POSTED BY:
Danielle Haley, MPH

A recent survey by Nemours Children’s Health System, the Delaware Survey of Children’s Health (DSCH), showed that parents of 88 percent of children with asthma were educated by health professionals on how to recognize early signs or symptoms of asthma episodes in their child. Understanding what an asthma flare-up is and how to recognize the early signs or symptoms are key steps in improving the health of your child. Increasing the percentage of parents who are taught how to recognize their child’s early signs or symptoms of an asthma flare-up (also called an asthma attack) can help reduce the number of asthma-related hospital visits and improve the overall health of their child. What is an Asthma Flare-Up? During an asthma flare-up, the breathing tubes (also called bronchial tubes) in the lungs constrict — like a straw being squeezed — which triggers wheezing, coughing and tightness in the chest. Some kids […]

The long days of summer may be far behind us, but that doesn’t mean it’s time to stop enjoying the outdoors! The introduction of crisp air and shorter days may influence kids to give up outside play. But establishing regular fall activities for children and adults is still important – and very doable. It’s recommended that kids get an average of 60 minutes of physical activity each day. While a change in weather may limit kids’ favorite choices of physical activity, such as swimming at the local pool, the introduction of fall-themed activities can help kids stay active and enjoy the outdoors longer. 1. Pumpkin/Apple Picking Skip the hayride to the pumpkin patch or apple orchard and choose to walk. Not only will you be getting physical activity, you’ll be picking healthy foods. 2. Raking (and Jumping in) Leaves Encourage children to lend a helping hand with household chores by […]

A recent survey by Nemours Children’s Health System, the Delaware Survey of Children’s Health (DSCH), showed that 36 percent of children in Delaware are overweight or obese. From the survey, we also learned that there’s a gap between how parents perceive their children’s weight and the reality of their actual weight. According to the DSCH findings, 80 percent of all overweight children and 53 percent of all obese children are considered by their parents to be “normal weight.” A key first step in helping children achieve and maintain a healthy weight is to understand exactly what that means and why it’s so important to their overall health. How Do I Know if My Child’s at a Healthy Weight? Calculate your child’s body mass index (BMI). BMI is a measure of your weight compared to your height. Calculating BMI on your own can be complicated, so the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) created an easy […]