Friday, November 21, 2014

Halloween Safety for Toddlers



For Dr. Walkers Daughter Zara we choose a collapsable lightsaber to prevent injuries and a light-weight flannel robe that doesn't flow to much so as to prevent tripping!  And of course Baby Jedi's are always cool!!

Costume safety is the primary concern for a safe and happy Halloween for toddlers.  Follow these basic tips when making or selecting your childs’ costume to keep them safe.

* To keep toddler’s on their feet, avoid costumes with long tails or costumes that  that don’t fit well.       
* Keep your toddler visible by using reflective tape or having them wear a glittery costume.

* Beware of Pointy Props such as crowns, swords or other fake weapons.  You can sew stuffed ones or make foam ones instead.

* Choose Costumes that practice fire safety and keep fire away from them as many of the store bought costumes can be flammable and hot jack-o-latterns can be hazardous.

* Choose non toxic paint over a wearing a mask since masks can make breathing hard and difficult to see out.

* Be aware of props that can frighten or cause physical harm since a toddler will be curious of witches or lighted coffins.

* After an evening of trick-or-treating, check all candy for tampering; consider swapping the candy for healthier alternatives.

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

One year Check up Expectations

At a Child’s one-year check up, here is a list of what you can expect the doctor to check.  Prior to the check up, it is a good idea to look at your child and be able to answer the doctor’s questions fully and completely.

One year check up:

1.         Height and Weight
2.         Length and Head Circumference
3.         Heart and Lungs: Listening for abnormal heart rhythms and breathing issues
4.         Eyes:  Congenital eye conditions and blocked tear ducts
5.         Ears:  Signs of infection and make sure the eardrum is moving
6.         Mouth:  Signs of infection, new teeth and number of teeth
7.         Body: Check for reflexes and muscle tone, paleness of skin (iron-deficiency anemia)
8.         Belly:  enlarged organs and possible hernia issues
9.         Genitals:  signs of infection or rash normal genital development
10.      Joints:  Hips, Legs and shoulders, checking for normal range of motion and movement  
11.      Nap and sleep:  children need about 14 hours of sleep split between nighttime sleep and nap time
12.      Walking and Crawling:  Where your child is at in development stages of cruising, walking or crawling
13.      Talking:  What words are your child saying or babbling?
14.      Social Skills:  How is your child acting?


Zara’s check up put her on target for her developmental skills.  Healthy  babies make mom and dad happy

Thursday, October 9, 2014

Building your Child’s Immunity when attending Day Care


When  your children start attending day care, they often get sick more frequently as they tend to share cold’s and bugs by touching other infected kids and common areas then putting their fingers into their mouthes. How do you lessen the stress on your child’s immune system and protect your household from getting sick?  Here are my top tips for protecting your child’s immune system and what we use in our family:

Vitamin D3 drops 1,000iu for kid’s during cold and flu season  (purchase pharmaceutical grade from our clinic)
Rose Hips when you know someone in day care is sick
Probiotics (make sure to get the refrigerated species that is age specific)
Exercise even when the weather is cold –but make sure to bundle them up at the playground.  Fresh air and exercise are natural immune boosters.
Immune boosters are necessary if your child is known for having a weakened immune system.  (This will require a doctor consultation to prescribe the correct botanical for your child)

Zara has started doing a small in-home day care with one of our other practitioners daughter’s so she gets socialization as well as making sure she works well with other people’s homes.  We make sure she is on D3 and takes an Infant formula probiotic to help her have a normal healthy immune system.

Monday, September 29, 2014

International Packing List


Clothes
Underwear
Shirts
T-shirts
Shorts
Socks
Trousers (Pants, Jeans )
Sweater
Hat
Spare set of clothes
Bra
Skirt
Sarong
Tights
Stockings
Walking shoes
Sandals
Training shoes
Belt
Swimming trunks/Bikini
Pajamas
Slippers
Scarf
Beach pants
Jewelry

Money and documents
Passport
Visas
Insurance certificate ( Health Insurance card )
Cash
Credit/ATM cards ( Visa, Eurocard/Mastercard, American Express etc )
Driver's license
ID card
Photocopies of passport and other important documents  
Tourist organization certificate
Envelopes
Business cards
Stamps
Wallet
Paper folder
Airline tickets
Small scale map 
Phrase book
Novels
Guidebook

Things for packing
Small extra backpack ( Knap sack, Day pack )
Plastic bags ( Ziploc )
Stuff Sack
Suitcase
Luggage belt
Luggage tags
Padlock
Sleeping mask
Inflatable neck supporter

Multi-tool ( Folding knife )
Bottle
Pens
Playing cards
Earplugs
Matches  
Sunglasses
Keys
Safety pins
Paper clips
Sewing Kit
Zip ties

Hygiene
Toilet bag
Razor
Extra blades for Razor
Shaving gel
Mirror
Toothbrush
Toothpaste
Toothpicks
Shampoo
Styling gel
Deodorant
Sunblock lotion
Contact lenses
Container for contact lenses
Lens cleaning liquid
Lip balm
Make-up / Make-up remover
Sanitary napkins
Tampons
Comb
Hair brush
Barrettes, headbands, hair ties
Laundry bag
Dental floss
Fingernail clippers
Moisturizer
Hand sanitizer
Qtips
Tweezers

General health items
Prescription medicine
Condoms
Insect repellent
Band-Aids  
First aid kit
Water purifying filter
Chewing gum
Copy of prescriptions
Water purifying tablets
Motion sickness tablets
Melatonin
Birth control pills
Fever tablets
Pain killers
Allergy pills ( Anti-histamines )
Malaria tablets

Clothes for babies
Onesies
Socks
Shorts/Skirts/Dresses
T-shirts
Long underwear/Tights
Trousers
Warm sweater
Snow suit
Jacket
Cap
Gloves
Woolen cap
Scarf
Pajamas
Sandals
Shoes

Foodstuff for children
Baby food
Cool bag
Peeler
Crackers
Ice pack
Feeding bottle
Spoon
Bowl with a lid
Spill-proof cup
Bib
Pacifiers
Baby blanket
Stroller
Child seat
Toys
Books
Diaper bag
Diapers
Cream for sore bottoms
Baby wipes
Sunblock lotion
Thermometer
Gauze Bandage
Antibacterial cream

General electrical items
Smartphone
Charger to Smartphone/Cell Phone
Multi Power Outlet
Computer
Wall socket adapter
Watch
Flashlight
Extra batteries for your camera, flash, torch, watch, MP3-player and GPS
ipad
Camera
Memory cards
Extra lenses
Flash
Battery charger for camera
Associated cables

Camera bag

Tuesday, August 12, 2014

Milk Options and evaluation...once a Baby is over 12 months old.


Nutrition Facts
Cow
Sheep
Goat
Protein
8 g 
15 g
9 g
Carbs
11 g
13 g
11 g
Fat
8 g
17 g
10 g
Vit D
98 IU
not determined
30 IU
Vit C
0 mg
10.3 mg
3.2 mg
Vit A
249 IU
360 IU
483 IU
Vit K
0.5 mcg
not determined
0.7 mcg
Vit E
0.15 mg
not determined
0.2 mg
Vit B6
0.100 mcg
0.100 mcg
0.112 mcg
Vit B12
1.10 mcg
1.70 mcg
0.2 mcg
Folate
12 mcg
17.2 mcg
2.4 mcg
Calcium
276 mg
473 mg
327 mg
Selenium
9 mcg
4.2 mcg
3.4 mcg
Magnesium
24 mg
44.1 mg
34.2 mg

COW
PROS – Cow milk is higher in vitamin B12 and folate.  It comes in several types - whole, 2 percent, 1 percent or skim - that nutrition is accessible no matter which option is chosen. 
CONS - Due to larger fat globules, cow’s milk is harder to digest. It takes your body about 2 hours to digest cow’s milk compared to goat’s milk 30 minutes. The 3rd most common allergy for children is cow’s milk.  Furthermore, lactose intolerance affects a substantial number of Americans, causing abdominal pain, gas, bloating or diarrhea.
GOAT

PROS –
Goat’s milk is closest in structure to human milk. The fat globules are smaller which aids in digestion. In a recent study of infants allergic to cow’s milk, 93% of them were able to drink goat’s milk with absolutely no allergic reaction! The ease of digestibility is due to the high amount of medium-chain fatty acids, which has 35% fatty acids compared to cow’s milk at 17%. Goat’s milk also contains less lactose (milk sugars) than cow’s milk which helps those who suffer from lactose intolerance. Goat’s milk is slightly alkaline, unlike cow’s milk which is slightly acidic.
CONS – Some people dislike the taste of goat’s milk - a combination of sweet and salty -which can be offensive.  Furthermore, goat’s milk is more expensive than cow’s milk.

SHEEP
PROS – While there is some debate on the actual amounts of fat soluble vitamins in sheep’s milk, they still produce the CREAMIEST milk, and are famous for the deliciously succulent cheese their milk makes. They are efficient producers, only needing 100% cheap grass (no alfalfa or grain) to produce rich milk. They, like goats, have naturally homogenized milk, which means smaller fat globules and more medium-chain fatty acids. This aids in digestion just like goat’s milk.
CONS – Sheep are instinctively natural prey, which means they have difficulty “relaxing” while being milked. Trying to milk a sheep is difficult because if you scare the sheep, even slightly, their bodies will produce adrenaline which counteracts the “letting down hormone” oxytocin and the subsequent production of milk.


With Zara we have done a combination of Goat mostly some Sheep and Almond.  We have minimized soy so that it can be consumed as a food item in the form of tofu or edamane.  She sees to tolerate this very well and very little constipation or Gas to report currently.