Tag Archives: #children

Boogie Wipes: To Wipe out Kiddo Cold and Flu Germs

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Knowing that I am both a nurse and a mom, the folks over at Boogie Wipes® sent me some samples to use with my little one, which is awesome because I actually already used Boogie Wipes for her, and now I was just able to stock her diaper bag with all of their goodies we could take them on the road, but I also get to share how they can help keep your child healthy also.

Boogie WipesWinter is always a time when we are indoors more because it’s cold (especially for those of us who live on the East Coast) breathing in re-circulated air, which put us at a higher risk for contracting the common cold and flu viruses…and spreading them to others. And just like for adults, there are some pretty easy and key tips for trying to keep our babies as germ free as possible too. We had a cold ravage our house recently, but miraculously, the baby didn’t get more than a few sniffles, and I have to thank breast milk and Boogie Wipes for that! I know that the power of antibodies in breast milk rather speaks for itself, but why Boogie Wipes? Boogie Wipes are not only wipes for stuffy and crusty little noses, that helps to gently soften and dissolve the boogies away with a gentle normal saline infusion and fresh scent, but there is also Boogie Mist, a gentle saline mist that can be spritzed up the nose to help break up and soften mucous crusts in the nose, and also dissolve it. Boogie Mist can help to keep nasal passages moist and yet clear of mucous (boogies) to prevent post nasal drip, which is one of the leading causes dry coughs in the winter. And for my little girl, it gave me piece of mind that her nasal airways were free and clear so she could suck on her pacifier to soothe herself to sleep, feed without breathing issues, and she would be able to breathe freely and sleep all night, so she could fight off any bugs. The fresh scent of the Boogie Wipes (there is also a grape scent) made it more enjoyable for my baby, who actually liked getting the little spritz up her nose, and she loves the wipes as well, and knows them by scent…I get a big smile when the Boogie Wipes come out, as opposed to a head turned to the side!

Even if you don’t have any illnesses spreading through your home, the use of Boogie Wipes and Boogie Mist can help to prevent colds and illnesses and keep your child healthy. Boogies in the nose, are one of the bodies first line of defense in preventing viruses into the body, and by wiping them off and dissolving them away, we are assisting our children in gently removing the risk of a virus right at the source before it has a chance to infect. Also, if a stuffy nose is keeping your small child from breathing properly at night, they will not sleep well, and that is a benefit to no one (and I am sure a crabby baby is the last thing anyone wants, if you can prevent it!) so Boogie Mist can help to open up those nasal passages and allow for improved breathing. Plus, normal saline is so gentle on the skin, that it has no negative side effects, it is one of the most gentle substances you can put in or in your body.

Also, one of the hardest (near impossible) way to prevent colds is keeping your kids hands away from their mouths and keeping them clean (and I am saying that as the mother of a 6 month-old who is teething and shoving everything she sees in her mouth). It is inevitable that kids will be kids and they explore with their hands by touching things, and that stuff always seems to make it to their face to rub something (an eye, nose, mouth). One great way for a quick clean, especially if you don’t want to put an alcohol based cleaner on your childs hands, is to use a Boogie Wipe, as it is infused with normal saline, which won’t damage the skin, and is safe for them to then put into their mouths: it’s a win/win!

Between the safeness, effectiveness, and the great scents that my baby loves, I think that every mom should stock up on Boogie Wipes and Boogie Mist to try to ward off those nasty winter bugs!

Yours in Good Health,

 

The Ultimate Intruder: Head Lice

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Head lice invade over one million scalps per year, most of which tend to be kindergarten and early school age children, and quickly invade the rest of the family! There are many myths out there, like a lice infestation means you are unhygienic, but that actually isn’t true.  The wingless, tiny parasites that live on your scalp and the blood source to your scalp, actually prefer a cleaner home, and is spread by close contact and sharing clothes (hats) and other personal items (towels, brushes, etc.) The official name is pediculosis capitis, and there are some ways to prevent your little ones from bringing home this infection, and what to do when they do bring it home!

The Symptoms of Lice:

Usually an intensely itchy scalp is the first sign of lice, but you also might notice red itchy bumps on your head and neck. When the lice bite into your scalp to get the blood to feed off of, it can cause a small allergic reaction, which leads to the bumps and itchiness.  Also, when the lice lay eggs, people notice a increase in “dandruff” which is usually little yellow lice eggs that line the hair shafts. Adult lice tend to cause more itching around the back of the ears and neckline. And although you might see the eggs on the hair shafts,  that is not enough to truly diagnose the infection, but if you do have a lice infection, the way to truly diagnose is to visualize lice moving on the scalp.

What are some Treatments?

If you notice any of these symptoms, you should try an Over-the-Counter (OTC) treatment shampoo, to try and kill off the parasites early. The OTC shampoos either have pyrethrin (like Rid) or permethrin (like Nix). If that does not work, you can call your Healthcare Practitioner (HCP) to prescribe a stronger treatment.

Malathion (Ovide) is a medication that should only be used on people older than 6 years old, rubbed into the hair and scalp, but it is highly flammable! Benzyl alcohol lotion, is also applied the same way as the malathion, and is a newer treatment that cannot be used on those less than 6 months old, and even in adults, the FDA does warn of risk of seizures and other pretty serious side effects. As with any treatment, make sure that your HCP is aware if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, as some of the drugs are absorbed into the skin and can be excreted in breast milk.

If you are worried about absorbing the chemicals, you can also just wet your hair, and comb it, using a fine tooth comb, every 3 days for 3 to four weeks, which allows you to remove the lice and eggs, and this is the best method with really young children. It obviously takes longer to get rid of the infestation, but it does so without chemicals, and could be an option for those wary of chemical use. As lice can live for up to around two days without a food source, and nits (the eggs) need to live at scalp temperature, combing the bugs and lice out can help to stop the parasites from further breeding.

Also, this won’t work for girls, but young boys, you can cut their hair short (as long as they aren’t opposed) to help remove the lice and nits!  One of my good friends (who happens to also be an RN) JUST had this lovely experience, and was nice enough to send along the pics of their experience:

with hair.....

with hair…..

 

without hair...and getting the combing treatment!

without hair…and getting the combing treatment!

How do I prevent the spread in my home?

Heat and lack of food sources help to end the infestation in your home: 

-Wash all clothes, sheets, towels, etc in hot water (at least 130F/54.4C) and dry on high for a minimum of 20 minutes.

-Brushes, combs, hair care products should be soaked in very hot water for at least 10 minutes (make sure to use insulated gloves to protect yourself from burns!)

-All comforters, pillows, bedding, and other items that are tough to wash, should be placed in air tight bags for 3-4 days to cut off air supply to the parasites and kill them and the nits.

-Vacuum all rugs and couches to remove any possible lice or nits

Also, remind your children not to share hats or scarves, helmets (if playing sports), or any brushes or other hair care products. This can’t always be avoided, and kids will be kids, but it is a good reminder to help and prevent an infection. And remember to tell them, if they do get lice, that it doesn’t mean they are unclean or dirty, but it is something that happens to many people, and with some quick treatments, a lot of laundry, and some parental strife, all will be back to normal soon!  Plus, tell your child’s school nurse, coaches, etc to make sure that the infection isn’t spread and other parents know to look for symptoms.

Yours in Good Health

B

 

Are you a part of the Clean Plate Club?

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Growing up, I remember sitting at the kitchen table and staring at a plate of goulash, trying to mentally will it to go away….but my mother telling me I couldn’t leave the table without cleaning my plate because there were some children who didn’t have food. Ugh. I remember thinking, they wouldn’t want the goulash! But, when there were foods that I liked, I was in the “Clean Plate Club” in no time flat (I am a ridiculously fast eater for some reason.) But despite us not wanting to waste food, this may be a bad thing to teach children; it can cause some bad habits later on.

How can it be bad?

A few studies have been done recently to look at how often parents these days are actually pushing this “clean plate club” idea on kids, and the journal Adolescent found that 2/3rds of parents actually still push this idea on their adolescent and teenage children. When you encourage your children to eat based on how much you offer them, and teach them to eat ALL of the food, they learn to eat what is in front of them, and not to eat based on what their body is feeling and needing, or on satiety.  As portions seem to get bigger and bigger, and children are just eating what’s given to them, they are consuming more and more fat and calories than necessary.  They will consume more than their bodies need, and tend to gain weight over time. While they are growing quickly and hormones are changing, it doesn’t always take effect immediately, but it will lead to bad habits as an adult too. Also, the study (which looked at around 2200 children and 3500 parents) found that parents of overweight children, despite encouraging the clean plate club earlier on in life, started encouraging less food consumption (possibly under eat), while children that were skinnier were still being encouraged to eat large amounts (possibly overeat).  The Center for Disease Control has found that in the past 3 decades, childhood obesity has increased by 2 fold and adolescent obesity has tripled, and in 2010 alone 1/3 of all children were noted as obese.

healthy foodsIt is really important to teach portion sizes, but also healthy eating, and proper eating: fill your house with healthy foods and snacks, let them make the right choices.  If they choose to fill up on carrot sticks (even with peanut butter), great, it’s much better than potato chips! They can learn when they feel full on their own without parents hovering; sometimes pressuring them to eat more or less makes the situation worse, they can learn to eat on their own.  When they are growing, they will eat more because their bodies need the nutrition, and when it slows, so will their intake. As parents, we need to supply the healthy foods for them to eat, and to teach them to make the right choices.

So don’t push that clean plate club! Just push the healthy foods.  And sometimes having your child talk to their Healthcare Practitioner (HCP) or a nutritionist can help them to learn better food choices, if they are making poor choices on their own, and so they can also learn the long-term implications of poor eating habits. Regulate what they eat by making healthy food available, not by forcing, and you will have a better chance of them learning to eat healthy!

Yours in Good Health

B

Start them young on the right foot

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I am not a parent to any human beings, I clearly have two dogs, and I really don’t like when people give me advice related to my pooches (I almost made the statement that I hate when people without dogs give me advice related to my dogs, but really, it is all unsolicited advise!!).  So, I am going to preface that I am not a parent, and not preaching about how to raise a child here at all, but I have touched on it before in my blogs on nutrition, and I do think it is important to teach by example; study just caught my eye, and I wanted to pass it along because it deals with the devils drink, or as I like to call it: SODA!

sodaNow, I am never one to turn down a nice gin and tonic every now and again, or to not drink ginger ale when I have a sick stomach, but daily consumption of soda (diet or full sugar) really is horrible for your stomach (causes ulcers) and for your pancreas (your risk of type II diabetes goes up thus increasing your long-term risk for pancreatic cancer), along with the standard issues of obesity, tooth decay, caffeine dependence, and weakening of bones (phosphoric acid in soda can leach calcium off of your bones- creepy!!).  Also, there are new studies showing that increased soda consumption increases cardiovascular risks (i.e. stroke and heart attack) too because of the dyslipidemia (literally a disruption in lipids, or fats, that are in the blood….too much fat in the blood leads to plaque build up on cells and artery/vein walls) that occurs.

The Journal of American Dietary Association did a long-term study starting in 1996 with 5-year-old caucasian girls (roughly 170 children and parents as subjects), looking at the health/dietary differences between girls that were drinking soda at age 5 and those who weren’t.  I didn’t find the outcome shocking at all, but I did find it very sad: the girls who were drinking soda at age 5 continued to do so through age 15 and had an extremely low milk intake a higher intake of foods with added sugars, and lower intake of protein, fiber, phosphorous, magnesium, vitamin D, calcium, and potassium in their diets. Basically, these children were eating processed foods and drinking soda on a daily basis as their normal diets.  This significantly increases the rate of obesity and type II diabetes, and treating type II diabetes becomes much more difficult when people have no concept of healthy meal choices.  So these children are engrained with these poor diets, and it is a tough challenge to change their eating habits.

These girls were set up at the age of 5 for increased cardiovascular risks for stroke and heart attack, diabetes, and cancer, all because of poor eating habits stemming around the consumption of soda.

I remember when I was young, and it was a HUGE treat to be able to drink soda; special occasions only!  And I remember my mom always regretting the decision as we were bouncing off the walls, but it was always water and milk only, and juice with breakfast.  Granted, I am very lucky to have the mom that I do, she still treats me like her baby whenever I come home, making me snacks and meals galore!! But, even with busy working moms, who don’t have the time to cut carrot/celery sticks and have them waiting as an after school snack, there are so many healthy snack options at the grocery store to choose from, and if you fill your house and fridge with healthy stuff, your children will learn to eat healthy stuff and that it tastes good!

So, please try to limit soda intake for younger kids and allow them healthy choices when you can control what they eat, so they learn what’s healthy, and we can only hope they continue that path as they grow up and make their own choices, but try to set them up for success in life and decrease their risks for long-term illnesses as much as you can.  And, honestly, in this economy, a Brita filter for a month giving fresh clean water, is a boatload cheaper than even generic brand soda!

Yours in Good Health, and for all the little ones out there 🙂

B