Head lice

We have all heard the horror stories of dealing with head lice. Some parents think ‘Oh my child won’t end up with it’ but then it pops up in their class and your child is at a greater risk of catching it.

What is lice?

The head lice is a tiny, wingless parasitic insect that lives among human hairs and feeds on tiny amounts of blood drawn from the scalp. It’s very common problem, especially for kids. They're contagious, annoying, and sometimes tough to get rid of (Gupta). The important thing to remember is that even though dealing with lice is time-consuming, they don’t spread disease.

Signs of head lice

Lice eggs (called nits). These look like tiny yellow, tan, or brown dots before they hatch. Lice lay nits on hair shafts close to the scalp, where the temperature is perfect for keeping warm until they hatch. Nits look sort of like dandruff, only they can't be removed by brushing or shaking them off. Unless the infestation is heavy, it's more common to see nits in a child's hair than it is to see live lice crawling on the scalp. Lice eggs hatch within 1 to 2 weeks after they're laid. After hatching, the remaining shell looks white or clear and stays firmly attached to the hair shaft. This is when it's easiest to spot them, as the hair is growing longer and the egg shell is moving away from the scalp.

Adult lice and nymphs (baby lice). The adult louse is no bigger than a sesame seed and is grayish-white or tan. Nymphs are smaller and become adult lice about 1 to 2 weeks after they hatch. If head lice is not treated, this process repeats itself about every 3 weeks. Most lice feed on blood several times a day, and they can survive up to 2 days off the scalp.

Scratching. With lice bites come itching and scratching. This is due to a reaction to the saliva of lice. However, the itching may not always start right away — that depends on how sensitive a child's skin is to the lice. It can sometimes take weeks for kids with lice to start scratching. They may complain, though, of things moving around on or tickling their heads.

Small red bumps or sores from scratching. For some kids, the irritation is mild; for others, a more bothersome rash may develop. Excessive scratching can lead to a bacterial infection (this can cause swollen lymph glands and red, tender skin that might have crusting and oozing). If your doctor thinks this is the case, he or she may treat the infection with an oral antibiotic.

You may be able to see the lice or nits by parting your child's hair into small sections and checking for lice and nits with a fine-tooth comb on the scalp, behind the ears, and around the nape of the neck (it's rare for them to be found on eyelashes or eyebrows). A magnifying glass and bright light may help. But it can be tough to find a nymph or adult louse — often, there aren't many of them and they move fast (Gupta).

Treatment

There are a couple of ways to help treat lice. There is medicated shampoo, cream rinse, or lotion to help kill them. By using the medicated treatments, it will usually kill the lice. Itching may stop a few days after using the treatment.

References

Gupta, R. C. (2015, June). Head Lice. Retrieved March 07, 2017, from
http://kidshealth.org/en/parents/head-lice.html

When to keep your cool about fevers

Waking up in the middle the night and figuring out that your child has a fever can be a scary situation. Especially when you’re a first-time parent it can make the situation stressful. No matter how careful you are your child will eventually get a fever.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, it is important for parents to know what to do when this happens. First, some tips on measuring your child’s temperature:

  o   A variety of thermometers are available, from standard oral thermometers to the newer temporal artery scanners. You can use any of these devices, but a digital thermometer is generally all you need.

  o   It is most accurate to use a rectal thermometer for infants and young children. If you feel uneasy doing this, use whichever device makes you most comfortable. In older children, an oral temperature is most accurate, if the child can tolerate it.

      

    A fever can be defined as a temperature over 100.4 F. But just because they may feel warm to you and come to that degree shouldn’t call for concern right away. If the fever lasts less than five days and your child is eating, drinking, and playing like normal then there shouldn’t be any worry. A temperature of up to 102.5 F for children 3 months to 3 years or if they’re older up to 103 F, as troublesome as they may seem they are common and shouldn’t cause for alarm right away. Also, if you have had an infant immunized it’s common for them to get a low-grade fever if it lasts less than 48 hours.

Per the Cleveland Clinic: When should you be worried about a fever? Call a doctor when:

   o   An infant younger than 3 months of age develops a fever. Fevers may be your infant’s only response to a serious illness.

   o   Your child’s fever lasts more than five days. We may need to investigate further for underlying causes.

   o   Your child’s fever is higher than 104 F.

   o   Your child’s fever does not come down with fever reducers.

   o   Your child is not acting himself or herself, is difficult to arouse or is not taking in enough liquids. Babies who are not wetting at least four diapers per day and older children who are not urinating every eight to 12 hours may become dangerously dehydrated.

   o   Your child was recently immunized and has a temperature above 102º F or a fever for more than 48 hours.

   o   You are concerned. If you are uncomfortable with your child’s temperature or illness, call your doctor or nurse practitioner to discuss it.

If your child has frequent fevers and your pediatrician can’t find a diagnosis you may be referred to a specialist to help find the cause.

Lim, T. (2016, January 26). Kids' Fevers: When to Worry, When to Relax. Retrieved February 27, 2017, from https://health.clevelandclinic.org/2015/05/kids-fevers-when-to-worry-when-to-relax/

Bullying

Bullying is not always thought of to be a problem during early childhood. The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) states that bullying in early childhood is defined as “a series of acts intended to hurt another child, committed by a child to gain or to assert greater power over another child.” This definition is important because it highlights the difference between rough and tumble play and bullying. Also according to NAEYC, “20.4% of children ages 2-5 had experienced physical bullying in their lifetime and 14.6% had been teased (verbally bullied).”

Part of being a kid is playing with other kids. One very important skill that children need to have is the ability to get along with others. Children need to learn how to cooperate, share, and understand others feelings. Parents have a crucial part in teaching a child these skills. Parents and other adults should model positive ways for children to make friends. Show your child how to play nicely with others and include all children. Help your child understand what behaviors are friendly. Talk about bullying with your child. Explain what bullying is and the different kinds of bullying. It is also important to talk about what the consequences are for bullying and what to do if someone is bullying your child. Use terms that your child will understand, for example, “Other children might not want to play with you if you don’t share with them.” Also teach your child to say that they are sorry and that an action should accompany the apology (helping rebuild a tower they knocked down).

                   If you think your child is being bullied, here is a list of signs and symptoms to look for:

·      appears afraid to go to school and complains of headaches or stomach pains

·      has bad dreams or cries in his sleep

·      loses interest in school work

·      appears sad or depressed, or shows unexpected mood shifts, irritability, and sudden outbursts of temper

·      seems socially isolated

If you think your child is the bully, here is a list of signs and symptoms to look for:

·      strong need to dominate others

·      intimidates siblings or kids nearby

·      is hot-tempered, easily angered, implusive and has low frustration tolerance

·      cheating

·      antisocial or criminal behavior

Check out http://preventingbullying.promoteprevent.org/ , https://www.stopbullying.gov/index.html, and http://www.greatschools.org/gk/articles/what-parents-can-do-about-childhood-bullying/ for more information.

GreatSchools Staff. (n.d.). What parents can do about childhood bullying. Retrieved February, 2017, from http://www.greatschools.org/gk/articles/what-parents-can-do-about-childhood-bullying/

Preventingbullying.promoteprevent.org. (n.d.). Retrieved February, 2017, from http://preventingbullying.promoteprevent.org/

Home. (2012, February 17). Retrieved February, 2017, from https://www.stopbullying.gov/index.html

Childhood Obesity

Childhood obesity is quickly becoming one of the most problematic and concerning aspects in today’s society.  In America, children have access to some of the greasiest, unhealthy foods that quickly effect their fragile body frames.  According to the CDC, “the percentage of children with obesity in the United States has more than tripled since the 1970’s, and about one in five school children are obese” (2017).  Think about that for a moment.  Scary yet?

            Imagining the future of this country in fifteen or twenty years literally looks quite different.  Obesity is more than just being overweight.  According to A Healthier Generation, being “obese” means having a body mass index that is in the 95^th percentile or higher.  Whereas being overweight means something different, since they define being “overweight” as having a weight that is above what’s considered “normal and healthy” (2017).   The concern with being overweight is that it can easily lead into obesity.  Since the 1970's, the demographic of obese children in the U.S. has changed dramatically.  This chart outlines the nation's child obesity trends in 2011: 

            There are many pitfalls of a child with obesity.  Since the problem is starting in kids at younger and younger ages, it makes the road to disease and sickness that much easier with increased susceptibility as a child grows older.  A Healthier Generation also states that Diabetes, Asthma, and Heart Failure are all the major focuses of increased risk that correlated with childhood obesity (2017).  According to the Bariatric and Metabolic Institute, childhood obesity also can increase the risk for: 

• Higher blood pressure and cholesterol
•  Impaired glucose tolerance
•  Breathing and joint problems
•  Liver disease
• Gallstones
•  Gastro-esophageal reflux
•  Heartburn
•  Psychological problems

That list is quite overwhelming and should instill a desire to raise awareness across the country to prevent the kids of the next generation from their own body (2017).   The level to which a child with obesity may acquire any one of these health risks is much higher than a healthy adult.  Kids that are obese have a hard path ahead of them if they want to grow into a lifestyle without obesity, or even being overweight.  Surgery or weight management programs are highly recommended for children who are dealing with this.

            Socially, obesity plays a huge factor in how children are treated by their peers. These kids are at an increased risk for social isolation, and can easily become a target for bullying.  School-age children can be nasty with their words, not realizing the effect they can have on someone who may already be insecure about their body image.  According to A Healthier Generation, “children with obesity miss more days of school compared to children with normal weights” (2017).  This means that overweight/obese children are les inclined to value their education and friendships made at school than they are facing other kids who may tease them.  They may feel unprepared to handle a day at school where all they feel is shamed, judged, and unaccepted.  Their personality is overlooked based on their external appearance.  It is imperative that teachers try to interceded in the negative treatment towards obese kids, even if it may be hard to catch.  Most of the comments made to these children will impair their self-esteem and stay with them as they grow older, gaining a spot in their identity as a person.  Focusing on eliminating this kind of treatment should become a top priority in schools so children can be given the motivation to make a change in their life towards health.

            Physical education programs should be a daily occurrence in a school-kids experience in order to promote exercise and activity.  This way, a child can learn things to do on their own to stay active outside of school. Proper nutrition programs should also be in place in order to promote healthy eating; staying away from junk foods and nutrient deficiencies is important, although hard to balance especially with budgets that make it hard for school systems to prepare adequate meals.

 Altogether, solutions such as these are imperative while a child is developing and interacting with their peers in order to promote a healthier lifestyle as an adult and decrease the rate of childhood obesity.  Too many kids are sliding down a slippery slope with their health with such easy access to unhealthy options for food in today’s society.  Fast food, packaged meals, greasy substitutes, and insufficient healthy options are putting the children of the future generation at major risk for negative psychosocial effects and major health concerns that are mainly an issue for older adults. The nation needs to work together and keep raising awareness to change the future for the children that will one day be the leaders and innovators of our country.

References

Childhood obesity facts. (2017). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved from: https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/obesity/facts.htm

Get informed. (2016). Alliance For a Healthier Generation. Retrieved from: https://www.healthiergeneration.org/about_childhood_obesity/get_informed/?gclid=CJiFz__IrtICFRe2wAodYtAIFg

Health risks of childhood obesity.  (2017). UC San Diego Health. Retrieved from: https://health.ucsd.edu/specialties/surgery/bariatric/weight-loss-surgery/adolescent-weight-loss/Pages/health-risks.aspx 

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