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Growing Fast, Growing Strong Children, Birth to Age 12
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Now
is the time you have the most control over your children's safety,
eating habits and physical activities. Use this time to their greatest
advantage by setting a good example. Here are a few tips to steer
your children onto the path of wellness that hopefully will last their
entire lives:
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| SAFETY |
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Keep medicines, vitamins, alcohol, cleaning products and other toxic materials out of reach of children. |
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Always
use a car seat in the back seat of the car. Children under 12 should
ride in the back seat. Seat belts should be worn by all passengers
at all times. (Weight and age guidelines for car seat use vary by
state; check loca and state regulations.) |
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Childproof
your home with safety gates and childproof locks, and cover electrical outlets with childproof devices. |
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Install
smoke and carbon monoxide detectors on each floor of your home and
test them periodically. |
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Keep
balloons, toys with small parts and foods that can lodge in the
throat away from children under age three. |
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Learn
cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and how and when to treat infants
and children for choking. |
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Call
the nationwide Poison Control Center Hotline, 1-800-222-1222, if your
child swallows anything you think could be poisonous. |
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Teach
children about pedestrian and cycling
safety including wearing a helmet. |
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Discuss
ways to handle temptations, such as playing with a gun, and peer pressure
to have sex, drink, smoke or take drugs. |
| NUTRITION AND EXERCISE |
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Serve
high-fiber, nutritious meals, rich in whole grains, fresh fruits
and vegetables. |
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Give
your child three servings per day of calcium-rich foods, such as milk
and calcium-fortified orange juice. |
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Encourage
physical activity and limit eating in front of the television. |
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Make
sure your child eats breakfast. Use sweets as only an occasional treat. |
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Use
sweets as only an occasional treat. |
| WELLNESS |
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Obtain
all required immunizations, as directed
by your health care professional. |
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Go
for all necessary well-baby visits, annual
checkups and routine screenings. |
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Put
babies (up to one year) to sleep on their backs to reduce the risk
of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). |
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Be
sure your child gets enough sleep. Needs vary by age. Visit www.sleepfoundation.org
for details. |
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Teach
your child the importance of brushing his or her teeth daily. |
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Insist
that your child wash his or her hands after using the bathroom and
before eating. |
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Do
not expose your child to secondhand smoke. Set a good example: Don't
smoke. |
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Check
with a pediatrician before using sunscreen on a baby less than six
months old. After six months of age, apply a waterproof, PABA-free
sunscreen (SPF 30) at least 20
minutes before going outdoors. |
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Sources:
American Medical Association; U.S. Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention; Gateway to Government Food Safety: For Kids,Teens and
Educators; U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research
Service, Children's Nutrition Research Center, Baylor College of
Medicine in Houston; National Institutes of Health; and the U.S.
Food and Drug Administration |
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| Helpful Hints About Medication |
| Seven
out of 10 pediatricians report that patients fail to take their
prescription medication as prescribed.To
administer medication correctly and
completely: |
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Never guess on amounts.
Kids aren't small adults: Half an adult dose may be more than your
child needs, or not enough to help. |
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Assemble medications
in advance. |
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Put daily reminder notes
on your calendar. |
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Follow dosing instructions
for the age, height and weight of your child. |
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Review precautions and
safety guidelines before
administering any medication. |
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If your child takes
prescription medication on an ongoing
basis, check with your health care
professional before administering any over-the-counter medication. |
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Read labels for all medications,
both prescription
and nonprescription. |
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Follow directions exactly as written. |
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Administer
the entire course of medication, even if your child feels better. |
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Safely
discard all expired and unused medications. |
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Inform your health care professional
about all
prescription and nonprescription drugs your
child is taking. |
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Always relock child-resistant caps
on medications
after each use. |
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Sources:
American Academy of Pediatrics and the Consumer
Healthcare Products Association |
| When
to Call the Doctor |
| Always seek help for emergencies
and for any unusual symptoms, including: |
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Fever: Under two months, rectal
temperature
of 100.4º F or above (or oral temperature of 99.5º F);
age three months or
older, oral temperature of 102º F or above |
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Significant changes in feeding,
crying, mood, sleep patterns or bowel movements |
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Vomiting that is bloody or forceful
in infants, lasts six to 12 hours or is
accompanied by fever or diarrhea |
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Eye(s) that are pink, bloodshot
or have a sticky white discharge |
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Seizures (convulsions) or uncontrollable
shaking of any body part |
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Severe headache |
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Pain or stuffiness around the nose,
eyes or forehead |
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Earache or fluid discharge from
the ear |
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Abnormal visual sensitivity to
light (especially if accompanied by fever, headache or stiff neck) |
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Neck pain or stiffness (especially
if accompanied by fever or headache) |
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Severe or persistent cough (especially
with bloody or discolored mucus) |
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Intense or unusual abdominal pain |
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Discharge from the penis or vagina |
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A cut that oozes pus or is red,
tender, hot or swollen |
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A
sudden rash, blotches or blisters (especially if covering a large
area) |
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Source:
American College of Emergency Physicians |
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