Hydration important in young and old

Establish a routine of offering your young child or toddler water through out the day and he or she will get into the habit of drinking water. There is a danger of dehydration in children when they are sick or have a stomach flu.

Lack of water can leave your child feeling extremely tired. According to the Mayo Clinic, the weight of our bodies is 60% water, and all of our vital organs depend on water to operate well. In the summer our bodies lose water  through perspiration.  In the winter, when the air is dry and cold we may not be aware of how much we perspire.

When a child plays sports, he or she needs to be aware of fluid intake and stay well hydrated in order to perform well. If the weather is very hot, your child is overdressed, overweight, or has been taking a cold medication then he/she may dehydrate faster. It is recommended that children drink water before during and after the physical activity.

For adults, check out the Mayo Clininc article, "Water: How Much Should You Drink Each Day?" to find out more about quantities and other tips and information on hydration. Amounts may be slightly less for children.

If a cold glass of water on a frigid cold day is not appealing then you may want to stick to hot, caffeine-free teas or plain hot water. Or keep a Maine Warmers' microwave heating pad handy while you have a glass of cold water. A Cozy Sheep makes a perfect bed warmer and gift for someone feeling a bit chilly. A Magnificent Moose warms the heart and cold hands at the same time.

A rash and fever as symptoms of juvenile arthritis?

As I read an article in Arthritis Today, July-Aug. 2013, about a mother’s anxiety over her child’s high fever, rash, and pain I could relate to the agony of waiting for a diagnosis. One can wait only so long before seeking another opinion or pushing harder for more attention to the issue causing a child's pain.

I read more about how her daughter was finally diagnosed with systemic idiopathic arthritis after mom decided going “somewhere else” was necessary. A new hospital where she saw a pediatric rheumatologist made all the difference.

The 6 year old's symptoms included a rash, high fever, and pain, but not joint pain. According to the Boston Children’s Hospital the symptoms of joint pain with JIA may not show up for months, which may explain why physicians may have a hard time diagnosing the condition. The disease may affect small joints of the hands, wrists, knees, and ankles. It also has potential to damage vital organs, so early diagnosis and treatment is critical.

 

There are many types of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis as described in this article. Finding information about symptoms, causes, prevention, treatment, outlook, and more is important. Keep looking until you find the right physician. There are some very good online resources such as The Arthritis Foundation.

If you know of a child who has juvenile arthritis, the gift of a Maine Warmers microwave heating pad in the shape of a bunny might help bring some comforting companionship and a smile. The parents might enjoy some relaxation and relief of tense muscles that a back warmer or neck warmer offers.

Girls & Sports

I recall the fuss when Title IX passed and people talked about having to take away some sports programs for boys in order to provide funds for girls and women's sports teams. Fortunately, there were far-sighted people who could see what we see today -- the lifelong benefits of physical activity that results from participation in sports.  Nancy Henderson, in an article, Girls & Sports, (AMERICAN PROFILE magazine, April 15 – 21, 2012) explains that research has shown that girls who participate in sports in middle school and beyond, lower their risk of some cancers and developing osteoporosis in later years.

The article states that athletics has helped girls on the whole avoid obesity, have better self-esteem, maintain better grades, and lower the tendency to use drugs and alcohol. “They also have higher rates of graduation from high school and entrance into college,” says Henderson.

Young people sometimes experience injuries when they participate in sports, but with proper medical assistance and therapy they usually heal. 

When kids experience stiff muscles during the start of training they may need a microwave heating pad to help increase flexibility. Maine Warmers’ microwave heating pads can also be frozen and used as ice packs for sore knees. A Cozy Bear may be just the thing for a young person or parent who needs a little comfort after a workout.

Outdoor Exercise helps you heal and develops good exercise habits in kids

By exercising in the outdoors you may help your body heal, according to a new studies in Japan and the U.K.  Dr. Esther Sternberg, a rheumatologist and researcher and author of Healing Spaces: The Science of Place and Well-being (2009, Harvard University Press), writes in Arthritis Today, March-April 2012, that outdoor exercise in nature may help your body heal.

Outside exercise not only may benefit your health, help you heal (as the study suggests), and keep your muscles strong and joints limber, but it may help your children develop a love of the outdoors and closer a relationship with them.

Take your kids for a walk in the woods, a park, or on the beach. By exercising with kids, you not only teach them good health habits but the time you spend together gives you a chance to have fun together. Take time to joke and laugh about things you both find aggravating, scary, or just bizarre. One-on-one time may be difficult to find in a house full of interruptions, especially with a myriad electronic devices present in our lives today. Take your phone on walks, but for emergencies only, while you are enjoying some time outdoors with your kids.

If they (or you) experience a little stiffness from exercising, use a microwave heating pad Cozy Bunny, Polar Bear, and Penguin are lovable creatures that provide a fun way to feel better. Kids will also enjoy the warmth in their beds on a cold winter night.
to help relax tight muscles. Maine Warmers has several animal-shaped heating pads that kids (and you) will love. Their

Helping hands for new moms

Providing the best for our children is what every parent wants. Education and support are key ingredients in that process.

There is no end to raising children. From the time they are in the womb our children need loving care -- until they start caring for us. When they go off to college they still need parental support -- and not just financial. When their relationships blossom or go sour, when they consider career paths and changes, and so on, their need for family never diminishes. As the care giver and support person, the parent or guardian needs guidance as well.

Check out the February 2012 issue of Maine Women Magazine, “Great Expectations,” to get off on the right foot as an expectant or new mom. Establishing a supportive community may prove to be one of the best things you can do as a parent. Once you have a positive support group, other resources will jump into your lap like an excited child.

For support and guidance through pregnancy, take a look at the article, Birth Roots delivers what’s needed. Birth Roots is a non-profit organization that offers community support for expectant moms and new moms through the first year after birth. The Birth Roots Web site offers more info.

Maine Warmers microwave heating pads offer relief to pregnant, postpartum, and breastfeeding moms. These “Warmers” help relieve hip pain due to the softening of connective tissue between the pelvis and joints during pregnancy. Back Warmers relieve back pain from the weight of the baby. Palm Packs (designed for hand warmers) can be used on the face to relieve sinus headaches when medication is not recommended. Check out the other ways these products can comfort and help before and after birth.

Tips to Maintain Healthy Body Weight in Children

Establishing good eating habits in children can prevent a lifetime of struggle with health related issues that accompany excess body weight and/or obesity.

To help children eat healthy and maintain appropriate body weight your pediatrician can give you information about the best weight range for your child’s height and age. For more information about appropriate body mass visit the CDC Web site.  

Managing weight with a balance of healthy foods, reasonable portions, and good eating habits (like

Fresh veggies

not eating to deal with stress, boredom, or eating on the run) are ways to help maintain a lifetime diet that doesn’t deprive you or your child of foods you love. Treats now and then are fine – a Sundae once a month as opposed to a month of Sundaes.

Prepare healthy snacks in the morning – peel carrots, wash fruit, cut up apple slices – and have them ready to reach for when your child is hungry. Skip the fries and sodas 99% of the time.

Orange and Dates for dessert

Find alternative activities to keep your child happy, instead of trying to keep them happy with food. 

Talk with them about how different foods help – or harm – their bodies. Help them stay hydrated by offering water and keeping a supply of water handy for them on trips.

Get out and enjoy walks or bike rides together, read books, and find activities you enjoy doing together to keep your bodies in good shape and minds alert.

Sometimes cravings for foods will go away if you are distracted or can relax and reduce stress. A microwave heating pad from Maine Warmers may help you relax tense muscles and help you deal with stress in a positive way -- and with no calories. Cute Penguins and Bunnies, bed and body warmers are perfect to help children warm up and chill out.

Healthier Children Through Education

Rachel Ray announced that she is going to help fight child obesity by partnering with the NYC School lunch program to provide nutritious and tasty school lunch menus. See the article.

In The Portland Press Herald (Portland, Maine), Maine Voices, May 18, 2010, Doiron talks about Victory Gardens of World War II benefiting the people in the US. Today, growing a vegetable garden can help by saving us money and reducing the carbon footprint.

I think the two of these go hand in hand. When children are presented with healthy food and learn about food, they benefit from that knowledge. When they help to grow and nurture a garden, they learn about vegetables and may be more willing to try new ones. Gardening also provides physical outside activity. Many children, and we (their parents) seem to need more of this in today's world of computer games and videos.

The benefits of growing organic may also provide better health. Recent research points to the possibility of pesticides having negative effects on children -- even causing or contributing to ADHD.

We all resort to comfort foods duirng times of high stress. Those comfort foods may result in weight gain. A comforting heating pad in the shape of a Cozy Bunny or Sheep may provide the comfort and relaxation needed without the calories for children and adults.