Fever is when the temperature of the body rises to above 38°C. A normal temperature range for a child is usually up to 38°C. Fever is a sign of infection in the body. Fever is often caused by a virus and sometimes by bacteria. Viral infections are far more common and do not need antibiotics. Antibiotics do not cure viruses. Bacterial infections are treated with antibiotics. A high fever does not necessarily mean your child has a serious illness. Fever itself is not harmful until it reaches 42.0°. Treat your child’s fever by making them more comfortable; give clear fluids (eg. water, diluted fruit juice) and paracetamol if the fever is making your child miserable. Fever is a way the body fights infection, and your child’s temperature will return to normal when the infection has completely gone.
The degree (or height) of a fever does not tell you how serious your child’s illness is. How a child acts is usually a better sign. A child with a mild infection can have a high fever, while a child with a severe infection might have no fever at all.
Keep your child comfortable, and offer plenty of fluids. If your baby has a fever, remove extra blankets and clothing so heat can leave her body and help lower the body temperature. But don’t take off all your child's clothes, because she may become too cold and start shivering, which produces more body heat, causing the temperature to rise again. Sponging your child with tepid (lukewarm) water, alcohol baths and rubs are not recommended.
Jumat, 26 Oktober 2007
Fat For The Kids
Fat is a component in food. Some foods, including most fruits and vegetables, have almost no fat. Other foods have plenty of fat. They include nuts, oils, butter, and meats like beef.
The name - fat - may make it sound like something you shouldn't eat. But fat is an important part of a healthy diet. And little kids, especially, need a certain amount of fat in their diets so the brain and nervous system develops correctly. That's why toddlers need to drink whole milk, which has more fat, and older kids can drink low-fat or skim milk.
How much fat should you eat? Experts suggest kids who are 6 to 8 eat 48 to 60 grams per day. Older kids, between 9 and 12, should eat about 60 to 75 grams. That's about 27% of a kid's daily calories. Babies need more, but kids older than 2 and adults should get less than 30% of their daily calories from fat, nutrition experts say. You can figure out how many grams of fat are in a food by looking at the food label. Peanut butter, for instance, contains 16 grams of fat in 2 tablespoons.
Dietary fat helps a kid's body grow and develop like it should. Fats fuel the body and help absorb some vitamins. They also are the building blocks of hormones and they insulate nervous system tissue in the body.
So fat is not the enemy, but you'll want to choose the right amount - and the right kind - of fat. If you're getting most of your fat from protein-rich meats, nuts, and heart-healthy oils, you've already made fat your friend!
The name - fat - may make it sound like something you shouldn't eat. But fat is an important part of a healthy diet. And little kids, especially, need a certain amount of fat in their diets so the brain and nervous system develops correctly. That's why toddlers need to drink whole milk, which has more fat, and older kids can drink low-fat or skim milk.
How much fat should you eat? Experts suggest kids who are 6 to 8 eat 48 to 60 grams per day. Older kids, between 9 and 12, should eat about 60 to 75 grams. That's about 27% of a kid's daily calories. Babies need more, but kids older than 2 and adults should get less than 30% of their daily calories from fat, nutrition experts say. You can figure out how many grams of fat are in a food by looking at the food label. Peanut butter, for instance, contains 16 grams of fat in 2 tablespoons.
Dietary fat helps a kid's body grow and develop like it should. Fats fuel the body and help absorb some vitamins. They also are the building blocks of hormones and they insulate nervous system tissue in the body.
So fat is not the enemy, but you'll want to choose the right amount - and the right kind - of fat. If you're getting most of your fat from protein-rich meats, nuts, and heart-healthy oils, you've already made fat your friend!
Rabu, 24 Oktober 2007
Motivate Children to Exercise
Studies have shown an alarming increase in obesity in children. Encouraging children to exercise is the best way to prevent excessive weight gain and to keep them healthy.
You can begin by setting a good example yourself. It is hard to persuade your child to play outside instead of watching television, if you spend most of your own leisure time in front of the set. Investing in bikes and going on regular family bike rides can be a great exercise plan. Taking your children on walks to the stores and walking with them to school rather than using the car are also good ways to establish positive habits.
Encourage children in any aptitude they may show for a particular sport and work around problems that may prevent them from taking part. For example, an asthmatic child may have difficulty breathing while exercising, but increased fitness can actually improve asthma. In consultation with your doctor, a suitable routine can be developed. Swimming has been shown to cause exercise-induced asthma less often than other sports, and because children love playing in water, it's a great way to introduce them to exercise. Increasing your child’s fitness outside of school may also help him feel more confident about joining in school sports and other activities.
Making exercise fun is the best way to encourage it. If your children feel intimidated by the pressure of team sports, explore other exercise options with them. For example, orienteering, in which children learn map-reading skills while hiking, may suit a more introverted youngster.
Encourage young people to participate in exercises that are appropriate for their ages. During early childhood the focus should be on fun games and activities that develop the basic movement skills of running, balancing, jumping, kicking, and throwing. Between the ages of 6 and 12, more emphasis can be given to areas where a child shows a particular talent.
You can begin by setting a good example yourself. It is hard to persuade your child to play outside instead of watching television, if you spend most of your own leisure time in front of the set. Investing in bikes and going on regular family bike rides can be a great exercise plan. Taking your children on walks to the stores and walking with them to school rather than using the car are also good ways to establish positive habits.
Encourage children in any aptitude they may show for a particular sport and work around problems that may prevent them from taking part. For example, an asthmatic child may have difficulty breathing while exercising, but increased fitness can actually improve asthma. In consultation with your doctor, a suitable routine can be developed. Swimming has been shown to cause exercise-induced asthma less often than other sports, and because children love playing in water, it's a great way to introduce them to exercise. Increasing your child’s fitness outside of school may also help him feel more confident about joining in school sports and other activities.
Making exercise fun is the best way to encourage it. If your children feel intimidated by the pressure of team sports, explore other exercise options with them. For example, orienteering, in which children learn map-reading skills while hiking, may suit a more introverted youngster.
Encourage young people to participate in exercises that are appropriate for their ages. During early childhood the focus should be on fun games and activities that develop the basic movement skills of running, balancing, jumping, kicking, and throwing. Between the ages of 6 and 12, more emphasis can be given to areas where a child shows a particular talent.
EGG ALLERGY !!!
Babies sometimes will have an allergic reaction to eggs. If that happens, they can't eat eggs for a while. But the good news is that most kids outgrow this allergy by age 5 and can eat eggs with no problem after that.
What Is an Egg Allergy???
You probably know that some people are allergic to certain foods, like peanuts or shrimp. When a person has a food allergy, his or her body responds as if the food is a dangerous substance. This can happen to a little kid who eats eggs because his or her immune system isn't fully developed and can't handle the protein in eggs. (Most children are allergic to the protein that's in the egg whites, but some react to the protein in the yolk.)
The immune system, which normally protects against germs and other problems, uses antibodies to fight the egg protein like it's a harmful invader. A baby who is allergic to eggs might feel sick or get a rash after eating eggs or any food containing eggs. The reaction could happen fast or it might take a few hours.
Signs and Symptoms....
Here are some symptoms a person might experience due to an egg allergy:
·skin: hives, eczema, flushing, or swelling
·digestive system: belly pain, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting,or itching around the mouth
·respiratory system: runny nose, wheezing, or difficulty breathing
·cardiovascular system: rapid heartbeat, low blood pressure,or heart problems
In rare cases, a person could have a very serious allergic reaction, which can cause anaphylaxis. Immediate medical attention is needed because the person may have breathing problems and a drop in blood pressure.
Anaphylaxis is treated with a medicine called epinephrine, which is given by injection (a shot). Kids who have a severe egg allergy will usually carry - or have a grown-up carry - an epinephrine injection, just in case.
What Is an Egg Allergy???
You probably know that some people are allergic to certain foods, like peanuts or shrimp. When a person has a food allergy, his or her body responds as if the food is a dangerous substance. This can happen to a little kid who eats eggs because his or her immune system isn't fully developed and can't handle the protein in eggs. (Most children are allergic to the protein that's in the egg whites, but some react to the protein in the yolk.)
The immune system, which normally protects against germs and other problems, uses antibodies to fight the egg protein like it's a harmful invader. A baby who is allergic to eggs might feel sick or get a rash after eating eggs or any food containing eggs. The reaction could happen fast or it might take a few hours.
Signs and Symptoms....
Here are some symptoms a person might experience due to an egg allergy:
·skin: hives, eczema, flushing, or swelling
·digestive system: belly pain, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting,or itching around the mouth
·respiratory system: runny nose, wheezing, or difficulty breathing
·cardiovascular system: rapid heartbeat, low blood pressure,or heart problems
In rare cases, a person could have a very serious allergic reaction, which can cause anaphylaxis. Immediate medical attention is needed because the person may have breathing problems and a drop in blood pressure.
Anaphylaxis is treated with a medicine called epinephrine, which is given by injection (a shot). Kids who have a severe egg allergy will usually carry - or have a grown-up carry - an epinephrine injection, just in case.
APPENDICITIS
Your appendix is a small, finger-shaped pouch connected to your large intestine, in the lower right part of your belly, also called your abdomen. The appendix really has no purpose. So if a kid needs to have it removed, his or her body will work just fine after the operation. Some researchers think that many, many years ago, the appendix was once a useful part of the digestive system, but we don't need it anymore.
When your appendix gets inflamed, or swells up, it's called appendicitis. Both kids and adults can get appendicitis. There isn't always an obvious reason why appendicitis happens. Sometimes it happens after there is an infection in the intestine. Sometimes something causes a blockage in the appendix, then it gets inflamed.
Appendicitis is not contagious. This means you can't catch it from anyone who has it. But there isn't much you can do to prevent appendicitis from happening.
People have different types of symptoms when they have appendicitis. Someone with appendicitis might feel as if he or she is having stomach cramps or really bad indigestion.
Usually, the first symptom is a bellyache around the belly button. Sometimes, vomiting follows. After a few hours, the pains tend to move down to the lower right side of the belly. Sometimes the pain can become sharp and intense in this area — enough to keep a kid up at night.
A person with appendicitis will not feel very hungry and might have a slight fever. Some people do not want to move around because they feel better if they lie down and curl up.
When your appendix gets inflamed, or swells up, it's called appendicitis. Both kids and adults can get appendicitis. There isn't always an obvious reason why appendicitis happens. Sometimes it happens after there is an infection in the intestine. Sometimes something causes a blockage in the appendix, then it gets inflamed.
Appendicitis is not contagious. This means you can't catch it from anyone who has it. But there isn't much you can do to prevent appendicitis from happening.
People have different types of symptoms when they have appendicitis. Someone with appendicitis might feel as if he or she is having stomach cramps or really bad indigestion.
Usually, the first symptom is a bellyache around the belly button. Sometimes, vomiting follows. After a few hours, the pains tend to move down to the lower right side of the belly. Sometimes the pain can become sharp and intense in this area — enough to keep a kid up at night.
A person with appendicitis will not feel very hungry and might have a slight fever. Some people do not want to move around because they feel better if they lie down and curl up.
Jumat, 28 September 2007
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