Singapore Motherhood & Kids

Water requirements for children

2010-12-15T20:20:00.003+08:00

Have you ever wondered what is the amount of fluid your child should be taking in a day? We all always say that adults should drink 8 glasses of water a day, so what about the kids? There is actually a method of calculating the fluid requirements for your child. See below:

Body weight method:

<10 kg
100 mL/kg/day

11-20 kg
1000 mL + 50 mL/kg (for each kg >10)

>20 kg
1500 mL + 20 mL/kg (for each kg >20)

This is also known as the Holliday-Segar Fluid Requirement Calculation.

Cow's Milk, Almond Milk, Rice Milk, Soy Milk?

2010-12-04T15:16:00.003+08:00

Recently I was introduced to articles about the dangers of cow's milk. I was horrified to read about so many disadvantages of cow's milk. We have all been brought up drinking cow's milk and thinking how wholesome it is! Many people, despite knowing the truth, are still skeptical. They thought "We have all drank cow's milk when we were young and we are fine! So how wrong can it be?" My only advice is "don't let stubbornness rule your head" - Have a read. No harm finding out more.

Below article is full adapted from http://curezone.com/blogs/fm.asp?i=984989

With recent news about the price of milk on the rise to unprecedented costs, I decided to post this "deadly poison" information about milk. Why pay even more than ever just to get sick?
Date: 9/28/2007 9:17:15 AM ( 3 y ) ... viewed 10731 times

When I grew up, milk was a staple. Everyone had it, even the family who ate health food and were eccentric. It is hard to believe that Curezonians would drink milk, as they are more informed than the general public. Now, Dr. Mercola of mercola.com, believes raw cow's milk or goat's milk is ok and actually healthy. I believe we can get those nutrients elsewhere and click here for raw milk info. Milk doesn't have hardly any vitamin D. It has to be added (fortified). Milk also is a poor source of calcium. But, high amounts calcium actually interferes with absorption of calcium anyway, which can actually cause osteoporosis. Furthermore, milk is protein and protein inhibits calcium absorption. Every baby who drinks milk, whether it be cow or human or other, their own mother produces the kind of milk they need. I am sure you have heard "cow's milk is for baby cows" by the milk opponents. Well, it is true and there is science behind it. Many doctors say cow's milk leads to lactose intolerance, while pointing out we are the only species to drink another species' milk and we are the only species to drink milk past babyhood.

But if that isn't enough to scare you, 60% of the cows in America have the Leukemia virus. 80% have paratuberculosis, which many scientists believe is the cause of Functional Dyspepsia, Irritable Bowel Syndrome and Crohn's Disease.

Dr. Robert M. Kradjian, Breast Surgery Chief of California's Seton Medical Center, thinks three glasses is too much. In fact, he thinks you shouldn't drink any milk at all. After systematically reviewing the archives of medical and scientific journals, his findings were "slightly less than horrifying."

No, don't drink soy milk, i'll post about it later. The beans are acid washed in aluminum vats and the funny taste you get in soy milk is from the retention of that aluminum. The only safe soy for humans to consume is fermented soy, because the anti-nutrient properties are mostly removed by the processing.

Years ago, when I found out about milk, I quit. I had heard about the book: Milk, the deadly poison. That was enough for me. At first I drank soy milk, but researched it and quickly disposed of it. Then, I discovered almond milk, and later, rice milk. I began using almond milk is all recipes just like it were milk. It works perfect. In some things you would want to use rice milk because almond milk has a distinct flavor and you can taste it in some recipes. Rice milk is a bit too sweet for me, so I use it less often. The only brand I buy is Pacific, in both almond and rice, because they taste best. Almond breeze tastes funny to me.

GOT MILK? You may wish you didn't:
THE MILK LETTER : A MESSAGE TO MY PATIENTS
Robert M. Kradjian, MD Breast Surgery Chief Division of General Surgery, Seton Medical Centre #302 - 1800 Sullivan Ave. Daly City, CA 94015 USA

"MILK" Just the word itself sounds comforting! "How about a nice cup of hot milk?" The last time you heard that question it was from someone who cared for you--and you appreciated their effort.

The entire matter of food and especially that of milk is surrounded with emotional and cultural importance. Milk was our very first food. If we were fortunate it was our mother's milk. A loving link, given and taken. It was the only path to survival. If not mother's milk it was cow's milk or soy milk "formula"--rarely it was goat, camel or water buffalo milk.

Now, we are a nation of milk drinkers. Nearly all of us. Infants, the young, adolescents, adults and even the aged. We drink dozens or even several hundred gallons a year and add to that many pounds of "dairy products" such as cheese, butter, and yogurt.

Can there be anything wrong with this? We see reassuring images of healthy, beautiful people on our television screens and hear messages that assure us that, "Milk is good for your body." Our dieticians insist that: "You've got to have milk, or where will you get your calcium?" School lunches always include milk and nearly every hospital meal will have milk added. And if that isn't enough, our nutritionists told us for years that dairy products make up an "essential food group." Industry spokesmen made sure that colourful charts proclaiming the necessity of milk and other essential nutrients were made available at no cost for schools. Cow's milk became "normal."

You may be surprised to learn that most of the human beings that live on planet Earth today do not drink or use cow's milk. Further, most of them can't drink milk because it makes them ill.

There are students of human nutrition who are not supportive of milk use for adults. Here is a quotation from the March/April 1991 Utne Reader:

If you really want to play it safe, you may decide to join the growing number of Americans who are eliminating dairy products from their diets altogether. Although this sounds radical to those of us weaned on milk and the five basic food groups, it is eminently viable. Indeed, of all the mammals, only humans--and then only a minority, principally Caucasians--continue to drink milk beyond babyhood.

Who is right? Why the confusion? Where best to get our answers? Can we trust milk industry spokesmen? Can you trust any industry spokesmen? Are nutritionists up to date or are they simply repeating what their professors learned years ago? What about the new voices urging caution?

I believe that there are three reliable sources of information. The first, and probably the best, is a study of nature. The second is to study the history of our own species. Finally we need to look at the world's scientific literature on the subject of milk.

Let's look at the scientific literature first. From 1988 to
1993 there were over 2,700 articles dealing with milk recorded in the 'Medicine' archives. Fifteen hundred of theses had milk as the main focus of the article. There is no lack of scientific information on this subject. I reviewed over 500 of the 1,500 articles, discarding articles that dealt exclusively with animals, esoteric research and inconclusive studies.

How would I summarize the articles? They were only slightly less than horrifying. First of all, none of the authors spoke of cow's milk as an excellent food, free of side effects and the 'perfect food' as we have been led to believe by the industry. The main focus of the published reports seems to be on intestinal colic, intestinal irritation, intestinal bleeding, anemia, allergic reactions in infants and children as well as infections such as salmonella. More ominous is the fear of viral infection with bovine leukemia virus or an AIDS-like virus as well as concern for childhood diabetes. Contamination of milk by blood and white (pus) cells as well as a variety of chemicals and insecticides was also discussed. Among children the problems were allergy, ear and tonsillar infections, bedwetting, asthma, intestinal bleeding, colic and childhood diabetes. In adults the problems seemed centered more around heart disease and arthritis, allergy, sinusitis, and the more serious questions of leukemia, lymphoma and cancer.

I think that an answer can also be found in a consideration of what occurs in nature & what happens with free living mammals and what happens with human groups living in close to a natural state as 'hunter-gatherers'.

Our paleolithic ancestors are another crucial and interesting group to study. Here we are limited to speculation and indirect evidences, but the bony remains available for our study are remarkable. There is no doubt whatever that these skeletal remains reflect great strength, muscularity (the size of the muscular insertions show this), and total absence of advanced osteoporosis. And if you feel that these people are not important for us to study, consider that today our genes are programming our bodies in almost exactly the same way as our ancestors of 50,000 to
100,000 years ago.

WHAT IS MILK?

Milk is a maternal lactating secretion, a short term nutrient for new-borns. Nothing more, nothing less. Invariably, the mother of any mammal will provide her milk for a short period of time immediately after birth. When the time comes for 'weaning', the young offspring is introduced to the proper food for that species of mammal. A familiar example is that of a puppy. The mother nurses the pup for just a few weeks and then rejects the young animal and teaches it to eat solid food. Nursing is provided by nature only for the very youngest of mammals. Of course, it is not possible for animals living in a natural state to continue with the drinking of milk after weaning.

IS ALL MILK THE SAME?

Then there is the matter of where we get our milk. We have settled on the cow because of its docile nature, its size, and its abundant milk supply. Somehow this choice seems 'normal' and blessed by nature, our culture, and our customs. But is it natural? Is it wise to drink the milk of another species of mammal?

Consider for a moment, if it was possible, to drink the milk of a mammal other than a cow, let's say a rat. Or perhaps the milk of a dog would be more to your liking. Possibly some horse milk or cat milk. Do you get the idea? Well, I'm not serious about this, except to suggest that human milk is for human infants, dogs' milk is for pups, cows' milk is for calves, cats' milk is for kittens, and so forth. Clearly, this is the way nature intends it. Just use your own good judgement on this one.

Milk is not just milk. The milk of every species of mammal is unique and specifically tailored to the requirements of that animal. For example, cows' milk is very much richer in protein than human milk. Three to four times as much. It has five to seven times the mineral content. However, it is markedly deficient in essential fatty acids when compared to human mothers' milk. Mothers' milk has six to ten times as much of the essential fatty acids, especially linoleic acid.
(Incidentally, skimmed cow's milk has no linoleic acid). It simply is not designed for humans.

Food is not just food, and milk is not just milk. It is not only the proper amount of food but the proper qualitative composition that is critical for the very best in health and growth. Biochemists and physiologists -and rarely medical doctors - are gradually learning that foods contain the crucial elements that allow a particular species to develop its unique specializations.

Clearly, our specialization is for advanced neurological development and delicate neuromuscular control. We do not have much need of massive skeletal growth or huge muscle groups as does a calf. Think of the difference between the demands make on the human hand and the demands on a cow's hoof. Human new-borns specifically need critical material for their brains, spinal cord and nerves.

Can mother's milk increase intelligence? It seems that it can. In a remarkable study published in Lancet during 1992
(Vol. 339, p. 261-4), a group of British workers randomly placed premature infants into two groups. One group received a proper formula, the other group received human breast milk. Both fluids were given by stomach tube. These children were followed up for over 10 years. In intelligence testing, the human milk children averaged 10 IQ points higher! Well, why not? Why wouldn't the correct building blocks for the rapidly maturing and growing brain have a positive effect?

In the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (1982) Ralph Holman described an infant who developed profound neurological disease while being nourished by intravenous fluids only. The fluids used contained only linoleic acid - just one of the essential fatty acids. When the other, alpha linoleic acid, was added to the intravenous fluids the neurological disorders cleared.

In the same journal five years later Bjerve, Mostad and Thoresen, working in Norway found exactly the same problem in adult patients on long term gastric tube feeding.

In 1930 Dr. G.O. Burr in Minnesota working with rats found that linoleic acid deficiencies created a deficiency syndrome. Why is this mentioned? In the early 1960s pediatricians found skin lesions in children fed formulas without the same linoleic acid. Remembering the research, the addition of the acid to the formula cured the problem. Essential fatty acids are just that and cows' milk is markedly deficient in these when compared to human milk.

WELL, AT LEAST COW'S MILK IS PURE

Or is it? Fifty years ago an average cow produced 2,000 pounds of milk per year. Today the top producers give 50,000 pounds! How was this accomplished? Drugs, antibiotics, hormones, forced feeding plans and specialized breeding; that's how.

The latest high-tech onslaught on the poor cow is bovine growth hormone or BGH. This genetically engineered drug is supposed to stimulate milk production but, according to Monsanto, the hormone's manufacturer, does not affect the milk or meat. There are three other manufacturers: Upjohn, Eli Lilly, and American Cyanamid Company. Obviously, there have been no long-term studies on the hormone's effect on the humans drinking the milk. Other countries have banned BGH because of safety concerns. One of the problems with adding molecules to a milk cows' body is that the molecules usually come out in the milk. I don't know how you feel, but I don't want to experiment with the ingestion of a growth hormone. A related problem is that it causes a marked increase (50 to 70 per cent) in mastitis. This, then, requires antibiotic therapy, and the residues of the antibiotics appear in the milk. It seems that the public is uneasy about this product and in one survey 43 per cent felt that growth hormone treated milk represented a health risk. A vice president for public policy at Monsanto was opposed to labelling for that reason, and because the labelling would create an 'artificial distinction'. The country is awash with milk as it is, we produce more milk than we can consume. Let's not create storage costs and further taxpayer burdens, because the law requires the USDA to buy any surplus of butter, cheese, or non-fat dry milk at a support price set by Congress! In fiscal 1991, the USDA spent $757 million on surplus butter, and one billion dollars a year on average for price supports during the 1980s (Consumer Reports, May 1992: 330-32).

Any lactating mammal excretes toxins through her milk. This includes antibiotics, pesticides, chemicals and hormones. Also, all cows' milk contains blood! The inspectors are simply asked to keep it under certain limits. You may be horrified to learn that the USDA allows milk to contain from one to one and a half million white blood cells per millilitre. (That's only 1/30 of an ounce). If you don't already know this, I'm sorry to tell you that another way to describe white cells where they don't belong would be to call them pus cells. To get to the point, is milk pure or is it a chemical, biological, and bacterial cocktail? Finally, will the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) protect you? The United States General Accounting Office (GAO) tells us that the FDA and the individual States are failing to protect the public from drug residues in milk. Authorities test for only
4 of the 82 drugs in dairy cows.

As you can imagine, the Milk Industry Foundation's spokesman claims it's perfectly safe. Jerome Kozak says, "I still think that milk is the safest product we have."

Other, perhaps less biased observers, have found the following: 38% of milk samples in 10 cities were contaminated with sulfa drugs or other antibiotics. (This from the Centre for Science in the Public Interest and The Wall Street Journal, Dec. 29, 1989).. A similar study in Washington, DC found a 20 percent contamination rate
(Nutrition Action Healthletter, April 1990).

What's going on here? When the FDA tested milk, they found few problems. However, they used very lax standards. When they used the same criteria, the FDA data showed 51 percent of the milk samples showed drug traces.

Let's focus in on this because itÂ's critical to our understanding of the apparent discrepancies. The FDA uses a disk-assay method that can detect only 2 of the 30 or so drugs found in milk. Also, the test detects only at the relatively high level. A more powerful test called the 'Charm II test' can detect drugs down to 5 parts per billion.

One nasty subject must be discussed. It seems that cows are forever getting infections around the udder that require ointments and antibiotics. An article from France tells us that when a cow receives penicillin, that penicillin appears in the milk for from 4 to 7 milkings. Another study from the University of Nevada, Reno tells of cells in 'mastic milk', milk from cows with infected udders. An elaborate analysis of the cell fragments, employing cell cultures, flow cytometric analysis , and a great deal of high tech stuff. Do you know what the conclusion was? If the cow has mastitis, there is pus in the milk. Sorry, itÂ's in the study, all concealed with language such as "macrophages containing many vacuoles and phagocytosed particles," etc.

IT GETS WORSE

Well, at least human mothers' milk is pure! Sorry. A huge study showed that human breast milk in over 14,000 women had contamination by pesticides! Further, it seems that the sources of the pesticides are meat and--you guessed it-- dairy products. Well, why not? These pesticides are concentrated in fat and that's what's in these products. (Of interest, a subgroup of lactating vegetarian mothers had only half the levels of contamination).

A recent report showed an increased concentration of pesticides in the breast tissue of women with breast cancer when compared to the tissue of women with fibrocystic disease. Other articles in the standard medical literature describe problems. Just scan these titles:

1.Cow's Milk as a Cause of Infantile Colic Breast-Fed Infants. Lancet 2 (1978): 437 2.Dietary Protein-Induced Colitis in Breast- Fed Infants, J. Pediatr. I01 (1982): 906
3.The Question of the Elimination of Foreign Protein in Women's Milk, J. Immunology 19 (1930): 15

There are many others. There are dozens of studies describing the prompt appearance of cows' milk allergy in children being exclusively breast-fed! The cows' milk allergens simply appear in the mother's milk and are transmitted to the infant.

A committee on nutrition of the American Academy of Pediatrics reported on the use of whole cows' milk in infancy (Pediatrics 1983: 72-253). They were unable to provide any cogent reason why bovine milk should be used before the first birthday yet continued to recommend its use! Doctor Frank Oski from the Upstate Medical Centre Department of Pediatrics, commenting on the recommendation, cited the problems of acute gastrointestinal blood loss in infants, the lack of iron, recurrent abdominal pain, milk- borne infections and contaminants, and said:

Why give it at all - then or ever? In the face of uncertainty about many of the potential dangers of whole bovine milk, it would seem prudent to recommend that whole milk not be started until the answers are available. Isn't it time for these uncontrolled experiments on human nutrition to come to an end?

In the same issue of Pediatrics he further commented:

It is my thesis that whole milk should not be fed to the infant in the first year of life because of its association with iron deficiency anemia (milk is so deficient in iron that an infant would have to drink an impossible 31 quarts a day to get the RDA of 15 mg), acute gastrointiestinal bleeding, and various manifestations of food allergy.

I suggest that unmodified whole bovine milk should not be consumed after infancy because of the problems of lactose intolerance, its contribution to the genesis of atherosclerosis, and its possible link to other diseases.

In late 1992 Dr. Benjamin Spock, possibly the best known pediatrician in history, shocked the country when he articulated the same thoughts and specified avoidance for the first two years of life. Here is his quotation:

I want to pass on the word to parents that cows' milk from the carton has definite faults for some babies. Human milk is the right one for babies. A study comparing the incidence of allergy and colic in the breast-fed infants of omnivorous and vegan mothers would be important. I haven't found such a study; it would be both important and inexpensive. And it will probably never be done. There is simply no academic or economic profit involved.

OTHER PROBLEMS

Let's just mention the problems of bacterial contamination. Salmonella, E. coli, and staphylococcal infections can be traced to milk. In the old days tuberculosis was a major problem and some folks want to go back to those times by insisting on raw milk on the basis that it's "natural." This is insanity! A study from UCLA showed that over a third of all cases of salmonella infection in California, 1980-1983 were traced to raw milk. That'll be a way to revive good old brucellosis again and I would fear leukemia, too. (More about that later). In England, and Wales where raw milk is still consumed there have been outbreaks of milk-borne diseases. The Journal of the American Medical Association
(251: 483, 1984) reported a multi-state series of infections caused by Yersinia enterocolitica in pasteurised whole milk. This is despite safety precautions.

All parents dread juvenile diabetes for their children. A Canadian study reported in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Mar. 1990, describes a "...significant positive correlation between consumption of unfermented milk protein and incidence of insulin dependent diabetes mellitus in data from various countries. Conversely a possible negative relationship is observed between breast-feeding at age 3 months and diabetes risk.".

Another study from Finland found that diabetic children had higher levels of serum antibodies to cowsÂ' milk (Diabetes Research 7(3): 137-140 March 1988). Here is a quotation from this study:

We infer that either the pattern of cows' milk consumption is altered in children who will have insulin dependent diabetes mellitus or, their immunological reactivity to proteins in cows' milk is enhanced, or the permeability of their intestines to cows' milk protein is higher than normal.

The April 18, 1992 British Medical Journal has a fascinating study contrasting the difference in incidence of juvenile insulin dependent diabetes in Pakistani children who have migrated to England. The incidence is roughly 10 times greater in the English group compared to children remaining in Pakistan! What caused this highly significant increase? The authors said that "the diet was unchanged in Great Britain." Do you believe that? Do you think that the availability of milk, sugar and fat is the same in Pakistan as it is in England? That a grocery store in England has the same products as food sources in Pakistan? I don't believe that for a minute. Remember, we're not talking here about adult onset, type II diabetes which all workers agree is strongly linked to diet as well as to a genetic predisposition. This study is a major blow to the "it's all in your genes" crowd. Type I diabetes was always considered to be genetic or possibly viral, but now this? So resistant are we to consider diet as causation that the authors of the last article concluded that the cooler climate in England altered viruses and caused the very real increase in diabetes! The first two authors had the same reluctance top admit the obvious. The milk just may have had something to do with the disease.

The latest in this remarkable list of reports, a New England Journal of Medicine article (July 30, 1992), also reported in the Los Angeles Times. This study comes from the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto and from Finnish researchers. In Finland there is "...the world's highest rate of dairy product consumption and the world's highest rate of insulin dependent diabetes. The disease strikes about 40 children out of every 1,000 there contrasted with six to eight per
1,000 in the United States.... Antibodies produced against the milk protein during the first year of life, the researchers speculate, also attack and destroy the pancreas in a so-called auto-immune reaction, producing diabetes in people whose genetic makeup leaves them vulnerable." "...142 Finnish children with newly diagnosed diabetes. They found that every one had at least eight times as many antibodies against the milk protein as did healthy children, clear evidence that the children had a raging auto immune disorder." The team has now expanded the study to 400 children and is starting a trial where 3,000 children will receive no dairy products during the first nine months of life. "The study may take 10 years, but we'll get a definitive answer one way or the other," according to one of the researchers. I would caution them to be certain that the breast feeding mothers use on cows' milk in their diets or the results will be confounded by the transmission of the cows' milk protein in the mother's breast milk.... Now what was the reaction from the diabetes association? This is very interesting! Dr. F. Xavier Pi-Sunyer, the president of the association says: "It does not mean that children should stop drinking milk or that parents of diabetics should withdraw dairy products. These are rich sources of good protein." (Emphasis added) My God, it's the "good protein" that causes the problem! Do you suspect that the dairy industry may have helped the American Diabetes Association in the past?

LEUKEMIA? LYMPHOMA? THIS MAY BE THE WORST--BRACE YOURSELF!
I hate to tell you this, but the bovine leukemia virus is found in more than three of five dairy cows in the United States! This involves about 80% of dairy herds. Unfortunately, when the milk is pooled, a very large percentage of all milk produced is contaminated (90 to 95 per cent). Of course the virus is killed in pasteurisation-- if the pasteurisation was done correctly. What if the milk is raw? In a study of randomly collected raw milk samples the bovine leukemia virus was recovered from two-thirds. I sincerely hope that the raw milk dairy herds are carefully monitored when compared to the regular herds. (Science 1981;
213:1014).

This is a world-wide problem. One lengthy study from Germany deplored the problem and admitted the impossibility of keeping the virus from infected cows' milk from the rest of the milk. Several European countries, including Germany and Switzerland, have attempted to "cull" the infected cows from their herds. Certainly the United States must be the leader in the fight against leukemic dairy cows, right? Wrong! We are the worst in the world with the former exception of Venezuela according to Virgil Hulse MD, a milk specialist who also has a B.S. in Dairy Manufacturing as well as a Master's degree in Public Health.

As mentioned, the leukemia virus is rendered inactive by pasteurisation. Of course. However, there can be Chernobyl like accidents. One of these occurred in the Chicago area in April, 1985. At a modern, large, milk processing plant an accidental "cross connection" between raw and pasteurized milk occurred. A violent salmonella outbreak followed, killing 4 and making an estimated 150,000 ill. Now the question I would pose to the dairy industry people is this: "How can you assure the people who drank this milk that they were not exposed to the ingestion of raw, unkilled, bully active bovine leukemia viruses?" Further, it would be fascinating to know if a "cluster" of leukemia cases blossoms in that area in 1 to 3 decades. There are reports of "leukemia clusters" elsewhere, one of them mentioned in the June 10, 1990 San Francisco Chronicle involving Northern California.

What happens to other species of mammals when they are exposed to the bovine leukemia virus? It's a fair question and the answer is not reassuring. Virtually all animals exposed to the virus develop leukemia. This includes sheep, goats, and even primates such as rhesus monkeys and chimpanzees. The route of transmission includes ingestion
(both intravenous and intramuscular) and cells present in milk. There are obviously no instances of transfer attempts to human beings, but we know that the virus can infect human cells in vitro. There is evidence of human antibody formation to the bovine leukemia virus; this is disturbing. How did the bovine leukemia virus particles gain access to humans and become antigens? Was it as small, denatured particles?

If the bovine leukemia viruses causes human leukemia, we could expect the dairy states with known leukemic herds to have a higher incidence of human leukemia. Is this so? Unfortunately, it seems to be the case! Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin have statistically higher incidence of leukemia than the national average. In Russia and in Sweden, areas with uncontrolled bovine leukemia virus have been linked with increases in human leukemia. I am also told that veterinarians have higher rates of leukemia than the general public. Dairy farmers have significantly elevated leukemia rates. Recent research shows lymphocytes from milk fed to neonatal mammals gains access to bodily tissues by passing directly through the intestinal wall.

An optimistic note from the University of Illinois, Ubana from the Department of Animal Sciences shows the importance of one's perspective. Since they are concerned with the economics of milk and not primarily the health aspects, they noted that the production of milk was greater in the cows with the bovine leukemia virus. However when the leukemia produced a persistent and significant lymphocytosis (increased white blood cell count), the production fell off. They suggested "a need to re-evaluate the economic impact of bovine leukemia virus infection on the dairy industry". Does this mean that leukemia is good for profits only if we can keep it under control? You can get the details on this business concern from Proc. Nat. Acad. Sciences, U.S. Feb.
1989. I added emphasis and am insulted that a university department feels that this is an economic and not a human health issue. Do not expect help from the Department of Agriculture or the universities. The money stakes and the political pressures are too great. You're on you own.

What does this all mean? We know that virus is capable of producing leukemia in other animals. Is it proven that it can contribute to human leukemia (or lymphoma, a related cancer)? Several articles tackle this one:

1.Epidemiologic Relationships of the Bovine Population and Human Leukemia in Iowa. Am Journal of Epidemiology 112
(1980):80 2.Milk of Dairy Cows Frequently Contains a Leukemogenic Virus. Science 213 (1981): 1014 3.Beware of the Cow. (Editorial) Lancet 2 (1974):30 4.Is Bovine Milk A Health Hazard?. Pediatrics; Suppl. Feeding the Normal Infant. 75:182-186; 1985

In Norway, 1422 individuals were followed for 11 and a half years. Those drinking 2 or more glasses of milk per day had
3.5 times the incidence of cancer of the lymphatic organs. British Med. Journal 61:456-9, March 1990.

One of the more thoughtful articles on this subject is from Allan S. Cunningham of Cooperstown, New York. Writing in the Lancet, November 27, 1976 (page 1184), his article is entitled, "Lymphomas and Animal-Protein Consumption". Many people think of milk as Â"liquid meatÂ" and Dr. Cunningham agrees with this. He tracked the beef and dairy consumption in terms of grams per day for a one year period, 1955-1956., in 15 countries . New Zealand, United States and Canada were highest in that order. The lowest was Japan followed by Yugoslavia and France. The difference between the highest and lowest was quite pronounced: 43.8 grams/day for New Zealanders versus 1.5 for Japan. Nearly a 30-fold difference! (Parenthetically, the last 36 years have seen a startling increase in the amount of beef and milk used in Japan and their disease patterns are reflecting this, confirming the lack of 'genetic protection' seen in migration studies. Formerly the increase in frequency of lymphomas in Japanese people was only in those who moved to the USA)!

An interesting bit of trivia is to note the memorial built at the Gyokusenji Temple in Shimoda, Japan. This marked the spot where the first cow was killed in Japan for human consumption! The chains around this memorial were a gift from the US Navy. Where do you suppose the Japanese got the idea to eat beef? The year? 1930.

Cunningham found a highly significant positive correlation between deaths from lymphomas and beef and dairy ingestion in the 15 countries analysed. A few quotations from his article follow:

The average intake of protein in many countries is far in excess of the recommended requirements. Excessive consumption of animal protein may be one co-factor in the causation of lymphomas by acting in the following manner. Ingestion of certain proteins results in the adsorption of antigenic fragments through the gastrointestinal mucous membrane.

This results in chronic stimulation of lymphoid tissue to which these fragments gain access "Chronic immunological stimulation causes lymphomas in laboratory animals and is believed to cause lymphoid cancers in men." The gastrointestinal mucous membrane is only a partial barrier to the absorption of food antigens, and circulating antibodies to food protein is commonplace especially potent lymphoid stimulants. Ingestion of cows' milk can produce generalized lymphadenopathy, hepatosplenomegaly, and profound adenoid hypertrophy. It has been conservatively estimated that more than 100 distinct antigens are released by the normal digestion of cows' milk which evoke production of all antibody classes [This may explain why pasteurized, killed viruses are still antigenic and can still cause disease.

Here's more. A large prospective study from Norway was reported in the British Journal of Cancer 61 (3):456-9, March 1990. (Almost 16,000 individuals were followed for 11 and a half years). For most cancers there was no association between the tumour and milk ingestion. However, in lymphoma, there was a strong positive association. If one drank two glasses or more daily (or the equivalent in dairy products), the odds were 3.4 times greater than in persons drinking less than one glass of developing a lymphoma.

There are two other cow-related diseases that you should be aware of. At this time they are not known to be spread by the use of dairy products and are not known to involve man. The first is bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), and the second is the bovine immunodeficiency virus (BIV). The first of these diseases, we hope, is confined to England and causes cavities in the animal's brain. Sheep have long been known to suffer from a disease called scrapie. It seems to have been started by the feeding of contaminated sheep parts, especially brains, to the British cows. Now, use your good sense. Do cows seem like carnivores? Should they eat meat? This profit-motivated practice backfired and bovine spongiform encephalopathy, or Mad Cow Disease, swept Britain. The disease literally causes dementia in the unfortunate animal and is 100 per cent incurable. To date, over 100,000 cows have been incinerated in England in keeping with British law. Four hundred to 500 cows are reported as infected each month. The British public is concerned and has dropped its beef consumption by 25 per cent, while some 2,000 schools have stopped serving beef to children. Several farmers have developed a fatal disease syndrome that resembles both BSE and CJD (Creutzfeldt-Jakob- Disease). But the British Veterinary Association says that transmission of BSE to humans is "remote."

The USDA agrees that the British epidemic was due to the feeding of cattle with bonemeal or animal protein produced at rendering plants from the carcasses of scrapie-infected sheep. The have prohibited the importation of live cattle and zoo ruminants from Great Britain and claim that the disease does not exist in the United States. However, there may be a problem. "Downer cows" are animals who arrive at auction yards or slaughter houses dead, trampled, lacerated, dehydrated, or too ill from viral or bacterial diseases to walk. Thus they are "down." If they cannot respond to electrical shocks by walking, they are dragged by chains to dumpsters and transported to rendering plants where, if they are not already dead, they are killed. Even a "humane" death is usually denied them. They are then turned into protein food for animals as well as other preparations. Minks that have been fed this protein have developed a fatal encephalopathy that has some resemblance to BSE. Entire colonies of minks have been lost in this manner, particularly in Wisconsin. It is feared that the infective agent is a prion or slow virus possible obtained from the ill "downer cows."

The British Medical Journal in an editorial whimsically entitled "How Now Mad Cow?" (BMJ vol. 304, 11 Apr. 1992:929-
30) describes cases of BSE in species not previously known to be affected, such as cats. They admit that produce contaminated with bovine spongiform encephalopathy entered the human food chain in England between 1986 and 1989. They say. "The result of this experiment is awaited." As the incubation period can be up to three decades, wait we must.

The immunodeficency virus is seen in cattle in the United States and is more worrisome. Its structure is closely related to that of the human AIDS virus. At this time we do not know if exposure to the raw BIV proteins can cause the sera of humans to become positive for HIV. The extent of the virus among American herds is said to be "widespread". (The USDA refuses to inspect the meat and milk to see if antibodies to this retrovirus is present). It also has no plans to quarantine the infected animals. As in the case of humans with AIDS, there is no cure for BIV in cows. Each day we consume beef and diary products from cows infected with these viruses and no scientific assurance exists that the products are safe. Eating raw beef (as in steak Tartare) strikes me as being very risky, especially after the Seattle E. coli deaths of 1993.

A report in the Canadian Journal of Veterinary Research, October 1992, Vol. 56 pp.353-359 and another from the Russian literature, tell of a horrifying development. They report the first detection in human serum of the antibody to a bovine immunodeficiency virus protein. In addition to this disturbing report, is another from Russia telling us of the presence of virus proteins related to the bovine leukemia virus in 5 of 89 women with breast disease (Acta Virologica Feb. 1990 34(1): 19-26). The implications of these developments are unknown at present. However, it is safe to assume that these animal viruses are unlikely to "stay" in the animal kingdom.

OTHER CANCERS--DOES IT GET WORSE?

Unfortunately it does. Ovarian cancer--a particularly nasty tumour--was associated with milk consumption by workers at Roswell Park Memorial Institute in Buffalo, New York. Drinking more than one glass of whole milk or equivalent daily gave a woman a 3.1 times risk over non-milk users. They felt that the reduced fat milk products helped reduce the risk. This association has been made repeatedly by numerous investigators.

Another important study, this from the Harvard Medical School, analyzed data from 27 countries mainly from the
1970s. Again a significant positive correlation is revealed between ovarian cancer and per capita milk consumption. These investigators feel that the lactose component of milk is the responsible fraction, and the digestion of this is facilitated by the persistence of the ability to digest the lactose (lactose persistence) - a little different emphasis, but the same conclusion. This study was reported in the American Journal of Epidemiology 130 (5): 904-10 Nov. 1989. These articles come from two of the country's leading institutions, not the Rodale Press or Prevention Magazine.

Even lung cancer has been associated with milk ingestion? The beverage habits of 569 lung cancer patients and 569 controls again at Roswell Park were studied in the International Journal of Cancer, April 15, 1989. Persons drinking whole milk 3 or more times daily had a 2-fold increase in lung cancer risk when compared to those never drinking whole milk.

For many years we have been watching the lung cancer rates for Japanese men who smoke far more than American or European men but who develop fewer lung cancers. Workers in this research area feel that the total fat intake is the difference.

There are not many reports studying an association between milk ingestion and prostate cancer. One such report though was of great interest. This is from the Roswell Park Memorial Institute and is found in Cancer 64 (3): 605-12,
1989. They analyzed the diets of 371 prostate cancer patients and comparable control subjects:

Men who reported drinking three or more glasses of whole milk daily had a relative risk of 2.49 compared with men who reported never drinking whole milk the weight of the evidence appears to favour the hypothesis that animal fat is related to increased risk of prostate cancer. Prostate cancer is now the most common cancer diagnosed in US men and is the second leading cause of cancer mortality.

WELL, WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?
Is there any health reason at all for an adult human to drink cows' milk?

It's hard for me to come up with even one good reason other than simple preference. But if you try hard, in my opinion, these would be the best two: milk is a source of calcium and it's a source of amino acids (proteins).

Let's look at the calcium first. Why are we concerned at all about calcium? Obviously, we intend it to build strong bones and protect us against osteoporosis. And no doubt about it, milk is loaded with calcium. But is it a good calcium source for humans? I think not. These are the reasons. Excessive amounts of dairy products actually interfere with calcium absorption. Secondly, the excess of protein that the milk provides is a major cause of the osteoporosis problem. Dr. H egsted in England has been writing for years about the geographical distribution of osteoporosis. It seems that the countries with the highest intake of dairy products are invariably the countries with the most osteoporosis. He feels that milk is a cause of osteoporosis. Reasons to be given below.

Numerous studies have shown that the level of calcium ingestion and especially calcium supplementation has no effect whatever on the development of osteoporosis. The most important such article appeared recently in the British Journal of Medicine where the long arm of our dairy industry can't reach. Another study in the United States actually showed a worsening in calcium balance in post-menopausal women given three 8-ounce glasses of cows' milk per day.
(Am. Journal of Clin. Nutrition, 1985). The effects of hormone, gender, weight bearing on the axial bones, and in particular protein intake, are critically important. Another observation that may be helpful to our analysis is to note the absence of any recorded dietary deficiencies of calcium among people living on a natural diet without milk.

For the key to the osteoporosis riddle, don't look at calcium, look at protein. Consider these two contrasting groups. Eskimos have an exceptionally high protein intake estimated at 25 percent of total calories. They also have a high calcium intake at 2,500 mg/day. Their osteoporosis is among the worst in the world. The other instructive group are the Bantus of South Africa. They have a 12 percent protein diet, mostly p lant protein, and only 200 to 350 mg/day of calcium, about half our women's intake. The women have virtually no osteoporosis despite bearing six or more children and nursing them for prolonged periods! When African women immigrate to the United States, do they develop osteoporosis? The answer is yes, but not quite are much as Caucasian or Asian women. Thus, there is a genetic difference that is modified by diet.

To answer the obvious question, "Well, where do you get your calcium?" The answer is: "From exactly the same place the cow gets the calcium, from green things that grow in the ground," mainly from leafy vegetables. After all, elephants and rhinos develop their huge bones (after being weaned) by eating green leafy plants, so do horses. Carnivorous animals also do quite nicely without leafy plants. It seems that all of earth's mammals do well if they live in harmony with their genetic programming and natural food. Only humans living an affluent life style have rampant osteoporosis.

If animal references do not convince you, think of the several billion humans on this earth who have never seen cows' milk. Wouldn't you think osteoporosis would be prevalent in this huge group? The dairy people would suggest this but the truth is exactly the opposite. They have far less than that seen in the countries where dairy products are commonly consumed. It is the subject of another paper, but the truly significant determinants of osteoporosis are grossly excessive protein intakes and lack of weight bearing on long bones, both taking place over decades. Hormones play a secondary, but not trivial role in women. Milk is a deterrent to good bone health.

THE PROTEIN MYTH
Remember when you were a kid and the adults all told you to "make sure you get plenty of good protein". Protein was the nutritional "good guys"" when I was young. And of course milk is fitted right in.

As regards protein, milk is indeed a rich source of protein- -"liquid meat," remember? However that isn't necessarily what we need. In actual fact it is a source of difficulty. Nearly all Americans eat too much protein.

For this information we rely on the most authoritative source that I am aware of. This is the latest edition (1oth,
1989: 4th printing, Jan. 1992) of the Recommended Dietary Allowances produced by the National Research Council. Of interest, the current editor of this important work is Dr. Richard Havel of the University of California in San Francisco.

First to be noted is that the recommended protein has been steadily revised downward in successive editions. The current recommendation is 0.75 g/kilo/day for adults 19 through 51 years. This, of course, is only 45 grams per day for the mythical 60 kilogram adult. You should also know that the WHO estimated the need for protein in adults to by
.6g/kilo per day. (All RDA's are calculated with large safety allowances in case you're the type that wants to add some more to "be sure.") You can "get by" on 28 to 30 grams a day if necessary!

Now 45 grams a day is a tiny amount of protein. That's an ounce and a half! Consider too, that the protein does not have to be animal protein. Vegetable protein is identical for all practical purposes and has no cholesterol and vastly less saturated fat. (Do not be misled by the antiquated belief that plant proteins must be carefully balanced to avoid deficiencies. This is not a realistic concern.) Therefore virtually all Americans, Canadians, British and European people are in a protein overloaded state. This has serious consequences when maintained over decades. The problems are the already mentioned osteoporosis, atherosclerosis and kidney damage. There is good evidence that certain malignancies, chiefly colon and rectal, are related to excessive meat intake. Barry Brenner, an eminent renal physiologist was the first to fully point out the dangers of excess protein for the kidney tubule. The dangers of the fat and cholesterol are known to all. Finally, you should know that the protein content of human milk is amount the lowest (0.9%) in mammals.

IS THAT ALL OF THE TROUBLE?
Sorry, there's more. Remember lactose? This is the principal carbohydrate of milk. It seems that nature provides new- borns with the enzymatic equipment to metabolize lactose, but this ability often extinguishes by age 4 or 5 years.

What is the problem with lactose or milk sugar? It seems that it is a disaccharide which is too large to be absorbed into the blood stream without first being broken down into monosaccharides, namely galactose and glucose. This requires the presence of an enzyme, lactase plus additional enzymes to break down the galactose into glucose.

Let's think about his for a moment. Nature gives us the ability to metabolize lactose for a few years and then shuts off the mechanism. Is Mother Nature trying to tell us something? Clearly all infants must drink milk. The fact that so many adults cannot seems to be related to the tendency for nature to abandon mechanisms that are not needed. At least half of the adult humans on this earth are lactose intolerant. It was not until the relatively recent introduction of dairy herding and the ability to "borrow" milk from another group of mammals that the survival advantage of preserving lactase (the enzyme that allows us to digest lactose) became evident. But why would it be advantageous to drink cows' milk? After all, most of the human beings in the history of the world did. And further, why was it just the white or light skinned humans who retained this knack while the pigmented people tended to lose it?

Some students of evolution feel that white skin is a fairly recent innovation, perhaps not more than 20,000 or 30,000 years old. It clearly has to do with the Northward migration of early man to cold and relatively sunless areas when skins and clothing became available. Fair skin allows the production of Vitamin D from sunlight more readily than does dark skin. However, when only the face was exposed to sunlight that area of fair skin was insufficient to provide the vitamin D from sunlight. If dietary and sunlight sources were poorly available, the ability to use the abundant calcium in cows' milk would give a survival advantage to humans who could digest that milk. This seems to be the only logical explanation for fair skinned humans having a high degree of lactose tolerance when compared to dark skinned people.

How does this break down? Certain racial groups, namely blacks are up to 90% lactose intolerant as adults. Caucasians are 20 to 40% lactose intolerant. Orientals are midway between the above two groups. Diarrhea, gas and abdominal cramps are the results of substantial milk intake in such persons. Most American Indians cannot tolerate milk. The milk industry admits that lactose intolerance plays intestinal havoc with as many as 50 million Americans. A lactose-intolerance industry has sprung up and had sales of $117 million in 1992 (Time May 17, 1993.)

What if you are lactose-intolerant and lust after dairy products? Is all lost? Not at all. It seems that lactose is largely digested by bacteria and you will be able to enjoy your cheese despite lactose intolerance. Yogurt is similar in this respect. Finally, and I could never have dreamed this up, geneticists want to splice genes to alter the composition of milk (Am J Clin Nutr 1993 Suppl 302s).

One could quibble and say that milk is totally devoid of fiber content and that its habitual use will predispose to constipation and bowel disorders.

The association with anemia and occult intestinal bleeding in infants is known to all physicians. This is chiefly from its lack of iron and its irritating qualities for the intestinal mucosa. The pediatric literature abounds with articles describing irritated intestinal lining, bleeding, increased permeability as well as colic, diarrhea and vomiting in cows'milk-sensitive babies. The anemia gets a double push by loss of blood and iron as well as deficiency of iron in the cows' milk. Milk is also the leading cause of childhood allergy.

LOW FAT
One additional topic: the matter of "low fat" milk. A common and sincere question is: "Well, low fat milk is OK, isn't it?"

The answer to this question is that low fat milk isn't low fat. The term "low fat" is a marketing term used to gull the public. Low fat milk contains from 24 to 33% fat as calories! The 2% figure is also misleading. This refers to weight. They don't tell you that, by weight, the milk is 87% water!

"Well, then, kill-joy surely you must approve of non-fat milk!" I hear this quite a bit. (Another constant concern is: "What do you put on your cereal?") True, there is little or no fat, but now you have a relative overburden of protein and lactose. It there is something that we do not need more of it is another simple sugar-lactose, composed of galactose and glucose. Millions of Americans are lactose intolerant to boot, as noted. As for protein, as stated earlier, we live in a society that routinely ingests far more protein than we need. It is a burden for our bodies, especially the kidneys, and a prominent cause of osteoporosis. Concerning the dry cereal issue, I would suggest...rice milk or almond milk as a healthy substitute. ....

SUMMARY
To my thinking, there is only one valid reason to drink milk or use milk products. That is just because we simply want to. Because we like it and because it has become a part of our culture. Because we have become accustomed to its taste and texture. Because we like the way it slides down our throat. Because our parents did the very best they could for us and provided milk in our earliest training and conditioning. They taught us to like it. And then probably the very best reason is ice cream! I've heard it described "to die for".

I had one patient who did exactly that. He had no obvious vices. He didn't smoke or drink, he didnÂ't eat meat, his diet and lifestyle was nearly a perfectly health promoting one; but he had a passion. You guessed it, he loved rich ice cream. A pint of the richest would be a lean day's ration for him. On many occasions he would eat an entire quart - and yes there were some cookies and other pastries. Good ice cream deserves this after all. He seemed to be in good health despite some expected "middle age spread" when he had a devastating stroke which left him paralyzed, miserable and helpless, and he had additional strokes and d ied several years later never having left a hospital or rehabilitation unit. Was he old? I don't think so. He was in his 50s.

So don't drink milk for health. I am convinced on the weight of the scientific evidence that it does not "do a body good." Inclusion of milk will only reduce your diet's nutritional value and safety.

Most of the people on this planet live very healthfully without cows' milk. You can too.

It will be difficult to change; we've been conditioned since childhood to think of milk as "nature's most perfect food." I'll guarantee you that it will be safe, improve your health and it won't cost anything. What can you lose?

(Article courtesy of Dr. Kradjian)
________________________________________
MILK: A DEADLY POISON According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), in 1994 the average American ate 586 pounds of milk and dairy products, 394 pounds of vegetables, 121 pounds of fresh fruit, 199 pounds of meat and 193 pounds of products containing flour and cereal. That totals to over four pounds of food per day per person and nearly forty percent of that is milk and dairy, one very lopsided food pyramid!

Each sip of milk provides you with:
Pituitary hormones (PRL, GH, TSH, FSH, LH ACTH Oxytocin)
Steroid hormones (Estradiol, Estriol, Progesterone, Testosterone,
17-Ketosteroids, Corticosterone, Vitamine D)
Hypothalamic hormones (TRH, LHRH, Somatostatin, PRL-inhibiting
factor, PRL-releasing factor, GnRH, GRH)
Thyroid and Parathyroid hormones (T3, T4, rT3, Calcitonin,
Parathormone, PTH peptide)
gastrointestinal peptides (Vasoactive intestinal peptide, Bombesin, Cholecystokinin, Gastrin, Gastrin inhibitory peptide, Pancreatic
peptide, Y peptide, Substance P and Neurotensin)
Growth Factors (IGF's (I and II), IGF binding proteins, Nerve growth
factor, Epidermal growth factor and TGF alpha, TGF beta, Growth
Inhibitors MDGI and MAF, and Platelet derived growth factor
Others... (PGE, PGF2 alpha, cAMP, cGMP, Delta sleep inducing
peptide, Transferrin, Lactoferrin, Casomorphin and Erythropoietin
In Short... Growth hormones, fat, cholesterol, allergenic proteins, blood, pus, antibiotics, bacteria, virus and more as it is sponsored, in part, by Monsanto, WestAgro, and Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc..

Did you know that...
* Milk is the foundation of heart disease and the explanation for America's number one killer.

Milk is the reason that one out of six American women will develop cancer of the breast. Twenty-five million American women over the age of forty have been diagnosed with bone crippling arthritis and osteoporosis. These females have been drinking in excess of two pounds of milk per day for their entire adult lives. Why are their doctors blind to the fact that drinking milk does not prevent osteoporosis? Calcium in milk is not adequately absorbed and milk consumption is the probable cause of osteoporosis. Milk is responsible for allergies, colic, colitis, earaches, colds and congestion in young children. Research indicates that one bovine protein in milk destroys theinsulin-producing beta cells of the pancreas, causing diabetes. Sixty Percent of America's dairy cows have leukemia virus. Is it wise to eat the flesh or drink body fluids from diseased animals? The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) used to allow a small amount of antibiotics in milk. FDA scientists recognized that consumers should not be drinking a fluid containing antibiotics. In 1990, the one part per hundred-million antibiotic residue in milk standardwas increased by one-hundred times to one part per million. As a result, new strains of bacteria developed, immune to the 52 different antibiotics found in milk. Antibiotics no longer work because Americans have been drinking milk and eating dairy productscontaining increased amounts of these powerful drugs and, in addition, new strains of emerging diseases. Beer bellies are indeed making a comeback in America. According to the Food Consumption, Prices and Expenditures, 1996, Statistical Bulletin Number 928, published by the USDA, the average American consumed 24 gallons of beer in 1994. That works out to less than 8 1/2 ounces of beer per day. Total milk and dairy products consumed per capita in 1994 equaled 26 ounces per day, more than triple the amount of beer. One 12 ounce glass of beer contains 144 calories and no fat. On the other hand, a 12 ounce glass of milk contains 300 calories and 16 grams of fat. It seems that beer is taking a bad rap. Protruding stomachs on overweight people should be called milk bellies, not beer bellies.

When we drink milk we are taking in the most powerful growth hormone naturally produced in our own bodies. However, this growth hormone in milk is safeguarded by naturally occurring mechanisms unique to milk. That hormone is called Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and it is identical (70 amino acids, same gene sequence) in cows and humans

(Milk: The Deadly Poison by Robert Cohen 317 pages containing 336 references
ISBN 0-9659-196-0-9)

Echinacea for kids

2010-09-20T16:34:00.004+08:00

Children have low immunity. They fall sick every now and then, especially after they started attending nurseries and preschools. This made concerned parents look for alternative medicines and supplements to boost their kids' immunity.

Herbal remedies and nutritional supplements are becoming increasingly popular among adults, and many parents are beginning to give them to their children as well. Echinacea is one of the most popular herbal preparations.

Also known as purple coneflower, Echinacea is a member of the sunflower/daisy family. The most commonly used preparation is made from the root of one type of Echinacea (E. purpura), although herbal preparations vary widely as to which plants and what components are used.

Echinacea is used to prevent and treat colds and other upper respiratory infections. It is thought to work by boosting the immune system. Studies of Echinacea in adults have found that it may be effective—some studies have shown that it is effective and others have not shown that it is effective.

There have been a couple of recent studies of Echinacea in children. One found that it was not effective in treating colds in children ages 2 to 11. It did not lessen the severity of their symptoms nor shorten the number of days they were sick. However, the study was criticised for using Enchinacea extracted from the flower of the plant, instead of using the root where potency is!

Another study tested a product called Chizukit, which includes Echinacea, propolis (a plant resin collected by bees) and vitamin C. Parents were assigned to give their 1- to 5-year-old children either Chizukit or a placebo (inactive or fake medicine) twice a day for 12 weeks. The study found that children taking the Chizukit had significantly fewer colds, a little more than half of those suffered by the other children. This study suggests that Echinacea combined with the other products may be effective in preventing colds in children.

One of the good choice to try is L'il Critters Gummy Immune C Plus Zinc & Echinacea, Dietary Supplement for Kids. Some parents have testified that it works. No harm trying and tell us if it works for you as well?

Sources:
Is Enchinacea safe for kids?
Echinacea: The True Lowdown On Echinacea

How Much Sleep Do Children Need?

2010-03-05T10:21:00.001+08:00

The amount of sleep a child needs varies depending on the individual and certain factors, including the age of the child. Following are some general guidelines:

1-4 Weeks Old: 15 - 16 hours per day
Newborns typically sleep about 15 to 18 hours a day, but only in short periods of two to four hours. Premature babies may sleep longer and colicky ones shorter.

Since newborns do not yet have an internal biological clock, or circadian rhythm, their sleep patterns are not related to the daylight and nighttime cycles. In fact, they tend not to have much of a pattern at all.

1-4 Months Old: 14 - 15 hours per day
By 6 weeks of age your baby is beginning to settle down a bit, and you may notice more regular sleep patterns emerging. The longest periods of sleep run four to six hours and now tends to occur more regularly in the evening. Day-night confusion ends.

4-12 Months Old: 14 - 15 hours per day
While up to 15 hours is ideal, most infants up to 11 months old get only about 12 hours sleep. Establishing healthy sleep habits is a primary goal during this period, as your baby is now much more social, and his sleep patterns are more adult-like.

Babies typically have three naps and drop to two at around 6 months old, at which time (or earlier) they are physically capable of sleeping through the night. Establishing regular naps generally happens at the latter part of this time frame, as his biological rhythms mature. The midmorning nap usually starts at 9 a.m. and lasts about an hour. The early afternoon nap starts from 12 to 2 p.m. and lasts an hour or two. And the late afternoon nap may start from 3 to 5 p.m. and is variable in duration.

1-3 Years Old: 12 - 14 hours per day
As your child moves past the first year toward 18-21 months of age he will likely lose his morning nap and nap only once a day. While toddlers need up to 14 hours a day of sleep, they typically get only about 10.

Most children from about 21 to 36 months of age still need one nap a day, which may range from one to three and a half hours long. They typically go to bed between 7 and 9 p.m. and wake up between 6 and 8 a.m.

3-6 Years Old: 10 - 12 hours per day
Children at this age typically go to bed between 7 and 9 p.m. and wake up around 6 and 8 a.m., just as they did when they were younger. At 3, most children are still napping while at 5, most are not. Naps gradually become shorter as well. New sleep problems do not usually develop after 3 years of age.

7-12 Years Old: 10 - 11 hours per day
At these ages, with social, school, and family activities, bedtimes gradually become later and later, with most 12-years-olds going to bed at about 9 p.m. There is still a wide range of bedtimes, from 7:30 to 10 p.m., as well as total sleep times, from 9 to 12 hours, although the average is only about 9 hours.

12-18 Years Old: 8 - 9 hours per day
Sleep needs remain just as vital to health and well-being for teenagers as when they were younger. It turns out that many teenagers actually may need more sleep than in previous years. Now, however, social pressures conspire against getting the proper amount and quality of sleep.

Source:
http://www.webmd.com/parenting/guide/sleep-children

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in children

2009-11-04T09:52:00.003+08:00

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder. It is an illness that causes people to have unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and to repeat certain behaviors (compulsions) over and over again. We all have habits and routines in our daily lives, such as brushing our teeth before bed. However, for people with OCD, patterns of behavior get in the way of their daily lives. Most people with OCD know that their obsessions and compulsions make no sense, but they can't ignore or stop them. All kids have worries and doubts. But kids with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) often can't stop worrying, no matter how much they want to. And those worries frequently compel them to behave in certain ways over and over again.

What are obsessions?
Obsessions are ideas, images and impulses that run through the person's mind over and over again. A person with OCD doesn't want to have these thoughts and finds them disturbing, but he or she can't control them. Sometimes these thoughts just come once in a while and are only mildly annoying. Other times, a person who has OCD will have obsessive thoughts all the time.
Kids with OCD become preoccupied with whether something could be harmful, dangerous, wrong, or dirty — or with thoughts about bad stuff that might happen. With OCD, upsetting or scary thoughts or images, called obsessions, pop into a person's mind and are hard to shake. Kids with OCD may also worry about things being out of "order" or not "just right." They may worry about losing "useless" items, sometimes feeling the need to collect these items.

What are compulsions?
Obsessive thoughts make people who have OCD feel nervous and afraid. They try to get rid of these feelings by performing certain behaviors according to "rules" that they make up for themselves. These behaviors are called compulsions. (Compulsive behaviors are sometimes also called rituals.) For example, a person who has OCD may have obsessive thoughts about germs. Because of these thoughts, the person may wash his or her hands repeatedly after using a public toilet. Performing these behaviors usually only makes the nervous feelings go away for a short time. When the fear and nervousness return, the person who has OCD repeats the routine all over again. Similarly, a child with OCD feels strong urges to do certain things repeatedly — called rituals or compulsions — in order to banish the scary thoughts, ward off something dreaded, or make extra sure that things are safe or clean or right. Children may have a difficult time explaining a reason for their rituals and say they do them "just because." But in general, by doing a ritual, the child with OCD is trying to feel absolutely certain that something bad won't happen.

What are some common obsessions?
The following are some common obsessions:
Fear of dirt or germs
Disgust with bodily waste or fluids
Concern with order, symmetry (balance) and precision
Worry that a task has been done poorly, even when the person knows this is not true
Fear of thinking evil or sinful thoughts
Thinking about certain sounds, images, words or numbers all the time
Need for constant reassurance
Fear of harming a family member or friend

What are some common compulsions?
The following are some common compulsions:
Cleaning and grooming, such as washing hands, showering or brushing teeth over and over again
Checking drawers, door locks and appliances to be sure they are shut, locked or turned off
Repeating, such as going in and out of a door, sitting down and getting up from a chair, or touching certain objects several times
Ordering and arranging items in certain ways
Counting over and over to a certain number
Saving newspapers, mail or containers when they are no longer needed
Seeking constant reassurance and approval

What causes OCD?
No one has found a single, proven cause for OCD. Some research shows that it may have to do with chemicals in the brain that carry messages from one nerve cell to another. One of these chemicals, called serotonin (say "seer-oh-tone-in"), helps to keep people from repeating the same behaviors over and over again. A person who has OCD may not have enough serotonin. Many people who have OCD can function better when they take medicines that increase the amount of serotonin in their brain.

Evidence is also strong that OCD tends to run in families. Many people with OCD have one or more family members who also have it or other anxiety disorders influenced by the brain's serotonin levels. Because of this, scientists have come to believe that the tendency (or predisposition) for someone to develop the serotonin imbalance that causes OCD can be inherited through a person's genes.

Signs and Symptoms of OCD
OCD in kids is usually diagnosed between the ages of 7 and 12. Since these are the years when kids naturally feel concerned about fitting in with their friends, the discomfort and stress brought on by OCD can make them feel scared, out of control, and alone.

Recognizing OCD is often difficult because kids can become adept at hiding the behaviors. It's not uncommon for a child to engage in ritualistic behavior for months, or even years, before parents know about it. Also, a child may not engage in the ritual at school, so parents might think that it's just a phase.

When a child with OCD tries to contain these thoughts or behaviors, this creates anxiety. Kids who feel embarrassed or as if they're "going crazy" may try to blend the OCD into the normal daily routine until they can't control it anymore.

It's common for kids to ask a parent to join in the ritualistic behavior: First the child has to do something and then the parent has to do something else. If a child says, "I didn't touch something with germs, did I?" the parent might have to respond, "No, you're OK," and the ritual will begin again for a certain number of times. Initially, the parent might not notice what is happening. Tantrums, overt signs of worry, and difficult behaviors are common when parents fail to participate in their child's rituals. It is often this behavior, as much as the OCD itself, which brings families into treatment.

Parents can look for the following possible signs of OCD:
raw, chapped hands from constant washing
unusually high rate of soap or paper towel usage
high, unexplained utility bills
a sudden drop in test grades
unproductive hours spent doing homework
holes erased through test papers and homework
requests for family members to repeat strange phrases or keep answering the same question
a persistent fear of illness
a dramatic increase in laundry
an exceptionally long amount of time spent getting ready for bed
a continual fear that something terrible will happen to someone
constant checks of the health of family members
reluctance to leave the house at the same time as other family members
Environmental and stress factors can trigger the onset of OCD. These can include ordinary developmental transitions (such as starting school) as well as significant losses or changes (such as the death of a loved one or moving).

Diagnosing OCD
If your child shows signs of OCD, talk to your doctor. In screening for OCD, a doctor or mental health professional will ask about your child about obsessions and compulsions in language that kids will understand, such as:
Do you have worries, thoughts, images, feelings, or ideas that bother you?
Do you have to check things over and over again?
Do you have to wash your hands a lot, more than most kids?
Do you count to a certain number or do things a certain number of times?
Do you collect things that others might throw away (like hair or fingernail clippings)?
Do things have to be "just so"?
Are there things you have to do before you go to bed?

How is OCD treated?
The most successful treatments for kids with OCD are behavioral therapy and medication. Behavioral therapy, also known as cognitive-behavioral psychotherapy (CBT), helps kids learn to change thoughts and feelings by first changing behavior. It involves exposing kids to their fears, with the agreement that they will not perform rituals, to help them recognize that their anxiety will eventually decrease and that no disastrous outcome will occur.

For example, kids who are afraid of dirt might be exposed to something they consider dirty on numerous occasions. For exposure to be successful, it must be combined with response prevention, in which the child's rituals or avoidance behaviors are blocked. For example, a child who fears dirt must not only stay in contact with the dirty object, but also must not be allowed to wash repeatedly. Some treatment plans involve having the child "bossing back" the OCD, giving it a nasty nickname, and visualizing it as something the child can control. Over time, the anxiety provoked by dirt and the urge to perform washing rituals gradually disappear. The child also gains confidence that he or she can "fight" OCD.

OCD can sometimes worsen if it's not treated in a consistent, logical, and supportive manner. So it's important to find a therapist who has training and experience in treating OCD. Just talking about the rituals and fears have not been shown to help OCD, and may actually make it worse by reinforcing the fears and prompting extra rituals. Family support and cooperation also go a long way toward helping a child cope with OCD.

Many kids can do well with behavioral therapy alone while others will need a combination of behavioral therapy and medication. Therapy can help your child and family learn strategies to manage the ebb and flow of OCD symptoms, while medication, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), often can reduce the impulse to perform rituals.

Helping Kids With OCD
It's important to understand that OCD is never a child's fault. Once a child is in treatment, it's important for parents to participate, to learn more about OCD, and to modify expectations and be supportive.

Kids with OCD get better at different rates, so try to avoid any day-to-day comparisons and recognize and praise any small improvements. Keep in mind that it's the OCD that is causing the problem, not the child. The more that personal criticism can be avoided, the better.
It can be helpful to keep family routines as normal as possible, and for all family members to learn strategies to help the child with OCD. It is also important to not let OCD be the "boss" of the house and regular family activities. Giving in to OCD worries does not make them go away.

Sources:
http://kidshealth.org/parent/emotions/behavior/OCD.html#
http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/common/mentalhealth/anxiety/133.html

H1N1 in children

2009-08-08T14:33:00.000+08:00

H1N1 flu is highly contagious. It spreads from person to person through droplets that form when an infected person coughs, sneezes, laughs, or talks. The virus can also live for hours on surfaces. A person can become infected by touching acontaminated surface then touching their eyes, nose, or mouth.

About half of the confirmed H1N1 flu cases in Singapore involve young people below the age of 20. At KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH), the average age of a patient is 10 years old, with the youngest being just 14 months.

Children are more susceptible to H1N1 because they have no underlying immunity to the virus, and also because children do not practise good hygiene most of the time. They may cough and sneeze and won’t even remember to cover their mouth and nose. Parents should always pay special attention to children under 5 years of age, because they are more likely to become seriously ill than older children.

H1N1 flu symptoms are about the same as regular flu symptoms. These include fever and chills, headache, body and muscle aches, dry cough, runny nose, and weakness. The child may also have sore throat, diarrhea, or vomiting. Young children may have difficulty breathing and low activity, but few other symptoms. Children with Influenza A (H1N1) are likely to have a higher fever than adults.

If your child, particularly small children, exhibits any of the following warning signs, seek emergency medical care:

Trouble breathing, including rapid breathing.
Gray or bluish skin color
Not drinking enough fluids
Not waking up or not interacting
Being irritable and not wanting to be held
Not urinating or no tears when crying
The symptoms improve but then return with fever and worse cough

Parenting styles

2008-12-15T12:41:00.003+08:00

There are three types of parenting styles: Authoritarian, Permissive, Democratic or authoritative. Research on children's development shows that the most positive outcomes for children occur when parents use democratic styles. Children with permissive parents tend to be aggressive and act out, while children with authoritarian parents tend to be compliant and submissive and have low self-esteem.

Authoritarian
Authoritarian parents always try to be in control and exert their control on the children. These parents set strict rules to try to keep order, and they usually do this without much expression of warmth and affection. They attempt to set strict standards of conduct and are usually very critical of children for not meeting those standards. They tell children what to do, they try to make them obey and they usually do not provide children with choices or options.

Authoritarian parents don't explain why they want their children to do things. If a child questions a rule or command, the parent might answer, "Because I said so." Parents tend to focus on bad behavior, rather than positive behavior, and children are scolded or punished, often harshly, for not following the rules.

Children with authoritarian parents usually do not learn to think for themselves and understand why the parent is requiring certain behaviors.

Permissive
Permissive parents give up most control to their children. Parents make few, if any, rules, and the rules that they make are usually not consistently enforced. They don't want to be tied down to routines. They want their children to feel free. They do not set clear boundaries or expectations for their children's behavior and tend to accept in a warm and loving way, however the child behaves.

Permissive parents give children as many choices as possible, even when the child is not capable of making good choices. They tend to accept a child's behavior, good or bad, and make no comment about whether it is beneficial or not. They may feel unable to change misbehavior, or they choose not to get involved.

Democratic Or Authoritative
Democratic parents help children learn to be responsible for themselves and to think about the consequences of their behavior. Parents do this by providing clear, reasonable expectations for their children and explanations for why they expect their children to behave in a particular manner. They monitor their children's behavior to make sure that they follow through on rules and expectations. They do this in a warm and loving manner. They often, "try to catch their children being good" and reinforcing the good behavior, rather than focusing on the bad.

For example, a child who leaves her toys on a staircase may be told not to do this because, "Someone could trip on them and get hurt and the toy might be damaged." As children mature, parents involve children in making rules and doing chores: "Who will mop the kitchen floor, and who will carry out the trash?"

Parents who have a democratic style give choices based on a child's ability. For a toddler, the choice may be "red shirt or striped shirt?" For an older child, the choice might be "apple, orange or banana?" Parents guide children's behavior by teaching, not punishing. "You threw your truck at Mindy. That hurt her. We're putting your truck away until you can play with it safely."

Source: http://pediatrics.about.com/od/infantparentingtips/a/04_pntg_styles.htm

Haircut for kids

2008-12-02T16:35:00.002+08:00

Babies and kids tend to get scared and cries during their haircuts. It's perfectly normal for toddlers to feel anxious during haircut time, especially when they are being wrapped in a plastic cape, surrounded by unfamiliar sights and sounds, squirted with water, and attacked with a pair of sharp scissors or an electric shaver by a stranger! Thus a friendly and familiar environment is very important to them. Imagine, if you could take your child to a hair salon especialised for kids, which they can sit in an airplane/fire truck/race car and watch a DVD while getting their hair cut, isn't it wonderful?

Several hair salons have sprung up specially for children, complete with fun chairs and distractions like cartoons to watch and XBox 360 gaming consoles that will make the whole experience child's play and make them forget they are having their hair cut.

If your toddler has hair-cutting phobia, try bring them to these specialised kids salon:

Hua Xia
The salon's chairs come in the shape of toy car, airplane or truck, where kids can pick a DVD to watch while they have their hair cut. Its hairdressers also make home visits for babies too young to leave the house, charging the usual fee for a cut plus transport fees.

Price: S$16 per cut and the fifth cut is FREE!

Location:168 Punggol Field #02-09 Punggol Plaza

Website: http://www.babyswimming.com.sg/babies_and_kids.html

Junior League Children's Style Salon
Kids are pampered with candy, balloons, toys and stickers. Each chair even comes fitted with its own TV screen, playing popular cartoons like Dora The Explorer and Tom And Jerry. Its first outlet was opened at United Square, and has now grown to a chain of four. Its three other outlets are at Suntec City, Parkway Parade and inside VivoCity's Toys "R" Us.

Price: S$18 per cut

Location:
Forum Mall #03-03/25 (in Toys "R" Us)
Vivo City #02-183 (in Toys "R" Us)
Parkway Parade #02/52
Suntec City #03/K02
United Square #01-76A

Website: NIL

Curly & Spike
From the funky décor to the specially designed kids styling stations, everything is set up just for kids. Equipped with special dwarf-size seats, each comes with a 19-inch flat screen TV, a DVD player and XBox 360 with the latest games like Shrek and Superman to pacify the scissor-avoiding squirmer.

Price: $20 per cut

Location: 81 Clemenceau Avenue#02-14 UE Square

Website: http://www.curlynspike.com.sg

Other places:
Kitz Kid's Salon
80 Marine Parade Road
#02-52 Parkway Parade
Tel: 63465818

Cost: $16

Toddler recipes

2008-11-24T13:57:00.003+08:00

Are you pulling at your hair because your toddler refuses to eat anything you serve? Have you exhausted all tricks to make him eat? Many parents are concerned that their finicky eater will go hungry or will not receive the proper nutrition necessary to grow big and strong. We know that forcing food on a child is not a good idea. It is always best to teach your children about the value of healthy eating and have them take part in the fun.

If you are still at wits' end, maybe try out other interesting menus for toddlers from some recipes here:

Food for tots
http://food-4tots.blogspot.com/

Toddler dish
http://www.toddlerdish.com/recipes.html

Toddler recipes
http://www.recipezaar.com/recipes/toddlers

Use of antibiotics in children

2008-11-15T11:13:00.001+08:00

Antibiotics are powerful drugs used for treating many serious and life-threatening infectious diseases. Antibiotics are only effective against bacterial infections, certain fungal infections and some kinds of parasites. Most infections result from either bacteria or viruses. Antibiotics can't help you if a virus is responsible for your child's illness.

Below are some bacterial and viral infections:

Bacterial infections cause:
Some ear infections
Severe sinus infections
Strep throat
Urinary tract infections
Many wound and skin infections
Most ear infections

Viral infections cause:
Colds Influenza (flu)
Most coughs
Most sore throats
Bronchitis
Stomach flu (viral gastroenteritis)

How antibiotic resistance develops
The misuse of antibiotics has caused problems. Their frequent use, often for conditions or infections that aren't caused by bacteria, has given rise to bacteria that are resistant to many commonly used antibiotics. Superbugs emerge when an antibiotic fails to kill all of the bacteria it targets, and the surviving bacteria become resistant to that particular drug and frequently other antibiotics as well. Doctors then prescribe a stronger antibiotic, but the bacteria quickly learn to withstand the more potent drug as well, perpetuating a cycle in which increasingly powerful drugs are required to treat infections.

Safeguard effective antibiotics
What you can doUsing antibiotics too often or incorrectly is a major cause of the increase in resistant bacteria. Here are some things you can do to promote proper use of antibiotics:

Understand when antibiotics should be used. Don't expect to take antibiotics every time your child is sick. Antibiotics are effective in treating most bacterial infections, but they're not useful against viral infections, such as colds, acute bronchitis, or the flu. And even some common bacterial ailments, such as mild ear infections, don't benefit much from antibiotics.

Don't pressure your doctor for antibiotics if your child has a viral illness. Instead, talk with your doctor about ways to relieve the symptoms of his/her viral illness — a saline nasal spray to clear a stuffy nose, for instance, or a mixture of warm water, lemon and honey to temporarily soothe a sore throat.

Take antibiotics exactly as prescribed. Follow the doctor's instructions when taking prescribed medication, including how many times a day and for how long. Never stop treatment a few days early if your child is starting to feel better — a complete course of antibiotics is needed to kill all of the harmful bacteria. A shortened course of antibiotics, on the other hand, often wipes out only the most vulnerable bacteria, while allowing relatively resistant bacteria to survive.

Usually, the length of antibiotic therapy will be a minimum of 5 days. In most cases, if your child has missed one dose of antibiotic, you should not double the next dose. Instead, you should continue to let him/her take his/her doses as normal.

Source:
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/antibiotics/FL00075

Constipation in infants

2008-11-06T15:45:00.003+08:00

Constipation is an abnormal pattern of bowel movements in which stools are passed less frequently than usual and are often harder than usual. Everyone has a different normal pattern. For example, some children have bowel movements only once every 2-4 days. It is normal for breast-fed babies to have large, soft bowel movements without pain up to 7 days apart. Others have bowel movements 2-4 times daily. However, a child is constipated whenever his/her pattern slows down noticeably.

Causes
Very rarely, disease causes constipation. In this case the problem usually begins in the early weeks of life. In most children, there is no disease but once constipation begins, it tends to continue. Some of the factors that may contribute to the onset of constipation are:

1. Formula.
Babies who breastfeed exclusively are rarely constipated. If your baby is on formula, it's possible that something in her formula is making her constipated. Ask your baby's doctor about switching brands.

2. The introduction of solids.
Don't be surprised if your baby becomes mildly constipated as she steps up to solid food. That's often because rice cereal, usually the first food given during this transition period, is low in fiber.

3. Dehydration.
If your baby isn't getting enough fluid, she'll become dehydrated and her system will respond by absorbing more fluid from whatever she eats or drinks — and from the waste in her bowels, as well. The result is hard, dry bowel movements that are difficult to pass.

Prevention
1. Make sure that your child's diet contains adequate fluids and high-fibre foods that act as natural laxatives (Fruit juices, fruits, particularly prunes, vegetables and salads, cereals).

2. If over 2 months old, give diluted fruit juices, such as prune juice twice a day.

3. If over 4 months old, add strained foods with high fibre content, such as cereals, apricots, prunes, peaches, pears, plums, beans, peas, or spinach twice daily.

4. Decrease consumption of constipating foods, such as milk, ice cream, cheese and cooked carrots.

5. Do not give your baby an enema or suppository (medicine in the rectum) unless advised by your doctor.

6. When your child is old enough (about 2 to 3 years old) help him/her establish regular bowel habits. Have your child spend a few minutes on the toilet or the "potty" once or twice daily immediately after meals. The position should be comfortable with knees up. For a small child using the toilet a footrest will be necessary so the legs don't hang down and the knees are up in a crouched position. Such a position eases bowel movement.

Sources:
1. Baby Center
2. NUH Kids

Handling a fussy eater

2008-10-31T18:31:00.002+08:00

Here are some tips from Baby Center:

It's perfectly normal for young children to suddenly decide they will only eat a few foods and refuse everything else - even foods they loved yesterday. They may eat these same few foods over and over again at every meal, while turning up their noses at anything new. Children like things to be familiar, whether it's their bedtime routine or their cheese sandwich, so many children won't try new foods until they've been exposed to them several times.

Picky eating can also be a child's way of exerting his independence ("You can't make me eat that") and may have less to do with the actual food than his need to push the limits of your authority and to assert some control over his life. This is why pressuring a child to eat often backfires. Finally, it may seem like your toddler cannot sit still long enough to eat very much at one sitting because of his short attention span. But children are generally good at getting what they need, even if it doesn't seem like much to you.

Here are some more specific tips on how to handle a picky eater:

• Provide a variety of good foods for your child to eat at each meal.
Keep in mind that it takes multiple exposures to a new food for a child to see it as familiar and OK to try. So, be patient. When you do offer a new food, simply place it on the dinner table with everything else, and don't make a big fuss about it. Eventually, after he's seen you eat the food a few times, he may feel more open to trying it himself.

• Limit the options at mealtimes.
"If you say, 'It's dinnertime. What do you want to eat?' your child will probably choose something familiar to him, and he'll seem like a picky eater," says Hudson. "However, if you say, 'Here's dinner,' he'll choose from among the foods you're offering." Of course, you can't offer an entire meal of unfamiliar foods because your child simply won't eat them. Instead, offer a meal that includes at least one thing you know your child likes.

• When introducing new foods, offer just one or two, and present them in small quantities.
If by some miracle your child is willing to try a new food, give him just a taste before putting a whole serving on his plate. This way he won't feel overwhelmed - and it won't seem like a waste of food to you.

• Some children's palates are more sensitive than others.
They simply won't like the texture, colour, or taste of some foods. This is why a child will often claim to dislike a food he has never even tried. Likewise, some children may have an aversion to a food because it reminds them of a time when they were sick or has some other negative association. If your child complains that a particular food will make him ill, stop offering that food for a while. You can always try again when your child is a little older.

• Whenever possible, let your child be involved in food decisions.
This includes shopping or making his lunch. This will give him a sense of control over his diet, and he'll be more likely to eat something that he's chosen for himself. (This works best if you let your child choose from a small selection of healthy foods you've already picked out!)
As your child's world expands and he begins attending playgroup or nursery, his taste in foods might broaden as well. When he sees his friends eating new and different kinds of food, it might inspire him to eat new things, too.

Your child has an innate sense of how much food his body needs to grow and be healthy, and it's his job to decide what he's going to eat. The best thing you can do is to provide a wide variety of healthy foods in a positive, relaxed environment so that mealtimes will be enjoyable for everyone involved.

Post-natal abdominal exercises (Part 2)

2008-10-16T11:07:00.002+08:00

Single leg circle
1. Lie on your back, arms by side, palms down. Inhale.

2. As you exhale, pull your abs up and in toward your spine, bring your right knee to your chest, then raise your right leg in the air, keep it straight. Rotate your raised legs slightly so that your heels point toward your stable leg and your toes point away from the right side of your body.

3. Keep your body pressed to the floor, esp the back of your hips.

4. Breathe normally, making a small circle in the air with your right foot in a clockwise direction. Repeat for 5 more circles. Then do 6 circles in the opposite direction. Then bring your leg to the floor.

5. Repeat exercise 6 times with the left leg raised.

Post-natal abdominal exercises (Part 1)

2008-10-15T10:42:00.004+08:00

Return to your pre-pregnancy shape with these exercises, hopefully?

The Hundred
1. Lie on back, arm by side, inhale slowly.
2. Exhale as you bend your legs and bring your knees to your chest, one at a time. Keep inner thighs and ankles pressed together.
3. Exhale as you pull your ab. muscles up and in toward your spine. At the same time, slowly curl your head forward, chin toward chest, and raise your upper body off the floor. Use your ab muscles to stabalise your back and control your movement.
4. Inhale for a count of five, then exhale for a count of five, while you hold this position.
5. Return to lying on your back clowly, vertebra by vertebra.
6. Repeat exercises 5-10 times.

The Roll-up
1. Lie on your back with your arms over your head.
2. Inhale as you raise your arms perpendicular to the body.
3. Exhale as you pull your abs to your spine and slowly roll up into a sitting position. Keep your arms extended in front of you, parallel to the floor.
4. Continue exhaling as you roll forward, keeping your abs pulled up and in toward your spine, and stretch your torso over your legs, keeping your head between your arms, and reaching past your feet with your hands.
5. Keeping your abs pulled in toward your spine, slowly roll-back -- first inhale as you raise your body into a sitting position, then exhale as you lie back on the mat.
6. Repeat exercise 3-5 times.

Hours of sleep for babies to teens

2008-10-09T11:22:00.001+08:00

Extracted the main points from this informative article. Details can be found in here. http://kidshealth.org/parent/general/sleep/sleep.html

How much sleep is enough?
It all depends on your child's age. Charts that list the hours of sleep are simply averages reported for large groups of children of particular ages. It is important to note that there's no magical number of hours required by all kids in a certain age group. Do not get too worried if your child does not meet the sleep requirements listed on charts.

Most kids' sleep requirements fall within a predictable range of hours based on their age, but each child is a unique individual with distinct sleep needs. Here are some approximate numbers based on age, accompanied by age-appropriate pro-sleep tactics.

The First 6 Months
There is no sleep formula for newborns because their internal clocks aren't fully developed yet. They generally sleep or drowse for 16 to 20 hours a day, divided about equally between night and day.

Newborns should be awakened every 3 to 4 hours until their weight gain is established, which typically happens within the first couple of weeks. After that, it's OK if a baby sleeps for longer periods of time.

Newborns' longest sleep periods are generally 4 or 5 hours — this is about how long their small bellies can go between feedings. If newborns do sleep for a while, they will likely be extra hungry during the day and may want to nurse or get the bottle more frequently.

At 3 months, a baby averages 5 hours of sleep during the day and 10 hours at night, usually with an interruption or two. About 90% of babies this age sleep through the night, meaning 6 to 8 hours in a row.

But it's important to recognize that babies aren't always awake when they sound like they are; they can cry and make all sorts of other noises during light sleep. Even if they do wake up in the night, they may only be awake for a few minutes before falling asleep again on their own. It's best if babies learn early to get themselves to sleep, so let your baby try.

If a baby under 6 months old continues to cry for several minutes, it's time to respond. Your baby may be genuinely uncomfortable: hungry, wet, cold, or even sick. But routine nighttime awakenings for changing and feeding should be as quick and quiet as possible. Don't provide any unnecessary stimulation, such as talking, playing, or turning on the lights. Encourage the idea that nighttime is for sleeping. You have to teach this because your baby doesn't care what time it is as long as his or her needs are met.

Ideally, your baby should be placed in the crib before falling asleep. And it's not too early to establish a simple bedtime routine. Any soothing activities, performed consistently and in the same order each night, can make up the routine. Your baby will associate these with sleeping, and they'll help him or her wind down. You want your child to fall asleep independently, and a routine encourages babies to go back to sleep if they should wake up in the middle of the night.
6 to 12 Months

At 6 months, an infant may nap about 3 hours during the day and sleep about 11 hours at night. At this age, you can begin to change your response to an infant who awakens and cries during the night.

You can give babies at this age 5 minutes to settle down on their own and go back to sleep. If they don't, you can comfort them without picking them up (talk softly, rub their backs), then leave — unless they appear to be sick. Sick babies need to be picked up and comforted.

Between 6 and 12 months, separation anxiety becomes a major issue for some babies and may cause them to start waking up again. But the rules for nighttime awakenings are the same through a baby's first birthday: Don't pick up your baby, turn on the lights, sing, talk, play, or feed your child. All of these activities encourage repeat behavior.

If your baby wakes up crying at night, you can check in to make sure he or she isn't sick or in need of a diaper change. You can pat your child lovingly on the back or belly. Using a pacifier or thumb sucking can also help children of this age learn to calm and reassure themselves. If your baby continues to cry, you can institute the 5-minute visit pattern.
1 to 3 YearsFrom ages 1 to 3, most toddlers sleep about 10 to 13 hours. Separation anxiety, or just the desire to be up with mom and dad (and not miss anything), can motivate a child to stay awake.

Note the time of night when your toddler begins to show signs of sleepiness, and try establishing this as his or her regular bedtime. And you don't have to force a 2- or 3-year-old child to nap during the day unless yours gets cranky and overly tired.

Parents sometimes make the mistake of thinking that keeping a child up will make him or her sleepier for bedtime. In fact, though, kids can have a harder time sleeping if they're overtired.

Preschoolers
Preschoolers sleep about 10 to 12 hours per night, but there's no reason to be completely rigid about which 10 to 12 hours they are. A 5-year-old who gets adequate rest at night no longer needs a daytime nap.

School-Age Children and Preteens
Kids ages 6 to 9 need about 10 hours of sleep a night. Bedtime difficulties can arise at this age from a child's need for private time with parents, without siblings around. Try to make a little private time just before bedtime and use it to share confidences and have small discussions, which will also prepare your child for sleep.

Children ages 10 to 12 need a little over 9 hours of shuteye a night. But it's up to parents to judge the exact amount of rest their children need and see that they're in bed in time for sufficient sleep.

Lack of sleep for kids can cause irritable or hyper types of behavior and can also make a condition like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) worse.

Teens
Adolescents need about 8 to 9.5 hours of sleep per night, but many don't get it. And as they progress through puberty, teens actually need more sleep. Because teens often have schedules packed with school and activities, they're typically chronically sleep deprived (or lacking in a healthy amount of sleep).

Ideally, a teenager should try to go to bed at the same time every night and wake up at the same time every morning, allowing for at least 8 to 9 hours of sleep.

Source: http://kidshealth.org/parent/general/sleep/sleep.html

Estimated Date of Delivery (EDD)

2008-10-07T09:58:00.005+08:00

You can calculate the estimated date of delivery (EDD) by counting 40 weeks from the first day of your last period. But should remember that since you don't know the exact date of ovulation this EDD is approximate. Click on image below for the EDD chart.

Things to do with your kids during December school holidays

2008-09-30T19:21:00.003+08:00

School holidays are the best! You never fail to see the enthusiasm in your child when the days approach... especially the month-long holidays in December! However after the initial thrill of saying goodbye to school, it's usually only a day or two before children start complaining about being bored at home. Instead of cooping them up at home or sit them in front of the computer or TV whole day long, why not plan some activities or outings for them?

It is never too early to plan. If you have time, start thinking now. Sign them up for holiday camps or workshops, bring them outdoors and plan for some fun excursions, or even enjoy some quiet reading and bonding in libraries! Here are some ideas to get you going.

Holiday camps

Science Buddies workshops
There are various workshops that employ different themes and are designed for small group of children to learn in an experiential approach.

Kids on Holiday
Check out their December Holidays programmes and fun activities for your kids!

Learning Horizon Holiday Camps
Especially designed to offer fun, interactive, and educational activities for children during June and December school holidays.

Workshops and courses

Isadora's Workshops
Regular drawing classes, printmaking, papier mâché and book-making are all part of the curriculum to encourage a child’s freedom of expression. Parents are more than welcome to join in the fun.

Toddler Pottery Making Course
Toddlers with clay? Sounds dangerous to some, but this is a great way for the tiny tots to express themselves. This activity will help their motoring skills and get their creative juices flowing. Just prepare yourself for the post-fun clean-up.

YMCA Capoeira Kids
Capoeira is a Brazilian artform that combines sport and dance. Children of all ages will enjoy its fun and uninhibited movements. Capoeira enables children to express themselves through movements to rhythm, and helps them to become more confident, expressive and creative!

Outdoors and Excursions
Bring them to the museumsIndulge in some meaningful knowledge pursuits. Learn about Straits Chinese values at the Peranakan Museum, where there are more than 20 children’s interactive stations in between the exhibits to make the Museum a welcome escape from the heat. Otherwise, at the National Museum, there is also a play-based programme that uses the museum's artefacts to stimulate toddler's natural curiousity, imagination, and creativity.

Kids Night Out
It's a 4-hour non-stop fun that includes a pizza party, arts and craft, a movie and more. Kids Night Out happens at least one Friday of every month and has a cool theme each time in every location. Drop your kids at these locations while you have some time for yourself.

Playground AT Big Splash
A new and exciting multi-purpose venture at the iconic Big Splash landmark. Touted as a lifestyle hub, Playground @ Big Splash features a wide array of dining and recreational amenities. The kids will be kept busy with a host of recreational options including the puntastically named LilliPutt (Singapore’s first themed, indoor mini-golf course) and Frisk ’n’ Romp Kids’ Playclub...

Interactive SquareKids seem to stick like magnets to this interactive game square at Parkway. You will see tiny tots jumping all over the projection of a game board, with images of cars and balls on the floor, to their hearts’ content.

Kiddies' Playground Daily
As if the excitement of VivoCity isn’t enough, this fun-filled kiddies’ playground has a third-floor water feature-cum-paddling pool. Perfect for our sunny Singapore weather.
Other things to do with your kids

Storytelling at Bookaburra
This popular centre attracts kids and parents with its storytelling and arts and crafts, which the youngsters can also take home.

SOL Playground Cafe
Play areas, activities, child-friendly menus and special deals make dining out with the kiddies less of a hassle.

Go Go Bambini
This fun-filled indoor entertainment area for kids has an interactive playscape, a soft play area for wee ones under the age of three, a café dishing up yummy salads, pastas and… wait for it... a nail bar for mummies while their kids are hard at play.

Creative Escape
A walk-in arts and crafts studio, catering to all abilities from first-timers to the more experienced crafters.

Story telling at libraries
Other than quiet reading and bonding with your kids, you may go for the regular story telling sessions or Fun with Tots programmes held at the various libraries islandwide!

Not enough? Look for more ideas here:

onePA offers a one-stop access to all of PA's courses, activities, facilities, interest groups and memberships.

Singapore for Kids. You'll be spoilt for ideas with what you get on this kids' activities resource portal.

Whats Happening.sg A premier local events guide for the latest happenings in Singapore.

Storing and thawing breastmilk

2008-09-23T14:57:00.002+08:00

Some guidelines on storing breastmilk:

At room temperature (less than 25°C) for up to 4 hours
In a refrigerator with a temperature of 4°C or colder for two days
In the freezer at 0°C for up to 3-6 months

If you are going to freeze breastmilk, do so within 24 hours. Milk that has been moved into the refrigerator from the freezer can be stored there for up to 24 hours.

Thawing milk
Thaw the milk slowly by swirling the container of milk in warm water or by putting the container in the refrigerator the day before it is to be used. Don't use hot water to thaw breast milk. Never thaw frozen breast milk in a microwave oven. The milk could get too hot and burn your baby's mouth. Microwaving can also damage valuable proteins in breast milk.

Thawed breast milk can be refrigerated for up to 24 hours, but it should not be refrozen.

Discard any excess milk left in the bottle after a feed.

National Immunisation Schedule

2008-09-15T10:11:00.003+08:00

The National Immunisation Registry in Singapore collects and maintain complete and current vaccination records of children from birth to 18 years of age in Singapore, to promote effective and cost-efficient disease prevention and control. The Registry will send you your child's immunisation certificate once he/she completes the necessary basic immunisations. When your child registers for primary school, the school authorities will check your child’s immunisation certificates to see if he or she has completed all the immunisations.

There are nine potentially dangerous childhood diseases against which immunisations are available.

Diphtheria: Starts as a throat infection, but can cause obstruction to breathing and death.

Hepatitis B: An infection of the liver that may have no symptoms. It can lead to liver failure or liver cancer in adulthood.

Measles: Starts with high fever and a rash. Lung infection, deafness and brain damage can occur.

Mumps: An infection of the salivary glands. It can lead to brain infection, deafness or sterility.

Pertussis(whooping cough): Causes prolonged attacks of coughing and can result in pneumonia (lung infection) or brain damage.
Poliomyelitis: Starts with mild fever but can result in paralysed and deformed arms or legs.

Rubella(German measles): Complications in children are rare. Women infected during early pregnancy may give birth to deaf, blind or mentally retarded babies.

Tetanus: Causes severe muscle contractions, including those muscles that control swallowing and breathing. It often leads to death.

Tuberculosis: A disease that commonly affects the lungs. It can also affect the bones, kidneys, intestines and brain.

The National Childhood Immunisation Schedule is as follows:

At Birth
BCG
Hepatitis B - 1st Dose

1 Month
Hepatitis B - 2nd Dose

3 Months
DPT/DT - 1st Dose
Oral Sabin - 1st Dose

4 Months
DPT/DT - 2nd Dose
Oral Sabin - 2nd Dose

5 Months
DPT/DT - 3rd Dose
Oral Sabin - 3rd Dose

5-6 Months*
Hepatitis B - 3rd Dose

1-2 Years
MMR - Primary dose

18 Months
DPT/DT - 1st Booster
Oral Sabin - 1st Booster

6-7 Years (Primary 1)
Oral Sabin - 2nd Booster
MMR - Booster dose

10-11 Years (Primary 5)(See note)
DT-containing vaccine - 2nd Booster**
Oral Sabin - 3rd Booster

* The 3rd dose of Hepatitis B vaccination can be given with the 3rd dose of DPT and Oral Sabin for the convenience of parents.

** Can use either : Diphtheria-tetanus vaccine; or Combined tetanus, reduced diphtheria and acellular pertussis vaccine

Note: Children in Primary 6 in 2008 will still receive the MMR booster and DT 3rd booster. Children in Primary 5 (2008 -2011) will receive the MMR booster and DT 3rd booster.

More complete information can be found here.

There are also immunisations that combine several vaccines together, as in 6-in-1, 5-in-1 or 4-in-1:
6in1 includes the following vaccines:DTPa + HiB + IPV + HEPB
Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertusiss,Haemophilus influenza type B,Inactivated Polio Vaccine and Hepatitis B.

5in1 includes:DTPa + HiB + IPV
Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertusiss,Haemophilus influenza type B, andInactivated Polio Vaccine.

4in1 includes:DTPa + HiB
Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertusiss,Haemophilus influenza type B

Please consult your doctor if you need more information. The above information is obtained from http://www.nir.hpb.gov.sg

Can we store formula milk in the fridge?

2008-09-09T11:22:00.000+08:00

It is no longer recommended that we make up bottles using infant formula milk powder in advance to store in the fridge. Feeds should always be made up fresh, using boiled water that is hotter than 70 degrees C. This is because the milk powder itself is not sterile, and once made up, there is a small risk of harmful bacteria developing in any formula which is kept for use later in the day. Storing made up formula milk may increase the chance of a baby becoming ill and therefore it should be avoided. If it should be stored in advance for some reasons, do not keep it unused in the fridge for more than 24 hours. Any milk left over after a feed should be thrown away. Some parents may tend to reuse formula milk that is left over from a previous feed, especially now that the price of dried milk powder has gone up drastically. However, do note that this is not a safe practice.

Here are some rules on formular milk storage:

Keep formula prepared from powder in the fridge for no longer than 24 hours.
Throw out any unused prepared formula that has been at room temperature for 2 or more hours.
If formula has been warmed up or partly used for a feed, throw it out after 1 hour. Do not put in the fridge to re-use again.

Know about vaccinations and how they work

2008-09-01T18:53:00.004+08:00

Below is a useful piece of information from the web on immunity and vaccines, which all concerned parents would be interested to know.

How Immunity Works
You get sick when your body is invaded by germs. When measles virus enters your body it gives you measles. Whooping cough bacteria cause whooping cough. And so on.

It is the job of your immune system to protect you from these germs. Here's how it works:

Germs enter your body and start to reproduce. Your immune system recognizes these germs as invaders from outside your body and responds by making proteins called antibodies. Antibodies have two jobs. The first is to help destroy the germs that are making you sick. Because the germs have a head start, you will already be sick by the time your immune system has produced enough antibodies to destroy them. But by eliminating the attacking germs, antibodies help you to get well.

Now the antibodies start doing their second job. They remain in your bloodstream, guarding you against future infections. If the same germs ever try to infect you again - even after many years - these antibodies will come to your defense. Only now they can destroy the germs before they have a chance to make you sick. This process is called immunity. It is why most people get diseases like measles or chickenpox only once, even though they might be exposed many times during their lifetime. This is a very effective system for preventing disease. The only problem is you have to get sick before you develop immunity.

How Vaccines Help
The idea behind vaccination is to give you immunity to a disease before it has a chance to make you sick.

Vaccines are made from the same germs (or parts of them) that cause disease - measles vaccine is made from measles virus, for instance, and Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib) vaccine is made from parts of the Hib bacteria. But the germs in vaccines are either killed or weakened so they won't make you sick.

Then the vaccines containing these weakened or killed germs are introduced into your body, usually by injection. Your immune system reacts to the vaccine the same as it would if it were being invaded by the disease - by making antibodies. The antibodies destroy the vaccine germs just as they would the disease germs. Then they stay in your body, giving you immunity. If you are ever exposed to the real disease, the antibodies will be there to protect you.

Immunizations help your child's immune system do its work. The child develops protection against future infections, the same as if he or she had been exposed to the natural disease. The good news is, with vaccines your child doesn't have to get sick first to get that protection.

It is common for your child to have fever after the immunisation. So don't worry too much. Click here for the side effects of various childhood vaccinations.

Source: http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=21429

Putting too much pressure on kids

2008-07-30T12:18:00.002+08:00

Below is an extract of a very well written article which serves as a good reminder for all parents. Maybe it's time to reflect and ponder.

Obsession with paper qualifications has added a new dimension to parenting in Singapore. A good parent is often seen as the one who gives the best help possible to assist his child in the pursuit of academic excellence. The final goal of parenting, more often than not, is to help one's offspring obtain highly-paid jobs, preferably with social status attached to them. As a result many ambitious parents exert pressure on their children to excel in school work. They coax, demand, bribe or even threaten and thousands of dollars are spent on private tuition for young aspiring scholars... because of the importance placed on education, many parents tend to be over-concerned with their children's performance in school, thus sometimes unknowingly exerting unnecessary and even harmful pressures on them.

It is natural for parents to want the best for their children. Unfortunately, what a parent thinks is the best for his child may not be what the latter is capable of or is interested in doing.... Many parents are also guilty of intellectual snobbery. They are more concerned with the status rather than the well-being of their children. May would rather have their children fail at a university than have them sent to a technical college...

Another area of concern is related to the pressures and stress many parents exert on their children by involving them in all kinds of activities in order to have an "all round education". We are only too familiar with the laments of many parents over the tight schedule they have chauffering their children from one activity to another. For them life has become a hectic rush from school to music lession, tuition class, competitive games and martial art practice session, etc. leaving both parent and child very little time to relax. No doubt, no one can deny the values of engaging our children in such cultural activities, but need we make life so burdensome for our children? These activities are only helpful when they are tailored to the capacities of our children, allowing time for leisure and play. Children are young only once. We must allow them a break from the demands of a competitive school curriculum and the burden of so many extra-curricular activities.

There is yet another aspect of the paper chase. While those who can cope are caught up in the rat race, those who can't can cause problems to themselves and others. Many young people who are capable of high achievement along the academic road have fallen by the sideway because of their inability to cope with the pressures from school as well as from their parents. Child psychiatrists have found that neurosis in children could be caused by unrealistics parental pressures. These children develop symptoms such as nervous habits, withdrawal or aggressive behaviour...

By Esther Tan. One Voice, Jan-Mar 1984, pp 8-10

How much milk does my baby need?

2008-07-24T14:14:00.003+08:00

In exclusively breastfed babies, milk intake increases quickly during the first few weeks of life, then stays about the same between one and six months (though it likely increases short term during growth spurts). Some breastfeeding research does not indicate that breastmilk intake changes with baby's age or weight between one and six months. Breastmilk intake will continue at this same level until -- sometime after six months, depending in baby's intake from other foods -- baby's milk intake begins to decrease gradually.

Studies found that average breastmilk intake to be:
750 ml per day between the ages of 1 month and 6 months. Different babies take in different amounts of milk in typical range of 570-900 ml per day.
875 ml per day at 7 months
550 ml per day at 11-16 months.
400-550 ml per day between 12 and 24 months
300-360 ml per day between 24 and 36 months

There is also a formula for estimating the amount of milk to offer a breastfed baby at a feed. Take your baby's weight (in pounds) and multiply by 2.5 (oz). Or take your baby's weight (in kg) and multiply by 156 ml. Divide by the average number of feedings in a 24-hour period. This will equal the amount of mother's milk per feeding. Remember that this is theoretical -- all babies are unique and have different needs.

Formula:
1 pound of weight needs 2.5 oz
1 kg of weight needs 156 ml

Sources:
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/pumping/milkcalc.html#solids
http://www.onlineconversion.com/weight.htm

Are your kids drinking too much juices?

2008-07-16T10:23:00.002+08:00

If your toddler has recently lost his interest in food, do check if he is drinking too much juices. Too much juices can spoil a kid's appetite, at the same time not good for digestion. Read this:

Avoid fruit juice drinks because they contain a lot of sugar. Sugary drinks and juice can fill toddler's up and decrease their intake of more nutritious foods. Limit juice to about 125mL (½ cup) per day. If fruit juice is given it should be diluted with water and only in small amounts. Choose 100% fruit juice and avoid sugary fruit drinks.

Juices fill kids with empty calories. Fruit juices can fill kids up so that they're not hungry at the dinner table and are too full to eat more nutritious foods. Certain juices are associated with tummy troubles. Some fruit juices -- including apple, pear, and prune -- contain sorbitol, a naturally occurring but problematic sugar alcohol. Because sorbitol is not completely absorbed in the small bowel, it makes its way to the large bowel where it ferments and produces gas. In addition, many of the juices that contain sorbitol also have an imbalance in the ratio of the sugars fructose and glucose, which may reduce fructose absorption. These factors can lead to cramps, diarrhea, or loss of appetite in a child. Several studies have reported this malabsorption, or incomplete digestion.

Baby talk?

2008-07-07T09:36:00.003+08:00

Baby talk is a nonstandard form of speech used by adults in talking to toddlers and infants, characterized by the shortening and simplifying of words, and more so, the repetition of words, as in cat-cat, car-car, bird-bird, especially in the Singapore context. It is so common to hear parents saying to their babies, "Look at that bird-bird!" while pointing to the bird in the sky, or simplying exclaiming "car-car, dog-dog!!!" in their eagerness to teach their kids.

While many researchers have argued that baby talk is more effective than regular speech in getting an infant's attention and studies have also shown that infants actually prefer to listen to this type of speech, we must know that children understand more than what they can say, so teach them the correct word (and pronunciation) from the start! Try not to simplify words like calling a banana "nana". Children are likely to initially struggle to say a word like “banana” correctly, perhaps saying “nana” instead. However, it’s important that adults continue to model the correct pronunciation. Aim to indirectly follow up an incorrect pronunciation from a child with your own correct model, as just hearing how it should be said in the right context is helpful to children.

Some examples of widely-used baby talk words in Singapore include:

bird bird (birds)
car car (cars)
cat cat (cats)
dada (dad, daddy)
dog dog (dogs)
milk milk (milk)
nana (banana)
num num ( food/dinner)
poo-poo (pass motion)
shee-shee (pee, urinate)

Instead of struggling to correct your kids' language when they grow up, why not start with the correct foundation now?

What formula milk do you use and why?

2008-06-16T15:21:00.013+08:00

Milk powder for kids are getting more and more expensive with the current inflation. Which brand do you buy for your children? And why? Can share with our mothers here?

Enfrapro A+ stage 2 follow-up formula /1.8kg for $36.20

Enfragrow A+ stage 3 grow up milk / 900g for $24.60

Enfrakid A+ Stage 4 grow up milk / 1.8kg for $39.50

Gain IQ 1+ growing up / 1.8kg for $51.20 / 900g for $26.70

GAIN IQ Kid 3+ Growing up / $1.8kg for $45.90 / 900g for $24.50

Pediasure / 1.8kg for $57.50 / 900g for $29.70

Similac Stage 2 follow-on / 900g for $34.10

Promil Gold 2 followup / 900g for $29.00

Prices quoted are from NTUC Fairprice (16 Jun 2008)

Beneficial kids' programmes on Playhouse Disney channel

2008-06-03T12:56:00.003+08:00

Here are some educational TV programmes on Playhouse Disney channel for your kids:

Little Einsteins
Little Einsteins features four children (which include two boys and two girls) — Leo, June, Quincy, and Annie — along with their intelligent and transformable "Rocket". In each episode they embark on an adventure (or "mission") to solve some problem or help a new friend. These missions take them to far-flung locations including foreign countries and "extreme" environments such as Antarctica, underwater, or outer space. The show was designed to teach art and music appreciation by integrating famous or culturally significant art works and classical music into the scenery, plot, and soundtrack of each episode.

Mickeymouse clubhouse
This show, which stars Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Daisy Duck, Goofy and Pluto focuses on interacting with the kids to stimulate problem solving. Each episode will aim to "solve a specific age-appropriate problem utilizing basic skills, such as identifying shapes and counting through ten." Mickey and friends also get aid from a computerized flying machine named Tootles, who brings "Mouse-ka-tools" to them, where one of the tools is a "Mystery Mouse-ka-tool", which Mickey and friends will prompt the kids to guess what the surprise tool is.

Hi-5
Hi-5 is a children's television program, based on the original Australian TV show.The show was so popular in Australia that an American group assembled to form its very own Hi-5. The band comprises 5 cast members who perform to preschoolers. Their shows are made into DVDs and aired on Playhouse Disney channel. Each show has its specific theme like Senses, animals, machines, adventure, and wonderful songs and dance.

Pocoyo
Pocoyo is a fantastic pre-school animated cartoon series about a young boy who dresses in blue and who is full of curiosity, loves to play games and discover new things. Kids are encouraged to recognise situations that Pocoyo is in, and things that are going on with or around him. Pocoyo's world is set in a 3D space, with a plain white background and has no backdrops. Pato, Elly, Loula and Sleepy Bird are his friends! The show teaches good morals like sharing things with friends, say sorry when you are wrong, etc. Each character has its own distinctive dance, and most episodes end with the characters dancing.

Danny & Daddy
It is an interactive animation series in which Danny, a boy with a lot of imagination draws pictures starting from very simple drawings, and gradually creating what will be its final form, and Daddy and audience must guess what he is drawing. Each episode is a single picture full of ingenious creativity that stimulate the imagination of children.

Use of hand sanitiser in small children

2008-05-26T13:12:00.003+08:00

Parents, be warned. Hand sanitizer can be hazardous to children if ingested. Read this:

Despite their obvious benefits, hand sanitizers can pose a very serious health risk. In recent months, several stories have circulated concerning individuals, most of them children, who were harmed by being left unsupervised with access to a hand sanitizer, such as Purell. Other children became very ill after just licking the sanitizer from their hands.

Apparently a little girl named Halle Butler ingested enough of the hand saitizer given to her at school to be come seriously ill. She was taken to the emergency room, and, thank goodness, recovered.

Hand sanitizer is mostly alcohol, so she and another little girl mentioned in another story who ate it after being given a dollop of it by a teacher got alcohol poisoning from ingesting the hand sanitizer.

Although both stories contain incorrect or dubious information such as Halle's blood alcohol level being at 85%, or that someone found "on the Internet" that ingesting three squirts of hand sanitizer can prove fatal to a toddler, the thought is still the same: Kids WILL put anything into their mouths.

Stages of labour

2008-04-30T13:46:00.003+08:00

The process of labour and birth is divided into three stages.

The first stage begins with the onset of contractions that cause progressive changes in your cervix and ends when your cervix is fully dilated. This stage is divided into two phases: early (or latent) and active labor.

During early labor, your cervix gradually effaces (thins out) and dilates (opens). That's followed by active labor, when your cervix begins to dilate more rapidly and contractions are longer, stronger, and closer together. People often refer to the last part of active labor as transition.

The second stage of labor begins once you're fully dilated and ends with the birth of your baby. This is sometimes referred to as the pushing stage.

The third and final stage begins right after the birth of your baby and ends with the separation and subsequent delivery of the placenta.

Every pregnancy is different, and there's wide variation in the length of labor. For first-time moms who are at least 37 weeks along, labor often takes between ten and 20 hours. For some women, though, it lasts much longer, while for others it's over much sooner. Labor generally progresses more quickly for women who've already given birth vaginally.

First stage: Early labor
Once your contractions are coming at relatively regular intervals and your cervix begins to progressively dilate and efface, you're officially in early labor. But unless your labor starts suddenly and you go from no contractions to fairly regular contractions right away, it can be tricky to determine exactly when true labor starts. That's because early labor contractions are sometimes hard to distinguish from the inefficient Braxton Hicks contractions that may immediately precede them and contribute to so-called false labor.

If you're not yet at 37 weeks and you're noticing contractions or other signs of labor, call your caregiver immediately so she can determine whether you're in preterm labor.

During early labor, your contractions will gradually become longer, stronger, and closer together. While the experience of labor varies widely, it might start with contractions coming every ten minutes and lasting 30 seconds each.

Eventually they'll be coming every five minutes and lasting 40 to 60 seconds each as you reach the end of early labor. Some women have much more frequent contractions during this phase, but the contractions will still tend to be mild and last less than a minute.

Sometimes early labor contractions are quite painful, even though they may be dilating your cervix much more slowly than you'd like. If your labor is typical, however, your early contractions won't require the same attention that later ones will.

You'll probably be able to talk through them and putter around the house. You may even feel like taking a short walk. If you feel like relaxing instead, take a warm bath, watch a video, or doze off between contractions if you can.

You may notice an increase in mucusy vaginal discharge, which may be tinged with blood — the so-called bloody show. This is perfectly normal, but if you see more than a tinge of blood, be sure to call your caregiver. Also call if your water breaks, even if you're not having contractions yet.

Otherwise, if you're at least 37 weeks along and your caregiver hasn't advised you differently, expect to sit out early labor at home. (When to call your midwife or doctor and when she's likely to have you go to the hospital or birth center are things to discuss ahead of time at your prenatal visits.)

Early labor ends when your cervix is about 4 centimeters dilated and your progress starts to accelerate.

First stage: Active labor
Active labor is when things really get rolling. Your contractions become more frequent, longer, and stronger, and your cervix begins dilating more quickly, going from about 4 to 10 centimeters. (The last part of active labor, when the cervix dilates from 8 to 10 centimeters, is called transition, which is described separately in the next section.)

In contrast to early labor, you'll no longer be able to talk through the contractions. Toward the end of active labor your baby may begin to descend, although he might have started to descend earlier or he might not start until the next stage.

As a general rule, once you've had regular, painful contractions (each lasting about 60 seconds) every five minutes for an hour, it's time to call your midwife or doctor and head to the hospital or birth center. Some prefer a call sooner, so clarify this with your caregiver ahead of time.

In most cases, the frequency of contractions eventually increases to every two and a half to three minutes, although some women never have them more often than every five minutes, even during transition.

Transition
The last part of active labor — when your cervix dilates from 8 to a full 10 centimeters — is called the transition period because it marks the shift to the second stage of labor. This is the most intense part of labor. Contractions are usually very strong, coming every two and a half to three minutes or so and lasting a minute or more, and you may start shaking and shivering.

By the time your cervix is fully dilated and transition is over, your baby has usually descended somewhat into your pelvis. This is when you might begin to feel rectal pressure, as if you have to move your bowels. Some women begin to bear down spontaneously — to "push" — and may even start making deep grunting sounds at this point.

There's often a lot of bloody discharge. You may also feel nauseated or even vomit now.

Some babies, however, descend earlier and the mom feels the urge to push before she's fully dilated. And others don't descend significantly until later, in which case the mom may reach full dilation without feeling any rectal pressure. It's different for every woman and with every birth.

If you've had an epidural, the pressure you'll feel will depend on the type and amount of medication you're getting and how low the baby is in your pelvis. If you'd like to be a more active participant in the pushing stage, ask to have your epidural dose lowered at the end of transition.

Second stage: Pushing
Once your cervix is fully dilated, the work of the second stage of labor begins: the final descent and birth of your baby. At the beginning of the second stage, your contractions may be a little further apart, giving you the chance for a much-needed rest between them.

Many women find their contractions in the second stage easier to handle than the contractions in active labor because bearing down offers some relief. Others don't like the sensation of pushing.

If your baby's very low in your pelvis, you may feel an involuntary urge to push early in the second stage (and sometimes even before). But if your baby's still relatively high, you probably won't have this sensation right away.

As your uterus contracts, it exerts pressure on your baby, moving him down the birth canal. So if everything's going well, you might want to take it slowly and let your uterus do the work until you feel the urge to push. Waiting a while may leave you less exhausted and frustrated in the end.

However, in many hospitals it's still routine practice to coach women to push with each contraction in an effort to speed up the baby's descent — so let your caregiver know if you'd prefer to wait until you feel a spontaneous urge to bear down.

If you have an epidural, the loss of sensation can blunt the urge to push, so you may not feel it until your baby's head has descended quite a bit. Patience often works wonders. In some cases, though, you'll eventually need explicit directions to help you push effectively.

Your baby's descent may be rapid or, especially if this is your first, gradual. With each contraction, the force of your uterus — combined with the force of your abdominal muscles if you're actively pushing — exerts pressure on your baby to continue to move down through the birth canal. When a contraction is over and your uterus is relaxed, your baby's head will recede slightly in a "two steps forward, one step back" kind of progression.

Try different positions for pushing until you find one that feels right and is effective for you. It's not unusual to use a variety of positions during the second stage.

After a time, your perineum (the tissue between your vagina and rectum) will begin to bulge with each push, and before long your baby's scalp will become visible — a very exciting moment and a sign that the end is in sight. You can ask for a mirror to get that first glimpse of your baby, or you may simply want to reach down and touch the top of his head.

Now the urge to push becomes even more compelling. With each contraction, more and more of your baby's head becomes visible. The pressure of his head on your perineum feels very intense, and you may notice a strong burning or stinging sensation as your tissue begins to stretch.

At some point, your caregiver may ask you to push more gently or to stop pushing altogether so your baby's head has a chance to gradually stretch out your vaginal opening and perineum. A slow, controlled delivery can help keep your perineum from tearing. By now, the urge to push may be so overwhelming that you'll be coached to blow or pant during contractions to help counter it.

Your baby's head continues to advance with each push until it "crowns" — the time when the widest part of his head is finally visible. The excitement in the room will grow as your baby's face begins to appear: his forehead, his nose, his mouth, and, finally, his chin.

After your baby's head emerges, your doctor or midwife will suction his mouth and nose and feel around his neck for the umbilical cord. (No need to worry. If the cord is around his neck, your caregiver will either slip it over his head or, if need be, clamp and cut it.)

His head then turns to the side as his shoulders rotate inside your pelvis to get into position for their exit. With the next contraction, you'll be coached to push as his shoulders emerge, one at a time, followed by his body.

Once your baby hits the atmosphere, he needs to be kept warm and will be dried off with a towel. Your doctor or midwife may quickly suction your baby's mouth and nasal passages again if he seems to have a lot of mucus.

If there are no complications, he'll be lifted onto your bare belly so you can touch, kiss, and simply marvel at him. The skin-to-skin contact will keep your baby nice and toasty, and he'll be covered with a warm blanket — and perhaps given his first hat — to prevent heat loss.

Your caregiver will clamp the umbilical cord in two places and then cut between the two clamps — or your partner can do the honors.

You may feel a wide range of emotions now: euphoria, awe, pride, disbelief, excitement (to name but a few), and, of course, intense relief that it's all over. Exhausted as you may be, you'll also probably feel a burst of energy, and any thoughts of sleep will vanish for the time being.

Third stage: Delivering the placenta
Minutes after giving birth, your uterus begins to contract again. The first few contractions usually separate the placenta from your uterine wall. When your caregiver sees signs of separation, she may ask you to gently push to help expel the placenta. This is usually one short push that's not at all difficult or painful.

How long the third stage lasts
On average, the third stage of labor takes about five to ten minutes.

And then what?
After you deliver the placenta, your uterus should contract and get very firm. You'll be able to feel the top of it in your belly, around the level of your navel.

Your caregiver, and later your nurse, will periodically check to see that your uterus remains firm, and massage it if it isn't. This is important because the contraction of the uterus helps cut off and collapse the open blood vessels at the site where the placenta was attached. If your uterus doesn't contract properly, you'll continue to bleed profusely from those vessels.

If you're planning to breastfeed, you can do so now if you and your baby are both willing. Not all babies are eager to nurse in the minutes after birth, but try holding your baby's lips close to your breast for a little while. Most babies will eventually begin to nurse in the first hour or so after birth if given the chance.

Early nursing is good for your baby and can be deeply satisfying for you. What's more, nursing triggers the release of oxytocin, the same hormone that causes contractions, which helps your uterus stay firm and well contracted.

If you're not going to nurse or your uterus isn't firm, you'll be given oxytocin to help it contract. (Some providers routinely give it to all women at this point). If you're bleeding excessively, you'll be treated for that as well.

Your contractions at this point are relatively mild. By now your focus has shifted to your baby, and you may be oblivious to everything else going on around you. If this is your first baby, you may feel only a few contractions after you've delivered the placenta. If you've had a baby before, you may continue to feel occasional contractions for the next day or two.

These so-called afterbirth pains can feel like strong menstrual cramps. If they bother you, ask for pain medication. You may also have the chills or feel very shaky. This is perfectly normal and won't last long. Don't hesitate to ask for a warm blanket if you need one.

Your caregiver will examine the placenta to make sure it's all there. Then she'll check you thoroughly to spot any tears that need to be stitched.

If you tore or had an episiotomy, you'll get an injection of a local anesthetic before being sutured. You may want to hold your newborn while you're getting stitches — it can be a great distraction. If you're feeling too shaky, ask your partner to sit by your side and hold your new arrival while you look at him.

If you had an epidural, an anesthesiologist or nurse anesthetist will come by and remove the catheter from your back. This takes just a second and doesn't hurt.

Extracted from babycentre website

Allergic reactions to mosquito bites in children

2008-04-30T13:31:00.003+08:00

Mosquitoes are flying, biting insects that are closely related to flies and gnats. Only the female mosquito feeds on humans, and she needs a blood meal in order to produce eggs. During a feeding, the female mosquito bites the human skin, and injects saliva. The saliva contains various proteins that prevent the blood from clotting, as well as proteins that keep the blood flowing into the mosquito’s mouth.

Many of the mosquito saliva proteins can cause immune reactions, including allergic reactions. If you are like most people with sensitive skin, you may find that you have a mosquito bite allergy. A mosquito bite allergy will appear as a very red swollen and itchy bump or bumps where mosquitoes have bitten. The allergic reaction is a reaction to the digestive enzymes and anti-coagulants that the female mosquito injects before sucking blood from your body.

For the most part, children and adolescents are more likely to have a mosquito bite allergy than adults who have become immune to the mosquito’s saliva.

Home-made cough remedies for kids

2008-04-02T14:47:00.001+08:00

If your child is down with cough and it has last so long, exhausting all medicines, don't give up! Try other natural home made remedies. They might work.

Cough remedy 1
The simplest and the easiest: drink a lot of fluid.

Cough remedy 2
Freshly squeezed lemon juice ( 1/2 a lemon )
Mix with a little bit of drinking water and drink immediately.
You can take this as many times as you want.

Cough remedy 3
1 teaspoon of honey
1 tablespoon of lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
Stir mixture in a little bit of drinking water and drink.
Active Manuka honey and propolis have been commonly used as ingredients in the home remedy for cough because of their strong antibacterial properties.

Cough remedy 4
Mix a syrup consisting of 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, 1 tablespoon honey, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons water, mix and drink.

Cough remedy 5
Boil some water with 2 garlic cloves, 1 table spoon of oregano. Pour into a cup add 1 tablespoon of honey and drink.

Some researchers believe that honey, a traditional, natural home remedy for cough offer a safe alternative to dextromethorphan (DM), which can occasionally cause severe side-effects in children, including muscle contractions and spasms. So, try honey!

And not forgetting lots and lots of water.

Coughs in kids

2008-03-26T14:43:00.002+08:00

Coughs are one of the most frequent symptoms of childhood illness. Cough is generally a response to some irritating condition such as inflammation or the presence of mucus in the respiratory tract. In fact, coughing is a healthy and important reflex that helps clear the airways in the throat and chest.

Here's some guidance on different types of coughs and the kinds of conditions they're typically associated with.

"Barky" Cough
Barky coughs are usually caused by an inflammation or swelling in the upper part of the airway. Most often barky coughs are caused by croup, an inflammation of the larynx (voice box) and trachea (windpipe).

Croup can be brought on by allergies, change in temperature at night or, most commonly, a viral upper respiratory infection. When a young child's airway becomes inflamed, it may swell near, or just below, the vocal cords, making it harder to breathe. Children younger than 3 years of age tend to get croup because their windpipes are narrow.

Croup can come on suddenly, and in the middle of the night, when your child is at rest. Often it's accompanied by stridor, a noisy, harsh breathing (some doctors describe it as a coarse, musical sound) that occurs when a child inhales (breathes in).

"Whooping" Cough
Whooping cough is another name used to refer to the illness pertussis, an infection of the respiratory tract that's caused by a type of bacteria called bordetella pertussis. The illness is marked by severe coughing spells that end in a "whooping" sound when a child breathes in. Other symptoms of pertussis include a runny nose, sneezing, mild cough, and a low-grade fever.

Cough With Wheezing
When coughing is accompanied by a wheezing sound as your child exhales, it may be a sign that your child's lower airway is inflamed. There is also the possibility, particularly in a younger child, that the lower airway is being blocked by a foreign object or mucus from a respiratory infection.

Nighttime Cough
Lots of coughs get worse at night because the congestion in a child's nose and sinuses drains down the throat and causes irritation while the child lies in bed. Asthma can also trigger nighttime coughs because the airways tend to be more sensitive and become more irritable at night.

Daytime Cough
Allergies, asthma, colds, and other respiratory infections are the usual culprits of daytime coughs. Cold air or activity can make these coughs worse, and they often subside at night or when the child is resting. It's a good idea to make sure that nothing in your house - like air freshener, pets, or smoke (especially tobacco smoke) - is making your child cough.

Cough With a Fever
If your child has a cough, mild fever, and runny nose, chances are that he or she has a common cold. But coughs with a fever of 39 degrees Celsius or higher can mean pneumonia, particularly if your child is listless and breathing fast. In this case, call your child's doctor immediately.

Cough With Vomiting
Children often cough so much that it triggers their gag reflex, making them throw up. Usually, this is not cause for alarm unless the vomiting persists. Also, if your child has a cough with a cold or an asthma flare-up, he or she may throw up if lots of mucus drains into the stomach and causes nausea.

Persistent Cough
Coughs caused by colds can last weeks, especially if your child has one cold right after another. Asthma, allergies, or a chronic infection in the sinuses or breathing passages might also be responsible for these persistent coughs. If the cough lasts for 3 weeks, notify your child's doctor.

Home remedies
Try running a cool-mist vaporizer or humidifier, and encourage your child to drink more fluids, especially water. Both methods help keep the mucus in the nose and chest looser and make it easier for her to move mucus up and out of the lungs. Hard candy or lozenges are good for coughs in children older than 4 (younger children may choke on them). You can also try warm liquids or tea with honey and lemon to a child above age of 1. There's no evidence to support the belief that milk products increase mucus production, so if your sick child wants a glass of milk, you needn't say no.

Kid-friendly eateries

2008-02-25T10:38:00.002+08:00

Globetrotters
Where: 101 Thomson Road, 02-02 United Square, tel: 6356-5285

Open: 8am to 10pm (weekdays), 9am to 10pm (weekends and public holidays)

What: Kid and baby menus available, glassed-in play area with play structure and toys, colouring sheets and puzzles for older children, activities like pizza decoration at the kids' bar and cooking workshops

Disney Naturally
Where: 370 Alexandra Road 01-05/06 Anchorpoint, tel: 6479-2823

Open: 10.30am to 10pm (weekdays), 10am to 10pm (weekends)

What: Play area with computer terminals dedicated to Disney games. Screening of Disney movies and cartoons on giant screen. Games and play sheets with quizzes at every table which cater to kids of different ages

One-Ninety (Sunday Brunch)
Where: Four Seasons Hotel, 190 Orchard Boulevard, tel: 6831-7250

Open: 11.15am to 3.30pm (Sundays only)

What: Play area with a bouncy castle, video screenings, face-painting and other activities. Mini-buffet with kids' favourites such as mini burgers and French fries. Child minders are around to take care of the children

Food Junction @ Great World City
Where: B1-15 Great World City, 1 Kim Seng Promenade, tel: 6736-2030

Open: 10.30am to 10pm daily

What: Five of the 20 stalls have kids' menus and the food court uses a world map as a design theme. There is also a fun corner for youngsters equipped with rocking horses and other toys which is used as a venue for ad hoc story-telling sessions

Ikea restaurant @ Ikea Tampines
Where: 60 Tampines North Drive 2, tel: 6786-6868

Open: 9.30am to 10pm daily

What: Play Tent featuring children's and various smaller play stations throughout the restaurant. Kids' menu available. Baby food is sold at the restaurant and two microwave ovens are available for warming milk bottles

The Ranch Home @ Dempsey Hill
Where: Block 8, Dempsey Road, 01-14, tel: 6473-3231

Open: Various times, check by calling

What: The Ranch houses two restaurants - CA * California serves healthy fare like sandwiches while Ben & Jerry's sells premium ice cream. The homey, rustic touches include couches, outdoor swings and little cosy corners for play

Pasta de Waraku
Where: 10 Sinaran Drive, 01-07 Square 2, tel: 6397-6266

Open: 11.30am to 11pm daily

What: Kids' food served on plates with dinosaur designs and cutlery with either Pokemon or Hello Kitty designs. All youngsters receive a gift, ranging from toys to stationery. Kids' menu available with complimentary drink and dessert for each set meal

Shokudo Japanese Food Bazaar
Where: 52 North Bridge Road B1-44E Raffles City Shopping Centre, tel: 6837-3793

Open: 11.30am to 10pm daily

What: Play area featuring three sets of toys placed on low tables

Source: Sunday Times, 24 Feb 2008, Life!, P. L34

Probiotics products for children in Singapore

2008-02-14T14:02:00.010+08:00

Probiotics are living microorganisms that improve the health of the host they dwell in. Probiotics are thought to be digestive enzymes that support the colon, intestinal and digestive tracts, the stomach, the immune system and much more. There are many benefits to choosing a probiotic that fits your needs. Probiotics are normally measured in organisms per gram. The dose taken depends on the desired effect, whether the probiotic being taken for health maintenance, to reach the small or large intestine, to aid digestion and promote good health. Probiotics are essential to a healthy body and should be taken as recommended by a health care professional.

Primadophilus For Kids
from Nature's Way
30 chewable tablets

Retail at Vitakids

Primadophilus Children Ages 0-5
from Nature's Way
3 billion CFUs Bifidobacteria & Lactobacilli
7 strain formula specifically designed for children ages 0-5
Mixes easily into beverages
Retail at Vitakids

Acidophilius Strawberry Chewables w/ Bifidus,
by American Health
100 servings per container

Retail at Vitakids

Pediasure Complete (Milk powder)
contains FOS (Fructo-oligosaccharides) and Probiotics (Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria) to help maintain a healthy digestive system
Retail at all supermarkets

Gain IQ (Milk powder)
FOS (Fructo-oligosaccharides) and Probiotics (Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria) to help maintain a healthy digestive system
Retail at all supermarkets

The goodness and benefits of probiotics

2008-02-04T10:05:00.001+08:00

Probiotics are health-promoting, friendly bacteria with many potential benefits. Strains of the genera Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, are the most widely used probiotic bacteria.

Probiotics help maintain and restore the delicate balance of both "good" and "bad" bacteria necessary for a healthy digestive system. Without that balance, harmful bacteria can multiply and take over, causing gastrointestinal problems such as diarrhea or abdominal pain. Probiotics help normalise the whole digestive system.

The strains of good bacteria in the gut help with digestion of food. It's especially good for children who consume milk but who lack the enzyme to break down the lactose in the milk. This gives them gas, abdominal pain and loose stools. Probiotics helps them to digest the lactose better, these symptoms are reduced and they recover faster.

The probiotic bacteria may help relieve constipation by improving intestinal mobility.

Preliminary testings show that probiotics can help boost the immune system. One specific finding shows that lactobacillus GG may reduce respiratory infections and their severity among children in daycare.

There is also evidence that probiotics may help to prevent certain kinds of allergies because they have a beneficial effect on mucous membranes.

Probiotic consumption may reduce the risk for colon, liver and breast cancers.

Probiotic is recommended after a course of antibiotics so that the child can restore good bacteria back to the gut.

Important:
As probiotics contain live bacteria, they have to be kept at a cool temperature, as in a refrigerator. Parents are told not to put probiotics in warm milk as it will destroy the live bacteria. It must be taken in cool water.

Some milk powder like Pediasure Complete have probiotics added and it instructs parents to mix the milk powder with cold water when preparing milk. Follows as instructed!

Why do babies cry?

2008-02-01T14:02:00.002+08:00

All babies cry. A crying baby, especially if the crying continues for a long period of time, can be stressful on the parents or caregivers. A pacifier can comfort her but don't jump on to use it too quickly, always try to find out the cause first.

Here are a few common things that could be causing your baby to cry:

Hunger - is she crying for milk? She could be hungry. If she turns her head towards you when you hold her, she's probably hungry.

Dirty diaper - she'll be ucomfortable in a dirty diaper. Change her wet nappy and see if she still cries after that.

Illness/Colic - check for symptoms of illness such as fever, shallow breathing, diarrhoea, vomiting, perspiration, lack of interest in feeds, rashes or unusual skin colour. A piercing cry would mean she's unwell. If she thrashes her arms and legs around, she might be in pain. If she draws her legs up and goes red in the face when she's crying, she may be suffering from colic and may have a build-up of wind in her stomach.

Tired/Cranky - sometimes she could be tired and overstimulated.

Here are some effective ways to soothe your baby:

Rocking or swinging
Many babies enjoy the motion involved in rocking or swinging. You can rock your baby in a rocking chair or swing in a porch swing.

Wrapping the baby in a snug blanket (swaddling)
Wrapping the baby snugly in a receiving blanket may help him feel safe and secure. Some parents find swaddling the most effective method of soothing their infants, ages newborn to six weeks.

Singing, talking, or humming
Just hearing your voice could be soothing for a crying baby. You can try singing to her, humming, reading a book to her or just talking. Hold the baby against your chest when you are singing or humming, the vibrations of your voice and the sound of your heartbeat are also soothers.

Taking a walk
Try taking a walk outside. Some babies respond well to the sights and sound of the outdoors. Put your baby in his stroller and take a walk around the block.

Driving around
Some parents find the driving trick does wonders in soothing a crying baby. As soon as you place a child in their car seat and start driving, they fall asleep. Perhaps it's the change of scenery, the motion of the car or the hum of the engine that soothes them, or perhaps a combination of all three.

Fever in children and toddlers: taking their temperature

2008-02-01T13:28:00.001+08:00

The normal body temperature is between 36.5°C and 37.5°C.

If your child has temperature above 37 °C, he or she may be having a fever. But then, that depends on where you took the temperature. Temperature taken from different parts of the body with different thermometers give different readings. Temperature above 39°C is considered high fever and should consult the doctor.

Use a reliable thermometer to tell if your child has a fever when his or her temperature is at or above one of these levels (according to Singapore Health Promotion Board):

37.9°C measured tympanically (in the ear)
37.5°C measured orally (in the mouth)
37.2°C measured in an axillary position (under the arm)

However, it is also important to read the manufacturer's instructions for each thermometer reading range for evaluating fever.

What causes fever?
It's important to remember that fever by itself is not an illness — it's usually a symptom of an underlying problem. Fever has several potential causes:

Infection: Most fevers are caused by infection or other illness. Fever helps the body fight infections by stimulating natural defense mechanisms.

Overdressing: Infants, especially newborns, may get fevers if they're overbundled or in a hot environment because they don't regulate their body temperature as well as older children. However, because fevers in newborns can indicate a serious infection, see a doctor immediately if you suspect your infant is having a fever.

Immunizations: Babies and children sometimes get a low-grade fever after getting vaccinated.

As a general rule of thumb, consult the pediatrician or doctor when your child:

Is feeding poorly, vomiting or lethargic.
Is very young, especially less than 3 months old.
Has difficulty breathing .
Is drowsy.
Looks sicker than previously.
Has abdominal pain and discomfort.
Has rash.
Has decreased urine output.

Baby development milestones (Month 1 - Month12)

2008-01-31T15:30:00.002+08:00

Most babies should be able to . . .

Month 1

Lift head briefly when on stomach
Respond to sound
Blink at bright lights
Stare and focus at faces

Month 2

Smile in response to your smile
Follow objects with eyes
Make noises other than crying
Repeat Ooohs and aahhs

Month 3

Hold up head at 45 degree angle while on stomach
Hold head steady when upright
Laugh and smile
Recognize your face
Open and shut hands
Kick legs

Month 4

Hold up head at 90 degree angle while on stomach
Bear weight on both legs
Goo and coo when you talk
Laugh and smile

Month 5

Roll over
Do small mini push ups
Pay attention to small objects held in front of his or her face
Reach out for objects
Grasp a rattle or toy

Month 6

Keep head level when pulled to sitting position
Sit momentarily with minimal support
Roll back in forth in both directions
Imitate sound and facial expressions
Reach for and grabs objects and toys

Month 7

Sit without support
Make razzing sounds
Imitate sound
Work at getting a toy that is out of reach
Feed self a cracker or finger food

Month 8

Start crawling
Sit without support
Pass object from one hand to the other
Respond to own name
Mouth and chew on objects
Reach for spoon when being fed
Turn away when finished eating
Say mama and dada to both parents (usually isn’t specific)

Month 9

Stand while holding on to something
Look for dropped objects
Pull up to standing position from sitting
Clap and bang objects together
Combine syllables into word like sounds
Separation and stranger anxiety may begin

Month 10

Stand holding on to someone or something
Walk holding onto furniture
Pull up to standing position from sitting
Wave goodbye
Crawl well
Use thumb and finger pincer grasp to pick things up

Month 11

Say mama and dada to the right parents
Wave goodbye
Clap hands
Understand the word no but doesn’t always obey it
Stand alone momentarily
Play ball and patty cake

Month 12

Imitate others sounds and activities
Babble different word like sounds
Indicate wants with gestures other than crying
Clap hands and bang objects together
Say one word other than mama or dada
Crawl well
Walk holding onto furniture well
Fearful of strangers
Pull off socks

Television and your toddlers

2008-01-31T15:09:00.001+08:00

Many parents are tempted to resort to using television or a video as a babysitter. But the sad truth is that watching too much TV would stiffle your child's thinking and development. Too much TV is never good for your child. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommend that children should watch TV no more than an hour or two a day, and that children under 2 should watch no television at all.

Here are tips on how to use television as a learning tool.

Limit the amount of TV your toddler watches
Since your child is under age 2, it's best to keep TV-watching to a bare minimum. If you choose to allow some television, break it up into 15-minute increments. Much more than that, and your toddler's brain can shift to autopilot.

Once your child hits 2, limit his total viewing time to an hour a day — even that amount is a lot for an active toddler. You should also keep the television out of your child's bedroom and turned off during meal times.

Watch programs, not television
Rather than sitting down to watch whatever happens to be on, carefully select the program your toddler's going to watch, and turn off the set when that program is over.

Choose calm, quiet programs
Slower-paced viewing gives your toddler time to think about what he's watching and absorb the information. Lots of action and quickly changing images will only confuse him or make his eyes glaze over.

Research has suggested that children who watch violence on TV are more likely to display aggressive behavior. Avoid scary shows, too. Instead, choose simple programs that emphasize interactivity. The best shows are those that inspire your child to makes sounds, say words, sing, and dance.

Watch with your toddlers and help him watch with a critical eye
Watch with your toddler to show that you care. Explain what's going on in the show, and encourage your child to ask questions and relate what's happening in the show to his own life.

Extend the show's content with activities or books
If you and your toddler have just finished watching a Sesame Street segment that introduces a number, talk about it later and find other examples to show him.

My toddler won't stay asleep

2008-01-25T15:37:00.001+08:00

What do you do when your toddler keeps waking up at night — and you know he's old enough to sleep all the way through? The main thing is to make sure he learns how to settle himself back down — by finding his thumb, cuddling a transitional object, or some other way. By this age, your child is able to soothe himself, but you may still need to help him develop self-comforting techniques. Most of the experts agree that you should try to avoid letting your child become dependent on such external conditions as music, lighting, and feeding to fall asleep; if he does, he'll need the same things every time he wakes up at night before he can drop off again.

Mindell's view
As long as you're putting your child to sleep on his own at bedtime, it's all right to do what you think will help him go back to sleep, such as rocking him or pacing the floor until he falls asleep. As long as his bedtime routine is consistent, night waking should diminish in a few weeks. If this doesn't work, you'll have to resort to a checking routine: Stay in your child's room for a brief time, keep contact neutral, and don't pick him up. Leave and return in five-minute intervals, gradually increasing the time you're gone. Read more about Mindell.

Ferber's view
Make sure your child falls asleep alone — without you, a pacifier, or a bottle. If he won't stay asleep, try letting him cry for progressively longer intervals of time, starting at five minutes, increasing to 10, and so on. Between intervals, you can spend about two to three minutes with your child, reassuring him by talking to him and possibly patting him on the back. Don't pick him up or rock him. Read more about Ferber.

The AAP's view
Don't pick up your child or bring him to your room. He needs to learn to put himself back to sleep, even if it means crying a bit first. Comfort him for a short time, and continue to return briefly every five to 10 minutes until he falls asleep. Read more about the AAP.

Brazelton's view
Break into your child's sleep rhythm by waking him up before your bedtime. Love and cuddle him, feed him if necessary, and put him down again, reassuring him that you're there. Be firm, and make sure you're following all your familiar bedtime rituals . Read more about Brazelton.

Sears' view
Be flexible. Don't let your child cry it out; instead, try to find the source of his wakefulness (such as a dirty diaper, hunger, upset routines during the day, a stuffy nose, or even irritating pajamas). Increase his daytime attachment to you and let Dad play the role of nighttime co-comforter so both parents can help their child fall back to sleep. If your child has been a consistent sleeper but is going through a big development spurt, expect him to wake up more often at night. When this happens, try to get him back to sleep without taking him out of his crib. Instead, pat his back, talk to him soothingly, and sing. You can also consider taking him into your own bed. Read more about Sears.

Source: Babycenter.com

Parenting tips for terrible twos

2008-01-25T15:30:00.001+08:00

No one looks forward to the terrible twos, a developmental stage that usually begins sometime in the toddler years.

Although many parents don't expect the terrible twos to start until their toddler is two years old, it is important to note that it can begin anytime during your child's second year, and so anytime after their first birthday, and unfortunately, sometimes even before.

Characterized by toddlers being negative about most things and often saying 'no', the terrible twos may also find your toddler having frequent mood changes and temper tantrums.

To help you cope with this normal stage in your child's development, you should always remember that your child isn't trying to be defiant or rebellious on purpose. He is just trying to express his growing independence and doesn't have the language skills to easily express his needs. This can also be the reason why your toddler frequently gets frustrated and resorts to hitting, biting, and temper tantrums when he doesn't get his way.

By learning more about this normal stage in your child's development, it can make it easier to get through it and make sure that you aren't contributing to more battles than are necessary.

Other tips for helping your toddler during the terrible twos include:

having a regular routine for meals, naps, bedtime, etc. and try to stick to them each day
offer limited choices only, like 'would you like apples or oranges for your snack' and not just 'what do you want for your snack.' This helps your toddler feel like he is making some decisions and has power over things, but he isn't able to choose unacceptable alternatives.
learn to set limits about things and don't be surprised when your toddler tries to test those limits to see what he can get away with
don't give in to tantrums
begin to use time-out and taking away privileges as discipline techniques
provide your toddler with a safe environment that is well childproofed to explore and play in. It really isn't fair that your toddler should get in trouble for playing with something he isn't supposed to if you left it within reach.

Source: About.com pediatrics

Night terrors in toddlers

2008-01-25T15:12:00.001+08:00

Night terrors occur in at least 5 percent of young children, and can start as early as 9 months. These mysterious disturbances happen during deep, non-dreaming sleep. A child in this state will cry, whimper, flail, and even bolt out of bed. Though his eyes may be wide open, he's not awake and isn't aware of your presence. Once the night terror (which can last anywhere from a few minutes to half an hour or more) is over, your child will return to a sound sleep and have no memory of the incident in the morning.

How are night terrors different from nightmares?
Nightmares happen during rapid eye movement (REM) or dream sleep. A child who's had a nightmare is likely to have a fairly clear idea of what scared him, though he probably won't be able to articulate his fright until he's about 2. He may also be afraid to fall back asleep, and in the morning, he'll probably remember that he had a bad dream.

What should I do when my toddler has a night terror?
Of course, your first instinct will be to comfort him, but your efforts will most likely be futile (remember, he's not really awake and he's not aware of your presence). You just have to wait it out and make sure he doesn't hurt himself. Don't speak to him or try to soothe him, and don't try to shake or startle him awake or physically restrain him — all of which could lead to more frantic behavior. In 15 to 20 minutes, your child should calm down, curl up, and fall into a deep sleep again.

Is there anything I can do to prevent night terrors?
There are several steps you can take to reduce the chances that your toddler will have night terrors. First, make sure that he's getting enough sleep, since children who go to bed overtired are more likely to experience these sleep disturbances. To avoid fatigue, extend your toddler's nap time, let him sleep a little later in the morning, or put him to bed earlier at night. And be sure to schedule plenty of time for calming bedtime rituals, such as a bath, a song, a book, and lots of cuddling.

Since night terrors usually occur during the first part of the night, you could also try gently rousing your toddler after he's been asleep for an hour or two — about 15 minutes before the typical episode would start. This should alter his sleep pattern enough to head off the night terror at the pass.

Source: Babycenter.com

Buying a baby cot

2008-01-25T13:59:00.000+08:00

Our cosy bed is where we spend the most time in. This is even more so for babies. Young babies on average sleep for 16 hours a day. Therefore choosing the right bedding for your little bundle of joy is of extreme importance. Here are some tips on choosing the basic beddings such as cot, cot mattress, and cot bumpers for your precious ones.

Cot

Look for Certification to make sure standards have been met
A cot usually has one or both sides that can drop so that you can put down and pick up your baby more easily.
Decide on whether you need one or two hands to operate the mechanism that drops the side; go for one handed designs if you can, because you will need the other arm to carry your baby.
Cots are designed with wooden bars, make sure the bars are no more than 6 cm (2 inches) apart
Make sure that there are no splinters or cracks in the wood.
Buy one where you can adjust the base height of the mattress. There are usually two or three adjustable levels.
Buy those with plastic covering on teething rails. Check that the plastic covering are tightly secured and unbroken
Choose those with casters for mobility. Also make sure they are lockable.
Avoid cots which have knobs that protrude.
Avoid cot with decorative playbeads set into the cot ends. These will make the cot more attractive but not essential as you can easily attach toys to the cot.
There are cots that can be transformed into a bed when the kids grow older, choose those if desired

Cot mattress

Look for firmness in the mattress
Prefer those with pocketed coil innerspring
If there is a family history of allergy, select a dense foam (or put an airtight cover over an innerspring)
Make sure the mattress is a snug fit in cot (with no more than two adultfinger widths between cot and mattress).
Cot bumpers
Cot bumper is a piece of padded fabric which attaches to the inside of the cot
Look for snug not floppy fit around entire perimeter of cot, due to the danger of suffocation or strangulation if the bumper is loosen and the baby’s head comes into contact with them
There should be at least 6 ties or sets of snaps for fastening to cot rails

For all the above items, always look out for:

leadfree paint, if painted
sturdy nontip construction
smooth edges and rounded corners

Avoid:

rough edges
sharp points
small parts that might break loose
exposed hinges or springs
attached strings, cords, or ribbons

Source: Myshopping.sg, 3 May 2007

How to choose a car seat

2008-01-25T13:56:00.000+08:00

Shopping for a car seat can be an overwhelming chore for parents. There are so many types, models and sizes. In choosing car seat, it is important to consider whether the car seat is:

the appropriate size and type for your child?
able to provide the best fit and comfort for your child?
able to fit securely in your car?
easy to fasten into your car?
easy to fasten your child into?

Types of seats. The first question that must be answered is, what's the right seat for your child? Here are the basics about the different types of seats and some of their features.

Rear-facing, infant-only seat. For infants 5 to 20 pounds; some seats will hold up to 22 pounds. These have a handle that allow you to take the seated infant with you, and then snap the seat into either a frame or stroller. Many models also have a detachable base that stays in the car, allowing you to easily snap the car seat in without fooling around with the seatbelt. It's very important that the seat be angled correctly to protect the baby (45 degrees), so some seats come with angle indicators and built-in angle adjusters. Also look for harness adjusters and head support systems. Some infant car seats now come bundled with strollers and can snap into them (called "Travel Systems"). Personally, I prefer the Universal Infant Car Seat Carrier made by Kolcraft or the Baby Trend Snap-n-Go. They are compatible with most infant seats and have less bulk and weight than travel systems, but won't take you past the infant stage.

Convertible seat, which can face rearward or forward. For toddlers, 20 to 40 pounds; some Britax models go up to 65 pounds. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, you should keep your child rear-facing until he is at least one year old and has reached the highest weight or height allowed by the seat's manufacturer (check the manual). At that point, you should turn the safety seat forward-facing and make the following three adjustments before installing: Move the shoulder straps to the top slots or as they are described in the manufacturer's instructions. The shoulder straps must be at or above your child's shoulders. Check instructions for any additional information on the placement of the shoulder straps that may be specific for your car safety seat.

Booster seats. Will hold a child from 30-100 pounds, depending on the model. Children should not move from a full harness to a booster seat until they reach the top weight or height allowed by the car seat manufacturer. High-back boosters are for use in cars without a head rest or high seat back. They're also a good idea if your child tends to fall asleep in the seat, or if the seatbelt still doesn't fit properly with a backless booster. Avoid shield boosters altogether.

Source: Myshopping.sg, 9 May 2007

How to choose a safe baby walker

2008-01-25T13:54:00.000+08:00

The use of mobile baby walkers is a controversial topic. Some people find it unsafe to use and will lead to more injuries than help the baby to walk sooner (Read the advice on child safety from KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital). The note to all parents is never to leave an unsupervised baby in the walker. Baby walkers are seats on wheels. The baby sits in the center of the walker, strapped into a plastic molded seat. A tray surrounds your baby and acts like a bumper when your baby moves close to a wall or a piece of furniture.

Here are some important tips to help you choose the right and safe walker for your infant:

Do not buy secondhand models as they might not meet current safety regulations. Some older walkers are collapsible with years of use that weaken the joints and latches.
Choose a newer model walker that meets new voluntary safety standards.
Baby walkers should have a wide, sturdy, non-tip base to prevent them from tipping over and can't fit through doorways.
Walkers should have wide three-sided tray for play and protection.
There should be secure locking mechanism to safeguard fingers.
They should also have a braking mechanism that prevents the walker from moving if one or more wheels come off of the ground.

Source: Myshopping.sg, 9 May 2007

Tips for buying a stroller

2008-01-25T13:52:00.000+08:00

There are many strollers out there in the market and it can be difficult to know which one to buy. It is important to know what your needs are and then find the stroller that best matches them. Different brands, styles and prices can make the process even more overwhelming.Here are some pointers to bear in mind when choosing a stroller.

Wheels. Look for strollers with large wheels for better maneuverability. The larger the tyre the easier the stroller is going to be pushed. There are 3 basic types of tyres for strollers, hollow plastic, solid composite and air filled. Hollow plastic wheels are cheaper but are prone to cracks and wear with lots of use. Solid wheels are costlier but they should last the life of the stroller. Air filled tires provide not only a comfortable ride but are easy to push over a variety of surfaces.

Brakes. It is important for strollers to have good brakes. The brake on a stroller is simply a wedge that locks the wheels to keep them from spinning. Usually you press down the wedge to lock it and push up to unlock it. The brakes are generally easy to operate with your foot.

Canopy. This is the hood that protects your child from the light, sun, rain and keep strangers’ stares at bay. You will want to make sure that the canopy retracts easily and can be removed for cleaning.

Restraining straps. Make sure the restraining straps that keep the child in the stroller is secure and easy-to-fasten.

Foldability. Ensure easy foldability of the stroller as you are going to use this operation every time you use the stroller. Also check how compact the stroller is able to fold.

Weight. Most people prefer lightweight strollers as they are easy to carry around. Choose a lightweight stroller if you plan to carry it onto buses or other vehicles often.

Handles. Check to see if the handles are of comfortable height. There are two basic types of handles. Stroller will either have two separate handles or one bar across. Stroller with one bar across is generally easier to steer using one hand.

Storage. The main storage area on most strollers is the basket under the seat. These under seat basket are great for holding packages while shopping.

Seat. See if the fabric used on the seat is comfortable. Also check that the reclining mechanism of the seat is easy to operate. There are different degree of angle for recline, while many infants and their parents like a stroller seat to recline completely flat, it is not a necessary.

Source: Myshopping.sg, 9 May 2007

Clueless about what toys to buy for your kids?

2008-01-25T13:50:00.000+08:00

The mind-bogging range of toys and games in the market can create a big headache for parents. Take a glance at the many different types of toys for different age groups below, and you will know the pain involve in choosing the right toys.

Baby Toys: baby mobiles, baby rattles, baby picture books, stacking rings, nesting cups, dolls, stuffed animals, play gym, baby mirrors, baby building blocks and texture toys.

Toddler Toys: construction toys, building blocks, climbing toys, pull toys, push toys, stuffed animals, dolls, jigsaw puzzles, stacking rings, and nesting cups.

Preschooler Toys: construction toys, building blocks, climbing toys, pull toys, push toys, stuffed animals, dolls, jigsaw puzzles, cards, puzzles, and pretend play toys.

Toys for Kids Age 6-12 years: pretend play toys, building blocks, construction toys, climbing toys, stuffed animals, dolls, word games, electronic games, board games and jigsaw puzzles.

When buying toys and games for children, it is important to make sure that they are educational. Educational games help children learn and grow. Don’t waste money in buying toys with no value. When you are looking for educational games, you may consider the following types that bring educational value:

Building blocks. Stacking cups, shape sorters and building blocks are all toys that young children love. They are also very educational.

Cards and board games. Do not underestimate a simple deck of cards. There are many that serve their educational purposes. Alphabet cards, number cards, thematic cards such as Happy Family, Donkey, are some examples of cards for young children. Others like War can teach children their numbers and hearts can teach strategic thinking. Many classic board games like Monopoly, Scrabble, Ladders and Clue are also as educational as they are fun. These are more for older children.

Puzzles and wordplay games. Wordplay games such as crossword puzzles are educational games that kids can play independently. Mad Libs is a classic wordplay game that kids can play with friends. Jigsaw puzzles are games to test the child’s patience and are also educational.

Electronic games are very educational and popular with kids. Both Leap Frog and VTech invent excellent games. There are also many websites that have educational games appropriate for young children. Some examples of fun and educational websites for kids include Funschool, Nickelodeon, Eduplace and Funbrain.

Tips: Look for toys that encourage:

Dramatic play, which helps children work out their own ideas about their experiences. Such toys include blocks; toy vehicles; dress-up clothes such as hats, vests and fashion accessories; toy animals; puppets; and props to recreate real life such as a restaurant or store.

Manipulative play, which helps children develop small muscle control and hand-eye coordination. Examples include construction sets, puzzles, models and toys with interlocking pieces.

Creative and problem solving. Arts toys encourage self-expression and creativity while the use of symbols, and numbers are vital skills for problem-solving and literacy. These include blank pieces of paper, paints, clay, crossword puzzles, jigsaw puzzles, and more.

Planning and strategic thinking. These games teach children about taking turns, planning strategy, following rules and cooperating with teammates or opponents. Standard examples are dominoes, card games and checkers.

Avoid choosing toys with:

Small parts and sharp edges
Violent themes
Linked to media entertainment designed for older audiences
It is important to select toys and games carefully. Spend some time browsing through sites that sell educational games for more ideas. Visit websites like ToysRUs, KBToys, Wonder Brains, Toys to Grow On, and Toy and Game Warehouse for more toys and games ideas.

Source: Myshopping.sg, 23 May 2007

Skin and pregnancy

2008-01-25T13:39:00.001+08:00

Skin changes are well-accepted and expected effects of pregnancy Before, you jump the gun and start calling it a disease, you should know that most of these new observations are directly related to the physiological changes that are taking place in your new body

When these skin disorders occur, the first thought that enters the mind of most pregnant mothers is whether any of these skin problems will be transferred to the developing fetus in any adverse way. Fortunately, most of the common skin diseases seen in pregnancy are of no risk to the mother or baby and are simply the marks of motherhood and a tolerable inconvenience.

The common aggravating condition chloasma (the mask of pregnancy) or bad acne, does send some women to the dermatologist. However, depending on your hormones and skin condition, you may not suffer from these problems. Some women develop rashes and some are completely unaffected. If you have had a long-term acne condition, you may be surprised to find that it clears up during pregnancy. Also, having a rash during your first pregnancy does not automatically mean that the rash will return for subsequent pregnancies.

Acne, eczema and psoriasis
Many skin conditions such as psoriasis, eczema and acne are modified by pregnancy In some cases, the rashes do not show up in a genetically predisposed individual until a pregnancy occurs. Even in these cases, the impact of the pregnancy on the skin condition is unpredictable, basically, the glands beneath the skin work overtime in a pregnant body, causing oil-producing glands to become more productive and sweat glands to overwork, causing the mother to perspire more.

According to the American Academy of Dermatology, psoriasis is a chronic genetic skin disorder characterised by raised thickened patch of red skin covered with silvery-white scales that can affect any part of the body. While psoriasis tends to improve during pregnancy, it can flare out of control after delivery.

Rosacea, the red acne-like rash on the face, tends to worsen during pregnancy. This is because the increase in blood volume that peaks during the second trimester and tends to bring more blood to the skin, giving the highly vascular areas like the face a rosier appearance.

Pruritus gravidarurn
Pruritus or itching, is by far the most common dermatosis seen, it usually begins in the later stages of pregnancy. It is widely accepted that the sluggish flow and retention of bile salts that occurs in pregnancy, is the cause of the itch.

Usually centred around the abdomen, the itch may spread to the limbs in severe cases. 'Me condition occurs from the first trimester and may persist right up to delivery. According to Doctor Herbert Goodheart, MD, in the Journal of Women's Health, this condition is often thought to possibly be a variation of PUPPP without lesions.

Treatment involves use of itch-reduction measures such as cooling the skin, applying anti-itch lotions and oral antihistamines, if the itch is severe. Pruritus gravidarum does not have any adverse effect on the baby or on the progress of the pregnancy, however, it may recur with subsequent pregnancies or if the woman takes certain oral contraceptives.

Polymorphic Eruption Of Pregnancy (PEP)
According to the National Skin Centre, one in 300 pregnant women develop this itchy skin disease. The onset of the rash is usually in the third trimester, especially from the 35th week onwards. On the average, the rash will last for up to six weeks, usually clearing within two to three weeks after delivery. However, in some women, the onset of the rash may be delayed till a few days after delivery.

The term polymorphic means 'many forms' and this aptly describes the appearance of the rash. It usually occurs over the abdominal stretch marks as itchy, red spots or lumps, much like hives. It then progresses to the legs and arms. As a rule, the face and upper trunk are not involved. It may take the form of red patches, papules (spots), vesicles (small water blisters) or dry, red, scaly patches (eczema?like). The itch is usually quite intense.

Treatment is with the use of cold compresses, steroid creams and oral antihistamines. More severe cases may require short courses of oral steroids. PEP itself does not harm the mother or baby

Pruritic Urticarial Papules
Pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy (PUPPP) is a common dermatosis of late pregnancy. This common rash is characterised by small red bumps and hives that can cause slight to severe itching. It typically shows up during a woman's third trimester and usually disappears after delivery. While it is not dangerous to mum or baby, the itching can be very annoying, it usually starts on the abdomen and can extend to upper thighs, buttocks and chest.

PUPs is usually treated topically with soothing ointrments, oatmeal baths and calamine lotion. When itching makes a woman too uncomfortable, she can ask her doctor about antihistamines safe for use during pregnancy

Chloasma
If you wake up one morning and find yellow or brown patches on your face, you are most probably suffering from chloasma. These skin pigmentation changes on the face especially the forehead, nose, and cheeks are termed chloasma, or the "mask of pregnancy." According to co-author of "Dermatoses of Pregnancy", dermatologist, George Kroumpouzo, MD, PhD "Chloasma has been reported in up to 70 percent of pregnant women and causes an increase in pigmentation that occurs almost exclusively in sun?exposed areas." This can sometimes include the forearms as well.

These skin splotches will gradually fade after delivery, and darker women tend to experience chloasma more because of the increased levels of estrogen and progesterone that stimulate pigment?producing cells.

Dermatologists encourage the use of proper sunscreen as well as treatment with lightening agents, chemical peels and tretinoin. Some women opt for laser treatments after delivery.

Should I feel threatened?
Common pregnancy-related skin changes pose no health problems. But other conditions, such as skin cancer, could bring about skin discoloration in anyone, pregnant or not. Consult your caregiver if you notice any changes in the colour or size of a mole, or if changes in skin pigmentation are accompanied by pain, tenderness, or redness.

Most skin changes during pregnancy are benign but in rare cases, severe itchiness in your third trimester -- known as cholestasis of pregnancy- could be a sign of a serious liver problem. The itchiness may be accompanied by nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, fatigue, and jaundice. Call your doctor or immediately if you have any of these symptoms.

Source: Motherhood Magazine

Braxton Hicks contractions

2008-01-25T13:34:00.001+08:00

Braxton-Hicks contractions are painless contractions that occur at irregular intervals -- although they do not hurt, they can be felt nonetheless. They were first described in 1872 by J. Braxton Hicks. Braxton-Hicks actually begin very, very early in pregnancy; contractions have been seen with ultrasound in the first trimester! They may be stimulated by massaging the uterus. These irregular contractions do not cause the cervix to soften or to dilate, nor do they increase the risk of preterm delivery. As pregnancy progresses, Braxton-Hicks contractions may become more frequent and stronger, although they are still irregular and rarely painful.

Contractions that lead to labor, defined as regular contractions that produce thinning or dilating of the cervix, generally produce more discomfort -- or outright pain -- and occur at regular intervals. Usually, as labor begins, contractions will be fairly far apart; gradually the interval between contractions will lessen until they are three to five minutes apart. If regular 10-15 minute contractions occur before 37 weeks of pregnancy, you should notify your doctor immediately, as these may be a sign of preterm labor. At term, many obstetricians recommend staying at home until the contractions have been five minutes or less apart for one hour -- always follow your own doctor's directions, however.

At any point in the pregnancy, if you are worried about these Braxton-Hicks contractions, see your doctor. A quick exam to check your cervix can reassure you that the contractions you are feeling are not the real thing.

Source: by Kelly Shanahan, M.D, iVillage.com

8 golden rules to eating well

2008-01-25T13:28:00.001+08:00

CGH's dietitian, Dietetic & Catering, Patsy Soh, has eight rules to eating out well - they will make choosing healthy hawker centre meals a cinch

Rule 1 Have a variety of foods A balanced meal should have carbohydrates (rice and alternatives), fruits, vegetables, meat, and milk and milk items.

Rule 2 Eat more fruits and veggies Dark green leafy vegetables supply foiate, vitamins and minerals. Folate is needed to prevent spina bifida, a condition where baby's spine develops poorly. The vitamins in greens fortify both mother and child's immunity systems against illnesses. Orange or red fruits as well as broccoli, have lots of vitamin C that aids iron absorption.

Rule 3 Eat more high-calcium foods Some musts.. Fish with edible bones like sardines and ikan bilis, tofu (read label to see that calcium has been added), and milk and dairy foods, or calcium-fortified soy bean drink.

Rule 4 Ensure good iron intake Red meats like beef, lamb, pork and offal supply iron that's needed for your increased blood supply to baby. Liver is good, but take it once a week as it's a high-cholesterol food. Avoid tea as the tannin in it inhibits iron absorption. Have a fruit juice instead.

Rule 5 Choose foods that are low in sugar, salt and fats Too much sugary and oily foods will add to excess weight. They can also lead to diabetes and high blood pressure. Avoid oily and spicy foods too - these worsen morning sickness and may give heartburn (when stomach juices go back up the gullet giving that sour, burning sensation).

Rule 6 Eat small, frequent meals Usually breakfast, lunch and dinner, and two snacks in between. You will manage the nausea better this way.

Rule 7 Drink plenty of fluids You need eight to 10 glasses a day. Plain water, low-fat milk, or milk fortified with iron like Marigold 1Cal Milk, fruit or vegetable juices are good. The Health Ministry warns that too much alcohol in the first three months is bad. Alcohol crosses into baby's blood stream and studies show that it leads to mental and physical retardation.

Rule 8 Avoid uncooked food Be careful with raw egg and seafood as they can cause food poisoning. Pre-cooked and chilled meats like bacon, ham and salmon are also not a good idea unless warmed up to piping hot, says Patsy. "Shop-bought" salad is risky too, she says. These veggies have been exposed for a long time and may contain listeria. In non-pregnant women, this can give a bad tummy upset. The risk for pregnant women is miscarriage and still birth.

Fish to avoid in pregnancy
An advisory panel to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommended in late July (2002) that pregnant women and women of childbearing age limit their intake of tuna while further tests are done. The problem was the presence of mercury in the fish. This includes tinned tuna. The FDA was already advising pregnant women to avoid shark, swordfish, tilefish and king mackerel , because of mercury levels, and to eat a variety of fish ensure against high mercury intake.

Source of omega-3
What makes fish so good? The most highly-publicised benefit is its omega-3 fatty acid or oil, thought to help blood clot less easily. This cuts the risk of heart disease, heart attack and stroke. Fish in the diet is also thought to help protect against diseases such as joint inflammation, prostate cancer and tumours. For example, while Greenland Eskimos and Danes eat almost the same amount of total fat, the former eat a lot of omega-3 fatty acids, and have a much lower incidence of breast cancer - it's thought that it is the n-3 acids that inhibit tumour growth.

So how much fish should you eat? At least two servings per week, say experts.

Sources:
1) The Singapore Women's Weekly (May 2002). Pg 75
2) Today's Parents, Jul 2001.
3) Today's Parents, Sep 2002.

I want a boy... no, a girl ...

2008-01-25T13:18:00.001+08:00

A mong the zillion predictable questions you'll be asked when you're pregnant ("When is it due.. any morning sickness? ... how do you feel?")

- you will surely encounter the "So what do you want, a boy or a girl?" question. Many people don't want to know. Many people point out that what they prefer doesn't make an iota of difference.

Some couples, though, do prefer one gender to the other, Maybe they hope to have a boy to carry on the family name or business. Some may think a girl is easier or more fun. Other couples may already have two or three boys, and want a girl for a change, or vice versa.

Today, scientific advancements make it possible for couples (those who can afford the service, anyway) to actually choose the sex of their child. For example, the MicroSort system at the Genetics and IVF Institute in Virginia can apparently distinguish between sperm carrying the X-chromosome (for a girl) from a sperm loaded with the Y-chromosome (for a boy) by the fact that the former has 2.8 percent more DNA and is substantially larger than the Y-chromosome.

But for those who
(a) can't make use of Microsort
(b) plan to conceive the normal way,
if you want a boy or a girl, you'll have to rely on much less scientific methods and old wives' tales.
Such as:

To conceive a boy:
The man should wear loose underwear or boxers to increase overall fertility and give the weaker Y-sperms a more 'promising' environment over the Xs; Men should eat more meat, especially red meat, The woman should lie back after having sex; The woman should give in to her husband's seduction.

To conceive a girl:
Have sex in the missionary position; The wife should do the seducing; Both spouses need to cat lots of fish and veggies; Conceive in the afternoon on even days of the month.

But is there anything more 'scientific' on conceiving a boy or a girl?

Sperm strength
One theory is that the sperm with the Y-chromosome (that will produce a baby boy) swim faster and do better in a more alkaline environment, while sperm with the Xchromosome moves more slowly and do better in a more acidic environment.

So tracking when you are more acidic or alkaline, and tailoring your love-making sessions to these periods, may help you.

We got similar suggestions from Dr Chang Ton Choong, an obstetrician and gynaecologist in private practice.

For a girl: Try to have intercourse two to three days before ovulation because the Ychromosome-carrying sperm are not as resilient as the X-carrying ones, and will perish faster. Try to avoid an orgasm, as that increases the alkalinity of the vagina, which enhances the performance of the Y-chromosome sperm. (To increase acidity, Dr Chang suggests using a vinegar douche.) Said Dr Chang: "Some studies show that the position of intercourse should be face to face, as the penetration is shallow and the Y sperms are less likely to survive."

For a boy: Try to have intercourse as close to the time of ovulation as possible. Female orgasm is encouraged and should preferably occur before the male orgasm. This increases the alkalinity of the vagina. (You may also want to use a baking soda douche.) Some studies have also shown that depositing Y-chromosome sperm nearest the cervix enhances their survival.

Can it work?
Dr Christine Yap, an obstetrician and gynaecologist at the Singapore General Hospital and at its Centre For Assisted Reproduction (CARE), said that there is no proof that the Y-chromosome sperm is stronger than the X-chromosome sperm or vice-versa.

A New England study found no relationship between the timing of intercourse and the baby's sex. Also, overplanning your sex life can be stressful and reduce the chances of conception altogether.

She added: "What we are trying to figure out is whether any conditions increase the proportion of X or Y sperm hanging on to the rim of that egg, so the chances of an X or a Y penetrating are higher. But even then, the most willful sperm wins. Nothing much can determine what one single sperm among millions will do."

Health is important, gender isn't
Agreed Sandra Teo, 33, who is expecting her first child later this year: "My husband and I would rather just leave it to God, or chance or whatever, to decide for us. So we have no expectations, as long as we know it's a healthy baby, we're happy."

Worst of all, because you think you will get a girl and buy all manner of girly clothes and toys, you may feel disappointed to have a boy.

Stresed Dr Chang: "There are certainly no guarantees that the sex of the baby will be what you desire, even if you employ all of the above methods. You should aim to have a healthy pregnancy and a healthy child, regardless of the sex of the child."

Can you guess by looking?
The other side of the "boy or girl" question is, of course when you're already pregnant and someone tells you 'oh, I can tell you're
carrying a boy because you're..'

Mrs Jongkol Sim, 31, then four months pregnant, was 80 percent sure it was a boy. Why? She said: I had no inclination to put on makeup whenever I went out and the baby was kicking quite actively even when he was just four months. And whenever we went shopping, I would subconsciously look at baby boy's apparel and toys. My husband even bought a football jersey on impulse! We both agreed it was a boy."

Josephine Phua's mother-in-law, though, knew that Josephine was carrying a girl because "her stomach was very round'. Other old wives' tales on the difference between boys and girls in the womb are numerous and often contradictory.

A more active foetus means a boy.
An unusually large abdomen indicates a girl.
Some say that if a scan doesn't reveal the child's genitals it's a girl's sign of shyness
A baby carried 'high' is a boy (though we also found those who said that a baby carried high is a girl!"

A girl takes away your beauty and makes you look haggard.
Girls cause morning sickness etc.

One reason for SEX-SORTING (such as what the Microsort machine in the US can do) is to help prevent the transmission of sex-linked hereditary diseases. However, one report noted that such sex-sorting might cause genetic damage, as the procedure involves tagging chromosomes with something called a fluourochrome. MicroSort is not available in Singapore. Another similar method, called, Flow cytometry, can sort cells in the laboratory for biological experiments, but cannot be used by parents to select their baby's sex. If a patient has concerns about serious sex-linked conditions such as haemophilia, tests such as Chorionic Villus Sampling can be done in the 10th week of pregnancy. It determines the sex of your child and the risk of the disease.

Source: Today's Parents, Aug 2001, p20

How to choose auspicious Chinese baby names?

2008-01-25T13:08:00.001+08:00

There are a number of websites on choosing names - both English and Chinese names. For English names, these websites usually offer interpretations for the meaning of names. As for Chinese names, websites offer consultancy servcices to parents who wish to seek help in naming their child. These involve costs. There are websites with engines that calculate the strokes of chinese characters and provide analysis of chinese names - but few. In Chinese tradition, one form of naming analysis which is pretty common is the stroke theory. Some notes on how to use the stroke theory is provided below.

Stroke theory
天格 Determines your fate that comes with your birth
Strokes calculation: Total no. of strokes in surname + 1

人格 Determines your overall fate and destiny
Strokes calculation: Total no. of strokes in surname + Total no. of strokes in first character

地格 Determines your immediate relations with people around you including family members, friends and colleagues.
Strokes calculation: Total no. of strokes first character + Total no. of strokes in second character

总格 Foretells your life after 35 years of age
Strokes calculation: Total no. of strokes in all three characters of the name

外格 Refers to your relations with individuals at large in the society as a whole
Strokes calculation: 总格 - 人格 + 1

The number of strokes and their meanings
No. of Strokes - Meaning
1 - Trustworthy and reliable. A virtuous man will be blessed. Good

2 - It takes hand work to fulfill one’s ambition. But success awaits for those with persistence and perseverance. Medium.

3 - All elements in the universe are in harmony. Fame and wealth come in all directions. Good.

4 - The sun is covered by the clouds. One is faced with obstacles and hardships. One needs endurance and great effort to succeed? Bad

5 - The Ying and Yang are in balance and in your favour. Family will be blessed? Good health conditions. But avoid any form of over indulgences. Good.

6 - One shall attain fame and riches. Success in all areas awaits the one who has strong will and determination. Good.

7 - Energetic, intelligent and decisive. Your sense of good judgment will help you in all business ventures. Good

8 - Maximum effort required in your youth but you will reap the fruits of your labor at later age. Good.

9 - A man of many talents but the lack of opportunities prevent these talents to be exploited. With no benefactors and poor human relations, the road to success is blocked. Bad.

10 - The moon is covered with clouds and its radiance gone. One works very hard but with no results. Bad.

11 - The flowers bloom, the plants sprouting with life in spring. Stable and practical minded, you have no cause for worry. Good

12 - One fights the battle alone. A hero from the outside a broken man from the inside. Bad.

13 - Your past noble deeds will be rewarded. With wisdom and skills, you will succeed. Good

14 - Be patient and determined. One awaits the rain to stop before the sun comes out. Medium

15 - Modesty and a sense of responsibility are your qualities. Destiny
has arranged your way ahead surrounded by benefactors. Good.

16 - A leader of the masses. People respect your integrity. An ideal statesman. Fame and fortune abound. Good.

17 - Seize the day. Always listens to good advice and one will meet a benefactor. Good.

18 - Suited for business and blessed with success and prosperity. But be prudent in your decision making. Good

19 - Your success in your youth resulted in arrogance and pride becomes the root of your failure in later life. Bad.

20 - Charged with high aspirations but dampened by failures. All efforts will be doomed. Bad.

21 - The Plum?blossom blooms grew through the winter frosts and be the first to bloom among the hundreds flowers. The ability to endure hardships pave the way to success. Good.

22 - The autumn leaves turns yellow and swept by the winds. One is gifted with many talents but is deprived of any opportunity to shine and excel. Bad.

23 - The morning sun rises and brightens the sky. Fame spreads in all directions and success is attained in all endeavours. Good.

24 - From rags to riches. With your wisdom and the use of strategies, you will achieve a bright future. Good.

25 - Heaven and earth are in harmony but you are short of good human relations. Cultivate virtues and you will be blessed with good relations. Medium.

26 - A hero creates turbulence and makes drastic changes. He can either create massive good fortune or misfortunes. Medium.

27 - Check. You win once, you lose once. One win one lose, must be caution. Medium.

28 - A fish out of water. Change your name or suffer for the rest of your life. Bad.

29 - The clouds swirl in the sky, the dragon flies to heaven. One achieves success by using wisdom and strategies. Good.

30 - Success and failures are the realities of life. Medium.

31 - You are blessed with fame, and good fortune. Be generous and your good fortune will be extended. Good.

32 - The dragon leaps from the sea to heaven with the aid of the clouds and the winds. When the timing is right and all conditions are in favour, success will be attained. Good.

33 - Being temperamental and emotional are your traits in your youth. Initiate to change and life will be prosperous. Medium.

34 - Disasters and crisis dominate your life. Change your name to change your destiny. Bad.

35 - You have many talents but the lack of self?confidence conservative attitude prevent you from developing your talents and excel in them. Medium.

36 - A sense of righteousness and always ready to help those in need. But your nobleness is exploited by others with ill intentions. Bad.

37 - You have the blessings from heaven. Your benefactors will help you in the difficulties you faced. Good.

39 - Talented in arts and will succeed in artistic pursuits. One can enjoy fame but may not be rich. Medium.

39 - Contented and hardworking ? The man of patience who waits for the clouds to clear will see the full moon eventually. Good.

40 - Life is full of ups and downs and ever changing. Go with the flow and retreat when necessary and all will go well. Medium.

41 - You are blessed with the resources to achieve success. Cultivate talents, skills and expand your knowledge. With courage, you will be successful. Good.

42 - You lack focus in your occupations and in everything you do. Although you are versatile, you will encounter frequent setbacks. Work harder to polish your skills. Medium.

43 - A flower caught in the rain. Have faith in yourself and you will succeed. Medium. 'This interpretation is bad for females.

44 - You tried very hard to achieve and you have exhausted all strategies. Because you always looking for instant results, you wil1 never achieve much. Bad.

45 - The flowers bloom in spring time. There is no danger and you will overcome all obstacles. Good.

46 - The road to success is filled with obstacles. Must persevere. Bad.

47 - Work hard in your youth and by middle age you will succeed when you meet your benefactors. Good

48 - A crane stands out among the roosters. You are blessed with fortune and great leadership. Good

49 - Always a wanderer and your future uncertain. Must always be cautious in all endeavours. Bad.

50 - A moment of success, a moment of failure. Must be prudent in everything you do. Medium.

5 1 - It finally rains after a long drought. Only time will change your fortune from bad to good. Like a withered tree waiting for the next season before it blooms again. Medium.

52 - The sun comes out after the rain. All wishes fulfilled. Good.

53 - Your luck changes constantly from good to bad and vice versa. Medium

54 - All efforts will not be rewarded. Change your name. Bad

55 - Look good on the outside but your miseries are unknown to others. Cultivate virtues to alleviate your state. Medium.

56 - A good starter but a bad finisher is the cause of your failures. Bad.

57 - The end of winter comes spring, bringing good news. With determination, you are not afraid of difficulties. Medium.

58 - You achieve success at the later part of your life. You faced difficulties in your youth. Medium.

59 - You are indecisive and you lack confidence. Try to change or all will fail. Bad

60 - Personal ambitions are hard to fulfill. Bad.

61 - The crescent moon is covered by the clouds. Will encounter many crisis. Be cautious in all things you do. Bad.

62 - A man constantly seeking for trouble. You cannot get along with your family and others. Best to change your name. Bad

63 - Because of your good character, all roads lead to success. Good.

64 - You like the new and dislike the old. Your petty nature and poor health bring disasters. Bad.

65 - Being noble and honest are your traits. You are respected by others and if you can seize the right opportunities you will achieve success. Good

66 - A long night filled with nightmares. The lack of integrity and poor human relations bring little success. Bad.

67 - You are destined to be your own boss. If you are not tempted by small gains and greed, you will receive bigger fortunes. Good.

68 - Careful and meticulous in planning, you know when to seize opportunities. Hence you will be successful. Good.

69 - Full of turbulence and troubles, your luck has yet to arrive. Bad

70 - Dangers and poor heath dominates your life. Change your name. Bad.

71 - You face difficulties in the beginning but if you are able to persevere, success will eventually come to you. medium.

72 - Like a mountain at the verge of collapsing, you are surrounded by dangers. Even if you are enjoying, do not ignore the warning signs. Bad

73 - Your charitable nature with little regrets brought you abundance of blessings. Good

74 - Lazy and unproductive are your traits. Bad

75 - You are impatient and you want to make it to heaven with one leap. Take one step at a time and you will succeed. Medium.

76 - Disasters abound. You may lose your fife and fortunes. Change your name. Bad.

77 - You either enjoy success very early or very late in your life. Medium.

78 - A flower blooms but never bears its fruits. Hence you will encounter poverty at old age. Bad

79 - The future is uncertain and not bright, like walking in total darkness. Bad.

80 - Discontentment dominates your life. Always finding faults with your surroundings. Be contended or else whatever you gained will be lost through your own foolishness. Medium.

81 - One reaches full circle. All wishes fulfilled and all goes well. Good.