Nemours Blog

POSITIVE PARENTING

Halloween Safety Tips

Halloween is such a fun time–for kids and grownups! Before you send your little monsters out trick-or-treating, here are some quick and easy Halloween safety tips to make sure your kiddos enjoy all Halloween treats this year. Dressing Your Little Ghouls & Goblins Choose a light-colored costume that’s easily seen at night. Add reflective tape or glow-in-the-dark tape to the costume and to the trick-or-treat bag. Only buy costumes labeled “flame-retardant.” This means the material won’t burn. If you make your own costume, use nylon or polyester materials, which are flame-retardant. Make sure wigs and beards don’t cover your kids’ eyes, noses, or mouths. Masks can make it hard for kids to see and breathe. Instead, try using non-toxic face paint or makeup. Don’t use colored or decorative contact lenses, unless they’re prescribed by a licensed eye doctor. Put a nametag – with your phone number – on your children’s […]

STAYING HEALTHY

Smart Grocery Shopping Tips

Save time and money with these helpful grocery shopping tips! Plan Ahead Before going to the store, it is helpful to have a plan. This will help reduce the amount of time and money spent at the super market. Create a menu Write out meal ideas for each day of the week to help with planning and organization. This will help you decide what you need from the store. Consider writing this menu on a calendar or chalkboard. You do not have to create the menu alone! Ask family members to assistance in selecting meals and recipes. This will make everyone happy, as it gives each person the opportunity to suggest some of their favorite items. Having a “meal plan” for the week helps to limit frequency of dining out or ordering in. Cooking at home can be healthier and more cost effective. Plan to have a fruit or vegetable […]

STAYING HEALTHY

Eating During Pregnancy: 5 “Go” and “No” Tips

Maintaining a healthy, balanced diet can be a struggle for all of us. But it can be even more so for a woman who now has all the dietary restrictions that come along with pregnancy! Looking after your health and diet when you’re pregnant is extremely important because it’s not just your own body you’re providing for anymore. This is why so many women go to a Naturopath Kingston to help them learn more about how they can improve their diet and their pregnancy health because they’re so conscious about their baby’s development. So, now we know how important the diet is, let’s review the major “go’s” and “no’s” of eating during pregnancy. Protein GO Protein is an important building block for many body parts/organs in your body including bone, cartilage, blood, and muscles. In general, it is recommended we get 71 grams of protein daily. Good sources of protein […]

STAYING HEALTHY

Introducing the New Food Label

In May of 2016, after more than 20 years, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced the requirements for an updated new food label. The purpose of this change is to reflect new scientific data. This includes the relationship between diet and chronic conditions such as obesity and heart disease, current eating patterns, and–perhaps most importantly–to make it easier for the public to understand nutrition labels and make informed decisions when choosing foods. What is Changing in the Food Label? There is a lot that has changed! Here’s what those changes include: Increase in the font size of the words “Calories,” “Servings per container,” and “Serving size.” Bolding of the word “Calories” and “Serving size.” By law, the serving size must reflect amounts that people actually eat or drink. For this reason, there will be a change in the standard serving size of certain foods, including: Ice cream will […]

STAYING HEALTHY

Bedwetting: Tips for Parents and Children

Many families have been there: soggy pajamas and wet sheets, and a very embarrassed child. But bedwetting is a natural part of development, and there are ways to help kids who are having issues with wetting the bed. In fact, Nemours Children’s Specialty Care in Jacksonville, Fla., addresses concerns for kids and their parents with its Continence Clinic, which is the first nurse-run clinic of its kind for children in the U.S. According to a study by The National Sleep Foundation, 14% of preschoolers and 4% of school-age children wet the bed a few nights per week or more and 21% of preschoolers and 7% of school-aged children do so once a week or more. What is Bedwetting? Bedwetting, which your provider may also call nighttime incontinence or nocturnal enuresis, is when kids who are old enough to control their bladder pee at night during sleep. Bladder control is a […]

STAYING HEALTHY

Food Recalls: What Parents Should Know

Do the recent food recalls of romaine lettuce due to E. coli concerns and eggs because of possible Salmonella contamination have you worried? You’re not alone! These events made the news because the products were widely distributed and the lettuce has been linked to nearly 100 illnesses in 22 states. But it’s easy to miss other recalls or alerts. That’s why it’s important to know about foodborne illnesses and food safety. Everyday precautions can help protect your family from “food poisoning” and the diarrhea and vomiting it can cause. What Are Foodborne Illnesses? Foodborne illnesses happen when people ingest food or drinks contaminated by bacteria. Common culprits include E. coli, Salmonella, Campylobacter, and Listeria. Bacteria can spread through food via: undercooked poultry, eggs, and beef fruit and veggies contaminated through soil or washed in contaminated water unpasteurized (raw) milk, dairy, or juice products deli meats and cold cuts soft-ripened cheese […]

SPORTS MEDICINE

Kids and Concussions: Tips for Parents and Coaches

In recent years, sports-related concussions in children and teens have helped to raise public awareness of concussions and their long-term effects. As a result, concussions are now being reported and diagnosed more than they were in past years. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported in 2010 that there were 400,000 concussions and brain injuries per year among high school athletes. This increased awareness means that providers are more able to properly diagnose and treat concussions in kids. Why Playing Sports Is Important for Kids When your kids play sports, either on a team or individually, it’s incredibly good for their health and well-being. Sports are a powerful tool that breaks down barriers while also helping kids feel good about themselves, both physically and mentally. Sports also play an important part in a child’s formative years and some schools are more aware of this than others. These schools employ […]

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

Promoting Global Education Among Pacific Association of Pediatric Surgeons

“Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.” – Proverb About a year ago, Dr. Cynthia Reyes joined Nemours Children’s Hospital as the Division Chief of Pediatric Surgery and Surgical Director of Quality. Since joining the team, she’s been helping to expand the pediatric surgery program and develop a surgery quality program. Dr. Reyes holds the honor of being the first Hispanic female trained in pediatric surgery in the U.S. Along with Dr. Reyes years of experience and success in pediatric surgery, she also brings a unique perspective to the Nemours community. For more than 20 years, she has been an active member of the Pacific Association of Pediatric Surgeons (PAPS), which supports the growth of pediatric surgery around the world, with a focus on the countries of the Pacific Rim. Formed 50 years […]

Meal Planning to Go Further With Food, Powered by Nemours Children's Health System

STAYING HEALTHY

National Nutrition Month – Meal Planning to Go Further with Food

March is National Nutrition Month. This year’s theme is “Go Further with Food,” emphasizing a healthy diet while stretching your grocery budget and minimizing food waste. With a little meal planning and preparation, your family can enjoy a variety of delicious, healthy, and affordable meals all week long. Plan Ahead Planning meals and snacks in advance will make your grocery trip quicker, easier, and more effective. All you need are two breakfasts and two lunches to alternate through the week along with three or four dinners. Overwhelmed by the idea of planning a healthy meal? Don’t sweat it! Keep it simple by focusing on making sure you have three important foods on your plate: a protein source, a starchy vegetable or whole grain, and something colorful (fruit or a vegetable). Need inspiration? Start with the grocery store’s weekly circular. It will stir ideas that are also budget-friendly, a win win! […]

COMMUNITY CONNECTION

Should kids participate in the Hot Pepper Challenge for ALS?

This post originally appeared on Philly.com By now you’ve probably heard about the Hot Pepper Challenge for ALS which began gaining popularity this month. After NBA writer Tom Haberstroh found out his mother was diagnosed with ALS, his family started the Hot Pepper Challenge in December to raise money for research — a similar idea to the Ice Bucket Challenge in 2014. People are nominated on video and encouraged to donate to the cause. Should Your Kids Take Part? Challenges like this are done in good fun and help to raise awareness and funds for important causes. But as a pediatrician, I have mixed feelings about children participating in the pepper challenge. Here’s why. Hot peppers can cause some unpleasant symptoms due to a chemical compound called capsaicin. Most of the capsaicin is in the seeds and membranes, so remove these parts if you’re worried about the heat. Among other things, capsaicin […]

SERVICES & SPECIALTIES

Realizing the Promise of Telehealth for Children

BY: Mayra Alvarez, The Children’s Partnership Debbie Chang, Nemours Children’s Health System Deb Watson, Winter Park Health Foundation Pediatric providers, health centers, schools and school districts, school nurses, parents, child care centers, state government officials, national associations, non-profit advocacy organizations, health plans, and academic institutions filled the room at GuideWell Innovation Center in Orlando on January 26. The purpose? Convened by The Children’s Partnership, Nemours Children’s Health System, and the Winter Park Health Foundation, this diverse group of experts in children’s health traveled to Florida from thirteen different states to brainstorm on ways telehealth in school and child care settings can improve care and access for children, and to lay the groundwork for building a Roadmap for Action. As we prepared for the day, a key topic of conversation was the thriving school and child care telehealth programs in Delaware, Florida, New York, North Carolina, and Texas. The telehealth programs […]

STAYING HEALTHY

Mindful Eating

Why do we eat? While there are many answers to this question, one of the most important reasons for eating is to nourish our bodies. Think of your body as a car. Cars need gas to drive us to our destinations. Gas is the fuel that allows cars to function, and without it they cannot run. Like cars, our body will not run, or run well, without proper fuel in the form of food. What is Mindful Eating? Put simply, mindful eating is the act of paying attention to your food choices, how you are eating, and how your body feels when eating. Paying attention to your body begins with listening to the signals it displays before a meal. Hunger signals may include any of the following: growling stomach, low energy, irritability, maybe feeling lightheaded. Listening for these cues can help prevent us from eating out of emotions such as […]