Kids Facts

A Societal Norm

Apple released the first smartphone in 2007 well ahead of any mobile device in terms of technology and computer capabilities. This incredible accomplishment changed our way of life, but has brought concerning repercussions among our youth. Bound by the reality that cell phones have commandeered our work, schooling, and private life we have found one problematic issue staring us in the face. It is our young kids and teens who cannot seem to put their smart phone screen down as they spend hours a day in gaze and wonder. This is concerning and very little is being addressed or done to combat the detrimental issues resulting from smart phone use.

Bill Gates Understands the Issue at Hand

Parenting classes have been inserted among the family by those who understand the negative effects of too much screen time and those who start usage at a very young age. Bill Gates has taken parental action by banning use of mobile phones among his children until the age of fourteen, and prohibited the use during meal times and before going to sleep. How many times do we witness adults on their mobile devices during visits to local restaurants? If it is distracting to adults the constant barrage of distracting content on our youth must be creating mental and physical negative results. Simply talking to your kids and setting goals to limit use is the first step when teaching and informing kids about the distractions mobile phones create. It would be wise for parents to simply point out usage data their children have used weekly. This easy task will prove to youth that indeed they’re becoming zombies who waste their precious time just to zone out on a mobile screen.

Children Staring not Talking

Research has been conducted proving that young kids are spending double the time staring at their phones than engaging in productive conversation with their parents. If this study proves to be widespread among families then the first parenting class should always be addressed as mentioned by Bill Gates, and that is to inform kids to stop STARING. It would be a great approach by simply asking kids what they accomplish throughout the week when the average child stares at a screen for twenty three hours in that week. Perhaps it would be a great notion to inform children the time lost considering the amount of time needed to improve educational results. Time is a resource and it is time children understand the time lost on smart phones, and how that time could be used to improve their daily lives.

Parent or Teacher it is Time

Parenting classes can take the simple and engaging approach by proving to children that too much time is wasted on mobile phone screens while time could be improving their daily lives. For instance, how many students take their cell phone to school? Over seventy percent of teens have access to smartphones, and the phones are inside the classroom. Results are proving negative when it comes to final grades and the distractions go beyond the classroom and on the highway where one in four vehicle crashes is linked to mobile phone distraction. Providing these simple and concise facts to young people is the first step to conducting educational and successful parenting classes about the abuse of mobile phone use.

In a world that should be protecting and nurturing its young, there are some alarming facts about children and their health that every parent should know. Full of innocence, charm and honesty, these small people depend on the older generations to keep them safe from disease and harm, yet in many ways they face multiple dangers every day.

Second hand smoke.

Many parents feel that they provide a safe environment for their children by monitoring their activities, providing proper supervision and keeping them away from dangerous items that could cause them harm. The parents do this with the greatest of intentions; all the while smoking cigarettes in the home and in the car. Second hand smoke poses one of the greatest health dangers to children today. With over 60 known cancer causing chemicals in second hand smoke, even breathing in particles that cling to the smoker’s clothing, hair or skin cause the potential for lung cancer. Being exposed to this harmful element causes increased occurrences of upper respiratory infections such as pneumonia and bronchitis in children. Ear infections, an increasingly common affliction in children, can be caused through the continuous exposure to second hand smoke. Young people who suffer from asthma are more likely to experience attacks when second hand smoke is present. Even incidents of sudden infant death syndrome have been attributed to second hand smoke. Because children have no opportunity to escape an environment laden with this harmful element, they are at the mercy of the parents who emit this danger into the air their child breathes.

Domestic violence.

Every member of the family is affected when domestic violence takes places in a home whether or not they are the subject of the abuse or not. An environment where a child feels constant fear affects them in much the same way as those who are abused themselves. They feel threatened, anxious, confused and are unable to form bonding relationships with their parents. When the risk of violence is continually in the air, the child often faces neglect as the parents are absorbed in the violent atmosphere they have created. Children who live within this type of environment are more likely to develop emotional, developmental, psychological, social and behavioral issues. Often, anger and depression are exhibited by these children; traits that could very well follow them through their developmental years into adulthood.

Sexual abuse.

A truly alarming fact about children is that nobody really knows the exact number that are being sexually abused, since many times the child refuses to reveal what is happening to them. Often, they or other family members are threatened if the child should tell anyone about the abuse. It may occur within the family unit, or by a family friend, neighbor, child care provider, teacher; virtually anyone is suspect. No child is able to cope or comprehend with sexual abuse; physically or emotionally. The age of the child dictates how they respond to the abuse, but eventually most develop low self-esteem, low self confidence, feelings of worthlessness and have difficulty relating to others. When the situation is not brought into the open and dealt with, the child could grow to be an abuser themselves.

Cyberbullying.

One of the newest threats that face today’s children is in the arena of social networking. Cyberbullying is becoming a growing problem, with some children so distressed by the bullying online that they commit suicide. Unprovoked verbal attacks that are placed for the world to see are more than a child should be expected to endure. Children depend upon their peers as they form their identities; being bullied causes low self-esteem, feelings of worthlessness and inadequacy and anxiety.

It is difficult to provide a safe and nurturing environment for these innocent young ones, when there are numerous threats and dangers that exist in the world today facing our children in their daily activities.

In order for you to learn all that you need to know about child abuse, it is best that you make yourself aware of the latest child abuse facts. Even though physical abuse is the most popular type of abuse that a child is subjected to, there are other types of abuse that can leave a child scarred for life. Some of the signs of child abuse are unnoticeable more than others; as such, it is essential that you learn all the types and signs of child abuse, so that you will be able to recognize when a child needs help. The earlier that you are able to recognize that a child is being abused and get the necessary help for him or her, the greater chance that child has to recover from the trauma.

Even though there are various types of child abuse that exist, all of them are tied together by one key element, which is the emotional effect that they have on a child. Below are some of the different types of abuse that a child may be subjected to:

Emotional Child Abuse – Some persons believe that the things that they say to their child will have no effect on him or her; however, that is certainly not the case. Emotional abuse has the potential of severely damaging the social development or mental health of a child, and will also leave him or her with a lifetime of psychological scars. Some of the examples of emotional abuse that a child may be subjected to are inclusive of:

Allowing the child to be exposed to the abuse of others.
Showing the child no signs of affection; for example, kisses and hugs.
Bullying, threatening or yelling at the child.
Constantly calling the child “a mistake or “worthless.”
Constantly humiliating, shaming or belittling the child.

Child Neglect – This is one of the more common types of abuse that a child may experience. Child neglect can be described as the failure to provide a child with basic needs, such as: supervision, hygiene, clothing and sufficient food. Even though child neglect is common, the signs of this particular type of abuse in a child are not always easy to detect.

Physical Child Abuse – This type of abuse involves causing injury or physical harm to a child. Physical child abuse may be the result of deliberately attempting to hurt the child, it may be done accidentally, or it may be as a result of severe punishment. Many caregivers and parents that are physically abusive will argue that their actions are simply methods used to discipline the child; however, there is a big difference between physical discipline and physical child abuse.

Sexual Child Abuse – Whenever you read child abuse stories, you will most likely come across stories about sexual child abuse. This type of abuse can be rather complicated, due to the fact that it involves many layers of shame and guilt. However, it is imperative that you understand that bodily contact is not always a part of sexual abuse. Allowing the child to be exposed to sexual materials or situations is also a form of sexual abuse. You also need to be aware of the fact that both girls and boys suffer from this type of child abuse.
As mentioned earlier, when researching child abuse information, it is also important to make yourself aware of the warning signs of the various types of abuse that a child may experience.

Signs of Emotional Child Abuse – Acting like an adult or acting like a small child; seems detached from caregiver or parent; displays extremities in behavior (for example, extremely aggressive or extremely compliant); or very extremely anxious, fearful or withdrawn.

Signs of Physical Child Abuse – Dresses in unsuitable clothing to cover up scars, such as long sleeves on days that are very hot; seems to be fearful of going home; is afraid of being touched or flinches at any sudden movements; or unexplained or frequent injuries, cuts, welts or bruises.

Signs of Child Neglect – Frequently misses or is late for school; frequently left alone or unsupervised in unsafe environments or situations; untreated physical injuries and illnesses; consistent bad hygiene; or clothes are unsuitable for the weather, always dirty or ill-fitting.

Signs of Child Sexual Abuse – Pregnancy or STDs (particularly under 14 years); refusal to participate in physical activities; always trying to avoid a particular person for no apparent reason; or knows or shows interest in seduction or sexual behavior that is inappropriate for the child’s age.
When you read child abuse articles, not only can you become aware of the various types and signs of child abuse, but you can also find out more information on statistics relating to the subject. Some child abuse statistics are listed below:

There are approximately five children that die each day as a result of child abuse.
Children who are abused are 25% more likely to become teen parents.
68% of sexual child abuse victims are abused by relatives.
Approximately 30% of abused children will abuse their children later on in life.
It is important that you remember that not all the signs of child abuse are the same. However, by educating yourself about child abuse facts, you can help to prevent or stop child abuse from destroying a child’s life.

A child’s baby teeth are highly important. A person’s teeth allow easy food consumption especially when it comes to solid food. Even if babies are incapable of chewing thick wads of meat, they still need their baby teeth to bite and tear soft bowls of baby cereals and other food. Also take note that baby teeth would be a child’s first set of teeth before it is replaced by permanent teeth. You may be wondering about facts and figures about teeth and how to better take care of them. How many baby teeth do babies have? What are the things I should do to take care of my baby’s teeth? Listed below are the things you need to know about baby teeth:

The First Set Of Baby Teeth Appears After 6 Months

This is something that most dentists expect based on observations and studies. There may be instances when the first few teeth pop out before 6 months but those cases are rare and generally, baby tooth appears after 6 months have passed and the baby is in the early stage of development. It’s not just the teeth that are starting to develop. Most vital organs of a kid are constantly developing and it’s a very critical stage on the baby’s part. That is why it is highly recommended to regularly visit pediatricians during the baby’s early growth period to ensure that he or she is well taken care of. It is also best to have your dentist check the baby to ensure teeth and gum care.

If you’re wondering about the structure of teeth and the components that complete it, then you should know, first and foremost, about enamel and what it does. Enamel is non-translucent substance that is the hardest substance found in the body. A child’s enamel protects the inner structure of every tooth in order to prevent damage whenever you tear or chew food. It protects and covers the innermost layers of a tooth to make it stronger and less sensitive.

After the outermost layer of the teeth comes another layer of substance called dentine. This is another substance that comprises most of the entirety of a tooth. It also provides a layer of protection but it’s not as strong as the enamel’s layer. The purpose of the dentine is to form a large layer around the most sensitive parts of the teeth or the innermost part. The innermost part of the tooth is known as the tooth’s pulp. This pulp is connected underneath the teeth and into the gums. This is the part where you can find the tooth’s blood supply and the inner nerve endings that connect with the tooth. This may probably be unbeknownst to you but the blood spilled from baby tooth removal is actually a natural thing because the blood that flows inside every tooth is critical because it keeps them healthy and strong.

The purpose of the nerve endings is to deliver a message to the brain when your teeth feel discomfort while you eat because of its high or low temperature. Nerve endings also make you feel tooth pain and sensitivity if complications arise such as tooth cavities or other tooth diseases. Cementum, which is a powdery substance, envelops the core of the tooth while fibers of periodontal link the teeth to a person’s jawbone.

Clean Your Baby’s Mouth Regularly

This task is highly important and it is something that must be done with or without the presence of the first set of teeth at his sixth month. Always wipe your baby’s gums after every food intake with a clean gauze wrapped on your hand. You can also use a wet cloth as long as the fabric is neat and clean. You can also buy cleaning devices that are suited to cleaning excess food stuck on the child’s mouth.

Observe And Take Good Care Of The First Few Teeth

When you’ve seen the first few baby teeth come out, immediately tend to them and realize its importance. Some parents neglect the importance of baby teeth because they will be eventually replaced. But you must realize that baby teeth are used for the child’s food digestion and losing these teeth early before the permanent teeth arrive would be hard on the kid. Suffering from gum diseases such as gingivitis is also troublesome for a child and the best way to avoid this is to tend to your child’s dental needs.

Eliminate The Possibility Of Having Cavities

This is a crucial thing to understand because cavities cause discomfort on chewing and biting and may lead to further complications if left untreated. Early signs of cavities are notable if parts of the teeth are marked with dark, black spots and rough edges on the top part. Exposing your baby to too much milk without ingestion may cause cavities so never forget to remove the bottle of milk if your child is done with it. Always observe if he is only keeping the bottle in his mouth for comfort instead of consumption purposes.

Give The Baby Water After Every Meal

Never forget to hand a small glass of water to your baby and assist him in drinking it after he or she has finished eating his baby meal. Although, baby cereals and meals are easy to ingest, there may still be some of it remaining on your child’s teeth after feeding time. It is best to clear that up and let him drink a small portion of a glass of water.

Familiarize Him With The Toothbrush

It’s important to have your baby get used to the feel of a toothbrush circling his teeth and mouth. After the initial stage of baby teeth is development and thimble-like devices and damp cloth are no longer suited for dental care, it is best to help him familiarize with the use of toothbrush. Dentists recommend starting using a regular baby toothbrush once the baby reaches 18 months. This may be done earlier if the baby starts growing teeth at a much earlier rate.

Spitting up is also known as re flux. Almost half the number of babies spit up frequently. Four months is the peak age for babies who are spitting up. Mothers are usually so worried on – why does my baby spit up so much? The baby spits when the baby swallows some air while the mother is feeding them breast milk or formula milk. The ingested air has to be taken out from their stomach so the body reacts in this way. Some liquid comes up to their mouth, while sometimes the spit also comes out on their nose.
The babies need a lot of food for nourishment in terms of their size while some of them just love to eat some food. Oftentimes, the mother have to feed the babies because the baby loves to eat, while missing the fact that they can already be overfed.

This sometimes leads to the baby spitting up. Since they are newborns, their overall body function including their digestive system is not yet fully developed. The muscle that is located on the baby’s esophagus which is responsible for controlling when the food is coming and going may still be adjusting to the speed of food that is coming in and out. This is one of the reasons why baby the babies keep on spitting up.

What Are The Different Interventions That Mothers Can Do?

Why Does My Baby Spit Up So Much
To be able to prevent your baby from spitting up too much then you can start with the ways on how you feed your baby.

Upright Feeding

When feeding the baby, it is important to hold the baby in an almost upright position to prevent them from choking and spitting up. Feeding the baby while they are curled up in their arms or seating in a chair is an incorrect way of feeding the babies because it may not give a clearer path to the stomach.

Calm Feedings

Do not ever feed a baby who is crying and a baby who can easily be distracted from toys, noise, colors or some other things on his or her environment. Keep them calm while you are feeding them. Also, do not just feed the baby when they are too hungry, it is important to feed the babies every 2-3 hours or when the baby needs to be fed. Once the baby is being distracted while they are being fed, this may cause the milk to be spilled out from his mouth or he might suffer from choking due to the presence of liquid in an awkward position.

Proper Way For Pumped Breast Milk Feeding

It is strongly recommended to feed the baby with breast milk from infant to 2 years of age. However, if in such cases the breast milk is not accessible then that is the only time that you will have to feed the baby with a formula or pumped breast milk. Put the milk on a bottle and be certain that the hole of the nipple is not too small or not too large. If it is too small then the baby might have some hard time to swallow the food and may even ingest air. On the other hand, if the nipple’s hole is too large then it is possible that the baby can ingest too much milk or air and may result to gagging or gulping because the milk can be taken at a shorter period of time than usual.

Always Burp The Baby

After feeding the baby through breast milk or through bottle, it is essential to burp the baby. Since it is normal that babies takes some pause while they are being fed, then mothers can take advantage of this opportunity to burp the baby before giving some additional food. By doing such method every time you feed the baby, then you are decreasing the opportunity for babies to choke or to spit up so much. This is also a good way to feed the baby with more milk while eliminating some air on the baby’s tummy. Mothers need not to worry if the baby did not burp when you did the method that was stated. But whenever you have some opportunity, then do not hesitate to perform the process to eliminate the air on the baby’s tummy.

Don’t Put Some Pressure On His Stomach

It is important that the baby is comfortable while they are being fed. Mothers should always be sure that the baby’s clothes, diaper or your arms are not too tight while you are holding the baby. Do not ever put the baby’s stomach on your shoulder when you are burping the baby so as not to make the baby spit the food that he or she has just previously ingested. It is also essential to avoid going for a car trip just after the time that the mother has fed the baby because when the mother is sitting on a reclined car seat some pressure can also be felt on the baby’s side. Hence, this may again result to too much spitting.

Keep The Baby Upright After Feeding

While feeding, it is important to keep the baby on the upright position, this situation should also be observed after feeding the baby to prevent him from spitting up the food that he or she has just consumed. Put the baby into an upright position for at least half an hour. In such positions, the gravity can help in putting the baby’s food carefully on his stomach and be digested on his tummy for quite some time. Carrying the baby properly, putting the baby in a pack or supporting the baby next to some pillows may help if the baby is already big.

Do Not Feed The Baby With Too Much Milk

If the baby has been spitting up every time you feed with breast milk, then this is already a sign then you have been feeding him or her too much. You can eliminate formula feeding and just stick to breast milk feeding to solve such solution. Breast feeding the baby for a shorter period of time as compared to the usual time that the mother has been feeding the baby may also be helpful. Also, try to adjust the baby’s feeding to small frequent feedings only so as to help the baby’s stomach digest the food first before having another set of food.

IF the babies spit up it is a common symptom. But it is still important to prevent many occurrences to avoid any complications. It is necessary to ensure that as a parent, you have to notice the symptoms of any illness or pain for your loved one and provide him/her with a happy healthy environment.

A large percentage of the time, dinner is the family meal that all gather to discuss the latest in each other’s lives. However this is not so much the case any more, many people still try to make it the main meal of the day. Studies suggest a child’s Dinner should at least be the most balanced of the three meals whether or not it’s a family get together meal everyone would want.

Find the Right Meal

It can become complicated trying to find a meal for your child that is well balanced and able to provide enough substance to allow to get a good night’s sleep and help not to feel too hungry when you wake. This is where you will find meals that enable your child to try a wide selection of foods from all different food groups. This is where you will want to have a try at almost everything in order to be able to have a complete meal; it doesn’t have to be overly large, just have variety.

Things to Remember

It’s good to remember, as everything moderation is key and because it’s the largest meal doesn’t mean you should over fill yourself at dinner. Smaller amounts of a lot of different foods is key in creating a healthy food preference for your child. Pay attention to portion sized to be sure you can include all the necessary food groups to aid a good night’s sleep for you and your child.

Starch, protein and vegetable are the three main groups that needs to be included in the dinner meal. All these three items should be taking up the same amount of space on your plate, so for example you should not eat a pound of steak and two baby carrots, you need to keep your meals balanced. You can even include a fruit or a small and healthy dessert. However the portions should not be large and should not dominate the meal. A mean should contain around four ounces to each of the three main groups and a smaller portion of any of the other items.

TimingTiming

The last thing to be careful of with dinner is timing. In this instance you need to consider how late your child will be eating. You may want to consider that after 8pm the body does not allow for proper digestion and metabolism of these foods, so make sure you and your child have a balanced and well timed meal.

Proteins

Anyone who is looking to lead a healthy lifestyle, protein is an essential part of this, however one source that many use too much of is red meat. Red meat should not always be the first option, even though its a welcome staple to any dinner table.

There are many other options to consider and it helps to be creative when it comes to making a healthy, balanced dinner. One of the most under appreciated is turkey, many people may see this as a seasonal dish and not even think about making it when Proteinspreparing a family meal. However it is available in many different forms and can be used to make many different meals. One of the major forms this white meat takes is ground turkey. Ground turkey can be used as a replacement for anything that would have been used as ground beef, or any other red meat. This would include meatloaf, burgers or meatballs. Seasoning can be added as well as other ingredients that will not only enhance flavour, but can make it a healthier option for you and your child’s diet.

Alternatives

Another recommended way to prepare turkey is in the form of skinless breast pieces. This is because the skin of a turkey is the prime source of fat that is on the bird. You can use this part to make it into an entrée or to serve a smaller version of Thanksgiving dinner throughout the year. Turkey is a nice meat if cooked properly and it can be a real change of pace and can lead to people wanting more with out actually realising that it’s actually a healthier option than other meats.

However this is of course as long as it is prepared correctly. Throughout the years we’ve found white meats like chicken and turkey are better baked as the best method preparation. Also, the use of proper side dishes to go with them is important to remember when preparing balanced meals for your child.

If turkey doesn’t work in a certain meal you can use it to lessen the amount of red meat that’s in the meal. If you are to mix it half and half you may be able to sneak in a healthier option without anyone knowing. The use of ground turkey can aid to reduce the amount of fat that is brought on by the consumption of red meat. Not only will this be a welcome addition to the family, but yours and your child’s body as well. Soon you will reap the rewards of a healthier lifestyle, and be comfortable in the knowledge you chose a healthier option for you and your family.