Healthy Eating Tips For Young Children

It isn't always easy to get young children to eat healthfully and to try new foods. Attractive processed foods abound in the grocery stores and are endlessly advertised on television, making it difficult to encourage good food choices that can help prevent many health problems such as diabetes and obesity. Follow these tips if you don't know how to get your fussy 2 to 6 year-old kids to eat what's good for them.

Plan your food offerings

• For breakfast, lunch and dinner, make sure to offer foods from at least three of the five major food groups (grains, fruits, vegetables, milk and meat).
• Make sure to offer snacks in between meals with foods from two or more of the food groups, but not too close to mealtime.

Fun and creativity are crucial

• Make meal or snack preparation a fun time to connect with your young children by including them in the decision-making as much as possible. Ask them what they feel like eating and what would be a healthful choice.
• Invent new snacks or sandwiches using healthful ingredients you give them. Discuss what food groups are included and the nutrients they provide their growing bodies.
• Talk about why the snack or meal tastes good. Use words such as juicy, crunchy, colorful, sweet, smooth and chewy.

Patience is a virtue

• Accept that you may need to offer a new food to your 2 to 6 year-old children more than once before they try it. Don't force them to eat it. Just enjoy it yourself and keep offering it when you make it. They may eventually come around to trying it because it is so familiar.
• This one is difficult: don't make eating a stressful event! If your kids are hungry, they will usually eat at least one or two of the foods that are on their plate. However, if they refuse to eat anything when you offer them food, simply put it away and offer it again later when they are perhaps more hungry.

Sweet treats have a place in a healthful diet

• Sugary desserts and treats are good to include in your kids' diet once in awhile, so that they understand that they have their place in a healthful lifestyle. Deprivation is not a good message to send, as it can have negative effects later on, such as binge eating.
• Young children need to learn that food can be healthy and fun to eat. For example, occasionally fruit can be served in a way that is more appealing by adding yogurt or a bit of chocolate sauce or whipped cream. Melon balls are very popular, as are happy faces made out of fruit.

Actions speak louder than words

• Set a good example by eating a variety of healthful foods from all the five food groups yourself.
• Eat meals and snacks with your children as much as possible. This shows them that eating can be an enjoyable time to connect with others.
• Show enthusiasm for what you're eating - it's contagious!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Anne_Sherwood

Dental Health For Your Children

Contrary to popular notion, gingivitis, which is the first stage of periodontal disease affects children and adolescents as much as it does adults. However, children are less prone to have the advanced form of periodontal disease.

Different Types of periodontal diseases in children

Chronic gingivitis: Commonly seen in children, chronic gingivitis causes the gum tissue to turn red and inflamed and to bleed easily. While it can be prevented and treated by regularly brushing, flossing and regular professional dental care, if left untreated it can advance rapidly and result in a form of periodontal disease that is more severe.

Aggressive periodontitis: Affecting otherwise healthy teenagers and young adults localized aggressive periodontitis affects the first molars and incisors. It is typified by severe loss of alveolar bone. There is surprisingly little plaque formation on the teeth.

Generalized aggressive periodontitis: Starting around puberty, generalized aggressive periodontitis involves the entire mouth and is marked by heavy calculus and plaque accumulation and inflammation of the gums. In due course it results in the teeth becoming loose.

Periodontitis associated with systemic disease: Children who have Down Syndrome, Pailoon-Lefevre syndrome or Type I diabetes are more susceptible to periodontal diseases.

Symptoms of Periodontal Disease

Periodontal disease in children is usually accompanied by one of all of the following symptons:

• Bleeding gums during flossing, brushing or even at other times
• Bright red gums that are also swollen
• Roots of teeth are exposed because of gums that are extremely receded
• Persistent bad breath that does not improve even after brushing and flossing

How to Prevent Periodontitis in Children

Establishing good oral health habits and early diagnosis are essential for successful prevention and treatment of periodontal diseases. Promote good oral habits in your child as early as possible. You can start using toothpaste when your child is as young as 12 months. Schedule regular appointments with your dentist for checkups, teeth cleaning and periodontal evaluations. Check your child’s mouth regularly and look for the presence of any symptoms of periodontal disease including bright red and swollen gums, bleeding gums, bad breath and gums that are receding from the teeth.

Work with your child towards improving his poor oral health habits. Being a role model and practicing what you preach will encourage to look after his dental hygiene more than any other strategy you may use.

A word of precaution; an advanced form of periodontal disease may be an early sign of a prevailing systemic disease and would require immediate medical attention. If your child exhibits any of the symptoms of severe and persistent periodontitis that is resistant to therapy, a medical evaluation and medical treatment is a must.

Cavities & your child

Children who eat a lot of sugary foods including cookies, candy or raisins or drink a lot of sweet drinks including sodas or sweetened drinks are at a higher risk of getting cavities. It is important to get children into the habit of gargling after every meal, brushing their teeth at least twice a day and flossing at least once daily.

Published At: Isnare Free Articles Directory http://www.isnare.com

Allergies and Children Health Issues

The thought of children health issues can cause any parent to panic. Any parents' main concern is the health of their child and just the thought of having to deal with an ill child can be very heartbreaking. Most children make it through childhood just fine, but some will come in contact with children health issues.

One of the biggest issues to plague kids is allergies. With so many allergens floating in the air, kids are more and more prone to allergies. If parents are given the right health tools, they can help their child learn to live a happy and normal life with any allergy that may be present.

There are many concerns with children health issues in today's society when it comes to allergies. One is dealing with a child who is too young to tell their parents how they feel about a symptom they may have. Many times a child will develop an allergy and if the parents do not know the signs to look for, the child's symptoms can go unnoticed for quite a while.

In the long run, this can bring discomfort to both the child and the parents. However, if a person does a little research on the internet, they can obtain free health information concerning the issue at hand.

Another way that parents can learn to cope with children health issues is to find a resourceful allergy center that will provide accurate information so they can further learn to deal with issues such as negative reactions and asthma. A ton of allergy information is available at one's finger tips if they just take the time to do a little research.

A good place to start is on a reputable website, such as Web MD. Here, one can find precise information that the web has to offer with regard to dealing with a children health issue. However, if a child has negative reactions symptoms, the best way to cope is to see one's pediatrician. A pediatrician can direct parents and their child on how to muddle through living with an allergy.

Children health issues can be a difficult subject for parents to learn to cope with. However, if the issue at hand is allergies, then parents can put their minds at ease knowing much information and treatment is available. In turn, most kids can go on to enjoy their childhood without having their allergies slow them down and parents can relax and enjoy these precious years.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mike_Selvon

Good Food Good Health - Children's Colds

Well at this time of year we are lucky if we are not suffering from the symptoms of coughs or colds, keeping them at bay is not easy especially when you have to travel in close proximity to others on buses and trains.

Keeping the immune system strong by eating a well-balanced varied diet-'good food good health' gives our bodies the best chance at fighting viruses and infections.

Also keeping body fluid levels up is as always very important, and often gets overlooked during the winter month's when people often drink less, so make sure a drink is always at hand.

Children can go from one cold to another as nurseries and schools are often a haven for illness, in what seems a continuous period of illness and is very distressing for parents.

The most common illness is the common cold, which features - sore throat, runny nose, earache and a chesty cough, and generally lasts seven to ten days.

Sometimes fever is a feature too, which many parents find very worrying, generally only temperatures of 39C and above cause concern to health professionals, but nobody knows your child like you, and I believe we have a great instinct on these things and if in doubt should always consult medical advice.

Most of these symptoms can be alleviated with regular treatment of paracetamol or ibuprofen syrup that your pharmacist can assist you with.

Honey is excellent for coughs and sore throats, but is not recommended for children under the age of one.

Honey being natural and full of anti-oxidants and antimicrobial agents, tastes great and is relatively cheap compared to many cough syrups. Research has shown that honey has proven to be better in alleviating symptoms of colds and infections than over the counter products.

Mix honey with other ingredients such as ginger and lemon, just as my Nan used to many years ago, quick and easy and has a good shelf life.

Decongesting the nose often helps relieve stuffiness and earache. There are several nasal sprays on the market for adults that help, but for children are not advised, and I really think if I had tried to administer these to my children when they were young, would have been quite a fight and stressed myself and them more. Some cough medicines come as an all-in-one and include a decongestant.

Olbas oil and Karvol are recommended for children, and if you can create a steam as in the bathroom after a shower by adding to hot water works well.

Two variants of the common cold that are very distressing to the child and parent alike are croup and bronchitis.

Young children aged one and upwards often suffer from a cold called 'croup' that affects the upper airways and voice box. This produces a distinctive cough sounding a bit like a gruff dog or sea lion barking. This cough comes in spasms and can last for a few minutes, and is generally worse at night. Using steam can help break up the cough.

Bronchitis affects children under the age of one. It causes runny noses and a very chesty cough that often leaves the baby or child with breathing and feeding problems. It can be a virus called RSV -Respiratory Syncitial Virus.

Bronchitis can be serious especially in the very young and requires medical help. Those in most need show a very fast rate of breathing, look out for the spaces between the ribs being sucked inward and the windpipe appearing to be moved up and down the neck.

Earache is always nasty, and is often due to a catarrh build up in the nasal passages, blocking and pulling the eardrum inward and can be relieved by use of decongestants and pain relief.

Ear infections are rarely given anti-biotics nowadays, as many GP's say that recent research has shown that they make little difference to the length of illness, and often have side effects such as diarrhoea and sickness.

Make children's meal times fun, try introducing new foods often into their diets to keep a healthy well balanced diet, with lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, but while they are feeling poorly chicken soup is by far the best, it is easy to consume and very nourishing.

Chicken soup is a great way to build a child up as it has several ingredients that affect the immune system, and specifically anti-inflammatory properties that ease the discomfort of colds and flu and soothes sore throats.

Home made is the best but tinned varieties still have excellent medicinal properties.

Ice cream and ice lollies are also a good way of soothing a sore throat and help to keep the fluid level up, which is extremely important in times of illness, as children often go of their food when they are 'bunged up'.

Our children are important to us, so it is only fair to give them good food for good health.

Teach Your Children How to Handle Health Situations

As parents, we do our best to learn as much as we can about health issues that affect our children. We do our best to feed our children healthy food, take CPR classes, learn how to treat wounds, and work out an emergency plan should we need one.

But did you know there is one element we’re forgetting? And this one element is one of the most important things we can do to keep our kids safe and healthy: teaching them how to treat injuries in case no adult is around.

When you think of teaching your children how to care for themselves, a good starting point is to consider their age. It is pretty obvious a toddler will not know how to do CPR, but they could learn how to put a towel on a scrape. Consider the age and development of your child and think of ways you can teach them to care for themselves in case of an “emergency”.

Below are just a few ideas to consider teaching your child when considering kids and health issues:

Kids and Health #1: Treating Scrapes and Cuts

Teach your child what they can do to treat a scrape or cut. Show them how to stop the bleeding, cleaning the area, and placing a bandage over the wound. Also teach your child what a serious cut looks like and what to do in the case of severe bleeding.

Kids and Health #2: Choking

Teaching our children how to help themselves or other’s when they are choking is vitally important! If your child is old enough to understand what happens when one chokes and how to administer the Heimlich maneuver, make this a priority!

Kids and Health #3: Nosebleeds

Teach your child what causes the nose to bleed and what to do in the case of a nosebleed. If the nosebleed was caused by an injury, like being punched, a doctor should be consulted. But what if it just starts bleeding on its own, follow these steps:

· Avoid lying down but make sure to sit up or stand.
· Use tissues or a damp washcloth to hold up right against the nose.
· Never lean your head back as this can cause the blood to run down the throat. Instead, keep your head upright.
· Pinch the nostrils together and breathe through your mouth for 10 minutes without stopping.
· Never pick, rub, or blow your nose as it can cause the nose to bleed more.
· If your nosebleed doesn't stop after 10 minutes, continue for another 10 minutes. If it still hasn't stopped, an adult should be consulted asap.

Kids and Health #4: How to Use 911

Learning how to dial 911 in the case of an emergency is critically important! Children as young as 2 years old have been known to dial 911 when their parent needed help. As soon as your child is able to understand what 911 is for, teach them how to call for help should a parent or adult not be present.

Kids and Health #5: CPR

CPR is such a valuable skill to have and I believe everyone has the responsibility to know how to administer it. Contact your local Red Cross and sign you and your child up for their CPR class and make sure to keep your certification up.

Published At: Isnare Free Articles Directory http://www.isnare.com

Healthy Eating Tips For Young Children

It isn't always easy to get young children to eat healthfully and to try new foods. Attractive processed foods abound in the grocery stores and are endlessly advertised on television, making it difficult to encourage good food choices that can help prevent many health problems such as diabetes and obesity. Follow these tips if you don't know how to get your fussy 2 to 6 year-old kids to eat what's good for them.

Plan your food offerings

• For breakfast, lunch and dinner, make sure to offer foods from at least three of the five major food groups (grains, fruits, vegetables, milk and meat).
• Make sure to offer snacks in between meals with foods from two or more of the food groups, but not too close to mealtime.

Fun and creativity are crucial

• Make meal or snack preparation a fun time to connect with your young children by including them in the decision-making as much as possible. Ask them what they feel like eating and what would be a healthful choice.
• Invent new snacks or sandwiches using healthful ingredients you give them. Discuss what food groups are included and the nutrients they provide their growing bodies.
• Talk about why the snack or meal tastes good. Use words such as juicy, crunchy, colorful, sweet, smooth and chewy.

Patience is a virtue

• Accept that you may need to offer a new food to your 2 to 6 year-old children more than once before they try it. Don't force them to eat it. Just enjoy it yourself and keep offering it when you make it. They may eventually come around to trying it because it is so familiar.
• This one is difficult: don't make eating a stressful event! If your kids are hungry, they will usually eat at least one or two of the foods that are on their plate. However, if they refuse to eat anything when you offer them food, simply put it away and offer it again later when they are perhaps more hungry.

Sweet treats have a place in a healthful diet

• Sugary desserts and treats are good to include in your kids' diet once in awhile, so that they understand that they have their place in a healthful lifestyle. Deprivation is not a good message to send, as it can have negative effects later on, such as binge eating.
• Young children need to learn that food can be healthy and fun to eat. For example, occasionally fruit can be served in a way that is more appealing by adding yogurt or a bit of chocolate sauce or whipped cream. Melon balls are very popular, as are happy faces made out of fruit.

Actions speak louder than words

• Set a good example by eating a variety of healthful foods from all the five food groups yourself.
• Eat meals and snacks with your children as much as possible. This shows them that eating can be an enjoyable time to connect with others.
• Show enthusiasm for what you're eating - it's contagious!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Anne_Sherwood

The Basic Rules Of Successful Breastfeeding

Each woman must know that her milk is the most valuable food for her child in the first 6 months of life, and according to the separate observations and during the first year of life. Therefore, it should seek to comply with the rules of successful breastfeeding, to provide for her child health and the best conditions for growth and development of the organism.

# The correct position of the child to the breast, which allows mothers to avoid many problems and complicationswith the breast. If the mother does not learn it in the maternity hospital, she should invite a consultant on breastfeeding or instructors to teach child care and learn it specifically.
# Education correct apposition includes not only the correct position of the breast, but also the ability of mothers to control the behavior of the child from the breast and the right to take up the chest.
# Child Feeding on demand. There is a need to put baby to breast for any occasion by giving him the opportunity to suck the breast when he wants and what he wanted. This is necessary not only for the saturation of the child, but also for his emotional comfort. For psychological comfort baby to the breast may be applied up to 4 times per hour.