DallasNews Family

The Associated Press reports that intense homesickness in young can interfere with normal activities:

DETROIT – Janise Stone spent her first semester in college dreaming of home – literally.
Ms. Stone, 18, would get up in the morning and grudgingly attend classes at Paine College in Augusta, Ga. But the minute she returned to her dorm, she curled up and thought of family in Indianapolis as she slept the day away.
"I was so depressed," Ms. Stone said recently. "I just kept thinking that if I slept through it, I'd eventually get back home."
She isn't alone.
Almost everyone experiences occasional homesickness, but many young people suffer from a particularly intense form that interferes with normal activities, according to a new study by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Continue reading "Missing home" »

Posted by Emily Tsao at 02:50 PM | Permalink

Let's face it. Most prenatal classes and DVDs are insufferable. They're boring and ridiculously easy. They have to cater to all fitness levels and all body types.
Some of us can touch our toes. Some of us can't see our toes. Women in the first trimester can do virtually all the poses. Women in the third trimester are carrying unfathomable loads. But we still want a good workout and some way to deal with back pain and sciatica.
For my recent pregnancy, I found three excellent workouts that I could do at home. I did one of these DVDs – the one that best matched my mood – every night of the week.
Read more of Chicago Tribune writer Julie Dearorff's review at Dallasnews.com.

Posted by Emily Tsao at 02:12 PM | Permalink

The presents have been exchanged and your kids are probably busy moving their hands and fingers over video games, DVDs and toys that keep them from lifting their bottoms from their chairs.
That said, we are offering a suggestion: Healthy Kids’ Catalog. Click on www.healthykidscatalog.com and be introduced to all sorts of move-it toys and games.
Sure, there are jump ropes and basketballs. Also check out the unicycle, $76.99; the Moon Shoes, $38.49; and the Youth Inflatable Punching Bag from Everlast, $29.48.
We particularly like the Entertrainer. The $139.95 price includes a heart-rate monitor that keeps tabs of kids’ heart rates as they use a treadmill, do calisthenics, jump rope or any other exercise. It’s connected to the TV; the harder they work out, the louder the volume. If they slack off, the volume drops.
Choose products by category, or look for special offers and read what the experts have to say. It may be too late to shop for the holidays, but there is always next year.
Leslie Garcia

Posted by Emily Tsao at 11:23 AM | Permalink

The presents have been exchanged and your kids are probably busy moving their hands and fingers over video games, DVDs and toys that keep them from lifting their bottoms from their chairs.
That said, we are offering a suggestion: Healthy Kids’ Catalog. Click on www.healthykidscatalog.com and be introduced to all sorts of move-it toys and games.
Sure, there are jump ropes and basketballs. Also check out the unicycle, $76.99; the Moon Shoes, $38.49; and the Youth Inflatable Punching Bag from Everlast, $29.48.
We particularly like the Entertrainer. The $139.95 price includes a heart-rate monitor that keeps tabs of kids’ heart rates as they use a treadmill, do calisthenics, jump rope or any other exercise. It’s connected to the TV; the harder they work out, the louder the volume. If they slack off, the volume drops.
Choose products by category, or look for special offers and read what the experts have to say. It may be too late to shop for the holidays, but there is always next year.
Leslie Garcia

Posted by Emily Tsao at 11:23 AM | Permalink

Confused by all the studies about whether fish is good for you or bad for you? Even more confused on which type of fish are safe for your kids to eat?
Several environmental groups now produce fish guides with detailed information on contaminants in types of seafood, and which ones are ocean-friendly or not.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) publishes a fish guide, and the groups SeaWeb and Environmental Defense just made it easier by publishing a guide on safe fish consumption for kids at www.kidsafeseafood.org.
Beth Trask, program manager at SeaWeb, says the guide uses federal recommendations for fish consumption that are adjusted to children’s average body weight.
Minneapolis Star Tribune

Posted by Emily Tsao at 04:33 PM | Permalink

I am getting ready for my all-too-often jaunt to Super Target. This one, though, is kind of an act of courage for me. That's because, in an effort to keep pre-skin cancerous spots from becoming the real thing, I'm undergoing a dermatological treatment.

Thus, for a few more weeks, my face looks like melted candy canes have been poured onto it. That, or I am a sheep herder in the arid desert, where neither sunscreen nor moisturizer are available.

I am willing to do this because the idea of skin cancer scares the daylights out of me. I am trying to be upbeat, to find humor in it, to not freak anyone out with my looks.

Still, I am sorely tempted to stay home. Yet I am mustering my resolve and heading out for several reasons -- among them that I'm accomplishing virtually nothing at home. But also these: To prove to myself I am not merely my face. To show my son (who, God love him, still manages to carry on conversations with little reference to Freddy Krueger) that sometimes we just have to plunge right into life. To practice talking to strangers, to whom I feel compelled to explain this unsightliness.

So here I go. If you see me, smile and wave. If you want to say hello, feel free to focus your eyes at a spot somewhere over my shoulder; I'll understand. And let's hope that in a few weeks or so, people will peg me for someone years younger. Or at least (or most) someone who took some not-so-pretty steps to stay healthy.

Posted by Leslie Garcia at 12:20 PM | Permalink

Out-of-wedlock births aren’t just for teen mothers anymore.
While the unmarried birthrate climbed to an all-time high in the United States, accounting for nearly four in 10 babies born last year, the teen birth rate dropped last year to the lowest level on record.
Instead, births among unwed mothers rose most dramatically among women in their 20s.
The overall rise reflects the burgeoning number of people who are putting off marriage or living together without getting married. The increase in births to unwed mothers was seen in all racial groups, but rose most sharply among Hispanics. It was up among all age groups except youngsters ages 10 to 17.
“A lot of people think of teenagers and unmarried mothers synonymously, but they are not driving this,” says Stephanie Ventura of the National Center for Health Statistics, a co-author of the report.
The government also reported that the rate of births by Caesarean delivery continued to climb in 2005 to a record high, despite efforts by public health authorities to bring down the number. Many experts believe a large number of C-sections are medically unnecessary and done only for the convenience of the mother or her doctor.
The Associated Press

Posted by Emily Tsao at 08:08 AM | Permalink

Here's another reason to get enough sleep: Doctors think it will help your blood pressure.

Posted by Jennifer Okamoto at 04:06 PM | Permalink

The plan was for my sister to come to Dallas from Florida for Thanksgiving with her husband and three children. But she called at 5 a.m. this morning to say that her 8-year-old son has a fever. She’d taken him to the doctor Tuesday, she told me. He has a virus. She has been giving him Motrin, he feels fine as long as it hasn't worn off. And now it’s time to leave for the airport. It’s decision time: Should she bring him? Should her husband stay behind with her son? I told her to bring him. He’s been looking forward to this for weeks. My children have been looking forward to seeing him. It’s family. We’ll wash our hands a lot. But what about the others on the flight? What would you have done? Is there etiquette for situations like this?

Posted by Lisa Kresl at 02:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

In today's Healthy Living section, I found a very helpful tip from Kamesha Burrell, an endocrinology dietitian at Children's Medical Center in Dallas. If you want to eat your candy, she doesn't tell you not to. YAY! But she does advise eating your treats (one or two pieces at a time) with lunch or dinner. Eaten alone, they can spike blood sugar levels.

Posted by Emily Tsao at 02:52 PM | Permalink

A mother and daughter share their experience with an eating disorder in today's Healthy Living section.

Posted by Emily Tsao at 01:46 PM | Permalink

Mickey and the gang are going to have to search a lot harder for junk food.
The Associated Press reports: The Walt Disney Co. says it will begin serving more nutritionally balanced meals at its domestic theme parks and will sign movie and other endorsement deals only with restaurants that limit fat and sugar in menu items. The company says trans fats will be eliminated from meals at domestic parks by the end of next year, and will not be included in licensed and promotional products by 2008.

Posted by Emily Tsao at 09:37 AM | Permalink

If your child suffers from allergies or asthma, then keep the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America's Web site handy.
The foundation is certifying toys this holiday season as "asthma friendly(R)." Toys with the foundation's approval are hitting shelves of major retailers such as Target and Kohl's.
Mattresses, paints and other products will be considered for certification next year.

Posted by Emily Tsao at 01:09 PM | Permalink

At least one-third of all infant deaths in the U.S. are the direct result of prematurity, double the proportion previously believed, federal researchers report today.
Previous data obtained solely from death certificates had indicated that birth defects were the major cause of death among infants in their first year.
But linking death certificates with birth certificates, which include gestational age, shows that birth before 37 weeks of gestation plays the dominant role, according to the study.
Prematurity is the direct cause of death for half of infants who die in the first month of life and for 95 percent of infants who are delivered before the 32nd week of pregnancy, according to the report in the journal Pediatrics.
Read the complete story.
Los Angeles Times

Posted by Emily Tsao at 01:26 PM | Permalink

There's an interesting study that just came out that looks at family links to attention deficit hyperactive disorder. The study, by Medco, shows that parents of children who are on medication for ADHD are nearly 10 times more likely to be getting medical treatment for ADHD themselves than those without a child using those drugs. I can see why that is for a couple of reasons. First of all, I think there are a lot of people who are walking around with undiagnosed ADHD. Parents who have children with ADHD are more likely to be aware of the symptoms in themselves. The study also seems to suggest something that the ADHD community has suspected for a long time -- that ADHD is hereditary. The Medco study reviewed prescription claims of more than 107,000 children ages 5 to 19 and their parents over a 12-month period in 2005. The study is the nation's largest analysis of concurrent use of ADHD medications among family members, according to the company. Here's a link to the Medco news release:

Posted by Dave Tarrant at 02:19 PM | Permalink

Pudgy toddlers face a good chance of becoming overweight 12-year-olds, according to government research that shoots down the notion that kids just naturally outgrow early chubbiness. Children who were overweight at age 2 or later during their preschool years faced a five times higher risk of being overweight at age 12 than youngsters who were not overweight early on, the study found. Sixty percent of the children who were overweight at any time during the preschool period were overweight at age 12. The study was prepared for release today in September's issue of Pediatrics. Full story.

Associated Press

Posted by Emily Tsao at 10:51 AM | Permalink

...you know how it goes for everyone else. Get the goods on conquering stress, fatigue and anxiety at tonight's health talk by Arlington chiropractor Dr. Kee Fedak. The presentation is from 6:30 to 8:30 in the community room at the Arlington Central Library, 101 E. Abram St., Arlington. Call 214-587-0029 for more information.

Posted by Jennifer Okamoto at 09:54 AM | Permalink

Worried about the Freshman 15? A college student offers advice in the Dorm Room Diet (Newmarket Press, $16.95). Daphne Oz offers ways to handle term paper stress and balancing starchy cafeteria food with a regimen of exercise. To learn more about the book, see Healthy Living.

Posted by Emily Tsao at 11:32 AM | Permalink

To help children maintain a healthy weight, the American Academy of Pediatrics has recommended breast-feeding infants, curbing juice and turning off the TV.
Its latest message to parents focuses on what to do if your child already is too heavy, the case with 25 percent of children ages 2 to 18, according to the physicians’ group.
A Parent’s Guide to Childhood Obesity, edited by Sandra G. Hassink (American Academy of Pediatrics, $15.95), offers advice on working together as a family to adopt a healthy lifestyle. Once a child’s weight problem is diagnosed — no sure thing, since parents may not recognize or admit a child has a problem, and doctors may be reluctant to raise the topic - the book offers advice on eating properly for childhood growth rather than placing a child on a diet more suitable for an adult.
Along with advice to make time as a family for physical activity and healthy eating, the book gives practical suggestions for situations that can sabotage the best intentions, like eating on the run.
Log on to aap.org for more details.
Cox News Service

Posted by Emily Tsao at 10:34 AM | Permalink

If your baby is having repeated ear infections, your doctor might ask you to consider getting ear tubes. Here's a story that could help you decide.

Posted by Jennifer Okamoto at 11:59 AM | Permalink

Posted by Emily Tsao at 02:08 PM | Permalink

The Garland Health Department will provide immunization shots from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., Aug. 15, at Florence Parsons Pre-Kindergarten School, 2202 Richoak Drive. For more information, call 972-675-8065.

Posted by Emily Tsao at 11:29 AM | Permalink

In the news today, more reports that sugary drinks can make you fat.The Associated Press story says many schools have already curtailed the sale of non-diet sodas in schools. If you're looking for an option to soda for your young kids, try wateroos. Yes, someone finally came up with boxed water. Log on to learn more about wateroos.

Posted by Emily Tsao at 01:30 PM | Permalink

The Department of Orthopaedics at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York offers these tips to parents when choosing a backpack for their child this school year:
- Two straps are better than one. Backpacks with two straps distribute the weight of the bag more evenly. The extra strap also places less stress on the shoulders.
- A third strap is even better. Find a backpack with a strap that goes around the child’s waist. This balances the backpack’s weight between the shoulders and hips.
- No straps might be best. A rolling bag with wheels places almost no stress on the back. But check with your school as some may not allow use of rolling bags.
For more information on backpack safety log on to: kidshealth.org.

Posted by Emily Tsao at 05:15 PM | Permalink