Article

NATURAL REMEDIES FOR CHILDREN WITH ADD/ADHD (PART 1)

agil_azzahra@yahoo.com (Happy Baby & Kid) — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 08:09:00 +0000

Recognizing the need for a healthier and more effective approach, without the side effects of the prescription drugs, we have found the company that has developed natural supplements for children with ADD and ADHD, 100 % herbal remedies containing well researched ingredients and manufactured in therapeutic dosage according to the highest pharmaceutical standards.

A. Brightspark

Brightspark is a safe, non addictive, natural remedy for ADD that contains 100 % homeopathic ingredients especially selected by our clinical psychologist. It was created to treat the symptoms of ADD child without the potentially dangerous side effects associated with many psychiatric drugs.
Many children with ADD are highly creative and intelligent individuals with a wonderful sense of humor. Brightspark will keep you ‘Bright and Sparky’, while at the same time helping you to focus and pay attention, without the risk of addiction, drowsiness, and other side effects.

Use brightspark to :
1. Relax and calm down
2. Be less impulsive
3. Listen more carefully
4. Follow instructions
5. Concentrate better
6. Be less distractible
7. Achieve better result at school

Brightspark contains the following therapeutic herbs in convenient and fast dissolving tablets:

Hyoscyamus has been known to help alleviate over-excitability, restlessness, and general disruptive behavior in those who are hard to control (Lamon J, Homoeopathic Treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder; A Controlled Study. Br Homoeopath J. 1997; 86 : 196-200). Also provides general relief from sudden frenetic outbursts and involuntary twitching commonly experienced with tic disorder. Hyoscyamus can also be of benefit to people who has tendency to foolish behavior, who may display facial grimaces, inappropriate behavior, and fidgeting hands.

Tuberculinum was traditionally used for allergy-related complaints, but can also be used to soothe irritability and for those with a flustered disposition. From a homeopathic point a few, tuberculinum is best suited to people who long for constant stimulation and change, often accompanied by destructive anger, disillusionment, irritability, and a strong sense of discontent.

Arsen iod is used to promote balance during temper outbursts, but can also assist in suppressing annoyance when confronted with trying and frustrating circumstances. This proven homeopathic remedy is often recommended for people who tend to be irritable and restless, or excitable and impatient with sudden outbursts. There is often a history of allergic reactions or hayfever.

Verta Alb can help bring about emotional stability and soothe the nerves during tumultuous inner struggles and conflict. Homeopaths often recommend Verat alb for hyperactive children or those who tend to be critical and restless. A weak immune system is often found, as well as cravings for fruit and ice cream.

Read also natural remedies of ADD/ADHD according to Dr.Earl Mindell’s research

The Symptoms of ADD/ADHD

agil_azzahra@yahoo.com (Happy Baby & Kid) — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 00:46:00 +0000

The three main characteristics of ADD/ADHD are inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity. While many adults do not get diagnosed as children, the symptoms are often noticeable between the ages of three to seven years of age. Most children are not diagnosed until they reach school age, when they are involved in a structured setting and compared against a set of behavioral standards.

Inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity as common ADHD/ADD symptoms:

a. Inattention (not being able to focus on tasks on hand or complete expected tasks). Paying attention and avoiding distractions is a common trait for those suffering from ADHD/ADD. Being careless, disorganized, appearing not to listen and putting off completing tasks are also common for those suffering for the disorder.

b. Hyperactivity: Also present before the age of seven is the hyperactivity component of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Not being able to sit still, constantly fidgeting and having to get up and walk around are common characteristics of hyperactivity.

c. Impulsivity:A person suffering from impulsivity will often be unable to wait their turn for games, blurt out answers or comments without thinking and not wait for the right time to speak. They also touch and grab items that are not theirs, begin working before full instructions are given and disturb others.

DIAGNOSIS OF ADHD AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE

agil_azzahra@yahoo.com (Happy Baby & Kid) — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 00:15:00 +0000

Children, who actively is fair, because they was actively exploring the environment. However, if the child is too active, maybe there is interference. Before concluding of course children need to be diagnosed first. Generally diagnosis is made when a child enters school age. Can the diagnosis be done when a child under the age of 5 years? According to child development experts ADD / ADHD from Mansfield University, Eileen Bailey, explained

it very difficult to diagnose ADHD in children under 5 years of age because in those days the children are experiencing different stages of development vary. Usually the active behavior of excessive without thinking of the consequences is the typical behavior of children at this age, including the ability of a short attention span.Children will be more difficult diagnosis of ADHD symptoms, if only in the home environment.

Some of the criteria that indicate ADHD behaviors will be more visible when children undergo at least two different environments, such as schools and homes. However, if you believe the child has ADHD symptoms, prepare a daily journal to record observations that you do for 6 months. So when needed, you can share information with specialists who handle these issues.

If you want to immediately meet with experts who deal with children with ADHD before the age of 6 years, there are several things that must be considered before the child gets more serious treatment

If during the 6 months you have the symptoms of ADHD in children's behavior is consistently inconsistent with the stages of child development age (for example: children are often caught out or run away when he was in preschool or day care) and the behaviors problem continued through a period of 6 months until your observations, maybe your children classified as ADHD children. Diagnosis is ideally done when children are in school or the age of 6 years and over, why is that? Here are a few reasons:

1. One of the requirements for diagnosis, the symptoms of ADD / ADHD should be observed when children already have two different environments, namely schools and home environments. If the child both have the same behavior problems consistently, you should immediately bring it to the experts.

2. Early childhood generally feel uncomfortable when receiving the change. Often they show that through disruptive child behavior. Overactive child is not necessarily classified as ADD or ADHD child.

3. Usually the child has a level of development at different ages so it is difficult to measure the existence of developmental delay.

4. The controversy over ADD / ADHD can contribute to the parents for not seeking treatment or other diagnoses to diagnose early childhood.

Yet the diagnosis can be done when a child is 2 years old. Some parents also make the diagnosis after discovering the discrepancy when the child was a baby. It should be noted though children do not have ADD or ADHD, but often found some ADD symptoms before the child goes to school.

http://www.inspiredkidsmagazine.com

The Dangers of ADHD Drugs

agil_azzahra@yahoo.com (Happy Baby & Kid) — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 23:03:00 +0000

Doctors often don’t disclose the dangers of ADHD drugs. They may mention some “common” side effects such as problems sleeping, loss of weight, loss of appetite and irritability but rarely do they mention the “other” side effects.

Did you know – many ADHD drugs can cause:

a. Depression

b. Suicidal Thoughts and Tendencies

c. Heart Attacks

Harry Hucknall was 10 years old when he took his own life. Diagnosed as having ADHD and prescribed both Ritalin and Prozac, Harry had mentioned feelings of unwell and did not appear to be happy. Tests have revealed he had higher doses than a normal adult would have had for the same problems. Harry was not alone, hundreds of children have died from drug-related deaths, ADHD drugs that is.

The next couple of paragraphs will be sad and readers are warned of the fact.

Taken from the page of National Alliance Against Mandated Mental Health Screening and Psychiatric Drugging of Children, the following children have died from being on ADHD drugs:

1. Stephanie Hall – 11 years old. Ritalin.

2. Louise Dunkle – 10 years old. Desipramine.

3. Matthew Smith – 14 years old. Ritalin.

4. Adrian David Wade – 12 years old. Strattera. (Suicide).

5. Leanne Bessner – 15 years old. Concerta.(Suicide).

6. Macauley Showalter – 7 years old. Ritalin and 3 other psychiatric drugs.

7. Randy Steel – 9 years old. Dexedrine and other drugs.

8. Cameron Pettus – 12 years old. Desipramine.

9. Travis Neal – 13 years old. Ritalin.

10. Harry Hucknall – 10. Ritalin. (Suicide).

These children, and many more died from side effects caused by the ADHD drugs: heart attacks, organ toxicity or suicide.Because of many side effects from ADHD drugs, we can choose the natural remedies.

NATURAL REMEDIES OF ADD/ADHD

agil_azzahra@yahoo.com (Happy Baby & Kid) — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 04:40:00 +0000

ADD is different with ADHD. Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) is a condition characterized by a short or poor attention span and inappropriate, impulsive behavior. Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is ADD with hyperactivity. These disorders usually affect school-aged children, but many continue into adulthood. Symptoms include fidgeting, excessive talking, disregard of consequences, and an inability to concentrate. Psychosimulant drugs are often prescribed to control ADD/ADHD, but natural remedies, including natural supplements and exercise, offer nonprescription alternatives.

According to Dr.Earl Mindell’s research, there are natural remedies of add/adhd :

A. SUPPLEMENTS

1. Calcium : 500 – 1,000 mg daily ( older women : 1,500 – 2,000 mg ).

2. Magnesium : 250 – 500 mg daily.

3. MSM : 1,000 mg, one to three times daily.

B. HERBS

1. Bacopa extract : 100 mg daily.

2. Club moss (Huperzine A) : as directed on label

3. Ginkgo biloba extract : 60 mg, one to three times daily.

4. Grape seed / green tea complex : 100 mg of each, twice daily.

5. Green tea extract : 100 mg, twice daily.

6. Phospatidylserine (PS) : 300 – 600 mg daily.

7. St. John’s wort (dual action) : 300 mg, once or twice daily.

C. CONSIDER OR TRY TO

1. Allergy elimination diet

2. Biofeedback

3. Exercise regularly

D. AVOID OR WATCH OUT FOR

1. Dairy products

2. Junk foods

3. Refined carbohydrates

4. Stress

The Trendiest Middle Names

agil_azzahra@yahoo.com (Happy Baby & Kid) — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 05:29:00 +0000

Middle names are used much less than first names, allowing parents to be more creative and choose a truly distinctive and individual name. When considering middle names, it is best to pick a name that has meaning to you, or one that you simply love.

Popular middle names are often Biblical in origin. Boys’ names such as Andrew, Daniel, Jacob, Joshua, Michael, and Noah are one of the most enduring choices of expecting parents all over the world. Popular Biblical girl’s names include: Maria, Abigail, Elizabeth, Hannah, Rebecca, and Sarah. Biblical names are not only a timeless choice, but also add meaning to your child’s name as well as spiritual depth.

Choosing a name that honors a person that had an impact on your life is also a popular choice for a baby’s middle name.

Parents might want to use a maiden name, the name of a family member, a friend, or even a celebrity as their child’s middle name, and in doing so show their gratitude and respect to that person.

In other situations, parents give their babies middle names after locations, or even countries. Popular choices include naming a baby after the location where he or she was conceived or the place where the parents spent their honeymoon in. This explains why so many children today are called Paris, London, Chelsea, China or France.

In many cases, parents also opt for unusual baby middle names. Uncommon baby boy names like Cailen, Daylen, and Tao or baby girl names like Cranberry, Evi, Izis, Nevaeh (Heaven backwards), and Wednesday have seen a rise in popularity among expecting parents.

With middle names becoming ever more popular, it is no surprise that so many parents are looking for a unique and pretty name to give their babies. While choosing a baby’s first name can often be stressful, choosing a middle name tends to be more enjoyable, because they lend themselves well to a vast variety of choices. As long as you make sure that the middle name sounds nice with the first and last name, you cannot go wrong with choosing one or even more middle names for your child.

ALL ABOUT OVULATION

agil_azzahra@yahoo.com (Happy Baby & Kid) — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 05:00:00 +0000

Definition

Ovulation is the process in a female's menstrual cycle by which a mature ovarian follicle ruptures and discharges an ovum (also known as an oocyte, female gamete, or casually, an egg). Ovulation also occurs in the estrous cycle of other female mammals, which differs in many fundamental ways from the menstrual cycle. The time immediately surrounding ovulation is referred to as the ovulatory phase or the periovulatory period.

Key Facts of Ovulation

• An egg lives 12-24 hours after leaving the ovary

• Normally only one egg is released each time of ovulation

• Ovulation can be affected by stress, illness or disruption of normal routines
• Some women may experience some light blood spotting during ovulation
• Implantation of a fertilized egg normally takes place 6-12 days after ovulation
• Each woman is born with millions of immature eggs that are awaiting ovulation to begin
• A menstrual period can occur even if ovulation has not occurred
• Ovulation can occur even if a menstrual period has not occurred

• Some women can feel a bit of pain or aching near the ovaries during ovulation called mittelschmerz, which means "middle pain" in German

• If an egg is not fertilized, it disintegrates and is absorbed into the uterine lining

Ovulation Cycle

Knowing the science behind your ovulation cycle can help you gain a better understanding of when you can be most fertile and have the best chance to conceive. Although it happens each month, your ovulation cycle is unique, customized to your body and influenced by what is going on in your daily life. Things like stress and a deviant change from your normal routine can bring about a significant change in your ovulation cycle, which can be distressing when you are trying to conceive.

The first part of the ovulation cycle is the follicular phase. Starting on the first day of the menstrual period, this phase continues until the ovulation occurs. This part of the cycle can last anywhere from 7 to 40 days, and can vary due to many factors such as age, stress, illness, travel etc.

The second portion of the cycle is called the luteal phase and starts on the day of ovulation until the period begins. This is a more precise timeline and is usually between 12 to 16 days after the day of ovulation. With this in mind, you can significantly alter your period with stress and a change from your usual routine because ovulation is very affected by these factors.

How do you know when you are ovulating? One way to track it is by studying cervical mucus and tracking your basal temperatures to know when ovulation has occured. Once you know your particular pattern, you can monitor it month by month to track your fertility times. With this knowledge, you can plan your intercourse around this time and then watch for early pregnancy symptoms. Of course, how often and when the best time to get pregnant occurs can be different for different people depending on their personal cycle.

If the egg has not been fertilized during the ovulation cycle, you will see your hormone levels drop significantly and your uterine lining will start to shed. This will take place roughly 12 to 16 days after the ovulation and you will have your period. Once this happens, a fresh month begins and a new ovulation cycle starts all over again. You can start your first day of the ovulation cycle on the first day of your period.

Although this seems confusing and complicated at first, understanding your ovulation cycle will help you find the best time to conceive. Maximize your chances when you monitor and track your body for a safe and easy pregnancy and conception experience.

50 Craziest Celebrity Baby Names

agil_azzahra@yahoo.com (Happy Baby & Kid) — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 04:05:00 +0000

Celebrities are often known for giving their children unique and unusual names. We have collected a baby names list, of the most popular names among celebrities for their babies.

The UK Times Online has published a list of what they pinned as the “50 Craziest Celebrity Baby Names.” Among the lucky originals to top the list are Audio Science (Shannyn Sossamon), Heavenly Hiraani Tiger Lily (Paula Yates and Michael Hutchence), Pilot Inspektor (Jason Lee and Beth Riesgraf), and Jermajesty (Jermaine Jackson and Alejandra Genevieve Oaziaza). No Doubt singer Gwen Stefani and her husband Gavin Rossdale are parents to Kingston and Zuma Nasta Rock (pictured).But with all the spotlight on the new baby trend in celebrity circles, it can be easy to miss a national wave that is taking the baby naming game to a whole new level.

Take the national Social Security data on popular baby names, and one can find unique and made-up names taking over the charts. With names such as Nevaeh (heaven spelled backwards) and Brooklyn skyrocketing in national popularity, it is a wonder if the celebrity baby names thought of as “crazy” today will even inspire a wink a few years down the line. And what is it that labels these names as “crazy” anyway? It may simply be because Fifi Trixibell (Bob Geldof and Paula Yates) is a long cry away from Jennifer or Samantha, but with more and more parents giving their babies untraditional names, the entire way we think of the genre may be about to change.

The UK Times suggests celebrity babies are “blessed with a moniker likely to give… problems in the school playground,” but let us not forget the ease with which a name can be changed these days. Let us assume these babies will not have financial concerns when it comes to paying for the process, but who’s to say the names really will cause problems? If a Pilot Inspektor is surrounded by peer Bluebells and Cameras, does it really make a difference? Perhaps its time to leave the outrageous headlines to the more serious concerns of the world, and let both the parents and the babies of tomorrow enjoy their right to be unique and playful with their baby name decisions.

For those looking for inspiration, here is a list of the Top 50 originals:

Aanisah (Macy Gray)

Apple (Chris Martin and Gwyneth Paltrow)

Astrella Celeste (Donovan and Linda Lawrence)

Atherton Grace (Don Johnson and Kelley Phleger)

Audio Science (Shannyn Sossamon)

Aurelius Cy (Elle Macpherson and Arpad Busson)

Blue Angel (The Edge from U2 and Aislinn O'Sullivan)

Bluebell Madonna (Geri Halliwell)

Brooklyn (David and Victoria Beckham)

Calico (Alice and Sheryl Cooper)

Camera (Arthur Ashe and Jeanne Moutoussamy)

Destry (Steven Spielberg and Kate Capshaw)

Diezel Ky (Toni Braxton and Keri Lewis)

Fifi Trixibell (Bob Geldof and Paula Yates)

Fuchsia (Sting and Frances Tomelty)

Gaia (Emma Thompson and Greg Wise)

Gulliver (Gary Oldman and Donya Fiorentino)

Heaven (Lil' Mo)

Heavenly Hiraani Tiger Lily (Paula Yates and Michael Hutchence)

Hopper (Sean Penn and Robin Wright)

Ireland (Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger)

Jaz (Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi)

Jazz Domino (Joe Strummer)

Jermajesty (Jermaine Jackson and Alejandra Genevieve Oaziaza)

Kal-El Coppola (Nicholas Cage)

Kyd (David Duchovny and Tea Leoni)

Lark Song (Mia Farrow and André Previn)

Lennon (Liam Gallagher and Patsy Kensit)

Liberty (Ryan Giggs)

London Emilio (Slash)

Luna Coco Patricia (Frank Lampard and Elen Rive)

Marquise (50 Cent)

Memphis Eve (Bono)

Moon Unit (Frank Zappa)

Moxie CrimeFighter (Penn Jillette)

Ocean (Forest Whitaker)

Pilot Inspektor (Jason Lee and Beth Riesgraf)

Poppy Honey (Jamie and Jules Oliver)

Rocket (Robert Rodriguez)

Rufus Tiger (Roger Taylor)

Saffron Sahara (Simon and Yasmin Le Bon)

Sage Moonblood (Sylvester Stallone and Sasha Czack)

Satchel (Spike Lee and Tonya Lewis Lee)

Seven Sirius (Andre Benjamin and Erykah Badu)

Shiloh Nouvel (Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie)

Sosie (Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick)

Suri (Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes)

Tallulah (Bruce Willis and Demi Moore)

Willow Camille Reign (Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith)

Zola Ivy (Eddie Murphy and Nicole Mitchell)

2011 Celebrity Babies (newest first!)

agil_azzahra@yahoo.com (Happy Baby & Kid) — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 03:41:00 +0000

Almost everyone is fascinated by celebrities, even if we pretend not to be! And celebrity babies are one of the hottest topics on the web. One reason celebrity babies are so popular – besides the celebrities who have them! – is the fact that some celebs choose really way-out, cutting-edge names for their kids. It's not a new phenomenon – it has been going on at least since Frank Zappa named two of his children Moon Unit and Dweezil in the late 1960s.

Download Table

Mother	Claim to Fame	Father	Claim to Fame2	Baby Name
Sophie Dahl	Model	Jamie Cullum	Singer	Lyra

Mieke Dumont	Celeb Partner	Tom Dumont	Musician	Koa Thomas

Kristin Dos Santos	T. V. Host	Joao Dos Santos	Celeb Partner	Matteo Tomaz

Gretchen Mol	Actress	Tod Williams	Director	Winter Morgan

Penny Lancaster	Model	Rod Stewart	Singer	Aiden

Melissa Rycroft	Reality T.V. Star	Tye Strickland	Celeb Partner	Ava Grace

Lisa Valastro	Celebrity Chef	Buddy Valastro	Celebrity Chef	Carlo

Cynthia Nixon	Actress	Not known	Celeb Partner	Max Ellington

Jazmin Blais	Celeb Partner	Richard Blais	Chef	Embry Lotus

Shelly Brown	Celeb Partner	Zac Brown	Singer	Joni Mason

Lorca Cohen	Videographer	Rufus Wainwright	Singer	Viva Katherine

Samantha Bryant	Publicist	Colin Hanks	Actor	Olivia Jane

Megan Ferguson	Art Dealer	Craig Ferguson	T.V. Host	Liam James

Christina Applegate	Actress	Martyn LeNoble	Musician	Sadie Grace

Orly Agai Marley	Celeb Partner	Ziggy Marley	Musician	Abraham Selassie

Lakiha Spicer	Celeb Partner	Mike Tyson	Boxer	Morocco Elijah

Erin Lokitz	Actress	Tony Kanal	Musician	Coco Reese Lakshmi

Giovanna Yannotti	Actress	Kurt Angle	Wrestler	Giuliana Marie

Doutzen Kroes	Model	Sunnery James	Producer	Phyllon

Samantha Harris	T. V. Personality	Michael Hess	Celeb Partner	Hillary Madison

Jade Duell	Air Marshal	Owen Wilson	Actor	Robert Ford

Miranda Kerr	Model	Orlando Bloom	Actor	Flynn

Julianne Morris	Actress	Kristoffer Polaha	Actor	Jude

How to keep your baby safe in the sun

agil_azzahra@yahoo.com (Happy Baby & Kid) — Mon, 23 May 2011 15:37:00 +0000

Babies can quickly suffer the short- and long-term damage of sunburn and heat stroke, so keeping your baby safe in the sun is crucial.

Sunburn can cause pain, fever, and dehydration. And just one sunburn during childhood raises the risk of melanoma (the most deadly type of skin cancer) as well as wrinkles later in life.

Keep your baby completely out of the sun as much as possible before 6 months of age. When you do go outdoors, be particularly careful in the early months about taking all the following precautions.

How and when sunburns happen

The sun is strongest between 10 and 4 o'clock, so when you can, time your stroll or outside play with your baby earlier than 10 or later than 4. When you do venture out, keep in mind that the sun's rays bounce off surfaces like water, snow, cement, and sand.

But your baby can also get burned at other times of day and on cloudy or cool days. Why? Because it's not the heat of the sun that burns the skin but the sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays.

UV rays can damage the skin at all times of day, all year round, even in the middle of winter. And a baby's thinner, more delicate skin is especially vulnerable.

You can't feel these when they hit your skin, but you'll see the effects later. (It can take several hours for the redness and pain of a mild first-degree burn to appear.)

Keep your baby in protected spots

Use the sunshade on your baby's stroller or carriage whenever you're outside. Consider buying an inexpensive (less than $20) pop-up stroller shade that has built-in UV protection and fits over your stroller's canopy to shelter your baby's whole body.

Try to keep your baby in the shade – under a tree or umbrella, for example. You may be surprised to learn that shade provides only partial protection against UV rays. Without sunscreen or other protection, even a baby in the shade can get sunburned.

If you're longing to spend your day at a beach or park, an outdoor sun tent with built-in UV protection can keep your baby cool and protected.

Dress your baby in protective clothing

Cover your baby's arms and legs in lightweight, light-colored clothing. Light colors reflect the heat and keep skin cooler than dark colors, which absorb heat.

Fabrics with a tight weave protect skin better than loosely woven fabrics. (Hold the fabric up to the light. The less light you see shining through, the tighter the weave.)

You can find clothing such as swimsuits and T-shirts made from fabric with sun protection built into it. These products can be a little pricey, but they might be a good investment if you often find yourself outdoors with your baby.

Whether your baby is bald or has a full head of hair, a hat is a must. Choose a hat with flaps in the back for neck protection and a brim that's wide enough to shade the face. A brim that protects the ears is better than one that protects only in front.

If your baby will wear them, try a pair of UV-protective sunglasses.

Slather on the sunscreen

Choose a sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15. Look for the words "broad spectrum" on the label. "Broad spectrum" means the product protects against both UVA and UVB rays. UVB rays are more likely to cause sunburn and wrinkling, while UVA rays cause damage deeper in the skin.

Apply sunscreen 15 to 30 minutes before heading outdoors, and reapply it every two hours. Make sure you cover all exposed areas of your baby's skin, including the tips of the ears, the back of the neck, and the tops of the feet.

If your baby goes into the water, reapply sunscreen as soon as you towel him off – even if it's been less than two hours since you applied it.

Other tips:

Replace your family's sunscreen periodically. The active ingredients lose effectiveness after a while.

Learn what type of sunscreen is best for children.

Test your sunscreen IQ.

Learn more about when to start using sunscreen on your baby.

Find out whether you need to worry about babies putting their hands in their mouth after sunscreen is applied.

Protect your baby from the heat as well as the sun

It's easy for your baby to get overheated in hot summer weather. For more details, read our complete article about heat stroke in babies.

To avoid heat stroke:

Dress your baby in light, loose-fitting clothing.

Keep your baby in the shade whenever possible.

Make sure the car is cooled off before you go for a ride.

Offer your baby plenty of liquids (breast milk or formula provides plenty of hydration; don't offer water before 6 months).

If you don't have air conditioning at home, visit a public, air-conditioned place on very hot or humid days. The public library and the mall are good options. Some communities offer shelters specifically for this purpose.

Make sure your baby is protected when in the care of others

Check with your baby's other caregivers to be certain that they understand the importance of protecting your baby from the sun.

Daycare facilities often take specific precautions before heading outdoors with children, although most will keep young babies indoors whenever possible. Provide sunscreen and appropriate clothing for your baby's caregivers to use.

Make it easy

Tote sunscreen in your diaper bag, along with a hat and little sunglasses, if your baby's willing to wear them.

You might also tuck in (or stow in the car) an extra long-sleeved, long-legged, lightweight outfit for more protection on the go. It may come in handy when you decide to stop at the park on the way home and your baby isn't covered up.

Source:www.babycenter.com

Oops for Britney: Survey reveals most hated baby names...and Jayden tops the list for boys

agil_azzahra@yahoo.com (Happy Baby & Kid) — Sun, 01 May 2011 03:35:00 +0000

It is something that will stay with your child for the rest of their lives, so it's best not to get it wrong.

But when referring to the top ten baby names, it is probably best to also have a glance at the most hated names.

An informal survey has compiled a list of most hated names for boys and girls and found that familiarity breeds contempt and popularity often also brings backlash.

A quick track to baby-name fame can also trigger a hatred for it, and some of the entries are featured high up in the most popular name also, especially when it is one that has been used by a celebrity.

The number one most hated boy name in the U.S. is Jayden, which just happens to be the name of Britney Spears' youngest son.

The next three entries after that are surprisingly off-shoot rhyming names of that - Brayden, Aiden, Kayden. Boring and common names aren't big winners either with Michael making the top ten for being too familiar. In a complete reversal, names which are not familiar - i.e. those which have been made up - are also among the top ten hated.

Neveah - heaven spelled backwards - was the top most hated name while Madison, which only became a girl's name when Daryl Hanna gave it to herself in Splash, and that was only because she happened to be walking down Madison Avenue.

Neveah didn't exist until the 1990s, but it took off in popularity in 2003, shooting from the 150th most common baby name in that year to the 31st most popular in 2007.

Laura Wattenberg, author of The Baby Name Wizard: A Magical Method for Finding the Perfect Name for Your Baby, carried out the survey - which is not based on scientific evidence - for her blog.

According to Live Science, she scoured general-interest message boards online, looking for conversations about baby names that make people cringe.

More than 1,500 names were cited and Ms Wattenberg calculated which names came up the most.

The survey also came to the conclusion that people hate gender-bending names, particularly when a masculine becomes a feminine as in for Madison and Addison.

Among girls, a spate of Mc names sparked annoyance: Mackenzie, McKenna and Makayla all made the top ten.

Ms Wattenberg said: 'In recent decades, people have moved toward "whatever feels fresh." That means moving away from common names, and common sounds, from the previous couple of generations.

'That may explain why many people hate the names Gertrude and Bertha. Hard, Germanic consonants were once thought to convey opulence. Now we live in an age of vowels, and poor, guttural Gertrude doesn't stand a chance.'

Jean Twenge, a San Diego psychology professor and author of Generation Me: Why Today's Young Americans Are More Confident, Assertive, Entitled -- and More Miserable Than Ever Before, told Live Science that there are two schools of thought when it comes to baby naming.

She said: 'On the one side, there are parents who want their kids' names to stand out. On the other side are those who see names as a form of communication.

'Those are the people who are saying, "I don't like the weird spellings and I don't like the really strange names. The common names are good because they're easy for other people.'

Source: dailymail

How to Pronounce Popular Irish Names – Aoife, Cian, Niamh, Oisin

agil_azzahra@yahoo.com (Happy Baby & Kid) — Sun, 24 Apr 2011 02:57:00 +0000

Most of the names popular in Ireland today — names like Jack, Sarah, Adam and Emma — are easy to pronounce. But others can be tricky for non-Irish-speakers to decipher. So, in honor of St. Patrick’s Day, here are some Irish names and their pronunciations.

Girl Names:

Aoife is pronounced EE-fa.

Caoimhe is pronounced KEE-va or KWEE-va.

Ciara is pronounced KEE-ar-a or KEE-ra. (All c’s are hard in Irish.)

Maeve is pronounced MAYV.

Niamh is pronounced NEE-av or NEEV.
Sinead (Sinéad) is pronounced shi-NAYD.

Boy Names:

Cian is pronounced KEE-an or KEEN.
Cillian is pronounced KIL-ee-an.

Eoin is pronounced O-in.

Oisin (Oisín) is pronounced Uh-sheen or O-sheen.

Seamus (Séamus) is pronounced SHAY-mus.

Sean (Seán) is pronounced SHAWN.

Keep in mind that these pronunciations may not cover all dialects of Irish.

P.S. In the cases above, mh and s sound like v and sh. In other cases, though, mh makes a w-sound, and s goes back to sounding like an s. The pronunciation of mh and s in any given word depends upon the nearby vowels.

Source : Nancy

Genetic Testing for Kids: Is It a Good Idea?

agil_azzahra@yahoo.com (Happy Baby & Kid) — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 03:42:00 +0000

With the advent of new genetic tests, it's increasingly easy to gauge whether you're predisposed to developing certain conditions — diabetes, say, or breast cancer. For adults, that knowledge can be simultaneously overwhelming and empowering. For children, the ramifications of such predictions are especially controversial, which is why professional groups — the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), in particular — have come out against genetic testing of children for adult-onset diseases.

Yet a new study published today in the AAP-affiliated journal Pediatrics finds that parents who were offered the option of genetic testing for themselves said they would also like to test their children. The 219 parents surveyed indicated they believe that the risks of testing their children for eight adult-onset conditions — colon, skin and lung cancer; heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, Type 2 diabetes and osteoporosis — outweigh the benefits.

It wouldn't be the first time people ignored doctors' advice. The study accordingly points up the need for pediatricians to be prepared to handle parents' questions about testing. Genetic tests are increasingly available on drugstore shelves or online, and they're being marketed directly to people as a proactive way to take charge of their health. Someone who learns she's prone to diabetes, for example, may feel compelled to cut back on sweets while someone predisposed to skin cancer may slather on sunblock.

“The argument is we should be telling parents and telling children to engage in

all these healthy habits regardless of whether they have this genetic susceptibility or not,” says Colleen McBride, senior author of the study and chief of the social and behavioral research branch at the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI).

Indeed, prevailing wisdom already exhorts parents to limit their children's sugar intake and apply sunscreen regularly. Particularly for conditions that manifest themselves only in adulthood, is there a reason to test children? As the AAP stated in a summary of the journal article, it advises against testing kids for adult-onset conditions “when this information has not been shown to reduce morbidity or mortality through interventions initiated in childhood.”

But parents apparently aren't buying that line of reasoning. Yet if they're hoping for a clean bill of health for their children, they probably won't get one: genetic tests predict the likelihood of developing many common conditions, and most people would find themselves at greater risk for at least some of them.

“We told parents in the study that there are no known health benefits to these tests because we were trying to almost discourage these tests,” says McBride.

The study is part of a larger look at the public's attitudes toward genetic testing by the NHGRI, a division of the National Institutes of Health. Although no kids were actually tested as part of the study, researchers are concerned that less-than-perfect test results in the real world could spark negative emotions among parents and children.

Researchers found that those parents keenest on testing themselves were more interested in testing their children too. Parents reported they thought test results could help them prevent disease and maintain a healthier lifestyle for their children.

Mothers were more inclined than fathers to want to test their children, and so were those parents who predicted they would react positively to finding out their child was at low risk. But in actuality, the 15 gene variants associated with the eight diseases in the study are so common that, on average, any child will have a gene variant for nine of the 15, says McBride.

“The more they anticipated feeling good, the more they wanted to test,” says McBride. “But the reality is those parents are going to get bad news. Their kids are going to be at risk for something. So how are they going to react to that?”

Parents could experience extreme anxiety about their child's well-being; on the other hand, they might take positive action and ensure their child eats well and exercises regularly — something pediatricians recommend regardless of test results. “We have to prime doctors to engage parents about how they will feel if they find out their child has some variants,” says McBride. “Is that going to wig them out or not?”

McBride doesn't necessarily agree with the AAP's position against testing children, but neither does that mean she's a proponent. “If we're going to try to have a big public-health impact, we should start with kids, so it's a really logical place for this genetic testing notion to go,” she says. “But parents may be overestimating what they will get out of testing. I don't think the concern that tests will be harmful is evidence-based. But if you had a couple hundred dollars, they may not be the best thing to do for your kid.”

Source : Time

Filipino (Tagalog) Baby Names

agil_azzahra@yahoo.com (Happy Baby & Kid) — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 02:16:00 +0000

Filipino baby names pay homage to the rich culture of the Philippines for many American families with roots in the Tagalog dialect. Although many parents in the Philippines choose Hebrew names for their newborns, there are still many popular Tagalog baby names for parents - to - be who want to choose a traditional Filipino baby boy name, Filipino baby girl name, or Unisex Filipino baby name.

Filipino baby boy names
When choosing a Tagalog or Filipino baby name, taking a journey down your family tree will give you traditional baby names as well as a way to pay homage to relatives past. Or, opt for one of these popular Filipino baby boy names:

1. Agapito - Beloved

2. Alenjandro - Defender of men
3. Amando - God's love
4. Andres - Manly
5. Angel - Messenger of God
6. Aquino - Strong
7. Balagtas - Trail blazer
8. Bayanai - Hero

9. Bayani - The hero
10. Benjie - Son of my right hand
11. Bernard - Brave bear
12. Bievenido - Welcome
13. Cesar - Long haired
14. Crisanto - Shine
15. Dakila - Great
16. Damied - To tame
17. Danilo - Form of Daniel
18. Datu - Chief
19. Datu - Chief
20. Edgardo - Wealth
21. Emesto - Sincere
22. Gaane - Action oriented
23. Gabat - Pioneering
24. Hagibis - Fast
25. Honesto - Honest
26. Liberato - Liberty
27. Makisig - Handsome
28. Modesto - Modest
29. Nonie - Cutie
30. Pacifico - Peaceful

Find more Filipino boy baby names

Filipino baby girl names
Popular baby girl names in the Philippines include Western names such as Jennifer, Michelle, Grace, and Mary Anne, but these traditional Tagalog baby names may be the moniker you're looking for when searching for the perfect Filipino baby girl name:
1. Amalia - Hard working
2. Amelia - To excel
3. Amihan - East wind
4. Barbara - Stranger
5. Bituin - Star
6. Camille - Perfect
7. Candida - White
8. Caresse - Beloved
9. Carmela - Garden
10. Chesa - Shine
11. Corazon - Heart
12. Daisy - Flower
13. Dalisay - Pure
14. Davina - Divine
15. Diwata - Goddess
16. Erlat - Hobby
17. Estrallita - Small star
18. Girlie - Girl
19. Hannah - Grace
20. Ima - Loving and cheerful
21. Ligaya - Happiness
22. Liwanag - Bright light
23. Lualhati - Peace
24. Lyndawn - Angel of morning
25. Mahal - Love
26. Malaya - Free
27. Nenita - Little girl
28. Nieves - Graceful
29. Penabi - Intelligent
30. Tala - Morning star

Exotic Baby Names from Around the World

agil_azzahra@yahoo.com (Happy Baby & Kid) — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 01:51:00 +0000

Do you prefer the exotic and original for your baby? Whether you are searching for something different that has a potent and positive meaning, or if you are looking for inspiration to create a name of your own, this is the list for you. Browse through unique and meaningful boy’s and girl’s names from around the world.

Exotic Girl Names

Morgandy – Celtic origin, meaning “a little one from the sea’s edge”

Adisa – Origin is Ashanti of Ghana, meaning “the one will teach us”

Adel – German origin, meaning “noble”

Aysel – Turkish origin, meaning “moonlight”

Dafina – Swahili origin, meaning “valuable, precious”

Kenyatta – East African origin, meaning “one who is a musician”

Eolande – Celtic origin, meaning “violet flower”

Johari – Kiswahili origin, meaning “jewel”

Jovana – Hindi origin, meaning “young woman”

Jyoti – Indian origin, meaning “light”

Lawan – Thai origin, meaning “beautiful”

Makeeda – Ethiopian origin, meaning “the beautiful”

Marit – Swedish origin, meaning “pearl”

Marjan – Western Yugur origin, meaning “coral”

Naima – Swedish origin, meaning “tranquility”

Naira – Quechuan and Aymaran origin, meaning “large eyes”

Renata – Roman origin, female version of the name Renatus, meaning “born again”

Saran – originates from Guinea, meaning “joy”

Shani – Swahili origin, meaning “marvelous”

Exotic Boy Names

Aamir – Indian origin, meaning “prosperous”

Anwell – Celtic origin, meaning “one who is loved and dear”

Adwin – Originates in Ghana, meaning “one who is a thinker or an artist”

Dalmar – Somali origin, meaning “versatile”

Dragan – Slavic origin, meaning “precious”

Einar – Scandinavian origin, meaning “one warrior”

Fintan – Irish origin, meaning “white fire or fair-haired”

Ismet – Turkish origin, meaning “honor”

Lindell – Swedish origin, meaning “lime tree”

Niyol – Native American Navajo origin, meaning “wind”

Runako – African origin, meaning “handsome”

Sivan – Kurdish origin, meaning “shepherd”

Tanvir – Indian origin, meaning “strong”

Tahir – Hebrew/Arabic origin, meaning “pure"

Source : babyhold

Baby Names with Characteristic Meanings

agil_azzahra@yahoo.com (Happy Baby & Kid) — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 01:40:00 +0000

We all want our kids to grow up to be successful, smart and happy adults. Some parents name their baby after a quality they revere and want to grant the child.

Choosing a name with a characteristic can give you an opportunity to name your child after a quality you find important.

Let's say that a baby is born to an agrarian society. The main qualities for being a successful farmer are strength, sturdiness, resilience and independence. An abundance of names were given in hope the baby would grow and succeed his father in the field or her mother in house jobs.

In all societies it is common to give these kinds of names: in Japan, agrarian countries many names were invented: Takeo which means "Strong like bamboo",

We all want our kids to grow up to be successful, smart and happy adults. Some parents name their baby after a quality they revere and want to grant the child.
Choosing a name with a characteristic can give you an opportunity to name your child after a quality you find important.

Hanna, a girl name meaning flower, Hiraku Meaning expand, open, pioneer. In the Japanese culture and its religion Shinto beauty and intelligence is regarded as a high ideals and names are given to inspire the child and his parents:

Toshiro is bright, intelligent as the name of the biggest Japanese movie star in all times Toshiro Mipone. Emi is a Japanese originated girl name meaning beautiful and Akira meaning bright and clear.

In western societies it is also common to find names with characteristics. Name etymologies research found out interesting meanings to common, seemingly meaningless names: Albert is noble, bright, and famous, Berthold is "bright strength" or "renowned leader".

Several names became popular in the 17th and 18th century, at the peak of The Age of Enlightenment, which were inspired by the freedom of man and the coming to age of reason: Berton, Bertram, Lambert, Shanahan and Bertha means bright and clever.

But the most popular inspired characteristic is strength. Several names have developed in many societies meaning strength and sturdiness. Here is a small amount of names: Adira, Alima, Bernadette, Ethan, Chasina, Fortney, Gertrude, Ronni, Valencia, Alexander, Armstrong, Ballard, Bernard, Burchard and Conall.

But what about your baby's monetary destiny? Parents have named their kids after names which mean richness and plentifully in hope that the name will fulfill the destiny. Some names are: Darius, Daria, Edwina, Pluto, Richmond and Donald.

Ever since the dawn of man, parents have given their babies name so that they will be inspired and the name will guide their life. A name can mold your child's personality, even in the aspects of daily life. A name can give strength, wealth or wisdom. It is your child's task to learn how to use it.

Source : babyhold

Twilight Zone: Why Do Babies Have the Same Names?

agil_azzahra@yahoo.com (Happy Baby & Kid) — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 00:50:00 +0000

People are naming their children after vampires. The Social Security Administration has released its list of 2009's most popular baby names, and the leading choices were Isabella and Jacob. Both names just happen to belong to main characters in the Twilight book series. True, Isabella has been trending steadily upward since the 1990s, and Jacob has been in the top spot for 10 years in a row (thus predating 2005's Twilight). But one of the rising names is almost certainly the result of Stephenie Meyer's blood-sucking romance: Cullen. The last name of Meyer's sexy main vampire jumped 297 spots in one year and is now the 485th most popular first name for a baby boy.

Cullen is also part of a larger trend: two-syllable male names that end in the sound en. Aiden is another example (12th most popular name). So is Jayden (No. 8), Logan (No. 17), Nathan (No. 24), Kevin (No. 44), Justin (No. 46) and a name I'd never heard of before: Brayden.

At No. 47, it means I'll probably start meeting a number of Braydens in about 20 years. Likewise, nearly half of the 50 most popular girl names end in the letter a, like Isabella. Why does this happen? Why do parents so often choose the same names for their newborns?

The short answer is that people copy one another, and no one likes to be that unique. Just as fashion and music trends wax and wane, so do baby names. Girls born in the 1980s were given perky, peppy monikers that ended in y or ie — Tiffany, Ashley, Katie, Brittany.

These days it's all about the soft, feminine ending: Isabella, Emma, Kayla and Ella. Sociologists and journalists often propose theories about child names, though they usually end up being nothing more than unfounded speculation. CBS News once asserted that Emma became popular in 2002 because Jennifer Aniston's character named her child that on Friends. But Emma had been on the rise since the 1980s and broke into the top 20 a full three years before Rachel and Ross had their fictional night of passion. Friends probably had little to do with it.

Dig a little deeper and baby-name trends become more complicated. According to Roland Fryer of Harvard University and Steven Levitt of the University of Chicago, blacks and whites chose similar names for their babies until the 1970s, when hospitals began seeing a rise in so-called black names such as Ebony, Shanice and Darnell. The racial name divide is now so strong that Fryer and Levitt say 40% of all African-American babies born in California are given a name that doesn't appear on even a single white baby's birth certificate. (They limited their study to California for simplicity's sake.)

Geography may also play a part. In 2009, Hebrew University researchers Jacob Goldenberg and Moshe Levy looked at the varying popularity of names in different U.S. states. They found that people are likely to give their kids names that are popular in their town, city or state. Judging from the Social Security's name database, they seem to be right. Isabella broke the top 5 on the most-popular list first in Colorado and Rhode Island. From Colorado, it spread to California, Nevada and Arizona. From Rhode Island, it hit Massachusetts, New York and New Jersey. Now it's all over the country.

But why did it start in Colorado and Rhode Island? And what happened in 1991 to suddenly shoot the name up 210 spots, from No. 698 to a still fairly uncommon 488, in just one year? Unfortunately, no one really knows. Ultimately, baby names remain subject to the whims of the people who bestow them. Parents are responsible for all the Isabellas, Emmas and Madisons in the world, not to mention the creative spellings (Keighty instead of Katie, Danyale instead of Danielle) certain to drive their children mad for the rest of their lives.

Source : time

Study: Restless Leg Syndrome During Pregnancy May Recur

agil_azzahra@yahoo.com (Happy Baby & Kid) — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 00:08:00 +0000

Of all the conditions that appear during pregnancy — from gestational diabetes and acne to foot growth and intense cravings — transient restless leg syndrome (RLS) doesn't get a lot of attention. But according to new research published in the December 7 issue of Neurology, it should get its due for at least one reason: it may come back later in life.

RLS is a sleep-related motor disorder in which aches and twinges in the legs cause urges to move them. It flares up at night making sleep difficult, and symptoms of RLS tend to worsen with age.

In the new study of 207 women, 74 had RLS during pregnancy and 133 did not. Over the course of the six-and-a-half-year study, those who had RLS during pregnancy were four times more likely to get the disorder again later on,

compared with peers who never had the disorder: 24% (18 women) of those who had RLS during pregnancy had it again at the end of the study, compared with 8% (10 women) of those who did not have the condition during pregnancy.

Women who had RLS in pregnancy were also three times more likely to develop the chronic form of the condition than women who did not have pregnancy-related RLS. Further, about 60% of women who experienced RLS during pregnancy reported the symptoms again in a future pregnancy, compared with 3% of women who did not have RLS during a first pregnancy but developed it a subsequent pregnancy.

"Most of the time, when a woman experiences RLS in pregnancy, it disappears after the baby is born," said Dr. Mauro Marconi, the study's author and a researcher at Vita-Salute University in Milan, Italy. However, our results show that having the condition during pregnancy is a significant risk factor for a future chronic form or the short-term form in other pregnancies down the road."

TIme

Dealing with Cyberbullying: 5 Essential Parenting Tips

agil_azzahra@yahoo.com (Happy Baby & Kid) — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 08:27:00 +0000

Cyberbullying is back in the news, most recently because of a so-called "smut list" published online that targeted 100 teenage girls, some as young as 14, for being promiscuous. So Healthland asked two bullying experts — Elizabeth Englander, author of Understanding Violence, and Jonathan Singer at the Temple University School of Social Work — for tips for helping parents teach kids to avoid, cope with and understand the harm of digital abuse:

Make sure your kids know cyberbullying is wrong. Many kids don't understand that when they write down and disseminate feelings of frustration, jealousy or anger toward others online, it can quickly escalate into problems in the real world. They also tend to think that what happens digitally "doesn't count" and that digital abuse doesn't hurt, especially since parents usually focus on their kids' behavior in person.

So parents should educate themselves and their kids about the real-world impact of cyberbullying. If you see a story about cyberbullying in the newspaper or online, discuss it with your children and express your feelings of disapproval; reiterate your values and expectations for your children's behavior. Encourage your kids to come to you quickly if anything gets out of hand online, and make sure they understand never to take revenge on anyone in cyberspace.

Take an interest in your kids' online behavior.

Kids tend to think their parents don't know or care about their online lives. They fear that their parents, in not understanding, will simply take away their cell phone or computer if anything goes wrong.

So get involved in your children's online behavior before harm occurs: make sure your kids know how you expect them to behave toward other people online; ask them how they communicate with their friends digitally and what kinds of problems typically pop up; explore with them how they think social networking may affect relationships between them and their friends.

Finally, ask your children to show you how they would report digital abuse if it happened to them, and reassure them that if they run into a problem online, you will talk first before taking any action.

Check school policies on cyberbullying. Contact your child's teacher or a school social worker or administrator and find out whether there is an official policy on cyberbullying. If there is one, read it and discuss it with your kids.

If there isn't a written policy in place, ask about how cyberbullying is handled and whether there are any plans to create an official policy. Better yet, step up and join — or push to create — a committee to set the standards. Though children spend the majority of their waking hours in school, many schools are ill prepared to deal with cyberbullying — many have neither an effective policy on cyberbullying nor the staff equipped to address it.

Set guidelines about cell-phone use. Many parents give their kids cell phones, so they can stay in closer contact with them. But that's typically not the reason kids want cell phones. Rather, kids use them to surf the Web, send text messages to friends, update their social-networking status, and share pictures and videos.

Review with your children the laws that could affect their cell phone use, including limitations on where and when they can legally take photos or videos, and how you expect them to handle text messaging or Internet use. If you choose to monitor what's on your kids' phones, be aware that more than 70% of kids delete messages or photos before giving their parents their phones for checks, according to research from the Massachusetts Aggression Reduction Center.

Help your children respond appropriately if they are cyberbullied. First, talk with your children about what happened and how they feel about it. Be supportive. Remember that your kids feel that they are under attack. Second, report the abuse to the website on which it occurred. This can often be done via an "abuse" or "report" button or link on the site. Lastly, report the bullying to school administrators and ask them to look after your children.

Research from the Massachusetts Aggression Reduction Center suggests that most repeated online attacks also involve in-school problems between kids, so be sure to alert the school to the situation. Even if the school cannot discipline a cyberbully — which may be the case unless the cyberabuse happens at school — teachers or school social workers can do a great deal to support the bullied child. They can also watch over troublesome situations brewing between kids.

Source : Time

Analyzing baby sounds to detect autism early?

agil_azzahra@yahoo.com (Happy Baby & Kid) — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 00:50:00 +0000

A new technique that identifies early differences in vocal development between children with an autism spectrum disorder or language delay and those developing on a normal trajectory could give pediatricians and other caregivers a tool for earlier detection of autism, and as a result facilitate earlier intervention. To distinguish the vocal patterns of normal infant and child development from those of children with autism or a speech delay, a team of researchers led by D.K. Oller of the School of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology at the University of Memphis recruited 232 children between the ages of 10 months and four years — including 77 who had been diagnosed with autism, 49 with identified language delay and 106 whose development was characterized as typical.Children were outfitted with small, portable recording devices fastened to their clothing and researchers collected more than 1,400 all-day recordings. After analyzing the recordings and excluding cries or other sounds, the researchers identified a total of 3.1 million individual utterances.

The researchers than analyzed the utterances for 12 different characteristics known to play a role in speech development — including features like pitch and ability, even in baby talk, to break sounds into syllables. The researchers then used a sophisticated algorithm to analyze each individual utterance for these 12 characteristics. They found a clear correlation between children's vocalizations and individual speech characteristics and overall development. That is, for both the typically developing and language-delayed groups, children consistently showed high levels of development in many of the vocal parameters; in the autistic group, however, children's vocalizations suggested little development on the 12 speech characteristics used to track vocal development.

The study, published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences suggest that this vocal analysis system, known as LENA (Language Environment Analysis) could help care providers detect signs of autism in very early stages of development. As the authors conclude:

"Based on the results reported here, there appears to be little reason for doubt that totally automated analysis of well selected acoustic features from naturalistic recordings can provide a monitoring system for developmental patterns in vocalization as well as significant differentiation of children with and without disorders such as autism or language delay."

Though this is just the first study to incorporate the automated vocal analysis tool, researchers are hopeful that subsequent research will add to these findings — and enable them to tweak the system and ultimately enable pediatricians and other care providers to utilize it as a tool for early autism screening.

Source : Time

Timing of Birth Linked to Cerebral Palsy

agil_azzahra@yahoo.com (Happy Baby & Kid) — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 13:35:00 +0000

There may be one more reason for expectant moms to think twice before scheduling an elective Cesarean delivery to minimize the time they are pregnant. Researchers report that early or late delivery can increase the chances that a newborn develops cerebral palsy.

Cerebral palsy (CP) is a movement disorder that doctors believe originates from an injury to the brain during fetal development or early childhood. The scientists found that babies born at 37 weeks were 90% more likely to have cerebral palsy than babies born at 40 weeks, and that the relative risk was 40% higher among infants born later, after 42 weeks gestation. The overall risk of cerebral palsy among all births, they say, is still small.

While previous studies have found that babies born prior to 39-40 weeks have a higher chance of developing cerebral palsy, it's not clear what contributes to the condition.

Are early or late births triggering the brain changes that cause CP? Study author Dr. Dag Moster, of University Bergen, notes that the neonatal brain is more vulnerable to injury the further away delivery occurs from the ideal 40 weeks gestation. Or are congenital changes caused by cerebral palsy prompting these infants to birth before or after 40 weeks? The current study appears to support the latter explanation, since CP babies also tend to have lower birth weight and smaller head circumference compared to those without the condition.

That would suggest, says Moster, that simply intervening to change delivery times to occur as close to 40 weeks as possible may not affect the incidence of CP. But understanding all of the factors that may contribute to CP, including the timing of birth, could reveal the underlying biological causes of the condition. “Until these biological mechanisms are better understood,” says Moster, “it would be hasty to recommend intervention on delivery time based on this study.”

Source : Time

When Mom Exercises in Pregnancy, Her Baby's Heart Benefits

agil_azzahra@yahoo.com (Happy Baby & Kid) — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 22:44:00 +0000

One of the great things about pregnancy is that it offers a seemingly plausible excuse to indulge — eat a little more dessert (why not, when you're going to gain so much weight anyway) and dial down that hard-core exercise regimen (see first parenthetical). But new research upends that mindset, showing that exercise during pregnancy can actually result in a healthier baby.

That exercising while pregnant is good for mom is hardly news, but now that mothers-to-be know it's good for their babies, it will be that much harder to morph into a couch potato. Maternal guilt can now rear its head months before baby even appears on the scene, prompting Mom to hit the treadmill, hard.

Previous research has indicated that exercise in the first trimester, when the placenta is formed, helps forge extra blood vessels so that there is more opportunity to exchange nutrients between mom and baby.

Linda May, an exercise physiologist and anatomist at Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences, figured there were bound to be sustained benefits for the baby too.

May and colleagues collected noninvasive fetal heart measurements from 66 fetuses when their mothers reached 28, 32 and 36 weeks of a typical 40-week pregnancy. Some of the mothers engaged in moderate to vigorous aerobic activity for 30 minutes at least three times a week; others didn't exercise.

Researchers then assessed fetal heart rate and heart rate variability, which is the span between beats.

Heart rate variability is indicative of heart health, which is associated with better overall health: people with increased variability are exercisers, and their hearts function more efficiently; those with decreased variability may be cardiac patients or, at the least, couch potatoes.

At 32 weeks, researchers started to see changes in heart response in the fetuses of the exercising moms. By 36 weeks, they noted what May calls a “big, significant change” — lower heart rate and increased heart rate variability.

When researchers analyzed the frequency with which Mom exercised, they found that the more activity, the lower the fetal heart rate and the higher the heart rate variability. “If she just does a little bit, it will have benefit,” says May. “If she does more, it will help more. It's similar to the exercise response of an adult. It's very cool.”

Even cooler is the way the results continued to manifest themselves after birth. Some women dropped out of the research due to attrition, but 43 moms brought their babies back when they were 1 month old. Their hearts still showed that pumped-up quality, according to the study, which is slated for publication in the journal Early Human Development.

“It suggests the result we saw was real, and that it is giving this baby a healthier heart,” says May.

Forget onesies or an engraved Tiffany rattle; heart health sounds like a pretty good gift.

Source : Time

A Little-Known Problem in Children With Autism: Wandering Away

agil_azzahra@yahoo.com (Happy Baby & Kid) — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 01:11:00 +0000

Within a matter of seconds, your child slips from your watchful eye and wanders away. Soon, he or she is nowhere to be found.

For any parent, few things strike more fear than a missing child. But for parents of children with autism, the potential for wandering may be more dire: children with autism have a tendency to flee, and can sometimes put themselves in harm's way. Although it is a little-known problem, wandering is perhaps the leading cause of death among children with autism, reports CNN.

In a recent feature article, CNN's Elizabeth Landau told the story of Michael Browne, a 10-year-old boy with severe autism, who is frequently inclined to bolt. "We constantly have our eye on the door and on Michael, and it's a hard way to live," Michael's mother, Melanie Browne, of Katy, Texas, told Landau. "I think that's the hardest part of raising him, is just the wandering issue."

There may be a variety of reasons that autistic children tend to run away from home or from adult supervision, experts say. Landau reported:

[A] common underlying factor is impulsivity, [pediatric neurologist Dr. Max] Wiznitzer said. They may feel stress or sensory overload from a situation and want to leave it; or, they may be attracted to a certain place and try to go there. An underlying condition such as anxiety should be treated, including with medication if necessary, he said.

It's a problem that autism groups say deserves more attention and study. The Interactive Autism Network is now recruiting families to participate in a major survey about the behavior in order to understand whom it affects and how commonly. The findings may inform the debate over a proposal to make wandering an official diagnosis, which would give the behavior a "diagnostic code" for clinical and insurance purposes.

No matter which side of the issue they fall on, doctors and parents agree that preventive measures must be taken now to help keep kids from wandering off alone. Alarm systems, deadbolt locks and GPS tracking devices are just a few of the tools parents may use.

Landau's interview with the Brownes conveys the difficulty in dealing with wandering:

Promoting an understanding of wandering in autism is important for Browne, who has dealt with police, teachers and neighbors who seem to blame her for Michael's behavior, as if bad parenting were the cause. And she feels misled by doctors who suggested that with enough early intervention, Michael's autism symptoms would markedly improve. Despite specialized programs beginning at age 2, he still can't have a conversation and has been prone to running off since age 4.

"They want you to dream big, especially when they're young. But then, when you realize your child is severe, there has to be some support for that, and you have to come to terms with that," she said. "You end up grieving more."

Like so many parents of children with autism — as well as clinicians and researchers — Browne said she hopes for better treatments, including new medications, for kids like Michael.

Source : Time

Sad Mothers Give Birth to Smaller Babies, Study Finds

agil_azzahra@yahoo.com (Happy Baby & Kid) — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 02:24:00 +0000

Women who suffer from depression or anxiety may be more likely to have underweight babies -- even when those babies are born at full term, after a normal-length pregnancy -- a new study shows. This study adds to a body of research that gives conflicting evidence about the role of mental health in pregnancy.

The study assessed 583 women in rural Bangladesh. (Similar studies have been carried out in the U.S. and elsewhere in the developed world. But since the contribution of social factors to depression and anxiety is unknown, it has been useful to analyze the relationship of depression and pregnancy health across many different social settings.) Of all the Bangladeshi women who participated in this study, 18% showed depressive symptoms, and 26% showed symptoms of general anxiety -- all as measured by a standardized international diagnostic test, given during the third trimester of pregnancy.

There was no real difference between the women with symptoms and the women without symptoms in terms of how many babies were born prematurely. But full-term babies born to women with depression or anxiety were about twice as likely to be born at low birth weight -- weighing less than 2,500 g (or 5.5 lbs) at delivery. They also had, on average, smaller head circumference. In Bangladesh, poverty and maternal malnutrition are big predictors of low birth weight in newborns, too. But the effects of depression and anxiety in this study seemed to hold among mothers of all incomes and all nutritional statuses.

The finding matters because small newborns are at much higher risk of health problems and infant death than babies born just a little bit bigger. Unfortunately, it's not clear at all why some studies -- like this new one today, published in the journal BMC Public Health -- find such a strong association between depression / anxiety and fetal development, while others do not. Worldwide, the evidence is decidedly mixed.Perhaps the conflicting results are something to do with the way that depression and anxiety are measured from one study to the next. Or perhaps mental-health problems are merely signals in some populations for other unknown and unmeasured health problems that can cause poor fetal development. Remarkably little is known, in fact, about the fetal-development processes that lead to premature delivery or low birth weight. In the U.S., however, these poorly understood pregnancy outcomes drive huge racial disparities in babies' health, with black infants dying at roughly twice the rate of white infants.

Researchers suggest a handful of possible mechanisms by which mental health during pregnancy might directly affect babies' birth weight -- if indeed it does. Depressed women may be less likely to seek out adequate prenatal care or medical care while pregnant; they may not gain enough weight; or, perhaps, the neuroendocrine effects of depression and anxiety somehow throw off the normal fetal development process.

Source : Time

Milk Banks vs. Milk Swaps: Breast Milk's Latest Controversy

agil_azzahra@yahoo.com (Happy Baby & Kid) — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 02:04:00 +0000

Breast-feeding is a demanding undertaking. It takes time, and lots of it, and some mothers are barely able to produce enough milk. But others find themselves with milk to share, and these days, they're being wooed by two very different potential recipients: official nonprofit milk banks that supply nutrient-laden breast milk to preemies and sick infants for a fee, and milk-sharing groups that may help feed the baby next door free of charge.

The breast-feeding community has historically been tightly knit, united in their belief that “breast is best.” But it's increasingly facing off over where to direct the bounty, with each side publicly raising eyebrows over the other side's practices.

The dozen or so breast milk banks across the country recently issued a press release containing an “urgent call” for donations.

Milk banks that are part of the Human Milk Banking Association of North America (HMBANA) provide premature babies and sick infants with breast milk, which is easily digested and conveys immunologic protection to at-risk babies and healthy ones too.

Banks intensively screen donors via multipage questionnaires and pay to get them blood-tested; they also underwrite the cost of shipping frozen milk to the milk banks, where it's pasteurized to kill bacteria, processed and triaged to those most in need.

But all these steps cost money; as a result, many milk banks charge $4.50 an ounce. Some would-be donors are put off by the blood-testing and the strict rules about how to pump and freeze the milk; the expense, which is not typically covered by insurance, makes others recoil.

“There are moms who are going to say, Gee, I don't really want my milk to go somewhere where it's charged for,” says Naomi Bar-Yam, executive director of the Mothers' Milk Bank of New England. “But no milk banks are getting rich off this.”

The milk banks' supply, according to the press release, has reached “critically low” levels, in large part because more and more hospitals are starting to rely on breast milk as standard of care for premature babies. Mothers of preemies may not be able to produce enough milk; in other situations, mothers may be seriously ill themselves and unable to breast-feed.

But milk bank directors also attribute the slowdown to the increasing popularity of online milk-swapping, via groups such as Eats on Feets or MilkShare, which help link those who need milk with those who've got it.

In the past, breast milk has been offered for sale — and subsequently pulled — on Craigslist and eBay. But milk-swappers don't charge. To them, sharing breast milk is the modern-day equivalent of wet nursing, where mothers who've got a freezer full can browse the Internet in search of mothers who need extra.

Eats on Feets, with groups in at least 10 countries, maintains a Facebook page that has accounted for hundreds of milk swaps since it launched in July 2010. For the most part, the women live near each other, although in some instances where moms need specialized milk — nut-free or dairy-free — donors may ship. Many women seeking milk online have experienced a sudden health crisis; in other situations, they might have trouble making enough milk to feed their baby.

Eats on Feets doesn't act as a go-between, but it does provide links to screening questions that a mother looking for milk might want to ask a donor. “We support an ideal of informed choice,” says Shell Walker, the founder of Eats on Feets, who says she's received no complaints about unsafe milk. “I know that to some of the milk bank health professionals it might seem women are doing this irresponsibly. But we need to give a little more credit to moms and understand they are taking measures to keep this safe.”

Knowing that a woman is nursing her own baby should reassure recipient moms, says Sally Stevens, a volunteer with Eats on Feets. “There's some amount of common sense that she wouldn't be feeding her baby her milk if it were laden with yuck,” says Stevens.

But Kathleen Marinelli, a neonatologist and medical director for the Mothers' Milk Bank of New England, says that logic doesn't stand up because donor moms may have infections they're unaware of. You can feed your own baby breast milk if you have hepatitis B, for example, but it's not okay to feed another baby. “The biggest risk is you have no idea what you're getting,” says Marinelli. “You want to believe every woman out there is giving it for altruistic reasons, but you just don't know. It's scary to me.”

In November, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration advised parents against using milk-sharing groups: “When human milk is obtained directly from individuals or through the Internet, the donor is unlikely to have been adequately screened for infectious disease or contamination risk. In addition, it is not likely that the human milk has been collected, processed, tested or stored in a way that reduces possible safety risks to the baby.”

Despite the warnings, many women seem to like the idea of connecting with other mothers in need. I really wanted to know who received my milk when I donated to a milk bank several years ago, but my milk, once processed, was tagged only with a number. Fans of milk-sharing, on the other hand, say it can strengthen community ties, and in some cases, has led to friendships.

After Angie Bond gave birth to a daughter in January, she found herself with much more milk than Vivinee drinks and decided to give the excess away, finding recipients via Eats on Feets. She considered milk banks but was deterred by the price tag. “I couldn't justify turning around and charging mothers upwards of $4 an ounce when I could turn to my own community and help a local mom,” says Bond, whose mother donated milk to other premature babies on the ward when Bond was born.

Bond has donated more than 250 ounces of breast milk to four babies. All of the recipient mothers conducted their own screening, asking Bond if she smokes or does drugs. For those moms interested, Bond, who lives in Chandler, Ariz., presented the results of blood work done during her pregnancy.

Pros and cons aside, it's worth asking — as Bar-Yam does — why so many women of healthy babies need donor milk. It's one point on which both sides can agree: women are not getting enough support to make breast-feeding always possible. “That's not getting addressed,” says Bar-Yam, who notes that a woman who works 50 hours a week might be eager to accept donor milk from another mom.

“We are not asking the harder question of why we as a society are not supporting these women,” she says. “Someone else's milk is always second best to nursing your own baby.”

Source : Time