Monthly Archive for July, 2010

My Head Hurts

Published on July 30, 2010 in Prevention, Uncategorized and illness. 1 Comment Tags: .

Children are no different than us grown-ups when it comes to getting headaches. By that I mean that some children get them often and it is nothing to worry about. Most of the time when I see a child for headaches in clinic, the parents underlying fear is that their child has a brain tumor so I put that on the table for discussion right away. I have seen children complain of headaches as early as they can verbalize and localize symptoms, but during the teen years, headaches are much more common.

The way I explain headaches in clinic is that it is often a spectrum with tension headaches on one end and a full blown migraine on the other. It is a continuum where sometimes you have more symptoms than others.

Headaches in general can be triggered by a variety of things including Continue reading ‘My Head Hurts’

The Scoop on Sunscreen

Published on July 27, 2010 in Safety. 1 Comment Tags: .

My wife would be the first one to tell you that I use a lot of sunscreen whether it is here around Seattle or on vacation in Maui. Many of my patients have heard me tell them to use it if they do not want to look like a thick brown piece of leather when they are older. Having said that, kids do like to have fun in the sun, which is why we have sunscreen.

These days there are so many sunscreen options out there it is hard to know which one to pick. They are all the same, right? The answer is no. Some have better  protection than others and some are safer than others. When it comes to higher SPF ratings, at some point it becomes a numbers game. Most people do not apply enough sunscreen nor do they reapply it often enough. Ideally it should be applied 30 minutes Continue reading ‘The Scoop on Sunscreen’

Eating Healthy is a Family Thing

Published on July 22, 2010 in Healthy Eating. 0 Comments Tags: .

I have always thought of our household as one that tries to eat healthy. Being the primary chef of the household, I do most of the shopping and tend to spend most of my time grocery shopping in the produce and meat department. Typically, my children are with me at the grocery store. A few months ago I randomly starting picking up vegetables at the store and asked my daughter what each one was. I was happy that she got them all right, except cauliflower. I asked a preteen patient in clinic a few months ago where French fries came from and was not overly shocked to learn that he did not know. Sad, but true.

We recently joined a local, organic farmer’s cooperative and get a produce shipment every other week. I never would have thought my children would get so excited to go pick up our box and see what things are inside. It has made them more willing to try things and expanded the repertoire of menu items we now all eat at home as sometimes the box contains something Continue reading ‘Eating Healthy is a Family Thing’

What Does the “End of Men” Mean for Boys?

Published on July 20, 2010 in Parenting, Uncategorized and school. 0 Comments

Having both a son and daughter, I took interest in a recent article in The Atlantic that is getting a lot of press: “The End of Men.” It is an interesting look at the evolution of roles that men and women play in society. The world around us is changing. Earlier this year, women became the majority of the workforce for the first time in U.S. history. The attributes that seem most valuable today—social intelligence, open communication, the ability to sit still and focus—are, at a minimum, not predominantly male.

Some facts they point out are the following: Continue reading ‘What Does the “End of Men” Mean for Boys?’

Obesity and Gastric Reflux

Published on July 14, 2010 in Uncategorized and illness. 0 Comments Tags: , .

I came across an interesting article today regarding yet another health concern that today’s overweight children are facing, gastroesophogeal reflux disease or GERD. Most of us are aware of the more obvious health issues such as diabetes or high blood pressure, but as one would expect there are others as well. Let’s face it, being overweight as a child is associated with some serious health concerns that were once thought to be only adult related diseases.

GERD  is quite common in babies and typically goes away. The problem is that for older children, a recent study from Kaiser Permanente found that overweight children and teens were 30 percent more likely to have GERD than those at a normal weight. The problem with having GERD for many  years is that the constant reflux puts those at a higher risk of developing esophageal cancer. This is just another health issue that can have some more long term health implications as children get into adulthood.

The growing list of health related issues related obese children all the more illustrates the importance of helping overweight children lose it and the need to better educate families so that we can prevent obesity in the first place.

If your child is already overweight then it is time to take a serious look and make some changes. Part of it involves modeling good exercise and eating habits. Often this is much easier said than done but well worth the effort. Limiting screen time is a good place to start. a recent study published in the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine found that teens with more than 2 hours of screen time a day had twice the risk of higher insulin levels suggesting insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is associated with diabetes.

The Heat is On

Published on July 8, 2010 in Parenting, Prevention and Safety. 2 Comments Tags: , , .

It is hard to believe that just a few days ago it was raining on the Fourth of July as fireworks went off. To my surprise, I got called in to work on the Fourth at the Group Health Urgent Care. I am happy to report that I did not see any firework related injuries on that day.

With the hot weather, many of us will head to the outdoors to play in the sun but it is important to take some precautions. Smaller children can be much less tolerant of the heat than us grown ups due to the greater body surface area in proportion to their weight. They also may not drink enough liquids to keep up. This can lead to heat stroke or dehydration, so it is important to pay attention.

Some tips:
1. Drink liquids frequently throughout the day and especially during periods of exercise in the heat. They should be drinking liquids before, during and after an activity even if they are not thirsty.

2. Allow time for acclimation to the heat. If your child is not use to exercising, starting now in this heat is not the best idea.

3. Take advantage of shade or other opportunities to cool off.

4.  Watch for signs of dehydration or overheating. The signs can include irritability, fatigue, being flush, or nausea and vomiting just to name a few.

5. Use sunscreen along with protective clothing like hats. Apply the sunscreen frequently. Most people do not apply enough so be generous with it.

Have fun and be safe

Happy 4th of July

Published on July 2, 2010 in Uncategorized. 0 Comments

Holidays are always fun. I can recall back to my childhood going to watch the fireworks on the Tacoma waterfront and being amazed by the huge explosions in the sky. I also remember shooting off my own fireworks. Like most children, I look back now and say I was lucky that I did not cause bodily harm in the process.

The facts are that children do indeed get injured from fireworks and that often it is best to leave it them to the experts. Unattended, older children often tend to get creative and do things with fireworks that can put them at risk for injury. It is interesting how my perspective has changed since becoming a pediatrician and having to work in the ER or urgent care on the holiday and seeing the injuries that occur and were preventable.

Have a safe Fourth of July.