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I couldn’t decide whether or not I wanted to vaccinate my 2 year old against the seasonal flu or H1N1. I’d heard rumblings in the media and blogosphere that the H1N1 vaccine was unsafe…people were suffering side effects…it’s too new. I started thinking about all the people that put their child on a delayed vaccination schedule to avoid them getting too much medicine pumped into their system at once and wondered if they were doing the right thing. I wondered if the flu vaccine was really necessary. It made me consider not having my son receive either flu vaccine.
Then I started hearing how H1N1 is hitting children particularly hard and that many of the people dying from this strain of flu have pre-existing medical conditions. My son has a heart defect among other things, so I was scared not to vaccinate him, but I was also scared to vaccinate him. I consulted with coworkers, the Internet, and a friend that works at the CDC and oddly enough Facebook helped me decide.
A Facebook friend asked if anybody was getting their children vaccinated. All of the responders said no, but one naysayer also made a good point. The flu vaccine is new every year. Every year doctors have to anticipate which strain of flu will hit and create the vaccine around that. The only reason H1N1 wasn’t included in the seasonal flu vaccine this year was because it presented too late. A work colleague pointed out that until someone could provide a story of a child suffering from horrific side effects from the vaccine that would compare to that of a child going from having the sniffles to being on life support; she was going to lean toward vaccination.
In the end, because of a well-timed e-mail from our pediatrician’s office saying they were giving out the H1N1 vaccine at their next flu clinic, we decided giving the vaccine was less dangerous for our child than not. He and my husband waited in line for one and a half hours at the end of a five-hour flu shot clinic. (They got there at the very beginning and the line was already very long. People were parking a mile away.) Two injections in the leg and a Band-Aid later, we’re keeping our fingers crossed that we made the right choice.
--Green Mom
I was floored by this article about a woman from Page, Arizona who has to move 300 miles from home in her last month of pregnancy in order to deliver at a hospital where they’ll allow her to deliver her baby vaginally. Her husband, who will have to stay home to care for their three young sons, won’t be able to be there, and she won’t be able to have her familiar comfort and support systems nearby. The reason? Her local hospital, where she delivered all three of her other children, will no longer allow VBACs (Vaginal Birth After Caesarean section). But the story gets even crazier. This woman, who had to have an emergency c-section with the birth of her second child, has already delivered successfully via VBAC at the very same hospital that now refuses to allow her to avoid surgery. I was even more flabbergasted to read that nearly half of all hospitals refuse to do VBACs because of their “higher than usual risk for complications” even though the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecologists says that risk is less than 1%. It seems that liability insurance is getting in the way not only of good medical practice (not to mention a good practice that actually drives DOWN the cost of care), but also the most basic, longstanding human event in history. I didn’t have a c-section with the birth of my daughter, but I wouldn’t hesitate to if my doctor recommended I needed it. And I’m not the home birthing type, though I applaud my friends who are. And, hey, when push comes to shove, who really wants to have any type of medical care at a place or with a person who doesn’t want to do it. But still and all, this just seems so wrong.
--News Mom
I will confess, I am a bit of a germaphobe. I use a lot of hand sanitizer and wipes, we wash our hands a lot in our house, shoes do not go past the front hallway. My husband is worse than I am, but won’t admit it. And, as parents of children in group care, we all know that we are starting the season of lots of runny noses, coughs, and colds…not to mention the flu, so I’m on heightened germ alert. Great news, last week at school they focused on germs.
At circle time, they read Bear Feels Sick, Who’s Sick Today, and Germs Make Me Sick.
For Science Lab, they did 2 experiments. The first activity was to put Vaseline on their hands and then try to remove it. First, they tried rinsing it off in cold water. Then they tried warm water. When they realized that didn’t work, they tried soap, warm water, and rubbing their hands together. They all discovered that with a little soap and singing the ABCs while they rubbed their hands together, they were able to remove the Vaseline. Then, they did a “Pepper Run” experiment. They put water into bowls and sprinkled in some pepper; the pepper flakes were the germs. When they touched the water with a piece of soap they saw the germs run away. Conclusion: germs don’t like soap.
Of course, they did an art project about germs, too (that’s why I’m not a teacher – I would never be able to come up with an art project about germs!). Each child traced their hand and cut it out then drew a face on a paper plate. Then put them together with a tissue to demonstrate how you sneeze into a tissue.
And, everyone got stickers – the teacher used the Bright Horizons Staying Healthy stickers – it was hysterical when my daughter came up to me and said, “A-choos to use a tissue.”
--Commuter Mom
Thank you to everyone that left comments regarding ear tubes. My son’s surgery was a success, and aside from a long wait for anesthesia, a relatively smooth day. He was a bit crabby when coming out of anesthesia but after being treated to 2 huge cups of apple juice, which he’d never had before; he was back to his old self. Here’s to a winter free of ear infections and doctor visits.
--Green Mom
Myself, I’ve never been terribly afraid of the flu. What I am more afraid of is trying to tough it out only to later realize that I’ve infected others along the way. So I have to say, I think all the attention around H1N1 is great education for me and people like me. I want to be more cautious now than ever before, especially with my daughter in a child care setting. That said, I also don’t want to keep her home for every little sniffle and cough. We’d be home until next spring if I did that. This CNN story was helpful to me in telling the difference between the common cold and the flu. It’s not rocket science, but it is helpful to hear in plain English.
--News Mom
After what seems like 100 ear infections and 3 different antibiotics in 2 years, we’ve just scheduled a date for my son to get tubes in his ears. He’s had a host of tests done for other medical issues, but never a surgery. Can anyone offer any insight?
Thanks,
Green Mom
 If you are a SIGG bottle user like I am, you may be interested to know that bottles manufactured before August 2008 contain trace amounts of BPA in the epoxy liner that is used. SIGG claims tests showed that no BPA is leaked into the beverage, but I will be replacing my bottle anyway.
What brand of reusable bottle would you suggest?
---GreenMom
It could be worse. Whatever “it” is, chances are it could almost always be worse. I really tried to keep that in mind last week when I was home for 12 days straight – yes 12 days – with 3 sick kids and my own full-fledged flu. When I’m sick, I like to give in to it. I want to dig out my flannel pajamas and curl up under a pile of blankets with a gallon of chicken soup. Clearly, that wasn’t an option. I was too busy managing the spreadsheet of fevers, medication times, and doses; trying to keep track of which sippy cup went with which child; and keeping them all hosed down with a constant spray of Purell (sorry Green Mom). Chitty Chitty Bang Bang was the only movie they could agree on; we watched it approximately 17 times. I did feel at times like I was throwing a pity party for myself…though it was clear I was the only guest. I guess nobody wanted to come for fear of catching what I had. So now we’re well, save for some residual coughing, leftover sneezing and lots of exhaustion. I wish I could say I emerged with some great lesson to share, but really all I know now that I didn’t know before are the lyrics to the entire Chitty Chitty Bang Bang soundtrack.
-- Modern Mom
California Baby Calendula Cream cleared up a nasty diaper rash faster than anything we’ve tried before. It is all natural, isn’t too thick and has a nice smell (from essential oils, not added fragrance).
California Baby Cold and Flu Aromatherapy Bubble Bath does wonders for helping sooth a stuffy nose. The scent is described as Douglas fir and eucalyptus, but it’s not offensive and beats the medicinal smell of Vicks VapoRub. It comes with a bubble blower too so bath time during cold and flu season can be a little more enjoyable.
I guess the hygienist was right. I couldn’t have asked for a better appointment; my daughter was great! She kept her mouth open while the dentist counted, cleaned and flossed her teeth. The only issue we had was that she wouldn’t open her mouth for the dentist to remove the straw that suctions out the water – "Mr. Thirsty". Apparently, my daughter is a fan of Mr. Thirsty.
Is it wrong that I rewarded her (and myself) with a trip to the ice cream stand?!?!
-- Commuter Mom
Tomorrow is the big day, my daughter’s first dentist appointment. The hygienist recommended that we not make a big deal about it, so I haven’t really “talked it up” much; although, I did mention it when Elmo was on TV talking about his teeth, and I did tell her that she was going to the dentist this week and would get to choose a present from the dentist’s “prize closet” if she was a good girl. Here goes nothing.
The other weekend, I was doing some yard work that consisted of emptying planters from last year and redistributing the soil. As I was working, my 22 month old was watching me and exploring our back yard. After a while, he walked up to me, with a fistful, faceful and mouthful of dirt and a look that said “help!” Apparently the potting soil was irresistible to him and he took a bite. With a “kids will be kids” attitude and a good laugh, I took him inside and washed him up.
Turns out he was only trying to improve his immune system. I have to admit that from time to time, I do forget to wash my son’s hands before he eats…especially if we are out. Since he still eats with his hands, I’ve always thought this bad habit of mine was especially gross. Now that I’ve read this, I won’t feel as badly about it…but I’ll still keep my all natural hand sanitizer with me.
We all know about the many, many “jobs” of a parent – on some days we revel in our role of being our child’s most important teacher, on other days we wonder how we became chef, laundress, maid, and chauffer. But lately I’ve been reminding myself that somewhere at the top of the list belongs the role of “chief advocate.” You see, two years ago I began noticing that my then 2-year-old seemed a bit off-balance (physically, not emotionally). I mentioned it to her pediatrician, who was entirely nonplussed and said she was probably just a bit clumsy. I had her assessed twice by Early Intervention, who said she didn’t qualify. And so we carried on. But as her peers learned to walk and run and jump, my daughter’s balance issues became more distressing. Fast forward two years, during which I raised the issue with anyone who would listen, years during which her hearing loss was diagnosed though I was assured it had nothing to do with her lack of balance, and lo and behold we made it to the office of a highly respected neurologist who “affirmed all of my observations.” I had to put that in quotes because the fact that he used those words was so incredibly gratifying after all this time. Anyway, we are getting ready for an MRI of her brain and spine. I’m incredibly nervous for what we might find, but so thankful that she is getting the attention she so clearly needs and deserves.
Six months ago, we implored my daughter to eat ice cream. Having just outgrown a milk allergy, she would not, and still will not, drink milk. She has also always measured around 5% on the weight charts. So we were advised to encourage her to eat any and all dairy in an effort to ensure she got the calcium and calories she needed. Everything from cheese to yogurt to smoothies was a challenge. But finally she caught on and is now a big ice cream fan. Given the contribution it makes to her dietary needs, I’ve never hesitated to offer her an ice cream on a special occasion or just to cap off a great day. But yesterday, a completely routine weekday, my husband took our daughter to the park around the corner to watch the kids playing little league. They encountered the ice cream truck, which is a permanent fixture at those baseball fields from June through September. Friends whose house borders the park told us that for years they convinced their son that it was just a “music truck” for fear he would beg for a treat every night. My daughter caught on a little faster (or maybe more likely, my husband wanted to treat her) and they came home with an ice cream concoction that was about three times the size of what I would ever serve her. She did dutifully eat some supper before she got her treat, and I was ultimately successful at convincing her to save some for the next night before she over gorged herself. But now that my daughter has discovered the joys of eating, I don’t want her to expect a treat every time we go to the park. And while I loved being able to offer the reward of an ice cream without guilt, I now think I have to come up with some non-food rewards. We’re using stickers for potty use, any other ideas out there?
My son has had a rash on his stomach, back and legs for a while now. It started out as the perfect outline of a diaper, but has continued to spread. I’ve been trying everything to get it to go away…changing from Pampers to those without dye or chlorine, changing then eliminating creams. You name it.
Finally I took him to the doctor. She said it’s eczema, most likely caused by the elastic on his diapers because his skin is super sensitive. She gave me a skin care regimen that consists of Dove Liquid Soap, Eucerin cream and Cortaid. My heart sunk and my stomach turned when I heard this. I tried to reason with her that we only use all natural skin care products and all natural laundry detergent. How could using soap and cream with chemicals be better for his skin? She explained that the products we’re using might be too stripped down and even though they are natural, doesn’t mean it’s good for his skin (ex. poison ivy is in nature but it’s not good for skin). I’m heartbroken…I actually cried about it. Knowing about the harmful chemicals in skin care products, I told my husband I felt like I was handing our son a pack of cigarettes and saying “go to it.” (Dramatic I know, but hey, I’m 9 months pregnant!)
On the one hand, I want to continue using the products that I trust. On the other hand, why bother to have a doctor if I’m not going to listen to what she says. After all, if she had prescribed a medicated cream, I would not have thought twice about using it. I just keep telling myself that this too is like a medication for him and that once the rash clears up, I can slowly introduce the all natural products again. Reluctantly I went out last night and bought all the new recommended products…but I’m not happy about it at all.
My daughter would snack all day if we let her. I have no idea how she makes it through the day at child care, because on the weekends she says she is hungry every 10 minutes. By the time a legitimate meal time rolls around she is really only hungry for snack-size portions. It isn’t always junk food, but it goes on all day. I usually say no, but maybe she really is hungry; and to be quite honest, I get tired of saying no.
I’m trying to get her to eat more at mealtime in the hopes that it will help us to cut down on the request for snacks. This has proven to be more of a challenge than I thought it would/should be. My husband and I have resorted to every trick we can think of:
• The contest - “You better eat that before I get it!”
• The negotiation - “Eat three more bites of your chicken and then you can have any fruit you want.”
• The race - “I bet I can finish my bite of food before you can.”
• The location change – “Let’s have a picnic in the living room.”
But, what has worked best, so far? Straws and toothpicks. We can get her to drink 2 full glasses of juice, milk, or water as long as she has a straw (she gets to choose which color). And, give the girl a “toothstick” (toothpick) and she’ll eat 2 entire fish sticks plus her carrots and strawberries without much encouragement at all. Apparently, toothpicks were first used in Brazil. But I would like to thank Charles Forster, who in the 1870s began manufacturing toothpicks in the US and revolutionized dinner time at my house.
A few weekends ago, when it was 60 degrees here on the east coast and winter seemed like a thing of the past, I bought my son a bike helmet. I went back and forth about the decision and wondered if I was beginning my journey down the road of becoming “that mom.” My neighborhood has what my husband and I refer to as bike gangs. Large groups of boys that ride their bikes everywhere — from the baseball field and playground at one end of the neighborhood to the corner store at the other. They all appear to be between the ages of 8 and 11 or so, and none of them wear helmets.
The reason I hemmed and hawed is because my son is only 19 months old. I know they wear helmets at the center, but those tricycles are further off the ground. At home, he has two small “bikes” that are less than a foot off the ground — but he’s very clumsy. Most of the time, I wish I could put a helmet on him indoors when he’s walking and tripping over everything from his own two feet to the dog. We’ve already had our fair share of bumps on the head and even one black eye. Since I have visions of us enjoying our back yard and driveway all summer while I’m out on maternity leave, I decided to get the helmet, hope he leaves it on, and hope it starts him on a lifetime of wearing one while biking, skateboarding etc.
Then, this story about Natasha Richardson comes out and for me, it validates my decision. Like many adults taking beginner ski lessons, she wasn’t wearing a helmet. Her accident was a freak one and I feel for her friends and family. She was on the bunny slope WITH an instructor! I don’t know if wearing a helmet would have helped her, but I think with my son, I’m not going to take that risk. I’ll walk the fine line between overprotective and cautious and encourage my little Lance Armstrong to sport his newest accessory while riding his trike.
Dairy-free, egg-free, soy free:
Note: some of these products may contain soybean oil and/or soy lecithin, which can be tolerated by many, but not all, soy-allergy sufferers. Also, always check the ingredients to ensure they meet your own dietary needs/allergy restrictions, keeping in mind that product formulations can often change without notice.
My 6-year-old son needs glasses. A couple of weeks ago I got an urgent call from the school nurse that my son had failed the school vision test. It came as a surprise, since he had never said anything to us about his eyesight, but then again given that his eyesight is all he’s ever known, he probably had no idea anything was amiss. Every day since we received the call, my son has been asking when he could get the glasses. He’s been wearing plastic sunglasses around the house, which he claims help him see better, and he’s been boasting to his younger sister that he gets to wear glasses and she doesn’t. (Of course she could boast right back that she gets to wear hearing aids and he doesn’t, but so far she’s kept quiet on that one.) So last night we went to choose the glasses and this evening we will pick them up, which means tomorrow he wears them to school. You would think he was getting a new puppy or a fancy bike, given how excited he is. I, on the other hand, am terrified. I am so scared that the kids in his class, on the bus, or at his after-school program are going to make fun of him. I remember how cruel kids can be, and the thought of anyone laughing at him or calling him “four eyes” makes my stomach turn. I don’t want to take the wind out of his sails. I want him to think the glasses are cool and be thrilled that the world is suddenly in focus. I hope I’m underestimating his peers. I just wish I could go to school with him tomorrow and hold his hand all day long...if nothing else, that would give the kids something legitimate to make fun of.
Going green can take a lot out of you. Once you start, it’s hard to stop. It’s easy to cut down or eliminate paper towel use or use BPA free baby bottles, but where do you draw the line? I’ve actually been kept awake at night thinking about the number of disposable diapers I throw out, the fact that my child does not have an organic mattress, or how much money I will have to spend before I find a dishwasher or laundry soap that works as well as the non-green versions. Just when I think I have things figured out, a new day brings new information.
Many children’s vitamins and prenatal vitamins contain lead. Out of the 324 vitamins that were tested, only four did not contain lead.
Since I am pregnant and currently taking prenatal vitamins, I immediately contacted a chemistry teacher friend and asked her to explain this chart. Basically, on their own, the vitamins don’t contain large enough quantities of lead to be harmful; you would have to consume massive amounts each day to ingest harmful lead levels. However, it’s the continued exposure that worries me. If there is lead in our water (from the pipes), in food (from the soil), in vitamins, in toys, in who knows what else, it is all adding up. Each individual piece may not contain harmful levels, but grouped together and consumed day after day, the levels add up.
Something else to keep in mind; many foods containing high fructose corn syrup also contain mercury. Despite recent advertising claiming it’s not that bad because it’s made from corn, I’m sure many of us try and avoid high fructose corn syrup. This may be an extra good reason to do so. Here is a great, more detailed blog entry about this.
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