Monthly Archives: September 2014

When to start fighting tooth decay? When the baby’s FIRST TOOTH starts to come in.

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You are so excited about your child’s first teeth that it doesn’t occur to you to think about tooth decay yet.  But the fight against tooth decay, according the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), starts from the first baby tooth. That is also when they recommend starting to brush with a tiny amount of fluoride toothpaste.

You may be thinking, “What?!  My pediatrician (or dentist) told me no fluoride before the age of two years.”  You’d be right.  This is a BIG change in recommendations, and it is indeed new.

Dental health is important for overall health, and tooth decay can start early.  Decay in a young child’s teeth “is the single greatest risk factor” for decay in permanent teeth, according to a recent article by the AAP, which also states that “59% of 12- to 19-year-olds” have at least one cavity.

The administration of fluoride in a proper amount is still one of the best ways to prevent tooth decay, as it preserves the enamel that coats the tooth.  Many children and teens don’t get enough fluoride to act against tooth decay.

How to make sure your child is getting enough fluoride:

  • Start at the very beginning.  As soon as you see the first tooth erupting from the gum, you should brush it with a fluoride toothpaste, but only a very small amount.  The AAP guidelines, which you can find here, recommend a “smear” about the size of a grain of rice until the age of three.
  • For 3- to 6-year-olds, increase the amount to pea-sized.  Brush teeth twice a day, with adult assistance, and make sure that the child doesn’t swallow the toothpaste.  It’s even best if they don’t rinse with water.
  • Drink tap water.  In Scott County the public water is fluoridated, but if you use a well or cistern your water will only contain minimal amounts of fluoride.  Bottled water typically doesn’t contain much, if any, fluoride.  If you worry about tap water, use a filter.
  • Check with your pediatrician or dentist especially if you don’t have public water to make sure your child or teen is getting enough fluoride.

Are there any downsides to using fluoride?  Yes, it’s possible to get too much and create a rare condition called fluorosis, that causes discoloration of the teeth.  You can read about fluorosis here.  Again, this is rare, but if you’re concerned about it, speak to your pediatrician or dentist.

For other information on preventing tooth decay, check out these AAP articles:

Take good care of your child’s teeth for beautiful smiles throughout their lives.

© 2014 MBS Writing Services, all rights reserved

Dangers of e-cigarettes for children and teens

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The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has recently expressed their concerns about electronic cigarettes at a congressional hearing and on their website.  In an article entitled “E-cigarettes: Dangerous, Available & Addicting,” the AAP warns parents about the problems with e-cigs, and those problems are many.

Many adults use e-cigs to try to end their smoking habit.  E-cigs deliver nicotine through a battery operated device that resembles a cigarette, but without the tobacco or smoke.  The e-cigs use water vapor to deliver the nicotine.

You may think that e-cigs are safer than tobacco cigarettes, but you should know that, according to the AAP, an e-cig “can have as much nicotine as a whole pack of cigarettes. In addition, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has found cancer-causing chemicals in electronic cigarettes.”

This presents a host of dangers.

  • Teens, apparently believing that e-cigs are safe, have doubled their use of these devices, bringing the usage to about 1 in 10 high school students.  They may be avoiding tobacco, but nicotine is highly addictive.
  • The AAP is concerned about some e-cig flavors (e.g., vanilla, chocolate, peach schnapps and gummy bears).  In the congressional hearing Dr. Suzanne Tanski answered “yes” when asked if she believed these flavors would be appealing to children.
  • Nicotine is a poison.  The cartridges that contain nicotine are not childproof, and, says the AAP article, “Most cartridges have 20 milligrams of nicotine, and a dose of as little as 10 milligrams of nicotine can be fatal for a child. In addition, children can easily become hooked on the nicotine.”
  • E-cigs are widely available.  Even though Kentucky law prohibits their sale to minors under the age of 18, they can be purchased online.

Keep your children away from electronic cigarettes and keep them safe from nicotine addiction or poisoning.  If you are trying to quit smoking, nicotine patches or gum are safer alternatives.

 

© 2014, MBS Writing Services, all rights reserved

Back in School, Part 4: Friends

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While you are worrying about your child’s academic year, he is probably more concerned about friends.  Honestly, he has a point.  While academic skills are an important part to future success and happiness, so are the social skills that help us make and keep friends.

Children at a very young age are usually too self-centered to have friends.  This isn’t their fault; it is just a normal developmental stage.  If you watch a couple of toddlers on a play date, they will usually engage in what is called “parallel play,” meaning they play side-by-side, but not really together.  Even so, you can start to teach them to share, not to grab toys away, etc.

By school age, most children want friends, whether it is just one or many.  Good social skills are learned from parents, teachers and peers.  Here are some behaviors you can teach your kids that will serve them in school and throughout their lives.

  • Kindness.  Use kind words and tones around the house.  Don’t allow your children to be unkind to their siblings, to pets or to adults.  Everyone responds positively to kindness, and no one likes a bully.
  • Politeness.  (See our post on manners.)
  • Assertiveness.  You don’t want your child to be aggressive toward others, but you want her to be able to assert her opinions and express her feelings without being overbearing.  This takes practice, and it can be something you encourage through conversation, questions, and even role playing.  For example, “What will you say if your friend wants to play kickball and you’d rather swing?”  They can learn from you the give-and-take of good relationships.
  • Meeting and greeting.  Teach your youngster to introduce himself and to ask questions about another person.  They can learn to shake hands, make eye contact, smile.
  • Listening.  Hearing what another person has to say is as important as expressing your opinion.

Here’s a really nice FREE online resource entitled 101 Ways to Teach Social Skills to Children.  While the games and activities are designed for groups, many of them can be adapted for use within the family—a fun way to learn appropriate ways of behaving in different settings.

Every school in Scott County has a counselor who can observe behavioral issues both in and out of the classroom, and who can meet with your child and/or other students if needed.

A final word:  pay attention to the friendships your child/teen is forming.  Get to know his friends and their parents.  Make sure their behavior isn’t out of line with what you expect from your own kids.

The friendships we form in childhood and adolescence may or may not last a lifetime.  But they teach us skills and behaviors that are timeless.

© 2014 MBS Writing Services, all rights reserved

Back in School, Part 3: Teachers

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Every morning when you send your child to school, you are putting her into the educational, social, emotional and physical care of other adults.  This can be intimidating at times, but it doesn’t have to be.

The vast majority of teachers are in classrooms because they want to be, because they care about the students and love the material they teach, and because they want to make a difference.  They spend time in the classroom trying to instill in youngsters the love of learning.  And they spend time outside the classroom preparing lessons, grading work, and keeping the mountains of records and paperwork required by the school system.

Most of all, they want every child—your child—to be successful.  That success is far less likely without your support.

  • Speak positively about your child’s teachers.  If you hear complaints from your young student, listen with an objective mind. 
  • Establish a relationship with a teacher.  If you can volunteer at the school, wonderful.  Your schedule may not allow that, so find other ways to be in touch.
    • Stay connected.  Most teachers and classrooms have a website.  Send the teacher an e-mail when you appreciate something he’s done for your child or if you have a question.  If there’s ever a problem, you will have built a positive base for your relationship, and the problem will be easier to deal with.
    • Attend parent-teacher conferences.  These are important for everyone concerned:  student, teacher, family.  You will learn things about the classroom and how your child interacts with adults and classmates, and will come away with a much more rounded picture of the education process in that particular class.
    • Make appointments.  Don’t wait for a conference if you have questions or concerns.  Face-to-face meetings are helpful and teachers want to be available to you.  They will want to hear from you sooner rather than later.
    • Reinforce at home what’s happening in the classroom.  From spelling tests to chemistry homework, from learning how to talk out problems with fellow students to deciding what to eat for lunch, the teacher and you are on the same team.
    • Of course, if there is ever concern about inappropriate or illegal activity by a teacher or any other adult, notify the authorities immediately.

Teachers are on the front lines of helping your child develop in age-appropriate ways.  Support them, connect with them, and thank them.

© 2014, MBS Writing Services, all rights reserved