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Toys are not only fun for children to play with, but they can support their development and teach them essential skills. However, when buying toys for your kids, you want to keep safety in mind. Some toys are hazardous and can cause injuries so it’s important to always read the warning labels of the products. Labels provide information on what ages are suitable for the toy and how to properly use it. Young children and infants should not be given small size toys that they can put into their mouth as these can cause choking. On the other hand, the toy shouldn’t be too large or heavy for the child to pick up that they cause an injury. 

For infants and toddlers, it’s best to find toys that are made with soft materials and don’t have sharp edges. Babies might accidentally hurt themselves when they put the toy near their eyes, mouth, or ears. Toys with rounded and dull edges are safer to use. Stuffed toys are great options but if they have any loose strings or ribbons, these should be removed to avoid strangulation. It’s also important to stay away from stuffed toys that have small bean-like pellets or stuffing. Like with any other toy, stuffed toys should be washable. Kids tend to share their toys with other children and the surfaces can easily become infected when anyone is sick. To prevent the spread of illness, toys should be wiped and cleaned regularly and anytime your child is ill. 

A crucial thing to keep in mind about soft and stuffed toys is that these should never be placed into your baby’s crib. Soft objects and loose bedding increase the risk of suffocation and SIDS. 

If you’re buying any kind of plastic toy, make sure it’s sturdy and can’t easily be broken into sharp pieces. It’s also good to pay close attention to the materials being used and refrain from buying toys that have toxic materials that can cause poisoning. The label should indicate “non-toxic.” To ensure that electric toys are safe, the label should mention that the toy is “UL Approved.”

While magnetic toys can be educational for children, they can cause internal injuries if the magnets are loose or the toys have high-powered magnet sets and there’s accidental swallowing. You can sign up for alerts on the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) page to get info on which of these toys have been recalled. 

In addition to the materials that are used, it’s also important to pay attention to the loudness of toys that have noise. If any of them appear to be too loud, there’s a risk that the toy can affect your child’s hearing. The volume of a toy should always be at a safe level for the ears. 

Whenever your child is playing with a new toy for the first time, it’s best to supervise them to ensure that they know how to play safely. If you see them misusing the toy, correct them early or remove the toy from their reach if you believe it’s unsafe.

Lastly, toys are common gifts during the holiday season and of course, birthdays. Always check the toy that anyone buys for your child to verify it’s safe for them. For any questions or concerns about your child’s safety, talk to our pediatrician. 

The cold and flu season is here and cases of other respiratory illnesses like the common cold, RSV, and COVID-19 tend to increase around this time of year. Holiday gatherings, travel, weather changes, and spending more time indoors make the risk of contracting an infection even higher. That is why it’s essential to practice good hygiene and sanitary habits to reduce the spread of germs.

Encourage everyone in your family to regularly wash their hands with soap and water for 20 seconds. 20 seconds might seem like a short time, but it is longer than most people realize! To ensure that younger children are washing their hands well, supervise them and guide them on how to be thorough. You can even play 20 seconds of music so that they get a feel of how long the time is. Teach them to clean every surface of their hands with soap and in between their fingers. They should also learn how to rinse their hands completely. 

While many stores sell antibacterial soaps, we recommend sticking to ordinary soap. Antibacterial soap is not more effective and can in fact kill off good bacteria and cause resistant bacteria to grow. When handwashing is not an option, using a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol is a good alternative to getting rid of germs. Never allow younger children to use hand sanitizers alone. Accidental swallowing can cause poisoning and some children might inadvertently squirt the sanitizer into their eyes or mouth. You can also use hand wipes as another option. Any guest visiting should also wash their hands before interacting with your children. Children are more vulnerable to becoming sick as their immune system is still developing. 

One of the most common ways that respiratory viruses spread is through airborne transmission. A good habit for your family to adopt is to always cover the nose and mouth while sneezing or coughing to decrease secretions going into the air. Advise your children to sneeze or cough into their sleeve/elbow or tissue instead of using their hands, since they can spread germs when touching objects or other people. Tissues should be thrown away immediately after use. 

Making an effort to prioritize housecleaning is also important for killing germs and preventing illness. Items brought inside the household that are infected can spread the virus onto anything they touch. And viruses can survive on objects and surfaces for several hours to even a few days. You’ll want to make sure to regularly disinfect surfaces with warm water and cleaning sprays or wipes. If any member in the household is sick, it’s important that the bathroom is disinfected after they use it to prevent them from spreading illness. Keep cleaning solutions away from young children as their chemicals can be hazardous. Store the products in places that your children cannot access and always follow the warning labels on them. 

Aside from objects and surfaces, be aware that some food can be contaminated with bacteria and germs. Raw vegetables and fruits should be washed thoroughly before consuming. Meat should be fully cooked as well. Never buy packaged food that isn’t sealed properly. 

All of these cleaning and hygiene habits are good to practice all year round and are important for everyday health. But during sick season, it’s especially prudent to be extra mindful of germ prevention!

Diabetes is a chronic medical condition that causes problems with the body’s ability to convert food into fuel for the body. It is diagnosed by a blood test that checks the glucose levels, as well as by checking ketones in the urine. There are two types of diabetes: Type 1 and Type 2. Type 1 is when the body does not produce enough insulin to move the sugar in the bloodstream into the cells to use for energy. As a result, sugar builds up in the bloodstream. Type 2 is when the pancreas makes less insulin than it used to and the body becomes resistant to the hormone. Therefore, the cells do not use glucose which then builds up in the blood. When diabetes is left unmanaged, the high glucose levels in the blood can damage the heart, blood vessels, kidneys, eyes, and nervous system over many years.

Most children with diabetes have Type 1, which can be caused by an autoimmune reaction where the immune system attacks its beta cells, leading to the inability to produce insulin. Type 2 diabetes is less common among children, though in recent years, the rate has gone up with the increase in childhood obesity. Obesity and unhealthy diets are risk factors and Type 2 diabetes can be prevented by following good health habits. 

Symptoms of diabetes include increased hunger and thirst, fatigue, irritability, blurry vision, darkened areas of the skin, increased urination, numbness or tingling in the hands and feet, dry skin, and weight loss. If you notice any of these symptoms in your child, it’s important that you call our office to talk to our pediatrician. Your child may need to take a glucose test to see if they have the condition. If they are diagnosed, there are several treatments to control the disease so that your child can continue to lead a normal life. 

To help keep the blood sugar in the normal range, it’s important to monitor the glucose levels on a regular schedule. Insulin as a shot or oral medicine may be prescribed to your child to control their blood sugar. Children should take these as instructed. Taking too much insulin can cause hypoglycemia (which is when the blood sugar is too low) and not taking enough can cause the blood sugar to remain high.   

Children should also follow a well-balanced and healthy diet and doing so can lower the risk of diabetes. If your child has diabetes, you can talk to our pediatrician about creating a meal plan to help manage their condition. Generally, though, kids should eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables each day, high-fiber food, whole grains, lean protein, and healthy fats like nuts and avocados. Foods with saturated fat, added sugar, and refined carbohydrates should be kept to a minimum. It’s also essential to avoid sugary beverages like juice and soda. Instead, kids should drink plain water or milk. We recommend paying close attention to nutrition food labels to check serving sizes and what the products contain, as well as their daily percentage values. For more information about how to follow nutrition food labels, check out this resource here. 

In addition to following a healthy diet, children should regularly exercise and get at least one hour of moderate to vigorous physical activity each day. Exercising lowers blood sugar and helps manage weight. To encourage your child to get adequate exercise, engage them in physical activities that they find fun, such as sports, swimming, bike riding, or dance.  

If you have any questions or concerns about managing your child’s diabetes, call our office. We are here to provide treatment information and resources for your family.