How to stop your child from falling asleep at school

Star 2 – Staff Writer

“There is no magic number for the hours of sleep a person needs in order to function in a rational and productive way. Some people naturally need more sleep than others, and alternatively we hear of high-functioning adults in responsible jobs who famously survive on as little as four hours a night. However, research clearly tells us that getting a sufficient amount of sleep is vital for good health and well-being. Children, in particular, require enough sleep to grow and develop, and to enable them to perform to their full potential. A good night’s sleep leaves them feeling refreshed and alert for the day ahead, ready to concentrate and engage fully in school and social activities.”(more)

Is My Child Eating Too Much? How To Talk To Kids About Healthy Eating

The Huffington Post – Alyson Schafer

“Remember how grandparents used to grab the chubby cheeks of their grandkids and shake them? Fat was a sign you were raising a healthy, robust child and a testament to your good cooking. Today, however, childhood obesity is a nation-wide concern. Type 2 diabetes in children has increased around the world over the past 20 years but some parents may shy away from putting restrictions on their kids’ diets for fear of creating an unhealthy relationship between their child and food.”(more)

Exercising with children

The Cyprus Mail – Addison Jones

“While there are still many children who remain physically active, there are more and more children that rather surf the Internet or play video games than be involved in physical activity. As technology advances it becomes more entertaining for children and they are becoming less active. Exercise is not only important for adults but it also benefits children in many ways. Ensuring children have enough physical activities throughout the day is very important to their growth and development. Regular physical activity can help prevent chronic diseases and build strong healthy bodies in many ways:”(more)

No safe time limit for leaving children in vehicles in hot weather

The Irish Times – Muiris Houston

“Because of physiological differences in body make-up and maturity, children are at high risk for heat-related illnesses. The number of children affected by heatstroke has increased in recent years – heatstroke related to sitting in vehicles is now a leading cause of death among children. An analysis of 171 child-vehicle heatstroke fatalities in the United States between 1995 and 2002 found that in 75 per cent of cases the child was unattended in a car. The study also revealed that just over half of the cases occurred in children who were unintentionally forgotten and left in the car by mistake. Of the instances where children were intentionally left in the vehicle, many were due to carers being unaware of how hot the vehicle would become.”(more)

12 Ways to Better Manage Your Child’s Diabetes

The U.S. News and World Report – Vanessa Caceres

“Having a child with diabetes can seem like a full-time job on its own. “Diabetes is a 24/7 condition,” says Ellie Kagan, a pediatric nurse practitioner and diabetes educator at Mt. Washington Pediatric Hospital in Baltimore. “There are constant demands, including checking blood sugar, counting carbohydrates and adjusting insulin doses.” Caring for a child with diabetes can be a lot of work even for the most motivated family, Kagan adds. “Children and their parents have to make diabetes-related decisions many times each day, and that can be difficult for both parents and kids,” says Dr. Lital Reitblat, a pediatric endocrinologist at Broward Health in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. However, there are ways to make diabetes management and care a bit more manageable. Here are some suggestions from seasoned experts.”(more)