to be read at school.

Another classic, but very worthwhile. My daughter’s first grade class actually has this somewhat formalized, with a “Write-to-Me Journal”. She writes to us each Friday, and we write back to her over the weekend, to be read at school. But of course notes at other times are also a good idea, such as the classic note in the lunch box.

3. Say “I love you” as they leave for school.

Younger kids love to hear this, of course. Older ones may play embarrassed or annoyed, but they need to hear it too. Say it, and don’t worry too much about their reaction.

4. Tell them you’re proud of them.

Another thing kids need to hear. I’ve read that it’s best to praise effort rather than to say things such as “You’re so smart.” You want to be sure that your praise is about something your child is doing well.

Also be sure to let them hear you praise them to others. It’s a little extra step that has a lot of meaning when done right. Once again, you don’t want to praise just anything, but when an action is worth mentioning to others, do so and sometimes let the kids overhear.

5. Take the time for family fun outside of school.

The school year is a busy time, but don’t let it get in the way of all the fun you can have as a family. Get out and enjoy yourselves. Play games. Relax.

6. Give the kids time to be kids.

There’s a lot of pressure to put children into a bunch of activities these days. While these can provide some benefits, too many simply lead to stressed out kids. Give them time to play on their own, no instructions from adults. Other than “No TV, no computer, no video games” perhaps. Get them outside.

Outdoor play has been shown to help with the symptoms of ADD, and the exercise is generally healthy anyhow. It doesn’t matter your age, you should all get outside to have fun daily anyhow. Playing outside helps kids to focus mentally.

7. Talk about what’s happening at school.

Go beyond “So how was your day?” and similar questions. Younger kids can be asked about what they enjoyed most about their day. Older kids may be more willing to talk about projects they’re working on. Figure out what topics will get your child talking to you about what’s happening in school. Keep this as a habit and be positive about things so they’re used to discussing things with you, even when there’s a problem.

8. Be supportive when they’re having problems at school.

Going to school has its hazards. Sometimes it will be problems with a classmate, other times it may be a topic that just isn’t sinking in very well. No matter what the problem is, be ready to help your child solve it.

Try not to solve too many problems for your kids, however. In many cases you’ll do better to discuss possible solutions your child can do on his or her own. On the other hand, some problems do require a parent’s touch, a meeting with the teacher or even the school principal. Be ready and willing to help.

Kids may be worried about homework, teachers and that pesky bully this school year. But parents? They’re leery about lunches.

With food prices rising and packages shrinking, parents are wondering how they’ll stretch their food budgets. Children are going to get an unwitting lesson in economics, analysts say, as parents change their food-buying habits to keep costs down.

Some kids will eat more hot lunches this year. Some will carry plastic bags full of snacks such as home-packed chips and crackers rather than prepackaged ones. Maybe there will be more peanut butter, if it hasn’t been banned in school because of allergies, instead of lunch meats, or cheaper items such as Spam.

This year’s lunchroom will be less about convenience and more about the bottom line, said Marcia Mogelonsky, senior research analyst with Mintel International in Chicago. Parents will be shopping for deals but still wanting all the basics — fruits, veggies, proteins and fun things like chips and cookies. It won’t be easy, she said.

“Parents are sort of entering this with trepidation,” she said. “It’s not how much it costs. It’s how much more it costs relative to what they’re used to spending.”

The costs for key ingredients — corn, wheat, soybeans and other items — are high and eating into food companies’ profits. So big names such as Kraft Foods Inc., Sara Lee Corp. and Hormel Foods Corp. are passing along price increases as they try to keep making money.

Some companies are also shrinking products or getting rid of certain lines to lower their costs. Skippy peanut butter, made by Unilever, now sells in 16.3 ounce jars that look the same size as the previous 18 ounce jars because of a larger indentation at the bottom. Kraft is reducing the number and in some cases the size, of items in its Deli Selects cheese line, for example. Sara Lee has reduced the size of some of its Hillshire Farm deli meat packages from 10 ounces to 9 ounces. The prices, for the most part, don’t go down.

Some stores are advising parents on what to buy. One chain that targets bargain shoppers has a new campaign telling parents how to make meals such as turkey slices wrapped in tortillas that cost about a $1 a serving.

In the U.S., retail food prices rose an average of 6 percent this year. That’s three times the normal inflation rate.

Prices are rising because companies are paying more for key ingredients because of increased demand around the world, the weak U.S. dollar and weather that destroyed crops.

Economists say the high prices won’t be coming down any time soon.

The pinch consumers are feeling is affecting their shopping habits, said Harry Balzer, vice president of consumer research firm NPD Group and an expert on American eating patterns.

“These rising food costs have to be paid for by somebody,” he said. “The question is how are you going to pay for them? Are you going to pay for them in keeping your out-of-pocket cost constant by buying smaller portions, or are you going to be paying more for what you paid last year?”

People typically spend 10 percent of their income on food and that won’t change, he said, so instead they’re looking for deals, eating less or changing brands.

Mogelonsky said many parents will have to put more thought into what they’re giving their kids. Lots of changes will be in the snack realm, she said, because people are more price-sensitive for snack foods.

One way many parents will save is to stop buying prepackaged snacks, especially the 100-calorie ones that hit the market a few years ago, Mogelonsky said.

Kids probably should expect to see fewer treats this year, as well, she said, since that’ll be seen as a luxury. Parents will have to talk to them about what they want to eat and why — and explain why those cookies may be gone.

“It’s a good time to teach economics, nutrition and budgeting. It could become a major focus in parent-child relations — making lunches,” Mogelonsky said.

She said there could also be a benefit to childhood obesity rates, much like traffic fatalities are coming down because people are driving less. If people cut back on their food spending, they may end up eating better, she said.

Parents say they won’t be giving their kids less food — so don’t expect hunger pangs in the afternoon. They just say they’re approaching it differently and buying with cost more in mind.

Debbie Moors’ daughters, ages 8 and 10, will bring their own milk from home, saving $1 a day this year. They’ll also get a half sandwich instead of a full one, since Moors learned that’s all they were eating last year. Chips and fruit snacks will be made from bulk bags rather than prepackaged ones.

It all means more thinking and planning, said Moors, 44, of Berthoud, Colo. She hopes she can keep her momentum going all year.

“By the middle of the year, you just get tired of trying to think of something different to put in there,” said Moors, a magazine editor. “I tend to lose motivation a little bit. But I think this year I’m going to be more motivated just from a cost-savings standpoint.”

At the Winn Dixie in Lake Worth, Florida there is a good deal on Gerber Phase 2 baby food. If you have Winn Dixie’s Customer Reward Card, then you can purchase 10 packs for $10. A savings of over $1. Plus there are many other great savings available. Like buy one, get one deals, and more of the 10 for $10 deals. Definitely worth checking out!

Study Finds No Link Between MMR Vaccine and Autism

The childhood measles-mumps-rubella vaccine does not raise the risk of developing autism, according to a new study. Researchers analyzed tissue biopsies taken from the bowels of kids with autism and gastrointestinal problems and compared them with age-matched children in a control group who had no developmental delays but were undergoing bowel biopsies because of gastrointestinal problems. The study, published online today in the journal PLoS One, investigated the theory that in children who receive the MMR vaccine, measles virus RNA could grow in the intestinal tract and cause inflammation, making the bowel more permeable and potentially causing the virus to travel to the central nervous system—where it might lead to the development of autism. But only one child out of 25 kids with autism and one of the 13 children in the control group showed slight levels of measles RNA.

Still, some parents of autistic children are not convinced. “This study addresses one hypothesis. This study, by itself, does not exonerate the role of all vaccines,” said Rick Rollens, the father of an autistic son and one of the founding members of the M.I.N.D. Institute at the University of CaliforniaDavis. “There are many biological mechanisms where environmental factors could present in the development of autism.”

Previously, U.S. News’s Bernadine Healy reported on the autism-vaccine link. In May, Nancy Shute explained why a study linking autism and schizophrenia—while scary on its face—was actually good news. Earlier, Shute reported on evidence dismissing the link between vaccines and autism.

Report: BPA Poses ‘Some Concern’

A new report from the federal government’s National Toxicology Program finds that exposure to bisphenol A, or BPA, poses “some concern” for potential behavioral effects and possible impact on development of the brain and prostate gland in infants, fetuses, and children. BPA is a chemical used in many consumer products like baby bottles, certain reusable water bottles, and even containers for canned foods. The report is based on a review of scientific literature and also considers public and professional comment on the issue. What consumers should do in response to the report’s findings is not clear. “Unfortunately, it is very difficult to offer advice on how the public should respond to this information,” Michael Shelby, director of the NTP’s Center for the Evaluation of Risks to Human Reproduction, said in a statement. “More research is clearly needed to understand exactly how these findings relate to human health and development, but at this point we can’t dismiss the possibility that the effects we’re seeing in animals may occur in humans. If parents are concerned, they can make the personal choice to reduce exposures of their infants and children to BPA.”

A separate study found that BPA exposure may cause health problems in monkeys. U.S. News offers tips on how to avoid contact with BPA and provides a list of resources for locating BPA-free products. And Adam Voiland describes why products containing phthalates are also a concern and gives advice for how to avoid exposure to those chemicals.

By Matthew Perrone | The Associated Press

11:54 AM EDT, September 3, 2008

 

TIPS: Starting solids should be enjoyable for you and your baby. If the baby seems unhappy, wait a few weeks and try again.

Introduce new foods in a pattern consistent with ease of digestibility and least risk of allergies. Start with rice cereal, then add vegetables, fruit, and finally meats (after 6-7 mos.). By 9 months start some amount of dairy (cheese, yogurt, or cottage cheese).

Introducing solid foods will cause your babies stools to become more solid and variable in color.

The goal is solid food - 3 meals a day by 7 months and mostly table food by 1 year.

Introduce a cup by 9 months. Place water and formula in cup.

FOODS: Introduce new foods one at a time and wait 3-5 days before adding new foods. Start a new food early in the day. If the baby has a problem, you will know before bedtime.

— Cereal: Rice, Oat, Wheat, Mixed
Rice is the easiest to digest, with very little allergen potential.
Amount: 3-4 Tbls. Mix in a bowl with breast milk, formula or water and feed by spoon.
When: Hungriest time of your baby’s day, maybe twice a day.

— Yellow Vegetables: Squash, sweet potatoes and carrots.

— Fruits: Applesauce, peaches, pears and bananas. Any fruit without citrus or citric juice in them, until baby is 12 months old.

— Green Vegetables: Peas, green beans, then gradually add other green vegetables

— Meats: Lamb, poultry, veal, beef, pork (in that order) but not until after 6 months old. Combination meat foods may be used.

— Eggs: Egg yolk at 9 months (baby food egg yolk), egg whites at 12 months.

— Juices: Juice is not necessary. Water is sufficient for additional fluids but if desired use no more than 6-8 oz. a day. White grape juice, apple, cranberry, cherry, or any combination of these can be used. Juice should be diluted in half with water. Do not give unpasteurized juices.

MENU IDEA:
— Breakfast: Cereal/Fruit.
— Lunch: Fruit/Cereal or Fruit/Vegetable/Meat.
— Dinner: Fruit/Cereal or Fruit/Vegetable/Meat.

ALLERGIC REACTIONS: Skin rash, vomiting, diarrhea, or any other concerns stop the new food. If you have family allergies, introduce new foods 7-10 days before starting another new food. Foods to avoid before 12 months old: whole eggs, cow’s milk, citric fruit/juices, strawberries, honey, nut products and shellfish.

QUANTITY: Feed your child until they are satisfied. Do not force feed. Most infants and children will show signs of fullness by turning their head away or by spitting food.

Average Quantity:
6 months - approximately 1 4oz jar per meal.
9 months - approximately 2 4oz.jars per meal.
The quantity of breast milk/formula may decrease as the amount of food increases.

PREPARING OWN FOODS:
No salt. Remove baby’s portion before seasoning.
Use water that food is cooked in for pureeing to retain important nutrients.
Nutrients are greatest if vegetables are fresh. Next best are frozen vegetables and last use canned (be sure they contain no salt!).

Ideas: Use ice trays. One cube is enough for one serving. You can freeze them inside zip-lock bags (easy to take to baby-sitter).

SAFETY TIPS TO HELP AVOID CHOKING:
You want to give small, non-round pieces of easily dissolvable or soft foods.

Foods to avoid until around 4 years of age: raw vegetables, raisins, nuts, popcorn, whole grapes, hard candies, and hot dogs that have been sliced into circles.

*** We encourage all parents to learn CPR and First Aid for choking.

People with the flu are most infectious during the 24-hour period before symptoms appear and also on the days when the symptoms are at their worst.

Good hygiene and regular housecleaning are the best ways to prevent the flu from spreading. The following are more ways to help prevent the spread of the flu:

• Teach your children to always cover their mouths and noses when they cough or sneeze and how to use a tissue.
• Use tissues for wiping runny noses and to catch sneezes. Throw them in the trash after each use. Wear a mask if you are coughing or sneezing frequently.
• Avoid kissing your child on or around the mouth or face.
• Make sure everyone washes their hands before and after coming into close contact with someone with the flu. Everyone should wash their hands with soap and warm water for at least 15 seconds (about as long as one verse of “Happy Birthday”). You may also use a waterless hand cleaner in addition to hand washing or if soap and water are not available.
• Don’t let children share pacifiers, cups, spoons, forks, washcloths, or towels. Never share toothbrushes.
• Use paper cups in the bathroom and kitchen. Throw them in the trash after each use.
• Wash dishes, forks, and spoons in hot, soapy water or the dishwasher.
• Change cloth towels often and wash them in hot water.
• Wipe all surfaces, including toys, with a disinfectant or soap and hot water. Viruses can live for more than 30 minutes on doorknobs, toilet handles, countertops, and even toys.
• Keep children, particularly infants, away from secondhand tobacco smoke. Don’t smoke around your children. Children who are exposed to tobacco smoke cough, wheeze more, and have a harder time getting over the flu.

What types of flu vaccines are available?

There are safe and effective vaccines to protect against the flu. The 2 types of influenza vaccine used to immunize both children and adults are inactivated influenza vaccine and live, attenuated influenza vaccine (also called LAIV). Inactivated influenza vaccine is given by injection and LAIV is sprayed into the nose (nasal spray).

Who should get the flu vaccine?

Inactivated influenza vaccine is recommended for the following:

• All children 6 months of age or older with serious health problems, such as lung disease, heart disease, a weakened immune system, or cancer
• All healthy children aged 6 through 59 months
• Household contacts and out-of-home caregivers of all children with high-risk conditions and of all healthy children younger than 5 years
• All health care professionals

For children younger than 9 years who have never before been vaccinated, 2 doses of vaccine, given at least 1 month apart, are required to provide adequate protection against the flu. After that, only 1 dose of vaccine is needed each year. Children younger than 9 years who were immunized for the first time last flu season, but only received 1 dose of vaccine, will need 2 doses this flu season.

LAIV is currently approved only for healthy children aged 2 through 17 years and healthy adults aged 18 through 49 years. It should not be given to any child who has asthma or recurrent wheezing.

The best time to get the flu vaccine is before the flu season starts, beginning early in the fall. Find out from your child’s doctor when the vaccine is available in your area. Because the flu season often lasts well into March and beyond, the flu vaccine is recommended through late winter to early spring.

Who should not get the flu vaccine?

Both types of flu vaccine should not be given to anyone with known allergic reactions (like hives, angioedema, asthma, and anaphylaxis) to chicken or egg proteins, or any other parts of the flu vaccines. This is because eggs are used to make them. Your child’s doctor may recommend skin testing before giving the vaccine to any child who may have had an allergic reaction to eggs in the past.

Published online: 11/07
Source: The Flu (Influenza) (Copyright © 2004 American Academy of Pediatrics, Updated 10/07)

Healthcare professionals may order this publication in multi-copy packs.
Parents can find more information on this topic in Caring for Your Baby and Young Child: Birth to Age 5. To order a copy of this book visit the AAP Bookstore.

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The information contained in this publication should not be used as a substitute for the medical care and advice of your pediatrician. There may be variations in treatment that your pediatrician may recommend based on individual facts and circumstances.

Most children with mild diarrhea can continue to eat a normal diet including formula or milk. Breastfeeding can continue. If your baby seems bloated or gassy after drinking cow’s milk or formula, call your pediatrician to discuss a temporary change in diet. Special fluids for mild illness are not usually necessary.

Special fluids for moderate illness

Children with moderate diarrhea may need special fluids. These fluids, called electrolyte solutions, have been designed to replace water and salts lost during diarrhea. They are extremely helpful for the home management of mild to moderately severe illness. Do not try to prepare these special fluids yourself. Use only commercially available fluids—brand-name and generic brands are equally effective. Your pediatrician or pharmacist can tell you what products are available.

If your child is not vomiting, these fluids can be used in very generous amounts until the child starts making normal amounts of urine again.

Reminder–do’s and don’ts

DO

• Watch for signs of dehydration which occur when a child loses too much fluid and becomes dried out. Symptoms of dehydration include a decrease in urination, no tears when baby cries, high fever, dry mouth, weight loss, extreme thirst, listlessness, and sunken eyes.
• Keep your pediatrician informed if there is any significant change in how your child is behaving.
• Report if your child has blood in his stool.
• Report if your child develops a high fever (more than 102°F or 39°C).
• Continue to feed your child if she is not vomiting. You may have to give your child smaller amounts of food than normal or give your child foods that do not further upset his or her stomach.
• Use diarrhea replacement fluids that are specifically made for diarrhea if your child is thirsty.

• Try to make special salt and fluid combinations at home unless your pediatrician instructs you and you have the proper instruments.
• Prevent the child from eating if she is hungry.
• Use boiled milk or other salty broth and soups.
• Use “anti-diarrhea” medicines unless prescribed by your pediatrician.

Published online: 3/07
Source: Diarrhea and Dehydration (Copyright © 1996 American Academy of Pediatrics, Updated 7/04)

Healthcare professionals may order this publication in multi-copy packs.
Parents can find more information on this topic in Caring for Your Baby and Young Child: Birth to Age 5. To order a copy of this book visit the AAP Bookstore.

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The information contained in this publication should not be used as a substitute for the medical care and advice of your pediatrician. There may be variations in treatment that your pediatrician may recommend based on individual facts and circumstances.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infects almost all children at least once before they are 2 years old. Most of the time this virus only causes minor coldlike symptoms. However, for some babies infection can be more dangerous.

For certain infants who are extremely preterm (infants born before 32 weeks of pregnancy) or who are born with severe heart disease or severe lung disease, RSV infection can be especially serious. Preterm infants often have underdeveloped lungs and may have difficulty fighting an RSV infection once they become infected.

There are important steps you can take to prevent exposure to RSV and other viruses, especially in the first few months of your child’s life. These precautions include

• Make sure everyone washes their hands before touching your baby.
• Keep your baby away from anyone who has a cold, fever, or runny nose.
• Keep your baby away from crowded areas like shopping malls.
• Keep your baby away from tobacco smoke. Parents should not expose their infants and young children to secondhand tobacco smoke, which increases the risk of and complications from severe viral respiratory infections.
• For high-risk infants, participation in child care should be restricted during RSV season whenever possible.
• All high-risk infants and their contacts should be immunized against influenza beginning at 6 months of age.

There are medications that your pediatrician may prescribe that could reduce the risk of developing serious RSV infection. These medications are used only for the small number of babies who are in the highest risk groups for hospitalization. The American Academy of Pediatrics has developed specific criteria for use of these medications. You should consult with your pediatrician regarding specific details on who is at highest risk and which high-risk infants are most likely to benefit from receipt of these medications.

Published online: 2/07
Source: Respiratory Syncytial Virus (Copyright © 2003 American Academy of Pediatrics, Updated 8/03)

Healthcare professionals may order this publication in multi-copy packs.
Parents can find more information on this topic in Caring for Your Baby and Young Child: Birth to Age 5. To order a copy of this book visit the AAP Bookstore.

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The information contained in this publication should not be used as a substitute for the medical care and advice of your pediatrician. There may be variations in treatment that your pediatrician may recommend based on individual facts and circumstances.