Category: kids health

One is the best feelings you can ever have is your ability to freely communicate and express yourself. Being able to smile freely whenever possible, speak privately into someone’s ear, etc. is something we all love. According to Winter Dental, a team of dentists in Huntersville NC, “there’s nothing as beautiful as that healthy smile. Knowing that your teeth are healthy and clean will make you feel great and grant you confidence.”

But, what if you have oral health issues? Oral health issues including halitosis (bad breath), has dire consequences on our general wellbeing and interpersonal relationship. In fact, some of these conditions can cause several health conditions including the risk of cancer. With dental health being a broad subject, our focus for this piece is halitosis.

What is Halitosis?

Halitosis “bad breath” is a medical condition that causes a person to bring out an unpleasant scent from their mouth. It is one of the major oral health problems in the world and victims normally face social stigma. The good news is that the condition is preventable and treatable. Finding out you have it is a major step towards treatment.

Causes of Halitosis

Causes of bad breath range from bad oral health practices to having some underlying health factors. You are having bad breath because of:

Underlying Health Conditions

Your bad breath may be a symptom of an underlying health condition. Some health conditions and the medicines used for treating them can cause bad breath. Conditions like diabetes, liver or kidney disorder, chronic sinusitis, and postnasal drip can all cause bad breath. This means until the condition is treated, you may have to endure the situation. With that being said, your dentist can help you with some drugs or toothpaste, which can reduce the scent.

The Food You Eat

What we eat is one of the major causes of many dental diseases including halitosis. Some food items like garlic, onion, already have a strong smell and require that you use mouthwash or water to rinse your mouth after eating. In addition, some components of the food we eat are absorbed into the blood and cause the release of bad smells until the food leaves the body.

Bad Oral Health Care

Food particles are trapped between the teeth, gum, and tongue after eating. These particles grow into plaque when not removed, and as it rots and breeds bacterial, you begin to experience bad breath. It is therefore important to floss after eating and brush at least twice a day to remove all staying food particles.

Improper Brushing Routine

Many people concentrate solely on their teeth when brushing. This is so wrong! You can have white teeth, yet, suffer bad breath because you don’t clean your tongue.  Spend some time on the tongue when brushing to remove all bacterial and fungi buildup in the mouth and tongue.

Periodontal Disease

Periodontal disease or gum disease causes serious damage to the gum’s soft tissues, and without treatment causes havoc to the bone that supports the teeth. This results in bad breath and other serious dental conditions. You need to see the dentist as soon as possible when you sense this disease.

Smoking

Smoking is one of the major artificial contributors to bad breath. Aside from the serious health challenges it poses, the tobacco or whatever you are smoking has a strong scent that becomes part of your breath. Note that is can also cause gum related diseases.

Infections

Infections in the mouth or parts of the respiration system can also lead to bad breath. For example, a sore in the mouth could be a haven for bacterial buildups to cause infection. These infections come with several symptoms including bad breath.

Prevention of Halitosis

Visit the Dentist

One of the best and trusted ways of preventing halitosis is to take your oral health care seriously. At least you should visit the dentist once a year to have your teeth checked. You shouldn’t wait until a dental problem gets out of hand before seeing a professional. Brushing your teeth twice a day, and flossing or rinsing your mouth after a meal should also become a culture.

Drink more Water

Dry mouth is one of the causes of bad breath and you can easily prevent this by staying hydrated.

After eating strong scented foods including garlic and onions, you can chew unsweetened gum to absorb all the scent from your mouth.

Avoid Surgery Food

High sugar intake is one of the major causes of cavities/tooth decay, which also brings about bad breath. If you are addicted to sugar, it’s time to cut it down to save your oral health.

Choose a Good Toothpaste

As mentioned, brushing your teeth is one of the best ways to deal with bad breath. However, this is only possible when you use the right toothpaste. With the help of a dentist, you can get a good toothpaste that can fight the bacteria causing your bad breath. In addition, you can get a mouthwash for regular rinsing of your mouth.

Treatment of Halitosis

Visit a Dentist

No matter the causes of your halitosis, whether it is a medical problem or artificially induced, the best your best remedy is to see the dentist. The professional will assess the problem and prescribe the best remedy to have it treated. Do not self-treat/medicate, as it can deteriorate the situation.

Even after months of preparing for your baby to arrive, every new mom or dad will need some help along the way. Often parents naturally rush to the worst conclusions if they notice unusual changes in the first few months because it’s generally better to be safe than sorry. However sometimes the oddest symptoms have a simple fix. If you notice your baby is a bit more irritable or uncomfortable around feeding times, check his/her mouth for white patches as they can be an indication of Thrush. Thrush or Candidiasis is a type of infection caused by a yeast called Candida. This bacterium already naturally occurs throughout the body and is only problematic when an overgrowth occurs in a certain area. In adult women this is the same bacteria that is responsible for vaginal yeast infections. For babies a similar overgrowth can happen in the mouth, most commonly from the time they are born to the next few months. Most babies don’t feel anything at all, but others may develop a sore mouth or have trouble breastfeeding. 

What Can Cause Oral Thrush in Your Baby?

Research suggests that thrush appears in infancy more frequently because during the first few weeks or months after birth a baby’s immune system is still unable to fight off infections. Oral thrush is commonly found after the use of steroid medications or after a course of antibiotic treatments. This is because the antibiotics kill the good bacteria that keep Candida overgrowth at bay. The mother also could have passed along the Candida during birth through the birth canal. Yeast thrives in warm, moist conditions so if pacifiers bottles and especially the mother’s breasts are not cleaned and dried well after before and after, yeast may be encouraged to grow inside the child’s mouth.

How to Know If Your Baby Has Thrush?

Not all babies react the same, but you may notice both behavior changes during feeding and/or a thick white coating either on the tongue, throat or cheeks. It’s easy to mistake this for milk residue but unlike breast milk it will not easily wipe away. These white, velvety sores may be accompanied by other symptoms like excess redness in the mouth, diaper rash, and fussiness during mealtimes.

 If you have noticed these symptoms, there’s no need to don’t panic, treatment of thrush is usually simple.

Ways to Treat Thrush

Thrush is actually very common and easily treatable. Your pediatrician will likely prescribe an antifungal to be directly applied inside the mouth. It may be helpful to apply with a soft sponge brush. I should sit on the white patches for as long as possible, so you will want to apply it a good amount of time before feedings. The infection should begin to clear within a few days. In addition to prescribed medicines some parents have found the following home remedies to be complementary to primary treatments.

• Add a half a teaspoon of baking soda to a cup of boiled and cooled water. Soak a cotton bud in the solution and gently wipe on the inside of the mouth.
• Use 1 or 2 drops of tea tree oil to half a cup of boiled, cooled water and apply with a clean cotton bud.
• Virgin coconut oil has been touted as a good alternative to prescriptions since some strains of resistant Candida bacteria are emerging.

While in some cases oral thrush can clear up by itself check with your pediatrician first about anti-fungal treatment and before using any home remedies for your baby’s thrush.

Oral thrush in babies can be hard to get rid of, especially if you’re breastfeeding, partly because it’s easily contagious and can be spread back and forth between mom and breastfeeding baby or even shared bedding or utensils. Take care to treat the mother’s nipples at the same time if necessary. You may also want to throw away expressed breast milk that you have stored in case it was contaminated with yeast. Newborn babies are often unpredictable, and although there will surely be other worrying moments as you continue through parenthood, thrush shouldn’t hold you back for long. With the help of your healthcare professional and some of these preventative measures you and your baby will be back to growing and learning together in good spirits.

With the arrival of cold begins the flu. The period of this goes from October to March, and can even be extended until May. As we are in full season we are going to give you some tips to protect us from the flu.

The first thing we have to do is to know if we really have flu and not a cold. The symptoms can confuse us because they are very similar, but they are different diseases.

Differences between flu and cold:

Both are the cause of a virus, but of a different type. The flu is caused by the “influenza” virus while the cold can be caused by different types of viruses. The symptoms of the latter are milder and may appear several times a year in addition to being more common.

The incubation period of both is different: the cold goes from 48 to 72 hours while the flu from 18 to 36 hours.

Tips for prevention:

• Getting vaccinated to prevent the flu is important if you belong to a risk group
• Wash your hands well frequently and always before any meal.
• Avoid cold and humidity by wrapping well. Avoid sudden temperature changes.
• Practice healthy habits such as eating a varied diet and resting well to maintain strong defenses
• Use disposable tissues
• Do not share personal hygiene material such as towels or utensils such as spoons, etc.
• Sneeze or cough covering our elbows and not with our hands.
• Stay home if you have already fallen ill and always stay away from people at risk.

Risk groups:

As we have talked about before, there are people at risk and they may have more complications than those who do not belong to this group if they catch the flu. So you have to be more careful in these cases and get the vaccine. It is important to know that the injectable flu vaccine can only be given in children from 6 months of age .

Within this high-risk group we find:

• Children under two years old
• People over 65
• Pregnant women or trying to get pregnant
• People who work in a healthcare environment or take care of other people
• People with a weaker immune system

How to relieve symptoms:

• Rest
• Drink plenty of fluids to keep us hydrated
• Eating plenty of vegetables in creams and soups will relieve us and make us feel better
• Always go to the doctor and not self-medicate since it can be harmful to health

It is important to know that antibiotics should not be taken when we have the flu, as this is a virus, and antibiotics do nothing against the flu.

We hope that these tips to differentiate a flu from a cold, how to prevent the flu from catching it and how to relieve the symptoms if we have already taken it will help you to have a better winter. If you are interested in having more information about this disease I leave the link of the Ministry of Health where they explain who should get vaccinated, date to get vaccinated, etc. We remind you again that it is important to see our doctor for any questions or queries.

Family greetings!

Even though most children have powerful imaginations, that doesn’t mean that they are all naturally creative. In fact, creativity seems to be more of a skill than something we are born with, and it’s your job as a parent to help your kids develop their own creativity.

Because it plays a huge role in our lives, being creative is a vital component of good health, happiness and a core skill you need to practice with your little ones. But creativity isn’t only limited to artistic expression. It’s also essential for learning educational topics and even building healthy social and emotional intelligence.

Creative people tend to go with the flow, have better problem-solving skills and are better equipped to deal with life changes.

With the endless stream of toys and props, children no longer need to pretend that a stick is a magical wand. All they need to do is open their closet and they can be just about anyone they want. And while it’s perfectly okay for kids to pretend to be their favorite character, how do you boost your child’s creativity naturally?

Below are a few ideas on fostering creativity in your kids:

Provide them the resources they need for creative expression. Time is the key here. Your kids need a lot of time for imaginative play, which is unstructured.

Space is another vital resource when channeling creativity. Unless you don’t mind creative messes from stem to stern, you need to designate a specific area where kids can make a beautiful mess, like a spare room for playing dress-up, painting in the garage or a corner in your living room for building with blocks.

The next time your child’s birthday rolls around, as for friends and family to give art supplies, building materials and even supplies to design a polo with OnTheGo. Put these supplies in a bin, which is easy for your children to manage.

You can also get your kids’ input. For example, you brainstorm ideas and encourage your kids to come up with things they would like to try. Try not to point out ideas that aren’t realistic. Also, let them decide which ideas are best. The main focus of boosting creativity should be on the process: generation versus evaluation of new ideas.

We all make mistakes. It’s just a fact of life. To foster creativity, you should also encourage them to fail. That’s right, fail. Kids who are afraid of failing often curb their own creative juices. Share the mistakes you’ve made, so they understand that it’s okay to not to be perfect. Being able to be laugh at yourself when you mess up is a happiness habit.

Finally, celebrate their creativity. Hang artwork on the walls and display other forms of creative expression throughout your home. Allowing your children to develop their own creativity also allows them to create their own inner peace and contentment. And that’s what being a parent is all about.

When a child grows up in an urban environment, he or she doesn’t have a real connection to the Earth. Apples, lettuce and bananas simply come from the produce department at the store. Showing children how plants grow is a great way to introduce several topics, including science, into their world. Follow a few of these tips as you teach kids how to garden.

Get Dirty

One of the best tips to follow is letting the kids get dirty. Put away the gardening gloves. Allow the kids to dip their fingers into the rich soil. Feeling the soil and its texture gives them an idea about how the roots will grow into it. Discuss how important the soil is to the plant. Without nutrients and oxygen flowing through the soil grains, no plant can flourish. Show the kids how to rinse their hands afterward for a complete experience.

Buy the Right Tools

Kids won’t feel comfortable with adult tools, such as a heavy gardening trowel. Take a cue from an arborist, such as Tree Survey, and choose the perfect tool for the job. Kids should have tools that are designed for their hands and age. Go online, and buy several tools for the gardening experience. They’ll feel more connected to the process as a result.

Choose Familiar Plants

Always begin with a common plant. Choose something that you might find in your refrigerator, such as lima beans or strawberries. Because the child already has a concept of the food, explaining its origins as a plant is easy.

Children’s minds grow when they can connect things together in their minds. Looking at lima beans on your plate and then growing them puts the plant into perspective. Gardening suddenly looks intriguing and fun.

Explain the Basic Science

As you plant and grow your seeds, explain the basic science behind the process. Start with naming the parts of the plant as it grows out of the soil. You might talk about sunlight, water and how these substances work together to grow a plant.

If your child has a question that you cannot answer, look up the solution at a library or reputable website. Show that you’re interested in learning more so that the child mimics this behavior.

Eat the Fruits

Nothing is better than receiving a reward after working hard on a project. As the plant bears fruit, encourage the child to eat it. This action completes the food web as its known to the child. He or she will love how everything is connected, from watering the soil to tasting the delicious fruit. Applying this knowledge to the next part of the garden will only make the activity even more exciting.

As the child grows, he or she may want to plant items in a larger area than before. Encourage this behavior because you may have a child who’ll study agriculture in the future. Plants and gardening are a critical part to the human experience. Learning about the basics will inspire others to care for the Earth.

Children are supposed to be in their peak of health. They should be worrying about learning and growing, not about getting hurt or going to the hospital. As a parent, seeing your child in hospital can be terrifying. It doesn’t matter if they are there because they played a little too rough in football and have broken a bone, or if they have a serious illness. The last thing you want is for them to be hurting, and while you cannot do anything about that, you can make their stay more comfortable. By following this guide, you can help cope and provide for your child while they are in the hospital:

Compose Yourself

When a child hurt’s themselves, the first thing they will often do is look to their parent. If they see you are worried, that is when the tears come. If you aren’t worried, then they often recover much faster, because they trust you explicitly. Now, when they are in the hospital it never pays off to show them how scared you are. You need to be composed and calm, and let them know that everything is going to be all right. They do not deserve to be scared, and so you need to be the rock that they need to anchor themselves to.

Understand Your Child’s Condition Inside and Out

Doctors often have a habit of speaking in terms that non-specialists cannot understand. This does not mean every doctor does, of course, but even a normal explanation you can understand could go over your child’s head. That is why it is important for you to understand their condition inside and out. Your child will likely have questions, and being able to answer them will help them understand their situation and again, stay calm about it. Worrying about even a very serious condition will not help them.

If Something Goes Wrong

Not every hospital visit will go smoothly. In some cases, the damage caused might be too great, leaving your child with permanent scars or a disability. What you need to do then is to launch an investigation. If the medical staff were at fault, or if your child was hurt due to the negligence of someone else, then you have a case for compensation. Getting compensation is how you can see justice served and, more importantly, gain the finances you need to help care for your child and help them heal in any way you can. To do this, you will first want to contact a professional solicitor in Leeds or your surrounding area.

Tips for Helping Them Heal at Home

When your child is finally released from the hospital, chances are there will be a lot of at-home care you will need to know. On top of the steps that your doctor tells you, also remember only to serve healthy meals, help them get plenty of rest, and most importantly to keep them company. Recovering can be a very boring process for a child, and you can help by keeping them entertained while their body heals.

When your child has been hospitalized, you need to be their rock. They need to rely on you physically and emotionally, so follow this guide to keep everyone calm and get through this experience together.

When it comes to flu season, there are only a few lucky ones that make it away unscathed by germs.  When it’s going around your office or at home, it’s likely you’re going to catch it.  Getting the flu means at least several days of feeling exhausted, grumpy, and probably falling behind on work.

However, if you take the right measures, you can ensure that you have fewer chances of you and your family catching a nasty bug.  Here are some of the best tips to keep everyone as healthy as possible. 

Get Regular Checkups

A lot of people wait until the last minute to see their doctor.  However, waiting until you’re sick to see your physician can often be too late to catch the illness in time.

It’s beneficial to get checkups at least twice a year so that your doctor can take a look at your ears, throat, and any other issues that you may not realize are flaring up yet.  By identifying the problem early on, you’ll be more likely to stop it in its tracks faster.

Wash Your Hands

One of the easiest ways to catch illness quickly is from your hands.  Since your hands are touching things all day which other people have touched, you can quickly spread bacteria.

It’s important for everyone in your household, especially your children to wash your hands several times a day.  If you don’t have warm water and soap handy, consider carrying a hand sanitizer around in your pocket.

After you touch handrails and doorknobs, a few squirts should do the trick on your hands as long as you rub it in carefully. 

Eat Healthy Foods

What a lot of families don’t realize is the connection between good health and good food.   However, when you are eating food which is full of chemicals and preservatives on a regular basis, your body isn’t getting the proper nutrients to fight off infection and illness.

By giving your body the proper fuel, your immune system is more prepared for illness when they come knocking on your door.

Try to feed your family a diet rich in healthy antioxidants, leafy greens, lean meats, and whole grains. Not only will you feel better in the moment, but the benefits will last you long term. 

Plenty Of Sleep

It can be easier said than done to get plenty of rest when you have a busy lifestyle.  Between work, family life, and errands, life can quickly start to pile up.  However, it’s just as important to get a proper rest each night as it is to get your tasks done during the day.

When you lack sleep, your body is much more susceptible to illness and infection. You should be getting at least 8 hours of sleep and your children 2-5 hour more depending on their age.

Nighttime is often a frustrating period for parents trying to get rambunctious children to go to sleep for the night.  Even though adults may be ready to hit the hay after a long day of working hard, children don’t always function the same.

In order to get your child to bed at a regular time for their own well-being and yours, it’s essential to maintain a consistent bedtime routine which functions the same every night.

When establishing your child’s bedtime ritual, make sure that you incorporate the following things.

Brushing Teeth

Teaching your children the importance of oral health is crucial.  Since you’re their teacher to help guide them through life, it’s up to you to make sure that they know how to do things which prevent teeth issues.

Since some kids may resist this part of a bedtime routine, it’s helpful to try to make it fun. Lead by example and brush with them.  You can create a special teeth-brushing song together which you can hum while you brush.  You can also buy a fun toothbrush with their favorite character on it.

Bathtime

Taking baths is helpful for getting them to a calm state of mind.  It’s also important to scrub off any dirt and stains that they accumulated throughout the day.

If you have multiple children, you may find that separate baths are better than everyone getting in at the same time since bathtime can quickly turn into a wild splashing party.  Always make sure you’re present for safety reasons, as well as ensuring they’ve washed everything properly. 

Dressing Themselves

Even though younger children may not be able to dress themselves completely yet, it’s helpful to start teaching them young.

Try to get them enthusiastic about putting everything on themselves and be sure to give them praise.  It’s in your best interest to teach them to get dressed themselves as young as possible since it won’t just make your nighttime routine easier, but also your morning routine. 

Storytime

Stories are great for winding down and enjoying the power of imagination.  Depending on how old the children are you may find it fun to alternate turns reading books.

Even if your kids aren’t reading much yet at their age, you can let them tell you stories based on the photos. 

A Lullaby

Once they’re finally in bed, a lullaby is the final step which is a cue for bedtime.  A lullaby can be any song you want which is soft and comforting.

Not only does it soothe them into a sleep state of mind, but it will create fond childhood memories for them.  Every time they hear the song for the rest of their lives, they’ll be reminded of their bedtime as a child.

If you’re a parent then you know just how hard it can be to get your kids to eat something healthy. With there being so many candies, types of chips, pizzas, and desserts in the world, it is really no wonder why many kids veer away from vegetables and protein. It can be easier than you think to sneak in some extra nutrients into your kids’ snacks.

Many turn to the deli for their kid’s lunches and snacks, however, the protein of cold cuts such can be overshadowed by the processed bread we normally surround it with. By taking away the bread, you can easily create protein-filled and low carb snacks. Simply take a slice of turkey and wrap it around a slice of avocado for a snack with protein as well as healthy fats.

Though popcorn is commonly seen as an unhealthy treat, it is really the toppings we normally use that give it it’s bad reputation. By using an air popper, you can make popcorn with much less butter or oil and can even add healthy toppings such as nutritional yeast (a vegan cheesy ingredient) that adds an extra 9 grams of protein per 2 tablespoons.

Yogurt is a go-to snack for many, but instead of reaching for the brands geared for children – which are known for their high sugar content – reach for a plain protein-packed yogurt that you can then naturally sweeten to your kid’s liking with fruit and a drizzle of honey. If your kids are dessert lovers, you can freeze yogurt for an easy snack that’s a good alternative to ice cream.

Everyone loves pancakes in the morning, commonly eaten with syrup and butter. However, this carb-filled snack can become much healthier by adding in banana and/or whole grains into your batter. You can also switch out unhealthy topping with a smear of nut butter for protein and fresh fruit for sweetness without the added sugar. To make this an on the go snack, you can simply create bite-sized pancakes with a side of peanut butter.

Being a parent is hard work but finding healthy snacks for your kids shouldn’t be. Like many parents, it is sometimes difficult to find the time to create healthy snacks for our children and many of us turn to packaged food instead. There are now companies such as Fitness Muscle Meals that can do the work for us and create healthy, muscle meals for us and our children.

Allergies can be problematic for anyone. They can be particularly heartbreaking, however, when they affect your child. As a parent you want to protect your child from the things that can hurt them. But when those things that are giving them trouble are in their own home, it can be difficult to know what to do. To help you make your child’s life a little easier, here are some common indoor allergens and how to deal with them.

Pets

What is childhood without a pet? People who are allergic to pet dander from cats and dogs, may not be bothered by all breeds. No one is sure why this is since there is no breed that is truly hypo-allergenic. There are, however, certain breeds that seem to pose less of a problem for allergy sufferers. If you want to get a pet but are not sure how your child will respond, spend some time with different breeds to see if they respond better to breeds that have been shown to be less allergenic. Keep an eye out for signs of illness for a full day or so after interacting with the animal. You might also consider pets that do not have fur like fish or lizards.

Roaches

Nobody wants an insect infestation in their home. Roaches can present special problems for people with allergies because of the allergens carried by their saliva and feces. Where you see one roach, there are dozens more that you do not see. The best way to deal with them is to hire an exterminator. Preventative measures go a long way, too. Make sure that food is not left out and that it is kept in air tight containers. Also, make sure to wipe away crumbs and other food debris.

Mold

Mold is a well-known allergen. It lives and grows in damp, humid environments like the bathroom and the basement. Make sure you do not have carpets in places that see a lot of moisture, like the bathroom. Also, clean these areas regularly, especially if you begin to notice mold growth, with water and a 5% bleach solution. you should remove cocoaches also for more clean home.

Dust Mites

Dust mites are microscopic insects that can trigger allergies and asthma. They are found everywhere. Some of the best way to combat them include getting allergy resistant pillow and mattress coverings. Linens should be washed weekly in water that is at least 130 degrees fahreneit. If your child keeps soft toys, you should put them in a plastic bag and stick them in the freezer for approximately five hours a week. This should kill any dust mites. You should also clean carpets with a vacuum cleaner that contains a HEPA filter.

Pollen

You may think of pollen as an outdoor allergen but it can be brought in on clothing and pets. To keep pollen out of your home, keep windows closed during warmer weather and wipe off pets when they come in from outside. Also make sure that you have a good quality air filter in your HVAC system. If you need help with this, call Actron Air.

Allergies may be unpleasant for your child and for you when you have to watch them suffer. Knowing what some of the most common indoor allergy triggers are, however, they can be managed. Managing these indoor threats can make your home more comfortable for your child.