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Posted in: Family, Preventative Health // 4 Comments
Sniffles Anyone?
By: Virginia Pillsbury
As the mother to six kids, I know sniffles. One of my best friends, Martha Rich, is a nurse at Orange Park Pediatrics. She shares the following information about when to worry about the sniffles.
Normal cold symptoms?
Stuffy head, nasal drainage or congestion, cough (tickle in throat), some loss of appetite, low grade fever. “Colds are viral in nature and can’t be treated with antibiotics,” says Nurse Martha. “You can only treat the symptoms, but the cold can develop into a secondary infection such as an ear infection or even strep throat.”
How to treat?
*Medicate your child with appropriate doses of Tylenol or Motrin. NEVER give aspirin.
*Cold remedy medications should never be given without first consulting your healthcare professional.
Comfort measures:
*Dab a bit of petroleum jelly under the nose/above the upper lip if the runny nose is making your child’s nose sore or red.
*Steam from the shower can loosen congestion. Sit in the steamy room and see if it helps.
*Cool mist humidifiers keep the air moist and help clear stuffy noses.
*Teach your child how to blow his or her nose.
*Plain saline drops can help think thick mucus from a baby’s nose. Follow it by a gentle bulb suction.
*Gives your child plenty of fluids to keep them well hydrated and to help thin mucus secretions.
*Elevate your child’s head when they are sleeping.
*Putting your baby in an infant seat to elevate them can sometimes provide relief.
Call the doc if:
*Your child has a high fever, chills, muscles aches or shortness of breath, it is likely the flu.
*Symptoms get worse or there is no improvement after three days.
*Coughing lasts longer than a week
*Wheezing, difficulty breathing or lethargy are part of the symptoms.
*Your child starts pulling at the ears.
*Your child is vomiting or has diarrhea.
*There is a severe headache or stiffness in the neck.
Prevention:
*Teach children, caregivers and other family members to wash hands well throughout the day.
*Keep your sick children home from school or daycare.
*Do not share eating/drinking utensils.
*Cover mouth with the crook of your arm instead of you hand when coughing.
*Dispose of soiled tissues properly.
Posted in: Family, Diabetes, Preventative Health // 5 Comments
5 Tips for Moms with TYPE I
By: Jacquie Wojcik
1) Know that managing Type 1 diabetes is good practice for taking care of a kid. Babies are demanding at all hours of the day, can’t be reasoned with, refuse to be ignored and require lots of supplies and accessories. Sound like anything else you’ve lived with?
2) Prioritize the food issues. Because it’s just not enough to calculate your carbohydrate intake and insulin dosage on an almost-hourly basis, now you’re faced with a confusing and frustrating list of foods you should and should not be ingesting. For me, concentrating mostly on the diabetes stuff was helpful. I worried about maintaining healthy blood sugar levels first and foremost, and cut myself some slack when it came to things like DANGEROUS CHEESES TO AVOID and LUNCHMEAT WILL KILL YOU.
3) A Continuous Glucose Monitor can help. Insulin pumps seem to be the must-have accessory for pregnant Type 1 diabetics, but I don’t know what I would have done without my continuous glucose monitor. It sends my glucose levels to my insulin pump every few minutes, so I can always keep track of where my blood sugar is, where it’s been and where it’s going. I doubt I could have maintained the blood glucose control I did without its help.
4) Seek out other Type 1 Moms. It feels like expectant mothers are everywhere, but only a few of them are dealing with impending motherhood and Type 1 diabetes. Thank goodness for the Internet; there are blogs and chat rooms and toolkits all over the place. It’s always refreshing to talk to someone who’s been (or who is) pretty much right where you are.
5) Remember: just because your pancreas is broken, doesn’t mean that the rest of your body is. I’ll admit, I was so used to struggling with all the things my body can’t do (namely, regulate its own blood glucose levels) that I forgot that there are some pretty amazing things it can. Pregnancy with Type 1 diabetes is very tough, but it’s also an opportunity to see your anatomy as something other than completely busted. Try not to expect the worst, and give yourself — and your body — credit for the things you’re doing right.
Visit Jacquie’s Blog Here
Posted in: Family, Preventative Health // 6 Comments
By Cheryl Lock
When you’re pregnant, there is no end to the health advice you’ll receive. Some of it will be warranted (like that you receive from your doctor), while lots of it will probably be unnecessary and, sometimes, downright incorrect (like that you receive from random strangers on the street. Hey, it happens.)
When it comes to your diet, however, there actually are a few foods you should shy away from for health reasons, and others that will work wonders for your body while you’re pregnant. Keep the following five foods and drinks in mind if you’re currently eating for two and, of course, if you’re unsure of whether or not something is okay to eat, it’s best to check with your doctor first.
Item: Fruit Juice
Verdict: Steer Clear
While it’s true that most fruit juices are full of vitamins and nutrients, they also tend to be full of something that’s not quite so good for you—sugar. When you are pregnant, you will start to hear people talk about something called gestational diabetes, a condition some doctors estimate 12 to 15% of pregnant women get. Although many times babies whose mothers contract gestational diabetes are born perfectly healthy, in certain cases it can be harmful to an unborn child. As such, it’s important to keep sugar levels in check when you’re pregnant.
Item: Figs
Verdict: In the Clear
Figs are full of all kinds of nutrients and vitamins essential to keep baby happy, healthy and growing. There’s fiber, potassium, magnesium and iron, as well as vitamin K, which helps with blood clotting and bone formation.
Item: Leafy Veggies
Verdict: Steer Clear
The problem with greens like spinach or kale is that they could be carriers of listeriosis, a bacteria that could be very hazardous for both baby and mom, if not washed properly. The vitamins and minerals that you could be receiving from these leafy veggies are probably best found elsewhere while you’re pregnant.
Item: Artichokes
Verdict: In the Clear
Artichokes are a great source of folate, which has been shown to help prevent birth defects. It also helps a body metabolize proteins.
Item: Eggs
Verdict: In the Clear
For just 90 calories, one egg will provide you with more than 12 vitamins and minerals, as well as healthy protein and choline, which promotes baby’s overall growth and brain health.
For more on what to look out for when you’re pregnant, check out this list of 8 surprising pregnancy dangers you might not be aware of.
