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Posts Tagged "Health"

17Aug2019

The Relationship between Sleep and Weight

You certainly know how important high-quality sleep is for your child. After all, you have probably experienced an incredibly crabby toddler who missed his nap or a cranky teenager who only got a few hours of sleep before a big day of classes and tests. While sleep certainly affects a child’s mood, it also impacts a variety of other areas of a child’s physical and mental health. Poor sleep may affect the following:

  • School performance
  • Anxiety levels
  • Depression
  • Memory and concentration
  • Creativity
  • Social relationships

Interestingly, poor sleep has begun to be linked to childhood weight gain. Childhood obesity has made plenty of headlines in the past several years as children in certain developed countries, including the United States, are becoming overweight or obese at alarming rates. Numbers from 2016 show that almost 20 percent of school-age children are obese. Another alarming statistic shows that teenage obesity rates have quadrupled since 1980. 

Although there are many ways to combat these statistics, such as with healthier meals and increased exercise, one easy option of which very few parents are aware is achieving adequate nightly sleep. Sleep cycles are important rhythms in the body that help with growth and development. In addition, adequate sleep is necessary for a good metabolism, which is vital for burning the calories that children and teenagers take in each day. When children are awake longer each day, they are more apt to become hungry and to eat more often. Obviously, a disruption in sleep routines leads to appetite changes and metabolism changes, which can swiftly lead to weight gain.

It can be a struggle to know how much sleep a child should get each night. Keep in mind that recommended sleep numbers are based on children’s ages. Basically, the younger your child is, the more sleep he will need nightly. Here are the general guidelines for daily sleep. Younger children may also take naps to help equal the recommended allotted time.

  • Toddlers: 11-14 hours
  • Preschoolers: 10-13 hours
  • Elementary and middle school-aged children: 9-11 hours
  • Teenagers: 8-10 hours

While your child may not get the recommended amount of sleep every night, this will give you something to aim for as you consider bedtimes and wake-up times. If you have any concerns about your child’s sleep habits or weight, contact Kids 1st Pediatrics for a pediatric assessment.

Pediatrics
13Jul2019

Air Quality and Asthma

According to the American Lung Association, asthma is the most common condition that chronically affects children in the U.S. These children often experience flareups, which could occur from nearly anything, including allergens, chemicals, stress, excitement, and exercise. In the summer, one of the most concerning triggers that parents should be aware of is the hot outdoor air.

Factors Affecting Air Quality

Just when parents are finally able to let their children play outside, they may have to tell them to stay inside instead if the forecast is showing a string of particularly hot, sunny days. The reason for this is that the ozone in the air, which is produced by ultraviolet light from the sun, can increase exponentially on these sunniest of days. Those living in urban areas are particularly at risk, but wind can push the excessive levels of ozone nearly anywhere, including into more rural areas that are typically assumed to have clean and healthy air. 

Children who spend much time outdoors during weather like this may find that they have a harder time than normal with breathing, and they may cough much more frequently. However, this weather can be particularly harmful to children with asthma who may be forced to reach for their rescue inhalers or to take a trip to urgent care. This is because the ozone that they breathe in reacts with the tissues deep inside their lungs to create irritating toxins.

Pay Attention to Air Quality Reports

Parents of children with asthma should carefully monitor air quality. They may be able to do this through the newspaper or through a weather app on their smartphones, but they should know that not all poor air quality days make it onto official alerts. Instead, they may want to find a local app using information from the Environmental Protection Agency that will display up-to-the-minute ozone levels. 

In addition, parents will want to make sure that they keep their children inside during the hottest parts of the day, plan most outdoor activities for the morning, have children take plenty of breaks indoors and find plenty of fun activities for the indoors. In addition, they should be sure that they know exactly where their child’s rescue inhaler is and should know how to use it. 

If you are concerned about your child’s breathing or need a new inhaler prescription for your child, schedule an appointment with Kids 1st Pediatrics today.

Pediatrics
6Jul2019

How Concerned Should You Be about Mosquito Bites?

Now that summer is in full swing, you may notice your children coming back indoors with mosquito bite welts on their arms and legs. Although you probably grew up suffering through the same dilemma thanks to your hours of summer play outside, you have probably heard of the variety of diseases that mosquitoes may now carry. It is wise for you to understand more about mosquito bites and how you should care for them to ensure that your child stays healthy during the warm, brilliant days of summer.

Most mosquito bites will appear as small to medium-sized red welts on the skin. They will be raised and quite itchy. Typically, they are nothing to worry about, and they should disappear within a few days. You should instruct your child not to scratch at her bites so that she does not break the skin, and you may want to use an anti-itch ointment made with steroidal cream for a very severe bite or a case of multiple bites.

Of course, there are some times when you should worry about the bug bites on your child’s body. Call us for an appointment immediately or head to an urgent care clinic or a nearby emergency room if your child develops any of the following side effects:

  • An allergic reaction with major swelling at the site or around the face
  • Difficulty swallowing
  • Infection due to excessive scratching at the site
  • Increasing redness or red streaks in the area
  • Body aches
  • Fever
  • Diarrhea

If any of the above side effects develop, your child may have been bitten by a different insect, may be allergic to the insect or may have developed a secondary illness or infection from the bite. Getting medical help quickly can help get your child back on her feet again so that she can enjoy the summer.

In the United States, the only disease that mosquitoes carry that could be harmful to humans is West Nile Virus. If your child has recently been out of the country to areas in Africa, South America or Central America, she could also be at risk for yellow fever, malaria or the Zika virus if she has not been properly immunized. 

For more information about how you can protect your child’s health during outdoor play, contact Kids 1st Pediatrics where our goal is happy, healthy children.

Pediatrics
18Jun2019

Are Allergies Keeping Your Children Indoors?

Seasonal allergies afflict numerous adults every year, but they are less expected when they hit your children. However, it is estimated that one in four children suffers from allergies today. Perhaps you are the parent of a child who spends most of each summer sneezing, rubbing his eyes or dealing with nasal congestion. While this is a great burden on you mentally, it can be a huge problem for your child who may struggle to enjoy typical daily activities, who may feel ostracized from his friends during allergy season and who may fight you over going outside to play for the day when you know it will cause his allergies to flare up again. These tips will arm both you and your child with the information necessary to get these irritating symptoms under control and to begin enjoying life once again.

Start Treatments Early

In an effort to limit the amount of medication that your child has to take, you may be waiting until his symptoms start before you begin giving him over-the-counter medications. However, research shows that starting medications up to three weeks before allergy season begins can provide better control of symptoms.

Allergy Testing Can Provide Answers

Allergy testing can help you know exactly what your child is allergic to and can help you limit his exposure to these allergens, whether they are certain types of pollen, mold, or pet dander.

Stay on Top of Pollen Counts

Once you know what trees, weeds, or grasses your child is allergic to, you can use pollen counts to tell you when your child should stay indoors. Many apps and Websites offer instantaneous pollen counts these days.

Watch out for Triggers

Your child’s allergies could be triggered by more than just pollen. Other common triggers include the following:

  • Mildew
  • Insect droppings
  • Weather changes
  • Chemicals and fumes
  • Tobacco or wood smoke
  • Strong scents

Pediatrics
11Jun2019

Summer Routines for Children

Now that summer is in full swing, you may be wondering how you are going to deal with having your children home with you for the next two to three months. What seemed like a great way to bond and to enjoy family fun may now seem like an overwhelming task of keeping your children happy and busy when it seems as if they have nothing to do. The benefit of the school months is that children have routines that they follow at least five days each week. They go to bed and wake up at the same time. Meals are normally at the same time, and extracurriculars usually happen on a schedule.

Summer Activities and Routines

During the summer, most of these activities are on a break. While children can certainly benefit from a little downtime that gives them a chance to use their imaginations and engage in social play, they may not benefit from the lack of routine in their lives. Therefore, it is up to you to build the right amount routine to give your children the security and self-control they need.

  • Create new sleep times. While your bedtimes and wake-up times may be different than they were during the school year, they should still be regular.
  • Create time for your children to be by themselves. Playtime is important, but children still need time to be quiet and to think. This gives them time to let their imaginations run free.
  • Create new weekly activities. Perhaps you can go to the library or the park on a certain day each week. The good news for you is that you may now be able to add in more regular weekly chores for your children to help you out around the house.
  • Create time for learning. Depending on your child, you may be able to keep up their learning with bookwork from a simple textbook. However, learning can happen outdoors, in the kitchen, in the garage, or nearly anywhere you go.

The benefits of routines for children cannot be overstated. Young children, in particular, feel much safer and more secure with a routine. Children do not have to fear the unknown when they know exactly what to expect. Routines also aid in creating a calmer household, giving children self-confidence, building healthy habits, bringing siblings and parents together, helping children look forward to favorite activities, and creating realistic expectations for everyone.

Pediatrics
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