You may have heard that the flu has been making the rounds and it’s spreading quickly – even (gasp!) the Swine Flu. There are the general measures to take such as repeatedly washing hands, avoid touching one’s nose and mouth and avoiding sick kids, but perhaps one of the more overlooked ways to protect your child is just plain ‘ol feeding them healthy foods that will help boost their immune systems. For me and my picky eaters, this is a lot easier said than done. So, Breezy Mama spoke to Christine Wood, M.D. author of How to Get Kids to Eat Great and Love It! for tips on feeding those tiny people their veggies, foods to avoid giving them, advice for picky eaters, how not to become a short order cook and more.
Listen, my hubby and I put vegetables on our kids’s plates every night, but we’re realizing they’re rarely touched. What’s your advice for getting them to actually eat them?
Sometimes parents Read More…
A week ago Monday, I wrote about how my three-year-old came down with the Swine Flu. Yes–it’s true, it hit us when we least expected it. I mean, we went to Disneyland when the panic first hit the news last spring and we didn’t catch it. Anywho, what’s done is done. Hopefully, you, or anyone in your family will not get as unlucky as we did, but if you do, here were my must-have products to help my son get through it. All or most of these recommendations you might find handy for the common cold or seasonal flu, too. Remember, always check with your pediatrician first. –Alex
Crane Penguin Humidifier
This one is really easy to fill, it lasts a long time (I wouldn’t have to refill it at night), and it gave Read More…
Kieran on his first big outing after recovering from the Swine Flu. Can you say happy?
My Story:
Yes, it’s true; we were able to celebrate summer with my son coming down with the Swine Flu. This past July, Kieran woke up one morning with a runny nose. It was clear, so I didn’t think much about it and we went to our scheduled playdate. At it, he was acting tired, and would rather sit in my lap than play with his friends. When he opted to not have cake I knew something was up. That night, I put him to bed early figuring he just needed a good night’s sleep. The next day we headed up to Santa Barbara to see some family—it was a big trip, I hadn’t seen them in years so I didn’t think about canceling. Besides, Kieran seemed fine—he did just need a good night’s sleep.
After running around on the beach all day, Kieran started to Read More…
Dr. Gillin answered our questions on whether she’s treated patients with Swine Flu, what concerns she has been hearing from parents, the measures being taken in California and more.
Now that California Governor Schwarzenegger has declared a state of emergency, what can we expect as far as a vaccine in California? When do you guess pediatrician offices will offer them?
It takes time to develop a vaccine to any virus. It will take some time to develop and manufacture and test a vaccine. Although the U.S. is prepared to develop Read More…
Federal officials said it may take until January to get a vaccine.
As a follow up to Monday night’s post on Swine Flu, Dr. Gillin said this morning, “As you know, there has been the first death- in a toddler. Again, time will tell. Every year we have deaths of infants, children, and adults due to influenza. Time will tell whether this flu is acting like a typical flu in the U.S., or anything more.”
According to the Associated Press, the U.S.’s first death due to Swine Flu was a 23-month-old who had recently travelled from Mexico to Texas. Read more here.
Google is tracking Swine Flu outbreaks. Click here to see the map.
Please remember Dr. Gillin’s advice, “Use good hygiene and Read More…
For the Wednesday, April 29 Post, “Swine Flu: First Death in U.S. is a Toddler — Deaths Due to Influenza Happen Every Year” — Click here.
For Wednesday April 29 post, “Swine Flu: What the Pediatrician Community is Saying Today and More,” Click here.
Monday, April 27
With three boys in school and a teacher herself, Breezy Mama Maya –like many of us — is beginning to feel the panic over the sudden outbreak of the Swine Flu. We turned to Pediatrician Shakha Gillin, M.D., F.A.A.P to get the facts on the symptoms, treatment and how to avoid it.
Can you tell us about the Swine Flu? What is it? How serious is it?
The Swine Flu is an H1N1 Influenza A virus, that originated in pigs, but now has demonstrated human to human transmission.
Why is there suddenly panic seemingly spreading over this particular virus?
The panic has been spreading for several reasons. Read More…
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