Your Child's Journey

wisdom for the big steps little children take

You are here: Home / Archives for Diane Constantine

Flu and Colds

By Leave a Comment

We are in the midst of the flu season for 2012. Mike and I have fought both colds and flu this season already, so I’ve been doing some checking about what you can and should do to protect your family from the flu. Here’s what I could find out.

Flu shots
Although no one likes to get a shot, this is the only proven way to be protected against the most virulent and common flu virus for the year. Some people can use a flu nasal spray, but only your doctor can tell you if you qualify for the spray instead of the shot.

Flu vaccine is up-dated every year. So although you are immune to the virus in last year’s shot, that immunity won’t cover this year’s virus.

The flu shot does not cause you to get the flu since the virus is not live. If you were exposed around the time you took the shot though, you could still get it. There are a huge number of different flu viruses, so it is possible to get flu that wasn’t covered by the shot. You will have immunity to any flu in your flu shot or for any flu that you get.

It is not too late to get the shot. Until the last flu for the year has made its rounds in about May, you may still need the protection. [Read more…]

Picky or Problem Eaters

By Leave a Comment

“Picky Eaters” Will Not Starve Themselves
But Problem or Resistant Eaters Might

by ISA MARRS

I spend a lot of time writing and speaking about picky eating. When I say “picky eater” I am referring to a child who has picky behaviors but can learn to eat a broader diet and change the bad habits that are negatively impacting themselves and their families. However, when it comes to feeding disorders there is a continuum of severity. And many of you have children with more severe food aversions.

Approximately two-thirds of children on the autistic spectrum have severe food aversions which can impact their growth and development. While this population of children often has feeding aversions it is in no way limited to them.

Read more at SpeechLanguageFeeding.com

10 Nutrients Every Child Needs

By Leave a Comment

BabyCenter.com information:

Click on the links below to find out more about each of these crucial nutrients.

Calcium: Builds strong bones and teeth, promotes healthy nerve and muscle function, helps blood clot, and helps the body convert food into energy.
How much your child needs, the best sources, and more
For more information on your whole family’s calcium needs, see Calcium Deficiency

Essential fatty acids (EFAs): Help build cells, regulate the nervous system, strengthen the cardiovascular system, build immunity, and help the body absorb nutrients. Necessary for healthy brain function and vision.
How much your child needs, the best sources, and more

Iron: important for making hemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying red pigment in blood, and myoglobin, a pigment that stores oxygen in muscles. Lack of iron can cause anemia, which can result in fatigue, weakness, and irritability.
How much your child needs, the best sources, and more

Magnesium: Keeps bones strong and the heart rhythm steady, supports the immune system, and helps maintain muscle and nerve function.
How much your child needs, the best sources, and more 

Potassium: Works with sodium to control the body’s water balance, which helps maintain blood pressure. Assists with muscle function and heart rhythm and, in later years, may reduce the risk of kidney stones and osteoporosis.
How much your child needs, the best sources, and more 

Vitamin A: Plays an important role in vision and bone growth; helps protect the body from infections; promotes the health and growth of cells and tissues in the body, including the hair, nails, and skin.
How much your child needs, the best sources, and more 

Vitamin D: Helps the body absorb minerals like calcium and builds strong teeth and bones. Essential for reaching growth potential and peak bone mass. Also functions as a hormone with roles in immune system health, insulin production, and regulation of cell growth.
How much your child needs, the best sources, and more 

Vitamin E: Limits the production of free radicals, which can damage cells. Important for immunity, DNA repair, and other metabolic processes.
How much your child needs, the best sources, and more 

Zinc: Needed by more than 70 enzymes that aid digestion and metabolism, and essential for growth.
How much your child needs, the best sources, and more 

Vitamin C: Helps form and repair red blood cells, bones, and tissues; helps keep your child’s gums healthy and strengthens blood vessels, minimizing bruising; assists with healing, boosts the immune system, and keeps infections at bay. Also helps the body absorb iron from iron-rich foods.
How much your child needs, the best sources, and more 

 

See more at BabyCenter.com

 

Getting Your Family to Help

By Leave a Comment

Wow 2012 got off to a tough start for my husband and me. I hope yours was much, much better. We have been down with a flu bug and it’s after effects. Broken night’s sleep has robbed us of strength for the day. We’re both on the mend, but needless to say, we are almost a month behind in our internet work.

So this month I’m going to share some ideas from a newsletter that I get regularly called Mamapedia. You may like to join the list or just browse through the web site.

Many of you receiving this letter have children too young to begin doing chores, but keep these ideas in mind and hopefully chore time won’t become fight time in your home. For those of you with children old enough to help with chores, don’t be afraid to try something new. If what you have been doing hasn’t worked well, January is a good time to try a new scheme, learn new habits, and see big improvements.

Here’s to a better 2012! [Read more…]

Should I Breast or Bottle Feed My Baby?

By Leave a Comment

Breast milk is the perfect food for your baby. Many health organizations—including the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), the American Medical Association (AMA), the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the World Health Organization (WHO)—recommend that mothers breastfeed their newborn babies.

Although doctors and experts agree that breast milk is best, some mothers are not able to breastfeed, or choose not to. The decision is up to you. Take a look at the advantages of breastfeeding and bottle-feeding, below. Think about your personal situation and preferences. Talk to your doctor and your partner. Then, with all of this information at hand, you can make the decision that’s best for you and your baby.

For more on the advantages of breastfeeding, bottle-feeding,  and breastfeeding and returning to work, see: FamilyDoctor.org