Friday, April 27, 2012

Raising Awareness During Autism Awareness Month

April is Autism Awareness month and since 1 in 88 children (1 in 54 among boys) are diagnosed on the spectrum, it is an issue that touches many parents today. Sadly, most doctors paint a very bleak picture when telling parents that their child falls on the spectrum.  Filling the parent's heads will all the thinks that their child will not be able to do.  Having been at a school that had to self contained autistic units (most of the children were sever), I will tell you that each year that I was there I saw progress in each and every one of the children in those classrooms.  Don't let the doctors tell you that your child will not be able to do many things.  I believe in the power of faith and self-fulfilling prophecies.  If you think they can do it, they stand a much better chance of achieving the goal than if you think that they can't do it. 

The family of Holly Robinson Peeta, an actress of 21 Jump Street and Hangin' with Mr. Cooper fame, has written two books that are worth a read if you are part of a family that has an autistic child.  Holly has a teenage son who is on the spectrum.  He was diagnosed at the age of three.  Her husband wrote a book called Not My Boy which provides us with a father's perspective.  Holly and her daughter Ryan Elizabeth wrote a children's book called My Brother Charlie to help children understand this disorder.  She is a great advocate for her son and all the children who are on the autistic spectrum.  If you have a child with autism, the most important thing that you can do for them is advocate for them in the schools, with the medical community and with your friends. 

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Children Distilling Hand Sanitizer, What's Next?

The latest craze for children getting high: distilling hand sanitizer and drinking the liquid.  The problem with this is that the liquid is a highly concentrated alcohol that is sending many children to the emergency with alcohol poisoning or worse causing their death.  Being aware of this craze is not enough because every news program  is providing our children with a road map of how to distill this easily available product using salt. 

What should do to prevent your child from falling victim to this latest fad?  First, talk to your children about the dangers of this phenomenon.  In addition, consider replacing your home sanitizers with foam sanitizer, alcohol wipes or alcohol free sanitizers.  Contact your schools to make sure that they are aware of this trend and encourage the school to change over to these other forms of sanitizers.

Is Hair Chalking a Form of Rebellion in Children?

Hair Chalking is a new form of rebellion among children, but one that I would recommend that you allow.  Children are born to rebel and hair chalking is  a harmless, non-permanent form of rebellion that may just fulfill your child's need for rebellion without them participating in a dangerous activities.  This is definitely a case where you should consider choosing your battles carefully.

Check with your school to see if hair chalking is permitted.  Many schools do not allow it because it poses a distraction to learning.  If your school doesn't allow it, suggest to your children that that was what weekends, breaks and summer were made for.

Be careful not to go overboard with your excitement about your child participating in hair chalking.  If you are too supportive, they will not consider this as rebellion.

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Today has Been Declared World Meningitis Day

Today is World Meningitis Day and health officials around the world are urging parents to be aware of the dangers of this disease and that many forms of this disease are vaccine preventable.  Statistics suggest that 12,000 people develop this disease, 4000 of these individuals suffer some amount brain damage and 200 die each year.

There is lots of research available on the internet to review regarding having your child and yourself vaccinated for meningitis.  Do the research.  Make sure to pick reputable sites.  Do it today.

International Pillow Fight Day: You and Your Child Relieving Stress

Even though I missed out on International Pillow Fight Day, this year as it was held on April 7th, it reminds me that having a pillow fight with your children can be a great stress reliever for all.  Make sure to set down a few ground rules like only using soft pillows and no hits to the face or head.  They laughter and fun that will ensue will be remembered for years to come.  Consider making it a monthly family event.  Be sure to get the teens involved.  It may help to eleviate some tension that many parents experience between themselves and their teens.

Monday, April 23, 2012

A Quote to Share with Your Child about Being Happy Now Rather than Later

Learn to enjoy every minute of your life. Be happy now. Don't wait for something outside of yourself to make you happy in the future. Think how really precious is the time you have to spend, whether it's at work or with your family. Every minute should be enjoyed and savored. -Earl Nightingale

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Letting Your Children Play Hooky From Their Life

I just got home from a very stressful time taking care of my mother in the hospital.  I have been so stressed out, that I have allowed myself to play hooky for the better part of the day.  Every once in a while it is a good idea to take a break from your hectic life and just take a day for yourself.  This can be a day without children or a day with them if you think they are feeling stressed out by their hectic life.  Maybe you need to take one of each kind.

Consider this as a sick day from work and school.  Mental health can require a sick day just as much as the flu .  There is much research to support that stress can make you physically sick, so as a counselor I am suggesting to you that you and your children may need to take a mental health day every once in a while.  I know that I will be much more productive tomorrow, having taken one today.

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

When Is Your Child Old Enough to Visit Grandma in the Hospital?

The debate has been on for generations about how old a child should be in order to visit someone in the hospital, with no definitive answer as of yet.  I believe, as I am sitting here in the hospital with my mother, this would be the perfect time to make my views known on this topic. 
For me, there is not a single answer that applies to all children.  I think that you as the parent know your child best, and I suggest that you answer a few questions with regard to your child before making your decision.  Is your child able to behave themselves long enough for a short visit?  What is their relationship with the patient?  What is the prognosis for the patient?  How does the person look?

For the most part, I believe that with a little preparation, most children will not be traumatized by a short visit to see someone they are close to who is in the hospital.  Besides keeping the visit short, I think the key to making this visit a success is Preparation, Preparation, Preparation.  Talk to your child about what they will be seeing in great detail.  One idea is to skype with the person in the hospital prior to the visit.  If you are concerned about your child's reaction hurting the feelings of the person in the hospital, you can turn off the patient's video feed and mute the child's reaction from your end.

Using skype to touch base with a child who lives out of town will provide closure if the prognosis is not good.  Allowing them the time to say good bye via a video connection will help with the grieving process when the time comes. 
 

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Safety 101: Toddler Safety in the Bathroom

+Be sure to check the water temperature of your toddler's bath water prior to placing them in it.

+Never leave your child alone in the bathtub even for just a minute.  Children can drown in less than two inches of water.  If you forgot something, take the toddler out before getting forgotten item.

+Use a toilet lock on your toilet.  Toddlers can get into anything in a flash.  If they get into the toilet, it is not just about being nasty it could be about drowning.  If. they fall into the toilet, they do not have the upper body stregnth to pull themselves out

+Place locks on cabinets in the bathroom that contains cleaning supplies, perfumes or other hygiene items that your toddler should not be getting into.

Saturday, April 7, 2012

Safety 101: Toddler Safety in the Kitchen

+Keep matches and lighters out of the reach of little hands
+Place safety latches or locks on all cabinets, drawers and doors that contain cleaning products, medicines, glass, knives, scissors and small objects (leave the pots and pans cabinet open every once in a while because of the fun time that your child will experience pounding on them)
+Remove small magnets from the refrigerator because small items can get lodged in a toddler's throat (find another way for them to learn their letters)
+Use the back burners on stove whenever possible and always turn pot handles towards the back of the stove
+Keep electric cords out of reach and cover all outlets within their reach with safety covers
+Keep hot drinks away from the edge of table, or on a tablecloth that a child may pull down on
+Don't pass hot drinks over your child's head
 +Dispose of or secure all plastic bags immediately because they can cause suffocation
+Use a safety gate to block child's access to kitchen when no one is around


Toddler safety does not mean overprotection.  Toddlers are going to get lots of bumps and bruises as they are learning to manuever and explore their world.  Don't beat yourself up when they get hurt, learn from it if you need to and then go on.

Friday, April 6, 2012

Safety 101: Teens and Twenty Somethings Love of Risk Taking

As children reach their teens or twenties, they may begin to think of themselves as indestructible and are prone to engage in risky behaviors that they would not even consider doing at other stages in their life.  You need to look no further than youtube to know what I am saying is true.  It is becoming more common for children in this age group to post videos of themselves engaging in risky behaviors like planking, choking, unprotected sex, or binge drinking.  Hard to fight against fifteen minutes of fame or 100,000 hits for their posted video.  Additional reasons for children in this age range may be their lack of impulse control due to hormone fluxuations or the important role peer pressure plays in their life. 

Understanding where these behaviors are coming from is a start, but you are going to need to do more to keep your child save.  Talk to them about what could happen to them if they participate in these behaviors, and show them pictures of the misfortune of others who have engaged in these behaviors.  Research suggests that just talking to them may not be enough because they listen more to their friends then their parents.  You may need to monitor their behavior closely and set down consequences for them if they are caught engaging in these dangerous behaviors.  Following through with the consequence will be key to keeping them safe.

If you get them to think twice before doing something crazy, you just may save their life.

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Safety 101: HPV Vaccine

HPV is an etremely common STI (sexually transmitted infection) which about half of all sexually active men and women will be exposed to in their life.  HPV is the leading cause of oral cancer.  One of the same strains that is responsible for causing cervical cancer is also the most common strain that is associated with oral cancer.  It is suspected that this strain is being transmitted through oral sex.  HPV is no longer just a girl thing.  Boys are not just carriers of this disease anymore, they are contracting it as well. It may show up as a persistant sore in their mouth, but for the most part the signs do not appear until long after the disease has been contracted.  Therefore, this disease can spread like wildfire without a person even knowing it.  Dentist are doing a lot of the screening for this, and it is as simple as getting a saliva test.

Simple fix to keep your child safe from contracting HPV:  The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that boys and girls as young as eleven should recieve the HPV vaccine.