Dr. Deb

I always wanted twins until I actually HAD them. It took about 18 months before I actually LOVED mothering twins, which I do now with a passion. The early months were all about survival and I savored the exersaucer time in front of the TV. 20 minutes of Smart Baby gave me the least bit of sanity and I was making them smart, right? Turns out those videos don’t really make your baby smart and television, especially for young children, may lead to several health risks.

SpongeBob SquarePants is the most-watched TV show among kids between the ages of 2 to 11 but a recent study showed that 4 year olds who watched only 9 minutes of the show were significantly impaired on tests of executive function or the ability to focus and not get distracted compared to kids that watched a PBS show Caillou or drew with crayons.

Sponge Bob is considered a fast-paced show with complete scene changes every 11 seconds compared with 34 seconds for the slower-paced program. These fast paced shows may over stimulate the brain and lead to deficits.

This is not the first study to show problems with television. Television watching is associated with higher blood pressure and obesity, because not only is it sedentary and noninteractive, but there are an estimated 10,000 unhealthy food commercials per year being viewed each year.

Watching too much television is unhealthy for even active people. A recent study of the National Cancer Institute showed adults age 50-71 who watched more than 5 hours of TV a day were twice as likely to die sooner. Even those who exercised at high levels but also watched a lot of TV were still at risk for early death.

What is a sleep deprived mother to do?

Dr. Deb’s Television Watching Recommendations

1. Limit Screens to less than 2 hours a Day

The American Academy of Pediatrics discourages TV altogether for children under the age of 2 so forget Smart Baby like programs. It is important to be active and interactive and television does neither. When you do have the TV, keep closed caption on. This had been shown to be a far better reading aid than any video or smart program.

2. No Television in the Bedroom

32% of 2-7 year olds and 65% of 8-18 year olds have a television set in their bedroom. Television creates sleep problems for both children and adults. Even watching TV too close too bedtime caused sleeping problems in 28% of preschoolers who watch TV or played video game at least 30 minutes after seven.

Children need a quiet soothing winding down ritual time before bed and reading a book is a great habit to get children into at an early age.

3. Aim for Educational & Nonviolent Television

Children have trouble discriminating fantasy from reality. 37% of children who were exposed to one hour or more of violent media had sleep problems compared to those who watched less than an hour or none at all. Not only does more media violence promote real life violence but teens that watch sexualized shows tend have earlier and more frequent sexual experiences.  Make sure they are watching quality and diverse television. The FCC has V chip guidelines for every show with age recommendations.

4. Watch TV with your kids to Find Teaching Moments

I don’t think you should ban every violent or sexual show but make sure you are watching these shows together to have teaching moments about the choices the characters have made. You can help clarify the fantasy versus the reality of real life.

5.  Turn TV off during Meals

Mealtime should be sacred. Families that eat together and share their day are more successful in school and in life. It is too easy to have television as the background noise so make all television viewing with a purpose.  Those that eat while watching TV consume far more calories than those sitting at a table together.

Do my kids enjoy Sponge Bob? Absolutely! Keep him in his target audience of 6-11 year olds and out of the younger kids eyes. You don’t have to ban TV but don’t make it your babysitter either.  Think about what kind of modeling you are doing for your kids too.

Have a great week and don’t forget, the new fall season starts soon!

Dr. Deb

Kids are headed for college this week and while my last blog discussed the nuts and bolts health tips for BACK TO SCHOOL like vaccines and hygiene, this week I want to talk about what parents are really worried about: How will my child handle the smorgasbord of temptations without rules or limitations?

Here are Dr. Deb’s 5 College Health Tips.

1. Avoid the Freshman 15

Students often gain weight the first 2 years of college and most of it occurs during the first trimester of freshman year, but weight gain is not inevitable. It only takes an extra 150-175 calories a day to gain that weight so making a small change like cutting the midnight snack or drinking water instead of pop can mean the difference between weight gain or staying the same.

Critical to avoiding the weight gain, as well as stress relief, is REGULAR EXERCISE!

Don’t skip meals and be aware that everyone has a different metabolism. Avoid the mob mentality. Just because your skinny friend is chowing down on French fries and fast food after a night of drinking doesn’t mean you won’t gain weight if you do too. She may have a hidden eating disorder that is quite common on college campuses. Click her for more information on Eating disorders.

2. GET SOME ZZSs

Sleep is critical for all but especially dealing with the stress of college.  Try to get on a regular sleep schedule and avoid all nighters. You need at least 4 hours of sleep to perform well on a test but 7-9 regular hours is best for your health as well as your grades. Lack of sleep also contributes to that freshman 15 as hunger chemicals are released in times of low sleep. Stay away from energy drinks and avoid caffeine in the evening as it can take 8 hours to wear off.

3. Stress Relief

Depression and other mental illness usually start between ages 15 though the 20s. The stress of school and being away from home can trigger depression in children especially with a family history. Talk to your kids about warning signs and make sure they know where to get help. Regular sleep, a healthy diet and exercise are critical to keep all children feeling their best. Encourage joining a club to build social support, as college life can be very overwhelming.

Talk about warning signs and have them see a professional if the have:

Extreme mood swings

Feelings of sadness or hopelessness

A loss of interest in things they once loved

Loss of appetite or binging

Significant changes in sleep patterns.

4. Sex and Safety

College is different because they have not grown up with these kids or know their families so a healthy amount of caution is necessary. Don’t allow boys you just met to “walk you home” because predators come in all shapes. Almost every campus has a college escort service so make sure your kids know about it.

Sexual expectations may also be different in college and make sure they do not put themselves in situations they may not be used to. Have them discuss at the beginning of a date, what if any sexual expectations either of them have. Talk to them about keeping themselves safe as they are in a high-risk group for sexually transmitted diseases and what they would do if something they had not planned for were to happen like emergency contraception.

Take this Sexual Assertiveness Quiz and read about date rape prevention.

Avoiding or limiting alcohol is critical for college health and safety. 1/3 of college students abuse alcohol, which contributes to the 3 most common causes of death in teenagers, accidental injury, homicides and suicides. Alcohol also plays a role in most sexual transgressions and sexual assaults.

5. Set them Free

Don’t be a helicopter parent and try to micromanage every grade or class. College is the time for kids to learn to be an adult and if you don’t want them back at home after graduation then have fight their own battles. Set limits on texts or phone calls to what is reasonable for you both.

Kick Ball games may be replaced by beer pong but arming your kids with the information and confidence is the best way to keep them healthy and safe at college.

Happy New School Year!

Dr. Deb

The first week of August is always a little depressing because summer feels over when fall sport practices start and some kids are even back to school.   Where did summer go? While buying backpacks and pencils don’t forget a tune up on your child’s health.

Dr. Deb’s Back to School Health Tips

1. Don’t Wait to Vaccinate
Each year, about 50,000 adults die from diseases that can be prevented by vaccinations. Children in closed in classrooms or living in dorms are particularly prone to infections. Check here to know your child’s requirements but the following are important vaccinations before college.
Tetanus-diphtheria-acellular pertussis vaccine (Tdap)
Meningococcal vaccine (MCV4)
Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine series

Flu

Tdap booster added pertussis protection to tetanus and diphtheria starting in 2005 to prevent whooping cough that has skyrocketed. Most children will be required to have this vaccine before starting 7^th grade but children going off to college should be certain that they received it prior to as they have missed that cut off. Td should be repeated every 10 years if Tdap has already been given.

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College freshman living in dorms are at particular risk for Meningococcal disease and that is why the MCV4 is mandated by many states. 1 in 10 people who get the disease will die from it. Check your state to see its requirements.

HPV is rampant affecting 80% of sexually active people and may lead to genital warts and several types of cancer of the skin, vulva, anus, penis and cervix.

Many adults are not up to date on vaccines so click here for more information about vaccines the importance of adult vaccines.

Take this quiz to see take a quiz to find out what vaccinations you might need.

2) Clearly, a Professional Vision Screen

Vision is always changing so have your child’s vision screened annually but have a professional vision evaluation by an eye specialist before starting preschool, middle school, high school and college. Between 2% and 5% of the population is legally blind in one eye and your child may not realize that they are only using one eye. Vision correction can prevent headaches, fatigue and improve classroom performance

3) Keep the Personal Personal
Washing hands with soap and water or 60% alcohol hand sanitizer and covering mouths are still the most important steps to prevent all infections. Remind your Wear flip-flops in the shower to prevent fungal infections and don’t share towels, combs, razors or bed sheets. Locker room infections caused by MRSA (methicillin resistant staph aurues) have even caused death in college athletes. Click here to learn more about MRSA prevention.

4) Mental Health Boost
Depression and other mental illness usually start between ages 15 though the 20s. The stress of school and being away from home can trigger depression in children especially with a family history. Talk to your kids about warning signs and click here to learn more. Regular sleep, a healthy diet and exercise are critical to keep all students feeling their best. LIMIT SCREEN TIME to 2 hours per day as recommended by the Academy of Pediatrics but minimally take phones and laptops after a certain hour so they get enough sleep. Teach kids to segregate study vs. social time so they focus on homework exclusively then take a social media break and not study, facebook, text, and watch TV all at the same time. Forget the all nighters, studies show that your need sleep to perform your best.

Here is a wonderful Family Media pledge to keep media under control

Talk about warning signs and have them see a professional if the have:

Extreme mood swings

Feelings of sadness or hopelessness,

A loss of interest in things they once loved,

Loss of appetite or binging

Significant changes in sleep patterns.

5) Sex, Drugs & Alcohol

Talking about the consequences of sex, drugs and alcohol should be an ongoing conversation from a young age. Start with the dangers but more importantly come up with a plan for when (not if) they will encounter a situation where they do not feel comfortable.

Have a secret sentence or text that they can send to you when they want to be picked up at a party but do not want to be embarrassed or pressured. (How is Grandpa feeling?)

Remind your kids to make sure they see who pours the drinks (even non alcoholic) as they can be spiked with rohypnol or the date rape drug.

Use college escort service.

Sexual expectations may also be different in college and make sure they do not put themselves in vulnerable situations. Have them discuss at the beginning of a date, what, if any sexual expectations either of them have. Talk to them about keeping themselves safe as they are in a high-risk group for sexually transmitted diseases and what they would do if something they had not planned for were to happen like emergency contraception.

Take this Sexual Assertiveness Quiz and read about date rape prevention.

Alcohol contributes to the 3 most common causes of death in teenagers, accidental injury, homicides and suicides. Learn more about substance abuse prevention at the Minnesota Institute of Public Health.

Enjoy the rest of summer and always keep the conversation going with your kids to keep them safe and healthy this school year!

Dr. Deb

My purse holds so much that I would surely win on Let’s Make a Deal. One deal I never planned on was poisoning a child or pet with seemingly innocuous items in that purse.

Do you know what poisons are in your purse?

1. Pill Box-

One third of the poisonings reported among children under age six are from prescription drugs commonly used by grandparents like high blood pressure, heart pills and diabetes pills.  Just one of these pills can cause severe problems, even death, in a child. Some think, “My doctor would never prescribe anything that is dangerous.” Any medication in the wrong dose has the potential to be dangerous. Child resistance only means that it took more than 5 minutes for 85% of children to open, it does not mean child proof.

A little flip box with over the counter medications like Tylenol or cold medicines can cause agitation or even fatal liver damage. Birth Control pills for new Moms or babysitters may look like candy and are easy to access but very dangerous. Iron in vitamins or particularly alone, in high dose tablets, can also be deadly.

2. Eye and Nose Drops-

Normal Saline is safe but drops with medication like Visine can be very dangerous to children and adults. Ingestion of the active ingredient, Tetrahydrozoline HCl 0.05% can cause serious side effects including:

Lowering body temperature to dangerous levels
Difficulty breathing or dropping blood pressure
Nausea and vomiting
Seizures or Coma

One common urban myth is that it will cause diarrhea (which is does not.) Those who thought were using Visine in a harmless prank have caused serious problems and even death.

3. Cigarettes and lighters

Cigarettes are toxic with second hand smoke but if ingested can cause severe stomach upset or vomiting. Lighters are colorful, like a toy, and many children accidently burn themselves or start fires. Ultimately you are setting the worst example for your child, as cigarettes are the most common cause of preventable death.

4. Alcohol Products:

Hand sanitizer, mouthwash and perfume contain alcohol and children have actually become drunk by drinking large amounts.

5. Manicure Products

Nail polish and nail polish remover can irritate the eyes, skin and mouth and upset the stomach if swallowed.  A metal nail file can easily become a weapon and should be substituted with an emery board.

6. Choking Hazards:

Mints and toothpicks from restaurants often end up in the purse and can cause significant choking hazards. Even batteries may cause choking as well as severe irritation or burns if chewed.
Other hazards include hairspray, toothpaste, baby powder, pens, insect repellents, hand cream and pens that can all cause stomach irritation.  Xylitol in Sugarless gum can cause insulin spikes in a dog with only 6 pieces resulting in liver failure.

What Do You DO if there is an accidental poisoning?

True confession: when my twins were little I had called poison control so many times that I used a fake name. Since that time, I have learned that they don’t keep track. It is open 24 hours, free and confidential.

1. Stay Calm
2. Call 911 if they are unconscious, convulsing or having difficulty breathing
3. Call poison control at 1-800-222-1222

Use a free app on your iphone if you don’t have the number

Do not give anything until you have called Poison Control

Accidental poisonings do happen and I know how embarrassing it is but always call, even if you don’t think that it is a big deal. Small things in your purse right now could cause big problems in the future.

Take care,

Dr. Deb

April is Alcohol Awareness month and while many are aware of the dangers of alcohol and alcoholism, many adults are not aware of the lies we tell ourselves when it comes to drinking. Are you putting others in danger and not even realizing it?

I am not talking about heavy or binge drinking that effect 15% of the population. I am talking about 50% of adults who ever drink and have no intention or desire to get drunk. We are just hanging out with friends or unwinding at the end of the day. We tell the lie that we don’t want to be drunk so alcohol is not a problem.  “I’m fine.”

Dr. Deb’s List of Common Lies Told About Alcohol

I’m not drunk at a bar ..so I am fine

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