tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28054714606669600292024-03-25T22:10:04.362-07:00Nurse Judy's approachThere are so many different factors to consider when facing most of the common parenting issues.
The Nurse Judy approach is a combination of many years of medical experience, a desire to treat things as naturally as possible, a large dollop of common sense.
email nursejudysf@gmail.com to be added to my weekly email list
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger327125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2805471460666960029.post-86196156457290804172024-03-25T22:08:00.000-07:002024-03-25T22:09:18.695-07:00Red Hair and a story about my grandmother<p> <span face="Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"" style="background-color: white; color: #363737; font-size: 19px;">When I was pregnant for the first time I fully expected to have a redheaded baby. Lauren came out with a full head of jet black hair.</span></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: white; color: #363737; font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;">Alana’s was a little lighter but there was no red.</p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: white; color: #363737; font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;">I look at grandsons Elliot and Sawyer for any signs of red. Sawyer has some potential in the right light.</p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: white; color: #363737; font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;">With my newest grandson Coby, I actually had a dream that he was a ginger, but so far, it doesn’t look like my genes are having much say in the hair color of any of my offspring.</p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: white; color: #363737; font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;">You wouldn’t know it if you met me today, but when I was younger I had bright copper penny red hair. In fact, everyone in my immediate family was a redhead.</p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: white; color: #363737; font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;">Mom was more auburn like me. My dad was flaming ginger. The family lore is that I am lucky to exist, because while my parents liked each other quite a bit when they met, the hair color was almost a deal breaker. Neither of them wanted to date a redhead. </p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: white; color: #363737; font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;">Each of them recalls saying something similar to their parents</p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: white; color: #363737; font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;">“I met someone wonderful, but they have awful red hair.”</p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: white; color: #363737; font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;">They got past that initial aversion and were happily married for more than 50 years. Ultimately, the joke was on them. 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--tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: white; color: #363737; font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: white; color: #363737; font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;">We would stop traffic when we went out together.</p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: white; color: #363737; font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;">Our hair was distinctive enough that we could sometimes pass for each other as if we were twins.</p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: white; color: #363737; font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;">I remember once covering for Marjie when she was working at the grill in the Carnegie Mellon Student Union. She wasn’t able to get the day off that she needed so I just took her place. I did get her in a bit of trouble for being too generous with the ice-cream scoops, but in general no one was the wiser. </p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: white; color: #363737; font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;">My paternal grandmother Lena was also a redhead.</p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: white; color: #363737; font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;">Her younger sister Regina shared a wonderful story that a cousin captured when doing an oral history project.</p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: white; color: #363737; font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;">Before she was married around the turn of the century, Lena was a young girl living with her uncle on the lower east side of Manhattan.</p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: white; color: #363737; font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;">One day she was returning home on the subway and she noticed a young man staring at her intently. It was making her a bit uncomfortable, so she moved to a different car. He followed her.</p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: white; color: #363737; font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;">She moved again and once again he followed her. She was relieved when she arrived at her stop, but concerned when she noticed that he was also getting off.</p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: white; color: #363737; font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;">She started walking faster. He continued to follow. She ended up running the rest of the way. She got to her uncle's house safely but she was out of breath and a bit shaken up; she told him that someone had followed her home.</p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: white; color: #363737; font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;">The uncle took her by the hand and knocked on the doors of all the neighbors to see if she could recognize the person who had followed her.</p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: white; color: #363737; font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;">At the second or third place they tried, the door opened and there he was.</p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: white; color: #363737; font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;">Her uncle yelled, “Were you following my niece?”</p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: white; color: #363737; font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;">The poor frightened young man spoke up. He had just moved there. All of the buildings looked exactly alike and he couldn’t remember how to get to where he was staying, but he had seen the beautiful girl with the memorable bright red hair, and he knew that she lived on the same floor.</p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: white; color: #363737; font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;">He had been so relieved when he spotted her and was trying to keep her in sight so that he could simply find his way home.</p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: white; color: #363737; font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;">There are no real takeaways from this post except that stories like this can be treasures. They are also easily lost to time.</p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: white; color: #363737; font-family: Spectral, serif, system-ui, -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.6em; margin-bottom: 0px;">If you have older relatives, sit with them and capture these anecdotes while you still can. You will find that even folks with some memory issues might not remember what they had for breakfast but can recall some tales from long ago as if they happened yesterday. Your children, and your grandchildren, will be glad you did!</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2805471460666960029.post-1214705120121501402024-03-12T19:10:00.000-07:002024-03-12T19:10:49.081-07:00hello from the rocking chair at 1:20 Am<p> <em style="color: #363737; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Hello from the rocking chair in a dark quiet room, at 1:20am.</em></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #363737; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><em>I am holding sweet baby Coby. Trying to give Lauren a little stretch of sleep. I am channeling my mom, who did the same for me, way back when.</em></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #363737; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><em>There is no place I would rather be.</em></p><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 32px auto;"><figure style="margin: 0px auto; width: 550px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"></td><td align="left" style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;" width="368"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/bfc5dc51-c7ff-468c-8f8e-05fe42c1020f?j%3DeyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M&source=gmail&ust=1710382157170000&usg=AOvVaw06rUCMBgSvhxbjjcob4ysv" href="https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/bfc5dc51-c7ff-468c-8f8e-05fe42c1020f?j=eyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" style="border: none; color: #1155cc; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; width: auto;" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="CToWUd" data-bit="iit" height="493.4463054187192" src="https://ci3.googleusercontent.com/meips/ADKq_NaWDNIv83mUQLkv2oqH9_0Re0aH95aqXxLdAomuGQ11S2V0koP4K9NSR-_1WymfaDHBT4n8ISLX5Ym9PonoKPeYH4J8IR6aKgSk0OTTe595PxZTyCVy9OU_rruzSInODYvEoA79dmAMFqkigf4n4GXNZmMk3-PLAfNs6Q9prY05lAZe3wxHpN8D7i9J3TVkNVUsV2qcQQcOmAWk3MofvqbY8nlwqGoDdOdv3hmP3H7Xj6LxHG1vz57OdNaX0_mCHCYksmPv1GvoZLF34sUFWnKKumimu5PFCaMqICFUDmdSnJ8IJzAYKctMIg8=s0-d-e1-ft#https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_368,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa094156c-9dfb-4cbe-95a9-bc134acbb6f2_1015x1361.jpeg" style="border: none !important; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: auto !important;" width="368" /></a></td><td style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table></figure></div><p style="background-color: white; color: #363737; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #363737; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">For any of my connections on Facebook, this was the post that I wrote last week when my new grandson was just a couple of days old.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #363737; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">For the first several nights after the baby came home from the hospital, Adam went to sleep with 3 year old Elliot and I stayed with Lauren. This way I was able to do the burping and help the baby settle in between feeds.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #363737; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Things were a blur, but at one point in the middle of the night Lauren and I were giggling and for some absurd reason we were trying to see if we remembered the words to the Brady Bunch theme song…..we did. Yes, we sang it together all the way through.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #363737; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">That is absolutely what I will remember, not the tiredness.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #363737; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Trying to figure out the best way to offer support to new parents differs for everyone.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #363737; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">I realize that our family’s close relationship makes us among the lucky ones.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #363737; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Sandy and I are still down here in LA for another few days, soaking up the time with the kids before heading back up to SF. Alana also joined us for several days and when we are gone, Aunt Barbara and Uncle Richard will be down. After they leave, my sister Amy will be here for another couple of weeks. Adam also has an enormous and supportive family here in LA. It takes a village.</p><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 32px auto;"><figure style="margin: 0px auto; width: 550px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"></td><td align="left" style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;" width="362"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/b1f077f2-446c-410d-828a-ef159e44e515?j%3DeyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M&source=gmail&ust=1710382157170000&usg=AOvVaw39Nev6FmJp4cjwzqMl917g" href="https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/b1f077f2-446c-410d-828a-ef159e44e515?j=eyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" style="border: none; color: #1155cc; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; width: auto;" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="CToWUd" data-bit="iit" height="482.5837912087912" src="https://ci3.googleusercontent.com/meips/ADKq_NZyakYPZXG_LuybM6wmdUaLY5zS1a8A93SbMOy5Y0wdIsnOV6C580OJLwUWvU_GeVh6rnECNP4si5-IS-yvJqWcT6OcQk8r_we6G6saUTZjzbq5xKgCMj0Jq0ddECZhNssAbBfnFlHvuwmiw07-UhS_oKTQDHyPaggkUQWvSPq-pZbkGaAVTWkcChA1W61nbfqmgMny66WJsKnIHGwepGgEV3WnuUbLN1AZv8ybECFXEr6SjU-DNjCLir2h7PoCkPHYK4UnBcQcjkvFWYdIwKr9XJRFaj2MiWkH9Hr3ut8nCoa2KDOym8t7KMA=s0-d-e1-ft#https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_362,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3c2af686-ed0f-4044-a51d-481c98d08c23_3024x4032.jpeg" style="border: none !important; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: auto !important;" width="362" /></a></td><td style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table></figure></div><p style="background-color: white; color: #363737; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #363737; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Because I often look for ideas of things to write about, here are some glimmers that have been flitting through my mind during the wee hours of the night when I am up with the baby.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #363737; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">I think it is just a fact that the first several weeks with a new baby are challenging. EVEN with help. Even with a relatively smooth postpartum recovery. Even with a relatively chill baby. Show me a parent who thinks it is easy and let’s do a science experiment on them because they are such a rarity!</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #363737; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><strong>What does real help actually look like?</strong></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #363737; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Spoiler alert, it isn’t pointing out piles of laundry or crumbs on the floor.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #363737; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Most new parents are too exhausted to be able to effectively delegate or communicate the best way for the support system to help. </p><p style="background-color: white; color: #363737; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Entertaining the older child or holding the baby so that the parents can have special time with their big kids or simply get some rest is the obvious thing. </p><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 32px auto;"><figure style="margin: 0px auto; width: 550px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"></td><td align="left" style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;" width="396"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/6da32354-b385-4dee-a23f-dd6a794489ef?j%3DeyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M&source=gmail&ust=1710382157170000&usg=AOvVaw24cpnH2U-MI9sqWakGd6Zb" href="https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/6da32354-b385-4dee-a23f-dd6a794489ef?j=eyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" style="border: none; color: #1155cc; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; width: auto;" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="CToWUd" data-bit="iit" height="527.9093406593406" src="https://ci3.googleusercontent.com/meips/ADKq_NYCfKK7QpQNFqqNkjCzXRGcL5PlYK4nmKOc016ZFxmca7qf1w1mV2P6a3JswZIwOfwoTcOOLPj0S1Bl2t3BVEHSFLjN_m3qO-QpveJ-TtAV0oYZwpaI8ukeVpyp8kcn9qKhKrmrFaxMVeGlVYnmGtKO7pM_UBikpUhnbp9pav3uxk0oRtg_yEgqkQduZFlfEM1zTHlzni6gEl8QU0UyAkjo0fQa--VILH_VdmuuSogNdIPOvwSJo_eSYB2vytILBKi3-VkjkYH23LjRdYYdYXnMefg_Fo6sxFEc3g_VlgMPldxnh19K0GmTOrc=s0-d-e1-ft#https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_396,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fedf6075e-fad8-46b1-aa67-992b16c64920_3024x4032.jpeg" style="border: none !important; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: auto !important;" width="396" /></a></td><td style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table></figure></div><p style="background-color: white; color: #363737; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #363737; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Is there a pet? Give them extra attention as well.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #363737; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Beyond that, frankly, many people don’t even know what they even need. Plus, what feels like it is the most useful one day may not be exactly what will be at the top of the list the next. And if you are like Lauren and Adam, you don’t like to ask for help, so delegating, even when it would be incredibly valuable, can feel uncomfortable.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #363737; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Maybe it is just the extra set of hands putting together the bassinet</p><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 32px auto;"><figure style="margin: 0px auto; width: 550px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"></td><td align="left" style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;" width="396"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/1a934fa3-59e2-4b99-8670-18c4a391aa32?j%3DeyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M&source=gmail&ust=1710382157170000&usg=AOvVaw3dRjSF_p6lLp4DyWSpFJ1y" href="https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/1a934fa3-59e2-4b99-8670-18c4a391aa32?j=eyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" style="border: none; color: #1155cc; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; width: auto;" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="CToWUd" data-bit="iit" height="527.9093406593406" src="https://ci3.googleusercontent.com/meips/ADKq_NZdVC0yYEUkNnkzJQki14kXg8B50rqGuxOpKn6yZDhkYz3TI5MmbuvrFvAJraGgsy-bCqGaPmBHXTWwytWFp8dv1VRMwsQ3m5fb6Y_DeFQ1NLe5T-N3xvWEnWL_7ysdOYxlI-iQdZGw5pnQtvbClequ2JFFgHZq0ckQzQOOMBCroLbHqUoqf5m3FMGtGKIRTq8uaKo4Ak0HiJj1rwxFq5MzlvU9b7WxMOOcC9pt86C9-SU-xU0I6I3rUpFWbGefFQ4lpcoiNfG1PZ_ni09LONpl5u7KcG8y_k1BDqpSW3ukm7MeWXB-QwF996w=s0-d-e1-ft#https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_396,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fe249913f-c718-4d9e-986e-570b93a84c97_3024x4032.jpeg" style="border: none !important; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: auto !important;" width="396" /></a></td><td style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table></figure></div><p style="background-color: white; color: #363737; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Trying hard to actively figure out what actual help looks like can be a game changer.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #363737; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">One of Lauren’s friends also had a baby fairly recently. When the visiting grandmother asked what she could do, the new mom told her that washing the bottles and parts would be amazing. Grandma was happy to do it, but the next day, when there were more bottles to be washed, grandma made no move to automatically take care of them and the new mom felt uncomfortable asking. I have no doubt that she would have been happy to keep being the bottle washer, but without effective communication, that didn’t happen.</p><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 32px auto;"><figure style="margin: 0px auto; width: 550px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"></td><td align="left" style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;" width="312"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/a905f3d4-bc05-4f5e-88c6-f7a8c12c195b?j%3DeyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M&source=gmail&ust=1710382157170000&usg=AOvVaw2m-FeoCWQvyGtBEJZI0Sa5" href="https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/a905f3d4-bc05-4f5e-88c6-f7a8c12c195b?j=eyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" style="border: none; color: #1155cc; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; width: auto;" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="CToWUd" data-bit="iit" height="415.92857142857144" src="https://ci3.googleusercontent.com/meips/ADKq_Nas5-zG0oSF4KY7bgE85qkd_uIktUS6hNjN4c9m1Et0vrk_IvmLwj8HEecCm9LNfB0zrKAQAVuGGVaDkHM2EAPP6p_kFOgNtNQi-rmoF9LTmGzLQiGONrm6MjP_SuCcyA91s0ycZVTmMTMLxAkOpHDYRSqNDWsSYpebMZ8vpfmFM4lFu19iGywQTWRwu1_rGC0Xu4-wJMoI2kE_nnJTeywThsdJaSsZD7v9Nr4zsfJQx9Z0Ich0BvBIxbAf9TZ3FcUCbwn_dhLK-7V9zkCKsedyxjYjYVz3fz0ubCnaESKjgIiX1yeyUNr8UEI=s0-d-e1-ft#https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_312,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F954fc27d-0a62-4567-94a2-826280741b2e_3024x4032.jpeg" style="border: none !important; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: auto !important;" width="312" /></a></td><td style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table></figure></div><p style="background-color: white; color: #363737; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #363737; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Recognize that there are some tasks that are fairly constant and try to list them.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #363737; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Ideally consider doing this before the baby arrives, but it is never too late.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #363737; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">For folks that are not breastfeeding, washing those bottles often tops the list. </p><p style="background-color: white; color: #363737; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Consider this a menu of ways that people can be useful.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #363737; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Present it as an option, not a demand.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #363737; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><em>Here are some things that would be enormously helpful. If there is anything on this list that you would be willing to take on while you are here, we would be so appreciative</em></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #363737; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Aside from bottles, dishes, laundry, emptying garbage and other household tasks need to be tended to routinely, not just as a one time thing.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #363737; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">If you have gadgets or methods that your ‘assistants’ might not be familiar with, put step by step instructions in writing. Don’t take anything for granted</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #363737; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Try to find your rhythm.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #363737; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">I have gotten into the habit of being down in the kitchen to help Elliot with his breakfast before he heads off to school.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #363737; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">It feels a bit like groundhog day. Now I know that he wants to cut his own cantaloupe, but it is okay if grandma pre-slices the strawberries. With any 3 year old there is a learning curve, and woe unto you if you get it wrong. Now, we have some nice little breakfast rituals going every morning.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #363737; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">We have also figured out that Lauren’s best shot at being able to fall back to sleep for a small stretch is in the morning as soon as EJ is out the door and the house is suddenly quiet. So that is when I try to make sure to have the baby (so delicious) while mama takes a morning nap.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #363737; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Most people also don’t have a Papa like Sandy who has been on auto-pilot, cleaning the HEPA filters, doing laundry, running errands, and even oiling the squeaky doors of the new house with WD40. He also has taken part in some nightshifts with me and it was his idea to have baby Coby sleep with us a few nights, with me delivering Coby to Lauren for feeding and then bringing him back to our room to sleep. Nights involve lots of singing oldies. It is never too early to get introduced to the Beatles although we found that the length of Bob Dylan songs is most conducive for Coby to fall asleep!</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #363737; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Even if you aren’t up for a full night, remember that even a two hour stretch of being off duty can feel like gold to new parents. Have them conk out at 8pm and you can hold the baby while you watch some mindless tv for several hours until it is time for the next feeding.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #363737; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Grandparents, savor this time! Especially if you don’t live close by.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #363737; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">New parents, talk about what might be the most helpful for you and if you are lucky enough to have help, share your list. Don’t expect people to be mind readers.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #363737; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Just in case these aren’t on your radar</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #363737; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><strong>Products that Lauren has found helpful:</strong></p><ul style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-top: 0px; padding: 0px;"><li style="margin: 8px 0px 0px 32px;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #363737; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 4px;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/e732dcb2-a704-4242-b837-02c812c8a9bd?j%3DeyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M&source=gmail&ust=1710382157170000&usg=AOvVaw03g0CbVWpAtT-uTlCfPfEa" href="https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/e732dcb2-a704-4242-b837-02c812c8a9bd?j=eyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" style="color: #363737;" target="_blank">Egg light for night time feeds and diaper changes </a></p></li></ul><ul style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-top: 0px; padding: 0px;"><li style="margin: 8px 0px 0px 32px;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #363737; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 4px;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/cd521e71-b001-4d7b-befb-4e9f8698090e?j%3DeyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M&source=gmail&ust=1710382157171000&usg=AOvVaw0DnZxkMhRcNjFJwik33YUg" href="https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/cd521e71-b001-4d7b-befb-4e9f8698090e?j=eyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" style="color: #363737;" target="_blank">Bag balm</a> for any diaper rashes</p></li></ul><ul style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-top: 0px; padding: 0px;"><li style="margin: 8px 0px 0px 32px;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #363737; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 4px;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/c8d367a5-cbeb-49ea-b7fb-8da95057dc18?j%3DeyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M&source=gmail&ust=1710382157171000&usg=AOvVaw0NXWsOJfFLIrFr0uZIyH-D" href="https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/c8d367a5-cbeb-49ea-b7fb-8da95057dc18?j=eyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" style="color: #363737;" target="_blank">Tubby Todd</a> Great for dry skin</p></li></ul><ul style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-top: 0px; padding: 0px;"><li style="margin: 8px 0px 0px 32px;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #363737; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 4px;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/bdfd37ae-5261-4409-a8b3-3d1ab2784cb0?j%3DeyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M&source=gmail&ust=1710382157171000&usg=AOvVaw3yXxD8-wGgomuZB0gkRRuw" href="https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/bdfd37ae-5261-4409-a8b3-3d1ab2784cb0?j=eyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" style="color: #363737;" target="_blank">Electric nail file</a></p></li></ul><ul style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-top: 0px; padding: 0px;"><li style="margin: 8px 0px 0px 32px;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #363737; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 4px;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/8d11ab9a-4919-4c59-9b35-5140c356e0e8?j%3DeyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M&source=gmail&ust=1710382157171000&usg=AOvVaw2Rb3WfefXiLlhGrt5SEC2A" href="https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/8d11ab9a-4919-4c59-9b35-5140c356e0e8?j=eyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" style="color: #363737;" target="_blank">Silverettes</a></p></li></ul><ul style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-top: 0px; padding: 0px;"><li style="margin: 8px 0px 0px 32px;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #363737; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 4px;">Large water bottle for the nursing mom (or water bottles stationed around the house)</p></li></ul><ul style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-top: 0px; padding: 0px;"><li style="margin: 8px 0px 0px 32px;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #363737; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 4px;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/7b9d711c-0b02-4f98-8d5d-854941b9171d?j%3DeyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M&source=gmail&ust=1710382157171000&usg=AOvVaw19NF4vEvZ06NjP84KzzT93" href="https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/7b9d711c-0b02-4f98-8d5d-854941b9171d?j=eyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" style="color: #363737;" target="_blank">MYLICON</a> ( I should buy stock in the company)</p></li></ul><ul style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-top: 0px; padding: 0px;"><li style="margin: 8px 0px 0px 32px;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #363737; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 4px;">Alcohol free hand sanitizers all over the place to make it easy for the toddler to ensure that everyone who touches the baby cleans their hands first</p></li></ul><ul style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-top: 0px; padding: 0px;"><li style="margin: 8px 0px 0px 32px;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #363737; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 4px;">Baby wrap of your choice, but wearing them can be a game changer. Adam likes the <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/17224854-c53c-4f98-894f-33ecc2863837?j%3DeyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M&source=gmail&ust=1710382157171000&usg=AOvVaw3fT_gnMSQLWRuag2q4EUng" href="https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/17224854-c53c-4f98-894f-33ecc2863837?j=eyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" style="color: #363737;" target="_blank">nesting days</a> wrap for dads. That is his ‘go-to’ gift for new daddies.</p><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #363737; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 4px;"></p><div style="line-height: 26px; margin: 32px auto;"><figure style="margin: 0px auto; width: 518px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"></td><td align="left" style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;" width="284"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/f36adb9a-9414-46a6-ac30-80f95374b635?j%3DeyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M&source=gmail&ust=1710382157171000&usg=AOvVaw08_ni6yWtnOaQoTgY25G5O" href="https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/f36adb9a-9414-46a6-ac30-80f95374b635?j=eyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" style="border: none; color: #1155cc; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; width: auto;" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="CToWUd" data-bit="iit" height="378.6666666666667" src="https://ci3.googleusercontent.com/meips/ADKq_Nbo2UeEEf_ZKvEny5psehz5H9dBtvFUClQF8BTSQm-7WJxznmzfdfz3npO_yzRWeQn6RsMlYZBLzgXC5gDDIAPgAawxYPzoz-8FPccd9xKDxL5q_8gyYJUWL61Yik4E6GKC2SMZuq_UN7Yla83OQwDojqU4e4R9W3CrF2vhJ7jbCRZXHo5c_liybHQvCpTSzlcshIUTf67Gv0a9z39eJqO_AkHNnNoyPYO5guObwh4wwnAkKfF6xalq39J5RsfqRfvBz3_2ijwHvoq1V7-VOjecLJPB_KuUjQDj1MH7QIGUmN-tzkCMGxlS7wQ=s0-d-e1-ft#https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_284,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff7f3dbea-2e57-42d8-951a-6c9bcc8a50bd_1200x1600.jpeg" style="border: none !important; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: auto !important;" width="284" /></a></td><td style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table></figure></div><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #363737; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 4px;"></p></li></ul><p style="background-color: white; color: #363737; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><strong>Instagram accounts that she likes</strong></p><ul style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin-top: 0px; padding: 0px;"><li style="margin: 8px 0px 0px 32px;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #363737; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 4px;">Milestones.and.motherhood (pediatric PT)</p></li><li style="margin: 8px 0px 0px 32px;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #363737; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 4px;">Karrie_locher (RN, BSN CLC)</p></li><li style="margin: 8px 0px 0px 32px;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #363737; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 4px;">Resilient Rascals (Pediatrician) </p><div style="line-height: 26px; margin: 32px auto;"><figure style="margin: 0px auto; width: 518px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"></td><td align="left" style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;" width="334"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/2dc64821-98d0-4db7-9506-4d7d1357e3cb?j%3DeyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M&source=gmail&ust=1710382157171000&usg=AOvVaw1UxOq-A4-3pNe0nusktyOF" href="https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/2dc64821-98d0-4db7-9506-4d7d1357e3cb?j=eyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" style="border: none; color: #1155cc; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; width: auto;" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="CToWUd" data-bit="iit" height="445.25686813186815" src="https://ci3.googleusercontent.com/meips/ADKq_NYedfu-zWpTOmDLQR_22Kh53Y9R_evHGQ1suqHNNJS2kNFfLL2K5M0I9urnagBdlZdmJ4lxOCK3Ahg4w1QMgrTlnhsZ6AElApA1E6bGBRiwUra5IAeNwfr5844Ur2T2yAdEv_CQsrPE-5RLom_bPgHV7i9e17nAFy-gwuwPehnHwetMhgel8bVHbg9h3-QH3C1kiCf3vZGh5uzcOsN82bQ3SlWMfWlia8oKThxfMZCiACU0FfezQhhr5avYOjf7pJTXr2DwhwTs0nfapvSNGsytJhi21TUHQgIeNpLUy6uKJjIoiw2aioictlk=s0-d-e1-ft#https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_334,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa21f0f9b-520e-43d5-88ff-3a4618c2b7ab_3024x4032.jpeg" style="border: none !important; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: auto !important;" width="334" /></a></td><td style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table></figure></div><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #363737; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 4px;"></p></li></ul><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><div style="color: #404040; direction: ltr !important; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.5; margin: 24px auto; max-width: 560px; padding: 32px; text-align: center;"><div style="display: flex; font-family: system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; font-size: 18px; line-height: 22px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 16px; max-width: 384px; width: fit-content;"></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2805471460666960029.post-60282292762998602582024-03-01T10:28:00.000-08:002024-03-01T10:28:40.024-08:00Introducing a new sibling/One plus One may no longer feel like it equals two<p> <span style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">The timing of this post is no coincidence. I am delighted to share that Elliot became a big brother on February 25th……..</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">You will no doubt be seeing Coby as my newest model for my blog posts.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><strong>The first baby….there is nothing quite like it. </strong>That little person enters your world and things are never going to be the same.</p><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 32px auto;"><figure style="margin: 0px auto; width: 550px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"></td><td align="left" style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;" width="518"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/5c3d60f5-e238-410c-8f82-4e7582d4192d?j%3DeyJ1IjoiMzZmcXBpIn0.FBnvDJDtmdudVY6YgxFE-4gqxz1g00kxrZ11QRB6AUA&source=gmail&ust=1709404000828000&usg=AOvVaw20n4ySTXWDzrHxJG-hJDdR" href="https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/5c3d60f5-e238-410c-8f82-4e7582d4192d?j=eyJ1IjoiMzZmcXBpIn0.FBnvDJDtmdudVY6YgxFE-4gqxz1g00kxrZ11QRB6AUA" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" style="border: none; color: #1155cc; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; width: auto;" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="CToWUd" data-bit="iit" height="748.7703703703704" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEjB4roG2q4i1H8CF72JFH9qXSTAHI6nGC8ia7PfRQXHVp6jYkCPbw9f7srmmIfdmDf9I6_8YdHT-6vDXMhndz0OEzu4yqEeFMLyFkbsedrnuyz4Q1CIe5EnJmxmGJpe0L66UhGQDXtRYlYZVbdEQNQ2wh3Z1X47c7odn9OaVTol0AfqANT174x7H6a-2GEdt8m8TrcHPLk_RPnjkFxYRanV2PL14o3PX6pkzC-2UoWwl4P8KaliOyyYL13McAZySIjO19uwvu1EjN1qBknQj8wn4QP-FM-7pwnuGT9xqZdkaMCNjvhWx78h8wPWqc2K9tu4MShJv-QSjmmXY4V_LZ1hdxadY446lfaIoTmTJGqYgKfL9j_X=s0-d-e1-ft,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff5d2ad6f-ef90-4dc4-bd0d-f5a0167cfb9e_945x1366.jpeg" style="border: none !important; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: auto !important;" width="518" /></a></td><td style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table></figure></div><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><strong>General handling</strong></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">With the first one, they seem so fragile and small. Parents learn how to handle them, oh so carefully, making sure to support the head. Allowing a young child to hold them? No way.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">With second babies, you might a bit nervous as the oldest clamors to handle their new family member, but if you are lucky you have someone gentle like Elliot</p><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 32px auto;"><figure style="margin: 0px auto; width: 550px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"></td><td align="left" style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;" width="450"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/8fca673d-bea0-4fe3-a362-999b63be87af?j%3DeyJ1IjoiMzZmcXBpIn0.FBnvDJDtmdudVY6YgxFE-4gqxz1g00kxrZ11QRB6AUA&source=gmail&ust=1709404000828000&usg=AOvVaw0T6GaOJUXLUqrgr9ewe9P6" href="https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/8fca673d-bea0-4fe3-a362-999b63be87af?j=eyJ1IjoiMzZmcXBpIn0.FBnvDJDtmdudVY6YgxFE-4gqxz1g00kxrZ11QRB6AUA" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" style="border: none; color: #1155cc; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; width: auto;" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="CToWUd" data-bit="iit" height="599.896978021978" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEgzKUALy15RE6dW-uDSaptIHMqMw04n7e8Z3JPFwF6p5KLFRjQR2ib-gZuG-uBSOV7kugdsmVSN0OBGSobPaURSecysFn4L432vtk4_mJ6xsl88gWO1BdDFc4uEoHyfwbKwTCvKuelZspLl_K8pfd4ELnGrDdgI3MQMQ2Vn6PWcSOtxR6WziOaAL6gP5xQ3LU1REmO-HowWXwWNzG-m7TH4X8eLeZzfrHMiWu293D5BJ-43iwBWWcmUZAbeDQolNhQcIJgp2rjrEoRZY4ZPLfrdnSQzNvkyCjequGATF8TfCt4r-bBzL_udwrSNSQOBMVkqUL8cD4HZ1E-0PuxFN_0HKKVsl2TKpyQwu8C6T12DHRyiCEFFFA=s0-d-e1-ft,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fd8df761e-04d9-42d8-937c-b0461e7749b7_3024x4032.jpeg" style="border: none !important; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: auto !important;" width="450" /></a></td><td style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table></figure></div><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Third kid? They get scooped up without so much thought. You get more and more relaxed with each child.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Mama Tamar adds:</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><em>As they grow, the distance they travel when they are playfully thrown up in the air is double what it was for their older sibling at that age, as is the breadth they're given at the playground. They climb blissfully on the play structure and are encouraged to jump off things.</em></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Therapist Brittany adds, </p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><em>First time parents might explicitly request no touching/holding of the baby. Second-time parents usually reverse that by explicitly asking someone to help with the toddler or secretly wish someone would ask to hold the baby so they could spend time with their first born. </em></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Parents with three or more kids are grateful for any help holding the baby or entertaining the older kids. Having any time off is often a rare gift.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><strong>Cleanliness</strong></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">First baby? The world is kept as sterile as possible. Everyone who handles the infant is asked to wash hands thoroughly with warm soap and water.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">If a pacifier falls, it needs to be boiled before getting put back in the mouth.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Anyone with any type of congestion is asked to steer clear. </p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Second kid? If you are in a hurry, quick pump and swish your hands with some hand sanitizer. The dropped pacifier? That gets wiped on your sleeve (with third baby, perhaps the dog gets to lick it).</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Keeping them away from colds and coughs? Good luck with that. If there is a big sibling in daycare or preschool, you have come to the conclusion that the runny nose is a constant. You also realize that there is no way to stop the older brothers and sisters from planting wet kisses all over the baby.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><strong>Sleep and schedule</strong></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">First baby? Schedules are established. Life revolved around nap times.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Second baby? Naptime? Yeah, right….</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Hopefully they can snooze in the car seat or the stroller. There are school drop offs and pickups that you need to deal with. There are playdates, activities and places to go.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><strong>Nutrition</strong></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">With first kids it can be a bit nerve wracking to start solids. Some parents have charts and flowsheets. One food is carefully initiated at a time to make sure there are no allergies and reactions.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Tamar knows folks who fed their kids the first taste of peanut butter while sitting in the parking lot of a hospital just to be on the safe side,</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">This is more common than you might think but usually it is the first child.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">My friend Dee-Dee says her first child didn’t get a grain of sugar during his first year. By the time she had her third, she was buying one pound bags of M&Ms in the supermarket just to keep them quiet.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><strong>Attention</strong></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">The first child knows what it feels like to get undivided attention. </p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">There is usually a tough transition as they learn to deal with the new reality when they are no longer the only child. </p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Ultimately they realize that no one makes the baby smile and laugh quite like they can.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">The second (third, fourth,…etc) don’t know enough to miss what they never had. Instead they have the magic of an older sibling.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Tamar says:</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><em>My partner’s mom was so busy as a single parent of two (in the age before cell phone cameras) that there is zero video footage of him as a child.</em></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><em>My mom carefully constructed a book of baby photos for her oldest, but by the time I came around there wasn't time. I made my own baby book. You can imagine the third and fourth - happy memories will just have to suffice. "It was all a blur," she says anytime I ask her anything about my childhood or how she raised us. "A happy blur."</em></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><strong>Easing the transition</strong></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Some big brothers and sisters are actually eagerly expecting the baby's arrival. Others are too young to really understand what is going on. Regardless, there is a big adjustment to be made. Many parents report that the older siblings are quite sweet to the baby, but act out horribly to the parents. Once in a while, but less often they will also act out towards the baby. One of the nurses who used to work with me remembers the time that her oldest daughter dropped a medicine ball on her new sister. Others have no malice but don't have a sense of how to be gentle.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">For some kids, a little ‘big brother or sister gift’ from the baby is often very much appreciated.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Baby Coby got Elliot a little stuffed Minnie Mouse that he had been wanting.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Elliot did ask</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">“<em>How did he manage to get this</em>?”</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">but didn’t spend too much time wondering about it, and thanked his brother.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Lauren’s friend Arielle took it a step further. She got the idea from her friend Adia.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Makai became a party planner and planned an entire welcome home/zero birthday party for his sister Lila.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">He baked a cake, decorated a sign and had a balloon and a special stuffed animal waiting for her.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><strong>Validate that all emotions are valid. There are just some responses that are more appropriate than others</strong></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Here is my <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/c4e30970-ee41-43f1-bea6-877f3163a8f5?j%3DeyJ1IjoiMzZmcXBpIn0.FBnvDJDtmdudVY6YgxFE-4gqxz1g00kxrZ11QRB6AUA&source=gmail&ust=1709404000829000&usg=AOvVaw1zLC3AI5M-nGmy37hQvOhU" href="https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/c4e30970-ee41-43f1-bea6-877f3163a8f5?j=eyJ1IjoiMzZmcXBpIn0.FBnvDJDtmdudVY6YgxFE-4gqxz1g00kxrZ11QRB6AUA" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" style="color: #404040;" target="_blank">Blog</a> post about managing emotions</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Name some of the issues:</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><em>It is hard and loud when the baby cries</em></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><em>It doesn’t feel good to have to wait for something while I am tending to the baby</em></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><em>It doesn’t seem fair that the baby gets to sleep in mommy's room.</em></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">If you can manage, make sure the big sib gets one on one time with each parent. If the baby is in the room, some kids will think that it doesn’t count.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Be creative. Maybe when you are in the kitchen making a meal only the big one can join you in there to be your sous chef. Or if time and space is really at a premium, invite them into the bathroom with you as if it is a privilege.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Let them be helpers. Find some tasks that they can assist with. This can mean getting out the diaper and wipes for a change, or entertaining the baby.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">“Look how the baby lets me change him when you are keeping him interested, without your help I would probably get poop everywhere!”</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">I like to make the big siblings the deputies of the Hand Washing Patrol. Have hand sanitizer such as Purell around. </p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Call it magic soap. Tell your ‘deputy’ that they are in charge of making sure that anyone who is going to touch the baby cleans their hands first. This may help make sure that they don't feel like they are constantly being nagged at.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Note about hand sanitizers..If your toddler is prone to putting things in their mouth, you can also get the hand sanitizer that is alcohol free just to be on the safe side.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><strong>Be aware that regression behavior is pretty common.</strong> </p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Suddenly the older kid is interested in drinking from a bottle, talking in baby talk or asking for a pull up</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Author Julie King, suggests that you allow your older one to ‘play baby’</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><em>Here let’s pretend for a little while. Let me swaddle you, here is a pretend bottle. Now let’s snuggle.</em></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">After a bit, they are likely to be done with that game. At that point you can point out that big kids like them are so lucky that they know how to walk, eat real food and use their words. </p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Therapist Brittany Williams adds that allowing the older sibling to care for their own stuffed animal/baby doll can help redirect their focus. Rather than feel as if they are missing out, they feel like they have something to tend to, just like their favorite adults. </p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Maintaining as much of your firstborns daily & weekly routine before baby will help them traverse the change with more emotional margin. </p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><strong>Regardless of how much prep you have done, at some point the majority of new big siblings are likely to suggest that it is time for that baby to be put back in mom’s tummy. This does not mean that you have failed either one of your children. </strong></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"> <strong>Other considerations</strong></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Every kid is different and it takes some longer than others to get used to this new world.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">It is also an adjustment for parents! You have been used to having a big, sturdy kid who can tell you what they need. It is suddenly shocking to revert to having a baby who feels so small and can’t really communicate. And that poop!? Is it normal for it to be so squirty? We forget!</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">One more important thing to keep in mind is that all of your kids will reach their <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/4f8d6d95-83cb-4991-9eb6-d2d326dfc357?j%3DeyJ1IjoiMzZmcXBpIn0.FBnvDJDtmdudVY6YgxFE-4gqxz1g00kxrZ11QRB6AUA&source=gmail&ust=1709404000829000&usg=AOvVaw1CcpYVNRf1MvJSFZiDcof1" href="https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/4f8d6d95-83cb-4991-9eb6-d2d326dfc357?j=eyJ1IjoiMzZmcXBpIn0.FBnvDJDtmdudVY6YgxFE-4gqxz1g00kxrZ11QRB6AUA" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" style="color: #404040;" target="_blank">milestones</a> on their own timeline. It doesn't pay to compare them to each other or to the other kids in the play group.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">The list of very valid reasons that many families stop at one child is a long one. There are millions of folks who are only children who never missed having a sibling. </p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">But for those of you who are going through the joys and the challenges of expanding you families, here are some final thoughts…. </p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><strong>Siblings can be a blessing</strong></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">My mom was an only child. I can remember her telling me that she never missed having siblings until she was an adult.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">In most situations, even if it feels like there is a rough patch at the beginning, remind yourself that giving your kids a sibling is a gift.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Thanks so much to Tamar for introducing me to the following poem. The author is unknown.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><strong>Loving Two</strong></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><em>As I walk along holding your 2-year-old hand, basking in the glow of our magical relationship. Suddenly I feel a kick from within, as if to remind me that our time alone is limited. And I wonder: How could I ever love another child as I love you?</em></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><em>Then she is born, and I watch you. I watch the pain you feel at having to share me as you've never shared me before. I hear you telling me in your own way, "Please love only me" And I hear myself telling you in mine,"I can't," knowing, in fact, that I never can again.</em></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><em>You cry. I cry with you. I almost see our new baby as an intruder on the precious relationship we once shared. A relationship we can never quite have again.</em></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><em>But then, barely noticing, I find myself attached to that new being, and feeling almost guilty. I'm afraid to let you see me enjoying her -- as though I am betraying you.</em></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><em>But then I notice your resentment change, first to curiosity, then to protectiveness, finally to genuine affection.</em></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><em>More days pass, and we are settling into a new routine. The memory of days with just the two of us is fading fast. But something else is replacing those wonderful times we shared, just we two.</em></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><em>There are new times -- only now, we are three. I watch the love between you grow, the way you look at each other, touch each other. I watch how she adores you -- as I have for so long. I see how excited you are by each of her new accomplishments.</em></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><em>And I begin to realize that I haven't taken something from you, I've given something to you. I notice that I am no longer afraid to share my love openly with both of you. I find that my love for each of you is as different as you are, but equally strong</em></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><em>And my question is finally answered, to my amazement. Yes, I can love another child as much as I love you -- only differently.</em></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><em>And although I realize that you may have to share my time, I now know you'll never share my love. There's enough of that for both of you -- you each have your own supply.</em></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><em>I love you -- both. And I thank you both for blessing my life.</em></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><strong>Thanks to the valuable contributors to this post. It takes a village</strong></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><em>Tamar S is an educator and mother of 2. She was one of the inspirations for this post when she sent me a photo of her second child being held by his feet, upside down.</em></p><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 32px auto;"><figure style="margin: 0px auto; width: 550px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"></td><td align="left" style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;" width="442"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/7890bdbd-47c9-4293-b09a-e72e36767192?j%3DeyJ1IjoiMzZmcXBpIn0.FBnvDJDtmdudVY6YgxFE-4gqxz1g00kxrZ11QRB6AUA&source=gmail&ust=1709404000829000&usg=AOvVaw2veeFjcNAZQ5mh3Mz-wH0-" href="https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/7890bdbd-47c9-4293-b09a-e72e36767192?j=eyJ1IjoiMzZmcXBpIn0.FBnvDJDtmdudVY6YgxFE-4gqxz1g00kxrZ11QRB6AUA" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" style="border: none; color: #1155cc; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; width: auto;" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="CToWUd" data-bit="iit" height="589.3333333333334" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEhbvA6M4LuiB8S5JK2uAkGwk7OJWSG-RofU_acfpL9tJ9sEioYBqekq9P5PXAQxSuU3kJkcMISXV2DfNBNyg47W6nmkVC9I9vE8Yrux5jmpmvvoA72MJ-XQ8ehS0fQ_XoYtKmP-_6ldvvgA4BA4H8AbAFaWlUV_wxX784JuNQeC9wGuZ5mUZgDvm10yPgsq26djpQOzKFSnfIb99Rqwyg8wIz6h32KzaMNC_w8dZiWYTLhdAqUkUHcYjB8OjP_3u1Pke3LuXw-D2hyphenhyphenN9h16VbqNgl1k7UYd-9xNjVvjc1MANuE8gTvOvTi__Um5slng2M8iPIr4mPBQ8lMMxmBXId4bDJcxejfixm2Y8EFslgI4WY265KPh=s0-d-e1-ft,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Ff4dc07ef-fbef-4e58-b369-cbc0b7657e75_768x1024.jpeg" style="border: none !important; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: auto !important;" width="442" /></a></td><td style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table></figure></div><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><em><strong>Julie King</strong> is the co-author of two best-selling books: How To Talk So LITTLE Kids Will Listen and How To Talk When Kids Won't Listen, and the app HOW TO TALK: Parenting Tips in Your Pocket. Julie leads online, interactive workshops based on her books, as well as workshops about how to handle the fighting and arguing, and help kids get along. She also consults privately online with parents of kids from tots to teens, and speaks publicly to parent groups and school and business communities. To learn more, visit her website,<a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/42e9387a-12ed-4296-98c4-a226c2ccebc8?j%3DeyJ1IjoiMzZmcXBpIn0.FBnvDJDtmdudVY6YgxFE-4gqxz1g00kxrZ11QRB6AUA&source=gmail&ust=1709404000829000&usg=AOvVaw1hY_6APfN0USAMhKoZbT6l" href="https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/42e9387a-12ed-4296-98c4-a226c2ccebc8?j=eyJ1IjoiMzZmcXBpIn0.FBnvDJDtmdudVY6YgxFE-4gqxz1g00kxrZ11QRB6AUA" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" style="color: #404040;" target="_blank"> julieking.org</a>.</em></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><em>Brittany Williams is a wonderful therapist who I was lucky enough to work with during my time at the Oathcare start-up</em></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><em>Dee-Dee S, Tamar’s mom as well as one of my best friends whose wisdom as a mother and grandmother is a gift</em></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><strong>Last and certainly not least</strong></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><em>My daughter Lauren: She is an extraordinary mommy. She has done it all right so far. Watching EJ welcome home his new brother has been nothing short of amazing</em></p><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 32px auto;"><figure style="margin: 0px auto; width: 550px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"></td><td align="left" style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;" width="470"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/fa27d3e1-f47f-43b8-a39f-d324b22b593e?j%3DeyJ1IjoiMzZmcXBpIn0.FBnvDJDtmdudVY6YgxFE-4gqxz1g00kxrZ11QRB6AUA&source=gmail&ust=1709404000829000&usg=AOvVaw3tQXqPiwpVx_f8FMgtlzNO" href="https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/fa27d3e1-f47f-43b8-a39f-d324b22b593e?j=eyJ1IjoiMzZmcXBpIn0.FBnvDJDtmdudVY6YgxFE-4gqxz1g00kxrZ11QRB6AUA" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" style="border: none; color: #1155cc; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; width: auto;" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="CToWUd" data-bit="iit" height="626.559065934066" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEiGj17KbG7i3wRF9wmhM6-Iyml78O1kpp-ibz-6gSef1_Zml8h_Pbul2X5NBuPl18NcKBtfvgX5mOMRS8TdRbntu3Bx7Yr0apd2KufaS3_YOCIQuw0meVoBQpLbbmvPJspgNtbyTbue8AkndAEG3kLpGxlFxZYFmyQKvGJGA8QOZ2p1qyQKuE7UyiAkgBAVi96w3ViV-T7xdnuZH8rNqlGpvwyVhKIAZnaq4xQNVevW-nlHEIUXYkP2OO1tViOEWunWHW3Aril0i-4tDp05tzS8amQoVEEbeeGH_0DHmU_EIYR2sFO_T5Rb11uB5vpH1iMZGD4gmWtQ5VNGTVz9XJkmZ6RPszSp4jP6uHbR09OcYSAHzphMJQ=s0-d-e1-ft,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fca4a7878-f3d6-4009-a00e-b5992729d862_3024x4032.jpeg" style="border: none !important; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: auto !important;" width="470" /></a></td><td style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table></figure></div><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Do you have ideas to share that haven’t been mentioned? I would love to hear about them in the comments</p><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><div style="color: #404040; direction: ltr !important; font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.5; margin: 24px auto; max-width: 560px; padding: 32px; text-align: center;"><div style="display: flex; font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; font-size: 18px; line-height: 22px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 16px; max-width: 384px; width: fit-content;"></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2805471460666960029.post-28055276981198635092024-02-23T09:21:00.000-08:002024-02-23T09:21:54.912-08:00Election 2024/Get your kids involved and make sure to vote!<p> <strong style="color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">VOTE!!</strong></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">This post is geared for families with kids who are no longer infants.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"></p><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 32px auto;"><figure style="margin: 0px auto; width: 550px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"></td><td align="left" style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;" width="416"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/d465cc80-1dc3-4bf3-adb0-aa50735f7ebb?j%3DeyJ1IjoiMzZmcXBpIn0.FBnvDJDtmdudVY6YgxFE-4gqxz1g00kxrZ11QRB6AUA&source=gmail&ust=1708795258126000&usg=AOvVaw115RSXv5TOOcniql6OHQnS" href="https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/d465cc80-1dc3-4bf3-adb0-aa50735f7ebb?j=eyJ1IjoiMzZmcXBpIn0.FBnvDJDtmdudVY6YgxFE-4gqxz1g00kxrZ11QRB6AUA" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" style="border: none; color: #1155cc; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; width: auto;" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="CToWUd" data-bit="iit" height="647.8032085561497" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEjFJHFWNna8vK7tWFMyr68FTTaqVHeYSUHbqeSNl2JLtnlNewKYemx0P4itipwSP8IcNg-YN1AI02d763hyphenhyphenKUYfEiBPMqua3bFrDYjf5MrL2__3p1J_bX-QV0RsBfiYQcCd0oBhc8qPiFhB1ZrwrBeSJ3RWeev3ErG2xH967EUHxWIrJlq22IPS_0Dk3AbNUc6CHgzXbyGrU619r1smeeoSijh3qKYFNfIND0xv9RGZMKZ8O_QM1asyP5FvFeDRvzmIgkG0ItRWYTkpmmgBk8lrbXwRbxycKchIqwW4kojfU7tJQG1V68eslfbdyV0kGn47ehpHv-Ion8Jn5ylg9XfZLkv7goT3nYBHn-aeppv3gdHvA6pB=s0-d-e1-ft,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F309be1c6-b49a-4fb3-b5e7-f0b3179054d4_935x1456.jpeg" style="border: none !important; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: auto !important;" width="416" /></a></td><td style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table><figcaption style="box-sizing: content-box; color: grey; font-size: 14px; letter-spacing: -0.15px; line-height: 20px; margin-top: 8px; padding-left: 82.5px; padding-right: 82.5px; text-align: center; width: 385px;"></figcaption></figure></div><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">It is that time of year. Our mailboxes are filled with flyers telling us to vote yes on this and no on that. The phone is ringing and if it isn't the IRS, it is possibly the recorded voice of a celebrity telling you why to support a specific candidate. Television and radio spots are election related. Many give a collective sigh of relief when election day comes and goes. </p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">And this is just the primaries. I don’t foresee a real break until after the November elections. Sigh.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">But take a moment and remember what it’s all about.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">I just voted this week. I usually like to go to the polls but I will be away on the actual election day, so this time I used an absentee ballot.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">It was drilled into me at an early age that voting matters. I have early memories of going with my parents to their polling place. Knowing something about the issues and people running for office is our responsibility as much as it is a privilege. Of course growing up in Pennsylvania was quite a bit different than the robust California ballots that we are faced with here. Having to figure out how to vote on all of the propositions can be overwhelming.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Over the years I have voted on some strange ones; this is San Francisco after all. I used to bring our fat voting pamphlets home to my mom just for her entertainment.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">A few of the odder ballot measures from the past that come to mind were:</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Could a SF police officer use his ventriloquist puppet dummy while he was on the job?</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Should the waste treatment center be renamed after George W Bush?</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">There have been years when there are more than 30 proposals to dig through.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><strong>Let your kids see the process. </strong>Invite friends over to talk about the issues. It is a great way for them to see that many of the ballot measures are multifaceted and often not black or white. How do you weigh all of the arguments? How do you sift through all of the information to find the points that sway you the most? Ask your kids how would they vote if they were eligible? Why? There are so many talking points and lessons to be learned.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">This included perhaps one of the most tricky issues:</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">How do you deal with friends and family who have different opinions? </p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">If you vote by absentee ballot, have your kids help you fill them in and put them in the mail. If you go to the polls, take your kids with you. And wear your "I Voted" sticker proudly.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">The photo of Sandy, Alana and me rocking our stickers is from a past election.</p><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 32px auto;"><figure style="margin: 0px auto; width: 550px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"></td><td align="left" style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;" width="418"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/e7949c3b-962e-4a6a-b96f-ee0439cae299?j%3DeyJ1IjoiMzZmcXBpIn0.FBnvDJDtmdudVY6YgxFE-4gqxz1g00kxrZ11QRB6AUA&source=gmail&ust=1708795258126000&usg=AOvVaw0VuJgJTY68tyn0phVI3OjU" href="https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/e7949c3b-962e-4a6a-b96f-ee0439cae299?j=eyJ1IjoiMzZmcXBpIn0.FBnvDJDtmdudVY6YgxFE-4gqxz1g00kxrZ11QRB6AUA" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" style="border: none; color: #1155cc; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; width: auto;" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="CToWUd" data-bit="iit" height="743.1111111111111" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEgZlRtDnEprQ4UtAWkmev6xADQxDcCp4AarL3Qw66hT5cFJuE_RCQ-bUIlnl5VVVTknFIYL9Q15hgjK3KjEwuEl_pp4H4DTaqNvBH1JOHZllvTQoW4ol9jBemJPW6MRjBg7RbA5ulR9Cf6JiodHbreqvujcZA-2OPZzN_fvqwEMcuFBvAyN-zUYbLoOXGd05LdXkkXMKB_UOvNdhHk34HSmxIwDyO_1Vp6jT9vR5PyX9vymHt1P9GsFr66jXvJ2lVFNpJM6mLj4w7tCX-BysDXdsxyrtaio_6ICo9Wojwb-QpOmf4QGI2VFmv8zYJBL8wpQI9rFIlfthaw72626Hf6IIwWPQ9dHU1IQjo9Bt7Cb938dkfcM=s0-d-e1-ft,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F30f82779-39fb-48db-a8b9-042a4ef912b3_729x1296.jpeg" style="border: none !important; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: auto !important;" width="418" /></a></td><td style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table></figure></div><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"></p><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><div style="color: #404040; direction: ltr !important; font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.5; margin: 24px auto; max-width: 560px; padding: 32px; text-align: center;"><div style="display: flex; font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; font-size: 18px; line-height: 22px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 16px; max-width: 384px; width: fit-content;"></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2805471460666960029.post-87063998700630303212024-02-16T09:18:00.000-08:002024-02-16T09:18:00.984-08:00Introducing allergens to your child/ for some it should be done earlier than you might think<p> <strong style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary));">Starting solids can feel overwhelming. </strong></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;">When you sort through all the overwhelming amount of information out there, there really aren’t a lot of hard and fast rules, but here are a couple.</p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;">1. Babies younger than one year should </span><strong style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;">never</strong><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;"> have any raw honey</span></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;">2. Have some common sense choking precautions. This means: no whole nuts, round hard things, etc</p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;">Really that’s it, so relax!</p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;">But is anything really that simple? </p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><strong style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;">There are actually a few considerations.</strong></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;">Some kids are eagerly watching every bite you take. They are willing you to share whatever you are munching on.</p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;">Others aren’t at all interested. They are not impressed by your acting skills as you make loud YUM noises over a spoonful of mushy peas.</p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;">Some families have lots of free time, love to cook and want to make their own food, others are perfectly content to open some jars.</p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;">Some kids have lots of </span><a href="https://nursejudynvp.blogspot.com/2023/08/poop-and-solid-foods.html" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;">poop issues</a><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;"> that start after the solids begin.</span></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;">Some have a history of family allergies or severe eczema and understandably want to proceed carefully around allergens.</p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;">As you can see, no situation is exactly the same.</p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;">Some parents create lists, charts and flowsheets (you know who you are). This is especially common with first kids. Most of the time as siblings come along, the second (and subsequent) babies simply get fed whatever else the family is eating, without paying too much attention. Assuming that allergies aren’t a significant issue, those kids turn out just fine.</p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><strong style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;">But there is a lot of buzz about introducing allergens that is worth paying attention to.</strong></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;">Peanuts are the food that are often the most associated with severe allergic reactions. Because of this, folks were quite cautious and often kept kids away from their first exposure until they were at least two or three-years-old.</p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;">It turns out that this caution was possibly exacerbating the problem. As more and more kids were identified as being allergic, in the mid 2000s, some scientists noted that kids in Israel were not following the same trajectory. What was fascinating was that these same kids were genetically very similar to Jewish populations scattered throughout the world. So why did kids in Israel have much lower rates of peanut allergies than their Western counterparts?</p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;">It is as simple as Bamba. It turns out that young kids in Israel were routinely exposed to a popular peanut based puff. This routine and early exposure seems to prevent many of the kids from ultimately becoming reactive to the nuts.</p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;">After examining this trend, new guidelines were established. Now, as opposed to delaying that initial introduction, it is suggested that the ideal age to introduce some of these tricky foods is between 4-6 months.</p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><strong style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;">4 or 6 months? A note on the age for starting solids:</strong></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;">Understandably, there are a lot of opinions about the age for starting solids. Solid Starts, the very popular baby-led-weaning app, doesn’t recommend starting any true solids until 6 months. If you think about what makes sense evolutionarily, there’s probably some gray here. Cave people didn’t track their infants’ exact age, they just saw that they were watching the food they brought to their mouths attentively and reaching for it. It’s likely that at that point, they were given a bone to chew on or some other foods. When your child is sitting supported in your lap, watching you eat, and reaching for the food you bring to your mouth, as long as they are at least four months old, Dr. Ted and I think that they’re effectively ready to play with solids. ‘Play’ is the operative word here. This is about exploring. It is not about meeting their nutritional needs. Breastmilk and/or formula are all they need until 6 months.</p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><strong style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;">Not everyone needs to pay such careful attention to the introduction of allergens.</strong></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;">Kids who have lovely buttery soft skin are unlikely to have any issues with foods.</p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;">But if your little one is one of the many who have dry patchy skin, any signs of asthma or family history of food allergies, it is really important to introduce things early in the effort to avoid allergies later.</p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;">Any time you are exposing your baby to ANY new food, I strongly suggest that you do it in the morning when you are in the position to keep a close eye on them for the next hour or so. Have them dressed in clothes that are easy to lift us so you can see if there are any rashes developing.</p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><strong style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;">Recognizing Allergic Symptoms</strong></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><em style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;">What are allergic symptoms that are cause for alarm and need immediate attention?</em></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;">These symptoms may begin within minutes to an hour after ingesting the food.</p><ul style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; margin-top: 0px; padding: 0px;"><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; margin: var(--size-8) 0 0 var(--size-32);"><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; box-sizing: border-box; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; padding-left: var(--size-4);">Hives (these are not little red dots, but typically full body welts and large areas of red raised skin that will often have a white center and tend to move around the body)</p></li><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; margin: var(--size-8) 0 0 var(--size-32);"><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; box-sizing: border-box; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; padding-left: var(--size-4);">Breathing difficulties like excessive coughing or wheezing</p></li><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; margin: var(--size-8) 0 0 var(--size-32);"><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; box-sizing: border-box; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; padding-left: var(--size-4);">Vomiting</p></li><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; margin: var(--size-8) 0 0 var(--size-32);"><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; box-sizing: border-box; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; padding-left: var(--size-4);">Swelling of the lips or face</p></li><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; margin: var(--size-8) 0 0 var(--size-32);"><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; box-sizing: border-box; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; padding-left: var(--size-4);">Sudden fussiness</p></li><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; margin: var(--size-8) 0 0 var(--size-32);"><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; box-sizing: border-box; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; padding-left: var(--size-4);">Sudden dramatic sleepiness</p></li></ul><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><em style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;">What are symptoms that are NOT cause for alarm?</em></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;">These are common reactions and the ones we get asked about the most. They are more often benign food sensitivities. </p><ul style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; margin-top: 0px; padding: 0px;"><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; margin: var(--size-8) 0 0 var(--size-32);"><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; box-sizing: border-box; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; padding-left: var(--size-4);">Rashy red cheeks that show up after eating and linger (they might show up quickly, but can last for hours and even days).</p></li><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; margin: var(--size-8) 0 0 var(--size-32);"><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; box-sizing: border-box; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; padding-left: var(--size-4);">Diaper rashes that are either red dots or large red rings.</p></li><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; margin: var(--size-8) 0 0 var(--size-32);"><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; box-sizing: border-box; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; padding-left: var(--size-4);">Mild changes in poop consistency or color in kids that are otherwise happy.</p></li></ul><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;">There are a million opinions about what to do with these benign reactions to food. Dr. Ted usually says to just power through, unless the face is so rashy that it’s breaking skin, then consider using a bunch of Vaseline. Nurse Judy will advise people to cut back a little on the extra berries that are so often the culprit. </p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><strong style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;">For the First Introduction of Peanuts</strong></p><div class="captioned-image-container" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; margin: var(--size-32) auto;"><figure style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; margin: 0px auto; width: 728px;"><a class="image-link is-viewable-img image2" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F42594974-606b-4b72-a085-f5d2e9c536a6_900x1200.jpeg" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; align-items: center; border: 0px; cursor: zoom-in; display: flex; flex-direction: column; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; 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cursor: pointer; display: flex; height: var(--size-32); justify-content: center; opacity: 0; position: absolute; right: var(--size-12); top: var(--size-12); transition: all var(--animation-timing-fast) var(--animation-smoothing); width: var(--size-32);"><svg class="lucide lucide-maximize2 " fill="none" height="16" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" stroke-width="2" stroke="#FFFFFF" viewbox="0 0 24 24" width="16" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></div></div></a></figure></div><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><strong style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;">Before you start: if you have a known severe (anaphylactic) reaction to peanuts in the family, do not try peanuts on your own at home. Ask your pediatrician for testing first, or a referral to an allergist.</strong></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;">It is important to know that before having a food allergy reaction, a sensitive child must have been exposed to the food at least once before, or could also be sensitized through breast milk. It is the second time your child eats the food that the allergic symptoms happen.</p><ul style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; margin-top: 0px; padding: 0px;"><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; margin: var(--size-8) 0 0 var(--size-32);"><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; box-sizing: border-box; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; padding-left: var(--size-4);">Prepare some peanut butter by thinning it out: You can mix it with a few drops of warm water or breast milk. Make sure it’s natural, free of honey, and with no extra salt or sugar. There is also peanut powder as an option (more on this below).</p></li><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; margin: var(--size-8) 0 0 var(--size-32);"><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; box-sizing: border-box; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; padding-left: var(--size-4);"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;">Rub a small amount of the thinned peanut butter on the </span><em style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;">inside</em><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;"> of the infant's lip (</span><em style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;">not</em><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;"> on their skin), or dip your finger and let them suck it off. </span></p></li><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; margin: var(--size-8) 0 0 var(--size-32);"><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; box-sizing: border-box; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; padding-left: var(--size-4);"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;">I used to recommend touching peanuts to skin, because indeed allergic babies would react. This seemed less scary at the time. It turns out that skin exposure to allergens might be part of what </span><em style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;">causes</em><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;"> allergies. As such, if you have a rashy child, you should apply some Vaseline or other skin barrier around the mouth before feeding allergens. It seems weird (and tedious), but this simple fix may decrease the likelihood that allergies will develop.</span></p></li><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; margin: var(--size-8) 0 0 var(--size-32);"><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; box-sizing: border-box; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; padding-left: var(--size-4);"> If there is no reaction after a few minutes, feed the baby ¼ teaspoon of the thinned peanut butter and observe for 30 minutes.</p></li><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; margin: var(--size-8) 0 0 var(--size-32);"><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; box-sizing: border-box; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; padding-left: var(--size-4);">If there is still no allergic reaction, give ½ teaspoon of smooth peanut butter/paste and observe for a further 30 minutes.</p></li><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; margin: var(--size-8) 0 0 var(--size-32);"><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; box-sizing: border-box; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; padding-left: var(--size-4);">If it is well tolerated, parents should continue to include peanut butter in their infant’s diet in gradually increasing amounts at least once or twice weekly, as it is important to continue to feed peanut to the infant as a part of a varied diet. As a bonus, peanuts are a nice source of protein!</p></li><li style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; margin: var(--size-8) 0 0 var(--size-32);"><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; box-sizing: border-box; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0px; padding-left: var(--size-4);">If there is any mild or moderate allergic reaction (mentioned above) at any step, stop feeding peanuts to the infant and seek medical advice. I would work closely with your pediatrician or allergist to make a plan moving forward.</p></li></ul><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;">Don’t hesitate to give a dose of cetirizine (Zyrtec) at the first sign of any symptoms. Benadryl is not quite as good in these situations because it can cause sleepiness which can potentially be harder to assess, and only lasts 4-6 hours, while cetirizine lasts 24 hours. </p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;">Of course, If there is any difficulty breathing, call 911. Be assured that actual anaphylactic reactions in kids under a year are quite rare. </p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><strong style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;">Dr. Ted’s Tidbits:</strong></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;">The thought of giving your child anaphylactic shock is terrifying. A lot of parents will subsequently delay allergen introduction due to this fear. I’d encourage you not to wait, and here’s why. In order to have anaphylactic shock, the body releases a large amount of histamine in multiple organs. You can tell if your baby has a propensity to release large amounts of histamine: these kids almost always have very significant eczema. Their skin is like a big flag announcing, “hey, I’m allergic!” They also might have very reactive airways and are oftentimes wheezing. If your child has, as Nurse Judy says, buttery smooth skin, they’re highly unlikely to have anaphylaxis out of nowhere, and no, you don’t need to own an epi pen “just in case.”</p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><strong style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;">Introducing Other Allergenic Foods</strong></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;">The most common food culprits are nuts, fish/shellfish, milk, eggs, wheat, and soy.</p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;">If you are nursing and eat some of the things on the list, it is possible that your baby will show some signs of fussiness and intolerance, but not always.</p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;">As noted above, there is a big difference between life-threatening allergies and the run-of-the-mill nuisance variety.</p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;">Milk allergies usually show up as blood in the poop. Dietary changes are needed in the first year, but this is not generally dangerous and virtually all babies grow out of it.</p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;">Think about how many of your adult friends have to carry an epi pen for milk, egg, or wheat allergies. Probably not many. If you’re trying to get the most bang for your buck with early allergen introduction, focus on nuts and shellfish. </p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><strong style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;">FPIES (food protein-induced enterocolitis syndrome)</strong></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;">This condition is VERY rare but worth knowing about.</p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;">Unlike most food allergies, symptoms of FPIES do not begin immediately after eating. Instead, it can take hours before severe symptoms begin.</p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;">Typical symptoms of FPIES include severe vomiting, diarrhea and dehydration two hours after eating. These symptoms can lead to other complications, including changes in blood pressure (although it’s rare you’re checking this at home) and body temperature, lethargy, and poor weight gain.The most common FPIES food triggers are cow’s milk, soy, rice and oats, but any food can cause FPIES symptoms. </p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;">FPIES is commonly misdiagnosed as a severe stomach bug because the symptoms are so similar. </p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;">However, most tummy bugs only last for a couple of days. When symptoms are lingering is when most doctors start looking more closely for possible causes. It is generally only after repeated ingestion of the trigger food — followed by severe symptoms hours later — that indicate FPIES may be the cause.</p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;">Treatment is generally avoiding the trigger foods. Fortunately most kids outgrow this by the time they are 3.</p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><strong style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;">What about these new food allergen kits?</strong></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;">There are a lot of new products that aim to make allergen introduction easier, and more scientific, for parents. They are small and typically flavorless powders that are essentially freeze-dried proteins from typical allergenic foods. They make it easier to introduce allergens without needing to figure out the “</span><em style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;">how”</em><span style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;"> (“how will I feed a small infant a shrimp cocktail?”). You can sprinkle the powder into breast milk or add it to any other food your baby already tolerates. They are proven and effective, but not all allergists think they’re worth the price (as of this writing). If you aren’t intimidated by figuring out how to feed the real deal, you can save your money and get the same results.</span></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><strong style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;">In Conclusion</strong></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;">Breathe. This all can feel very scary. There’s something very sinister about the idea of allergic reactions…this concept that the body can just flip a switch and attack itself, seemingly without warning. Luckily this is extraordinarily rare in infants. Using the latest data and studies on allergen introduction, you can hopefully avoid serious allergies later in life and train the body to accept everything in the diet. And for the majority of you without risk factors (no eczema, no asthma, no food allergies in parents), you should relax and feed your kid. You don’t need to focus on introducing allergens to young infants.</p><div class="captioned-image-container" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; margin: var(--size-32) auto;"><figure style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; margin: 0px auto; width: 728px;"><a class="image-link is-viewable-img image2" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1d976128-6d48-4a9e-9b1d-8c83d6b6ce18_1200x1600.jpeg" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; align-items: center; border: 0px; cursor: zoom-in; display: flex; flex-direction: column; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; padding: 0px; position: relative; text-decoration-line: none; width: auto;" target="_blank"><div class="image2-inset" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; display: flex; position: relative;"><picture style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;"><source sizes="100vw" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_424,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1d976128-6d48-4a9e-9b1d-8c83d6b6ce18_1200x1600.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_848,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1d976128-6d48-4a9e-9b1d-8c83d6b6ce18_1200x1600.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1272,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1d976128-6d48-4a9e-9b1d-8c83d6b6ce18_1200x1600.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_webp,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1d976128-6d48-4a9e-9b1d-8c83d6b6ce18_1200x1600.jpeg 1456w" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;" type="image/webp"></source><img alt="" class="sizing-normal" data-attrs="{"src":"https://substack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com/public/images/1d976128-6d48-4a9e-9b1d-8c83d6b6ce18_1200x1600.jpeg","srcNoWatermark":null,"fullscreen":null,"imageSize":null,"height":1600,"width":1200,"resizeWidth":460,"bytes":252275,"alt":null,"title":null,"type":"image/jpeg","href":null,"belowTheFold":true,"topImage":false,"internalRedirect":null}" height="613.3333333333334" loading="lazy" sizes="100vw" src="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1d976128-6d48-4a9e-9b1d-8c83d6b6ce18_1200x1600.jpeg" srcset="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_424,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1d976128-6d48-4a9e-9b1d-8c83d6b6ce18_1200x1600.jpeg 424w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_848,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1d976128-6d48-4a9e-9b1d-8c83d6b6ce18_1200x1600.jpeg 848w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1272,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1d976128-6d48-4a9e-9b1d-8c83d6b6ce18_1200x1600.jpeg 1272w, https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/w_1456,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1d976128-6d48-4a9e-9b1d-8c83d6b6ce18_1200x1600.jpeg 1456w" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%;" width="460" /></picture><div class="image-link-expand" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; align-items: center; border-radius: var(--border-radius-sm); cursor: pointer; display: flex; height: var(--size-32); justify-content: center; opacity: 0; position: absolute; right: var(--size-12); top: var(--size-12); transition: all var(--animation-timing-fast) var(--animation-smoothing); width: var(--size-32);"><svg class="lucide lucide-maximize2 " fill="none" height="16" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" stroke-width="2" stroke="#FFFFFF" viewbox="0 0 24 24" width="16" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></div></div></a></figure></div><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;">And before you know it they are driving!</p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;">Thanks to my models EJ and Sawyer</p><div class="subscription-widget-wrap" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; margin-bottom: 0px;"><div class="subscription-widget show-subscribe" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; align-items: flex-start; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); direction: ltr !important; font-family: var(--font_family_ui, -apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol'); line-height: 1.5; margin: 24px auto; max-width: 560px; padding: 32px; text-align: center;"><div class="preamble" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; align-items: center; display: flex; font-family: var(--font_family_ui, -apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol'); font-size: 18px; line-height: 22px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: var(--size-16); max-width: 384px; width: fit-content;"><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><br /></p></div><div class="subscribe-widget is-signed-up is-fully-subscribed" data-component-name="SubscribeWidget" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; direction: ltr; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"><p class="button-wrapper" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;"><button class="pencraft subscribe-btn tw-cursor-pointer tw-appearance-none tw-whitespace-nowrap tw-border-0 tw-border-solid disabled:tw-cursor-not-allowed tw-relative tw-flex tw-items-center tw-justify-center tw-gap-3 tw-font-body tw-text-sm tw-leading-sm tw-tracking-sm tw-font-semibold tw-px-5 tw-h-button tw-rounded tw-border tw-border-pub-accent tw-bg-transparent tw-text-pub-accent hover:tw-bg-pub-detail-light disabled:tw-opacity-70" data-href="/account?utm_medium=web&utm_source=subscribe-widget-preamble&utm_content=141715496" style="--tw-border-opacity: 1 !important; --tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-text-opacity: 1 !important; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; align-items: center !important; appearance: none !important; border-color: rgba(var(--color_theme_bg_pop_rgb, var(--color-light-accent-orange-rgb)),var(--tw-border-opacity)) !important; border-radius: 4px !important; border-style: solid !important; border-width: 0px !important; cursor: pointer !important; display: flex !important; font-family: "SF Pro Text", -apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, Inter, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol" !important; font-size: 0.875rem !important; font-weight: 600 !important; gap: 0.75rem !important; height: 40px !important; justify-content: center !important; line-height: 1.25rem !important; margin: 0px auto; padding-left: 1.25rem !important; padding-right: 1.25rem !important; position: relative !important; text-wrap: nowrap !important;" tabindex="0" type="button"><svg class="lucide lucide-check " fill="none" height="20" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" stroke-width="2" stroke="currentColor" style="background-color: white; color: #ff9900;" viewbox="0 0 24 24" width="20" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M20 6 9 17l-5-5"></path></svg></button></p></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2805471460666960029.post-41597557500581960912024-02-09T09:59:00.000-08:002024-02-09T09:59:50.170-08:00Is your child getting enough iron?<p> </p><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" role="presentation" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td align="left" style="margin: 0px;" width="550"><div style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 550px; width: 550px;"><div dir="auto" style="line-height: 26px; padding: 16px 0px 0px;"><div dir="auto" style="line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 16px; text-align: initial; width: 550px; word-break: break-word;"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /><br /><div style="line-height: 26px;"><div style="line-height: 26px; margin-top: 16px;"><hr style="background: rgb(224, 224, 224); border: none; height: 1px; margin: 16px 0px 0px; padding: 0px;" /></div></div><div dir="auto" style="line-height: 26px; padding: 16px 0px 0px;"><div style="line-height: 26px;"><h1 style="color: #404040; font-family: "SF Compact Display", -apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; font-size: 32px; line-height: 36px; margin: 0px;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://substack.com/app-link/post?publication_id%3D2199589%26post_id%3D141509733%26utm_source%3Dpost-email-title%26utm_campaign%3Demail-post-title%26isFreemail%3Dtrue%26r%3D36fqpi%26token%3DeyJ1c2VyX2lkIjoxOTIyMTA2NzgsInBvc3RfaWQiOjE0MTUwOTczMywiaWF0IjoxNzA3NDkxMzEwLCJleHAiOjE3MTAwODMzMTAsImlzcyI6InB1Yi0yMTk5NTg5Iiwic3ViIjoicG9zdC1yZWFjdGlvbiJ9.pnIIATfWDUg8SeR9rQIl16oxBI7UXM7ISrNf8MmQ4aw&source=gmail&ust=1707587890707000&usg=AOvVaw3n5YDUPFRo--OGMcipQzkT" href="https://substack.com/app-link/post?publication_id=2199589&post_id=141509733&utm_source=post-email-title&utm_campaign=email-post-title&isFreemail=true&r=36fqpi&token=eyJ1c2VyX2lkIjoxOTIyMTA2NzgsInBvc3RfaWQiOjE0MTUwOTczMywiaWF0IjoxNzA3NDkxMzEwLCJleHAiOjE3MTAwODMzMTAsImlzcyI6InB1Yi0yMTk5NTg5Iiwic3ViIjoicG9zdC1yZWFjdGlvbiJ9.pnIIATfWDUg8SeR9rQIl16oxBI7UXM7ISrNf8MmQ4aw" style="color: #404040; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Is your child getting enough iron?</a></h1><h3 style="color: grey; font-family: "SF Compact Display", -apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; font-size: 18px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 24px; margin: 12px 0px 0px;">Are you? Many adults are anemic and don't realize it.</h3><br /></div></div><div dir="auto" style="line-height: 26px; padding: 16px 0px 0px;"><div dir="auto" style="line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 16px; text-align: initial; width: 550px; word-break: break-word;"><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"></p><div style="line-height: 26px; margin: 32px auto;"><figure style="margin: 0px auto; width: 550px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"></td><td align="left" style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;" width="442"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/c28e9b1c-b55b-466d-8774-1e80dfff90d7?j%3DeyJ1IjoiMzZmcXBpIn0.FBnvDJDtmdudVY6YgxFE-4gqxz1g00kxrZ11QRB6AUA&source=gmail&ust=1707587890708000&usg=AOvVaw1X9jXISsnXJE2l6VGfddW-" href="https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/c28e9b1c-b55b-466d-8774-1e80dfff90d7?j=eyJ1IjoiMzZmcXBpIn0.FBnvDJDtmdudVY6YgxFE-4gqxz1g00kxrZ11QRB6AUA" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" style="border: none; color: #1155cc; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; width: auto;" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="CToWUd" data-bit="iit" height="589.3333333333334" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEgILZby_XAQV5kQnhjt563Hwz1dMvocX9lNStnZMsg0o4PG1Ujsl9rxrnjQjnhyGbkzEJw4-Z9S8_lu9a9uy6oD5U_uslXrhyphenhyphenBllBDkbp-NZ2GtZgSezqcLMzxKPeqXOd4sTwnoXBt8mKCk7QWNb4F5Sf2unhW04Ru8rG6NBxP8lAufmdyY5irRT_ksmfceR5qdOvk1zn-b9njhPV6rpB-tQVe9XEBL8eGTXBnnJ7rja9600aO1o1ptpc3WUJzRScuQr95jLJEmRjvkvpopYBgHSUEukN1FR3RcHeyuzYc3sfLInTi59LT0kblfCb4Ybt8eGH0_1LlbrDi2Sccvd7P_V5Ixufsrc2Z7MsRz2z1ST_z2ZEW7Cg=s0-d-e1-ft,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fafd7aa28-0203-4967-9c47-06870c49f17c_1200x1600.jpeg" style="border: none !important; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: auto !important;" width="442" /></a></td><td style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table></figure></div><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Iron is essential for energy, growth and brain activity. If you have a baby younger than a year old, you can see how much brain activity is constantly going on. Watching them grow and learn is a marvel.</p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">It is useful to be aware of the Daily Iron Requirements:</p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><strong>Infants/Children:</strong></p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">7-12 months: 11 mg</p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">1-3 years: 7 mg</p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">4-8 years:10 mg</p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><strong>Females:</strong></p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">9-13 years: 8 mg</p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">14-18 years: 15mg</p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">19-50 years: 8 mg</p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">51+ years: 8mg</p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><strong>Males:</strong></p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">9-13 years: 8 mg</p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">14-18 years: 11 mg</p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">19-50 years: 8 mg</p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">51+ years:8 mg</p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">It is important to note that by the time a baby is 7 months old, breast milk and/or formula alone are no longer adequate for your child’s complete nutrition needs. Dr Ted and I are firm believers that they need to be eating solids!</p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Although there is no other time that the brain is developing quite as rapidly, it isn’t just babies who need iron.</p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><strong>Symptoms of Anemia</strong></p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Anemic kids (and adults) can present with headaches, restless leg syndrome, low energy, and trouble focusing. They may look pale and have cold hands and feet. They may have a faster heart rate. Children who have low iron levels also tend to put non food items in their mouths more than other kids. If you have a child who loves to chew on ice, that can also be a signal that they are anemic. </p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><strong>There is also a strong connection between anemia and poor sleeping!</strong></p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">I had a family in my old practice who called me about their little 2 year old being a terrible sleeper. Because insomnia can be connected to anemia, one of my first questions was about the iron intake. Both of the mamas were vegetarians. I suggested that these parents hold their noses and offer some meat to their little guy to see if he was interested.</p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Several weeks later, they followed up with me. It turns out that this fellow loved his meat. He turned into a veritable vacuum cleaner, “Meat meat meat”. They started feeding him what he wanted. He ended up sleeping like a champ. It isn’t always such a quick fix, but it is worth keeping this in mind.</p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">I have been mystified over the years by the rather remarkable observation that kids tend to eat what they need. Some also actually recoil from things that they are allergic to. Make sure to offer iron rich foods, if they gobble them down, listen to their cues. Please don’t automatically make your kids be vegetarians just because you are. If it makes you feel better, make sure that any meat offered is organic, hormone free and ethically sourced. That is preferable for everyone. </p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><strong>An extra note about vegetarians.....</strong></p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Vegetarians might have to work a bit harder to make sure they are getting enough iron than the meat eaters. I myself am in the vegetarian camp, but made sure to let my children follow their own path.</p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Additionally, you might note that there are entire countries that are vegetarian and raise their children vegetarian. Diets in those countries tend to offer three meals a day of tremendous amounts of bioavailable plant iron: lentils, beans, legumes, and nuts, all paired with Vitamin C (tomatoes, limes, lemons etc), a necessary co-transporter for plant iron to be effectively absorbed by the human intestine. </p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><strong>LAB INFO</strong></p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">It is a standard part of routine care to get hemoglobin levels checked. This will give you a clue if there is an issue with iron. Depending on your child’s diet your doctor might recommend getting the screening done at either the 9 month, 12 month or 15 month exam.</p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Of course you don’t need to wait until 9 months. If you have concerns about anemia at any age, give your doctor a call. Some doctors can do a quick little finger stick in their office that will give you instant results. Others might give you a lab slip for a CBC (complete blood count). Many will order the lead level to be done at the same time. If you live in an older house is or are aware of other <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/79d5a257-487a-4173-85e2-4ab33c51426c?j%3DeyJ1IjoiMzZmcXBpIn0.FBnvDJDtmdudVY6YgxFE-4gqxz1g00kxrZ11QRB6AUA&source=gmail&ust=1707587890708000&usg=AOvVaw1sO1T7YhePvCgMNQSM5Dsj" href="https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/79d5a257-487a-4173-85e2-4ab33c51426c?j=eyJ1IjoiMzZmcXBpIn0.FBnvDJDtmdudVY6YgxFE-4gqxz1g00kxrZ11QRB6AUA" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" style="color: #404040;" target="_blank">potential lead risks</a>, ask them to make sure to add that extra test.</p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">There are two components in the CBC that give us most of our information about your child's iron level. The hemoglobin is part of the red blood cell that carries oxygen. Your body needs iron in order to have a normal hemoglobin level. The normal hemoglobin level ranges between 11-16. This changes with age and sex. It is usually higher for men. The hematocrit is a measure of what percentage of the blood is the red blood cells. The normal range for a child 6 months to 2 years is 33-40%.</p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">These ranges can vary from lab to lab and I have seen lots of goofy lab results over the years that have terrified parents needlessly. If you ever get an extreme result of any sort the first action should be to repeat it.</p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><strong>Iron is a fairly finicky mineral when it comes to absorption.</strong></p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Some foods may actually be high in iron but are also high in something called phytic acid which blocks absorption.</p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">For you anemic adults out there I hate to pass along that coffee and tea also are a problem when it comes to helping the iron do its job.</p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Iron loves vitamin C, so squeezing an orange or lemon over iron rich food is a fun trick for helping the iron get absorbed. </p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">On the other hand, iron doesn't absorb well with milk. Because of this, kids who drink more than 24 ounces of milk once they have hit the one year mark have a higher incidence of anemia.</p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Interestingly breastmilk is not particularly high in iron, but the iron in the breast milk tends to be very well absorbed. </p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><strong>Iron rich foods can be divided into two groups: heme versus non-heme.</strong></p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Heme iron is much more easily absorbed. Animal sources like meat, poultry, eggs and fish contain heme iron.</p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">The dark meat chicken and turkey are higher in iron than the white meat. The egg yolk is a better source than the egg white.</p><div style="line-height: 26px; margin: 32px auto;"><figure style="margin: 0px auto; width: 550px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"></td><td align="left" style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;" width="422"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/56af00b6-2eef-4020-a608-81989d52a041?j%3DeyJ1IjoiMzZmcXBpIn0.FBnvDJDtmdudVY6YgxFE-4gqxz1g00kxrZ11QRB6AUA&source=gmail&ust=1707587890708000&usg=AOvVaw2415ysNMwVCeAuY5qzyj_2" href="https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/56af00b6-2eef-4020-a608-81989d52a041?j=eyJ1IjoiMzZmcXBpIn0.FBnvDJDtmdudVY6YgxFE-4gqxz1g00kxrZ11QRB6AUA" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" style="border: none; color: #1155cc; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; width: auto;" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="CToWUd" data-bit="iit" height="655.8016129032258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEi-cSJLRpnV9XKpPJ29SkJtxxFjCVViSD_K7XM8guhWsnbG-UwGreRxghaE-_mvkp4zD0kbJ_FB5swgIqH81U413gJRHbpsJ6GcwxBz5r_hElEmEXMOWujBX1BzSJjRGXQdrxx1LWJ5PswlTZbIxTZwa7z-1JoWUy7DfoJGMT8SP_gKtt0yPlA60G0KA6YHbTU-JKcbXmkoH4EthQc5QutCUE1s9YnHc1puaE0swAGxE2xhHArr8gf0j3j2K9SQXzGBOQasvV3KSRfq6AQnfhXxyiiyxdGT3QKPNBhfeTiutRclEAC1p0fZ7hyphenhyphenMv-D5BTLEm-1a05HFl8Arjom63uTYGNbgV_EHcKh5Gizycf1Ie6usGl_a3w=s0-d-e1-ft,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0eb0eadf-3f8e-4e09-8968-e63448b80b29_1240x1927.jpeg" style="border: none !important; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: auto !important;" width="422" /></a></td><td style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table></figure></div><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"></p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Non-heme iron can be found in dried fruits, beans, tofu, enriched cereal and dark green leafy veggies.</p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"></p><div style="line-height: 26px; margin: 32px auto;"><figure style="margin: 0px auto; width: 550px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"></td><td align="left" style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;" width="900"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/2cef4eae-7bd0-49c8-84bf-db2cdf510d23?j%3DeyJ1IjoiMzZmcXBpIn0.FBnvDJDtmdudVY6YgxFE-4gqxz1g00kxrZ11QRB6AUA&source=gmail&ust=1707587890708000&usg=AOvVaw2kB8OXJeWa3UyFOv-eYBce" href="https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/2cef4eae-7bd0-49c8-84bf-db2cdf510d23?j=eyJ1IjoiMzZmcXBpIn0.FBnvDJDtmdudVY6YgxFE-4gqxz1g00kxrZ11QRB6AUA" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" style="border: none; color: #1155cc; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; width: auto;" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="CToWUd" data-bit="iit" height="509.6666666666667" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEizWzDO9cFalD5T4XkzlbflUq4ZOnFxffZ-kUuUvTOrApl68UIQZr780vRgu1VscLgP9lbllQG3HzrpNyvhbfpZl8bIczVpZQhgycgDS7ywlA0ZtQSHFbF736xFpC6h6nlSTdeqjtGb5aNr9tdeLPed7xXV4XnTYR16LcNhjdfB99yWOQHLd_nFVYhs4fvIcSjHVzEAPS2dZJXUmXA2_6tQXw2racHp-jpvx2fkqJm93v1V3kiVaVs31PEQRk3z99TvIkQkFWkDWb3QjCFJ6ZVvq-cji92QXPtocT1Di6HFnVTWpgv5r7vUhM8o2VPsiSkzSQJWes0zKXAWPYnYqRONnbgLYuXB7c9HNSE88GkzbUNnZwA=s0-d-e1-ft,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F0843cb59-ab46-46f3-9e40-06a973f0b5fb_900x834.png" style="border: none !important; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: auto !important;" width="550" /></a></td><td style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table></figure></div><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Other good iron rich options are nuts, and seaweed snacks. Become a good label reader!</p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">As you can see from the above list, fortified baby cereals are an easy way to help get your iron requirements for the beginning eaters.</p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Cooking in cast iron pans is actually a great way to get some extra iron into the diet.</p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><strong>Supplements</strong></p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">You will note from the iron requirements table at the top of this post, that the age ranges don’t start until 7 months. That is because babies are actually born with some iron storage from mom. Maternal iron stores drop down slowly in the first 3 months, reaching their lowest point by 3-4 months. </p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"> Assuming mom has taken her prenatal vitamins and is not terribly anemic herself, most doctors don’t worry about iron levels before 4 months</p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">But once a baby has reached four months, the American Academy of Pediatrics now recommends that if they are exclusively breastfed, they be given an iron supplement.</p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Why the recommendation? Iron won’t be present in good amounts in mom’s milk, and won’t enter the body until babies get it from solids. Since we believe that solids between 4-6 months are all about exploration, the brief supplementation makes sense.</p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">You can skip it if you’re actually doing high-iron solids or supplementing with any formula. </p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Ideally, once they are getting regular meals of solid foods, you can offer enough food choices that you can get adequate iron from your diet and don’t need to fuss with giving iron. However, if you have a very fussy eater and the lab shows that the iron level is low, you may need to continue the supplement. Be aware that some iron formulations can cause constipation.</p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Some of the drops can cause tooth discoloration, so make sure you pay attention to tooth brushing. </p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Iron supplementation can also cause very dark, almost black stools. This is harmless. As long as your child has a nice soft tummy and is comfortable, the black stools can be ignored. If your baby if having troublesome constipation or abdominal pain, you can dose the iron every other day. This will trick the body into thinking there is a scarcity of iron, and increase the absorption through the intestine without the same side effects.</p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Dr. Ted likes the <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/4fb6e7dd-2765-4cad-b479-d5e2842aad56?j%3DeyJ1IjoiMzZmcXBpIn0.FBnvDJDtmdudVY6YgxFE-4gqxz1g00kxrZ11QRB6AUA&source=gmail&ust=1707587890708000&usg=AOvVaw2NlYt7wF6WtiE2zstElcpO" href="https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/4fb6e7dd-2765-4cad-b479-d5e2842aad56?j=eyJ1IjoiMzZmcXBpIn0.FBnvDJDtmdudVY6YgxFE-4gqxz1g00kxrZ11QRB6AUA" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" style="color: #404040;" target="_blank">Wellements </a>brand organic iron for infants 4+ months.</p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">For toddlers, one of my favorite brands is<a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/382cf55c-ab36-45aa-a49b-0f5bc3d17602?j%3DeyJ1IjoiMzZmcXBpIn0.FBnvDJDtmdudVY6YgxFE-4gqxz1g00kxrZ11QRB6AUA&source=gmail&ust=1707587890708000&usg=AOvVaw3Y4C8dMGiduhmezmAX1eVE" href="https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/382cf55c-ab36-45aa-a49b-0f5bc3d17602?j=eyJ1IjoiMzZmcXBpIn0.FBnvDJDtmdudVY6YgxFE-4gqxz1g00kxrZ11QRB6AUA" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" style="color: #404040;" target="_blank"> </a><strong><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/382cf55c-ab36-45aa-a49b-0f5bc3d17602?j%3DeyJ1IjoiMzZmcXBpIn0.FBnvDJDtmdudVY6YgxFE-4gqxz1g00kxrZ11QRB6AUA&source=gmail&ust=1707587890708000&usg=AOvVaw3Y4C8dMGiduhmezmAX1eVE" href="https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/382cf55c-ab36-45aa-a49b-0f5bc3d17602?j=eyJ1IjoiMzZmcXBpIn0.FBnvDJDtmdudVY6YgxFE-4gqxz1g00kxrZ11QRB6AUA" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" style="color: #404040;" target="_blank">Floradix</a></strong>. Read the label, but for most toddlers the dose is 1 teaspoon/day. <strong>Floradix contains honey as one of the ingredients, so this is NOT an option for a baby under one year.</strong></p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">A good brand for the grown ups out there is <strong><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/0070cd8e-d41a-4d0c-93fc-a70a757fefa6?j%3DeyJ1IjoiMzZmcXBpIn0.FBnvDJDtmdudVY6YgxFE-4gqxz1g00kxrZ11QRB6AUA&source=gmail&ust=1707587890708000&usg=AOvVaw0Ccscc_IkcIArjIVWXeI8F" href="https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/0070cd8e-d41a-4d0c-93fc-a70a757fefa6?j=eyJ1IjoiMzZmcXBpIn0.FBnvDJDtmdudVY6YgxFE-4gqxz1g00kxrZ11QRB6AUA" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" style="color: #404040;" target="_blank">ferrochel</a></strong>. It is reasonably priced, available online, and seems to be well tolerated without causing constipation as much as other brands.</p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">When your child is old enough, some of the iron supplements options come in a tasty chewable or gummy form that are easy to take, but <em><strong>MUST</strong> </em>be kept in a childproof area. Too much iron (if your little one gets a hold of them) can be very toxic.</p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><strong>A little attention goes a long way!</strong></p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">When your little one eats their iron rich foods, give them positive reinforcement, feel their muscles, and tell them that all that healthy food is helping them grow big and strong.</p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Kids like to dip things…soft cooked meatballs that they can dip in humus or ketchup are a hit for some.</p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">You can also hide a lot of things in waffles or pancakes.</p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Be creative. Perhaps buy a special cup that you can call the super hero cup and fill it with an iron rich smoothie. Have the kids add the ingredients to the blender and turn it on. They love eating and drinking things that they ‘helped’ with.</p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><strong>Bonus recipe from Oath’s Dr Ted</strong></p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><strong>Iron-Rich Vegan Chocolate Milk</strong></p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><strong>Base:</strong></p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><strong>- 2 cups oat milk</strong></p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><strong>- 2 cups spinach (should look like obscene amount)</strong></p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><strong>- 1/2 cup frozen mango</strong></p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><strong>Blend until perfectly smooth and vibrant green</strong></p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><strong>Add 1-2 ounces/2-4 tablespoons pure cocoa powder</strong></p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><strong>Blend again after adding any of the below desired additions:</strong></p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><strong>Optional Additions:</strong></p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><strong>- handful of almonds for extra protein, fats, and iron</strong></p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><strong>- heaping tablespoon or two of peanut butter for extra protein, fats, and iron</strong></p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><strong>- half an avocado for extra fat (warning, will become very thick after blending)</strong></p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><strong>- two slices of ginger (I keep in the freezer and cut off about a tablespoon's worth for each smoothie)</strong></p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><strong>- spices: cinnamon, Cayenne pepper (makes it a Mexican chocolate flavor)</strong></p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"></p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Thank you to the worlds best models…</p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Sawyer at the top playing the role of Henry VIII and EJ enjoying the hamburger.</p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"></p><div style="line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><div style="color: #404040; direction: ltr !important; font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.5; margin: 24px auto; max-width: 560px; padding: 32px; text-align: center;"><div style="display: flex; font-family: -apple-system, system-ui, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; font-size: 18px; line-height: 22px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 16px; max-width: 384px; width: fit-content;"></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></td></tr></tbody></table>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2805471460666960029.post-3990480402532769562024-01-26T08:45:00.000-08:002024-01-26T08:45:35.015-08:00Kids stick things in all sorts of places<p> <span style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; text-align: initial;">While it might make an amusing anecdote well after the fact (and it keeps the advice nurse job from being far from boring) it can be quite the ordeal when you find out that your child has stuck some little object into an orifice.</span></p><div dir="auto" style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; padding: 16px 0px 0px;"><div dir="auto" style="line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 16px; text-align: initial; width: 550px; word-break: break-word;"><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">By far and away the hole that gets the most inappropriate things passing through is the mouth; <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/7f66b861-2cf5-431a-8af5-b164f2f073a8?j%3DeyJ1IjoiMzZmcXBpIn0.FBnvDJDtmdudVY6YgxFE-4gqxz1g00kxrZ11QRB6AUA&source=gmail&ust=1706373835132000&usg=AOvVaw2vmLJjOY5FP_lRxxKo523C" href="https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/7f66b861-2cf5-431a-8af5-b164f2f073a8?j=eyJ1IjoiMzZmcXBpIn0.FBnvDJDtmdudVY6YgxFE-4gqxz1g00kxrZ11QRB6AUA" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" style="color: #404040;" target="_blank">that got its own post several weeks ago.</a> This week I am going to focus on all of those other interesting places that need to be explored. I refer to noses, ears, butts, if there is a hole...things get stuck in there.</p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">One of my favorite stories is told by a friend who had a child who simply smelled horrible. No amount of baths could mask a mysterious foul odor. The child was taken to the doctor who asked the all important question.</p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">"Honey, do you ever stick anything in your nose?"</p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">The child shrugged and then answered matter of factly, "just cheese..."</p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">My dear friend Brittany, who was the therapist at my recent start-up, told me that she was also guilty of sticking cheese in her nose when she was younger. One day she also put a little red hot candy up there. This brought that habit to an abrupt end.</p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">When I worked at Noe Valley pediatrics I would get calls on a fairly regular basis that a child has stuck something somewhere. The nose came in second to the mouth as the most popular. It seems that it is just so hard to resist.</p><div style="line-height: 26px; margin: 32px auto;"><figure style="margin: 0px auto; width: 550px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"></td><td align="left" style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;" width="386"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/e726e442-3524-49ef-92d0-a7882d6e9a3a?j%3DeyJ1IjoiMzZmcXBpIn0.FBnvDJDtmdudVY6YgxFE-4gqxz1g00kxrZ11QRB6AUA&source=gmail&ust=1706373835132000&usg=AOvVaw1SmUnz-bb51nE-Ycy-iQp4" href="https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/e726e442-3524-49ef-92d0-a7882d6e9a3a?j=eyJ1IjoiMzZmcXBpIn0.FBnvDJDtmdudVY6YgxFE-4gqxz1g00kxrZ11QRB6AUA" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" style="border: none; color: #1155cc; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; width: auto;" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="CToWUd" data-bit="iit" height="514.5782967032967" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEgRgLg_7kNCxJXgCQrpfCoUKIcrwF_g45lJiIzOYqo48iXI40uHRMcPPqeC7xazmRqh3Qrsw5nK0VVNtA-IbfFFlIzOZXqwVdkcgTnMfSpF7k76fzw4gUmR8JSx5wh422SFLTdOVuPYmGhtAzy4XSnQ3K_N_j83qZcvPK80oJtHPS3JXbY9LM3IPkAm9ymKPdTLty-whcvhNEHmusBuAB7xSLCZJguBnSKy9-vQqPe0bKbG5HIZli6YdonAGsD1WMk-CH65zqSbXLdRg_WiUUhAwTuAvP_7ZnvKGesz8vWWQltkteTP30U3LHAiV_l3dCBBeOvmqAdaSNn6U0SMz0rkBBNji1_6MZk9XqDGVWFSuDyqr0Dkzw=s0-d-e1-ft,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3a6e0ab2-8799-44df-99ff-c870da760c01_1536x2048.jpeg" style="border: none !important; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: auto !important;" width="386" /></a></td><td style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table></figure></div><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"></p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Dr. Ted told me that one of his more memorable extractions was a pink fluffy flower. As he pulled it out by the stem, it spread right out into a full bloom.</p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">I remember one call about a little fellow who had stuck a bright yellow lego piece in his nose. Mom was trying to figure out how big it was, it was really wedged in there. Her helpful child went over to the lego catalog and was able to point out the exact piece that he had stuck up there.</p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">One of my Noe colleagues, Nurse Jen, recounted the time that her daughter Isa stuck something in her nose in order to find out if the nose was connected to the throat. While a little proud of this attempt at an early science experiment, Jen recalls that a straight jacket was needed in the ER to get it removed. Isa was absolutely right - the nose is connected to the throat, but there are all sorts of sinus cavities where something could get waylaid.</p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Gianna Frazee, a pediatrician who I worked with years ago, shared with me the story of a memorable five year old patient who felt the need to stick her tongue inside a Barbie doll head. The tongue swelled up and got stuck.</p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">You may want to tell your children stories about other little children who have done these things and then had to go to the doctor and it was yucky getting it fixed. Perhaps a little teaching and mild scare tactics in advance might be preventative but the urge is strong. In my immediate family we told the tale of my niece Lena who stuck a raisin in her nose, and perhaps the power of the tale kept my own kids and the other nieces and nephews "raisin free." On the other hand, for some kids you might not want to give them any ‘ideas’.</p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">If prevention hasn't done the trick and there is something stuck up the nose you have several options. If your child is old enough, have them try to gently blow it out. If that doesn't work, or your child is too young to have mastered the concept of nose blowing, you can try to suck it out. Whereas, years ago, I did have a patient’s mom who successfully sucked a pea out of her toddlers nose with her mouth (good for her but...ugh), I would suggest trying the suction with a Nose Frida or snot sucker. Don’t use a bulb suction or anything that actually goes into the nose. You don’t want to risk pushing it further in.</p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">If that doesn't work, I have another method for you. Assuming the something is in the right nostril, push the left nostril closed with your finger and do a firm rescue breath into the mouth. If it doesn't blow the object out, reposition and try again. This works more than 50% of the time. I have seen all sorts of interesting things go into noses....peas, beads, little wads of paper, raisins, a starburst candy. Kids are creative!</p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">It is fully possible that whatever was stuck in there got sucked up and subsequently swallowed, but nevertheless, if you are pretty certain that something went up in the nose and you weren't able to get it out, an appointment is probably warranted. </p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">This is especially true if you are dealing with a constant drainage from one nostril, foul odor, or signs of irritation in or around the nose.</p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Keep in mind that kids are often not the best historians when it comes to finding out the truth. If you ask them if they put something in their nose and they think that answering yes will either get mommy or daddy mad, or land them at the doctors the answer may well be an emphatic "Me? Something in my nose? I don't remember!"</p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Many pediatricians are willing to try to get something out, but they might not be your best choice. If there is a way to get into the schedule of an ENT that can be a better option, They have better tools for getting the job done right the first time.</p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Although, clearly you want to remove whatever is in there, there are some things that may have been in there for days or weeks. Unless it is something that can cause harm, such as a button battery, it is rarely an emergency situation.</p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">The ears are another favorite landing spot for odds and ends. One of the more memorable for me was the little boy whose brothers had convinced him to do a little experiment by seeing how many unpopped popcorn kernels could fit in his ears. Of course this was 4:30 on a Friday...right? As he came into the office I could hear him crying "I don't want them to have to cut off my ears." Those same brothers of course were behind that as well. Ah siblings. Although we may be able to remove something simple from the ear, that little fellow also ended up at the ENT.</p><div style="line-height: 26px; margin: 32px auto;"><figure style="margin: 0px auto; width: 550px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"></td><td align="left" style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;" width="414"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/1379bc81-ca90-4779-9c3f-ef64dbb604fa?j%3DeyJ1IjoiMzZmcXBpIn0.FBnvDJDtmdudVY6YgxFE-4gqxz1g00kxrZ11QRB6AUA&source=gmail&ust=1706373835132000&usg=AOvVaw0bmgSfx_LDSekwci_9DjvN" href="https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/1379bc81-ca90-4779-9c3f-ef64dbb604fa?j=eyJ1IjoiMzZmcXBpIn0.FBnvDJDtmdudVY6YgxFE-4gqxz1g00kxrZ11QRB6AUA" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" style="border: none; color: #1155cc; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; width: auto;" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="CToWUd" data-bit="iit" height="551.9052197802198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEh_eqcV0bnKB3TqEmKoCWBgLnQLe2mEW37P97EN29WuyHtYeOxg4OV7dPRJKdm7vBQJPTerCmPwyN9x0IcZA37hoGTQzFoUeLWokW4rWNLyn0owjOODeqkw5-OUtSwecY3QjFv7TL-rLaKgqqPrNYmomlOf5mFtyHCKxv3sH8YRqlTfODYPG5TypM3JtncCKkpUu_I28t1_O_NB7W_wVDTSUGwcx853igvcxnzCga395Hnzw0sz-kfyENOg8HRy3lPY8kIXKdiItZwFfiVaXEXAPqhA5mCkNc43aWXn5UGl_EU_MVI3YfDdfp5i3PTZnbBoZdSUImCaLEN3irzkvlODPVfSZkmuNPhzboLjEx1w-XU6w6nDrw=s0-d-e1-ft,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F65703b83-5f78-4a77-a8a8-9e5b021ed0c7_1536x2048.jpeg" style="border: none !important; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: auto !important;" width="414" /></a></td><td style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table></figure></div><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"></p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Parents shouldn’t be sticking things in their kids' ears either. Q-tips are the biggest offenders. Between 1990 and 2010 there were more than 260,000 children treated in the emergency room for ear injuries related to cotton tipped applicators.</p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Yes, I have seen the occasional thing stuck in the butt (in fact it was a tube of mascara most recently); those are fairly rare thank goodness.</p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">It would be nice to think that there is a magic age when folks grow out of this. Any ER doc or nurse could likely regale you with stories that probably not suitable for sharing in this post.</p><p style="color: #404040; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px;">Thank you to my model, EJ for showing us what NOT to do.</p></div></div><div style="border-top: 1px solid rgb(224, 224, 224); box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 32px 0px 0px; width: 550px;"></div><div style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px;"><div style="line-height: 26px; margin: 32px 0px;"><div dir="auto" style="line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 16px; text-align: initial; width: 550px; word-break: break-word;"><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><em>Nurse Judy’s Substack is free. I have no current plans to add a payment option. But feel free to pass these along and share.</em></p><div><em><br /></em></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; direction: ltr; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px;"></div></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2805471460666960029.post-49188270044162678072024-01-19T10:49:00.000-08:002024-01-23T12:38:52.643-08:00Chaos vs Quiet/ Finding the sweet spot<p> <span face="Spectral, serif, -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"" style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-size: 19px;">Last week Sandy and I spent several days in LA. While we were there, Lauren and Adam took a few days for a quick local getaway while we stayed with Elliot.</span></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Spectral, serif, -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; font-size: 19px; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0;">Parents of young kids, I bow to you. Extra shout out to folks who are doing it on their own. When kids are around, peace and quiet are a rare commodity.</p><div class="subscription-widget-wrap" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Spectral, serif, -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; font-size: 19px;"><div class="subscription-widget show-subscribe" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; align-items: flex-start; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); direction: ltr; font-family: var(--font_family_ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol'); line-height: 1.5; margin: 24px auto; max-width: 560px; padding: 32px; text-align: center;"><div class="preamble" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; align-items: center; display: flex; font-family: var(--font_family_ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol'); font-size: 18px; line-height: 22px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: var(--size-16); max-width: 384px; width: fit-content;"></div></div><div class="subscription-widget show-subscribe" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; align-items: flex-start; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); direction: ltr; font-family: var(--font_family_ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol'); line-height: 1.5; margin: 24px auto; max-width: 560px; padding: 32px; text-align: center;"><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; font-family: Spectral, serif, -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0; text-align: start;">And privacy? Think again; that isn’t on the menu.</p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; font-family: Spectral, serif, -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0; text-align: start;">As I sat in the bathroom for a quick minute, the door flung open (I thought it was locked, but nope) “Grandma, turn off the light and lets make shadows on the wall with your cell phone flashlight”</p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; font-family: Spectral, serif, -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0; text-align: start;">When we got back to San Francisco it was too quiet. There is no in between or ‘goldilocks’ zone.</p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; font-family: Spectral, serif, -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0; text-align: start;">It borders on a bit too hectic there, and it is absolutely too quiet here.</p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; font-family: Spectral, serif, -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0; text-align: start;">Enter some mindfulness.</p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; font-family: Spectral, serif, -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0; text-align: start;">For me, I am trying, with some success, to lean in to wherever I am.</p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; font-family: Spectral, serif, -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0; text-align: start;">Otherwise, one could never feel satisfied. It is easy enough to fall into that trap of focusing on the challenges rather than the glimmers of joy.</p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; font-family: Spectral, serif, -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0; text-align: start;"><strong style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;">Chaos? Cherish it.</strong></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; font-family: Spectral, serif, -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0; text-align: start;">Sandy and I sat down to watch Elliot put on one of his concerts using the new working microphone that he got as a birthday present. He has several favorite songs that he does on repeat.</p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; font-family: Spectral, serif, -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0; text-align: start;">We were covered in stickers, wearing unicorn crowns from Baskin Robbins, with Fisher Price little people on our fingers. At the same time, Bowie the dog was tossing his slimy chew toy at our feet, beseeching us to throw it…</p><div class="captioned-image-container" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; font-family: Spectral, serif, -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; margin: var(--size-32) auto; text-align: start;"><figure style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; margin: 0px auto; width: 728px;"><a class="image-link is-viewable-img image2" data-component-name="Image2ToDOM" href="https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F2b4358cd-26b4-41e1-9240-da02c8604441_1966x2557.jpeg" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; 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--tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; font-family: Spectral, serif, -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0; text-align: start;"></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; font-family: Spectral, serif, -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0; text-align: start;">Rinse and Repeat. This scene went on for hours.</p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; font-family: Spectral, serif, -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0; text-align: start;">I made a conscious choice and reminder to myself that moments are fleeting. Kids grow so fast. </p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; font-family: Spectral, serif, -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0; text-align: start;">How lucky am I to have a relationship with my kids and grandchildren. </p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; font-family: Spectral, serif, -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0; text-align: start;">I tossed the toy for Bowie and enjoyed the concert.</p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; font-family: Spectral, serif, -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0; text-align: start;"><strong style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0;">Quiet? Trying to find the balance.</strong></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; font-family: Spectral, serif, -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0; text-align: start;">As someone who is newly retired I am paying close attention. </p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; font-family: Spectral, serif, -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0; text-align: start;">Young parents who feel like they would pay a king's ransom for 30 minutes of being off duty will surely not relate, but having too much time on my hands doesn’t work for me.</p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; font-family: Spectral, serif, -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0; text-align: start;">I don’t know about you, but when I have a loaded schedule, I manage pretty well. I can knock off the items on the to-do list and pat myself on the back for being remarkably efficient. When I have only one or two things to do in the course of the day, often absolutely nothing gets done. (Except wordle!)</p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; font-family: Spectral, serif, -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0; text-align: start;">When I have a lot going on, having a day off is a treat. I declare it pajama day, curl up with a good book or binge a show.</p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; font-family: Spectral, serif, -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0; text-align: start;">But if I have more than one of those in a row I can feel myself ‘blobbify’. Don’t bother looking that word up, since I made it up. The less there is to do, the less energy and drive there is to do anything.</p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; font-family: Spectral, serif, -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0; text-align: start;">For anyone who watches Star Trek, it feels like Odo the shape shifter who turns into liquid and rests in his bucket until he takes form again.</p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; font-family: Spectral, serif, -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0; text-align: start;">If I have too many quiet days, I always have the sense that it will get harder and harder getting out of the ‘bucket’</p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; font-family: Spectral, serif, -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0; text-align: start;">I am reminding myself that there is a lot of ‘choice’ here.</p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; font-family: Spectral, serif, -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0; text-align: start;">I am figuring things out. Writing, walking with friends, and planning some travel in April are currently keeping me occupied.</p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; font-family: Spectral, serif, -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0; text-align: start;">Everyone has different needs when it comes to keeping busy. If you are fortunate enough to have some control over your schedule I hope that you are able to find the sweet spot.</p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; font-family: Spectral, serif, -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0; text-align: start;"></p><p style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; font-family: Spectral, serif, -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.6em; margin: 0 0 var(--size-20) 0; text-align: start;"></p><div class="subscription-widget-wrap" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; font-family: Spectral, serif, -apple-system, "system-ui", "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; margin-bottom: 0px; text-align: start;"><div class="subscription-widget show-subscribe" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; align-items: flex-start; color: var(--print_on_web_bg_color, var(--color-primary)); direction: ltr; font-family: var(--font_family_ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol'); line-height: 1.5; margin: 24px auto; max-width: 560px; padding: 32px; text-align: center;"><div class="preamble" style="--tw-border-spacing-x: 0; --tw-border-spacing-y: 0; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246 / 0.5); --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-rotate: 0; --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-skew-x: 0; --tw-skew-y: 0; --tw-translate-x: 0; --tw-translate-y: 0; align-items: center; display: flex; font-family: var(--font_family_ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, 'Apple Color Emoji', 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol'); font-size: 18px; line-height: 22px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: var(--size-16); max-width: 384px; width: fit-content;"></div></div></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2805471460666960029.post-11173758100009740532024-01-12T08:58:00.000-08:002024-01-12T09:27:29.030-08:00Colic and Fussiness: Causes/Remedies/When to Worry<p> COLIC AND FUSSINESS</p><p><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-size: 16px;">This post was a collaboration between Dr. Ted Handler, Doula/parent educator/certified lactation counselor Julie Hartman, and Nurse Judy.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">There is a LOT of information here, but we tried to create a comprehensive guide to dealing with fussy babies. We hope you find it helpful</p><h3 style="color: #404040; font-family: "SF Compact Display", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; font-size: 1.375em; line-height: 1.16em; margin: 1em 0px 0.625em;"><strong>Definitions and Causes</strong></h3><div style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 32px auto;"><figure style="margin: 0px auto; width: 550px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"></td><td align="left" style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;" width="390"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/669ea5ec-947b-4192-942e-8dd4e1ae532a?j%3DeyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M&source=gmail&ust=1705164900949000&usg=AOvVaw0Q70che4q2uv-YXJXka63V" href="https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/669ea5ec-947b-4192-942e-8dd4e1ae532a?j=eyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" style="border: none; color: #1155cc; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; width: auto;" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="CToWUd" data-bit="iit" height="520" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEgPzR2RMQwhXWcDteH2t22ow18L9-5yxh3cQcHQc0DEz1-w43UxgDuowPVuO2xXE2vRil48uAbGcK6UCopYvFoK_5b9OUNXVvNHjPX-8kdgGqViEYw5gyQidWUvKe4ZhzW8ywkU97XWsrrpjn-GnpnaVrUPsBTdZuK5gp8DvhypEKeh03yKabIgeUr6aK89S6ac32fDsXlvcYZJlF8VQgfjwZ37_LDxonTDKi4RTUsoNoSxh5Fy9GadgLTrmPIG4YmYMw7hESD4s1VeQ5YMlE53-inVx69iG-wjc797T8SADGIzRRnaJ6kfAp-MaeXCtM5sf6po93DqSyIl3TS3ukl9pL9KmL-LnCUEbdLJ7UPygvSMwx30=s0-d-e1-ft,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F079619d7-f0cd-4d1d-a328-09d1e2505bc2_768x1024.jpeg" style="border: none; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: auto;" width="390" /></a></td><td style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table></figure></div><p style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"></p><h4 style="color: #404040; font-family: "SF Compact Display", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; font-size: 1.125em; line-height: 1.16em; margin: 1em 0px 0.625em;"><strong>What is colic? </strong></h4><p style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">The official definition is three hours of crying more than three days a week for more than three weeks.</p><p style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Most people don’t bother to keep careful track. (They are too tired!) </p><p style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Colic has become a catch-all term for babies who seem uncomfortable and are difficult to soothe. It is NOT a ‘medical condition’.</p><p style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Show me the baby who is never fussy. I will wait………..</p><p style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">The fact is, it is the rare baby who doesn’t deal with at least a little fussy time. The typical “crying curve” starts around 2-3 weeks, peaks at 6-8 weeks, and then settles around 12 weeks. For some unfortunate kids it does last a bit longer, but at some point this does pass!</p><div style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 32px auto;"><figure style="margin: 0px auto; width: 550px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"></td><td align="left" style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;" width="566"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/8393267a-b4c2-4e2d-b4e2-79f46af686c3?j%3DeyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M&source=gmail&ust=1705164900949000&usg=AOvVaw26BfZrEmxEqzkZ_JbY_UrW" href="https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/8393267a-b4c2-4e2d-b4e2-79f46af686c3?j=eyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" style="border: none; color: #1155cc; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; width: auto;" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="CToWUd" data-bit="iit" height="348.7630208333333" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEhjMFEECLxtw9f5Q0vNvRU9Gl0EWJqdjqcZ6PLk3jlOHaEj0Y1GhUaaSYOspzd5chFn_t5zmvWl5xVXiZqgGn0BE9_dMtIMqZVFjJsdroXWwhiFtrLL8dv2HeP9F7xwu_e_L9DZHCG10B_AWaCEfCzMezUyqAPrvbTuH3R6KRBPBlb2k79JpkB4YH0PGYFLLQfPrkTRJo-i2skwx90SIg_04VLp8xBTri-H0VZER8vFc5MlCR7C2kMnXY_P4RS3GnfaenytyavgaIWx8J9F0u8h9pX8wdW2sAS6lCMOqcp4M5YesQmH3Hqv676vEgOxFXPSglW3rhqRSLxMR7cW-_eXnhYB_g4WbLYbs3V7t-ClxKRzt0e5=s0-d-e1-ft,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F06215823-7909-4a4b-9f57-4e28c95e0553_768x487.jpeg" style="border: none; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: auto;" width="550" /></a></td><td style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table></figure></div><p style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"></p><p style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"></p><p style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">The fussiness is typically associated with abdominal discomfort.</p><p style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">The biggest culprit is actually pretty straight forward. Nope, it probably isn’t the butter croissant, that cup of coffee that you had, or the baby’s microbiome.</p><h4 style="color: #404040; font-family: "SF Compact Display", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; font-size: 1.125em; line-height: 1.16em; margin: 1em 0px 0.625em;"><strong>Most Common Cause</strong>: drum roll please…swallowed air</h4><p style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">A lot of the remedies such as baby gas drops will decrease the pain of the air, but if you can get to the source and decrease the amount of air that they swallow in the first place, you're actually treating the cause. This is true for both bottle and breast feeders.</p><p style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">There are several issues that might contribute to the excess air. Details and interventions discussed below:</p><ul style="margin-top: 0px; padding: 0px;"><li style="margin: 8px 0px 0px 32px;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 4px;">The latch: if the latch isn’t providing a good seal they swallow a lot of air</p></li></ul><p style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">In breastfeeding babies, the latch should be carefully examined. If there is a proper latch, after that initial “zing” of electric nerve sensation, there shouldn’t be discomfort with breastfeeding. There may be sensations of pressure, but any feelings that approach pain should be assessed. Simple adjustments by a lactation professional can make an enormous difference. Julie adds “ hearing your baby swallowing is an important indicator that your baby is drinking milk. However, if you hear a lot of slurping and noisy mouth sounds it is a strong indicator that the baby doesn’t have a good seal and thus will be taking in excess air. A quick fix for this can be to tuck the baby in closer to Mommy’s body and check that lips are flanged out ( think fish lips ). ”</p><ul style="margin-top: 0px; padding: 0px;"><li style="margin: 8px 0px 0px 32px;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 4px;">Milk might be flowing too quickly </p></li></ul><p style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Parents with a heavy let-down can use the Haakaa or simple hand expression to soften the breast and pull off the initial gush of foremilk at the start of a feed. This can make for an easier latch for these babies. Give the <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/e29a8ea5-282a-4981-ae04-16aed3ef6ccd?j%3DeyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M&source=gmail&ust=1705164900949000&usg=AOvVaw3v83NAzrdRiMMFGBtO3q6s" href="https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/e29a8ea5-282a-4981-ae04-16aed3ef6ccd?j=eyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" style="color: #404040;" target="_blank">Laid-back feeding</a> position a try. This is not particularly intuitive so best results are usually when overseen by a lactation professional, if available. </p><p style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">For bottle feeders, a slow-flow nipple should be tried, and “<a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/afe75950-51e2-4352-acd6-3f39f8dfa578?j%3DeyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M&source=gmail&ust=1705164900949000&usg=AOvVaw24nOJkUQoFStTLAFQFibXu" href="https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/afe75950-51e2-4352-acd6-3f39f8dfa578?j=eyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" style="color: #404040;" target="_blank">paced</a>” bottle feeding can often help. Note: not all baby mouths are built the same. This <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/f818ab5f-068e-4fce-b7f8-b88171f4aa80?j%3DeyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M&source=gmail&ust=1705164900949000&usg=AOvVaw1-15bFBhVELMHsPH7yNJBZ" href="https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/f818ab5f-068e-4fce-b7f8-b88171f4aa80?j=eyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" style="color: #404040;" target="_blank">sampler box</a> gives you the option to see which bottle and nipple shape fits your baby the best.</p><ul style="margin-top: 0px; padding: 0px;"><li style="margin: 8px 0px 0px 32px;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 4px;">Restricted tongue movement</p></li></ul><p style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">A strong tongue or lip tie might be restricting tongue or lip movement. Have your pediatrician take a look, If there is concern about a tie, they may refer you to an ENT or a pediatric dentist to assist with a release</p><h4 style="color: #404040; font-family: "SF Compact Display", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; font-size: 1.125em; line-height: 1.16em; margin: 1em 0px 0.625em;"><strong>Let’s talk about burping</strong></h4><p style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">For all of these gassy babies, early and frequent burping should be used to ensure that air is less likely to make it past the stomach.</p><p style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">A lot of parents will ask us about appropriate burping, and will sometimes be struggling because they tell us that they're trying to burp their baby and they can’t tell if they are doing it right. In truth, some babies give you a great big burp worthy of a beer guzzling trucker while others don’t give you the satisfaction.. Effective burping does not require an actual belch. Burping is just the act of tapping the baby in a position to let everything in the stomach settle, so that if there was any air that was swallowed, it has the opportunity to come out. If the baby's placed in a horizontal position too early while the stomach is full of too much air or too much milk, it will flow backwards and irritate the esophagus, causing fussiness.</p><p style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Think about burping like you are tapping a very full bottle and giving it the opportunity for all of its contents to settle even if it doesn't necessarily have to produce air or milk.</p><p style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Julie adds” breastfed babies with a good latch don’t necessarily need to be burped.”</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7OOehAk_b4NeFzX0kgnQM5MWtAj4xEU09brn9eJHUDIW132zC2OrEQhv02zMgSLP7Cui-fTO5TpYh48CR1rr_BKF5hNYt8iUexeQvkzeZqP42bqTVwdvVKJuAXbxkOeTWfgNbG4tV49Yp3p8MJLRUKnQQBsW4J_UY5ye1G30_pyHZYcHBt64chAvvp2aZ/s1024/sawyer%20burp%20for%20colic%20post.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7OOehAk_b4NeFzX0kgnQM5MWtAj4xEU09brn9eJHUDIW132zC2OrEQhv02zMgSLP7Cui-fTO5TpYh48CR1rr_BKF5hNYt8iUexeQvkzeZqP42bqTVwdvVKJuAXbxkOeTWfgNbG4tV49Yp3p8MJLRUKnQQBsW4J_UY5ye1G30_pyHZYcHBt64chAvvp2aZ/w273-h205/sawyer%20burp%20for%20colic%20post.jpg" width="273" /></a></div><br /><p style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><br /></p><h4 style="color: #404040; font-family: "SF Compact Display", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; font-size: 1.125em; line-height: 1.16em; margin: 1em 0px 0.625em;"><strong>Breastfeeding moms, how much do you need to focus on your diet?</strong></h4><p style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">If you have done your best to minimize swallowed air and you are still dealing with an unhappy baby, pay a bit of attention to what you are eating to see if you can find a link. This is especially worthwhile if your little one is fine on most days but clearly has some flares on others. See if you can trace this to specific things that you have eaten.</p><p style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">I know that not everyone agrees that there is a connection, but in my case I swear to you that if I even looked at cabbage my kids cried for hours.</p><p style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><strong>You do NOT necessarily need to change your diet.</strong></p><p style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><strong>But it could be that tweaking it could make a difference.</strong></p><p style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Yes, I have some moms that know perfectly well that their baby is a bit fussier when they have coffee but drink it anyway because they can't face the day without it. As always, it is a balance. It is worth finding out if there is a connection between your diet and your baby's gassiness, but then make whatever choice works best for you. In my experience the biggest culprits are:</p><ul style="margin-top: 0px; padding: 0px;"><li style="margin: 8px 0px 0px 32px;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 4px;">coffee</p></li><li style="margin: 8px 0px 0px 32px;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 4px;">caffeine (in tea and chocolate among other things)</p></li><li style="margin: 8px 0px 0px 32px;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 4px;">dairy</p></li><li style="margin: 8px 0px 0px 32px;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 4px;">gassy foods (like cabbage, onions, broccoli, garlic)</p></li><li style="margin: 8px 0px 0px 32px;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 4px;">spicy foods</p></li></ul><p style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">If you are able to establish a clear link, you can decide what changes you are willing to make. (no judgment)</p><h4 style="color: #404040; font-family: "SF Compact Display", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; font-size: 1.125em; line-height: 1.16em; margin: 1em 0px 0.625em;"><strong>What’s the deal with foremilk and hindmilk?</strong></h4><p style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">You might have read about the difference between foremilk and hindmilk. The implication here is that thin foremilk is at the front of the breast, fatty hindmilk is in the back of the breast. There is no actual “different kind of milk” that's produced by milk-producing glands in the breast tissue. All breast milk is created equally. However, as milk sits in the breast, the thinner, waterier breast milk will naturally fall towards the front of the breast, just due to gravity and time, and the larger, fattier molecules will sit in the back of the breast. This creates different consistency and nutritional contents with more carbohydrate and watery milk in the front and fattier milk in the back.</p><p style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Sometimes the increased gas issues are because you are switching breasts too soon and never getting to that slower-moving hindmilk. Watery greenish stools (not necessarily something that I worry about) might be a clue.</p><p style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">One approach for this is to feed from only one side per feeding to ensure that you are really emptying the breast. This is referred to as block feeding.</p><h4 style="color: #404040; font-family: "SF Compact Display", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; font-size: 1.125em; line-height: 1.16em; margin: 1em 0px 0.625em;"><strong>Basic soothing interventions:</strong></h4><p style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><strong>The baby is still fussy/Now what?</strong></p><h5 style="color: #404040; font-family: "SF Compact Display", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.16em; margin: 1em 0px 0.625em;">Baby wearing can help</h5><p style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Sometimes holding them right up to your heartbeat can settle them right down. There are some lovely baby wearing options. See which ones are the most comfortable for you. <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/fdf1b82c-9bdf-4bd6-bf0d-b647dc4c26e3?j%3DeyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M&source=gmail&ust=1705164900949000&usg=AOvVaw0jmmteCRgMjQC4e4wzmfVU" href="https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/fdf1b82c-9bdf-4bd6-bf0d-b647dc4c26e3?j=eyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" style="color: #404040;" target="_blank">Skin to skin contact is a bonus.</a></p><h5 style="color: #404040; font-family: "SF Compact Display", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.16em; margin: 1em 0px 0.625em;">Sucking</h5><p style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Offer your baby something to suck on. A finger or a pacifier can help calm them. This is an especially reasonable option when you know perfectly well that they are likely NOT hungry, but still want to suck. Note: just as not all babies want the same bottle, not all babies want the same pacifier. This <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/903c3c11-94d1-43a0-ac75-ce4d605d2d1c?j%3DeyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M&source=gmail&ust=1705164900949000&usg=AOvVaw3QQjwa4-gEaeMKBqxydhGC" href="https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/903c3c11-94d1-43a0-ac75-ce4d605d2d1c?j=eyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" style="color: #404040;" target="_blank">sampler box</a> gives you the opportunity to try different shapes.</p><h5 style="color: #404040; font-family: "SF Compact Display", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.16em; margin: 1em 0px 0.625em;">Swaddle</h5><p style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Putting them in a nice <strong><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/b1b05e16-ce81-40e0-8ff8-7d859c534261?j%3DeyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M&source=gmail&ust=1705164900949000&usg=AOvVaw2yvzyR-ChEccfaanFuUOtg" href="https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/b1b05e16-ce81-40e0-8ff8-7d859c534261?j=eyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" style="color: #404040;" target="_blank">swaddle</a> </strong>can feel like magic<strong>.</strong> Sometimes you need to semi force them into it, but this is a worthwhile skill to master. For the record, I was terrible at it, this was my husband’s job and he could wrangle them into a nice tight burrito lickity split. These days there are special swaddle blankets with velcro that make it a bit easier.</p><h5 style="color: #404040; font-family: "SF Compact Display", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.16em; margin: 1em 0px 0.625em;">Get up and dance.</h5><p style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"> Hold your baby over your shoulder with their knees tucked up in the fetal position. Give firm pats on the back. Sway, bounce and sing. Do some nice SHOOSHING sounds or turn on a white noise machine.</p><h5 style="color: #404040; font-family: "SF Compact Display", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.16em; margin: 1em 0px 0.625em;">Don't forget about <strong>massage</strong>! </h5><p style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Go online and check out baby massage techniques on YouTube or take an infant massage class. Julie adds “ when doing tummy massage with your baby, make sure you are moving your hands in a clockwise motion so as not to push air back into your baby’s system”.</p><p style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Also, there are some acupressure points that can help. Make gentle circles on the baby’s palm with your thumb (also clockwise)</p><h5 style="color: #404040; font-family: "SF Compact Display", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.16em; margin: 1em 0px 0.625em;">Hip circles/figure eights </h5><p style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">While they are on their back, hold the butt cheeks, while you lift their little legs.. Push both legs up at the same time and make a little circle or figure eight motions. There is something very satisfying about getting little farts out this way!</p><h5 style="color: #404040; font-family: "SF Compact Display", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.16em; margin: 1em 0px 0.625em;">Giving a bath</h5><p style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Many kids will calm down in a warm (not too hot) tub. If you have two parents, I suggest having one parent in the bath with the baby securely on their lap, and the other parent on duty to help get the baby in and out of the tub.</p><h5 style="color: #404040; font-family: "SF Compact Display", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.16em; margin: 1em 0px 0.625em;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/34dcb8d6-bcef-4db8-936c-6e47de7be009?j%3DeyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M&source=gmail&ust=1705164900949000&usg=AOvVaw3NSx2_0zI2ZjH_cPg377hY" href="https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/34dcb8d6-bcef-4db8-936c-6e47de7be009?j=eyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" style="color: #404040;" target="_blank">Heated tummy wraps</a></h5><p style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">There are tons of these products available. Make sure you don’t put anything that is too warm (i.e. is much warmer than your baby’s tummy feels) directly on the baby, but when used properly these can be very soothing.</p><p style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">As a bonus you can put the warm packs in the crib before putting the baby down for a nap. You might be surprised what a difference that makes!</p><p style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><strong>Still fussy? Hang in there, we have more things left to try</strong></p><h4 style="color: #404040; font-family: "SF Compact Display", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; font-size: 1.125em; line-height: 1.16em; margin: 1em 0px 0.625em;"><strong>Colic remedies</strong>/Let's throw some spaghetti at the wall! </h4><h5 style="color: #404040; font-family: "SF Compact Display", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.16em; margin: 1em 0px 0.625em;"><strong>Gas drops</strong></h5><p style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Simethicone is the ingredient found in most of the OTC gas drops that you can get at a drugstore. Some of the name brands are <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/f297d823-b0cc-43ef-ae93-b88901477a5b?j%3DeyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M&source=gmail&ust=1705164900949000&usg=AOvVaw1Gu8drVlRADcWyPx9WOono" href="https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/f297d823-b0cc-43ef-ae93-b88901477a5b?j=eyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" style="color: #404040;" target="_blank">Mylicon</a> or Little Tummies. Simethicone drops are very safe because the medication is not actually absorbed into the body: it works by breaking up the surface tension of air in the intestine so that large painful gas bubbles become small and manageable. The gas drops are helpful to most of my patients and are certainly worth a try. These are on my list of things that are worth having on hand ‘just in case’.</p><h5 style="color: #404040; font-family: "SF Compact Display", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.16em; margin: 1em 0px 0.625em;"><strong>Homeopathic colic remedies</strong>:</h5><p style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">There are several products on the market. </p><p style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">The Boiron brand that I was a fan of, is no longer available except in France.</p><p style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">An alternative brand, <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/cfc4f01a-c912-4d17-b66d-3caca42821af?j%3DeyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M&source=gmail&ust=1705164900949000&usg=AOvVaw11rrArA8i-Jep633s39uyB" href="https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/cfc4f01a-c912-4d17-b66d-3caca42821af?j=eyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" style="color: #404040;" target="_blank">ColicCalm</a> has a lot of 5 star reviews.</p><p style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">In general, I consider homeopathic remedies harmless if used properly and I’ve seen plenty of kids who seem to get relief. </p><h5 style="color: #404040; font-family: "SF Compact Display", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.16em; margin: 1em 0px 0.625em;"><strong><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/990ac64c-9f42-427c-8bfc-7feaca85193d?j%3DeyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M&source=gmail&ust=1705164900949000&usg=AOvVaw3PcE__rJNBZmXu3EjZeE7L" href="https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/990ac64c-9f42-427c-8bfc-7feaca85193d?j=eyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" style="color: #404040;" target="_blank">Gripe Water</a></strong> </h5><p style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">This is an herbal remedy that can be found in many health food stores or Whole Foods. Stools might get a bit green with this (not to worry). It’s very safe, but we don’t know how or why it works.</p><h5 style="color: #404040; font-family: "SF Compact Display", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.16em; margin: 1em 0px 0.625em;"><strong>Brew some tea</strong></h5><p style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">The most common for this are chamomile and fennel, you can add a few grains of sugar and give a dropperful or two to your baby. (NOT HOT) Remember not to add honey or give your baby any products that contain honey.</p><h5 style="color: #404040; font-family: "SF Compact Display", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.16em; margin: 1em 0px 0.625em;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/a92abe9e-d9f5-49fb-9b00-422239cbd349?j%3DeyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M&source=gmail&ust=1705164900949000&usg=AOvVaw2JO1RwxpITIqkwGprERhCU" href="https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/a92abe9e-d9f5-49fb-9b00-422239cbd349?j=eyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" style="color: #404040;" target="_blank">Colief </a></h5><p style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/88955dd7-9c55-405b-a2a7-03283aceead4?j%3DeyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M&source=gmail&ust=1705164900949000&usg=AOvVaw1i9hpXVo1TqYDDZezk5FnE" href="https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/88955dd7-9c55-405b-a2a7-03283aceead4?j=eyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" style="color: #404040;" target="_blank">https://colief.com/products/<wbr></wbr>colief-infant-drops/</a></p><p style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">is a product specifically for babies who may have a lactose intolerance. Think Lactaid for babies. If you are going to give this a try, you need to make sure you give it with each feeding for a few days to see if it is helping.</p><h5 style="color: #404040; font-family: "SF Compact Display", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.16em; margin: 1em 0px 0.625em;">What about PROBIOTICS</h5><p style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Evivo</p><p style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.evivo.com/&source=gmail&ust=1705164900949000&usg=AOvVaw0iAOWH8vtx0sCNAYVzjgbD" href="https://www.evivo.com/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">https://www.evivo.com/</a></p><p style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">An imbalance of healthy bacteria in a baby’s gut, along with a digestive system that is not fully developed, can be linked, and certainly contribute to colic symptoms and severity. </p><p style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">There are many strains of probiotics, but Evivo contains something called B.Infantis. In perfect circumstances a baby would have proper levels of this strain naturally. Research has found that the transfer of good bacteria from mom to baby during birth doesn’t always happen. Babies born via C-section are even more likely to be missing the B. Infantis that babies born vaginally are exposed to.</p><p style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">My grandson took Evivo for several months. It was NOT a magic wand for his colic, It is quite possible that he would haven been worse without it. It certainly seemed to be very helpful for diaper rash.</p><p style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><strong><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/1902fdfa-c7c9-4426-90c7-84c73b6a26b3?j%3DeyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M&source=gmail&ust=1705164900949000&usg=AOvVaw1PMIAajHxRzAX3WUgcHLv2" href="https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/1902fdfa-c7c9-4426-90c7-84c73b6a26b3?j=eyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" style="color: #404040;" target="_blank">Soothe probiotics drops</a></strong><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/1902fdfa-c7c9-4426-90c7-84c73b6a26b3?j%3DeyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M&source=gmail&ust=1705164900949000&usg=AOvVaw1PMIAajHxRzAX3WUgcHLv2" href="https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/1902fdfa-c7c9-4426-90c7-84c73b6a26b3?j=eyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" style="color: #404040;" target="_blank">:</a> This is yet another strain of probiotics being studied called L. Reuteri. These claim to cut crying time by 50% after a week of use. They should be given daily. This is the probiotic strain that has the backing of the American Academy of Pediatrics.</p><p style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">There is no potential harm in full term babies in using both kinds of probiotics if you are already on one and still dealing with some gassiness.</p><p style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><strong><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/72fb1a6c-1abb-418a-98eb-32961d263124?j%3DeyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M&source=gmail&ust=1705164900949000&usg=AOvVaw0VRFtyR4-u_osVpZHUl6mh" href="https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/72fb1a6c-1abb-418a-98eb-32961d263124?j=eyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" style="color: #404040;" target="_blank">Dr Loo’s Chinese medicine patch</a></strong><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/72fb1a6c-1abb-418a-98eb-32961d263124?j%3DeyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M&source=gmail&ust=1705164900949000&usg=AOvVaw0VRFtyR4-u_osVpZHUl6mh" href="https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/72fb1a6c-1abb-418a-98eb-32961d263124?j=eyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" style="color: #404040;" target="_blank">.</a></p><p style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Several years ago, I was fortunate enough to meet the inventor Dr. Loo and do some beta testing on some of my patients. Many of them reported back that these seemed to give relief</p><p style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">These little patches are simply applied over the belly button area. If you don’t want to deal with giving something orally, these might be worth a try.</p><p style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><strong>Windi</strong></p><p style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><strong><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/0616f751-58ab-44c1-b83e-0ac1e99f617c?j%3DeyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M&source=gmail&ust=1705164900950000&usg=AOvVaw0TOC7il-DoDW-0KMBT5sQ0" href="https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/0616f751-58ab-44c1-b83e-0ac1e99f617c?j=eyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" style="color: #404040;" target="_blank">https://www.fridababy.com/<wbr></wbr>product/windi/</a></strong></p><p style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">When these first came onto the market, I used to have some samples of these in my office that I couldn’t even give away. Most parents didn’t seem too eager to stick something up their kids' butts. But now that these have been around awhile, lots of parents swear by them.</p><p style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Obviously you need to be very gentle when you insert it. If it feels like you need to force it, stop right away. When you do it properly it should slide in easily and not cause any more discomfort than taking a rectal temp.</p><p style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">This frees up a pocket of gas and many kids seem like they get quite a bit of relief.</p><h4 style="color: #404040; font-family: "SF Compact Display", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; font-size: 1.125em; line-height: 1.16em; margin: 1em 0px 0.625em;"><strong>Specialists</strong></h4><h5 style="color: #404040; font-family: "SF Compact Display", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.16em; margin: 1em 0px 0.625em;">Craniosacral therapy and chiropractic treatment</h5><p style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Here in San Francisco, my favorite is Sandra Roddy Adams 415-566-1900. As Sandra says, it is the rare baby who manages the birthing process without some alignment issues.<a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/f6aa89fb-ad54-4e8a-bd69-9521b12b1bcf?j%3DeyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M&source=gmail&ust=1705164900950000&usg=AOvVaw1Hhm_FGth7N-fBhR_XsI_Z" href="https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/f6aa89fb-ad54-4e8a-bd69-9521b12b1bcf?j=eyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" style="color: #404040;" target="_blank"> Here is a nice link </a>that talks about the safety and usefulness of a chiropractic treatment.</p><h5 style="color: #404040; font-family: "SF Compact Display", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.16em; margin: 1em 0px 0.625em;">Acupuncture is another option.</h5><p style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"> Den Bloome Bremond sees patients as young as newborns. She uses various modalities. She offers a very safe herbal tincture and also teaches the parents some massage techniques that they can try at home</p><p style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><strong><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/47730a05-efad-4add-99c3-6450a273e357?j%3DeyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M&source=gmail&ust=1705164900950000&usg=AOvVaw3e_cp7JXM2K_oPQ9SSHi68" href="https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/47730a05-efad-4add-99c3-6450a273e357?j=eyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" style="color: #404040;" target="_blank">www.theacupunctureden.com</a></strong></p><p style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><strong>Parents put your oxygen masks on</strong></p><p style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">There is NOTHING easy about this. Adding extra crying to the lack of sleep can feel overwhelming to say the least.</p><ul style="margin-top: 0px; padding: 0px;"><li style="margin: 8px 0px 0px 32px;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 4px;">The first 3 months are the worst. Plan your family visits and parental leave accordingly. The crying curve starts around 2-3 weeks, peaks at 6-8 weeks, and then settles around 12 weeks. If your parents are coming in the first week or so to meet the baby and want to know when to come back, you’ll likely value the second set of hands around that 6 to 8 week mark.</p></li></ul><ul style="margin-top: 0px; padding: 0px;"><li style="margin: 8px 0px 0px 32px;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 4px;">Allow yourself emotional space: Cry, vent to friends/family/partner or professionals. It is okay to communicate what you are feeling. This $%%#s</p></li></ul><ul style="margin-top: 0px; padding: 0px;"><li style="margin: 8px 0px 0px 32px;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 4px;">Avoid anything that makes you feel ineffective as a parent, including advice from people, books and the web that do not apply to you or your baby. People on social media are probably faking it anyway!</p></li></ul><ul style="margin-top: 0px; padding: 0px;"><li style="margin: 8px 0px 0px 32px;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 4px;">Find the <em>helpful </em>help: Who can relieve you for a bit to give you time to sleep, eat, take a bath or do anything else you like-no strings attached?</p></li></ul><ul style="margin-top: 0px; padding: 0px;"><li style="margin: 8px 0px 0px 32px;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 4px;">Your crying baby will survive perfectly well, being placed in a safe crib while you take a ten minute shower.</p></li></ul><p style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><strong>The migraine connection</strong></p><p style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Interestingly, recent evidence suggests there may be a relationship between infant colic and migraines. Mothers with migraine are more likely to have a colicky infant, and colicky infants are more likely to grow up to have migraines as adolescents.</p><p style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">If there is a family history of migraine, it is possible that migraines could be playing a role in your baby’s colic. If there is a family history of colic, think about things like how to limit light and sound stimuli etc during the evening "witching hours". </p><p style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><strong>Make sure there is nothing poking</strong></p><p style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">If you have a baby who is taking it up a notch and actually seems to be way fussier than usual, check to see if there is something obvious that is bothering them. Do a quick head to toe exam. Make sure there is nothing poking them, like a diaper that is too tight or a hair wrapped around a finger or toe. </p><h4 style="color: #404040; font-family: "SF Compact Display", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; font-size: 1.125em; line-height: 1.16em; margin: 1em 0px 0.625em;"><strong>When to worry</strong></h4><ul style="margin-top: 0px; padding: 0px;"><li style="margin: 8px 0px 0px 32px;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 4px;">If you have a baby crying steadily for longer than an hour without reprieve (gas pains can be sharp and sudden, but usually there will be some calm moments in between waves</p></li><li style="margin: 8px 0px 0px 32px;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 4px;">If the belly seems rigid or markedly distended</p></li><li style="margin: 8px 0px 0px 32px;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 4px;">If they are not gaining weight</p></li><li style="margin: 8px 0px 0px 32px;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 4px;">If they’re projectile vomiting all their feeds. Projectile is usually 3 feet away or more (think exorcist)</p></li><li style="margin: 8px 0px 0px 32px;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 4px;">If they have any bright green or bloody vomit at any time (check mom’s nipples for any bleeding before you freak out, that is the more common cause)</p></li><li style="margin: 8px 0px 0px 32px;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 4px;">If they aren’t making 5 wet diapers per day (after the newborn period)</p></li><li style="margin: 8px 0px 0px 32px;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 4px;">If they have a fever and they’re under 3 months of age</p></li><li style="margin: 8px 0px 0px 32px;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 4px;">If they are breathing fast (over 60 breaths per minute) and seem distressed</p></li><li style="margin: 8px 0px 0px 32px;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 4px;">If their skin seems to be changing color</p></li><li style="margin: 8px 0px 0px 32px;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 4px;">If they are refusing all feeds</p></li></ul><p style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">If you have given everything on the list a try, there are no worrying signs as above, and your baby is still very uncomfortable, I would suggest that it is still worth an office visit with your primary pediatrician. </p><ul style="margin-top: 0px; padding: 0px;"><li style="margin: 8px 0px 0px 32px;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 4px;">Let them know what you have tried so far</p></li><li style="margin: 8px 0px 0px 32px;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 4px;">Take note of the time of day at which the fussiness is the worst, and the relationship to feeding time (before? after?).</p></li><li style="margin: 8px 0px 0px 32px;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 4px;">Count the number of poops per day and be able to describe what they look like. </p></li><li style="margin: 8px 0px 0px 32px;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 4px;">Counting pees isn’t always relevant after the first week or two, but that might become important again when getting checked out for colic. </p></li><li style="margin: 8px 0px 0px 32px;"><p style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 4px;">If you’re feeding by breast, observe your diet to see if there is a correlation with different dishes (see above for common culprits). </p></li></ul><p style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><strong>As with everything, this stage will pass. Enjoy the calm moments. </strong></p><div style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 32px auto;"><figure style="margin: 0px auto; width: 550px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"></td><td align="left" style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;" width="488"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/4277789a-1b7d-48d7-94ea-27a35170c5c2?j%3DeyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M&source=gmail&ust=1705164900950000&usg=AOvVaw0InNYzG-RK22u6Gk9SpXiY" href="https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/4277789a-1b7d-48d7-94ea-27a35170c5c2?j=eyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" style="border: none; color: #1155cc; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; width: auto;" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="CToWUd" data-bit="iit" height="650.554945054945" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEhTV-oiHBhAH8vYnEY7CI2KUcc1yUWf2K5qkye3nh-50zxjTR21q3qUM_xeC_64gOIBzSMwN1JJ2KtbnbegSrd7Wy-Lu2LMhB7NDcJjx2v3JBf0EYKVSvw280ccC6V5fv3gkqXjjOt1aS4JzXmlImdIxuqiclC59Xf_leajweHNnV8ZbKR1J6pWm70a3RBZqILH-wF5pNBzJpZynu5wkCEhyRAORTVHUmf3P-8TTsslBlnf6UQUrfh-AMFnCZjuY1Rf38Q6GzViYecCbbH5KMYkwo8GHsxnGWSpPiWuCqWoElNGex6KXn1HFx0dYtq1Bn9CFprX79gtbL07UE73udhDavPzBXq_r6jpvAuugtW-U0kBz0ma6w=s0-d-e1-ft,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F1e21322d-c943-4252-aeef-d8c2d811d886_3024x4032.jpeg" style="border: none; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: auto;" width="488" /></a></td><td style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table></figure></div><p style="color: #404040; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"></p><div style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><div style="color: #404040; direction: ltr; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.5; margin: 24px auto; max-width: 560px; padding: 32px; text-align: center;"><div style="background-color: white; display: flex; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; font-size: 18px; line-height: 22px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 16px; max-width: 384px; width: fit-content;"><p style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><br /></p><div><br /></div></div><div style="background-color: white; direction: ltr; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 1em;"></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2805471460666960029.post-12566356055414686912024-01-07T18:41:00.000-08:002024-01-07T18:41:56.648-08:00Happy Birthday Elliot<p> <strong style="color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Dear Elliot,</strong></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">3 years ago your mommy went into labor a few weeks before your due date. You are fortunate to be part of a loving clan. There were already so many people waiting to meet you.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Now that we had a good sense of your birthdate, your great Aunt Marjie went to work doing your astrological chart. Smart, generous, incredibly stubborn - check, check, check. She also let us know that you would have a distinctive birthmark on your back….check. Aunt Marjie is spooky.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Because of COVID, we weren’t allowed to go to the hospital. I remember waiting in the garage. We couldn’t even wait until you were inside.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Sandy and I both grabbed and held you at the same time.</p><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 32px auto;"><figure style="margin: 0px auto; width: 550px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"></td><td align="left" style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;" width="330"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/10888a82-e454-4dc9-81ea-79f9b00f2fb1?j%3DeyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M&source=gmail&ust=1704767762190000&usg=AOvVaw0gsMmrr_up-cqLKUv3CAPr" href="https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/10888a82-e454-4dc9-81ea-79f9b00f2fb1?j=eyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" style="border: none; color: #1155cc; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; width: auto;" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="CToWUd" data-bit="iit" height="440" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEgQrspNFWRq_iFGUt5olowhtTLcXXdked8u4Dz5li8WL7bY5Z-6XwyrdwoJT-ls-eIx-9g4nxXR0GMZj2gHT167N6TR_x6wipriGIPgYsqcn7zo2NZtz6ZlFJhuoe3F02rbHFFKAmNoxeivi6-5tgAXhx3zvKf64S7liHW-jhpGpfjEL8EZ-GURpgczXkXKWpL_GCsONn7655sVQQZAh70k4GGflcd4BwkDUmJI7rxbPB0BpbLin_DBZDtrjPZmOB5UOe2IFc72TnLcrKQCBHLadrTMvMsR84SLoiazLLh9Nz564I3ANYdmHhhRNHGxuTvUAR_R3LUXknyOYaT2Y8f12OTHrq_ybMPK1Q7IyxSvVpk1tVBCsA=s0-d-e1-ft,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F9ae5d21f-674b-413e-9d0c-32647dc7dabf_1200x1600.jpeg" style="border: none !important; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: auto !important;" width="330" /></a></td><td style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table></figure></div><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Just so you know, grandparents have hearts that can be full of unlimited amounts of love, but you are the only one who turned me into a grandma.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">You were SUCH a fussy little fellow. I tucked you into an infant front carrier and we danced together for months. Dancing and nursing were just about the only ways you calmed down. I could only help with one of those.</p><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 32px auto;"><figure style="margin: 0px auto; width: 550px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"></td><td align="left" style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;" width="334"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/d1a2033c-c825-4e04-9aee-c6dc490d9cbf?j%3DeyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M&source=gmail&ust=1704767762190000&usg=AOvVaw3QpbxicDSOzpTvOkUzutwX" href="https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/d1a2033c-c825-4e04-9aee-c6dc490d9cbf?j=eyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" style="border: none; color: #1155cc; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; width: auto;" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="CToWUd" data-bit="iit" height="445.3333333333333" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEgrJcsyoi2P11YAg26F058TcG9iX7DRjc9AtEOblnlWsXsetPGdSbn0-hf1pKelwGy2K2DMjm5o_X8eMgQbheq0ALHpSbLBsa9ZAQesk8qY6spedIufBpACVQddK2W8XpEJnGHt2cUXz6OagbLxg75N5bJ4GhkIithhyRUNV5sZS8KEpibBBdVHZO344_w7NEiiPucmvWJbnEaj-w9YTi8LWLkydVb8QDnQSeXd3TPN5pLhyphenhyphenYFFAhVL62jNXg07cM5veU0PN9jBkpJP2g0mC4f_m9vTBIFUNiNGMt94x2MP-B2sbSbsRKpi_13droI1WOPKiWG4efw9mXQQSIMQBPrgjrP-HKIzJ2OGNf7230-61MEfkIaK5w=s0-d-e1-ft,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F36a41f47-afc3-476b-b5f6-e8a248976321_1200x1600.jpeg" style="border: none !important; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: auto !important;" width="334" /></a></td><td style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table></figure></div><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Lauren made a playlist for you. Build me up buttercup, Harry Belafonte, Broadway…It was an eclectic mix, setting you up from the beginning to have an appreciation for many musical genres.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">I loved how you snuggled right in! You still snuggle and I don’t take that for granted.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Suddenly, at around the four month mark, you finally stopped crying. </p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Your big dog Bowie decided that keeping you safe was his reason for being, and he is always nearby. It never occurs to you to be scared of him,</p><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 32px auto;"><figure style="margin: 0px auto; width: 550px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"></td><td align="left" style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;" width="376"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/92587060-b44f-4bb2-8cf4-3b7edd5be9eb?j%3DeyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M&source=gmail&ust=1704767762191000&usg=AOvVaw1cBF-QotYwnMOvTPyakHkh" href="https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/92587060-b44f-4bb2-8cf4-3b7edd5be9eb?j=eyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" style="border: none; color: #1155cc; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; width: auto;" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="CToWUd" data-bit="iit" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEgLudFkf1VjYB8Byv01ATc3aoQxMI4DaB7qmLYFwyucOFozZQx2QCbnJwPWDAd1RHeJCtYmr1ayYpcsER63zgMagaLgGO6fuaZDSmDh3UtdKq89ZbOOeQXvus4BBsDBzJ-iNN9FDet5bh3gduf7-xn_ZhCMEp7uablRvEJDyUVXcf5WUmFS4ci2rGo5iiZtI2_UrLNtYZ5048sA4t1twm34ii2xcHDKoawaHvZYOcGztEm8j5IKK3jwe0PjEgjAYj30YtRwHNtVZaVEC4bMxt9KmGhR9QAj8hxoiY6VlPVtFCyX2eVexqoIKEQLpeQmgvkoi7zoMlV86aZiW-5rMoHRmmLT78aqwwMGFwgIkz83isfq4KUMvg=s0-d-e1-ft,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6d50da52-3111-4ddc-ab24-08a5c9eb9849_2048x1536.jpeg" style="border: none !important; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: auto !important;" width="376" /></a></td><td style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table></figure></div><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Papa and Grandma buy you a little Fisher Price ride-on school bus. You can pull yourself up on it, but your feet don’t quite touch the ground. The bus lives at our house and you spend hours playing on it when you are over..</p><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 32px auto;"><figure style="margin: 0px auto; width: 550px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"></td><td align="left" style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;" width="324"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/731746a1-a2cc-41bf-8300-6efb2d2546fb?j%3DeyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M&source=gmail&ust=1704767762191000&usg=AOvVaw3cUnTjccQB_JfCRz28JiCK" href="https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/731746a1-a2cc-41bf-8300-6efb2d2546fb?j=eyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" style="border: none; color: #1155cc; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; width: auto;" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="CToWUd" data-bit="iit" height="478.22878228782287" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEhH1djDpVKzgymM67TmBk9kkITGuj_1qUjI6mgYWnd43ndgB3vVWW83f-miaNjvWdhHk7pGX_Vv2EprgaiifxR4lbIubsU8-UHktSjCG3tDc_Me8smtjnCX-AXKeVTKRZOJuMpZ8fjxalNIUVyCnbd0vzOF5tRBcpLKSRb40NQqWUUlT8Bggn8lnNegmQ4FMU10XmkCjsvWmBpp1opVzKFTbN4ovs30APQ2PvWlzSllH9GIwhU0lEh6ops4uepXLyMIPie9YF6PnHgiRmJZk4hA2MO3paq7ZwpVM86VTPUqfSMWOO9aS0zOdcypkPL9CUVTchIUqNhuVjW-MH2JAKPKoW6l3yRe5q9ckVGOJ-_oHKxgyO1YIA=s0-d-e1-ft,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4a4fbd95-5dd4-45ad-a641-7cf782505eff_1084x1600.jpeg" style="border: none !important; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: auto !important;" width="324" /></a></td><td style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table></figure></div><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Blink and you are more than a year old. You communicate with signs, and then your language skills start to snowball and astonish us all. While you have so much to say, and your immediate family can understand you fairly well, your goal is for the echo device to follow your command.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">“Alexa! Play the wheels on the bus”</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><em>I’m sorry…I don’t know how to help you with that</em></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">(Be patient, she will understand you soon)</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Part of your early vocabulary included notable words such as golf cart (your favorite) and bulldozer.</p><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 32px auto;"><figure style="margin: 0px auto; width: 550px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"></td><td align="left" style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;" width="402"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/a28e94b9-83d6-4a40-ac8a-545c57363876?j%3DeyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M&source=gmail&ust=1704767762191000&usg=AOvVaw2BKI3BnS-euMVT2WyPfvwS" href="https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/a28e94b9-83d6-4a40-ac8a-545c57363876?j=eyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" style="border: none; color: #1155cc; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; width: auto;" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="CToWUd" data-bit="iit" height="536" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEhCG83vX_7sMpf8S8sz79eJ8cULxmd3xiLitcgSkrXcwj7qWr6dM_3erfmX7fKwIDgvxCZ7NiTy5BNAcvuZ4lLhtWsab2T0bzb338shOmE7g_WvT0jTwv42BbUWzxgsfpgT8q0W_pRDZHxd2mVQOgoE2wXMGDot_39lXvdgAypRKpS2f-hPKrSjAGRhX4MBRmgHI-lIsMvGWnxKxkZmaaupZUEdgbr8KRV0Br8TZt23gAEDmjV-r0J6x-528_1vQPXhDE2TRxULA82phag5ImVaPbJwR1opiP3AX_GKBMuSFxdak8lWTpcpIvY5d1gO2skdAkOoSAJ_eU2OEdov3BLl1DWqkm7jA-vmFQpQTag9qMJLqVIi=s0-d-e1-ft,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F3b00ee7a-049b-4dbc-b204-e284c4b653e2_768x1024.jpeg" style="border: none !important; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: auto !important;" width="402" /></a></td><td style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table></figure></div><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"> You eat most anything; Burmese, Mexican, Indian, Thai, Ethiopian. We all delight in your adventurous eating.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">We feel your muscles as you eat all that ‘growing food’.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">You are not quite two and you are a sponge, soaking up all sorts of information.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">One day you and I are laying on the lawn playing the senses game. What do we see, smell, hear? You point out an airplane. It has the typical trail of white condensation leaving a line in the sky. I teach you that this is called a contrail.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Several weeks later you are out with family friends. You look up in the sky and accurately point out that you see an airplane and it’s contrail. The adults that you are with are essentially blown away. (Speaking of airplanes, you have been on 41 airplane rides!)</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">When you are tired, it doesn’t matter where you are. You take a rest on whatever is available. Your mom has a funny collection of the random places where you stop to lie down</p><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 32px auto;"><figure style="margin: 0px auto; width: 550px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"></td><td align="left" style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;" width="372"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/fe93b0b8-f0ac-474b-af22-46739bcbc8cc?j%3DeyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M&source=gmail&ust=1704767762191000&usg=AOvVaw3Z-Cm4Wh1KwhyuH6xdHuhq" href="https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/fe93b0b8-f0ac-474b-af22-46739bcbc8cc?j=eyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" style="border: none; color: #1155cc; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; width: auto;" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="CToWUd" data-bit="iit" height="279" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEjLvgsJPWFa6ge5Xq_pDQHFGNuOKd-iLt55wiBD6Oovm1eXmuywYXxkfA4HJsXWzTZR2EniF2yxD0OdY4Brbs9g0wlUYyh7mZrkqmExGMdalNQCPrcx_4MocZh15inVxK5hyphenhyphene-gj5LB49ipzMEGy_ePEkR6tvqUtvymBIXVsU3mazomfUgBkjbILL2Lksp_1ukeffs6jNY1lOBY_pOK6jWTBzry-JeXEtoUAM0bBeXaXwnig-vzkjs5ow2vn8r9xCQwHydhXLjNGYgNadu8hJa9H4_wnte2G9XJGxGQ-KVOXK9ilGiESJ41KaSVagan3gnhCccZJFjW3CxMxpc-XQPGjleDqQpGIpSML64skx54k805XLmo=s0-d-e1-ft,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fa25463b4-bae2-4b14-9424-cdbeaf7e2595_1024x768.jpeg" style="border: none !important; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: auto !important;" width="372" /></a></td><td style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table></figure></div><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Now you are two. You can easily climb up on the toy bus and your feet have no trouble hitting the floor. You like to zoom around grandma and papa’s house…Bowie is often either following right behind you or trying to avoid being run over.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"></p><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 32px auto;"><figure style="margin: 0px auto; width: 550px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"></td><td align="left" style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;" width="380"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/a485c494-7e28-43cd-bf03-afd50f8b9480?j%3DeyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M&source=gmail&ust=1704767762191000&usg=AOvVaw10jlgkt3XJvPrgxdxSUmpM" href="https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/a485c494-7e28-43cd-bf03-afd50f8b9480?j=eyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" style="border: none; color: #1155cc; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; width: auto;" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="CToWUd" data-bit="iit" height="675.5555555555555" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEjiejjbdNU6fCITMPu9aYTvhwOdmR5KgskJiwsfWt7R5vlzP2wtc3vRPNzWM2LeatzONG02_J7Yt89WGVgJ2a3IEZD-s4PdJG2Lf-mond9wrQbag6PMpatAD0KEjaJAdzyHnx0KGoWxydtEwHlk6YBOE0MJ9PlRt0gSY0iDl1HQ7gFUNX7hNGO5Lx5J9Deq3obZJOrjyKdo7qmr1b3c6MVWv_JrrXD8y2ivN3wUjUJ0NQKivtJ3ZAZvnr8bDVIyU00P2UsBaqqrOFJ0_5Ti-W9ShFP3wQ8RLM74XOdDfcXmYJZAmlwyYinpvNsNXpJn8yrxkARGJ-_lIm_u3voTBfFtkqOCVdKsUABz4QTZgXKiSs_1kNGFRg=s0-d-e1-ft,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Feb944015-76af-4677-a7f8-dfb3cf640851_1080x1920.jpeg" style="border: none !important; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: auto !important;" width="380" /></a></td><td style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table></figure></div><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">One of the other toys at my house is a puzzle that has lots of colors and shapes. You have so much fun saying ‘yellow parallelogram.’ You tell your mom that you really like her purple rhombus earrings.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">You are obsessed with music. You play on the piano and harmonica and can make a sound out of a saxophone and a flute. More often than not you are holding a guitar or ukulele. You know the lyrics to many songs, you know how a capo works, and your pitch is remarkable.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">You like to help. One of your favorite things is to clean the carpet with Papa. You spritz the resolve and then scrub with the brush before moving on to another area that you notice need a little attention.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">You throw up your hands and say “Oy vey..there is another spot”:</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">When you are 2/12 you move to LA. Luckily it isn’t so far and we make sure that we see you as often as we can.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">You are in a supermarket shopping cart with Bobby, your other grandmother. You are singing the song “In my room” by the beach boys at the top of your lungs.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Another shopper stops to listen. <em>The Beach boys? He is only 2? This made my day!</em></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">You like to give concerts. You arrange your assorted stuffed animal, dolls and puppets into a nice little audience.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">You speak into your microphone:</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">“Good evening everyone, you are all sitting so nicely” and then you proceed with some singing.</p><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 32px auto;"><figure style="margin: 0px auto; width: 550px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"></td><td align="left" style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;" width="398"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/baa54830-0900-4674-a4d2-16f41c0bf972?j%3DeyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M&source=gmail&ust=1704767762191000&usg=AOvVaw2zsxbvmRj7OESe1GF8tjLy" href="https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/baa54830-0900-4674-a4d2-16f41c0bf972?j=eyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" style="border: none; color: #1155cc; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; width: auto;" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="CToWUd" data-bit="iit" height="530.6666666666666" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEigAg6Ezb1ajHj5jkSjOr3chEBfIOt5ga2Q1ELkZxg5waqHneUllGRtrLYAdTqdTFP1wMsRKTc8fxka7zmo3hdFa97k3WLLsZuFbT1QlCeYXo16886t8vTjFWb25Eh9Z57aPov19JuGV-LfEV5-mYpL6wKUcndbBPoNRjfeFQqVxTJQN3Zc8R4Po3uV4QN9Yy6K-flyFeNRV5onR3L3cSDGYt_27OUdvdROOXxUr79LdY9U1yg_idD08SF07qlfEfX3GfKmtufX0-d2g_DW-3vkHuTqpQrlMLG6rXiHLSjOTpyXZHjMQq9fWH1JjwdSWXPV4KqNWhNOpdVfbX-Gr41ZjlrR6wTa7F9Q2Z3QqfbVTsCoPBmu=s0-d-e1-ft,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F4ecca230-78b7-41f1-8f0c-c903d9700b7a_768x1024.jpeg" style="border: none !important; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: auto !important;" width="398" /></a></td><td style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table></figure></div><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">During this holiday season You OOH and AAAH over the sparkly lights. Says the almost 3 year old, “These are the prettiest lights I have seen in my WHOLE life!”</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Here is a snapshot of a week that you spent here in December. Just shy of your third birthday…</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">You were naked more often than not; you have mastered potty training, including nights, so not wearing pants around the house isn’t an issue.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">The only thing you were wearing most of the time was a guitar strapped around your neck.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Several times a day, you would go into the kitchen and say, “I am still hungry. Let me see what my options are”, as you opened the refrigerator and helped yourself to whatever you found. Cheese, yogurt, fruit and berries were popular finds.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">One of your favorite things to eat is something that you refer to as ‘grandma noodles’ (Israeli couscous with little peas and carrots in it)</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">You still love to clean the carpet.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Another choice activity was to go out and ‘drive’ papa’s car. You played pretend about all of the places we were going.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Papa allowed you to actually turn on the ignition and then it is time to clean the windshields and get the wipers going</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">During this week I noticed that you were getting big for the bus, but you still played with it. Now instead of riding it, you got out your tools turned it upside down and spent time “fixing it”</p><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 32px auto;"><figure style="margin: 0px auto; width: 550px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"></td><td align="left" style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;" width="392"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/9a827c18-e21d-4b99-a666-cec1213bbb9b?j%3DeyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M&source=gmail&ust=1704767762191000&usg=AOvVaw3g7d4EZL1JbEHQb3pWuIYM" href="https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/9a827c18-e21d-4b99-a666-cec1213bbb9b?j=eyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" style="border: none; color: #1155cc; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; width: auto;" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="CToWUd" data-bit="iit" height="522.5769230769231" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEiwaAQqwCPBUEc4V8ZJHaIcg4l_8EnnQ4YO6eYRczzhVTZQzuRwWbPvW_0QTChSRqHAPefNxfouzLqiacqGfbS-KRCxpMWnncD0prKCpOYDiYjkYvhA8O3vMP93GzkfkjvYVQRYbk8lFFlpARI4D0gx5UR5JfyJSQO5UCArPj3rHbLld_pZGp6lPMCwqQnlPF5Ts7nn63bw3aMKw_OCbstxvG54HJHUaYiVZ4uX6gS5pw2WkvpbYaEpaWlG_r8g2HasbH2aNb86nE2nVL-LHMrPCQyYwwwG2zBVgd-Q4hlhFZph1fqnC-S0nqhBFWYbhvXKKW-Pncjsj3s5wPFzHvYasJzJHmxtnjHELsXf2MkJLnpXC0l6_w=s0-d-e1-ft,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F6b14a5a2-242e-4d93-bdf7-82120964170a_1512x2016.jpeg" style="border: none !important; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: auto !important;" width="392" /></a></td><td style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table></figure></div><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">You were obsessed with Aunt Alana’s rainbow bath bombs and tried to convince us all to let you use more than one per bath.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">I was sitting in the bathroom with you and you were getting annoyed that I wasn’t letting you have a third.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">“Grandma, you can go…tell Baba to come in here instead”</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">You learned how to make the security pattern on my tablet. It took time and patience. You learned that it doesn’t work with wet fingers. Once you were on, you had access to YOUTUBE. You also can work a complicated remote control more easily than I can.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Your favorite thing to watch was Beauty and the Beast. You were able to fast forward through the scary part with the wolves. </p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">You liked to help in the kitchen.. We made cookies together. You stood on a little step stool rolling the dough and putting it on the baking sheet. You were naked of course.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Alexa now understands you. </p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">‘Alexa play the chipmunks”</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><em>Playing chipmunk radio from Judith’s pandora</em></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">The day after you left I got an email from Amazon confirming a purchase for ‘Green Gobbler Hair D…..’</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">I had to sign into Amazon so see the full order. For a moment, between Alexa and access to my tablet, I was wondering if you had managed to somehow order something….hair dye?</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">It turned out you were innocent. It was a drain cleaner that Sandy had ordered, but I have no doubt that this could be a potential issue in the future.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">While you were here, the house felt a bit like a sticky hurricane but we prefer that to the clean and quiet when you are not here.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">You are not always easy. As Aunt Marjie predicted you are very very very stubborn. You like to do everything yourself. You occasionally like to push boundaries to see what exactly you can get away with.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">I am grateful that I can watch excellent parenting in action as your mama and baba manage the moments when your behavior reminds everyone that you are in fact just turning 3.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">Most grandparents think that their grandchildren are the world's most magical creatures. But you, my sweet boy, are something special indeed. Your giggle is like no other. Your snuggles are the best. Your mind astonishes me. Your budding musicianship has my father, your great grandfather, dancing up in heaven.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;">I couldn’t love you any more! I can’t wait to see what you do next.</p><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 32px auto;"><figure style="margin: 0px auto; width: 550px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"></td><td align="left" style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;" width="502"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/555bc085-062a-4980-ba77-50860d1ca70d?j%3DeyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M&source=gmail&ust=1704767762191000&usg=AOvVaw2-v_4sYWo1K1i1rhXYrkcm" href="https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/555bc085-062a-4980-ba77-50860d1ca70d?j=eyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" style="border: none; color: #1155cc; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration-line: none; width: auto;" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="CToWUd" data-bit="iit" height="892.4444444444445" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEhVwKMjII5wPvnVQpHwBxIKjTDoOnw5umHkgOMQVVutlm7Zru4TwBpub8hxD7WIVZsJe-Y474sqqotveY3VNw-mgynaTDyR5CvwQBrYRDS87aNtSNQlOkxcGTBx0MMFvmk28qHvy19OYc3kTzcxmnnm-Wqy5zJzS9BqlEpNHyo8JonDdDMKlk7_D0-7dnCPsodTl4vbyrg7ykb7EDhYADWyCANb1hg-5MWO7-LeGGwVUs2kAh5sR0qPhc-lH4lq8JAdDAtByNrNrO76_7f_N8QkVj1zSDSa9nxVWlTEKA_09oJBBkBmk-EZ2jjDPhu-jtpcIXO5bjDW2h1GVNe7Mv7TfvFEM8LzYekyeokld93m4HqVYhPjRw=s0-d-e1-ft,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F63edfdf1-49a0-4a15-9019-3c8144baf762_1152x2048.jpeg" style="border: none !important; display: block; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle; width: auto !important;" width="502" /></a></td><td style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table></figure></div><p style="background-color: white; color: #404040; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"></p><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 32px auto;"><figure style="margin: 0px auto; width: 550px;"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;"></td><td align="left" style="margin: 0px; text-align: center;" width="488"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/fec355ae-dd73-4a4f-8106-7f38a6c6ae22?j%3DeyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M&source=gmail&ust=1704767762191000&usg=AOvVaw2E3f1TtJR5lK0ifCzU19iK" href="https://link.sbstck.com/redirect/fec355ae-dd73-4a4f-8106-7f38a6c6ae22?j=eyJ1IjoiMzZmNTU1In0.Yx9vGBNAvEeaD5swLTmydhJkVfaInzQB9HhlUvIBk3M" rel="nofollow ugc noopener" style="border: none; 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text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table></figure></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px;"><hr style="background: rgb(224, 224, 224); border: none; height: 1px; margin: 32px 0px; padding: 0px;" /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px;"><div style="color: #404040; direction: ltr !important; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; line-height: 1.5; margin: 24px auto; max-width: 560px; padding: 32px; text-align: center;"><div style="display: flex; font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; font-size: 18px; line-height: 22px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 16px; max-width: 384px; width: fit-content;"><p style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin: 0px 0px 20px;"><br /></p></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2805471460666960029.post-29598388876106415502023-12-29T10:17:00.000-08:002023-12-29T10:17:53.209-08:00What is in your medicine cabinet? 2023<p> </p><h3 style="background-color: white; color: #717a80; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-weight: normal;">My grandson Sawyer is starting daycare next week. His mommy is getting prepared and asked me about what things she should have in the medicine cabinet.</span><span style="color: black; font-weight: normal;">This was a good incentive to update this old post.</span></h3><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 20px; font-weight: bold;">Take stock of what’s in your medicine cabinet.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;">What medications should you have on hand?</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 16px;">If you or your child becomes ill in the middle of the night, that 3 am visit to the local pharmacy may furnish you with some interesting anecdotes about the odd folks lurking in the aisles, but generally it is something you want to avoid. Try to have some basic medications on hand ahead of time. A little preparation goes a long way.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D0017oAoHiH_QYiTiNPfbIWzf5cSVbyEpW7mHHVSiU5uMnNTTFvbIRnzFSUaOLHhQz_z_mPgyvSETguc5dAX9iJE4cHpwsTA3pITd_nLtDKLtyMjsYNorN4EQ5z1ryg8PWelvwjTHsOKe-FpwFUxbC9xZW67LBBiZtjHeXraoePmUKA9qqXERvSz9rG-rKJ_HwGCgzzsLlMgQaFxuFbzkSVizw2OtW4MfuXC7hTa0Vq__48%3D%26c%3DufqYuhKypMj8H73bwoANVpmHj8UEoCPW3GtB8MUHt7Vpzfceri8t4Q%3D%3D%26ch%3Dprf3WTIZnLpeEP8JbJlyyCoh5YBagbmCBnMNxZmlXnmA2e191CK0eA%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1703960214763000&usg=AOvVaw04695u1ppHirgvCykc4efN" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0017oAoHiH_QYiTiNPfbIWzf5cSVbyEpW7mHHVSiU5uMnNTTFvbIRnzFSUaOLHhQz_z_mPgyvSETguc5dAX9iJE4cHpwsTA3pITd_nLtDKLtyMjsYNorN4EQ5z1ryg8PWelvwjTHsOKe-FpwFUxbC9xZW67LBBiZtjHeXraoePmUKA9qqXERvSz9rG-rKJ_HwGCgzzsLlMgQaFxuFbzkSVizw2OtW4MfuXC7hTa0Vq__48=&c=ufqYuhKypMj8H73bwoANVpmHj8UEoCPW3GtB8MUHt7Vpzfceri8t4Q==&ch=prf3WTIZnLpeEP8JbJlyyCoh5YBagbmCBnMNxZmlXnmA2e191CK0eA==" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Fever reducers/Pain relief</a></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 16px;">Acetaminophen and Ibuprofen are the most common medications used for this.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #e94c3a; font-size: 16px;">Remember that you </span><span style="color: #e94c3a; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; text-decoration-line: underline;">never</span><span style="color: #e94c3a; font-size: 16px;"> </span><span style="color: #e94c3a; font-size: 16px;">want to give actual a</span><span style="color: #e94c3a; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic;">spirin</span><span style="color: #e94c3a; font-size: 16px;"> to a child</span><span style="font-size: 16px;">.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 16px;">Acetaminophen/Tylenol </span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-style: italic;">Infant </span><span style="font-size: 16px;">and </span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-style: italic;">Children's </span><span style="font-size: 16px;">Liquid are the same</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 16px;">concentration so they are actually interchangeable, but the infant bottle comes with a nifty little measuring system and a spill proof bottle which is safer. </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 16px;">Acetaminophen also comes as a suppository, which is great for a child who is vomiting or resisting medication by mouth. Suppositories are best kept in the fridge or someplace cool. If they get warm and mushy they are much harder to insert.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 16px;">Ibuprofen is also known as Advil or Motrin. This medicine also comes in a more concentrated infant form. The infant and child dose </span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-style: italic;">are </span><span style="color: #e94c3a; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">not </span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-style: italic;">the same</span><span style="font-size: 16px;">. Make sure you understand your child's proper dose. The above link has a dosage chart</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; text-decoration-line: underline;">Antihistamines</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 16px;">Benadryl, Zyrtec and Claritin tend to be the most commonly used for pediatrics. These antihistamines would be given for general allergic reactions, itchy skin rashes or </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D0017oAoHiH_QYiTiNPfbIWzf5cSVbyEpW7mHHVSiU5uMnNTTFvbIRnzFaPGEYFKMzSX4IWdhFGJqufmk5Pkmxwkh7bhwTJA1O5BSC-QPThCbvLN6Lo2qoKYGTMJGqgdk5geheugCNd6G3zwR8YbtG3cU6lxg8RZa8cdFsBvOc7HW-a2gvrXyxM_OKacextBq-gLOGjhXYTb3OOUKDAnRDMA0Vb94iGQ9OpI69VCLP5paOU%3D%26c%3DufqYuhKypMj8H73bwoANVpmHj8UEoCPW3GtB8MUHt7Vpzfceri8t4Q%3D%3D%26ch%3Dprf3WTIZnLpeEP8JbJlyyCoh5YBagbmCBnMNxZmlXnmA2e191CK0eA%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1703960214763000&usg=AOvVaw1iIgXAoNy6cqJszyUG8-gG" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0017oAoHiH_QYiTiNPfbIWzf5cSVbyEpW7mHHVSiU5uMnNTTFvbIRnzFaPGEYFKMzSX4IWdhFGJqufmk5Pkmxwkh7bhwTJA1O5BSC-QPThCbvLN6Lo2qoKYGTMJGqgdk5geheugCNd6G3zwR8YbtG3cU6lxg8RZa8cdFsBvOc7HW-a2gvrXyxM_OKacextBq-gLOGjhXYTb3OOUKDAnRDMA0Vb94iGQ9OpI69VCLP5paOU=&c=ufqYuhKypMj8H73bwoANVpmHj8UEoCPW3GtB8MUHt7Vpzfceri8t4Q==&ch=prf3WTIZnLpeEP8JbJlyyCoh5YBagbmCBnMNxZmlXnmA2e191CK0eA==" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">insect bites</a><span style="font-size: 16px;">.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 16px;">The generic name for Benadryl is Diphenhydramine HCL. There is no formulation specifically for infants. The directions on the bottle usually have a caution not to use it for children under 4. Most pediatric offices ignore that and are fine giving to younger patients if indicated. It is always a good idea to check with your doctor to see if they are comfortable with it.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">While Benadryl will make most kids (and adults) very sleepy. Sometimes that sleepiness is a good thing!!! But be warned, it also can cause a few patients to be jittery.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">Zyrtec (Cetirizine) typically has a more level response, with less likelihood of either sedation or the jitters. There is a dosage chart in the insect bite link above.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">Claritin is fine for sneezy allergies, but perhaps not quite as effective for itchy rashes.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">All of these come with the option for liquid or chewables.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; text-decoration-line: underline;">Tummy issues</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 16px;">If your child is vomiting, you will be glad to have an oral rehydration solution in the house. Poplular options include:</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D0019lfUz90N-2-fHNbqqgVUNBg_sIFS4okKNpNjwiiW3J8G0-V_rV8WeQzn1zWiNzP-iCw-vK1C7h3ME_GIFXq6uH_rDcQemQaRp24owUfRVHsOdrLU0YnuJm1apQwK2xphIBMOAO-kzHKjHSo0HHKaWupK_fpGrEBXjOL0saokpgpMY8Purwc7vppvlKXiI395x3XfJlNdExFSmEeSpvzKx97DaeNNIu0c%26c%3DGmd64Pmckos0nUJ9PFJo08Y11YhLVEjjAlw3Hloqay3GmBb7G93Yhw%3D%3D%26ch%3D80pln4nXFfoWk_uY6f881r_V7IhdZxRJdl_RaFHTpl2yjbACeUEPoA%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1703960214763000&usg=AOvVaw0hSlGnhU9gTSCTqNylrQN5" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0019lfUz90N-2-fHNbqqgVUNBg_sIFS4okKNpNjwiiW3J8G0-V_rV8WeQzn1zWiNzP-iCw-vK1C7h3ME_GIFXq6uH_rDcQemQaRp24owUfRVHsOdrLU0YnuJm1apQwK2xphIBMOAO-kzHKjHSo0HHKaWupK_fpGrEBXjOL0saokpgpMY8Purwc7vppvlKXiI395x3XfJlNdExFSmEeSpvzKx97DaeNNIu0c&c=Gmd64Pmckos0nUJ9PFJo08Y11YhLVEjjAlw3Hloqay3GmBb7G93Yhw==&ch=80pln4nXFfoWk_uY6f881r_V7IhdZxRJdl_RaFHTpl2yjbACeUEPoA==" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Pedialyte</a><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; text-decoration-line: underline;"> </span><span style="font-size: 16px;">and/or </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D0019lfUz90N-2-fHNbqqgVUNBg_sIFS4okKNpNjwiiW3J8G0-V_rV8WeQzn1zWiNzP-FFVfiYH9yn3ml9z7pH17JyL-CeQ72X0rB8z3qlSI9hJ-5f9W8ucRrPqEJev4gNf1Ha8VAQ0Q3uiDKEjaW5tdzCcaDxQo7nwDrr6HhTCuiVLCSdNYp1whzJlWs4bYpg13gWGo_8lzC2v_W3kQ1gSDcE15dQS_mCfPJt5vnCle46GiLFitSUrC13M8XJ5qXahQc2zZXmxYUR0wn944uRN_XUOJ4hWGNNmy-1ww6Nnpum-q3pw86gDulS7pb2PJiF9u9RYvxV6xDM308X-WSUPgnUrWNSxY2eNFH1T4nwfXYp-E10AI5OmIeQ%3D%3D%26c%3DGmd64Pmckos0nUJ9PFJo08Y11YhLVEjjAlw3Hloqay3GmBb7G93Yhw%3D%3D%26ch%3D80pln4nXFfoWk_uY6f881r_V7IhdZxRJdl_RaFHTpl2yjbACeUEPoA%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1703960214763000&usg=AOvVaw1OotSkSrK7pn-CibumXk9X" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0019lfUz90N-2-fHNbqqgVUNBg_sIFS4okKNpNjwiiW3J8G0-V_rV8WeQzn1zWiNzP-FFVfiYH9yn3ml9z7pH17JyL-CeQ72X0rB8z3qlSI9hJ-5f9W8ucRrPqEJev4gNf1Ha8VAQ0Q3uiDKEjaW5tdzCcaDxQo7nwDrr6HhTCuiVLCSdNYp1whzJlWs4bYpg13gWGo_8lzC2v_W3kQ1gSDcE15dQS_mCfPJt5vnCle46GiLFitSUrC13M8XJ5qXahQc2zZXmxYUR0wn944uRN_XUOJ4hWGNNmy-1ww6Nnpum-q3pw86gDulS7pb2PJiF9u9RYvxV6xDM308X-WSUPgnUrWNSxY2eNFH1T4nwfXYp-E10AI5OmIeQ==&c=Gmd64Pmckos0nUJ9PFJo08Y11YhLVEjjAlw3Hloqay3GmBb7G93Yhw==&ch=80pln4nXFfoWk_uY6f881r_V7IhdZxRJdl_RaFHTpl2yjbACeUEPoA==" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Drip Drop</a><span style="font-size: 16px;"> . Breast milk is also great for that, but not everyone is lucky enough to always have it on hand. Pedialyte also comes in popsicle form, which is great for older kids. </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 16px;">These both come in little packets of powder that you can mix with water. As well as keeping these in your medicine cabinet, they are worth taking along with you on any trips.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 16px;">Pedialax or glycerin suppositories are worth having on hand If your child is prone to constipation. If days have gone by without a poop, and diet enough hasn't helped to get things moving, these are often the next step. If it is the wee hours of the morning and you have a miserable, grunting and straining kid, getting the poop out is a good strategy.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; text-decoration-line: underline;">Eye issues</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 16px;">For young babies, breastmilk in the eye can cure a variety of issues. For older kids and adults, it is worth having </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D001pploOA5Eb4RAlTqeZJNWY977fOEx5D2X7OZ2z0eMNGD-xlrzNTnKtwmtz71QNX8RVRDvj3zGyEHpg0-vJcq813jWWf1TsyoaS5g3QKvCIMvXgmPwbzQuN7cB7xsEFNVDWN6fR-EV9offZ-pSlvoeZbH4m0FDkWpSmwxMm0P5uHKYyEf6FbzR7YKuWsLzFCzfshNDSL8huXlYN1S95ZI6OQUKiqZsJHbK%26c%3DlLZ88gc8PXCI0hy6q-o98Lqb1pGpISrJKseRyWGIS1s-NuMQleoHTw%3D%3D%26ch%3D18C9QKYYjeaAo7o5-0bnOiP3_95EIvxSKSZUT80eqYVpDov6qsS0JA%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1703960214763000&usg=AOvVaw1mGr_V1UVT5tOoc6pPTUc4" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001pploOA5Eb4RAlTqeZJNWY977fOEx5D2X7OZ2z0eMNGD-xlrzNTnKtwmtz71QNX8RVRDvj3zGyEHpg0-vJcq813jWWf1TsyoaS5g3QKvCIMvXgmPwbzQuN7cB7xsEFNVDWN6fR-EV9offZ-pSlvoeZbH4m0FDkWpSmwxMm0P5uHKYyEf6FbzR7YKuWsLzFCzfshNDSL8huXlYN1S95ZI6OQUKiqZsJHbK&c=lLZ88gc8PXCI0hy6q-o98Lqb1pGpISrJKseRyWGIS1s-NuMQleoHTw==&ch=18C9QKYYjeaAo7o5-0bnOiP3_95EIvxSKSZUT80eqYVpDov6qsS0JA==" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Zaditor</a><span style="font-size: 16px;">. It is an over-the-counter treatment for allergic conjunctivitis. It works quickly if allergies are the culprit. I also find that the homeopathic brand </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D001pploOA5Eb4RAlTqeZJNWY977fOEx5D2X7OZ2z0eMNGD-xlrzNTnKtwmtz71QNX8Ra-2XMMjCzS1lKPwxpLfYFWywrf5-pDrvwqATVzIpqvLFIdC1NHs6t8fUashyoVdIbBxR3xQk_jKRHIVz1M31lM7ZJBdgzj3nVr7zMvoctp8%3D%26c%3DlLZ88gc8PXCI0hy6q-o98Lqb1pGpISrJKseRyWGIS1s-NuMQleoHTw%3D%3D%26ch%3D18C9QKYYjeaAo7o5-0bnOiP3_95EIvxSKSZUT80eqYVpDov6qsS0JA%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1703960214763000&usg=AOvVaw1GJkENDKaAbPds3nGGQH2T" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001pploOA5Eb4RAlTqeZJNWY977fOEx5D2X7OZ2z0eMNGD-xlrzNTnKtwmtz71QNX8Ra-2XMMjCzS1lKPwxpLfYFWywrf5-pDrvwqATVzIpqvLFIdC1NHs6t8fUashyoVdIbBxR3xQk_jKRHIVz1M31lM7ZJBdgzj3nVr7zMvoctp8=&c=lLZ88gc8PXCI0hy6q-o98Lqb1pGpISrJKseRyWGIS1s-NuMQleoHTw==&ch=18C9QKYYjeaAo7o5-0bnOiP3_95EIvxSKSZUT80eqYVpDov6qsS0JA==" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Similason</a><span style="font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; text-decoration-line: underline;"> </span><span style="font-size: 16px;">is very soothing.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 16px;">If eye irritation or discharge continues, it might be </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D0017oAoHiH_QYiTiNPfbIWzf5cSVbyEpW7mHHVSiU5uMnNTTFvbIRnzFZ8_O11WKKBbFWjuCX2-WPnDl1jUdhPGY-SqGKTSiZKnkCa-q3SVtH2X1k1vy6bc47ERiums9fLTUE7ftqySM8053CstJBHsa0MKN5maPptKa1ZQETZjNWGC4SIMmJp9b2frdRwgajfGXR4uvA9pbC9lIIBrYdXeFK5nH_5uN2mF%26c%3DufqYuhKypMj8H73bwoANVpmHj8UEoCPW3GtB8MUHt7Vpzfceri8t4Q%3D%3D%26ch%3Dprf3WTIZnLpeEP8JbJlyyCoh5YBagbmCBnMNxZmlXnmA2e191CK0eA%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1703960214763000&usg=AOvVaw3up5PodBppdDX3tXk2aJyz" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0017oAoHiH_QYiTiNPfbIWzf5cSVbyEpW7mHHVSiU5uMnNTTFvbIRnzFZ8_O11WKKBbFWjuCX2-WPnDl1jUdhPGY-SqGKTSiZKnkCa-q3SVtH2X1k1vy6bc47ERiums9fLTUE7ftqySM8053CstJBHsa0MKN5maPptKa1ZQETZjNWGC4SIMmJp9b2frdRwgajfGXR4uvA9pbC9lIIBrYdXeFK5nH_5uN2mF&c=ufqYuhKypMj8H73bwoANVpmHj8UEoCPW3GtB8MUHt7Vpzfceri8t4Q==&ch=prf3WTIZnLpeEP8JbJlyyCoh5YBagbmCBnMNxZmlXnmA2e191CK0eA==" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">viral or bacterial</a><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D0017oAoHiH_QYiTiNPfbIWzf5cSVbyEpW7mHHVSiU5uMnNTTFvbIRnzFZ8_O11WKKBbFWjuCX2-WPnDl1jUdhPGY-SqGKTSiZKnkCa-q3SVtH2X1k1vy6bc47ERiums9fLTUE7ftqySM8053CstJBHsa0MKN5maPptKa1ZQETZjNWGC4SIMmJp9b2frdRwgajfGXR4uvA9pbC9lIIBrYdXeFK5nH_5uN2mF%26c%3DufqYuhKypMj8H73bwoANVpmHj8UEoCPW3GtB8MUHt7Vpzfceri8t4Q%3D%3D%26ch%3Dprf3WTIZnLpeEP8JbJlyyCoh5YBagbmCBnMNxZmlXnmA2e191CK0eA%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1703960214763000&usg=AOvVaw3up5PodBppdDX3tXk2aJyz" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0017oAoHiH_QYiTiNPfbIWzf5cSVbyEpW7mHHVSiU5uMnNTTFvbIRnzFZ8_O11WKKBbFWjuCX2-WPnDl1jUdhPGY-SqGKTSiZKnkCa-q3SVtH2X1k1vy6bc47ERiums9fLTUE7ftqySM8053CstJBHsa0MKN5maPptKa1ZQETZjNWGC4SIMmJp9b2frdRwgajfGXR4uvA9pbC9lIIBrYdXeFK5nH_5uN2mF&c=ufqYuhKypMj8H73bwoANVpmHj8UEoCPW3GtB8MUHt7Vpzfceri8t4Q==&ch=prf3WTIZnLpeEP8JbJlyyCoh5YBagbmCBnMNxZmlXnmA2e191CK0eA==" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 16px; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">. </a><span style="font-size: 16px;">It is time to check-in with your doctor. Most offices will want you seen. Gooey eyes can be a signal of an ear infection, so a visit is the best way to make sure you are getting the care you need.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; text-decoration-line: underline;">Stuffy nose</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 16px;">XLEAR nose spray!!!</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; text-decoration-line: underline;">Mouth sores</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 16px;">If you child is prone to mouth sores or irritations, I find Glyoxide very helpful and seems to help things heal up pretty quickly</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 16px;">You can also do a combo/1 teaspoon Maalox/1 teaspoon of Benadry...apply topically</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; text-decoration-line: underline;">Respiratory</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 16px;">If your child has a history of wheezing, now is the time to make sure you have asthma medications available. Many of those are light sensitive so you should always mark the package when you open them. If your child uses a nebulizer, the tubing should be replaced every 6 months. If you or your child use an inhaler, the mouthpiece should be rinsed out at least once a week.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 16px;">Check the directions on your specific medication to see if it needs to be primed. Some need an extra spritz into the air if they haven’t been used in more than a week.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; text-decoration-line: underline;">Topical creams/ointments</span></p><ul style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">Triple antibiotic ointment for cuts or scratches</span></li><li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">Antifungal cream for yeasty rashes or fungal infections</span></li><li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">Arnica for bruises</span></li><li style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">hydrocortisone cream for mild itchy irritations</li></ul><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">HC cream comes in a variety of strengths. You can get the weakest ones over the counter.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">Please pay attention to this rather disgusting factoid:</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">It is easy for tubes of ointments to get contaminated. If the tip comes in contact with bacteria from a finger or directly from the body...there you go. Yuck! One study that I read suggested that more than half of the tubes of creams and ointments that people have laying around are contaminated with Staph. The best way to avoid this is to make sure that you don't directly touch the tip to anything. Try to keep it sterile. Squeeze the desired amount onto a spoon and then use whatever applicator you want (clean fingers are usually fine.)</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; text-decoration-line: underline;">BASIC FIRST AID products</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 16px;">Consider getting some self adhesive bandage like Coban/</span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D0019lfUz90N-2-fHNbqqgVUNBg_sIFS4okKNpNjwiiW3J8G0-V_rV8WeQzn1zWiNzP--txNm3KntE0glUynlJ2rfWyKi1Alg_1kn8pY_kTHVGFAbJVL9n1yw1hkuR_izwlEq9vKTUBeISQZ7tGEfarU2f9kiN0U-oLP14rX4h0TX7DajNmbrYyqHTxTMv1exhJn9JYnU6MydxigxfkoKL5zKZt88zCkglkvNJBPkiooWR1PLekMlB11KUW0BXjZCdAgxAqa7lycu9LgVxK5R6RPYwovL-b16FtDY5vF01u6JjIqvsuIrM1aWsa2p9n7IiQuDEaux7VImm_-P3CRe8ClC2ZqoU2APbyl%26c%3DGmd64Pmckos0nUJ9PFJo08Y11YhLVEjjAlw3Hloqay3GmBb7G93Yhw%3D%3D%26ch%3D80pln4nXFfoWk_uY6f881r_V7IhdZxRJdl_RaFHTpl2yjbACeUEPoA%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1703960214763000&usg=AOvVaw2WjLAozpz9ySiKY3aBFP98" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0019lfUz90N-2-fHNbqqgVUNBg_sIFS4okKNpNjwiiW3J8G0-V_rV8WeQzn1zWiNzP--txNm3KntE0glUynlJ2rfWyKi1Alg_1kn8pY_kTHVGFAbJVL9n1yw1hkuR_izwlEq9vKTUBeISQZ7tGEfarU2f9kiN0U-oLP14rX4h0TX7DajNmbrYyqHTxTMv1exhJn9JYnU6MydxigxfkoKL5zKZt88zCkglkvNJBPkiooWR1PLekMlB11KUW0BXjZCdAgxAqa7lycu9LgVxK5R6RPYwovL-b16FtDY5vF01u6JjIqvsuIrM1aWsa2p9n7IiQuDEaux7VImm_-P3CRe8ClC2ZqoU2APbyl&c=Gmd64Pmckos0nUJ9PFJo08Y11YhLVEjjAlw3Hloqay3GmBb7G93Yhw==&ch=80pln4nXFfoWk_uY6f881r_V7IhdZxRJdl_RaFHTpl2yjbACeUEPoA==" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Co-flex</a><span style="font-size: 16px;">. They come in lots of colors and are fairly inexpensive. The advantage of these is that not only do they not hurt when you take them off and your child can’t pull them off without help. Also, your little one can’t eat the band-aid!</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; text-decoration-line: underline;">Ice packs/warm packs</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 16px;">I suggest that you invest in a child friendly ice pack that you can keep in your freezer. There are loads of adorable ones on Amazon. Holding a soft little penguin or bunny against the booboo might elicit a bit more cooperation.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 16px;">Having a microwavable hot pack can also be useful. If you don’t want to buy one, you can fill an athletic sock with rice, and that warms up nicely. Another option for a warm pack is to pour some water in a disposable diaper and heat it in the microwave for a few seconds at a time until it is a good temperature.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 16px;">Keep a bag of Epsom salts on hand. They come in handy for all sorts of things.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;"></span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; text-decoration-line: underline;">Useful Equipment</span></p><ul style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><li style="font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444;">Have a working thermometer that you have tested for accuracy before someone actually has a </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D0017oAoHiH_QYiTiNPfbIWzf5cSVbyEpW7mHHVSiU5uMnNTTFvbIRnzFfD8gu-FvKJOfIweDrFRyzNMNslP2DMqzafMzpvEMtT6_MjFxm_qbMIzZImKczUMrqJDbaQmOa6k5c7fX0P-Aob8YsO4vmVMK_Gekjac2pTGOOdAvlpfCamNg8hB-zEAfxGg7uY3ttehcBnmZ8WXGym2xxV1ynlGwugC1zpvh7nr%26c%3DufqYuhKypMj8H73bwoANVpmHj8UEoCPW3GtB8MUHt7Vpzfceri8t4Q%3D%3D%26ch%3Dprf3WTIZnLpeEP8JbJlyyCoh5YBagbmCBnMNxZmlXnmA2e191CK0eA%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1703960214763000&usg=AOvVaw2tdlwImm7B5tz9U78prSPa" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0017oAoHiH_QYiTiNPfbIWzf5cSVbyEpW7mHHVSiU5uMnNTTFvbIRnzFfD8gu-FvKJOfIweDrFRyzNMNslP2DMqzafMzpvEMtT6_MjFxm_qbMIzZImKczUMrqJDbaQmOa6k5c7fX0P-Aob8YsO4vmVMK_Gekjac2pTGOOdAvlpfCamNg8hB-zEAfxGg7uY3ttehcBnmZ8WXGym2xxV1ynlGwugC1zpvh7nr&c=ufqYuhKypMj8H73bwoANVpmHj8UEoCPW3GtB8MUHt7Vpzfceri8t4Q==&ch=prf3WTIZnLpeEP8JbJlyyCoh5YBagbmCBnMNxZmlXnmA2e191CK0eA==" style="color: #315fc3; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">fever</a><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D0017oAoHiH_QYiTiNPfbIWzf5cSVbyEpW7mHHVSiU5uMnNTTFvbIRnzFfD8gu-FvKJOfIweDrFRyzNMNslP2DMqzafMzpvEMtT6_MjFxm_qbMIzZImKczUMrqJDbaQmOa6k5c7fX0P-Aob8YsO4vmVMK_Gekjac2pTGOOdAvlpfCamNg8hB-zEAfxGg7uY3ttehcBnmZ8WXGym2xxV1ynlGwugC1zpvh7nr%26c%3DufqYuhKypMj8H73bwoANVpmHj8UEoCPW3GtB8MUHt7Vpzfceri8t4Q%3D%3D%26ch%3Dprf3WTIZnLpeEP8JbJlyyCoh5YBagbmCBnMNxZmlXnmA2e191CK0eA%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1703960214763000&usg=AOvVaw2tdlwImm7B5tz9U78prSPa" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0017oAoHiH_QYiTiNPfbIWzf5cSVbyEpW7mHHVSiU5uMnNTTFvbIRnzFfD8gu-FvKJOfIweDrFRyzNMNslP2DMqzafMzpvEMtT6_MjFxm_qbMIzZImKczUMrqJDbaQmOa6k5c7fX0P-Aob8YsO4vmVMK_Gekjac2pTGOOdAvlpfCamNg8hB-zEAfxGg7uY3ttehcBnmZ8WXGym2xxV1ynlGwugC1zpvh7nr&c=ufqYuhKypMj8H73bwoANVpmHj8UEoCPW3GtB8MUHt7Vpzfceri8t4Q==&ch=prf3WTIZnLpeEP8JbJlyyCoh5YBagbmCBnMNxZmlXnmA2e191CK0eA==" style="color: #315fc3; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">.</a><span style="color: #444444;"> As long as your baby is over 2 months, I am not one who is going to focus too much on the exact degree of the fever, but we do want to get a sense of how high it is.</span></li><li style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Have a syringe or dropper on hand for much more accurate measuring.</li><li style="font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D0017oAoHiH_QYiTiNPfbIWzf5cSVbyEpW7mHHVSiU5uMnNTTFvbIRnzFfBCuiCkVpAiKeS0PUmmPjO5_iegYOfae2Yk6PFbmJxfqywecaNlsgdad85Tm9ovJu0yQsWOOtzqszXGlsHJKLzzCI4bx4ewyNZafgAJRRDMe8fZhGRj_5YVU2GZILCXR5996jldXNmtb4HvKt8FBf7RnAzADNv9SEWe1cl3Dv4t6P7B1w3_xAyCmmbSKL-1TQ%3D%3D%26c%3DufqYuhKypMj8H73bwoANVpmHj8UEoCPW3GtB8MUHt7Vpzfceri8t4Q%3D%3D%26ch%3Dprf3WTIZnLpeEP8JbJlyyCoh5YBagbmCBnMNxZmlXnmA2e191CK0eA%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1703960214763000&usg=AOvVaw1u2qQdjE5v4rbaLnxKyG24" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0017oAoHiH_QYiTiNPfbIWzf5cSVbyEpW7mHHVSiU5uMnNTTFvbIRnzFfBCuiCkVpAiKeS0PUmmPjO5_iegYOfae2Yk6PFbmJxfqywecaNlsgdad85Tm9ovJu0yQsWOOtzqszXGlsHJKLzzCI4bx4ewyNZafgAJRRDMe8fZhGRj_5YVU2GZILCXR5996jldXNmtb4HvKt8FBf7RnAzADNv9SEWe1cl3Dv4t6P7B1w3_xAyCmmbSKL-1TQ==&c=ufqYuhKypMj8H73bwoANVpmHj8UEoCPW3GtB8MUHt7Vpzfceri8t4Q==&ch=prf3WTIZnLpeEP8JbJlyyCoh5YBagbmCBnMNxZmlXnmA2e191CK0eA==" style="color: #444444; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Pulse </a><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D0017oAoHiH_QYiTiNPfbIWzf5cSVbyEpW7mHHVSiU5uMnNTTFvbIRnzFfBCuiCkVpAiKeS0PUmmPjO5_iegYOfae2Yk6PFbmJxfqywecaNlsgdad85Tm9ovJu0yQsWOOtzqszXGlsHJKLzzCI4bx4ewyNZafgAJRRDMe8fZhGRj_5YVU2GZILCXR5996jldXNmtb4HvKt8FBf7RnAzADNv9SEWe1cl3Dv4t6P7B1w3_xAyCmmbSKL-1TQ%3D%3D%26c%3DufqYuhKypMj8H73bwoANVpmHj8UEoCPW3GtB8MUHt7Vpzfceri8t4Q%3D%3D%26ch%3Dprf3WTIZnLpeEP8JbJlyyCoh5YBagbmCBnMNxZmlXnmA2e191CK0eA%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1703960214764000&usg=AOvVaw2W0JNogSWDDzNwsPaO9IQK" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0017oAoHiH_QYiTiNPfbIWzf5cSVbyEpW7mHHVSiU5uMnNTTFvbIRnzFfBCuiCkVpAiKeS0PUmmPjO5_iegYOfae2Yk6PFbmJxfqywecaNlsgdad85Tm9ovJu0yQsWOOtzqszXGlsHJKLzzCI4bx4ewyNZafgAJRRDMe8fZhGRj_5YVU2GZILCXR5996jldXNmtb4HvKt8FBf7RnAzADNv9SEWe1cl3Dv4t6P7B1w3_xAyCmmbSKL-1TQ==&c=ufqYuhKypMj8H73bwoANVpmHj8UEoCPW3GtB8MUHt7Vpzfceri8t4Q==&ch=prf3WTIZnLpeEP8JbJlyyCoh5YBagbmCBnMNxZmlXnmA2e191CK0eA==" style="color: #315fc3; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">oximeters</a><span style="color: #315fc3; font-weight: bold; text-decoration-line: underline;"> </span><span style="color: #444444;">have gotten very inexpensive. If you or your child is congested, you can easily check the oxygen level.</span></li><li style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Have a good set of tweezers for removing splinters.</li><li style="font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444;">If you are a hiker, I also suggest having a special </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D0017oAoHiH_QYiTiNPfbIWzf5cSVbyEpW7mHHVSiU5uMnNTTFvbIRnzFa0WLex97yTqxkdwV1gsy-UnfwiVSh9Xu2KLgkDgth-zmPnGiWmhwq7cvCZMuZFK1blW2YY7jrSN76icg9-wDg8oIvx_kp75aDAjJtcx_10UPn93Sy2nv3OVFlKcnGei5Vc8_3jfLDPaiHWGRr2Zj-c%3D%26c%3DufqYuhKypMj8H73bwoANVpmHj8UEoCPW3GtB8MUHt7Vpzfceri8t4Q%3D%3D%26ch%3Dprf3WTIZnLpeEP8JbJlyyCoh5YBagbmCBnMNxZmlXnmA2e191CK0eA%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1703960214764000&usg=AOvVaw1-1Y0px31ZLeLg0h9U3DWe" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0017oAoHiH_QYiTiNPfbIWzf5cSVbyEpW7mHHVSiU5uMnNTTFvbIRnzFa0WLex97yTqxkdwV1gsy-UnfwiVSh9Xu2KLgkDgth-zmPnGiWmhwq7cvCZMuZFK1blW2YY7jrSN76icg9-wDg8oIvx_kp75aDAjJtcx_10UPn93Sy2nv3OVFlKcnGei5Vc8_3jfLDPaiHWGRr2Zj-c=&c=ufqYuhKypMj8H73bwoANVpmHj8UEoCPW3GtB8MUHt7Vpzfceri8t4Q==&ch=prf3WTIZnLpeEP8JbJlyyCoh5YBagbmCBnMNxZmlXnmA2e191CK0eA==" style="color: #315fc3; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">tick</a><span style="color: #444444;"> </span><span style="color: #444444;">removal tool.</span></li></ul><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><ul style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><li style="font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Nebulizer if you have asthma in the family</li><li style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D0017oAoHiH_QYiTiNPfbIWzf5cSVbyEpW7mHHVSiU5uMnNTTFvbIRnzFXrufX6gtnR6_T1YFiZLvg7TuArOZ2sTOV3dE3cHpgVB8-uotFnlhPR4IyFuk-SDzhSdGmfpiQhMkK2oK8u_9wZpsXX6PIb_6HPppKc8wlD71hzDDOtLV1ridSvBoLotgOa1ZOjGV__d-VV1cTfShVDBzIyUgSFOyz9UVYiPEjMgiDOPPfB3ATc%3D%26c%3DufqYuhKypMj8H73bwoANVpmHj8UEoCPW3GtB8MUHt7Vpzfceri8t4Q%3D%3D%26ch%3Dprf3WTIZnLpeEP8JbJlyyCoh5YBagbmCBnMNxZmlXnmA2e191CK0eA%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1703960214764000&usg=AOvVaw3kEHZCQSoOyKBsoXWuN4_F" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0017oAoHiH_QYiTiNPfbIWzf5cSVbyEpW7mHHVSiU5uMnNTTFvbIRnzFXrufX6gtnR6_T1YFiZLvg7TuArOZ2sTOV3dE3cHpgVB8-uotFnlhPR4IyFuk-SDzhSdGmfpiQhMkK2oK8u_9wZpsXX6PIb_6HPppKc8wlD71hzDDOtLV1ridSvBoLotgOa1ZOjGV__d-VV1cTfShVDBzIyUgSFOyz9UVYiPEjMgiDOPPfB3ATc=&c=ufqYuhKypMj8H73bwoANVpmHj8UEoCPW3GtB8MUHt7Vpzfceri8t4Q==&ch=prf3WTIZnLpeEP8JbJlyyCoh5YBagbmCBnMNxZmlXnmA2e191CK0eA==" style="color: #1155cc; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Humidifier</a></li></ul><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; text-decoration-line: underline;">Storage</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 16px;">Make sure that all your medications are stored in a safe, dry, childproof location (a steamy bathroom is not the best place.) Don't underestimate the ability of a climbing child who knows where the gummy vitamins or yummy medicine is stashed.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 16px;">Pro Tip: With any of your medications, put a strip of masking tape on the side of the open bottle and sign and date your doses. This will avoid the common incident of parents double dosing their babies. This also will help you keep track of doses when you are sleep deprived. I get plenty of frantic calls from parents who have inadvertently overdosed their kids by giving the medications too often. If there is a concern your first call should be to Poison Control: </span><span style="color: #e94c3a; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; text-decoration-line: underline;">1-888-222-1222</span><span style="font-size: 16px;"> </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D0017oAoHiH_QYiTiNPfbIWzf5cSVbyEpW7mHHVSiU5uMnNTTFvbIRnzFabfqIBQoncIVJ4A9_KzNM5ICDL2DMURCysSroEgzaaZF-7auWv8jdi-dwPFwyh96hD4oN0YHiC1bAK3rUKVaTMWG0MO1jQbcA9gUNOceKdmNL6mixTjUwhL56qvTKHzKkeSEPxKG2t2u4CdXVwQhas3EXUd3gg7Rw%3D%3D%26c%3DufqYuhKypMj8H73bwoANVpmHj8UEoCPW3GtB8MUHt7Vpzfceri8t4Q%3D%3D%26ch%3Dprf3WTIZnLpeEP8JbJlyyCoh5YBagbmCBnMNxZmlXnmA2e191CK0eA%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1703960214764000&usg=AOvVaw2pEo2N_3IA1VyLBFqG5eny" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0017oAoHiH_QYiTiNPfbIWzf5cSVbyEpW7mHHVSiU5uMnNTTFvbIRnzFabfqIBQoncIVJ4A9_KzNM5ICDL2DMURCysSroEgzaaZF-7auWv8jdi-dwPFwyh96hD4oN0YHiC1bAK3rUKVaTMWG0MO1jQbcA9gUNOceKdmNL6mixTjUwhL56qvTKHzKkeSEPxKG2t2u4CdXVwQhas3EXUd3gg7Rw==&c=ufqYuhKypMj8H73bwoANVpmHj8UEoCPW3GtB8MUHt7Vpzfceri8t4Q==&ch=prf3WTIZnLpeEP8JbJlyyCoh5YBagbmCBnMNxZmlXnmA2e191CK0eA==" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Here is my blog post on poison action and prevention</a></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; text-decoration-line: underline;">Boost your Immune system</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 16px;">With the cold and flu season in full throttle I would have the following on hand for the first sign of congestion or a throat tickle</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D0017oAoHiH_QYiTiNPfbIWzf5cSVbyEpW7mHHVSiU5uMnNTTFvbIRnzFfBCuiCkVpAi_FJTwJXJ8mJK0tlFa3Ikpe6DPycqkAOPfJBwBxNw-nzZAqbifglvR_1qP14FrcPZ8quiNKNJjBPt1gZYB5gmnewzuV-aH6ikb4VhKXHjTlw%3D%26c%3DufqYuhKypMj8H73bwoANVpmHj8UEoCPW3GtB8MUHt7Vpzfceri8t4Q%3D%3D%26ch%3Dprf3WTIZnLpeEP8JbJlyyCoh5YBagbmCBnMNxZmlXnmA2e191CK0eA%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1703960214764000&usg=AOvVaw11nmy4FxpYZxOrd4soR6OF" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0017oAoHiH_QYiTiNPfbIWzf5cSVbyEpW7mHHVSiU5uMnNTTFvbIRnzFfBCuiCkVpAi_FJTwJXJ8mJK0tlFa3Ikpe6DPycqkAOPfJBwBxNw-nzZAqbifglvR_1qP14FrcPZ8quiNKNJjBPt1gZYB5gmnewzuV-aH6ikb4VhKXHjTlw=&c=ufqYuhKypMj8H73bwoANVpmHj8UEoCPW3GtB8MUHt7Vpzfceri8t4Q==&ch=prf3WTIZnLpeEP8JbJlyyCoh5YBagbmCBnMNxZmlXnmA2e191CK0eA==" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Sambuccol/elderberry</a></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D0017oAoHiH_QYiTiNPfbIWzf5cSVbyEpW7mHHVSiU5uMnNTTFvbIRnzFfBCuiCkVpAiUJctc9ckhxBipSvLU-KRLBLu8DaecDtFthIiLLsI1G5TgIHox2fUVta75z1O7Nf2GQXMnFl3jbqOaqpHLJHZaCYlaJhbAO-wQ37XBATe-bfT7M_VnJXxZyZ30tiKmhiAX_8mZpvCtoldOXWM44_ZxQ%3D%3D%26c%3DufqYuhKypMj8H73bwoANVpmHj8UEoCPW3GtB8MUHt7Vpzfceri8t4Q%3D%3D%26ch%3Dprf3WTIZnLpeEP8JbJlyyCoh5YBagbmCBnMNxZmlXnmA2e191CK0eA%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1703960214764000&usg=AOvVaw2Bb2NecD5N1CyctAw6mdPp" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0017oAoHiH_QYiTiNPfbIWzf5cSVbyEpW7mHHVSiU5uMnNTTFvbIRnzFfBCuiCkVpAiUJctc9ckhxBipSvLU-KRLBLu8DaecDtFthIiLLsI1G5TgIHox2fUVta75z1O7Nf2GQXMnFl3jbqOaqpHLJHZaCYlaJhbAO-wQ37XBATe-bfT7M_VnJXxZyZ30tiKmhiAX_8mZpvCtoldOXWM44_ZxQ==&c=ufqYuhKypMj8H73bwoANVpmHj8UEoCPW3GtB8MUHt7Vpzfceri8t4Q==&ch=prf3WTIZnLpeEP8JbJlyyCoh5YBagbmCBnMNxZmlXnmA2e191CK0eA==" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Zinc</a></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D0017oAoHiH_QYiTiNPfbIWzf5cSVbyEpW7mHHVSiU5uMnNTTFvbIRnzFfBCuiCkVpAievEZlAfF0dO1qG3aVTYDN_7dGoCmBvgG_9M0P9KFJEEU-p3dtnXd8Tsfbzw9eZ6xwAPZCCa1fb6EBhSHgDxNtkWRxii9huGvy-sBw0fP44yCKyDX7yc-UPxt3xSCQnBXBZIz18Ok8r0%3D%26c%3DufqYuhKypMj8H73bwoANVpmHj8UEoCPW3GtB8MUHt7Vpzfceri8t4Q%3D%3D%26ch%3Dprf3WTIZnLpeEP8JbJlyyCoh5YBagbmCBnMNxZmlXnmA2e191CK0eA%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1703960214764000&usg=AOvVaw1cVSOAKOfJuzanJYoYZyxL" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0017oAoHiH_QYiTiNPfbIWzf5cSVbyEpW7mHHVSiU5uMnNTTFvbIRnzFfBCuiCkVpAievEZlAfF0dO1qG3aVTYDN_7dGoCmBvgG_9M0P9KFJEEU-p3dtnXd8Tsfbzw9eZ6xwAPZCCa1fb6EBhSHgDxNtkWRxii9huGvy-sBw0fP44yCKyDX7yc-UPxt3xSCQnBXBZIz18Ok8r0=&c=ufqYuhKypMj8H73bwoANVpmHj8UEoCPW3GtB8MUHt7Vpzfceri8t4Q==&ch=prf3WTIZnLpeEP8JbJlyyCoh5YBagbmCBnMNxZmlXnmA2e191CK0eA==" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Manuka Honey</a><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D0017oAoHiH_QYiTiNPfbIWzf5cSVbyEpW7mHHVSiU5uMnNTTFvbIRnzFfBCuiCkVpAievEZlAfF0dO1qG3aVTYDN_7dGoCmBvgG_9M0P9KFJEEU-p3dtnXd8Tsfbzw9eZ6xwAPZCCa1fb6EBhSHgDxNtkWRxii9huGvy-sBw0fP44yCKyDX7yc-UPxt3xSCQnBXBZIz18Ok8r0%3D%26c%3DufqYuhKypMj8H73bwoANVpmHj8UEoCPW3GtB8MUHt7Vpzfceri8t4Q%3D%3D%26ch%3Dprf3WTIZnLpeEP8JbJlyyCoh5YBagbmCBnMNxZmlXnmA2e191CK0eA%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1703960214764000&usg=AOvVaw1cVSOAKOfJuzanJYoYZyxL" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0017oAoHiH_QYiTiNPfbIWzf5cSVbyEpW7mHHVSiU5uMnNTTFvbIRnzFfBCuiCkVpAievEZlAfF0dO1qG3aVTYDN_7dGoCmBvgG_9M0P9KFJEEU-p3dtnXd8Tsfbzw9eZ6xwAPZCCa1fb6EBhSHgDxNtkWRxii9huGvy-sBw0fP44yCKyDX7yc-UPxt3xSCQnBXBZIz18Ok8r0=&c=ufqYuhKypMj8H73bwoANVpmHj8UEoCPW3GtB8MUHt7Vpzfceri8t4Q==&ch=prf3WTIZnLpeEP8JbJlyyCoh5YBagbmCBnMNxZmlXnmA2e191CK0eA==" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 16px; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"> </a><span style="font-size: 16px;">(Not for babies under 1 year)</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 16px;">Make sure you are already getting routine </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D0017oAoHiH_QYiTiNPfbIWzf5cSVbyEpW7mHHVSiU5uMnNTTFvbIRnzFfkX8W1wCBlJXJisNTCIPyDAR1_Bzbz4zGi8O55G4i6wAljJau49g8jmpKyuN3EeUTEIqXNWYdeoood5qIiECJWIeLkUQA3YUsaaQ4BD7QBKxr1Kw5wWoTRvGb7oFA4qrdkMVYCjh0H2zOdBPqED1UxaCU1fZ41RwC-a3ljFIbhwLTdHfX6h7aM%3D%26c%3DufqYuhKypMj8H73bwoANVpmHj8UEoCPW3GtB8MUHt7Vpzfceri8t4Q%3D%3D%26ch%3Dprf3WTIZnLpeEP8JbJlyyCoh5YBagbmCBnMNxZmlXnmA2e191CK0eA%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1703960214764000&usg=AOvVaw3EG90yPsrFB82v2AJ3fFLS" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0017oAoHiH_QYiTiNPfbIWzf5cSVbyEpW7mHHVSiU5uMnNTTFvbIRnzFfkX8W1wCBlJXJisNTCIPyDAR1_Bzbz4zGi8O55G4i6wAljJau49g8jmpKyuN3EeUTEIqXNWYdeoood5qIiECJWIeLkUQA3YUsaaQ4BD7QBKxr1Kw5wWoTRvGb7oFA4qrdkMVYCjh0H2zOdBPqED1UxaCU1fZ41RwC-a3ljFIbhwLTdHfX6h7aM=&c=ufqYuhKypMj8H73bwoANVpmHj8UEoCPW3GtB8MUHt7Vpzfceri8t4Q==&ch=prf3WTIZnLpeEP8JbJlyyCoh5YBagbmCBnMNxZmlXnmA2e191CK0eA==" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Vitamin D</a><span style="font-size: 16px;"> (all year round)</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 16px;">Equipment</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D0017oAoHiH_QYiTiNPfbIWzf5cSVbyEpW7mHHVSiU5uMnNTTFvbIRnzFXrufX6gtnR6_T1YFiZLvg7TuArOZ2sTOV3dE3cHpgVB8-uotFnlhPR4IyFuk-SDzhSdGmfpiQhMkK2oK8u_9wZpsXX6PIb_6HPppKc8wlD71hzDDOtLV1ridSvBoLotgOa1ZOjGV__d-VV1cTfShVDBzIyUgSFOyz9UVYiPEjMgiDOPPfB3ATc%3D%26c%3DufqYuhKypMj8H73bwoANVpmHj8UEoCPW3GtB8MUHt7Vpzfceri8t4Q%3D%3D%26ch%3Dprf3WTIZnLpeEP8JbJlyyCoh5YBagbmCBnMNxZmlXnmA2e191CK0eA%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1703960214764000&usg=AOvVaw3kEHZCQSoOyKBsoXWuN4_F" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0017oAoHiH_QYiTiNPfbIWzf5cSVbyEpW7mHHVSiU5uMnNTTFvbIRnzFXrufX6gtnR6_T1YFiZLvg7TuArOZ2sTOV3dE3cHpgVB8-uotFnlhPR4IyFuk-SDzhSdGmfpiQhMkK2oK8u_9wZpsXX6PIb_6HPppKc8wlD71hzDDOtLV1ridSvBoLotgOa1ZOjGV__d-VV1cTfShVDBzIyUgSFOyz9UVYiPEjMgiDOPPfB3ATc=&c=ufqYuhKypMj8H73bwoANVpmHj8UEoCPW3GtB8MUHt7Vpzfceri8t4Q==&ch=prf3WTIZnLpeEP8JbJlyyCoh5YBagbmCBnMNxZmlXnmA2e191CK0eA==" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Humidifier</a></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 16px;">Nebulizer if you have asthma in the family</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; text-decoration-line: underline;">Do a routine check for expired medications. </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 16px;">Even though I try to stay on top of this I can be occasionally stunned by the old stuff that I find lurking in the back of my own medicine cabinet (it runs in my family.) We sometimes do a contest to see who can find the oldest thing in there. (</span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-style: italic;">Without knowing what the topic for this weeks post was, Sandy told me earlier that he cleaned out our medicine chest today and found medicines that had expired in 2018. BTW, 5 years is not even close to things we have found in the past!)</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; text-decoration-line: underline;">How to get rid of expired medications that you find</span><span style="font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;">?</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 16px;">Please don't randomly toss expired medication down the drain or flush it in the toilet. Medicine can pollute the bay and ocean, or be accidentally misused or abused. Wastewater treatment plants are not designed to remove medications or other chemicals in waste-water, so after traveling down your drain, medicine may affect our environment. If you go online, you can easily find a list of places where you can drop off expired meds. If you live in SF, I did it for you.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D0017oAoHiH_QYiTiNPfbIWzf5cSVbyEpW7mHHVSiU5uMnNTTFvbIRnzFfBCuiCkVpAiXvrEMAtmCFqknCEBfXpCnZmYC4Q6oIyJn1J6ot5m7Ozhfv0UCPKxBtij7NSeW4rb0_hn3l2jpiIPlffLcWruYVYA26vms5hAsijTkhFIBj2ojEuo9Lp9xw%3D%3D%26c%3DufqYuhKypMj8H73bwoANVpmHj8UEoCPW3GtB8MUHt7Vpzfceri8t4Q%3D%3D%26ch%3Dprf3WTIZnLpeEP8JbJlyyCoh5YBagbmCBnMNxZmlXnmA2e191CK0eA%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1703960214764000&usg=AOvVaw1FWe6EQvLWBu5ygR2bbxo-" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0017oAoHiH_QYiTiNPfbIWzf5cSVbyEpW7mHHVSiU5uMnNTTFvbIRnzFfBCuiCkVpAiXvrEMAtmCFqknCEBfXpCnZmYC4Q6oIyJn1J6ot5m7Ozhfv0UCPKxBtij7NSeW4rb0_hn3l2jpiIPlffLcWruYVYA26vms5hAsijTkhFIBj2ojEuo9Lp9xw==&c=ufqYuhKypMj8H73bwoANVpmHj8UEoCPW3GtB8MUHt7Vpzfceri8t4Q==&ch=prf3WTIZnLpeEP8JbJlyyCoh5YBagbmCBnMNxZmlXnmA2e191CK0eA==" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">http://sfenvironment.org/<wbr></wbr>article/safe-medicine-<wbr></wbr>disposal-for-residents</a></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; text-decoration-line: underline;">What does that expiration date mean anyway?</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 16px;">In 1979, the FDA required that manufacturers include an expiration date on prescription as well as OTC products. This is the date at which full potency and safety is guaranteed, Usually, that date is roughly 1 to 5 years from the time of manufacture. </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 16px;">The US military, which maintains large stockpiles of medications for both military and civilian populations for use during an emergency, became very interested in this issue following the 2001 anthrax</span> <span style="color: #222222; font-size: 16px;">scare. The cost implications were obvious. Throwing out large numbers of expensive drugs simply because they were past their expiration date was an enormous expense that could potentially be avoided if it was determined that the drugs were effective beyond that date.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 16px;">To explore this, the FDA analyzed the potency of 122 common medications. The was called the The Shelf-Life Extension Program (SLEP). After vigorous testing of more than 3000 different lots of these drugs, almost 9 out of 10 lots were determined to have more than 90% potency at 1 year past the expiration date. The average </span><span style="color: #0e0e0e; font-size: 16px;">extension of this degree of potency was 5 years.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #0e0e0e; font-size: 16px;">So, while obviously if your child is ill, we don't want to take chances with medications that may be out of date, the bottom line is that in an emergency, expired medications are likely not dangerous (always double check); they may simply have lost a bit of their potency.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2805471460666960029.post-41069337339194269292023-12-22T08:37:00.000-08:002023-12-22T08:37:10.900-08:00 Personal Musings/ The end of a startup/What's next!<p> <span style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 19px; text-align: center;">Personal Musings/ The end of a startup/What's next!</span></p><p align="center" style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">I look back at my career path to see the stepping stones that led me to where I am today. I had seven years of critical care nursing experience before I had my first child.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">Everything shifted when I became a mom. I was working in the pediatric unit of UCSF. With hormones raging, I remember weeping along with the mothers of my patients when their little ones needed to get a new IV or endure a painful procedure. I couldn’t stop thinking about how lucky I was to have my healthy baby. I felt so deeply with the parents who weren’t so fortunate. It was draining. I realized that I was ready to move on from working with severely ill children in the hospital.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">I have little doubt that I could have learned to find a balance if I had remained, but I answered a small ad in the paper for a position as an advice nurse at Noe Valley Pediatrics in San Francisco. I ended up staying in that job for 31 years.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">As with most new jobs, there is a learning curve. I was so used to working with the rarer and more serious conditions, that it was a huge relief to realize that more often than not, most things are normal and are easily treated. </span><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">No, that healthy infant with jaundice did not in fact need a liver transplant.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">During my time at NVP, I expanded my role beyond being the office advice nurse. I recognized that parents needed something extra. My patients embraced my philosophy that there is no such thing as a silly question. They needed some basic guidance about when they should be worried about something and when they could relax and let time take care of it. People needed a sounding board about so much more than just poop and runny noses. They had questions about behavior, sleep, relationships, and solid foods. They needed a safe place to vent without being judged.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">I cultivated deep relationships with many of my patients and families, but I had the desire to reach more people. With this in mind, I started offering a variety of parenting classes. </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">I also started writing. It was clear that there were many issues that were very common. The genesis of my blog was frankly a way to avoid repeating myself over and over again.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">I must confess that I had some mixed feelings that my posts on head lice and pinworms went viral. It wasn’t exactly the claim to fame that I had been seeking! </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">I called the blog Nurse Judy’s approach because while I try to lead with data, I also tend to focus on more natural remedies when possible. Many of my readers tease me that I suggest putting breast milk on everything.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">The blog became a hobby with an eclectic mix of topics. It ranged from talking about poop, to stories about my own life and family.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">I am blessed to have a very close relationship with my husband and my two daughters. Fortunately they gave me permission to write about them. They got used to being out in the neighborhood with me and having me be recognized, “Oh my goodness, it’s Nurse Judy, are these your daughters? Which one is the one who climbs mountains and which is the social worker?” At a restaurant once, my husband was actually referred to as Mr. Nurse Judy. Now my delicious grandsons are the next generation of having blogs written about them. </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">I retired from NVP in 2019. Sandy and I proceeded to do several months of traveling. Who knew at the time that there was a pandemic looming? We were so fortunate to be able to take that trip when we did.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">Within days after I returned home, I received an email from Oath co-founders Michelle and Camilla inviting me to meet with them. Their vision to create something that was going to change healthcare as we know it, energized me and pulled me right out of retirement.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">Unfortunately, startups fail more often than succeed and that was the case with this one. It shut down just a week ago. Yes there were tears.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">However, ultimately the time I had working with the Oath team was an absolute gift. </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">We built a platform that offered support and community to new parents. It was a wonderful several years, filled with deep connections, learning and love. </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">I will confess that I never loved the name. It was meant to be based on the Hippocratic Oath, but I spent way too much time clarifying that we were not the right wing ‘Oathkeepers’. We were as far from that as could be. If it ever manages to rise from the ashes, it will certainly be called something else.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">It turns out that there is such a thing as a non-toxic work environment and that was Oath. Things that went wrong along the way were celebrated as learning experiences.That frame of mind made sure that nobody was afraid to try something new. Indeed, we had many successes. One thing that is certain is that we helped countless parents feel less alone during the pandemic.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">So what’s next for me? </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">For now, I intend to continue with these posts. I will still be doing some of my classes on an ‘on demand’ basis. I have some potential opportunities and collaborations that I am exploring. Mostly I plan on being grandma and traveling more with Sandy.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">I also am intrigued by the thought of writing a book. Some of you might recall that I was toying with this several years ago. That one was going to be all about poop, rashes, head-lice etc. While I expect that I will keep those topics going in these posts, that isn’t the one I want to write.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">The BOOK that is pulling at me will have a very different flavor. It’s not exactly ghost stories, but it will be telling a collection of random, true unexplainable coincidences. (With maybe some friendly spirits?)</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">I have shared some of the nutty stories in the past:</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D0012OEnRWvRLgwlyK0UUGtGeWWXB5W0nsjZk2gtONQaYqkZvPdIUkBcrdF-TfimpBx7-0t7CGaM4tUDAW7LTgQ2vGs5Canjeg0Prjd4r8u5FwrKZKBh3S7DfMhclAxVUprkaUq6RlX7eq_Ryi2dHmmB_Bm6D5BGmZGZ54D5sdwck0MiFs91Nny8N-jpADDMVn-iIuDEiCXrp6qFAeJItbh99gd5kIm8_0Ll%26c%3DC4hFxqmCs8obae-2GhX5iZwOF-2WU-Da0heQjLNthul8N_08EROfow%3D%3D%26ch%3D8P5Mg3L1jBk4Dfn9IE2p6S5QfTUk3rMI-1PaD3wdmKbXVWOtEqAs2A%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1703349386925000&usg=AOvVaw3GBarYcC-WFLinBtkZ5IeM" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0012OEnRWvRLgwlyK0UUGtGeWWXB5W0nsjZk2gtONQaYqkZvPdIUkBcrdF-TfimpBx7-0t7CGaM4tUDAW7LTgQ2vGs5Canjeg0Prjd4r8u5FwrKZKBh3S7DfMhclAxVUprkaUq6RlX7eq_Ryi2dHmmB_Bm6D5BGmZGZ54D5sdwck0MiFs91Nny8N-jpADDMVn-iIuDEiCXrp6qFAeJItbh99gd5kIm8_0Ll&c=C4hFxqmCs8obae-2GhX5iZwOF-2WU-Da0heQjLNthul8N_08EROfow==&ch=8P5Mg3L1jBk4Dfn9IE2p6S5QfTUk3rMI-1PaD3wdmKbXVWOtEqAs2A==" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">https://nursejudynvp.blogspot.<wbr></wbr>com/2021/06/ghosts-and-<wbr></wbr>radioshappy-fathers-day.html</a></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D0012OEnRWvRLgwlyK0UUGtGeWWXB5W0nsjZk2gtONQaYqkZvPdIUkBcrWGlrfWfxex0PCqaWXjJPwBqOrURKt6k66iEMfb7RllweQ4yOGxPczsvded7T0tQJzHjJrGDdmU2aCOLbeK72FIL-zPqLidvRxbd75tneRROM-6rLXMMTZFWzIMcI3YNSVAfAbNufrlMXKpykWU6ohn8k4Lbe1iGxSUDucdLGp6CDz9yE0Ykm3c%3D%26c%3DC4hFxqmCs8obae-2GhX5iZwOF-2WU-Da0heQjLNthul8N_08EROfow%3D%3D%26ch%3D8P5Mg3L1jBk4Dfn9IE2p6S5QfTUk3rMI-1PaD3wdmKbXVWOtEqAs2A%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1703349386925000&usg=AOvVaw24hYKq4uQAWOOuakG6avxY" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0012OEnRWvRLgwlyK0UUGtGeWWXB5W0nsjZk2gtONQaYqkZvPdIUkBcrWGlrfWfxex0PCqaWXjJPwBqOrURKt6k66iEMfb7RllweQ4yOGxPczsvded7T0tQJzHjJrGDdmU2aCOLbeK72FIL-zPqLidvRxbd75tneRROM-6rLXMMTZFWzIMcI3YNSVAfAbNufrlMXKpykWU6ohn8k4Lbe1iGxSUDucdLGp6CDz9yE0Ykm3c=&c=C4hFxqmCs8obae-2GhX5iZwOF-2WU-Da0heQjLNthul8N_08EROfow==&ch=8P5Mg3L1jBk4Dfn9IE2p6S5QfTUk3rMI-1PaD3wdmKbXVWOtEqAs2A==" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">https://nursejudynvp.blogspot.<wbr></wbr>com/2020/09/a-mysterious-<wbr></wbr>story-about-pair-of-socks.html</a></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">Do you have your own experiences to share? I would love to hear them.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">As I mentioned in a recent post about gratitude, I am thankful for those of you who have stuck with me for all of these years.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">Wishing all of you a healthy and happy holiday.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">XO</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">Nurse Judy</span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2805471460666960029.post-22798824387136928202023-12-15T09:44:00.000-08:002023-12-15T09:44:51.857-08:00 Dealing with the long dark days of Winter<p> </p><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="m_6927623325186147737text" style="table-layout: fixed; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td align="left" class="m_6927623325186147737text_content-cell m_6927623325186147737content-padding-horizontal" style="color: #403f42; display: block; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 10px 20px 10px 10px;" valign="top"><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /><br /></p><p align="center" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 22px; font-weight: bold;">Dealing with the long dark days of Winter</span></p><p align="center" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">I don’t know about you, but my husband Sandy and I repeat the following on a loop the minute the clock changes signal that we are moving into the winter season. This conversation occurs almost daily.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">“It feels later”</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">“I hate how dark it is”</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">“Is it bedtime yet?”</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">Seasonal affective disorder is a real thing. People with a history of any mood disorders are the most at risk, but anyone can be impacted by some form of seasonal ‘blahs’. Latitude can be a significant predictor of winter blues because it directly impacts the amount of sunshine that you are exposed to. The further north you live, the more likely you are to feel the effects of the decreased hours of daylight.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">While classic depression symptoms are often characterized by poor appetite and insomnia, seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is the opposite. It mirrors hibernation and tends to have people both eating and sleeping more. Carbs and a nap, sound familiar?</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold;">Chinese Medicine and Winter</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">I have always been intrigued when it comes to Traditional Chinese Medicine and its approach to the changing seasons. TCM believes that by harmonizing oneself with the seasons, rather than fighting them, you can stay healthier. There are several key factors:</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold;">Warm/cooked food</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">It is important to limit intake of cold and raw foods. Instead double down on nourishing soups and stews. Incorporating spices like cinnamon, ginger, cloves and turmeric can add warmth and comfort.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">One of my best friends, </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D001t5UpE_dogY5nV46b5nNEwMdURzG4AplScnCefmOkRjRXz6cA9P1nXeDgMXIEmPcm7ihPyktoPIrDukA57MGsEY-1yOpqY0GdpqrHOIkeUHQi1W6NdKz7sL8pH9QrUOPaDvNSE8DRENbXaTVXQ8Zd2w%3D%3D%26c%3DiRezWd1dNIGImQmH4ziHPnOYcQCX6PzChWaL9_ZeE5N0dHuC7hWS4g%3D%3D%26ch%3DwBCfRZ68yL63G92pbvbGw7WHq0eOEuvhvqMJ0nv-URSX02mertgA7g%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1702748608077000&usg=AOvVaw0h0Rrs4VVYTVbarEqa2ipq" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001t5UpE_dogY5nV46b5nNEwMdURzG4AplScnCefmOkRjRXz6cA9P1nXeDgMXIEmPcm7ihPyktoPIrDukA57MGsEY-1yOpqY0GdpqrHOIkeUHQi1W6NdKz7sL8pH9QrUOPaDvNSE8DRENbXaTVXQ8Zd2w==&c=iRezWd1dNIGImQmH4ziHPnOYcQCX6PzChWaL9_ZeE5N0dHuC7hWS4g==&ch=wBCfRZ68yL63G92pbvbGw7WHq0eOEuvhvqMJ0nv-URSX02mertgA7g==" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Anita</a><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">, who is an acupuncturist in the Denver area, adds that if you are hooked on smoothies consider defrosting any frozen ingredients the night before. Drain well in the morning before adding the blender. Consider adding some of those warming spices to the smoothie.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">For a list of beneficial foods, as well as more information about Chinese medicine, check out Dr Den’s blog post </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D001t5UpE_dogY5nV46b5nNEwMdURzG4AplScnCefmOkRjRXz6cA9P1nXeDgMXIEmPcmVBrcveK1GLp9AV5_X-B4YYQECyx5SOZ8K4VB0iAmRBBFnuvSTrttT-4VLBIPYiQd1vJ488c1tVl0Q_XijVOMzPXVSxAtgJFkJ_hTyxQTouKaRGDGTL0d-H80PdsoebBBu0_06cxrwv4%3D%26c%3DiRezWd1dNIGImQmH4ziHPnOYcQCX6PzChWaL9_ZeE5N0dHuC7hWS4g%3D%3D%26ch%3DwBCfRZ68yL63G92pbvbGw7WHq0eOEuvhvqMJ0nv-URSX02mertgA7g%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1702748608077000&usg=AOvVaw2gLWiRJSlw9TeZ6TvqToJY" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001t5UpE_dogY5nV46b5nNEwMdURzG4AplScnCefmOkRjRXz6cA9P1nXeDgMXIEmPcmVBrcveK1GLp9AV5_X-B4YYQECyx5SOZ8K4VB0iAmRBBFnuvSTrttT-4VLBIPYiQd1vJ488c1tVl0Q_XijVOMzPXVSxAtgJFkJ_hTyxQTouKaRGDGTL0d-H80PdsoebBBu0_06cxrwv4=&c=iRezWd1dNIGImQmH4ziHPnOYcQCX6PzChWaL9_ZeE5N0dHuC7hWS4g==&ch=wBCfRZ68yL63G92pbvbGw7WHq0eOEuvhvqMJ0nv-URSX02mertgA7g==" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold;">Hunker down and stay warm.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">As Dr Den Says, </span><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic;">take particular care to keep your neck, shoulders, low back and feet warm. Foot soaks can be a really nice way to relax the mind and warm up the body during the coldest months of the year. Soaking feet can be a fun and relaxing family activity!</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">Aside from the footbath, there are lots of microwavable heating packs that you can toss over your shoulders.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold;">Turn attention inward</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">Find some creative activities that you can do indoors. This is also a great time to find a new relaxing hobby and to learn how to meditate.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">For as long as I can remember Sandy and I have been talking about learning how to paint in the style of Bob Ross and his Joy of Painting. Maybe this winter we will finally invest in some easels and some oil paints and see if we can follow directions.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold;">Slow down</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">Exercise is very important, but gentle ways to move your body, such as yoga, or walking are better than pushing yourself with extreme aerobics. Give yourself permission to have a “do nothing’ day once in a while.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold;">Hygge</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">Across the globe from China, in Scandinavia where they also have long winter nights, they have the concept of Hygge.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">Hygge is about creating a cozy and serene environment. It also focuses on slowing down, being present in the moment and connecting with loved ones. I notice quite a bit of overlap between that and TCM.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold;">To create your nest</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><ul style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><li style="color: #202124; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Use soothing low lights.</li><li style="color: black; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Break out the candles that have a <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D001t5UpE_dogY5nV46b5nNEwMdURzG4AplScnCefmOkRjRXz6cA9P1nXeDgMXIEmPcmVo7Run0T50yNQM_9kEv8YcnLXgT7W6LynDrLNK6M6msiyUoA2zoA4zNNcjVYO4dwr3-oQac1ANPue13qX_kYLw7sMHbUUfEezfyctqo2hF_xu7gzI7QXwfQrl3aVaddoqYQwbK26DwW9oXFLrOThYdKpVw4kqmzHsxgMnP92iU4%3D%26c%3DiRezWd1dNIGImQmH4ziHPnOYcQCX6PzChWaL9_ZeE5N0dHuC7hWS4g%3D%3D%26ch%3DwBCfRZ68yL63G92pbvbGw7WHq0eOEuvhvqMJ0nv-URSX02mertgA7g%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1702748608077000&usg=AOvVaw2OJtQgaUYjYTXJjEH_I5Ck" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001t5UpE_dogY5nV46b5nNEwMdURzG4AplScnCefmOkRjRXz6cA9P1nXeDgMXIEmPcmVo7Run0T50yNQM_9kEv8YcnLXgT7W6LynDrLNK6M6msiyUoA2zoA4zNNcjVYO4dwr3-oQac1ANPue13qX_kYLw7sMHbUUfEezfyctqo2hF_xu7gzI7QXwfQrl3aVaddoqYQwbK26DwW9oXFLrOThYdKpVw4kqmzHsxgMnP92iU4=&c=iRezWd1dNIGImQmH4ziHPnOYcQCX6PzChWaL9_ZeE5N0dHuC7hWS4g==&ch=wBCfRZ68yL63G92pbvbGw7WHq0eOEuvhvqMJ0nv-URSX02mertgA7g==" style="color: black; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">scent</a> that appeals to you</li><li style="color: black; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Invest in some soft, snuggly throws and blankets for the couch</li><li style="font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black;">Put on music that elevates your mood. Make a winter </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D001t5UpE_dogY5nV46b5nNEwMdURzG4AplScnCefmOkRjRXz6cA9P1nXeDgMXIEmPcmZx8B9j7lLrwVGSbRQOW0uSYxm9nidR6j3QrVdA2JsEmR1DSsEQIRmvfQQKH1o6TasVljpZvX0sPfgHBvjDrJ2_Tw90QeKQA6KGz-r8LbmF6qjEELkVVM7Xw2EzZCKgGg3Uuf2sy6KJSZKDNqxDz9og%3D%3D%26c%3DiRezWd1dNIGImQmH4ziHPnOYcQCX6PzChWaL9_ZeE5N0dHuC7hWS4g%3D%3D%26ch%3DwBCfRZ68yL63G92pbvbGw7WHq0eOEuvhvqMJ0nv-URSX02mertgA7g%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1702748608077000&usg=AOvVaw2JepprSqSuGzBzAjcJvwh-" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001t5UpE_dogY5nV46b5nNEwMdURzG4AplScnCefmOkRjRXz6cA9P1nXeDgMXIEmPcmZx8B9j7lLrwVGSbRQOW0uSYxm9nidR6j3QrVdA2JsEmR1DSsEQIRmvfQQKH1o6TasVljpZvX0sPfgHBvjDrJ2_Tw90QeKQA6KGz-r8LbmF6qjEELkVVM7Xw2EzZCKgGg3Uuf2sy6KJSZKDNqxDz9og==&c=iRezWd1dNIGImQmH4ziHPnOYcQCX6PzChWaL9_ZeE5N0dHuC7hWS4g==&ch=wBCfRZ68yL63G92pbvbGw7WHq0eOEuvhvqMJ0nv-URSX02mertgA7g==" style="color: #1155cc; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">playlist</a></li><li style="color: black; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Keep a <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D001t5UpE_dogY5nV46b5nNEwMdURzG4AplScnCefmOkRjRXz6cA9P1nXeDgMXIEmPcmIFsCLlvJJOtXlqWO2HeYyi_B_zhyrxEMaiib9oF1-hN203qDY19UtkxCE29W67vdqNsOlMAoBj7-99FZfE4mMKNxNxrcSYwvQ0yK12m_4HYF_obs85ebO6xKqo_E-7bW_EHUztYAc8E%3D%26c%3DiRezWd1dNIGImQmH4ziHPnOYcQCX6PzChWaL9_ZeE5N0dHuC7hWS4g%3D%3D%26ch%3DwBCfRZ68yL63G92pbvbGw7WHq0eOEuvhvqMJ0nv-URSX02mertgA7g%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1702748608077000&usg=AOvVaw3C56YEyRjtL2TQ5KSaSilX" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001t5UpE_dogY5nV46b5nNEwMdURzG4AplScnCefmOkRjRXz6cA9P1nXeDgMXIEmPcmIFsCLlvJJOtXlqWO2HeYyi_B_zhyrxEMaiib9oF1-hN203qDY19UtkxCE29W67vdqNsOlMAoBj7-99FZfE4mMKNxNxrcSYwvQ0yK12m_4HYF_obs85ebO6xKqo_E-7bW_EHUztYAc8E=&c=iRezWd1dNIGImQmH4ziHPnOYcQCX6PzChWaL9_ZeE5N0dHuC7hWS4g==&ch=wBCfRZ68yL63G92pbvbGw7WHq0eOEuvhvqMJ0nv-URSX02mertgA7g==" style="color: black; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">gratitude</a> journal that helps keep you focused on feeling cozy, rather than the cold drizzle outside</li><li style="color: black; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">If you are using your fireplace, make sure your chimney has been cleaned recently. You don’t want to find out the squirrels have built a nest in there. Also check the air quality to make sure it isn’t a ‘spare the air’ day.</li></ul><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold;">Boosting your immune system</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><ul style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">Just like animals load up on calories and fat before heading into hibernation, we also need to be aware of bolstering our reserves. Dr. Anita adds that we should ignore our tendency to start a diet on January 1. By all means eating healthy foods is great, but wait until Spring to do that cleanse.</span></li></ul><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><ul style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">If you are open to acupuncture or chiropractor, book a session to give a boost to your immune systems!</span></li></ul><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><ul style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">Make sure you have a clean working humidifier, elderberry, zinc and manuka honey on hand in case you end up catching one of the classic viruses that tend to make the rounds during this time of year.</span></li></ul><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><ul style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">There is a connection between mood and Vitamin D. It is tough to get enough from a standard diet and even more challenging to get it from the sunlight in the wintertime. I strongly recommend taking a supplement.</span></li></ul><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><ul style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">Moisturize!!! I know that this isn’t directly related to your immune system, but lots of folks suffer from very dry skin in the winter time and that can lead to itching and eczema flare ups.</span></li></ul><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold;">Action plan for treating SAD</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">Even though it feels tempting, try not to let yourself sleep for longer than 8.5/9 hours. Try to get on a schedule that maximizes the daylight. Usually this means waking up early. At the very least raise the shades and let some light into your room.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">Getting more light is essential! If you don’t have natural light, </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D001t5UpE_dogY5nV46b5nNEwMdURzG4AplScnCefmOkRjRXz6cA9P1nXeDgMXIEmPcmA9Qkte2yWQmQPKn7dHLD9rmJlYri9UC4YsysLcT3FMxdZ0MkFHA_eLRxJZeVlJViv4ls2GS32KbiFbvpzgqNZn9TaHhGPtYmaEggljHhGMgVCMfcf0xaHX-ZdJA44pzFnAoXVBq_pqsCtw11giSGNA%3D%3D%26c%3DiRezWd1dNIGImQmH4ziHPnOYcQCX6PzChWaL9_ZeE5N0dHuC7hWS4g%3D%3D%26ch%3DwBCfRZ68yL63G92pbvbGw7WHq0eOEuvhvqMJ0nv-URSX02mertgA7g%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1702748608077000&usg=AOvVaw12zl0sbYogTEkQiTaaM5-O" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001t5UpE_dogY5nV46b5nNEwMdURzG4AplScnCefmOkRjRXz6cA9P1nXeDgMXIEmPcmA9Qkte2yWQmQPKn7dHLD9rmJlYri9UC4YsysLcT3FMxdZ0MkFHA_eLRxJZeVlJViv4ls2GS32KbiFbvpzgqNZn9TaHhGPtYmaEggljHhGMgVCMfcf0xaHX-ZdJA44pzFnAoXVBq_pqsCtw11giSGNA==&c=iRezWd1dNIGImQmH4ziHPnOYcQCX6PzChWaL9_ZeE5N0dHuC7hWS4g==&ch=wBCfRZ68yL63G92pbvbGw7WHq0eOEuvhvqMJ0nv-URSX02mertgA7g==" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">there are good artificial light options</a></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">My sister Amy lived in Alaska for many years and absolutely relied on her alarm clock that gradually lit up the room in the morning. She also made sure to get outside for a daily walk around lunchtime and felt that that made a huge difference. Her sweet big doggie Tenaya, made sure that the walk happened, regardless of the weather.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">If you are really in a dark place, (pun intended) and none of the above suggestions are feeling helpful, it is absolutely worth checking in with a therapist. There should be NO stigma associated with getting support for your mental health. Some folks will benefit from antidepressants.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">Hoping that you all can lean into the coziness of the season.</span></p><p align="center" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="m_6927623325186147737text" style="table-layout: fixed; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td align="left" class="m_6927623325186147737text_content-cell m_6927623325186147737content-padding-horizontal" style="color: #403f42; display: block; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 10px 20px 10px 10px;" valign="top"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilTKKEB1CSgRV-uiDNRDcYfm7RDReBVCC7q9x2jt3u_wOSa-6wrhXQtdxtALCw2De_hdbOjqkKBCotwZGsvYQK3EU87Al2BpISCOuM9nmL-OKOsX2stywrPHowTi4OOxpxNr4q00AZoVT3jcqLPhcx7Ez2c6TjtW7LmIMKWy3GLqDfZ_vB2nj83mfGmi2e/s2048/winter%206541.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilTKKEB1CSgRV-uiDNRDcYfm7RDReBVCC7q9x2jt3u_wOSa-6wrhXQtdxtALCw2De_hdbOjqkKBCotwZGsvYQK3EU87Al2BpISCOuM9nmL-OKOsX2stywrPHowTi4OOxpxNr4q00AZoVT3jcqLPhcx7Ez2c6TjtW7LmIMKWy3GLqDfZ_vB2nj83mfGmi2e/s320/winter%206541.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br style="background-color: white;" /></p></td></tr></tbody></table>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2805471460666960029.post-17543307828498155172023-12-08T09:27:00.000-08:002023-12-08T09:27:55.548-08:00They put WHAT in their mouths? 2023<p> </p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">Holiday seasons can be especially challenging when it comes to childproofing. Christmas trees, presents, wrapping paper…..It is hard to stay vigilant 24/7. Pediatricians usually get some pretty interesting calls this time of year.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">The fact is, kids like to explore. Many times this involves sticking things where they don't belong. Being fairly oral critters, most of the time the object they are handling gets placed in the mouth. When this happens there are two passages where something might go down.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">If it goes into the </span><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;">esophagus</span><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">, that is the beginning of the digestive tract. It hopefully will make its way down into the stomach, through the intestines and then get pooped out.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">If something was swallowed, here are some things to consider:</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;">Is it stuck?</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">How does the child look? Are they able to take a sip of water? Can they swallow just fine? Is their breathing relatively normal?</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">If something has gotten stuck in the esophagus they will look uncomfortable, There will be frequent coughing and throat clearing going on. You will know that something is amiss. This will necessitate a visit to the ER.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;">Is it poisonous?</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">If you have any doubt about that, call the poison control center</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 16px;">1-800-222-1222 . </span><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">For more info about dealing with poison, here is my </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D001Vg8xl7PEBpRX8hRA-y_Uc4jw0umZVujo626fNXgVnwUNEwOvQ1YuLkZ5ymQ57PKIpAcR0juPlK-OT3QWTr4fCCHEwUTzUTp85XiZCnOmQFSS4CoMrHD8xbbvOpHIKnCHcY7IFUpVO5DdFwRyVGNTnyDm7af4-YWotmtvdxye79SEjkqgaV_3BN7_bYM0VHiRid3fJYyyKK8qpiQFZQabRg%3D%3D%26c%3DJAr-1jESR96YV8QPHKV34w2nEjzd__rNClilPWs44uRQSnyr7ML_hw%3D%3D%26ch%3DONWstAGYEL9r5eJoTaFTHlYXEsKqzTJAl87n9gu2CzDWkDGe-tyw4w%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1702142710291000&usg=AOvVaw0Nu4-Cf2sQje6DPzfDWSMB" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Vg8xl7PEBpRX8hRA-y_Uc4jw0umZVujo626fNXgVnwUNEwOvQ1YuLkZ5ymQ57PKIpAcR0juPlK-OT3QWTr4fCCHEwUTzUTp85XiZCnOmQFSS4CoMrHD8xbbvOpHIKnCHcY7IFUpVO5DdFwRyVGNTnyDm7af4-YWotmtvdxye79SEjkqgaV_3BN7_bYM0VHiRid3fJYyyKK8qpiQFZQabRg==&c=JAr-1jESR96YV8QPHKV34w2nEjzd__rNClilPWs44uRQSnyr7ML_hw==&ch=ONWstAGYEL9r5eJoTaFTHlYXEsKqzTJAl87n9gu2CzDWkDGe-tyw4w==" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">blog post</a><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;">Is it potentially germ laden?</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">Advice nurses get calls about kids eating things that are pretty disgusting. Young infants are the most vulnerable, but usually don’t have the dexterity to actually get something into their mouth without some help. Once they have mastered the hand/mouth coordination skill, they are old enough that a normal healthy gut has good bacteria that can be somewhat protective. If whatever it is that they ingested is going to cause trouble, symptoms will usually show up with tummy aches, vomiting and loose stools within a day or so. Persistent tummy upset will usually warrant a stool test to help us figure out what the culprit is.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;">Is it a battery?</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">Any battery can be trouble, but button batteries can be a tremendous hazard because they can be easily swallowed and they seem to be everywhere these days.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">Several years ago I got a call from a mom of 15 month old twins. There they were, sitting on the floor with mom's pedometer right in between them. It was open and the battery was gone. Because of the uncertainty involved, we did have to send them to get x-rays. Indeed there it was, that little battery, sitting in the stomach of one of the kids.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">In this case it passed safely, but if a battery gets stuck anywhere on the way it can cause a dangerous amount of damage. Please know where all the button batteries are in all of your little gadgets and make sure that your kids have no access to them. Keep a strict inventory and perhaps stick a piece of duct tape across any battery compartments.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">Other objects that you need to be wary of are </span><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;">magnets.</span><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;"> I am not talking about the little letters that you may have on your fridge. The ones that cause concern are the industrial strength magnets that you may find in some "grown up" toys like buckyballs or jewelry.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">If more than one of those get swallowed it can wreak havoc on the intestines and be deadly. Keep them away from your kids!</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;">Water beads</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">I am glad that these weren’t around when my kids were little. They are little sensory beads that can grow to almost 100 times their original size when wet. They claim to be non-toxic, but they can be very dangerous if swallowed. These beads are associated with thousands of ER visits every year. If the beads are ingested they can continue to grow inside the body. This can cause severe discomfort, vomiting, intestinal blockage and life-threatening injuries.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">As an aside, they are probably helping put many plumbers’ kids through college. Your pipes will thank you for not letting these into your home.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p align="center" style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;">Is it sharp?</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">If it is something that has a point or sharp edge, keep an extra close eye on your child. Feel the tummy to see if it is nice and soft. Look for blood in spit up or drool. Keep an eye on the stools. </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">If your child seems to have a rigid painful belly or has any dark, tarry poop or bright red blood they will need to be seen right away.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;">You may as well laugh</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">Some of the stories of what kids ingest are worth a giggle once everyone gets the all clear. One episode that I remember was a 3 year old patient who accidentally swallowed one of her Grandma's one carat diamond stud earrings. It did pass through and was retrieved with no harm at all to the swallower. However, Grandma didn't want it back; it was reunited with the mate and is in a safe deposit box waiting until the little girl is 18.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">Most of the time, like the earring, it is simply a matter of watching for whatever it was to pass through. I have seen all sorts of stuff get swallowed and pooped out without incident. I think I have seen enough change to put a kid through college. Most coins smaller than a quarter go through fairly easily.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;">Nurse Judy's 'corn in the poop' tip</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">Let's encourage a quick passage! Increase the amount of fluids that your child drinks. Perhaps add prunes. If your child is old enough that they are beyond simple pureed food, consider giving some corn kernels (you won't see that in any textbook). Have you figured it out yet? For those of you who need this spelled out, corn kernels are usually fairly recognizable after they have been pooped out. They can act as a marker. That bright yellow kernel of corn can help you track the transit time.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;">When do we need to start paying extra attention to this 'oral' behavior?</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">Once in a while just about every kid is going to do some exploration, but if your child is old enough to know better and seems inclined to continue to put non food items in their mouth, this might be a condition known as Pica. Pica is the persistent eating of substances such as dirt or paint that have no nutritional value. This is worth pointing out to your doctor. There might be a nutritional deficit or something else going on. Low iron levels or hight lead levels could be part of the issue.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">If the object goes into the </span><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;">trachea</span><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;"> it may block the airway and you have a choking situation on your hands, or it could get aspirated into the lungs. Neither is good.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">Your child will clearly be having breathing difficulties if this has happened. It is important to note that if someone has a blocked airway, they can not speak or make sounds. </span><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">They will likely have a color change and look pale or blue.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">It is critically important that all parents and caregivers are trained to do a choking rescue. Of course with any emergency you should call 911</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;">Prevention!</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">To avoid this happening on your watch, do your best to keep little items away from the young kids. Anything that can fit into a toilet paper tube is too small for an infant or young child to be handling. Food pieces should be soft or cut into long strips rather than round pieces.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">Encourage safe eating: sitting instead of running around, chewing and swallowing rather than shoving in wads of food. Parents, please model good behavior!</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">So what about the </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D001Vg8xl7PEBpRX8hRA-y_Uc4jw0umZVujo626fNXgVnwUNEwOvQ1YuLkZ5ymQ57PKIP8gH1R2mQicXJm_hsu6ZEL44poQxhaA5iOG12ZByuQtIq3-gWhV1aNCCsA_DERgu1bXwP1uu1_ITatW8QtlfOtubLlfymunb%26c%3DJAr-1jESR96YV8QPHKV34w2nEjzd__rNClilPWs44uRQSnyr7ML_hw%3D%3D%26ch%3DONWstAGYEL9r5eJoTaFTHlYXEsKqzTJAl87n9gu2CzDWkDGe-tyw4w%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1702142710291000&usg=AOvVaw3VkATQRVfx_twSTGtkHIG6" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Vg8xl7PEBpRX8hRA-y_Uc4jw0umZVujo626fNXgVnwUNEwOvQ1YuLkZ5ymQ57PKIP8gH1R2mQicXJm_hsu6ZEL44poQxhaA5iOG12ZByuQtIq3-gWhV1aNCCsA_DERgu1bXwP1uu1_ITatW8QtlfOtubLlfymunb&c=JAr-1jESR96YV8QPHKV34w2nEjzd__rNClilPWs44uRQSnyr7ML_hw==&ch=ONWstAGYEL9r5eJoTaFTHlYXEsKqzTJAl87n9gu2CzDWkDGe-tyw4w==" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">new devices</a><span style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 16px;"> </span><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">that can help if your child is choking? These are relatively new and get good reviews. Alas this are not geared to children less than 22 pounds, but might still be nice piece of mind for older toddlers.</span></p><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="m_-5079645809216722859text" style="table-layout: fixed; width: 100%;"><tbody></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="m_-5079645809216722859text" style="table-layout: fixed; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td align="left" class="m_-5079645809216722859text_content-cell m_-5079645809216722859content-padding-horizontal" style="color: #403f42; display: block; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 10px 20px 10px 10px;" valign="top"><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br style="background-color: white;" /></p></td></tr></tbody></table>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2805471460666960029.post-76456470865281596202023-12-01T09:21:00.000-08:002023-12-01T09:21:53.770-08:00Gratitude 2023<p> </p><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="m_-6194831252486205880layout" style="min-width: 100%; table-layout: fixed; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td align="center" class="m_-6194831252486205880column m_-6194831252486205880scale m_-6194831252486205880stack" style="margin: 0px; width: 596px;" valign="top"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="m_-6194831252486205880text" style="table-layout: fixed; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td align="left" class="m_-6194831252486205880text_content-cell m_-6194831252486205880content-padding-horizontal" style="color: #403f42; display: block; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 10px 20px;" valign="top"><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">There were a lot of posts making the rounds all about gratitude last week. My inbox was absolutely full of them. It is that time of year after all. Some resonated more than others.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">I was all set to add my contribution to the collection, but I ended up skipping last week’s post. Maybe I delayed it to make the point that gratitude shouldn’t be something that we only pay attention to on one day a year, but the truth is that I just was busy.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">Talking about being grateful, I was surrounded by people I love. My daughter Lauren and family were visiting from LA. I saw a meme making the rounds that had me laughing out loud.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic;">On Thanksgiving, when that adorable toddler offers you a cookie, they are actually giving you the flu.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">This was sadly accurate. My grandson Elliot and his daddy Adam arrived in San Francisco already sick with influenza. The good news is that the flu shot protected the rest of us and we didn’t catch it. That is fortunate for me, because no germs were going to stop me from snuggling.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">To add to my joy, back in 2021, my daughter Alana donated her eggs to one of her closest friends and gorgeous baby Sawyer is now seven months old. Sawyer’s amazing mom and dad were reasonably close by for the holiday so we got to spend some time together.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">Even though events in the macro world are so difficult to watch without weeping, in my micro world, I am feeling very blessed.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">Here is my gratitude post:</span></p></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="m_-6194831252486205880image--mobile-scale m_-6194831252486205880image--mobile-center" style="table-layout: fixed; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td align="center" class="m_-6194831252486205880image_container m_-6194831252486205880content-padding-horizontal" style="margin: 0px; padding: 10px 20px;" valign="top"><img alt="" class="CToWUd a6T" data-bit="iit" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEjlxPEa5CxzG8SS7T1yrmv0JmpJWm7gwfULUzEBGiDc_1RDYCg0PJNGwjcsMY-y1Ku3U1fCvKAsQeIMVmF5_-MvJXS0akpMaopOZG5Fu1mFy5eo6tN2xkFz077VLbzynif-qiziaztm26JI_ynyIgD9pzY89e6dTnLCfDmKy-OvvxvxDyRaUFeGjg_UXH58Suw7GrYKTpw=s0-d-e1-ft" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: auto; max-width: 100%; outline: 0px;" tabindex="0" width="200" /></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="m_-6194831252486205880image--mobile-scale m_-6194831252486205880image--mobile-center" style="table-layout: fixed; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td align="center" class="m_-6194831252486205880image_container m_-6194831252486205880content-padding-horizontal" style="margin: 0px; padding: 10px 20px;" valign="top"><img alt="" class="CToWUd a6T" data-bit="iit" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEimfZCgpa8Dlro7xJ4EjPpOsS_M-GNnVBH56fs8JwpdP1IRSB4_DkpjcrkZIx23CB2qprWtnfcCFrZG6HdnfqwEBiTsHzcQH-nwvhaCSX2I1sh8puTBMnJL92p1XwocSHjJWBLYqRA2ARg3rj3iOmRgvd9Njj2s3EvCqTgAM-vK7q9rqF6CIYq7lp7r6sqfUfaeLrkUnKg=s0-d-e1-ft" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: auto; max-width: 100%; outline: 0px;" tabindex="0" width="200" /></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="m_-6194831252486205880layout" style="min-width: 100%; table-layout: fixed; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td align="center" class="m_-6194831252486205880column m_-6194831252486205880scale m_-6194831252486205880stack" style="margin: 0px; width: 596px;" valign="top"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td align="center" style="margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 9px; padding-top: 9px;" valign="top" width="100%"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="height: 1px; table-layout: fixed; width: 560.234px;"><tbody><tr><td align="center" bgcolor="#6AC2D5" height="1" style="background-color: #6ac2d5; border-bottom-width: 0px; height: 1px; line-height: 1px; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px;"><img alt="" border="0" class="CToWUd" data-bit="iit" height="1" hspace="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEgLU7k2NnMhLkaMhBUiX9pqaAwAzpiBq5Rn1u0wTM0UMFEnCDrE_ZjSL-O_lHrPgu6ZppSD_rWaItxdYNK9e81eFP1K5fbMX4rJIwFlwbFpA_wke4nBfPtV3pOBToohOVeXTNdbqP1yC_9XWIWv3thp-nu6M3p4Lj9EgOIFQXo3Or_0n_W4=s0-d-e1-ft" style="display: block; 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width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td align="center" style="margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 9px; padding-top: 9px;" valign="top" width="100%"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="height: 1px; table-layout: fixed; width: 84.0312px;"><tbody><tr><td align="center" bgcolor="#6AC2D5" height="1" style="background-color: #6ac2d5; border-bottom-width: 0px; height: 1px; line-height: 1px; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px;"><img alt="" border="0" class="CToWUd" data-bit="iit" height="1" hspace="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEgLU7k2NnMhLkaMhBUiX9pqaAwAzpiBq5Rn1u0wTM0UMFEnCDrE_ZjSL-O_lHrPgu6ZppSD_rWaItxdYNK9e81eFP1K5fbMX4rJIwFlwbFpA_wke4nBfPtV3pOBToohOVeXTNdbqP1yC_9XWIWv3thp-nu6M3p4Lj9EgOIFQXo3Or_0n_W4=s0-d-e1-ft" style="display: block; height: 1px; width: 5px;" vspace="0" width="5" /></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="m_-6194831252486205880text" style="table-layout: fixed; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td align="left" class="m_-6194831252486205880text_content-cell m_-6194831252486205880content-padding-horizontal" style="color: #403f42; display: block; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 10px 10px 10px 20px;" valign="top"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td align="center" style="margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-top: 10px;" valign="top" width="100%"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="height: 1px; table-layout: fixed; width: 84.0312px;"><tbody><tr><td align="center" bgcolor="#6AC2D5" height="1" style="background-color: #6ac2d5; border-bottom-width: 0px; height: 1px; line-height: 1px; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px;"><img alt="" border="0" class="CToWUd" data-bit="iit" height="1" hspace="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEgLU7k2NnMhLkaMhBUiX9pqaAwAzpiBq5Rn1u0wTM0UMFEnCDrE_ZjSL-O_lHrPgu6ZppSD_rWaItxdYNK9e81eFP1K5fbMX4rJIwFlwbFpA_wke4nBfPtV3pOBToohOVeXTNdbqP1yC_9XWIWv3thp-nu6M3p4Lj9EgOIFQXo3Or_0n_W4=s0-d-e1-ft" style="display: block; 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font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 10px 10px 10px 20px;" valign="top"><div> <br /></div><div><br /></div></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="m_-6194831252486205880text" style="table-layout: fixed; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td align="left" class="m_-6194831252486205880text_content-cell m_-6194831252486205880content-padding-horizontal" style="color: #403f42; display: block; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 10px 10px 10px 20px;" valign="top"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></td><td align="center" class="m_-6194831252486205880column m_-6194831252486205880scale m_-6194831252486205880stack" style="margin: 0px; width: 506.602px;" valign="top"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="m_-6194831252486205880text" style="table-layout: fixed; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td align="left" class="m_-6194831252486205880text_content-cell m_-6194831252486205880content-padding-horizontal" style="color: #403f42; display: block; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 10px 20px 10px 10px;" valign="top"><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p align="center" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold;">Gratitude</span></p><p align="center" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic;">“It is not joy that makes us grateful, it is gratitude that makes us joyful”</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;"> - David Steindl Rast</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">When something is wrong it tends to make a lot of noise and gets our attention. That seems to be basic human nature. We invariably pay very little mind to things that are working smoothly. If you have ever sustained an injury this might resonate.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">Years ago my right pinky got broken. I was walking my large rambunctious golden. I was holding the leash in a way in which it was wrapped around my finger (don’t do that). Java might have seen a squirrel or something equally exciting. She gave chase and I felt my finger snap. Yup, it felt as good as it sounds.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">The point is that this impacted the use of my right hand for weeks. This meant I couldn’t hold a pencil or give an injection. Go ahead and play with your hand. Make a fist. A pinky that won’t bend affects more than you might think. We take so much for granted. The minute I had full use of my hand I gave it no further thought.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">Thanksgiving is the perfect time to remind ourselves to practice a little gratitude for the daily things that are working, but as I mentioned, we should be paying attention to the 'glimmers' of things that we are grateful for, everyday.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">It isn’t only working body parts that we ignore. We can tend to take family members and friends equally for granted.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">I asked Oath’s Brittany to share some of her thoughts about gratitude with me.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">Here is some of her wisdom:</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic;">The benefits of gratitude are so real: </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><ul style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><li style="color: black; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">It can lower blood pressure</li><li style="color: black; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">It can decrease negative mental health outcomes such as depression and anxiety across all life stages & ages. </li><li style="color: black; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">It enhances relationship satisfaction </li><li style="color: black; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">It can Increase emotional well-being </li><li style="color: black; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">It can generate upstream reciprocity (a stranger unknowingly buys your coffee, you are more likely to buy someone else’s coffee)</li><li style="color: black; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">It can result in a greater sense of belonging in the world</li></ul><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic;"> </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic;">Where many of the other emotions we face daily are more messy and complex. Gratitude on the other hand, is a clean and simple emotion. </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic;">During daylight hours we may not be able to see the stars. However, we trust that they are still there. Similarly, when life circumstances (tantrums, loss, war, diagnoses, etc) make it difficult to find, it’s still possible to access gratitude. </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic;">In every moment, there is an opportunity to learn and be born into something greater than what is in the present. An opportunity for us to emerge as a different person than the one we entered into that experience being. </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic;">The best way to teach gratitude to our children is by allowing them to see us practice it. There’s an old saying when it comes to parenting that, “more is caught than taught.” </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">Facilitating gratitude practices that your children can participate with you is a great tool too. </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">Some tools to help us access gratitude include: </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><ul style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><li style="color: black; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Nature. Get outside and notice the trees swaying in the wind. Pay attention to glorious flowers.If you are lucky to live near water, watch the ocean roll onto the beach and out again. (don't turn your back on the water!) Observe the clouds passing by in the sky. </li><li style="color: black; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">The arts. Listen to or play a beautiful piece of music. Go to a museum and spend time in front of a piece that speaks to you</li><li style="color: black; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Tap into your creative genius. We ALL have some. This could include painting, baking, writing, building, etc. </li><li style="color: black; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Appreciate your body's ability to move, such as walking, running, yoga, breath-work, dancing...making a fist etc. </li><li style="color: black; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Savor your ability to be kind. Compliment someone’s smile, buy that cup of coffee for a stranger, call your loved one just to say “hi!”. Maybe make soup for someone who isn't feeling well. Let the kids help put things in the pot.</li><li style="color: black; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">When you find gratitude, give yourself permission to linger or savor it. </li></ul><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic;"></span><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">I am grateful to Brittany for being such a wonderful resource</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">I am also grateful to all of my readers who bother to open and read these emails/blog posts!</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><h3 style="color: #717a80; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;"><br /></h3></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2805471460666960029.post-70503538863606364192023-11-17T09:20:00.000-08:002023-11-17T09:20:36.614-08:00When is someone contagious?<p> </p><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="m_4889734740474100211text" style="table-layout: fixed; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td align="left" class="m_4889734740474100211text_content-cell m_4889734740474100211content-padding-horizontal" style="color: #403f42; display: block; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 10px 20px 10px 10px;" valign="top"><p align="center" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold;"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />When is someone contagious?</span></p><p align="center" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></p><h3 style="color: #717a80; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-weight: normal;">Some of the most common questions that I get as an advice nurse revolve around when kids are contagious and at what point are they ready to go back to school, daycare or nanny-share. Wouldn’t it be nice if there was a little human equivalent of the butterball turkey pop up timer that could easily signal if someone is contagious or not? Alas that doesn’t exist, so we have to do the best we can. Covid adds a whole extra layer of stress into this discussion. I need to remind everyone that MOST of the illnesses that we are seeing are the same ones that we have been dealing with for generations. Kids who are around other kids get sick. That’s simply the way it is.</span></h3><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">Of course, we want to be responsible parents and not expose others to our sick child. We also want to protect our own recovering child from going back into the 'germ pool' too quickly. If they are just getting over something, their immune system may be a bit diminished and they are vulnerable to coming down with something new.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">What makes it even more challenging is that kids aren’t always accurate reporters about how they are feeling. For older kids, some are reluctant to miss school and will put on a brave face. Maybe they have a test that they don’t want to miss, or really want to be with their friends. These kids will push themselves to return as quickly as possible. Others will earn an academy award convincing you that they really need to stay home in bed. Another consideration is that some parents can take time off to stay home with their little sick child and others simply can't afford to. It is naive to think that these aren't real factors. </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;">Early warning signs</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">Many kids may be a little fussier than usual. Perhaps they don't eat quite as much. Most savvy parents know enough to be suspicious when their 5 year old who fights naps with a vengeance announces that they are going up to have a daytime snooze. Your antenna might be up that something is brewing, but are those reasons to miss work and keep your child at home??? It isn’t always an easy answer.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><h3 style="color: #717a80; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-weight: normal;">Figuring out if someone is contagious or not is almost never clear cut. What makes it all so tricky is that most viral syndromes can be spread a day or two before the kids show clear signs that they are ill. Also, as discussed below, tests for illnesses like covid are not always accurate at the beginning of an illness. The fact is, if your child comes home from school in the afternoon and is sick that evening, most likely everyone they were with earlier that day has already been exposed and I am going to take that into consideration when we try to come up with the most sensible plan on when they can return.</span></h3><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><h3 style="color: #717a80; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: black;">Lets address Covid first</span></h3><h3 style="color: #717a80; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-weight: normal;">According to the CDC, the incubation period for Covid-19 is thought to extend up to 14 days, although the average is 5-6 days. This means that if 2 weeks go by after an exposure, you are most likely in the clear. Some young children may catch covid and become infectious without ever exhibiting any symptoms. For those that do develop symptoms, they usually show signs of illness long before that 14 day mark.</span></h3><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;">Testing for Covid</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">There are 2 kinds of tests for Covid.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">The PCR/NAAT is a very sensitive test that looks for any genetic material on a surface (such as a nostril). You would likely get this test from a doctor's office or lab. These are great to find out if you have COVID or not, but because the DNA fragments can remain in the nostrils for days to weeks, they will still show up as positive even after someone is no longer contagious. This makes them somewhat useless if you are trying to figure out if you can stop your isolation. </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">The rapid antigen tests are the ones many folks have at home.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">These tests look for large chunks of virus pieces that are signatures of Covid (the “spike” protein). A negative antigen test in the first day or two is not necessarily accurate because the virus can replicate in other parts of the body (i.e. the throat or bloodstream) without leaving accessible spike proteins in the nose.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">So if you have been exposed and have symptoms, retest in a couple of days or check with the PCR options before you take that negative test to heart. On the other hand, after the infection if you test negative with the home tests it means you are likely no longer contagious</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;">Quarantine versus isolation.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">Quarantine means staying home after an exposure but before symptoms start. It was common practice at the beginning of the pandemic but is no longer recommended as a strategy for controlling COVID-19.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">Isolation means staying home and away from others in your household if you have symptoms or you test positive. If you test positive, contact your doctor to see if you should receive treatment. There is no need to isolate from family members who are also testing positive.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;">Here are the 2023 CDC exposure and isolation guidelines</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><h3 style="color: #717a80; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: black;">If you were exposed but have no symptoms</span></h3><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">Regardless of your vaccination status:</span></p><ul style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><li style="color: black; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Get tested immediately and 3-5 days after last exposure*</li><li style="color: black; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Wear a good mask when around others for 10 days after exposure, even at home if other people are present</li><li style="color: black; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">If you test positive, isolate</li></ul><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">*If you had COVID-19 within the last 30 days:</span></p><ul style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><li style="color: black; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">You don’t need to test after exposure unless symptoms start</li><li style="color: black; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">If symptoms start, isolate and get tested</li></ul><h3 style="color: #717a80; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;"><br /></h3><h3 style="color: #717a80; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: black;">If you test positive, whether you have symptoms or not</span></h3><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">Regardless of your vaccination status or infection history:</span></p><ul style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><li style="color: black; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Isolate for at least 5 days</li><li style="color: black; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 3em; padding: 0px;">Sleep and stay in a separate room from those not infected</li><li style="color: black; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 3em; padding: 0px;">Use a separate bathroom if you can</li><li style="color: black; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 3em; padding: 0px;">Wear a mask around others, even at home</li><li style="color: black; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">You can end isolation early, after Day 5, if:</li><li style="color: black; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 3em; padding: 0px;">You have no fever for 24 hours without taking fever-reducing medication, AND</li><li style="color: black; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 3em; padding: 0px;">Your other symptoms are gone or improving</li><li style="color: black; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">If you still have a fever, continue to isolate until the fever is gone for at least 24 hours</li><li style="color: black; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">If other symptoms are not improving, continue to isolate through Day 10</li><li style="color: black; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">If after Day 10 you still have mild symptoms (runny nose, cough, fatigue) that are improving and no fever, you can end isolation no matter what.</li><li style="color: black; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">After you end isolation:</li><li style="color: black; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 3em; padding: 0px;">Wear a mask around others for 10 full days after the start of symptoms. If you have no symptoms, wear a mask for 10 full days after your positive test.</li><li style="color: black; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 3em; padding: 0px;">You may remove your mask sooner than Day 10 if you have two negative tests in a row, at least one day apart.(remember the PCR test will probably still be positive, so use the at home antigen tests)</li><li style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></li></ul><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;">For children who test positive:</span></p><ul style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><li style="color: black; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Children under 2 years can end isolation after Day 5</li><li style="color: black; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Children 2 years and older should follow the steps above for ending isolation</li></ul><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;">Okay…Thank you to the CDC for their guidance, but how realistic is it to actually successfully avoid contact with family members?</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">It is very difficult to isolate siblings. Of course be scrupulous with your hand washing, avoid sharing utensils and sloppy wet kisses, but in many cases it is hard to avoid catching each other’s cooties. They were also likely to have been exposed to each other before you knew anyone was sick. If you have a newborn, keeping the sick toddler away from the baby is a worthy goal, but don’t beat yourself up if it is simply not possible.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;">Breastfeeding moms,</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;"> sorry to say that by the time you realize you are ill, it is too late to prevent an exposure. Hopefully the magic of breast milk will protect your baby, but we would generally suggest that you continue nursing while masked.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">As an aside, breastfeeding moms, if you are sick, it is especially important to make sure that you are getting plenty of fluids. Also, if you are given medication, check with your nurse or doctor’s office to see if it is compatible with breastfeeding. (spoiler alert: Paxlovid has not been cleared for nursing moms. Tamiflu is probably fine)</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;">So how important is it to get an actual diagnosis in the first place/ In other words, is it worth sticking a swab up your toddler’s nose?</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">These days, some doctors rely on symptoms and don’t always bother to test. If you are a candidate for taking Paxlovid then it is worthwhile finding out if you have Covid or not, but some folks don’t bother. If you have an infant or vulnerable family member it is nice to know what you are dealing with. However if you aren’t inclined to test and treat make sure you monitor and if symptoms warrant, make sure you go and get checked. </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D00180jq4ik52pNjU15jwmHJJBY8Q9dKjARuAO7u_TMLmbJPExtXopqse_mNpPi1vME5gKlkfYUkDt57FYsLh0lCmafUgFdn0R9yZuLbpdLPRuCZpAehn6hkKC9QIc8IMA2lExTE8-zKZ9i3LSWYMtWpurM2VtG4X0DtJOrrrW6qyVRFENPU60zbcaJ3dx4JJ19DwG6LWkmR-7ff5sKBIRvzozlJjgQb7w87neVe9dcK8RU%3D%26c%3DYWXFEBPZdFXMGHSX05l04cvdAy5eqnjvGjpWufVd9UeI-USOrjllzA%3D%3D%26ch%3DOMpbSjJOhSiLrWIwpRNemlBhSVWUbiNrdM7ki-NGvEmwFpWnE-Eg8A%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1700327979304000&usg=AOvVaw1kTxvNHdFOfseHxjEKa45g" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=00180jq4ik52pNjU15jwmHJJBY8Q9dKjARuAO7u_TMLmbJPExtXopqse_mNpPi1vME5gKlkfYUkDt57FYsLh0lCmafUgFdn0R9yZuLbpdLPRuCZpAehn6hkKC9QIc8IMA2lExTE8-zKZ9i3LSWYMtWpurM2VtG4X0DtJOrrrW6qyVRFENPU60zbcaJ3dx4JJ19DwG6LWkmR-7ff5sKBIRvzozlJjgQb7w87neVe9dcK8RU=&c=YWXFEBPZdFXMGHSX05l04cvdAy5eqnjvGjpWufVd9UeI-USOrjllzA==&ch=OMpbSjJOhSiLrWIwpRNemlBhSVWUbiNrdM7ki-NGvEmwFpWnE-Eg8A==" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Coughs, colds</a><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;"> and other viruses</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">Most of the illnesses are NOT covid.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">As far as common colds go, the average child under 2 years of age has EIGHT symptomatic colds a year. Frankly, if you plan on keeping your child at home until your little toddler is free from a runny nose, you will be waiting a very long time before you leave the house.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">Remember that some clear runny noses are not contagious. </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D00180jq4ik52pNjU15jwmHJJBY8Q9dKjARuAO7u_TMLmbJPExtXopqse3QYJPNPfl1w2BMVWtkH01QywRza9yTT8vu9-ZLdwuUd_dJQiqEwDSJoxLK0bVFpcsHpImcZvWazzGT_VKYYvH5wOXpsyJ6QSKHGlYtkeDoh4olsxU_MXhO-N2A5i2DMdmVhiEadQsdmI8zUToz4ryU%3D%26c%3DYWXFEBPZdFXMGHSX05l04cvdAy5eqnjvGjpWufVd9UeI-USOrjllzA%3D%3D%26ch%3DOMpbSjJOhSiLrWIwpRNemlBhSVWUbiNrdM7ki-NGvEmwFpWnE-Eg8A%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1700327979304000&usg=AOvVaw3sOgM5OKh_O6FvYYefFXDQ" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=00180jq4ik52pNjU15jwmHJJBY8Q9dKjARuAO7u_TMLmbJPExtXopqse3QYJPNPfl1w2BMVWtkH01QywRza9yTT8vu9-ZLdwuUd_dJQiqEwDSJoxLK0bVFpcsHpImcZvWazzGT_VKYYvH5wOXpsyJ6QSKHGlYtkeDoh4olsxU_MXhO-N2A5i2DMdmVhiEadQsdmI8zUToz4ryU=&c=YWXFEBPZdFXMGHSX05l04cvdAy5eqnjvGjpWufVd9UeI-USOrjllzA==&ch=OMpbSjJOhSiLrWIwpRNemlBhSVWUbiNrdM7ki-NGvEmwFpWnE-Eg8A==" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Teething</a><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; text-decoration-line: underline;"> </span><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">as well as some </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D00180jq4ik52pNjU15jwmHJJBY8Q9dKjARuAO7u_TMLmbJPExtXopqsexH7dodO8jNSUAgFAPuNf5H9GF8o7XhoIApo8ziaSPmsE_oEYCJP153aCXXAyWJPeipN89enbizHFH7EB411ArGJZArHHyyCXaX0mhLvyeOQQpIKj-vwm49B6X4A8GqlE6L1SBJfCv79RgSy5H4oE0VpWlA8DdkzMw%3D%3D%26c%3DYWXFEBPZdFXMGHSX05l04cvdAy5eqnjvGjpWufVd9UeI-USOrjllzA%3D%3D%26ch%3DOMpbSjJOhSiLrWIwpRNemlBhSVWUbiNrdM7ki-NGvEmwFpWnE-Eg8A%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1700327979305000&usg=AOvVaw3Wygf9PLFtNKasQ1IHXs-7" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=00180jq4ik52pNjU15jwmHJJBY8Q9dKjARuAO7u_TMLmbJPExtXopqsexH7dodO8jNSUAgFAPuNf5H9GF8o7XhoIApo8ziaSPmsE_oEYCJP153aCXXAyWJPeipN89enbizHFH7EB411ArGJZArHHyyCXaX0mhLvyeOQQpIKj-vwm49B6X4A8GqlE6L1SBJfCv79RgSy5H4oE0VpWlA8DdkzMw==&c=YWXFEBPZdFXMGHSX05l04cvdAy5eqnjvGjpWufVd9UeI-USOrjllzA==&ch=OMpbSjJOhSiLrWIwpRNemlBhSVWUbiNrdM7ki-NGvEmwFpWnE-Eg8A==" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">allergies</a><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; text-decoration-line: underline;"> </span><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">can be the cause. (There is debate about whether or not teething is associated with congestion. Nurse Judy votes yes.)</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">While I would strive to keep my youngest and most vulnerable patients free from viral syndromes and colds as long as possible, exposure to these common viruses is in fact developing the immune system. At some point they are going to have to deal with the myriad of illnesses that make the rounds.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">During the first couple of years of the pandemic, kids were kept in a bit of a bubble and did not get the normal amount of coughs and colds. Guess what, the minute we got back to being with others and loosened the mask wearing, most families got overwhelmed with all of the respiratory infections.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D00180jq4ik52pNjU15jwmHJJBY8Q9dKjARuAO7u_TMLmbJPExtXopqse-Lp3_4qkEgNHisyKTsCckg_T0-UfXWZdsrDAFlemI-8EJjApOTVNC56it8J7zSvVFA9unV9rNDJuLV47C6GZtWQqVONQ8AzU0bKm5R37DO78HiTXyapBb5V6qM_hzat98n3a7emyf8POmqZqWVqZ5oW5od-ebODPx6JhF_dmFdl%26c%3DYWXFEBPZdFXMGHSX05l04cvdAy5eqnjvGjpWufVd9UeI-USOrjllzA%3D%3D%26ch%3DOMpbSjJOhSiLrWIwpRNemlBhSVWUbiNrdM7ki-NGvEmwFpWnE-Eg8A%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1700327979305000&usg=AOvVaw2BFxTVR_UhHMEMUKBFORON" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=00180jq4ik52pNjU15jwmHJJBY8Q9dKjARuAO7u_TMLmbJPExtXopqse-Lp3_4qkEgNHisyKTsCckg_T0-UfXWZdsrDAFlemI-8EJjApOTVNC56it8J7zSvVFA9unV9rNDJuLV47C6GZtWQqVONQ8AzU0bKm5R37DO78HiTXyapBb5V6qM_hzat98n3a7emyf8POmqZqWVqZ5oW5od-ebODPx6JhF_dmFdl&c=YWXFEBPZdFXMGHSX05l04cvdAy5eqnjvGjpWufVd9UeI-USOrjllzA==&ch=OMpbSjJOhSiLrWIwpRNemlBhSVWUbiNrdM7ki-NGvEmwFpWnE-Eg8A==" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Hand Foot Mouth</a><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;"> questions come up a lot.</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;"> </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">I respect that schools want to keep this yucky virus from getting spread around. Unless you have been on a break, there is a reasonable chance that the infected kids likely got it from school in the first place and/or were contagious before they were identified and segregated. Patients can actually shed that virus in their stool for several weeks. Since I don’t think schools are able to genuinely keep children out until they are completely clear, I suggest common sense guidelines. </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">If they have a fever, keep them home. If they are fussy and miserable, they will be much happier at home with mom or dad. If they seem to be feeling okay and are fever free, for the above reasons, I don’t think it is reasonable to exclude them from daycare/school until all the blisters are completely cleared. </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">I know that the name alone makes parents shudder, but this is one of those illnesses that most kids end up getting. Think of it as a rite of passage. It is actually better to get some of the childhood illnesses out of the way. Unfortunate adults that lack immunity and catch these illnesses are pretty miserable. The American Academy of Pediatrics says that kids can go back when they’re fever free, feel up to participating, and don’t have many open weepy blisters (dry ones are okay).</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><h3 style="color: #717a80; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: black;">With most viral syndromes time is the ultimate healer.</span></h3><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">However, If you suspect the flu, it might be worth getting seen and tested. As opposed to most viruses, influenza hits quickly and hard with a ‘hit by a truck’ feeling. Once you get a positive flu test there are treatment options that can be useful if started within the first few days of symptoms.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><h3 style="color: #717a80; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: black;">Bacterial infections </span></h3><h3 style="color: #717a80; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-weight: normal;">If your child has an infection that is being treated with antibiotics, we generally consider them no longer contagious after they have been on the medication for at least 24 hours.</span></h3><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><h3 style="color: #717a80; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: black;">Bacterial </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D00180jq4ik52pNjU15jwmHJJBY8Q9dKjARuAO7u_TMLmbJPExtXopqse6Yb4NAyC-SxwUGxEbvV5QG5HiRx4GmbiSxlGmq2cgVg7TlFISswR9GqrrKKdnMc9SoRuA8UAaKCFDCekLt-0zEavBgO6M_RuH18Z0SHxG7Z6RI43EqxffX6yWpul7oW8YnM2tzaRObXR5iTZQ0L8hHW11u894NOIbakh90pte6F%26c%3DYWXFEBPZdFXMGHSX05l04cvdAy5eqnjvGjpWufVd9UeI-USOrjllzA%3D%3D%26ch%3DOMpbSjJOhSiLrWIwpRNemlBhSVWUbiNrdM7ki-NGvEmwFpWnE-Eg8A%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1700327979305000&usg=AOvVaw2EwvyhZCRbh715fV1WEkJL" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=00180jq4ik52pNjU15jwmHJJBY8Q9dKjARuAO7u_TMLmbJPExtXopqse6Yb4NAyC-SxwUGxEbvV5QG5HiRx4GmbiSxlGmq2cgVg7TlFISswR9GqrrKKdnMc9SoRuA8UAaKCFDCekLt-0zEavBgO6M_RuH18Z0SHxG7Z6RI43EqxffX6yWpul7oW8YnM2tzaRObXR5iTZQ0L8hHW11u894NOIbakh90pte6F&c=YWXFEBPZdFXMGHSX05l04cvdAy5eqnjvGjpWufVd9UeI-USOrjllzA==&ch=OMpbSjJOhSiLrWIwpRNemlBhSVWUbiNrdM7ki-NGvEmwFpWnE-Eg8A==" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">conjunctivitis</a><span style="color: black;"> </span><span style="color: black; font-weight: normal;">is also usually given the all clear after 24 hours of eye drops (of course you need to finish the course.)</span></h3><h3 style="color: #717a80; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-weight: normal;"> </span></h3><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;">So can you go on that play date?</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">Regardless of the illness you are dealing with, if you are questioning whether or not to go on an upcoming play date, explain your situation to the other parents. They may be perfectly fine hanging out with you and your snotty nosed child, or perhaps they have an important event or vacation coming up and want to be more cautious. Maybe someone is pregnant and hasn’t told people. We never know exactly what other families are dealing with. Let them decide. Full disclosure ahead of time is the best practice.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;">If you are in a small share-care situation</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">It is essential to have a talk with the nanny and the other families involved to make sure you are all on the same page.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">I would suggest that you agree that the kids will have a "sibling" relationship. This simply means that you all accept that the kids are most likely going to get each other’s mild illnesses.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><h3 style="color: #717a80; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: black;">Typically if I have a child with a fever over 101, a new case of diarrhea, or a brand new cold that has them spewing green mucus it is worth keeping them home for at least a day or so to see what is coming next.</span></h3><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">Just this week one of Dr. Ted’s patients asked him, “I was dropping my kid off at daycare and saw all these kids with crazy snotty noses. How can you tell me they aren’t contagious?” He reminds parents of two things:</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic;">First, what are you going to do about it? Kids under five essentially live their entire winters with runny noses, and kids who are kept in a bubble without exposure to the community germ pool will do the whole process when they start kindergarten.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic;">After a virus, the body’s mucous membranes have been damaged, and the virus has left behind plenty of inflammation. As the immune system clears the debris, there is a lot of swelling and leaky fluid membranes. This is where that persistent runny nose and lingering cough come from. It is not necessarily an active infectious virus that causes these symptoms. </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">We wish there was a magic light that signaled the "all clear." Alas, there isn't. Use your best common sense. When in doubt avoid contact with anyone who is vulnerable. This would include newborns, or someone with a compromised immune system.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;"></span></p><h3 style="color: #717a80; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: black;">Thanks to Dr. Ted for his valuable wisdom and input!</span></h3><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">Thanks to Sylvie’s mom Leah (just getting over covid) for helping me identify some of the questions that needed to be addressed</span></p><p align="center" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p align="center" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></p></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="m_4889734740474100211text" style="table-layout: fixed; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td align="left" class="m_4889734740474100211text_content-cell m_4889734740474100211content-padding-horizontal" style="color: #403f42; display: block; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 10px 20px 10px 10px;" valign="top"><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br style="background-color: white;" /></p></td></tr></tbody></table>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2805471460666960029.post-4850050178530798862023-11-10T08:35:00.003-08:002023-11-10T08:35:51.941-08:00Creating a healthy sleep routine/instructions for making a 'bedtime'book<p> </p><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="m_-7004860158489035913layout" style="min-width: 100%; table-layout: fixed; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td align="center" class="m_-7004860158489035913column m_-7004860158489035913scale m_-7004860158489035913stack" style="margin: 0px; width: 596px;" valign="top"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="m_-7004860158489035913text" style="table-layout: fixed; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td align="left" class="m_-7004860158489035913text_content-cell m_-7004860158489035913content-padding-horizontal" style="color: #403f42; display: block; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 10px 20px;" valign="top"><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Some people celebrated an extra hour of sleep this week. Likely NONE of them are parents of young children or pets. My post this week will hopefully help you move forward with a clean routine.</span></p></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="m_-7004860158489035913layout" style="min-width: 100%; table-layout: fixed; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td align="center" class="m_-7004860158489035913column m_-7004860158489035913scale m_-7004860158489035913stack" style="margin: 0px; width: 596px;" valign="top"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td align="center" style="margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 9px; padding-top: 9px;" valign="top" width="100%"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="height: 1px; table-layout: fixed; width: 560.234px;"><tbody><tr><td align="center" bgcolor="#6AC2D5" height="1" style="background-color: #6ac2d5; border-bottom-width: 0px; height: 1px; line-height: 1px; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px;"><img alt="" border="0" class="CToWUd" data-bit="iit" height="1" hspace="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEgLU7k2NnMhLkaMhBUiX9pqaAwAzpiBq5Rn1u0wTM0UMFEnCDrE_ZjSL-O_lHrPgu6ZppSD_rWaItxdYNK9e81eFP1K5fbMX4rJIwFlwbFpA_wke4nBfPtV3pOBToohOVeXTNdbqP1yC_9XWIWv3thp-nu6M3p4Lj9EgOIFQXo3Or_0n_W4=s0-d-e1-ft" style="display: block; height: 1px; width: 5px;" vspace="0" width="5" /></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table bgcolor="#FFFFFF" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="m_-7004860158489035913layout" style="background-color: white; min-width: 100%; table-layout: fixed; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td align="center" class="m_-7004860158489035913column m_-7004860158489035913scale m_-7004860158489035913stack" style="margin: 0px; width: 89.3984px;" valign="top"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="m_-7004860158489035913text m_-7004860158489035913text--articleHeading" style="table-layout: fixed; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td align="left" class="m_-7004860158489035913text_content-cell m_-7004860158489035913content-padding-horizontal" style="color: #717a80; display: block; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 10px 10px 10px 20px;" valign="top"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td align="center" style="margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 9px; padding-top: 9px;" valign="top" width="100%"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="height: 1px; table-layout: fixed; width: 84.0312px;"><tbody><tr><td align="center" bgcolor="#6AC2D5" height="1" style="background-color: #6ac2d5; border-bottom-width: 0px; height: 1px; line-height: 1px; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px;"><img alt="" border="0" class="CToWUd" data-bit="iit" height="1" hspace="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEgLU7k2NnMhLkaMhBUiX9pqaAwAzpiBq5Rn1u0wTM0UMFEnCDrE_ZjSL-O_lHrPgu6ZppSD_rWaItxdYNK9e81eFP1K5fbMX4rJIwFlwbFpA_wke4nBfPtV3pOBToohOVeXTNdbqP1yC_9XWIWv3thp-nu6M3p4Lj9EgOIFQXo3Or_0n_W4=s0-d-e1-ft" style="display: block; height: 1px; width: 5px;" vspace="0" width="5" /></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="m_-7004860158489035913text" style="table-layout: fixed; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td align="left" class="m_-7004860158489035913text_content-cell m_-7004860158489035913content-padding-horizontal" style="color: #403f42; display: block; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 10px 10px 10px 20px;" valign="top"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="table-layout: fixed; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td align="center" style="margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-top: 10px;" valign="top" width="100%"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="height: 1px; table-layout: fixed; width: 84.0312px;"><tbody><tr><td align="center" bgcolor="#6AC2D5" height="1" style="background-color: #6ac2d5; border-bottom-width: 0px; height: 1px; line-height: 1px; margin: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px;"><img alt="" border="0" class="CToWUd" data-bit="iit" height="1" hspace="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEgLU7k2NnMhLkaMhBUiX9pqaAwAzpiBq5Rn1u0wTM0UMFEnCDrE_ZjSL-O_lHrPgu6ZppSD_rWaItxdYNK9e81eFP1K5fbMX4rJIwFlwbFpA_wke4nBfPtV3pOBToohOVeXTNdbqP1yC_9XWIWv3thp-nu6M3p4Lj9EgOIFQXo3Or_0n_W4=s0-d-e1-ft" style="display: block; height: 1px; width: 5px;" vspace="0" width="5" /></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="m_-7004860158489035913text" style="table-layout: fixed; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td align="left" class="m_-7004860158489035913text_content-cell m_-7004860158489035913content-padding-horizontal" style="color: #403f42; display: block; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 10px 10px 10px 20px;" valign="top"><div><br /></div><div align="center" style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="height: 30px; line-height: 30px;"> </div><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="m_-7004860158489035913text" style="table-layout: fixed; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td align="left" class="m_-7004860158489035913text_content-cell m_-7004860158489035913content-padding-horizontal" style="color: #403f42; display: block; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 10px 10px 10px 20px;" valign="top"><div> <br /></div><div><br /></div></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="m_-7004860158489035913text" style="table-layout: fixed; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td align="left" class="m_-7004860158489035913text_content-cell m_-7004860158489035913content-padding-horizontal" style="color: #403f42; display: block; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 10px 10px 10px 20px;" valign="top"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></td><td align="center" class="m_-7004860158489035913column m_-7004860158489035913scale m_-7004860158489035913stack" style="margin: 0px; width: 506.602px;" valign="top"><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="m_-7004860158489035913image--mobile-scale m_-7004860158489035913image--mobile-center" style="table-layout: fixed; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td align="center" class="m_-7004860158489035913image_container m_-7004860158489035913content-padding-horizontal" style="margin: 0px; padding: 10px 20px 10px 10px;" valign="top"><img alt="" class="CToWUd a6T" data-bit="iit" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEhy1_VA2e7cLFFlY7ttjYo-PVM4vMSANkj3eldHZ_g1NgN3atrTPRaJeR0mnOTq_EL0-rWKs2_s4YWuh0ISr4aF5INGXe21jBou5E0B8o2teyFe2cY2ob5PHus28alTpVC4h5OES5tVAdn0LnchMsASmVsa2-Q8AnambPaZkADmvzp6Fbef2g0kk5_V4HORGnffqax8x64=s0-d-e1-ft" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: auto; max-width: 100%; outline: 0px;" tabindex="0" width="294" /></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="m_-7004860158489035913text" style="table-layout: fixed; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td align="left" class="m_-7004860158489035913text_content-cell m_-7004860158489035913content-padding-horizontal" style="color: #403f42; display: block; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 10px 20px 10px 10px;" valign="top"><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p align="center" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 22px; font-weight: bold;">Creating a healthy bedtime ritual</span></p><p align="center" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;">No families sleep routine is exactly the same.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">When I was growing up my mom was early to bed and early to rise. She loved getting up at dawn and having the quiet house to herself while the rest of us slept.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">My dad was a night owl and was delighted if I stayed up with him to keep him company. I remember doing some odd projects together including translating physics from Russian to English or building a ‘heath kit’ color TV. Sometimes it was just watching the late news. I typically called it a night long before he did.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">So when Sandy and I had kids, creating a firm bedtime was not at the top of my list. It was right up there for Sandy though; he was (and still is) a data hound. He had read how important sleep was. He was the one who did most of the sleep training when the kids were young and he was certainly the enforcer when it came to bedtime.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">One evening, the kids may have been 3 and 6, Sandy was out of town on business. It turned out that several of my good friends were also playing single mom that week. We gathered at one of their homes with all the kids and ordered in chinese food. The kids were running around and the moms were chatting. I wasn’t keeping close track of the time, but it was late and the kids were starting to get cranky.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">“Hey girls, don’t get whiney, This was a special treat and I let you stay up”</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">“No, we are tired! It is past our bedtime. Daddy would have made sure we were home and in bed!”</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">Uh…way to throw me under the bus, I was NOT expecting this response.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">But even when they don’t tell you as clearly as mine told me, kids do thrive from routine. Have you ever noticed how some kids go down for a nap like clockwork at daycare but fight it at home? If the schedule is wishy-washy, kids will push to see what kind of power they can exert. That’s their job! Your job is to make sure that the rules are clear and the enforcement is consistent. Kids will ultimately follow them and thrive.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;">Have a set bedtime and try hard to stick to it. </span><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">Block out a reasonable amount of time for the process. It might vary from child to child but count on at least 30 minutes. Be present for this. Ideally this means keeping laptops and phones out of the room. Blink and your child will have outgrown these magic moments. Savor the sweetness.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">The goal is for bedtime to be the perfect time for deep connection rather than a battle. Sandy brought his guitar in and had a repertoire of oldies that he would sing. Make your own memories.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">When you are establishing a firm, new routine, talking about it for the first time during the actual bedtime when your little one is tired is NOT the time to learn about new rules.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">This will work best if they are part of the team. Have a conversation about this earlier in the day. Let them help create a routine that feels comfortable. Let them help negotiate how many songs/books etc. Discuss some rewards that they can earn for going right to sleep and not trying delay tactics</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">My grandson Elliot, who is the grand master of bedtime delays and shenanigans is actually doing very well with a simple sticker chart. He earns stickers for easy bedtimes and a certain amount of stickers can turn into specific rewards.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;"></span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">I would rather focus on rewards, but discuss consequences for not cooperating. These can range from not going on a special outing, or cutting the allotment of screen time.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;">Problem Solve some common issues before they happen.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic;">I am thirsty</span><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">: okay to have a sippy cup or water bottle near the bed</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic;">I want an extra yogurt pouch</span><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">: Be clear on a reasonable window for getting a last minute snack. Once the teeth are brushed there is no more eating. I know it breaks your heart to hear the “but I’m hungry”. Try not to cave. “Tomorrow we will make sure to have a snack before you brush your teeth.”</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic;">I am afraid there is a monster under my bed</span><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">: This house is safe. There are no monsters. If you like we can put a nightlight in here. (Do not search for monsters. This would indicate that the possibility of a monster in the closet exists.)</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic;">I have to poop:</span><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;"> This is a tough one, I would take them to the potty but do NOT engage or talk to them. Make it very businesslike.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;">Other considerations</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><ul style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><li style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Avoid sugary foods and screen time in the period before bed.</li></ul><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><ul style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><li style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">If possible make sure kids are exposed to natural daylight during the day.</li></ul><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><ul style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><li style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Start dimming lights and lowering the noise and energy level about 45 minutes before the actual bedtime. This is very impactful!</li></ul><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><ul style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><li style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">A cooler room is more conducive to good sleep.</li></ul><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><ul style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><li style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Keep the bed for sleeping and napping. Do not use it for ‘time outs’ or playing.</li></ul><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><ul style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><li style="font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444;">I have no issues with using a </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D001FR1Bve0NFAI3H_elmVVXsXTbiZjKb-cRrPx8ywffDzEGgj-qg2yeHfXmGPCLJh2-ryZzqiwRIZRBVicSijdzaDfLsFtJ2f5RWehzaQxpO8_1FhLJiliPbvdwRD-WVr6igl6esfE_jQdMCvXMRSwqofbNeRnTDHJ4_uNW5Vdd1inPqCXk6vfMyPOWtSUMGyRmFdalR6v-5ZKiLsJLPFuvlg%3D%3D%26c%3Dc09uBoNPwctvzpFb_u5L5qJ0V8nMenulRJ1P6LZLlOxfo6r1puh2Bw%3D%3D%26ch%3D9mTVyQqPY6jQ3c4Zhesvyalq9BOQVSfI7vFBMMTmzqqk-GTwulwHiw%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1699720426835000&usg=AOvVaw0EBmtowx25Nj2AbYLOgOjA" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001FR1Bve0NFAI3H_elmVVXsXTbiZjKb-cRrPx8ywffDzEGgj-qg2yeHfXmGPCLJh2-ryZzqiwRIZRBVicSijdzaDfLsFtJ2f5RWehzaQxpO8_1FhLJiliPbvdwRD-WVr6igl6esfE_jQdMCvXMRSwqofbNeRnTDHJ4_uNW5Vdd1inPqCXk6vfMyPOWtSUMGyRmFdalR6v-5ZKiLsJLPFuvlg==&c=c09uBoNPwctvzpFb_u5L5qJ0V8nMenulRJ1P6LZLlOxfo6r1puh2Bw==&ch=9mTVyQqPY6jQ3c4Zhesvyalq9BOQVSfI7vFBMMTmzqqk-GTwulwHiw==" style="color: #1155cc; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">white noise machine</a>.</li></ul><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><ul style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><li style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Model good behavior (sorry daddy, you were not such a good example in this one instance.)</li></ul><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><ul style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><li style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Try to keep the schedule the same every night. Weekends shouldn’t be different from school days.</li></ul><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><ul style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><li style="font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444;">If you or your child are having consistent issues falling asleep, it is worth checking</span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D001FR1Bve0NFAI3H_elmVVXsXTbiZjKb-cRrPx8ywffDzEGgj-qg2yeHS4DtYqJZcBBoGwUH7stdVm0z7H5K1j4f-n9oCRHXCcAzOKNtJWdWYCba8rBylHFiZ_Vm3GeD_7gkJKdOJ4pvq_Xxrfm7q-_iBsFyVCGaj5oRKM_lN22eEQ9hZCL8wGl9wQJZ4iW8f3MC7FE0rzHlkF11OxshmPgIomN94HKit49%26c%3Dc09uBoNPwctvzpFb_u5L5qJ0V8nMenulRJ1P6LZLlOxfo6r1puh2Bw%3D%3D%26ch%3D9mTVyQqPY6jQ3c4Zhesvyalq9BOQVSfI7vFBMMTmzqqk-GTwulwHiw%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1699720426835000&usg=AOvVaw1zpbkc1aOlwJkDkC1-UjZw" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001FR1Bve0NFAI3H_elmVVXsXTbiZjKb-cRrPx8ywffDzEGgj-qg2yeHS4DtYqJZcBBoGwUH7stdVm0z7H5K1j4f-n9oCRHXCcAzOKNtJWdWYCba8rBylHFiZ_Vm3GeD_7gkJKdOJ4pvq_Xxrfm7q-_iBsFyVCGaj5oRKM_lN22eEQ9hZCL8wGl9wQJZ4iW8f3MC7FE0rzHlkF11OxshmPgIomN94HKit49&c=c09uBoNPwctvzpFb_u5L5qJ0V8nMenulRJ1P6LZLlOxfo6r1puh2Bw==&ch=9mTVyQqPY6jQ3c4Zhesvyalq9BOQVSfI7vFBMMTmzqqk-GTwulwHiw==" style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"> </a><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D001FR1Bve0NFAI3H_elmVVXsXTbiZjKb-cRrPx8ywffDzEGgj-qg2yeHS4DtYqJZcBBoGwUH7stdVm0z7H5K1j4f-n9oCRHXCcAzOKNtJWdWYCba8rBylHFiZ_Vm3GeD_7gkJKdOJ4pvq_Xxrfm7q-_iBsFyVCGaj5oRKM_lN22eEQ9hZCL8wGl9wQJZ4iW8f3MC7FE0rzHlkF11OxshmPgIomN94HKit49%26c%3Dc09uBoNPwctvzpFb_u5L5qJ0V8nMenulRJ1P6LZLlOxfo6r1puh2Bw%3D%3D%26ch%3D9mTVyQqPY6jQ3c4Zhesvyalq9BOQVSfI7vFBMMTmzqqk-GTwulwHiw%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1699720426835000&usg=AOvVaw1zpbkc1aOlwJkDkC1-UjZw" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001FR1Bve0NFAI3H_elmVVXsXTbiZjKb-cRrPx8ywffDzEGgj-qg2yeHS4DtYqJZcBBoGwUH7stdVm0z7H5K1j4f-n9oCRHXCcAzOKNtJWdWYCba8rBylHFiZ_Vm3GeD_7gkJKdOJ4pvq_Xxrfm7q-_iBsFyVCGaj5oRKM_lN22eEQ9hZCL8wGl9wQJZ4iW8f3MC7FE0rzHlkF11OxshmPgIomN94HKit49&c=c09uBoNPwctvzpFb_u5L5qJ0V8nMenulRJ1P6LZLlOxfo6r1puh2Bw==&ch=9mTVyQqPY6jQ3c4Zhesvyalq9BOQVSfI7vFBMMTmzqqk-GTwulwHiw==" style="color: #1155cc; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">iron</a><span style="color: #444444; font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="color: #444444;">and </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D001FR1Bve0NFAI3H_elmVVXsXTbiZjKb-cRrPx8ywffDzEGgj-qg2yeHXgIZQM3p0yaUS1pqv4pkiLgS7NKIvm05Y3Bkpw5UvI2ehUCSqtNY5im4qmsEqNjIhrkGdQnP_3znDU3Ql6LgsDLhRrQEYoT0GGWWTvDzp5m4vXjQqfJxoWwPiWu_FtLZSCJFCRQe8SVTpCYZqnnDlmQtwnyKqT4nDn25y--cCP6nClzWIedu0o%3D%26c%3Dc09uBoNPwctvzpFb_u5L5qJ0V8nMenulRJ1P6LZLlOxfo6r1puh2Bw%3D%3D%26ch%3D9mTVyQqPY6jQ3c4Zhesvyalq9BOQVSfI7vFBMMTmzqqk-GTwulwHiw%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1699720426835000&usg=AOvVaw1o4yyhJ3HnRiv9SHns3_XG" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001FR1Bve0NFAI3H_elmVVXsXTbiZjKb-cRrPx8ywffDzEGgj-qg2yeHXgIZQM3p0yaUS1pqv4pkiLgS7NKIvm05Y3Bkpw5UvI2ehUCSqtNY5im4qmsEqNjIhrkGdQnP_3znDU3Ql6LgsDLhRrQEYoT0GGWWTvDzp5m4vXjQqfJxoWwPiWu_FtLZSCJFCRQe8SVTpCYZqnnDlmQtwnyKqT4nDn25y--cCP6nClzWIedu0o=&c=c09uBoNPwctvzpFb_u5L5qJ0V8nMenulRJ1P6LZLlOxfo6r1puh2Bw==&ch=9mTVyQqPY6jQ3c4Zhesvyalq9BOQVSfI7vFBMMTmzqqk-GTwulwHiw==" style="color: #1155cc; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Vitamin D</a><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D001FR1Bve0NFAI3H_elmVVXsXTbiZjKb-cRrPx8ywffDzEGgj-qg2yeHXgIZQM3p0yaUS1pqv4pkiLgS7NKIvm05Y3Bkpw5UvI2ehUCSqtNY5im4qmsEqNjIhrkGdQnP_3znDU3Ql6LgsDLhRrQEYoT0GGWWTvDzp5m4vXjQqfJxoWwPiWu_FtLZSCJFCRQe8SVTpCYZqnnDlmQtwnyKqT4nDn25y--cCP6nClzWIedu0o%3D%26c%3Dc09uBoNPwctvzpFb_u5L5qJ0V8nMenulRJ1P6LZLlOxfo6r1puh2Bw%3D%3D%26ch%3D9mTVyQqPY6jQ3c4Zhesvyalq9BOQVSfI7vFBMMTmzqqk-GTwulwHiw%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1699720426836000&usg=AOvVaw0pwwaDGOLcZf63mmzf7JfI" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001FR1Bve0NFAI3H_elmVVXsXTbiZjKb-cRrPx8ywffDzEGgj-qg2yeHXgIZQM3p0yaUS1pqv4pkiLgS7NKIvm05Y3Bkpw5UvI2ehUCSqtNY5im4qmsEqNjIhrkGdQnP_3znDU3Ql6LgsDLhRrQEYoT0GGWWTvDzp5m4vXjQqfJxoWwPiWu_FtLZSCJFCRQe8SVTpCYZqnnDlmQtwnyKqT4nDn25y--cCP6nClzWIedu0o=&c=c09uBoNPwctvzpFb_u5L5qJ0V8nMenulRJ1P6LZLlOxfo6r1puh2Bw==&ch=9mTVyQqPY6jQ3c4Zhesvyalq9BOQVSfI7vFBMMTmzqqk-GTwulwHiw==" style="color: #1155cc; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"> </a><span style="color: #444444;">levels. Low levels can be associated with insomnia.</span></li></ul><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">If you are feeling more ambitious and have the bandwidth, another way to have a really clear routine is to make a Bedtime Book with your kids.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">Children love ritual and will enjoy reading their special book night after night. You will tire of it long before they do. Here is a step by step guide to making your own. Many children love helping you make the book by posing for the appropriate pictures. Of course this means you actually have to print some, rather than having them live exclusively on your phone.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;">Make your Bedtime book:</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">Get a binder. Bonus if it has an insert on the front so you can slide in a photo. This should not be too hard to find. Put the pages into clear page protectors for a waterproof book that you can tweak over time by adding or subtracting pages. You may want to update it yearly with current photos and rituals.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">Call it what you want; MY BEDTIME BOOK or add your child's name and age.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">Start the book with photos of important people and introduce them.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">Here is (parent) and if there are two of you, here is (parent),</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">Here is (sibling)</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">Here is (pet)</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">This is Me (or us if there is more than one child sharing the book)</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">For young kids, I would keep it to your immediate family members and pets, but you can be as inclusive as you want but keep in mind that unless you want to be reading for hours, this is not the time for the entire family tree</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">Next add a picture of your house with street sign and address:</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">This is where my family lives (great way for kids to learn their address)</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">Picture of bed.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">Picture of special blanket.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">This is the safe comfy place where I sleep.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">These are my special stuffed animals.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">If your child has two homes you can take a picture of each room and make 2 copies of the book so there is one at each house. It is nice to have a ritual that is consistent in both places.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">Take pictures of your nighttime rituals such as:</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">I get into Pajamas</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">Picture of a toothy smile - Before I go to sleep I brush my teeth. It is important to have clean and healthy teeth.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">We get into bed and the lights get a little darker (picture of snuggling).</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">You can add some open-ended pages that allow the story to vary each night. Options include things like:</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic;">Pick several from this list:</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">We have read our (number that you have agreed on) stories/books</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">We have sung our (number that you have agreed on) songs</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">Let's talk about something I did today that I am proud of</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">Let's talk about something I did today that was kind</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">Let's talk about something I learned today</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">What was the silliest thing that happened today</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">Let's talk about something special that we can look forward to tomorrow</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">We send special goodnight "thought kisses" to people that we love</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">Finally, end with pages appropriate to winding down the good night process:</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">Getting good sleep is important. My body does a lot of growing when I am asleep.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">My family is very proud of me when I stay in bed all night. If I get up too much they might get grumpy (photo of silly grumpy faces)</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">Now it is time to say good night and to turn off the light; maybe I will get a special massage (optional but what a nice way to end the day)</span></p><p align="center" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 16px;"> </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;">Good night!! See you tomorrow!!</span></p><p align="center" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px;"> </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">A note from </span><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">Akira Seuradge, Certified Pediatric Sleep Consultant and Founder of </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D001FR1Bve0NFAI3H_elmVVXsXTbiZjKb-cRrPx8ywffDzEGgj-qg2yeHfXmGPCLJh2-VHRxvsJ9JsPTFKWg64sCksTdUo4Ut5dGOou60z4HBIUEAH19b6BRc0NIa9QA4TKKF5SjsmElk2M7mwNMQRBXsW4AngaBDkV4GLT8zrH6iEf6yhvFXpzbDluAO6cxnkCKMwH3cr0WgvFRIbEOtwd1eCGXf4jSOISyKMX1jXDNtQneNIkmyA_ENOh9iiwX8t2A%26c%3Dc09uBoNPwctvzpFb_u5L5qJ0V8nMenulRJ1P6LZLlOxfo6r1puh2Bw%3D%3D%26ch%3D9mTVyQqPY6jQ3c4Zhesvyalq9BOQVSfI7vFBMMTmzqqk-GTwulwHiw%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1699720426836000&usg=AOvVaw3fjQzsj80wJVfkHtaKzAlc" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001FR1Bve0NFAI3H_elmVVXsXTbiZjKb-cRrPx8ywffDzEGgj-qg2yeHfXmGPCLJh2-VHRxvsJ9JsPTFKWg64sCksTdUo4Ut5dGOou60z4HBIUEAH19b6BRc0NIa9QA4TKKF5SjsmElk2M7mwNMQRBXsW4AngaBDkV4GLT8zrH6iEf6yhvFXpzbDluAO6cxnkCKMwH3cr0WgvFRIbEOtwd1eCGXf4jSOISyKMX1jXDNtQneNIkmyA_ENOh9iiwX8t2A&c=c09uBoNPwctvzpFb_u5L5qJ0V8nMenulRJ1P6LZLlOxfo6r1puh2Bw==&ch=9mTVyQqPY6jQ3c4Zhesvyalq9BOQVSfI7vFBMMTmzqqk-GTwulwHiw==" style="color: #315fc3; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">The Sleep Good Co</a><span style="color: #315fc3; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">:</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #315fc3; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"></span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic;">No one is immune to bedtime battles. They can happen to us all and I say this not only as a sleep consultant but also as a mum of three.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic;"></span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic;">In order for your child to sleep well they need 2 things: </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><ol style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><li style="color: black; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-style: italic;">To feel Safe, Secure and Comfortable</span></li><li style="color: black; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-style: italic;">A need for the brain and body to be ready for sleep </span></li></ol><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic;">A key way to prioritize this is by setting limits and boundaries around bedtime which will translate to confidence around night time sleep. This does not mean they will no longer need you but it will give you both the confidence to sleep well. </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic;"> </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic;">One of my favorite ways to let your little one know that you are always nearby is to visit them during the night and snap a photo of you with them or leave a sticky note near their bed to remind them they were never really alone.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;">Final note:</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;"> No matter how drama free your bedtime routine is, there will be disruptions. Travel, occasional special events and/or illness can throw big curveballs into the mix. Take a deep breath. You can recognize that sometimes exceptions will happen, with the understanding that once you are back home/or the illness is over you go right back to the established routine.</span></p></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="m_-7004860158489035913text" style="table-layout: fixed; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td align="left" class="m_-7004860158489035913text_content-cell m_-7004860158489035913content-padding-horizontal" style="color: #403f42; display: block; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 10px 20px 10px 10px;" valign="top"><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2805471460666960029.post-20267381188187695762023-11-03T09:16:00.003-07:002023-11-03T09:16:32.820-07:00Strep Throat 2023<p> </p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p align="center" style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 23px;">Strep Throat 2023</span></p><p align="center" style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">Strep throat is a bacterial infection most commonly caused by the Group A streptococcus bacteria. There are other strains of strep bacteria (Group D, Group G, and others), which can cause sore throats, but typically heal on their own without treatment and do not lead to serious concerns.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">Classic strep throat illness is most common in school-aged kids, but people of any age can get it. It is quite unusual for babies under 2 years of age to have it, but there are always exceptions. This age preference is due to the receptors on tonsil tissue between the ages of 5 and 15, which have a much greater affinity for the strep bacteria than at any other age. </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; text-decoration-line: underline;">Symptoms</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">Someone with strep throat will usually present with one or more of these:</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><ul style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><li style="color: black; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Sore throat</li><li style="color: black; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Fever</li><li style="color: black; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Body aches</li><li style="color: black; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Headache</li><li style="color: black; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Stomach ache</li><li style="color: black; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Nausea</li><li style="color: black; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Dizziness</li><li style="color: black; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Smelly breath</li><li style="color: black; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">A red sandpapery rash all over the body that starts in the armpits</li><li style="color: black; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">In kids under 5, the primary symptom might be more congestion than sore throat</li><li style="color: black; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">NOTE: Typically the strep throat 'package' does not come along with a lot of congestion. If I am hearing about an older child with lots of coughing, clear mucus and sore throat, it is more likely viral.</li></ul><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">Strep with the rash may be referred to as Scarlet fever...sounds scary right?? Indeed it used to be. Now that we have antibiotics to treat it, strep throat with Scarlet Fever is not much more alarming than simple strep.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">Get out your little flashlight and do some checking. If you are lucky enough maybe they will actually open their mouth; most of the time the throat will look quite red. You may see red or white patches in the throat or on the palate (the back part of the roof of the mouth.)</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">The tongue might have red and white patches. This is referred to as strawberry tongue for obvious reasons. Feel around the neck and see if the glands feel swollen. Sniff the breath. Often parents call me and say that it smells like their kids swallowed a 'swamp creature'. The breath smells yucky.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;">Not everyone has all the symptoms.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">Be aware that children under 5 often say that their "mouth" or “neck” hurts, but they are talking about their throat.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">Some folks don't even complain about a sore throat and some cases don't present with an elevated temperature.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">Complaining of tummy and headache with sore throat should significantly increase your suspicion for strep throat, especially in the absence of cough and congestion.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">While nausea and tummy aches are quite frequent with strep, add diarrhea to the mix and I am no longer as suspicious. Nausea plus loose stools is usually more of a tummy bug of sorts.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; text-decoration-line: underline;">Contagiousness</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">Strep throat is quite contagious, but it is not uncommon for some family members to have it, while others escape. Remember the difference in tonsil tissue by age? Because of this, some parents might not get strep throat infections from their kids. I would say that in my experience the odds are about 50/50. (The minute someone in your family gets that sore throat I would suggest sucking on a zinc lozenge and some Sambucol; maybe you will get lucky.)</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">Some patients also seem way more susceptible to strep than others. I used to get it all the time until I had my tonsils out. That is not an uncommon story. </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">The incubation period ranges from 1-5 days but most of the time folks show the first symptoms about 2-3 days after exposure. You can catch it from being in close contact with someone else who has it. If you treat with antibiotics (which is recommended) you are not contagious once you have completed 24 hours of the medication. If you don't treat it, you remain contagious and can spread the illness for about 3 weeks.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #232323; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; text-decoration-line: underline;">How to avoid strep:</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">Strep throat, while very contagious in school-aged children, is easy to avoid with good technique. Since it lives on surfaces, good old fashioned hand hygiene is very effective at decreasing spread.</span></p><ul style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><li style="color: black; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Wash hands well with soap and water</li><li style="color: black; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Wiping down surfaces, especially in the bathroom, kitchen, doorknobs, and cell phones, makes a difference</li><li style="color: black; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Don’t apologize for wearing a mask in a crowd</li><li style="color: black; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Avoid swapping spit, sharing drinks, etc</li><li style="color: black; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Replace toothbrushes for household contacts with strep</li></ul><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; text-decoration-line: underline;">Do you need treatment?</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">Given enough time, strep can resolve by itself but the antibiotics absolutely shorten the severity and duration of the illness, decrease the infectiousness to others, and significantly decrease the risk of complications. Untreated strep throat can lead to complications later on, such as rheumatic fever and heart valve problems.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">It is impossible to have real statistics about this. Most folks don't jump into the doctor's office every time they have a sore throat. There are likely millions of untreated cases of strep out there at any given time and of course most of them will have no issues in the future. However, better safe than sorry. If we know you have a case of strep throat, we will strongly advise that you do a course of antibiotics.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; text-decoration-line: underline;">Testing for strep:</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">Many doctor’s offices will test with a rapid NAAT test that is very reliable (it’s like PCR). With the newer technology, most offices are no longer sending swabs out for culture (the 24 hour result).</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">If your child hates the swab there are 2 things you can do to help.</span></p><ol style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><li style="color: black; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">First is to have them lift their legs when they are saying AAAAH. The brain gets confused by this and forgets to gag.</li><li style="color: black; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Another tip that I learned from a 3 year old patient is to growl like a lion. The growling is the perfect way to open up the throat and the mouth for that swab to sneak in.</li></ol><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">Most in-office testing specific for Group A strep. There are different strains of the strep bacteria that can cause various infections. If the in-office test is negative, and you’ve had chronic (more than a week) symptoms, it is sometimes possible to test for other forms of strep bacteria by asking for a special test to be sent out to a lab. Ask your provider about this.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; text-decoration-line: underline;">A note on strep “carriers</span><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;">:</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">Some folks are carriers. This means that they have a small amount of the bacteria living in their body all of the time and it doesn't make them ill. Those folks may be positive all the time on testing, even when they feel well. This gets confusing, because they might separately catch a virus, go to the office, get tested for strep, turn out positive, but the strep bacteria wasn’t causing their symptoms. Unless you </span><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic;">know</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;"> you’re a carrier, it’s usually worth it to simply treat a positive result.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;">Symptomatic treatments until the antibiotics kick in</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><ul style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><li style="color: black; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Tylenol or Motrin (we are treating pain, not necessarily fever)</li><li style="color: black; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Lozenges</li><li style="color: black; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Tea with honey (no honey for kids until one year old)</li><li style="color: black; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Check out <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D001Zpks9URQ_MXrJ_h2s91-e4YttZ5Q1tQAzwnlSTq4iGiH6IKWiDNWFeu0nJAzYLIhn8FlLnCrOsEqZEj_G6iV_-z0JnVPSrfe8eCgvzTXNwByHKzndoWGkQu9a52Y46TAH3Fr2b9pbZGZsGmRZ42nxA%3D%3D%26c%3DZ7qVW9T3UKUhVvzJHtrctiM4jnanss7dHZKvZPXsNNgYsRS-Roh7mg%3D%3D%26ch%3DBZAjYmyjnvVHBPDIdmXCiMyHmua6xLQPzVnqWlVhlNSoU-lfdQIiWQ%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1699114529869000&usg=AOvVaw1r1iw7eNfEg3cLYALISKp7" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001Zpks9URQ_MXrJ_h2s91-e4YttZ5Q1tQAzwnlSTq4iGiH6IKWiDNWFeu0nJAzYLIhn8FlLnCrOsEqZEj_G6iV_-z0JnVPSrfe8eCgvzTXNwByHKzndoWGkQu9a52Y46TAH3Fr2b9pbZGZsGmRZ42nxA==&c=Z7qVW9T3UKUhVvzJHtrctiM4jnanss7dHZKvZPXsNNgYsRS-Roh7mg==&ch=BZAjYmyjnvVHBPDIdmXCiMyHmua6xLQPzVnqWlVhlNSoU-lfdQIiWQ==" style="color: black; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Manuka honey</a> if you can find it. Not all honey is created equal.</li><li style="color: black; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Gargling with salt water</li><li style="color: black; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Popsicles</li><li style="color: black; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Cold fruit nectar</li><li style="color: black; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Having a humidifier running at night.</li></ul><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; text-decoration-line: underline;">Antibiotic treatment</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">There are two most common oral antibiotics, and a shot is available for children that are unable to tolerate oral antibiotics.</span></p><ul style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><li style="color: black; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Amoxicillin: great taste, and can be given once a day every day for 10 days (much easier than two or three times a day like it used to be)</li><li style="color: black; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Penicillin: vile tasting liquid, so not recommended for little kids. In its pill form, it needs to be given 2-3 times per day, but has a more “narrow spectrum” aka can preserve the gut microbiome better than amoxicillin. Be aware, the urine might smell funky during treatment.</li><li style="color: black; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Penicillin injection: one and done, but it’s large and painful. Best for kids that absolutely cannot tolerate medicine or are vomiting.</li><li style="color: black; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">For people who are allergic to penicillin or amoxicillin: azithromycin can be given daily for 5 days, but please note that it’s at a higher dose than what is used for ear infections or pneumonia.</li></ul><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">If you do end up being treated with antibiotics, it is important that you finish the entire course. If you are not seeing an improvement within 72 hours of starting the medication, make sure you check in with your doctor. It is rare, but strep can lead to serious complications including abscesses on the tonsils, ear infections as well as kidney problems.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">Some studies conclude that if you do end up on antibiotics, </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D001VZICsjMj6KMM2csei74kjSYhdinO_BLTuH_TGOB982j36FnZ4Bxq8MxPF9wLkAuRDh_dO3JpZaWgDc3zPxN0cjrdpBJIJ_O2DXKKz_65_dwsI8BDqPV8egHHEuLmBUm5mnZNyVrBiwP8xus7SW7_rr5vtMRlNf00S5DdVqyoZnw2opq2Z9cPcv0RrGwrtyZXGum3d7Wepm8%3D%26c%3DZ7GCVlIBTPAP_-oUjK7ejU4eFzjxxzaA8IA7lBTY7ozseofTbLG0zg%3D%3D%26ch%3D1Ll0JIoxrx7aM3CIiSx-gSb_kw46DZQeVv7LDK3wZUJpmPR5pojwZg%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1699114529869000&usg=AOvVaw2hCm8_fFoGn1p3KDH7Vjho" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001VZICsjMj6KMM2csei74kjSYhdinO_BLTuH_TGOB982j36FnZ4Bxq8MxPF9wLkAuRDh_dO3JpZaWgDc3zPxN0cjrdpBJIJ_O2DXKKz_65_dwsI8BDqPV8egHHEuLmBUm5mnZNyVrBiwP8xus7SW7_rr5vtMRlNf00S5DdVqyoZnw2opq2Z9cPcv0RrGwrtyZXGum3d7Wepm8=&c=Z7GCVlIBTPAP_-oUjK7ejU4eFzjxxzaA8IA7lBTY7ozseofTbLG0zg==&ch=1Ll0JIoxrx7aM3CIiSx-gSb_kw46DZQeVv7LDK3wZUJpmPR5pojwZg==" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">taking probiotics can help keep a healthy gut</a><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">A national shortage of Amoxicillin was announced by the FDA in late October 2022 and as of November 2023 there is no end in sight. It is the powder that is used to make the liquid that is in short supply. Fortunately here in the Bay Area, patients don't seem to be having issues. (Thank you to Dr. Sophia and Dr. Ted)</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">If you are living in an area where you are having trouble finding it, It might be time for your older kid to learn how to swallow pills</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D001VZICsjMj6KMM2csei74kjSYhdinO_BLTuH_TGOB982j36FnZ4Bxq8JZbKl75mwIicczgVD_b9nXliJtIoeldYO0qLhYQq1PLApimSWsAMQqWLyyAEV8-PRrZrKBLz-lN5LzX26PwDA3JTrdtgzW01dugcDg_fXjX6SO6dLUTAehfzf4mD_qPLm-6MotLuGGFNA3yBw8wOq3RrNmcD_a_rAiBM7kOo9l2W_hHbEl4tKg%3D%26c%3DZ7GCVlIBTPAP_-oUjK7ejU4eFzjxxzaA8IA7lBTY7ozseofTbLG0zg%3D%3D%26ch%3D1Ll0JIoxrx7aM3CIiSx-gSb_kw46DZQeVv7LDK3wZUJpmPR5pojwZg%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1699114529869000&usg=AOvVaw2pR_N9ITt4sHmYvgkkhtLJ" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001VZICsjMj6KMM2csei74kjSYhdinO_BLTuH_TGOB982j36FnZ4Bxq8JZbKl75mwIicczgVD_b9nXliJtIoeldYO0qLhYQq1PLApimSWsAMQqWLyyAEV8-PRrZrKBLz-lN5LzX26PwDA3JTrdtgzW01dugcDg_fXjX6SO6dLUTAehfzf4mD_qPLm-6MotLuGGFNA3yBw8wOq3RrNmcD_a_rAiBM7kOo9l2W_hHbEl4tKg=&c=Z7GCVlIBTPAP_-oUjK7ejU4eFzjxxzaA8IA7lBTY7ozseofTbLG0zg==&ch=1Ll0JIoxrx7aM3CIiSx-gSb_kw46DZQeVv7LDK3wZUJpmPR5pojwZg==" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">My post on giving medications gives some tips for how to teach them to do that</a></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #1b1b1b; font-size: 20px;"> </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;">Change your toothbrush 24 hours after starting the antibiotics so that you don't get reinfected!</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; text-decoration-line: underline;">Rare complications</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">There are some exceedingly rare complications of strep throat that should not occupy your mind but are nonetheless good to know about in case some of their unique symptoms appear after strep:</span></p><ul style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><li style="color: black; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Abscesses: shortly after or during infection, pus can collect in the spaces behind the mouth and throat in the neck. This is serious and often requires an emergency room visit. These children will have extremely high fever, a “hot potato” voice (very muffled), and an inability to close their mouth or turn their head. They are often drooling excessively.</li><li style="color: black; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Rheumatic fever: a serious fever that develops 2-4 weeks after strep throat infection. It has an autoimmune cause, and can be associated with joint pains, involuntary movements, and heart valve problems. Treating the initial strep infection with antibiotics will reduce the risk of this by about 70%. </li><li style="color: black; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis (say that five times fast): an extremely rare condition in the US, it’s characterized by decreased urination about 2-3 weeks after infection. The urine that comes out is very dark, possibly bloody. There may be puffiness in the face and arms. This is not typically associated with a fever.</li><li style="color: black; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">PANDAS (Pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorder associated with group A streptococci, say that ten times fast): an even more extremely rare disorder, this is an autoimmune condition characterized by the extremely abrupt exacerbation or onset of OCD disorder or tic disorder symptoms. The timing can be weeks to months after strep infection, and treatment remains poorly understood. Time seems to improve symptoms, but pediatric rheumatologists and infectious disease doctors can use steroids or naproxen. </li></ul><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">Giant shout out to Dr. Ted. We have so much fun diving through updated data while we work on these, as well as going down some remarkable rabbit holes along the way.</span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2805471460666960029.post-8894139121830611892023-10-27T10:40:00.004-07:002023-10-27T10:40:55.106-07:00My favorite piece of advice<p> </p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />Earlier this week my daughter Lauren shared an instagram post with me. Emily Oster (I am sure most of you are familiar with her) was calling on pediatricians, nurses and caregivers to send her their absolutely favorite piece of advice. But as I am instagram challenged, her post disappeared before I was able to respond.</span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;"> Here is what I was going to submit. </span></p><p align="center" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #461f7c; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold;">What is the one best piece of advice that you would give to a new parent?</span></p><p align="center" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p align="center" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #461f7c; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold;">Here is mine:</span></p><p align="center" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">I have been a pediatric advice nurse for more than 40 years and I love this question. I gave it a little thought and settled on one issue that rises to the top for me.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">My biggest piece of advice is actually learning HOW to handle the barrage of opinions and advice that most parents get. There are actually fewer rules that are set in stone than you might think. No situation, baby or family is exactly the same. Parents, grandparents, friends and even pediatricians have their own ideas of what is correct or forbidden.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">I tell new parents to expect this and not to be overwhelmed by all of the well intentioned advice that is coming their way.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"></span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Gather all the little nuggets. Put them in a little imaginary bucket. You and if you have a partner pick the ones that resonate with you. Your instincts matter. Did it work? Excellent! Did it NOT work so well? Okay, go back to the bucket and see what else is in there.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">I actually did this with my own mother-in-law who had strong views of how to do things (understatement)!</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">This is how I handled her.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">“Mom, thanks so much for your opinion, We will definitely put this on the list of things that we might try”</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">The key here is learning to communicate and work as a team with your partner. There is no better time to start.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Speaking of partners, my husband Sandy told me to add his one favorite piece of advice… Don't drop them! (don't ask why he wanted to add this one ;-) !</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;" /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2805471460666960029.post-4640153819105818782023-10-20T08:54:00.004-07:002023-10-20T08:54:45.733-07:00Earthquakes and Natural disasters<p> </p><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="m_-5118105349921975732image--mobile-scale m_-5118105349921975732image--mobile-center" style="table-layout: fixed; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td align="center" class="m_-5118105349921975732image_container m_-5118105349921975732content-padding-horizontal" style="margin: 0px; padding: 10px 20px 10px 10px;" valign="top"><img alt="" class="CToWUd a6T" data-bit="iit" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEjgi4biQTf_EPiw4C5CZbJ1dbAM6-2WA1lRdKRD8qB-7ZTNKE0AquOeqMfiPkzUf3C0362rxg8tPYrC1aqsmTRgAu_CYoEfITAnlWia-WIbqBlWfyJL-GmgBkv0cCFJND3YegsbHUfnhGj9B1OXLYUGx0_6V4rSlBZ_OTTEi2BgAdBhPzpj8OWWaV0wV9vZ3gf22APRz2I=s0-d-e1-ft" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: auto; max-width: 100%; outline: 0px;" tabindex="0" width="417" /></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="m_-5118105349921975732text" style="table-layout: fixed; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td align="left" class="m_-5118105349921975732text_content-cell m_-5118105349921975732content-padding-horizontal" style="color: #403f42; display: block; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 10px 20px 10px 10px;" valign="top"><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p align="center" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #461f7c; font-size: 24px; font-weight: bold;">Earthquakes and Natural disasters</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">This week is the anniversary of the Loma Prieta earthquake. The earthquake struck at 5:04 pm on Tuesday, October 17th 1989. The shaking lasted 20 seconds. Many of you reading this might be too young to recall it. Like many monumental events, people who lived through it can tell you exactly where they were and what they were doing when it struck.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">I can remember it like it was yesterday.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold;">My Loma Prieta story </span><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">(scroll down if you want to skip to the preparedness aspect of this post).</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">I will start by mentioning that I had airline tickets for a flight at 7am on October 18th to go to visit my parents in Pittsburgh. On this particular visit, I would be traveling with my 26 month old daughter Lauren. Sandy was not coming with us. The morning of October 17th, I got a call from USAir. There was an equipment change. Would we be willing to switch our reservation the next day from the 7 am flight to one that departed at 11 am? In return we would get 2 round trip tickets for a future flight. We could still keep the bulkhead seats at the front of the plane. To this day, I have never since heard of an airline reaching out the day before travel for something like this. In any event, this was a no-brainer, I was happy to make the swap.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">After the call from the airline, as per our daily routine, I dropped Lauren off. Lauren spent her days at a family daycare in the home of a magical person named Jeanine. ‘Gigi’ lived out by the zoo and tended to 4-5 kids at a time.They took walks, read poetry and did yoga. Everyone should be so lucky to find such a loving and wise childcare provider. In the playroom where they spend much of their time was an ornate telephone that was off limits. The kids all knew the rules. No touching the phone. More about this later.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">After depositing Lauren at Jeanine's, I headed to work in Noe Valley. Sandy worked downtown and at the end of his day would take the underground Muni back to our house where he would get his car and then go pick her up.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">My day at the Noe Valley Pediatrics office was wrapping up and I was on the phone with a remarkably long winded mom. I tend to be fairly patient, but this woman wasn’t even coming up for air. She was going on and on about something when suddenly she shouted earthquake and the call ended. I confess that I looked upwards and mouthed a little ‘thank you” for getting her off the phone. It took a moment or so until I too felt the shaking. The entire building rocked and rolled. The lights went out. A good bit of the water sloshed out of the fish tank that we had in the waiting room.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">It was a long 20 seconds. All of us who were in the office ran to the doorways and held on. When it was over I was consumed with only one thought. I had to get to Sandy and Lauren to make sure they were okay. </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">This was long before we all had cell phones. I had no way of knowing if Sandy was stuck on muni or if he had picked up Lauren before the earthquake struck. There is no question about it. Being away from your child adds a whole new element to any natural disaster.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">I left immediately for home. Along the way I was struck by how well cars were behaving in a mannerly fashion. Every corner became a 4 way stop since all the traffic lights were out. At some of the bigger intersections, good samaritans were out directing traffic.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">I made it home safely, listening to the radio and hearing terrifying reports coming in of collapsing highways and bridges. I was doing my best to remain calm. It wasn’t easy. I was finally able to breathe when I saw that Sandy and Lauren were at home waiting for me and that was when I burst into tears.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">Back at Gigi’s, Jeanine had stepped out of the room for a moment and at 5:04 Lauren took the opportunity to be a little naughty and picked up the forbidden telephone receiver.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">Sandy had just arrived at Jeanine’s when the shaking started. He was right outside the gate and was able to see Lauren.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">Her expression was priceless. Oh, this is why you shouldn’t touch the phone! She hurriedly returned the phone to its cradle and looked around to see if anyone noticed what she had done. For years, thanks to her dad, she was pretty convinced that she caused the earthquake.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">Once we were all home and together, the situation was much easier to handle. We spent the evening outside with neighbors taking turns listening to radios and trying to get a handle on damage and casualties.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">Remember my flight the next day? The original 7 am one ended up being canceled. My 11 am one was the first flight to take off post earthquake.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">Those were the good old days when anyone could walk to the gate. My parents were at the gate waiting for us with baited breath. The area was also loaded with reporters waiting to interview the ‘survivors’. My mom had been chatting with one of the reporters.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">Since Lauren and I were in the front of the plane we were the first to get off. The light bulbs were flashing and we ended up on the front page of the now defunct Pittsburgh Post Gazette.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">The front page article was full of wild misquotes, but so it goes. The photo is of my mom giving me a big hug. My dad is grinning in the background. (For those readers who have read previous posts about my family, there should be no surprise that they kept a copy of the paper)</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold;">It is perfectly normal for the thought of natural disasters to create a hum of anxiety.</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;"></span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">Different locations seem to have their specific menu of terrors. Here in the Bay Area our big ones are wildfires and earthquakes. The key to dealing with potential disasters in a sensible way is to do some preparation ahead of time.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">If you have children, then you simply must have a plan. Sandy and I had certainly talked about needing to do that, but it never got off the to do list.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">This is the nudge for every family that hasn't done so yet, to take care of this now.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">How will your family reunite if you are separated? Check with schools and daycares to see what their plan is.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">Remember that cell phones might not work, so you can’t count on them as part of your plan. Landlines are sometimes a better bet, but so many people no longer have those. (As an aside, Sandy, who worked for one of the world's largest telecom companies, says that while the cell phones might not work for calls, there is a chance that texting might still work.)</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">I am not going to completely reinvent the wheel. At the bottom of the post are some comprehensive checklists from some excellent sites, but here are some of the basics that come to mind.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold;">Making sure your home is safe and well stocked</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><ul style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><li style="color: black; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Anchor furniture to walls, </li><li style="color: black; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">make sure glassware and delicate objects can’t fall</li><li style="color: black; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Have an accessible flashlight and plenty of batteries.Where are they? If the lights went off right now and it was dark out, could you find that flashlight? Remember that your cell phones do have a flashlight feature that can help you get situated, but you are likely going to want to not squander the charge on your phone if you have a better option</li><li style="color: black; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Have enough food. Make sure you have a can opener that doesn't require power.</li><li style="font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black;">Have unscented bleach on hand. </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D0017hiw4yXen28VMtNMw_aYuUbQnErm40z_XnCziOdUi8taIuL4Lxv6oaKoe-s-QlfiE_YhW86AtyaH5CvYfNPZ9oSlXRfZXqE16waRKCaAo5mlYvXqshxB0ArVU3Wzrmi9EIZsVpg3mts3PDIljdGsOOGGF8et8ODDup2Cwq2ck-DyBKSHoSwcNID2qlxZqb0lfrUxm6RU0JwHfN5C9RRXzhCUJpLvlJYR9H9h3aia6co%3D%26c%3DEWw-Q_utdaMvLoq6_GZtslMxnNMDFOu6qcyF8A-zl5LPHhvE_RZH0A%3D%3D%26ch%3Dt2THmMvspsxNZFWOqVhw8dV4c6w_HS4xGxUydVpSRKW3paYl0zBtSQ%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1697903522259000&usg=AOvVaw3egxejlBesesGGb6KYaVb1" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0017hiw4yXen28VMtNMw_aYuUbQnErm40z_XnCziOdUi8taIuL4Lxv6oaKoe-s-QlfiE_YhW86AtyaH5CvYfNPZ9oSlXRfZXqE16waRKCaAo5mlYvXqshxB0ArVU3Wzrmi9EIZsVpg3mts3PDIljdGsOOGGF8et8ODDup2Cwq2ck-DyBKSHoSwcNID2qlxZqb0lfrUxm6RU0JwHfN5C9RRXzhCUJpLvlJYR9H9h3aia6co=&c=EWw-Q_utdaMvLoq6_GZtslMxnNMDFOu6qcyF8A-zl5LPHhvE_RZH0A==&ch=t2THmMvspsxNZFWOqVhw8dV4c6w_HS4xGxUydVpSRKW3paYl0zBtSQ==" style="color: #1155cc; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">https://www.epa.gov/ground-<wbr></wbr>water-and-drinking-water/<wbr></wbr>emergency-disinfection-<wbr></wbr>drinking-water</a></li><li style="color: black; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Have some heavy duty gloves on hand to help you clean up any sharp items that may have broken during the shaking.</li><li style="color: black; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Have enough diapers, pet food and medications</li><li style="color: black; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Consider getting a fireproof safe for important documents</li><li style="color: black; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Uncle Joel's rule...</span> Have cash on hand. Make some of it small bills. There is a good chance that the ATMs won’t be working. We took this lesson from our Uncle Joel who survived Hurricane Andrew in Miami. He had very little cash and without family getting him some funds, he would have had a tough time until the power was restored.</li></ul><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold;">Okay, what if it is a situation where you need to evacuate?</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><ul style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><li style="color: black; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Don’t let your gas tank go below ⅓ of a tank</li><li style="color: black; font-size: 15px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">It is a good idea to have a "grab and go" backpack full of emergency stuff in your trunk. This might come in handy much more often than you think and not just in a natural disaster. You never know when an extra layer, change of clothes or snack will come in handy. Include some games or activities.</li></ul><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">In any case, make sure that you routinely restock and rotate supplies.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">The twice a year clock shifts are a great time to do this. When you are done changing the battery in your smoke detector, take a look at your emergency stash. Get rid of anything that is about to expire and make sure that you update sizes for spare clothes and diapers.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">This list was just a start. I highly recommend checking out the links below and use them to help you create a comprehensive plan.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D0017hiw4yXen28VMtNMw_aYuUbQnErm40z_XnCziOdUi8taIuL4Lxv6oaKoe-s-QlfiDPHEsUkZYOHSdJvGLEbv1l-1sQA_UHQ28jcU1x07i2H8Otsv5gHPWSmUZUUdCDPqDrBQBknBt1wsuKod_odIdBqXULWgbMlK%26c%3DEWw-Q_utdaMvLoq6_GZtslMxnNMDFOu6qcyF8A-zl5LPHhvE_RZH0A%3D%3D%26ch%3Dt2THmMvspsxNZFWOqVhw8dV4c6w_HS4xGxUydVpSRKW3paYl0zBtSQ%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1697903522259000&usg=AOvVaw0b380np515NLGiIxhIJpLb" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0017hiw4yXen28VMtNMw_aYuUbQnErm40z_XnCziOdUi8taIuL4Lxv6oaKoe-s-QlfiDPHEsUkZYOHSdJvGLEbv1l-1sQA_UHQ28jcU1x07i2H8Otsv5gHPWSmUZUUdCDPqDrBQBknBt1wsuKod_odIdBqXULWgbMlK&c=EWw-Q_utdaMvLoq6_GZtslMxnNMDFOu6qcyF8A-zl5LPHhvE_RZH0A==&ch=t2THmMvspsxNZFWOqVhw8dV4c6w_HS4xGxUydVpSRKW3paYl0zBtSQ==" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">https://www.ready.gov/<wbr></wbr>earthquakes</a></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D0017hiw4yXen28VMtNMw_aYuUbQnErm40z_XnCziOdUi8taIuL4Lxv6oaKoe-s-Qlfiuyq_YX1ynBMV-MHE37uh_bub-2K3lVTWs0w4Si0T2Ww0aDDoc_QcVqNWygTf-uCUCv-kp28kWiGRuo2bErXh2dvBIQ44-Zkm0G6ySItdvtxbcl310MqvqGjveoUSHt7n%26c%3DEWw-Q_utdaMvLoq6_GZtslMxnNMDFOu6qcyF8A-zl5LPHhvE_RZH0A%3D%3D%26ch%3Dt2THmMvspsxNZFWOqVhw8dV4c6w_HS4xGxUydVpSRKW3paYl0zBtSQ%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1697903522260000&usg=AOvVaw1qsQ0hOLo-NvbhuLJbrlbs" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0017hiw4yXen28VMtNMw_aYuUbQnErm40z_XnCziOdUi8taIuL4Lxv6oaKoe-s-Qlfiuyq_YX1ynBMV-MHE37uh_bub-2K3lVTWs0w4Si0T2Ww0aDDoc_QcVqNWygTf-uCUCv-kp28kWiGRuo2bErXh2dvBIQ44-Zkm0G6ySItdvtxbcl310MqvqGjveoUSHt7n&c=EWw-Q_utdaMvLoq6_GZtslMxnNMDFOu6qcyF8A-zl5LPHhvE_RZH0A==&ch=t2THmMvspsxNZFWOqVhw8dV4c6w_HS4xGxUydVpSRKW3paYl0zBtSQ==" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">https://www.cdc.gov/disasters/<wbr></wbr>earthquakes/prepared.html</a></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D0017hiw4yXen28VMtNMw_aYuUbQnErm40z_XnCziOdUi8taIuL4Lxv6oaKoe-s-QlfiZw-4lIGW97CMIBbn-6olwWDDAMZ110AVvOn-XyJuQ2fzOzBJ2he32n45NK0bvNGRZp7UTS7IXm1Ss8xNdy31QVybpqPcan9nrZxZAd_joBs%3D%26c%3DEWw-Q_utdaMvLoq6_GZtslMxnNMDFOu6qcyF8A-zl5LPHhvE_RZH0A%3D%3D%26ch%3Dt2THmMvspsxNZFWOqVhw8dV4c6w_HS4xGxUydVpSRKW3paYl0zBtSQ%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1697903522260000&usg=AOvVaw1tVPKj5854ZAQD0N5fJgc_" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0017hiw4yXen28VMtNMw_aYuUbQnErm40z_XnCziOdUi8taIuL4Lxv6oaKoe-s-QlfiZw-4lIGW97CMIBbn-6olwWDDAMZ110AVvOn-XyJuQ2fzOzBJ2he32n45NK0bvNGRZp7UTS7IXm1Ss8xNdy31QVybpqPcan9nrZxZAd_joBs=&c=EWw-Q_utdaMvLoq6_GZtslMxnNMDFOu6qcyF8A-zl5LPHhvE_RZH0A==&ch=t2THmMvspsxNZFWOqVhw8dV4c6w_HS4xGxUydVpSRKW3paYl0zBtSQ==" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">https://www.sfchronicle.com/<wbr></wbr>survival/</a></p></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="m_-5118105349921975732text" style="table-layout: fixed; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td align="left" class="m_-5118105349921975732text_content-cell m_-5118105349921975732content-padding-horizontal" style="color: #403f42; display: block; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 10px 20px 10px 10px;" valign="top"><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br style="background-color: white;" /></p></td></tr></tbody></table>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2805471460666960029.post-57180633031177690262023-10-13T09:04:00.001-07:002023-10-13T09:04:10.277-07:00Dealing with Bullies 2023<p> </p><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="m_5944152631443992099text" style="table-layout: fixed; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td align="left" class="m_5944152631443992099text_content-cell m_5944152631443992099content-padding-horizontal" style="color: #403f42; display: block; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 10px 20px 10px 10px;" valign="top"><p align="center" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #461f7c; font-size: 21px; font-weight: bold;">Dealing with Bullies</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">October is National Bully Awareness month.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">There has never been a more important time to teach our children about tolerance and kindness. Bullies can start their habits when they are really young. Now that kids are back at school, they need to be given the tools for how to deal with bully situations.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">The fact is, kids can be so mean sometimes. I am not sure if it is harder to watch your child be bullied or to be the bully. In my case, for a period of time when our daughter Lauren was four, she was getting routinely picked on by another little girl at preschool. To compound things, this girl was in my carpool. I would drive the kids to school three days a week. Carpool parents - be aware of this astonishing fact. You are invisible. You are privy to all sorts of interactions and conversations that might leave you either horrified or amused as you drive the car full of kids hither and thither. In this case I had to watch Emily torture Lauren every single day, impervious to the fact that I was in the car. As infuriating as it was to witness, I was lucky that at least I was able to see and hear what was going on.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">This is what I would hear, with mild daily variations:</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">Emily: "Your shirt is ugly"</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">Lauren (clearly upset): "what? why?"</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">Emily: "I have a special thing I brought for show and tell and I am going to let everyone else in the car have a peek except you"</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">Lauren: "But I want to see it too!"</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">Emily: "You can't come to my birthday party"</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">Lauren (even more upset): "Why?" </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">After a few weeks of this I realized that I needed to stage an intervention.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">I drew two faces. One was a smiley face with pretty eyelashes. The other was a grumpy frowny face. I then said to Lauren " Which one would you like to be?" I was dealing with a four year old girl, this wasn't rocket science. As predicted she pointed to the smiling image. I touched the grumpy drawing and said " Emily seems to want to turn your smiley face into a grumpy face. I wonder if you could keep the smile on your face on even when someone is being mean. Let's try!"</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">We got out the trusted barbie dolls and did some role playing.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">(for those of you who saw the recent Barbie movie, our collection absolutely included 'weird Barbie').</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">We spent a dramatic session as Barbie cheerfully let all sorts of slights and insults roll off her very shapely back. We created an assortment of interesting scenarios. Barbie never lost her cool.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">I wasn't quite ready to paint Emily as a complete bully. I liked her parents and she wasn't mean 100% of the time. I tried to give her an out. As we put the Barbie's away I said, "I wonder why Emily says mean things sometimes. Maybe she is feeling grumpy herself because she is a little tired."</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">The very next day in the car I was interested to see if all of our practice would make a difference. It didn't take long to find out.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">Emily: "your shirt is ugly"</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">Lauren (Through the rear view mirror I could see a big fake smile plastered on her face)</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">"Luckily, you don't need to wear it. I think your shirt is pretty."</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">Emily: "you can't see my sharing"</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">Lauren: "I am sure it is very interesting"</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">Emily. "You can't come to my party"</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">Lauren: "I hope you have a fun time"</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">From the driver's seat I watched Emily become more and more confused and upset that her power seemed to be slipping. I refrained from giving an audible whoop and driving into the bushes.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">And then...</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">Lauren (in a sickeningly sweet voice): "Are you a bit tired Emily?"</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">Emily (grumpy): "NO, I'm NOT tired"</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">Lauren (knowingly): "I think you must be a little tired"</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">No one watching could have accused her of doing anything wrong but she had discovered a way to gently torture Emily a bit, and she was running with it.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">A few weeks later I was at a school event and I bumped into Emily's dad who drove the carpool the other two days. He said to me, "something is going on in the car that I don't understand". "Oh? What would that be?" asked the innocent mom. "Lauren keeps asking Emily if she is tired and Emily starts getting very upset". Hmm.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">As you can see, finding one on one time and playing through things can be quite effective. If you can, it is also helpful to identify the "nice kids" in the class. Ask your child who they might like to play with, reach out to that family and try to arrange some play dates outside of school time. If your child can have some solid allies in the social group, it makes it much easier to stand up to, or deal with someone else who is unkind. Keep in mind that it is a rare friend that is completely reliable. They all have days where they "might be tired". </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">Was Emily actually a bully? Perhaps she was looking for attention or actually just needed a nap. Often young children are really simply trying to figure things out. Nevertheless, if your child is routinely on the either end of hurt feelings, it is worth some attention.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">Looking for other ways to empower your child? Check out</span><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 15px;"> </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D001fTNBFAHjLEcbOa7LpJQWhH6-RRl9tX4WuUmVidCTnquwISxK60alegNRnUsW7Y0saQl0A9heC_MUS9Lqkd6FRgmvsXvMZqxaWvi5Bz7RDQdTAg5XfaJg8bMw0gOfCz7E2s1Qr8LCxAkateFtyzsKJg%3D%3D%26c%3DNPdgIi5prBZW7o-AeKQBgNv0Y0iXt_AVjoAm9mjDDOj-9jKn8Q1giw%3D%3D%26ch%3Dbrmj_9M2tWZhGR4lo1cTxBfI_kgEwCl_P6EPP6hT0j52ggHvQJzhqg%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1697299408197000&usg=AOvVaw0pWfitsRQwW_9RWUEhXIlG" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001fTNBFAHjLEcbOa7LpJQWhH6-RRl9tX4WuUmVidCTnquwISxK60alegNRnUsW7Y0saQl0A9heC_MUS9Lqkd6FRgmvsXvMZqxaWvi5Bz7RDQdTAg5XfaJg8bMw0gOfCz7E2s1Qr8LCxAkateFtyzsKJg==&c=NPdgIi5prBZW7o-AeKQBgNv0Y0iXt_AVjoAm9mjDDOj-9jKn8Q1giw==&ch=brmj_9M2tWZhGR4lo1cTxBfI_kgEwCl_P6EPP6hT0j52ggHvQJzhqg==" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Kidpower</a><span style="font-size: 15px;">. </span><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">This is a fabulous organization that came out of Santa Cruz. They now have groups and classes all over the place. They have an entire section devoted to dealing with bullying with all sorts of really excellent resources:</span><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 15px;"> </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D001fTNBFAHjLEcbOa7LpJQWhH6-RRl9tX4WuUmVidCTnquwISxK60alegNRnUsW7Y0sWA9A1G7UeLl5TK7TDWe5lA8OH45hPy2fLeVStbv1HS2zqPshzz6uotsAkEUSQWvWOddm_MnQwOCBh4-nHv4ETG4q3h-XhUIk%26c%3DNPdgIi5prBZW7o-AeKQBgNv0Y0iXt_AVjoAm9mjDDOj-9jKn8Q1giw%3D%3D%26ch%3Dbrmj_9M2tWZhGR4lo1cTxBfI_kgEwCl_P6EPP6hT0j52ggHvQJzhqg%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1697299408197000&usg=AOvVaw2m8AxfP3qJKSr-XjZNxISQ" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001fTNBFAHjLEcbOa7LpJQWhH6-RRl9tX4WuUmVidCTnquwISxK60alegNRnUsW7Y0sWA9A1G7UeLl5TK7TDWe5lA8OH45hPy2fLeVStbv1HS2zqPshzz6uotsAkEUSQWvWOddm_MnQwOCBh4-nHv4ETG4q3h-XhUIk&c=NPdgIi5prBZW7o-AeKQBgNv0Y0iXt_AVjoAm9mjDDOj-9jKn8Q1giw==&ch=brmj_9M2tWZhGR4lo1cTxBfI_kgEwCl_P6EPP6hT0j52ggHvQJzhqg==" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Kidpower - Bullying</a></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">If all of your efforts at home don't seem to be taking care of the issue, talk to your school to see if they have any anti-bullying programs in place. There is an inspiring program called</span><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 15px;"> </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D001fTNBFAHjLEcbOa7LpJQWhH6-RRl9tX4WuUmVidCTnquwISxK60alegNRnUsW7Y0sSSmswcHdyEXi-YoNor4f4iwgdaH9E-XGymsujf27x7xfp1Lr7I1nfuldMQ34rJf75AiTIauS9bE%3D%26c%3DNPdgIi5prBZW7o-AeKQBgNv0Y0iXt_AVjoAm9mjDDOj-9jKn8Q1giw%3D%3D%26ch%3Dbrmj_9M2tWZhGR4lo1cTxBfI_kgEwCl_P6EPP6hT0j52ggHvQJzhqg%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1697299408197000&usg=AOvVaw1SihIs6393wTz8EfkNwn2i" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001fTNBFAHjLEcbOa7LpJQWhH6-RRl9tX4WuUmVidCTnquwISxK60alegNRnUsW7Y0sSSmswcHdyEXi-YoNor4f4iwgdaH9E-XGymsujf27x7xfp1Lr7I1nfuldMQ34rJf75AiTIauS9bE=&c=NPdgIi5prBZW7o-AeKQBgNv0Y0iXt_AVjoAm9mjDDOj-9jKn8Q1giw==&ch=brmj_9M2tWZhGR4lo1cTxBfI_kgEwCl_P6EPP6hT0j52ggHvQJzhqg==" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">No Bully</a><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D001fTNBFAHjLEcbOa7LpJQWhH6-RRl9tX4WuUmVidCTnquwISxK60alegNRnUsW7Y0s8a9dV21SzZ1Zk34Dosntl0cRSnFAmvnS_L7kDnWqfg8SA3_kSmjRQ5wcnOUHEfeaXWVXC5iDhNV4FH3dMB5EpW3vu6UA2iKr%26c%3DNPdgIi5prBZW7o-AeKQBgNv0Y0iXt_AVjoAm9mjDDOj-9jKn8Q1giw%3D%3D%26ch%3Dbrmj_9M2tWZhGR4lo1cTxBfI_kgEwCl_P6EPP6hT0j52ggHvQJzhqg%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1697299408197000&usg=AOvVaw1JKJU2hJr3h7p7hiEqFWpy" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001fTNBFAHjLEcbOa7LpJQWhH6-RRl9tX4WuUmVidCTnquwISxK60alegNRnUsW7Y0s8a9dV21SzZ1Zk34Dosntl0cRSnFAmvnS_L7kDnWqfg8SA3_kSmjRQ5wcnOUHEfeaXWVXC5iDhNV4FH3dMB5EpW3vu6UA2iKr&c=NPdgIi5prBZW7o-AeKQBgNv0Y0iXt_AVjoAm9mjDDOj-9jKn8Q1giw==&ch=brmj_9M2tWZhGR4lo1cTxBfI_kgEwCl_P6EPP6hT0j52ggHvQJzhqg==" style="color: #4a86e8; font-size: 15px; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"> </a><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 15px;">, </span><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">that got its start in San Francisco. Talk to your school about looking into it. </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">Keep in mind that most of the time you won't actually witness the bullying. Pay attention to your child's mood and behavior. If you notice any dramatic changes make sure you find opportunities for your child to communicate about what may be going on. Sitting with them in a quiet room before bedtime is a great time to do a daily debriefing about the day. In our family that was a ritual.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">Let's turn the tables. If you hear that your child is the bully, or you get to see them in action, make sure that you carve out some one on one time to work on some skills. Some kids seem to be bullies because they simply want attention and don't know a better way of making and keeping friends.Talk to them about kindness. Talk about choices. Find one particular situation that you know about and work on that. "You pushed your sister and made her cry. What was going on? Were you mad, sad, frustrated? What were some other choices that you could have made? What should be the consequence if it happens again? What should be a nice treat/ reward if you make a better choice the next time you are in that situation?"</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">If you find that you are having issues on either side of this spectrum that are beyond your scope, the next step may be having a meeting with your child's teacher.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">Your child may not be directly involved in any bullying but it is the rare child who doesn't see occasional evidence of meanness happening around them. This group of observers are often the kids who can make a real difference. Not only do we want our children to be kind, we also want them to figure out the best way to be brave without putting themselves in danger. Sometimes it takes a certain amount of bravery to play with a child who is a target to the bullies. At the very least talk about reporting any bullying to a grown up or teacher.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">These days with all the social media, a good bit of bullying can happen over cyberspace. Make sure that kids know that you reserve the right to monitor their online accounts. Until they are ready to pay for their own cell phone plans, it is what it is.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">Be observant of you child’s moods and behaviors. If they seem sad or are not having as much fun with friends or at school, find a safe moment where they can communicate and you can help them create a toolbox for working through some of these situations.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #444444; font-size: 15px;"> </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">Kidpower outlines some concrete actions for dealing with this.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D001fTNBFAHjLEcbOa7LpJQWhH6-RRl9tX4WuUmVidCTnquwISxK60alegNRnUsW7Y0sT2PFCUDWOrm6H4lBbVDEvFY4tWeXh84sEAb-CZadIsdiTj1Kbpz3ve_VPSTgs08iJ7YyKc7KblDvrf0C4hamf98eWVq2qL5FIEMMPylStQV0gUZcpu84DKrqzm86lIyh9LcnMbKAZfs%3D%26c%3DNPdgIi5prBZW7o-AeKQBgNv0Y0iXt_AVjoAm9mjDDOj-9jKn8Q1giw%3D%3D%26ch%3Dbrmj_9M2tWZhGR4lo1cTxBfI_kgEwCl_P6EPP6hT0j52ggHvQJzhqg%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1697299408197000&usg=AOvVaw3LRk34XVMNivwSHrS3LHN_" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001fTNBFAHjLEcbOa7LpJQWhH6-RRl9tX4WuUmVidCTnquwISxK60alegNRnUsW7Y0sT2PFCUDWOrm6H4lBbVDEvFY4tWeXh84sEAb-CZadIsdiTj1Kbpz3ve_VPSTgs08iJ7YyKc7KblDvrf0C4hamf98eWVq2qL5FIEMMPylStQV0gUZcpu84DKrqzm86lIyh9LcnMbKAZfs=&c=NPdgIi5prBZW7o-AeKQBgNv0Y0iXt_AVjoAm9mjDDOj-9jKn8Q1giw==&ch=brmj_9M2tWZhGR4lo1cTxBfI_kgEwCl_P6EPP6hT0j52ggHvQJzhqg==" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Kidpower/Cyber bullying</a></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 15px;">Little actions can make an enormous difference to someone.</span></p></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="m_5944152631443992099text" style="table-layout: fixed; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td align="left" class="m_5944152631443992099text_content-cell m_5944152631443992099content-padding-horizontal" style="color: #403f42; display: block; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 10px 20px 10px 10px;" valign="top"><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br style="background-color: white;" /></p></td></tr></tbody></table>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2805471460666960029.post-73690338981879999842023-10-06T09:15:00.004-07:002023-10-13T14:00:24.195-07:00RSV 2023<p> <span face="Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px;">There are still some unanswered questions about the New RSV shots, but with RSV starting to make the rounds, Dr. Ted and I decided it was worth sharing what we do know.</span></p><p><span face="Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></p><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="m_2426088806508334113text" style="table-layout: fixed; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td align="left" class="m_2426088806508334113text_content-cell m_2426088806508334113content-padding-horizontal" style="color: #403f42; display: block; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 10px 20px 10px 10px;" valign="top"><p align="center" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #461f7c; font-size: 21px; font-weight: bold;"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />RSV 2023</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px;">Every year, severe RSV disease is the number one reason babies under 12 months old have to be admitted to hospitals in the US.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px;">November is typically the start of RSV season</span><span style="color: #060606; font-size: 16px;"> but it has come earlier for the past couple of years. Last year at this time t</span><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px;">here were so many cases that nationwide, some children's hospitals were having trouble finding room for all the sick kids.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px;">We are currently starting to see an uptick. If you want to track the numbers for your location, </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D001BOl4kSyUvkPB1VvJVF4R8VTWVGiChE3MGQbkI6ken-NBftFNCuSkmke2DniT0Lif-CdbMeJbjw964vdh-v5VKO2v6TRs9S9aArXVIEyujCBZ8Q11bKTo1T6ODuj0o6OeHRn6dDza4Q4S9ehKUiDuTVqiKY9LR-aM4iresRRGlNb1FHd4esKbsEm2iqToUBD865Lc7mBIfrE%3D%26c%3DnWe52RNQvdiYas58eMli6GclhZUPERcMr5uSWqhBtb4D6gLyqapS_g%3D%3D%26ch%3DxE9IjQZj6Dk31obcnmawQa8dXgSTBYp5pYNxDm-Jd9IGgTuwaOpLmQ%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1696695240720000&usg=AOvVaw1uIjxYWJu5K3KkSfG_Ask1" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001BOl4kSyUvkPB1VvJVF4R8VTWVGiChE3MGQbkI6ken-NBftFNCuSkmke2DniT0Lif-CdbMeJbjw964vdh-v5VKO2v6TRs9S9aArXVIEyujCBZ8Q11bKTo1T6ODuj0o6OeHRn6dDza4Q4S9ehKUiDuTVqiKY9LR-aM4iresRRGlNb1FHd4esKbsEm2iqToUBD865Lc7mBIfrE=&c=nWe52RNQvdiYas58eMli6GclhZUPERcMr5uSWqhBtb4D6gLyqapS_g==&ch=xE9IjQZj6Dk31obcnmawQa8dXgSTBYp5pYNxDm-Jd9IGgTuwaOpLmQ==" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">click here</a></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px;">This post will review</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><ul style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><li style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">What is RSV?</li><li style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">When do you need to worry?</li><li style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Symptomatic treatment</li><li style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">How is it spread and what is the exposure period?</li><li style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Tips to prevent</li><li style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Testing</li><li style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">The brand new RSV shots for babies </li><li style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">The RSV vaccine for pregnant moms</li><li style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">FAQ (including daycare, siblings and nursing moms)</li></ul><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 20px; font-weight: bold;">What is RSV disease?</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px;">Respiratory syncytial (sin-SI-shul) virus, or RSV, is NOT new. It is a common, seasonal virus that is often simply referred to as an especially bad cold. Nearly all children will get their first RSV infection by age 2. Like most viruses, it ranges in its severity from case to case. Let me repeat - I am sorry to say, but your child is likely to get this! No need to freak out…Keep reading.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">RSV often settles in the bronchioles. These are the little airways in the lungs that lead to the microscopic alveoli, the place where oxygen is pulled into the blood.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">The virus causes these little airways to get clogged with mucus, making it difficult for air to pass. This is part of why the virus is so much worse for younger kids. Their smaller airway gets clogged more easily.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px;">Some studies show that somewhere between 25-40% of young infants with the RSV virus will have bronchiolitis or pneumonia. That is a scary statistic, but to balance it out, here is some reassuring data: in the US, 99.4% of kids under 5, and 98.5% of kids under 6 months will not need to be hospitalized with RSV. By far, the majority of cases can be safely managed at home.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px;">You know the wretched colds that knock you flat? Not only do you have a runny nose, sniffling and sneezing, but you also have a harsh, deep cough and fever. That might well be RSV. I actually can almost diagnose it just by hearing the distinctive cough. It is deep, wet and sounds like it hurts. </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px;">RSV can come on slowly, unlike the flu that usually has a sudden ‘hit by a truck’ onset. Generally the first signs are runny nose and decreased appetite. The cough comes along a few days later. It is also common to have mild to moderate fevers that can come and go for several days.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px;">The symptoms are usually at their peak at the 3-5 day mark, but often last 8 days total. It is common for the cough to linger for several weeks.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px;">Unfortunately RSV is not one of those viruses that is ‘one and done’. Sadly it takes multiple exposures before you develop immunity. Adults don’t get as seriously ill, but they still get it and are in for a miserable week. Most folks get RSV about 8 times until they finally seem to be not as vulnerable!</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px;">It spikes again in older folks when the immunity tends to wane. It can sweep through retirement communities, so be cautious for the older adults in your life as well. While hospitalizations for RSV are less frequent than those due to flu or covid, the likelihood for invasive ventilation or death from RSV is double the number from the flu and about the same as covid.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px;">Fortunately there is now a vaccine for people over 60!</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px;"> </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 20px; font-weight: bold;">So how do you know if you need to worry?</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px;">Severe RSV disease symptoms usually include some abnormal breathing but there are some specific things to watch out for.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">As Dr. Ted says, “Respiratory distress looks like your kid ran a baby marathon. It’s not subtle, and kids are not happy.” We worry when:</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><ul style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><li style="color: black; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">The skin is sucking in between or under the ribs with inspiration. These are called retractions.</li><li style="color: black; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">The nostrils might be flaring out, and the baby’s head might be bobbing up and down.</li><li style="color: black; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">The belly might be pulling in and out dramatically with breaths.</li><li style="color: black; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">They might be gasping or grunting</li><li style="color: black; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">There might be a bluish color around the mouth or fingernails</li><li style="color: black; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">There might be coughing or wheezing that feels constant </li><li style="color: black; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">The rate of breathing is fast. Breaths per minute vary by age. To get a baseline, try counting breaths when your kid is calm. It is fine to do it while they are sleeping. Count for 30 seconds and multiply by 2</li></ul><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">See the chart at the bottom of the post for a list of respiratory rates/age.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">Check out the</span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D001ujI5_ty7SyMHcBPad-q_2Th8y_Z7gE4HacyOxgwjAdqhqn3HHVKyDsPRNTq4keh699koydjRbyppsgLxrGyO-9FhkOGBKC-0sSE4yxbAmrJsq_Q1DrTLFwUWFPcrS8vHvUPDNBUzWS21YFt7hc4mOSBa5MnTTZVhrsoDeZwW-xagwakGj39Hx_TgWVHZUILALVbBlkP1tFbWVT545G8weOCtnY9r3-_8vnUAFQ7YrW9tunBOX064MZz2NTW7c010%26c%3DllpomANqfCMYmQQzBkPt76mNM-vBEqqhZrmrPzd_0BkCtA4JcoJobw%3D%3D%26ch%3DCJnrJdMOFsAXlHV2MhVzcYz2eI8ShS81qz0b5vk5jnqEMbphzWV9ng%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1696695240720000&usg=AOvVaw02gYQjtgjL0qk27ShoU8yv" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001ujI5_ty7SyMHcBPad-q_2Th8y_Z7gE4HacyOxgwjAdqhqn3HHVKyDsPRNTq4keh699koydjRbyppsgLxrGyO-9FhkOGBKC-0sSE4yxbAmrJsq_Q1DrTLFwUWFPcrS8vHvUPDNBUzWS21YFt7hc4mOSBa5MnTTZVhrsoDeZwW-xagwakGj39Hx_TgWVHZUILALVbBlkP1tFbWVT545G8weOCtnY9r3-_8vnUAFQ7YrW9tunBOX064MZz2NTW7c010&c=llpomANqfCMYmQQzBkPt76mNM-vBEqqhZrmrPzd_0BkCtA4JcoJobw==&ch=CJnrJdMOFsAXlHV2MhVzcYz2eI8ShS81qz0b5vk5jnqEMbphzWV9ng==" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 16px; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"> </a><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D001ujI5_ty7SyMHcBPad-q_2Th8y_Z7gE4HacyOxgwjAdqhqn3HHVKyDsPRNTq4keh699koydjRbyppsgLxrGyO-9FhkOGBKC-0sSE4yxbAmrJsq_Q1DrTLFwUWFPcrS8vHvUPDNBUzWS21YFt7hc4mOSBa5MnTTZVhrsoDeZwW-xagwakGj39Hx_TgWVHZUILALVbBlkP1tFbWVT545G8weOCtnY9r3-_8vnUAFQ7YrW9tunBOX064MZz2NTW7c010%26c%3DllpomANqfCMYmQQzBkPt76mNM-vBEqqhZrmrPzd_0BkCtA4JcoJobw%3D%3D%26ch%3DCJnrJdMOFsAXlHV2MhVzcYz2eI8ShS81qz0b5vk5jnqEMbphzWV9ng%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1696695240720000&usg=AOvVaw02gYQjtgjL0qk27ShoU8yv" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001ujI5_ty7SyMHcBPad-q_2Th8y_Z7gE4HacyOxgwjAdqhqn3HHVKyDsPRNTq4keh699koydjRbyppsgLxrGyO-9FhkOGBKC-0sSE4yxbAmrJsq_Q1DrTLFwUWFPcrS8vHvUPDNBUzWS21YFt7hc4mOSBa5MnTTZVhrsoDeZwW-xagwakGj39Hx_TgWVHZUILALVbBlkP1tFbWVT545G8weOCtnY9r3-_8vnUAFQ7YrW9tunBOX064MZz2NTW7c010&c=llpomANqfCMYmQQzBkPt76mNM-vBEqqhZrmrPzd_0BkCtA4JcoJobw==&ch=CJnrJdMOFsAXlHV2MhVzcYz2eI8ShS81qz0b5vk5jnqEMbphzWV9ng==" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Tik Tok</a><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D001ujI5_ty7SyMHcBPad-q_2Th8y_Z7gE4HacyOxgwjAdqhqn3HHVKyDsPRNTq4keh699koydjRbyppsgLxrGyO-9FhkOGBKC-0sSE4yxbAmrJsq_Q1DrTLFwUWFPcrS8vHvUPDNBUzWS21YFt7hc4mOSBa5MnTTZVhrsoDeZwW-xagwakGj39Hx_TgWVHZUILALVbBlkP1tFbWVT545G8weOCtnY9r3-_8vnUAFQ7YrW9tunBOX064MZz2NTW7c010%26c%3DllpomANqfCMYmQQzBkPt76mNM-vBEqqhZrmrPzd_0BkCtA4JcoJobw%3D%3D%26ch%3DCJnrJdMOFsAXlHV2MhVzcYz2eI8ShS81qz0b5vk5jnqEMbphzWV9ng%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1696695240720000&usg=AOvVaw02gYQjtgjL0qk27ShoU8yv" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001ujI5_ty7SyMHcBPad-q_2Th8y_Z7gE4HacyOxgwjAdqhqn3HHVKyDsPRNTq4keh699koydjRbyppsgLxrGyO-9FhkOGBKC-0sSE4yxbAmrJsq_Q1DrTLFwUWFPcrS8vHvUPDNBUzWS21YFt7hc4mOSBa5MnTTZVhrsoDeZwW-xagwakGj39Hx_TgWVHZUILALVbBlkP1tFbWVT545G8weOCtnY9r3-_8vnUAFQ7YrW9tunBOX064MZz2NTW7c010&c=llpomANqfCMYmQQzBkPt76mNM-vBEqqhZrmrPzd_0BkCtA4JcoJobw==&ch=CJnrJdMOFsAXlHV2MhVzcYz2eI8ShS81qz0b5vk5jnqEMbphzWV9ng==" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 16px; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"> </a><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">that Dr. Ted and I did. Seeing what labored breathing actually looks like is worth 1000 words</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">(if someone had told me a few years ago that I would be doing Tik Tok, I would not have believed them.)</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">If you are reading this and your child is actually one of the few kids who is not coughing and doesn’t have a fever, I strongly recommend making note of what their normal breathing looks like before they get sick. Lift their shirt and get a baseline assessment. </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">Labored breathing is usually pretty obvious, but hydration is another big concern that sometimes gets missed. Warning signs include:</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><ul style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><li style="color: black; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Dry mouth with cracked lips</li><li style="color: black; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Crying without tears</li><li style="color: black; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Urinating less often (smaller volume diapers that are happening a normal number of times per day are okay)</li></ul><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">A dehydrated kid is almost never playing happily. They usually seem pretty droopy.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 16px;"> </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">It is normal for the appetite to be very off. I don’t even worry if kids lose a bit of weight from a week of pathetic eating. They will gain it back when they are recovered. However if they are not drinking adequately, they may need to get checked to see if they need to get an IV for some hydration and nourishment.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">Having an elevated fever is a symptom that often gets the parents the most worried. In general my attitude is that fevers are part of the package and can usually be managed with fever reducing meds or a tepid bath.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">If the fever is higher than 103 </span><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic;">and</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;"> not responding to medication or it is lasting longer than 5 days, then I would want to have your kid checked. This could be a sign that the RSV has turned into an </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D001BOl4kSyUvkPB1VvJVF4R8VTWVGiChE3MGQbkI6ken-NBftFNCuSkmqX37jM7GQjL3CNjndRjK_oxU-EEwPA2m4Ms81x_EhAuT9GrCpW4iaxtpIIKFjlbjUIIrwZAYueMfT8Za-TzIRxXjASvyywD4z8pdv8wnNKs4zcvtC7j_DTe82uMVuyjw-slcsewSpdNJGcxWPn0f5o%3D%26c%3DnWe52RNQvdiYas58eMli6GclhZUPERcMr5uSWqhBtb4D6gLyqapS_g%3D%3D%26ch%3DxE9IjQZj6Dk31obcnmawQa8dXgSTBYp5pYNxDm-Jd9IGgTuwaOpLmQ%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1696695240720000&usg=AOvVaw2DQLchme0BirQrDrgpDSvn" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001BOl4kSyUvkPB1VvJVF4R8VTWVGiChE3MGQbkI6ken-NBftFNCuSkmqX37jM7GQjL3CNjndRjK_oxU-EEwPA2m4Ms81x_EhAuT9GrCpW4iaxtpIIKFjlbjUIIrwZAYueMfT8Za-TzIRxXjASvyywD4z8pdv8wnNKs4zcvtC7j_DTe82uMVuyjw-slcsewSpdNJGcxWPn0f5o=&c=nWe52RNQvdiYas58eMli6GclhZUPERcMr5uSWqhBtb4D6gLyqapS_g==&ch=xE9IjQZj6Dk31obcnmawQa8dXgSTBYp5pYNxDm-Jd9IGgTuwaOpLmQ==" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">ear infection</a><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;"> and/or pneumonia. (103 fevers that respond to medications can usually wait for the next day to be evaluated. Click the link below for more on fever management.)</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">Bottom line - If your child is having trouble breathing, or significant trouble feeding, they may need to be hospitalized for a night or two for fluids, oxygen and observation. </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 20px; font-weight: bold;">Treatment</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px;">For mild cases, time tends to be the great healer. Your medical team can simply suggest the same symptomatic treatment and supportive care that we would do for any bad cold and cough. </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D001ujI5_ty7SyMHcBPad-q_2Th8y_Z7gE4HacyOxgwjAdqhqn3HHVKyDuwhbnWLjTO2987hqF7KJOiqfiF1FPypPTEYLk8I5CeKnk0Ftlw91VwyphQD5STbkwMopeXyAZTKbIDm8XL1Rbe7qSmb-SsJBIQ0LtIXPqfaesULEyQXmJZoPXLZGwDD3yfCp3xp7bOTjJhOg8CeZyYwmg91rLjJzrj_MECX0gwc%26c%3DllpomANqfCMYmQQzBkPt76mNM-vBEqqhZrmrPzd_0BkCtA4JcoJobw%3D%3D%26ch%3DCJnrJdMOFsAXlHV2MhVzcYz2eI8ShS81qz0b5vk5jnqEMbphzWV9ng%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1696695240720000&usg=AOvVaw3l_vLNlx8tj8tHvJWr521t" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001ujI5_ty7SyMHcBPad-q_2Th8y_Z7gE4HacyOxgwjAdqhqn3HHVKyDuwhbnWLjTO2987hqF7KJOiqfiF1FPypPTEYLk8I5CeKnk0Ftlw91VwyphQD5STbkwMopeXyAZTKbIDm8XL1Rbe7qSmb-SsJBIQ0LtIXPqfaesULEyQXmJZoPXLZGwDD3yfCp3xp7bOTjJhOg8CeZyYwmg91rLjJzrj_MECX0gwc&c=llpomANqfCMYmQQzBkPt76mNM-vBEqqhZrmrPzd_0BkCtA4JcoJobw==&ch=CJnrJdMOFsAXlHV2MhVzcYz2eI8ShS81qz0b5vk5jnqEMbphzWV9ng==" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Treat the fever as needed</a><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D001ujI5_ty7SyMHcBPad-q_2Th8y_Z7gE4HacyOxgwjAdqhqn3HHVKyDuwhbnWLjTO2987hqF7KJOiqfiF1FPypPTEYLk8I5CeKnk0Ftlw91VwyphQD5STbkwMopeXyAZTKbIDm8XL1Rbe7qSmb-SsJBIQ0LtIXPqfaesULEyQXmJZoPXLZGwDD3yfCp3xp7bOTjJhOg8CeZyYwmg91rLjJzrj_MECX0gwc%26c%3DllpomANqfCMYmQQzBkPt76mNM-vBEqqhZrmrPzd_0BkCtA4JcoJobw%3D%3D%26ch%3DCJnrJdMOFsAXlHV2MhVzcYz2eI8ShS81qz0b5vk5jnqEMbphzWV9ng%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1696695240720000&usg=AOvVaw3l_vLNlx8tj8tHvJWr521t" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001ujI5_ty7SyMHcBPad-q_2Th8y_Z7gE4HacyOxgwjAdqhqn3HHVKyDuwhbnWLjTO2987hqF7KJOiqfiF1FPypPTEYLk8I5CeKnk0Ftlw91VwyphQD5STbkwMopeXyAZTKbIDm8XL1Rbe7qSmb-SsJBIQ0LtIXPqfaesULEyQXmJZoPXLZGwDD3yfCp3xp7bOTjJhOg8CeZyYwmg91rLjJzrj_MECX0gwc&c=llpomANqfCMYmQQzBkPt76mNM-vBEqqhZrmrPzd_0BkCtA4JcoJobw==&ch=CJnrJdMOFsAXlHV2MhVzcYz2eI8ShS81qz0b5vk5jnqEMbphzWV9ng==" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 16px; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"> </a></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D001ujI5_ty7SyMHcBPad-q_2Th8y_Z7gE4HacyOxgwjAdqhqn3HHVKyDsPRNTq4keh6NCdhHSyGXoYKmHSou_ALWsylqK3Bs6EAXiSvhk74wK90Wb5j9SIytKH-OqZhw_clvLsZLRxHA-3ANjNuyNsIXX-p0ydAWo2HUTzwUhJo56UWH3l71TeCs5zhDq4Oj1z1TvRBaZRwirdIR77-eNuWicdEr9jnfVP15GaovRnimsw%3D%26c%3DllpomANqfCMYmQQzBkPt76mNM-vBEqqhZrmrPzd_0BkCtA4JcoJobw%3D%3D%26ch%3DCJnrJdMOFsAXlHV2MhVzcYz2eI8ShS81qz0b5vk5jnqEMbphzWV9ng%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1696695240720000&usg=AOvVaw2xqU-vSp_UOd-ilTSQVJIH" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001ujI5_ty7SyMHcBPad-q_2Th8y_Z7gE4HacyOxgwjAdqhqn3HHVKyDsPRNTq4keh6NCdhHSyGXoYKmHSou_ALWsylqK3Bs6EAXiSvhk74wK90Wb5j9SIytKH-OqZhw_clvLsZLRxHA-3ANjNuyNsIXX-p0ydAWo2HUTzwUhJo56UWH3l71TeCs5zhDq4Oj1z1TvRBaZRwirdIR77-eNuWicdEr9jnfVP15GaovRnimsw=&c=llpomANqfCMYmQQzBkPt76mNM-vBEqqhZrmrPzd_0BkCtA4JcoJobw==&ch=CJnrJdMOFsAXlHV2MhVzcYz2eI8ShS81qz0b5vk5jnqEMbphzWV9ng==" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">If you need some tips and trick getting the medicine in check out this post</a></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px;">If your child is having trouble eating because of all the congestion, try doing some clearing about ten minutes before a feeding. </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px;">To clear the nose, squirt some saline, </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D001ujI5_ty7SyMHcBPad-q_2Th8y_Z7gE4HacyOxgwjAdqhqn3HHVKyDsPRNTq4keh6K1xIoywEhfTzc7Hvnyz9FnEAdWd9WRX5yPSYXu7YIqdKF6b0h5f5O86RPDR979PTRHsnwiAaMMUxBnt7FDm-LG017cYoMJpeUX547MyQTomG3bJZSh-sXNjCxEpRIz8sbuaMNDptdJ2xmmOz31N5Cg%3D%3D%26c%3DllpomANqfCMYmQQzBkPt76mNM-vBEqqhZrmrPzd_0BkCtA4JcoJobw%3D%3D%26ch%3DCJnrJdMOFsAXlHV2MhVzcYz2eI8ShS81qz0b5vk5jnqEMbphzWV9ng%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1696695240720000&usg=AOvVaw1lAnU2iCoZ1SnMZHjZFiIC" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001ujI5_ty7SyMHcBPad-q_2Th8y_Z7gE4HacyOxgwjAdqhqn3HHVKyDsPRNTq4keh6K1xIoywEhfTzc7Hvnyz9FnEAdWd9WRX5yPSYXu7YIqdKF6b0h5f5O86RPDR979PTRHsnwiAaMMUxBnt7FDm-LG017cYoMJpeUX547MyQTomG3bJZSh-sXNjCxEpRIz8sbuaMNDptdJ2xmmOz31N5Cg==&c=llpomANqfCMYmQQzBkPt76mNM-vBEqqhZrmrPzd_0BkCtA4JcoJobw==&ch=CJnrJdMOFsAXlHV2MhVzcYz2eI8ShS81qz0b5vk5jnqEMbphzWV9ng==" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">xlear </a><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px;">nose spray or breast milk in each nostril. Next step is to suck it back out with either a </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D001GqH-XhK3kwioWEKuEMz6wh-y7afVIhy2ekHvhjCqQ_D6MRJpJRM9O6fFo-gYelIrdRTy78tEMD8S84lfOi3StILQvlnBPlTOXdmd4zV4TfYkKcG__ErX_JFcdriBv55P-9ViytIfmhNUNiju_WhIAw%3D%3D%26c%3DybUFAECnAwwYEqpTcozjYmAVjIpsvcferTsABRSn8e8SB6OHoXdUYA%3D%3D%26ch%3D27Pla3S-alvEy_6HnA-jOZB8Dryq7jf_1KWUJn1hIQoqzHmLc1IdLw%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1696695240720000&usg=AOvVaw3QFNgynaohkF52PhCK2PoV" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001GqH-XhK3kwioWEKuEMz6wh-y7afVIhy2ekHvhjCqQ_D6MRJpJRM9O6fFo-gYelIrdRTy78tEMD8S84lfOi3StILQvlnBPlTOXdmd4zV4TfYkKcG__ErX_JFcdriBv55P-9ViytIfmhNUNiju_WhIAw==&c=ybUFAECnAwwYEqpTcozjYmAVjIpsvcferTsABRSn8e8SB6OHoXdUYA==&ch=27Pla3S-alvEy_6HnA-jOZB8Dryq7jf_1KWUJn1hIQoqzHmLc1IdLw==" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Nose Frida</a><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D001GqH-XhK3kwioWEKuEMz6wh-y7afVIhy2ekHvhjCqQ_D6MRJpJRM9O6fFo-gYelIrdRTy78tEMD8S84lfOi3StILQvlnBPlTOXdmd4zV4TfYkKcG__ErX_JFcdriBv55P-9ViytIfmhNUNiju_WhIAw%3D%3D%26c%3DybUFAECnAwwYEqpTcozjYmAVjIpsvcferTsABRSn8e8SB6OHoXdUYA%3D%3D%26ch%3D27Pla3S-alvEy_6HnA-jOZB8Dryq7jf_1KWUJn1hIQoqzHmLc1IdLw%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1696695240720000&usg=AOvVaw3QFNgynaohkF52PhCK2PoV" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001GqH-XhK3kwioWEKuEMz6wh-y7afVIhy2ekHvhjCqQ_D6MRJpJRM9O6fFo-gYelIrdRTy78tEMD8S84lfOi3StILQvlnBPlTOXdmd4zV4TfYkKcG__ErX_JFcdriBv55P-9ViytIfmhNUNiju_WhIAw==&c=ybUFAECnAwwYEqpTcozjYmAVjIpsvcferTsABRSn8e8SB6OHoXdUYA==&ch=27Pla3S-alvEy_6HnA-jOZB8Dryq7jf_1KWUJn1hIQoqzHmLc1IdLw==" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 16px; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">/</a><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px;"> aspirator or the </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D001GqH-XhK3kwioWEKuEMz6wh-y7afVIhy2ekHvhjCqQ_D6MRJpJRM9O-ocR-7Qg1Tr4SEGwutO6wNJtNlo18fQ0GuxGWOfNiWK6egce_WcdJFGZnvPH4KC_brCud5sVgRS4I9ROvsdieznLu7Az38WcRXCkSNTs814%26c%3DybUFAECnAwwYEqpTcozjYmAVjIpsvcferTsABRSn8e8SB6OHoXdUYA%3D%3D%26ch%3D27Pla3S-alvEy_6HnA-jOZB8Dryq7jf_1KWUJn1hIQoqzHmLc1IdLw%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1696695240720000&usg=AOvVaw0qGEgEkjfx7WGOaBX5JA0t" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001GqH-XhK3kwioWEKuEMz6wh-y7afVIhy2ekHvhjCqQ_D6MRJpJRM9O-ocR-7Qg1Tr4SEGwutO6wNJtNlo18fQ0GuxGWOfNiWK6egce_WcdJFGZnvPH4KC_brCud5sVgRS4I9ROvsdieznLu7Az38WcRXCkSNTs814&c=ybUFAECnAwwYEqpTcozjYmAVjIpsvcferTsABRSn8e8SB6OHoXdUYA==&ch=27Pla3S-alvEy_6HnA-jOZB8Dryq7jf_1KWUJn1hIQoqzHmLc1IdLw==" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Neil Med Naspira</a><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D001GqH-XhK3kwioWEKuEMz6wh-y7afVIhy2ekHvhjCqQ_D6MRJpJRM9O-ocR-7Qg1Tr4SEGwutO6wNJtNlo18fQ0GuxGWOfNiWK6egce_WcdJFGZnvPH4KC_brCud5sVgRS4I9ROvsdieznLu7Az38WcRXCkSNTs814%26c%3DybUFAECnAwwYEqpTcozjYmAVjIpsvcferTsABRSn8e8SB6OHoXdUYA%3D%3D%26ch%3D27Pla3S-alvEy_6HnA-jOZB8Dryq7jf_1KWUJn1hIQoqzHmLc1IdLw%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1696695240720000&usg=AOvVaw0qGEgEkjfx7WGOaBX5JA0t" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001GqH-XhK3kwioWEKuEMz6wh-y7afVIhy2ekHvhjCqQ_D6MRJpJRM9O-ocR-7Qg1Tr4SEGwutO6wNJtNlo18fQ0GuxGWOfNiWK6egce_WcdJFGZnvPH4KC_brCud5sVgRS4I9ROvsdieznLu7Az38WcRXCkSNTs814&c=ybUFAECnAwwYEqpTcozjYmAVjIpsvcferTsABRSn8e8SB6OHoXdUYA==&ch=27Pla3S-alvEy_6HnA-jOZB8Dryq7jf_1KWUJn1hIQoqzHmLc1IdLw==" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 16px; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">.</a><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px;"> I think these products are easier to use than the standard bulb aspirators. Some parents swear by the </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D001GqH-XhK3kwioWEKuEMz6wh-y7afVIhy2ekHvhjCqQ_D6MRJpJRM9O6fFo-gYelIr7zyfm-UicIZqoF5casSWzMBluuqLQfGAVc-Fk2-tT0Fm1GdW6JZi3gTrmYMmIoTtzt3Ix-Qam2k%3D%26c%3DybUFAECnAwwYEqpTcozjYmAVjIpsvcferTsABRSn8e8SB6OHoXdUYA%3D%3D%26ch%3D27Pla3S-alvEy_6HnA-jOZB8Dryq7jf_1KWUJn1hIQoqzHmLc1IdLw%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1696695240720000&usg=AOvVaw2TE_ohTT-6bUPEP6i8UbGj" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001GqH-XhK3kwioWEKuEMz6wh-y7afVIhy2ekHvhjCqQ_D6MRJpJRM9O6fFo-gYelIr7zyfm-UicIZqoF5casSWzMBluuqLQfGAVc-Fk2-tT0Fm1GdW6JZi3gTrmYMmIoTtzt3Ix-Qam2k=&c=ybUFAECnAwwYEqpTcozjYmAVjIpsvcferTsABRSn8e8SB6OHoXdUYA==&ch=27Pla3S-alvEy_6HnA-jOZB8Dryq7jf_1KWUJn1hIQoqzHmLc1IdLw==" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Oogie bear</a><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D001GqH-XhK3kwioWEKuEMz6wh-y7afVIhy2ekHvhjCqQ_D6MRJpJRM9O6fFo-gYelIr7zyfm-UicIZqoF5casSWzMBluuqLQfGAVc-Fk2-tT0Fm1GdW6JZi3gTrmYMmIoTtzt3Ix-Qam2k%3D%26c%3DybUFAECnAwwYEqpTcozjYmAVjIpsvcferTsABRSn8e8SB6OHoXdUYA%3D%3D%26ch%3D27Pla3S-alvEy_6HnA-jOZB8Dryq7jf_1KWUJn1hIQoqzHmLc1IdLw%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1696695240720000&usg=AOvVaw2TE_ohTT-6bUPEP6i8UbGj" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001GqH-XhK3kwioWEKuEMz6wh-y7afVIhy2ekHvhjCqQ_D6MRJpJRM9O6fFo-gYelIr7zyfm-UicIZqoF5casSWzMBluuqLQfGAVc-Fk2-tT0Fm1GdW6JZi3gTrmYMmIoTtzt3Ix-Qam2k=&c=ybUFAECnAwwYEqpTcozjYmAVjIpsvcferTsABRSn8e8SB6OHoXdUYA==&ch=27Pla3S-alvEy_6HnA-jOZB8Dryq7jf_1KWUJn1hIQoqzHmLc1IdLw==" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 16px; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">.</a><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D001GqH-XhK3kwioWEKuEMz6wh-y7afVIhy2ekHvhjCqQ_D6MRJpJRM9O6fFo-gYelIr7zyfm-UicIZqoF5casSWzMBluuqLQfGAVc-Fk2-tT0Fm1GdW6JZi3gTrmYMmIoTtzt3Ix-Qam2k%3D%26c%3DybUFAECnAwwYEqpTcozjYmAVjIpsvcferTsABRSn8e8SB6OHoXdUYA%3D%3D%26ch%3D27Pla3S-alvEy_6HnA-jOZB8Dryq7jf_1KWUJn1hIQoqzHmLc1IdLw%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1696695240720000&usg=AOvVaw2TE_ohTT-6bUPEP6i8UbGj" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001GqH-XhK3kwioWEKuEMz6wh-y7afVIhy2ekHvhjCqQ_D6MRJpJRM9O6fFo-gYelIr7zyfm-UicIZqoF5casSWzMBluuqLQfGAVc-Fk2-tT0Fm1GdW6JZi3gTrmYMmIoTtzt3Ix-Qam2k=&c=ybUFAECnAwwYEqpTcozjYmAVjIpsvcferTsABRSn8e8SB6OHoXdUYA==&ch=27Pla3S-alvEy_6HnA-jOZB8Dryq7jf_1KWUJn1hIQoqzHmLc1IdLw==" style="color: #09a3ba; font-size: 16px; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"> </a><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px;">This is a safe little scoop that can safely get into the nostril and remove the more stubborn boogers.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px;">It is also helpful to keep their heads elevated. They may be more comfortable on a bit of an incline. Try to raise the mattress a bit. You can do this by putting a towel underneath or place thin books under two of the legs of the crib. For older kids, add an extra pillow. The American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines specify not to raise the head more than 10% when they are sleeping and you are not keeping an eye on them. If they’re napping but you’re in the room keeping an eye on them, you can raise the bed to 30% for easier breathing.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px;">Let them sit in a steamy bathroom, and use a</span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D001GqH-XhK3kwioWEKuEMz6wh-y7afVIhy2ekHvhjCqQ_D6MRJpJRM9O0zIupeAA5YuZldcPb7wueXH_qE5tOWmbO2Z7rurlQdhdaMLWqAFWDprKrjBu0Nz6NNuyEthUcSx3NOHXKyEDgLx0PpfkyAF_Wg98EbaWlRrXGnGuoAWt4ozPcZS5vLpDuPsw-w0k1IFxVrVC1UVR8dr95s_5xAGlq6_9SjQjm54hp_TevPyAbU%3D%26c%3DybUFAECnAwwYEqpTcozjYmAVjIpsvcferTsABRSn8e8SB6OHoXdUYA%3D%3D%26ch%3D27Pla3S-alvEy_6HnA-jOZB8Dryq7jf_1KWUJn1hIQoqzHmLc1IdLw%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1696695240720000&usg=AOvVaw2NBVpQCFKdqQhbHKraWRYS" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001GqH-XhK3kwioWEKuEMz6wh-y7afVIhy2ekHvhjCqQ_D6MRJpJRM9O0zIupeAA5YuZldcPb7wueXH_qE5tOWmbO2Z7rurlQdhdaMLWqAFWDprKrjBu0Nz6NNuyEthUcSx3NOHXKyEDgLx0PpfkyAF_Wg98EbaWlRrXGnGuoAWt4ozPcZS5vLpDuPsw-w0k1IFxVrVC1UVR8dr95s_5xAGlq6_9SjQjm54hp_TevPyAbU=&c=ybUFAECnAwwYEqpTcozjYmAVjIpsvcferTsABRSn8e8SB6OHoXdUYA==&ch=27Pla3S-alvEy_6HnA-jOZB8Dryq7jf_1KWUJn1hIQoqzHmLc1IdLw==" style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"> </a><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D001GqH-XhK3kwioWEKuEMz6wh-y7afVIhy2ekHvhjCqQ_D6MRJpJRM9O0zIupeAA5YuZldcPb7wueXH_qE5tOWmbO2Z7rurlQdhdaMLWqAFWDprKrjBu0Nz6NNuyEthUcSx3NOHXKyEDgLx0PpfkyAF_Wg98EbaWlRrXGnGuoAWt4ozPcZS5vLpDuPsw-w0k1IFxVrVC1UVR8dr95s_5xAGlq6_9SjQjm54hp_TevPyAbU%3D%26c%3DybUFAECnAwwYEqpTcozjYmAVjIpsvcferTsABRSn8e8SB6OHoXdUYA%3D%3D%26ch%3D27Pla3S-alvEy_6HnA-jOZB8Dryq7jf_1KWUJn1hIQoqzHmLc1IdLw%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1696695240720000&usg=AOvVaw2NBVpQCFKdqQhbHKraWRYS" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001GqH-XhK3kwioWEKuEMz6wh-y7afVIhy2ekHvhjCqQ_D6MRJpJRM9O0zIupeAA5YuZldcPb7wueXH_qE5tOWmbO2Z7rurlQdhdaMLWqAFWDprKrjBu0Nz6NNuyEthUcSx3NOHXKyEDgLx0PpfkyAF_Wg98EbaWlRrXGnGuoAWt4ozPcZS5vLpDuPsw-w0k1IFxVrVC1UVR8dr95s_5xAGlq6_9SjQjm54hp_TevPyAbU=&c=ybUFAECnAwwYEqpTcozjYmAVjIpsvcferTsABRSn8e8SB6OHoXdUYA==&ch=27Pla3S-alvEy_6HnA-jOZB8Dryq7jf_1KWUJn1hIQoqzHmLc1IdLw==" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">humidifier</a><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; text-decoration-line: underline;"> </span><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px;">at night. Increase fluids during the day.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 16px;">Warm fluids are great. For kids older than a year, honey is terrific. I especially like the manuka honey. Have a little tea party, invite the teddy bears. Boys can have tea parties, too. This can also be a good way to encourage them to drink.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px;">If your little one is having a rough time your doctor may do a one-time trial of a nebulizer or inhaler to see if it helps. Some children may be prescribed steroids.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px;">According to our local pediatric acupuncturist, </span><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">Dr. Den, at </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D001GqH-XhK3kwioWEKuEMz6wh-y7afVIhy2ekHvhjCqQ_D6MRJpJRM9O-ocR-7Qg1Tr8zHSKtvNWWTtqcBI1OtaadLCfw74qrXYPE6yKGuIoTYFAVbtVVmrBDFkYbcHlZkCanN6s4OWZ6Hv9jXogQuHsA%3D%3D%26c%3DybUFAECnAwwYEqpTcozjYmAVjIpsvcferTsABRSn8e8SB6OHoXdUYA%3D%3D%26ch%3D27Pla3S-alvEy_6HnA-jOZB8Dryq7jf_1KWUJn1hIQoqzHmLc1IdLw%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1696695240720000&usg=AOvVaw2PAbSOdPmGfkhtOeys2AB3" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001GqH-XhK3kwioWEKuEMz6wh-y7afVIhy2ekHvhjCqQ_D6MRJpJRM9O-ocR-7Qg1Tr8zHSKtvNWWTtqcBI1OtaadLCfw74qrXYPE6yKGuIoTYFAVbtVVmrBDFkYbcHlZkCanN6s4OWZ6Hv9jXogQuHsA==&c=ybUFAECnAwwYEqpTcozjYmAVjIpsvcferTsABRSn8e8SB6OHoXdUYA==&ch=27Pla3S-alvEy_6HnA-jOZB8Dryq7jf_1KWUJn1hIQoqzHmLc1IdLw==" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">The Acupuncture Den</a><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px; text-decoration-line: underline;">,</span><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;"> the actual symptoms are more important than any official western medicine diagnosis.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">Whether or not it is RSV, a common cold or even teething, if seen in the office early on, a treatment can help the body to heal itself more easily and will also help with symptom relief (non-needle treatment options are available!)</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">If you don't manage to stop it in its tracks quickly enough, traditional Chinese medicine can still be very helpful as the infection runs its course. Dr. Den keeps high quality pediatric herbal tinctures stocked in her office, and encourages the families in her practice to keep a bottle or two on hand, as they are most effective when used at the first signs of trouble. While some of the tinctures are highly specific, others can be used more generally (when you know your child is getting sick but you’re not sure yet what’s going on). In terms of the common cold, the flu, and RSV, the two tinctures Dr. Den recommends to keep in your medicine cabinet are CQ Jr (perfect for the first signs of illness) and Lung Qi Jr. (if it starts to move into the chest).</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">For more information about pediatric acupuncture (or grown-up acupuncture!) and/or herbal medicine, please reach out to Dr. Den. She’d love to hear from you!</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 20px; font-weight: bold;">How is it spread and what is the exposure period?</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">This is NOT spread the same way as COVID which easily spreads through the air. RSV spreads through heavy droplets.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><ul style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><li style="color: black; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">An infected person coughs or sneezes</li><li style="color: black; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">You get virus droplets from a cough or sneeze in your eyes, nose, or mouth</li><li style="color: black; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">You have direct contact with the virus, like kissing the face of a child with RSV</li><li style="color: black; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">You touch a surface that has the virus on it, like a doorknob, and then touch your face before washing your hands.</li></ul><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">According to the CDC, people infected with RSV are usually contagious for 3 to 8 days and may become contagious a day or two before they start showing signs of illness. However, some infants, and people with weakened immune systems, can continue to spread the virus even after they stop showing symptoms, for as long as 4 weeks.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 20px; font-weight: bold;">General common sense</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </p><ul style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><li style="color: black; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Wash your hands before touching your child.</li><li style="color: black; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Make sure others wash up too.</li><li style="color: black; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Clean toys, crib rails, and any other surfaces your baby might touch.</li><li style="color: black; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Try to keep your baby away from crowds. </li><li style="color: black; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Avoid anyone with a cold or fever. Snotty nosed toddlers are the biggest carriers. See suggestions below for dealing with this circumstance.</li><li style="color: black; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Don't let anyone smoke near your baby. Tobacco smoke exposure can increase the risk of severe RSV disease.</li></ul><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">If your child is unfortunate enough to get a nasty case of RSV, it may take a few weeks for the lungs to calm down. Many of them have an extra tough winter season.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">Every new cold seems to re-trigger the wheeze. </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black;"> </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 16px;">With any cold or illness, your best bet is to pay attention to the first sign of illness.</span><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px;"> </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D001GqH-XhK3kwioWEKuEMz6wh-y7afVIhy2ekHvhjCqQ_D6MRJpJRM9O6fFo-gYelIr-cDoGsCr1IrVrVfYdIhTooBBCCA9XV-NRpGJcQLP1W2SO-hz4th0ncbNQQmmBrz6JWhs8ljVOeVttxxxQ-4tqe3-i_laBtJfbgxnTuGXCGis6lCn2HaA8x7qA3BX1V4RQyZlp88HyPKqcPtZqOazakBNA5GAr-7L%26c%3DybUFAECnAwwYEqpTcozjYmAVjIpsvcferTsABRSn8e8SB6OHoXdUYA%3D%3D%26ch%3D27Pla3S-alvEy_6HnA-jOZB8Dryq7jf_1KWUJn1hIQoqzHmLc1IdLw%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1696695240720000&usg=AOvVaw1aFZ-ZukoK5V7s2qSojU-l" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001GqH-XhK3kwioWEKuEMz6wh-y7afVIhy2ekHvhjCqQ_D6MRJpJRM9O6fFo-gYelIr-cDoGsCr1IrVrVfYdIhTooBBCCA9XV-NRpGJcQLP1W2SO-hz4th0ncbNQQmmBrz6JWhs8ljVOeVttxxxQ-4tqe3-i_laBtJfbgxnTuGXCGis6lCn2HaA8x7qA3BX1V4RQyZlp88HyPKqcPtZqOazakBNA5GAr-7L&c=ybUFAECnAwwYEqpTcozjYmAVjIpsvcferTsABRSn8e8SB6OHoXdUYA==&ch=27Pla3S-alvEy_6HnA-jOZB8Dryq7jf_1KWUJn1hIQoqzHmLc1IdLw==" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Here is my blog post with my list of things you can do to boost and protect your immune system</a><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D001GqH-XhK3kwioWEKuEMz6wh-y7afVIhy2ekHvhjCqQ_D6MRJpJRM9O6fFo-gYelIr-cDoGsCr1IrVrVfYdIhTooBBCCA9XV-NRpGJcQLP1W2SO-hz4th0ncbNQQmmBrz6JWhs8ljVOeVttxxxQ-4tqe3-i_laBtJfbgxnTuGXCGis6lCn2HaA8x7qA3BX1V4RQyZlp88HyPKqcPtZqOazakBNA5GAr-7L%26c%3DybUFAECnAwwYEqpTcozjYmAVjIpsvcferTsABRSn8e8SB6OHoXdUYA%3D%3D%26ch%3D27Pla3S-alvEy_6HnA-jOZB8Dryq7jf_1KWUJn1hIQoqzHmLc1IdLw%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1696695240720000&usg=AOvVaw1aFZ-ZukoK5V7s2qSojU-l" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001GqH-XhK3kwioWEKuEMz6wh-y7afVIhy2ekHvhjCqQ_D6MRJpJRM9O6fFo-gYelIr-cDoGsCr1IrVrVfYdIhTooBBCCA9XV-NRpGJcQLP1W2SO-hz4th0ncbNQQmmBrz6JWhs8ljVOeVttxxxQ-4tqe3-i_laBtJfbgxnTuGXCGis6lCn2HaA8x7qA3BX1V4RQyZlp88HyPKqcPtZqOazakBNA5GAr-7L&c=ybUFAECnAwwYEqpTcozjYmAVjIpsvcferTsABRSn8e8SB6OHoXdUYA==&ch=27Pla3S-alvEy_6HnA-jOZB8Dryq7jf_1KWUJn1hIQoqzHmLc1IdLw==" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 16px; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">.</a></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 20px; font-weight: bold;">Testing</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px;">There is a rapid test (a swab to the nose) that many offices can do to see if it is RSV or not. Usually they will test for flu and covid while they are at it. Believe it or not, some unfortunate kids can have more than one of those at the same time! Unless your child is looking really sick, it might not be worth an actual office visit to get an official diagnosis since it doesn't necessarily change the approach. Since RSV is a virus, the treatments are usually simply those listed above. Antibiotics would not be appropriate unless it progresses to a secondary infection.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 20px; font-weight: bold;">Prevention</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px;">An RSV immunization called nirsevimad (Beyfortus) is a novel shot for all newborns entering their first RSV season (historically winter or fall). It gives about 5 months of protection and in full term newborns it decreases the chances of needing to go to a doctor for RSV by about 74%, and decreases the need for hospitalization by about 62%. These numbers are even higher when studied in preemies (29 to 35 weeks). </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px;">Beyfortus is not an immunization; it’s a pre-made antibody (it’s been approved as a medication). This is an important distinction, because unlike other childhood vaccines, it doesn’t stimulate the immune system. A typical tetanus shot gives a small piece of the tetanus bacteria to the immune system. In response, the immune system mounts an attack, which leads to the “yucky” feelings we get with shots: achiness, fatigue, sometimes even fevers. Beyfortus, as a pre-made antibody, just gives the immune system the final product. You get to skip all the steps in between, and all the accompanying side effects. The most common side effect is a small rash at the site of injection, which occurs in less than 1% of kids who get the shot. </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 20px; font-weight: bold;">Who gets Beyfortus?</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px;">While the FDA approved Beyfortus for all newborns under 1 year of life, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, the government panel that makes recommendations on shots (and whom insurance companies use to decide what to pay for) advised that children under 8 months get it right at the beginning of their first RSV season. It has been studied and is safe to give in the hospital after birth, during the first few days of life. </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D001BOl4kSyUvkPB1VvJVF4R8VTWVGiChE3MGQbkI6ken-NBftFNCuSkmlcHA4fvqPZtG6jDtQr_XvIeDygRvbvmI2Bp2TKeJ5JVcf-m93W-58bvE9M3ufB_MVX382tTS7XvslV-BDTVw4h4Zq9EwTiXV1-CmlKjhNNsWrW1NyYW9m2mwozJapNDea55jDVF32yHbMwmAoJ4GvqiqkKDXZVfSGO-KokAVmE92DOajMYFYumNsLD4VRChJ0ft3cmop_wL%26c%3DnWe52RNQvdiYas58eMli6GclhZUPERcMr5uSWqhBtb4D6gLyqapS_g%3D%3D%26ch%3DxE9IjQZj6Dk31obcnmawQa8dXgSTBYp5pYNxDm-Jd9IGgTuwaOpLmQ%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1696695240720000&usg=AOvVaw1HR0yb0pvD0HfKrGxai--l" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001BOl4kSyUvkPB1VvJVF4R8VTWVGiChE3MGQbkI6ken-NBftFNCuSkmlcHA4fvqPZtG6jDtQr_XvIeDygRvbvmI2Bp2TKeJ5JVcf-m93W-58bvE9M3ufB_MVX382tTS7XvslV-BDTVw4h4Zq9EwTiXV1-CmlKjhNNsWrW1NyYW9m2mwozJapNDea55jDVF32yHbMwmAoJ4GvqiqkKDXZVfSGO-KokAVmE92DOajMYFYumNsLD4VRChJ0ft3cmop_wL&c=nWe52RNQvdiYas58eMli6GclhZUPERcMr5uSWqhBtb4D6gLyqapS_g==&ch=xE9IjQZj6Dk31obcnmawQa8dXgSTBYp5pYNxDm-Jd9IGgTuwaOpLmQ==" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Here is a timing guide</a></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 17px; font-weight: bold;">There is also a new RSV shot for adults called Abrysvo</span><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 20px; font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px;">(who comes up with these names?)</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px;">This vaccine is available for folks over 60 who are more at risk for severe RSV. It is fine to get it at the same time as other vaccines.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px;">This shot is also approved for pregnant people. When given to someone who is pregnant the primary goal is to protect the fetus. The placenta loves antibodies, so any immune system activity in mom often goes to the baby ten-fold. When given between 32 and 36 weeks gestation, the RSV vaccine for pregnant people is able to decrease the rate of severe disease in babies by about 80% in the first 3 months of life, and more than 50% after 6 months. Moms can get the RSV vaccine at the same time as others, such as flu, Tdap and Covid.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 20px; font-weight: bold;">Abrysvo or Beyfortus, which to get, or both?</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px;">Because nothing is ever simple, in most case the decision needs to be made as to whether or not mom gets the shot or waits for the baby to get it.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><ul style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><li style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Pregnant parents are advised to get the RSV vaccine for themselves between 32 and 36 weeks gestation during RSV season because protection takes 2 weeks to pass from mother to baby through the placenta. In most of the country, RSV season is considered to be from September to January.</li><li style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Because of the 2-week delay in immunity for babies, anyone born before 34 weeks, or within 2 weeks of parental vaccination, are all advised to get Beyfortus. </li><li style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">If mom got her RSV vaccine and the baby was born 2 weeks or more later, the baby should <span style="font-style: italic;">not</span> need Beyfortus.</li></ul><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 20px; font-weight: bold;">A note on payment</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px;">Beyfortus is a new </span><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic;">medication, </span><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px;">a monoclonal antibody. It’s not a vaccine. Because of this, insurance companies have not universally agreed upon reimbursement rates. Please check with your pediatrician’s office to see what their protocol is. I will update this post when more information is available.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 20px; font-weight: bold;">Frequently asked questions</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px; text-decoration-line: underline;">When can my little one go back to school</span><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px;">?</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px;">Keeping your child home because they have a mild runny nose or lingering cough is not reasonable. However, kids with fevers and/or copious mucus should stay home.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px; text-decoration-line: underline;">I am nursing, do I need to stop? Can I still be around the baby?</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px;">Nursing moms who test positive should still continue to nurse their babies. This includes newborns. Just wear a mask and do thorough and frequent hand washing. (and I am so sorry if you are dealing with this.)</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"> </p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px; text-decoration-line: underline;">Do I need to keep my kids apart from each other</span><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px;">?</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #333333; font-size: 16px;">Sigh, this is SO hard. It is almost impossible to quarantine family members. If there is an infant in the house, I would try hard to keep toddlers who have been exposed at least 6 feet apart (sneezing distance) from the baby. No kissing or hugging. Put them in charge of the ‘magic soap’ otherwise known as hand sanitizer. Tell them to make sure that anyone who is having direct contact with their new baby needs to use the magic soap first. Maybe furnish them with a new baby doll that they can cuddle with instead.</span></p></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="m_2426088806508334113image--mobile-scale m_2426088806508334113image--mobile-center" style="table-layout: fixed; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td align="center" class="m_2426088806508334113image_container m_2426088806508334113content-padding-horizontal" style="margin: 0px; padding: 10px 20px 10px 10px;" valign="top"><img alt="" class="CToWUd a6T" data-bit="iit" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEgBmaPy3FAvOAeq71EWmIFBYMx3c_AIuWrss1poIMeCb9rsPcvEfR-t7zvBt52TL7DUi-s8xHhD4RKP0lNm3lCiR7tp6GR55nnuz3Tzp8GdT4IpdqszCTjFw6MwX5JYw7pjcBCWsM4P3P0P4tPZzpPQVOYSfpuCtFTzQ9b8E5jMjvjmArFbKxXeDniaxgWUqdZTcrp4kGk=s0-d-e1-ft" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: auto; max-width: 100%; outline: 0px;" tabindex="0" width="364" /></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="m_2426088806508334113text" style="table-layout: fixed; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td align="left" class="m_2426088806508334113text_content-cell m_2426088806508334113content-padding-horizontal" style="color: #403f42; display: block; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 10px 20px 10px 10px;" valign="top"><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br style="background-color: white;" /></p></td></tr></tbody></table>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2805471460666960029.post-64107504196483302412023-09-29T08:27:00.004-07:002023-09-29T08:27:40.804-07:00Forgiveness and Atonement 2023<p> </p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">This week's post is an update of one from several years ago.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">It has been a hectic week and I haven't had the bandwidth to create anything new.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">My husband Sandy had a total knee replacement on Tuesday and I am busy trying to stop him from overdoing it.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Of course, hours after we were home from the hospital the kitchen sink clogged. Yes indeed, there he was, one day post op, trying to clear the clog, so that is who I am dealing with!</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">But now that I have chained him to the bed and the plumber is here, all is well.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">I have forgiven myself for rerunning an old post.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvfXOlExPPmlHlbarsPK07r8rs-EwZZv7oOvadnNYa_1crKUJ1BelDcKe-kTCgSbn10K2DPoHGGgV1Y-MZlG3Lx0mz772U7gBakroGOjo7kZshlpBZZbx8_svSOwYK5wo1WeWyVNWSUgktyq0ThadwEN72YmubuSgz2146pB1mXNsVYkD-5dOfxtmUD1v5/s1024/ducks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="768" data-original-width="1024" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvfXOlExPPmlHlbarsPK07r8rs-EwZZv7oOvadnNYa_1crKUJ1BelDcKe-kTCgSbn10K2DPoHGGgV1Y-MZlG3Lx0mz772U7gBakroGOjo7kZshlpBZZbx8_svSOwYK5wo1WeWyVNWSUgktyq0ThadwEN72YmubuSgz2146pB1mXNsVYkD-5dOfxtmUD1v5/s320/ducks.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #403f42; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;" /></p><p align="center" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #461f7c; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 21px; font-weight: bold;">Forgiveness and Atonement</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic;">"Forgiveness is a strange thing. It can sometimes be easier to forgive our enemies than our friends. It can be hardest of all to forgive people we love. Like all of life's important coping skills, the ability to forgive and the capacity to let go of resentments most likely take root very early in our lives."</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #202124; font-family: Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">Fred Rogers</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic;">Being angry is like swallowing a spiky and potentially poisonous stone. It can do no good inside of you...poop it out and flush it away</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 15px;">Nurse Judy</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Last Monday was Yom Kippur. This is considered one of the most important days in the Jewish Calendar. </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">It is a Holy Day, rather than a Holiday, unless you consider fasting and deep introspection something you celebrate.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">I am not a classically religious person. My friends and family have heard me say that my belief system is simple:</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><ol style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><li style="font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is ‘more to it than this’, we just don’t get to know exactly what that is</span></li><li style="font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Be kind</span></li></ol><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">So while I am skeptical about an all powerful being with a white beard judging my every action, there is something about Yom Kippur that has me treat the day with a bit of reverence.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">The message around Yom Kippur is twofold: forgiveness and atonement.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">I will address forgiveness first.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">I am not saying that you shouldn’t get angry at someone who has done something wrong. By all means, feel those feelings as much as you need to. But then take a moment to do some thinking. When we feel a strong emotion we can ask ourselves what this particular feeling is trying to communicate to us. Perhaps something has been threatened or a boundary has been crossed. Once you have identified the purpose of the emotion it has done its job. Now it is time to let your head take over.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">It might seem like I am going off topic, but bear with me for a moment.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">When I was working at Noe Valley Pediatrics, it was not unusual for kids to vomit, poop or bleed on a surface or the floor. People who work with kids know that this is simply part of the job. Bodily secretions are considered biohazards. We had to have a system for dealing with these messes.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Fortunately we had these nifty little kits designed for exactly this purpose. The amazing medical assistants who I was lucky enough to work with would spring into action. They would put on some protective equipment and proceed to sprinkle a special substance on the mess. This chemical turned whatever yucky stuff we were dealing with into a gel form that created a blob that was easily cleaned up and disposed of. These clean up kits were a valuable tool.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Anger and grudges directed towards someone are like a biohazard. Those negative feelings can actually impact your health. You need tools for learning how to change something potentially toxic into something more benign and easily dealt with.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Talk to a therapist. Meditate. See what you can come up with that helps you let go of stuff. One technique that I like is to turn mad into sad. Turn anger into disappointment. Those are potentially heavy feelings, but they are less toxic to you.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Don’t forget to forgive yourself! None of us are perfect and we all have lessons to be learned. You will be amazed how much lighter you can feel when you let go of all that negative energy.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">The next aspect of Yom Kippur is atonement. This day is actually called the Day Of Atonement, so maybe this should have come first.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">The day involves fasting, and for many observant Jews, solemn prayer asking for forgiveness from God and people in our lives for any possible sins or wrongdoing that we may have committed during the past year. There is a lovely ritual called tashlich, where you toss breadcrumbs into a body of water as a symbol of casting off your sins.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">I remember one year, I took my young daughters out in a boat on Stow Lake to do our own version and toss bread to the ducks (ducks actually shouldn’t eat bread, but I didn’t know that at the time. I have forgiven myself.)</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D001YaWktd5cALV9g-M9z2opedEg9HVSsgGILCDkeJ-6NwZJVz9LugWk6aTm7qrwVf1VMocBDl0EOQ7wy1-TTIMcqwkiQbLgknmiN1xul4B9oAw9os-IRlfMfJ5HcQXRkI7jUoc5Qvzow5lTxFz5wfCe0zQ3as2Pdt04p5cUSX2W6zFtQTLsZvnIOKOfcSo77UN97NeqZOCMWbFGd8IqDH7eEg%3D%3D%26c%3D1QgAFPv2aRP33XrXsICi74mOMwoVpdIO4LcuPJ0QE5lWslRRXQY9tg%3D%3D%26ch%3DFAStzC_nZkR3VRAtCXrlRT7yt7svKL7omT5f1vWR01OAdOdiX5dhXw%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1696087533915000&usg=AOvVaw26uSMt_ua59zCD2_yYymzr" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001YaWktd5cALV9g-M9z2opedEg9HVSsgGILCDkeJ-6NwZJVz9LugWk6aTm7qrwVf1VMocBDl0EOQ7wy1-TTIMcqwkiQbLgknmiN1xul4B9oAw9os-IRlfMfJ5HcQXRkI7jUoc5Qvzow5lTxFz5wfCe0zQ3as2Pdt04p5cUSX2W6zFtQTLsZvnIOKOfcSo77UN97NeqZOCMWbFGd8IqDH7eEg==&c=1QgAFPv2aRP33XrXsICi74mOMwoVpdIO4LcuPJ0QE5lWslRRXQY9tg==&ch=FAStzC_nZkR3VRAtCXrlRT7yt7svKL7omT5f1vWR01OAdOdiX5dhXw==" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">https://friscolibrary.com/<wbr></wbr>blogs/post/the-dos-and-donts-<wbr></wbr>of-feeding-ducks/</a></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> We did our own little ritual. </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">“Is there anything you have done that you feel sorry about?”</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Lauren went first and did it with a gusto as she tossed piece after piece to the eager ducks. She had an absolute laundry list of confessions.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">“This is for the time that I …….</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">And this is for the time that I……"</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">She went on for several minutes confessing to all sorts of little misdemeanors that I had been clueless about. Yikes!</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Finally she was done. Her conscience was clear.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">“Alana, it’s your turn, Is there anything you feel regret about?</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">“Nope”</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">“Nothing at all?”</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">“Nope..”</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> Okay, well then. </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Shake your head if you must as I did, but knowing Alana it is quite possibly accurate.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">When I think about atoning, I think it is imperative to point out the difference between intent and impact. While good intentions gone awry happen frequently, It is the impact that is what matters.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">If you accidently knocked over a glass of milk, pointing out that it was awfully close to the edge of the table is not an appropriate part of the apology. </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">“If someone hadn’t left that glass there, this would not have happened” (try again)</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">“Oops, I should have been more aware of my surroundings, let me help get that cleaned up” (better)</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">If you said something hurtful, it doesn’t matter all that much if you meant it or not. If it caused pain, make the apology a clean one, don’t muck it up with the defense or reason. Simply be sorry, learn the lesson and try not to repeat.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Parents, caregivers and people who are role models to children - Your kids are watching you! If you can learn to forgive, they will notice. If you learn to admit mistakes and try to do better in the future, they will notice. </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">As the amazing Mister Rogers noted in the quote at the beginning, these behaviors take root early on.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">There is nothing easy about this. Especially these days when it is so easy to be angry at people who are making horrible choices. I wish it was actually as easy as tossing crumbs into the lake.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Have I completely forgiven the people who stole the catalytic converter out of my 14 year old Honda a few years ago? Perhaps. Knowing that I cursed them with never ending pinworms, bedbugs and head lice took a little of the sting out of it.</span></p><h3 style="color: #717a80; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;"><br style="background-color: white;" /></h3>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2805471460666960029.post-30411705188802317102023-09-22T08:10:00.003-07:002023-09-22T08:10:27.241-07:00 Flu Vaccine information for the 2023/24 season<p> </p><p align="center" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #461f7c; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 21px; font-weight: bold;"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />Flu Vaccine information for the 2023/24 season</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Covid still seems to get the lion’s share of the attention, but the flu is not something that should be ignored. Influenza is one of the deadliest vaccine-preventable diseases.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Each year, the flu kills more children in the United States than meningitis and whooping cough combined. Flu can lead to serious complications such as bacterial pneumonia, ear infections and sinus infections. It can also worsen chronic medical conditions, such as congestive heart failure, asthma or diabetes.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">The flu is no joke. Even a mild case can be completely miserable. The aches, the coughing, the chills, that horrible feeling that you don’t want to be touched…nobody wants to get this.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">In the heart of the Covid pandemic, we had a couple of years where the Influenza season was lighter than usual. It isn’t rocket science. When people avoid crowds, wear masks and wash their hands, things don’t spread as easily.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">It is clear that once people relaxed cautious behavior, things went back to normal. Between October 1, 2022 and April 30th 2023 the CDC estimates that there were</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">27-54 million cases of flu. This led to 12-26 million doctor visits, 300,000-650,000 hospitalizations, and 19,000-58,000 deaths.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">All of those positive behaviors such as handwashing, masking when in crowds... etc. are still important, but your best protection is to get a flu shot!</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Getting the vaccine is not just about keeping you or your children from getting ill. It is also about minimizing spread within your family and community. It means protecting people who are vulnerable, including infants under 6 months who are too young to get the shot.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">In addition, flu vaccines can reduce the burden of flu illnesses and hospitalizations, on our health care system. All of those health care workers need a break!</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Kids can start getting the flu shot at 6 months. If you have a baby at home who is too young to get vaccinated, please take extra care to make sure that all the household contacts are protected so that you don’t bring the virus home. Pregnant and nursing moms can and should get the shot. Double check that you get the preservative free if you can.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Anyone who is under the age of nine, and is getting the flu vaccine for the very first time, needs to receive two doses of the vaccine in order to be considered fully protected. The first dose “primes” the immune system; the second dose provides immune protection. The two doses need to be separated by at least four weeks. Over the years I have seen patients who have had only their first shot come down with the flu. One dose will not fully protect them.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">If your child has ever had more than two previous doses of any flu vaccine, they only need one this year. It takes about 2 weeks for the shot to take effect.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Every year the disease trackers do the best they can to predict which strains of the virus will circulate and try to match the flu vaccine to the anticipated strain. </span><span style="font-size: 16px;">Some years have better matches than others. The experts are optimistic that this year is a pretty good match for avoiding severe illness.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">A couple of things are different for the 2023-2024 influenza (flu) season:</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D001mSoz26Y407bdHUbnvaV-czMEUJZ_nsxEIylDiF2tdmcRNe_tBf7NRMoX6Z0FxlACKCa-LXNOYeqx7h-HqKI_qImgLBfP3SUOoGb-3kTOU2F1JqezBxwTfc3PSuumnPf1jyobtylfyqGI6fvAPs0ez-PtsABjZni8hL3-V3ZC3passNXdPe9KNbXEz_9vWbFg%26c%3DuZ-xPf38fGiu1X1atdSOZLx-Juf3D5iHzq1M_BncBA8tut4it8UEeA%3D%3D%26ch%3De1ObYv1wlBQA8gfEn7LlhyfuHFRaDtFda_JJQaluXnz5y8SNSMZTLQ%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1695481772257000&usg=AOvVaw0fJTpMG8iivGqtvq5-zF__" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001mSoz26Y407bdHUbnvaV-czMEUJZ_nsxEIylDiF2tdmcRNe_tBf7NRMoX6Z0FxlACKCa-LXNOYeqx7h-HqKI_qImgLBfP3SUOoGb-3kTOU2F1JqezBxwTfc3PSuumnPf1jyobtylfyqGI6fvAPs0ez-PtsABjZni8hL3-V3ZC3passNXdPe9KNbXEz_9vWbFg&c=uZ-xPf38fGiu1X1atdSOZLx-Juf3D5iHzq1M_BncBA8tut4it8UEeA==&ch=e1ObYv1wlBQA8gfEn7LlhyfuHFRaDtFda_JJQaluXnz5y8SNSMZTLQ==" style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">composition of flu vaccines</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> for the U.S. 2023-2024 season will contain the following:</span></p><p style="font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><ul style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><li style="font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-decoration-line: underline;">Egg-based vaccines</span></li><li style="font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;">an A/Victoria/4897/2022 (H1N1)pdm09-like virus; (Updated)</span></li><li style="font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;">an A/Darwin/9/2021 (H3N2)-like virus;</span></li><li style="font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a B/Austria/1359417/2021 (B/Victoria lineage)-like virus; and</span></li><li style="font-size: 16px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a B/Phuket/3073/2013 (B/Yamagata lineage)-like virus.</span></li></ul><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D001mSoz26Y407bdHUbnvaV-czMEUJZ_nsxEIylDiF2tdmcRNe_tBf7NRD0kIB0s-8m6yVuOCR0rk8yYn_nnwyPSHCtR4vD8BJm2bCrxfRVd8JzoVDfP0cuGY5OrCiFkW9ozJSgVhc2PsbINijMOUx828DVzMej1JcDQfaXNkph4FTI58Tc51ylJyA%3D%3D%26c%3DuZ-xPf38fGiu1X1atdSOZLx-Juf3D5iHzq1M_BncBA8tut4it8UEeA%3D%3D%26ch%3De1ObYv1wlBQA8gfEn7LlhyfuHFRaDtFda_JJQaluXnz5y8SNSMZTLQ%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1695481772257000&usg=AOvVaw3RB-027ql7Bpyq5q-hz0nS" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001mSoz26Y407bdHUbnvaV-czMEUJZ_nsxEIylDiF2tdmcRNe_tBf7NRD0kIB0s-8m6yVuOCR0rk8yYn_nnwyPSHCtR4vD8BJm2bCrxfRVd8JzoVDfP0cuGY5OrCiFkW9ozJSgVhc2PsbINijMOUx828DVzMej1JcDQfaXNkph4FTI58Tc51ylJyA==&c=uZ-xPf38fGiu1X1atdSOZLx-Juf3D5iHzq1M_BncBA8tut4it8UEeA==&ch=e1ObYv1wlBQA8gfEn7LlhyfuHFRaDtFda_JJQaluXnz5y8SNSMZTLQ==" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">The flu mist</a><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D001mSoz26Y407bdHUbnvaV-czMEUJZ_nsxEIylDiF2tdmcRNe_tBf7NRD0kIB0s-8m6yVuOCR0rk8yYn_nnwyPSHCtR4vD8BJm2bCrxfRVd8JzoVDfP0cuGY5OrCiFkW9ozJSgVhc2PsbINijMOUx828DVzMej1JcDQfaXNkph4FTI58Tc51ylJyA%3D%3D%26c%3DuZ-xPf38fGiu1X1atdSOZLx-Juf3D5iHzq1M_BncBA8tut4it8UEeA%3D%3D%26ch%3De1ObYv1wlBQA8gfEn7LlhyfuHFRaDtFda_JJQaluXnz5y8SNSMZTLQ%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1695481772257000&usg=AOvVaw3RB-027ql7Bpyq5q-hz0nS" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001mSoz26Y407bdHUbnvaV-czMEUJZ_nsxEIylDiF2tdmcRNe_tBf7NRD0kIB0s-8m6yVuOCR0rk8yYn_nnwyPSHCtR4vD8BJm2bCrxfRVd8JzoVDfP0cuGY5OrCiFkW9ozJSgVhc2PsbINijMOUx828DVzMej1JcDQfaXNkph4FTI58Tc51ylJyA==&c=uZ-xPf38fGiu1X1atdSOZLx-Juf3D5iHzq1M_BncBA8tut4it8UEeA==&ch=e1ObYv1wlBQA8gfEn7LlhyfuHFRaDtFda_JJQaluXnz5y8SNSMZTLQ==" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"> </a><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">is another option that is approved for healthy, non-pregnant people between the ages of 2-49</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;">When should you get the shot?</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">The flu shots usually become available in August. As soon as a baby turns 6 months old you can get them started with their first dose since they need two doses to be fully protected. </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">For older kids and adults, late September and October are ideal times to get the shot. The protection lasts about 6 months. Most years the flu starts to really circulate in the winter months but be warned, Dr. Ted has already had some of his patients test positive!</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">In past years there have been some supply issues, but this year it seems that there is plenty to go around so far. Because it is impossible to predict possible delays and shortages with the supply, the safest way to prevent having an issue with a potential shortage is to get the shot by November.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D001mSoz26Y407bdHUbnvaV-czMEUJZ_nsxEIylDiF2tdmcRNe_tBf7NRD0kIB0s-8m6VW332zyz_7feFm2RcWCqUBUxAG4QsvQ9kguMh0rxz2nhrtMlleFHXenfbCSpG9o9vK6uMVd7MBVOq0C669eOTPJaqGTfQqavCw1QjtEkB9vYJOEHIlmPS0-a-nfSkXtLI7OGD2FEgro%3D%26c%3DuZ-xPf38fGiu1X1atdSOZLx-Juf3D5iHzq1M_BncBA8tut4it8UEeA%3D%3D%26ch%3De1ObYv1wlBQA8gfEn7LlhyfuHFRaDtFda_JJQaluXnz5y8SNSMZTLQ%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1695481772257000&usg=AOvVaw0FseDPiFSkMThjPDfpvtnF" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001mSoz26Y407bdHUbnvaV-czMEUJZ_nsxEIylDiF2tdmcRNe_tBf7NRD0kIB0s-8m6VW332zyz_7feFm2RcWCqUBUxAG4QsvQ9kguMh0rxz2nhrtMlleFHXenfbCSpG9o9vK6uMVd7MBVOq0C669eOTPJaqGTfQqavCw1QjtEkB9vYJOEHIlmPS0-a-nfSkXtLI7OGD2FEgro=&c=uZ-xPf38fGiu1X1atdSOZLx-Juf3D5iHzq1M_BncBA8tut4it8UEeA==&ch=e1ObYv1wlBQA8gfEn7LlhyfuHFRaDtFda_JJQaluXnz5y8SNSMZTLQ==" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Dr. Sophia Hurd</a><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D001mSoz26Y407bdHUbnvaV-czMEUJZ_nsxEIylDiF2tdmcRNe_tBf7NRD0kIB0s-8m6VW332zyz_7feFm2RcWCqUBUxAG4QsvQ9kguMh0rxz2nhrtMlleFHXenfbCSpG9o9vK6uMVd7MBVOq0C669eOTPJaqGTfQqavCw1QjtEkB9vYJOEHIlmPS0-a-nfSkXtLI7OGD2FEgro%3D%26c%3DuZ-xPf38fGiu1X1atdSOZLx-Juf3D5iHzq1M_BncBA8tut4it8UEeA%3D%3D%26ch%3De1ObYv1wlBQA8gfEn7LlhyfuHFRaDtFda_JJQaluXnz5y8SNSMZTLQ%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1695481772257000&usg=AOvVaw0FseDPiFSkMThjPDfpvtnF" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001mSoz26Y407bdHUbnvaV-czMEUJZ_nsxEIylDiF2tdmcRNe_tBf7NRD0kIB0s-8m6VW332zyz_7feFm2RcWCqUBUxAG4QsvQ9kguMh0rxz2nhrtMlleFHXenfbCSpG9o9vK6uMVd7MBVOq0C669eOTPJaqGTfQqavCw1QjtEkB9vYJOEHIlmPS0-a-nfSkXtLI7OGD2FEgro=&c=uZ-xPf38fGiu1X1atdSOZLx-Juf3D5iHzq1M_BncBA8tut4it8UEeA==&ch=e1ObYv1wlBQA8gfEn7LlhyfuHFRaDtFda_JJQaluXnz5y8SNSMZTLQ==" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">,</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> A UCSF physician at the Laurel Heights location says that the flu shot visit is a great time to get caught up on any other vaccines that your child might be missing. Most offices require appointments for shot visits.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;">Can you get the flu shot and Covid vaccine at the same time?</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">There may be a small benefit to separating them by at least several days, but if your busy schedule needs to get them taken care of at the same time, that is fine. Just make sure you get them in different arms (or legs).</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;">What are the typical reactions?</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Some shots are more painful than others. The flu shot is one that usually doesn’t hurt too much. When I worked at Noe Valley Pediatrics, I gave thousands of them and more often than not, the babies didn’t even fuss. Afterwards is a different story and soreness at the site can last for a few days. Every year, my own arm is always sore from the shot.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">It can vary a bit from year to year, but most of the time the reactions to the flu shot are quite mild. It is common to have a low grade fever. Remember that a day or two of aches and a bit of fever is still better than a full-blown case of the flu.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;">What if my little one already has a cold?</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">A mild illness does not affect how well the body responds to a vaccine, so a mild illness is not reason to put it off.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;">What about egg allergies?</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">If your child has a mild to moderate egg sensitivity it is still considered okay to get the standard shot. </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Beginning this year with the 2023-2024 season, additional safety measures are no longer required for flu vaccination of people who have egg allergies. Of course, all vaccines should be administered in a setting where personnel and equipment needed for rapid recognition and treatment of allergic reactions are available.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">It is important to keep a close eye on your child for at least 30 minutes after the shot. If they seem to be having any breathing issues or exceptional fussiness they should get checked out immediately.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">If you have someone who has actually had an anaphylactic reaction in the past, talk to your doctor about some </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D001mSoz26Y407bdHUbnvaV-czMEUJZ_nsxEIylDiF2tdmcRNe_tBf7NRD0kIB0s-8m6y7cEFfXG-849wGQnNZLKna5ADnYUk5wi9CPcK1ONP78hLj26ABLtHrw_g5JarxKX_zunmGnRz4Mx-bwzQ0DUknvtiN8XfbuwuUGSb1w-zOQx7-knTVTOXQ%3D%3D%26c%3DuZ-xPf38fGiu1X1atdSOZLx-Juf3D5iHzq1M_BncBA8tut4it8UEeA%3D%3D%26ch%3De1ObYv1wlBQA8gfEn7LlhyfuHFRaDtFda_JJQaluXnz5y8SNSMZTLQ%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1695481772257000&usg=AOvVaw1y3W5evuhmTFgkAYN3IJIQ" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001mSoz26Y407bdHUbnvaV-czMEUJZ_nsxEIylDiF2tdmcRNe_tBf7NRD0kIB0s-8m6y7cEFfXG-849wGQnNZLKna5ADnYUk5wi9CPcK1ONP78hLj26ABLtHrw_g5JarxKX_zunmGnRz4Mx-bwzQ0DUknvtiN8XfbuwuUGSb1w-zOQx7-knTVTOXQ==&c=uZ-xPf38fGiu1X1atdSOZLx-Juf3D5iHzq1M_BncBA8tut4it8UEeA==&ch=e1ObYv1wlBQA8gfEn7LlhyfuHFRaDtFda_JJQaluXnz5y8SNSMZTLQ==" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">new options</a>.</p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;">Tips for the immunization visit.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">As I mentioned in </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D001mSoz26Y407bdHUbnvaV-czMEUJZ_nsxEIylDiF2tdmcRNe_tBf7NRMoX6Z0FxlAC3UDepgtbcMA7dHlQr_vzjXOoy25H26gclDLF-siJfba7exN5UTEh-KzDihJuxN9Nw0G5znOgaqcqG7Ms31RcwH8MKu6hbHv5rlZHf1fHklp_ErHebb8DOgOfen_45Pb9q08NFpSvFe2QnmjsqXfZNnfbs9jP2BbH%26c%3DuZ-xPf38fGiu1X1atdSOZLx-Juf3D5iHzq1M_BncBA8tut4it8UEeA%3D%3D%26ch%3De1ObYv1wlBQA8gfEn7LlhyfuHFRaDtFda_JJQaluXnz5y8SNSMZTLQ%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1695481772257000&usg=AOvVaw1eM-3EwMKNRGGdQc34dwyz" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001mSoz26Y407bdHUbnvaV-czMEUJZ_nsxEIylDiF2tdmcRNe_tBf7NRMoX6Z0FxlAC3UDepgtbcMA7dHlQr_vzjXOoy25H26gclDLF-siJfba7exN5UTEh-KzDihJuxN9Nw0G5znOgaqcqG7Ms31RcwH8MKu6hbHv5rlZHf1fHklp_ErHebb8DOgOfen_45Pb9q08NFpSvFe2QnmjsqXfZNnfbs9jP2BbH&c=uZ-xPf38fGiu1X1atdSOZLx-Juf3D5iHzq1M_BncBA8tut4it8UEeA==&ch=e1ObYv1wlBQA8gfEn7LlhyfuHFRaDtFda_JJQaluXnz5y8SNSMZTLQ==" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">last week's post</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">, a little preparation ahead of time with either method can make a world of difference.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">The flu mist is a nice option for kids over 2, but to tell you the truth, getting a 2 or 3 year old to cooperate with something being squirted in their nose can be more of a challenge than the 2 seconds it takes to do the injection. If you can practice with a little saline in the nose at home, you will have a much better chance for success. If you can’t get them to do this in the safety and comfort of your home, save yourself the trouble of trying in the office and just opt for the shot.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">For the injection, get out the doctor's kit and do a little playing. There are also loads of little videos that you can watch in advance. I have one link here - </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D001mSoz26Y407bdHUbnvaV-czMEUJZ_nsxEIylDiF2tdmcRNe_tBf7NRD0kIB0s-8m6QPiZ0_CGhnP5RmxWShVpXkroaGM0gER3PnUfqfVXVYVRZ29MzM6nAgMi5hSuRtfSdUekH5pNgCkzxq_vBdyKAxkkrwNcscrNmTBgKrEROnya1LEDRvPfzs-74r7Qiid7ewJr6q9zkF4OS3KXqYCLS5Fg2JLwUkCvpU7iPt_hDgWyk-ndJNGxWdLGeXedi5ntKDqaf1pcfdV21PmvZT9TwGX_rGZvql_QZdSDdiThqFg%3D%26c%3DuZ-xPf38fGiu1X1atdSOZLx-Juf3D5iHzq1M_BncBA8tut4it8UEeA%3D%3D%26ch%3De1ObYv1wlBQA8gfEn7LlhyfuHFRaDtFda_JJQaluXnz5y8SNSMZTLQ%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1695481772257000&usg=AOvVaw1cwIFUdNiQHgHPOWhzUNBp" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001mSoz26Y407bdHUbnvaV-czMEUJZ_nsxEIylDiF2tdmcRNe_tBf7NRD0kIB0s-8m6QPiZ0_CGhnP5RmxWShVpXkroaGM0gER3PnUfqfVXVYVRZ29MzM6nAgMi5hSuRtfSdUekH5pNgCkzxq_vBdyKAxkkrwNcscrNmTBgKrEROnya1LEDRvPfzs-74r7Qiid7ewJr6q9zkF4OS3KXqYCLS5Fg2JLwUkCvpU7iPt_hDgWyk-ndJNGxWdLGeXedi5ntKDqaf1pcfdV21PmvZT9TwGX_rGZvql_QZdSDdiThqFg=&c=uZ-xPf38fGiu1X1atdSOZLx-Juf3D5iHzq1M_BncBA8tut4it8UEeA==&ch=e1ObYv1wlBQA8gfEn7LlhyfuHFRaDtFda_JJQaluXnz5y8SNSMZTLQ==" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Daniel Tiger gets a shot</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">, but do some homework and see if you can find one that might resonate with your little one.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Make sure you give appropriate choices, such as which arm they want the bandaid on, or what kind of treat they might get. Dr. Hurd pops a gummy or piece of chocolate into her kids mouths right after the shots and they are a big fan. No fussing at all.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Be clear that whether or not to get the shot, is not one of the choices.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">When you go in for the appointment it is helpful if your child is wearing short sleeves or clothes that will allow them easy access. Perhaps bring an ice pack with you and give yourself a bit more time for some icing in advance. </span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">You might also order a product called a </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D001d3BIu8tT6sS2k4Aoxe8ezDXqaNqHW0sI9B-Pn-aDqX0RDm3VA0EQXsGUcpDjki-5xkv70TMrrmydF-obTdZt1BvI3f91fraC3yZLPqcwd0O8taSX8LWkWbogqVC3mnhECyrIYMcFcK0MiXNkoCkOq5li2p4v3cRRRGJpsLeMevc4mvyz0gP9RABvKkaQY7605DDWuxmQeYsdz2TJ9yAaSpepEYsrvt-zV9l1jJfYtoEk2X43_pSbdu-LVOELXIUy29akqnpxNtsFbByU2RHFGYRku3oc--EwwgwZnjNcbjOoaydHrW8aHVieZy13KaVmpr5DenuyU61w0HgRYEgaRg8i6XDFF-VoPKwM9dAyy2y_7-JPmfch4thG288b_WplA5tKE4OHXUxi6AD0VRm-OxQWHO-NmXuz4hYra8wi4zP2jmkn72FuSVtA55ZYCIwDLeC4Z1MPBMISH3kIHL9A4p7-nipspwm_0SgyL05csCJUrFz_UYDN0QPaKM9tmzQdMkNw9GlEaMWwrXSktC97ZUoJmKYq5uUfH8hBmoMbbgZRk3zfRd3EMKWjBobG2IkWWM3WO3WwSwC2VByqMO2FyAgfD8saVjkUW0kXyuqTXqAmwmcKL_IO_g%3D%3D%26c%3DnLo-m4rtu0FF4L_Nm58AjaICqPX5FebFG1GDm-dQn-i-L5nmLluDOA%3D%3D%26ch%3DruvrHV6p-MBq9HI6OGxirgwrF2u0ZeKK5bheP7BFDB1MofwWrpCRuQ%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1695481772257000&usg=AOvVaw2URsjCogcs-4Aw3ffb0pPf" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001d3BIu8tT6sS2k4Aoxe8ezDXqaNqHW0sI9B-Pn-aDqX0RDm3VA0EQXsGUcpDjki-5xkv70TMrrmydF-obTdZt1BvI3f91fraC3yZLPqcwd0O8taSX8LWkWbogqVC3mnhECyrIYMcFcK0MiXNkoCkOq5li2p4v3cRRRGJpsLeMevc4mvyz0gP9RABvKkaQY7605DDWuxmQeYsdz2TJ9yAaSpepEYsrvt-zV9l1jJfYtoEk2X43_pSbdu-LVOELXIUy29akqnpxNtsFbByU2RHFGYRku3oc--EwwgwZnjNcbjOoaydHrW8aHVieZy13KaVmpr5DenuyU61w0HgRYEgaRg8i6XDFF-VoPKwM9dAyy2y_7-JPmfch4thG288b_WplA5tKE4OHXUxi6AD0VRm-OxQWHO-NmXuz4hYra8wi4zP2jmkn72FuSVtA55ZYCIwDLeC4Z1MPBMISH3kIHL9A4p7-nipspwm_0SgyL05csCJUrFz_UYDN0QPaKM9tmzQdMkNw9GlEaMWwrXSktC97ZUoJmKYq5uUfH8hBmoMbbgZRk3zfRd3EMKWjBobG2IkWWM3WO3WwSwC2VByqMO2FyAgfD8saVjkUW0kXyuqTXqAmwmcKL_IO_g==&c=nLo-m4rtu0FF4L_Nm58AjaICqPX5FebFG1GDm-dQn-i-L5nmLluDOA==&ch=ruvrHV6p-MBq9HI6OGxirgwrF2u0ZeKK5bheP7BFDB1MofwWrpCRuQ==" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Shot Blocker</a><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"> from Amazon and bring it with you. These little gizmos have helped a few of my ‘shot haters’ have an easier experience.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">I have found that there is no age limit to people who are terrified of shots. Some parents are so upset by the sight of a needle that they can’t be in the room when their kids get vaccinated. If you are one of those, see if you have the option of having a partner be the adult on duty.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">Wishing you all an influenza free year. Now call to make an appointment!</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;">For frequently asked questions, here is a</span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D001mSoz26Y407bdHUbnvaV-czMEUJZ_nsxEIylDiF2tdmcRNe_tBf7NRMoX6Z0FxlACFVSceWWWWBpYAssOJn5Zkeo1J14V_zSAwMws1JTF0PtQbZx2XeowkL51XXhb4bNJKFNrib3aYWCJf9-gbuMG9vt2k4y8HAEpB1KHBe3Vv0Z19-PgFp5FGpDBAoplpHHUmaAx4Wjpzgc%3D%26c%3DuZ-xPf38fGiu1X1atdSOZLx-Juf3D5iHzq1M_BncBA8tut4it8UEeA%3D%3D%26ch%3De1ObYv1wlBQA8gfEn7LlhyfuHFRaDtFda_JJQaluXnz5y8SNSMZTLQ%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1695481772257000&usg=AOvVaw0BqwOAr10DBRZxmrC37xBz" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001mSoz26Y407bdHUbnvaV-czMEUJZ_nsxEIylDiF2tdmcRNe_tBf7NRMoX6Z0FxlACFVSceWWWWBpYAssOJn5Zkeo1J14V_zSAwMws1JTF0PtQbZx2XeowkL51XXhb4bNJKFNrib3aYWCJf9-gbuMG9vt2k4y8HAEpB1KHBe3Vv0Z19-PgFp5FGpDBAoplpHHUmaAx4Wjpzgc=&c=uZ-xPf38fGiu1X1atdSOZLx-Juf3D5iHzq1M_BncBA8tut4it8UEeA==&ch=e1ObYv1wlBQA8gfEn7LlhyfuHFRaDtFda_JJQaluXnz5y8SNSMZTLQ==" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"> </a><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D001mSoz26Y407bdHUbnvaV-czMEUJZ_nsxEIylDiF2tdmcRNe_tBf7NRMoX6Z0FxlACFVSceWWWWBpYAssOJn5Zkeo1J14V_zSAwMws1JTF0PtQbZx2XeowkL51XXhb4bNJKFNrib3aYWCJf9-gbuMG9vt2k4y8HAEpB1KHBe3Vv0Z19-PgFp5FGpDBAoplpHHUmaAx4Wjpzgc%3D%26c%3DuZ-xPf38fGiu1X1atdSOZLx-Juf3D5iHzq1M_BncBA8tut4it8UEeA%3D%3D%26ch%3De1ObYv1wlBQA8gfEn7LlhyfuHFRaDtFda_JJQaluXnz5y8SNSMZTLQ%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1695481772257000&usg=AOvVaw0BqwOAr10DBRZxmrC37xBz" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001mSoz26Y407bdHUbnvaV-czMEUJZ_nsxEIylDiF2tdmcRNe_tBf7NRMoX6Z0FxlACFVSceWWWWBpYAssOJn5Zkeo1J14V_zSAwMws1JTF0PtQbZx2XeowkL51XXhb4bNJKFNrib3aYWCJf9-gbuMG9vt2k4y8HAEpB1KHBe3Vv0Z19-PgFp5FGpDBAoplpHHUmaAx4Wjpzgc=&c=uZ-xPf38fGiu1X1atdSOZLx-Juf3D5iHzq1M_BncBA8tut4it8UEeA==&ch=e1ObYv1wlBQA8gfEn7LlhyfuHFRaDtFda_JJQaluXnz5y8SNSMZTLQ==" style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">great resource from the CDC</a>.</p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><h3 style="color: #717a80; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;"><br style="background-color: white;" /></h3>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2805471460666960029.post-12516489909845492022023-09-15T08:45:00.001-07:002023-09-15T08:45:19.320-07:00 How to get the most out of your doctor's appointment<p> </p><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="m_6869405911735771580text" style="table-layout: fixed; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td align="left" class="m_6869405911735771580text_content-cell m_6869405911735771580content-padding-horizontal" style="color: #403f42; display: block; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 10px 20px 10px 10px;" valign="top"><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 22px; font-weight: bold;">How to get the most out of your doctor's appointment</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 17px;">Our medical system has some challenges (understatement).</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 17px;">If you are in the position of looking for a provider, assuming you have choices, here are some things to consider:</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><ul style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><li style="color: black; font-size: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">What is the process for asking follow up questions or non urgent questions in between appointments? Is there an advice nurse? Do they use email or a patient portal? What is the expected response time?</li></ul><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><ul style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><li style="color: black; font-size: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Is the office convenient? On a Friday afternoon (when all the kids get sick) it is better to be able to avoid crossing a bridge.</li></ul><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><ul style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><li style="color: black; font-size: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Is there parking? If you are managing a baby and stroller, this can be a bigger issue than you think.</li></ul><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><ul style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><li style="color: black; font-size: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">How long are the appointments: acute care as well as routine check ups.These can vary significantly from practice to practice.</li></ul><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><ul style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><li style="color: black; font-size: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">What is the practice’s vaccination policy? </li></ul><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><ul style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><li style="color: black; font-size: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Is there a separate waiting room for sick and well children? Spoiler alert, most practices do not, but they might schedule sick and well appointments separately.</li></ul><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><ul style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><li style="color: black; font-size: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">What are their urgent care options for after hours? What do I do when my kid has a fever at 3am?</li></ul><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><ul style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><li style="color: black; font-size: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">What is their comfort level with trying complimentary or natural treatments (this may be more important to some of you than others).</li></ul><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><ul style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><li style="color: black; font-size: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">If it is a specialist, is there a nurse practitioner that you can address questions to?</li></ul><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><ul style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><li style="color: black; font-size: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Do they take your insurance?</li></ul><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><ul style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><li style="color: black; font-size: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">What hospitals/specialists are they affiliated with?</li></ul><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><ul style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><li style="color: black; font-size: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Does the pediatric practice visit newborns in the hospital? If they don’t, what is the best way to let the practice know that the baby has been born to schedule the first appointments?</li></ul><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><ul style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><li style="color: black; font-size: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Does the practice have recommendations for:</li></ul><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><ul style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><li style="color: black; font-size: 17px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 3em; padding: 0px;">Managing visitors to the house after the baby is born?</li><li style="color: black; font-size: 17px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 3em; padding: 0px;">Hepatitis B vaccination in the hospital or at the practice?</li><li style="color: black; font-size: 17px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 3em; padding: 0px;">Vitamin K (...just get it!)</li><li style="color: black; font-size: 17px; margin: 0px 0px 0px 3em; padding: 0px;">Cord blood banking?</li></ul><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 17px; font-weight: bold;">It is a challenge for many parents to figure out what to do with all the little concerns that come up.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 17px;">If something has you really worried, then by all means call your doctor, but for so many things, you probably don’t need a special appointment.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 17px;">I’m talking about the things like the strange shriek that seems to happen every night at 2:41 am, or that little red spot on the back of the thigh that has been there for a while but doesn’t seem to be changing or bothering anyone (but you).</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 17px;">But keep a ‘shopping list’ of sorts. I suggest creating a little document that you share with all caregivers. This can help make sure that when you do have a scheduled appointment, you bring all of these things up.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 17px;">I also strongly recommend doing your homework and taking a look at these </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D001rekRpjL7pJeVHQ8hxzdcn10-h_jFaKO8A8Z2bUiqG18OMGWvM7_qg70RH8ZsINN2-rZ0ykqiNSXfFCxczyBe8Al6YWW_lJejjC4rvt8-QfkO8IkE8_63Pyk3_OrNHdRV8sSl287c1EQMY7dZ7OzQdSMkimtCH3G25A1qrPPBqmQpSQFaLM04fiWoFy1COGOiOZo1-ZA3xJu4tj3wr1km0TaNdRC5V78Ksb5CCvgiTJcw7cpZR2e1E91cNOx2-CwavHHEyZwDsc11iwbMVSJx53-Rxmxhznf6%26c%3DUI3jwFm2ovnJgQ0gXzAJ8m7mpQrPPh6og7utu0QOqO4iG72Mj8x9wg%3D%3D%26ch%3Dj9pM0H_mTro40hUwRxuuoXF1s5BXs2z7Oq_vBtZmLhRHx1vuPpRGzQ%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1694879033792000&usg=AOvVaw3nSkXPl9AnAo0DoX0qOVKS" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001rekRpjL7pJeVHQ8hxzdcn10-h_jFaKO8A8Z2bUiqG18OMGWvM7_qg70RH8ZsINN2-rZ0ykqiNSXfFCxczyBe8Al6YWW_lJejjC4rvt8-QfkO8IkE8_63Pyk3_OrNHdRV8sSl287c1EQMY7dZ7OzQdSMkimtCH3G25A1qrPPBqmQpSQFaLM04fiWoFy1COGOiOZo1-ZA3xJu4tj3wr1km0TaNdRC5V78Ksb5CCvgiTJcw7cpZR2e1E91cNOx2-CwavHHEyZwDsc11iwbMVSJx53-Rxmxhznf6&c=UI3jwFm2ovnJgQ0gXzAJ8m7mpQrPPh6og7utu0QOqO4iG72Mj8x9wg==&ch=j9pM0H_mTro40hUwRxuuoXF1s5BXs2z7Oq_vBtZmLhRHx1vuPpRGzQ==" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 17px; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">common questions/discussion points that come up at many of these routine appointments.</a></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 17px;">Go ahead and flag anything that feels like it needs to be focused on and add it to your list.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 17px;">Even the best and most caring doctor has limited time during routine appointments to often do a comprehensive exam while addressing all concerns that you have. This makes it even more important to maximize the time that you have.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 17px;">While you have the right to have questions answered in a way that you understand, it can be helpful to be organized. That is where that little list comes in.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 17px;">Let the doctor know at the beginning of the appointment what is on your mind, rather than an “oh by the way” as they are heading out the door. Even better: Dr. Ted likes it if patients send their lists the day before the appointment, so that he might have an opportunity to answer those questions virtually before you get there!</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 17px; font-weight: bold;">What to bring with you to the doctor appointment</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><ul style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><li style="color: black; font-size: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Your list of questions and discussion points</li></ul><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><ul style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><li style="color: black; font-size: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Updated insurance card</li></ul><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><ul style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><li style="color: black; font-size: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Any forms for school or camp</li></ul><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><ul style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><li style="color: black; font-size: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">A change of clothes, count on the fact that they will pee or poop all over the place, and a plastic bag to pack out poopy diapers if those occur.</li></ul><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><ul style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><li style="color: black; font-size: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">If cold/ flu season bring some activities from home so that they aren’t touching the communal toys.</li></ul><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><ul style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><li style="color: black; font-size: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">For older kids: <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D001rekRpjL7pJeVHQ8hxzdcn10-h_jFaKO8A8Z2bUiqG18OMGWvM7_qg70RH8ZsINN2xffFBJ6KmAOf8LpExUPo9yPB3xbpP6hP6DEGi9yq_YPhzPMALao4OtVrinjheUfsbp1hmR_JKKM3SJcvlh6XltN5cgwEVLPoMexA7ZPf6RJJe9H2AlYQ5BmBE_Q3SLSXt-ACSC2sJGIDoKKB179v70jpIyfLAQO7k1Qtlb6wz3E%3D%26c%3DUI3jwFm2ovnJgQ0gXzAJ8m7mpQrPPh6og7utu0QOqO4iG72Mj8x9wg%3D%3D%26ch%3Dj9pM0H_mTro40hUwRxuuoXF1s5BXs2z7Oq_vBtZmLhRHx1vuPpRGzQ%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1694879033792000&usg=AOvVaw0JveUeaiv_qrU-0QkL2zNm" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001rekRpjL7pJeVHQ8hxzdcn10-h_jFaKO8A8Z2bUiqG18OMGWvM7_qg70RH8ZsINN2xffFBJ6KmAOf8LpExUPo9yPB3xbpP6hP6DEGi9yq_YPhzPMALao4OtVrinjheUfsbp1hmR_JKKM3SJcvlh6XltN5cgwEVLPoMexA7ZPf6RJJe9H2AlYQ5BmBE_Q3SLSXt-ACSC2sJGIDoKKB179v70jpIyfLAQO7k1Qtlb6wz3E=&c=UI3jwFm2ovnJgQ0gXzAJ8m7mpQrPPh6og7utu0QOqO4iG72Mj8x9wg==&ch=j9pM0H_mTro40hUwRxuuoXF1s5BXs2z7Oq_vBtZmLhRHx1vuPpRGzQ==" style="color: black; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">shot blockers</a>, simple little items to decrease the pain of injections.</li></ul><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><ul style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><li style="color: black; font-size: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">A little cold pack to put on the injection site prior to the shot (some offices will offer that).</li></ul><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 17px; font-weight: bold;">Preparation and some playing before the appointment can go a long way towards making the appointment easier.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 17px;">Don’t stress if your little one starts screaming before you even park. I had one of those. You are not alone. There are things that you can do:</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><ul style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><li style="color: black; font-size: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D001rekRpjL7pJeVHQ8hxzdcn10-h_jFaKO8A8Z2bUiqG18OMGWvM7_qg70RH8ZsINN2gBN9dqkP3ejFBbK8LE8xqoOJHqHu8LojpR4bvv59oGM9P-RyNOAGreXpWvtJVsFLAJnrG7zYSqboX3__56wY9W0C2_CZ2Dj6QgG-1qN5vOA3kxm-W4a49UYNY2oBr5bz2E_oamnagLbQjalCrR1sMBxmnW5y8jQQ-wmfELATtBc5geggHxb71t0_d_S3_pGty9aK_xuYPNSt5m0XcC_YSYgsdN0nOHFzxQf6gBKFaiCc5GxSveR5bchUh1upXsRuUiAph88VqcKClmAZW7ZbyoaU8r8H0LvU6-Eb5macouTuUDJa8fdtOf6qO_SGh3LcI_B6m2bLCS7UQFGuUlBM4sQKuJga6bT0WQHcOxC3sLZEL4q1UMCw2qF69XxALDFELgjk4vFb2H6WKGDFxPgTyyK5ggjyOYGhdzcjqWDrn8letSuREZsSH75IhZsp3r5gNkz45EloL_vihRQxbqinV8adetwq4qv2mm7c13Tsd1EF1stV442lUAc48aOfQq4ioqLEJF1DE-CR6gSlbMxLuMqmNoTp4tTcmUGO6q2To95aMHCq3Kx0yg%3D%3D%26c%3DUI3jwFm2ovnJgQ0gXzAJ8m7mpQrPPh6og7utu0QOqO4iG72Mj8x9wg%3D%3D%26ch%3Dj9pM0H_mTro40hUwRxuuoXF1s5BXs2z7Oq_vBtZmLhRHx1vuPpRGzQ%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1694879033793000&usg=AOvVaw2xZPTF2TLzBJche-697Uue" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001rekRpjL7pJeVHQ8hxzdcn10-h_jFaKO8A8Z2bUiqG18OMGWvM7_qg70RH8ZsINN2gBN9dqkP3ejFBbK8LE8xqoOJHqHu8LojpR4bvv59oGM9P-RyNOAGreXpWvtJVsFLAJnrG7zYSqboX3__56wY9W0C2_CZ2Dj6QgG-1qN5vOA3kxm-W4a49UYNY2oBr5bz2E_oamnagLbQjalCrR1sMBxmnW5y8jQQ-wmfELATtBc5geggHxb71t0_d_S3_pGty9aK_xuYPNSt5m0XcC_YSYgsdN0nOHFzxQf6gBKFaiCc5GxSveR5bchUh1upXsRuUiAph88VqcKClmAZW7ZbyoaU8r8H0LvU6-Eb5macouTuUDJa8fdtOf6qO_SGh3LcI_B6m2bLCS7UQFGuUlBM4sQKuJga6bT0WQHcOxC3sLZEL4q1UMCw2qF69XxALDFELgjk4vFb2H6WKGDFxPgTyyK5ggjyOYGhdzcjqWDrn8letSuREZsSH75IhZsp3r5gNkz45EloL_vihRQxbqinV8adetwq4qv2mm7c13Tsd1EF1stV442lUAc48aOfQq4ioqLEJF1DE-CR6gSlbMxLuMqmNoTp4tTcmUGO6q2To95aMHCq3Kx0yg==&c=UI3jwFm2ovnJgQ0gXzAJ8m7mpQrPPh6og7utu0QOqO4iG72Mj8x9wg==&ch=j9pM0H_mTro40hUwRxuuoXF1s5BXs2z7Oq_vBtZmLhRHx1vuPpRGzQ==" style="color: black; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Read some books</a>. There are tons of good ones out there. Or tell a story about another child who was scared and talk about things that you can do to make it easier.</li></ul><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><ul style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><li style="color: black; font-size: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">A <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D001rekRpjL7pJeVHQ8hxzdcn10-h_jFaKO8A8Z2bUiqG18OMGWvM7_qg70RH8ZsINN2tjhEHRpk53eP9Jrzn4yJ72W1kxuwwBgyC3YDellh31MbMqQDA-Jcv3vd9KjY1zMB0aDHXC8WDr8CDqYya7bMUcTAB6QmsH5exgMBLLkfDoL2jPz7LRU7qoRErhVSitBncnMhGeRz3kgM2CW_j9CxO0sEDmC4thT5HXW0FDVmOYtfKi8W-zSxC48HBz-xO21p-hFYw8cFxgXXo6pCyWYhuC5sAymaR4kDV1pHvTgRySze5lBLTvafGA7CSzjCYf_UQo-DSyYYcrkss5mRcsLDsnLfbw5aBco_nwYT_Xv5wTKLezRXPrhV0pPjthBkaM9RsuWMDceOIcBduST4PxpGWIKdlXWvD8YmKqnOUPqIXYdBZp4OykMaOEX2iy_a5RjbXtunWlOCVGVYdD-pPW3jdg%3D%3D%26c%3DUI3jwFm2ovnJgQ0gXzAJ8m7mpQrPPh6og7utu0QOqO4iG72Mj8x9wg%3D%3D%26ch%3Dj9pM0H_mTro40hUwRxuuoXF1s5BXs2z7Oq_vBtZmLhRHx1vuPpRGzQ%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1694879033793000&usg=AOvVaw3De_bVPKou_fRxjuUVjNsS" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001rekRpjL7pJeVHQ8hxzdcn10-h_jFaKO8A8Z2bUiqG18OMGWvM7_qg70RH8ZsINN2tjhEHRpk53eP9Jrzn4yJ72W1kxuwwBgyC3YDellh31MbMqQDA-Jcv3vd9KjY1zMB0aDHXC8WDr8CDqYya7bMUcTAB6QmsH5exgMBLLkfDoL2jPz7LRU7qoRErhVSitBncnMhGeRz3kgM2CW_j9CxO0sEDmC4thT5HXW0FDVmOYtfKi8W-zSxC48HBz-xO21p-hFYw8cFxgXXo6pCyWYhuC5sAymaR4kDV1pHvTgRySze5lBLTvafGA7CSzjCYf_UQo-DSyYYcrkss5mRcsLDsnLfbw5aBco_nwYT_Xv5wTKLezRXPrhV0pPjthBkaM9RsuWMDceOIcBduST4PxpGWIKdlXWvD8YmKqnOUPqIXYdBZp4OykMaOEX2iy_a5RjbXtunWlOCVGVYdD-pPW3jdg==&c=UI3jwFm2ovnJgQ0gXzAJ8m7mpQrPPh6og7utu0QOqO4iG72Mj8x9wg==&ch=j9pM0H_mTro40hUwRxuuoXF1s5BXs2z7Oq_vBtZmLhRHx1vuPpRGzQ==" style="color: black; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">little toy doctor kit</a> is a worthy investment for kids 18 months and older. </li></ul><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><ul style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><li style="color: black; font-size: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">If you allow some screen time (in small doses some can be quite nice) then scope out some little <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D001rekRpjL7pJeVHQ8hxzdcn10-h_jFaKO8A8Z2bUiqG18OMGWvM7_qg70RH8ZsINN2sjVH_oOBsL-cXSSuAPCIPi16eGT6iAiK7-PBTvayIxeY_0Ac15Stdg5FN32EsIxJ24VVKpHXa0fE161f99rhGHP7N0Q67zF37NQqChcyhr80nG4RWFIJRgRhy52aunIcRSnnAUgQIifVnIyLNEHhpB7taW0nwckWpPtLQB-Jgdnhpozd-jcKOw%3D%3D%26c%3DUI3jwFm2ovnJgQ0gXzAJ8m7mpQrPPh6og7utu0QOqO4iG72Mj8x9wg%3D%3D%26ch%3Dj9pM0H_mTro40hUwRxuuoXF1s5BXs2z7Oq_vBtZmLhRHx1vuPpRGzQ%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1694879033793000&usg=AOvVaw1Po7dMYUzTC9fMIKFl-vce" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001rekRpjL7pJeVHQ8hxzdcn10-h_jFaKO8A8Z2bUiqG18OMGWvM7_qg70RH8ZsINN2sjVH_oOBsL-cXSSuAPCIPi16eGT6iAiK7-PBTvayIxeY_0Ac15Stdg5FN32EsIxJ24VVKpHXa0fE161f99rhGHP7N0Q67zF37NQqChcyhr80nG4RWFIJRgRhy52aunIcRSnnAUgQIifVnIyLNEHhpB7taW0nwckWpPtLQB-Jgdnhpozd-jcKOw==&c=UI3jwFm2ovnJgQ0gXzAJ8m7mpQrPPh6og7utu0QOqO4iG72Mj8x9wg==&ch=j9pM0H_mTro40hUwRxuuoXF1s5BXs2z7Oq_vBtZmLhRHx1vuPpRGzQ==" style="color: black; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">videos</a> that can help prepare your little one for an appointment.</li></ul><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><ul style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><li style="color: black; font-size: 17px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Tell the office ahead of time if you have a really doctor/shot phobic kid. When I was working at the pediatric office, my medical assistant Josie and I were the dream team and people would actually schedule appointments when they knew we would both be there. Josie was so good at giving shots that for years, even when she had aged out of the pediatrician, my daughter Alana would only let Josie be the one who gave her the annual flu shot.</li></ul><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 17px; font-weight: bold;">If you have an appointment for something more complicated...</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 17px;">Forgive yourself for not knowing all the</span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D001rekRpjL7pJeVHQ8hxzdcn10-h_jFaKO8A8Z2bUiqG18OMGWvM7_qg70RH8ZsINN27j0a1ERJ9URs_4FA0Yg1ZChtXfcpVWpbjtH8oCMwa1BpWxAKdLSmjnRbmk9HbOqsvKBX5ybmHL10L0Q2lmsn3clMr4r1z7rUF0vxaEg2BX3qgVB3Fz4l793fYJmm8H2LXgaYxrKmARKdpQL7T_unE1JxnUkjEfDEceQ-ffmCYJM%3D%26c%3DUI3jwFm2ovnJgQ0gXzAJ8m7mpQrPPh6og7utu0QOqO4iG72Mj8x9wg%3D%3D%26ch%3Dj9pM0H_mTro40hUwRxuuoXF1s5BXs2z7Oq_vBtZmLhRHx1vuPpRGzQ%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1694879033793000&usg=AOvVaw3AVcyAC3qQymFzj1ij53Il" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001rekRpjL7pJeVHQ8hxzdcn10-h_jFaKO8A8Z2bUiqG18OMGWvM7_qg70RH8ZsINN27j0a1ERJ9URs_4FA0Yg1ZChtXfcpVWpbjtH8oCMwa1BpWxAKdLSmjnRbmk9HbOqsvKBX5ybmHL10L0Q2lmsn3clMr4r1z7rUF0vxaEg2BX3qgVB3Fz4l793fYJmm8H2LXgaYxrKmARKdpQL7T_unE1JxnUkjEfDEceQ-ffmCYJM=&c=UI3jwFm2ovnJgQ0gXzAJ8m7mpQrPPh6og7utu0QOqO4iG72Mj8x9wg==&ch=j9pM0H_mTro40hUwRxuuoXF1s5BXs2z7Oq_vBtZmLhRHx1vuPpRGzQ==" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 17px; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"> </a><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D001rekRpjL7pJeVHQ8hxzdcn10-h_jFaKO8A8Z2bUiqG18OMGWvM7_qg70RH8ZsINN27j0a1ERJ9URs_4FA0Yg1ZChtXfcpVWpbjtH8oCMwa1BpWxAKdLSmjnRbmk9HbOqsvKBX5ybmHL10L0Q2lmsn3clMr4r1z7rUF0vxaEg2BX3qgVB3Fz4l793fYJmm8H2LXgaYxrKmARKdpQL7T_unE1JxnUkjEfDEceQ-ffmCYJM%3D%26c%3DUI3jwFm2ovnJgQ0gXzAJ8m7mpQrPPh6og7utu0QOqO4iG72Mj8x9wg%3D%3D%26ch%3Dj9pM0H_mTro40hUwRxuuoXF1s5BXs2z7Oq_vBtZmLhRHx1vuPpRGzQ%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1694879033793000&usg=AOvVaw3AVcyAC3qQymFzj1ij53Il" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001rekRpjL7pJeVHQ8hxzdcn10-h_jFaKO8A8Z2bUiqG18OMGWvM7_qg70RH8ZsINN27j0a1ERJ9URs_4FA0Yg1ZChtXfcpVWpbjtH8oCMwa1BpWxAKdLSmjnRbmk9HbOqsvKBX5ybmHL10L0Q2lmsn3clMr4r1z7rUF0vxaEg2BX3qgVB3Fz4l793fYJmm8H2LXgaYxrKmARKdpQL7T_unE1JxnUkjEfDEceQ-ffmCYJM=&c=UI3jwFm2ovnJgQ0gXzAJ8m7mpQrPPh6og7utu0QOqO4iG72Mj8x9wg==&ch=j9pM0H_mTro40hUwRxuuoXF1s5BXs2z7Oq_vBtZmLhRHx1vuPpRGzQ==" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 17px;" target="_blank">medical terminology</a><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f%3D001rekRpjL7pJeVHQ8hxzdcn10-h_jFaKO8A8Z2bUiqG18OMGWvM7_qg70RH8ZsINN27j0a1ERJ9URs_4FA0Yg1ZChtXfcpVWpbjtH8oCMwa1BpWxAKdLSmjnRbmk9HbOqsvKBX5ybmHL10L0Q2lmsn3clMr4r1z7rUF0vxaEg2BX3qgVB3Fz4l793fYJmm8H2LXgaYxrKmARKdpQL7T_unE1JxnUkjEfDEceQ-ffmCYJM%3D%26c%3DUI3jwFm2ovnJgQ0gXzAJ8m7mpQrPPh6og7utu0QOqO4iG72Mj8x9wg%3D%3D%26ch%3Dj9pM0H_mTro40hUwRxuuoXF1s5BXs2z7Oq_vBtZmLhRHx1vuPpRGzQ%3D%3D&source=gmail&ust=1694879033793000&usg=AOvVaw3AVcyAC3qQymFzj1ij53Il" href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001rekRpjL7pJeVHQ8hxzdcn10-h_jFaKO8A8Z2bUiqG18OMGWvM7_qg70RH8ZsINN27j0a1ERJ9URs_4FA0Yg1ZChtXfcpVWpbjtH8oCMwa1BpWxAKdLSmjnRbmk9HbOqsvKBX5ybmHL10L0Q2lmsn3clMr4r1z7rUF0vxaEg2BX3qgVB3Fz4l793fYJmm8H2LXgaYxrKmARKdpQL7T_unE1JxnUkjEfDEceQ-ffmCYJM=&c=UI3jwFm2ovnJgQ0gXzAJ8m7mpQrPPh6og7utu0QOqO4iG72Mj8x9wg==&ch=j9pM0H_mTro40hUwRxuuoXF1s5BXs2z7Oq_vBtZmLhRHx1vuPpRGzQ==" style="color: #1155cc; font-size: 17px; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">.</a><span style="color: black; font-size: 17px;"> If you don’t know what something means or something doesn’t make sense, ask!</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 17px;">If possible, have an extra adult with you. That extra set of ears can be really helpful. They can also be in charge of stopping the toddler from licking the exam table, so that you can be less distracted.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 17px;">I hope you all find excellent providers to help you and your family stay healthy.</span></p><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br /></p><h3 style="color: #717a80; font-size: 16px; margin: 0px;"><br /></h3></td></tr></tbody></table><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="m_6869405911735771580text" style="table-layout: fixed; width: 100%;"><tbody><tr><td align="left" class="m_6869405911735771580text_content-cell m_6869405911735771580content-padding-horizontal" style="color: #403f42; display: block; font-family: Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px; overflow-wrap: break-word; padding: 10px 20px 10px 10px;" valign="top"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPdxxvP_hKZIH5RPn6sVGK95alXh5DuMrjTJQ_C4sXynL1ZlKEn_udDN0duOmLi8TFmnPK07nGllTHccDl5z7gp5oXLAv8hdEkNNvRzZqoo5FdwKXwWHmYBeT7_HPoVdPNDVtplF07vN799I44y0YmW4EC7czoWBaA5UKCgkyVHbo9iTidMkHe4ENnGlQa/s1544/Dr%20EJ.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1544" data-original-width="1079" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPdxxvP_hKZIH5RPn6sVGK95alXh5DuMrjTJQ_C4sXynL1ZlKEn_udDN0duOmLi8TFmnPK07nGllTHccDl5z7gp5oXLAv8hdEkNNvRzZqoo5FdwKXwWHmYBeT7_HPoVdPNDVtplF07vN799I44y0YmW4EC7czoWBaA5UKCgkyVHbo9iTidMkHe4ENnGlQa/s320/Dr%20EJ.png" width="224" /></a></div><br /><p style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><br style="background-color: white;" /></p></td></tr></tbody></table>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0