by Derek Markham on February 26, 2009 · 5 comments
There’s been a lot of scary stories about food lately, from the peanut butter recalls to the discovery of mercury in high fructose corn syrup. Many parents, myself included, have become more critical about what finds its way onto the dining room table. And when the kids ask why, well, I tell them.
But how much information is too much? Many doctors, dieticians, and eating disorder specialists feel that putting too much emphasis on the foods we eat is creating anxiety in children, possibly even setting them up for future eating disorders. According to the president of the School Nutrition Association,
“We’re driving our kids absolutely crazy…. All the stuff about preservatives and pesticides. All an 8-year-old kid should know is that he or she should eat a variety of colors, and don’t supersize anything but your water jug.”
[read the full article...]
Our kids take packed lunches daily. We do this for a multitude of reasons… Celiac disease which mandates a gluten free diet, dairy allergies which means no milk or milk protein. For two of our children, we end up packing wheat free/dairy free/gluten free/vegan lunches. The other two get wheat and dairy but otherwise vegetarian lunches.
Another reason we pack lunches for all our kids is to ensure they eat healthier and so that I can see what they are actually eating on a day to day basis. The leftovers come back home, so they can become snacks.
We do spend time brainstorming lunch ideas… the kids never complain but I get bored of packing the same foods over and over. [read the full article...]
by Jennifer Lance on February 25, 2009 · 0 comments
I’ve got that special mommy touch: I can touch my children and know if they have a fever. Where my mommy touch fails me in knowing how high a fever they have. When my children are really sick, I do rely on a thermometer. We all know that mercury thermometers are toxic if broken and have been largely been phased out in the US. The problem is every battery operated digital thermometer I have tried has not lasted very long, the batteries are hard to replace, and they spread germs if not properly sterilized between use (I don’t use those little plastic covers). I think I have found the solution: Exergen Temporal Artery Thermometer.
Neither of my kids have liked having their temperature taken orally (actually, my son refuses). I remember the temporal artery thermometer they used at the hospital after my son’s heart surgery, and I thought it was really cool. They are now available at a relatively affordable price (about $40). I am sure I have already spent that amount on cheap digital thermometers over the years. [read the full article...]
Decided to go au naturale, have we?
Yesterday, I posted arguments against circumcision. If you checked out that blog, you know that this is a very, er, sensitive topic.
But you’re a natural parent. You’ve done your research. And you figure, “What the hey! It’s not my body. Would I want someone to make this lifetime choice for me?”
Next step: How to Care For an Intact Penis
Pencils sharpened? Here goes:
[read the full article...]
by Jennifer Lance on February 23, 2009 · 0 comments
A friend of mine’s daughter went to Africa. She had to end her trip early, fly to the US, and be hospitalized for malaria. She was a lucky American child who could get medical care for this disease that affects 350–500 million people worldwide each year. Her life was never threatened.
[social_buttons]
[read the full article...]
Oh, I’ve heard many reasons why we should circumcise a baby boy. Some of the popular ones are:
I want him to look like me.
He’ll be a freak in the locker room.
You have to. Boys who aren’t circumcised are dirty.
Jennifer’s post last week, WTF? Baby Boys’ Circumcised Foreskins Used for Wrinkle Treatment made me laugh out loud. Mostly it was her shock at upcycling foreskins.
As I commented on that blog, I’d already known they “reused” foreskins. My sister had been involved with a skin grafting on a foot that used those circumcised scraps. If feet and penises combined for life aren’t your idea of fun, perhaps you’ve already hopped on the no-circumcise bandwagon.
Still not sure? Here are 11 Reasons to Avoid Circumcising Your Son…
[read the full article...]
by Derek Markham on February 21, 2009 · 2 comments
The UK Telegraph reported yesterday that doctors at Addenbrooke’s hospital in Cambridge may have found a “cure” for peanut allergies.
Four boys were given minute amounts of peanut flour mixed with yogurt every day. The amount ingested was then slowly increased over a period of six months.
Prior to the trials, when exposed to just a fraction of the peanut protein found in a single peanut, these boys displayed significant allergic reactions, requiring immediate treatment. At trial’s end, however, all the children were able to eat between 10 and 12 peanuts.
To maintain their tolerance, the children will have to continue ingesting a small daily amount of peanut protein, either as peanut flour, smooth peanut butter, or five roasted peanuts. [read the full article...]
by Derek Markham on February 20, 2009 · 3 comments
A class action lawsuit seeking $200 million was filed against the Washington D.C. Water and Sewer Authority (WASA) by the single father of twin boys who were poisoned as infants by lead contaminated tap water. John Parkhurst filed the suit on behalf of himself and other parents in D.C. whose children were poisoned due to extremely high levels of lead in the municipal water supply from 2001 to 2004.
“In June 2001, WASA discovered that that toxic levels of lead were leaching into the District’s drinking water. Not only did the Authority fail to eliminate this danger, it actually took affirmative steps to hide the lead contamination from its customers and federal authorities. At the same time, WASA encouraged the public to consume this dangerous product. As a result, tens of thousands of children and pregnant mothers faced elevated risks for years longer than they should have. WASA’s actions endangered thousands of children living in the District between 2001 and 2004, many of whom, like Jonathan and Joshua Parkhurst, are now profoundly affected by their ingestion of this highly poisonous element.” – Stefanie Roemer, Sanford Wittels & Heisler.
[read the full article...]
