10 First-Year Games for You and Baby

Playtime with your infant is more than just fun and games -- it also teaches your baby valuable life lessons.

By Kristen Finello from American Baby

Where Did It Go?
Take a koosh ball or other soft ball and squish it into a small container with a lid. Close the lid. Ask your baby, "Where did the ball go?" Encourage him to open the container and watch the ball spring out, jack-in-the-box style. The popping ball is sure to get his attention, and the game is an exciting way to learn about object permanence -- the fact that an object still exists even if you can't see it -- explains Susan P. Epstein, a parenting coach in New London, Connecticut.  read more

50 Simple Ways to Make Your Baby Smarter

Infant-development experts believe that the first years of a child's life are a prime time for learning, but sometimes it may be hard to think of new ways to stimulate your baby. Let these fun -- and scientific -- activities will inspire you.

By Heather Moors Johnson from Parents Magazine

Stimulate Baby's Vision

1. Make eye contact. Take advantage of those brief moments when your newborn's eyes are open, and look right into them. Infants recognize faces early on -- and yours is the most important! Each time he stares at you, he's building his memory.

2. Stick out your tongue. Studies show that newborns as young as 2 days old can imitate simple facial movements -- it's a sign of very early problem solving.

3. Let him reflect. Have your baby stare at himself in the mirror. At first, he may think he's just eyeing another cute kid, but he'll love making the "other" baby wave his arms and smile.

4. Make a difference. Hold up two pictures about 8 to 12 inches away from your baby's face. They should be similar but have one small difference (perhaps a tree is in one but not the other). Even a young infant will look back and forth and figure out the distinguishing features, which sets the stage for letter recognition and reading later on.   read more

HEAD LICE REMEDIES

KIDS Eat Right

Your source for scientifically-based health and nutrition information you can trust to help your child grow healthy. As a parent or caretaker you need reliable resources and you can find them here, backed by the expertise of nutrition professionals.

shop smart

To encourage a healthy lifestyle, get your children involved in selecting the food that will appear at the breakfast, lunch or dinner table.

cook healthy

Involve your child in the cutting, mixing and preparation of all meals. Even a snack can be healthy.

eat right

Sit down together as a family to enjoy a wonderful meal and the opportunity to share the day's experiences with one another.  read more

HARD FACTS ABOUT SOFT DRINKS

by Mary Mullen, MS RD and Jo Ellen Shield, MED RD LD at www.eatright.org

In 2009 sales of carbonated beverages totaled $18.7 billion—that is about $5 billion more than total milk sales! One reason why soft drinks are so popular is the price. Kids learn quickly that they can get more "bang for their buck" by buying a super-size soft drink instead of an 8-ounce carton of low-fat milk. And, let's face it, the variety of types and flavors of soft drinks—regular, diet, with or without caffeine, cola, uncola, and energy drinks—is a temptation trap.

Sweetened Soft Drinks

The main ingredient in sweetened soft drinks is water; they are about 90 percent carbonated water. They provide essentially no key nutrients and are sweetened with either sugar or high-fructose corn syrup, which is a combination of fructose and dextrose (a sugar that comes from corn). There's been a great debate as to whether high-fructose corn syrup may be the reason why obesity rates in the United States have skyrocketed, but there is not enough scientific evidence to say that this sweetener changes metabolism, increases body fat, or boosts appetite. Many companies are removing high fructose corn syrup from their products, but the key to reaching a healthy weight is to trim calories—cut back on all types of added sugar.

Soft drink flavors come from artificial and natural flavors. Acids such as citric acid and phosphoric acid give a tart taste and act as preservatives. Coloring might also be added. Many soft drinks also contain caffeine. While caffeine is not necessarily harmful, it is a stimulant that can affect kids' alertness and sleep patterns; make them feel anxious, jittery, or dizzy; or cause headaches. Unfortunately, the amount of caffeine is not listed on labels or in the Nutrition Facts, but most caffeine-free soft drinks say so on the label.

If your child or teen drinks sweetened soft drinks, consider these Think Before You Drink tips: 

• Cut down the quantity over time. Each week, have your kid cut back until he or she reaches the goal of drinking one serving or less a day. And, no, a 64-ounce cup is not a serving! The daily limit should be no more than 8 to 12 ounces, or—better yet—none at all.
• Diet sodas are a better alternative than regular sodas, but water is the best way to quench thirst. 
• Serve water or low-fat or fat-free milk at meals instead of soft drinks.

Make Your Child’s School Lunch Creative and Filled with Nutrients

September 7, 2012 by Olivia Wagoner  (VA.gov)

Make Your Child’s School Lunch Creative and Filled with Nutrients
September 7, 2012 by Olivia Wagoner
What do you typically pack for your kid’s lunch? There are many different ways to add fun foods to your brown paper bag with a variety of nutrients to enjoy during the day. Find recipes and other healthy eating tips at here to give you more ideas for packing lunches.

Here are a few simple steps and ideas in order to pack a tasty and nutritious lunch:
Let your child help you pack his/her lunch. This will introduce them to foods that are healthy and they will enjoy their lunch more the next day knowing that they helped to prepare it.
Go green by eliminating the use of plastic sandwich bags. Find a reusable and fun colored Tupperware container to use that your kids will enjoy.
Packing your child’s lunch will allow for them to have more time to actually eat during lunch time if they don’t have to buy it. Most kids have around 20 minutes to eat lunch, so provide them with easy to eat and easy to open packages to save time.
Fill their lunch box with small foods that are easy for the kids to handle as well as fun to eat. For instance, pack the ingredients for a sandwich and let the child put together his/her own sandwich to add some fun to lunch time.
Finish up by packing something fun: a sticker, small note, small cookie wrapped in plastic with a ribbon, fruit on a stick, dessert cut into a playful shape.
Do not forget the drink to top off the meal. Send water, low-fat milk to add calcium and vitamin D or 100% fruit juice. Avoid sweetened beverages that contain excess sugar such as any soda. According to dietitians, sweet soft drinks provide essentially no key nutrients and are sweetened with either sugar or high-fructose corn syrup. Check this out to help choose appropriate beverages for children.
If you have other questions about healthy eating, cooking, or meal planning contact your local VA’s dietitian.

And finally, some ideas on what to pack for lunch boxes:

Turkey sandwich cut into squares, baby carrots and grapes
Peanut butter and jelly tortilla wraps, peach, homemade snack mix (dried fruits, unsalted nuts and pretzels, baked crackers)
Turkey wrap or sandwich cut up into pieces, small handful goldfish, small handful pretzels, raisins, strawberries
Grilled chicken strips, 5 whole-grain crackers, 3 slices cheese, mixed fruit (grapes and peaches), small salad with tomatoes
Pasta salad with vegetables, apple, salad
Six small sushi bites, strawberries, snack peas
Meat and cheese slices, pasta mixed with pesto, crunchy vegetable sticks, mixed fruit
Olivia Wagoner is a dietetic intern at the Memphis VA Medical Center. She loves to spend her free time trying new recipes, running and enjoying her Saturday mornings at the local downtown Memphis farmer’s market.

Act Like a Baby: Life Lessons from a 1-Year-Old

by Eleni Gage,  (too cute not to post!)

1.) Eat small meals every three hours. Try everything -- breast milk, zucchini fritters, yogurt, octopus balls -- but eat lightly, eagerly and often and you'll develop an incredible metabolism.

2.) If you're enjoying what you're eating, hum, clap or stop briefly and do a little dance. The chef will be delighted and it will enhance your eating pleasure

3.) Stand up and keep going each time you fall, and every day you'll get better at moving forward. (But if you plan to fall down a lot, it helps to have some padding on your butt.)

4.) Smile at babies, dogs, homeless people and anyone looking at you and not at their cell phone. They'll probably smile back.

5.) Say no when you don't want to do something. But half the time, after you say no, change your mind and give it a try.

6.) If someone asks for applause, clap. It's the easiest, cheapest way to make people happy.

7.) Trust your gut. If you like someone, pat their arm. If you don't like someone and they get in your face or try to grab you, yell.

8.) Try something new every day, but bear in mind not everything you see is food.

9.) Be curious. Open every cabinet, crawl underneath furniture, empty full drawers. Just make sure someone has locked up all the sharp objects first. And when you're out in the world, keep your eyes open and you'll probably spot something wonderful -- like a butterfly or a cloud.

10.) When you see someone you love, smile so hard you laugh out loud and occasionally topple over.

11.) Nap.  read the rest!  

KITTY KAT OREO DIED TODAY

My little baby girl, I know you will never remember OREO, but she was your mommie's kitty kat and she loved her very much. Your Aunt KT stayed at your house with your daddy while you and OE and your mommy went to Ohio for a family reunion. You all rode up to the reunion in your other grandma's SUV, with your grandpa and Cyper. Cypher's mommy didn't go.

Today both your mommy and daddy had off. So your mommy and Aunt Sharon took Oreo down to the vet and they had her put to sleep. Your Aunt KT dug the whole in the ground at your house, while your mommy was gone. Your daddy had to take OE to the doctor for a well baby check. He is 24 inches tall and weights 25 lbs. He's a big boy.

Your mommy must be feeling very hurt and in pain from the death of her kitty. She had Oreo for almost 20 years. Oreo was a black kitty and she weighed only 5 lbs. I kept telling your daddy he should talk to your mommy because the kitty always looked real thin and had bumps all over her. She could no longer take care of herself, so her hair was all knotted up. She got her claw stuck in the carpet and couldn't get it out. She just layed there. I guess it was really sad...she's is in Heaven now and is in no pain.

I will try to get a picture of her so I can post it...you now have only Butter left, he is a fat kitty kat...

New Video: How Sunscreen Works at Kids.gov

New video: How Sunscreen Works Everyone needs some sun exposure; it’s our primary source of vitamin D, which helps us absorb calcium for stronger, healthier bones. It doesn’t take long for most people to get the vitamin D they need. Too much exposure to the sun’s rays can cause skin damage, eye damage, and immune system suppression. During the summer, kids can rack up a lot of time outdoors in the sun, so it is especially important to teach kids good sun safety habits. Sunscreen is a good way to protect the skin from harmful ultraviolet rays. The US Food and Drug Administration recommends using a sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15 and with “broad spectrum protection” on the label. Here is a video that explains how sunscreen works.  Sunscreens won’t protect your kids completely. Teach your kids these SunWise Kids Tips for extra protection. Here is a fun game (flash required) kids can play to teach them about sun safety.  For more

Fast Ways to Stop Temper Tantrums

Toddlers are famous for tantrums, so when fits erupt, it's wise to have some tried-and-true tricks to tame toddler tantrums.  Read more

5 Tips for Safe & Healthy Exercise

Play Hard, Play Safe!

Exercising is a wonderful way for kids (and adults) to enhance their health and to improve their physical abilities. But exercise always comes with the risk of injury or harmful stress on the body. Here are a few tips to help your child exercise safely.

For  more information

Car Seat Safety Check: 8 Common Mistakes You Must Avoid

Mistake #1

The scary truth is that four out of five safety seats are used incorrectly, with an average of three mistakes per seat, reports the Washington, D.C.-based National Safe Kids Campaign. And mistakes can be deadly. Consider these chilling statistics: In 2001, nearly 500 children under age 5 were killed in car crashes, and more than 200 of those kids were in car seats designed to save their lives. And as many as 31,700 kids were injured--in car seats. Luckily, there's something you can do to make your child safer: Find out whether you're making any of the mistakes detailed in this article--and fix them today. And make sure to tear out our free car-seat installation guide to keep in your glove compartment for easy reference.

Seat too loose in the car  for more info:

11 SEPTEMBER 2001, MILITARY in DC

I was coming from a physical therapy appt at NNMC Bethesda, on the morning of the 11th of September.  (It was a Tuesday)  Everyone was listening to our car radios and heard about the World Trade Center Towers being hit by planes.  It was obvious that we were under siege, just how much, no one knew.

I was driving my blue Astro Van down the George Washington Parkway, getting ready to merge onto the  Teddy Roosevelt Bridge, when all of a sudden everyone stopped.  There was a plane directly over us, headed in the direction of the Pentagon / National Airport.  We were all trying to get to the top of our cars so we could watch...what was about to become history - my generations Pearl Harbor...From my standpoint, I didn't see the plane actually hit the Pentagon, but I knew it had, the black smoke bellowing up to the heavens, was a telltale sign...wasn't sure at first if it was the Pentagon or National Airport.  But I pretty much knew it was the Pentagon.

We all knew the magnitude of what we had just witnessed....numbness took over my body.  I got in my van and drove like a mad woman to get to BUMED, (took a whole 30 seconds) to give them the details of what I just saw...I drove straight to the CDO's (command duty officer) office to see if I could be of any assistance...knowing the Red Cross would be calling me to deploy me to the scene or to the DC Emergency Operations Center.

OE's Appt and the 4th

Just spoke to your daddy and he said OE weighed in at 16 lbs and 13 oz.  He got a couple of shots and only cried when the needle when in.  He immediately stopped when the shot was over.
He also said that you, your mommy and OE went to the FR for the 4th and enjoyed a carnival.  Then you watched the fireworks and you were really scared of the noise.  OE slept thru the whole thing!

DIAPERS and POTTY TRAINING

My Little Baby Girl, your daddy just told me that you are totally potty trained!  I am so very proud of you.  I can't wait to get up there to see you and hug you till you can't stand it!  And he said that OE is 16 lbs and 10 ounces and is now wearing a size 3 diaper!  Last time I saw him, he was still wearing newborn size.  Time goes way too quickly, when it comes to my little grandbabies.  I love you with all my heart!

Horrible Weather

You guys had a really bad storm pass thru on Friday night and into Saturday morning.  It knocked out your power and you guys ended up going to your other grandma's house to stay, because she had power.  Power didn't come back on until Tuesday night.  Your daddy said a big tree fell down on the dog house and he wasn't sure if it caused damage or not.  But the temp is well over 100 degrees and bad for elderly and babies.
Your daddy cleaned up the yard on Sunday morning, cleared all the tree limbs and debris from the front of the house.  I wanted to come help, but I am 700 miles away.  I was suppose to come up to watch you and OE, but due to bad weather and no power, I didn't.  I wanted to help, but your daddy said no.  So I am coming up the end of July to babysit and celebrate your birthday!  I love you, my little sparkle-berry!  I miss you so much.  I haven't seen you for 2 months, it's killing me...longest time ever...

SWIM LESSONS

I just spoke to your Daddy and he said that yesterday, you had your very first swimming lesson!  And that you did really well and you love the water!  I was on a swim and dive team, your daddy and aunt kt loved swimming (ask your aunt kt about her front tooth episode!) , so it doesn't surprise me that you love the water too!  I guess that OE was watching you and thought it was really cool!  He actually seemed interested in it, considering he is only 4 months old!  I love you Baby Girl!

America's Grand Hotels

Beautiful Hotels...someday, I will take you and OE to them all!

I Can't Believe I'm Doing This

Welcome to the club, new parents. Here's a short list containing just a few of the amazing and ridiculous things you'll get to do over the next five years.

1. Butter a piece of toast while peeing.
2. Brush someone's teeth against their will.
3. Blow on food while it's in someone else's mouth.
4. Help someone else blow on food while it's in someone else's mouth.
5. Eat food that's fallen out of someone else's mouth.
6. Eat food you found on the floor.
7. Eat food you found on the mantle.
8. Eat candy you found in a shoe.
9. Visit a psychiatrist.
10. Wipe somebody's nose with your bare hand.
11. Let somebody barf in your bare hand.
12. Eat baby food.
13. Blame a fart on a child.
14. Blame a child's fart on your spouse.
15. Get someone dressed while you're in the shower.
16. Pass out from blowing up a kiddie pool.
17. Cut up a grape.
18. Almost agree to cut up a raisin.
19. Pretend to enjoy the flavor of a prune.
20. Ask someone why their hair smells like Gogurt.
21. Ask someone why their hair smells like your antiperspirant.
22. Put someone else's toenail clippings in your pocket.
23. Let someone watch you crap while they stare blankly eating a popsicle.
24. Have someone think you're amazing at frisbee.

Benzocaine and Babies: Not a Good Mix

When a baby is teething, many a mom or dad reaches for a pain remedy containing benzocaine to help soothe sore gums.  Benzocaine is a local anesthetic and can be found in such over-the-counter (OTC) products as Anbesol, Hurricaine, Orajel, Baby Orajel, and Orabase.

But the use of benzocaine gels and liquids for mouth and gum pain can lead to a rare but serious—and sometimes fatal—condition called methemoglobinemia, a disorder in which the amount of oxygen carried through the blood stream is greatly reduced.  In the most severe cases, says FDA pharmacist Mary Ghods, R.Ph., methemoglobinemia can result in death.

And children under 2 years old appear to be at particular risk.

For more...

Baby's First Finger Foods

When it's time for your baby to start eating solid foods, the American Academy of Pediatrics suggests slowly introducing fruits, veggies, and meat one at a time to gauge baby's reaction to each new food. Here's our list of safe finger foods to gradually introduce into your child's diet.  (the subjects below are expounded on, in the actual article)

By Brooklyn Presta  (parents.com)

photo courtesy:  Scott Little

Start with: Baby O'sStart with: BananasStart with: Sweet PotatoStart with: AvocadoStart With: Chicken or MeatMove to: Peaches or PearsMove to: TofuThen finally: Whole-Grain BreadThen finally: PastaThen finally: Hard-Boiled EggThen finally: Graham CrackersThen finally: Vegetable Casserole

Must-Know Tips for Starting Solids

It may seem like everyone has an opinion when it comes to starting solids. Read on to find out which tips to follow -- and which you can ignore.

By Sally Kuzemchak, RD

photo courtesy:  alwaysfoodie.com

The complete article discusses the following topics:

Smart Advice: When to Start

Smart Advice: No Cereal in the Bottle

Smart Advice: Intro One Food at a TimeSmart Advice: Try, Try AgainDon't: Always Start with Rice CerealDon't: Offer Veggies Before FruitDon't: Shy Away from MeatDon't: Serve Bland Food

BLOG OF THE WEEK: Pencils, Glue and Tying Shoes

[I was doing research on tying shoes and came across this great little blog! Teach your kids like great professionals!]

Learning to Tie Shoes

Learning to Tie Shoes  (by parents.com)

The challenge: You finally bought your child his first pair of shoes with laces, but he can't tie them.

image courtesy of:  http://krishirschmann.com/the_wordshop_009.htm  

How you can help: Give him one of your sneakers to practice on since it's bigger and easier to manipulate, says Felice Sklamberg, a pediatric occupational therapist at New York University Medical Center, in New York City. And consider stringing two different-colored laces together so your child can easily distinguish between them as you're explaining what to do.

image courtesy of:  http://www.certificatepillar.com/i-tied-my-shoes-printable-certificate/

"Break the process up into small steps," adds Sklamberg. To explain crisscrossing the laces and pulling one through, tell your child that he's building a tepee and you want him to come inside and close it tight so he can hide. To get the hang of making the bows (which is a little harder), tell him to make one ear for listening (the first bow), then wrap the string around the ear and pull it through to see what he can hear.

8 Secrets of Happy Families - Parenting.com

Try these ways to enjoy one another's company more; to have more fun; and to be, well, happier.  - By Charlotte Latvala

Leo Tolstoy had it right when he wrote in Anna Karenina, "Happy families are all alike." Okay, he wasn't thinking about a three-kids-and-a-minivan lifestyle, but his point was timeless: Some families just seem to enjoy one another's company more; to have more fun; to be, well, happier. What do they know that the rest of us don't? We asked parents and other experts to spill their secrets. For a more joyful clan, why not try what works for them? Here are some of their techniques.

Create Traditions

Whether it's making pancakes for dinner on Sunday nights or ending every car trip by saying "Home again, home again, jiggity-jog," unique family rituals strengthen ties like nothing else.

"Traditions give children a sense of identity and belonging," says Richard Eyre, coauthor of The Happy Family: Restoring the 11 Essential Elements That Make Families Work. "They may seem insignificant to adults, but kids hang on to them."

The Eyres have celebrated family birthdays in special ways since their children were small. "Because mine is in autumn, we always rake a big pile of leaves and jump in them," says Eyre. The year three of his nine children, now ages 16 to 30, left home, he opened the mail on his birthday to find three separate envelopes, each with a leaf inside. "It was each child's way of saying 'I'm still part of the family,'" he says.

The Friday-night tradition in the Pritz household, in Glenside, PA, includes two pizzas, a movie in the living room, and everyone -- Mom, Dad, and their four kids, ages 2 to 7½ -- on the floor in pajamas. "It's a simple ritual, but we look forward to it all week. I grew up going to Friday-night drive-in movies with my family," says mom Denise. "I hope my kids remember our movie nights as happily as I remember the drive-in."  for more

Fibromyalgia Info

Confused. Forgetful. Can't concentrate. Mixing up your words. Experiencing short-term memory loss. Many of the 10 million people in the United States with fibromyalgia complain of these cognitive difficulties, commonly referred to as "fibro fog" or "brain fog."

"I don't have a percentage to give you," says Elizabeth Lyster, MD, of the Holtorf Medical Group in Foster City, Calif., "but fibro fog is a very common complaint among patients with fibromyalgia."

The cause of fibro fog isn't fully understood. Many believe that it may have to do with fibromyalgia patients' inability to sleep well. "Therefore they're chronically fatigued," says Corey Walker, MD, a rheumatologist at the Intermountain Health Care System in Logan, Utah. "Their minds aren't rested." Also, he says, fibromyalgia pain can be debilitating — it's hard to concentrate when you're in a lot of pain.

Another theory is that when people have fibromyalgia pain, parts of their brain do not receive enough oxygen, causing confusion or disorientation.

What You Can Do for Fibromyalgia Fog

There are some steps you can take to help alleviate your fibromyalgia symptoms, including feeling as though you're in a fog:

• Avoid caffeine. "Most people think they'll feel more alert or more awake with caffeine," Dr. Lyster says. "However, caffeine can make things worse for people with fibromyalgia." Even a small amount of caffeine can contribute to sleep disturbances. Also, caffeine is a stimulant, but you can crash when it wears off.
• Use a planner. Keep track of appointments and events in a calendar, either on paper or on your computer. Some computer programs allow you to set alarms to remind you when you need to make a phone call or attend a meeting. Set a kitchen timer to remind you to take the meatloaf out of the oven or pick your daughter up from hockey practice.
• Get in a rut. Establishing routines for simple tasks can help you deal with brain fog. For example, if every time you return home, you put your car keys on a hook by the door before you do anything else, you're less likely to lose them and you won't be frustrated trying to remember where they are the next time you have to go somewhere.
• Organize your space. It's hard to concentrate when you're surrounded by too much junk — that makes it too easy to get distracted. Throw out things that you no longer need, and store those you do use in their proper place. Removing clutter is a good way to control brain fog.
• Don't multi-task. It's very tempting to talk on the phone while making dinner or answer e-mails in between paying bills online. But it is harder to concentrate when you're trying to do too much at once. Be upfront with your friends and family who may be asking for help when you're busy doing something else: Tell them you need to do only one thing at a time and will help them as soon as you're done.
• De-stress. Stress may cause fibro fog to worsen in some people, Lyster says. Susan Ingebretson of Los Angeles finds stress relievers such as yoga or meditation help her overcome fibro fog. "I'm constantly applying stress-relieving modalities to my life, which helps me balance the fibro fog as well as many other fibromyalgia symptoms," she says.
• Breathe deeply. Ingebretson, 51, finds that if she takes deep breaths and relaxes it helps her considerably. "'Fibrofolk' are known to be shallow breathers," she says. "We also hold our breath when under stress." She has found that breathing deeply and consistently "does wonders for the brain."
• Get better sleep. "One of the most important fibromyalgia treatments is getting quality sleep," Lyster says. To improve sleep, go to bed and wake up the same time every day, even on weekends. Use your bed for sleeping, not reading, watching TV, or working on your laptop. Keep your bedroom dark, quiet, and cool so you're comfortable when you sleep. Some herbal supplements also have shown to be effective in inducing quality sleep, Lyster says.
• Get regular exercise. "Low-impact exercise is helpful," Dr. Walker says. Exercise not only improves blood flow, but also helps improve sleep, which can help alleviate some of the cognitive difficulties associated with fibromyalgia pain.
• Eat healthy. "I found that nutritional support (meaning actually eating real food) made a huge difference for me," Ingebretson says. "So did drinking more water." A healthy diet is one that is rich in fruits and vegetables and whole grains and includes lean meats and low-fat dairy. "Stay away from processed foods and sugars and fast foods," Walker adds.
• Check on your meds. Your treatment for fibromyalgia pain may include medications. Talk to your doctor if you believe your meds are making you confused — a possible side effect. Also, you may want to discuss medications that can help with attention and concentration.

Cognitive difficulties are a common fibromyalgia symptom. But if you take care of yourself — eat healthy, exercise, relax, and try not to overdo — you can better cope with the mental issues associated with this chronic condition.

Last Updated: 03/09/2012

Fever Fears: A Guide for Treating Fever in Children

You can't take chances when your child has a fever, but you shouldn't panic either. We'll explain what to look for so you can stay calm -- and help her feel better fast.

We've all been there: You're awakened in the middle of the night by the pained cries of your young child, and you notice that her forehead is hot to the touch. You take her temperature, and the reading -- 102°F -- sends your heart racing. Your first instinct is to speed-dial the doctor. But in most cases here's what experts say you should do instead: Take a deep breath and relax.

Of course, that's easier said than done. Many parents have "fever phobia" -- a tendency to freak out when their child's body temperature spikes. And understandably, you're even more likely to push the panic button this winter because of worries about H1N1 influenza. As many as 30 percent of pediatric acute-care visits are related to fever, according to a study published earlier this year in Pediatrics in Review. "A lot of parents think a fever is really dangerous," says Robert W. Steele, M.D., a pediatrician at St. John's Children's Hospital, in Springfield, Missouri. "But the vast majority of the time it's nothing serious."

In a way, a fever is a good thing: It means your child's immune system is doing its job by fighting an underlying cold or another infection. The brain commands the body's temperature to rise, which in turn directs the white blood cells to attack and destroy invading viruses and bacteria. Amazingly, healthy kids of all ages usually can tolerate a fever of up to 106°F with no complications. Chances are your child's temperature will never approach that scary number, but be prepared: It's almost inevitable that sometime during his first three years his temperature will climb into the triple digits.

PRECIOUS LITTLE BABY GIRL

9 MARCH 2012

9 MARCH 2012