After the shots – 3 things you should know!

Nurse's Notes

Let’s face it, moms don’t like watching their babies get shots and nurses are not wild about harpooning your little one.  Shots are unavoidable to keep your baby free from diseases that would cause more harm than the temporary sting of shots.   Caring for your baby after a shot pretty much just consists of making your baby comfortable.  If your baby is fussy, has a fever, or the injection site is red or swollen, there are three important aftercare steps you need to know.

1.       Fussy or Fever:

Check your baby’s temperature.  If you find that your baby has a fever, give her plenty to drink, give a sponge bath using lukewarm water, and dress her in light clothing.  Do not give your baby aspirin.  Give your baby fever or pain reducing medicine based on your healthcare provider’s instructions. Recheck your baby’s temperature after an hour and continue to give medication for the next 1-2 days as needed.

If your baby is fussy and has no fever, do not give aspirin for pain.  Follow the directions given for taking fever or pain reducing medications.  If your baby is fussy for more than 24 hours, please call your baby’s pediatrician or take your baby to the nearest emergency room for evaluation.

2.       Hot, Swollen, or Red Injection Site:

If your baby’s injection site is swollen, irritated, hot to the touch, and red, apply a clean, cool cloth for comfort.  If it appears that the injection site is increasing in size, redness or tenderness, call your pediatrician or take your baby to the nearest emergency room for evaluation.

3.       Baby Seems Sick:

If your baby seems sick, lethargic, refusing fluids, or you have reason to feel worried, please contact your baby’s pediatrician or take your baby to the nearest emergency department for evaluation.

Smoothies - Mango, Peach, & Banana

1 cup of chopped peaches (fresh or frozen)

1 cup of chopped mango (fresh or frozen)

1 cup of plain yogurt (use Greek yogurt for added protein)

½ of a banana - A smoothie wouldn’t be a smoothie without bananas!

1 cup of ice

Sugar or your favorite sweetener

Blend all ingredients and sweeten to taste!

Killer Bunny?

Nurse's Notes

Sugar a combination of glucose, sucrose, fructose, or high fructose corn syrup just might be poisonous and highly addictive according to a CNN report. If poisonous was not enough, sugar is as addictive as cocaine and heroin and is a major contributing factor to diabetes and the hardening of arteries. Just hearing this was enough to cause me to consider banishing little chocolate bunnies, marshmallow peeps, and any other sweet Easter goody.

After some digging around, I uncovered New York Times article, “Is Sugar Toxic?” According to Robert Lustig, a specialist on pediatric hormone disorders and the leading expert in childhood obesity at the University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine, sugar is a “toxin” or a “poison.” Make no mistake, Lustig means the white stuff (sucrose) and high fructose corn syrup. Moreover, what does this mean? Well, if Lustig is correct, excessive consumption of sugar is the primary reason for skyrocketing obesity, diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, and some common cancers.

As for Easter goodies, I will indulge, in careful moderation, on chocolate bunnies, marshmallow peeps, and Hersey’s Kisses.

Drive Thru Diet?

Drive thru? Really? At least this is what Christine and Taco Bell suggest in ads appearing on TV, in print and on Taco Bell’s website.  Drive thru dieting sounds bananas. Therefore, I did what any self-respecting banana would do and I checked out the claim.

Taco Bell has a “Drive Thru Diet” menu that features lighter items than those on their regular menu.  Taco Bell also has the following disclaimer. “Drive Thru Diet is not a weight loss program.”  Meanwhile, Christine is claiming, “I reduced my daily calorie and fat intake by 500 calories to 1250 calories a day, and, after two years, I ended up losing 54 pounds!”

The skinny on the Drive Thru Diet is that Taco Bell’s ad campaign is misleading.  The real fact is that Christine cut 500 calories from her diet.  Just about anyone who cuts 500 calories, a day will lose weight with or without eating at Taco Bell.  Making healthier food choices and adding exercise to your daily routine should be the focus of any weight loss plan.  

FREE Starbucks Coffee

If you like coffee, Starbucks coffee, than you will not want to miss this… Starbucks is celebrating Earth Day (Friday, 22 April) by filling your reusable mugs with a cup of free coffee! That’s right, bring in your own reusable mugs on 22 April and Starbucks will give you a free cup of coffee! See ya there!

Banana

Potassium Iodide - 3 Things You Should Know

Our Banana Moments

With the disaster at Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, many have been wondering about our own preparedness in the event a disaster should happen closer to home. Some of Japan’s evacuees had to be scanned for radiation levels and administered potassium iodide. Japan’s measures to protect its citizens from the effects of radiation poison makes one ponder the idea of adding potassium iodide to home first aid kits. Before you rush out scouring pharmacy shelves for potassium iodide, a few things should be considered.

1. Potassium iodide blocks the accumulation of radioactive iodine in the thyroid. This helps prevent thyroid cancer but it does not protect the rest of your body from exposure nor will it protect you from other types of radiation.

2. In the event of a nuclear reactor disaster, stockpiles of potassium iodide would be administer; however, doses would be given to children first as their thyroids are still rapidly growing.

3. Iodized salt and tincture of iodine are NOT substitutes for potassium iodide. There is not enough iodine in salt and tincture of iodine is a topical solution that is not safe for consumption.

The FDA has approved three brands of potassium iodide for the public, Anbex, ThyroSafe, and Thyroshield. Anbex and ThyroSafe are available as tablets and Thyroshield is a solution. All three products are available online. As with any other drug, please consult your physician for further information concerning the risks and benefits to taking potassium iodide.

Anbex – http://www.anbex.com/
ThyroSafe – http://www.thyrosafe.com/
ThyroShield – http://www.thyroshield.com/
FDA – http://www.fda.gov/

Do Something: Child Abuse and Neglect

If someone you know is suffering from abuse or neglect, below are 13 places that can help….DO SOMETHING!

Childhelp

Who They Help: Child abuse victims, parents, concerned individuals

Phone: 800.4.A.CHILD (800-422-4453)

Stop It Now!

Who They help: Adults, parents, offenders, concerned individuals

Phone: 888-PREVENT (888-773-8368)

National Center for Victims of Crime

Who They Help: Families, communities, and individuals harmed by crime

Phone: 800-FYI-CALL (800-394-2255)

National Domestic Violence Hotline

Who They Help: Children, parents, friends, offenders

Phone: 800-799-SAFE (800-799-7233)

National Alliance on Mental Illness

Who They Help: Individuals, families, professionals

Phone: 800-950-NAMI (800-950-6264

Child Find of America

Who They Help: Parents reporting lost or abducted children

Phone: 800.I.AM.LOST (800.426.5678)

Child Find of America – Mediation

Who They Help: Parents (abduction, prevention, child custody issues)

Phone: 800.A.WAY.OUT (800.292.9688)

National Center for Missing and Exploited Children

Who They Help: Families and professionals (social services, law enforcement)

Phone: 800.THE.LOST (800.843.5678)

Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN)

Who They Help: Rape and incest victims, media, policymakers, concerned individuals

Phone: 800.656.HOPE, Ext.1 (800.656.4673, Ext.1)¬

National Alcohol and Substance Abuse Information Center

Who They Help: Families, professionals, media, policymakers, concerned individuals

Phone: 800.784.6776

National Suicide Hopeline

Who They Help: Families, concerned individuals

Phone: 800.784.2433

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

Who They Help: Families, concerned individuals

Phone: 800.273.8255

National Runaway Switchboard

Who They Help: Runaway and homeless youth, families

Phone: 800.RUNAWAY (800.786.2929)

For more information contact:

Child Welfare Information Gateway

Children’s Bureau/ACYF

1250 Maryland Avenue, SW Eighth Floor

Washington, DC 20024

703.385.7565 or 800.394.3366

Email: info@childwelfare.gov

www.childwelfare.gov

Child Abuse and Neglect

Our Banana Moments

April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, and, Our Banana Moments is supporting efforts to raise awareness by devoting blog topics to child abuse and neglect throughout the month.  The numbers of infants, babies, and children affected by abuse and neglect is staggering.  In 2006, 905,000 children were determined to be victims of abuse or neglect.  Of the 905,000 victims, 1,530 children died due to child abuse or neglect.

What is Child Abuse or Neglect?

Each State has its own definition of child abuse or neglect.  Each State must define their definition based on minimum standards set by Federal Law.

At the very least, child abuse or neglect is defined as any act or failure to act on the part of a parent or caretaker which results in death, serious physical or emotional harm, sexual abuse or exploitation; or, an act or failure to act which presents an imminent risk of serious harm.

Types of Child Abuse or Neglect?

Physical Abuse: is the intentional (non-accidental) physical injury (ranging from minor bruises to severe fractures or death) as a result of punching, beating, kicking, biting, shaking, throwing, stabbing, choking, hitting (with a hand, stick, strap, or other object), burning, or otherwise harming a child, that is inflicted by a parent, caregiver, or other person who has responsibility for the child.

Neglect: is the failure of a parent, guardian, or other caregiver to provide for the basic needs of a child.  A child’s basic needs may be food, shelter, medical, education and or emotional needs.

Sexual Abuse: is the employment, use, persuasion, inducement, enticement, or coercion of any child to engage in, or assist any other person to engage in, any sexually explicit conduct or simulation of such conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct; or the rape, and in cases of caretaker or inter-familial relationships, statutory rape, molestation, prostitution, or other form of sexual exploitation of children, or incest with children.

Emotional Abuse: is a pattern of behavior that impairs a child’s emotional development or sense of self-worth. This may include constant criticism, threats, rejection, as well as withholding love, support, or guidance.

*If you are concerned that a child is being harmed by abuse or neglect, you can report your concerns to your local child welfare or law enforcement agency. For more information or assistance with reporting, please call Childhelp^® at 800.4.A.CHILD (800.422.4453).

Child Welfare Information Gateway. Available online at www.childwelfare.gov/pubs/factsheets/canstats.cfm