New Figures On Fat
Children should be able to eat whatever they want ... right? Their little, growing bodies need extra fat and cholesterol to thrive ... right? Well, not necessarily.
New studies show that 4- to 10-year-old children who eat a diet low in fat, saturated fat and cholesterol grow at the same rate as children whose diets are filled with potato chips, hot dogs and other high-fat foods. Not only that, but a heart-healthy diet begun during the early years can help minimize risk factors for heart disease, atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), diabetes and high blood pressure later in life.
Ask your pediatrician how your child can benefit from a low-fat, low-cholesterol diet. While you’re at it, ask him or her to recommend heart-friendly foods and exercise, especially if your family has known risk factors for any of the above diseases.
Chewing Gum – A Sticky Issue
A recent report in the journal Pediatrics confirms that swallowing gum can be hazardous to your child’s health. Researchers report that kids under the age of 5 who are given chewing gum often swallow it to get more. Over time, that gum can create serious blockages in their digestive tracts.
Often, parents treat young children to a stick of gum as a reward for toilet training, good behavior or accomplishing a special task. However, doctors advise that giving chewing gum to children under the age of 5 is never a good idea. And children of all ages should be taught that if they do chew gum, it is for doing just that: chewing, not swallowing.
Kids and Caffeine
Kids who regularly guzzle large quantities of caffeinated soft drinks show definite symptoms of withdrawal when their caffeine intake is suddenly restricted, such as when they return to school after summer vacation. Symptoms include a shorter attention span, lack of concentration and slower reaction time.
A new study found that the average 10-year old who drank several cans of soda per day and then was deprived of that caffeine suffered a significant deterioration in his or her ability to perform daily functions. In other words, children can experience the same symptoms of withdrawal as caffeine-addicted adults.
The best advice? Keep caffeinated soft drinks – as well as chocolate – to a minimum in your child’s diet. And if your child is already a two-to-five can a day drinker? Break the habit now.
Ear Thermometer Users... Listen Up!
Recent studies conducted by several research teams indicate that ear thermometers (also called tympanic thermometers) showed consistently lower temperatures than oral thermometers in a sample of adult patients.
The differences between the temperatures given by ear thermometers versus electronic and common mercury oral thermometers were significant. If you do use an ear thermometer, make sure you are using it correctly. Or ask your doctor to recommend a thermometer that’s right for you.
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