An Ounce of Prevention

Newsletter for August 2003                          Issue 96

* We are proud to announce that Daniel W.H. Newell is now officially a Chartered Psychologist! *

What’s Inside this Month?

Traveling?  Well, check these items out!

• Games for the Road
• 10 Tips when Vacationing with Kids

Features:

• Immunity Myths & Facts
• Web Sites for you and your family
• Some Wisdom from Mister Rogers
• Getting through the Day, strategies for adults but as children by Nancy J. Napier.

ROAD GAMES

Do you need some great games for those long car trips? Try these on for size!
 
Looking out the window on long car rides can be interesting, but it's more fun if you add in a little friendly competition.

1. This activity tests skills in observation and hones your child's knowledge of the alphabet. Here's how to play:

Ø     Everyone looks out of the car windows and tries to find an object (or word) that starts with each letter of the alphabet from A to Z. First person to find an object starting with A wins a point.

Ø     Then, start looking for something that starts with the letter B, such as a bus or blue car. The first person who finds a B word wins a point.

Ø     Set a time limit -- say, three minutes. If no one finds anything beginning with the designated letter, move on to the next.

Ø     When you finish Z, the person with the most points wins the game.

2.  Tongue twisters are also a fun way to pass the time. The trick is to start out saying them slowly and build up speed as you get to know them better.  Try these:

Ø      Rubber baby buggy bumpers.

Ø      Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. How many pickled peppers did Peter Piper pick?

Ø      She sells seashells by the seashore. And the shells that she sells are seashells, I'm sure.

Ø      Sister Susie sits silently sewing thick socks for six Scottish soldiers.

3. This discussion game might stimulate some interesting dialogue between you and your kids.

Ø      Decide who goes first, second and so on.

Ø      The first person asks a question, and the others take turns answering it.

Ø      Then the next person asks a question, and the others take turns answering

Ø      Here are a few questions to get you started:

Ø      If you could be famous in something, what would it be?

Ø      A wizard gives you a choice: You can read people's minds, be invisible, fly like a bird or control the weather. Which one would you pick?

Ø      If you could travel back in time, when and where would you go?

Ø      What do you want to be when you grow up?

J Next time the kids start arguing and complaining in the car, instead of getting annoyed, get creative. Channel all that energy into a great game for the whole family! J

Immunity Myths & Facts

Myth: If your child has a cold or the flu, keep him away from others

Fact: By the time your child shows symptoms, it’s too late.  “The vast majority of illnesses are contagious before you even notice symptoms,” says Charles Shubin M.D.

Myth: You should always reduce a fever.

Fact: Not necessarily.  Fever is an immune response that helps the body defend itself.  A fever higher than 103 deg. F in a child over 6 months should always be treated (as should one higher than 103 deg. F in infants 0 to 2 months and higher than 101 deg. F in 3 to 6 months old).  “But treating low grade fevers may actually prolong the illness, since many infectious organisms don’t thrive at higher body temperatures,” says Dr. Shubin.  That’s why your doctor may advise a wait-and-see approach.

Myth: Big doses of vitamin C boost immunity.

Fact: The body doesn’t store vitamin C and can use only so much in one shot.  Consequently giving your child megasupplements of vitamin C won’t do her any good.

Myth: Echinacea wards off colds and flus

Fact: Although Echinacea tends to be safe, there’s no scientific evidence that it helps prevent colds and flu in children, says Kathi Kemper, M.D. Nor is there any way of knowing how much you should give a child.  “I take it myself, but I don’t give it to my two year old,” she says.

Myth: It pays to buy antibacterial soap.

Fact:  Antibacterial soaps aren’t necessary and may even cause bacterial resistance, according to a recent study.  “Plain soap and water is best,”  says Rosemarie Young, M.D., director of pediatric allergy and immunology at Nassau County Medical Center, in East Meadow, New York.

****PARENTS BEWARE - always ensure that you check the privacy policies on any web sites where you or your children may be asked for personal information, especially when this information may be sold or used without your permission.

VACATIONING WITH KIDS

Follow these 10 tips and vacations with your children will run more smoothly than ever before:

1. Involve your kids when planning your trip. Get their ideas about things to do and see. Children who are involved in the planning feel ownership over the trip; they'll have more appreciation and fun. Let them pick an activity each day you're on vacation.
2. Occupy their time! Nothing is worse on a car trip than a bored kid. Keep your children busy with items such as personal stereos for audiotapes, CDs or books on tape, car games, coloring books and crayons. Bring your child's favorite books and toys (as long as they're practical while traveling), as well as that stuffed animal he just can't do without!
3. For long road trips, plan frequent stops. For little ones, diapers need to be changed every couple of hours to avoid rashes and irritation due to their inability to move around. A good run around the playground for 20 minutes can keep your child happy.
4. Let the children follow the trip on the map. This way, they can see the progress you're making and will be less likely to continually ask you, 'Are we there yet?' Also, it's really fun to see the places on the map materialize into reality -- watch road signs and play a game guessing how many miles until the next town.
5. Explain your expectations for behavior before you leave. Be sure to include instructions about what to do if the family becomes separated in a public place. Always have a plan -- you'll avoid unnecessary mishaps at rest stops and airports. Choose a place where you'll meet after a period of separation, or give her an area where she can play and stress that she needs to keep within those boundaries.
6. Continually encourage your children throughout the trip. Use phrases such as, 'I know it has been a long day in the car; you're being very patient. Thank you.' Talk about how easy and fun it is when everyone behaves well.
7. Occasionally offer an incentive or treat for good behavior. It can make a long trip much shorter. Stopping for ice cream or playing in a park are good choices.
8. Take plenty of nutritious snacks. Having healthy snacks on hand, as well as a selection of healthful beverages, will make a world of difference (especially if you're traveling in warm weather). Fruit, crackers, cut veggies and sandwiches will keep away both the pounds and the crankiness.
9. Play travel games together or start a trip project. Some ideas include taking a family photo at each stop or asking an older child to create a trip journal or notebook. Play 'I Spy' or the 'Alphabet Game.'
10. Remember that the main goal isn't to get someplace. The goal is to have fun while spending quality time together with your children or grandchildren. Savoring the time you have together is the most important part of any vacation!

This article was taken from Dr. Sal Severe's book, How To Behave So Your Children Will, Too! Dr. Severe is a school psychologist, speaker and president of the Arizona Association of School Psychologists. For more information about Severe's book call (800) 866-5208. For a free one-year subscription to Dr. Severe's newsletter, write Greentree Publishing, P.O. Box 27672, Tempe, AZ, 85285-7672 or visit his Web site where you can also get information about his weekly parenting chats.

Wisdom from Mister Rogers

From Fred Rogers’s new book, The Mister Rogers’ Parenting Book, here are some ways to cope with the loss of a loved one.

1. If your child’s pet gold fish or gerbil dies, bury it in the yard so you can explain that when bodies are dead, they are often put in the ground.  If you’ve prepared your child for death before an important person in his life dies, he may be better able to cope when that time comes.
2. Share memories or your experiences and feelings when you were a child and a loved pet or person dies.  That lets your child know that her emotions are normal.
3. Consider bringing your child to a funeral.  Even young children can benefit from participating in these functions, as long as you prepare them for what to expect and answer their questions.  Feeling excluded is much harder for kids than feeling sad.  If your child really doesn’t want to got to the actual service, you might arrange for a special “family only” time with you at the funeral home or cemetery.
4. Encourage your child to make a photo album or a storybook to remember the person or pet who dies.  It’s a good way to keep the relationship alive in her heart.
5. Explain that sadness doesn’t last forever.  It’s comforting for kids to hear you say, “The very same people who are sometimes sad are glad sometimes too”.  This also gives them permission to laugh and have fun if that’s what they feel at that moment.  Even while grieving, enjoying life isn’t a betrayal of the loved one’s memory.

EMDR

Panic Attacks

Childhood Traumas

Physical/Sexual Assaults

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Alcoholism & Chemical Dependency

The Impact of Childhood Traumas on Adult life & Relationships

Eating Disorders

Anxiety Disorders/Phobias