1. family and parenting
2. children

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A N I N F O R M AT I V E S E C T I O N T O K E E P I N G K I D S S A F E
How to prevent playground injuries
Playground equipment is a magnet
for children, and rightfully so. Kids love
playing on swings, slides and climbing
components of playsets on school properties and at area parks. While playgrounds are ideal settings for fun-filled
days, they also carry a certain degree of
risk.
Approximately 20 children in the
United States die from playgroundrelated injures every year. More than
half of these deaths result from strangulation and about one-third result from
falls, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But parents can reduce their youngsters’ risk
of injury and the severity of injuries in
various ways.
* Purchase recommended, safe equipment. Parents should do their research
when buying playground equipment.
Consumers can check with the Consumer Product Safety Commission for
any litigation involving certain manufacturers or any product recalls. It may
cost a little more to install a top-ofthe-line playground set, but the peace
of mind and reduced risk of injury is
worth the extra cost.
* Invest in adequate surfacing. The
CPSC says roughly 60 percent of all
playground injuries result from falling
off structures. Although no fall is pleasant, the severity of injury resulting from
a fall can be greatly reduced depending
on how safe the surface material sur-
rounding the equipment is. Blacktop,
concrete or even grass can be painful
to land on. However, loose-fill materials like pea gravel, sand, shredded
rubber, or mulch can soften falls. Plus,
these materials are relatively low-cost
and can be made from recycled items.
But parents should know that loose-fill
materials must be maintained to ensure
a safe level of thickness. A depth of 12
inches is often recommended.
* Choose an age-appropriate structure. Injuries frequently occur when
children use equipment designed for
older kids. Playgrounds are not onesize-fits-all. There are specific differ-
ences in the size and stature of younger
children from older ones, as well as limitations in younger children’s development. Segregated playground areas, or
those with groupings of equipment recommended for certain age groups, can
help limit injuries. Pre-school children
need smaller steps and crawl spaces,
while older children can utilize overhead bars that maximize upper-arm
strength.
* Safely situate equipment. Consider placing a piece of playground
equipment under a shady area to keep
children comfortable and safe from
sunburns. Hot equipment can result
in burns and being out in direct sunlight can also cause UV damage to the
children’s skin. Structures should be
situated so there are no obstructions or
obstacles to any moving parts.
* Select a shorter structure. Studies show that the greater the height
of a playground structure the greater
the risk for injury. Choose playground
equipment that is nearer to the ground
to prevent serious injuries from falls
and other incidents.
* Inspect and maintain the equipment.
Safety measures must still be taken after
the playground has been erected. Equipment should be routinely inspected for
damage and movable parts and joints
should be examined for any signs of
wear and tear. Bolts should remain
tight, and any hardware that is protruding should be fixed. S-rings and other
links and chains should not have gaps
where children can get caught. Wood
should be inspected for splintering or
decay and replaced where necessary.
* Supervise kids at all times. Children
should always be supervised when
playing on playground equipment,
whether they are playing at school, at
home or in a public park. Adults should
discourage poor or risk-taking behavior
that increases risk of injury.
Adults also are urged to keep abreast
of changing structure codes and guidelines so that equipment can be adjusted
accordingly.
Recognizing cyberbullying
Before social media
became so prevalent,
instances of bullying
were somewhat easy
to recognize. However,
with a good majority of
children now engaged
in digital networking
and social media, bullying may not end with the
ringing of the school bell,
and evidence of bullying may not be so readily
apparent.
According to Cyberbullying statistics from
the i-SAFE foundation,
more than half of adolescents and teens have
been bullied online, and
about the same number
have engaged in cyberbullying. More than 80
percent of teens use a
mobile phone regularly,
making it the most popular form of technology
and a common medium
for repeated cyberbullying.
Cyberbullying
takes
place through electronic
technology and differs
from traditional forms
of bullying. Cyberbullying can occur via text
messaging,
blogging,
updates to social media
sites and/or phone conversations. What makes
cyberbullying more difficult to detect and remedy
than traditional bullying
is that sometimes this
type of bullying is veiled
in secrecy.
Those who engage in
cyberbullying can create
aliases and accounts
under false names, allowing them to covertly
engage in bullying behavior. As a result, tracking
down bullies can be challenging.
Although cyberbullying is on the rise, there
are some things that parents and children can do
to help put a stop to such
unfortunate instances.
* Parents who feel their
child is not emotionally
ready for the responsibility of a digital device can
hold back on purchasing
a smartphone or choose
one with very limited
features. Some schools
set strict limits on phone
usage at school, and children who go only from
school to home and vice
versa may not have the
need for an “emergency
phone” that can open up
a window for trouble.
* Adolescents and teens
should feel comfortable
talking with their parents without the fear of
reprimand. Otherwise,
they may hide instances
of cyberbullying or not
know how to broach sensitive topics like bullying.
Parents can engage in
conversation with their
children often and stress
that the doors of communication are always open.
* Teens should be made
aware that cyberbullying
is a very real occurrence
and is not just other kids
“having fun” or “joking.”
If behavior is repetitive
and hurtful, it should
be made public and
addressed.
* Parents can monitor and limit their chil-
dren’s personal accounts.
Some smartphone and
tablet applications can
be mirrored on the main
account, enabling parents
to see incoming text or
video messages.
* A laptop or desktop computer should be
placed in a shared space
so that usage can be monitored. Parents can restrict
tablet or smartphone
usage to public areas.
* When online, children
should be advised not to
share personal information. Social media sites
may be used by bullies to
gather sensitive information about a person that
can be used against them
at a later time. Children
should be urged to keep Adults should remain diligent in monitoring what
passwords secret and to kids are doing online. Bullying can take place
never give information through digital devices, such as mobile phones.
such as birthdays, phone
Cyberbullying is a
numbers and addresses the chance for bullying
or
other
inappropriate
growing
concern for eduto people who aren’t
behavior.
cators
and
parents and
close friends. Friend lists
*
Teens
who
have
been
has
far-reaching
implishould be restricted to
bullied
can
keep
evidence
cations.
Getting
smart
only those people stuof
the
bullying
and
may
about
this
phenomenon
dents interact with frequently to minimize benefit from talking with can help staunch new
a counselor.
cases of online bullying.
The Franklin Times
Page 2D
Louisburg, NC,
Thursday, April 24, 2014
What can parents do to stop bullying?
The following information is provided by
www.StopBullying.gov
Bullying Definition
Bullying is unwanted, aggressive behavior among school
aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time. Both kids who are bullied and who bully others may have serious, lasting problems.
In order to be considered bullying, the behavior must be aggressive and include:
An Imbalance of Power: Kids who bully use their power—
such as physical strength, access to embarrassing information,
or popularity—to control or harm others. Power imbalances
can change over time and in different situations, even if they
involve the same people.
Repetition: Bullying behaviors happen more than once or
have the potential to happen more than once.
Bullying includes actions such as making threats, spreading
rumors, attacking someone physically or verbally, and excluding someone from a group on purpose.
Types of Bullying
There are three types of bullying:
Verbal bullying is saying or writing mean things. Verbal bully-
SIGNS A CHILD IS BEING BULLIED
Look for changes in the child. However, be aware that not
all children who are bullied exhibit warning signs. Some signs
that may point to a bullying problem are:
•Unexplainable injuries
•Lost or destroyed clothing, books, electronics, or jewelry
•Frequent headaches or stomach aches, feeling sick or faking
illness
•Changes in eating habits, like suddenly skipping meals
or binge eating. Kids may come home from school hungry
because they did not eat lunch.
•Difficulty sleeping or frequent nightmares
•Declining grades, loss of interest in schoolwork, or not wanting to go to school
•Sudden loss of friends or avoidance of social situations
•Feelings of helplessness or decreased self esteem
•Self-destructive behaviors such as running away from home,
harming themselves, or talking about suicide
•If you know someone in serious distress or danger, don’t
ignore the problem. Get help right away.
SIGNS A CHILD IS BULLYING OTHERS
Kids may be bullying others if they:
•Get into physical or verbal fights
•Have friends who bully others
•Are increasingly aggressive
•Get sent to the principal’s office or to detention frequently
•Have unexplained extra money or new belongings
•Blame others for their problems
•Don’t accept responsibility for their actions
•Are competitive and worry about their reputation or popularity
(Provided by: www.stopbullying.gov)
ing includes: Teasing, Name-calling, Inappropriate sexual comments, Taunting, Threatening to cause harm
Social bullying, sometimes referred to as relational bullying,
involves hurting someone’s reputation or relationships. Social
bullying includes: Leaving someone out on purpose, Telling other children not to be friends with someone, Spreading rumors
about someone, Embarrassing someone in public
Physical bullying involves hurting a person’s body or possessions. Physical bullying includes: Hitting/kicking/pinching, Spitting, Tripping/pushing, Taking or breaking someone’s things,
Making mean or rude hand gestures
Where and When Bullying Happens
Bullying can occur during or after school hours. While most
reported bullying happens in the school building, a significant
percentage also happens in places like on the playground or
the bus. It can also happen travelling to or from school, in the
youth’s neighborhood, or on the Internet.
There are two sources of federally collected data on youth
bullying:
The 2011 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (Centers
for Disease Control and Prevention) indicates that, nationwide,
20% of students in grades 9–12 experienced bullying.
The 2008–2009 School Crime Supplement (National Center
for Education Statistics and Bureau of Justice Statistics) indicates that, nationwide, 28% of students in grades 6–12 experienced bullying.
Stop Bullying on the Spot
When adults respond quickly and consistently to bullying
behavior they send the message that it is not acceptable. Research shows this can stop bullying behavior over time. There
are simple steps adults can take to stop bullying on the spot
and keep kids safe.
Do:
Intervene immediately. It is ok to get another adult to help.
Separate the kids involved.
Make sure everyone is safe.
Meet any immediate medical or mental health needs.
Stay calm. Reassure the kids involved, including bystanders.
Model respectful behavior when you intervene.
Avoid these common mistakes:
Don’t ignore it. Don’t think kids can work it out without adult
help.
Don’t immediately try to sort out the facts.
Don’t force other kids to say publicly what they saw.
Don’t question the children involved in front of other kids.
Don’t talk to the kids involved together, only separately.
Don’t make the kids involved apologize or patch up relations
on the spot.
Get police help or medical attention immediately if:
A weapon is involved.
There are threats of serious physical injury.
There are threats of hate-motivated violence, such as racism
or homophobia.
There is serious bodily harm.
There is sexual abuse.
Anyone is accused of an illegal act, such as robbery or extortion—using force to get money, property, or services.
Small conversations can
make a big impression
The following is
provided by
www.samhsa.gov
Short, frequent discussions can have a real impact
on your child’s decisions
about alcohol.
Talking to your child at
an early age about drinking
is the first step toward keeping them alcohol-free. But as
they enter junior high and
high school, the pressure
to try alcohol increases. It’s
important to continue the
conversation
throughout
adolescence.
Talking often builds an
open, trusting relationship
with your child.
Children are more likely
to avoid drinking when they
have a strong, trusting relationship with their parents.
Get into the habit of chatting
with your child every day. It
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919.496.2521 • www.louisburg.edu
Your hometown grocery store with the
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will make it easier to have
serious conversations about
things like alcohol, and will
make your child more comfortable coming to you for
advice.
Lots of little talks are
more effective than one
“big talk.”
Sitting down for the “big
talk” about alcohol can be
intimidating for both you
and your child. Try using
everyday opportunities to
talk— in the car, during
dinner, or while you and
your child are watching TV.
Having lots of little talks
takes the pressure off trying
to get all of the information
out in one lengthy discussion, and your child will be
less likely to tune you out.
When you do talk about
alcohol, make your views
and rules clear.
Take the time to discuss
your beliefs and opinions
about alcohol with your
child. Be honest and express a
clear, consistent message that
underage drinking is unacceptable. When they feel that
you’re being real and honest
with them, they’ll be more
likely to respect your rules
about underage drinking.
As children get older, the
conversation changes.
What you say to a 9-yearold about alcohol is different
from what you say to a 15year-old. Children also can’t
learn all they need to know
from a single discussion.
Make sure that the information you offer your child fits
their age. As they get older,
you can give them more
information and reinforce
your rules.
Create your personalized Action Plan to get age-
appropriate tips.
Remember that the conversation goes both ways.
Although talking to your
child about your thoughts
about alcohol is essential, it’s
also important to hear their
point of view. Give your
child the opportunity to ask
you questions, and listen to
what they have to say. Children who have parents who
listen to their feelings and
concerns are more likely to
say “no” to alcohol.
What you do is just as
important as what you say.
In addition to talking often
with your child about alcohol, it’s important to set a
good example. If you choose
to drink, you can positively
influence your child by
drinking in moderation and
NEVER driving when you’ve
been drinking. Be aware of
where you keep your alcohol, and always remind your
child that the alcohol in your
house is off-limits.
“Where Learning Meets Fun”
Ashley Collins, Director
812 S. Bickett Blvd.
Louisburg, NC
919-496-3696
OPEN 7 a.m.-7 p.m. • 7 DAYS A WEEK
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No Limits or Minimum Purchases
1996 NC Hwy. 39 North
Louisburg, NC 27549
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The Franklin Times
Thursday, April 24, 2014
Louisburg, NC
Page 3D
Transitions: The first year of middle school
The following information
is provided by
www.drugfree.org
You’ve been anticipating this for the past few
years — your child’s
transition from elementary school to middle
school. Be warned, this
is a critical time and calls
for extra vigilance on
your part. Your son or
daughter may still seem
young, but their new
surroundings can put
them in some mature and
tempting situations.
The likelihood that kids
will try drugs increases
dramatically during this
year. Your child is going
to meet lots of new kids,
seek acceptance, and start
to make more — and bigger — choices. For the
first time, your kids will
be exposed to older kids
who use alcohol, tobac-
co or other drugs. New
middle- or junior highschoolers often think
these older students are
cool and may be tempted
to try drugs to fit in.
One type of drug in particular to watch out for is
inhalants, since they tend
to be abused at a very
young age. Inhalants
are ordinary household
products that are inhaled
or sniffed by children to
get high — but can cause
serious brain damage,
among other side effects.
A 2007 study shows
that 20 percent of 6th
graders have tried inhalants. Another disturbing fact is that from 1998
to 2007, the percent of
middle-school students
agreeing strongly that
sniffing or huffing things
to get high can kill you
significantly decreased
from 61 percent to 54 per-
cent. This is a potential
signal of concern because
the more risky an adolescent thinks a substance is,
the less likely he / she is
to abuse it. (Partnership
Attitude Tracking Study).
Therefore, it’s important to be aware of these
harmful chemicals and
be sure to educate your
children on their effects
as well.
To
many
middleschool kids, peer approval means everything
and your child may make
you feel unwelcome. He
is going through a time
where he feels as though
he should be able to make
his own decisions and
may start to challenge
your values. While your
child may physically and
emotionally pull away
from you to establish his
own identity — and may
even seem embarrassed
by you at times — he
actually needs you to be
involved in his life more
than ever before.
Also, be aware that your
child is going through
some major physical and
hormonal changes. Her
moods may vary as she
tries to come to terms
with her ever-changing
body and the onset of puberty. Keep yourself educated on what to expect
— if you reassure her that
nothing is out of the ordinary, your child can relax
knowing that what she’s
going through is normal.
To help your child
make good choices during this critical time, you
should:
Make it very clear that
you do not want her to
use alcohol, tobacco, marijuana or other drugs.
Find out if he really
understands the conse-
quences of alcohol, tobacco and other drug use.
Get to know her friends
by taking them to and
from after-school activities, games, the library,
and movies (while being
sensitive to her need to
feel independent). Check
in with her friends’ parents often to make sure
you share the same antidrug stance.
Be sure you know his
online friends – as well as
his other online activities
such as websites he visits, with whom he emails,
chats and instant messages, his MySpace or
Facebook page, and who
he text messages.
Volunteer for activities
where you can observe
him at school.
Hold a weekly family
meeting to check in with
each other and address
problems or concerns.
Get your kids involved
with adult-supervised after-school activities.
Give kids who are unsupervised after school
a schedule of activities,
limits on their behavior,
household chores to accomplish, and a strict
phone-in-to-you policy
(along with easily accessible snacks).
Make it easy for your
child to leave a situation
where alcohol, tobacco,
or other drugs are being
used.
Call kids’ parents if
their home is to be used
for a party; get assurance
that no alcoholic beverages or illegal substances
will be at the party.
Set curfews and enforce
them.
Encourage open dialogue with your children
about their experiences.
Tips for your child’s preschool years
The following information
is provided by
www.drugfree.org
Since the foundation
for all healthy habits —
from nutrition to toothbrushing— is laid down
during the preschool
years, this is a great time
to set the stage for a drugfree life. The following 7
tips will help you work
with your preschooler so
that he or she will grow
up happy, healthy and
drug-free.
Talk to your child about
the joys of healthy living.
Explain the importance
of taking good care of
our bodies – eating right,
exercising and getting
a good night’s sleep.
Discuss how good you
feel when you take care
of yourself — how you
can run, jump, play and
work for many hours. A
great conversation starter: “I’m glad I’m healthy
because I can…”
Celebrate your child’s
decision-making skills.
Whenever
possible,
let your child choose
what to wear. Even if
the clothes don’t quite
match, you are reinforcing your child’s ability to
make decisions.
Stress the need for
your child to take personal responsibility for
his own health, well-being and personal environment. Your instructions should be concrete,
related to your child’s
experiences, and stated
positively. Turn chores
like brushing teeth, putting away toys, wiping
up spills, and caring for
pets into fun experiences
that your child will enjoy.
Break the activities down
into manageable steps so
that your child learns to
develop plans.
Help your child steer
clear of dangerous sub-
stances that exist in her
immediate world. Point
out poisonous and harmful chemicals commonly
found in homes, such as
bleach, kitchen cleansers and furniture polish. Read the products’
warning labels out loud
to your child. Explain
that she should only eat
or smell food or a prescribed medicine that
you, a relative or other
known caregivers give
to her. Also, explain that
drugs from the doctor
help the person the doctor gives them to but that
they can harm someone
else.
Help your child understand the difference between make-believe and
real life. Preschoolers
give meaning to things
they don’t understand
in order to make sense of
their world — but their
meaning doesn’t necessarily reflect the real
world. Ask your child
what he thinks about a
TV program or story. Let
your child know about
your likes and dislikes.
Discuss how violence or
bad decisions can hurt
people.
Turn frustration into a
learning opportunity. If
a tower of blocks keeps
collapsing during a play
session, work with your
child to find possible solutions to the problem.
Tell your child how
proud you are of her
when she helps you with
things. There’s never a
bad time to give your
child a boost of self-esteem.
Substances in your
preschooler’s world can
include: Tobacco, Alcohol, cleaning supplies.
QUALITY
CHILD
CARE
Call 919-497-5670
Hours: 7am - 6 pm Monday - Friday
205 Dogwood Road, Louisburg
Amy Merritt, Owner/Director
Finding the right preschool
Parents know that
choosing a preschool
for their children is a
decision not to be taken
lightly. Preschools are
often a child’s first extensive experience away
from home, and the
right school can help
kids make that transition
more smoothly. When
looking for a preschool
for their kids, parents
may want to employ the
following tips.
* Make preschool a
priority. Procrastinating
with regard to finding
a preschool carries considerable risk. Many of
the best preschools have
only a limited number of
spots available, and there
may even be a waiting
list for those spots. So
it behooves parents to
begin their search for a
preschool as early as possible. Doing so affords
parents the time to visit
various facilities, speak
with staff members and
maybe even observe a
typical day at the school.
Leaving things until the
last minute takes away
that flexibility, and parents may be forced to
choose a facility with
which they are largely
unfamiliar.
* Ask around. Fellow
parents make for great
resources as parents look
for a preschool for their
children. Ask parents of
current preschool children or even older kids
who attended preschool
to share their impressions of a given facility
and share their insights
as to a facility’s operations and its pros and
cons.
* Take kids along on
visits. Though parents
typically have a checklist of things they want
to find in a preschool
facility, it pays to remember that the kids will
ultimately be the ones
spending time at the
school. So take youngsters along when visiting
facilities, paying particular attention to how kids
react to each facility and
how well staff members
engage your youngster in
the day’s activities. Many
kids take time to adjust
to preschool, but you can
still learn a lot about a
facility by observing how
your child interacts with
staff and how well the
facility meshes with your
child’s personality.
* Don’t mistake cost
with quality. The cost of
preschool can range from
affordable to exorbitant.
But the costliest school is
not necessarily the best
facility, nor the best fit
for your child. While an
expensive preschool may
be well worth the investment, parents should
still consider all of their
options before making
any commitments.
Joshua
Once you get started, there’s
no telling how far you’ll go!
Love,
Mom and Dad
Honor
Your
Graduate
with a
BABY
GRAD
AD
Thursday,
June 12
Ashley
From an adorable baby to
a beautiful young lady you
have made us so proud.
We love you,
Mom and Dad
For only $15 (w/photo) or $12 (w/out photo), you can recognize
a graduate for a job well done. This feature will be published
on Thursday, June 12 in The Franklin Times.
Deadline for ads is Friday, June 6 at 5 p.m.
$15 photo ads…are limited to 15 words or less
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Complete the form below and return or mail to:
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Photos can be picked-up after the ad appears in the June 12 edition of the paper.
Include a self-addressed, stamped envelope if you want photos mailed back to you.
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The Franklin Times
Page 4D
Louisburg, NC,
Thursday, April 24, 2014
The growing problem of peanut allergies in children
Parents tend to be quite
familiar with food allergies. In an effort to protect
youngsters, schools have
begun to crack down
more regularly on foods
that tend to cause allergic reactions, often placing restrictions on what
children can bring in for
lunches or snacks.
Parents and children
who grew up around
peanut and tree nut allergies are quite familiar
with what triggers allergic reactions associated
with such foods, and the
potential side effects of
consuming these foods.
But those who are less
experienced with food
allergies may not know
what to expect.
According to the Mayo
Clinic, being allergic to
nuts is one of the more
common food allergies,
especially among children. Many people who
are allergic to peanuts are
also allergic to other tree
nuts, including walnuts,
almonds and pecans.
As with any allergen, reactions vary from
person to person. Some
may experience mild
symptoms, such as light
rashes or swelling, while
others may have severe
reactions, including anaphylactic shock, which
is characterized by shortness of breath, a severe
drop in blood pressure,
constriction of airways,
and potential heart failure. According to Spire
Health Partners, more
than 3 million people in
the United States have a
nut allergy, and one-third
of them will suffer from
a severe symptom if they
ingest nuts.
A peanut allergy occurs
when your body mistakenly identifies peanut
proteins as something
that can be harmful. Just
as your body might fight a
cold, it releases chemicals
from the immune system
to fight off the peanut
invader. The number of
kids with peanut allergies has been increasing
over the last 10-15 years,
doubling in the last halfdecade alone.
It isn’t known why
some people are prone
to nut allergies while
others are not. However,
Michael C. Young, M.D.,
Assistant Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School and
a practicing pediatrician
at Children’s Hospital,
has a few ideas. Nursing
mothers and very young
children are eating more
peanuts,
particularly
in the form of peanut
butter, than ever before,
something that Young
feels could be causing a
higher incidence rate of
5 STAR
RATING
Preschool & Childcare
(919) 496-2886
118(919)
Industrial
Dr., Louisburg
496-2886
Valerie
Weston,
Director/Owner
118 Industrial Dr., Louisburg
Lic. # 35000026
Valerie Weston
The number of children with peanut allergies has
grown considerably in the last 10-15 years.
peanut allergies. Young
also theorizes that better
hygiene may play a
role, suggesting that
because children have
fewer infections (due to
improved hygiene and
routine immunizations),
their immune systems
are more likely to target
other things, such as
foods and environmental factors, resulting in
allergies.
Although peanut allergies are prevalent and
can be dangerous, there
is no reason to act rashly.
Young notes that approximately 20 percent of
children will outgrow
their peanut allergies
by the age of 6, and he
advises that it is worth
having a child retested as
they get older to gauge
if there have been any
changes in the status of
the peanut allergy.
When dealing with
peanut allergies, it is
important to separate
myths from facts.
* Direct contact is the
most common cause of
a reaction. This results
from eating peanuts
or foods that contain peanuts. Crosscontamination,which
occurs when peanuts
unintentionally
come
into contact with other
foods, is another common
cause.
* Some people can have
a reaction by touching
peanuts with their skin.
A rash may occur, but a
very dangerous reaction
will not result unless the
peanuts enter the mouth
or come into contact with
the nose or eyes.
* An allergic reaction
can occur from inhalation of peanut dust, such
as peanut flour or ground
shells during processing.
Aerosol cooking sprays
that contain peanut oil
also can produce a reaction. It is important to
note that the smell of
peanuts will not induce
an allergic reaction.
* Mount Sinai School
of Medicine in New
York found that peanut
proteins can be detected
in some people’s saliva
after eating peanuts. A
kiss could transfer some
of the peanut allergens to
Differentiating colic from acid reflux
If infants were born
with
an
instruction
manual, early parenting would be much less
stressful. Unfortunately
for new mothers and
fathers, tending to a baby
is often a system of trial
and error. Every child
is different, and what
works for one may not
work for the other. Similarly, a child may be born
who is easily comforted
and takes to sleep, while
its sibling seems to cry
all day long. Getting to
the root of those crying
fits can prove rather chal-
lenging.
Colic - When crying
goes on and on with
seemingly no cause,
this could be indicative of something more
significant than just a
fussy baby. Infants use
crying as a method for
telling their caregivers
that something is amiss.
Cries can indicate dampness, pain, sleepiness,
or other conditions. But
crying with no apparent
cause is defined as colic.
Colic is not a disease
but rather a behavioral
condition. Babies with
colic cry for seemingly
no reason and very often
at the same time each
day. Nothing seems to
comfort them. In addition to crying, the child
may thrash around or
clench fists.
Some believe that colic
has its roots in the digestive tract, where there is
the presence of lots of
air that may stem from
slow intestinal motility.
Others believe colic is
linked to an overstimulated central nervous
system. Still, colic is not
a diagnosis, but rather
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another person.
* Sometimes an allergy
is not really an allergy,
but rather an intolerance to a certain food.
A food intolerance does
not involve the immune
system. A person with
a food intolerance can
eat small amounts of
the food with only mild
symptoms, such as indigestion, rather than a
severe reaction with a
true allergy.
While being diligent in
reading food labels and
asking what ingredients
are in prepared foods
at restaurants is key
for people with peanut
allergies, so is avoiding
potential skin contact.
This means thoroughly
washing areas where
peanuts or peanut butter
may have been and
ensuring other children
wash up after lunch.
Peanut allergies are
foremost on the minds of
parents and educators.
Understanding
what
is involved in a peanut
allergy can help everyone make informed decisions about protecting
youngsters.
*North Carolina Farm Bureau® Mutual Insurance Co.
*Farm Bureau® Insurance of North Carolina, Inc.
*Southern Farm Bureau® Life Insurance Co.
*An independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association
a way to describe how
a baby is behaving. The
colicky behavior may
be indicative of another
underlying
condition,
such as acid reflux.
Acid reflux - According to the National
Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse,
acid reflux affects more
than half of all babies
under three months old
and usually resolves
itself between the child’s
first and second birthdays. Acid reflux occurs
when the lower esophageal sphincter, or LES,
muscle remains open
and enables stomach
contents to flow back
up through the esophagus and mouth. Infants
have immature muscle
development, and their
LES may not open and
close only when swallowing, enabling food to
come back up. The reflux
can occur when the baby
cries, strains or eats too
quickly.
Symptoms may include
excessive amounts of
spit-up, crying and pain
while eating. An infant
may drink breast milk or
bottles quickly and gulp
the liquid down because
it is soothing, only to
find that this exacerbates
the problem.
Infants with reflux
may begin to cry when
lying down. They may
also arch their necks
and backs during or
after eating or spitting
up. Some children have
silent reflux, where the
acid does not come out
of the mouth, but rather
the baby swallows it
back
down.
Reflux
babies may learn to associate food with pain and
can develop aversions to
feeding.
Whenever a child is
exhibiting signs that go
against the norm, parents can talk first to their
child’s pediatrician.
Education Should Start Sooner Than You Think
INTERNET SAFETY TIPS
• NEVER give out personal information such as your name, home
address, school name or telephone number in a chat room or on
bulletin boards. Also, never send a picture of yourself to someone
you chat with on the computer without your parent’s permission.
• NEVER write to someone who has made you feel uncomfortable
or scared.
• DO NOT meet someone or have them visit you without the permission of your parents.
• TELL your parents right away if you read anything on the internet that makes you
feel uncomfortable.
• REMEMBER that people online may not be who they say they are.
Someone who says that “she” is a “12-year-old girl” could really be an older man.
• PARENTS: Make sure to monitor your child’s social media activity.
BIKE SAFETY TIPS
• Ride on sidewalks or safe areas ONLY.
• Ride ONLY during the daytime.
• When riding on the street, ride with - not
against - the flow of traffic.
• Wear a helmet correctly every time you ride (on top of your head in
a level position).
• When entering a sidewalk, path or driveway, make a complete stop.
• Look left-right-then left again before entering a roadway or intersection.
• Obey the traffic laws and use proper hand signals when turning.
• See and be seen - Wear brightly colored clothing when riding your bicycle.
• Stay alert- Always look and listen for traffic, pedestrians, or other bikes.
Your Safety is
Our Business!
Louisburg Police
Department
WADE AVENUE
(919) 496-4175
or (919) 496-2893