Posts for: June, 2018
This Year’s Flu Season Killed Record Number Of Children.
The Washington Post (6/8) said a new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report indicates that the flu “killed 172 children between October and May, making this season one of the deadliest since federal health authorities began tracking pediatric deaths 14 years ago.” The new figure “exceeds the 171 child deaths reported for 2012-2013, the previous record for a regular season,” according to the Post, which added, “Only the 2009 swine flu pandemic, which killed 358 children, was worse.” Daniel Jernigan, head of the CDC’s influenza division, explained that the number of deaths “is a record number since we’ve been keeping track, outside of the pandemic” and is considered to be an undercount because it only includes cases confirmed by laboratories listed on death certificates and reported to the CDC.
The AP (6/8) reported, “The past flu season wasn’t a pandemic, but it was long – 19 weeks” – and “also was unusually intense, with high levels of illness reported in nearly every state for weeks on end.”
Newsweek (6/8) reported that according to the CDC, “About 80 percent of the fatalities were among children who hadn’t been vaccinated.”
Let's all hope the flu vaccine picked for next epidemic season will be right on and effective.
Do Not Let Children Play With Fireworks
We urge you to celebrate the holidays safely! Fireworks are involved in thousands of injuries treated in US hospital emergency room visits each year. The best defense against children suffering severe eye injuries and burns is to not let children play with any fireworks. You can further protect yourself and your family by attending only authorized public fireworks displays conducted by licensed operators (but be aware that even professional displays can be dangerous).
If an accident does occur, these six steps can help save your child’s sight:
- Do not let your child rub the eye. Rubbing the eye may increase bleeding or make the injury worse.
- Do not attempt to rinse out the eye. This can be even more damaging than rubbing.
- Do not apply pressure to the eye itself. Hold or tape a foam cup or the bottom of a juice carton over the eye. Protect the eye from further contact with any item, including the child’s hand.
- Do not stop for medicine! Over-the-counter pain relievers will not do much to relieve pain. Aspirin (should never be given to children) and ibuprofen can thin the blood, increasing bleeding. Take the child to the emergency room at once – this is more important than stopping for a pain reliever.
- Do not apply ointment. Ointment, which may not be sterile, makes the area around the eye slippery and harder for the doctor to examine.
- Do not let your child play with fireworks, even if his/her friends are setting them off. Sparklers burn at 1800 degrees Fahrenheit and bottle rockets can stray off course or throw shrapnel when they explode.
Click Here to reach the fireworks information center.
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A Parent's Guide to Using Time-Out
Am Fam Physician. 2018 May 15;97(10):online.
Time-out is an effective way for parents to stop bad behaviors in their child. For time-out to work, you must do it the same way every time. Also, make sure to reward good behavior often when the child is not in time-out. For example, give a pat on the shoulder or a hug, give your child praise, or start a sticker chart.
Preparing for the Use of Time-Out
Put a timer where the child can see it. Although a smartphone timer is fine, an inexpensive, portable kitchen timer also works well.
Pick a good spot for time-out. During time-out, the child should not be able to hear the radio or other music, hear or see the television, or be able to look out a window. The time-out spot shouldn't be the child's bedroom or someplace a lot of people will be walking through. It shouldn't be uncomfortable or confining (like a closet). There should be nothing dangerous or poisonous nearby.
Only use time-out for the most problematic behaviors, like hitting a brother or sister or not following important directions.
You should be very clear with your child about which behaviors will result in time-out and how time-out works. It may help to walk your child through the process of time-out and let your child know what happens if he or she does not stay in time-out. Only use time-out for the behaviors you have decided on ahead of time and have talked about with your child.
Once a behavior that you've decided will result in time-out occurs, quickly explain in a matter-of-fact way that the child must go to time-out and why. Stay calm and walk or carry the child to time-out. Don't speak to the child or make eye contact.
Set the timer for one minute for each year of the child's age up to five minutes.
If the child screams or gets up before the time is up, place the child back in time-out without talking to or looking at the child, and reset the time. The child must be quiet for the entire time before leaving time-out. Make sure to stay busy and out of view of your child during time-out. Remind brothers and sisters and others that they should not interact with the child who is in time-out.
Once the time-out is over, the child should have a clean slate. Don't dwell on the problem behavior or let it influence how you treat the child after the time-out. If necessary, ask the child to apologize (for example, to the person he or she hit) or to clean up a mess caused by the problem behavior.
Make sure that time-in is pleasant. Look often for chances to praise or reward your child for good behavior.
Tips if Time-Out Isn't Working
Make sure you are using time-out the same way every time
Make sure the child isn't being warned multiple times before time-out is started
When a child is in time-out:
- Don't look at the child
- Don't talk to the child
- Don't talk about the child
- Remain calm and do not show anger
- Monitor from close by, but not in the same room
- Be consistent and don't give up
This handout is provided to you by your family doctor and the American Academy of Family Physicians.
This information provides a general overview and may not apply to everyone. Talk to your family doctor or pediatrician to find out if this information applies to you and to get more information on this subject.
Smartphones May Ruin Kids’ Camp Experience, Researchers Say.
HealthDay (5/19) reported that taking a smartphone to camp may ruin children’s “camp experience,” research indicated. After surveying some “620 camp directors, nurses and other staff members at 331 camps in the United States and Canada,” researchers found that “campers were so fixated on their phones that they didn’t fully engage in camp activities.” The findings were recently presented at the Pediatric Academic Societies meeting.