healthyhoustonkids.com

Healthy Houston Kids Retires

2013-04-19T16:54:20Z

Hi gang,

Obviously Healthy Houston Kids has been sorely neglected. While I’ve really enjoyed the topic of children’s health and getting to know you readers, I’ve decided to move to another topic. My next blog will be Plays With Words and will feature my adventures in writing for a living, writing for fun and reading to appreciate other writer’s work. I hope you’ll follow me there. Meantime, stay healthy!

Camp Hope needs your help

2012-04-10T22:27:51Z

Sorry guys, paying work has (sadly) gotten in the way of many fun things, and that includes keeping readers of Healthy Houston Kids informed.

However, a friend is in desperate need and I’m writing, hoping you will be able to help. That friend, Camp Hope, will not be able to provide a respite for young children with HIV/AIDS this year unless they receive $32,000 by June 1. Fellow Camp admirer Karen at Chookooloonks wrote this about the camp:

Camp HOPE: the first summer camp of its kind, specifically for kids between the ages of 7 and 15 with HIV/AIDS. Most of the 150 kids who come from all over the United States to Camp each year are from families whose annual income is less than US$10,000; needless to say, this is one of the only opportunities (if not the only opportunity) these kids have to spend 7 carefree days swimming and climbing and playing and doing all the kinds of things kids love to do at camp — but with the added benefit of not feeling like they have to hide who they are, or worse, deal with the stigma of having this disease. Furthermore, Camp is safe: in addition to the amazing camp counselors (some of them former Camp HOPE campers), there are doctors and psychiatrists and social workers who donate their time, and medical supplies and facilities actually on site, should any emergencies or medical needs arise.

You can watch a video about Camp Hope here, produced by Smiley Pool.

This is a case where every little bit helps — literally. So please, give to Camp Hope if you can. If you can’t support Camp Hope financially, please tweet, Facebook, StumbleUpon or write a blog post.

Teaching gardens get boost in Houston and Baytown

2012-03-22T16:26:32Z

Yesterday two local schools celebrated spring by breaking out the soil and seedlings in their teaching gardens. The school gardens, Crespo Elementary in Houston ISD and James Bowie Elementary in Goose Creek CISD (Baytown), are sponsored by the local chapter of the American Heart Association (AHA). The association sponsors teaching gardens across the country to teach children about healthy habits.

Hundreds of students gathered to load soil into wheelbarrows and plant vegetable seedlings, said the AHA.

Crespo Elementary is sponsored in part by a $250,000 grant from the MetLife Foundation, and James Bowie Elementary is sponsored locally by San Jacinto Methodist Hospital. With the addition of these two new gardens, the American Heart Association will now have three in the Houston area, with many more planned in the coming years.

Why sponsor a teaching garden?

Studies show that healthy behavior positively impacts learning. The goal of the program is to improve children’s health.

Nearly 1 in 3 American children is overweight or obese.

American eating habits are leading to modern day “malnutrition,” with diets full of junk foods.

French fries are the most common source of vegetables consumed by children and make up one-fourth of their vegetable intake. Juice, which may lack important fiber found in whole fruits, accounts for 40 percent of children’s daily fruit intake.

The American Heart Association Teaching Gardens, founded by Kelly Meyer, is an innovative national, school-based program to re-establish what it means to be healthy. Aimed at elementary school students, the Teaching Garden program provides hands-on learning experiences rooted in offering nutritional choices. For more information about the Teaching Gardens program and how you can participate, visit www.heart.org/teachinggardens.

Thanks to Cypress Times for the heads-up about this story!

Getting kids started with organized sports

2012-03-07T01:08:23Z

Today, guest blogger Lisa Garson of Great Play in Sugar Land shares some thoughts for helping your children navigate the world of youth sports.

Twenty million kids will register for youth sports this year, many of them for the first time. Numerous studies prove the benefits of participating in regular physical activity as a child, and organized sports can be a fun way for them to get the recommended 60 minutes a day. Sports also can teach children about teamwork and allow them to form friendships that last for years. With summer just around the corner, it may be time to consider signing your child up for a league.

As the owner of Great Play, a kids’ gym that helps build confidence and competence in sports and motor skills, here are some ideas that may help you if your child is joining a league for the first time:

Make sure they’re ready

There is no single “right” age to start organized sports. Some children are physically and mentally ready to enjoy sports as young as age 4 while others won’t be ready for several more years. You know your child best. Don’t push them into something too young and risk a negative experience. They will not be “behind” if they wait several more years and start when they will actually enjoy it. By simply learning a few skills of the sport before starting, kids can jump into a sport at a later age and just as successful.

Know what you’re getting into if you do start young

Soccer or basketball at younger ages is generally just a mass of kids chasing the ball and pushing. It favors size and aggressiveness and bears relatively little resemblance to the game that the kids will play when they’re older and understand the concept of “spreading out.” No need to have the smaller or less aggressive 4 or 5 year old have a bad experience and decide he or she doesn’t enjoy the sport, when it might be a great fit later on.

T-ball, with all its “standing around” time, can be downright painful for your 5 year old (and for you)! It is best for children who have demonstrated an interest in the sport – either watching major league baseball games or being dragged to games of their older siblings – and want to finally get their turn. Otherwise, starting at age 7 is just as good and will not limit your child’s likelihood of being on the all-star team at age 10.

Practice the basic skills in advance

Kids tend to have fun when they experience some success – catching the ball, making a good pass, taking a good shot, etc. When they have fun, they want to keep playing, and by playing they get better. This begins a self-reinforcing cycle that can lead to long-term participation.

Recreational leagues are generally good opportunities to play the sports. However, leagues tend to do a poor job of teaching skills. There are often many kids per coach, with relatively little practice time, and coaches are generally parent volunteers who may lack the expertise to teach sport skills to kids. A child who shows up for the first time having never learned the basics could be set up for disappointment.

Give your child a leg up by teaching them the fundamental skills of the sport – either on your own or by enrolling in a program geared to teaching the skills of the game, like the Sports Skill class we offer at Great Play. If they know how to throw a baseball or the proper way to square up their foot for a soccer pass, they will be well on their way to a successful experience on a team.

Try again

Not every sport is the right fit for every child. It is common for kids to test out many sports before finding one or two that they love. Don’t push your child into a sport that they are unhappy with or give up on organized sports just because the first one they try isn’t a perfect match.

Experts recommend that children play multiple sports and not specialize too young. They will develop greater coordination, be less prone to injury, and be less likely to burn out if they play a few different sports.

Keep it positive and fun

Remember that the main goal is for your child to enjoy the sport and ultimately want to keep participating in the future. Your approval can go a long way. Point out the positives and progress made in every practice or game so that they feel a sense of accomplishment even after the games they don’t win. Help them avoid setting expectations so high that they can’t succeed. For instance, getting a first hit in baseball can be very hard. A better initial goal might be simply to swing the bat at the right time. With the right attitude, your child can enjoy sports, which can, in turn, lead to greater levels of fitness and health through their life.

Learn more about Great Play at www.greatplay.com.

Family Day Out for Houston’s Special Needs Children

2012-03-07T01:07:35Z

Gotta love Twitter. Today I learned about a great service for Houston families with special needs children sponsored by our local Easter Seals chapter. The Family Day Out provides a much-needed break to parents with the goals of reducing stress, abuse, family break down and institutionalization of those with disabilities.

Family Day Out is a Saturday day-camp for children with disabilities ages 6 to 14 and their siblings ages 6 to 10. Children join in arts and crafts and other fun activities. Volunteers provide each child with one-on-one attention.

2012 Houston & Woodlands Family Day Out

March 10 at Katy Visual & Performing Arts Center
April 14 at The Woodlands United Methodist Church
March 17 at Houston Parks Adaptive Rec Center
April 14 at Katy Visual & Performing Arts Center
April 28 at Houston Parks Adaptive Rec Center
May 5 at Memorial Drive United Methodist Church
May 5 at The Woodlands United Methodist Church
May 12 at Katy Visual & Performing Arts Center
September 8 at The Woodlands United Methodist Church
October 6 at The Woodlands United Methodist Church
November 3 at The Woodlands United Methodist Church
December 1 at The Woodlands United Methodist Church

You must RSVP to participate in Family Day Out. Reservations are taken on a first come first serve basis starting the 1^st of each month. To RSVP, call Christine Ellery at 713-838-9050 x332 or email her at cellery@eastersealshouston.org.

Volunteers and sponsors are needed. Call Kristie at KCarlisle@eastersealshouston.org, toll-free 1(888) 825.9682, ext.472 to volunteer and to learn more about the program.

Toddler Tuesdays offer free outdoor time for Houston tots

2012-02-06T21:24:03Z

If you’re looking to get out of the house with your toddler, Discovery Green will host Toddler Tuesdays beginning April 3. Every Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. through June parents will find a story time and activities with your kiddos favorite look-a-like characters. Best of all, admission is free.

Discovery Green needs donations and volunteers for the Easter egg hunt on April 3. You can bring plastic fillable eggs, prizes in any size and monetary donations to the Park Office daily through April 2nd between 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Contact lori@discoverygreen.com or eileen@discoverygreen.com if you would like to volunteer.

The Toddler Tuesday activity calendar follows:

April 3 – Easter Bunny & Easter Egg Hunt
April 10 – Foam Party
April 17 – SpongeBob Goes Green
April 24 – Caillou: Let’s Go to the Park
May 1 – Olivia Lead A Parade
May 8 – Fancy Nancy: Marvelous Mother’s Day Brunch
May 15 – Max & Ruby’s Show & Tell
May 22 – Hello Kitty: What Will I Be A to Z
May 29 – Kai-Lan’s Sunny Day
June 5 – Scooby-Doo Time to Play
June 12 – The Berenstain Bears Papa’s Day Surprise
June 19 – Curious George: The Dog Show
June 26 – Yogi & BooBoo: Life’s A Pic-a-nic

Learn more about Discovery Green here.

Walk for healthy babies

2012-02-22T14:55:52Z

Remember those little cards you got in elementary school that you filled with dimes for the March of Dimes? Back then the goal was to raise money to wipe out polio. Now the March of Dimes focuses on reducing premature birth and hosts walks to raise dimes and dollars.

In an average week, 1,001 Texas babies are born preterm, and 48 babies die before their first birthday. Prematurity is the leading cause of death for newborns, hence the March of Dimes focus on prematurity.

In Houston and Montgomery County, the local chapters of the March of Dimes will host their 2012 Montgomery County March for Babies on Saturday, April 28 at Woodlands Church.The 2012 Houston March for Babies, Sunday, April 29, at University of Houston. Opening ceremonies begin at 8 a.m. and the walk starts at 9 a.m.

If you don’t want to form your own team, you can join the Gymboree Baby Brigade led by Devina, owner of the Gymboree location on Gessner.

Thanks Devina for letting us know about this walk!

Active games don’t increase exercise

2012-02-27T23:48:44Z

A couple of years ago we reported that some local researchers were looking for local kids to play video games. They wanted to see just how much exercise children got when playing active video games.

Now they’ve released their results. Turns out all that virtual boxing, bowling and dancing with video games might not be helping kids meet their daily exercise needs.

The study followed 78 children between ages 9 and 12. All were given Nintendo Wii consoles as a part of the study.

Researchers measured the physical activity of all participants for seven days before the beginning of the study using a device called an accelerometer.

The children were divided into two groups. The first were asked to select one of five active video games, defined as those that promoted physical activity, at week one and week seven of the study. The second were asked to select one of five inactive video games at week one and week seven of the study.

When the researchers later tested the kid’s activity levels they found no different in the two groups fitness levels. Next, the researchers want to see what else can be done to increase youngster’s use of the games.

Here’s a link to the researchers’ study in the Journal of Pediatrics and what Good Morning America said about the research.

See our original post: Will your kids work for a Wii?

Resources for Houston parents

2012-02-25T01:18:36Z

You may have noticed that we recently launched our new Resources page. We hope this page makes it easier for you to find the lists and tips on where to find the resources for keeping your kids healthy in Houston.

The Resources page includes topics such as where to get your car seats properly installed, information for children with special needs and how to help a teen transition to adult care. We will continue to add to the list as time goes on.

As always, you can find information on where to get free and cheap vaccines for your children here.

Meantime, if you have a question about where to find the help you need to keep your youngsters healthy, leave a comment. We’ll try to find answers!

Sports medicine for kids expands in west Houston

2012-03-06T16:17:01Z

Availability of the specialized medicine children sometimes need continues to grow in west Houston. Texas Children’s recently added sports medicine department to its West Campus hospital near Katy, just off I-10 at Barker Cypress.

Their sports medicine program team doctors and physical therapists trained to care for child and adolescent sports conditions and athletic injuries. We asked and the injuries they most often see are:

Ankle injuries
Concussions
Overuse muscle pain
Back pain
Exercise-induced asthma
Shoulder injuries
Elbow and wrist injuries

Their sports medicine team also includes orthopedic sports physicians who set broken bones, dislocations, ligament injuries, ACL and PCL injuries and meniscal tears.

The team will also train student athletes on general wellness and injury prevention and the common conditions that affect performance, such as overtraining, under-nutrition, inadequate sleep, iron-deficiency anemia and poorly controlled asthma. Visit westcampus.texaschildrens.org for more information.

Photo by Hy-Vee