Easy Steps for Nontoxic Baby Skincare | Healthy Child Healthy World

By Margie Kelly, Communications Manager

Babies. Everyone wants to touch and hold them because they are so sweet, delicate, and delicious. It doesn’t take an ocean of lotions and soaps to keep baby skin clean and soft; in fact, less is more when it comes to your baby’s skincare routine.

Follow these easy steps to protect your baby’s skin.

1. Avoid harsh chemicals
Adult products may contain harsh chemicals and fragrances that could hurt a baby’s delicate skin, including parabens, phthalates, dyes, triclosan, and certain preservatives that may contain cancer-causing formaldehyde. It’s worth investing in products designed especially for baby’s skin. (See a full list of chemicals to avoid below.)

2. Limit sun time for babies
Baby skin is super sensitive to sun; it’s best to keep babies under six months old covered, rather than apply sunscreen to their skin. If you have to take your baby into the sun, remember to use a hat and stay in the shade to prevent burning. For older babies, use just a small amount of sunscreen for a short time and then wash it off. Two good resources to help you choose a baby sunscreen are the Good Guide and EWG’s Sunscreen Guide.

3. Go fragrance free
Fragrances found in baby lotions, shampoos, creams, and powders are made from harsh chemicals that aren’t good for baby’s skin. Phthalates, chemicals used to stabilize fragrance and increase absorption, are absorbed through the skin and enter the bloodstream. A 2008 study found babies whose mothers had just applied baby lotion, shampoos, or powders had more phthalates in their urine than babies who did not have those products applied.

4. Say no to talc powder
Talc is a known carcinogen that has been linked to cancer of the lung and ovaries. Talc particles are similar to asbestos fibers, and just as dangerous. Cross powder off your list of products to use on baby.

5. Clean laundry with gentle detergents
Remember, not only is your baby’s skin sensitive to the clothes she wears, but to the clothes you are wearing as you hold her! Switch to a gentle laundry detergent that won’t leave nasty residues behind. We’ve got tips for greening your laundry , and remember – not all “free & gentle” detergents are best for baby. Sign this petition asking Tide to get the cancer-causing chemical out of Tide Free & Gentle detergent.)

When shopping for baby skincare products, check the ingredients list on the label. Avoid using any product containing one or more of the chemicals listed below. Opt instead for an organic option or a product specially designed for baby skin that doesn’t contain harsh chemicals.

Chemicals to Avoid in Skincare Products

1. Parabens & phthalates
2. DMDM Hydantoin
3. Fragrance
4. Triclosan
5. Sodium Laureth/Lauryl Sulfate
6. Formaldehyde/quaternium-15
7. FD&C Color Pigments
8. PEG (Polyethylene Glycol) & Propylene Glycol
9. Talc
10. DEA (Diethanolamine), MEA (Monoethanolamine), TEA (Triethanolamine)

Or, if you would rather make your own baby skincare products, whether it’s wipes or diaper cream, check out these easy DIY recipes for nontoxic baby care products.

How do you take care of your baby’s skin?

Photo from Ivan Makarov via photopin cc

Read more: http://www.healthychild.org/blog/comments/easy_steps_for_nontoxic_baby_skincare/#ixzz2DLgZHqXN

Easy Steps for Nontoxic Baby Skincare | Healthy Child Healthy World.

Current children and toddler programmes at The National Gallery Cayman

Are you looking for things to do with the kids, during the day or afterschool activities?

Take a look at this fantastic options offered at the National Gallery

Current children and toddler programmes include those listed below with web links:

Cartooning for Kids – 7 and up (Mondays month of October only)

https://www.nationalgallery.org.ky/kids-courses-and-workshops/cartooningforkidsoctober

Walkers Art Club Primary – 7- 9 – Thursdays

https://www.nationalgallery.org.ky/kids-courses-and-workshops/walkersartclub

Walkers Art Club Secondary – 10 – 12 – Thursdays

https://www.nationalgallery.org.ky/kids-courses-and-workshops/walkersartclubsecondary

Walkers Toddler and Mums – Fridays

https://www.nationalgallery.org.ky/kids-courses-and-workshops/walkersartclubfortoddlersandmum

Family Fun – Saturdays

https://www.nationalgallery.org.ky/kids-courses-and-workshops/satmorningfamilyfun

Cineclub for Kids-  Tuesdays

https://www.nationalgallery.org.ky/kids-courses-and-workshops/cineclubkids

 

Background TV: Children Exposed to Four Hours a Day | TIME.com

Watching too much TV is linked to harmful effects in children, but the latest research says even background TV can affect development

By Alice Park | @aliceparkny | October 2, 2012 | +

Cavan Images / Getty Images

Even if we aren’t actively watching TV, most of us leave the set on in the background. But that may have detrimental effects on children in the home, according to a new study published in the journal Pediatrics.

Matthew Lapierre, an assistant professor of communications studies at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, and his colleagues conducted the first study to quantify how much background TV young children are exposed to on an average day. While many previous studies have focused on the effects of direct TV viewing on children’s behavior and development, Lapierre’s was the first to investigate what might be considered “secondhand” TV exposure, defined as any exposure to television that the child is not actually watching.

To the authors’ surprise, in the survey of 1,454 parents with at least one child between the ages of 8 months and 8 years, the scientists found that children were subjected to nearly four hours of background TV a day. “We were all startled by the scale of the exposure in these homes,” says Lapierre, who conducted the research while at the University of Pennsylvania. “We went into the study expecting the rates to be high, but not at the scale we found.”

(MORE: Disney’s Diet: No More Junk Food Ads on Kids Channels)

The households were recruited by a phone survey group, which enrolled typical American families that represented a broad range of demographic variables, from ethnicity to income and education. Parents answered questionnaires about the activities of one of their children in a 24-hour period, and were asked about whether a television was on during any of these activities. On average, background exposure amounted to 232.3 minutes a day, with exposure being greatest for younger children: infants and toddlers under 24 months logged about 5.5 hours of background TV a day, compared with 2.75 hours a day for the oldest children, aged 6 to 8.

Parental influences played the greatest role in determining how much background TV children experienced. Other factors that increased indirect TV exposure included living in a single-parent family, where children were exposed to more than 5 hours a day, compared with 3.5 hours in multiparent homes; lower household income, with children in the poorest families experiencing 6 hours of background TV a day, compared with 3.5 hours among those whose family income reached above the poverty level; and lower parental education, with children of parents with high school diplomas or less being exposed to more than 5 hours a day, compared with less than 2.5 hours a day for those whose parents had more formal education.

(MORE: Watching TV: Even Worse for Kids than You Think)

The data were alarming given that children under age 6 already watch about 80 minutes of television a day directly; these findings suggest that indirect TV exposure is greater than direct watching, and could have equally, or potentially more serious effects on children’s development. Studies have linked excessive TV viewing with obesity in children, while violent and sexually inappropriate programming has been correlated with behavioral and cognitive problems in young viewers. (In contrast, educational programming has been associated with learning and cognitive benefits.)

Lapierre says that his study also hints at difficulties with executive function and self-regulation among kids who are exposed to more background TV, but those findings are still preliminary and will be explored in more detail in additional studies. While his study did not explore the consequences of indirect TV exposure, previous trials suggest that it can affect children’s concentration and behavior in relationships. In one such study, conducted at the University of Massachusetts, scientists observed parents and their toddlers as one group interacted in the presence of a television and the other group interacted without a TV. In the television group, despite the fact that the parents and children were not watching the programming, their interactions were less frequent and the children’s play episodes were shorter.

Parents might not think that young toddlers are processing television content when it’s on in the background, but they may be more distracted by the screen than parents realize. And much of that exposure is not to children-friendly programming, but likely adult content targeted for parents. “The thing we find most concerning is that if a child has a television on in the background, then he is hearing things that are supposed to elicit his attention like loud noises, sound effects and beeps, so even if they aren’t watching directly, they aren’t able to engage in play behaviors or interactions with their full attention and have more meaningful experiences,” says Lapierre.

(MORE: Top 10 Topical Sesame Street Characters)

What also concerns Lapierre and other child development experts is that despite all the focus on how much television children watch purposefully, they are actually indirectly exposed to far more television than anyone imagined. Further, it’s not surprising that the youngest children are exposed to the most secondhand TV, the authors note, since parents and caregivers likely leave the set on, either as stimulation for themselves or as background noise to combat the loneliness of not being able to converse with another adult. Such indirect exposure is also highest in families with lower educational levels and lower incomes, as the television is more likely to become a substitute for meaningful interactions in these situations.

How can parents help their children reduce their secondhand TV exposure? Removing TVs from children’s bedrooms is an important first step, since it’s easier to turn on sets if they are there. Second, while it seems obvious, simply making sure to turn off the TV if nobody is watching can also steer children’s attention and energy toward other activities, whether it’s a conversation or play. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children under 2 not watch any television at all, in order to protect their cognitive and behavioral development; the current findings suggest that policy may need to include all exposure to TV, whether it involves direct viewing or not.

MORE: Watching TV Steers Children Toward Eating Junk

Read more: http://healthland.time.com/2012/10/02/background-tv-children-exposed-to-four-hours-a-day/#ixzz289wtihGP

Background TV: Children Exposed to Four Hours a Day | Healthland | TIME.com.

5 Secrets No One Tells a New Mother | First Time Around

Posted By Erin Loechner On September 4th, 2012

Now that my daughter is six weeks old, I’m feeling worlds more comfortable and secure in my role as a new parent. I’m certainly not out of the woods yet, but I look back at the past month and a half and am amazed at how difficult the transition was for my husband and me. Sure, we knew our lives would change. But there are five secrets no one shared with us that, thankfully, we learned on the job:

1. So! Many! Tears!
I’m chalking this one up to the fact that I’ve had very little newborn experience, but the crying!? Wow, the crying. For some reason, I assumed babies cried when they wanted something specific. And when you gave them that specific thing? They stopped. I mean, isn’t that how it works in the movies?

Lies. All lies. Our little one is what I like to call an escalator. If she needs something, she cries. And then she cries because she’s crying. And then she cries more because she’s still crying and it escalates until she (a) exhausts herself, or (b) forgets she’s been crying. And then everything’s fine. It’s maddening, but it’s the reality. Sometimes, babies cry for no reason at all and you can do nothing but swaddle them and walk them up and down your hallway at 3am until they decide to be finished. Also? Ear plugs.

2. Nursing is a Full-Time Job
Again, I don’t know if this is my naivete speaking, but I honestly thought breastfeeding would happen naturally. And for me, it didn’t. Between the nursing, pumping, burping, cleaning up spit-up and nursing some more, breastfeeding was an around-the-clock job. And God forbid you have a cluster feeder (I do!).

We’re now keeping to somewhat of a regular schedule where I can soak up some boob-free time, but my gracious am I tired of walking around shirtless. (Speaking of shirtless, another secret no one shares? Breasts that leak like a faucet and painful milk letdowns!)

3. You Become a Billboard
This one threw us for a loop. My husband and I have had many conversations about how we want to raise our daughter with other parents in similar stages of their lives. And rather than having an open, honest conversation, we found that it was really difficult to voice our opinion without sounding judgmental of other parenting decisions.

Suddenly, we’ve become a billboard for our views and perspectives, because the choices we’re making with our children are obvious. Vaccinations, circumcision, birth plans… it’s all pretty clear where we stand because our children are living proof of the choices we’ve made. And while we try to verbalize that these are choices we’re making for our own lives (and there’s no blanket decision that’s better across the board), it’s hard not to feel defensive when you come across parents that choose a different, “better” path for themselves and their families.

The good news? Relationships will shift, but the great ones will hang around regardless of whether or not you choose to vaccinate for the chicken pox.

4. You Might Hate It At First…
During pregnancy, everyone shares positive moments and stories of their little ones. (Well, almost everyone!) Yet when your baby arrives and you find yourself resenting them because you can’t keep your eyes open and they’re screaming at you? No one really shares those stories. And they exist. I’m fully convinced they exist with every mother that has endured three all-nighters and her 12th diaper change in two hours.

It doesn’t mean you’re depressed, and it doesn’t mean you aren’t a fantastic mother. It simply means you’re exhausted and your hormones are still settling in for the ride. Hold on, take deep breaths and call a friend to take care of the 13th diaper change. You need a shower and a nap, after all. And the next day will be worlds better. You’ll see.

5. And Then One Day You Won’t
Seemingly overnight, if you’re like me, you won’t hate this new gig anymore. For me, it was when my daughter smiled at me for the first time. Until that first smile, it seemed my husband and I were taking care of a very, very needy plant. Lots of work, but very little reward. And then she smiled. And we realized that yes, this is an investment of time and energy, but the return? Whoa. We’re in for a treat.

We’ve had bad days since then. And good ones. And although there’s still no routine, schedule or relief from the sleepless nights, we do have a smile. And that’s enough to get us through the day.

Read more:

http://blogs.babble.com/babble-voices/erin-loechner-first-time-around/2012/09/04/5-secrets-no-one-tells-a-new-mother/

Checklist: Baby registry must-haves | BabyCenter

Find out which baby products you really need for your little one – and what to put on your baby registry.

You probably won’t need everything on this list. Use it to narrow down your baby product must-haves and extras.

http://www.babycenter.com/0_checklist-baby-registry-must-haves_632.bc

Most common aspects of pediatric urology

By: Rafael Krupiniewicz- TrinCay Medical Services

Phimosis

Phimosis is a medical condition where the foreskin is tight or not retractable over the penis. At the end of the first year of life, the retraction of the foreskin behind the glans of the penis is only possible in about 50% of boys; it rises to approximately 89% by the age of 3. The incidence of phimosis is 8% in 6 to 7-year-olds and just 1% in males aged 16-18 years. Phimosis can be  primary (physiological) with no sign of scarring, or secondary (pathological) to a scarring which occurs in some types of balanitis (inflammation of the head of the skin of the penis). Phimosis is different from the normal agglutination of the foreskin to the glans, which is a physiological phenomenon.

The treatment of phimosis in children depends on parent’s preferences. Plastic circumcision has the objective of achieving a wide foreskin circumference with full retractability, while the foreskin is preserved (partial circumcision). However, this procedure carries the potential for recurrence. Radical circumcision prevents further re-ocurrence. These procedures can be performed after the second year of life.

Hydrocele

A hydrocele is a collection of fluid around the testicle. It is the result of an imbalance between the production and the absorption of fluid. Hydroceles should be distinguished from inguinal hernias: the protrusion of a portion of organs or tissues through the abdominal wall. In the majority of infants, the surgical treatment of hydrocele is not indicated within the first 12-24 months because they often heal spontaneously. Early surgery is only indicated if there is a suspicion of a concomitant inguinal hernia or an underlying testicular pathology.

 

Dr. Rafael Krupiniewicz MD, FEBU , Urologist

Education

• General Surgery Department Regional Specialist Hospital Slupsk, Poland.
• Department of Urology Regional Specialist Hospital Slupsk, Poland.
• Department of Urology Kantonal Hospital in Aarau, Switzerland.
• Fellow of European Board of Urology (FEBU).

Clinical Experience

•  Department of Urology Royal Cornwall Hospital in Truro, UK.
• Department of Urology East Kent Hospital in Canterbury, UK.
• Department of Urology Belfast City Hospital, Northern Ireland.
• Kantonal Hospital in Aarau, Switzerland.

Field of Expertise

• Bladder Cancer
• Prostate Cancer
• Kidney Cancer
• Testicular Cancer
• Benign Prostate Hyperplasia
• Kidney Stones
• Urinary Incontinence
• Infertility
• Vasectomy
• Testicle Surgery
• Circumcision

Other

• Member of European Association of Urology.
• Member of Polish Association of Urology.
• Specialist Registered in GMC, UK.
• He practices medicine in English, Polish, German and Russian.

Immune Disorders and Autism – NYTimes.com

By MOISES VELASQUEZ-MANOFF

Published: August 25, 2012

IN recent years, scientists have made extraordinary advances in understanding the causes of autism, now estimated to afflict 1 in 88 children. But remarkably little of this understanding has percolated into popular awareness, which often remains fixated on vaccines.

So here’s the short of it: At least a subset of autism — perhaps one-third, and very likely more — looks like a type of inflammatory disease. And it begins in the womb.

continue reading:  Immune Disorders and Autism – NYTimes.com.

Circumcision Guidelines By The AAP Have Been Revised For The First Time Since 1999

 

For the first time in more than a decade, the American Academy of Pediatrics has revised its policy on male circumcision showing more support for the procedure, yet stopping short of recommending routine circumcision.

The academy, the leading U.S. pediatric group, now says the health benefits of circumcision outweigh the risks and that families who choose to circumcise their baby boys should be able to.

“The tone of the policy certainly shifts somewhat in favor of circumcision in that it recognizes that there are clear medical benefits that outweigh the risks of the procedure, and that those benefits are sufficient to justify coverage by insurance,” said Dr. Douglas Diekema, a member of the academy’s circumcision task force.

“What remains unchanged is that the AAP still holds that the health benefits are not great enough to recommend routine circumcision for all newborn males,” he said.

Click on the link to continue reading

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/27/new-circumcision-guidelin_n_1826069.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000009